Thirty Two Years Later

When we made our plans to visit Venezuela for my husband's fiftieth birthday we had no intention of returning to El Pao, the small American camp  where he grew up.  We were discouraged from visiting by a number of people, particularly my father-in-law.  "You can't go home again," he quoted.  He insisted my husband would find it depressing and would regret it.

When we met up with Cesar, my husband's childhood friend, he suggest we go to El Pao on our last day in Puerto Ordaz.  It was less than an hour's drive away and afterwards we could have lunch in San Felix, visit Llovizna Falls on the Caroni River (the river my niece was named after) as well as the nearby Dam and Museum.  "We'll bring a towel for Mikey," he said.

Cesar and my husband infront of the house he grew up in.

The mine where his father worked has grown over considerably

The school is one of the few things that has been maintained over the years.  The town was certainly run down and overgrown, but no worse than many other places we visited in Venezuela. 

The following pictures were taken at a beautiful 200 hectare park in Puerto Ordaz called Parque La Llovinza.  It's located not far from the point where the Caroni and Orinoco rivers merge (♪♪ sail away, sail away, sail away ♪ )

My husband, Cesar's wife Gira and their oldest son Cesar Jr. 

who'll be moving to Toronto in August to learn English.

Below are some interior shots at the Macagua Dam and Musuem.  It's a beautiful building with art galleries and informational displays on the history and future of hydroelectric dams in Venezuela.

for my neice...