The Silent Holiday

We are on the very tail end of a 4-day weekend for Carnaval.  Carnaval is a holiday in the same spirit of Mardi Gras, celebrating the last few days before Lent begins.  I believe it is popular in many Catholic countries, and so throughout Latin America.  A friend in Brazil posted photos of her daughter with a large feathered mask and seems to be enjoying quite the party atmosphere in her neck of the continent. 

In Venezuela, the Carnaval has brought very little of a carnival atmosphere.  In fact, it has been a pleasantly quiet weekend.  It seems that most caraqueños left town for the weekend, and life has been very quiet.  The grocery store was practically empty yesterday and the roads have been quiet.

We've enjoyed late sleeping, restaurant eating, and loads of swimming pools with our friends.

Saturday saw us exploring the local mall in search of contacts.  Successful, I might add.

Sunday saw us in the Venezuelan countryside, about 45 minutes away at a golf club with two other families.  We sat by the pool eating, talking, swimming and enjoying both a bottle of rum and the fact that the other families had girls' our kids' ages and girls' old enough to watch them all on the playground all afternoon.  It was such a treat to get outside of the city, and drive into the countryside of Venezuela for a bit.  The hills rise up dramatically and are covered in various greens, sometimes a carpet of ferns, sometimes a tall forest, and sometimes very tropical;  generally with a few homes perched on the side.

Monday saw us at the Chief of Mission Residence, or CMR.  Nothing can be affiliated with the federal government without a 3-letter abbreviation.  We have no ambassador at the moment, because of the strained political relationship.  Instead we have a chargé, and he lives in the CMR.  The CMR is a house for entertaining, and as such it is lovely.  It sits nestled into a pleasant hill with a large yard and a very pleasant swimming pool, which are open to Embassy families during the day.  We helped to celebrate the birthday of an embassy 5-year-old with pizza and cupcakes and plenty more swimming.

Today brought us into the city to an urban tennis and swim club.  Friends from church are Americans employed by big oil.  We spent yet another afternoon poolside, enjoying getting to know a family outside of the embassy bubble, talking about building a small group Bible Study, and letting the kids explore a new playground and yet another swimming pool.

All this in weather around the upper 70s with blue skies and a light breeze, a bit warmer when you're in direct rays of the sun.  I have nothing to complain about.