Mérida is the principal city of the Venezuelan Andes.  It was founded in 1558, and is known today for its high population of university and other students as well as a wide variety of attractions for tourists.  The temperature is generally mild, and at higher altitudes downright cool.   The highest peak in the country, Pico Bolivar (5007 meters), is 12 kilometers away.  Outdoor activities like canyoning, paragliding, rafting and hiking are especially popular, as are animal viewing tours that originate here and head down to the plains where anteaters, sloths, monkeys, anaconda, capybara, pink river dolphins and many, many bird species make their homes.  This is a trip we did a few years ago, and would definitely recommend!

We wandered around the city for the day, admiring colonial architecture and sites like the cathedral and Plaza Bolivar, among other churches, parks and plazas.  Unfortunately, the highest and second longest cable car in the world is now closed.  No one seems to know quite why, but there is currently no projected date of reopening.

Later, we stopped for ice cream at the Guiness World Record holding shop (Heladería Coromoto) for number if ice cream flavors (over 900).  Donny chose tostones (fried green plantain) and malta flavors (two scoops) while I enjoyed mint and auyama (a kind of squash).  All of our choices were tasty!  We steered clear of those involving meat and fish, though some of the alcohol-inspired varieties like beer, wine and whisky sounded intriguing.   Also popular are black bean, corn, fig and of course every fruit and fruit combination imaginable.

In Mérida it´s easy to eat well.  The Venezuelan arepa is often made here with wheat based flour instead of corn, a tasty change of pace.  There are also regional specialties like breads, creamy cheeses, strawberries and cream, sausage, fried pork, and local river trout as well as dozens of types of mountain sweets made of dulce de leche, plantain and other ingredients.

Merida Photos