The Venezuelan plain is an immense land. As far as the eye can see it is a land covered with grass, with morichales on the banks of rivers that cross it and occasionally cattle, buffaloes and horses grazing or in the shade of a saman tree.
There I went with my husband and my children on a trip that we did not plan, but it was given by the circumstances and the desire for adventure. To know the unknown, that desire that everyone feels at some point. It is something that tells you, go ahead, I want to know what lies beyond.
It was the week of the carnival celebration, and we decided to visit a place near San Juan de los Morros, one hour from the city where we live, where there are some very nice wells and very good for refreshment. We planned to go and return the same day. When we arrived, that place was crowded with people.
"What do we do now?" I asked
"Let's keep going", said my son
"Yes, keep driving, dad!", my daughter exclaimed.
"Let's get to Apure, since we don't know it", said my husband.
So we decided to continue on the road that leads to the plains, heading south. The heat was oppressive and the sun, like a great lamp, illuminated and warmed the whole landscape. It was summer.
We passed through typical llanero towns with their streets and colonial houses. We stopped to eat and rest in a square near the church. Furthermore, we continued riding for several hours until we reached a very large dam, and there we rested and stretched our legs.
My husband, who had already traveled to the region, said to us.
"Here in the town of Camaguan they sell very good quesadillas, do they want to try them?"
Of course we all said yes. And they were the best quesadillas I have ever tasted in my life, made with a soft and sweet bread and melted white cheese.
It was already dark when we arrived at the great river, the Apure, majestic and dark waters. We crossed a bridge and arrived at the other side of the river.
There we stopped to admire the beautiful night and to contemplate the flowing waters. Listening to the sounds of nature, touching the sand with our hands and feet. A soft breeze had refreshed the atmosphere. A moment of enjoyment and tranquility. It was dark, and some lights were visible in the distance.
That tranquility was interrupted by an event that happened minutes later when my husband decided it was a good time to fish. So he took out his rod, prepared it and cast it into the river.
Several minutes passed, when suddenly he felt a strong pull that almost dragged him into the water. He struggled as long as he could to pull out what he was holding, but he could not.
"Help me get it out," he shouted.
We made a chain, one after the other, seven people putting all their energies to pull out of the river what was holding the hook of the fishing rod.
On one side we were pulling and on the other side of the river a big and long shadow that did not come to the surface was also pulling. It didn't want to give up...and it did.
We could not hold on, and the line broke, and we all fell backwards. Such was the strength of that animal, of which we could only see its image underwater.
Maybe it was an alligator or a big fish. I can't say for sure. But I'm glad we didn't manage to catch it. That they were able to stay alive was the best thing.
The trip ended two days after we arrived. We slept in a hotel in the city of San Fernando de Apure, capital of the state. We enjoyed the carnival celebration with floats and costumes. And we were very tempted to continue traveling along those roads and reach the state of Amazonas, the largest jungle area of the country. What stopped us? Duty, responsibility at work and studies. But, I ask myself? Should we have listened to our adventurous spirit and continued the trip? Several years have passed, and this story I told you is one of the most beautiful memories I have of a family trip.
Thank you very much for reading. This is my entry in inkwell's first non-fiction short story contest. In it I tell my experiences of a trip I made with my family to the llanera region.
