CHAPTER VIII

THE STATES OF THE “CENTRO”: DISTRITO FEDERAL, MIRANDA, ARAGUA, AND CARABOBO 135

La Guaira—Heat—Port-works—The Brighton of Venezuela—Sugar plantations—Streets and _botiquins_—_Guarapo_—La Guaira-Carácas Railway—A great engineering feat—Carácas—Climate—Population—Streets—Buildings—The Salón Elíptico—El Calvario—El Paraiso—“La India”—Water supply—Trams and telephones—Lighting—Industries—The Guaire valley—Coffee—Miranda—Ocumare del Tuy—Petare—Central Railway—Vegetable snow—Carenero Railway—Rio Chico—Los Teques—Great Venezuelan Railway—La Victoria—Sixteen-fold wheatfields—Maracay—Grazing lands—Cheese—President Gomez’s country house—Villa de Cura—An epitome of the State—Lake of Valencia—Cotton—Carabobo—Valencia—Cotton mills—Montalbán—Deserted vineyards—Wild rubber—Puerto Cabello Railway—The port—Meat syndicate—Club—Ocumare de la Costa—What is bad for man may be good for cocoa—Mineral resources.