Los Roques… Paradise Does Exist

PARADISE REALLY DOES EXIST.. AND IT'S ONLY 10 HOURS BY PLANE FROM here

We left from Ancona (me, Sara & Cri) on an Alitalia flight at 6.50 via Milan to Caracas. A smooth flight.. there were no hitches.. apart from not having closed an eye for all 10 hours.. which I wouldn't wish on anyone! We arrive at the Simón Bolívar airport and immediately look for our muchacha who has come to pick us up to take us to the hotel in Catia la Mar. If you can, do everything to catch the plane to Los Roques straight away. We had only 1 hour; if there had been a delay we'd have messed everything up. The national airport is a 5-minute walk! In Caracas there's nothing to do.. we went out in the evening for dinner on our own; the hotel owner strongly advised us against it, in fact dinner and straight to bed. The next morning we left for Paradise!! The Transaven plane is a 15-seater or so with a plasma TV, the Shakira DVD blaring..

a terrible racket! I wanted to get off and go home!! but after about twenty minutes of flight you start to realise... that it's worth it! Islands islands islands.. an unforgettable scene! Arrived at Los Roques, they take us to the posada (Cayo Luna, a bit spartan.. you just need a bit of a spirit of adaptation and you're in heaven! they're all Venezuelans, adorable staff!) at a run to the room to put on our swimsuits.. then to the port and off to the first island, 5 minutes away, Los Roques! Madrisquí! Beautiful.. crystal-clear sea.. white sand.. straight to the restaurant at Cayo Pirata to eat the first lobster! Mmmm, how fancy! At 17.00 we return to the posada to rest at last! I won't go on telling you about every day. I'll be brief..

Don't miss Cayo de Agua even though it's the farthest but the most beautiful! Sarquí, very very beautiful (my favourite)! Carenero is worth it, have yourself taken to the hut of Ezechiel, the guru of the island; if you have anything to leave him he's happy! Let me know how he's doing! Crasquí we went twice, it's.. marvellous! Have yourself taken one day to some sandbar where you'll be completely alone! You'll see an infinite variety of fish and animals, from rays to sea turtles, starfish... very very beautiful!! Tips: If you're afraid of dogs.. Watch out! Los Roques is the island of dogs! But they live peacefully with everything around them and if you don't pay them any attention they don't give you a second glance! Luckily I adore them! What to bring? The bare minimum..

We perhaps had too little! the only nightclub on the island is the LEGENDARY NEPTUNO! If you like salsa and merengue there are some really good guys who won't hold back from giving you a few lessons! Bring very high protection creams or sunscreens.. otherwise you risk hurting yourself! For changing money it's better to do it around than at the bank, because it's very unfavourable; for us they exchanged 1 € for 3,900 Bolivars, at the posada 3,000, at the bank even less! The choice of posada.. at Los Roques there's something for every taste.. Very beautiful (and expensive) ACUARENA, AQUARELA, LA GOTERA, MACONDO, Piano y Papaya, MEDITERRANEO, AQUAMARINA, LAGUNITA... The choice depends only on the expense one wants to face! We got by on 60€ per person per day (without lunch) and I must say that of the prices I heard from people I met there we were the luckiest..

on at least 5 islands there are restaurants (Francisquí, Crasquí, Cayo Pirata, Carenero, Agustín); when you go elsewhere you organise yourself with a sandwich! Very nice in the evening is the aperitif at La Gotera with the poufs on the beach enjoying the sunset! Don't miss the Lighthouse! A 15-minute walk gets you there and it's really beautiful to see the islands from up there!

Special thanks to my uncles (Lorenzo and Paolo), Silvia and the Parruccone, Angelo and La Mary, Giovanni and Daniela and to all the Magnificent people of Los Roques.

The sea with its 1000 shades of blue.. the seagulls and pelicans...the whitest sand.. the peace and silence of this place will remain imprinted in my mind and in my heart forever. Thank you LOS ROQUES