世界城市博览（20）Caracas（委内瑞拉）

ThecapitalofVenezuelaisahuge,vibrantandenergeticcitybuiltontremendouswealthanddesperatepoverty.Gravityisequallydefiedbythecity’sthrustingtowersofsteelandglassandtheteetering（摇摇欲坠的）shantytowns（简陋的棚屋）thatcoverthecity’ssurroundinghills.
Ascosmopolitanandcaptivatingasitcanbedepressing,Caracashasalltheassetsofabigcity-greatrestaurants,plushhotels（豪华饭店）,theatre,museums,nightlife,shopping-andmanyoftheproblems-pettycrime,grindingpoverty,pollutionandthelossofheritage.
It’sanoil-moneyplaceoftrafficjamsandprogressiveculture,theunquestionedcentreofthecountry’spolitical,scientific,cultural,intellectualandeducationallife.It’sashowcaseofmodernarchitecture,flauntingpublicsculptures,mosaicsandmuralsateveryturn.ItenjoysaperfectpositionontheCaribbeancoast,andisthegatewaytotheAndes（安第斯山脉）andtheAmazon（亚马逊河）.
AnytimeisafinetimetovisitCaracas.Thecityenjoysadryclimateandtemperaturesaremildandsteady.VenezuelansgoonawhirlwindvisitationoffriendsandfamilyatChristmas,CarnavalandEaster,soavoidingtheresultingtransportandaccommodationmayhemcouldbeafactorindecidingwhentovisit.
ThecityofCaracasdatesbackto1560,whenintrepidFranciscoFajardoheadedsouthfromtheSpanishcolonyonIsladeMargarita（马格丽塔岛）,40km(25mi)offshore,anddiscoveredtheverdantvalleythatistodayentirelytakenupbythemassivemetropolis.FajardofoundedasettlementcalledSanFrancisco,buttheToromaimaIndianswholivedinthevalleyobjectedtotheSpaniards’incursions.ForsixyearstheIndianslaunchedaseriesofattacksagainstthesettlement,andthegovernoroftheprovincerespondedbyorderingthecompleteconquestofthevalley.OnJuly25,1567,thegovernor’sexpeditionarytroop（远征队）decisivelyovercameIndianresistanceandreestablishedthesettlement,namingitSantiagodeLeóndeCaracas:’Santiago’afterthepatronsaint（守护神）ofSpain,’León’aftertheprovincialgovernor,and’Caracas’afterthecoastalregion’sleasttroublesomeIndiangroup.
Caracaswaselectedastheadministrativeseatofthecolonyin1577,becomingthethirdandfinalcapitalofVenezuela.Twentyyearsafteritsestablishment,Caracasconsistedof60familiesandrangedfor25blockssurroundingthePlazaMayor.Developmentwashinderedbyconstantsetbacks:pirateattacksleftthecitysackedandrazed,andsubsequentreconstructionwasdestroyedbyearthquake.
Caracasconsolidateditspositionoverthenexttwocenturies,andthecitygavebirthtotwoofVenezuela’smostfamoussons:FranciscoMiranda,whopavedthewayforindependence,wasbornin1750;andSimón’ElLibertador’Bolívar,whorealizedMiranda’sdream,wasbornin1783.Mirandawasinvolvedinthe1810denouncingoftheSpanishgovernor,andtheformationofareplacementSupremeJunta.Followingayear-longpoliticalstruggle,Venezuela’sindependencewasdeclaredonJuly5,1811,butSpaindidn’trecognizeVenezuela’ssovereigntyuntil1845.
Sincethe1950s,Caracas’populationhassoaredfromaround400,000toalmostfivemillion.Thecitysufferedasevereeconomicdeclineinthe1980sand90s,andthethousandsofruraldwellerswhorushedtofindwealthinthebigmetropolisnowleadaprecarious（不稳定的）hand-to-mouthexistenceintheramshacklehutsthatcoverthesteephillssurroundingthecitycenter.Theftandarmedrobberyareincreasinglyafactoflife.WorsewastocomeonDecember15,1999,whendisastrousmudslides（泥石流）devastateda100km(62mi)swatheoftheLitoralCentral,thecoastalareajustnorthofCaracas.Theexceptionallyhighrainfallthatcausedthedisasterisestimatedtooccuronlyonceinathousandyearsinthisregion.BelievedtobeSouthAmerica’sworstnaturaldisasterinrecentmemory,themudslideskilledbetween30and50thousandpeople,andmade150,000homeless.Entirebeachesandshantytownsvanished,thecolonialtownofLaGuaira-oncetheregion’smajorculturalsight-wasdestroyed,andtheresortsarenowruinedghosttowns.

大连佳禾外语培训学校近期开班
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