Angel Falls got its name from the American bush pilot Jimmy Angel, who saw the incredible sight from his plane shile searching for gold in 1937.  When Mr. Angel described the falls to his friends, they would not believe him, saying he exaggerated their proportions.  The falls were never actually measured until thirteen years after their discovery when American journalist Ruth Robertson led a team to the falls in 1949.

The falls are a spectacular 3,212 feet high making them twenty times as tall as the Eiffel Tower.  A steep cliff that is over 8,000 feet high forms the majestic backdrop of these wonderful Angel Falls.

The Angel Falls are located in a region called the Guayana Highlands.  These highlands cover about half of Venezuela.  The high, flat topped mountain is massive wity vertical sides that rise up into the clouds.  Narrow, deep river valleys are cut into the mountain, supplying the falls with water.  The volcanic rock that forms these mountains is ancient and counted among the oldest rock that has been dated in the world.

The steep sided mountains are called tepuis and are billions of years old.  The mountain ridge over which the Angel Falls flow is call the Auyan Tepui and covers more than 270 square miles at its base. It is situated in Venezuela's Canaima National Park, which incidentally is the sixth largest national park in the world.

The ancient rock of the Auyan Tepui contain  a treasure of diamonds, gold, iron and other minerals.  Because of this, there has been an increase of prospectors in the area that have led to concern for preserving this natural wonder. 

Some local residents, called Pemons are afraid to go near the mountain.  This is because Mount Auyan Tepui is called "Devil Mountain" by the Pemon.  They name came from the fact that they believed that evil spirits live in the mountain.  Many Pemon guides will paint their faces red before approaching the mountain in order to protect themselves from these spirits.

To see Angel Falls, visitors today can fly in a small plane, take a boat trip or even hike to Augyan Tepui during certain times of the year.

Amedei's Porcelana chocolate was first produced in Tuscany, Italy in 1990. It won three World Chocolate Awards. It is so exclusive that each bar has a number on it.

Malagasy Mora Mora is grown, processed and packaged in Madagascar. It is a blend of three different types of cocoa bean and has a light texture and an almost floral scent. It is not as rich as some other dark chocolates.

Valrhona Cao Grande is made by a French company that blends a mixture of beans from Venezuela, Madagascar and Trinidad. Cao Grande has a unique flavour more suited to the connoisseur.

Green and Black organic dark chocolate is 85% cocoa. It is very strong with a slightly bitter after taste and a strong smell. This is not a chocolate bar that even the most dedicated addict could eat a lot of.

Dark chocolate is thought to be healthier than milk chocolate. It has higher anti-oxidant properties and can help protect the heart and blood vessels from oxidative damage. Tests have also suggested that dark chocolate may have a positive affect on depression.

Although there may be benefits to be had from eating this highly addictive confection, chocolate is high in fat and sugar, so too much of it can counteract any beneficial effects it might have.

If you ever fly into Maracaibo, or anywhere in Venezuela for that matter, ensure you have plenty of time to spare. Unlike the customs in most countries, they will manually inspect every bag, of every passenger getting off the plane. On the way out, is the same. I arrived 3 hours early, and it almost took me that long to get in the plane. They will inspect every bag more than once. They will also ask you many questions about whether or not you have something to declare. All this is done by armed National Guard soldiers. A little intimidating to say the least.

Either way, Venezuela is a beautiful country. I recommend it to anyone, just ensure you either know Spanish, or have someone with you who does. Oh, and make sure you have all your paperwork in order.

That is all.