Curiosity killed the cat, as the saying goes, but I came out alive and kicking. 😆 For years, I had wanted to explore and get to know this place on the shores of the Taiguaiguai lagoon in Venezuela. It is an old building that belonged to a brothel. It had no flashy signs, but at night its flashing lights were the identification and reminder of what used to operate there.
As I live in the community opposite, whenever I left the neighbourhood I would see this abandoned building from afar. A few months ago, the regional government decided to rebuild it and hold a prayer service in honour of the Venezuelan saint José Gregorio Hernández, and the renovations began.
A few days ago, I invited my brother to accompany me to this building. It was a Sunday and there were no workers on site. The renovations look nice from the outside, and the freshly painted walls hide the fact that it was in ruins until recently. A small square is the centre and what you see at first glance is a statue, still wrapped up, which I assume is of the saint.
I took photos of the entire exterior, and when we went inside, I felt a chill and fear. I am not a nervous or cowardly person, but my skin bristled, and I froze at the entrance. Although it was daytime, as you can see in the photos, I was scared because I felt that we were not alone. I felt like I was being watched and I heard noises. My intuition told me not to go in any further. At first glance, there was no one to be seen. My brother, who was with me, told me to turn back. I wanted to follow my intuition, so I left, feeling very curious about the whole place, especially some small, narrow stairs that gave the impression of a second level.
This place could be home to homeless people, beggars, and addicts who might feel invaded if they found us in their space, so we turned around and walked around the back. There I could see that there is indeed a second level and that everything is bigger than it appears. As we were leaving, we saw a man in one of the nearby trees with rubbish, burning things. He must have spent the night there.
In my city, there are many abandoned sites that would be perfect for exploring, including the engineering department of the Central University of Venezuela, but after this experience, I don't think I'll be able to venture into the woods and darkness. I now realise that urban exploration requires a lot of courage and merit, and I have great respect for everyone who takes part in this dangerously exciting activity.
