Caracas is a big city. Even with approximately 3.5 millions people (after so many migrated) traffic can be hellish, especially running long distance errands through downtown roads. The subway or Metro was for a while "the great solution" to traffic jams and inefficient transportation system. However, in the last years it has considerably deteriorated and the service is not as good as it should.
Since we moved to Caracas last April, my wife had refused to use the system, but yesterday I finally persuaded her to try.
We had to run an errand at the UCV (Central University) and that requires taking two slow buses from where we live. My wife's main concern had not been so much the decline in the Metro service, but the fact that it is underground.
My wife has always felt uncomfortable in places like elevators, tunnels or parking buildings. The Subway was a bit too much for her phobia.
I tried to distract her with casual conversations and listing the advantages of getting her a card to use the Metro. Luckily, the line to get the card was not too long. It is usually an issue.
After she got her card, we went down to get the train, but as it is usually the case these days, they were delayed. The waiting did not help much with her state of mind. The more people crowded around, the more suffocating the place felt and the more difficulties she anticipated to get on the train.
Finally, the train arrived and I was praying for it to have air conditioner.
The air conditioner was working fine, but it was crowded and after the first station, the train stopped.
People has gotten used to this sort of delays, but my wife was losing her patience already.
After a few long minutes, it was announced that the delay was caused by a fatal accident. Someone had been run over by a train five stations away.
Even though suicides have been customary since the Metro was inagurated, it is always shocking to hear about it, especially when you're heading in that direction with a claustrophobic person who refused to use that transport system to begin with.
We finally made it to Plaza Venezuela (the place of the fatal incident) and from there to Ciudad Universitaria (our destination. We must admit they took good care of the incident because there was no indication that such a tragedy had happened just minutes before.
We ran our errand at the University and headed back home.
My wife refused to take the subway back, but when we arrived at Plaza Venezuela (by bus) we found that some streets had been closed because there was a celebration. I had forgotten it was February 4th. The coupist celebrate the 1992 coup attempt. All public employees were being rounded up to their parade.
We had no choice but go back underground and take the subway back home.
My wife was a bit more relaxed now and I could not be happier (Even though I know the Metro will never be her first choice). Despite the nerves and setbacks we had a good time.
