Last August it occurred to me to go to the city of Anaco, located in the state of Anzoátegui, in order to visit my paternal family. In spite of the economic situation I was going through, I restrained myself from making some family trips and decided to buy three bus tickets for my husband, my daughter and myself. We packed our bags, arrived at the bus terminal very early on the 22nd, handed in our tickets, sat in our respective seats, and waited for the driver to drive.
As the trip went on we enjoyed contemplating the beautiful scenery, the green mountains, the cows and bulls eating grass, women and men selling fruits and sweets by the roadside. It was a long and enjoyable four hours.
When we entered the city I barely remembered the streets and avenues, it had been six years since I had visited my relatives, since my grandmother died. We arrived at the terminal, unloaded the luggage, and since I didn't know where the bus stop was, I thought I would phone my grandmother's house.
I made a call to my aunt Lisbelly:
"hello aunt how are you, I am arriving from Cumana with my family, would you be so kind to come and pick me up in your car".
She answered me:
"my favorite niece what a joy that you are here, because you didn't let me know in time to prepare you a delicious meal, but don't worry I'm coming to pick you up".
Fifteen minutes later my aunt was already with her car at the terminal, in a few seconds we were on Aragua Street, all my uncles met us at the door of the house fixing a dump truck, we greeted each other with an intimate affection, they gave us the blessing, helped my husband and my daughter to put away the suitcases.
As I entered the house through the small, narrow, rustic-floored foyer, leading to the long, wide hallway, I felt a nostalgia so great that it invaded my soul, tears began to flow from my eyes like waterfalls.
It was a leap back, remembering when my father used to take me on long vacations, my aunts enjoyed my stay since I was their first granddaughter and niece. My grandmother always welcomed me with my favorite food, boiled Creole eggs, with goat milk and banana balls, these were taken from the corral that was in the back of the house, there she had any kind of animals, my grandmother is no longer physically, but my aunt Esperanza who is one of the youngest stayed in charge of the animals, fruits and ornamental trees.
On August 24 my grandmother had her birthday, we, my uncles, my cousins invented and made a great chicken soup in grandma Carmen's style, it had any amount of vegetables, legumes and beans. It was so good that everyone came back to eat the soup, the bellies were so big that the buttons of the shirts were going to fly through the air.
We remembered when I was four years old, playing Miss Venezuela, my aunts who were then young girls were the other finalists, but I was always the one who won the beauty contest, or when night fell I would tell my grandmother "grandma, I want to cry grandma", she knew that meant I had to prepare the bottle to go to sleep.
We spent a week sharing and remembering, even though I had to take care of my family, I felt like that little girl who was spoiled and pampered by her grandparents and uncles.
On the way back home, my uncle Arnaldo got a van for the whole family, cousins and friends to go and see us off until the end of the trip. As we got on the bus I could see how they were lost on the road with their hands waving goodbye, I felt that a part of me was staying in Anaco and that sooner or later we would meet again.
This is a non-fiction story.
I hope you liked my post.
I used deepl translator.
See you next year.