My family and I went horse back riding near Luray, Virginia. It was the only place in the area where the website description said "jogging". We soon found out the "jogging" part lasted 5 seconds. We were expecting to gallop, even if we have not ridden a horse in 10 years. But we seem to conveniently always forget about USA safety standards. After the ride through the nearby woods, we were starving. As always Ana pulled out Google Maps and found the nearest BBQ place that had a reasonable amount of reviews. Leading us to: Triple Crown BBQ.
We were a group of six, all speaking Spanish while making the line to order at the food truck. We sat down to eat brisket, pulled pork, mac and cheese, coleslaw, ribs, corn bread (which was delicious) and a tall white brown-haired man approaches us. He introduces himself as the owner: John Coleman. Tells us he opens the food truck on the weekends and works on the warehouse behind us making furniture the rest of the week. And asks where we are from? Cuba? As he heard us speaking Spanish. We all tell them we are from Venezuela, South America. But now live in Florida and Virginia.
What John said next left us wide-eyed, in the good sense.
"I had a friend who worked at CANTV (state-run telephone and internet service provider in Venezuela). I travelled to Venezuela with my wife for our honeymoon at the end of 1990's. We stayed with my friend in Caracas near El Junquito, that region bordering the mountains. We went to visit the Colonia Tovar. And spent some time in Margarita island where we stayed at Laguna Mar resort. I remember being in the water at the beach with this old guy when suddenly the tide got too strong. We both swam to the shore, me basically pulling the old guy out. He offered me a Marlboro red cigarette which we smoked together and drank a Polar beer. I can honestly tell you Venezuela has the best rum. Me and my wife brought a bottle from that trip which we drink a sip from on every wedding anniversary."
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