Merida, a place that makes you fall in love [Be a traveler]

My Venezuelan followers will know how special and important this State is to us. The state of Merida, because of the beauty of its Andean landscapes and its pleasant climate, is one of the main tourist centers of Venezuela. It has an endless number of places that will attract your attention and will make you want to return every year.

This time I traveled with my family, as it is definitely our favorite place in our country Venezuela. I'll show you why and I know you'll like it a lot.

National Astronomical Observatory of Llano del Hato

The first time I visited, it was a girl of only 10 years, you can imagine how fascinated I was with this place. This observatory consists of four domes, each with a telescope; and a museum, as well as residences for scientists. It is also the largest observation complex in Venezuela and the largest among those that operate near the Equator line, due to its location, it has the advantage of being able to observe both hemispheres.

Without a doubt it is a place where you can spend a great day with your family or friends. It is always the first place I want to go to when arriving in Mérida. I hope the years go by and continue to visit him with such enthusiasm, and why not one day my children can meet him too. A curious fact is that it is the only professional observatory in the country, and the highest in the world in the equatorial region.

In this photograph that I could take from my parents, the domes of the observatory are clearly visible in the background, without a doubt a majestic landscape.

This state is the most mountainous in the country, indeed, it is crossed by three mountain ranges of the Andes mountain range, its fauna is extraordinary, and you can appreciate it in any corner where you look.

Mammals such as the spectacled bear or spectacled bear (the only representative of the bears in South America), the coati or Andean guache and the Andean rabipelade or lighthouse stand out. Birds like the Condor, the hummingbird spike sword, the eagle of crest and the duck of torrent. Amphibians such as the transparent frog and the Andean salamander. Among the reptiles we can mention the false coral. Source

Another one of the fantastic places that Mérida has, is the well-known Mucubají Lagoon located between 3625-3655 masl, in the Sierra Nevada Park. It is one of the largest in the region and it is believed that the name of the lagoon is due to how the indigenous inhabitants of the region named it, Mucubají means in that language "site of the big water".

The photographs that can be taken in this place can be great, a beautiful lagoon, surrounded by frailejones, with its own environment of páramo. Around the lagoon at least nine species of butterflies have been recorded, highlighting a species of endemic parasite butterfly called Redonda chiquinquirana

Delight your eyes with this landscape.

I would also like to tell you about the Chorros de Milla Zoological Park, an attractive and recreational area, crossed by the Milla river, hence its name, where more than 160 animals (mammals, reptiles and birds) are exhibited, among which the Andean Condor, Felinos stand out , the Danta, Monkeys and Bears, among them the Frontino Bear, also called Spectacled Bears, which lives in the páramos.

Going to Mérida and not going through the Zoo is unacceptable, the tour is very interesting, as it is completely crossed by a river and in each season there is a different activity...
I really do not want to share images of caged animals.

There is a legend that says, The river Milla, of which the zoo of Mérida receives its name, is part of a legend, that tells that a cacique named Murachí died in defense of his tribe in battle against the Spanish conquerors, and of the weeping tears of the beloved of the warrior of the snowy Sierras, the Indian princess Tibisay, formed the waters of the river that now flows through the zoo's terrain and that is born along with the Albarregas river.8 The greater waterfall of the zoo receives the name of the princess of the legend, Cascada Tibisay. The legend was compiled in the tale Sorceress of Merida or the legend of the Conquest by Tulio Febres Cordero. Source

I love to share every one of my adventures with you friends of Steemit, I hope you enjoy this post and are encouraged to travel and to know your country.

Health and happiness for everyone!

If you do what you like you will always be happy.

Each phoograph is my own, taken with a Canon Eos Rebel T3 camera.