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“...built than those in the neighbouring
islands. Near the centre of the town was the Roman
Catholic Cathedral, and along the sea front a shady
boulevard, much resorted to by the flaneur sot the doomed
city, over which towered the majestic and solitary peak
of Mont Pelé, 4,500 feet high.
On the fateful May 8th, 1902, after many premonitory
symptoms, which were ignored by the majority of the
people, a huge mass of fiery vapour burst from the side of
Mont Pelé and enveloped the town, including the Opera
House, the Cathedral, and the residences of the principal
inhabitants, bringing death and destruction in its track.
Indeed, not a building escaped the ravaging blast, and
it is computed that fully 40,000 persons instantaneously
lost their lives through asphyxiation or burning Such
a sight as Pliny witnessed in 79 a.d. was tó be observed
again at St. Pierre, and visitors to the spot will realise
that here only in the world is a modem repetition of the
ancient catastrophe. The unfortunate town,...”
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“... which has several oil paintings of merit.
Permission to visit one or more of the numerous
Tobacco factories can readily be obtained. Here, while
I the employees manufacture the cigars for which Havana
I is justlv famous, an individual lightens the monotony
' of their labours by reading aloud some popular work or
newspaper to them.
There is no lack of diversions in Havana. The Chinese
section is of interest to the unsophisticated traveller, and
there are numerous cabarets. French and Spanish opera
companies occasionally visit the National Theatre a
handsome building—in winter. The most characteristic
game is that of jai-alai, known in Spain as “pelota,
which is interesting and exciting to watch.
Marianao Beach, on the Gulf of Mexico (10 miles west
of Havana by electric train every fifteen minutes from
Concha Station, Carlos III Street, or every few minutes
via Vedado), is much resorted to on account of the
delightful surf bathing to be enjoyed there. The train
runs through < some of the...”
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“...statue of
Simon Bolivar, the Liberator, who was bom in Caracas.
Round the square are grouped the Cathedral and Arch-
bishop’s Palace, the National Library, and General Post
Office.
The public buildings which may be visited include the
Palacio Federal, the Concejo Municipal, the Fine Arts
Academy—which has a fair collection of pictures—the
Panteon National, and the Museo Boliviano. Particulars
regarding the hours of opening, etc., can be obtained
at the hotels. Caracas has three theatres : the Opera
House, the National, and the Caracas, and there is a
Bull Bing where bull-fighting can be witnessed on
Sundays (admission from bs. 2 [is. 7
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“...It is dominated by the majestic
volcano of Irazu (11,000 feet) the excursion to the crater
of which takes a full day. Just under three miles
farther on the train stops at El Alto (5,137 feet), the
summit of the pass where the countryside resembles
the Sussex Downs rather than a tropical divide, and
then descends some 1,200 feet to San José.
San José, on the Pacific slope, is a modem city of
50,000 inhabitants, who are justly proud of their
National Theatre, which they consider rivals the
Paris Opera, and their numerous parks. Built on the
rectangular plan, it is traversed by Calles from north
to south and by Avenidas from east to west. With
electric trams, light, and telephones, it is in every sense
a modem city, though few of its houses exceed two
stories in height—a necessary precaution against
earthquakes. Near the railway station is the National
Park: with a monument to commemorate the campaign
against the filibusters from the United States under
Walker, of 1856-1857, and in the centre...”
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