america

There are 350 organized angel groups in America today, according to the story. Of these, 50 were formed since the 2008 recession.
You know and I know that most third party startup financing comes from angel investors. Not VCs. Not crowds (not yet anyway).
But I don't think most of America knows that. So it's good to hear a national media outlet spreading the good word.
The story focused on two angel groups, Silicon Pastures and Golden Angels, which both happen to be based in Milwaukee. Not Silicon Valley. Not Boston. Not Seattle. Also very, very cool.
Photo: trekker308/Flickr.

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Such a nice flag. Doesn’t it want to make you eat some apples, light some fireworks, steal the natural resources of poorer countries.
And it’s so versatile. Here are a couple of beautiful examples.


But that’s just the flag for you and I, the flag of the 99%. The United States of America has two official flags. There’s also the flag of the 1%. Until now, it was known as the flag of the Cayman Islands:

What is that lovely little flag with the Union Jack doing on a big yacht?

Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign toasted its top donors Wednesday aboard a 150-foot yacht flying the flag of the Cayman Islands.
The floating party, hosted by a Florida developer on his yacht “Cracker Bay,” was one of a dozen exclusive events meant to nurture those who have raised more than $1 million for Romney’s bid.
“I think it’s ironic they do this aboard a yacht that doesn’t even pay its taxes,” said a woman who lives aboard a much smaller boat moored at the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina.
Romney’s Cayman-based investments have come under fire during the campaign.
The event, attended by no more than 50 people, along with Romney relatives, including older brother Scott, appeared on no public calendars. ABC News obtained a schedule of the Romney campaign’s “Victory Council” and waited dockside to speak with members.
“It was a really nice event. These are good supporters,” said billionaire Wilbur Ross, an energy industry executive.

I mean, we could criticize Romney for holding an event on a yacht called the CRACKER BAY (!!!) with a flag demonstrating that this billionaire, like the Republican candidate himself, pays no taxes to the United States government.
But then that would be insulting the real flag of the United States of America, the one that allows plutocrats to concentrate their wealth. Which is the true meaning of America after all.

America’s Greatness Will Defeat Obama

By William L. Gensert via American Thinker
This century will be an American century, much like the last one. Despite what President Obama believes, we are not one nation among many, we are the United States of America, the greatest nation on earth, and the last best hope for humanity.
The only thing standing between the United States and continued exceptionalism is the dreary delirium of Barack Obama, whose dismal socialist policies have been a spectacular disaster for the nation.
First, we were told that the Russians were going to bury us. By Krushchev initially, banging his shoe on the table, and later, by the press and many of our political leaders. Remember Jimmy Carter said we had to get over “our inordinate fear of communism.”
The communism of the USSR was the rising ideology. Despite killing 100 million people in the 20th century, they were the good guys. Resistance was futile; it was just a matter of time.
Then, it was the Japanese who were going to bury us. State direction of capitalism was the wave of the future. We were living in the past, bitterly clinging to our freedom. We had to act quickly by giving the government the control it needed to guide our economy.
The Japanese were buying up America and soon would own everything. Our trade deficit with them was staggering. They were our largest creditor. We bought their products and they bought our paper. There was no way out, resistance was futile.
Don’t forget the European Union, whose formation was going to Greece the skids of our decline into unbearable Spain.
Now they say, the Chinese that will bury us. Falling behind China is a recurring theme in many of Barack Obama’s speeches. We have to do as they do, or we risk losing out. State directed capitalism is the wave of the future, resistance is futile. Americans must pay more taxes, and give the President more control…of well…everything…READ MOREFollow us on Facebook and Twitter and you won't miss a thing!
Whether you’re a believer, non-believer, or simply mildly curious about how December 21, 2012 will come to pass, what can be agreed almost universally is the impressive nature of the ruins that comprise the Ruta Maya. Using the present hype to pique your intrigue, here are 10 of the Maya highlights plotting a route from Mexico down to El Salvador.
1. Tulum, Mexico

The colossal and contrived coastal resort of Cancun is the hub for flight arrivals into the Yucatán and can be happily missed unless you want a slice of American tourism that comes complete with a yard long plastic beaker of slushy margarita.  On the plus side, Cancun is a mere two-hour jaunt to the Maya site of Tulum. Although the ruins at Tulum may not tick the box of most impressive when it comes to site expanse and structure (they can be visited in less than an hour), what makes Tulum stands out on the route is its location. Grey remnants against the backdrop of the vivid turquoise Caribbean Sea offers a stark contrast that makes for pretty impressive photographs. Add to that the possibility to take a mid-humidity dip in the Caribbean after your sightseeing, and it’s not difficult to be persuaded of the attraction of Tulum.
Check out our new Mexico Travel Guide and book a flight to Cancun 
2. Cobá, Mexico

Idle a mere 45 minutes from Tulum, easily done by day trip, and you can stumble across the neighboring ruins at Cobá. However, despite its proximity, the sites are quite different; in fact, Cobá’s sister site, if assessed in terms of similarity, would be the ruins in Guatemala’s Tikal. Cloaked in jungle and surrounded by lakes, the site takes much longer to get around compared to Tulum on account of the jungle trails and ability to climb up the ruins, and half a day is recommended to explore the place properly. Somewhat surprisingly, Cobá doesn’t attract as many visitors as nearby Tulum, and with an early start you can recreate your own Tarzan (or Jane) in the jungle scene as you’re likely to be one of few people around.
Find a hostel in Mexico and check out adventure trips in Mexico
3. Chichén Itzá, Mexico

With a good few days’ rest to avoid Maya-ruin-overdose, the famous site of Chichén Itzá is the next natural port of call. Happily reached from cosmopolitan Mérida (2 hours) or quaint Spanish Colonial Valladolid (1 hour), the site of Chichén Itzá is one of the most popular and draws in tourists by the coach load, including day-trippers from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. However, don’t let that put you off. The site, which was recently named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is astounding and merits a visit despite the tourist hoards. There is something about the near perfection of El Castillo (the Castle) that makes you stand and stare even if the site has been so extensively cleared of jungle you practically step from the vast car park into the midst of the ruins.
Find a cheap flight to Merida and read Why You Should Ignore All the Urban Legends and Take the Kids to Mexico
4. Uxmal, Mexico

Another hour and a half on from Mérida heading southwest are the ruins of Uxmal. The Pyramid of the Magician is the most wow-worthy and is one of the best preserved Maya ruins around. Characterized by its smooth walls and sloping sides, the pyramid is deeply reminiscent of El Castillo but located in a spot that thankfully lacks the tourist levels of Chichén Itzá, making a visit to Uxmal a breath of fresh air both metaphorically and literally given the absence of the exhaust fumes kicked out by the coaches at Chichén Itzá. Don’t forget to impress the locals with your language skills by remembering that the ‘Ux’ in ‘Uxmal’ is pronounced ‘oosh’.
Let us help you plan a trip around Central America
5. Palenque, Mexico

Switch from the Yucatán to the state of Chiapas for a trip to the site of Palenque, which lies around 8 hours southwest from Mérida. Venture this far out and visitor numbers drop dramatically, meaning it’s not much of a challenge to find yourself as one of only a handful of others at the site – unless local school children arrive in their screaming masses as happened briefly during my visit. School excursions aside, don’t be surprised to see people practising yoga or meditating at the site, which has one of the most tranquil ambiances along the Ruta Maya. Pack a picnic, a good book, and find a tree for the chance to relax within some pretty impressive surroundings. The museum near the entrance to the ruins is worth a brief visit for its displays, but also to escape the heat of the day. Although Palenque town isn’t a particularly stunning or engaging place to stay, a night in one of the jungle cabanas near the ruins can make a pleasant break from hostel dorms.
Read South of the Border: 3 Mexican Road Trips for the Intrepid Traveler
6. Tikal, Guatemala

From Palenque it’s easy to cross the border into Guatemala, taking a bus to Frontera Corozal, and from there it is possible to change countries gliding along the River Usumacinta. Another bus completes the jaunt to Flores, the lake front town that is especially popular with indie travelers planning to visit Tikal, and can be reached from Palenque in around 10 hours. On from Flores to Tikal is a short trip of around 1 hour, and although an early start is recommended to avoid the coach crowds (which compete with the numbers at Chichen Itza), don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll arrive in time to see sunrise as the park gates don’t open until 6am for those who aren’t staying at the park. That said, a trip to Tikal at any time of day is far from disappointing, and this spot is my favorite on the Ruta Maya. Temples are strewn across the vast site, many of which are still ensconced in jungle, and it is still possible to climb up near vertical, precariously knocked together wooden steps for access to views that makes Tikal stand out from the rest of the Maya sites. The best view by far is that from atop Temple IV looking back across Temples I, II, III and V, peeking through the jungle canopy while the calls of vivid parrots, toucans, and if you’re lucky, howler monkeys, ring through the sky.
Find a flight into Guatemala and check out adventure trips in Guatemala 
7. El Mirador, Guatemala

Towards the border with Mexico, northwest of Flores and close to the town of Carmelita, is one of the more remote Maya sites, El Mirador. Set in a basin and surrounded by rainforest and limestone hills you’re certainly not going to see any coach loads of tourists at this site.  To reach it involves a gruelling trek that takes several days and features conditions so basic that you’re likely to encounter more ticks (take tweezers) than tourists, toilets, and showers. The journey truly is as much of the trip as the destination, and a guide approved by the Cooperativa Carmelita is highly recommended to avoid being turned back by machete toting guards and to ensure as much money as possible finds its way into the hands of the local communities. The tourism situation is complicated in the region, so check for best advise before you book a trip, but is worth the effort to see El Tigre, the tallest Maya pyramid, which staggers 60 metres high.
Check out our new Guatemala Travel Guide and read a Step-by-Step Guide to Riding the Chicken Buses of Guatemala
8. Lamanai, Belize 


From Flores, hop into Belize and up to Orange Walk, a lively town that makes a great start for a trip to Lamanai (reachable within 7 hours from Flores via Belize City). The route to the site of Lamanai is as appealing as the ruins themselves, as it takes a 26-mile path along the New River. Meaning “submerged crocodile” in Maya, Lamanai has extensive ruins that linger on the bluff of the lagoon. The occupation of this site existed long after others had been abandoned, and although many of the ruins remain unexcavated, there are still many to see including Mask Temple, which features a 13 metre stone mask and High Temple, which can be climbed for panoramas.
Find a cheap flight to Belize and read 8 Green Ways to Experience Belize
9. Copán, Honduras

After perhaps taking a short ruin-free break in the Cayes in Belize, get to Honduras from Lamanai either by bus and boat from Dangriga to Puerto Cortės in Honduras, or for a less direct but often cheaper and quicker route divert back into Guatemala by boat to either Puerto Barrios or Livingstone, and then on to the Honduran town of Copán Ruinas. Indie traveler friendly as well as being cast in white Colonial charm complete with cobblestones, Copán Ruinas makes the journey worth the effort, and not least because it is a short meander to the ruins, which sit around 1 kilometre out of town. The site is the grandest within Honduras and has particularly well preserved hieroglyphics and sculptures.
Check out our new Honduras Travel Guide and find a hostel in Honduras
10. Joya de Cerén, El Salvador

Another border crossing, perhaps after a short side-trip to the Bay Island, travel from Copán to San Salvador via La Entrada and then the Nueva Ocotepeque / El Poy crossing, achievable in around 8 hours. From San Salvador the remains of Joya de Cerén sits a short bus ride away from the capital. Dealt a brutal blow by Laguna Caldera Volcano, which erupted in 595AD, Joya de Cerén is a rather different style of Mayan ruin that was preserved in 14 layers of volcanic ash during the midst of its occupation by Maya farmers. Perfectly preserved (to archaeological delight), excavations have been ongoing since the site’s discovery in 1979. Indicating an urgent need to flee the scene, half eaten food has been uncovered as well as furniture and other remnants that assist the experts in forming a greater picture of Maya life.
Catch a flight to El Salvador and check out our new El Salvador Travel Guide
The Ruta Maya winds a fascinating trail through an inviting swathe of Central America and will put you in close proximity to many other impressive sights along the way. Predictions of the doomsayers aside (which, incidentally, I don’t place much stock in), I do have one thought that has endured since my own trip through Ruta Maya – I wonder what will happen to the hedonistic living traveler I met in Central America if he does wake up on 22 December 2012.and you won't miss a thing!



What to expect

Being in the gloom and doom age of the modern media, you may have overlooked South America as a legitimate travel destination.  But I’m here to inform you that this colossal continent is perfectly safe so long as you stay current on what’s going on politically and don’t stray in areas that can be dangerous.  In short, use some common sense, and more than likely you’ll come home perfectly fine and happy from a wonderful trip.
South America can appease any traveler, from the solo backpacker out on his or her first international trip after college, to the young, married couple looking for adventure before settling down, to the family looking to expose their youngsters to fascinating cultures, to the retirees wanting to get off the cruise circuit to see countries and cities unique to the rest of the world.


How to get around

South America is a huge continent, about 75% of the size of North America.  With an infrastructure that isn’t as modern as other western, more developed areas, travel can be slow here in South America.  Flights within the continent tend to be expensive, so keep an eye out for deals and specials if you’re short on time and need to utilize air travel in order to get around.  While flights are nice, they aren’t all what we’re used to in the western world.  If you have the time, traveling overland can be a delight in many countries and, let’s just say an “experience” in others.


There aren’t many rails in South America, so buses are the way to go.  Argentina’s buses will spoil you into thinking you’re royalty.  Hot meals, reclining seats that allow you to lay down, and even wine and champagne are not uncommon on certain trips, all at a fraction of the price of flying. Peru’s roads and buses have been described as dodgy and dangerous, but we experienced nothing but comfort and safety while we were there.  Overland travel in Bolivia is an “experience,” but hey, you’re in Bolivia.  It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but you’re guaranteed to come out of this stunningly beautiful country with some classic public transportation stories.


Costs

Costs vary from country to country throughout South America. Overall, traveling in South America is very affordable.  In a country like Bolivia, it’s not uncommon to be able to get by on $20USD/day or less.  Living it up a bit would cause you to spend more, but a $50/day budget would have you living like a king. On the whole, we spent $88USD/day total (for both my wife and I) during our five plus months in South America (in 2008-2009). Those costs includes hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (nearly $1000USD for both of us), riding the World’s Most Dangerous Road, going on a 4-day jungle pampas tour and a 4-day Salt Flats tour in Bolivia, renting a Buenos Aires apartment for a month, and traveling in Patagonia for 5 weeks during high season.


Countries

South America is huge, so breaking down every country in one article would be tough to do, so we are going to split them up. We’ll cover Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile in this one, and we’ll cover the rest in future articles.
Read more about South America:

• Wine Tasting in South America: Where to Go and What to Try
• Seven Spectacular Bus Routes Through South America
• Seven of the Best Eco-friendly Experiences in South America
• Vegetarian Travel Tips for South America

Peru


While many automatically think of Machu Picchu when thinking of Peru, and rightfully so, there is much more to this gorgeous country than the famous ruins it is known for.
Highlights-What to Do
Machu Picchu- This was a cornerstone of our trip, and we had massively high expectations for it, all of which were not only met but exceeded. Machu Picchu is magical, and travelers have tons of options when visiting, from taking a train from Cusco to going on a trek. The 4 day classic Inca Trail is most popular, but more hardcore hikers have the options of several week treks ending at the famous site .
Cusco- The infamous capital of the Incas, and the Sacred Valley which surrounds it, is the most popular and visited city in Peru. Cusco is placed in a spectacular setting and has any amenity for the weary traveler. It is also the jumping off point for any trip or trek to Machu Picchu.
Lima- The Peruvian capital gets some hate from many travelers, but not here. Stunning architecture, diverse neighborhoods, friendly people, and excellent culinary treats will greet you in Lima, not to mention a rugged and picturesque coastline.
Arequipa- If you’re a photographer, you could spend a great deal of time in Arequipa taking pictures of the unique buildings. Many were built of sillar, which is a volcanic material that is pearly white in color. It adds a distinctly unique touch to a city standing at the foot of a volcano (El Misti) and surrounded by the Andes. Arequipa is also home to a very cool site in Monasterio de Santa Catalina, and it is the starting point for any trip or trek to Colca Canyon.
Colca Canyon- It’s amazing what we don’t hear about here in the States. We all think the Grand Canyon is the be all, end all of canyons in the world. While the Grand Canyon is spectacular, I bet most don’t know that Colca Canyon is twice as deep. TWICE! This massive canyon is surrounded by mountains and active volcanoes, and is also home to the largest bird in the world-the condor. Definitely worth at least a trip, if not a trek, into the canyon.
Puno- My mom always taught me that if I didn’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Well, I was never the most obedient of children, and I feel I owe it to you, the readers, to inform you of not only the good but the bad. This was probably my least favorite city on the trip (we visited upwards of 90), and it doesn’t make sense. The scenery is there, the location is there, but for some reason it’s just a mess of a city. The food was really good though. But if you’re going to visit Lake Titicaca, you would be much better served to go to the Copacabana on the Bolivian side.

Budget
Ahh, the most important thing for any backpacker or budget-minded traveler– How much is it going to cost me?
Luckily for you, Peru is a very affordable destination while still remaining comfortable. Couples can get by on a tight budget while still staying in private rooms with a private bathroom. Food can also be had cheaply, especially if you stick to local food, which is something I highly recommend in any region.
We averaged $83USD/day while in Peru (for two people), including our Colca Canyon hike and Inca Trail hike, which was quite spendy at nearly $1000USD for the two of us.  We also stayed in private rooms the entire time (with the exception of our treks).
When to Go/Weather
There are three different zones in Peru, all with different climates.
The Coast- Remember the seasons are opposite in the southern hemisphere, so December-April is summertime here, which means it’s hot (ranging from 77-95 Fahrenheit, 25-35 Celsius) and dry. The wintertime (April-December) is a little colder, cloudier, and wetter. The temperatures don’t vary much on the coast.
The Sierra- April-October brings dry, hot weather during the day and cooler temperatures at night, oftentimes below freezing. November-April sees the rain come in, bringing cooler temperatures with it.
June-September is the high season in this region, with the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu being most crowded during this time. It’s the best time for trekking as you’re more likely to remain dry, although temperatures are colder at high altitudes. Remember that weather is always unpredictable in the mountains, no matter what time of year.
The Jungle- Dry season in the jungle is from April-October, and temperatures are hot, up to 95F (35C). The rainy season of November-October won’t bring days upon days of rain, but the short, heavy downfalls can wash away roads, and it’s very, very humid.
Transportation
We heard some bad stories about transportation in Peru before arriving, and I have to say that we were pleasantly surprised. The roads were a bit rough at times (but you are traveling in the mountains a lot), and transportation strikes held us up a few separate times, but overall we were pleased with bus travel in Peru. We paid about $35US for an overnight bus journey (about 16 hours) to give you an idea of costs, and the buses were quite comfortable, including reclining seats, a decent amount of leg room, decent meals, and even Bingo!
Book an adventure trip in Peru, check out flights to Lima, and read The Step-by-Step Guide to Visiting Machu Picchu


Bolivia


Lunar. Mars. Other-worldly. These are just a few words I overheard other travelers use to describe the scenery and landscape in different parts of Bolivia. The views in this country are truly the most unique of any I have ever visited, and a trip to landlocked Bolivia should be high on the list of any trip to South America.
First, let’s dispel any rumors you may have heard. Is the poverty in Bolivia as bad as you’ve heard? In short, yes, it is a very poor country. Is it the cleanest? Not exactly. Is it easy to travel in? Well, why don’t you google “bus la paz to rurrenabaque” and just glance at the results. Safe? Hmmm, what exactly do you mean by safe? The food has to be good, though, right? I wouldn’t necessarily say good, and chances are that you’ll end up with a case of the Bolivia’s (a not so distant cousin of the dreaded Dehli-belly).
Now that I’ve done absolutely nothing to eliminate any of your concerns, let me tell you why I wouldn’t hesitate for a split second to return to Bolivia tomorrow if someone offered me a flight to La Paz. Despite the difficulties of traveling in Bolivia, and there are plenty, the rewards for visiting one of the most spectacularly beautiful countries in the world are many.
Highlights-What to Do
Coroico- Coroico is recommended for anyone wanting to kick back and relax for a few. Set in the Yungas, Coroico is a quaint little town with gorgeous scenery all around. It’s the perfect place to unwind after biking the World’s Most Dangerous Road and before the hellacious bus trip to Rurrenabaque.
La Paz- This bustling metropolis is the highest capital city in the world, and it will have your head spinning and lungs piercing with pain if you’re not careful. The setting of La Paz is superb, lying at the bottom of a canyon and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. La Paz is the exception when it comes to food, as the culinary opportunities are abundant.
Salar de Uyuni Tour-A Salt Flats tour is always high on the list of must-sees for travelers to Bolivia. It was no different for us, and it became a highlight of not only our time in Bolivia but all of South America. The biggest thing most tourists don’t know is that the tour, which is typically four days long, is actually a tour of southwestern Bolivia, with the Salt Flats themselves only visited for a day. But don’t worry, the rest of the tour is equally brilliant and offers some of those other-worldly landscapes I wrote about earlier.
Pampas Tour-A trip into the jungle is up there on most itineraries when visiting South America. The advantages of doing it in Bolivia are many, with the cheap cost being the biggest draw. Putzing down the river in a dugout canoe, piranha fishing, anaconda hunting, and if you’re lucky, a futbol game between the Gringos and the Bolivianos will all be on the schedule on this tour originating out of Rurrenabaque.

Budget
Bolivia is cheap, probably the cheapest country in all of South America. You can get a private room for less than $10USD/day, with a private bathroom.  Dorm beds can be as low as $5USD in some cities.  Meals are also cheap, especially if you hit up some markets and cook for yourself in the hostel kitchen from time to time. Activities are abundant in Bolivia, and they will add up, but they’re still much cheaper than most other countries. We spent $75USD/day (for two) in Bolivia, and we did every activity that we wanted.  If you didn’t take all the tours we did and just focused on unguided hikes, that number can be cut in half.
When to Go/Weather
High season in Bolivia is June to August, which is wintertime. That means cold weather at higher elevations, which comprises a good part of the country. But it’s also dry season, which means clear, blue skies, making the remarkable scenery in Bolivia that much better. December to March is the rainy season, and traveling can become problematic as roads get washed away.
The Yungas north of La Paz (where Coroico is) and the jungle area north of there (where Rurrenabaque and jungle/pampas tours originate) have a different climate because of the low altitude. Average temperatures in this region are in the 90′s Fahrenheit (32-35C), and it’s usually humid.
Transportation
Transportation in Bolivia is, well, challenging to say the least. The infrastructure is simply not there in most of the country, making travel bumpy, rough, and just plain unpleasant much of the time. If you can afford to fly, do it. If not, buses are your main option (there is one train line, which is a bit better than the buses, but make sure you get 1st or 2nd class–we got 3rd, not any better, and perhaps worse, than a bus). As long as you know what you’re in for, it does make it easier. The good thing is that bus travel is dirt cheap, and booking in advance is rarely necessary. To give you an idea of how cheap it is, we paid $6USD/person to go take the infamous 18 hour bus to Rurranabaque (dubbed by some as the worst bus trip in the world, and I’m not arguing). We were more than happy to pay the $75/person airfare to fly back to La Paz.
Look at hostels in Bolivia, book an adventure trip in Bolivia, and read Seven Experiences Not to Miss in Bolivia


Argentina


The Tango. Futbol. Wine. Glaciers. Mountains. Waterfalls. Red meat. Gauchos. Whales. Penguins. The end of the Earth.
All are just a small part of what Argentina is about. The massive, yet curiously laid back capital of Buenos Aires feels both European and Latin and offers up a busting metropolis for the city folk. For any traveler looking for natural beauty , Argentina has a dizzying variety of options. What if the weary backpacker just wants to chill out and relax? How does kicking back in a square eating a massive, scrumptious steak dinner, drinking delicious red wine, and watching a tango show sound? If you can’t find something to entice you in Argentina, then there’s really no hope for you. It may be time to hang up the backpack and boots.
Highlights-What to Do
Buenos Aires-12 million people populate this capital city, and it’s easy to see why. Elegant architecture, ridiculously cheap red meat and red wine dinners, tango shows, intense and passionate futbol fans, plenty of green space, and amazingly friendly people make this a must visit when coming to South America.
Iguazu Falls-If you have never been to Niagara Falls before, you may want to head there before coming to Iguazu. Niagara, while impressive, looks like a slow dripping faucet compared to the monstrosity that is Iguazu Falls. This place is no joke, and spending some time here will not disappoint.
Perito Moreno Glacier-Here’s yet another picturesque natural beauty that calls Argentina home. Perito is the one of the few remaining glaciers that is still growing, and this thing is jaw dropping. Going on a sunny day is most advantageous so you can see, and most importantly, hear, the thundering sound of huge slabs of ice dropping off. It is an indescribable experience.
Cafayate-We could have spent a good couple of weeks here, maybe longer. Cafayate is a quiet little town in northwestern Argentina that offers good weather, beautiful natural surroundings (go figure), and many, many wineries. If riding a bike around the flat little town while going from winery to winery sounds like it’s right up your alley, then Cafayate deserves a spot on your itinerary.
The Lake District-Bariloche and the surrounding areas comprise what is called the Lake District of Argentina. As you can imagine, there are many lakes, and they are surrounded by mountains, and this obviously makes for some pretty rad views. Bariloche, while touristy, is still fantastic, and it’s home to our favorite hostel in the world, Pudu.
El Chalten-Go there now. Seriously, stop reading, close the computer, and go to El Chalten before it changes too much. This is a city that is growing at an alarming rate, and I’m not sure how long it will remain as awesome as it was when we went in 2009 (I’m actually quite curious to hear from someone who has been there more recently than I). The hiking and trekking possibilities are endless, and the surrounding areas of El Chalten may well be the most beautiful natural setting I’ve ever encountered. It’s that great. So go. NOW.

Budget
Argentina is a bit more expensive than other South American countries like Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia, but not quite as expensive as Brazil and Chile. We spent $94USD/day (for two) in our nearly three months in Argentina. But we were in Patagonia during high season, which skewed the numbers a bit.
It’s definitely possible to get by for much less, probably closer to $70/day for a couple, while still staying in private rooms with private baths. Argentina is a massive country, so the budget can change from region to region.
When to Go/Weather
Climates vary from region to region. Parts of the north are subtropical, while the southern tip is obviously cold, what with the glaciers and proximity to Antarctica. December-February is high season in Patagonia, and that brings big crowds, the best weather (though best is relative when speaking of Patagonian weather), and the highest prices.
Travelers have many options when visiting Argentina, and because it’s such a big country with so much to offer, my suggestion is to prioritize and choose where you go and when based on what you want to do most. If trekking in Patagonia is tops on your list and you want to be there in the best weather, then plan to go there sometime in December-February and plan the rest of your trip from there.
Transportation
As stated before, Argentina is a huge country. If you’re crunched for time and want to cover a lot of ground, then you’re going to have to fly. But if you aren’t in a hurry, then by all means take the bus. Argentine buses are the best I’ve ever ridden in. On one 26 hour bus ride (I know what you’re thinking–”NO WAY,” but hear me out), we were served a hot dinner, complete with wine. Midway through the meal we were offered a wine refill, then we were served coffee and dessert. I’m not done. After dessert was cleared, an after dinner drink of champagne or whiskey was our option. Are you kidding me? While this wasn’t the norm, almost fully reclinable seats, hot meals, movies, and pure comfort were. So if you’re going to endure a 24+ hour bus ride, Argentina is the country to do it in.
Once you get down into Patagonia, quality goes down and prices go up, particularly in high season, so plan accordingly. Booking in advance in high season (Dec-Feb), especially in Patagonia and the Lake District, is also recommended. Just one more note of interest for those who want to make their journey that much more serene, alcohol is allowed on the bus, so feel free to bring a few liters of Quilmes along with you.
Book a flight to Buenos Aires and read Four Seasons in Buenos Aires: How to Travel Like a Local All Year Round


Chile


Chile was never on our initial itinerary for the South American leg. Not because we didn’t want to go, but for some reason it just got neglected during our initial planning process. While we did only manage to spend a few weeks there, we enjoyed the hell out of that limited time and are very happy that we decided to add it. Chilean Patagonia was just as rugged and stunning as the Argentine side, and Torres del Paine, while being the biggest trekking challenge either of us has ever encountered, was fantastic.
I finally managed to live my dream of standing atop an active volcano (yet I saw no lava, so it’s really only half crossed of my list). The food was an unexpected and delightful highlight of our time in Chile, particularly in Valparaiso (a city that we really weren’t fond of, but our opinion was definitely in the minority). And Santiago was another great, big metropolitan city with food and drink choices galore (terremoto’s anyone?).
Highlights-What to Do
Torres del Paine-A trekkers paradise awaits in this national park in Chilean Patagonia. The “W” trek (which takes 4-5 days) is the most popular, but the full circuit (7-10 days) will give hikers a lot more solitude. Glaciers, mountains, lakes, valleys, and the namesake of the park, the Torres del Paine, are what brings outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world to Chile. The town of Puerto Natales is the base for exploring the park, and it has everything you need for sale or rent.
Santiago-For only spending a few days in Santiago, both my wife and I have a great affinity for it. Having a group of travel friends with us certainly helped, but even if we were flying solo (or two-lo, or, hell, I don’t the word for it), I think we would have loved Santiago all the same. Great food is always a good recipe for our love of a place, and Santiago delivered, along with the infamous terremoto (a drink with the English translation is “earthquake”).
Volcan Villarica-We did hike a volcano, an active one, and it was as awesome as it sounds. Not only did we hike up to the top of a volcano, but then we got to don a stylish outfit that allowed us to hurl ourselves back down the volcano on our asses. Yeah, it was great, and I highly recommend you go do it. Pucon is the city at the base of the volcano, which didn’t have a whole lot to offer, other than good food and being at the base of a volcano, surrounded by several other volcanoes. So maybe it did have a few things to offer.

Budget
Chile is comparable to Argentina as far as budget goes. We spent 18 days there and averaged $110USD/day (for two), which probably gives some of you a bit of sticker shock. Keep in mind that most of that was spent in Torres del Paine, which, especially during high season, is painfully expensive, especially if you don’t have your own camping equipment, which we did not.
When to Go/Weather
Chile is an oddly shaped country that has a lot of land north to south and very little east to west. From the driest desert in the world in the north, bordering Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, to the fjords and glaciers to the south, and including the mountainous lake district in the center, Chile has many different climates. This obviously will effect when to go, and as I suggested with Argentina, you are going to have to prioritize what it is you want to see and do.
Any time between October and April is good for visiting the central part of the country, although December to February will be pretty hot in Santiago. In the north, June to September is best, while the opposite is true for the Patagonian regions to the south. Just like it’s Argentine counterpart, travelers will find December to January the best weather-wise, but with it comes more crowds and higher prices.
Transportation
Transportation in Chile is similar to Argentina. Expect to pay a bit more than other countries (Peru, Colombia, Bolivia), and expect a comfort level similar to that of Argentina. The roads are pretty well maintained, and the buses generally run on time. As with Argentina, booking in advance (a couple days is adequate) may be necessary during high season (December-February), and prices go up, especially in the south in the Patagonian regions of Chile.
Check out cheap flights to Santiago, book an adventure trip in Chile, and read our Chile Travel Guide

The following overviews of Italy’s budget-friendly wine regions include all the pertinent details for planning a wine tasting adventure. Every winery featured below offers tastings for six euros or less, and most are free. These wineries don’t want you to break the bank tasting their wines; they want you to take their wines home with you. It is a common misconception that U.S. travelers can fly home with only two bottles of wine; the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website reads: “There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol a traveler may import into the U.S. for personal use.” Just pack it carefully.


The Chianti Classico Region


Forty-five minutes south of Florence, Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region is the icon of the Italian wine industry. Surprisingly, many of its wineries still provide free tastings. The region is filled with medieval castles, churches, and hilltop towns, all wrapped up in vines. Its roads swerve, and the locals once joked that they were designed specifically for drunk driving. Nowadays, Italy’s drinking and driving laws, which are very similar to those in the United States, are strongly enforced.
Of all Italian regions, Chianti Classico is the best equipped for wine tasting. The wineries are open regularly, and most do not require appointments. Almost every Tuscan winemaker makes the famous Chianti Classico, as well as the dessert wine Vin Santo. Chiantis are usually dry with high acidity and are known for aging well. If you don’t like dry wines and would prefer something more California-esque, try the Super Tuscans. Super Tuscans feature international grapes, such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and tend to be more fruit forward. Wineries commonly offer olive oil and grappa tastings, too.
Tuscan town centers are usually pedestrian-only. Greve in Chianti, one of the first towns south of Florence, has a famous farmers market in its main piazza. Offerings include black truffles, fresh cheeses, boar salami, and even wine tastings. Wine tasting prices vary greatly throughout Chianti Classico; the following offer budget-friendly wine tastings: Fattoria Casaloste, Il Molino di Grace, Il Palagio, Campocorto (fee waved with wine purchase), Castello D’Albola, Vignamaggio, Volpaia, and Rocca delle Macìe (the on-site restaurant features a good selection of cheap pastas). Here is a complete lists of the wineries in Chianti Classico.
Where to Stay: Get unbelievable poolside views from this medieval hilltop village-cum-hotel. Riserva di Fizzano is owned by Rocca delle Macìe winery, and its apartments are a particularly good value.
Where to Eat: Pack a picnic! Procure delicacies at the farmers market in Greve.
Car Rental: Florence is a great place to acquire wheels. Most car rental agencies are found on Borgo Ognissanti. Expect to pay forty to fifty euros a day.
>> Get tips for visiting vineyards in Tuscany 


The Oltrepò Pavese Region


If you love pinot noir, this is your Italian wine region. Oltrepò Pavese used to be known for producing inexpensive, fizzy red wines featuring the bonarda grape, but things have changed: winemakers are creating exceptionally elegant pinot noirs (pinot nero in Italian) that are winning some of the most prestigious awards in the world. These pinots are just now hitting the international market, which means this is the time to go wine tasting in Oltrepò Pavese.
Oltrepò Pavese wine country, located about an hour from Milan, begins the moment you cross the Po River. The foothills of the Apennine Mountains kick up, covered in grapevines. It feels like a hidden Tuscany. Medieval cities and castles poke out of the vines, and the roads are ideal for cycling. Oltrepò Pavese doesn’t have many sights, but it makes up for it with plenty of wineries and traditional restaurants.
Very few wineries charge for tastings, which is particularly surprising considering that the only two pinot noirs to win the prestigious Tre Bicchieri award in 2011 are from Oltrepò Pavese. The award-winning pinots were made by Mazzolino and Frecciarossa. Other budget-friendly wineriesin the region include: Monsupello, Cascina Gnocco, Castello di Cigognola, Tenuta Mazzolino, Conte Vistarino, Tenuta il Bosco, and Cá del Gé. Frecciarossa offers wine tastings for ten euros. Here is a complete list of the wineries in Oltrepò Pavese.
Most wineries in Oltrepò Pavese require visitors to make an appointment by e-mail or phone two or three days in advance; this is common throughout Italy.
Where to Stay: Agriturismo Torrazzetta offers good rates on rooms and apartments on a farm surrounded by vineyards.
Where to Eat: Enogastronomia sells picnic ingredients as well as steaming plates of pasta by the pound. Make sure to try robiola cheese and salame di Varzi, a young salami that is nearly raw.
Car Rental: Don’t bother navigating Milan’s hectic traffic: take a train to Pavia, where there are several good car rental agencies.
>> Learn how to read an Italian wine label 


The Montefalco and Bevagna Wine Towns


Of all Italy’s wine regions, this region in Umbria might have the largest cult following thanks to the excellently ageable Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG. With healthy acidity and good tannic structure, these red wines are just plain luxurious after five or more years, and they can be purchased on the cheap while still young. The towns of Montefalco and Bevagna are located roughly fifty minutes east of the university town of Perugia. The journey navigates the Tiber valley basin, famous for its highly manicured landscape of patchwork farmland and cypress trees.
Thanks to the region’s increasing popularity, wine tasting here has never been easier. I recommend sticking to La Strada del Sagrantino, the “wine road” that runs between Montefalco and Bevagna. Maps of La Strada del Sagrantino, including winery locations, are displayed in the medieval town centers of Montefalco and Bevagna.
If you literally can’t wait to drink Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG, try the Montefalco Rosso DOC, which also features the sagrantino grape (usually blended with sangiovese). Montefalco Rosso wines are less expensive and typically ready to drink now. The region’s grechetto wines are some of my favorite white wines in Italy. Local producers tend to age grechetto in new oak, giving it a touch of California toastiness.
Here is a list of budget-friendly wineries: Antonelli, Di Filippo, Tabarrini, Adanti, Arnaldo Caprai, and Raína. Here is a complete list of wineries on La Strada del Sagrantino. Make sure to make appointments if necessary.
Where to Stay: Agriturismo Belsito, located in Bevagna, offers agriturismo-style apartments, as well as inexpensive bungalows and camping. Horses, peacocks, and goats roam the grounds.
Where to Eat: Enoteca Federico II restaurant is located in central Montefalco and also offers a wine shop with tastings. Try Umbria’s extra-salty prosciutto, young pecorino cheese, stringozzi pasta with boar sauce, and the famous, high-quality black truffle of Norcia.
Car Rental: Perugia is easy to access by train and has several car rental agencies, some charging as little as thirty euros a day.
>> Get car rental tips for Italy 


The Salento Peninsula


Comprising the southern portion of the Puglia region, the Salento peninsula is famous for its long stretches of sun. Puglia was once part of Ancient Greece, and today, it is home to whitewashed towns and white-sand beaches. This combination of sun and sea is not only good for tanning and swimming, it is also good for growing grapes.
Salento produces budget wines using the negroamaro and primitivo grapes. In the late 1990s, Puglia’s primitivo was discovered to be identical to California’s zinfandel. In style, Puglia’s wines are more New World than Old World, with lots of dark fruit; they are typically drunk young. Pugliese wines rarely cost more than fifteen euros a bottle; in fact, some of my favorites cost five to eight euros.
The university town of Lecce is a great base for exploring the region. Lecce is famous for its Baroque architecture, and a Roman amphitheater from the fourth century AD takes up much of its main piazza. To taste wine, drive fourteen miles west to the town of Salice Salentino. Salice Salentino is home to the well-known Salice Salentino DOC wine, which features the negroamaro grape.
It is important to plan ahead when wine tasting in Puglia. Puglia’s wine country is still getting ready for wine tourism, and most wineries require appointments. Further, most wineries only operate on weekdays. Don’t let this dissuade you: you’ll be rewarded with free wine tastings and reasonably priced wines. Here is a list of wineries that offer free tastings: De Falco, Apollonio, Taurino, Cantele, and Valle dell’Asso. Leone de Castris is a well-known winery in Salice Salentino that offers tastings for fifteen euros. Here is a complete list of the wineries in Puglia.
Where to Stay: Just a short walk from Lecce’s town center, Eos Hotel provides modern amenities and professional service for around sixty-five euros a night.
Where to Eat: Le Zie is one of the most traditional and famous restaurants in Lecce (the dining room was once a living room), and it still serves food and wine at a good value.
Car Rental: One of the cheapest agencies in Lecce is the CTS office at Via Giuseppe Palmieri #89. Expect to pay around forty euros a day.
Outside of the well-known wine-producing countries of France, Italy and Spain, a quiet wine revolution is taking place in the southern cone. Down in South America, winemakers have been using European stock since the Jesuits arrived in the new world, to produce wines that are uncorked, poured, swirled, tasted, drunk, exported and lauded all over the planet.
Geography and climate dictate much of where good wine grapes will grow. Between the grape vines themselves, daily and yearly temperature fluctuations, the amount of rain and sunlight the grapes get, and even the amount of trace minerals in the soil, many factors determine the quality of the grape which vintners begin with, and the quality of the wine they can press and ferment from it. As a rule, grapes grow well at about 20-50 degrees north and south latitude. The climate that yields the best wine grapes is described as “Mediterranean,” with defined seasons.
In South America, Argentina and Chile lead the pack in production, and awards, with a few other countries, such as Uruguay, producing consistently well-reviewed wines for export, while Brazil’s sparkling wines win accolades.
Wine Tourism in South America
Wine tourism is taking hold in South America, and those from the northern hemisphere who are planning a trip should keep in mind that the seasons are reversed down in the southern cone, with the height of summer in January and February and wine harvests generally taking place in March and April.
Below you’ll find the main wine-producing, and thereby prime wine-tasting areas in South America, with a heavy focus on the big two, Argentina and Chile, a warning not to forget Uruguay, and information about wine in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and even Venezuela each of which are working to carve out a space for themselves in this growing industry.


Argentina


Argentina produced 2,900,000 metric tons of wine in 2007, which places it ahead of Chile in terms of production, though Argentina’s neighbor across the Andes actually exports more wine to other countries.
Visitors to Argentina will find that most wine tasting takes place in and around the city of Mendoza, which enjoys an extremely long spring and summer, and contributes to the health of the vines and the quality of the wines produced.
Argentina’s signature wine is Malbec, a red wine originally from the Bordeaux region of France. Argentina has been growing grapes for Malbec for over 150 years, but only in the last 20 has this wine truly taken off, and Argentina now produces more than 70% of the world’s Malbec. It is a dark red, and some people describe hints of blackberries and coffee beans but unless you’re a sommelier or have trained your nose with the Nez du Vin aroma set, you’ll probably just taste it and know if you like it or not, without identifying the underlying notes.
Entrepreneurial travelers and visitors to Mendoza can rent a car and fill it up with friends and strangers to visit the wineries on their own, (with a designated driver, please!), but more commonly, visitors to the area book day trips with travel agencies to take them amid the rolling hills of the wine region.
Booked-from-your home-country wine tours in Argentina generally consist of 4-and 5-star hotels and often pick up in Buenos Aires and include top-end everything, accommodations, wines and restaurants included. These tend to last from five to eight days and include the flight to Mendoza.
Wine lovers visiting the region Argentina may also like to visit areas other than Mendoza which produce excellent wines, such as Salta, to get a full picture of what Argentina has to offer. In addition to Malbec, Argentina also produces Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and also varieties such as Tempranillo, Bonarda, Barbera and Torrontés. Information on Argentine wines can be found on the Wines of Argentina website.
>> Search for airfare to Argentina
>> Discover eight reasons to go to Argentina now


Chile


Just over the Andes from Argentina lies Chile, a diminutive strip of land sandwiched between the ocean and the cordillera, and which is exploiting its wine-growing regions to great advantage in recent years.
Chilean wines are popular exports, and its most fabled variety is Carménère, which has made a particularly big impact after the source vines Bordeaux suffered a blight and all but disappeared in their native France. In Chile the variety continues to be strong, and great efforts are made by the Chilean government to protect Chilean agriculture, including the wine industry.
Wine in Chile is not limited to Carménère, and the nation also produces prize-winning Cabernet Sauvingon, Merlot, Syrah and other varieties. As of this year, Chilean wine represents 40% of the wine imported to the United States, due both to its reputation and price-quality ratio. Chile is mainly known for its red wines, but it also produces quality white wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, and even a small quantity of Gewürtztraminer. Blends and sparkling wines are also taking hold in Chile.
Chilean wine tourism, or enoturismo has taken off in recent years, with multi-day trips offered by various outfitters, which mainly focus on the Colchagua, Maule and Maipo valleys, which are not far from Santiago, though valleys north and south of the capital city also receive visitors.
A “wine train” takes wine tourists to Santa Cruz wineries, and includes tastings on the train as well as folkloric dance and talks on Chilean history, if visitors wish. Multi-day trips can be arranged in groups or privately, on train, by vehicle, or even by bicycle through the various valleys, and several wineries are easy to get to by public transportation, including the mass market Concha y Toro, which is just a few minutes from the end of the Santiago metro line.
For a complete listing the nation’s wine-producing regions, see the Wines of Chile website.
>> Book tickets to Santiago
>> Find the right tour of Chile for you


Uruguay


Uruguay, like Chile and Argentina, has a history of wine-production tracing back to its European ancestors. The country is well situated (if a bit humid in places) to produce good wines, and its shining star is Tannat, for which this small, Atlantic nation is known.
Most wine production takes place in the Canelones region, near the capital city of Montevideo. While many amateur wine-lovers would not come to Uruguay for wine tasting on its own, it is not uncommon to take a day or two here after touring some of the more selective wineries in Chile and Argentina.
Visit Uruguay’s wine website for more information about Uruguayan wines, including where to find distributors closer to home.
>> Find hostels in Montevideo, Uruguay
>> Look for Uruguay flights


Colombia

Colombia may also surprise you with the presence of Ain Karim, a vineyard that produces wines under the brand name Marqués de Villa de Leyva, which started production in the 1980s, in the foothills near Sutamarchán. In a country which is largely tropical, and in a zone which is clearly outside of the prime grape-growing here the solution was also to grow grapes at an altitude, to fulfill the need for daily temperature fluctuation. This vineyard’s website proclaims that the vineyard was formed through a combination of inspiration and insanity. It produces Riesling, a German variety and Pinot Noir, originally from France.
Another Colombian wine agglomeration brings together 70 families from 16 communities in the Consorcio del sol de Oro, which together has more than 250,000 plantings, where European specifications are followed to produce Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvingon and Sauvingon Blanc wines, exported to Bogotá (the undisputed gastronomical capital of Colombia), as well as Europe.
>> Search flights to Bogota
>> Find out why everything you’ve heard about Colombia is wrong


Brazil


Brazil is perhaps better-known for cachaça, the grain-alcohol that forms the base of the minty-lemony caipirinha, but several states in this vast country produce wines, including Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Pernambuco and São Paulo, though the Serra Gaucha, north of Porto Alegre is one of the most commonly-visited.
Recently, Brazilian vintners have brought wines to tastings in Germany and California’s Sonoma. At a recent tasting held in Brazil, whites and sparkling wines were the best received, as the reds suffered from poor climatic conditions (excessive rain) that are typical of much of Brazil.
Wine tourism is doing well in Brazil, with multi-day tours and one-vineyard trips as the budget allows.
>> Find cheap flights to Brazil
>> Find budget hostels in Rio de Janeiro


Peru


Just to the north of Chile and Argentina, where the Andes mountains grow even more soaring as they reach up into Peru, there are also several wine-producing areas where visitors can go wine-tasting.
Wine tourism in Peru is in its infancy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of a day tour, or organize your own to one of the wineries in the principal grape-growing regions near Lima, Ica and Arequipa.
And if it turns out you don’t love Peruvian wines, near Ica is also the famous region of Pisco, for which the main ingredient in Pisco Sour (Peru’s signature drink) is named.
>> Learn about things to do in Peru
>> Search airfare to Iquitos, Peru


Venezuela

A trip through all the wine-producers of South American would be remiss in not mentioning, Venezuela, which the uninformed might also assume is too close to the equator to be able to grow wine grapes. Again, altitude is the answer, and the favorable conditions include a grater-than-30 degree daily fluctuation in temperature and good soil drainage.
The area produces two harvests per year, in September and March. Bodegas Pomar, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Polar, which produces beer and other foodstuffs in Venezuela, has spent $20 million to help develop the Venezuelan wine industry in the last ten years, and represents a hefty chunk of the Venezuelan wine market.
Bodegas Pomar grows six varieties of red grapes and five of white grapes, with hopes to expand the market, to which tourism is essential, because though wine-drinking is increasing in Venezuela, hard alcohol is more commonly drunk.
>> Search for  flights to Venezuela
>> Look for Venezuela adventure tours


Bolivia


Bolivia is not exactly world- renowned for its wine, but serious purveyors of the hard-to-find won’t want to miss wines produced in this nation, which dares to grow the fruit at 5,600 to 9,200 feet above sea level, when grapes in South America are normally grown between 2,000 and 3,000 feet.
Information on this wine high-altitude wine production is available on the vinosenlatura website, the name of which means “wines at altitude” in English. Near the municipality of Tarija, you can find wines produced by Campos de Solana, for example, whose offerings include Cabernet Sauvingon and Riesling.
As in Peru, much of the wine crop is destined to the national spirit, which in this case is Singani.
>> Find affordable airfare to La Paz
>> Read about what to do and see in Bolivia


Ecuador

Ecuador actually imports quite a bit of wine from Chile, but it does produce its own as well, with grapes grown at 8,000 feet above sea level, where daytime temperatures are spring-like, and nighttime temperatures drop, which increases the grape’s sugar content, and makes for good wine.
At Estancia Chaupi, they produce Chardonnay, Palomino, Palomino Fino and Meritage wines. The vineyard is located about 6 miles south of the Equatorial line and in the foothills of the Andes in the Yaruqui valley. Ecuador also produces a sparkling wine and several fruit “wines” which are not technically wines since they are not made from grapes.
>> Find cheap flights to Ecuador
>> Look for Ecuador adventure trips


Plan your own trip

South America has wine tasting for every budget, and in many nations. If a multi-day trip to the vineyards is not in the cards, consider a day trip. Or check out events surrounding the vendimia (wine harvest) or other wine tasting events held in cities and near vineyards.
Another option is to contact local wine and liquor stores or restaurants to see if they can host a wine tasting, and if all else fails, pack a corkscrew among your (packed) baggage, and be sure to (carefully) pack some wine for the way back home. Add some cheese, crackers, fruit or a nice meal and you can find the perfect maridaje (pairing) for your libations.

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?


Probably the most frequent question I'm asked. And wish I could give people a better answer than “everywhere.” But I'm afraid that's the truth. Maybe if I tell you about how my latest idea is forming, you might get a better idea.



I'm working on a series of historical romance set at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. In my series (because I love nothing more than a little suspense), there are nefarious spies, who, in the third book, commit my heroine Kate in an insane asylum. Not a good thing for her, certainly. But as I was writing the scene, I realized something important. This isn't a normal insane asylum. This asylum is controlled by the nefarious spies, who really think they are working for a good cause. If some people have to be kept constrained until the bad guys gain control, well, so it must be.


But, as often happens, once I have one new idea, several more follow. I realized that while Kate is in this asylum, Kate hears about another woman kept there; a woman who has been committed because she threatened to turn her husband over to the authorities for his part in an attempt to overthrow the government. And for a while, that was all I knew. Except I had the nagging suspicion that this mysterious woman would end up with a book of her own.



Cut to Venice. I'm sitting on the balcony of my B&B overlooking the Canereggio Canal, and suddenly a voice comes into my head. It's of a woman in exile from her homeland, smuggled away to Italy to recover from incarceration. Her health has been fragile, but the beauty of La Serenissima has begun to heal her.



Still, she is hundreds of miles from her children. She has a husband she may not have loved, but certainly respected. She knows that he believes he is acting for the best, that her commitment was, in his mind, to protect her, because if he hadn't been able to contain her she certainly would have been murdered. She simply knows too much.



She still knows too much. She is still a threat to the group her husband belongs to. She would do anything to protect him, even refuse to speak of his involvement. But she knows that she cannot remain this way. Besides, there is a man...




Well, there's always a man in romance. But that's not the point. The point is that it was the sight of that side canal in Venice that set her loose in my head. Until then she had only been a one line idea. A plot point. A possible complication. That canal began to give her color and shape. Conflict, purpose, goals. To her the pastels of those old, crumbling, palazzos are the colors of melancholy. She wants to go home and knows it to be impossible. She wants to return to her marriage and knows she can't. She has begun to fall in love with the man who brought her to Venice and should not. And she thinks all of this as she sits on a balcony in an old palazzo as the sun sets over the choppy water and the bells of St. Mark's toll out the hour. She is in one of the most beautiful spots on earth, and she can only wish she weren't.

The first thing you need to know about Italian meals is that they are an event. Because I was speaking at the Women's Fiction Festival, I got vouchers for every meal at about a dozen of the restaurants in Matera. And they kept apologizing when I presented my voucher. Until I got a bit more comfortable with Italian, I thought they were refusing the voucher. But no, they were apologizing because on the voucher I could only have two courses, coffee and wine, instead of the usual four courses, wine, coffee, and desert like a regular meal.

Now, on a regular Italian menu, you start with the Antipasti, which is what we call Appetizers in the US. The first course, or Primi, involves your pasta and pizza, which come on plates larger than I could consume in an entire day.

But wait! There's more! Second course, or Segundi, includes either fish or meat course, which would be an entire entree in the US. Each region has their special fish, which is usually either baked packed in salt or 'crazy water'. Nobody so far has had the guts to find out exactly what crazy water is.

You can also get vegetables, of course, or, to my eternal surprise, the best french fries I've ever had.

After that is the salad course, which includes bruschetta (every time I'd see bruschetta I'd get excited all over again, until my family said, “Bruschetta in Italy? What?” A special note about salads in Italy. Fruit and vegetables are impossibly fresh and delicious here (and, for the hesitant among my friends, safe). But Italy, probably because the produce is so good, doesn't smother it in salad dressing. They rely on good old oil and balsamic vinegar. Now I'd heard that you really need to know your balsamic vinegar because there's a world of difference among them, but I'm telling you right now, I had no idea. Real Italian balsamic—not the stuff you get at Costco—is a gustatory revelation. I'm thinking of buying a case of it, like wine, to bring home.

AFTER the salad course, you can have Fromaggio, or Dolci. Cheese or desert (which often involves cannolis or tiramasu).And then, of course, your after dinner digestive and/or coffee.
Full yet? Trust me. I was full after the Primi. I have yet to quite make it to the Secondi, even splitting either salads or antipasti. I hate to waste food, especially good food, and it felt a sin to leave so much on my plate those first days when I didn't know better.


Once you have your seat in a restaurant, you're there for the evening, though. Nobody keeps the place at meat locker temperature or blasts cheesy music to make your dinner so uncomfortable you don't want to linger. They consider it an insult if you hurry away. Food is to be enjoyed, savored, shared. It isn't just a meal, it's a celebration, and they enjoy nothing more than sharing it with you. My kind of country.

Thursday, November 11, 2010




Publishers Weekly Top 100 Books of 2010


It's an annual event. Publishers Weekly announces what they consider to be the best 100 books of the year.

What was fun was to see that out of the 100 books of all kinds, romance got 5 slots. What was astonishing, at least to me, was that my first historical romance, BARELY A LADY, was named one of the top 5. I'm still trying to believe it. I'm so psyched to be in such amazing company. Two of the other books are already on my keeper shelf. To say I'm honored would be an example of how, even as rich as the English language is, it is limited. Wow. Just wow.

Here's the more fun part. Joanne Bourne, one of the other authors on the romance list(and an amazing author. I love her work) mentioned on her blog that Rose Fox, on her blog, Genreville, gives us an inside look into the process, including the top 5 romances and the 5 who came really close. It's great reading. I'm including just the list here. If you want an introduction into romance, I can't think of a better list. I know that I'll search out the ones I've missed.

Top Five:

The Forbidden Rose
Joanna Bourne (Berkley Sensation)
In mid-revolution France, a noblewoman and a spy are torn between wartime practicality and headstrong passion. The gripping espionage story and wry voiceovers from the heroine will win hearts.

The Iron Duke
Meljean Brook (Berkley)
Brook's fabulous steampunk tale has an iron-boned war hero and a half-Asian detective inspector matching wits and wills on airships and battleships and in smoke-choked London as England recovers from 200 years of Mongol rule.

The Heir
Grace Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca)
Burrowes pulls off an improbable Regency affair between a spoiled ducal heir and a housekeeper with a secret.

Barely a Lady
Eileen Dreyer (Grand Central/Forever)
The wartime amnesia romance is as old as the hills, but RWA Hall of Famer Dreyer (aka Kathleen Korbel) makes this one work.

Trial by Desire
Courtney Milan (HQN)
Modern readers will be as intrigued by the Victorian-era political issues as they are by the central story of a man trying to reconnect with the wife he abandoned.

And the rest of the top 10:

Proof by Seduction,
Courtney Milan
A stunning debut Victorian that very nearly made the top list, outclassed only by its sequel.

(my note: how good do you have to be to rate 1 slots in the top 10? I agree, too. Love Courtney Milan)

Whisper of Scandal,
Nicola Cornick
An adventure story wrapped around a heartbreaking tale of a woman rendered barren by her husband’s beatings.

Last Night’s Scandal,
Loretta Chase:

The hilarious and adorable story of two rapscallions renovating a haunted Scottish castle.

Marry Me,
Jo Goodman:
A moving 19th century American romance with tons of interesting period medical detail.

Warrior/Scoundrel/Rebel
Zoë Archer’s
Cranks up the Indiana Jones–style adventure to 11 and then piles on the sexy heat.

Welcome to Harmony
Jodi Thomas
Contemporary Western, is a really lovely meditation on what it means to be family.

No Chance,
Christy Reece
series kickoff is an exemplary romantic suspense novel with a fabulous self-saving heroine.

So, my friends who've come over from suspenseland or the small town of mystery, even the universe of science fiction, here's a great way to dip your toes into romance, just to see what you think. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Now, back to the champagne and chocolates....


Wednesday, October 20, 2010




Where Do You Get Your Ideas?




Probably the most frequent question I'm asked. And wish I could give people a better answer than “everywhere.” But I'm afraid that's the truth. Maybe if I tell you about how my latest idea is forming, you might get a better idea.





I'm working on a series of historical romance set at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. In my series (because I love nothing more than a little suspense), there are nefarious spies, who, in the third book, commit my heroine Kate in an insane asylum. Not a good thing for her, certainly. But as I was writing the scene, I realized something important. This isn't a normal insane asylum. This asylum is controlled by the nefarious spies, who really think they are working for a good cause. If some people have to be kept constrained until the bad guys gain control, well, so it must be.




But, as often happens, once I have one new idea, several more follow. I realized that while Kate is in this asylum, Kate hears about another woman kept there; a woman who has been committed because she threatened to turn her husband over to the authorities for his part in an attempt to overthrow the government. And for a while, that was all I knew. Except I had the nagging suspicion that this mysterious woman would end up with a book of her own.





Cut to Venice. I'm sitting on the balcony of my B&B overlooking the Canereggio Canal, and suddenly a voice comes into my head. It's of a woman in exile from her homeland, smuggled away to Italy to recover from incarceration. Her health has been fragile, but the beauty of La Serenissima has begun to heal her.





Still, she is hundreds of miles from her children. She has a husband she may not have loved, but certainly respected. She knows that he believes he is acting for the best, that her commitment was, in his mind, to protect her, because if he hadn't been able to contain her she certainly would have been murdered. She simply knows too much.





She still knows too much. She is still a threat to the group her husband belongs to. She would do anything to protect him, even refuse to speak of his involvement. But she knows that she cannot remain this way. Besides, there is a man...





Well, there's always a man in romance. But that's not the point. The point is that it was the sight of that side canal in Venice that set her loose in my head. Until then she had only been a one line idea. A plot point. A possible complication. That canal began to give her color and shape. Conflict, purpose, goals. To her the pastels of those old, crumbling, palazzos are the colors of melancholy. She wants to go home and knows it to be impossible. She wants to return to her marriage and knows she can't. She has begun to fall in love with the man who brought her to Venice and should not. And she thinks all of this as she sits on a balcony in an old palazzo as the sun sets over the choppy water and the bells of St. Mark's toll out the hour. She is in one of the most beautiful spots on earth, and she can only wish she weren't.


I have always wanted to travel to Italy, specifically Pompeii and Venice. I know. It makes no sense, but there you are. For different reasons, both places drew me. So when I agreed to plan the family trip to Italy, the stipulation was that we include Pompeii and Venice.



Pompeii was everything I thought it would be. Without getting all mystical, let me just say that I swore I could hear old whispers as we stepped back and down into time. Whether because of the renovation or because of the place and its terrible demise, I felt as if the spirit of it had been trapped within those ancient stone walls to leak out like a badly sealed container.



And then there is Venice. I'm sitting on a balcony over the Canneregio Canal listening to the neighborhood settle towards evening and watching the gold of the setting sun wash down the pinks and oranges and terracottas of the tattered and peeling buildings across the way. And all I can think is why didn't I come here before? Why do I have to leave?



I know. It's been written every way but haiku (and if given the chance, I'd do one) about the romance and timeless beauty of Venice. Painters have struggled for centuries to capture that warm light, that peculiarly intense blue of the water, the erotic lushness of flowers and people and architecture. There is no way I can do better.



But I can report that every one of them was right, and I didn't really appreciate it until I sat on this balcony. I'd hoped it was so. I'd hoped that I could have a special experience in a city I've always held in my heart. I didn't realize it would be in a tiny caffe called the Leon d'Oro, which was run by an elderly couple who cooked your food the way their families had for centuries, right in front of your eyes, and made friends without knowing a word of English. I didn't know that one boat ride up the Grand Canal would steal my heart so completely that I felt melancholy even taking pictures, because I knew I would leave.



I'd heard that Venice was an unapologetic, overpainted old courtesan who knew exactly what she was and was perfectly happy with it. But until you see her colors and are seduced by her whimsy, you just don't understand.

Wednesday, October 13, 10The Value of Serendipity




I love to plan trips. I love to research them, to find out the interesting places I want to see, the history I want to search out, the unique and the out of the way places that simply need to be visited. On the trip we're taking now, to Italy, I planned eight days worth of tours to learn about everything from volcanic eruptions (Pompeii) to the effects of music on grape vines (Tuscany) to the composition of tuffa stone (Rome) to how to blow glass (Venice). But even more importantly, I planned time for serendipity.





Serendipity in travel is what happens when you're surprised. Either you have to cancel something (we had to cancel a tour of the Amalfi Coast because of one of our members' unforseen carsickness), or you end up receiving unexpected gifts (my sister and I wandered off one day to explore Amalfi). And while I think tours are wonderful, especially the personal kind where you have a guide and all of his knowledge and enthusiasm to yourself, sometimes it's even better to wander off and get lost.





That is what is so wonderful about Venice. Venice is a city to walk. Actually, the only thing you can do—besides take a boat up the canals—is walk. There are no cars, no scooters, no motorized transportation of any kind. I found out why when we were walking down one of the main drags and we saw what looked like tables covered in sheets of heavy wood placed at regular intervals down the street. The strollers tended to sit on them, especially strollers waiting for shoppers(there is a LOT of shopping in Venice). It didn't occur to me that they had another purpose. Until I tried to get into St. Mark's Square.





I made the mistake of going about noon, which, it seems is high tide. As you can see by the picture, it is fairly perilous to try and maneuver St. Mark's during high tide. The city, wisely, has laid out walkways so the tourists can visit the important places: the Cathedral, Florians, and shops.





That was when it dawned on me what all the scaffolding was doing in the middle of the streets. It wasn't only St. Mark's Square that tended to flood.





Which brings me back to serendipity. Because Venice is an island, it is impossible to be lost for long. Although it is amazingly easy to get lost in the first place. The city is ancient, with city planners who obviously followed the seagulls to lay out the grid. There are big streets, little streets, tiny streets, cul-de-sacs, piazzas and a thousand or so churches (you will quickly realize this when it comes time for the Angelus bells to ring). The great thing, though, is that each of those streets is interesting, quaint, picturesque, charming, and full of cafes to rest weary feet in, if not shops.





Stop a while. Get your bearings. Ask for directions. Even if you don't understand them (and as one guide warned us, when asking for directions from an Italian, never listen to the words. Watch the hands. If they say, “A la sinistra”, or to the left, and wave with their right hand. Go right. Trust me), you'll end up having a great interaction. Hand gestures (non-offensive ones, anyway), do quite well to supplant tourist Italian. With hand gestures and my catch all of “Mi dispiace”, which means I'm sorry, and makes everyone feel better, I got a lovely shopkeeper to make me a custom-made necklace for my daughter. And by the end of it, both of us were laughing and happy.





Serendipity. Even if it isn't Venice, give yourself the chance. Schedule in a bit of extra time to get lost. Definitely stop by a little cafe where you only hear the local language and made yourself known. You'd be amazed at how much fun you have. Because as much as I love planned fun, I love the unplanned kind even better.  

Monday, October 11, 2010There's Old and Then There's Old




Everybody in America knows what old is. Old is before television. Old is before computers and microwaves. Really old involves either Pilgrims or Native Americans, who fought nature to tame a wild and often unforgiving land. That is old. We in America are infants.


I just spent three days in Rome. Yeah, I can see you now, shaking your head. Everybody knows about Rome. Crowded, noisy, filthy, rude, chock full of fanny-pinchers. Oh, there are some old buildings you can drive around in your car, but does it really matter? All I have to say is, Americans are infants.





It wasn't just the Coliseum, which after the Taj Mahal is probably the most recognizable historic site on earth. It's a bit moth-eaten, sure, but Russell Crowe fought gladiators there. But the Coliseum, although massive and amazing, isn't even the most amazing ancient architecture in Rome. I give that award to the Pantheon, a simple round building built as a temple to the gods and found itself taken over by people who believed in only one of them. It is perfectly proportioned, elegant, deceptively simple, and still standing in the same glory with which it was made...two thousand years ago.





Yes, that's what I said. The thing predates longbows, and still looks pristine. Absolutely amazing. Then there are the Roman fountains, which in and of themselves would be worth noting, especially the ones by Bernini, dancing explosions of marble that spout water from varied and amazing places to enchant, edify and nourish, since the water is perfect to drink. The water that is being forced through aqueducts the Romans constructed over...two thousand years ago. Nothing has changed. The wells the women got their water from have just developed fancy skins.




And then there are the catacombs. Now, for the purposes of fair reporting, the catacombs have been on my bucket list since I was a kid. You see, like any Catholic kid, I was raised on Lives of the Saints, which included every martyr known to the church, especially those who died particularly gruesome deaths. And many of those saints not only worshiped in the catacombs, they ended up there(not for eternity, though. When the market for relics got hot, the Church moved the saints to prevent further pilfering of fingerbones and skulls). The dark, close, musty subterranean vaults they used to inhabit, though, appealed to my dramatic little soul.





What I hadn't counted on was the fact that these things really were so old. Yep. We're talking two thousand year old range. The Romans mined the area for tuffa stone, leaving behind empty caverns, and the Christians (among others) used them for burial. I also hadn't counted on the fact that when we got to go down there, those narrow, dark, cool passages would affect me the way they did. I swear you can feel the pain and hope and devotion resonating from those carved cavern walls, where little beds were carved from hard stone to hold someone's wife or parent or child. I looked down the seven levels of tombs that had built up over the years (not many, though. They were finished in the late 500s. That's five hundred. A.D. And those who passed through still seem to have form and spirit and weight) and found myself overwhelmed by the half million people who had been buried there. Did I mention it was two thousand years ago                                                                                                                                                           In Praise of Staying Off the Beaten Track

When you travel to a new place, it's inevitable you're going to cross paths with every other tourist in the country, at least once or twice. We did it in the Vatican yesterday, and Amalfi two days before that. The cool places have already been found, and they've been found by the companies with the big buses. So when you enjoy the transcendent glory of the Sistine Chapel, you do it with 1500 of your closest friends.

The secret, though, is that you don't have to stay with them. What I've found before, and has really been brought home to me on this trip is that it's much more fun to stay where the busses don't stop. For instance, we began the trip in the little town of Matera in the south of Italy. Most Americans have not heard of it. Italians are just beginning to. There are tours there, now, as opposed to the first time I went, but it's still a meandering, contemplative kind of town where the big entertainment is dressing up in the evening and strolling the piazzas with your friends. A perfect introduction to Italy.

From there we headed for the Amalfi Coast. Now it shouldn't be surprising that there are crowds there. The Amalfi Coast is celebrated in movie and song for its legendary beauty. And I can't argue. There is nothing quite so romantic as sitting beneath the bougainvillea watching the sun set behind the isle of Capri. But here's the hint. Don't do it from a hotel in Amalfi itself. Or even Positano, lovely as it is. Both are overrun with every manner of tourist, which means that all the shops sell tourist kitsch, and all of the kitsch is expensive. Not only that, on the trip you took to learn about Italy, mostly you see Americans or Japanese. The streets are a nightmare, with locals trying to squeeze their cars past the hordes who descend on the town every day, and the restaurants are the most unpleasant I've ever been at. As for Positano, it's much lovelier. It's also MUCH more expensive.

Our compromise was Praiano, right between the two. Smaller, friendlier, more family-oriented, so that the people who own the restaurants serve you and visit out of interest rather than obligation. The rooms are WAY cheaper. The room we had at the small Hotel LeSirene, was large, airy, and came with a balcony overlooking the sea and Positano. For 90 euro a night. Come on. A Holidy Inn in Topeka is more expensive.

The best part is that there is a bus that runs about every 20 minutes that will take you anywhere you want to go on the coast, is painless (although often very crowded) and fool proof. So my sister and I hopped on the bus at 10AM, spent the afternoon in Amalfi, where the shops stayed open throughout lunch (one drawback to smaller places, if that bothers you. They do respect siesta, and close everything from 1:30-4:00.), had a drink, then climbed on the bus for home. We didn't have to try to drive that coast ourselves; we could get off and on where we wanted (like the big Ceramic Warehouse halfway home) and we could get a ticket at any cigarette shop (can't miss them. They all have a sign with a big red T on them)


We did the same in Rome, resting our heads in the Vatican Vista two blocks from the Pope, where we had a view, a bit more quiet (it's never really quiet in Rome, except Sunday morning) and a landlady who not only gave great directions, but better private tours. Much less expensive than the center of town, easier to navigate, and less stressful. And now, instead of fighting our way through every other tourist in Florence, we're taking a train to Siena, where we'll unpack our bags, pull out
RTW Context

If you plan on using a similar itinerary for your RTW trekking trip, then you’ll probably need at least 3-4 months, and that would be pushing it, especially if you used overland transportation throughout all of South America. A few flights here and there (from Bolivia down to Patagonia, then Patagonia back up to Buenos Aires), would save you significant time.
The way we have it mapped out would have travelers taking about 5 months to complete. Of course, you could take longer, but you will have to keep an eye on weather. Many of these locations become nearly impossible to get to in wet weather. See the weather section below for more in-depth information.


Practical Information

When to Go/Weather Information
Weather is always going to be the challenging part of planning a long-term trip, particularly when you plan on spending the majority of it outside hiking and camping. Balancing best times to go can become a headache. Here is how we have it mapped out and why:

• Start in Peru in November. This is the very start of rainy season, so there will be a risk, but we personally traveled in Peru and Bolivia in November and December, and we had few issues (obviously it can and does vary from year to year).
• Make your way through Peru and Bolivia and down into Argentina, heading south to Patagonia, with the goal to arrive around mid December, depending on how much you want to do in the previous two countries.
• A month to a month and a half would be perfect to set aside for Patagonia, giving you plenty of opportunities for exploring the region in depth. December to February is the best time to visit Patagonia, weather-wise (although this also means larger crowds and higher prices).
• Make your way back up to Buenos Aires by late January/early February to catch a flight to Dar Es Salaam.
• The optimal times for hiking Kilimanjaro is mid June – September and December – January. You’ll be doing it at the end of one of the high seasons and into shoulder season with this itinerary. Weather should be good.
• Back to Dar Es Salaam to catch a flight to Kathmandu in late February.
• High season for hiking Everest Basecamp is March to mid-May and September – mid-November, so with this itinerary, you’ll be arriving just before high season begins.
• If you want to hike Annapurna, this is a good (but not great) time to do so. Crowds will be thinner and weather warmer, but there is a higher chance of fog, possibly obscuring views of the Himalayas you came so far to see.
Keep in mind that when you are considering weather for a trip like this that you will be in the mountains. Even if you go during the optimal season, weather can and will change at the drop of a hat, particularly at elevation, so don’t expect perfect conditions. The mountains are a fickle bitch when it comes to weather.
To read more in-depth information about weather in these regions, check out the following links:

• Weather in Peru
• Weather in Argentina
• Weather on Kilimanjaro
Which Direction to Go
For this trip, which direction to go depends on a couple factors – the weather and flight prices. Weather is the big one when planning an outdoor-heavy trip such as this, and while we have figured out a good route (see weather section above), you may be able to work out other possibilities. If you decide to go the opposite direction (staring in Nepal then working your way back to Kili, then on to South America), be sure to check flight prices. Even though you’re going to the same destinations, flights prices can vary wildly.

our wine and wander out onto the patio of the Albergo Bernini to enjoy one of the most spectacular views in Tuscany. After all, Florence is just down the road.

Trip Notes

5 Amazing Hikes in South America


• Machu Picchu (Peru) - This is a must, and if you’re looking to stay away from crowds and not spend a lot of money, then look into alternative treks that aren’t the Classic Inca Trail. Salkantay and Lares are the two most popular alternative treks.
• Condoriri to Huayna Potosi (Bolivia) – If you’re looking to get off-the-beaten-path, then Bolivia is where you want to be. This particular trek passes through the Condoriri group, with 13 peaks higher than 16,000 feet (5100m).
• Choro Trek (Bolivia) - This hike is mostly downhill, starting at 15,750 feet (4800 meters) and descending to about 5000 feet (1500 meters). But don’t let this description fool you. This trek is anything but easy, and it can be a killer on your knees. It has stunning views and ends in the very cool little town of Coroico.
• El Chalten, Argentina (Patagonia) - This trekker’s paradise provides a bounty of options. You can take your tent and climbing gear and head out for a week of some hardcore trekking and climbing, or you can do 8-12 hour day hikes and still sleep in a bed and eat in a restaurant in town.
• Torres del Paine (Chile) – Hikers and trekkers from around the world come to Torres del Paine for some of the best hiking on Earth. Hike the classic W trail or go for the full circuit if you’re up for some backcountry experiences. Black Americans refer to those African American citizens of the United States who are descendants of Africans who were held as captives in America from 1619 to 1865. The Black American history is celebrated and highlighted annually in the United States during February and it’s known as the Black History Month. The second week of the month was marked as the “Negro History Week” especially because during that period of the year falls the birthday of the two most celebrated personalities of America who fought for and influenced the lives and social condition of the African Americans. They were former president Abraham Lincoln and former slave Frederick Douglass.
  
  
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  South America Travelling

  Monday, September 3, 2012

  The largest city in the Southern hemisphere.

  On the square in front of the Cathedral Se

  

  
  

  

  
  

  University Law School

  

  
  

  On the streets of Sao Paulo

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  in the park

  

  
  

  Central Avenue of the city - Avenida Paulista

  
  

  

  Monday, June 18, 2012

  Cusco, Peru

  The city of Cusco is located in a valley at an altitude of 3500 meters before coming of the Spaniards, there was the capital of the Incas in the city had many temples, later destroyed by the Spaniards. At the site of the largest Catholic churches were built ...

  
  

  

  
  

  This preserved foundation of the former Temple of the Sun - the main temple of the city. On the field in front of him, according to the Spaniards, was a garden of golden trees in full size ... Now on this spot a Catholic cathedral.

  
  

  It used to be that, apart from the foundation of the ancient temple there was nothing left. But then, during the earthquake collapsed the walls of some churches. And behind them were found surviving walls of temples of the Sun, Moon and Lightning. Now they are open and laid up and can be seen.

  
  

  In the center of the church yard - the sacred stone. The Incas believed that this cup in the morning sun drinks the water. Earlier this cup, too, was covered with gold.

  
  

  

  
  

  The ancient walls stood in the earthquake that destroyed a new structure of Spaniards, not by accident. The Incas were very skilled builders. Their buildings are highly mathematical precision.

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  Instead of laying the stones of the old bricks, they are simply plastered and painted. Here the left of the painting, so you can see, looked like "disguised" the wall at the time of the conquistadors.

  
  

  

  
  

  Resolution of the City Hall, all the houses in Cusco must be covered with tiles!

  
  

  

  
  

  Night in Cusco is very comfortable. Here you can calmly walk the streets at night.

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  Monday, June 11, 2012

  The most mountainous capital of the world...

  The most beautiful place in La Paz - Murillo is the area with beautifully restored buildings of the Parliament and the cathedral, wearing the same name as the city - Nuestra Senora de la Paz. Yes, the full name of La Paz it is in Latin America so much revered Mother of God, that many cities are named in her honor.
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  In the square ​​Murillo. The Parliament of Bolivia

  
  

  

  
  

  The second central square in the city - square at the the Cathedral of San Francisco. From here just leaves Sagarnaga Street, where most souvenir shops.

  
  

  

  
  

  The central street - Avenida Montes, turning into Perez Velasco

  
  

  

  
  

  Central Street - Avenida  Perez Velasco.

  
  

  

  
  

  Monday, June 4, 2012

  The southernmost city in the world...

  

  
  
  Ushuaia - is the southernmost city. To the south there are a couple of towns in Chile, but not cities. The city itself is living the South Pole. It is from this city of more than 80% sail cruises to Antarctica.
  
  The symbols of the city are the Beaver and the Penguin.
  
  

  

  
  

  South Nature. The city itself is located on the hills and when driving are the main streets that run up the hill.

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  On one side of the bay.
  
  

  

  
  On the other side there are mountains.
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  One of the aircraft departing to the North Pole.
  
  

  

  Thursday, May 31, 2012

  Mar-del-Plata

  

  
  Mar del Plata - a beach resort on the Atlantic coast of Argentina. This is a very charming green city with lots of luxury villas and a popular holiday destination Argentines. It is also one of the most important fishing ports of the country. The holiday season lasts from December to February. In Mar del Plata is interesting to walk along the harbor, visit the Marine Park Aquarium, where you can watch an exciting show with sea lions, dolphins and sharks, water park - Akvasol with water rides and a mini-zoo with various animals. You can also see the acrobatic performances of athletes in the water-skiing and much more.
  
  Among the most common entertainment - mountain biking, the conquest of picturesque rocks piled up in the Sierra de los Padres (270 meters above sea level), wind-surfing: the waves off the coast of Mar del Plata, sometimes reaching 3 meters in height - and golf . The resort has four golf club and five golf courses of international level overlooking the green expanse of the Argentine plains or the sea.
  
  
  

  

  
  Another popular Argentine beach resort - Miramar. It is located in the temperate zone, so there is not too hot. In January daytime temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, and water temperature does not exceed 22 degrees. It is located 137 km south of Mar del Plata. It is popular mainly among the local residents, because there is no such a fuss, in a crowded recreation areas. At Miramar offers travelers the full range of amenities, and simple relaxation on sandy beaches and boating and fishing, surfing, golf. Here you will find a lively nightlife and countless restaurants.
  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  Friday, May 25, 2012

  Statue of Liberty - the symbol of freedom and democracy...

  

  
  

  Statue of Liberty (English Statue of Liberty, the full name - Liberty, illuminating the world, English. Liberty Enlightening the World) - one of the most famous sculptures in the United States and the world, often called "the symbol of New York and the U.S.", "symbol of freedom and democracy, "" Lady Liberty ". This is a gift of French citizens to the centennial of the American Revolution.

  
  

  Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island (born Liberty Island), about 3 km south-west of the southern tip of Manhattan, one of the boroughs of New York. Until 1956 the island was called "island Bedlou" (born Bedloe's Island), though popularly called the "island of freedom" since the beginning of XX century.
  
  Goddess of Liberty holds a torch in his right hand and a plate on the left. The inscription on the plate reads "English. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI »(« July 4, 1776 "), date of signing of the Declaration of Independence. One foot "Freedom" is on the broken chains.

  
  

  

  
  

  Visitors are coming up to 356 steps to the crown of the statue of liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. In the corona, there are 25 windows, which symbolize the earthly and heavenly gems rays illuminate the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (the western geographical tradition has it the 7 continents).
  
  The total weight of copper, used for tide statue - 31 ton, and the total weight of its steel structure - 125 tons. The total weight of the cement foundation - 27 thousand tons. The thickness of the copper covering of the statue - 2,37 mm. Height from ground to tip of torch - 93 meters, including base and pedestal. Height of the statue, from the top of the pedestal to the torch - 46 meters.
  
  The statue was constructed of thin sheets of copper, minted in wooden forms. The formed sheets were then mounted on a steel frame. The idea of creating a statue of the centenary of American independence, noted in 1876, attributed to the French writer Edouard de Laboulaye, believing that a prisoner in 1778, the alliance between France and the United States should properly immortalized. Eiffel brilliantly developed the iron skeleton, and Bartholdy "dressed" in his forged copper sheets 3 mm thick, fixed to the frame bolts.
  
  On the ferry going to the Liberty Island, almost always worth all, and even more foremost within the statue, so the elevator can accommodate only a few people (there are stairs). The observation deck at the top of the pedestal is located at a height of 10-storey building, and there could clearly see all the landmarks of the surrounding area. The most energetic and physically fit can climb another 12 floors (168 steps) to the crown, but the torch lifted up to 93 m above sea level, is open to visitors.

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  Wednesday, December 7, 2013

  

  
  Brazil has a unique place, which surprises even the Brazilians themselves. This is National Park Lencois Maranenses, located in north-eastern part of Brazil in the state of Maranhao, near the town of Barreyrinyas. Lencois Maranenses - a wonderful area of ​​1000 square meters combining the white sand dunes up to 40 meters and framing them into a clear freshwater lakes.
  
  At first glance, the landscape in the park is like a desert, but in the rainy season (the falls here are 300 times greater than in the Sahara), the water builds up between the dunes, creating an amazing beautiful landscape: the combination of blue-green waters and white sand. For its beauty Lencois Maranenses are called "sheets of Maranhão."
  
  The crystal clear lakes are teeming with life, as a result people from few small settlements located within the park benefit from this. From December to March, during the dry season, temperatures in these areas reaches +36 ° C, so that water is partially dry up and disappear, and many of their inhabitants, and local residents are beginning to actively engage in animal husbandry and wait for the rainy season, when its bloom again Lencois fragile unearthly beauty.
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  The mystery is what happens to numerous animals during the drought, and where comes from. At this point there are different hypotheses, one of which states that the eggs of crabs and fish are preserved in the sand before returning to the desired moisture.

Living the American Holiday Dream | If you fancy somewhere a little further afield and a bit more special than your average beach break, a trip to the Americas could be just what you’re after.

(Source: Google images)

Package holidays to USA boast a huge variety of options – from skiing in the Rockies and taking in the sights of New York City, to living it up in Las Vegas or partying with the rich and famous in Miami.

This is an exciting and diverse destination that really does serve up that holiday of a lifetime – and if you’ve got the kids in tow, you can’t go wrong with a trip to Florida. With all the thrilling roller coasters, hair-raising rides and memorable experiences they could ever imagine, the magical world of Disney in Florida is bound to be an absolute hit with your kids (and big kids too).

Or if you fancy something more exotic – perhaps for a honeymoon or a romantic break just for two – the Caribbean Coast of Mexico certainly ticks all the right boxes. Just like a Bounty ad, this glorious sun-drenched part of the world is all gently swaying palm trees and powder-soft sands melting into an oasis of azure seas.

(Source: Google images)

But this slice of paradise isn’t just for the select few. If you’re mindful of cost, you can rest assured that you’ll find plenty of affordable options as well as some tempting late deals and upgrade discounts. Take Cancun for instance, a stylish resort on the Southern Mexico coast. There is an abundance of Cancun holiday offers offering a great selection of late deals and discounts, perfect if you’re on a budget or looking for a last-second deal.

So whether you’re heading for a weekend of excess in Vegas, hitting the high road for the driving holiday of a lifetime or planning to take it easy on a sun-drenched beach in the Caribbean, the Americas has got it all.