Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for south america
Gateway to Galapagos
By Linda Tancs
Guayaquil is a port city in Ecuador, known as a gateway to the Galapagos Islands. More than a transit stop, this commercial city stretching along the Guayas River is enlivened by a riverfront promenade, Malecón 2000, featuring historic monuments (like La Rotonda, a statue depicting a famous meeting of South America’s two most prominent liberators), modern sculptures, museums, botanical gardens, fountains, bridges, children’s play areas, shopping outlets and restaurants. The northern end connects with Las Peñas, the oldest neighborhood in Guayaquil, boasting the largest concentration of colonial architecture and picturesque wooden houses. The founding of the city is celebrated with a festival tomorrow, preceded by today’s national celebration of the birthday of liberator Simón Bolívar.
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Raising the Flag in Rosario
By Linda Tancs
The National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Argentina, is a monumental complex built near the shore of the Paraná River. The Tower commemorates the May Revolution of 1810, which started Argentina’s War of Independence. An eternal flame burns in honor of the war dead. Unlike other cities, the Argentine port supported the war, and it was there in 1812 that Gen. Manuel Belgrano hoisted the first Argentine flag. The memorial was inaugurated on June 20, 1957, the anniversary of Belgrano’s death.
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A Kiss in Lima
By Linda Tancs
According to an old song, a kiss is just a kiss. Not so in Lima, Peru. The simple act is memorialized in a larger than life way with El Beso (The Kiss), a sculpture produced by native Peruvian Victor Delfin. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean at Parque del Amor (Love Park—what else?) in the touristy Miraflores district of Lima. The statue was unveiled on Valentine’s Day in 1993. Perhaps not surprisingly, the site plays host to an annual kissing contest.
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Lilies of the Amazon
By Linda Tancs
Close to seven feet. That’s how large the water lily gets in the Amazon at Victoria Regia Nature Reserve. It’s just a 15-minute boat ride from Leticia, Colombia’s southernmost city located on the banks of the Amazon on the Colombia—Brazil border. Once you’ve ogled your fair share of flora, take in the tourist boardwalk in Leticia where you can enjoy the breeze from the Amazon and admire fiery sunsets amidst many stores and food courts.
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Indigenous Art in Paraguay
By Linda Tancs
Seventeen indigenous ethnic groups call Paraguay home, resulting in an array of indigenous art. Basketwork and feathered ornaments predominate, hallmarks of the Guaraní peoples. Feathered cloaks are particularly striking, once reserved exclusively for shamans. Other handiworks find expression in ceramics and wood carvings. Three museums proudly showcase the indigenous art form: Andrés Barbero Ethnographic Museum, the Guido Boggiani Museum, and the Museum of Indigenous Art.
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St. Tropez of Uruguay
By Linda Tancs
Punta del Este is regarded as the St. Tropez of Uruguay. Less than two hours from Montevideo, the tiny peninsula offers enough glitz and glamor to rival its French counterpart. Twenty miles of pristine beaches, resorts, condos and nightlife attract the jetset and, during the fast-approaching high season (December to March), there are fashion shows, a film festival, a jazz festival, rodeos and regattas to attend. If you prefer quiet enjoyment of the surf and sand, then take in a natural tour by biking, horseback riding or bird watching in the cooler months, April through November.
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Brazil’s Atlantic Island Paradise
By Linda Tancs
Out in the Atlantic Ocean some 250 miles and three degrees south of the equator sits an archipelago of 21 islands known as Fernando de Noronha, an eco-paradise brimming with sea turtles and spinner dolphins unfazed by the destructive habits of man and machine in what seemingly appears to be every other part of the planet. If you can stand the rainy season (April to August), you’ll be rewarded with an enviable display of green living, maintained in part by an environmental preservation fee charged to tourists at the airport. Although it may sound off the beaten path, some of its beaches are ranked among the best of Brazil. In fact, Sancho was voted Brazil’s most beautiful beach last year, a place for diving and observing seabirds. Beyond Sancho is a reserve for spinner dolphins. Another hot spot is Porcos, characterized by two twin rocks and a natural pool formed between rocks and reefs. Only 500 tourists are allowed in per day, so get in line.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Lost in Translation
By Linda Tancs
Just as marketers research their brand names in foreign markets so as not to offend, so too must tourists be wary of the shirt or purse sporting a phrase or logo in a foreign language. Case in point: Cameron Diaz toted a bag in Machu Picchu emblazoned with Mao Zedong’s “Serve the People” slogan in Chinese. The problem is that Peru suffered an insurgency by the Maoist Shining Path rebels some twenty years ago. Just another reason to research your destination before you travel and pack accordingly.
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