Ihla Grande is an island off the coast of Brazil. It is covered with rainforest that flows down steep hillsides into green waters. It is famous for the Blue Lagoon, a tranquil spot of crystal clear water well known for snorkeling. We spent one day on a boat hopping between islands and stopping at the … More Ihla Grande, Brazil
Brazil was originally a Portuguese colony with large exports of sugar and coffee. Brazil had the largest number of African slaves in the world, upwards of 4 million before slavery was abolished. Because of this, there is a large African influence today including the samba and capoeira dances. Because of the French Revolution, the Portuguese … More Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Paraty was a very important port during the slave trade, where most of the gold was exported to Portugal. Because of this, pirates frequently attacked the area. The streets in Paraty were made to hide turns to allow local townspeople to escape the pirates. The cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings date back to the 17th … More Paraty, Brazil
Iguazu Falls is at the apex of three borders: Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. Iguazu means “big water” and is the widest waterfall in the world at almost three kilometers long with 275 waterfalls. The highest point is at Devil’s Throat reaching 80 meters tall. Devil’s Throat flows at 1200 cubic meters per second or 19 … More Iguazu Falls, Brazil and Argentina
We spent three days on a cattle and sheep farm in the countryside of Uruguay where we learned about the gaucho way of life. Gauchos are cowboys living in Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. The ranch we stayed at is called Panagea and is run by Juan and Suzanna. Because the ranch is quite a … More Panagea, Uruguay
Colonia is the oldest city in Uruguay and also the only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic neighborhood is inside the old walled fort and is quaint, but adorable. It didn’t take us long to walk every cobblestone street. The most well preserved street in Colonia is the Street of Sighs, funnily named because the … More Colonia, Uruguay
Cafe Tortoni is a famous meeting place for presidents and politicians. We had to try the famous dessert of Argentina: alfajores. The July 9th Avenue is one of the widest avenues in South America, but the only building to have that address is the building for social welfare with Eva Peron’s face on it. On … More Buenos Aires, Argentina
Salta is considered the most beautiful city in Argentina. The name Salta in quechua actually means beautiful. It was established as a main trading hub as it is located halfway between Lima and Buenos Aires. We did a free walking tour around the old town in the morning. The main square in Salta is called … More Salta, Argentina
San Pedro de Atacama is aptly named as its located in the Atacama Desert. The Atacama Desert covers 1,000 kilometers west of the Andes and is the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts. It is a quirky, hippy town full of dust and all sorts of travelers. We witnessed one … More San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
During our three day 4WD expedition across Salar de Uyuni, we visited a variety of lakes. Most of the lakes we saw were home to flamingos. Because of their diet of algae, the flamingos get their classic pink and red shades. The first lake we stopped at was Laguna Canapa. The second lake we visited … More Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia [Part Two]