Chronicles of On The Road Travel

The Best of Argentina's Wine Country

South America's largest wine festival, Vendimia, will take place this coming weekend. The event offically begins with a sunset blessing of the vineyards and grapes by Mendoza’s Bishop, signaling the end of the work year in the fields. Then the festivities commence and the wine starts flowing. The event is attended by tourists and locals alike, including those from the various regions throughout the province of Mendoza. Throughout the weekend parades consisting of a variety of floats and traditional locomotives make their way through the city streets. Each region is represented by their selection for 'Harvest Queen' and the lucky girl gets to witness the festivities from the top of her regional float in the parade.

For those who prefer to visit Mendoza without the crowds and hoopla of Vendimia, trips to the vineyards can be done independently or with a tour.  If you'd like something in between we can recommend Aventura & Wine. The team at Aventura & Wine provide professional, personalized tours of the area. They are happy to accomodate the needs of any group. You can choose from a variety of options ranging from A Day in Wine Country, where you will visit several exclusive wineries and enjoy lunch amongst the vineyards, to a cooking class at one of Argentina's finest restaurants, La Bourgogne.

Click here for more information and to book your own personalized tour.

The Latin American Clock

The number one faux-pas that you can commit in Peru, as in many other Latin American countries, is to show up on time for a social invitation.  For lunch they will probably invite you at 1:30pm but you are not expected until 2:30 – 3pm.  Dinner guests will usually start arriving around 9pm even though the invitation may have called for 8pm.  If you are like me and have your moods determined by your hunger levels, then I recommend that you eat a snack before attending a lunch or dinner party in Peru or fill up on the 'bocaditos' (appetizers).  Not only is it a given that everyone will arrive one or two hours past the invited time but you can count on the food being served well past the time when your stomach has finished growling, you've felt faint and are probably past a comfortable state of inebriation from the Pisco sours being served.  Peruvians not only have a tendency to start things late but when socializing they also love extending gatherings for as long as is physically possible.

I suppose tardiness is acceptable when you do it among friends but recently Peruvian authorities decided that this behaviour of showing up late for everything, including business meetings, has to change.  As this article in the Guardian indicates, a government-led council is working on an initiative called 'La Hora sin Demora', or 'Time without Delay'.  On March 1 at noon, sharp, sirens will sound and church bells will ring with the hope that 27 million Peruvians will synchronize their watches, and an opening ceremony will be televised.  The idea is that one should be ashamed about arriving late after a nation-wide effort of that magnitude. 

Old habits will likely die hard, however, as many people feel that 'Peruvian time' is part of the culture of being Peruvian.  The issue will also be a matter of perception - according to the article, a recent poll indicates that 80% of Peruvians think that they are punctual.  That's likely because in Peru most people will consider being less than an hour late to be 'on time'.  Keep in mind that when in Peru, better late than early, or you may be helping to set up the table! 

Stay tuned for our upcoming coverage of Peru for other cultural tips!

This article was posted by Veronica Montero

Travel Advice & Recommendations From Local Experts

Get Ready for Rio's Carnival in 2008

Rio de Janeiro is still winding down from its Carnival festivities. Carioca's, still in denial that the event has concluded, continued to party well beyond Ash Wednesday. This year's celebration was as lively as ever, despite the well-publicized violence that has erupted in the city in recent months. The events were so crowded that the street Blocos were not publishing their start times in an effort to keep the crowds down.

Despite the excess and glamour that permeated the air, there was a somber tone of remembrance for João Hélio, a six year old boy who was tragically killed when a car theft went wrong a couple weeks earlier. Moments of silence were observed and black armbands were worn in his honour.

The Sambódromo celebration is the centerpiece of Carnival, hosting the main parade where the top samba groups present their floats and 'wow' the crowds with their performances. This grand spectacle is the result of a full year of planning, and many man-hours of sewing and gluing sequins and glitter. Thousands of spectators fill the stands to cheer on the stereotypical “mulatas” samba-ing down the avenue in their revealing costumes. This year's winner (which was announced on Ash Wednesday) was Beija Flor. This is the second consecutive win for Beija Flor, a group that comes from Nilopolis, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.

While the samba schools might take the week off to recover before the planning for Carnival 2008 commences, it's not to early to start planning your own visit. Accomodations during Carnival book up well in advance. Check out our recommendations to experience Carnival in Rio de Janeiro or Salvador de Bahia.

More Post-Carnival Festivities

The Cariocas just can't seem to let Carnival end... yet another after-party bloco to add to the list.

Bloco Raizes

VENUE Casa Rosa
Rua Alice, 550
Laranjeiras
Tel (21) 9363-4645
A historic mansion on the hill in the Larangeiras neighborhood, rumored to have been a bordello, is now a nightclub which also holds Sunday sambas and other events in its backyard.
DATE Sunday, Feb 25
TIME 1pm
SCENE Carnival refuses to end. Here’s yet another chance to join in the folly of a traditional carnival street parade. Bloco Raizes (roots) will meet at Casa Rosa and march (and dance) through the streets of the Laranjeiras neighborhood.
INSIDER TIPS This event—like all street carnival parades—is free. Wear a costume or a mask and bring some confetti!

For more events taking place in Rio de Janeiro check our calendar of events.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro - The Party Continues

“Tristeza não tem fim, felicidade sim” or sadness has no end, happiness does. This line refers to the blues that arise upon returning to “real” life once Carnival comes to an end on Ash Wednesday. But it appears that folks aren’t willing to give up dancing in the streets just yet. Please keep in mind that Carnival crowds are a pickpocket’s playground so keep valuables (money, camera, cell phone, etc) in a place where they can’t get to them. Here’s the schedule of the 2007 post-Carnival street parades. Note: the blocos begin to gather around the time we’ve listed but don’t usually begin parading until an hour or so later.

Saturday, February 24

Bloco Bafafá  5pm
This bloco, founded by journalists, professors and music lovers, is in its 5th year. There will be special guests singing samba, frevo (a lively type of music from the Northeast of Brazil) and marchinhas (traditional street carnival songs). They’ll be accompanied by the much-loved band Cordão da Bola Preta. DJ Franz will be working the turntables during the band’s breaks. This bloco will not actually parade but rather hang out with the regular crowds on the beach at Posto 9 in Ipanema (Avenida Viera Souto at Rua Joana Angêlica).

Bloco Berço do Samba 5pm
This is the first carnival for this bloco which was organized by the site Berço do Samba (cradle of samba). It will be meeting at Avenida Salvador de Sá, next to the Sambódromo.

Bloco Vem, Caminha Junto! 4pm
This is another new bloco which gathers on the outskirts of Rio, in Taquara – Jacarepaguá. It will  parade on Avenida dos Mananciais to the Praça Sanilópolis. The name means “Come, let’s walk together”.

Sunday, February 25

Monobloco 10am
Musician Pedro Luís created this very popular bloco five years ago. The 150 drummers and percussionists parade along Copacabana beach –starting at Posto 6 and heading toward Leme--playing a mix of samba, coco (a type of music from the Northeastern Pernambuco State), funk and charm (romantic pop/soul).

Condomínio Barangal  4pm
This bloco was born at the famous Posto 9 beach in Ipanema. Despite its name, which means ugly woman, the usual good-looking Ipanema crowd is sure to be in attendance. This bloco has a nice, playful feeling. The parade will start at Posto 9.

Galinha do Meio Dia (Midday Hen)  3pm
This bloco is a take off on the famous Galinha do Meia Noche (Midnight hen) of Recife in Pernambuco. Their parade will start at the Hotel Marina Palace in Leblon.

Be sure to check out our Calendar of Events to find out other events taking place in Rio de Janeiro.

This post was submitted by Lee Weingast, our editor in Rio de Janeiro.

Travel Advice & Recommendations From Local Experts

The Money Shortage in Guatemala Has Been Resolved

The long lines at ATMs and banks have finally disappeared!

After almost three months, the monetary situation in Antigua and all of Guatemala has returned to normal. Guatemala's chamber of commerce announced that the cash shortage in the country caused a 30-90% decrease in sales, affecting the informal economy the most but on February 15th the Central Bank released a statement confirming that 90% of the national banks and ATMs were operating normally. In Antigua, tourism and the withdrawal of larger sums caused a short delay but by Tuesday February 20th all ATMs were filled and ready to spit out brand new 100 Quetzal bills.

Travel Advice & Recommendations From Local Experts

I Forgive You JetBlue

You've probably heard by now about the JetBlue fiasco last week when the airline was brought to its knees by an ice storm in the Northeast. Hundreds of travelers were stranded and over 1200 flights were cancelled. While more experienced airlines were going about their usual procedures, cancelling flights in advance of the storm so that they would have pilots and carriers in the proper places, JetBlue was pushing ahead trying to beat the storm.

Today I received An Apology from JetBlue Airways, an email that was sent out to all JetBlue customers asking for forgiveness. The letter begins: We are sorry and embarrassed. But most of all, we are deeply sorry.

This act of inexperience cost them dearly - over $10 million is being refunded to affected passengers - but clearly management has handled the crisis in a manner worthy of an MBA case study: JBLU's share price ended the day yesterday above its pre-storm price.

For those who didn't receive the personal apology, here's a taped version from the CEO, David Neeleman:

Travel Advice & Recommendations From Local Experts

  Xela Teco: hydroelectric diagram 
  Originally uploaded by xeni.

Guatemala - The New Silicon Valley?

Well, not quite... but this NPR article describes some innovative technologies that are being produced in Quetzaltenango (Xela) by a group of American eco-engineers.

Guatemala is a country where the era of land lines was pre-empted by mobile phones and where satellite brings Internet access to remote regions. However, the majority of rural communities still lack the basic infrastructure that provides electricity and clean drinking water.

Xela Teco is working to provide low-cost, environmentally sound infrastructure improvements. They have created inexpensive, reliable water pumps (one of which is powered by stationary bicycle), a 'biodegester' that converts livestock manure into propane gas for stoves, and are currently working on a solar water heater for home and industrial use.

Travel Advice & Recommendations From Local Experts

  "CéU Na TerRa" / 28.ii2006 - RiO Street Carnival 
  Originally uploaded by JucaFii.

Fat Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro

Fat Tuesday, which falls before Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent, signifies the end of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

The Sambódromo is the focal point of the event. The carnival celebration that takes place in the Sambódromo is the most publicized internationally and is considered by some to be a festival for the elite. This grand spectacle is the result of a full year of planning, and many man-hours of sewing and gluing sequins and glitter. Thousands of spectators fill the stands to cheer on the stereotypical “mulatas” samba-ing down the avenue in their revealing costumes. Sadly, what was once a celebration for the populace now involves expensive tickets and corporate-sponsored ringside parties where famous people from the world over eat caviar and sip champagne.

In recent years the traditional street carnival has been experiencing a renaissance in Rio de Janeiro. Many neighborhoods now host small acoustic bands – blocos – playing marchinhas (traditional carnival songs, many from as far back as the 1800s). The musicians are trailed by enthusiastic crowds, dancing and singing along as the vendors weave through them and keep the revelers supplied with beer. Some of the blocos have a theme: clowns on stilts or a water truck which cools the masses. There are even blocos for dogs, children and gringos!

Tonight's festivities feature blocos from all over Rio. This is the free, low-key version of the Sambodromo event. Get there early and you can have a drink and a snack in the street while you engage in some pretty good people watching on the canyon-like Avenida Rio Branco. While the restrictive behavior of Lent should begin on Ash Wednesday (February 21), blocos continue to revel in the streets until Sunday, February 25. For more details check out our calendar of events or click here to find out more about Carnival in Brazil.

Top 10 Beaches of The World

The Guardian this week announced the top 10 beaches in the world.  When I saw the headline I assumed that there would be at least one of Latin America's beaches on the list, but I was a bit surprised to see that it was Porto da Barra in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil that was chosen. Don't get me wrong, Bahia is one of my favorite parts of Brazil and Salvador  is a fantastic city to visit. But it is not a place I would go to for beach time. The beaches in the area surrounding Salvador, particularly Barra, are relatively non-descript, crowded and polluted. A few hour's drive up the coast to Praia do Forte and some of the surrounding beaches will be well worth the trip.

To be honest, Brazil is lined with gorgeous beaches and Barra is one of its lower points as far as beachfront goes. It's hard to find a more pristine situation than Fernando de Noronha, the sparsely inhabited island off the coast of Recife. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002, Fernando de Noronha is also home to some of Brazil’s best, and most secluded beaches. The island (actually an archipelago) is not only a beach destination, but also a scuba diver's paradise.  70% of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago has been declared a National Marine Park, which has helped to maintain the underwater ecology. The surrounding waters are home to dolphins, turtles, rays, 14 species of reef sharks and some of the largest fish you will ever see.

For more information check out our travel recommendations and advice for Fernando de Noronha.