Chronicles of On The Road Travel

Canadian Idols Sing For a Great Cause

For the Canucks in the audience, last Tuesday Canadian Idol premiered their recording, 'Believe in You', which is dedicated to families in need across the country. Canadian Idol has teamed with the Ronald McDonald House to help build the first North American Ronald McDonald Family Retreat. Ronald Mcdonald House provides the comforts of home for children and their families who must travel out of town for medical treatments.

By purchasing the song, either on iTunes, Telus or Puretracks, you will be making a direct contribution to 'Help the Idols Build a House' - 100% of which goes to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Contributions will help build the Family Retreat which will be located at the Bear Mountain Resort on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, one of Canada's hidden gems. Families in need can then stay at the resort, free of charge, to spend quality time together.

If you'd like a review of the song, click here to see a clip of the announcement on Canadian Idol, hosted by Ben Mulroney, son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

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Heal Yourself With Hallucinogens in Peru

For centuries Peruvians have turned to natural remedies to cure their ailments. Medicinal and hallucinogenic plants have been used since pre-Inca times for healing. A variety of healers (referred to as shamans in North America) exist throughout the country with a wide range of techniques. While healers from the Andes use San Pedro cactus in their ceremonies, healers from the Amazon work with Ayahuasca, which in Quechua translates to ‘vine of the dead’. Ayahuasca is a hallucinogen that induces visions and helps to diagnose illness. Healing ceremonies take place late at night, when the energies are at their highest, especially during a full moon.

San Pedro is what South-American shamans (healers) consider a Sacred Plant, otherwise called visionary plant. San Pedro contains a number of psychoactive alkaloids, which make it useful as an entheogen for shamanic ceremonies. It is generally cut into slices and boiled for a long period of time creating a green liquid juice which is consumed during ceremonies. Westerners have come to Peru specifically to visit with these healers regarding a variety of issues including cancer and depression.

Click here to find out more information and to see how you can participate in a ceremony in Peru or find out more about Andean people and the Inca traditions.

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Skiing in Latin America

Growing up in Canada, there was nothing more exotic and appealing to me than the idea of skiing in Latin America. While I huddled in my snowsuit trying to block out the inhumane -40 (yes, that is a minus sign!) celcius winds at the top of Mont Tremblant, I pictured sunshine accompanied by blaring latin tunes and a patagonian backdrop that Intrawest would die for. 

I finally got the chance to experience it for myself four years ago while on my honeymoon. Granted, we hadn't gone to Latin America specifically to ski, in fact it was a spur of the moment decision to head down to Bariloche, but I was a bit disappointed with what I discovered. This recent article in the LA Times brought back familiar memories.

It was easy enough to get ourselves organized for this last-minute excersion. Plenty of outfitters in town had a great selection of 70's-era snowsuits. The local bus from the main street took us right up to Cerro Catedral, the main hill in the area. The crowd was mostly international - Brazilians and Chileans who were taking advantage of the low Argentine Peso. Unfortunately, the hill was barely covered in snow (this was in July, near the peak of the season) and what little snow remained was wet and heavy, and exhausting to enjoy. Although I did get my latin music and outstanding landscapes, I was a little disenchanted by the Latin American slopes. Thankfully there is plenty else to see and do in Bariloche and we had a wonderful time exploring this part of Patagonia.

For those in the know, Las Leñas is the place to go. Located near the city of Mendoza in the Northwest, Las Leñas, although a bit of a hike and isolated from much else, reportedly receives the most snow and provides the best conditions for skiers. It is the largest ski resort in the country with over 40 miles of trails and an elevation of 11,250 feet.

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Recycled Life - A Situation That Stinks

I recently came across an article on Recycled Life, the award winning documentary (and Acadamy Award nominee) about the guajaros - inhabitants of Guatemala City's garbage dumps - who recycle the city's trash and live amongst Central America's largest and most toxic and dangerous area. It is a tragic situation that is lightened only by the help of Safe Passage, an organization devoted to combating poverty through education.

Safe Passage provides school enrollment and after-school support for the children who grow up in the garbage dumps, and teaches them vocational skills that will help them to create better lives for themselves. Safe Passage has also opened a hotel in the beautiful colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala, which supports these programs. Posada Lazos Fuertes is well located, across from Antigua's central marketplace, and only 3 blocks from the Central Plaza. It is a great value and a wonderful option for OTR Travelers on a budget. Click here to find out more about Posada Lazos Fuertes and to make a reservation.

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More to Peru than Ruins and ancient History

When most people think of traveling to Peru they are usually drawn to the Land of the Incas by the reputation of its ancient ruins, rich culture and history or perhaps the outdoor adventure of the Andes.  Not many travelers however head to this part of the South American continent thinking of its beaches and the coastal experience.  Peru’s Coast has a lot to offer for nature lovers as much as for those looking to catch a wave.  Peru’s surf is known among experienced surfers as being world-class and more and more travelers are discovering this as a way to see a new culture.

One way to experience what Peru has to offer is through surfing expeditions offered by Olas Peru Surf Travel, one of OTR's recent additions to its list of recommended providers.  They offer everything from two hour intros in Lima to two-week long expeditions along the Central and Northern Coast. 

Home to world women's surfing champion, Sofia Mulanovic, Olas Peru Surf Travel provides experienced guides that keep your safety as their first concern while also providing a fun and cultural experience.  In Huanchaco in the Northern Coast, for example, they arrange demonstrations of ‘caballitos de totora’, boats similar in shape to surfboards but made from ‘totora’ cane. This impressive traditional way of fishing is still practiced by locals and the design of their boats has not changed in 3000 years and is considered the original form of surfing found in Peru.  Their tours provide plenty of flexibility that let you explore and soak in the coastal experience on your own as well as getting a taste for the best of Peru's surf.

Visit us to book and read about their various tour options.

This article was posted by Veronica Montero

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Lindsay Lohan Hits the Tango Scene

According to a wildly reliable source, People Magazine, Lindsay Lohan is set to play a role in an upcoming movie about famous Tango legend Carlos Gardel. Dare To Love Me tells the story of the Latin American (his origins are up for debate, however he claimed he was Argentinean) icon and his romance with a prostitute. Carlos Gardel is undoubtedly the most symbolic figure of the tango, known as El Zorzal Criollo, the songbird of Buenos Aires. Although he was killed in an airplane crash in Columbia in 1935, his legend lives on in milongas (tango houses) across the globe.

This rumour comes on the heels of news that other famous Hollywood stars will be lifting the profile of Buenos Aires on the big screen. Francis Ford Coppola is reportedly in residence in Buenos Aires preparing for his next film, while Sandra Bullock is scheduled to play Marina Palmer in the movie version of her book Kiss and Tango: Diary of a Dancehall Seductress.

Click here to read the Kiss and Tango Guide to Buenos Aires or find out more about the history of the Tango.

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Samantha Brown's Passport to Latin America

I've never really sat down to watch a travel show on TV before... there's something about watching someone else explore a new culture that makes me incredibly envious and sad that I am simply sitting on my couch. Recently someone told me about the Travel Channel's show hosted by Samantha Brown. I watched my first episode last night, which was  about Grenada, Nicaragua - appropriate given my upcoming trip.  Although it was a bit cheesy, it was much  less annoying than the Lonely Planet shows and some of the 'celeb's go traveling' shows that i've caught in passing. In fact, it was actually kind of informative, giving little inside tips that were fun to hear about (like the best place to get hand-rolled cigars).

Samantha Brown: Passport to Latin America airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET/PT). Upcoming shows include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Santiago, Chile. Click here for a schedule or watch a preview video.

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FIFA U20 World Cup Canada 2007 a big Hit

This year Canada hosted the Under 20 FIFA World Cup.  The event surpassed expectations for a country without much of a soccer tradition, breaking attendance records of any sporting event in Canada and ticket sales going through the roof, most games being sold out and over 1 million tickets sold in total. 

Argentina came out on top for the 6th time, beating the Czech Republic in the final this past Sunday. 

The tournament had its share of scandal in the semi-final round involving the Chilean soccer team and the game's referee as well as the Toronto police authorities.  FIFA may penalize the Chilean team for an altercation with the referee in their semi-final match against Argentina.  The unfortunate events that followed the game tarnished what was an overall very successful tournament, in what Chilean president Michelle Bachelet called "unjustified aggression".  The Chilean team and Toronto police found themselves in a fight which ended with tasers, pepper spray and some of the Chilean players being handcuffed.  It was a regrettable way for this South American team to end their stay in Toronto.

This article was posted by Veronica Montero

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Update on the Situation in Peru

The teachers strike that has crippled the transportation system throughout Peru is over, though some regional groups like Puno, Cusco, Arequipa , Huancayo, Chiclayo continue their demonstrations causing trouble.  Teachers in Cusco haven't accepted that their leaders have conceeded to talks with the government and two days ago they set fire to a crop of land next to the airport while trying to take over it.  This caused airplanes to reroute and flights to Cusco were cancelled. Things don't look good and the President's approval has dropped to 21%...

This update was posted by Andrea Tello, our editor in Peru.

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OTR on the Radio!

I did my first radio interview today on Around the World Radio, an hour-long global travel talk radio show on KZSB AM in Santa Barbara. Aside from my over-zealous use of the word 'absolutely' it was actually a lot of fun. The OTR interview followed just after one of my favorite travel stars, Teresa Rodriguez Williamson of Tango Diva, and was focused on OTR travelers and the highlights of Latin America.

Each program starts with Travel News; the latest information about travel bargains, travel industry news and entertaining insights. Following Travel News are four travel segments. Each segment is about ten minutes in length. In-studio guests or call-ins from distant ports-of-call make for the lively, conversational destination reports.

If you want to hear a rebroadcast of today's show, you can listen to live streaming online this Saturday morning at 10:00am PST. Click here to go to the Around the World Radio website and click on the 'Listen' button on the left hand side.

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