Chronicles of On The Road Travel

Celebrate Latin America in September

We will be taking a few days off over the upcoming long weekend. If you are in the Bay Area, here are a couple of Latin American-themed events worth checking out as September approaches...

Favela Rising, the award winning documentary about one group that revolutionizes life in the slums of Brazil through hip hop music, will be playing at the Red Poppy Art House on September 1st. (8pm, show is free).

San Francisco's own Brazilian Independence Day Celebration will be taking place on September 9th in Golden Gate Park. Much like it's New York counterpart, this festival will feature live bands, tasty food, arts and crafts, and of course, dancing.

Lulacruza, a duo from Argentina and Columbia, will be making their debut on September 15th at the Red Poppy Art House. Their sound is described as South American instrumentation, found sound objects, and field recordings blended into a vibrant, electronically manipulated aural experience.

Tango No. 9, known for their modern tango nuevo, will be performing pieces from their new album, Radio Valencia, to be released in October. Click here to catch a sneak preview, or see them live on September 21st at the Red Poppy Art House.

For those who are interested in immersing themselves in the Latin American arts, consider one of the Mission Cultural Center's ongoing classes. You can choose from Capoeira, Salsa, Samba Jam, Latin Percussion and much more...

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The Coldest Capital In The World

I laughed out loud when I read this weekend's New York Times Travel Section's '36 Hour' feature on Ottawa, Canada. 'Call it the San Francisco of eastern Canada' the article proclaims.  This may be ironic only to the few readers who know me, and know that after spending my first 17 years living in the coldest capital on earth, and having spent the past 8 years living in and loving San Francisco, that I would beg to differ. My husband Seth, who is also an Ottawa native, was quick to jump to the defense of our fine hometown. It was after debating the pros and cons that I finally admitted, okay.. eastern Canada is a pretty small subset.

It is true, Ottawa is a beautiful city... during the four months of the year that it is not cold and snowy. It is a great city for a family - probably one of the best. It is small, but not too small (you can drive from one end to the other in less than 20 minutes), it's esthetically beautiful (picture the parliament buildings overlooking the canal which is surrounded with the forested hills of the Gatineau), good schools, affordable living, easy access to great skiing and cottage country, and the NHL's best hockey team (Go Sens!). 

What it lacks in cosmopolitan infrastructure (remarkable restaurants, decent shopping, vibrant nightlife) it makes up for in culture and charm. Although my parents take me on a tour of all the 'new big box stores' that have emerged over the past decade, not much has changed since I lived there. A tech boom came and went, leaving the city with a taste of what could have been - about the only parallel I see with San Francisco.

36 Hours in Ottawa provides a good list of the highlights. And, despite my expostulating about winter in Ottawa, it can actually be a beautiful experience - skating along the canal, admiring the ice sculptures with a Beavertail in one hand and a hot chocolate in the other, retiring back to a warm fireplace after driving by the parliament buildings adorned with Christmas lights... a far stretch from a sunny day by the San Francisco Bay.

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The Weekend in Rio de Janeiro

There is plenty going on in Rio de Janeiro today, as cariocas (residents of Rio) come out to play following the recent Pan Am games that filled the city with tourists. Tonight (Friday) is the Fundição dos Tribos. This event, held at the Fundição Progresso Rua dos Arcos in Lapa, will be filled with the rhythms of some of the top forró and samba groups. This cavernous former foundry is now home to dance and acrobatics studios, capoeira groups, hip hop movement and other creative cultural activities in addition to a number of performance spaces.

On Saturday, check out SER CHIQUE É TER SOTAQUE CARREGADO (It’s cool to have strong accent). DJ Mam, an expert on all types of Brazilian music, brings a mix of modern and folk music from Brazil to a dancefloor scene. Rio Marcatu will play maracatu from the northeastern state of Pernambuco and Filhos de Gandhi will be presenting their Bahian music. DJ Cyro plays mpb (popular Brazilian music) and samba mixes during the breaks.

Finish off the weekend with Tia Elza’s Samba and Feijoada on Sunday. Every other Sunday Tia (aunt) Elza’s modest house and covered yard on the edge of the jungle near the Botanical Gardens fills with Cariocas (mainly in their mid-twenties) who, for R$25, help themselves to bottomless clay cauldrons of bubbling feijoada and samba the evening away on a reed-roofed patio. Both the live music and the bean and pork stew are of top quality and the mood is casual and friendly.

For details on all of these events and more check out our calendar of events for Rio.

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The End of Crime and Violence in Brazil?

In an effort to combat the crime and violence that has plagued Brazil for years, President Lula da Silva this week announced a plan that will earmark significant funds from the upcoming federal budget towards this cause. Nearly US$3.5 billion dollars will be spent over the next five years on anti-corruption initiatives, new prisons, and police training. Only time will tell if this plan, which will be sent to congress by the end of the month, is a step in the right direction or simply Lula's attempt to appeal to frustrated Brazilians who have weathered a number of national setbacks this year.

Brazil has long been viewed as an extremely dangerous country. Locals will tell you that this is blown out of proportion and that you simply need to be cautious (while the murder rate in upscale districts of Rio de Janeiro is comparable to other big cities, the toll in shantytowns rises to around 250 per 100,000, a rate rivaling many war zones), although recent violence may change their views. Keep in mind that their idea of cautious is much stricter than our own. For instance, it is typical to not stop at a red light after dark for safety reasons. It is also commonplace to not wear expensive jewelry or display other items of wealth in public as they will immediately identify a target. As a tourist, you will be even more susceptible to these problems, especially if someone notices you are struggling with the language. Don't be so worried as to not leave the hotel and enjoy your stay, but always practice caution in your actions while traveling thoughout Brazil.

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Brazilian Day 2007

It's that time of year again. Those of you planning to be in New York City over Labour Day weekend should definitely head to Little Brazil (46th street between 6th Ave. and times square) on Sunday, September 2nd for Brazil Day 2007. This year, the 23rd annual celebration, will feature Brazilian food, music & entertainment, and handicrafts. This event has been so popular in the past (over 1.5 million last year) that this year they will cordon off 5 more blocks along 6th Avenue (between 43rd and 57th) to accommodate the crowds.

This event is sure to give you a taste of Brazil and its vibrant culture.

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Is it Safe to Travel to Peru Since The Earthquake?

We've had several people wondering about the state of Peru and how it will affect their upcoming travel plans. Here is an update on the situation from Andrea Tello, our editor in Peru. Here is the latest:

The situation here was really bad after the earthquake because people were looting aid convoys, desperate for food and water.  You know, help usually gets to the important, centric areas, whereas the 'pueblos jovenes'  (poor villages sorrounding cities) are the last ones to get any help and some of them have not yet been reached (unfortunately, it is very likely that the death toll increases as days go by).

The government sent more soldiers to the disaster areas to prevent this situation.  To make things worse, at least 500 prisoners escaped from Ica's jail!  Electricity has not been restored yet (as of Sunday) and there is cholera threat because of the poor health conditions (no toilets, no water, dust, etc.) It's horrible...there have also been 2 fatalities of people who were bitten by poisonous spiders while trying to recover some belongings under the debris.  This area was already known for these deadly spiders who have killed people there before.

It is indeed safe to travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley and everything is operating normally in Lima.  Flying through Lima is as safe as usual and I would say there's no need to avoid Lima at the moment.  Unsafe places in Lima are not part of the tourist circuit; the only affected areas were old neighbourhoods like Breña, Rimac and others that are beyond the centre of Lima, and are dangerous to visit anyway ...

Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro have not been affected by the earthquake...of course, there have been several aftershocks, but sometimes not even perceivable...I would say don't visit the 'catacumbas' (subterranean tombs) in the Centro de Lima, but at the end of the day, we can't predict if there will be another earthquake!

So, the bottom line is that travelers should avoid the Ica-Pisco-Nazca route, but travels to Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu should be unaffected.

If you would like to make a donation to help the victims, please be cautious of the organizations you choose. Corruption is rampant and your money may not make it to its destination. You might consider making a donation to the Peruvian Embassy in the US:

Account Name:Embassy of Peru / Sismo Peru 2007
Account number: 389060178
Routing number: 021001088
Bank address: HSBC Bank, USA, NA 1130
Connecticut Avenue, NW. Washington, DC 20036

or sending a check to:

Embassy of Peru – Sismo Peru 2007 y enviarlos a:
Embassy of Peru, 1700 Massachusetts Ave., NW,
Washington, DC 20036
More info call (202) 833-9860.

Here are a few international organizations accepting donations specifically for Peru:

Save the Children

Oxfam

The Red Cross

CARE

Etiquette For Traveling Abroad

This past weekend's San Francisco Chronicle published an interesting list of 'do's and don'ts when traveling abroad'. It's always important when traveling to a new country to blend in with the local culture and not offend the locals. The Chronicle's list is less informative than it is tongue in cheek - one of my favorites:
    In Canada, don't pretend to be Canadian
A bit obvious, but you'd be amazed at the number of people who pick up 'eh' and 'aboot' after a few days in the Great White North.

A few others that are relevant to OTR Travelers:
    In Brazil, don't ask, "What's this sawdust doing on my food?" (It's dried manioc.)
    In Argentina, don't tango solo.
    In South America, don't tell people you're from America. (They are, too.)

To avoid these pitfalls, read our cultural cheatsheets for Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala and Peru, and don't miss the Kiss and Tango Guide to Buenos Aires.

A Guide to Brazilian-Style Beauty

Conde Naste Traveler magazine recently published a wonderful article exposing the beauty secrets of Brazilian women. It is no surprise that this natural wonder with its remarkable coastlines, vibrant culture, lush rainforests, unique wildlife and bikini-clad sun-worshippers is home to some of the most beautiful women in the world. According to the article, the girl from Ipanema relies on the following:

1) The Perfect Tan: this includes sunscreen, plenty of carrot and beet juice (to intensify the tan / help with the skin turning dark), ensuring the maintenance of a year-round base tan, and rubbing sand on oneself.

2) A berry diet: Açai (the tiny purple berry that has become popular in the US lately) provides protein and healthy fat as well as antioxidents to help prevent the signs of aging and sun damage. This is a no brainer...açai is an excellent snack and can be found at most juice stands around Rio de Janeiro. It's great with some granola on top!

3) Bare it all: A quick glance around Rio will reveal that this is a beach culture. Women are used to wearing very little and are amazingly comfortable with their bodies (despite.. or maybe because of the fact that they have such a high rate of plastic surgery). Visitors should note that going topless is not the norm in Brazil (contrary to popular belief), so as small as that bikini may be - don't leave it at home!

Read up on how to blend in like a local when visiting Brazil or click here to find out where you can get Rio's best açai. 

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Earthquake in Peru

Peru was rocked by a powerful earthquake yesterday (estimated at a 7.9 magnitude) leaving hundreds dead and several hundred more injured. The epicenter is believed to have been 90 miles southeast of Lima in the Pacific,  primarily affecting those on the Southern Coast (particularly the town of Ica).

Andrea Tello, our editor in Peru, reports the following from the Sacred Valley:

We did feel it in the Sacred Valley!  It was really weird because I thought I was just feeling a bit dizzy, but everyone else at El Huacatay (I was there at the time) felt the same, too.  Fortunately, nothing else happened here, no material damage or casualties.

 

However, the situation is really bad in Ica and Lima (in less proportion).  The problem in Lima is that there are neighbourhoods with houses that have poor infrastructure, and for years and years people refused to leave them because they had nowhere else to go...unfortunately, these people are now homeless.

As you may imagine, the health care system is so bad here, that Pisco doesn't even have a morgue, so the scene there is absolutely devastating.  Classes have been suspended in the whole country today, though Lima's International Airport is operating normally now (it was closed yesterday afternoon).  Ica has been declared in emergency and lots of help is needed in the area.  There is no tsunami alert anymore, but La Punta (a district opposite Barranco, the end of the bay) was evacuated last night and people had to sleep in the stadium.  The other really bad thing is that all the communication systems collapsed as well, so people haven't been able to contact their families in the affected areas.

As for now, rescue effort continues in Ica, Chincha and Pisco, for there are still a lot of people trapped under constructions that collapsed during the earthquake.

Communication is spotty from Peru, but Andrea will keep us posted with updates.

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Volunteer For A Good Cause in Peru

The Rainbow Center of Urubamba, opened on February 2002, is a school dedicated to children with special needs and now holds almost 40 kids who attend school on a regular basis under the supervision of professionals - speech therapist, music therapists, physiotherapist, P.E teacher, art teacher, drama teacher, social workers, psychologists and volunteers.

Children receive education and therapy in the mornings and in the afternoons Rainbow Center provides workshops in art, drama and dance along with band practice, physiotherapy and speech therapy. On Mondays the children spend the day baking bread and cakes which are used for breakfasts at school and will eventually be sold at the market.

The Rainbow Center is sponsored by Kiya Survivors, a charity institution that was established in 1998 to help survivors of the El Niño phenomenon. Their director, Suzy Butler is based in

Cusco

and has always been driven by her passion for helping underprivileged children.  .

Kiya continues to support children who attend The Rainbow Center until they can go to normal school or find a job, enabling them to live independently and be accepted as a valuable member of their community. If at 18 years of age a child cannot be integrated into society, Kiya ensures they are in a safe environment.  The Rainbow Center offers volunteer programs lasting 2+ months. For more information, visit their web page www.kiyasurvivors.org. 

Suzy also runs the Mamacocha Project, with similar characteristics, in Los Organos in

Piura

.

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