Chronicles of On The Road Travel

Test Your Cultural Consciousness

Did you know that  Luis F. Leloir, the man who discovered sugar nucleotides and won a Nobel prize for it, was a citizen of this South American Country?

Did you know that George Bush regularly offends people from this South American country whenever he displays his signature 'A-OK' gesture (the thumbs up or the index finger-thumb circle)?

Did you know that this peak is the highest in the Western Hemisphere?

Did you know that Alfred Hitchcock's film, Notorious, starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman was primarily set in this Latin American coastal city?

For more fun cultural trivia, check out these great quizzes.

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An Apostolic Pilgrimage to Latin America

Pope Benedict XVI will arrive in Latin America today for his first pastoral visit to the region. The Basilica of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady of Aparecida), located about 100 miles from São Paulo has been chosen as the site for the 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America. The Pope will attend several events in an effort to bring Latin Americans back to the Catholic Church. Brazil, which is the largest Catholic country, has seen an attrition rate of 1% per year since 1991 in the Catholic Church. This is in the face of the recent legalization of gay unions in two other Latin American cities, as well as Mexico City's legalization of abortion.

240,000 people are expected to travel to São Paulo to see the Pope. This might be a good opportunity to see other, less-crowded parts of Brazil.

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Inexpensive Options for Getting Around Latin America

Tourism to Latin America has been on the rise, with growth that exceeds most destinations around the globe. This is in part due to the strength of the dollar (or the Euro or the Pound) in these countries, but also thanks to the political climate, which has been increasing in stability for over a decade, and the fact that this region is filled with beautiful landscapes, plenty of things to do, great restaurants, and increasingly sophisticated hotels. As tourism increases, so do the transportation options within the region - allowing travelers easier access and flexibility without breaking the travel budget.

A recent article in the New York Times highlights some of the up-and-coming budget airlines that are servicing the region. We have written before about GOL, the Brazilian airline which has taken the country by storm. You can find out more by checking our 'Getting There and Around' sections for Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala and now Peru!

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Free Volunteer Opportunities in Latin America

It may seem like an oxymoron, but typically volunteer organizations require volunteers to pay for their experiences. In some cases these fees cover administration costs, in some cases they create a profit for the middleman, and in some cases it is merely the volunteer making a donation in return for the organization's time so that they can ease their conscience. It is difficult to find organizations that don't charge you an arm and a leg to help out.

Steve McElhinney has made this easier for everyone who would like to volunteer in Latin America, by posting the results of his own research for zero / low - cost volunteer positions. Thus was born Volunteer South America, where you can find three types of volunteer programs: programs where you pay a minimal fee for room and board (these allow for shorter term commitments);  day-center programs, where you organize your own room and board; and  full-commitment,  no-fee programs where you are offered free room and board and are expected to commit to a full time position.

Despite the name, the website offers options in both South and Central America, and is a great resource for any OTR traveler who is interested in getting involved with local communities.

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A Great Book For Travelers

I have always been fascinated with travel photos - especially ones that successfully capture the essence of a culture in a single snapshot. The Lonely Planet's Blue List book, with it's oversized pages and bright blue cover, has always reminded me of all the things that I don't like about the LP. Last week I was given a wonderful gift - Revelations: Latin American Wisdom for Every Day  (Offerings for Humanity). The book, part of a series from Olivier and Danielle Föllmi, features outstanding photos and thoughtful quotes from well-known Latin Americans including Paulo Coelho, Pablo Neruda, and Rigoberta Menchu.  There are 365 photos in the book, each identified with a day in the year. Today's photo depicts a young boy in Salvador, Brazil, playing near a fountain in this historic city. The accompanying quote, Only because I err do I find what I am not not looking for, is by Orides Fontela, a famous Brazilian poet.

A big thanks to Shelagh... not only for being the gifter, but also for lugging this 5lb book around Peru! Here are a few other books in the Föllmi's collection:

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Is Travel to Cuba in our Future?

Well... it's in my future, but I'm Canadian and was never subject to the restrictions that have been imposed upon Americans. In fact, I visited over a decade ago, but I was a teenager on a student budget. We stayed at the cheapest resort we could find and we were not impressed. I have since heard glowing reports from friends who have stayed in Varadero and traveled through more cultural sections of the country.

Veronica has posted about Cuban tourism before and now it seems that some within the US administration are looking to lift the restrictions by submitting a bill that would allow US citizens to travel to Cuba and US travel agents to book trips for them.  Don't start packing your bikinis and sunhats just yet... the bill would still need to have enough votes to be passed, and there would have to be enough in it for the President to sign off (I'm sure a guaranteed lifetime supply of Cuban cigars would do the trick). In the meantime, adventurous Americans who want to beat the crowds have been known to hop on a charter flight from Canada and see Cuba first-hand.

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Best Marriage Proposal Ever!

At the risk of putting my husband to shame, the ladies at OTR have come up with their list of top places to propose throughout Latin America. With Valentine's Day approaching, you may want to take note...

Should it be on a sunset cruise around Buenos Aires or under candlelight in a former monastary in Antigua? Better yet... how about after soaring through the air on a hanglider from the mountaintops above Rio de Janeiro?

Check out our recommendations for Brazil, Argentina & Guatemala. Oh... and don't worry Seth - you did a great job :-)

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Seat Sales On Flights To Latin America

From now through February 15th you can get great deals on flights to Latin America this spring through TACA Airlines. You can get round trip flights from San Francisco or New York to Guatemala for US$359+ and to Lima, Peru for US$419+. Travel must be completed by May 31st.

Click here for more details and live it up in Latin America!

Once you've booked your flights, check out travel recommendations & advice for Argentina, Brazil and Guatemala (and stay tuned for Peru coming soon!)

Travel Within South America: New Rules

Last week the governments of 12 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, and Venezuela) agreed to  allow citizens of these countries  to travel within them  without carrying passports.  Note that this applies only to citizens of those countries... the rest of us still need our passports.

That being said, airport travel is a lot easier in Latin America than pretty much anywhere else in the world these days. Even in the largest cities you'll usually breeze through unscathed. In fact, a few years ago when crossing into Peru for my honeymoon, I was in a panic at realizing that my tickets had been issued under my married name, even though my passport was still in my maiden name (a nice gesture on the part of the travel agent, but even in Canada you can't get a new passport issued in a day). I was shocked to find that, in a post-911 world, I was able to board my connection in Lima with a boarding pass that didn't match my identification...

For those of you who aren't from Latin America, you can find visa / entry requirement information  for Brazil, Argentina & Guatemala at On The Road Travel.

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LA Times - Special Issue on South America

The LA Times this past weekend featured a special travel issue on South America with great articles on both Buenos Aires and Bahia, Brazil. If you are looking for other, similar articles, we track them all on the Relevant Readings section of OTR.

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