latin america - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-28T08:49:31Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/latin+americaDiscovering Guatemala's Second City, Quetzaltenango (aka Xela)https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/quetzaltenango-xela-guatemala2024-02-22T09:01:48.000Z2024-02-22T09:01:48.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrydiaz/15611480090" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5614/15611480090_388d5a8a34_b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" alt="15611480090_388d5a8a34_b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" width="1024" /></a></em><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrydiaz/15611480090" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Harry D.</span></a></em></h6><p> You've of course heard of <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/05/tikal-greatest-of-ancient-mayan-cities/" target="_blank"><strong>Tikal</strong></a>, <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/01/antigua-guatemala/" target="_blank"><strong>Antigua</strong></a>, and <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2015/11/guatemala-city-attractions/" target="_blank"><strong>Guatemala City</strong></a>. But 2,330 metres (7,644 feet) up in the western highlands just two or so hours from the capital, this country’s second largest city (pop. around 225,000) is a dynamic, untouristy trove that not only has a lot to offer on its own terms but is also a great jumping off point for other attractions, including <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2016/02/guatemala-lake-atitlan/" target="_blank"><strong>Lake Atitlán</strong></a> and several of <strong>Guatemala</strong>'s <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/11/ecotourism-in-guatemala/" target="_blank">awesome ecotourism wonders</a>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/guatemala-quetzaltenango-streets-in-historic-city-center-gm1060535630-283488513" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Elijah-Lovkoff</span></a></em></h6><p> Originally the pre-Columbian Mayan city of <strong>Xelajú</strong> (and still called that, or simply <strong>Xela</strong>, by many - especially the local <strong>K'iche' Mayans</strong>, though it was officially rechristened <strong> Quetzaltenango</strong> by the Spaniards thanks to the central-Mexican Nahuatl guides of its <em>conquistadores</em> in 1524) this is a cosmpolitan place whose historic centre is characterised by vibrant street life and mostly neoclassical architecture. The district's main hub is the oblong, 19th-century <strong>Parque Centro América</strong>, with its signature central rotunda and ringed by historic buildings including the 16th-century <strong>Espíritu Santo Cathedral, </strong>destroyed in an earthquake but its façade remaining (below; its neoclassical replacement, built in the 1990s, stands behind it); the 1812 city hall; the Italianate <strong>Pasaje Enríquez</strong>, home to several shops and restaurants; and the column-flanked <strong>Museum of Art and Natural History</strong>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/white-big-church-beside-in-front-of-mountains-under-blue-gm501819386-81530245" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">attiarndt</span></a></em></h6><p>Other interesting museums include the <strong>Centro Intercultural</strong>, once the city train station, now home to a trio of options. One of them, appropriately, is the <strong>Museo del Ferrocarril de los Altos</strong>, devoted to the railway that linked Xela to the Pacific coast in the 1930s, while the <strong>Museo Ixkik'</strong> shows off Mayan weaving and traditional outfits and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Escuela-y-Museo-de-Arte-de-Quetzaltenango-Guatemala-512151895602515/" target="_blank"><strong>Museo de Arte</strong></a> displays hundreds of works by Guatemala's leading modernist painters. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Casa-NOJ/533507450065614" target="_blank"><strong>Casa No'j</strong></a>, in a handsome old townhouse, this year marks a decade of promoting Xela's art and culture. </p><h6><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Templo_a_Minerva.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Templo_a_Minerva.JPG/800px-Templo_a_Minerva.JPG?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="800px-Templo_a_Minerva.JPG?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></em><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Templo_a_Minerva.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Guiller Cupil</span></a></em></h6><p> Another curious landmark, now part of the city zoo, is a neoclassical pavillion called the <strong>Templo de Minerva</strong> (above) one of several built in Guatemala at the beginning of the 20th century to honour learning (Minerva being the classical Roman goddess of wisdom). And to get a great view over the city, surrounding plains, and volcanoes that surround them, head to the wooded hill <strong>Cerro Baúl</strong>, marked by an obelisk to the great Mayan warrior <strong>Tecún Umán</strong>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/santiaguito-volcano-eruption-gm1058105182-282783848" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">shayes17</span></a></em></h6><p>Speaking of volcanoes, there are eight near Xela, most of them visitable with various local tour operators. <strong>Santa María</strong> (40 minutes away) is one of the most popular, and nearby <strong>Santiaguito</strong> (above) one of the most active - still belching smoke and lava every day - while <strong>Atitlán</strong> and <strong>San Pedro</strong> are on the shores of Lake Atitlán, a three-hour drive. <strong>Chicabal</strong>, an hour away, has a lagoon in its caldera, while at the foot of <strong>Zunil</strong> (40 minutes) you can laze in the <strong>Fuentes Georginas</strong> geothermal pools (below),, whist <strong>Tajumulco</strong> (two hours 20 minutes) is <strong>Central America</strong>'s highest, at 4,220 metres (13,850 feet) - a truly spectacular climb, with several small villages at its foot. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a class="photographer" href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/man-relaxing-at-fuentes-georginas-hot-springs-in-quetzaltenango-guatemala-gm619502034-108033429" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Avi_Cohen_Nehemia</span></a></em></h6><p>All throughout, you'll be charmed by Xela's very local and untouristy vibe - although there's also a fair contingent of gringos in town, both expats and folks attending the myriad Spanish-language schools here. Another side of Guatemala well worth exploring!More info: <a href="https://visitguatemala.com/?lang=en" target="_blank">VisitGuatemala.com</a>. <br /> </p><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BIyQkIJWFRw?si=37N0E92ULAKGOqQZ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p><p> </p><p> </p></div>Get a Piece of the Rock at Colombia's Jawdropping Guatapéhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/guatape-anrtioquia-colombia2023-12-13T10:33:26.000Z2023-12-13T10:33:26.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6 class="aligncenter"><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/hillsn_1992">hillsn_1992</a></em></span></h6><p><br /> <strong>Colombia</strong> is just packed with remarkable landmarks, sights, and experiences, and this one is singular, indeed: a vertiginous 220-metre (722-foot) hill - rising abruptly near a small town two hours from the city of <strong>Medellín</strong> in the department of <strong>Antioquía</strong> - is in a class by itself. The <strong>Peñón de Guatapé</strong> (<strong>Rock of Guatapé</strong>, also known as the <strong>Piedra del Peñol</strong>,<strong> Stone of El Peñol</strong>), was venerated by the prehispanic <strong>Tahamí</strong>, and many visitors come to pay homage to it today - including some pretty sweet views from the top for those willing to trudge 740 steps up!</p><p>There have been several theories about the origins of this impressive granitic outcropping - an ancient meteorite, even an extinct volcano - but it's thought most likely this mass was less fractured than the surrounding bedrock, and thus survived erosion over the aeons. The Peñón's supernatural associations were echoed during the Spanish colonial period, with for example a legend growing up about how the Devil tried to carry it off several times and failed, but left an huge fissure along one of its sides - the same fissure used decades ago to build the zigzagging stone stairway all the way up. For centuries, the hill remained so daunting to locals that it was never climbed until 1954, when <strong>Luis Eduardo Villegas</strong>, the owner of the land upon which it sits, finally succeede, taking five days to scale the monster.</p><p>It's also been a bone of contention between two neighbouring towns, Guatapé and Peñol, which have both laid claim to it (though clearly, the former has come out on top at least imaginewise, given the more widely used name for the rock). This rivalry led to a bizarre incident in the 1980s when the mayor of Guatapé along with the land's owner decided to paint the town's name on its flank. Some Peñol residents got wind of this, and came to protest en masse, stopping the massive graffitti after the letter G and the downstroke of the letter U - still visible today.</p><p>These days, of course, the rock is the single most popular tourist attraction of Antioquía province outside Medellín, and if you don't want to hire a car, you can come fairly easily in public transportation or opt for a day excursion from one of the Medellín tour operators. There's a little shop at the top, and halfway up you can also catch your breath at a little shrine to the Virgin Mary. And of course at the foot of the monolith you'll find another of other shops and eateries - not a few operated by members of today's Villegas family.</p><p> </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Decoraci%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_Jess-Kraft_Shutterstock-640x428.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Decoraci%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_Jess-Kraft_Shutterstock-640x428.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="Decoraci%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_Jess-Kraft_Shutterstock-640x428.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/jkraft5">Jess Kraft</a></em></h6><p><br /> Just down the road from all is, the picturesque lakeside town of <strong>Guatapé</strong> (above), one of Colombia's most uniquely colourful. This is actually a fairly recent development, as these things go - the 1950s, when local artist <strong>José María Parra</strong> tarted up the façade of his own house, and the practice spread first among his friends and neighbours on Guatapé's best known street <strong>Calle del Recuerdo</strong>, then to many others in the town.</p><p>On weekends, the waterfront promenade is charmingly filled with locals enjoying the views and a variety of foods, art, and crafts vendors. There's a zipline over the lake, and the nearby <strong>Peñol-Guatapé</strong> Reservoir (created in the 1970s) is popular for water sports and boat rides including attractions such as the ruins of <strong>La Manuela</strong>, the lakeside mansion of notorious narco-traffickers <strong>Pablo Escóbar</strong>, and various little islands, most notably "Fantasy Island", with a swimming area, snack shacks, and a lovely view of the famous Peñón.</p><p>A completely charming outing, indeed!</p><p> </p><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6o2BrLBrOgw?si=dMNaxJvN8FVWO_xe" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p><p> </p><p> </p></div>Panama: the Canal & the Capitalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/panama-city-canal2023-11-24T15:30:07.000Z2023-11-24T15:30:07.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p> </p>
<p><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300418674,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300418674,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300418674?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>We were up at silly o'clock for this trip ... but we caught the Bridge of the Americas at sunrise, and that's quite a sight.</p>
<p>It is written, somewhere, that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That might be true for dates, job interviews and the like, but it doesn’t necessarily apply to places. We’ve visited a number of cities we weren’t too impressed with at first sight, but grew to like.</p>
<p>Panama City struck us as a warren of high rise: the guide said they weren't quite skyscrapers. He pointed out an ugly brown confection that was an attempt to ape Dubai's Burj al Arab ... by Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Our hotel was fairly comfortable and the food good. We needed to get an early night, for the cruise on the canal started really early. And, hopefully, that will give me a better impression of the place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300419455,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300419455,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300419455?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The <em>'Pacific Queen'</em> is a good sized ship carrying many passengers along the length of the canal. We didn't do the whole thing, but probably the best bit, though the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks and through the Gaillard Cut, to reach the highest point of the canal, where we disembarked and boarded a coach back to Panama City.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em> (Fun fact: The lowest ever toll paid to transit the canal was paid by American adventurer Richard Halliburton, who paid 36c to swim the length of the canal in 1928)</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300421872,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300421872,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300421872?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p>What we saw was truly a marvel of engineering. We compared the locks with the Five Rise Locks at Shipley and the Caen Flight at Devizes ...and there was just no comparison. If you talk about canals to a British person, and they’ll probably imagine a scene of laid-back leisure, where nobody’s in a hurry. This is by no means the case on the Panama Canal. It’s all mainly business. Cargo ships, the occasional cruise ship, attended by the tugs flitting attentively about … and the locos, called ‘mules’ which haul the ships through the locks.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300422281,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300422281,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300422281?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>(Another fun fact: The Caribbean end is WEST of the Pacific end! And, I’ll bet you just got out a map or an atlas to check!)</em></p>
<p>There are really three Panamas; the nasty concrete canyons we saw on the way in, and didn't like very much. We had to be driven through this, though, to get to <em>‘Viejo Panama'</em> ...the original city founded by pioneering Spanish settlers</p>
<p>Unfortunately, being on the west coast of Central America, they thought themselves safe from attack. So, they didn't think to build defensive walls, and were vulnerable to attack by pirates, culminating in the burning down of the city by Henry Morgan, which persuaded the surviving citizens to build elsewhere.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300423678,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300423678,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300423678?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>So, all that remains are ruins. But, a land train conveys visitors to a museum on the site, which, with models, artefacts and paintings explains about the site very well.</p>
<p>After we’d seen what’s left of Old Panama, a drive to a viewpoint on the Causeway provided an opportunity to photograph the 'new' Panama which, from this distance, looked rather impressive. After all, a lot of business goes on here. I once heard it said (but haven’t been able to confirm) that, if every ship registered in Panama were to converge on the country, not even the entire length of the Canal would be able to accommodate them. And, that’s just one business!</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300424291,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300424291,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300424291?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p></div>The Soul of Rio de Janeiro: Its ´Little Africa´ Neighbourhoodshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/rio-de-janeiro-brazil-little-africa-neighbourhoods-black-travel2023-11-06T09:42:52.000Z2023-11-06T09:42:52.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Saude-street-mural-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Saude-street-mural-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Jun-18-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Saude-street-mural-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><span style="font-size:8pt;">photos | Sarah Brown</span></em></h6><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by Sarah Brown</em></span></p><p>Though most famous for <strong>Carnival</strong>, golden beaches, and world-famous landmarks, the real heart of <strong>Rio de Janeiro</strong>, for those in the know, lies in its downtown, most notably in <strong>Saúde</strong>, <strong>Gamboa</strong>, and the surrounding neighbourhoods hard by the port. For it’s this area that’s steeped in a complex history that dates back half a millennium to the Portuguese colonisers’ founding of Rio and the centuries of brutal slavery which followed.</p><p>A good place to start is <strong>Praça Mauá</strong>, a once rundown square that was revitalised in 2009 and transformed into a spacious, Parisian-style public space bookended by <strong>Guanabara Bay</strong> to one side and by two well-known attractions to the other - the newish <a href="https://museudoamanha.org.br/en" target="_blank"><strong>Museu do Amanhã</strong> (<strong>Museum of Tomorrow</strong>)</a>, famed for its futuristic, swooping architecture (courtesy of Spain's own <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2017/01/architecture-nation-3-of-spains-most-celebrated-starchitects/" target="_blank"><strong>Santiago Calatrava</strong></a>) and groundbreaking exploration of our planet’s future, and the <a href="http://www.museudeartedorio.org.br/en" target="_blank"><strong>Museum of Art</strong> (<strong>MAR</strong>)</a> with impressive collections of Brazilian and international masterpieces from colonial times to the present day. The port area is peaceful today, but when Brazil finally abolished slavery in 1888, thousands of freed slaves clustered together there, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Locals dubbed it “<strong>Little Africa</strong>”, which in the coming years grew into the nucleus of the country’s oldest <strong>Afro-Brazilian</strong> community.</p><p> </p><p> <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Volongo-Wharf-640x480.jpeg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Volongo-Wharf-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Volongo-Wharf-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Alongside Praça Mauá is <strong>Boulevard Olímpica</strong>, which among other things showcases the world’s largest street mural (top), designed and painted in 2016 by <strong>São Paulo</strong>-born <strong>Eduardo Kobra</strong>. Made up of portraits of indigenous people representing five regions –<strong>Europe</strong>, <strong>Africa</strong>, <strong>Australasia</strong>, and the <strong>Americas</strong>, this photogenic work is a mix of photorealism and colourful geometric shapes; along the nearby strip, between gorgeous photo ops you can enjoy gourmet burgers and artisanal beer at the growing number of food trucks. Now it’s time to dig deeper into the city’s sad history of slavery and its aftermath, which came to influence some of Brazil’s most iconic traditions, from food (such as <strong><em>feijoada</em></strong> and <strong><em>angú</em></strong>) to dance and martial arts (<strong>samba</strong>, <strong>capoeira</strong>), to religion (the Catholic-African hybrid <strong><em>candomblé</em></strong>). Just a five/minute walk from <strong>Olympic Boulevard</strong> is <strong>Valongo Wharf</strong>, built in the beginning of the 18th century in a neglected part of the city centre to keep the slave trade out of sight of the wealthy residents who lived on the top of nearby <strong>Conceição Hill</strong>; by the time slavery was abolished, some one million slaves came through this port. Today, dozens of slabs of grey rock form the outline of what used to be the port (above), which was discovered only in 2011 and quickly declared a <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong>. Since then it has attracted quite a few visitors but remained fairly neglected, until it was renovated in the summer and fall of 2023.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Sa%C3%BAde-street-640x480.jpeg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Sa%C3%BAde-street-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Sa%C3%BAde-street-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p><p> </p><p>A 15-minute stroll from here, the <a href="http://www.museusdorio.com.br/joomla/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=107:memorial-dos-pretos-novos-the-memorial-of-the-new-blacks" target="_blank"><strong>Instituto de Pesquisa e Memória Pretos Novos</strong></a> (New Blacks Research Institute and Memorial) in Saúde is one of Rio’s most moving and eye-opening places to visit. The tiny non-profit museum preserves the memory of the slave trade, yet it’s also the final resting ground of an estimated 30,000 enslaved Africans who didn’t survive the journey from Africa to Brazil and whose bones were tossed into makeshift graves between 1769 and 1830. It’s housed in the former home of a couple who discovered bones during a renovation in 1996 and though the black cemetery covered the entire block, were the only ones who turned their house into a memorial and collection of exhibits and artifacts documenting this tragic chapter in <strong>Brazilian history</strong>. Another ten-minute stroll takes you to the cobblestone streets of the next-door <strong>Gamboa</strong> neighbourhood, anchored by the <strong>Pedra do Sal</strong> (Salt Rock, below), a large boulder which used to be at water’s edge and upon which slaves were forced to break huge chunks of salt. The wealthy who originally settled in this area left when the docks were built, and so it eventually became the site of one of the first <strong><em>quilombos</em></strong>, communities of freed or escaped slaves. As I alluded above, it was these people, the <strong><em>quilombolas</em></strong>, who brought samba to Brazil, and Pedra do Sal is considered this music’s birthplace; to this day it's still at the centre of Rio’s biggest samba party every Monday and Friday night. Live bands <strong><em>rodas de samba</em></strong> fill the air with the sensual beats while a mix of locals and visitors, mingle, dance, and sip caipirinhas and beer in the balmy Rio nights. </p><p> </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Pedro-do-Sal-640x480.jpeg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/06/L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Pedro-do-Sal-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Jun-18-pic-Brazil-Rio-de-Janeiro-Little-Africa-Pedro-do-Sal-640x480.jpeg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p><p> </p><p>These districts do have a number of other worthy attractions, such as Saúde's pretty, century-old <strong>Hanging Garden of Valongo</strong>; colonial-era churches such as late-17th-century <strong>São Francisco da Prainha</strong> and mid-18th-century <strong>Nossa Senhora de Saúde</strong>; the late-19th-century <strong>Valongo Observatory</strong> (open to the public); and the early-18th-century <strong>Morro da Conceição Fortress</strong>, featuring historic exhibitions and great bay views. In Gamboa, there's <strong><a href="http://www.aquariomarinhodorio.com.br/" target="_blank">AquaRio</a></strong>, South America's biggest and best aquarium, which in addition to all the usual high-tech aquatic bells and whistles of today includes a surf museum. After you're done down here, you might want to proceed to the adjoining <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2015/07/rio-de-janeiro-lapa/" target="_blank"><strong>Lapa</strong> neighbourhood</a>, with its colourful <strong>Selarón Staircase</strong> and whitewashed aqueduct, and then onward up the hill to the intensely atmospheric <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2016/07/santa-teresa-rio-de-janeiro-brazil/" target="_blank"><strong>Santa Teresa</strong> </a>district. But the heart of this historic waterfront zone remains its Afro-Brazilian culture, and in that heart in fact lies the soul of Rio de Janeiro - and, one could argue, Brazil itself.</p><p>More info: <a href="http://visit.rio/en/welcome/" target="_blank">VisitRio.com</a>. Best fares to Rio <a href="http://www.iberia.com/gb/cheap-flights/rio-de-janeiro/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from the U.K.</a>, <a href="http://www.iberia.com/es/cheap-flights/rio-de-janeiro/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from Spain</a>. </p><p> </p><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wlFVNMJIGwI?si=5z6M54fxSOGwWViD" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><strong>Sarah Brown</strong> is a Rio-based British writer and visual media creator.</em> <br /> </span></p><p> </p></div>7 Ecotourism Stars of Hondurashttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-ecotourism-adventure-travel2023-10-21T09:35:47.000Z2023-10-21T09:35:47.000ZJorge Carlos Tejada Sobrinohttps://tripatini.com/members/JorgeCarlosTejadaSobrino<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263184074,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263184074,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263184074?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amanecer_en_el_Cerro_Las_Minas,_el_punto_mas_alto_de_Honduras.JPG" target="_blank">HermésLeonelVega</a></span><br /> <br /> <br /> Though <strong>Costa Rica</strong> is <strong>Central America</strong>´s (and perhaps all of Latin America´s) premier star when it comes to ecotourism, there´s also an undersung but incredibly rich trove of eco treasures to be explored next door in Honduras, with lush rainforests and stunning coastlines, among other things. On the marine side – exploring the richness of the world´s second largest coral reef, the <strong>Mesoamerican Barrier Reef</strong> – the islands of <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/diving-into-roatan-honduras?edited=1">Roatán</a></strong> and <strong>Utila</strong> are better known. But here are a few more that nature lovers should definitely keep in mind:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cN_CH6RjZnA?si=TMvvr2s2GyzPuFVJ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Cayos Cochinos</strong></span><br /> <br /> The “Hog Cays” are a group of two small islands plus 23 even smaller islets –reachable by charter boat or catamaran group tour from Roatán – which form part of <strong>Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve</strong>. They have barely more than a hundred people living here – a handful of fancy mansions of wealthy Hondurans plus a small village of <strong>Garífunas</strong> (Hondurans of Afro-Caribbean descent) – and they´re absolutely fantastic for snorkeling and scuba diving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nBBp1k-ZxI8?si=ocKJv93giw7bv6pJ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Celaque National Park</strong></span><br /> <br /> Way out west some three hours from <strong>San Pedro Sula</strong> (which I´ll henceforth call SPS), the city with the country´s largest airport, into which many visitors fly, this 141-square mile (366-sq.-kilometer) park of “cloud forest” (above and top, a type of cool, moist, and misty rainforest) is home to Honduras´ highest peak, <strong>Cerro Las Minas</strong> (9,416 feet/2,870 meters). Hiking to the summit is a challenging but rewarding experience (and one that taking two to three days), but you can also just go hiking, camping, and wildlife spotting amid its nine rivers, steep cliffs, and majestic waterfall. Species you´ll spot include monkeys, reptiles, exotic butterflies, and a huge diversity of birds (except you probably won´t catch a glimpse of the prized but elusive resplendent quetzal, nor of the park´s ocelots and pumas).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263186089,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263186089,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263186089?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg" target="_blank">Juan Paz</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg"><br /> </a><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Cusuco National Park</span> </strong></p>
<p>Up 3,730 ft. (1,137m) in the northwestern <strong>Mentón Mountains</strong> just over an hour and a half northwest of San Pedro Sula, this very lightly visited, 90-sq.-mi. (234km²) spread is also mostly cloud forest, along with some deciduous, semi-arid pine, and rare “dwarf” forests. A number of guides and tour operators offer excursions out of SPS. Cosuco is famous for its incredible biodiversity, home to numerous armadillos as well as unique species like the Honduran emerald hummingbird, the endangered Cusuco salamander, and Baird´s tapir; there´s also a wealth of other opportunities for spotting more than 260 species of birds, including a higher-than-average chance of spotting the legendary resplendent quetzal. Hiking offers a chance to experience unspoiled natural beauty such as the <strong>Orion</strong>, <strong>Quetzal</strong>, and <strong>Toucan</strong> waterfalls. And check out those giant – and sometimes pretty colorful – mushrooms!</p>
<p><br /> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nVc4c5pBMs?si=zAJRlDJQy2r4hUca" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Lake Yojoa</strong></span></p>
<p>Located just over an hour south of SPS, the country´s largest lake (31 sq. mi./79 km²) is surrounded by picturesque villages and coffee farms (some open to visitors), and is especially known for its birdwatching. You can also take boat tours; go kayaking; and explore the lush surroundings including the nearby eco reserves <strong>Cerro Azul Meambar</strong> (aka <strong>Panacam</strong>), <strong>Montaña de Santa Barbara</strong>, and <strong>Los Naranjos</strong>, as well as and <strong>Pulhapanzak Waterfall</strong> and the <strong>Caves of Taulabé</strong>. Tourism infrastructure includes a visitor’s center with eco-lodge and a restaurant as well as a network of trails, along which you´ll find a platform that´s great for birdwatching.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263193691,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263193691,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263193691?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg" target="_blank">OlmanTorres20</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg"><br /> </a><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Lancetilla Botanical Garden</span> </strong></p>
<p>Right near the resort are of <strong>Tela</strong> on the Caribbean coast (which lies an hour and a half from SPS), this spread established as an experimental plant station in 1925 is more akin to a small nature reserve; Honduras´ only botanical garden is one of the world´s largest at 6½ sq. mi. (17km²) and boasts an impressive 1,500 species of tropical plants and trees along with some 200 bird species. There are guided tours; a visitor center; a cafeteria, and cabins for overnighting. </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263194090,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263194090,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263194090?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank">Dpavon22</a></span></p>
<p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg"><br /> </a><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>The Mosquito Coast (La Mosquitia)</strong></span><br /> <br /> This huge, remote region in the northeast – a three-hour flight from SPS if you don´t care to put yourself through a 20-hour drive – is named not after buzzing insects (though for sure there are plenty of those) but the local <strong>Miskito</strong> people. And it´s a biodiversity hotspot and home to the <strong>Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve</strong>, a 2,030-sq.-mi (5,250km²) <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong> which is one of Central America´s last untouched rainforests, serving up exciting jungle treks; river expeditions; kayaking on lagoons such as <strong>Brus</strong> and <strong>Iban</strong>; exploration of local cultures including Miskitos, Garífunas and several others; and of course another bonanza of birdwatching as well as spotting larger wildlife (for example, peccaries, giant anteaters, several species of monkey, and even the elusive puma).<br /> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263195082,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263195082,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263195082?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pico-Bonito_(12122463094).jpg" target="_blank">Denis Fournier</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_Bonito_National_Park#/media/File:Pico-Bonito_(12122463094).jpg"><br /> </a><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Pico Bonito National Park</strong></span><br /> <br /> Located in the <strong>Nombre de Dios Mountains</strong> a half hour from the town of <strong>La Ceiba</strong> (an eco-adventure-travel hub three hours from SPS), this 218-sq.-mi. (564km²) spread is the country´s best known national parks, a mix of cloud forest, pine forest, and dry tropical forest ranging from sea level up to 8,000 feet. It´s home to breathtaking waterfalls like <strong>El Bejuco</strong> and <strong>El Zacate</strong> as well as a diversity of wildlife including jaguars, ocelots, and a wide range of bird species. Visitors can hit the many hiking trails; go whitewater rafting on the <strong>Cangrejal River</strong>; take a cool zipline canopy tour; stay at the eco-conscious <strong><a href="https://www.hotelrio.info/">Hotel Río</a></strong>; and even visit a small chocolate factory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For more information on the above as well as quite a few more ecotourism treasures, check out <strong><a href="https://honduras.travel/en/nature.php">Honduras.trave/nature</a></strong>.</p>
<p> </p></div>Nifty (and Gnarly) Puerto Escondido, Mexicohttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/puerto-escondido-oaxaca-mexico-beaches-surfing2023-10-20T05:05:00.000Z2023-10-20T05:05:00.000Zrohny joneshttps://tripatini.com/members/rohnyjones<div><p><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12281355871,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12281355871,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12281355871?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwide/173774764" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>urbanwide</em></span></a><br /><br /> <br /> Esconced on the lower Pacific <strong>¨Emerald Coast</strong>¨ in the state of <strong>Oaxaca</strong>, the town of <strong><a href="https://www.puerto-escondido.mx/" target="_blank">Puerto Escondido</a></strong> (which means ¨hidden port¨) was up until the 1960s barely a pinprick on the map, with dirt streets and just a handful of residents mostly devoted to fishing. Then in 1960 a coastal road reached the village, making it accessible to the outside world, and a village hall was built. Most consequentially for tourism, it was during that decade that surfers (pioneered by a group of Venezuelans, according to a local historian) discovered the gnarly waves here, putting it on the world surfing map and leading non-surfers to discover it as well. Today the state´s number-one coastal town boasts a permanent population of around 30,000, but has still hung on to its authenticity, with a very off-the-beaten-track feel where casual and laid back are the order of the day, with none of the mass tourism and big resorts that are all too common elsewhere on this coast. Come to kick back, unwind, and soak up the beaches and the barefoot vibe. And here are five of the top things to do in Puerto:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12224548682,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12224548682,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12224548682?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surfer_Punta_Zicatela.jpg" target="_blank">StellardD</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Wicked Surf´s up at Playa Zicatela</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>Located a 15-minute drive east of the center of town, in the surfing world this coconut-palm-lined, three-kilometer (just under two-mile) stretch of sand is considered the third best on earth, and hosts a number of top-level international competitions, in August and November, although the month for the wildest waves is June. The "<strong>Mexican Pipeline</strong>" is this country´s largest wave, sometimes reaching ten feet in height - and after <strong>Hawaii</strong>´s <strong>Banzai Pipeline</strong> considered one of the world´s most powerful. If you´re not up to tackling these gnarly behemoths (and they´re really not for the inexperienced), just kick back and one of the many beach bars and eateries and watch the surfer boys (and girls) have at it. (There are also small hotels and guesthouses for overnighting.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> <em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12224236099,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12224236099,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12224236099?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Playa_en_Puerto_Escondido_-_panoramio.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">abimael_de_zoritana</span></a></em></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;"><br /> More Beautiful Beaches</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>It´s not all about hanging ten around here. A number of other great strands offer sunning, swimming, snorkeling, and water sports amid calmer waters. Top examples include <strong>Playa Carrizalillo</strong> , down a 160-step stairway to a secluded, cove just under a thousand feet long, with plenty of lively beach bars and medium surf; La Punta, with a laid-back, boho atmosphere and also good surfing suitable for intermediate skill; <strong>Playa Manzanillo</strong>, close to the east of <strong>Puerto Angelito</strong>; and <strong>Playa Bacocho</strong>, lined by beach bars, eateries, and clubs. is another another stunning beach in the area that features gentle surf and fewer crowds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12224558476,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12224558476,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12224558476?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/albatros/3485924934" target="_blank">Erasmo Perez</a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Soaking Up the Local Scene </strong></span><br /> <br /> The tourist strip is <strong>Calle Pérez Gasga</strong>, better known as the <strong>Adoquín</strong> (¨cobblestone,¨ after what it´s paved with), and it´s definitely the place to be, lined with bars, restaurants, and artisans´ stalls. Plus after 5 pm, no cars are allowed and the street really comes to life, with nightlife carrying on till the wee hours, if that´s your thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12224648085,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12224648085,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12224648085?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turtle_golfina_escobilla_oaxaca_mexico_claudio_giovenzana_2010.jpg" target="_blank">Claudio Giovenzana</a></em></span><br /> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">The Giant Sea Turtles of Santuario Playa Escobilla</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p>Yet another type of nearby beach is a 75-acre eco-sanctuary halfway between Puerto and the resort town of <strong>Huatulco</strong>. Between July and January thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles make their way here in order to build nests, lay their eggs, and then make their way back out to sea. Then in September and October their hatchlings emerge and scramble to the sea. Local conservation groups run supervised tours of both, and witnessing this miracle of nature can be a life-changing experience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12224655888,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12224655888,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12224655888?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laguna_de_Maniltepec.JPG" target="_blank">Jaumahell</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Wildlife Spotting at Manialtepec Lagoon</span></strong></p>
<p>Set between the foothills of the <strong>Sierra Madre del Sur</strong> and the coast a 20-minute drive west of Puerto, this 15km-long body of brackish water is encircled by mangroves (which can reach heights of up to 15m), and with the village of <strong>San José Manialtepec</strong> alongside it. During the rainy season (June through October), the water levels rise as the lagoon connects with the ocean, and this is a great time to experience the area´s rich wildlife, which include a multitude of bird species as well as iguanas and possibly even a crocodile or two. You can take it all in from the village docks and restaurants along the water, but most folks rent a kayak or take a boat tour to get a closer look. And the rainy season is also a good time to come at night to witness the bioluminescent algae, which lights up when it comes in contact with fish, people, or paddles - a very cool sight indeed!</p>
<p><strong><br /> </strong>Learn more at <strong><a href="https://www.puerto-escondido.mx/en/home/" target="_blank">Puerto-Escondido.mx</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.oaxaca.travel/index.php/en/destination/puerto-escondido" target="_blank">Oaxaca.travel</a>. <br /> </strong></p>
<p> </p></div>In Costa Rica, Finding Fortune in La Fortuna and Beyondhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/la-fortuna-costa-rica-ecotourism2023-10-18T14:53:12.000Z2023-10-18T14:53:12.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259219891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259219891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259219891?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Reluctantly, we left Tortuguero, and, once more, cruised down the river to meet the coach that was to take us up into the hills to La Fortuna. On the way, at one place, we came across a level crossing sign. I thought Costa Rica had no railways? But here was a narrow gauge track, which didn't seem to have been used for some considerable time. Indeed, at one point, a bridge had disappeared completely, but the track remained. I found later that the railway had been used in former times to transport coffee to the port.</p>
<p>We stopped to stretch our legs at a fruit farm and market, where we could sample all kinds of fruit, both familiar and unfamiliar. It made me wonder if fruit, an important export from Costa Rica, is available in our shops and supermarkets … and, if not, why not?</p>
<p>Our accommodation is a cabin in an extensive complex, from which it is alleged there is a good view of Mount Arenal, but we never found it. We did have a view of the volcano on the way here, but not a very good one. Eric, the guide, said that, at this time of year, the mountain was usually obscured by cloud … and Mauricio, the driver, was hard put to find somewhere he could park the coach safely, but keep the number of intervening overhead cables to a minimum.</p>
<p>So, the attached picture isn’t very good … but it’s the only one I got this trip.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220462,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220462,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259220462?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>At our hotel, they had an open-sided dining room with bird feeders outside, on which the staff would put fruit. The brightly coloured tropical birds are a refreshing change for the little brown birds we see in our garden at home. If you’re not into birding before you go to Costa Rica, the chances are you will be by the time you return. </p>
<p>I apologise if some of the pictures of the birds are slightly fuzzy. I was trying to eat my breakfast at the same time!</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220701,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220701,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259220701?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Then it was on to the bus, for a longish ride to Los Chiles, where a boat awaited to take us on a cruise on another river, the Rio Frio. The wildlife we spotted was pretty well the same sort of stuff we saw at Tortuguero, with the addition of Colobus and Howler monkeys.</p>
<p>The latter were difficult to spot, and I fear photography wasn't very successful. But, we'd heard them all right; that morning … at 5am!! I did, however, get a better picture of an iguana, also a nice one of a cormorant.</p>
<p>Eric reached up from the boat, and plucked what looked like a seed pod from an overhanging branch. He stripped away the outer layer, much as you’d peel a banana, to reveal a beautiful red and white flower. It reminded me of one of those fibre-optic lamps you had back in the 70s … or maybe one of those floaty things in the film <em>Avatar.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259221689,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259221689,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259221689?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></em></p>
<p>I’m sure I wrote the name down somewhere, but when I got home, I couldn’t find it. But, not to worry; our tour group formed a WhatsApp group, and on it is someone who knows Eric, who quickly supplied the botanical name <em>Pachira Aquatica. </em></p>
<p>Further research revealed it’s known by many other names; the Malabar Chestnut, the French Peanut, the Guiana Chestnut, the Provision Tree and one or two others. But, there seems to be a much more common name. It’s supposed to have been coined when it became highly prized as a house plant, and much money was made … indeed, the first page of Google was devoted to people trying to sell me one … and fortunes were made.</p>
<p>So I was delighted to find that, contrary to the claims of our politicians … there IS a ‘Money Tree’!</p>
<p><em> </em>It chucked it down as we drove back to the hotel. Fortunately, the bus was waterproof! And, as we walked to the bar, we saw a huge iguana, just sitting beside the path. All that way to spend the morning peering into trees to find iguanas, and here was one in plain sight!</p>
<p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259222486,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259222486,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259222486?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>The Jewel in Puerto Rico's Eco Crown: El Yunque Rainforesthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/puerto-rico-el-yunque-national-forest-ecotourism2023-10-09T09:40:48.000Z2023-10-09T09:40:48.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12244840289,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12244840289,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="12244840289?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><em><a class="photographer" href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/portfolio/Arrangements-Photography?mediatype=photography"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Javier_Art_Photography</span></a></em></p><p><br /> The "Isle of Enchantment" offers an amazingly diverse menu of options to visitors, in capital <strong>San Juan</strong> and well beyond - history and culture, for sure, but also tasty eating, drinking, and beaching, along with memorable partying and much much more. But one side of <strong>Puerto Rico</strong> you should definitely not miss is its wealth of eco opportunities, from glowing "bioluminescent" bays to spectacular waterfalls, and most especially a large swath about an hour's drive from San Juan: <strong>El Yunque</strong>, the only tropical rain forest in the <strong>U.S. National Forest</strong> system.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/senderismo-turismo-activo-el-yunque-puerto-rico-joel-carilleti-stock-174947208.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/senderismo-turismo-activo-el-yunque-puerto-rico-joel-carilleti-stock-174947208.jpg?profile=original" width="1200" alt="senderismo-turismo-activo-el-yunque-puerto-rico-joel-carilleti-stock-174947208.jpg?profile=original" /></a><em><a class="photographer" href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/portfolio/jcarillet?mediatype=photography"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Joel Carillet<br /> </span></a></em> </p><p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">A Biodiversity Bonzanza</span></strong></span></p><p>At just over 115 square kilometres (44 sq. miles), El Yunque is actually the smallest U.S. Federal forest - yet it's the one that's home to the most diverse with 240 species of trees (26 of them endemic, growing nowhere else), 50 types of orchids, and some 150 of ferns. It is divided into four subforests, depending on their altitude: <strong>Tabonuco</strong>, <strong>Palo Colorado</strong>, <strong>Palma de Sierra</strong>, and the <strong>Dwarf</strong> or <strong>Cloud Forest </strong>The lowest would be Tabonuco, less than 2,000 feet high, and the highest the Cloud Forest, approximately 3,000 feet high, and almost always covered in clouds.</p><p>Its wildlife is also varied, and also includes species you'll find nowhere else. One denizen is the iguana - rare for a forest - and another famous denizen is various types of <em>coquí</em>, a little frog which is Puerto Rico's unofficial symbol, whose name comes from the sound made by the male ("co" to scare away other males and mark their territory, "qui" to attract females),</p><p>Preserving El Yunque is not just a boon for Puerto Rican tourism but for the planet, as it helps bolster our biosphere's critical but increasingly beleaguered biodiversity - thanks to this forest, a number of species are saved from extinction.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/arbron/15739684043/in/album-72157650009933827/" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12244927486,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12244927486,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="12244927486?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/arbron/15739684043/in/album-72157650009933827/" target="_blank">Jeff Hitchcock</a></em></span></p><h3><span style="color:#ff0000;font-size:14pt;"><strong>Hitting the Trails</strong></span></h3><p>There's a nice choice of simpler and more challenging - but regardless, you'll want to make sure you have sturdy but comfortable walking shoes, as well as some kind of rainwear, because you may find yourself needing it!</p><p>On the easier end, the <strong>Angelito Trail</strong> takes about 20 minutes to complete and is particularly popular because it ends in a natural pool. <strong>Los Pichachos</strong> is even shorter, but steep, leading up to the El Yunque summit 1,080 metres (3,540 feet) high - obviously the views from up here are worth the effort.</p><p>If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, <strong>La Coca</strong> is about 2km (just under a half mile) long, also steep, and crosses streams which might leave you a tad muddy as it takes you to the wild <strong>Mameyes River</strong>. And the longest (at 8km, a little over a mile and a half) is <strong>El Toro</strong>, which will also take you up to the summit. El Yunque through a fairly steep path of also nearly 8 kilometers. There are areas where it is even necessary to climb rocks, but you will see all the flora of the Forest. This is also the most isolated of the four, but stick to the trail, use common sense, and you'll be fine.</p><p>And a final word of advice: you'll need to <a href="https://www.recreation.gov/" target="_blank">book ahead online to reserve admission</a>, and as much as a month ahead of time.</p><p>So pack your bags and include your swimsuit and good walking shoes. <a href="https://www.iberia.com/es/cheap-flights/San-Juan-de-Puerto-Rico/" target="_blank">El Yunque and Puerto Rico await</a> - happy trails!</p><p> </p><p> </p><h5> </h5><h6> </h6></div>8 of the Best Things to Do in Barranquilla, Colombiahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/barranquilla-colombia-attractions-tourism-travel2023-08-14T09:48:29.000Z2023-08-14T09:48:29.000ZLowest Flight Fareshttps://tripatini.com/members/LowestFlightFares<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12188645880?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">On Colombia´s Caribbean coast near better known Cartagena, Barranquilla is famous for its gorgeous inhabitants, Caribbean culture, and vibrant Carnaval celebrations. Even if you're here to celebrate the festivities the nightlife in Barranquilla is well-known for its traditional salsa dancing and late-night events.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The beach is open all year long for a day of surfing or just relaxing in the numerous bars as well as beach bars. The fourth-largest city in Colombia is a thriving port along the Caribbean Sea and Magdalena River although it's somewhat industrial but it has charming neighborhoods, a wide range of shops and huge areas of parks and plazas. Experience the local cuisine of costeno, including coconut rice, fried fish and arepas. Also, take a look at the city's Spanish culture by taking a trip to the church and castle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">You can easily book your </span><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/south-america/colombia/barranquilla/"><strong>cheap flights to Barranquilla</strong></a><span style="font-weight:400;"> with the Lowest Flight Fares and enjoy a trip.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">El Museo del Caribe</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Explore interactively the indigenous culture, natural beauty and culture from Colombia's Caribbean coastline at this most renowned museum in town.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">El Museo del Caribe gives visitors an insight into this fascinating region of the country with fun exhibits and experiences that are spread across many floors and rooms.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are many images, artifacts and photographs to clarify the richness of the Caribbean and its people from history and culture to literature and music.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are guided tours available as well as the museum has a library space specifically dedicated to the works of the author of magical realism Gabriel Garcia Marquez.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Carnaval de Barranquilla</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Barranquilla's vibrant Carnaval celebrations rank second after Rio's celebrations in Brazil.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The four-day celebration is the thing that the city is known for, and the preparations begin months in advance which is why you must make plans in advance if you're hoping to go! The roots of the festival are of Spanish Catholic traditions blended with African and indigenous traditions This is a wild and lively festival that is filled with loud dancers, music in street parties, as well as the millions of partygoers who come to the city for this crazy celebration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Carnaval kicks off 40 days before Easter, and is filled with delicious local food, extravagant costumes, and numerous groups of performers, dancers and bands.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">As a guest Don't be afraid to join in the excitement, and don't count on to be able to stay in the game for long.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Zoologico Barranquilla</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It's a tiny zoo, however it's home to more than 500 animals from 140 species spread across various continents.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">An excellent activity for all the family, you will learn about endangered species while you walk through enclosures with monkeys, snakes Zebras as well as an elephant and a tiger.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Learn about conservation efforts that are being undertaken for native animals such as manatees, spectacled bears and the otter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">You can get really intimate with the creatures and even touch some of them. But be cautious! There's also a café in the back, which you can get an empanada if you're hungry.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Experience Barranquilla's Nightlife</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Alongside its gorgeous people, Barranquilla is known for amazing dance clubs and nightlife. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">For more than 50 years, La Troja has been open, La Troja is an iconic town landmark and a perfect spot for the authentic experience of local salsa dancing, with crowds that often spill onto the streets. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Frogg Leggs, the trendy Agua Helada along with Coco Beach are also popular. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Aguila as well as Club Colombia are the favorite (and cheap!) beers, however Rum is also a popular drink (you have arrived living in the Caribbean after all).</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Bocas de Cenizas</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're interested in walking and a trip off the beaten path travel by train to the point where it is that the Magdalena River meets the Caribbean Sea. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Wear sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes, and bring your camera, along with some water (it's going to be a hot day) and a few dollars to buy some snacks on the way. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Starting at starting in the Los Flores neighborhood, you'll ride your open-air "train" to the coast and then you'll get off and begin the strenuous walk to the apex of the peninsula. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">You'll not only get great panoramas, but also also get an actual glimpse of of the city's less developed neighborhoods that don't get much attention.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Castillo de Salgar</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Just 20 minutes from the city It is located 20 minutes from the city. Castillo de Salgar is a beautifully renovated Spanish fort built in 1848. It is now a venue for events which is available for rent to host parties, and it is home to a wonderful restaurant. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">The cliff is situated on top of the ocean, it's a perfect spot to get away from the bustle of the city to enjoy a drink or dinner with the sunset. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">The cool breeze is refreshing, and the scenery is romantic. Sometimes, there are performances by musicians. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're not planning to eat at a restaurant take a stroll in the direction of the beach to take a look at the past as well as some amazing photographs and scenic views.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Fantastic Beaches</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It's the Caribbean which is hot all throughout the year, so make sure to head to the beach when you're in the Caribbean. Although Barranquilla might not have the stunning beaches of neighbouring Santa Marta or Cartagena, you'll have plenty of choices.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Taxi or bus or taxi to Puerto Colombia and the Playas de Salgar approximately 15 minutes away from town. Here there are balnearios (bathing resorts) such as Villa Alcatraz.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">These clubs will supply the patrons with umbrellas, chairs tables, umbrellas, and the opportunity to enjoy food and drinks.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The more lavish Pradomar has huge cushions, cabanas and fine dining, the on-site nightclub hosts weekends of beach parties that are reminiscent of Ibiza.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Museo Romantico</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The rich history of Barranquilla is documented at the Museo Romantico and it's surely worth a stroll to find out more about the city.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">In a mansion built in the 18th century located on a picturesque street, the museum is filled with objects and belongings of well-known Barranquilleras along with other Colombians.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Letters were composed by Simon Bolivar, the nation's most heroic liberator, as well as an instrument used by the writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are costumes and dresses that were worn at previous Carnavals, as well as furniture, musical instruments photos, and art all connected to Baranquilla's past.</span></p>
<p> </p></div>The Best Things to Do in Tulum, on Mexico´s Yucatan Coasthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tulum-riviera-maya-yucatan-mexico-travel-beaches-ecotourism2023-08-11T04:09:04.000Z2023-08-11T04:09:04.000ZLowest Flight Fareshttps://tripatini.com/members/LowestFlightFares<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12185402467?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">It is impossible to go to Tulum without visiting the Mayan ruin, but you should take the morning tour to make your time for sunbathing or taking a dip in the clear blue waters at Playa Paraiso. You can also try snorkeling in one of the many cenotes (or subterranean swimming pools) or take a boat ride along to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">You can easily book your </span><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/north-america/mexico/tulum"><strong>cheap flights to Tulum</strong></a><span style="font-weight:400;"> with the Lowest Flight fares and enjoy a trip.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Playa Paraiso</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">A little to the south of the Tulum ruin, the vast Playa Paraiso makes a relaxing ending to a long day spent exploring the region. With the opening to the Playa Paraiso Beach Club, the beach has become extremely popular among Playa del Carmen and Cancun day-trippers as well as Tulum tourists. However, what it lacks in peace, it does make up for with the variety of snorkeling opportunities and scuba diving, as well as several lounge chairs, hammocks and umbrellas (if you arrive at the site early enough to arrive at the beach just in the right time to get one) along with a handful of beach bars if you're in need of refreshments.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">A trip in the town of Playa Paraiso is best combined with a visit to the ruins, as both attractions are less than 1 mile apart. It is also possible to hire a bicycle to get to the beach from the town. This beach is accessible each the day, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Tulum Archaeological Site</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The reason for Tulum's fame (and likely the reason why you'll travel to the region) is the Tulum ruin, which is among the most popular Mayan archeological sites on the Riviera Maya. They are situated on the rocky coast to the east of the city's center, the ruins include a number of Templos (temples) along with castillos (castles) of the once-thriving pre-Colombian Mayans.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you've visited Chichen Itza, Tulum might be a little disappointing according to recent visitors who said that the remains aren't as impressive. The area isn't huge, nor is the structure the most impressive. The scenery is breathtaking The ruins are situated on top of the sea, atop the cliffs, giving visitors stunning perspectives of the landscape.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Travelers advise you to bring sunglasses and a sun hat as you'll be out in the sun throughout the time. Make sure to pack your swimsuit too since the tranquil beach that lies below the ruins is the perfect and stunning swimming spot. It is also recommended to bring plenty of water as well as an ice cream or two in case you're planning on spending the entire day there. Although you can find Starbucks and a handful of restaurants near the entrance to the ruin, along with local stalls however, the prices are overpriced as per previous guests. Reviewers differed about the need to join an organized tour. A few considered the guided tours to be instructive, while others prefer to buy an inexpensive guidebook at the entry point and go into the unknown by themselves.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">El Gran Cenote</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The waters are considered sacred by the Mayans The expansive El Gran Cenote is an underground cavern which is perfect for diving and swimming. There you can snorkel, swim and explore some cool geological structures, like stalagmites and stalactites. bats and birds fly over.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It is located 3 miles to the west of the center of Tulum This cenote is located 3 miles outside of central Tulum. It can be extremely packed, so make sure you be sure to arrive early for the best ambience. To reach the cenote either travel by car or taxi to Coba until you can see Gran Cenote on your right. Gran Cenote sign to your left. Despite the throngs of people and expensive prices, many travellers were happy with their experience and suggested taking a couple of hours to visiting the Gran Cenote. Many stated that it was the ideal way to beat the humidity and heat of the Coba ruin. If you're seeking a less packed atmosphere, look into other places such as Cenote Cristal or the Dos Ojos Cenote. Dos Ojos Cenote or the Cenote Cristal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Recent visitors have urged snorkeling in the area Others point out that having your own snorkeling equipment can help keep costs lower. A few visitors also liked the fact the lockers that are for storing your belongings as you explore (though you'll need to shell additional pesos to pay to store your items). Guided tours and diving excursions are also available.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The Yucatan is home to a variety of natural reserves and eco-parks however none are as impressive as the size and beauty that is Sian Ka'an. It is located just to the south of Tulum The reserve is greater than 1.3 million acres, which includes estuaries, reefs cenotes, and wetlands. In the park, visitors can enjoy tours of the wildlife that inhabit the area, participate in a snorkeling or diving tour, or simply walk through the stunning and vast park.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Recent visitors said that the park is worth a visit as an essential experience. Many of them stayed the entire day, while some spent two days exploring the vast area. Many visitors suggest taking a boat ride to the wetlands of the reserve. Many have reported that the road used for getting into the park is brimming with potholes that make the ride bumpy. You can charter a boat within the park, fish with fly rods or bird-watching. There are other tours available (some originate out of Cancun). If you're planning to visit at night, remember the suggestions of visitors who have been there and take mosquito repellent.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Coba Ruins</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're in the Mayan ruin-loving spree it's worth checking out the tiny site of Coba located about 30 miles north of Tulum. Coba does not have the restored beautiful, unspoiled sites of Tulum or stand on top of a stunning beach However, it offers those interested in history a glimpse into authentic Mayan ruins. There are even those who argue the ruins in Coba seem more genuine than the ones in Tulum because they have not been extensively restored or renovated and were simply swept away to be enjoyed by the general public. Furthermore, as per recent visitors, there are less crowds than Tulum's ruins and Chichen Itza.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The site's ruins span 30 square miles of land, and more than 50 roads that flow out from the temples. However, the most famous tourist attraction here for visitors is Nohoch Mul - the highest Mayan pyramid on the Yucatan peninsula. It is possible to climb to the 120 steep narrow steps for an unbeatable views of the jungle surrounding. (Note the previous travelers have had reported that they were unable to climb the steps because they're currently closed due an outbreak of COVID-19.)</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Cenotes Dos Ojos</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Visitors from the past regularly praise Cenote Dos Ojos for its stunning beauty. They also say the water is amazingly clean. They also praised the numerous adventures available. In this area, there are two cenotes that are connected via an entrance (hence that name Dos Ojos, which means "two eyes" in Spanish). In the cenotes, swimming is standard and you'll also be in a position to snorkel or scuba dive in the waters. The wooden decks and steps on both sides enable you to get in and getting out a lot easier.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Cenote Dos Ojos is situated north of Tulum along highway 307. It's about 10 miles from Aktun-Chen and approximately 12 miles to the north of the town's center. The cenote is open daily between 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. There is a restaurant as well as bathrooms with modest facilities are located at the site. The entry fee is around $400 Pesos (around $20) per person.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Aktun-Chen Park</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Established in 1997, the Aktun-Chen park covers an area of 400 acres that are used to protect forests caves, local fauna and caves. The park's staff also is committed to educating guests regarding the ecology of its local area. Visitors can interact with the landscape around them through a variety of excursions and other activities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">One of the most visited places is the Cave. The cave, according to experts, is at least 5 millennia old. It has stalagmites and stalactites and cenotes that have transparent waters. On a walk visitors will be able to learn about the cave's past and history, as well as its formation and then look up at the jungle through the voids of the ceiling and view organisms that live in caves. If you want to have some fun underground you can take a tour of the cave's waterway where you can go swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear water. Guides will also show you the how to take photos underwater and inside the caves. The adventurous will surely enjoy the park's 10 zip lines and the family may want to visit the zoo's small size.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Ziggy's</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're looking to spend a day relaxing at the beach, you should consider visiting Ziggy's, where white sands and blue waters. You'll find an open beach club all day long and has couches, cabanas, and daybeds for hire. The palm trees are plentiful and offer shade as well. Visitors can also enjoy the restaurant on the premises which serves breakfast lunch, dinner, and drinks every day. There are a variety of food options, from tacos and guacamole to steaks and burgers. Additionally, Ziggy's offers a series of events every day, including live music, tequila tastings, and Mexican wines tastings.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The Ziggy's club is praised by travelers as a more relaxed alternative to other Tulum Beach clubs. Visitors who have been before really enjoyed their time on the beach loungers. They also said that a trip here can be costly - Ziggy's offers the minimum spending requirement for each guest of $ 50 to enjoy their beach chairs.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Ziggy's is open daily. The beach club is open to guests between 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The opening time for the restaurant is 7 a.m. and closes at 10:30 p.m. The beach club's entry is not charged, however there is a minimum spend required for beach chairs as stated. Daybeds (for two persons)) and areas for seating with canopy (for three to eight guests) may also be available for hire. The cost ranges between $100-$600, dependent on the season and the size of the rental space. Customers who lease daybeds or seating areas are not subject to the minimum spend charge, because the rental fees go towards food and drinks.</span></p></div>Several of the Best Things to Do in Havanahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/havana-cuba-attractions-tourism-travel2023-07-25T04:18:23.000Z2023-07-25T04:18:23.000ZLowest Flight Fareshttps://tripatini.com/members/LowestFlightFares<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12160582699?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">What might be the most surprising thing to travelers concerning Havana is how well-rounded the city is. The art lovers will be delighted by the extensive collection of Cuban artwork on in the Museum of Fine Arts. People who love history will likely be in awe of the artifacts displayed at the Museo de la Revolucion while readers will be giddy when they see Finca Vigia, Hemingway's former residence. To really experience Havana's charm, take a stroll through the lively streets (streets) that make up Old Havana or drink with locals on El Malecon. The possibilities for having a great experience in Havana are infinite.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Hence, to enjoy a classic holiday, book your </span><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/north-america/cuba/havana/"><strong>cheap flights to Havana</strong></a><span style="font-weight:400;"> soon.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">El Malecon</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">For tourists, Old Havana may be the city's soul and heart However, for Cubans the city is El Malecon. In terms of technicality, El Malecon is a 5-mile-long boulevard that runs along the water and includes Havana Bay on one side and the outskirts of Old Havana, Vedado and Central Havana on the other depending on where you're located. In a metaphorical sense, El Malecon is both an area of gathering and a place to rest for residents seeking some breath after a tiring night or day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Like the inhabitants of Havana Visitors are equally enthralled with El Malecon. Many of the recent travelers have discovered El Malecon to be a stunning seaside stroll, but said that the attraction is at its full potential in the evening. Take note that a portion areas of the boardwalk aren't as established as other areas, therefore wearing a good pair of shoes can make your walk more comfortable. El Malecon starts at the end of Paseo de Marti, Old Havana's main thoroughfare. It is finished at the entrance to the Almendares River, at the end of the Vedado neighborhood. El Malecon is completely free to explore and is all year round. Since it's located at the edge of Old Havana and the trendy Vedado neighborhood there are restaurants and shops close by.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Old Havana</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The decision to skip Old Havana is tantamount to not seeing Parliament even if there's London as well as the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This charming area is not only famous for Havana and Cuba however, it is also a landmark to the entire world. In the 1980s, Old Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, because of the incredible preservation of a few of the region's older buildings. When you walk throughout Old Havana, you'll see many different styles of architecture that include baroque and neoclassical design elements, adorned with the most vibrant colors. The area is also filled with beautiful cobblestone plazas and cars that appear as if they're from museums, and masses of people who are equally fascinating regardless of whether they are Cuban street performers or awestruck travellers from all over the world.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Others suggested taking an organized tour as it's easy to forget all the history and rich culture that was part of the streets. Havana Tour Company and Intrepid Urban Adventures provide tours of the neighborhood, with English-speaking guides, lasting three to three and a half hours for a cost. Old Havana can be visited all year and admission is free.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Plaza Vieja</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Of all the beautiful squares that line Old Havana, Plaza Vieja is believed to be the principal square. The cobblestone-lined square is surrounded by brightly colored baroque as well as art nouveau-style buildings that house eateries as well as art galleries, houses and even cameras obscura. It was built in 1559. The plaza has been through many changes and played host to numerous historical events - both positive and bad. Festivities and parades were commonplace in the days as were bullfights, as well as public executions. Plaza Vieja used to be an area for military drills before it became the location of the market in open air. In the following years it was turned into a park. It was later transformed into a parking underground structure, if you believe it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're in the mood it is said that the best method to soak in the ambience at the Plaza Vieja is to have an outdoor drink and lay back and relax while watching everyone who walks through. As it is situated within the pedestrian friendly Old Havana, Plaza Vieja is accessible via walking.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Plaza de la Catedral</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're among those travellers who believe that if you've only seen one place, you've seen them the entire time, then haven't seen Plaza de la Catedral. It is a top attraction for new travelers, Plaza de la Catedral is well worth the extra time due to its magnificent 18th-century cathedral that is also known as Catedral de la Habana. The visitors were captivated by the magnificent baroque church which was once described by a Cervantes Prize winning writer as "music that was turned in stone."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The square is tiny, so don't expect to have as many facilities (there's the one place to eat) as adjacent Plaza Vieja. The lack of space isn't what irks the visitors. The thing that irked visitors was the amount of people in the square is when cruise ships dock in the harbor of the city. If you know when cruise ships dock, travelers highly recommend planning their visit in the vicinity of that. You can find Plaza de la Catedral in Old Havana. Plaza de la Catedral is open to the public for free and all year round.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Museum of the Revolution</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There's no better spot to learn about the history of the country other than Museo de la Revolucion. The museum traces the history and times prior to the revolution, as well as the people and events that resulted in Fidel Castro's resounding revolution. Artifacts on display help visitors understand the thoughts that were going through the minds of revolution fighters. Relics that stand out are blood-stained clothing of the fallen soldiers from the Santiago de Cuba Moncada Barracks attack, maps utilized for navigation during the war, as well as the bullet holes that were left from the attempted assassination attempt on Fulgencio Batista. The exhibit is situated in the main staircase. There are also sections specifically dedicated to Che Guevara and Castro as well as in front of the building is the tank utilized for Castro in Castro's Bay of Pigs invasion is visible from the outside.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Visitors also praised the architectural style of the former palace with interiors designed for Tiffany & Co. and an Room of Mirrors inspired by that of the Palace of Versailles. A few visitors expressed regret at not having read about Cuba's history prior to visiting the museum, and others were disappointed that a small portion exhibits were English. The Museo de la Revolucion on Avenida Belgica, located a few blocks to the east of the main street in Old Havana, Paseo de Marti.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Finca Vigia</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Havana is renowned for many things - old cars vibrant locals, gorgeous buildings, but one name that has remained associated with the capital of Cuba for many years (aside the fact that it is home to Castro) has been Ernest Hemingway. The renowned author resided in Havana for an incredible 22 years, with his wife (one divorced) and numerous pets, even as his United States' relationship with Cuba was deteriorating. Finca Vigia, which translated is "lookout farm" was in which Hemingway wrote a significant portion in one of his more renowned writings, "The Old Man and the Sea." He also was well-known for hosting a variety of VIPs like Hollywood toppers diplomats, writers, and other authors in Finca Vigia.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It's crucial to be aware that guests aren't permitted to enter his home (for preservation reasons) but are able to view the interiors through doors and windows. While some visitors have been dissatisfied with the rule Many said that they were able to observe the interior of the home from the various vantage points. Visitors to the home of Hemingway were impressed by how well-maintained the house stood in comparison with the rest of Havana. In spite of how well-maintained everything remains, many reported feeling like Hemingway had never gone.</span></p></div>12 Terrific Eco/Adventure Experiences in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-ecotourism-nature-adventure2023-07-08T03:35:00.000Z2023-07-08T03:35:00.000ZNancy Ahujahttps://tripatini.com/members/NancyAhuja<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12130786258,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12130786258,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12130786258?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewpaulson/32577363252" target="_blank">Matthew Paulsen</a></em></span></p>
<p> <br />
Beginning in the 1990s, this small Central American country essentially pioneered the ecotourism boom that has spread across the globe. Besides its vaunted Pacific and Caribbean beaches, packed into just 19,730 square miles - a good bit smaller than <strong>West Virginia</strong> and a bit over twice the size of <strong>Wales</strong> - <strong>Costa Rica</strong> boasts 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, eight biological reserves, and an additional slew of protected areas. And here are a dozen of its most prized eco opportunities - some intimate, single attractions, and others more wide-ranging:</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.alturaswildlifesanctuary.org/" target="_blank">Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Down on the lower Pacific coast near the town of <strong>Dominical</strong> (just over three hours southwest of capital <strong>San José</strong>), this non-profit is a highly successful refuge for more than 200 species of injured and orphaned wildlife including birds, monkeys, coatimundis, sloths. ocelots, tapirs, and more - a number of which are then released back into the wild when appropriate. On the entertaining and informative tour, the guides will explain how the operation works and even introduce you to some of the critters.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/in-costa-rica-arenal-adventure" target="_blank">Arenal/La Fortuna</a></strong></span></p>
<p>In the <strong>Central Valley</strong> some 2½ hours from San José, this is a great package of eco and adventure, centered on the town of La Fortuna and the nearby Arenal Volcano and lake. There's plenty of hiking and adventure activities, including whitewater rafting, mountain biking, ATV/dirt biking, horseback riding, and <strong>“canyoning”</strong> (which involves hiking, climbing, jumping, abseiling, and swimming). Top local attractions include the <strong>Catarata de la Fortuna</strong> (a 230-foot waterfall); the ten <strong>Venado Caves</strong>; a butterfly conservatory; <a href="https://costaricatravelblog.com/best-hanging-bridges-costa-rica/" target="_blank">hanging bridges</a> (above) which let you stroll through the rain forest canopy; several ziplines; and <strong>Arenal Bungee</strong> (off one of Central America’s highest bungee bridges, over the <strong>Colorado River</strong>). What's more, <strong>Lago Arenal</strong>, Costa Rica’s largest lake has excellent fishing, kayaking, and paddle boarding, but most especially windsurfing, kite surfing, and wakeboarding, and you can get get up close and personal with volcano tours (it's closely monitored, and hasn't erupted in many years). And don't forget a dip in the warm thermal waters, from placid pools to brisk waterfalls.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.blackstallionhills.com/en" target="_blank">Black Stallion Eco Park & Estates</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Horseback riding is at the core of this sprawling ranch outside the Pacific-coast resort town of <strong>Tamarindo</strong>, but you can also go ATV riding and ziplining on a nine-platform canopy tour. And at the end of it all you can indulge in a refreshing dip in the pool and dine on tasty barbecue.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/where-to-go/protected-areas/tenorio-volcano-national-park" target="_blank">Celeste River/Tenorio Volcano National Park</a></strong></span> <br />
<br />
Some two hours northwest of Arenal/La Fortuna, this eco-wonderland of rainforest and cloud forest covers 4,982 square miles), and one of its stars is the Celeste River, famous for its gorgeous blue color, a result of minerals including calcium carbonate and sulfur. Other highlights include the also blue Rio Celeste Waterfall, plunging 98 ft.; hot springs; hanging bridges; and spotting of wildlife including howler monkeys, agoutis, peccaries, tapirs, numerous birds, and even pumas. All of it's accessed by hiking, and the best way to get the most out of it is with a knowledgeable guide. Finally, if you're so inclined, you can overnight in the nearby town of <strong>Bijagua</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c_CRAPuY4mQ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </p>
<p> <br />
<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="http://www.visit.costarica.com/blog/1-000-little-waterfalls-steps-to-cerro-chato" target="_blank">Cerro Chato</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Quite near Arenal Volcano, this dormant volcano is isn't small, at it's 3,740 feet high, but it's dubbed "Flat Hill" in comparison to Arenal's 5,358. And it doesn't make for a an easy-peasy hike - the trail is fairly steep in parts and can get pretty muddy. But there it's incredibly atmospheric, through old-growth forest with ancient trees wrapped in fog, vines, and moss. Plus at the top you can take a dip in a fetching emerald-green lake some 1,800 feet around. One trail takes 2-3 hours and the other 4-5.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.guachipelin.com/adventure-tours/" target="_blank">Guachipelín Adventure</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
A great day trip from Guanacaste coastal resort towns like <strong>Playa Conchal</strong>, <strong>Playa Flamingo</strong>, <strong>Playa Hermosa</strong>, and <strong>Tamarindo</strong>, the <strong>Rincón de la Vieja National Park</strong> centered around the volcano of the same name is home to all sorts of eco/adventure options, including this action-packed suites run out of the <strong><a href="https://www.guachipelin.com/rooms/" target="_blank">Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín</a></strong>, including horseback riding, whitewater river tubing, zip lining, waterfall canyoning,and volcanic mud baths. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/manuel-antonio-costa-rica-ecotourism" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
On the central Pacific coast four hours from San José and just up the hill from the town of <strong>Quepos</strong> (which by the way is especially known for its sport fishing), this half-century-old <a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/manuel-antonio-costa-rica-ecotourism" target="_blank">national park</a> is Costa Rica's smallest yet its most popular, a fetching mix of rain forest, beaches, and coral reefs. In addition to getting a guided tour to spot some of the many animal species here (109 of mammals, for example, and 184 of birds), you can also go swimming on the parks five beaches as well as snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, horseback riding, surfing, parasailing, ziplining, and catamaran cruises. There also are a number of restaurants at all price points here as well as nearby hotels and guesthouses for overnighting <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/monteverde-cloud-forest-costa-rica" target="_blank">Monteverde</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Up in the mountains some three hours south of of Arenal/La Fortuna and two from San José, this region is legendary for its "cloud forests" (above), a rare type of moist, high-altitude rain forest characterized by fog and low-lying cloud cover where plants actually grow on <em>top</em> of trees. There are also plenty of adventure activities here, including ziplining, hanging bridges, bungy jumping, and horseback riding. There's some culture and nightlife, too - based in and around the town of <strong>Santa Elena</strong> and the village of Monteverde, founded by U.S. Quakers in the 1950s - such as a dairy; attractions featuring frogs, snakes, hummingbirds, bats, butterflies, and orchids; a microbrewery visit; and coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane tours.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cInfrvkQeCU" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p> <br />
<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://montezuma-costarica.com/" target="_blank">Montezuma</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
At the southern tip of the Pacific coast's <strong>Nicoya Peninsula</strong>, a six-hour drive from San José (you can also hop a domestic flight to nearby <strong>Tambor</strong> airport), this barefoot beach village still has a bit of a hippie/backpacker vibe, along with fantastic white-sand beaches; the <a style="text-decoration:none;color:#3366cc;background:#ffffff none;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;" title="Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_Blanco_Absolute_Natural_Reserve">Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve</a> (the country's oldest); an iconic trio of scenic waterfalls (there's even a zipline which runs over them); and an exotic island. You'll also find a variety of inespensive and midrange lodging; dining from simple to to more upscale; and even a few spas and yoga/"wellness" retreats.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="http://www.natureobservatorio.com/" target="_blank">Nature Observatorio</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Back over on the Caribbean, in the village of <strong>Manzanillo</strong> near <strong>Puerto Viejo</strong>, this is the world's largest treehouse, two stories suspended with strong nylon straps from a huge sapodilla tree 82 feet off the ground, which allows scenic views of the <strong>Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Park</strong>. Friendly guides will help you spot types of birds, frogs, monkeys, and more. You can also book overnight stays (occupancy up to six).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/osa-peninsula-costa-rica-wildlife-ecotourism" target="_blank">Osa Peninsula</a></strong></span><br />
<br />
Jutting from the bottom of the Pacific coast, this large rainforested peninsula is one of the world's most biodiverse regions and feels "lost world" remote even by Costa Rica standards (though there are also several towns and villages with lodging and amenities for visitors, such as <strong>Puerto Jiménez</strong>). The main allures down here include <strong>Piedras Blancas National Park</strong>, <strong>Golfito National Wildlife Refuge</strong>, and especially <strong>Corcovado National Park</strong>. Some of the wildlife you'll find here includes all four species of Costa Rican monkeys (white-faced capuchin, howler, spider and squirrel), birds such as the toucan and the endangered scarlet macaw, white-nosed coatis, peccaries, collared anteaters, raccoons, wild cats like ocelots, and dozens of species of frogs, butterflies, snakes and lizards. Plus In the gulf of Golfo Dulce, you can see several kinds of dolphins, whales, sharks, sea turtles, and of course myriad tropical fish. There are plenty of jungle lodges and outfitters to make it all happen.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/put-tortuguero-on-your-costa-rica-bucket-list" target="_blank">Tortuguero</a></strong></span></p>
<p>Over on the upper Caribbean coast, this national park (above) and adjacent village can be reached only by boat or air, and for eco enthusiasts "Costa Rica's Amazon" lives up to the moniker, complete with a series of jungle lodges lining the canals leading in from the sea and offering various excursions to spot a variety of wildlife including monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, and caimans (there are even jaguars in here). Tortuguero's beaches, meanwhile, are known as the nesting and spawning grounds for four species of giant marine turtle, and supervised observation at the right times of year are an amazing experience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>How to Spend 5 Fab Days in Puerto Rico, Full Travel Guidehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/puerto-rico-travel-tourism-attractions2023-05-25T06:06:55.000Z2023-05-25T06:06:55.000ZStephen Salvadorhttps://tripatini.com/members/StephenSalvador<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/11148192479?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you're planning to visit Puerto Rico for the first time, you'll likely be looking to explore a number of things. Here's how you can experience the Boricua lifestyle and to fill your trip with excitement and adventure.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Your first visit to Puerto Rico should be all about discovering fresh sights, distinct tastes, exciting adventures, and the vibrant culture of Puerto Rico. From urban lifestyle to mountain retreats, the beach and walks in the rainforest. Get ready to be captivated by the tropical paradise for the next seven days. Discover what the soul and heart of the Caribbean offers. Explore puerto rico at cheapest price by booking <a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights-new-york-san-juan-puerto-rico-jfk-sju"><strong>Flights From New York To San Juan, Puerto Rico</strong></a>, book and save more. Use these suggestions to start your adventures on the island.</span></p>
<h2><strong>First Day: Metro Region</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">When you reach San Juan, get an authentic taste of the Caribbean by a quick trip into the Pinones neighbourhood. It is located in the nearby city of Loiza. This charming strip of beachfront eateries and kiosks is 15 minutes drive from the city (and just five minutes away from the airport). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It is possible to enjoy your lunch in one of the numerous restaurants. Such as Hook'd, Donde Olga, or El Nuevo Acuario and indulge in fresh local seafood platters. Fresh-fried red snapper with a whole, shrimp-stuffed mofongo as well as Mahi Mahi with garlic. Also, the piononos. Make sure you drink them down with a cold beer or a fresh fruit frappe.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Dress in your swimsuit If you haven't taken a stroll for La Posita. A quiet beach, framed by a rocky structure that creates a massive small tide pool. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the water, lying on the sand and eating fritters and enjoying the sea breeze before heading to your lodging.</span></p>
<h2><strong>Second Day: Culture</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The first day of your trip was comfortable, so now is the time to get into Puerto Rican culture fully and enjoy a full day of learning and fun at Old San Juan. This "walled city" is a must-see for any first-time visitor (and the majority of returning visitors too). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Explore the 500-year-old Spanish forts such as that of Castillo San Felipe del Morro Visit museums. A rich history, such as the Casa Blanca Museum, a mansion that was built in the 1500s to honour Juan Ponce de Leon. Make sure to stop at the landmarks such as The Gate of San Juan and La Rogativa for the perfect photo opportunity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Discover more about the Island's past and the conquistadors at important spots such as El Cuartel de Ballaja. It is home to the Museo de Las Americas and the gourmet specialty café Don Ruiz. It is also possible to book guided tours or go by yourself. Take the time to explore the smaller shops and galleries within the town. Watch the people on some of the squares and cool down with a frozen snow cone. Purchased from a piragua-cart or popsicle by Senor Paleta.</span></p>
<h2><strong>Third Day: The West Coast</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Are you up to go on a road trip? After a tiring time spent in San Juan and a night of drinking, a trip out is long overdue. Enjoy brunch in the hotel, or go to an artisan bakery nearby (Sobao from Los Cidrines in Condado or Las Canarias in Isla Verde are sure to please) Get your things organised and set your GPS for Rincon... Rincon is the westernmost point on the island.</span></p>
<p>Read .</p>
<h3><strong>Rio Camuy Cave Park</strong></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">A trip on the road toward the west must be accompanied by the stop at Rio Camuy Cave Park, a famous cave system that offers stunning views of the island's landscape. This is a popular spot where you can go on the guided hike, where you'll be taught about the Tainos as well as the native island's species of flora and fauna.</span></p>
<h2><strong>Fourth Day: Embrace the Laid Back Vibes</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">You're located in Rincon which is the surfing as well as sunset capital city of Puerto Rico, so it is only natural to take an afternoon of relaxation after a long day of sightseeing and driving. Begin your day with Barefoot Yoga located in an open-air studio that offers an easy yoga class, with natural beauty. There is no need to reserve a spot, but it's highly suggested if you'd like to take an individual class that is tailored to specific requirements.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">To have breakfast, head towards the top of the hill toward The English Rose. This is definitely the most sought-after breakfast establishment in Rincon and it is recommended to reserve a table prior to getting there. The menu is local-inspired along with English and American menus.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Check your <strong><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/emirates-airlines-flight-status/" target="_blank">Emirates Airlines flight status</a></strong> and get real-time updates on any changes that might affect your travel plans.</span></p>
<h2><strong>Fifth Day: Ponce</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The west and north coasts and now it's time to visit the south coast. Start driving again and put your GPS on Ponce which is where you'll be able to explore a few famous landmarks on the way, such as that of the Porta Coeli Church in San German which is the second-oldest Church located in Puerto Rico and one of the largest religious art galleries on the island.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Once in Ponce, take a guided tour of the town square. In the vicinity, you will find numerous sculptures of lions, and the Fuente de los Leones. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Mayor's residence. If you're in the area, make sure to sample the famous Helados (ice cream) at King's Cream.</span></p></div>7 of the Best 'Hidden' Gem Restaurants in Tulum, on Mexico's Riviera Mayahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tulum-riviera-maya-yucatan-mexico-restaurants-dining2023-05-19T06:20:13.000Z2023-05-19T06:20:13.000ZLowest Flight Fareshttps://tripatini.com/members/LowestFlightFares<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/11129587261?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">In the beginning of the 1990s, Tulum was a sleepy town located on Mexico's Riviera Maya. It was a day journey from a hotel located in Playa del Carmen or Cancun to visit the ruins and wander around the town. At the end in the second half of 20th century Tulum was on its journey to becoming a major destination. It was first a hot spot for hippies who wanted Yoga and retreats for meditation, later for famous people, and finally for developers. International investors, hoteliers restaurants of Mexico City, and chefs from all across the globe were soon following, creating an expensive, tropical resort with a beach.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">But, eating out in Tulum is usually expensive and if you're planning to spend over $300 on drinks and dinner for two, it's best to ensure your meal is worth the cost. The top restaurants offer the romance, magic, and beauty promises of the beachside resort. They serve food that is influenced by the fauna and flora of the area and cook using techniques that have been that are derived from the Maya and often include records (colorful marinades made of herbs) particularly grilling octopus with the form of a record negro. It is an iconic dish created by the chef José Luis Hinostroza's Arca.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Hence, to enjoy a classic holiday, book your </span><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights/north-america/mexico/tulum"><strong>cheap flights to Tulum</strong></a><span style="font-weight:400;"> soon.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Cetli</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The gastronomy of her native state of Puebla Chef Claudia Perez Rivas prepares moles and other regional dishes using an older style of Mexican gourmet cuisine that is an uncommon treat nowadays. Her seasonally-inspired Pueblan traditional, chiles in nogada is a perfect balance of succulent meat, sweet picadillo, poblano roasted and a silky White Walnut Sauce. Local fish is served similarly however, with a white mole that is thickened by almonds. Perez makes several moles using chicken breasts rolled in a roll and filled with local chaya, too. You can enjoy all this while being in the midst of beautiful Mexican Folk art work that adorns the walls of white adobe, and make sure you pick up mole pastes for taking home with you.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Dona Paty Tacos de Guisado</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Visit Dona Paty when you're on the Tulum taco crawl to sample her tacos deguisados, Mexican stews poured in fresh tortillas. The menus change every day however Dona Paty usually offers around 10 traditional dishes, such as a chicken meatball that is smothered in salsa croquettes of cheese and ham with smoky dark pork ribs cooked in chili morita and chile slices, melting cheese, as well as chillies rellenos. Also, answer"yes" when she inquires you if you would like rice with your taco. It helps preserve all the delicious juices from the tortilla. Dona Paty also serves breakfasts like chilaquiles and huevos mexicanas and fluffy pancakes.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Aca Tacos de Canasta</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">In the midst of the street vendors along Avenida Satelite, you'll find an attractive yellow banner, a tan beach umbrella and a pair of bamboo tiki bar that are used as a taco stands. There's the perfect snack for mid-morning tacos decanasta (steamed tacos) filled with scrambled egg along with chaya flavored like spinach mole, red with the chicken and chicharron prénsado (intense pork seasoned in adobo). When they are cooked and cook, the tortillas soak up the flavor and color of the fillings and emit a sweaty, oily shine. Get five and a freshly squeezed juice to prepare to shop in the center of Tulum.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Tacos y Tortas El Tio</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are a lot of vendors offering marqueitas (sweet and savory crepes rolled in crepes) and elotes on Avenida Satelite and Calle Geminis Norte in downtown Tulum that attracts tourists during the night. There aren't many taco stands around, however El Tio has been a long-time favourite for tacos that include al pastor as well as tortas made of vibrant orange, tender marinated pork tossed with chopped onions and pineapple, as well as cilantro and salsa. Take a group of friends and share one of the fried shash options prepared on a flattop and that is served alongside corn tortillas to make tacos at home. Some options include matambre (poc chuc Al pastor, Chorizo bacon, ham and tomato), chile poblano (chile poblano) and alambre (pork chop bacon and onions, chile poblano and cheese) as well as fortachon (pork chop bacon, al pastor, chorizo, and onion).</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Negro Huitlacoxe</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">In a tiny space decorated with a local flavor, dark stained wood furniture and the conical lights of Tulum and chefs Carolina Noya and Alonso Lara are creating amazing dishes using the heirloom corn. The vibrant red, yellow blue and red corn tortillas made of 100 percent nixtamalized, nixtamalized, corn are stuffed with ribs from pork or huitlacoche. They are served on handmade ceramic plates, accompanied by clay bowls that are bursting with vibrant red and green salsa. The large quesadillas are multicolored and include strong Epazote (using an Indigenous recipe of south-central Mexico) and huitlacoche and plump tamales are drenched in a rich tomato or poblano sauce. There's also quesabirria that is served with adobo-dipped corn tortillas, which are blackened on an comal, then served on an unbreakable clay plate.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">Taqueria Honorio</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">This hip street stall was transformed into Tulum's most sought-after taqueria, and was a viral phenomenon during chef Rene Redzepi's stay in Noma Mexico in 2017, when foodies who were visiting in the U.S. It morphed into Taqueria Honorio and was flooded on Instagram with delicious photos of Yucatan-style tortas (suckling pork) and tacos de cochinita, pibil (roasted barbecued pork) and relleno negro in pavo (marinated turkey). These dishes provide a class in the recaudos of Maya cuisine, including the acidic and sour recaudo rojo for the cochinita pibil; the smoky and charred recaudo of negro to make the relleno negro as well as the all-purpose spices mix, known as recaudo blanco, which aromas the slow-roasted the suckling pig. Take a stroll through this hip street food market and savor on the most essential tastes and hues of the Yucatan.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight:400;">La Negra Tomasa</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The place is named for an original song by Cuban composer Guillermo Rodriguez Fiffe that was recorded by Mexican rockers Caifanes in 1989. similar to the song, this particular version of Sinaloan cevicheria is more of a cumbia, and a bit rock and roll. In the shade of a salmon-colored umbrella and a roof made of corrugated steel Try the Torresona an impressive Sinaloan seafood tower that consists of cooked and raw shrimp, the octopus cooked, tuna, and mahi-mahi, all stuffed into an ring mold, topped with slices of cucumber, purple onion and layers of avocado, all soaked with lime juice, salsa negra. A assortment of seafood tostadas, spicy aguachiles and Sinaloan seafood tacos, including the gobernador, which is stuffed with melting Gouda with grilled shrimp are served with cold beer and international cocktails, such as Old Fashioneds, Aperol spritzes or espresso martinis.</span></p></div>In Cuba, Go West, to Pinar del Río & Viñaleshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/in-cuba-go-west-to-pinar-del-rio-vinales2023-04-22T08:51:59.000Z2023-04-22T08:51:59.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/cowboy-looking-over-vinales-valley-landscape-323530235?src=Kvfj4sCmaDpF0LRvQvTv5A-2-11" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2017/04/L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-Vi%C3%B1ales-mogotes-with-cowboy-Shutterstock-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-Viñales-mogotes-with-cowboy-Shutterstock-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/cowboy-looking-over-vinales-valley-landscape-323530235?src=Kvfj4sCmaDpF0LRvQvTv5A-2-11" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8px;">marcin jucha<br /> </span></a></em><br /> <br />For visitors to <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/discovering-fascinating-havana-cuba" target="_blank">Havana</a></strong>, one of the most popular day and overnights trips besides colonial wonder <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-colonial-and-beachy-charm-of-trinidad-cuba" target="_blank">Trinidad</a></strong> is a visit to the far west of <strong>Cuba</strong>, the mostly rural province of <strong>Pinar del Río</strong> (whose locals, by the way, have over the years endured much teasing by other Cubans as <strong><em>guajiros</em></strong> – "country-bumpkin" peasants – though at least these days inaccurately, as far as I’ve been able to tell). It’s home to not only the eponymous city – which makes for a charming visit in its own right – but also its main tobacco- and coffee-growing country as well as one of the <strong>Caribbean</strong>’s loveliest landscapes: the <strong>Viñales Valley</strong>.<br /><!--more--></p>
<p>A two-hour drive from Havana, the provincial capital (also called Pinar del Río, population around 140,000), was one of the last major Cuban cities to be founded during the colonial period – in 1867, a mere 30 years before the <strong>Spanish-American War</strong> which ended Spain’s rule. This city, as well as towns such as <strong>Viñales</strong> and <strong>Las Terrazas</strong> along with local <strong><em>casas particulares</em></strong> (private accommodations) scattered throughout the province, have in recent years started providing increasing numbers and quality of facilities for overnight or multi-day stays out here. But most visitors continue to come on day trips organised from Havana.</p>
<p>One of on main sights of P del R city (below) is its tobacco factory, the <strong>Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien</strong>, modest in size, providing the chance to see the world’s most famous cigars being hand-cut and -rolled. Another local-product factory is the <strong>Guayabita del Pinar Distillery</strong>, producing a rum variant flavoured with the fruit of the locally endemic dwarf guava.</p>
<p><em><br /> <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/pinar-del-rio-cuba-september-10-326400050" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2017/04/L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-downtown-Shutterstock-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-downtown-Shutterstock-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></em><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/pinar-del-rio-cuba-september-10-326400050" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8px;">Fotos593</span></a></em></p>
<p><br /> There’s some interesting architecture in the older part of town, as well, with some grandiose neoclassical buildings and landmarks such as the pink <strong>San Rosendo Cathedral</strong> (1883); the sumptuous, early-20th-century <strong>Palacio de los Matrimonios</strong> (used for weddings and other events); the <strong>Teatro José Jacinto Milanés</strong>, one of Cuba’s oldest remaining theatres (1845); and <strong>Palacio Guasch</strong>, a spiky, quirky 1914 mishmash of world styles which now houses a natural history museum. A more worthwhile museum to actually spend time in is the six-room <strong>Museo Provincial Pinar del Río</strong>, set in the handsome onetime provincial council building, dating from the late 19th century; in addition to exhibits of decorative arts and about the history of the area, there are recreations of rooms with period furnishings.</p>
<p>But for many visitors, the real star out here is the bucolic, fecund countryside, in particular the <strong>Vuelta Abajo</strong> (below), Cuba’s farming and tobacco heartland, dotted with small villages and <strong><em>bohíos</em></strong> (traditional thatched huts) tucked amid the fields and greenery. Most organised tours will include a traditional tobacco farm such as <strong>Casa del Veguero</strong>, with their drying and curing shacks where great bunches of tobacco leaves hang for a month or two from February through May before being shipped off to the cigar factories of the cities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/vinales-february-20-unknown-man-working-262451258?src=Kvfj4sCmaDpF0LRvQvTv5A-1-12" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2017/04/L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-Vuelta-Abajo-tabacco-worker-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Apr-17-pic-Cuba-Pinar-del-Rio-Vuelta-Abajo-tabacco-worker-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></em><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/vinales-february-20-unknown-man-working-262451258?src=Kvfj4sCmaDpF0LRvQvTv5A-1-12" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8px;">danm12</span></a><br /> </em></p>
<p>The area’s highlight, of course, is the valley of Viñales. Much photographed and painted, the 705-square-kilometre (272-square-mile) plain is surrounded by distinctively angular limestone karst hills the locals call <strong><em>mogotes</em></strong> (top) – which is why, along with its well preserved traditional architecture, crafts, and way of life, Viñales has been a <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong> since 1999.</p>
<p>The valley’s single most famous attraction is the <strong>Cueva del Indio</strong> (Indian Cave) in <strong>Viñales National Park</strong>. Once a dwelling place for the pre-Columbian <strong>Guanajatabey</strong> people, the jewel in the crown of the extensive local cave system now has electrical lighting and a short boat ride on its underground river. Another smaller cave in the park is <strong>Cueva de San Miguel</strong>, while others prefer the less touristy <strong>Cueva San Tomás</strong> (<strong>Latin America</strong>’s longest, at 47 km/29 mi.), with two-hour tours offered.</p>
<p>Much is also made of a huge 1960s hillside painting of dinosaurs, the <strong>Mural de la Prehistoria</strong>, but it’s really rather cheesy and amateurish, so not worth going out of the way for. One place definitely worth the stop is the <strong>Hotel Los Jazmines</strong> – not just for an nice overnight but also one of the best classic <em>mogote</em> views in the valley. And the mountainous <strong>Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve</strong> near the small northern city of <strong>La Palma</strong> includes various ecotourism and adventure options including a zipline.</p>
<p>In fact, these days, tour operators – both Havana-based and guides affiliated with local hotels and <em>casas particulares</em> – also offer plenty of hiking, biking, birding, and horseback riding options throughout the province. And if you like beaches and diving/snorkeling, there are several paradisiacal options, such as <strong>Maria la Gorda</strong> down on the <strong>Guanahacabibes Peninsula</strong> and the tiny offshore islets <strong>Cayo Jutias</strong> and <strong>Cayo Levisa</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>More information: <a href="http://www.cuba-junky.com/pinar-del-rio/" target="_blank">Cuba-Junky.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p></div>Tortuguero, Costa Rica's Watery Eco-Enclavehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tortuguero-costa-rica-ecotourism2023-02-13T14:06:52.000Z2023-02-13T14:06:52.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p>We were up at silly o' clock in our hotel in San Jose, for our trip to Tortuguero. We just had time for a coffee and some pastries for breakfast, but were promised a much more substantial second breakfast en route. At Guapiles, we stopped for our first substantial meal in Costa Rica; scrambled eggs, corn hearts and fried plantain. Unusual, but very tasty. This was followed by a short walk through the woodland behind the restaurant.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965149057,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965149057,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965149057?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>The Laguna Lodge, where we were staying, can only be reached by boat. But, this, although a fairly long ride, was just a transit trip. Anything we did see was a bonus. The wildlife safari is tomorrow. Nevertheless, I did get some good pictures of a baby crocodile and an Emerald Basilisk.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for somewhere to chill out ‘far from the madding crowd’, the Laguna Lodge, near Tortuguero, is probably the place you’re looking for. Unless, of course, you take the madding crowd with you!</p>
<p>You can’t get there by road, mainly because there aren’t any roads. But, shortly after our arrival, a Cessna Citation roared over at a very low level before disappearing over the trees. Since this was not immediately followed by an explosion and a plume of smoke, we assumed, correctly, it turned out, there was an airfield, or at least an airstrip nearby.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965205878,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965205878,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965205878?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>We think the boat is a far better option; you see much more, We landed at a dock, at which were moored several boats, which would take us on our wildlife safaris, A short walk took us to the hotel reception, whose odd shape, looking like it had partially melted in the sun, reminded me of something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.</p>
<p>It was only after sitting on a tiled bench, I realised … Gaudi’s Park Guell, in Barcelona! I wonder if that had any influence on its design?</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965256485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965256485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965256485?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The accommodation is pleasant cabins, arranged in blocks of four in extensive grounds. The grounds, if you look carefully, can be a mini wildlife safari on its own. And, you don’t have to walk far to find yourself on the beach, by the Caribbean Sea … and realise that the Lodge is on a narrow strip of land between the river and the sea. We loved the wood and leather rocking chairs on the deck outside the cabin, and later in the tour, we visited the factory where they made them. Alas, our baggage allowance wouldn’t permit buying a couple and taking them home with us. .</p>
<p>Lunch at the hotel was the traditional Costa Rican dish of rice and beans <em>(gallo pinto)</em>, with pork and beef, after which we took a boat ride to the Sea Turtle Conservancy complex, where they gave us lots of information about sea turtles, but we didn't actually see any. It wasn’t the right season for them. We just walked along the beach to Tortuguero village, where there’s some really bright street art, illustrating the wildlife we haven’t seen so far. Here, we met the boat back to the hotel.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965457880,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965457880,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965457880?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>The icing on the cake came at breakfast time the following morning. Who couldn’t love a place where they cook pancakes to order, before your eyes? Today was the day of the Canal Cruise. It's not just a canal, it's a whole network of waterways, some natural, others man made, for the purpose of floating logs to the sawmill, back in the lumbering days.</p>
<p>There are enough of them to ensure that, no matter how many boats set out on exploration, all can be absorbed. Many of them are overgrown and remote, which makes a haven for all kinds of wildlife.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965339289,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965339289,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965339289?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>We saw:</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Tiger Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Green Backed Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">2 toed sloth</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Emerald Basilisk</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">3 toed sloth</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Frigate Bird</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Osprey</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Black River Turtle</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Boat Billed Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">White Faced Capuchin Monkey</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Poison Dart Frog</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Caiman</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Little Blue Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Spectacled Caiman</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965376061,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965376061,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965376061?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Later in the afternoon, we had a guided walk. We never left the hotel grounds, but there was still plenty of birdlife. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough with the camera to catch most of it. Especially macaws. We heard them frequently, but by the time we’d located them, and focussed the camera, they’d gone.</p>
<p>We left Tortuguero the following day, but I could happily have spent the whole two weeks here, However, as we found, Costa Rica has much more to offer.</p>
<p> </p></div>Santiago: A Look at South America's 'Bohemian' Capitalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/santiago-chile-travel-tourism-attractions2023-02-07T05:51:51.000Z2023-02-07T05:51:51.000Zmarcos stonehttps://tripatini.com/members/marcosstone<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10957642097?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">Santiago is a pleasurable blend of old European influences and an ultramodern, Bohemian life. While in the history it has not attracted as numerous excursionists as other South American centrals, Santiago is snappily rising as a little-given jewel. It's a megacity where Belle Époque armature shares pavements with glass towers and premises full of win trees. While over 40 of the population of Chile live in Santiago, the megacity maintains a relaxed pace, with its moping lunches at out-of-door caffs, and long ambles through one of the megacity’s numerous premises. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Our favourite way to get around Santiago and see as important as possible is by bike. The megacity is full of bike lanes, quiet, lush thoroughfares, and premises. There are multitudinous bike reimbursement shops and some fantastic cycling tenures that are a delightful way to get your comportments. The benefit of cycling around Santiago is you get to see as much of the lively thoroughfares as possible. While there are plenitudes of big and independent art galleries in Santiago, the stylish way to learn about the culture of a megacity is through its road art. Numerous of the notorious showpieces were painted as a rebellion against the absolutism and offer a sapience into the megacity’s history. Since the fall of the rebellion, the road art scene has exploded, with new creations popping up every day. While nothing beats the joy of stumbling upon pieces while exploring the megacity, a road art stint will take you to the stylish showpieces and tell you about the culture and history behind each piece. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Still, food and drink is a big part of your trip experience, If you're anything like us. Well, you're in luck because Santiago has a fantastic food scene. It isn't just the food that makes Santiago such a great destination for eating out, however, it's the atmosphere of each café and eatery. Due to the hot rainfall, utmost caffs have tables outside, so you can enjoy the summer heat and people watch while you enjoy a tardy mess. Be sure to try the stimulating original drink mote con huesillo which is made from peach juice and barkedwheat. However, Silvestre Bistro, an unpretentious eatery with a miscellaneous yard, If you look for caffs visited by locals. It's put away, away in the neighbourhood of Ñuñoa and serves only locally farmed constituents. Another fave of ours is Silabario Cocina Local, which serves hearty Chilean country chow.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Still, one of the most inconceivable places to visit is the Rio Maipo Gorge, If you have enough time to head out of Santiago on a day trip. It's only 15 long hauls outside of San Diego, and a favourite among locals for out-of-door gests. In the warmer months, it's a popular destination for hiking, rafting, cycling, and camping. In downtime, it's fantastic for skiing and snowboarding. The views are the real draw of the Mio Maipo Gorge, the water is a deep turquoise and girdled by mountains and verdure.</span></p>
<p>There are several places to discover and learn more about this place. So, if you’re visiting and taking flights from<strong> <a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights-las-vegas-santiago-de-los-caballeros-las-sti" target="_blank">Las Vegas to Santiago</a></strong>, then take a stroll of the entire city and find out what’s hidden in those tiny bustling streets. Also, book your tickets with Lowest Flight Fare to avail impressive deals.</p>
<p><strong>CLIMATE</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Santiago is a great each-time round destination. April is popular for trippers wanting to visit autumnal stations. The downtime months of June to August are great for skiing in the mountains around Santiago. October to March are the warmest months, but note that this megacity gets really hot in summer.</span></p>
<p>Take some time to explore the splendid attractions of this place, and make your trip worthwhile. While booking your flights from <strong><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights-los-angeles-curacao-lax-cur/" target="_blank">Los Angeles to Curaçao</a></strong>, don’t just fool around restaurants and tall buildings. Instead, take a good note of what’s under the table.</p>
<p> </p></div>The Basics Of Guayaquil, Ecuadorhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/guayaquil-ecuador-travel-tourism-attractions2023-02-02T05:57:21.000Z2023-02-02T05:57:21.000Zmarcos stonehttps://tripatini.com/members/marcosstone<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10952983083?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">It's a great idea to make the trip to Guayaquil with an array of activities, regardless of how big or small your group. We're not going to advise the places and attractions you go to while in Guayaquil, however, we could provide some suggestions regarding what there is to do in the city. Similar to many other towns, Guayaquil has both good and bad spots to go to and, if this is your first time to Guayaquil or if you've visited previously, you must take advantage of your visit. It's a good idea to know the kind of journey you're planning to undertake, and Guayaquil offers a variety of interesting experiences that you'll remember for an extended period of time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are several places to discover and learn more about this place. So, if you’re visiting and taking flights from <strong><a href="http://https//www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights-miami-guayaquil-mia-gye/" target="_blank">Miami to Guayaquil</a></strong>, then take a stroll of the entire city and find out what’s hidden in those tiny bustling streets. Also, book your tickets with Lowest Flight Fare to avail impressive deals.</span></p>
<h1><span style="font-weight:400;">Guayaquil Things To See And Do</span></h1>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">If you are planning to visit Guayaquil, there are plenty of fascinating destinations that are worth a bit hour. The renowned Guayas location in Ecuador offers attractions you have heard of and other attractions that aren't known to those who are not from Guayaquil, and we've compiled the Top Ten List to assist you:</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-weight:400;"> Cerro Santa Ana</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Much like the ugly duckling in the Swan Tale, this once undeveloped area was turned into a major tourist attraction that includes a 465-foot staircase, surrounded by colorful restaurants, houses as well as galleries and gift shops.</span></p>
<ol start="2">
<li><span style="font-weight:400;"> Parque Historico Guayaquil</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">It comprises 8 hectares that are separated into three zones including Wild Life, Traditional and Urban Architectural, in which the rural, natural and urban elements are merged into one idea: encouraging preservation of the environment, as well as the rescue of the environment, and promoting traditions.</span></p>
<ol start="3">
<li><span style="font-weight:400;"> Malecon 2000</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The boardwalk stretches for kilometers along Rio Guayas, this lively boardwalk is well-patrolled both at evening and is home to small food stands, eateries, and a mixture of modern and historic structures.</span></p>
<ol start="4">
<li><span style="font-weight:400;"> Parque de las Iguanas</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The Guayaquil's historic center and dominated by the magnificent Cathedral of Guayaquil and centered upon a huge monument to Simon Bolivar, Seminar Park could be considered to be unimportant, but for the large number of iguanas who reside in the tiny park.</span></p>
<ol start="5">
<li><span style="font-weight:400;"> Las Penas</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Las Penas is the oldest and most relaxing area of Guayaquil, The largest capital city of Ecuador. It is a popular neighborhood brimming with colourful traditional houses with restaurants, shops and cafés. It is located near one end of the famed Malecon 2000 boulevard on the banks of Rio Guayas. </span><span style="font-weight:400;">Family-run restaurants that are charming are scattered throughout the narrow streets.</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> A home to many artists, the area is a popular destination for those who appreciate art.</span></p>
<p>Take some time to explore the splendid attractions of this place, and make your trip worthwhile. While booking your flights from <strong><a href="https://www.lowestflightfares.com/cheap-flights-chicago-medellin-ord-mde/" target="_blank">Medellín, Colombia</a></strong>, don’t just fool around restaurants and tall buildings. Instead, take a good note of what’s under the table.</p></div>South America's Iconic Vicuñashttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/vicuna-wildlife-south-america-ecotourism2023-01-16T17:40:00.000Z2023-01-16T17:40:00.000Zrohny joneshttps://tripatini.com/members/rohnyjones<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009528483,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009528483,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009528483?profile=original" width="750" /></a><br /> <br /> Visitors to part of <strong>Argentina</strong>, <strong>Bolivia</strong>, <strong>Chile</strong>, <strong>Ecuador</strong>, and <strong>Peru</strong> (where it's the national animal and is even on the country's coat of arms) may come across this quintessential South American mammal, a camelid related to guanacos, llamas, and alpacas (which are descended from vicuñas) The smallest of the camelids, vicuñas stand about three feet tall at the shoulder; weigh between 70 and 150 pounds; and have long necks and legs as well as relatively small heads with long pointed ears. <br /> <br /> Basically undomesticatable because they don't reproduce in captivity, vicuñas mostly (but not exclusively) live at altitudes of 10,500 to 15,700 feet, grazing on grassy valley plains close to water sources and spending nights on the slopes - where of course temperatures are often freezing, but they're protected by thick coats of fur -often light colored, with backs tending toward reddish brown or tan in color and sides and underbellies white or cream in hue - which trap layers of warm air close to their bodies. This fur grows quite slowly, and every three years local communities are allowed to capture and shear them (under strict regulations ensuring among other things) for their prized fleece. Soft, comfortable, warm, and durable, this is the most expensive natural fiber on the market; it fetches up to 5,000USD per pound thanks not only to those qualities but also to its relatively scarcity; a vicuña-wool coat can cost up to 20,000USD.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009529280,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009529280,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009529280?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Protections Enacted</strong></span></p>
<p>By the mid-1960s, humans had hunted and poached vicuñas and some of their relatives nearly to extinction - around 6,000 animals. So several governments enacted laws and regulations to protect them - particularly Peru. which for example in addition to prohibiting poaching and other forms of exploitation and instituting those strict shearing standards also required their wool to be sent back to the towns and villages protecting vicuñas from poachers. The 1969 <strong>Convention for the Conservation of the Vicuña</strong> and a follow-up treaty eventually signed by all the relevant countries also prohibited international trade and ordered its signatories to create reserves and breeding centers for the animals. Poaching still occurs, but numbers have recovered to around 125,000 across the various countries they inhabit (though they're still listed as endangered in Ecuador).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Some Places to Spot Them</strong></span></p>
<p>Argentina - <strong>San Guillermo Provincial Reserve</strong> in the north of the country along the border with Chile<br /> <br /> Bolivia - <strong>Salar de Uyuni</strong>, <strong>Salar de Chalviri</strong>, and UNESCO World Heritage <strong>Ulla Ulla National Reserve</strong>. <br /> <br /> Chile - The <strong>Atacama Desert</strong> and <strong>Las Vicuñas National Reserve</strong> in the far north<br /> <br /> Ecuador - <strong>Chimborazo Fauna Reserve</strong> in the <strong>Andes</strong>, around the center of the country<br /> <br /> Peru - <strong>Colca Canyon</strong> and <strong>Pampa Galeras National Reserve</strong> near <strong>Ayacucho</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>5 Highlights of the Holidays in Puerto Ricohttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/puerto-rico-san-juan-christmas-new-year2021-12-19T00:55:00.000Z2021-12-19T00:55:00.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9885285894,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9885285894,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9885285894?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/christmas-fuente-en-san-juan-con-exposici%C3%B3n-prolongada-gm174477246-8053847" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">TexPhoto</span></a></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There may be no snow - and precious little ice skating or hot cocoa - on this lush, tropical Caribbean island, but there’s certainly holiday cheer, and lots of it, for a good long time – in fact, <strong>Puerto Rico</strong> takes pride in having the world’s lengthiest season of <em>Navidad</em> (Christmas), around 45 days or so, beginning right after Thanksgiving (meaning the third Friday in November) and lasting through mid-January. Along the way are various festivities, activities, and highlights not to miss. Here are five of them:</p>
<h3> </h3>
<p><br />
<a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-lechon-pernil-istock-1160423599.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-lechon-pernil-istock-1160423599.jpg?profile=original" alt="l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-lechon-pernil-istock-1160423599.jpg?profile=original" width="1278" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/pernil-cerdo-asado-adornado-con-cilantro-y-naranjas-gm1160423599-317636646" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Candice Bell</span></a></em></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br />
<span style="color:#ff0000;">Holiday Feasting</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><br />
In restaurants you’ll find Puerto Rico’s classic holiday menu consists of <em>arroz con gandules</em> (rice with pigeon peas), <em>lechón asado</em> or <em>pernil</em> (two versions of marinated roast pork), and <em>pasteles</em> (tamale-like patties of green plantain and meat); typical side dishes include potato or pasta salad and <em>morcilla</em> (rice-stuffed blood sausages). And for dessert, you’ll love <em>tembleque</em>, a coconut-flavored pudding topped with cinnamon; and in place of eggnog, you’ve got <em>coquito</em>, a thick drink also based on coconut and usually served in shot glasses with a tot of rum. Then for New Year’s Eve and day, the dish to eat is <em>asopao</em> (rice soup with chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp).</p>
<h3> </h3>
<p><br />
<a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-christmas-mass-candles-istock-108178676.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-christmas-mass-candles-istock-108178676.jpg?profile=original" alt="l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-christmas-mass-candles-istock-108178676.jpg?profile=original" width="1254" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/fe-gm108178676-4813563" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Instants</em></span></a></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br />
<span style="color:#ff0000;">Attending Christmas-Eve Mass</span></strong></span></h3>
<p><br />
Whether you’re a believer or not, it’s a cultural experience to see the reason for the season – celebrating the birth of <strong>Jesus Christ</strong> – at midnight on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve). These <em>misas de gallo</em> (“rooster masses”) are held across the island, and some even include re-enactments of the nativity. Among Puerto Rico’s more atmospheric churches are Old San Juan’s 16th-century <strong>Iglesia de San José</strong> and <strong>San Juan Bautista Cathedral</strong> and the early-20th-century <strong>Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe</strong> in the island’s second city, <strong>Ponce</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-new-years-eve-fireworks-istock-1189150080.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-new-years-eve-fireworks-istock-1189150080.jpg?profile=original" width="1269" alt="l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-new-years-eve-fireworks-istock-1189150080.jpg?profile=original" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/multitud-frente-a-la-vibrante-exhibici%C3%B3n-de-fuegos-artificiales-gm1189150080-336597153" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;">kamisoka</span></em></a></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;font-size:14pt;"><strong>Partying Hearty on New Year’s Eve</strong></span></h3>
<p><br />
As in many parts of the world, Puerto Ricans love to pull out the stops on NYE, and in addition to lively crowds on the cobblestone streets of <strong>Old San Juan</strong>, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and hotel/resort ballrooms are rocking all night long. There’s also a full roster of live performances and partying – including the countdown to midnight – at the glitzy entertainment/nightlife complex <strong><a href="https://distritot-mobile.com/" target="_blank">Distrito T-Mobile</a></strong> in San Juan’s <strong>Condado</strong> neighbourhood. Meanwhile, fireworks are shot off over <strong>Condado Lagoon</strong> and the <strong>Puerto Rico Convention Center</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YkLBF7FUsHI" width="1269" height="714" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;font-size:14pt;"><strong>Welcoming the Three Wise Men</strong></span></h3>
<p><br />
As in much of the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, one of the highlights of the holiday season is Ephiphany on 6 January, commemorating the visit to the newborn Jesus in <strong>Bethlehem</strong> of the <strong>Three Kings</strong> (aka the <strong>Magi</strong>, and known in Spanish as the <strong><em>Reyes Magos</em></strong>). And it’s the Reyes who bring Puerto Rican kids gifts rather than <strong>Santa Claus</strong> (though with U.S. influence Santa has of course made inroads on December 25 as well), and they leave shoeboxes of grass or straw under their beds the night before for the Reyes’ camels. Reyes impersonators make appearances around the island today; for example, more than 25,000 locals and visitors alike throng to the good-size town of <strong>Juana Díaz</strong> (20 minutes east of Ponce and an hour or so south of San Juan) to participate in the pageantry around the 137-year-old <strong><a href="http://www.reyesdejuanadiaz.com/" target="_blank">Fiesta de los Reyes Magos</a></strong>, with actors playing the Magi <strong>Melchior</strong>, <strong>Caspar</strong>, and <strong>Balthazar</strong>. There’s even <a href="https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/profile/casa-museo-de-los-santos-reyes/9298" target="_blank">a museum about them</a> here – the only one of its kind in <strong>Latin America</strong> – open all year round.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-san-sebastian-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-san-sebastian-1.jpg?profile=original" width="1600" alt="l2f-dec-21-pic-puerto-rico-holidays-san-sebastian-1.jpg?profile=original" /></a></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:8pt;"> <em><a href="https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/info/fiestas-de-la-calle-san-sebastian#!grid~~~date~1~~" target="_blank">Discover Puerto Rico</a></em></span></h3>
<p><br />
</p>
<h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;font-size:14pt;">Ringing Out the Holidays at a Big Street Party</span><br />
</strong></h3>
<p><br />
Although for most Catholic countries <strong>Epiphany</strong> marks the end of the Christmas season, here in <strong>Borínquen</strong> (a popular nickname for Puerto Rico) it’s extended by eight more days of <em>octavitas</em>, originally religious celebrations but later secularised and marked by parties and <em>parrandas</em> (like a more festive version of Christmas carolling, including instruments like guitars, tambourines, and maracas). And capping it all off to finally mark the end of the season is Puerto Rico’s most vibrant and colorful festival: las <strong><a href="https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/info/fiestas-de-la-calle-san-sebastian#!grid~~~date~1~~" target="_blank">Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián</a></strong> (<strong>SanSe</strong> for short), a four-day, music-filled cultural jubilee centred around one of Old San Juan’s main streets. During the day, people throng to the plazas to see artists and artisans as well as live music, dance, and even circus acts. After sundown, the party really gets started and the street fills with people and music, with one of the highlights of the festivities a parade featuring <em>cabezudos</em> (marchers wearing cartoonish, satyrical papier-mâché heads). Next month the 68th year edition of SanSe will be held from Wednesday 13 January through the following Sunday.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6> </h6></div>Stranded by Hurricane Tomás in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/stranded-by-hurricane-tomas-in-12010-11-06T19:00:00.000Z2010-11-06T19:00:00.000ZEd Wetschlerhttps://tripatini.com/members/EdWetschler<div><img width="300" style="float:right;" alt="" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008581656,original{{/staticFileLink}}" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Here's how bad Hurricane Tomás is: The outside world barely notices that</span> <strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Costa Rica</span></strong> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">has been hit – and hit hard – because Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other countries are getting hit even harder. It's an eco disaster and a human disaster, and I can see it from the window.<br /></span>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">I'm writing this from an office in <strong>Puerto Jiménez</strong>, in Costa Rica's <strong>Osa Peninsula</strong>, where they've been kind enough to let me crib some wi-fi waves. I'm stranded in this tiny, tumble-down Pacific Coast village. Just outside the front door, the street is a river, while raindrops the size of marbles pound the makeshift river, car tops, and the roof of the tiny office I'm in. Remember the drum solo in that old recording, <i>Wipe-out</i>? This is louder.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b><br /></b></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><b>No Normal Rainy Season</b></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"></p>
<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Hurricane Tomás crept up on me. It rained like hell when I arrived at <a href="http://www.fincarosablanca.com/">Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn</a> Halloween night, but I didn't think much about it. After all, it's supposed to rain here; it's rainy season. The downpour continued Monday and Tuesday, but I was mostly indoors at the <a href="http://www.planetpeoplepeace.com/">Second International Planet, Peace, and People Conference</a> near San Jose, Costa Rica, so I shrugged it off. Even when Finca Rosa Blanca's co-owner, Teri Osman Jampol, apologized for the lousy weather, I didn't get it.<br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Understand, there is no lightning and no wind this far west of the eye; there is only rain, and it falls straight down, without punctuation, without end. So how could this be connected to a hurricane? But Thursday morning, when I tried to fly to Quepos for a stay at <a href="http://www.arenasdelmar.com/">Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort</a>, all flights were cancelled. The Quepos tarmac was underwater. My cab bounced and splashed back to Finca Rosa Blanca, where I learned that 24 people had been killed in a mudslide on the hill we face from the restaurant. That number has since climbed to 30 people, and more are missing. This is not merely the rainy season, not just two-hour afternoon showers. This is the side effects (the side effects!) of a hurricane.<br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><b>Stuck in Puerto Jiménez</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">There was a brief lull in the rain this morning, but planes still couldn't reach Quepos, so I flew through blinding clouds and rain to Puerto Jimenez, where I'm due to check into <a href="http://www.laparios.com/">Lapa Rios Rainforest Ecolodge</a> tomorrow. It's about ten miles from this town, but I still won't get there until tomorrow at the earliest, because the river has swallowed the roads, so I'm stuck here.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">But do we visitors from North America have any right to complain? Much worse things are happening in this beautiful country, including an entire neighborhood that was washed downhill near San Jose.</p></div>Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer in Peruhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/top-10-reasons-to-volunteer-in2010-03-23T14:30:00.000Z2010-03-23T14:30:00.000ZJulio Cesarhttps://tripatini.com/members/JulioCesar<div><p>Volunteering your time to an organization and dedicating some of your time to a cause is one of the most noble and meaningful things a person can do. Whether assisting the poor, taking care of abandoned children or helping communities grow, the simple and generous act of participation is a rewarding experience to both the volunteer and the people they help.</p><p><br /></p><p>Being that our own volunteer program is only months away we thought it a good idea to highlight why volunteering in Peru is such a special and rewarding experience. Right now there are thousands of volunteers preparing to travel to Peru for the Summer and hundreds of organizations taking applications. Whether volunteering in a coastal city, a small Andean village or in the jungle, the same reasons hold true for all who decide to journey to Peru and help make a difference.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-1794" title="Karikuy-volunteer-program-2" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Karikuy-volunteer-program-2.jpg" alt="" width="392" height="392" /></p><h4>10. Behind the Scene Perks</h4><p></p><p>As a volunteer in Peru you will have special access to services that you would never see as a tourist. Depending on your organization this could include backstage passes to events, discounted travel, opportunities to meet celebrities etc. Again this depends on your organization, for example Karikuy offer their volunteers special rates on travel as well as insider information, and writers for the Perupedia project also receive special press consideration to cover events which usually means discounted or free admission.</p><h4>9. Skills and Experience</h4><p></p><p>Lets face it many jobs will not hire you regardless of what schools you might have went to if you don't have any relevant experience. Volunteering is a great way to gain this experience in a wide range of skills. Depending on your organization you could see your skills improve in writing, social work, child care, maintenance, computer work and more, the list is really goes on and on. Just make sure you take the most out of your learning experience and enjoy it. Having a positive and enthusiastic attitude will also go a long way in earning you valuable recommendations from your host organization.</p><p><br /></p><p>Peru is rich in learning experiences just due to the fact that the country is so diverse. In the coast you can choose to volunteer with maritime organizations or in the big coastal cities doing social work. In the Andes you can work with children or agricultural organizations as well as conservation and green organizations. Same goes for the jungle as there are plenty of opportunities to help indigenous populations as well as help save the environment and the Amazon.</p><h4>8. Recognition and Feedback</h4><p></p><p>Volunteers in Peru are often seen as sort of celebrities in their own right among the local people. Unlike regular tourists, volunteers are held in regard as generous helpers who come from afar to do good deeds in Peru. It will be common for you as a volunteer in Peru to be the center of attention and discussion when meeting a group of locals. Everyone wants to hear your stories and what your doing as a volunteer as well as how you are enjoying Peru. It is this recognition that keeps volunteers coming back to Peru, recognition is an especially important part of being in a volunteer position where the volunteer is not receiving any monetary recognition for their good work.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1840" title="huari-peru-volunteer" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/huari-peru-volunteer-414x285.jpg" alt="Shannon and Sofie with Julio's aunt." width="414" height="285" /></p><h4>7. Discover new Tastes</h4><p>I don't think I could have written this without mentioning Peruvian food. If you don't already know, Peruvian cuisine is gaining in popularity and is considered among the best in the world. From Ceviche to Pachamanca you are sure to find a favorite dish while in Peru. As a volunteer you may often feel overwhelmed by the options before you, we do have over 3oo dishes and hold a record for most variety in the world. Volunteering in Lima gives you the opportunity to sample these dishes from all of our influences, after all our cuisine is coveted only because of all the cultures that helped inspire it. So whether going out for Chaufa in El Barrio Chino or Seafood in La Punta your sure to always have a happy stomach.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1844" title="suspiro-limena-karikuy" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/suspiro-limena-karikuy-385x285.jpg" alt="Suspiro a la Limeña - Astrid y Gaston" width="385" height="285" /></p><h4>6. Learn a New Language</h4><p></p><p>Going to Peru gives you the opportunity to learn Castellano as we Peruvians call it. You might be thinking "hey, I thought they speak Spanish in Peru?" and although your right it isn't exactly Spanish as spoken in Spain, there are subtle differences. How much Castellano you do learn depends on how much effort you put into learning it. You may find yourself volunteering with an organization where the majority of your fellow volunteers speak English, try to make an effort to go out and speak Castellano with the locals, practice makes perfect. If you already know Castellano or Spanish then try learning Quechua, the language of the indigenous population.</p><h4>5. Personal Growth</h4><p></p><p>Independent travel is a very rewarding experience and can lead to lifelong changes in character. Volunteering in Peru opens a window into how people in developing countries live, our conditions and what we care about. Never will your own lifestyle feel so distant as when you volunteer abroad, your view on the world will change and perhaps what is important to you. As a volunteer you might become more compassionate for people, becoming more emotionally involved to volunteer abroad elsewhere in the future. Volunteers returning home from abroad are usually more independent, courageous and adventurous then before they left.</p><h4>4. Appreciate Pachamama</h4><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Peru is one of the countries in the world that is most vulnerable to Climate Change. Our receding glaciers provide most of the drinking water for the country and they are fast disappearing. As volunteers travel throughout the country you will hear stories and see for yourself the impact that the changing climate is having on communities. Some of the things you may experience may be heartbreaking, couple that with dramatic surroundings in beautiful scenery and it could almost be too much for a person to take. It is this reality that will hit you hard and leave a lasting impression on what until now might have been of minor interest to you.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Andes of Peru is the front lines of the battle on climate change, it's here where you will learn from first hand accounts from the farmers and general populace, the stories of fiercely cold winter and disappearing water. In short there may be no other place in the world where you will be able to stare the problem straight in the face as in Peru, and perhaps nowhere else will you learn to appreciate Mother Earth (Pachamama) as much.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1846" title="honcopampa-peru-volunteer" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/honcopampa-peru-volunteer-408x285.jpg" alt="Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca" width="408" height="285" /></p><h4>3. Absorb a Culture</h4><p></p><p>Spending a prolonged period of time in a new country is one of the highlights of volunteering. You can really get adjusted to a new lifestyle quite quickly and the opportunity takes you beyond the activities of an average tourist. Many volunteer organizations will give you the opportunity to house with a family giving the volunteer the chance to live amongst the local population and experience a traditional lifestyle. New venues will also open to you, locations off the beaten trail, local hot spots not found in the guidebooks. Among other things you will try new foods, meet new people and see incredible places like Machu Picchu.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1847" title="huari-peru-streets" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/huari-peru-streets-443x285.jpg" alt="walking through Huari Peru" width="443" height="285" /></p><h4>2. Make Lifelong Friendships</h4><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1848" title="Shannon and Sophie, Karikuy Volunteers" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/volunteer-peru-huari-205x285.jpg" alt="Shannon and Sophie, Karikuy Program" width="144" height="200" /></p><p><br /></p><p>There is a bond that always forms between people when faced with exploring a new culture together. It may be that through common difficulties such as language barriers or a particular project that these bonds form lasting relationships in volunteers. Together groups of volunteers share truly unique experiences with each other as they work together for a common cause. I can't go into too much detail regarding friendships made as they are unique to everyone. However, as the person running the Karikuy volunteer program, I must put in my two cents and say that one of the most rewarding things about running such a program is the friends I've seen made as well the volunteers that I now call friends.</p><h4>1. Have Fun</h4><p></p><p>Self explanatory.</p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1849" title="jungle-inca-trail-karikuy" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/jungle-inca-trail-karikuy-439x285.jpg" alt="The Karikuy Jungle Inca Trail" width="439" height="285" /></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1850" title="Casma-party-volunteer" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Casma-party-volunteer-380x285.jpg" alt="Karikuy volunteers in Casma" width="380" height="285" /></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1851" title="huari-peru-volunteers" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/huari-peru-volunteers-220x285.jpg" alt="Shannon and Andrew" width="220" height="285" /></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1852" title="children-peru-volunteer" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/children-peru-volunteer-450x285.jpg" alt="Shannon and Sophie with Julio's nieces" width="450" height="285" /></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1853" title="casma-party-volunteers" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/casma-party-volunteers-380x285.jpg" alt="Volunteers at a Wedding" width="380" height="285" /></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1854" title="sex-burger-peru" src="http://www.karikuy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/sex-burger-peru-403x285.jpg" alt="Andrew wants some sex burgers" width="403" height="285" /></div><p></p><h4>Volunteer organizations to check out:</h4><p></p><p><a title="Karikuy Volunteer Program" href="http://www.karikuy.org/volunteer">The Karikuy Volunteer Program</a><br /> <a title="Waves Volunteer Program" href="http://www.wavesfordevelopment.org/">Waves for Development</a><br /> <a title="Aldea Yanapay Volunteer Program" href="http://www.aldeayanapay.org/">Aldea Yanapay</a></p><p></p><p><a title="Perupedia - Volunteer programs in Peru" href="http://www.karikuy.org/perupedia/index.php?title=Volunteer_programs_in_Peru" target="_blank">Click here for a full list of Programs courtesy of Perupedia</a></p><p></p><p>Photos from the Karikuy 2009 Volunteer Program</p></div>Coveting the Cuisine of Chilehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/coveting-the-cuisine-of-chile2021-03-03T06:48:29.000Z2021-03-03T06:48:29.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12378082097,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12378082097,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12378082097?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a>Pablo Rogat</span></em></span></p><div id="wrapper" class="hfeed"><div id="main"><div id="container"><div id="content"><div id="post-20447" class="post-20447 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-guia-de-viajes tag-america tag-chile tag-gastronomia tag-vinos"><div class="postInfo"><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by Miguel Martínez Rabanal</em></span></p><p><br /> Unfamiliar compared to many than other Latin American cuisines such as Mexican, Peruvian, and Cuban, <strong>Chilean cuisine</strong> has always been considered one of those that best blend the traditions of the Spaniards and the pre-Columbian people of the Americas, and drawing from the bounty of fertile agricultural lands, highlands, and thousands of kilometres of coastline. Here they call it <strong><em>sazón chilena</em></strong> (Chilean seasoning), and it imbues all of this country's most beloved dishes. Come with me on a tasty little tour: </p><p>One top symbol of Chilean cookery is the <strong>empanada de pino</strong>, a baked empanada stuffed with ground beef, onion, egg, and raisins, all seasoned with ají (a slightly spicy sauce). Also extremely typical are another doughy delight, <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2013/04/sopaipillas-junto-a-neruda/" target="_blank"><strong>sopaipillas</strong></a>, chewy discs of leavened wheat flour mixed with pumpkin and fried in butter - you'll find them, for example, sold at street stands all over this country. They're mostly a winter thing (meaning June through August), and can be sweet or savoury; if the latter, often accompanied by classically Chilean <strong>pebre</strong> sauce, a mix of garlic, pepper, parsely, and vinegar (it's also popular for use in soups and meat dishes).</p><p>Other popular <strong>Chilean street food</strong> includes the <em><strong>completo</strong></em>, like an oversize hot dog with dressings such as chopped tomatoes, avocadoes, mayonnaise, and sauerkraut, and the <em><strong>chacarero</strong></em>, a lovely sandwich composed of slices of steak or pork with tomateoes, green beans, and chilis (<em>Time</em> magazine once even included it on a list of the world's most amazing sandwiches).</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Empanadas_Pino_Chile.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Empanadas_Pino_Chile-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Empanadas_Pino_Chile-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mabel_de_todo_un_poco/1384634772/" target="_blank">Mabel Flores</a></span></em></span></p><p><br /> Visitors who are after an authentic taste of this country need to get themselves to some of the homely traditional restaurants known as <em><strong>picadas</strong></em>, where you'll find hearty portions at appealing prices of dishes like <em><strong>porotos con riendas</strong></em>, made up of white beans (<strong><em>porotos</em></strong>) and noodles (which give the dish its name, apparently resembling <em>riendas</em> - horses' reins); oftentimes this is served with sausages and a fried egg.</p><p>One delicacy that has more than most received some attention outside the country is <em><strong>pastel de choclo</strong></em> (corn pie, top), made with ground corn and also containing beef, chicken, egg and olives, all baked to a golden brown.<br /> <br /> Another, of prehispanic origin, <em><strong>locro</strong></em> is a hearty stew which among other ingredients combines corn, beans, pumpkin, pork, and beef in a mix that's out of this world. So, too, are Chile's various <strong><em>cazuelas</em></strong> (casseroles) of pork, chicken, and beef with veggies.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Porotos_Con_Riendas_Chile.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Porotos_Con_Riendas_Chile-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Porotos_Con_Riendas_Chile-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;">Ildi Papp<br /> </span></em></span></p><p>Next up: seafood! Chile is an unusually long, skinny country, no part of which is more than about 240 kilometres (150 miles) from its enormous (4,270km/2,653-mi.) coastline. So unsurprisingly, the sea and its bounty are a significant part of the national character and the national palate.</p><p>One of the top marine goodies, especially along the coast itself, is <em><strong>pastel de jaiba</strong></em> (blue crab pie), where the crab is folded into a bready mix with onion, cheese, and heavy cream, sprinkled with parmesan and baked - just wow.</p><p>Another briny favourite, <em><strong>paila marina</strong></em> (literally, "marine frying pan") is a kind of bouillabaisse with a variety of seafood including clams, mussels, conger eels, and a type of mollusk called <em><strong>piures</strong></em>. It's thought to be healthful - and especially great for hangovers.</p><p>Probably the most eclectic Chilean dish of all is <em><strong>curanto</strong></em>, combining as it does seafood, meats, and vegetables. Typical of the island of <strong>Chiloé</strong>, furthermore its traditional manner of preparation is even more dramatic than its appearance: cooked with hot rocks in a hole in the ground.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Paila_Marina_Marisco_Pescado_Chile.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Paila_Marina_Marisco_Pescado_Chile-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Paila_Marina_Marisco_Pescado_Chile-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/devinleedrew/3195183365/" target="_blank">devinleedrew</a>,</span> <br /> </em></span></p><p><br />Discerning carnivores will also find Chile delivers in spades. A good example is <em><strong>arrollado de huaso</strong></em>, seasoned pork and bacon wrapped in pork skin, boiled, and served sliced accompanied by potatoes - a real explosion of flavour.</p><p>Other dishes typically enjoyed here include roast pork; marinated pigs' trotters; and <em><strong>prieta</strong></em>, blood sausage. As with next-door Argentina, <strong><em>parrilladas</em></strong> are popular, featuring various high-quality cuts of beef as well as sausages and pork ribs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Mote_Con_Huesillos_Chile.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Mote_Con_Huesillos_Chile-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Mote_Con_Huesillos_Chile-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tuguriodetom/6831236501/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Tomás J. Sepúlveda</span></a></em></span></p><h3><strong><br /> Chilean Wine & More</strong></h3>Fortunately, the country that produces such tasty fare has been also thoughtful enough to have developed some award-winning, world-class, and all-round extraordinary wines to go along with it. Some of the most prominent reds produced here are <strong>merlot</strong> and <strong>cabernet sauvignon</strong>, and whites <strong>chardonnay</strong> and <strong><em>sémillon</em></strong>.<br /> <br /><p>Beyond that, there are plenty of other libations typical of Chile. Some are fermented, like <em><strong>chicha</strong></em> (grape and apple) and <strong>pisco</strong> grape brandy (the <strong>pisco sour</strong> is considered the national cocktail).</p><p>But another - and non-alcoholic - drink any visitor shouldn't miss is refreshing <strong>mote con huesillos</strong> (above), a summertime treat found in street stands all over the country. It's made from wheat (mote) and peaches (huesillo). When locals say something is very Chilean, they say it's "more Chilean than mote con huesillos".<br /> </p><p>It's a culinary legacy which is truly impressive in so many ways. These days, April 15 is marked by chefs and others as the <strong>Day of Chilean Cuisine</strong>, but frankly, down here, every day is a celebration when it comes to food.</p><p><br /> For more on Chilean cooking and restaurants in Santiago, <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/sampling-savoury-specialities-in-santiago-de-chile" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:8px;"> </span></p><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><br /> </p><p> </p></div>Savoring the Diversity of the Dominican Republichttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/dominican-republic-ecotourism-beaches-baseball-cigars-history2020-04-10T15:14:02.000Z2020-04-10T15:14:02.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11162978453,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11162978453,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="11162978453?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism</em> </span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:left;">The <strong>Dominican Republic</strong> is one of those Caribbean countries that truly offers the proverbial something for almost everyone (OK, admittedly, skiers are out of luck). On this blog we’ll be covering them one by one. But to kick things off, here’s an overview:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Santo Domingo History & Culture</strong> </span><br /> <br /> <br /> The DR’s capital (top) is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the Americas, founded in 1498 by Bartolomé Colón, brother of Cristóbal (better known to English-speakers as Christopher Columbus). And its colonial core has some remarkable sights and atmospheric streets to experience, as well as top-notch dining, music offerings, and shopping (<strong>amber</strong>, <strong>cigars</strong> – see below – and <strong>rum</strong> are top local products). <strong>Cool Caves</strong> The DR has the Caribbean’s most extensive cave system, and its longest is also the one most likely the most familiar to Punta Cana resort visitors – “<strong>Fun Fun</strong>” cave in <strong>Hato Rey</strong>. But there’s also the impressive <strong>Tres Ojos</strong> in Santo Domingo, <strong>Cueva de las Maravillas</strong> out on the south coast toward <strong>La Romana</strong> (especially cool because of the Taíno Indian artwork), and <strong>El Pomier</strong>, near Santo Domingo. <br /> <br /> <br /> <em><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009451885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009451885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009451885?profile=original" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/bavaro-playa-de-punta-cana-gm185071340-19028583" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">danilovi</span></a></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Beaches & Resorts</strong></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> The fabulous <strong>Dominican beaches</strong>, of course, are the single main reason why visitors flock to this country, with the main draws being <strong>Punta Cana</strong>/<strong>Bávaro</strong> (above) at the DR’s easternmost tip and the beaches of the north shore such as those around <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/puerto-plata-jewel-of-the-dominican-republic-north-coast" target="_blank">Puerto Plata</a></strong> and the <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/samana-dominican-republic-ecotourism" target="_blank">Samaná Peninsula</a></strong>. Others include, on the south coast, <strong>Bayahibe</strong>, <strong>La Romana</strong>, <strong>Boca Chica</strong>, and <strong>Juan Dolio</strong>. And while many – perhaps most – of the country’s beach-oriented accommodation are all-inclusive resorts, there are also various smaller independent hotels, guesthouses, and vacation-apartment complexes available in various price ranges.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452490,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452490,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009452490?profile=original" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/fase-salto-windsurfer-gm116033541-4309846" target="_blank"><em>RandyJanBraun</em></a></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Adventure/Sports</strong></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> The north coast as well as parts of its hinterland are not just home to a wide variety of active pursuits – surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, ziplines, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, canyoning, diving, and more – but the town of <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/cabarete-adventure-sports-capital-of-the-dominican-republic" target="_blank">Cabarete</a></strong> is also one of the world’s top windsurf capitals, and the site of elite-level competitions. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452883,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452883,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009452883?profile=original" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/ballena-jorobada-gm106481885-8601798" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>MandarineTree</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Ecotourism</strong></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> A quarter of the country’s area has been set aside as protected zones, and various of these land and marine reserves are open to nature enthusiasts, including <strong>Los Haitises National Park</strong> near <strong>Samaná</strong>, the <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/demajagua-waterfalls-puerto-plata-dominican" target="_blank">27 waterfalls of <strong>Damajagua</strong></a> near Puerto Plata, and <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/saona-island-the-dominican-republic-s-unspoiled-paradise-within-a" target="_blank">Saona Island</a></strong> off the south coast. Then there’s one of the Caribbean’s crowning eco-glories: the annual <strong>humpback whale</strong> migration off Samaná each January through March. <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009452698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009452698?profile=original" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/tradicional-fabricaci%C3%B3n-de-puros-en-la-f%C3%A1brica-de-tabacos-closeup-de-las-manos-gm1093664684-293504268" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">bigtunaonline</span></a></em></p>
<p><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Smokin’ Cigars</strong></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> The DR has become one of the world’s top sources of premium cigars, and in addition to having access to them in shops throughout the country, visitors have the opportunity to travel to the heart of tobacco country, in and around the inland city of <strong>Santiago de los Caballeros</strong>, and visit <strong>cigar factories</strong> and <strong>tobacco farms</strong>; there’s also the <strong>Tabacalera García</strong> factory in La Romana on the south coast. Even if you’re not a <strong>cigar aficionado</strong>, this makes for a fascinating glimpse into a subculture that has in turn been a key part of both Latin and Caribbean culture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg/800px-Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg/800px-Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="800px-Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Estadio_quisqueya_santo_domingo_dominican_republic_1.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Calt2001</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Play Ball!</strong></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> No, not soccer this time - or cricket, or rugby. On <em>this</em> Caribbean island, the game of choice is American <strong>baseball</strong>, dating back to the 1930s; there’s a local professional league of six teams that is avidly followed each winter, and the Dominicans are so good at it that quite a bit of their talent has achieved fame and fortune in the major leagues in the USA. There are teams based in Santo Domingo, Santiago, La Romana, south coast city <strong>San Pedro de Macorís</strong>, and <strong>San Francisco de Macorís</strong> east of Santiago. And if you can get to catch a game, you’ll get to experience another important part of what makes the locals tick. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>More information: <a href="http://www.godominicanrepublic.com/rd/?lang=en">GoDominicanRepublic.com</a>. <br /> <br /> </em> <em><br /> <br /> </em></p></div>Save Some Time for El Salvador's Appealing Capital, San Salvadorhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/el-salvador-appealing-capital-san-salvador2020-01-24T00:10:24.000Z2020-01-24T00:10:24.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png/800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png/800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Idea SV</span></a></em></p>
<p><br /> </p>
<p><strong>Central America</strong>'s smallest country (tinier than the US state of <strong>West Virginia</strong> and just a bit bigger than <strong>Wales</strong>) gets a bad, exagerrated rap because of gang violence that's limited to a handful of the capital's rougher neighborhoods. But in fact <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/02/travel-to-el-salvador-is-hot/" target="_blank"><strong>El Salvador</strong></a> does offer visitors a safe a varied menu of <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/02/surfing-el-salvador/" target="_blank">beaches (including some surprising surfing)</a>, <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/07/el-salvador-an-under-the-radar-nature-gem/" target="_blank">ecotourism</a>, adventure, charming colonial towns, and even several interesting <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/11/precolumbian-sites-of-el-salvador-and-the-pompeii-of-the-americas/" target="_blank">Mayan archaeological sites such as <strong>San Andrés</strong>, the "<strong>Pompeii of the Americas</strong>"</a> - and without the crowds you might encounter in some of its more touristed neighbors, such as <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2013/10/costa-rica-travel/" target="_blank"><strong>Costa Rica</strong></a>.</p>
<p>And will all of that to choose from, many visitors find themselves flying into the capital, then heading out to those beaches, rain forests, small towns, <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2017/12/volcanoes-el-salvador/" target="_blank">volcanoes</a>, and more (not unlike the situation in Costa Rica, actually). But if you do come to visit, capital <strong>San Salvador</strong> is definitely worth at least a couple of days of your time, as well, and it's very close to most of the rest of the country's attractions (30 to 40 minutes from the beaches, for example). Here's why.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/the-night-in-san-salvador-gm1166929738-321631939" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">kenysibrian</span></a></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This city of nearly 571,000 (metro area 2.4 million) in the <strong>Boquerón Volcano Valley</strong> is appealing, laid back, and low-slung; thanks to the region's record of seismic activity, the highest building in the historical city centre, for example, was kept to just 28 floors, though more recent constructions. And that historical centre - known, prosaically enough, as <strong>El Centro</strong> - got a facelift not long ago and is filled with interesting architecture, much of it dating from the early to mid-20th century.</p>
<p>A good example is the <strong>National Palace</strong> (above), finished in 1911 in Neoclassical style with some Renaissance and Gothic-Revival elements; once home to all three branches of the national government, these days it's open to visitors as well as housing salons for ceremonies and special events. A couple of blocks away on <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong>, Central America's oldest theatre, the <a href="http://centenarioteatronacional.cultura.gob.sv/" target="_blank"><strong>Teatro Nacional</strong></a>, is a small (seating just 650) but handsome neo-Renaissance gem dating from 1917 (you can have a peek inside or even take a guided tour for a nominal fee, albeit in Spanish).</p>
<p><br /> Just around the corner on <strong>Plaza Berrios</strong>, San Salvador's most iconic building, the blocky, whitewashed, yellow-trimmed Roman Catholic <strong>Metropolitan Cathedral</strong>, is of more recent vintage - rebuilt in the late 1950s in simple neo-Baroque style after an earthquake. A major draw inside is the tomb of beloved archbishop <strong>Óscar Romero</strong>, - canonized as a saint by <strong>Pope Francis</strong> in 2018 and considered an unofficial patron saint of El Salvador - murdered by rightwing assasins in 1980 in the first year of the country's terrible civil war (away from downtown at the <strong>Central American University</strong>, you can learn more about this towering figure at the <strong><a href="http://www.uca.edu.sv/cmr/" target="_blank">Centro Monseñor Romero</a></strong>).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG/800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG/800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a title="User:JoCeQuin93 (page does not exist)" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:JoCeQuin93&action=edit&redlink=1"><span style="font-size:8pt;">José Quintanilla</span></a></em></p>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>Another church well worth a visit is a modern masterpiece - perhaps Central America's most beautiful. Built in 1971 on <strong>Plaza La Libertad</strong> several blocks southeast of the cathedral, the concave, 78-foot-high (24-meter) concrete shell of the <strong>Iglesia El Rosario</strong> houses a striking, soaring interior (above) awash in the light of its stained-glass windows. It's also home to the tomb of the brothers <strong>Nicolás</strong>, <strong>Vicente</strong>, and <strong>Manuel Aguilar</strong>, heroes of the country's early-19th-century struggle for independence from Spain.</p>
<p><br /> For some great local color, just a couple of blocks southwest of the National Palace you'll find the <strong>Mercado Central</strong>, a classic Latin American covered market where locals come to shop for food, clothes, electronics, and household goods - along with some tasty prepared-food stalls and sit-down spots to enjoy local yummies such as <em>pupusas</em> (traditional flatbreads of pre-Columbian origin, stuffed with cheese, beans, beef, and other fillings). You might be able to score some local arts and crafts here, too, but you'll find a much wider selection a few minutes' drive farther west at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/mercadonacionaldeartesaniasdeelsalvador/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank"><strong>Mercado Nacional de Artesanías</strong></a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://wikisivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://wikisivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://wikisivar.com/museo-de-arte-marte/" target="_blank">wikisivar.com</a></em></span></p>
<p><br /> </p>
<p>A bit farther west still out of the historical centre (and not far from the abovementioned Centro Monseñor Romero) in the <strong>Zona Rosa</strong> in the <strong>San Benito</strong> district, there are a also couple of good museums worth your time, starting with the 16-year-old <a href="https://www.marte.org.sv/" target="_blank"><strong>Museo de Arte de El Salvador</strong> (<strong>MARTE,</strong> above)</a>, whose collection reaches back to the 1870s and includes all the most prominent artists of the past and contemporary era. Just a short stroll south, meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/munaelsalvador/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank"><strong>National Anthropology Museum (MUNA)</strong></a> has exhibits on human settlements, agriculture, artisans, commerce and trade, religion, arts and communication (there's one another dedicated to Archbishop Romero - did I mention that Óscar is a Very Big Deal in this country?).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1vXqKAG3hjE?wmode=opaque" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> There's also a quite hopping dining, shopping, and nightlife scene in some of the ritzier areas of the city, such as the Zona Rosa (home to many of San Salvador's hipper bars and clubs), and a few minutes north of it, <strong>Colonia Escalón</strong>. These neighborhoods are also home to many of the capital's better hotels.</p>
<p><br /> So if you're thinking of giving this under-the-radar country a try on an upcoming holiday, don't forget to save a couple of days for its underappreciated capital - you'll be glad you did!</p>
<p><br /> For more info, check out <a href="https://elsalvador.travel/en/" target="_blank">ElSalvador.travel</a>.</p>
<p> </p></div>Astonishing Sea-Turtle Spotting in Guatemalahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/astonishing-sea-turtle-spotting-in-guatemala2019-12-15T00:30:00.000Z2019-12-15T00:30:00.000ZMaría Joséhttps://tripatini.com/members/MariaJose<div><h6><em><br /> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenzwerink/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/7529338672_9d7efaee43_z.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="7529338672_9d7efaee43_z.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a></em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a class="owner-name truncate no-outline" title="Ir a la galería de Steven Zwerink" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenzwerink/">Steven Zwerink</a></em></span></h6>
<p><br /> <br /> Giant <strong>marine turtles</strong> are truly one of nature's most moving miracles throughout their life cycles - babies hatch from beach sands and endure a frantic rush to the ocean before being devoured by ravenous, swooping sea birds, growing up in the ocean, then the females instinctively finding their way by back thousands of kilometres to their birth beaches to lay eggs, thus keeping this amazing cycle in motion. And <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/sea-turtle-watching-in-central-america" target="_blank"><strong>Central America</strong> is one of the world's premier regions to witness this eco-miracle</a> on both ends - both the hatching and the egg-laying.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black-sand-beach.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><strong>DrStockPhoto.com</strong></span></a></em></h6>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> In <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/5-must-see-tourist-destinations-in-guatemala" target="_blank">Guatemala</a></strong>, the action happens a roughly three-hour drive from capital <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/culture-guatemala-city" target="_blank">Guatemala City</a></strong> (as well as lovely colonial <strong>Antigua</strong>) in the Pacific coast beach town of <strong>Monterrico</strong>, its fetching black-sand beaches (above) and kicky waves popular with surfers and swimmers but also known for its beachfront <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tortugario-Monterrico-CECON-USAC-1487630594814269/" target="_blank">Tortugario Monterrico</a></strong>, a 40-year-old, university-run facility devoted to the nurturing and protection of endangered olive ridley, leatherback, and green <strong>sea turtles</strong>., as well as alligators, crocodiles, and iguanas.</p>
<p>From June through December (peaking in August/September), the <em>tortugario</em>'s staff collect some 5,000 turtle eggs each year from the sands and incubate them, safe from poachers and wild animals who might dig them up, then once they start hatching in September through January, release the little critters safely into the Pacific.</p>
<p> </p>
<h6><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;">Tortugario Monterrico</span></h6>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a visitor centre here where besides educational exhibits you can see the various enclosures where the eggs (above) and live animals are kept, and you can observe and even participate in the release of the babies into the water. The term "life-changing experience" is way overused, but truly merited here.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other local activities include kayaking the atmospheric coastal mangroves, wildlife spotting, and participating in the life of a funky beach town. Apart from the cool beach scene, Monterrico is truly a gem of <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/ecotourism-treasures-of-guatemala" target="_blank"><strong>Guatemala ecotourism</strong> offerings</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>More info on Guatemala's Pacific coast: <a href="http://www.visitguatemala.com/en/discover/the-pacific-coast" target="_blank">VisitGuatemala.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>Honduras' Most Marvelous Placeshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-attractions-travel-tourism-guide2019-09-24T06:19:07.000Z2019-09-24T06:19:07.000ZHelene Johnsonhttps://tripatini.com/members/HeleneJohnson<div><p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg/800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg/800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Adalberto Hernandez Vega</em></span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> Holidays in <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-offers-highquality" target="_blank">Honduras</a></strong> are truly economical and holds a wide range of beautiful places to see and do, including Mayan ruins, jungle adventure and ecotourism, Caribbean isles, and lively towns and cities. Here are its top highlights:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/copan-honduras-mayan-ruins-for-your-bucket-list" target="_blank">Copán</a></span><br /> </strong></p>
<p><br /> Dating back to around 100 AD, the capital of a powerful dynasty during the Mayan Classical period, ruling much of the surrounding area, is one of the Mayan world's greatest archaeological sites (top) because though while it's far from the largest, it boasts a large number of sculptures and hieroglyphs, on temples, stelae, altars, and even the site’s single most important structure, the Hieroglyphic Stairway, Right alongside it, Copán Ruinas is a marvelous small town with lovely cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, abundant greenery, and hospitable Mayan locals. This definitely is one of my most loved vacation spots in the Americas. Inexpensive hotels are ample. In simple terms, it is really the sort of village you will just fall in love with and never want to leave.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10917585877,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10917585877,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10917585877?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Westbay2106.jpg" target="_blank">Westbrowncanada</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">The Bay Islands</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p><br /> The islands and cays astride the world's second largest barrier reef attract vacationers - and especially divers - more than anywhere else in Honduras. The best known island is <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/diving-into-roatan-honduras" target="_blank">Roatán</a></strong>, with beautiful beaches, charming towns and villages, <strong>Garífuna</strong> culture (these are Afro-Hundurans descended from Caribbean immigrants), and a variety of hotels and resorts as well as budget-friendly inns and guesthouses. Even more budget friendly, the smaller island of <strong>Utila</strong> is considered one of thee world's top dive destinations, both for the advanced and for newbies (dive courses and PADI certification are a fabulous deal here). <strong>Guanaja</strong> is even smaller, more laid back and bucolic, with just several dozen cars over the entire island. Similar castaway charm can be found on the <strong>Cayos Cochinos</strong>, two larger islands and a smattering of tiny cays.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/caribbean-rythm-gm939113412-256784097"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CBb4R95EAoI?wmode=opaque" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="">
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Tela</strong></p>
<p><br />
The stretch of coast near the eponymous city of just under 100,000 has been developed into an increasingly popular beach-resort destination with a wide variety of offerings and activities, but is also home to nature reserves as well as many Garifuna communities such as <strong>Triunfo de la Cruz</strong> and <strong>La Ensenada,</strong> where visitors can experience this singular culture.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>La Ceiba</strong></p>
<p><br />
About an hour and a half along the coast from Tela, Honduras' third largest city (pop. around 200,000) also has a lot to offer - in addition to its surrounding beaches and resorts, La Ceiba boasts great nightlife, and has even been officially declared "the entertainment capital of Honduras," Also nearby is a terrific assortment of eco and adventure options such as whitewater rafting, leading to its other official destination, "the ecotourism capital of Honduras." Ferries run between here and the Bay islands.</p>
<p> </p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Omoa</strong></p>
<p><br />
A bit over an hour north up the coast from Tela near the border with <strong>Guatemala</strong>, this fishing town is a picturesque, laid back place to hang out, go to the beach, and explore its historic 18th-century <strong>San Fernando Fort</strong> (above). <br />
<br />
<br />
</p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><br />
La Moskitia</strong></p>
<p><br />
And speaking of ecotourism, the country's easternmost region, along the so-called <strong>Mosquito Coast</strong>, is largely lush tropical rainforest, pine savannah, and marshes, with Central America's largest wilderness area and inhabited by Miskitos and other tribal peoples. It's very much an undervisited destination, with accommodations and amenities that are fairly basic - but very rewarding for the adventurous.</p>
<p><br />
<br />
</p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong><br />
San Pedro Sula</strong></p>
<p><br />
Honduras commercial capital and second largest city (pop. 719,000) is both a gateway to Copán and the Bay Islands, and worth a day or so in its own right, as a dynamic and stylish spot, with good dining and nightlife. Highlights include its lively <strong>Parque Central</strong> (central square), <strong>Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle</strong>, and museum of anthropology. Though infamous for its gang violence, SPS is quite safe in the areas frequented by visitors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<em><br />
</em></p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p><br />
<strong>Tegucigalpa</strong><br />
<br />
Honduras' capital (pop. ) rarely gets much attention from travelers beyond those who fly in here, because <strong>Tegus</strong> (as Hondurans dub it) is sprawling, polluted, high-crime, and offers little in the way of sightseeing. But if you have a day to spare, there are a handful of notable spots worth checking out, such as its central <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong> with its elaborate Baroque cathedral (above), the <strong>Museum of National Identity</strong>, and the <strong>Garinagu Cultural Center</strong>, focusing on the Garífuna, with extensive exhibitions, handicrafts, and performances.<br />
<br />
<br />
</p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Comayagua</strong></p>
<p><br />
Some just over an hour north of Tegus, on the highway to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' first capital is a city of around 152,000 known for Honduras' best preserved wealth of Spanish colonial architecture, including an early-18th-century cathedral with Central America's oldest clock - built in the Muslim-ruled part of Spain around 1100. There are also a couple of worthwhile museums here, of religious art and archaeology.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</iframe></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Tela</strong></span><br /> <br /> The stretch of coast near the eponymous city of just under 100,000 has been developed into an increasingly popular beach-resort destination with a wide variety of offerings and activities, but is also home to nature reserves as well as many Garifuna communities such as <strong>Triunfo de la Cruz</strong> and <strong>La Ensenada</strong>, where visitors can experience this singular culture.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009363073,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009363073,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009363073?profile=original" width="750" /></a><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/rafting-whitewater-challenge-action-661724/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>skeeze</em></span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>La Ceiba</strong></span></p>
<p>About an hour and a half along the coast from Tela, Honduras' third largest city (pop. around 200,000) also has a lot to offer - in addition to its surrounding beaches and resorts, La Ceiba boasts great nightlife, and has even been officially declared "the entertainment capital of Honduras," Also nearby is a terrific assortment of eco and adventure options such as whitewater rafting, leading to its other official destination, "the ecotourism capital of Honduras." Ferries run between here and the Bay islands. <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg/800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg/800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Dennis Garcia</em></span></a><br /> <strong><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"> Omoa</span></strong></p>
<p>A bit over an hour north up the coast from Tela near the border with <strong>Guatemala</strong>, this fishing town is a picturesque, laid back place to hang out, go to the beach, and explore its historic 18th-century <strong>San Fernando Fort</strong> (above).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank">Dpavon22</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>La Moskitia</strong></span></p>
<p>And speaking of ecotourism, the country's easternmost region, along the so-called <strong>Mosquito Coast</strong>, is largely lush tropical rainforest, pine savannah, and marshes, with Central America's largest wilderness area and inhabited by <strong>Miskitos</strong> and other tribal peoples. It's very much an undervisited destination, with accommodations and amenities that are fairly basic - but very rewarding for the adventurous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg/800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg/800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?&profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?&profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pedro_Sula#/media/File:Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Gervaldez</em></span></a></p>
<p><strong><br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;">San Pedro Sula</span></strong></p>
<p>Honduras commercial capital and second largest city (pop. 719,000) is both a gateway to Copán and the Bay Islands, and worth a day or so in its own right, as a dynamic and stylish spot, with good dining and nightlife. Highlights include its lively <strong>Parque Central</strong> (central square), <strong>Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle</strong>, and museum of anthropology. Though infamous for its gang violence, SPS is quite safe in the areas frequented by visitors.</p>
<p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG/800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG/800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Stzeugner</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"> <strong>Tegucigalpa</strong></span></p>
<p><br /> Honduras' capital (pop. 1.6 million) rarely gets much attention from travelers beyond those who fly in here, because <strong>Tegus</strong> (as Hondurans dub it) is sprawling, polluted, high-crime, and offers little in the way of sightseeing. But if you have a day to spare, there are a handful of notable spots worth checking out, such as its central <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong> with its elaborate Baroque cathedral (above), the <strong>Museum of National Identity</strong>, and the <strong>Garinagu Cultural Center</strong>, focusing on the Garífuna, with extensive exhibitions, handicrafts, and performances.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>LeRoc</em></span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Comayagua</span><br /> <br /> </strong></p>
<p>Some just over an hour north of Tegus, on the highway to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' first capital is a city of around 152,000, known for Honduras' best preserved wealth of Spanish colonial architecture, including an early-18th-century cathedral with Central America's oldest clock - built in the Muslim-ruled part of Spain around 1100. There are also a couple of worthwhile museums here, of religious art and archaeology</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>Water Magic on Guatemala's Lake Atitlánhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/water-magic-on-guatemala-s-lake-atitlan2019-07-12T18:04:55.000Z2019-07-12T18:04:55.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by José Alejandro Adamuz</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Central America</strong>'s largest and perhaps most diverse country has many dramatic spots that evoke a marked sense of place - the spectacular <strong>Mayan ruins</strong> of <strong>Tikal</strong>; the colonial splendour of <strong>Antigua</strong>; the castaway <strong>Caribbean</strong> vibe of <strong>Livingston</strong>; and much more. But <strong>Lake Atitlán</strong>, in the highlands a 2 1/2-hour drive north of <strong>Guatemala City</strong>, does that and more - it evokes something akin to an interior emotion and energy, a soaring of the soul, even a sense of the sublime.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Among those who know these things, Central America's deepest lake (340 metres/1,120 feet) is widely considered one of the world's loveliest lakes, as well as one of its most spiritual. There's evidence that there was once an island here that was a religious ceremonial centre in the pre-classical period of Mayan civilisation - called <strong>Samabaj</strong> after its recent local discoverer and dubbed by <em><strong>National Geographic</strong></em> "the <strong>Mayan Atlantis</strong>"; just being studied now, its secrets have yet to be completely unveiled.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p>Above water, however, there's plenty to see, do, and all around experience. Part of Atitlán's charisma derives from its trio of perfectly conical volanoes rising lakeside: the eponymous Atitlán, <strong>Tolimán</strong>, and <strong>San Pedro</strong>, silvery blue and surrounded by towns and villages. <strong>Panajachel</strong> is the largest, while the others include <strong>San Pedro La Laguna</strong>, <strong>San Juan La Laguna</strong>, <strong>Santa Clara La Laguna</strong>, <strong>Santiago Atitlán</strong>, <strong>Santa Catarina</strong>, <strong>San Antonio</strong>, <strong>Santa Cruz la Laguna</strong>, <strong>Sololá</strong>, and <strong>San Marcos la Laguna</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10953595277,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10953595277,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10953595277?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mayan_%27Saint%27_Maxim%C3%B3n_with_offerings,_guarded_by_a_brotherhood_in_Santiago_Atitl%C3%A1n,_Guatemala.jpg" target="_blank">Ralf Steinberger</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">It's this last which can be considered perhaps the most spiritual of Guatemala's currently populated towns, in a <strong>New-Age</strong> kind of way; hundreds of visitors come to experience the likes of <strong>yoga</strong>, <strong>tantric yoga</strong>, <strong>reiki</strong>, <strong>music therapy</strong>, and other alternative coolnesses, yet San Marcos still manages to remain a laid-back town. And it, along with the lake's main tourism hub Panajachel, can serve as an excellent base of operations, with plenty of accommodation and eating options.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From both, water taxis and excursion boats leave for various other communities, particularly Santiago Atitlán to visit the church of <strong>Santiago Apóstol</strong> and discover the cult of <strong>Maximón</strong> (above, a modern Mayan/Catholic syncretic tradition); visit Sololá's untouristy Mayan market; hike up to <strong>La Nariz del Indio</strong> (Indian's Nose) peak, between Santa Clara and San Juan; hike up <strong>San Pedro Volcano</strong>; or simply relax (or meditate) on the shores of this 20-kilometre-long (12 1/2-mile) lake.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">All of the above communities, by the way, are populated by Mayans, various ethnicities of the civilisation that built mighty Tikal and the other astonishing ancient cities of Central America and southern <strong>Mexico</strong>. And as such, they offer visitors a fascinating window into different aspects of the local culture that leave them deeply impressed. Another remarkable side of the <strong>Mundo Maya</strong> that's a must.</p>
<p> </p></div>The Atmospheric Incan Market of Otavalo, Ecuadorhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-atmospheric-incan-market-of-otavalo-ecuador2019-05-09T12:00:00.000Z2019-05-09T12:00:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/L2F-Mar-16-pic-Ecuador-Otovalo-Market-textiles-Boyd-Hendrikse-shutterstock_177766172.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/L2F-Mar-16-pic-Ecuador-Otovalo-Market-textiles-Boyd-Hendrikse-shutterstock_177766172-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Mar-16-pic-Ecuador-Otovalo-Market-textiles-Boyd-Hendrikse-shutterstock_177766172-640x426.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by José Alejandro Adamuz</em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> One of the best ways to get to know a country is through its markets. What you find is not only its products, but an entire way of life, of feeling, of talking… dare we even say, of falling in love with the place. An entire country is exposed to our senses, through its people and its culture. And so in order to get to know <strong>Ecuador</strong> better, we’re going to take a stroll through one of the most important markets – not just of the country, but of all <strong>South America</strong>. Get your shopping shoes on, because today we’re going to the <strong>Otavalo Market</strong>. Welcome to the real Ecuador!</p><p>There’s no question about it: if you’re travelling to Quito, an excursion to this small city (pop. 90,000) just over two hours south will be a great way to discover the Andean culture of Ecuador, as well as an intense experience on its own.</p><p>The city's main claim to fame is the <strong>Otavalo Handicrafts Market</strong> (though there's much more than crafts here), however, for those who are early to rise. Do try to visit the market on Saturday, as the rest of the week only a handful of crafts shops will be open.</p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mercado-de-otavalo-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mercado-de-otavalo-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="mercado-de-otavalo-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a id="portfolio_link" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-1907633p1.html" name="portfolio_link">Boyd Hendrikse</a>,</em></span></p><h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /> Animal Market</span></strong></h3><p><br /> The Otavalenos (locals) and country folk from the surrounding areas arrive at a dirt enclosure next to the highway that starts to fill up around 6 in the morning. A great cloud of dust is kicked up as horses, cows, bulls, pigs and other animals that are bought and sold here are herded in. The people wear their typical regional costumes, with those unmistakably Andean hats and their cheeks burned by the high-altitude sun.</p><p>From a safe distance you can watch the bargaining, how the animals are checked by prospective buyers, how they load them onto trucks, or how some simply leave the market with a cow, hen, goat or pig in tow. Children will often be in charge of guiding the animal home, but rest assured these are not meant to be pets.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size:8px;"><em><a class="extiw" title="w:en:User:Sputnikcccp" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:User:Sputnikcccp"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Sputnikcccp</span></a></em></span></p><h3><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /> Handicrafts Market</span></strong></h3><p><br /> Somewhat later, in the centre of town, the handicrafts market of Otavalo starts to get underway in the <strong>Plaza de los Ponchos</strong>, expanding like an infinite labyrinth of shops where you can find fabrics of different colours, clothing, hats, crafts that make excellent gifts, and all manner of <em>knickknacks.<br /> <br /> </em></p><p>Textiles are the star in this market, as there is a long tradition dating back to the times of the Incan empire. Locals have developed a whole technology and textile industry, as you can clearly see in any one of the hundreds of stands in the market. Most famous is the Otavalo <em><strong>casimir</strong></em>, a kind of cashmere that is prized throughout the world – though it is here, of course, that you will find the very finest, for the best price.</p><p>Whether you're a shopper or not, a fascinating and unforgettable experience!</p><p><br /> More information: <a href="http://ecuador.travel/" target="_blank">Ecuador.travel</a>.</p><p><br /> Best Iberia fares to Quito <a href="http://www.iberia.com/gb/cheap-flights/Quito/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from the U.K.</a>, <a href="http://www.iberia.com/es/cheap-flights/Quito/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from Spain</a>.<br /> <span style="font-size:8px;"><br /> </span></p><p> </p></div>Celebrating Colombia's Folksy Vallenato Musichttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/celebrating-colombia-s-folksy-vallenato-music-12019-04-29T21:19:42.000Z2019-04-29T21:19:42.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Vallenato-min-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Vallenato-min-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Vallenato-min-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>photos: ProColombia</em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by Miguel Martínez Rabanal</em></span></p><p>Along with <strong>cumbia</strong>, the <strong>folk music</strong> form known as <strong>vallenato</strong> is a calling card of <strong>Colombian culture</strong>, and its <strong><a href="http://www.festivalvallenato.com/" target="_blank">Vallenata Legend Festival</a></strong> is a particularly momentous one, marking its 52nd edition this year April 26-30 in the city of <strong>Valledupar</strong>, in Colombia's northeast, about an hour and a half flight from <strong>Bogotá</strong> and just under four hours' drive from <strong>Cartagena</strong>.</p><p><br /> Truth to tell, <strong>Colombian culture</strong> wouldn't be the same without this music, which goes back more than two centuries. With humble roots in rural troubadors mixing Spanish and African traditions, these days it's beloved enough among Colombians that <strong>UNESCO</strong> has classified it as an <strong>Intangible Cultural Heritage</strong>, and it's even been extending its reach into neighbouring countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela.</p><p><br /> Vallenato's main instruments reflect Colombia's cultural diversity: the <strong>accordion</strong> (below), from <strong>Europe</strong>; the <strong>caja</strong> (also below), a drum of African origin; and the <strong>guacharaca</strong>, a scratching stick invented by the <strong>pre-Columbian Tairona</strong> people. As an identifying mark, the lead singer in each group blends the chords and gives each of them their own personality.<br /> </p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Acordeon-Vallenato-min-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Acordeon-Vallenato-min-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Acordeon-Vallenato-min-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a></p><p><br /> And if vallenato is <strong>Colombian music</strong> par excellence, the annual <a href="http://www.festivalvallenato.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Leyenda Vallenata</strong></a> in its foremost centre Valldedupar is its most important festival, which has over the years aimed to protect and promote the genre's traditional character, focussing on its four main strains: <strong><em>puya</em></strong>, <em><strong>merengue</strong></em>, <em><strong>son</strong></em>, and <em><strong>paseo</strong></em>.</p><p><br /> A good portion of this event is devoted to competitions - for best accordionists, composers, <em><strong>piloneras</strong></em> (dancers), and <em><strong>verseadores</strong></em> (improvisational lyricists) in various categories including youth, amateur, and professional; winners receive the title of "kings" (yes, they're all blokes). Past kings have included vallenato legends such as <strong>Alejandro Durán</strong>, <strong>Egidio Cuadrado</strong>, and <strong>Egidio Mendoza</strong>.<br /> </p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Caja-Vallenata-min-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Caja-Vallenata-min-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Caja-Vallenata-min-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a></p><p><br /> <br /> Yes, Colombians do love their music - and vallenato is far from the only kind that's popular here. Of the country's three other major music forms, two are also homegrown. The abovementioned cumbia is from the Caribbean coastal region and like vallenato has European, African, and pre-Columbian influences. Its rhythms are lively and upbeat; its music created mostly by instruments like the <strong><em>flauta de millo</em></strong> (a traditional flute made of cane), drums, and maracas; and the dancing that usually accompanies it featuring colourful costumes.</p><p><br /> The second, typical of the expansive <strong>Orinoquía</strong> region in the east of the country, is <strong>joropo</strong>, which also uses maracas, along with the harp and the cuatro (a small, four-string guitar). Its themes revolve around the people of the <strong>Orinoco River</strong> watershed plains, and its energetic dances resemble a galloping horsebackrider.</p><p>The third is not native to Colombia. <strong>Salsa</strong> in fact first developed among the Cubans and Puerto Ricans of <strong>New York City</strong>, but it has been so enthusiastically embraced by Colombians that one of its cities, <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/salsa-your-way-to-cali-colombia" target="_blank">Cali, is even considered the world capital of salsa</a>, filled with salsa schools and even museums, as well as clubs where thousands of locals dance till dawn. Its annual <strong>Feria de Cali</strong> (December 25-30) includes a salsa marathon that has to be seen to be believed!</p><p><em><br /> <br /> </em></p></div>