Street Art in the Pelourinho, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
I am no “Aficionado” of Street Art… I actually very seldom specifically look for it and spend even less time photographying it. Maybe did I have a negative image of it? Continue Reading →
Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The great Gold Rush did not take place in California, but almost two Centuries earlier in the hills of Minas Gerais, 500 kilometers northwest of Rio de Janeiro. Between the early 17th and the middle of the 19th Century, this area produced more than half of the Gold of the whole world! Continue Reading →
Igreja e Convento do Carmo, Pelourinho, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
Salvador has changed a lot since 2007… I remembered a somewhat rundown, decrepit Colonial City completely overrun by tourists. First, the drive from the airport to Santo Antonio, near the Pelourinho, showed a highly modern city, large avenues lined with modern high-rises and brand new shopping centers. Then, the Pelourinho has been completely restored for the Football World Cup in 2014. Last but not least, Salvador was almost void of tourists… Maybe being there on a Sunday and a Monday explains things, but at times I had the streets for myself… Continue Reading →
One of the most famous views in the world – Machu Picchu, with Wayna Picchu in the background, Cusco, Peru
Unless you approach Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail, all tourists going there MUST take the train from Cuzco or at least from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Round trip, with only 30 kilometers each way, costs an incredible 57 USD per persons from Ollantaytambo in the backpacker train. The more comfortable Vistadome costs no less than 76 USD.
Condor (Vultur gryphus), Cruz del Condor, Colca Canyon or Canyon de Colca, Cabanaconde, Peru
The best way to see condors is to leave Cabanaconde at 06:30 am, get off the Arequipa-bound bus at Cruz del Condor after a 30 minutes ride and catch the next bus that passes there at around 09:45 am. There are three reasons why leaving so early: first you can only spot condors early morning or late afternoon, second the light is better in the morning and third because the Mirador called Cruz del Condor is packed with groups of tourists as early as 08:30 or latest 09:00 am. Continue Reading →
Ica-Chincha Mummies found in the Chauchilla Cemetery … near Nazca, Peru
A sight less often visited in Nasca is the Cemetery of Chauchilla, a truly groovy place about 25 km north of Nasca right in the desert. The cemetery was used by the Ica-Chincha, a civilization that lived in this region long before it was conquered by other cultures, the last one the Inca, who also used this cemetery. Scientists estimate that there might be 2000 graves, but only about ten were fully excavated and restored. Continue Reading →
Trekking Mount Roraima, the highest Tepui or Tabletop Mountain, Venezuela – A rare view of Mount Roraima in the rain season
Trekking Mount Roraima was definitely one of the highlights of our trip in Venezuela, but it was also the toughest 6 days we ever had during a trip. This had to do with the fact that we were untrained and that the weather conditions were partly extremely difficult. Continue Reading →
Trekking the “W”
Trekking the “W” in Torres del Paine – Los Cuernos del Paine, view from a boat on a trip to Pehoe, Torres del Paine National Park, South Chile
Torres del Paine is South America’s most visited National Park, with more than 200.000 visitors per year. It covers an area of 181.000 hectares and is on every tourist’s itinerary who is visiting Chile or southern Argentina. Continue Reading →
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) or Ballena Franca Austral, Peninsula Valdez National Park, Northern Patagonia, Argentina, South America
We spent 74 days in Argentina, Chile & Uruguay and 54 in Argentina alone: since major points of interests are in nearby places in Chile or Uruguay, travelling in Argentina most certainly means crossing the borders into these countries. In Argentina, we visited most of the classical tourist destinations: Buenos Aires, Misiones, Iguazu, the Andean Northwest, Mendoza, Peninsula Valdez, the Lake District, Southern Patagonia with El Calafate & El Chalten, and Tierra del Fuego. Add to this Chiloe, the cruise between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine & Punta Arenas in Chile and Colonia & Montevideo in Uruguay, and we can say we almost visited it all! Continue Reading →
Andean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus Andinus), Laguna Colorada, South West Bolivia, South America
We simply fell in love with Bolivia … We planned to stay four weeks and spent almost seven there, which forced us to completely change the route for the rest of the trip! We visited Copacabana & Lake Titicaca; La Paz; Rurrenabaque, Madidi National Park & La Pampa; Death Road & Coroico; Sucre; Potosi; Tupiza; Uyuni & the Southwest Loop to the Salar de Uyuni.
