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This thread makes me really happy! I leave for 3 months of backpacking in 8 days. I am starting in Colombia for 1 1/2 months, then a stopover in Lima for a week, and Brazil for 5 weeks. I have traveled in Ecuador for 2 1/2 months, Colombia for 1 month, and Bolivia for 1 1/2 months so let me know if you have any questions about backpacking in those countries. I can answer any travel related questions like what there is to do in each place, sample itineraries, which hostels are most fun, which clubs are the best, etc. I do have some questions for you. I have a free 7 day stopover in Lima. I figured i would spend the week in the city. I am looking for a great party hostel. I have heard The Point and Loki are great. What do you think? Do i have time to go anywhere interesting in a week besides Lima? Are there any special foods i have to try. I know about ceviche and the pisco sour, anything else? Any interesting things to do in Lima that are not in the guidebooks? As for Brazil, its pretty expensive so I am planning to just stay in Sao Paulo, Rio, and Salvador. Is $70 a day realistic for someone who stays in cheap hostels, eats out at decent restaurants, and likes to party at night? Would you recommend a Favela tour in Rio? Have you heard of the Fortal festival in Fortaleza?
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May 1, 2008 06:24
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JohnnyGuadalupe posted:To begin if you have a chance to go to carnaval (I imagine thats what you mean by festival since Fortaleza's one is during June) GO, GO, GO! You will hate yourself if you don't Yep, thats what I was referring to. For some reason, so many people don't seem to know about when i have asked so i figured it wasnt anything great. I actually planned my trip around it so i could go. Its actually in late july, not june. I may just have to get myself down there. JohnnyGuadalupe posted:Starting with Brazil. 70 a day is a good budget if you want to live it up. Be sure to not eat at tourist places (Prices drop by half if you just walk two blocks away from the beach). I ate everyday at nice places where the locals ate and partied a lot on 50 a day. The biggest recommendation I can make is to figure out public transportation and do things on your own so you don't have to take tours. The difference in tourist and local prices is ridiculous. I met an Australian who payed 100 dollars for a private Corcovado "tour", when the bus there costs 50 cents and the entrance costs ten dollars. She payed 90 dollars to get driven over there. I have been hearing mixed responses about how much I will need in Brazil. I don't know any Portuguese so i'm thinking it will be tough to get the best deals. I don't book tours to attractions i could easily do myself but i do book tours when it involves adventure activities. I hear most hostels arrange favela tours like you were talking about. I hear Yellow Mellow in Rio is a lot of fun. Anyways, its good to hear i may not need $70 since thats more than i would like to spend. $50/day would be perfect. JohnnyGuadalupe posted:Personally if I were going to Lima for a week I would not stay in Lima. Lima is a nice city with attractions that can be seen in one or two days at most. The night life is ok, but you are going to Brazil, so you won't be blown away. 5 hours away is the beautiful oasis town of Huacachina, which is where I would spend the week. Huacachina is a oasis town in the middle of huge sands. Imagine watch the sun come up from the top of a sand dune three times as tall as your six story hostel, turning around and seeing a deep green lagoon surrounded by mountains of sand. The beer is dirt cheap, you can sandboard all day, the Swedish girls started taking their tops off because the French girls did and every night a hostel employee makes a fire in the middle of the desert so you can sit around drink and pass a joint. This place sounds like a good option. I actually saw some travel show where they went there a few days ago. I may just end up going there for a few days. Are there any other places I may want to look into? I really enjoy cities and the nightlife so Lima seems like a place i may just want to spend my time in. JohnnyGuadalupe posted:Drink chicha (Native aguardiente served hot from the pot and made with whatever they had at the time) eat every part of a llama you can find, especially anticuchos which are roasted llama heart kebabs served in Sabritas bags cut in half, and walk off the beaten path to get a whole roasted cuy (Imagine your pet hamster, but it weighs two pounds and has little mole claws). When my freinds and I ate one the locals almost stood up and cheered. My girlfreind recommends Quinoa because it is super expensive over here in the States and so uber nutritious. I don't travel to eat health food and didn't like it, it tastes like oatmeal made out of steel. Also, drink a lot of Inca Kola. In all my travels and college courses where we have talked about chicha i still have not tried it. Aguardiente is the drink of choice in Colombia so i have spend many nights drinking it and still have a bottle i brought back. I havent tried llama or aplaca either so that will be a food to try. I tried cuy (guinea pig) in Ecuador and it was pretty nasty. Finally, i agree that quinoa is pretty bad. My mom used to feed it to me when i was younger. Thanks a bunch for your advice. I'll write a bit about Ecuador and Colombia in a bit.
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May 1, 2008 19:14
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JohnnyGuadalupe posted:That turned out longer than I thought. So many good memories. I have a couple of questions. I am flying into Ecuador and making my way to Venezuela to fly back from Colombia. Do you have any recommendations on where to go? What places are overrated on the tour books? Things I should seriously do and which to avoid? I want to visit some national parks in Ecuador, how viable is it for me to rent equipment? Does Colombia deserve its bad rep? I will start with Ecuador. In Quito you will want to visit the old town with all of its restored colonial buildings. Just wander around that area for a few days if you have the time, its great. At night, head to La Mariscal where all of the bars and clubs are. La Mariscal is that gringo filled area that every latin american city has. In La Mariscal, you will also find all of the hostels, tour operators, places to rent equipment, language schools, etc. The clubs arent that great in Ecuador but Bungalow 6 is a pretty good time. Go on a wednesday for ladies night where they only let all the women in from 8-10 and give them all free drinks. Then they let the men in.... Go to parque Carolina on a sunday for a great atmosphere and to watch a bunch of people doing aerobics to techno music. Plaza independencia is also great on a sunday where they have live music in front of the presidential palace. If you go to the equator which is only 40 min. from Quito, make sure to visit the alternate monument since the official one is not actually on the equator like they claim. Papallacta is a great 1/2 day trip with some amazing hot springs surrounded by green mountains. You can go whitewater rafting and caving in the jungle in Tena. Coca is a better jungle to visit if you want to see wildlife. Banos is probably the adventure capital of Ecuador. You can go rapelling, rent atv's, white water rafting, etc. Its got some hot springs which are ok. Go to Montanita if you want a beach with nightlife and backpackers. Canoa is a quiet beach town if you prefer. Atacames is the beach town that all of the Ecuadorian tourists go to and when i went i was one of the only gringos there. Otavalo is nice for its huge indigenous market. If you enjoy hiking or mountain biking then look up Cotapaxi. Mindo is great to visit for its cloudforest. The Quilotoa Loop is pretty nice for hiking. For some good information about climbing and hiking in Ecuador you can visit http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/html/climbing_and_trekking.html I hung out with the author of the book for a bit when I was there so i can put you in touch with him if you want. Colombia is my favorite country that I have been. The carnival is Barranquilla is the best in Colombia. But don't bother going there unless its carnival time. San Andres and Providencia are two big islands that are supposed to be great but you need to fly there. The coffee region (Periera, Armena, Manizales, etc.) is supposed to be spectacular with unique scenery. Spend a few days on a coffee plantation and visit the coffee theme park. There are some small colonial towns with Villa de Leyva, Barichara, etc. Barichara was my favorite but most people would reccomend Villa de Leyva the most. Leticia is a safe jungle town on the border that you need to fly to get there. Bogota was my favorite city. So much to do during the day! Stay in La Candelaria. Don't miss the Gold museum which has the largest collection in the world. Also, ask German in the Platypus where to find the club which is located on the 42nd floor of an office block. Cartagena - fantastic walled city, well worth a visit but many people make the mistake of thinking that there is a huge amount to do here. 2 days should be suffice. Its what you would imagine Cuba to look like. You can also visit a nearby "mud volcano" to relax in. There are some excellent beaches (playa blana) you can get a ferry to from Cartegena. Santa Marta - well worth a visit, a bustling port and gateway to the Machu Piccu of Colombia - Ciudad Perdida. But you will probably prefer to stay in Taganga which is only 20 minutes away by colectivo from Santa Marta and boasts some incredible beaches, top hostels and the second cheapest diving and snorkelling in the world. My reccommendation is the La Casa de Felipe hostel - reckoned to be the best in Colombia! You must go to Taganga, a small fishing town on the ocean which has become a great chillout place for travelers and is only 15 minutes from a big city Santa Marta. Parque Tayrona is also really close by and has the best beaches in Colombia. You can also do the lost city trek from Santa Marta by organizing it in Hotel Mirimar. Its a 6 day trek through the jungle where you hike through mud, cross rivers, visit a cocaine lab, stay at military bases, and see indigenous villages. After 3 days, you end at an archeological site which consists of a series of terraces carved into the mountainside, a net of tiled roads and several small circular plazas. The only way to get there is this hike so you will have it all to yourself. Medellin - Like a top european city - safer than ever and has all the attractions you could want including some great nightlife - I'm a big fan of this place....3 or 4 days depending on how much you like going out. -There is also great paragliding over the city too. If you are there in August there is a "flower festiva" which means lots of partying, events, and music. San Gil - Can't speak more highly of this place. Shaun in Hostal Macondo will sort you out with the best rafting,abseilling etc you need. It's an absolutely heavenly place! Cali - supposed to be the second best place to go out in South America (after BsAs) and it's also supposed to have the best looking women. The sights in and around cali are limited although San Cipriano - is a great daytrip. It's really hot and humid here and most can't handle that. Popayan - It's a great university colonial town and it's also the gateway to San Agustin and Tierradentro which are 2 of south americas most amazing archeological sights - on the level of Easter Island due to the mystery surrounding them. Also there is an indigenous market about 1 hour from here not to mention hot springs and active volcanoes. The temperature is perfect too.
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May 1, 2008 19:51
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It seems appropriate to post links to some youtube videos (not mine) related to South American travel. La Paz - Bolivia- http://youtube.com/watch?v=_JG8cghKVL8 The salt hostal in the Salar-[/b] http://youtube.com/watch?v=kXWdSAQqwpo Colombia- http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tf-21rb7VJw Villa de Leyva, Colombia- http://youtube.com/watch?v=JH7bN920kwg Banos, Ecuador- http://youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1nzDy8p04 Why You Can't Sleep on an Ecuador Bus- http://youtube.com/watch?v=JUgt7Kk-U1A Bus Ride from Quito to Baños- http://youtube.com/watch?v=4XS11c6z7M8 The Gringomobile Diaries- http://youtube.com/watch?v=9r7JHAqoZJs
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May 6, 2008 00:26
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roflcopter thief posted:Did you say Fortaleza? I'm going to be residing there over the next couple months (and I would like to find out more about Fortal too, http://www.fortal.com.br says July 24-27; everything I've heard about Fortal (admittedly not much) tells me it's like a mini-carnaval) and one thing I would like to remind you of is the presence of malaria in the more rural parts of Brazil (and other parts of South America, really). The threat is mostly non-existent in Fortaleza, Rio, Sao Paulo; pretty much the coastal cities and southern areas are fine. There really is not much information about it in english on the internet. If i do make it to Fortaleza, would it all be possible to stay with you for Fortal? R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 19:13 on May 24, 2008 |
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May 14, 2008 16:36
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Lets keep this thread from dying!    
R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Dec 31, 2009 |
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May 24, 2008 19:19
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Kaiser Bill posted:Is there any way to Galapagos other than airplane? And how cheap is a flight from Ecuador to Galapagos? No, there is no other realistic way to get there. Pusscat answered the question about the flight cost. If you are worried about cost then i would reccomend doing the Galapagos on your own. Get to the islands (about $500 with the park fee) and book day tours with travel agencies on the islands. Ferry to other islands. Stay in hotels (as cheap as $5/night).
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May 28, 2008 19:08
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cranberry juice posted:I've been dying to go back to Europe, but since the exchange is making this really expensive, I've realized that it would be a good time to think about planning a trip to South America! My first, really basic question, is that I haven't studied spanish since I was in high school. I graduated in 2002, and took 3 years. I replaced the spanish in my head with the french that I took in college. KosherNostra answered the question pretty well. But tons of travelers go without Spanish. If you want to be able to communicate with locals, get a novia, etc. then its best to take an intensive 2 week/1 month spanish course in a city. Ecuador is known for speaking the clearest Spanish. Argentina not so much.
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May 28, 2008 19:11
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Whitefish posted:I need to get vaccinations for Peru and I'm not sure whether to get one for Rabies. It's pretty expensive and I don't know if I need it. It says you should get it if you're going to be more than 24 hours away from medical attention at any time or if you're going to be handling animals. I'm not planning on the latter, but I don't know about the former. I'm probably going to stay a rainforest lodge somewhere near Iquitos, but I don't know if I'm likely to be a long way from medical attention there. But I'm guessing a lot of tourists do that stuff and don't have rabies jabs? I am not a doctor so i suppose you should not take this advice to seriously. But many travelers i meet, myself included, do not have the rabies vaccincation. If you will be staying in a lodge i would not worry nearly as much then if you were planning a boat trip through the amazon for a week.
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May 28, 2008 19:13
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Tetrix posted:I am awaiting answers to iamking's questions and I also have a few: 1. Yes, you can travel South America as a novice. If you think about it, traveling is easy. All you need is to find a place to sleep and eat. If you get lost in the city, you can always get in a taxi and show the driver the business card for your hostel. The actual traveling part is pretty easy as well. You get to the bus station and people will approach you to ask where you are going and they point you in the right direction. Its also so easy to meet other travelers in hostels that you can easily find a travel partner. I figure that what i just wrote is what makes most new travelers worried the most. But traveling is easy and anyone can do it. 2. Technically you can. But the answer is no and i cannot imagine why would you want to do that? Do you really believe that this is the only chance in your life that you have to travel in South America?
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Jun 8, 2008 20:10
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dontpanic posted:If it helps your planning, I think 2 days is enough for Iguazu. The bus from there to Buenos Aires is overnight. I often see crosses with a few flowers on the sides of the highways that show where people died. What seems to be more dangerous is that the roads from city to city consist of two lanes (one going in each direction). Many bus drivers will try to pass slow vehicles by driving into opposing traffic which has made for many very close calls where we almost collided head on. Its far worse in Bolivia or Peru though. When i get home in a few months i´ll post some videos of what the highway driving is like since there are sharp curves every 5-10 seconds on many roads.
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Jun 15, 2008 05:23
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CatchrNdRy posted:DustingDuvet I like to think of myself as an open-minded, semi-traveled person and have little qualms about most nations. But I can't help but think Colombia still as having an absurd kidnapping and crime rate. What are some of your veteran traveler safety tips and guidelines? Colombia is just misunderstood to be honest. As a foreigner, unless you are a a rich businessman, a politician, or work for an oil company, than Colombia is one of the safest countries for the day to day life of a foreigner. Colombians are the friendliest bunch of people i have met and go out of their way to help people. For instance, i have had go completely out of their way to walk me to a destination i am looking for, have had many Colombians that i met act as a guide for their cities and would not let me pay for anything, etc. I really notice the differences now that I am in Peru. As for a few tips besides the ones that are common sense (dont walk down a dark alley at night, etc.): If you somehow need to walk a few blocks at night in a dangerous place, run instead of walk. Bring a bunch of credit cards (3-5) and keep one in your wallet with the rest hidden throughout your belongings. Also hide some cash in different parts of your belongings too. If you need to pull out a map or feel lost, find a quiet place maybe inside a store or right outside against the opposite side of the wall to do it. If you find yourself at a shady intersection at night, watch your back as someone can easily come up from behind to attack or mug you. In shadier area, it helps to look confident by walking somewhat fast and not looking over your shoulder every second. Some cities like Bogota are known for dangerous taxi drivers who will rob you so you should either call a friend or pretend to call someone and say something like ¨I just got into a taxi am going to 100 west drive. The taxi number is 13jh3 and the drivers name is juan carlos¨. This information is always available in the taxi and will make the driver less likely to harm you. When you are in a crowded enough place you should keep your thumbs in your pockets to protect your wallet.
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Jun 24, 2008 18:59
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Papercut posted:I'm going to Peru for two weeks on Thursday. The first week is pretty much booked up with the Inca Trail, but the second week is wide open. I'm thinking of either taking a bus/train to the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, or catching a flight to La Paz. Any suggestions, either about those ideas or other things I could do? I've already looked into jungle trips and I'm not really feeling them. I don´t have any suggestions about places to go but keep in mind its something like over $100 for the Bolivian visa if you are American and you need certain documentation. A valid U.S. Passport is required. (must be valid at least 6 months beyond date of arrival, and contain at least one blank visa page.) One visa application form fully completed and signed. 1 Passport type Photograph. Copy of Hotel Confirmation, or letter of invitation from friends or relatives in Bolivia. Copy of Round Trip Airline Ticket or copy of travel agency/airline Itinerary. Copy of Bank Statement (copy of Credit Card also accepted). International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required (except for minors age under 1 year). Completed Cover Page and Credit Card Authorization forms (print from browser)
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Jun 24, 2008 23:51
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KosherNostra posted:Just Bolivia. Bolivia and Brasil are the only countries in South America I believe charge U.S. passport holders a reciprocity fee. Paraguay also requires a visa in advance as well.
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Jun 26, 2008 02:18
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dontpanic posted:Is that just something you have to deal with if you visit Bolivia or Peru? Its something you have to deal with any Andean country including Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, etc. The reason being is that its pretty difficult to build multi lane highways through the Andes, especially for developing countries. Its even worse in Bolivia where the roads are in such poor condition. You ought to look into riding a bike down the death road from La Paz to Coroico! CatchrNdRy posted:Are Peruvians somewhat more closed off than most South Americans? How would you rank openness in the all places you've been? I dont think i can really answer that question since i have only been in Peru for about 3 or 4 days and only in Lima and Cusco. But having been to Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia for a few months each i would say Colombians are the most open and friendly. They are genuinly happy to see tourists in their country and really show it. Bolivians in a way are more shy but once you get to know them they are a kind bunch. Ecuadorians are somewhere in the middle. But that still leaves most of South America whom i have not commented on and i am bias. So you are better off not listening to me. On a different note, I just got back from seeing the Machu Pichu today and it was fantastic. Tomorrow i may go bungee jumping. Come to South America and you can all do really cool stuff like that too. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 02:41 on Jun 26, 2008 |
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Jun 26, 2008 02:30
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Eucibius posted:
The one trip i would recommend taking your budget into account is to Banos. Its something like $14 round trip by bus, $4-$8 a night in a hostel, a few $ for the hot springs there, and $5 to rent a bicycle for the day to do the ride from Banos to the jungle in Puyo where you then return by bus. Any decent trip will cost over $50 because you actually need to eat, sleep, etc. Otherwise, you ought to do some touristy things in Quito (Teleferico, the church, etc.). I did not really try much nightlife outside of La Mariscal but there is a club called Blues thats pretty good and not in that area.
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Jul 6, 2008 01:43
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Jesus Is A Streaker posted:Hey, in Mid-August I'm going to go to Peru for free (my Dad needs to go on business, so he's making it a family vacation). We have a fairly packed itinerary through his company, but there is a little bit of lee-way, especially towards the end. I can offer some advice for the nightlife. In Cusco, you will want to go to Loki Hostel where they have a bar and its really easy to meet other travelers and go out to the clubs with them (Mama Africa is great). In Lima, The Point is a great hostel and they also have a bar to meet people. You do not have to stay in the hostels to go to their bars and its very normal and common to go their alone as its the same thing as being a solo traveler, which there are many. http://www.thepointhostels.com/ http://www.lokihostel.com/
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Jul 8, 2008 23:01
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CatchrNdRy posted:Hey yo I'm going to be Salvador, Brazil the entire month of August. What should I be looking to do on my free time? Guides seem to skim over the state of Bahia or give conflicting information ("this attractions sucks" vs "no that attraction is awesome"). I see that nobody has answered your question. I am going to Salvador tomorrow for the next week so i´ll give you some advice when I get back to Rio. Does anyone know of a good hostel in Salvador?
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Jul 14, 2008 19:27
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Whitefish posted:Question about power sockets in Brazil and Peru. Are they just like US plug sockets or do they have different voltages? Do you need a special adaptor for them? Both countries use the same as the US plug sockets. I never had any sparks fly or broken mp3 players after charging my stuff so I have to assume the voltage is near the same as the US.
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Jul 22, 2008 15:05
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CatchrNdRy posted:I am eagerly awaiting DustingDuvet's specific trip report from Salvador, but I would settle for general advice interacting with Brazilians as an American. What are some common social mistakes? I have some rudimentary Portuguese, so I definitely will attempt to speak. I also am Asian and people abroad always seemed stunned that I could be both. But of course Brazil is very diverse. I apologize for taking so much time to get back to you about Salvador. I just had a ton of fun my last weeks in Brazil and couldn't be bothered to spend any more time on the internet than needed. On my flight from Rio to Salvador I met a few kind businessmen who wrote every possible tourist attraction in or around Salvador. They even drove me from the airport to my hostel which was far. I'll say it now; I encountered more friendly people in Salvador then the others places I visited (not many). But anyways, I still have the napkin though its all ripped and difficult to read. But everything I am going to tell you is from my experiences and from the napkin. As a tourist, you will either want to stay in Barra (pronounced Baja) or Pelourinho. Baja is the wealthy area where most foreigners stay. Pelourinho is the historic center. I stayed in both areas. Barra was nice because its more relaxed and safe, well kept, has great restaurants, and some decent bars and clubs. Pelourinho was also nice because its so lively. One night I walked out of my hostel on a tuesday and did not return until much later because I found a free jazz concert, some strange yet entertaining live music in the center, and a samba band marching through the streets. Its a bit dodgy at night though. The following are some areas of interest to visit. -Pelourinho, Mercado Modelo (go down to the basement where they stored the slaves), Afro Brazilian museum, Folkloric ballet show at night -Cidade Baixa (the Lower City) -Barra & Farol da Barra -Campo Grande -Bonfin -"Wet'n' Wild" Water Park -Ribiero: Ribeira has a long stretch of beach and barracas (simple little bars and restaurants). Its perfect for a long walk around the neighborhood and a visit to one of the famous ice cream parlors with lots of unique flavors. Outside of Salvador you have: -Morro De Sao Paulo -Parai do Forte -Itaparica -Chapada Diamintina -Jacobina One of my favorite days was when I walked away from Pelorinho towards the downtown area and just explored. It felt more "authentic" than any other area I visited in Salvador because normal people were going about their daily business. I got a far better feel for Salvador just walking around and getting lost than the other places. For hostels, the only place I would absolutely reccomend you stay is http://www.barraguesthouse.com/ The hostel has a small and friendly atmosphere with a helpful owner. You need to book in advance as its always full. I could tell you the other hostels I stayed but they were nothing special and I am sure you could find ones yourself that are just as good. As for nightlife, either party in an expensive club (bring ID, shoes, long pants) or in Pelourinho.            P.S. That really good song you will hear on the radio all the time is called Mina Do Condominio by Seu Jorge...i have been listening to it non stop. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 06:51 on Aug 9, 2008 |
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Aug 9, 2008 06:29
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Reagan Youth posted:I'm going to La paz, and eventually Villa Tunari, which is near Cochabamba, for about 4 months, but the schedule is also open to change. does anyone have any general recs/advice for Bolivia? I went back in 2005 and really enjoyed myself. I found Bolivia to be a really unique country and had the most "Andean feel" out of the other Andean countries. It's also so drat cheap there in comparison that you will feel like a king. You can visit the Amazon for cheap, go trekking in the Andes, etc. Bolivia has a lot of unique food/drink and you should try it. -Charque kan - llama jerky -Silpancho - beef pounded to a thin, plate-sized patty, served on a bed of rice and potatoes, with a fried egg on top -Anticucho - Beef hearts grilled on a skewer, served with potatoes and a spicy corn sauce -Salchipapa - Thinly sliced sausage fried with potatoes -Choripan - Chorizo (spicy sausage) sandwich, served with grilled onions and lots of sauce -Salteña - A baked bun filled with meat and potatoes in a slightly sweet or spicy sauce -llama/alpaca steak -cuy- guinea pig -chicha- traditional alcoholic drink -mate de coca -coca leaves There is also lots to do and see in La Paz. -Go to a Peña for some live traditional music -See some chula wrestling/lucha libre -See a live soccer match -Bike down the death road from La Paz to Coroico -Sagarnaga: the backpacker street with hostels, tour agencies, and crafts -Witches' Market: It has become pretty touristy but you can find some interesting things like llama fetus's. -Calle Jaen: Lots of beautiful colonial buildings ( also has the Museo de Instrumentos Musicales de Bolivia) -Plaza Murillo- A plaza with all the government buildings -Valle de La Luna- moon like scenery -Visit El Alto for the humongous thursday/sunday market where you can find clothes worn 20 years ago, antiques, everyday goods, etc. Coca Museum- This was pretty interesting as it explains the history of the coca leaf, which is really popular in the Andes
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Aug 15, 2008 02:11
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I have been watching the Colombian news in English the past month and figured I would pass it on. http://www.canalrcn.com/newsinenglish/ R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Sep 3, 2008 |
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Sep 3, 2008 04:54
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CatchrNdRy posted:Hey I just got back from a month of voluntourism in Salvador. Your pictures tell give a good synopsis of the feel of the city. Our house was in Graca which is right next to Farol da Barra area and Campo Grande. I was working at a school and orphanage quite far away from that area. The kids in school represent the area well, friendly as hell, emotional, respectful but unable to focus or seemingly be serious. It sounds like you had a really enjoyable experience in Salvador and got to know the people pretty well. I would disagree and say that racism is just different in Brazil in general and really hard to explain. In Posto 9 in Ipanema you would only see white people. But in almost any club and during the day you would see a mix up white, black, and mixed friends and couples, much moreso than in the US or any other country I have visited. But then some black people talk about other black people negatively even though they are black themselves, but maybe with a bit lighter skin . Either way, its all really confusing. I am glad to know I was not the only one who vomited on the way back from Morro De Sao Paulo. The way there was smooth sailing but I had just eaten one of those greasy cheese empanadas and the sea was the most violent I ever encountered on my limited sea experience. Those few hours were torture. Pelourinho was great and I agree it was a bit sketchy. I remember in the afternoon I started walking downhill towards all of the hardware stores and a guy grabbed my arm to tell me that I ought not go that way since its really dangerous. But I think locals always tend to exaggerate a bit about danger. I mean, a day earlier I wandered down that same way and did not feel threatened. But the nights when the streets were empty I felt vulnerable and would stop myself from wandering to far away. So I basically wandered all around Pelourinho for a few days and also opposite the opposite direction of the elevator, all the way downtown. I was in Brazil from July 29-August 4. I believe I did try the acaraje from that old woman in Morro De Sao Paulo but I did not find it to appetizing and the dendê is supposed to cause bad stomach aches. You should have gone out in Sao Paulo as its a really nice city. I found their subway system efficient and safe to use, often coming back alone late at night. Its a neat city with a lot to see. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 08:58 on Sep 7, 2008 |
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Sep 7, 2008 08:56
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CatchrNdRy posted:My other major regret was not seeing a local soccer match. I am sure after you see the picture below it will make it an even bigger regret!  Yeah, the Maracana was rocking with 75,000+ people in attendance chanting, setting off flares, and jumping around the entire game! CatchrNdRy posted:I wasn't sick at all on the way to Morro. I guess that was probably the same for you. I laughed at everyone for taking Dramamine. However, having only a mild hangover was enough to start me yakking on the way back. I was hanging out in the aft of the ship trying to get fresh air at suggestion of the steward. There was a constant stream of people running to vomit over the side. I did see whales and flying fish while back there, so it was a plus. Now you made me jealous about seeing whales. Almost worse than vomiting on the boat ride was afterwards when my the group I traveled with and I split up and I went on my own with my backpack and in sandals, up the elevator to find any hostel with room before it got dark. And it did get dark a few minutes before I finally found one. CatchrNdRy posted:hey DustingDuvet, whats your deal anyway? Are you just taking a year off and traveling all over South America? Too bad you didn't stay till the 5th for Tuesday night Pelo. We probably could have run into each other. You knew it was going to be a sketchy night when two crack kids try to grab girls hands with that crosseyed look. Where is the unsafest (crime wise) place you have been to in South America? I am still in college and run a few businesses on the internet and love to travel (especially South America). I figured I ought to go now that I have the chance, money, and can continue working anywhere. So Last summer I traveled solo around Ecuador (Galapagos too) and Colombia for 3 1/2 months. And now I just finished my second summer in SA after traveling in Colombia (1 1/2 months), Peru (1 week), and Brazil (36 days). I am going to study abroad in either Colombia or Buenos Aires this spring semester and am sure I will travel afterwards all summer! We'll have to meet up back in Pelourinho next year for a tuesday instead. I'm not too sure which place has been the most dangerous. A lot of places can seem scary the first day or first few hours but then feel like normal places. I certainly felt at ease in Rio spending over 3 weeks there, and thats supposed to be a dangerous place. I even arranged and led 14 others to a favela funk party like in City of God! I was attacked in Guayaquil Ecuador. It was my second week traveling solo ever and I pretty much deserved it walking alone in a bad area at midnight. So even then I can't say Guayaquil was that bad. What about you?
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Sep 10, 2008 04:16
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XiXious posted:words I think you are really underestimating the distance you are planning to cover. For instance, Belem to Sao Paulo is over 45 hours by bus. I would really limit it to fewer destinations in Brazil that are closer to each other because because bus travel is incredibly expensive in Brazil. In fact, it's often cheaper to fly rather than go by bus. But if you are set on seeing various places in Brazil I would really recommend you research a flight pass (at least $700) that allows you about 6 flights in 1 month. You need to purchase the flight pass before entering Brazil and with the flight and airline that will take you to Brazil. I also wanted to mention that if you are American you need a visa, which requires you do certain things like showing proof of an entry/exit ticket and yellow fever vaccination certificate (since you are coming from Peru) before you can apply for the visa. I am probably not the best to recommend places as I visited few in Peru and Brazil (Lima and Cusco, Rio, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Paraty, Morro De Sao Paulo). But from what I heard from other travelers and my own reccomendations, Places to consider (not including places below Sao Paulo) are Rio of course, Salvador, Ouro Preto and Tiradentes, Ilha Grande (highly unrecommended by others, Paraty, Manaus, Belem, Jericoacoara, Olinda, etc. Brasilia is supposed to be boring for tourists unless you are into city planning or something.
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Sep 24, 2008 02:09
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pitchblende posted:I'm thinking about taking a two week trip next year to Rio de Janiero, Buenos Aires and perhaps another city in between. I'd like to go during Carnival but I'm wondering if its really worth it. Looks like prices are jacked up insanely even for hostels during that time period. I'm also wondering if its realistic to go to the Sambadrome during this time. Two weeks is not much so you will of course want to fly between cities with big distances like Rio De Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Doing so is pretty expensive, especially between different countries. But if you have a big budget, Rio and Buenos Aires are probably a good choice. If you decide on visiting Buenos Aires you can make a trip by to Uruguay which is not very far. You need a visa to visit Paraguay if you are American and it needs to be done in advance. Rio De Janeiro definitely has enough to keep you there for a week doing different activities each day. -Soccer at the Maracana -Favela Tour -Favela Funk Party -Ipanema Beach, posto 9 -Sugar Loaf Mountain -Christ the Redeemer -hiking in Tijuca forest -Santa Theresa -market in Uruguaiana -hangliding -Capoeira show -samba school practice etc. But if you are going during carnival time (have never been) than i imagine you ought to just stay in Rio the entire time with 1-2 possible side trips to Paraty, Ilha Grande, etc. I have heard that Carnival is well worth it and is much different in each city. In Rio it is supposed to be more of a show, where you will watch elaborate shows, etc. In other cities like Recife the carnival is more participatory. Tickets to Sambadrome are still available and there is no reason why you can not expect to go. Though a ticket is expensive ($150+). If you do decide on Carnival you better start booking a hotel now since they fill up fast and become increasingly expensive. Rio is expensive to begin with so your vacation there will probably cost way more than you imagined. I have never visited Argentina so another goon will have to give you advice on that.
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Sep 28, 2008 02:12
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pitchblende posted:This is some good information. Do you have a hostel that you would recommend? I'm looking more for a party hostel and staying up late isn't a big deal. I figure if I drink enough I can pass out. The top 2 party hostels in Rio, pretty much agreed upon by everyone, are "Mellow Yellow" and "Stone Of A Beach". It's not really just my opinion, its pretty much a known fact. http://www.mellowyellow.com.br/ http://www.stoneofabeach.com.br/ I stayed in Stone of a Beach for about 2 weeks. There is a rooftop bar with a hot tub which is usually pretty active. However, most people would form little cliques that would form at different tables with mostly groups of people already traveling together, the staff are not helpful, and overall I would recommend staying elsewhere. I also drank at the Mellow Yellow bar one night and it seems like a pretty good hostel. The bar is huge and all of the tables are lined up together, sort of cafeteria style. The place was extremely lively and it seemed much easier to meet other travelers. However, the place is absolutely humongous, expensive, and they hostel has a bunch of really strict rules you need to follow. Believe it or not, I also stayed at El Misti in Copacabana for a week and absolutely loved it. They have a bar out on the porch with 3 sofas sitting around a table. People staying here were more approachable and a lot more diverse (I met travelers from Brazil, Argentina, Peru, all over Europe, US, Australia, etc.) of all different ages. The staff was really friendly and I had a really great time and met a bunch of people. The only thing is that its a smaller hostel and so I couldn't not find people wanting to go out every night. But if you are there during Carnival I doubt that will be an issue. I would personally choose to attend Carnival in this order. 1. Recife 2. Salvador 3. Rio Rio is more of an elaborate show whereas the other 2 places you really get to participate much more. But thats just from what I have heard and read. You are better off asking someone who already went. If you do choose the El Misti package, I would recommend calling the hostel now and trying to negotiate a lower price. Another tip is to not book any of those tours (except the favela tour). You can easily do each yourself rather than paying double the price. For instance, it costs something like $65 reals for the favela funk party tour, which includes transportation and entrance. You can do it independently if you gather a group of 4 to share the taxi and will only pay 30 reals at the most for transportation and entrance, per person. Or a soccer game at maracana will cost like 70 reals whereas you could take the subway and buy a ticket yourself, which will only cost about 20 reals in total. Those tours are big ripoffs. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 18:55 on Sep 28, 2008 |
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Sep 28, 2008 18:52
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pitchblende posted:
El Misti is a good choice, especially if you are traveling alone. But I really would not let the fact that you may be traveling alone or with a friend dictate your travel plans. Brazil does have a reputation for being a bit dangerous...but it is certainly not a war zone and if you have any common sense than you will be fine. It's not like you will accidentally wander into a favela or anything. You may feel a bit uncomfortable traveling alone the first day in Brazil, but after that I swear you will feel just as safe as if you were home. The Sambodromo tickets El Misti quoted you sounds like a decent price. Just make sure you avoid Sector 9, which is the tourist sector which charges higher prices than the other sectors. If you get a ticket in sector 9, you might feel quite isolated from the Brazilians and the "party". The best locations are around half-way and just a bit towards the end of the Avenue, sectors 5, 7, 9 and 11.
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Sep 28, 2008 23:09
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pitchblende posted:Yea I realize that it's only as unsafe as you make it. I've been to Romania several times before and while they don't have the violence there they do have theft and muggers. I've done a little reading and unfortunately it seems like nothing is safe in the city at night. Is that the case or is what I'm reading just overly paranoid? I have noticed that we all view these things differently. I never experienced any violence in Brazil. The only time I ever felt truly fearful was trying to take a bus in Rio at midnight with all of my bags. I realized it was not worth putting myself in that situation so I took a taxi. The point I am trying to make is that you can control your safety to the point where you will feel comfortable. Nobody will force you to walk around Rio at night if you do not feel comfortable doing that. I did feel comfortable walking around places like Copacabana at night and so I did it pretty often. I also did things like organizing and leading a trip for 14 others to a favela party and often wandered the city alone. Keep in mind I did meet a few people that were robbed but it was often them putting themselves in bad situations (taking a bus late at night with all of their belongings, hanging out on Copacabana beach at night in a isolated spot). But if you have any common sense and do a little bit of research before your trip about the do's and dont's than I do not believe you will encounter any trouble. And my opinion is that of a short, skinny, 20 year old. About the favelas, once you are inside one and have permission to be inside they are probably the safest place in Rio for a tourist. You are able to walk around with a camera around your next and fanny pack and nobody will even attempt to rob you. Gangs run the favelas with an iron fist, clamping down on petty crime to make sure that wealthy outsiders feel safe buying drugs inside. In our guide's words, the same man who will mug you on Copacabana beach will do nothing more than shake your hand in Rocinha. After hearing about the ADA's form of street justice, the notorious micro-ondas, microwave, (which involves putting a live person, soaked in petrol, into a ring of flaming car tires, thereby carbonizing the victim's body), I can see why. So for a favela tour, I would recommend asking around for an independent guide not because of safety issues, but because the favela is like a maze and its necessary to have someone who knows the streets so you do not get lost. I recommend someone independent so you can spend more than 3 hours there as most walking tours do. As for Recife, I would really recommend you visit Rio first and then Recife for Carnvial. As far as I know, Recife is not really built up for backpackers but the Carnival there is the most fun.
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Sep 29, 2008 23:15
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I am returning to Latin America again soon. This will be my fifth time in the past seven years. I'm flying to Colombia around New Years and will spend the next few months in Colombia. Will couchsurf in Barranquilla (Shakira's birthplace) for their famous Carnival ("Barranquilla's Carnival is reputed for being second in size to Rio's, but is far less commercialized."). I will also spend some time visiting mi novia of three weeks from last summer in in Medellin! Then on February 27th I will fly from Bogotá to Buenos Aires where I will study at one of the University's until July 24, when I fly back to Bogota. School back home starts late August so I have many months to decide whether I will stay in Colombia for a while more, go home immediately, return to Ecuador to visit friends, or possibly try Central America for a bit! I found a roundtrip flight from Bogot-Buenos Aires for $650 and flights from Miami to Bogota only cost about $90 each way with Spirit Air. Such great deals when pretty much every other combination of flights was costing about $1200. 
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Nov 21, 2008 06:20
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Pusscat posted:
Did hear back about the job in Cusco? What would you be doing there? Good luck!
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Dec 2, 2008 07:24
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So jealous! That sounds spectacular.
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Pusscat posted:Unfortunately I didn't get it. Which is fair does, because they were advertising for someone with 1years travel industry experience, which I don't have. Still, they recommended I go for the tour leader job, which I might at some point. That sucks, i am sorry to hear you did not get it. What company was it with? Over the past few years I have bookmarked a bunch of internship opportunities fro Gringos in Latin America. A lot of these companies/organizations are also hiring people for full-time jobs. Let me know what type of job you are looking for and I will see if I find anything that may interest you. Either way, a trip through Central America should be great. Keep us updated on your plans!
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Dec 3, 2008 21:03
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Pusscat posted:It was with Tucan Travel, they've got a lot of Latin America based tours, so I may well end up working for them in the future. I guess I'll see whether I like Central America enough to guide there for a year or two! I have heard of that company before. Let me know what your email is and I will send you my bookmarks file.
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Dec 8, 2008 01:01
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September posted:Here are a couple questions: 1. Its going to be difficult and its most likely that you will not find a job. Your best option is to find a job with an American company that has posts/offices overseas. You will be paid American wages and will not have much hassle getting a visa. The other option is to travel to your country of choice on a tourist visa and network there until you find something. Or get a work visa by getting an English teaching job, then quit.If you find a local job, expect to be paid a much, much lower wage, and it will be a pain in the rear end to get a work visa. For instance, working as an entry level engineer in Chile, you would be making as low as $112000/month, which translates into $167.00 USD per month. As an experienced engineer, you could make about $500 USD per month. Here a few websites to get your started: http://www.bumeran.com/ http://www.computrabajo.cl/ http://www.manpower.com/ http://www.adeccoempleo.com/ http://www.idealist.org/ 2. Yes, there are some big expat forums. Here are a few. Colombia: Poorbuthappy.com Argentina: http://baexpats.org/ Chile: http://www.allchile.net/chileforum/?sid=8c7c7f9298d20d00cd913ae609f8f530 Brazil: http://www.brazzilforum.com/ R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Dec 8, 2008 |
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Dec 8, 2008 01:50
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Soul Power posted:I'm planning on going to South America next month sometime, but I still need help with the planning parts. My girlfriend and I are going and we don't need to return to the Seattle until late June. We're not in any hurry to see as many places as we can, and our itinerary is very open. We're most interested in just getting to meet local people, having some new experiences, and just wandering around. We were thinking of flying into Colombia and then heading south from there; possibly going through Ecuador and then to Peru and Bolivia, and if we have time Chile, Argentina and Paraguay. We'll bus a lot of it and stay in hostels and couchsurf. I was just thinking of getting a round trip ticket from Colombia, with the return trip being in late June, so then wherever we are in South America we can just buy one way plane tickets to Colombia. Is this feasible? We saw a travel agent today and she suggested getting an open-jaw ticket where we fly into Colombia and fly out of Buenos Aires, and that this would probably cost about $1300 a person. Is this cheaper than doing my earlier plan? What do most of you guys use for buying plane tickets? I think your plan is very realistic. With 6 months, If you plan on taking your time I would guess it would look like: -6 weeks in Colombia -3 weeks in Ecuador -5 weeks in Peru -4 weeks in Bolivia -6 weeks in Argentina Remember that you will need a visa in advance for Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil as an American. I would recommend you contact a travel agency that specialized in Latin America. Try https://www.exitotravel.com But here are some other ideas that may work out cheaper. -Spirit Air has really cheap flight to Colombia (as low as $150 round trip from Ft. Lauderdale) and http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/home.asp has some cheap flight from Argentina. In terms of airfare, it may be cheapest if you buy a one way flight to Colombia (I bought a one way flight from Miami to Bogotá for $112 last week). Then book a one way flight from the last country you end up in, when you get there (this won't work if you are in a few countries such as Bolivia because flight to the US are extremely expensive). Even if you do what the travel agent suggests, it would cost less than that. For instance, last week I paid $112 one way from Miami to Bogota, and $650 roundtrip from Bogota to Buenos Aires and back to Bogota. I plan on buying another one way ticket from Bogota to Miami months from now when I am certain of when I am coming back. At the most, all of this will cost me $762+ another $100 and some bucks. Granted, I am flying out of Miami.
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Dec 9, 2008 03:25
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Soul Power posted:Thanks for the ideas. I would love to just buy a one way ticket to Colombia, and then a one way ticket whenever I'm ready to leave at whatever location. However, my one concern was how easy it would be to cross borders without proof of onward travel. How much of a hassle would this be? Doing that is no hassle at all so long as you print out a fake itinerary. This is a link to one that pretty much explains how to do it. But its really only ever a problem when flying because the airlines usually check since they would be responsible for transporting you back to your home country if you cannot support yourself. Crossing the border by land is rarely a problem as the officials rarely check. http://travelvice.com/archive/2006/03/faux-onward-tickets.php If you want a cell phone while traveling you have three options. Use your cell phone from home on your current plan and pay out the rear end for calls local and international calls Or bring your cell phone and purchase a sim card in each country. Then buy minutes as you go. Or, buy a new cell phone in the country and buy minutes as you go. I did this. I bought a new phone for $20 in Colombia from Comcel and bought minutes as needed. For international calls, sign up for Skype and make your calls home from internet cafes.
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Dec 9, 2008 23:32
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hecko posted:Avoid Aerolineas Argentinas if possible. It's cheap sure , but very unreliable and the company is on bankruptcy now. But if you want to experience suffering their service like we do , fly with them. I sure hope its around come July. Does Argentina have a website that lits/sells tickets to concerts, like ticketmaster.com in the U.S. or tuboleta.com in Colombia?
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Dec 10, 2008 03:00
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Soul Power posted:Thanks for the help, but I ended up just buying a ticket out of Santiago to Miami one way for $500 each, so we'll have proof of onward travel now. I'm excited. We're flying into Colombia in mid-January through Spirit Airlines like you suggested, and then flying out of Chile at the end of June. We're thinking about doing the Machu Picchu trek maybe in April. Has anyone here done it before and have any recommendations for guides? I respond way to fast! I have some bad news for you. The flight from Chile-home is not proof of onward travel. Proof of onward travel would be if you had a ticket out of Colombia (i.e. Colombia-Chile). Don't worry though. At the worst, you can buy a refundable (expensive) ticket if they ask for proof of onward travel and just get the refund after you show it to the customs agent. Or you can just print a fake itinerary. I visited the Machu Picchu by train. But if you want to do the official Inca trail you must book it many months (3+) in advance and its really expensive. If you do not mind doing an alternative trek to the Macchu Picchu, you can just show up to Cusco and book one leaving the next day for pretty cheap (i.e. $150 or so for a 4 day trek w/ everything included). You are going to have an amazing time. I'll be in Colombia from January 1 until late February. Can't wait!
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Dec 15, 2008 09:29
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ephraim posted:I spent the month of November in Costa Rica and Medellin, Colombia. Colombia rules! I was half expecting to see guerillas all over the place, and all of my friends were telling me how I was going to get kidnapped, but it was awesome, I've never felt safer in a big city in my life, and I live in NYC. I'm planning a 6 week trip to South America again for June. I'd like to go to Peru for around 10 days, then a month in Colombia, renting a place in Medellin but heading south to Cali for a few days as well. Taca Peru has flights at $133 round trip including taxes right now for flights in June. Also, Star Peru http://www.starperu.com/ usually has the least expensive tickets from Lima to Cuzco. I remember seeing them at about $60 each way a week or so before I wanted to book the flight. But it went to about $100 each way after I booked it the day before I flew from Lima to Cuzco. Their website is not working right now so you should call the airline to ask about the price. LAN Peru is the only other airline that flies from Lima to Cuzco. I am glad you enjoyed Medellin so much. Why did you decide to visit Colombia? I would advise against visiting Cali. Unless your sole intention is to go there and enjoy the Salsa music, it is not worth visiting. They say the women in Cali are beautiful but Medellin girls are way better. Instead, you ought to visit Bogotá if you are set on seeing a big city. Or if you like nature, look up Armenia if the Zona Cafeteria. Armenia is closer to Medellin than Cali and Bogota is worth the extra distance.
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Dec 20, 2008 03:17
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Soul Power posted:I've got another question for everyone who has traveled Colombia. We're going to arrive in Bogota on the 17th of January, and we've decided we want to go to Barranquilla for Carnaval, which isn't until February 20-24. From there, we'd like to head south to Ecuador, but we would like some advice on how to do so. We could take a plane from Cartagena to Quito, but after airline taxes it ends up being about $320 a person with Copa airlines. I've looked around a little, and it doesn't seem to be any cheaper to fly from Bogota to Quito. How easy, safe, quick, and cheap is it to bus from the top of Colombia down to Ecuador? Looking at maps, this would be like going from Seattle to San Francisco in terms of distance, which I'm not sure would be that great to do in a short period of time, nor do I have any knowledge of what the roads are like. Thanks and any other advice is appreciated. The reason I am up so late is because I am frantically trying to find accommodation for Carnival in Barranquilla...which is really hard. Most people book accommodations many months in advance because most rooms sell out months before the Carnival, as its the 2nd biggest carnival in South America behind Rio! Even so, hotels will be really expensive as they jack up the prices to hundreds of dollars per night. There are no hostals in Barranquilla at all. If you do find something, please let me know! By the way, below is the schedule.  When busing around Colombia you need to keep in mind that you are driving on roads that curve around the Andes mountains. There is usually just one lane on each side of the road with tons of slow trucks, the occasional landslide, etc. As far as safety goes, drivers are notorious for passing trucks on 1 lane highways. With that said, this is a pretty close estimate of the time: Cartagena--Bogota= about 20-24 hours Bogota--Ipiales=about 24 hours Ipiales-Tulcan= these are the Colombia/Ecuador border towns so it won't take long Tulcan--Quito=about 6 hours =a total of around 54 hours! edit: Also, you can fly from Bogota to Quito roundtrip for $234 with taxes on Copa Airlines http://www.copaair.com/planifiqueViaje/ofertasWeb/default.aspx?ID=3239&lang=en But honestly, there is so much to see if Colombia I would just recommend you do a loop to get down to Quito. Something like this: Bogotá Salento via Armenia Medellin Cartagena Barranquilla Santa Marta/Taganga/Parque Tayrona/Cuidad Perdida (all very close) Bucaramanga San Gil Villa De Leyva (via Tunja) Bogota Cali Popayan Pasto Ipiales Tulcan Quito R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 08:46 on Dec 27, 2008 |
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Dec 27, 2008 08:21
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