48 articles tagged with south america
There's a particular magic to border cities that defies easy translation. Nestled in Uruguay's northeastern frontier near Brazil, Melo embodies this liminal charm—a place where languages, cultures, and traditions meld into something uniquely their own. *Fronterizo* is what locals call...
Standing at the edge of Peru's arid Nazca Desert, I couldn't help but feel the profound weight of mystery surrounding me. The legendary Nazca Lines—massive geoglyphs etched into the earth over 1,500 years ago—remained hidden in plain sight until I...
First time I landed in Bogotá, I was hit with that familiar mix of excitement and low-key panic. You know the feeling – standing in a sprawling South American capital at 8,600 feet elevation, lungs working overtime, with three million...
As I stepped off the plane at Viru Viru International Airport, the humid tropical air of Santa Cruz immediately embraced me – a stark contrast to the Andean chill many associate with Bolivia. This lowland metropolis, often overlooked by travelers...
Standing at the edge of Colombia's northeastern frontier, Cúcuta exists in fascinating duality – a border city pulsing with commerce yet largely overlooked by international travelers. *Watashi no obāchan* (my grandmother) always said border towns hold the most authentic stories,...
The minibus lurched to a stop along the dusty main road, and I stepped out into Lelydorp – a place that doesn't make most travelers' Suriname itineraries but absolutely should. Located just 18km south of Paramaribo, this unassuming town holds...
Standing at the edge of Canaima National Park, watching the ethereal mist rise from Angel Falls as it plummets 979 meters from Auyán-tepui's tabletop mountain, I felt both the scientist and adventurer in me equally captivated. This UNESCO World Heritage...
Standing at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, sweat trickling down my back in the tropical heat, I watched as hundreds of people flowed between Colombia and Venezuela. Some carried bags of groceries, others pushed wheelbarrows of merchandise, and many simply...
After decades behind the wheel of buses in two continents, I've developed a keen eye for terrain. Mountains, though, that's where my heart truly soars – far from the scheduled routes and traffic lights. Bogota, Colombia's sprawling capital, might seem...
The thin air hit my lungs like a technical specification I wasn't prepared for—11,975 feet of elevation that no documentation could adequately describe. La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital, spreads across a canyon like circuitry on a motherboard, each neighborhood connected...
I've crossed many borders in my travels, but few have captivated me like the invisible line between Rivera, Uruguay and Santana do Livramento, Brazil. Here, no passport stamps mark your journey between nations—just a simple street crossing that locals traverse...
The taxi driver looked at me with genuine confusion when I asked to be taken to Fernando de la Mora. 'You mean Asunción?' he clarified, assuming I'd made a mistake. I smiled and shook my head, pulling out my hand-drawn...
After three decades poring over environmental law briefs, I've found that nothing clears the legal cobwebs quite like immersing myself in a vibrant foreign city. Lima—Peru's sprawling coastal capital—might not top most solo travelers' bucket lists, but after spending a...
After three decades of traversing the Americas for infrastructure projects, I've developed a particular affinity for the Miami-Buenos Aires corridor. This 4,400-mile journey connects two vibrant commercial hubs that couldn't be more different in their rhythm and architectural soul. As...
The first time I laid eyes on Iguazu Falls, I was struck speechless – a rare condition for someone who's made a career out of describing the world's wonders. Standing at the Devil's Throat, with water thundering down from three...