48 articles tagged with south america
When most travelers think of Suriname, Paramaribo typically steals the spotlight. But just 20 minutes south of the capital lies Lelydorp, the country's second-largest urban area and a cultural melting pot that deserves your attention. I stumbled upon this gem...
The pulsing rhythm of samba drums echoed through the narrow streets of Lapa as I wandered alone through Rio's historic bohemian district. The city's energy was electric, reminiscent of those all-night Berlin warehouse parties from my stage design days, but...
Standing at the base of Angel Falls, with water thundering down from nearly a kilometer above, I couldn't help but feel incredibly small yet somehow connected to something much bigger than myself. My husband squeezed my hand as we both...
As I stood at El Alto airport, 4,150 meters above sea level, my lungs immediately registered the thin Andean air while my eyes absorbed the sprawling terracotta cityscape cascading down the canyon below. La Paz—a place where pre-colonial traditions and...
When I told my property management colleagues I was heading to Suriname for a week, I got blank stares followed by the inevitable question: 'Where exactly is that?' South America's hidden gem remains delightfully under-touristed, making it perfect for budget...
The taxi driver's weathered hands tapped a syncopated rhythm on his steering wheel as we crossed the Demerara Harbor Bridge, Georgetown's skyline fading behind us. 'First time in Guyana?' he asked, eyes crinkling with amusement in the rearview mirror. I...
The moment my feet touched the golden sands of Copacabana, I knew Rio had captured my heart in a way few destinations ever could. As someone who's spent years guiding travelers along coastlines worldwide, I can tell you there's something...
The humid air hit me like a warm embrace as I stepped off the plane in Guayaquil. Ecuador's largest city and bustling port isn't usually the first stop on most travelers' itineraries—many rush straight to the Galápagos or Quito—but this...
When most travelers think of Suriname, they picture the colonial architecture of Paramaribo or the dense rainforests of the interior. But nestled just 20 kilometers south of the capital lies Lelydorp, a vibrant cultural melting pot that captured my heart...
The first time I glimpsed the Nazca Lines from above, my astrophysicist brain nearly short-circuited. These ancient geoglyphs etched into Peru's arid plateau represent one of humanity's most compelling astronomical calendars and artistic achievements—yet experiencing them typically comes with a...
The sky above Maracaibo breaks into a supernatural light show almost every night – a meteorological miracle called Catatumbo Lightning that's visible from space. It's like Mother Nature's own music festival, with thunderbolts as the bass drops. When I ditched...
The speedboat cut through the muddy waters of the Essequibo River like a machete through jungle vines, spraying my weathered face with a fine mist that felt refreshing after three days of equatorial heat. At 62, I've learned that the...
When I told my retail buying colleagues I was taking my vacation time to hit up Bolivia's carnival capital solo, they thought I'd lost it. 'Jose, what about Milan Fashion Week?' they asked. But after five years of chasing runway...
When my boss asked me to scope out emerging designers in São Paulo last fall, I nearly dropped my coffee. Brazil had been on my bucket list forever, but the budget they offered was *laughably* tight. Challenge accepted! What followed...
The first time I visited Chile in my early fifties, I made the classic tourist mistake of never venturing beyond Santiago's polished streets. But last fall, while planning my third Chilean adventure, my Korean childhood friend Mi-ja (who relocated to...