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Vaya Adventures Travel Blog
Peru, A Story of Growth
My first trip to Peru in 2005 consisted of a 2 ½ week tour. Each day kicked off with a pleasant stroll through small towns or into surrounding mountains, following roads and trails through The Sacred Valley. I’ve since returned several times, taking in many more parts of this beautiful country, from Chiclayo to Chachapoyas [...]
Film review: “Even The Rain” (2010)
Even the Rain is at once a deeply political message and a gripping tale. It tells the story of a Spanish and Mexican film crew who are trying to make a movie about the truth behind Colmbus’ arrival in the new world; the ugly truth about Spanish exploitation of the Indians. The irony of the [...]
Four key ingredients of Andean cuisine
The Andean region is characterised by high altitudes, low rainfall and bitter winters. Not only does this make it hard to grow crops, but it also results in a hungry populace. Here we look at four cornerstones of the Andean diet, with a particular focus on Peru and Bolivia. Potatoes The potato was first cultivated [...]
Day Trips from Buenos Aires: Tigre, the Paraná Delta and the Tren de la Costa
Buenos Aires is a huge city, and many tourists only end up seeing the central districts of San Telmo, Palermo, Recoleta and La Boca. Fascinating though these neighbourhoods are, sometimes I feel the need to escape the city and I take the slow train up to Tigre. Tigre is located 17 miles north of the [...]
Understanding South America through its History of War
It pays to know at least a little bit about the history of a place before you visit it, and wars are a good place to start. They shape fortunes and borders but they also form memories and national grudges. Here are three post-independence wars in South America that are still important today. Falklands War [...]
Two Werner Herzog Movies Set in South America
Reading Nick’s article on his favorite Latin American movies, I just can’t help giving a shout out to a couple of my own particular favorites. Both are by the same director, Werner Herzog, and both are set in the Amazon: “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” and “Fitzcarraldo.” Aguirre Wrath of God starts off with an [...]
New Hotels in Puerto Natales
One of our most popular itineraries, the Highlights of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, includes a one night stay in the charming fishing village of Puerto Natales. Over the last few years Puerto Natales has seen a boom in boutique, all-inclusive hotels that cater to travelers on their way to the nearby Torres del Paine National [...]
The Finest Galapagos Sailing Tour: the Mary Anne
On a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands, I boarded the beautiful Mary Anne, a First Class 16 passenger sailing vessel, and embarked on an out-of-this-world eight day naturalist cruise. The experience was truly awe-inspiring. We anchored in many of the picturesque highlight sites of the archipelago, ventured onto six different islands and had some [...]
Poor Niagra! Visiting Iguazu Falls
When Eleanor Roosevelt visited Iguzau Falls she is reputed to have exclaimed “Poor Niagara!” and it’s easy to see why. Gravity and immense quantities of water are always irresistible allies, but at the Iguazu River on the Brazilian and Argentine border they achieve a sublime chemistry which is unrivalled anywhere on the planet. Although they [...]
Film review: La Nana (Chile 2009)
I watched La Nana (The Maid) knowing nothing about it or its reputation. I was enchanted by the performance of the lead actress and by the humorous script (the same things, I would later learn, that have enchanted audiences around the world) but I was also reminded of the extremely well-drawn class divisions in Chile. [...]
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