Gadling

The Inca Rally: A Road Race Through South America

Kraig Becker — Sun, 13 May 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Festivals and Events, South America, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela

Looking to add a little excitement to your summer? Then look no further than the Inca Rally, a new road race that is set to get underway in August and promises to offer plenty of adventure to those crazy enough to enter.

The three-week long event begins in Lima, Peru where racers will first barter for a car that is utterly ill suited for the roads they'll be driving on. Once they've acquired their sacrificial vehicle, they'll hit the road on August 1, driving across Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana. What route they take along the way is completely up to the drivers, they simply have to reach the finish line in time for the blowout party at the end of the three weeks.

This is pure adventure at its finest. There will be no support crews, few directives and plenty of freedom on the open road. Teams can choose to make their way through the Andes, visit the Amazon Rainforest, follow the scenic coasts or get completely off the beaten path. They can visit large, bustling cities or remote villages; they just have to get to the finish line in Georgetown, Guyana.

While the Inca Rally is meant to be a spirited adventure it will also help shine the spotlight on local charities and help raise funds for those organizations. You can find out more about the event and those charities on the Rally's official website, where you can sign up for the race as well.

We definitely need a Team Gadling in this event!

The Inca Rally: A Road Race Through South America originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 13 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Lost World: New York City's Little Guyana

David Farley — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Food and Drink, North America, United States, Guyana, Budget Travel, Nightlife, Caribbean

In April 2011, in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, two rival Sikh factions, long at odds with each other, decided it was time to come to blows. As one faction prayed in a temple, the other entered. What happened next is straight out of a B-list movie you might see while traveling on a bus in Asia: members of each group reacted to the forthcoming fight by reaching for their swords -- I'm not making this up -- and a bloody sword fight ensued. A sword fight, in 2011 New York City.

And so, I decided I had to go. Last week a group of friends and I boarded the A train for the 40-minute subway ride to Richmond Hill. Our destination: Little Guyana. Indo-Caribbeans (Caribbeans of Indian descent), many from Guyana (and a few from Trinidad), have been settling here in droves since the 1980s. So many that while the country of Guyana has a population of 750,000, the Guyanese population in New York is said to be close to 200,000.

Guyana, a diminutive country in northeastern South America, is a mystery to many people. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even used the country as the setting for "The Lost World."

Continue reading The Lost World: New York City's Little Guyana

The Lost World: New York City's Little Guyana originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Geographic Traveler announces 2011 Tours of a Lifetime

Kraig Becker — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Biking, Climbing, Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Learning, Paddling, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Kenya, Tanzania, Russian Federation, France, Italy, Guyana, Peru, Camping, Ecotourism, News, Cruises, Central America, Luxury Travel

National Geographic Traveler magazine has announced its annual list of their picks for Tours of a Lifetime, selecting 50 fantastic journeys to the far flung corners of the globe. For each of the past six years, Traveler has examined thousands of tours in a variety of categories, including volunteer vacations, family friendly trips, small-ship voyages, and adventure travel. From all of those itineraries, they've narrow down their choices to this select group, which represent the absolute best in travel, offering amazing cultural experiences, unique activities, and a commitment to sustainability.

On their website, Traveler has broken down the selected tours into six regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Europe, North America, and Oceania. By clicking on one of those options, readers are presented with the magazine's recommendations for the very best tours operating in that area, complete with a brief description, links to the tour operator's website, and price, which can vary wildly depending on the destination and options.

Amongst the selections for this year's Tours of a Lifetime are Serengeti bush treks, whitewater paddling in Siberia, and a journey deep into the interior of Guyana. There is a journey along the Inca Trail on horseback and cycling tours of Italy and France, as well an expedition to the South Pole on skis. In short, there is a little something for everyone, depending on their interests and budget.

Since all of these trips are researched and vetted by National Geographic, you can rest assured that all of the tour operators are not only legitimate, but also top tier. These trips were specifically selected because they offer something that is a little out of the norm. Something unique that you can't generally get anywhere else. I'm pretty sure, even if you think you've been everywhere and done everything, you'll still find something to appeal to you on this list.

[Photo credit: Christian Heeb, laif/Redux]

National Geographic Traveler announces 2011 Tours of a Lifetime originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Tomato launches Epic Tomato, an ambitious new adventure offshoot

Alex Robertson Textor — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Antarctica, Mali, Namibia, Uganda, China, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Iceland, Norway, Canada, Costa Rica, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Bolivia, Chile, Guyana, Middle East, Central America, Caribbean

For years Black Tomato has delighted old travel hands with its inventive, bespoke itineraries to various corners of the globe. The company is especially good at showcasing beautiful destinations not yet well-known to most travelers beyond the surrounding region. Among others, Belgrade, the Carpathian foothills, the Kuronian Spit, and Bhutan have all been embraced by the company.

This morning, Black Tomato launched Epic Tomato, which showcases a selection of hardcore adventure experiences to very hard-to-reach places. These adventures are scheduled for lengths of between four to 21 days, and are grouped into five categories: Polar, Desert, Jungle, Mountain, and River. They are all led by serious expert guides, some with SAS (British special service) military backgrounds.

Bolivia's Apolobamba mountain range, Mali's Dogon region, the Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea (see above), the Mosquito Coast of Honduras, and East Greenland are just a few of the destinations reached by Epic Tomato tours.

Epic Tomato's frankly epic experiences don't come cheap. At the bottom end of the scale, three adventures come in at £5995 ($9660): 14 days in Papua New Guinea's East New Britain and Duke of York Islands; a 21-day trek in Tibet and Nepal; and eight days in Chilean Patagonia. At the very high end: 12 days on Canada's Ellesmere Island for £67,495 ($108,720).

Black Tomato launches Epic Tomato, an ambitious new adventure offshoot originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cruise line scams: Shore Excursions

Chris Owen — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, North America, South America, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Guyana, Budget Travel, Internet Tools, Cruises, Central America, Caribbean

Going ashore can be one of the best parts of a cruise and one of the reasons many travelers choose a cruise vacation in the first place. From the comfort of your floating hotel, you can see multiple destinations but only have to unpack once. Cruise lines offer a wide variety of excursions at each port of call and encourage passengers to join. Some are over-priced but carry an implied level of safety that might not be entirely accurate.

The potential scam-like claim here is "Oh, you don't want to go out on your own on a shore excursion. If they're late getting you back, the ship will leave without you"

Yes, they could do that. Will they? Probably not. How likely is that to happen? Not likely at all.

Often, the same companies and people that do shore excursions for the cruise lines also do them independently. Still, the cruise lines say they do investigate and follow up on excursion providers to see how they are doing, holding them to high standards.

Alternatives to ship-sponsored excursions. Shoretrips.com, is a third-party service that provides excursions world-wide. Owners Julie and Barry from Milwaukee, Wisconsin travel to each of the destinations and insure that their tours are safe and interesting. Often, Shoretrips.com excursions are less expensive and less crowded too. Booking more than 200,000 people a year, they have yet to leave someone behind.

Let's talk price. A pretty easy-to-compare excursion in Cozumel, Mexico, Swimming with the Dolphins is $129 for adults or children on Carnival Cruise Lines. Shoretrips.com has that dolphin swim for $79 for adults and $77 for children. That's about 40% less than the cruise line. Prices vary among lines too. Royal Caribbean has that dolphin swim for $99. Their price is better than Carnival but not as good as Shoretrips.com.

Another option is to go with someone recommended by a trusted friend or a travel blogger you've come to know. Reliable independent operators know what they are competing with on the cruise line excursion offerings and almost always offer a better value. That might come in the form of a lower price or a similar price with a better experience.

Get good information. A good source for reliable travel information about specific ports of call is AOL travel guides. Good discussion and very current, personal information can be found at CruiseCritic.com. Your good travel agent/expert should have recommendations also.

I'm really not trying to talk you out of the ship-sponsored shore excursions. They're good. Nothing wrong with them. But there are alternatives that are just as safe (or not) as third-party vendors.

Cruise lines have their share of problems with excursions.

Continue reading Cruise line scams: Shore Excursions

Cruise line scams: Shore Excursions originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrorist gets 15 years for JFK airport plot

Sean McLachlan — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: North America, South America, United States, Guyana, Transportation, Airports, News

A terrorist who plotted to blow up fuel tanks at JFK airport has been given 15 years in prison, the BBC reports. Abdel Nur, a citizen from Guyana, tried to meet an Al-Qaeda explosives expert in order to blow up JFK airport's fuel depot, and the fuel lines that run below an adjoining neighborhood. He hoped to kill thousands in the attack.

Russell Defreitas, Kareem Ibrahim, and Abdul Kadir were also arrested. Kadir is a former member of parliament from Guyana and is now serving a life sentence. Defreitas has been found guilty and will be sentenced in February. Ibrahim's trial is scheduled for April.

The plot was foiled when Kadir and Defreitas discussed their plans in front of an unnamed informant. This informant recorded their conversation and alerted authorities. This last detail is interesting. These radical Muslims would hardly have discussed such a plan in front of a non-Muslim. It stands to reason, then, that the informant is a Muslim. What these two nutcases didn't understand is that most Muslims aren't terrorists. This fact will almost certainly be lost amid the news of another "Muslim terrorist plot".

There are no hard figures for the number of Muslims in the United States since the U.S. Census doesn't record religion. One study by Dr. Tom W. Smith of the University of Chicago estimates the Muslim population in the U.S. at around 1.9-2.8 million. If most Muslims were terrorists, as many people believe, the U.S. would be suffering attacks every day. Luckily this is not the case. Vigilance defeats terrorists, fear and stereotyping helps them win.

[Photo courtesy Doug Letterman]

Terrorist gets 15 years for JFK airport plot originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ten Great Adventure Travel Destinations For 2011

Kraig Becker — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Biking, Climbing, Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Skiing, Surfing, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Botswana, Ethiopia, India, Croatia, United States, New Zealand, Argentina, Guyana, Camping, Ecotourism, Luxury Travel

With another holiday season behind us at last, it is time to start looking to the year ahead and firming up our travel plans. If you haven't already made your preparations for 2011, and you're looking for something a bit more adventurous this year, then perhaps we can suggest a few destinations that might meet your needs.

Last year, when we shared our list of top adventure travel destinations it was populated with a few countries that are commonly recognized as offering outstanding experiences for the adventure traveler. Places such as Nepal, Tibet, and Peru, which are widely considered to be classics of this type of travel. For this year's list, those places have been sent to the Adventure Travel Hall of Fame, making room for some up and coming destinations to get some much needed recognition.

So, without further ado, here are my picks for the top adventure travel destinations for 2011.

Continue reading Ten Great Adventure Travel Destinations For 2011

Ten Great Adventure Travel Destinations For 2011 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Katie Spotz completes solo row of the Atlantic

Kraig Becker — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Paddling, Africa, South America, Senegal, Guyana

Way back in December we told you about Katie Spotz, the 22-year old American woman who was planning to row solo from Dakar, Senegal in western Africa to the east coast of South America. This past Sunday, Katie arrived in Georgetown, Guiana, completing her journey, while becoming the youngest person to ever row solo across an ocean in the process.

The expedition covered more than 2817 miles of open ocean, requiring 70 days, 5 hours, and 22 minutes to complete. Reportedly, Katie could have shaved an additional eight days off of her time had she allowed a boat to tow her into shore as she neared her destination. While on approach to Guiana, strong winds and ocean currents conspired against her to make the final leg of the journey that much more challenging, but rather than take the tow, she elected to row an additional 400 miles northwest to Georgetown, where milder conditions allowed her to finish the trip under her own power.

While Katie did hope to set the new record for the youngest to row an ocean, and become the first American to row solo from one continent to the next, she actually had even loftier goals in mind when she set out. The entire expedition was used to raise funds for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding clean drinking water projects around the globe. For her efforts, Spotz raised over $70,000 for the foundation, money that will now go to improving the lives of others around the globe.

The 19-foot long, specially designed, rowboat that was used in the Atlantic crossing weathered 20-foot waves and occasional storms, but for the most part performed admirably. Fitted with solar cells to charge her gear and a desalination system to provide clean drinking water, the boat was Katie's floating home for the past 2+ months. Aside from a breakdown in the original steering system, and a GPS device catching on fire, there were few technical setbacks to the journey.

Congratulations to Katie on a job well done. The rest of us would have, you know, taken a plane, but your way of crossing the Atlantic works too.

Katie Spotz completes solo row of the Atlantic originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American woman prepares to row the Atlantic

Kraig Becker — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Paddling, Africa, South America, Senegal, Guyana

Katie Spotz has big plans for the new year. The 22-year old American is currently in Senegal where she is completing the final preparations for her attempt to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean. If everything goes according to plan, she'll set out on her journey on the first day of 2010, and won't step back onto dry land for three months.

The young woman from Cleveland, Ohio will depart from Dakar, and cover approximately 2500 miles, with the hopes of arriving in South America, somewhere along the coast of Guiana, in approximately 70-100 days. While out on the ocean, she'll face huge waves, massive storms, and endless days alone on the water.

Katie will be making her journey on a specially designed 19-foot long rowboat. The boat has a small cabin that can offer some shelter from inclement weather, and specially designed hatches will help keep her gear and equipment dry. Two freshwater tanks are used as ballasts, while offering an emergency water supply, and the solar panels mounted along the deck will help keep Katie's communications equipment charged, so that she can stay in touch while at sea. She'll be making updates on her website, and sending back dispatches on her progress once she gets underway.

While the ocean row will be a challenge unlike anything that Katie has done before, she isn't doing it just for herself. She is using the opportunity to raise funds and awareness of the Blue Planet Run, an organization dedicated to financing projects designed to deliver clean drinking water in remote places across the planet.

To follow along with Katie's adventure stop by her website where you will find more information on her ocean row and read updates as she prepares to hit the water. Then return in the New Year to track her progress and watch her make an attempt on history. If she is successful, she'll be the youngest person to ever row solo across an ocean, and the first American to row from Africa to South America.

Good luck Katie!

American woman prepares to row the Atlantic originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adventure Destination: Roraima

Kraig Becker — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, South America, Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Camping, Ecotourism

Here's a tip for an out of the way adventure travel destination that isn't on the radar for many travelers yet, and remains a remote escape for those looking to get away from the tourist crowds.

There is a region in the Amazon Basin known as Roraima that sits where Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana come together. The area is dominated by rainforest, as you might expect, but there is a small patch of savannah as well. But the most awe inspiring aspect of the landscape is the towering tepuis, or flat topped mountains, that rise up from the jungle and dominate the horizon.

Roraima is incredibly remote. So much so that it was the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book The Lost World in which dinosaurs are found roaming the jungle. It is a tropical destination with a warm, wet climate, at least at the lower altitudes. When you scale the tepuis, the altitude changes the climate dramatically, bring gusting winds, cooler tempertures and thick clouds.

Continue reading Adventure Destination: Roraima

Adventure Destination: Roraima originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 08 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brazil's Other Adventurous Side

Kraig Becker — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Paddling, South America, Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Camping, Ecotourism

With Brazil's big party, Carnival, coming to an end a few days back, I thought that it was appropriate to look at the country's other adventurous side, far away from the beaches and party scene of Rio and the other major cities. Brazil has plenty to offer the traveler who is looking to get off the beaten path, and explore some of its more remote regions.

One of the more famous of these attractions is Iguassu Falls, located along the border between Brazil and Argentina. Iguassu is a collection of more than 275 waterfalls compressed into an area that is roughly 1.5 miles in length. Some of them are as tall as 270 feet, and the total amount of water that crosses over Iguassu Falls is more than twice that of Niagara.

While Iguassu doesn't see nearly as much traffic as Rio or the other major cities, plenty of intrepid travelers still make the journey to take in that natural wonder. For something a bit further off the tourist radar, consider a trip to the Brazilian region of Pantanal, a tropical wetland, much like the Florida Everglades, but on a much larger scale. During the rainy season, the Amazon River overflows into the area, creating a unique and diverse ecosystem with literally thousands of species of birds, fish, and other wildlife. Exploring the area by boat is akin to taking an African Safari, with giant river otter, colorful maccaw, marsh deer, and even piranha on display.

Continue reading Brazil's Other Adventurous Side

Brazil's Other Adventurous Side originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irate first class passenger pulls emergency slide, leaves plane

Jeffrey White — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Guyana, Airlines

There seems to be no shortage of stupid things passengers are doing on planes these days.

The latest boneheaded move happened in Guyana this past Friday. A first class passenger on a Delta flight from New York to Guyana became so angry that economy passengers were exiting the plane before him that he activated the plane's emergency slide and used it to leave the plane.

The Associated Press, via MSNBC.com, is reporting that airport authorities in Guyana promptly arrested the man, who they described as intoxicated. The man posted bail and was released not long after the incident.

Delta says it intends to press charges against the man on the grounds that he obstructed the flight crew.

For those of you out there wondering how much of a hassle it is to repack the emergency slide, Gadling's resident flight attendant Heather Poole says it is a huge expense for an airline, which has to take the plane out of service. "It doesn't get fixed quick, that's for sure," she says.

Thanks, Ben, for tipping us off to the story!

Irate first class passenger pulls emergency slide, leaves plane originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Holidays & Cricket World Cup 2007

Adrienne Wilson — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:39:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, South America, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Airlines

Hopeful fans of Trinidad & Tobago's Soca Warriors raced over to Germany for the 2006 FIFA World Cup games and returned without a cup, but with more determination than ever for the next installment in 2010. In the meantime they get to lounge lazily on their sister islands whiling and liming away the day until the next big thing, which for Trinidad is never too long of a wait.

Sports fans can continue to cheer and root for their favorite country team during the 2007 Cricket World Cup games being held for the first time ever all over the Caribbean. Trinidad & Tobago is only one set of islands playing host and Virgin Holidays is offering packages to get you there. The matches are being held in March and April of 2007 and packages are going fast. See Virgin Holidays for more details on getting you to unspoiled West Indian beaches, then visit their partner Cavendish Hospitality to find match tickets. Other islands hosting the games include Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts. St. Vincent and Guyana will also host games, but it doesn't look as if Virgin Holidays will be offering packages to vaca in these two tropical countries.

Let the games begin, again!

Virgin Holidays & Cricket World Cup 2007 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIBE's 2006 Hot Spots

Adrienne Wilson — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:31:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Stories, Guyana

It is rare that I flip open the pages of VIBE magazine and uncover some really awesome recommended travel destinations. Apparently the four 2006 hot spot package is a first time feature for the magazine and writers Casey Woods, Tom Masters, Corey Takahashi, and Carina Ray did a fine job in unveiling some very offbeat vacation ideas in London, Ghana, Suriname and Little Haiti. Turning most of my attention to the two page piece on Suriname, covered by amazing photos of forest just outside of Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname and the Djuka people that reside in the country, a trip to the country seems almost necessary. When the writer describes the capital city as part Amsterdam and part South Beach my curiosity certainly hits an all time high for the Dutch speaking country lost by somewhat well-known countries Guyana, Guiana and very well-known, tourist trampled Brazil. Recommended places to crash while visiting Suriname include Hotel & Casino Torarica and Guesthouse Albergo Alberga. Dining spots include Indisch Restaurant Sarinah and Restaurant Dumpling #1. Sadly the article isn't online, but you can pick up VIBE on almost any newsstand or if you've heard enough skip right over to this Suriname tourism site.

VIBE's 2006 Hot Spots originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going to Guyana

Erik Olsen — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Learning, Business, Blogs, Guyana

When you think about it, there aren't many countries left in the world like Guyana. The country still has a fairly vast rainforest teeming with exotic life, and tourism there has remained pretty low due to the political situation and the overall lack of infrastructure. But that may be changing.

I enjoy posting pieces about off-the-beaten-track locales as often as I can. I discovered this piece in a terrific Canadian magazine called Outpost that talks about how quickly Guyana is becoming one of the top eco-tourist destinations around...or at least it is for the more determined and dedicated eco-tourist types (you know, the ones that actually know a hundred species of bird and enjoy gnawing on tree bark for breakfast). The article takes you (via a Toyota land Cruiser) on a visit to the village of Surama, one of the half-dozen or so Amerindian villages in Guyana's interior that have recently started to cash in on the eco-tourism thing. There the author deals with stealthy snakes, nosy tapirs, monkeys, birds, and a particular golden frog whose nerve toxin is "160,000 times more powerful than cocaine." (Important safety tip: Don't lick the golden frogs).

Of course, with the rise in eco-tourism there, it is easy to be concerned about the degradation of the very environment that is being appreciated. Increased tourism will lead to more development, which will lead to forests being felled. So perhaps now is the time to follow the article's advice and see Guyana for yourself. For more on Guyana's rainforests and eco-tourism opps, check out this link.

Going to Guyana originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 09 Aug 2005 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing It Up in Guyana

Erik Olsen — Wed, 22 Jun 2005 11:44:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Blogs, Guyana

I have been to most every country in Latin America, but there are several that I know almost nothing about. These are the little countries scrunched over to the top edge of the continent that I am guessing are also completely foreign to most people as well.

'm talking about Suriname, Guyana, and French Guyana. The regimes in these countries tend to be repressive and tourism is nearly non-existent, at least compared to the rest of South America.

But in this nice little piece in The Guardian, Anita Sethi ventures into Guyana and gets the vibe of the place. She visits several unusual places, including Kaieteur Falls, one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in the world. The country, she tells us, is nearly devoid of tourism. Most people seem to associate the place with the horrible Jim Jones massacres from years past...AKA the Jonestown masacres. But it turns out it is much more than that, and the article really stirred my interest in the place. Maybe this little country is due for a period of intense eco-tourism...maybe it's time to get there before ths happens.

Doing It Up in Guyana originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 22 Jun 2005 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guyanese Pepperpot

Adrienne Wilson — Sat, 04 Jun 2005 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Stories, Guyana

In the many times I've visited Island Events I never took the time to check out their 'What's Cooking' section until today. In brief Island Events is your one-stop information guide to really fun and exciting affairs across the twin Caribbean islands of Trinidad & Tobago. When the time comes to start preparing for Carnival you'll definitely want to check them out, but in the meantime you can brush-up on your West Indian cooking skills.

This particular recipe doesn't come from straight from TnT, but its close South American neighbor, Guyana. Guyana isn't a typical South American country and many of its plates will resemble those found in the Caribbean. And f you find yourself in Georgetown and ask for one of the more common dishes in the country expect a spicy bowl of Pepperpot to be placed before you. Cubed lean beef, cow heel quartered, lime, thyme, cinnamon stick and hot peppers are just a few of the ingredients needed to prepare Pepperpot.

A bit complicated to cook at home, I'll leave this one for more experienced gadling chef. I've never dined at a Guyanese restaurant or had this dish some I'm curious to know how it turns out! Keep me posted.

Guyanese Pepperpot originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 04 Jun 2005 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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