May 18th, 2009 at 9:00AM: The Amazon River Basin is an amazing place. It is a vast ecosystem with the most diverse array of plant and animal life found anywhere on the planet. It is also one of those iconic destinations that sparks visions of adventure, with thoughts of Indiana Jones raiding lost temples for golden idols. It was all of these things, and more, that spurred my recent visit to the Peruvian Amazon, seeking a ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
peru posts
Adventures in the Amazon: Iquitos, Peru
May 18th, 2009 at 9:00AM: The Amazon River Basin is an amazing place. It is a vast ecosystem with the most diverse array of plant and animal life found anywhere on the planet. It is also one of those iconic destinations that sparks visions of adventure, with thoughts of Indiana Jones raiding lost temples for golden idols. It was all of these things, and more, that spurred my recent visit to the Peruvian Amazon, seeking a ...Photo of the Day (4.11.09)
Apr 11th, 2009 at 4:00PM: For the past two years I've been in Latin America on the days leading up to Semana Santa (or Holy Week), and I've been completely astounded by the Colombian and Cuban people's devotion to their faith. By way of contrast, here in Honolulu, I didn't even get a day off yesterday (Good Friday), though most state businesses did. My students tell me that in Europe they observe a 4-day weekend during ...Gadling Take FIVE Week of March - April 3
Apr 3rd, 2009 at 7:30PM: Perhaps you noticed our annual April Fool's offerings. Although there are some odd TRUE stories here at Gadling every once in awhile--sometimes daily, nothing this past Wednesday was true. At least, I don't think China is planning to put an escalator up Mt. Everest.
Here is a sampling of what has been true this week.
Annie has happily continued to sample jerky. This week's post on ...The Highest Cities in the World
Mar 15th, 2009 at 10:00AM: The BootsnAll Travel site has a great article up listing the highest cities in the world. Amsterdam doesn't make this list however, as we're talking the cities that fall at the highest altitude. These mountain communities will have you gasping for air as soon as you step off the plane, both with their thin air and stunning mountain scenery. Topping the list as the highest city in the world is La ...tripwolf and Footprint Handbooks team up
Mar 14th, 2009 at 10:00AM: There are definitely some crazy partnerships popping up across the world wide web, but this one doesn't really surprise me too much. The up-and-coming social travel guide tripwolf.com teamed up with the fabulous Footprint Handbooks to provide even more travel information at your fingertips. The idea here is to merge tripwolf's user-generated content with the professional tips from Footprint. The ...Five Great Road Trips From Around The World
Mar 9th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Australian newspaper The Age has put together a list of five of the top drives from around the world. These scenic byways encourage drivers to get behind the wheel, explore, and, as the article says, take the long way home. Some of the roads that make this exclusive list include the Hana Highway in Hawaii, which is lauded for its 80km of winding road, that includes 56 one lane bridges, that ...Alternative Treks to the Inca Trail
Mar 3rd, 2009 at 8:00AM: Yesterday we wrote about The Inca Trail, one of the best known and most popular treks anywhere in the world, culminating with hikers arriving at Machu Picchu following a stunning four day journey through the Andes. Unfortunately the popularity of the trail is also one of its drawbacks, with literally hundreds flocking to it on a daily basis during the high season. Those crowds can deminish the ...Classic Trek: The Inca Trail, Peru
Mar 2nd, 2009 at 9:00AM: Peru is, beyond a doubt, one of the top adventure travel destinations in the entire world. It offers an amazing array of things to see and do, perfectly blending culture with both mountain and jungle settings, along with ancient artifacts and ruins that rival those found in Egypt. Of course, the most spectacular and famous of those ruins is the lost city of Machu Picchu, located at 8000 feet above ...Photo of the Day (2.26.09)
Feb 26th, 2009 at 6:00PM: I've always wanted to visit Machu Piccu in Peru. This might be the best shot I've seen yet of the area, taken by Magnusvk. He even gives a few tips on capturing such a sight: Go in the rainy season, get up as early as you can, take the first bus up and just ignore the rain. That's the only way to have Machu Picchu more or less for yourself for a couple of minutes. The morning mood, as you can ...Nine wonders in 26 days
Feb 25th, 2009 at 9:00AM: Planning ahead has never paid off quite so much. If you're thinking about a big trip for the fall, kick around Abercrombie & Kent's "Nine Wonders of the World" excursion. A private jet will cart you to the most impressive destinations our planet has to offer over 26 days, and you just won't want to come back to reality. The experience kicks off on October 19 at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, ...Peru To Sue Yale University?
Jan 27th, 2009 at 9:00AM: According to a story posted on AdventureJourney.net, a website dedicated to adventure travel, the country of Peru is suing Yale University, for the return of a number of artifacts taken from the country nearly a century ago when legendary explorer Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu in 1911. At that time, Bingham's discovery captured the imagination of the world, as photos of the Lost City of ...International Value Destinations
Jan 17th, 2009 at 8:30AM: USAToday has put together an interesting list of 10 great international places to go for a value on your vacation. These places were specifically picked to allow us to get more bang for our buck when traveling abroad this year, something that seems to be on every traveler's mind at the moment. The list of locations really does span the globe, and there is something for everyone on the list. Want ...Eggnog: Where does it come from?
Dec 26th, 2008 at 5:00PM: I've long been a fan of spiced 'nog. It's one of the creamiest, best tastes in the world. For over 300 years, eggnog has been a Christmas staple, and I just had to get to the bottom of the mystery of 'why'? What I discovered in my research of the origin of eggnog was quite startling. While 'nog definitely came from Europe circa early 17th century, the term "eggnog" and the etymology of the word is ...Cultural Delicacies: Guinea pig
Dec 17th, 2008 at 12:00PM: I had a guinea pig as a pet when I was in elementary school. His name was Guinea (I know, really original). He was brown with a little splash of white on his chest. He had a cute pink nose. He was kind of a nibbler (he would often bite me with his two sharp teeth), and whatever he put in his mouth came out the other end. I guess it comes as no surprise, then, that I had to change Guinea's cage ...Man Caught at Airport with 200 Birds in his Suitcase
Sep 30th, 2008 at 2:00PM: A man was arrested at the airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil after 200 canaries were found in his suitcase. The smuggler is a resident of Brazil and had just gotten off a flight from Peru. Over 60 of the birds were dead. The others are being returned to Peru by a more humane means of transport. The man has been charged with animal trafficking and is currently being held by police in Sao Paulo. The ...Talking travel with author of Rough Guide's Ultimate Adventures
Sep 15th, 2008 at 9:00AM: Gregory Witt is author of Ultimate Adventures: A Rough Guide to Adventure Travel, which is out in bookstores today. This is a guy who has done pretty much everything when it comes to extreme adventures, so I'm definitely picking up my copy. He happens to be a skilled mountaineer guide, having led summit trips to Mt. Rainier, Matterhorn, and Peru's Pisco. He's also summited Colorado's three highest ...Drives to pies and what's nearby: Converse, Indiana
Jun 12th, 2008 at 9:30AM: Herschberger Essen Haus is another worthy stop on the fabulous pie hunt. This restaurant, according to Aaron who left a comment on the strawberry-rhubarb pie post, serves up a strawberry-rhubarb pie to drive for--even though it's 40 miles out of his way. When going from Indianapolis to Detroit, Aaron swings by Converse where there's a slice of this very pie with his name on it.
The red dot in ...Photo of the Day (10.06.2008)
Jun 10th, 2008 at 9:30AM: Where I live, it's been raining for days. So I might be a bit biased but I love this photo taken in the Sacred Valley in Peru. I love the bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds, offset by the dry landscape. And I especially love the implication that Maras is up in the clouds, surrounded by angels and halos no doubt. Thanks to Dirty Dawg for submitting such a great photo. Have a divine photo to ...Murder on the Inca Trail
Mar 27th, 2008 at 7:51AM: A divorced British banker died after a blow to the head on the Inca Trail and was found in a nearby river--and it's raising more than a few eyebrows across the pond. Colin Murphy, 44, disappeared on News Year's day during a Christmas holiday to Peru from the town of Aguas Calientes in the Andes, not far from the Machu Picchu. The last hours of his life were spent with 14 other holidayers, who left ...Train to Machu Picchu reopens
Feb 26th, 2008 at 4:30PM: Peruvians ended two days of protests against new laws allowing more development near historic sites. Rail service to the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu reopened and the nearest regional airport at Cuzco also reopened. The airport had been closed since Thursday when protestors stormed the facility and piled rocks and trees onto roads, according to AP.
Local leaders protested two laws, originally ...
