Yet another overnight bus took us 500+ km north of Lima to the city of Trujillo, founded in 1534, and known as the City of Eternal Spring (although it´s a pretty steamy summer right now). Trujillo lies in northwestern Peru,…
After a couple of months in Caracas, Lima is a big change. Things seem more relaxed here, and there is a noticeable tourist presence. We are also back in Hostel World, with lots of fellow travelers from different backgrounds and…
After a quick geocache find at a pretty lookout near our hostal, and with a new SIM card inserted in my cell phone, we head south from Lima to Pachacamac, a ceremonial and religious center which first came into use…
El Páramo A drive up through the Páramo’s alpine tundra ecosystems is a must on any visit to the city of Mérida, Venezuela. The views are spectacular, the small villages historic and colorful, each with its requisite plaza and church. There…
Mérida is the principal city of the Venezuelan Andes. It was founded in 1558, and is known today for its high population of university and other students as well as a wide variety of attractions for tourists. The temperature is generally…
Getting to Mérida Bus travel in Venezuela is generally quite smooth. If you´ve adjusted your mind to the general chaos that goes along with daily life in South America, overland travel can be quite enjoyable. It´s relatively comfortable and cheap (especially…
Choroni is a hopping little beach town and one of the more accessible for harried Caraqueños trying to escape the big city. That being said, we left for Choroni on Monday morning. Using public transportation to arrive is an adventure. …
In 1843, a group of mostly German colonists (240 men and 151 women), arrived to establish a colony. After spending some time in quarantine due to a disease that had broken out on board, the group made the long walk…
Between Christmas and New Year´s there was time to squeeze in a whirlwind trip to the Colombian border town of Cúcuta. We were able to catch a ride each way with two different friends. A couple of nights in Cúcuta…
Caracas doesn´t seem to have changed too much since last time we were here. We´ve been laying kind of low, recuperating and relaxing at home. The family I have stayed with since my first visit to Venezuela in 2001 has…