If anyone has recommendations or can share some photos or experiences (I know we have some posters here who are actually from these countries) for the following places: Guayaquil Buenos Aires Santiago de Chile Easter Islands Lima Cuzco Machu Picchu Galapagos Islands please post them here, because I am planning to visit all these places (all flights are already reserved). Will spend most of the time in Argentina, learning Spanish and stuff, the other stops are as long as one needs to see the places. Any advice is welcome - thanks.
I have a photo site that has pictures from a couple of trips to Peru: www.rawsophistication.com Go to the Travel section. There are also photos from Panama and Costa Rica.
I wish I could stay longer, but have to get back to work at some point - for some reason, South America really fascinates me (must be the chicas :grin: ). Therefore, will have to do La Paz next time. Is there anyone from Ecuador here on the board? I read some things about the security situation in Guayaquil and that did not sound very encouraging.
I've only been to South America once (Brazil), but will be going to northern Colombia in February...can't wait! As for Brazil, I highly highly recommend it. I went in December 2006 and spent New Years with Brazilian friends I was visiting in Bahia. My friends live in Sao Paulo, so I was there for a while too - it's a large, cosmopolitan, diverse city (read: hot women and amazing sushi...lot's of Japanese-Brazilians in Sao Paulo). Rio was an amazing city, without a doubt the best beach town in the world.
I did Brazil 7 years ago, I went to Fortaleza (actually a small surf spot called Cumbuco, near Fortaleza), to Rio, to Iguacu and to Fernando de Noronha; also passed through Sao Paulo and Recife. Salvador de Bahia is still high on my list, I hope to be able to go for Carnival one day.
Thanks, these pictures look amazing - are you a professional photographer? I am thinking about buying a more "proper" camera than my little compact camera for this trip, but I am a bit concerned about weight and about being even more obvious as a tourist/victim.
After traveling to over 25 countries with a compact camera, and recently having purchased a dSLR camera, I wish I could go back to all 25 of those countries again with my new camera. I highly recommend getting a dSLR camera for the type of trip you're taking.
I've been to many places around the world and Peru was easily one of my favorites. I WILL go back there some day. We did a few days in Lima in Mira Flores and then flew to Cusco, where we stayed and toured for 2-3 days. We then had hired a small bus to drive through the countryside on the way to Aquas Calientes, where we stayed for another two days. During those two days we did a full tour of Machu Picchu the first day and then we split up to wander Machu Picchu by ourselves the second day. Let me tell you, man....Peru itself is badass and I'd recommend it to anyone, but Machu Picchu is easily one of the most amazing places I've ever experienced. And if you feel at all in tune with the world around you, you will experience it. This is one of the famous views of the city: I took many pictures of this exact view that second day. I sat on a perch on a mountaintop with a journal and my iPod, listening to Pink Floyd and drawing and writing all day and did my best to communicate with the universe. The place just calls to you from another level of existence; I really can't describe it any better than that. The countryside trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu was an event in and of itself. We stopped at every Incan ruin perched up in the Andes, towns, churches, you name it. It was awesome. I used to have a ton of Peru pics on my Facebook, but I took them all down. I can send you some if you like. After Machu Picchu, we returned to Lima, this time staying in Barranco. Then my family left and I spent a few days wandering Lima by myself. It was one of the most transcendentally excellent trips of my life. You'll effing love it. The food is excellent, the people are warm and friendly, Peruvian wine is really good, and the casinos in Lima are fun, and you'll want the coca tea when you get up in elevation. It tastes good, too. Eat some alpaca and eat some cui. You won't regret it. The cui I tried was at a restaurant in Cusco, right on the main square...wish I could tell you the name. We were going to see the Nazca Lines, but there was an earthquake there that prevented us from going. We also couldn't work in the Galapagos Islands....these are two of the many reasons I will return to Peru.
Agree with what Lynus said about Machu Picchu. I'm not a very religious person, but sitting on top of MP you definitely feel the spirituality of the place. Aguas Calientes - Town below MP is nice to spend a night. Small town feel, but its getting pretty commercialized. Cusco is absolutely amazing! Old world feel, but lots of bars, restaurants and clubs. Great food! Lima - Only spent one night there, but had really great seafood. Buenos Aires - Maybe my favorite city in the world. Enough can't be said about it. Very historic, yet cosmopolitan. Dirt cheap, best food, hot women, etc. etc. Iguazu in Argentina - We did a boat trip through the river with crocodiles and its one of the best experience of my life. Santiago, Chile - nice place. Kinda like Buenos Aires lite.
Check it: Ruins through the Sacred Valley: Mountains: Machu Picchu: Me on my perch over Machu Picchu: Incan women weaving scarves out of alpaca wool: Alpaca (wherever there are ruins, they wander around): Alpaca pizza: Cusco at night: And in the day:
Few more: Cui: Cui all cute before it becomes dinner: Main square in Cusco: Awesome Peruvian Hairless Dog: Another view of Machu Picchu: Man I miss Peru. Can't wait to go back!! Viva!!
wait what? Aguas Calientes a nice place to spend a night. I thought it was the ugliest town I have ever visited. Ofcourse if you want to enjoy Machu Pichu the best you can you have to stay in Aguas Calientes (unless you want to pay hundreds of dollars a night for the hotel next to Machu Pichu). I was in Peru for a month. Cusco is amazing. If you want to go from Cusco to Lima you can also go to Araquipa and visit Colca Canyon and after that the Nazca Lines. Also if you want to spend some time in the Jungle Going to Puerto Maldonado is a good option, and then visiting Tambopata (that is were I proposed to my Wife). Sounds like a great trip SJC.
Lynus, thanks for the pictures - looks like they have their very own version of the "Hollywood" letters .
