South America
-
Where To Find The World’s Best Chocolate
Most of the “Top 10 Chocolates” or “Best Countries for Chocolate” have lists that are mostly made up of European countries like Italy, Belgium, France and Switzerland. While I’ve had some phenomenal chocolate in these countries, none of them made my list of places where I’ve come to find some of my tastiest confections. Since these high end chocolatiers are working with beans that come from a narrow region that flanks either side of the equator and the trees grow best in tropical weather, you won’t be seeing any of your fancy French chocolate made completely locally. So, where can you find some of the best chocolate? Much like a…
-
Peru on Wheels: Peru Hop Review
Don’t Be A Typical Tourist… There is so much more to Peru than Machu Picchu and the Instagram-made famous Rainbow Mountain. I challenge you to take some time out of your itinerary to explore a little more and find out how diverse and amazing Peru can be. I ended up taking a long weekend trip into Bolivia and then back into Peru, up the coast ending in Lima on Peru Hop, a bus company that specializes in taking tourists on set routes where they are in control of their own schedule. Seeing Peru on wheels, taking more public and sustainable transportation was a great choice for me to be able…
-
My Favorite Moments of 2014
2014, what a whirlwind! I had several one of a kind experiences this year and I think I spent a lot of time pinching myself making sure I wasn’t dreaming, exploring new places, meeting new friends and enjoying life has a way of seeming unreal. It has been a treat to go through TONS of photos of the past year and I’ve collected a few to share some of the stand outs. My day as a Maltese falconer By far and away one of my more favorite memories of this year. While in Malta I decided to take the Maltese Falcon story to the next level and go to the…
-
Passports with Purpose: Giving back this holiday season
Giving back globally, bringing together bloggers, travel lovers and non profit organizations, Passports with Purpose is kicking off their yearly fundraiser on Giving Tuesday, December 2nd until December 17th and there is an easy way that we can ALL participate! This year the online fundraiser is supporting Sustainable Harvest International, a non profit organization that provides tools and education for better farming practices in Central America and for this particular program the focus is in Honduras. For every $5,000 we raise, SHI will have the means necessary to aid a family in sustainable farming techniques which will benefit them for years to come. The best part is that 100% of…
-
You had me at UNESCO: Why I’m head over heels for heritage cities
UNESCO. Â For those of you who aren’t familiar, the acronym may look like letters for a combination gas station/carwash, a bulk goods grocery store, or some Silicon Valley Tech start up, BUT it stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Â UNESCO has a mission to promote the protection of natural and cultural sites and that their preservation be a way to educate future generations while bringing awareness to unique places all over the world. Â I’ve been checking their website before going to a new place to see if they have a world heritage site near where I’ll be staying and a pattern started to develop. Â I love…
-
Coffee Shop Talk: Where to Find the Best Coffee in the World
Brew a cup, order a Venti, or pop a K-cup in the Keurig because we are breaking down where in the world you can find the best coffee. Can I let you in on a little secret? If you read my story about my trip to a Colombian coffee farm, you already know that I’m the only person you know that doesn’t drink coffee. Ok, so what makes me an authority on where to drink coffee around the world? I love everything about the caffeinated craving in a cup aside from drinking it, in particular, the coffee shop.  The smell, people all sitting around socializing quietly with friends or working…
-
Take me to Coffee Town: Colombia’s Coffee Region
The Coffee Zone The coffee triangle is in the heart of Colombia and there are several small towns in the region where you can take in the small town vibe, the stunning scenery and obviously, the coffee. Â I immediately associate any coffee grower to have the whole Juan Valdez thing going on, complete with a little mild mannered donkey by his side, obediently toting his beans and although there aren’t white-brimmed hat coffee farmers lurking around every corner, the area exudes that farm town feeling, the air smells crisp and fresh, livestock are grazing on the surrounding rolling hills, and the further you walk down the dirt paths the…
-
Snapshot Sunday: Cartagena, Colombia
-
82 Hostel: A Bogota Review
Bogota, Colombia Colombia’s sprawling capital, Bogota, is one of the largest cities in South America.  It’s comprised of individual neighborhoods, which are zones, or cultural pockets amidst the large urban city full of museums, galleries, theaters and libraries.  We opted to stay in Zona Rosa, or the T Zone, where there is plenty of shopping, nightlife and delicious restaurants and 82 Hostel is right in the middle of all the action. 82 Hostel: Home away from home in Bogota We had the fortune of coming across 82 Hostel in our research, a quiet, clean hostel in a great neighborhood. They had everything we were looking for while we spent our first…
-
A Sunday in Bogota, Colombia
Sunday in Bogota The capital city, Bogota is a great place to begin your Colombian adventure.  An urban sprawl filled with smaller neighborhoods, each area are different “zones” so the city truly offers something for everyone, from booming nightlife, amazing art galleries, outdoor activities and gastronomic treats.  During the week large cities seem to exude the hum-drum feel of a standard work day, so I think the best time to get a feel for the personality of a place is over a weekend, especially when you can experience the vibe of a town on a weekend and our Sunday in Bogota was no exception. Gold Rush There are over 50…