Travel Forum / Destinations / Latin America / August 2006

I've been to the Mayan Riviera six times now (the
last being this weekend), and all but once I've
rented a car. None of the people I know who have
gone rent cars and have told me it never even

I'm on vacation and writing from a café - trying to waste time waiting
for my friend to sleep off his hangover. So here is my dilemma. My
backpack that contained my cell phone was stolen a few days ago. I am
not too concerned since I have insurance. So now I have no phone and my

I was just reading the August issue of Mexico Desconocido, and noticed
that there is a new "Museo de Arte Popular" in Mexico City, just off of
the Alameda central.  It was inaugurated by President Fox earlier this year.
Arte Popular is perhaps best translated as Folk Art or ...

The news I've been reading about Mexico's political turmoil is
disturbing.  Guelagetza has been cancelled in Oaxaca, and the zocalo has
been closed at times.
 Demonstrations in Mexico City have caused a shutdown of the historic

I realize that there's lots of terrain in the 3rd world that make wheels
useless.  But I'm wondering if there are certain designs that work a lot
better than others?  Bigger or softer wheels for use on rougher but
manageable surfaces?  If you've got a long way to walk, and your ...

I have decided to backpack latin america alone for 8-12 months.  I have
lived in Nicaragua for 2 years and know the language, just want to
shoot some ideas and get advice since I have never backpacked or
travelled before.  I don't plan on using any guidebooks, etc., and plan

My wife and I will be arriving in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica at the end
of a Panama Canal cruise in early December and wanted to spend 4-5 days
seeing the natural sights of Costa Rica. We will be on the cruise ship
from the Caribbean so we intend to focus on the central and Pacific

Can non-Cubans spend non-tourist money without hassles?  Here is the
Lonely Planet FAQ on Cuba money and I can't find anything on it.  
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=
14&threadid=1068096&messid=9155506&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&from=1

My wife and I let our daughters choose (within reason) a vacation
destination following their graduation from high school. We are on our
third and final daughter, who loved #2's choice of Playa del Carnen--
nice size, great shopping, outstanding beaches, snorkeling, friendly

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2 weeks on 8/9
We are flying in for a short 2 weeks on 8/9 so if anyone in PV would
like to meet for a cool one or lunch, beach day, email me as I check
very often and will answer back and give you my cell phone.

I'm looking at the prospect of renting a furnished apartment in Chile
January to March this winter.  
Chile covers a lot of territory and my first thought was Valparaiso,
which is easy to reach from Santiago Airport and seems to have about the right

I am sorry my portugese is too bad to write...
I'm from Belgium and my wife is from RS, Brazil
we will go to Brazil in oktober+november and again in january - march 2007
usually we rent a car in Brazil

My film "Gringo in the Galapagos" can be seen on the web, if you have
high speed internet connection.  The video features Ecuador’
Highlands, the Jungle, and then out to the Galapagos Islands fo
personal visits with animals of all kinds that are not scared o

While traveling in Venezuela 10 years ago, I was told of a great novel that
is set in Cartagena, Columbia. I just cannot remember which one. Even though
there may be a few, anyone have an idea? Would like to read some authentic
latin american literature on my upcoming trip to ...