Nicholas Gill's Blog
Posted by Nicholas Gill
The Central Bank of Venezuela is changing Venezuela's currency from the Bolivar to the Bolivar Fuerte begining January 1, 2008. In the redomination process, 1,000 Bolivars will become 1 Bolivar Fuerte. Simply, the zeros are eliminated.
Coins will be created in the following denominations: 1; 0.50; 0.25; 0.125; 0.10; 0.05; 0.01.
Banknotes will be printed in the following denominations: 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2.
There will be a period of transition of six months in which both, the old and the new currency will coexist. After this transition period, currency exchange will continue as long as necessary, so that people could change old currency for new currency at financial institutions.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Luxury hotels are being constructed in Peru like never before. Here's what is in store for 2008:
- Casa Andina is also rapidly expanding their Private Collection hotels, which are quite stunning, around Peru and new locations in Lima and Arequipa are set to open in January.
- In March, Inkaterra is also opening a hotel in a restored colonial mansion in Barranco (district of Lima south of Miraflores) with lots of Old World charm that in my opinion will be likely be the most stylish hotel ever built in Lima. Inkaterra will also open a Puno location in November and a Cusco location in December that you could easily add to the list.
- Orient Express is also set to open a lodge in Colca Canyon early next year.
- Midrange company EcoInn is opening hotels in Cusco, Lima, Colca Canyon, Puna, and the Sacred Valley
- Affiliates of Marriot and Hilton chains are set to open hotels in Cusco.
- Vague plans are underway to begin building hotels directly on Lima's Costa Verde (before only hotels were built on cliffs above the beach).
Outside of hotels, expect even more interest in the culinary scene with new food tours and restaurants, more diverse Inka Trail treks utilizing luxury lodges on other routes; the reconstruction of Pisco, Ica, and Chincha, and much, much more.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
We all know that this website is beyond compare, however, there are several others that will help you gain a significant understanding on travel in South America:
AndeanTravelWeb.com: Pretty basic, but the ATW is filled with info on hotels, tour operators, hikes, and other bits on travel in the Andes.
BrazilMax.com: Beautifully designed site from an expat writer with articles, hotel listings and bookings, music, and much more.
Equadorial - Feature Articles on traveling in Ecuador.
Living in Peru - Daily news in Peru translated into English, as well as articles, bulletin boards, and other listings.
Perublog.com - Articles, columns, and loads of information on Peru from a well known guidebook writer and photographer.
Planeta - Ron Mader's site on ecologically friendly tourism has loads of info on Latin America.
South American Explorer's - A bulletin board, online store, trip reports, country specific info, and other excellent resources are availiables to members of this virtual clubhouse.
Viajeros y Vagamundos - Blog of Peruvian journalist Jorge Riveros Cayo.
Venezuela Voyager - Info on Venezuela written by guidebook writer Dominic Hamilton.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
American Citizens traveling in bolivia will need to adhere to these new requirements:
Begining December 1st, no longer is just a passport sufficient. American citizens must obtain an entry visa.
Things you need to obtain your Bolivian Visa:
1. Visa application form (affidavit). The form can be requested from consulates or downloaded from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website ( www.rree.gov.bo)
2. Valid passport
3. Hotel reservation and/or invitation letter
4. Photocopy of roundtrip ticket and/or travel itinerary
5. Economic solvency attested by credit card or equivalent document, valid for the duration of travel
6. Photocopy of international certificate of yellow fever vaccination
7. Pay a visa fee of $100
Once the application is received by the Consul, Consular Agent, or immigration officer, the requirements will be verified; in case of compliance, he/she will issue the visa for a period of 90 days and will affix the corresponding visa. In case the application is denied, the officer will return the documents to the applicant. Any expense incurred for the issuance of the visa will be paid by the applicant.
Pursuant to Bolivian constitutional principles, individuals born in Bolivia who have subsequently acquired U.S. citizenship will not be required to obtain a visa to enter Bolivia, provided that they present proof of their nationality of origin by means of appropriate documentation.
Any questions? Consult the Bolivian Embassy in Washington or your nearest Bolivian Consulate (see http://www.bolivia-usa.org/ for contact information).
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Lucho Hurtado is one of the most significant figures in Peruvian tourism today. He isn’t in Cusco and he isn’t even in Lima. He is in Huancayo in Peru’s Central Andes.
His tour company has single handedly revolutionized tourism in Central Peru and made a region with practically no tourist infrastructure become one of the most tourist friendly and fascinating places in the country.
Peru has dozens of major regions that all have fascinating sights, great hotels, and once in a lifetime tour opportunities, but most are centered around travels to Cusco and Machu Picchu, and to some extent the Amazon, Lake Titicaca, and Lima. The North Coast, Central Jungle, Northern Andes, and other locations see very few tourists, but slowly international visitors are beginning to look around the country for new locations after they come on their second or third trip to Peru.
Lucho and Incas del Peru have proven that with the right kind and focused effort, tourists will come. They have been instrumental in ethno tourism in Peru where guests can learn craft making from villagers in the Mantaro Valley, study Spanish and Quechua in homestays, and helping to get the world’s highest railway running again.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
The new movie adaptation of Colombian Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera was shot in Colombia, further confirming security issues are becoming much more secure. Originally filming was set to take place in Brazil, but the Colombian Vice-President assured producers that they could gurantee their safety and city police and marines were sent to secure every shoot. This follows my blog last week on reports of Colombia's flourishing tourist draw.
The R-rated, English language film, directed by Mike Newell, stars Benjamin Bratt, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Javier Bardem, John Leguizamo, Laura Harring, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Hector Elizondo, is set to release in North America on Novemebr 16. The story describes a 52-year love triangle in the late 19th/early 20th century in various parts of Colombia.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Few people realize the tourist potential of Colombia. They are too concerned with the bad taste in their mouth left by the 1980's and 90's. I spent a month there a few years ago and could have spent another six and not seen everything. There are beautiful colonial cities, ancient ruins, trekking, the best birdwatching on the planet, excellent musuems like the Gold Museum, a cathedral made of Salt, an extensive Amazon region, and posh large cities. Finally the world is catching on and taking notice.
Foreign tourist visits are up from a half-million four years ago to 1.2 million now. Kidnappings have dropped by half and never really had something to do with tourists anyway. The US state departments warning, which has flat out stated not to go to Colombia, now says that "although rural areas remain "extremely dangerous," violence has decreased "markedly" in urban areas, including Bogotá and Cartagena."
Major cruise ships are docking in Cartagena, Santa Marta, and San Andrés Island. During the 2006-07 season (September to May) saw 50 port calls, while 2008 expects more than 200 with Royal Caribbean who had left for the past five years to This season, cruise lines will make 200 stops. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which returned to Cartagena in April after a five-year hiatus, will make 43 calls in the next year among its three brands. Princess and Holland America lines also are stopping.
USA Today is reporting that Bogotá will add 7,000 three- to five-star hotel rooms in the next three years, anew luxury ecotourism venture in Tayrona National Park is drawing high end tourists, coffee tourism south of Bogota is booming.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Celebrations throughout Latin America mark the 40th Anniversary of the death of Argentine Revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara. the image of his beret and bearded face is one of the most reproduced images in the world and can be found on t-shirts, buttons, the sides of buses and posters throughout Latin America.
Fidel Castro, who was a close friend of Guevara, honored him in Cuba as an "exceptional combatant" and invited many of the Argentine guerrilla's relatives to attend. A similar ceremony was held in Vallegrande, Bolivia 280 miles southeast of La Paz, where the revolutionary's remains were secretly buried for nearly three decades before they were discovered and returned to Cuba.
Guevara preached the Marxist gospel to the poor and neglected and spawned guerilla movements in Cuba, El Salvador, Bolivia, and was an inspiration throughout the region. Guevara was captured and killed when hiding in Bolivia by a group supported by the CIA. He remains a controversial figures for his outspoken views, strong support of Communism, and dislike of the United States. He played a significant role in purge trials and executions of hundreds of police and army officials accused of torturing and killing opponents while Batista was in power, making him severly disliked by exhiled Cubans.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
The Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu is seeing record breaking numbers of visitors to the site after it was named a New 7 Wonder. In 2007 alone more than 850,000 people are expected to visit Cusco and make the trip to Machu Picchu. Jean Paul Benavente, the Regional Director for Foreign Trade and Tourism, stated that the number is an astounding fifteen percent increase from the year before. By 2009 Cusco and Machu Picchu are expected to attract more than a million visitors each year.
Read more about Cusco:
Posted by Nicholas Gill
The fight over artifacts that American explorer Hiram Bingham found and brought back with him to Yale University in the US after "discovering" the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu (local farmers already knew of the site and lead Bingham there). This has been a very long fight in the international media for decades now that has had the Peruvian government outraged as the artifacts were seemingly taken without permission.
More than four thousand artifacts ranging from bones to ceramics to mummies are set to be returned to Peru, who has argued that Bingham has never had permission to take the artifacts. In an agreement between Yale and Peru, a new A Museum and Research Center is to be built in Cusco, Peru that will be run under the guidance of Yale. Yale and Peru will co-sponsor first a traveling expedition featuring Bingham's pieces. Dates and locations have yet to be announced.
Machu Picchu was named this July as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and is considered one of, if not the top destnation for travelers on the South America continent.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
The August earthquake in southern Peru caused extensive damage to the infrastructure of the region and many rural towns are still living in squalor. Much more help is needed. Here is a short list of places that can help:
Red Cross
In the US, you can call:
1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 in Spanish.
You can also donate via Internet:
Specify: Peru Earthquake
You can also purchase goods through the Peruvian grocery chain Wong online that will get to the people of the Ica region. Just enter www.ewong.com web page and register your email, you will immediately get a password in your email. Once you have this password, go ahead and shop, they even have facilitated a list of non-perishable goods. Wong will charge your credit card using Verified by Visa and will deliver the goods to the proper destination.
Blood donations can be made at these centers in Peru:
Ministry of Health (MINSA) Hospitals Dos de Mayo, Loayza etc
ESSALUD Hospitals Rebagliatti, Almenara, Sabogal, etc
FF.AA. (Air Force) and PNP (National Police)
Hospitals Militar, Marina, FAP and Policía
Hospital de la Solidaridad Plaza de Armas
Posted by Nicholas Gill
This July, guidebook publisher Lonely Planet began their Pick & Mix, a new travel guide product that enables travellers to select and purchase individual chapters from their wide range of titles, starting with their Latin American titles. There are more than 350 chapters available spanning 35 guides including destination guides, phrasebooks, and trekking guides. The chapters feature the exact same content as the guidebook, and can be downloaded to various devices.
The chapters range in price from $2 to $4 and you get a discount when purchasing multiple chapters. You can try Pick & Mix for free by downloading the Planning chapter from each book, which includes the Getting Started, Snapshots and Itineraries sections. All Pick & Mix chapters are available in the Buy by Chapter section of the Lonely Planet online shop at shop.lonelyplanet.com.
The beauty of this is that you can just print out the chapters that you need or simply look at them on your Ipod (via dropping the files in your notes folder) or PDA. You won't have to lug around the entire guidebook if it isn't necessary. This is particularly convenient with the trekking guides where every ounce of weight in your pack tends to be important. You can just print out the map and info on the trek your taking and leave room for essentials, such as food and warm clothes. Trekking in the Central Andes is particulalrly recommended by the way.
More chapters from other guides from other parts of the globe are expected to be released in the near future.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
On Wednesday August 14, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, the largest to hit Peru in decades struck coastal Peru and sent tsunami fears racing around the Pacific Rim. The earthquake centered in the coastal desert south of Lima, near the town of Pisco. At the time of writing more than 500 have died in Pisco and nearby Ica as buidlings collapsed, although the death toll is expected to rise.
How Earthquake Damage will Affect Travel in Peru:
Obviously visiting Pisco or Chincha Alta are out until rebuilding occurs and the debris is cleared. The islas Ballestas, the nature reserve just off shore from Pisco probably is ok, however, resources such as boats are likely being used to help earthquake victims. The town of Ica has significant damage in the center, however, the oasis of Huacachina and the vineyards appear to be ok although there is little information come out of this area. I would suggest calling your hotel or travel agent before visiting. The coastal highway, the Pan-americana, has been damaged significantly. Driving south from Lima to this area may be impossible at this time. If going to Arequipa, Puno, or Cusco, it is best to go by plane rather than by bus at this point.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Many Latin American countries are embraciing Medical Tourism as more and more Westerners learn that they can travel to these countries, have their surgery, and save significant amounts of money. travelers can get the same qualified surgeon performing the exact same operation and same orthopedic treatment as anywhere in the United States but at half the price, including airfare and hotels. For instance, a coronary bypass surgery that costs $60,000 in Miami costs just $30,000 in Panama, while a breast implant that's $12,000 in the U.S. is done in Panama for $6,000. Prices tend to be even lower in South American nations.
Medical Tourism is increasing rapidly in Latin American countries, particularly Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Andrés Oppenheimer, a Latin America correspondent for the Miami Herald, believes that medical tourism will be one of Latin America's biggest industries in the 21st century.
At present Costa Rica recieves 150,000 medical tourists every year, that's well below Thailand who recives more than 400,000, but the munber is growing. Many American doctors are from outside the US and more than 60% have studied outside the US, so there is a natural trust factor. Most of the patients are Americans who cannot afford insurance or Canadians who do not want to wait 8 months for a surgery to be performed.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Lima's 11th annual Latin American Film Festival runs until August 11th, so if you find yourself in Lima be sure to check ou the action. The event is organized by the Catholic University's Cultural Center and dozens of feature films and documentaries (in Spanish) will be shown.
Films in the competition hail from Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Canada, and France. The expected highlights: Calle Santa Fe (Chile), Santiago (Brazil), Luz Silenciosa (Mexico), Una Sombra al Frente (Peru), and El Ano que Mis Padres se fueron de Vacaciones (Brazil).
Venues for the Latin American Film Festival:
Cineplanet Alcazar
Catolica's cultural center
Alianza Francesa
Centro de la Imagen
Centro Cultural Espana, Plaza Washington
Cine Metro, Plaza San Martin, Lima
San Isidro Municipal Audtorium
Centro Cultural Ricardo Palma
CAFAE
Centro Cultural La Noche
View the full program at the Cultural Center's website.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Both Peru's Machu Picchu and Brazil's Christ the Redeemer Statue were named to the new list of the seven world wonders in Lisbon, Portugal's Estadio da Luz on 7/7/07. The global vote was heavily promoted by both the Peruvian and Brazilian tourism divisions, which may explain why other sites were not on the final list. For instance, the city of Cusco set up 50 internet stands with high broadband connections for people to cast their vote while models walking around the Plaza de Armas encouraged them. Many andean people who had never used a computer before cast their vote.
The naming of the two sites to the list is sure to be a heavy draw to tourism in both countries. Parties occured in Cusco, Peru and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to celebrate the announcement.
Left off the list was the other South american landmark, the statues of Easter Island. Other monuments on the list included: Rome's Colisseum, India's Taj Mahal, China's Great Wall, Mexico's Chichén Itzá, and Jordan's Petra.
It was said that over a hundred million votes were cast to name the New 7 Wonders. The contest was broadcast to over 170 countries and is estimated to have had a viewing audience of 1.6 million. A new global list is being created to help determine the new 7 Natural wonders of the world. Visit: www.natural7wonders.com for more information.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Actress Cameron Diaz is in Cusco, Peru to celebrate Peruvian culture for the MTV Canada television series "4 Real." Many people and tourists have been extremely pleased she has brough attention to their city and seemed to enjoy the sites.
Although there is always room for a goof. She caused quite a stir when she carried a bag with a Maoist Red Star symbol and Chinese writing that said "Serve the People," a quote from Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong. Typically no one would care about this, except that Peru was and still is home to the Maoist guerillas Sendero Luminoso, or the Shining Path which raged a guerilla war from the Andes in the 80's and 90's brought about massacres, assassinations, and bombings. In the end nearly 70,000 were killed and the threat of Shining Path remains very real as isolated attacks still occur.
The actress has apologized profusely and said that carrying the bag was not her intent and that she never meant to cause any harm. She bought the bag as a tourist in China she said, and let's face it, had no idea what it meant. Some were offended although, I think everyone realized it was an honest mistake.
Whether this caused her to skip out on the Inti Raymi festival, which Microsoft founder Bill Gates went to, I cannot say.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Peru Rail has once again raised prices for train tickets to Machu Picchu from Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The return from Cusco to Aguas Calientes in backpacker class is now $73 (one way US$46) and the return from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is now US$47 (one way US$34). The increase occured because of increase demand to one of the worlds great landmarks.
As a general note it would be wise to buy rail tickets months in advance, particulalrly if you are traveling during the busy season (April-September). Call Peru Rail (tel: 238-722), visit the main Wanchaq station in Av. Pachacutec in Cusco, or visit their website: www.perurail.com.
Also, if you haven't voted for Machu Picchu yet in the New 7 Wonders contest, do so now as voting ends on July 7, 2007. Go here to cast your free vote: www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=315
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Inti Raymi, or the Festival of the Sun, takes place June 24 at the Sacsaywaman fort/ruins.
The all day event, which marks the Winter Solstice, is well scripted and includes the sacrifice of two llamas (staged). An actor will play the Inca ruler who will tell the authorities in Cusco’s main square to govern well and at dusk announces the end of the day’s ceremonies and a party starts.
You can buy tickets for reserved seats through any tourist agency in Cusco, although you are welcome to sit on the lawn with the locals for free. Hotel reservations should be made months in advance.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Peru's premier Pisco Party will be held at the Museo de la Nación (National Museum) from June 14th to June 17th and will feature music, tastings, and a beauty pageant. More than 40 distilleries form across the country are expected to exhibit their products.
Pisco is a clear, fermented, grape brandy is the national liquor of Peru and the main ingredient of its national cocktail, the Pisco Sour.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Princess Cruise Lines recently announced that one of their new cruise routes will travel a good part of the Amazon river from the point where the river empties into the Atlantic to the largest city on its banks, Manaus. The trip either begins or ends in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, lasting 2 full weeks with stops in the Caribbean and South America. Apart from Manaus, stops on the Amazon river will include Santarem, Boca de Valeria, Parintins, which all found within Brazil.
Princess Cruise lines also has one of the larger selectons of South America trips including the Pacific coast, Atlantic coast, and even Antarctic trips which leave roundtrip from Buenos Aires and also stop in the Falkland Islands.
For more information visit: www.princess.com
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Two South American highligths are likely to win. With more than 40 million votes in the contest thus far and only a few months remaining, both Peru's Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and Chile/Easter Island's statues, or moais, are among the top ten vote getters in the New Seven World Wonders contest, only 7 will make the final list. The prize is not just the list, however, millions in tourist revenue are expected to benefit the winning countries. The winners will be announced July 7 in Lisbon, Portugal.
If you still haven't voted, visit: www.new7wonders.com
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Spirit airlines began selling low fare flights between Lima, Peru and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The dialy flights are the cheapest I've ever seen. If you book before midnight tonight (May 4) you can find fares for as low as 8 cents!!! each way. I've checked and with taxes you can go for roundtrip of $80. Mon-Thur travel until mid-November is cheapest, although fares will likely sell out quickly. I booked a trip in November for under $245 roundtrip.
To book, visit: www.spiritair.com
Posted by Nicholas Gill
For anyone interested in very adventurous horseriding tours in Argentina. I mean things you don't read about in the guidebooks. These tours can last days or even weeks, accomdating just a few tourists at a time as you move across Argentina, cmaping and cook each night. Usually the tours originate in Salta. A personal friend of mine, the German Martina Schroeter, who ran tours in Germany for many years and speaks great English, is helping with the trips. the horses are in great condition and are treated as they should be, which is something that isn't always true in many South american locations.
Check out their website (www.horseridingwheeler.com.ar
) or call: 54 387 154652331 for more info.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
On the news here in Lima last night I saw a report on these street talk shows that are taking place on occasion in the port city of Callao, Peru near Lima. Apparently, wannabe talk show hosts are gathering guests, setting up chairs, and promoting these events taht take place in the middle of some of Lima's most dangerous streets. The shows are very Jerry Springer-esque and generally pit one woman against another after one finds the other cheating. then they start fighting and everyone goes crazy. It's all loosely scripted and sometimes even 'supposed' audience members, actually 'actors' in a very general sense of the word, get a cut of the donations for getting involved. The report said the host can make about 200 soles per show, or about $60, which isn't bad at all in this area.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Javier Wong is one of the most famous chefs in Lima, however, unless you have the exact address you won't know where to go. His restaurant, called Sankuay (but nicknamed and better known as Chez Wong) has no sign and the door is closed at all times. It's in an informal house setting in not the greatest part of Lima.
There are no menus here. wong takes one look at you and tells you what you what you will be having. It is based on what is fresh and generally consists of an entrada and a main plate. On my visit the entrada was a ceviche with octopus and lenguado (with lots of pepper which is unusual). The main plate was a saltado (stir fry) with fish that seemingly melted in your mouth.
Adress: Garcia Leon 114 (between block 3 and 4 of Av. Canada,) Santa Catalina, La Victoria, Tel: (011) (51-1) 470-6217
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Sometimes I'm just sick of local foods when traveling in South America. I mean I do like Andean food, but when you have it three times a day, sometimes you just want something that reminds you of home. A huge burrito like at Chipotle, Moe's or Qdoba is sometimes on my ind and I just so happened to find one in Cuenca. American Danny Root opened the place recently and it has been attracting quite a few locals and foreigners such as myself. It's a small place, themed after Pancho Villa and has a few Ecuadorian influences on the menu. I recomend it if you happen to visit Cuenca. The address is: Calle Larga y Hermano Miguel. It's just a few blocks south of the plaza.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Adventure Guide Peru, my long awaited guidebook on Peru has finally been released an is availiable at Barnes and Noble bookstores, through Amazon (www.amazon.com/Adventure-Guide-Peru-Guides/dp/1588435938), or through Hunter Publishings website (www.hunterpublishing.com/templates/bookdetail.cfm?bookid=1-58843-593-8).
The book is the culmination of nearly 2 years of research and includes photos, stories, and all background information you could possibly want on travel in Peru. It's geared toward adventure travelers, in other words it details how to have the best possible adventure in the country, no matter your budget. It describes dirt cheap and rough travel on Amazonian rivers to staying in luxurious hotels built on top of Inca palaces. Background information is very complete, unlike other guides that just list bus schedules to out of the way towns that no one visits. At 592 pages it is the largest guide on the country, well, that I know of. If anyone gets a copy please let me know what you think.
Also, I'll be living in Peru until after my wedding here in May, so if anyone needs any up to the moment advice just let me know.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
It was such an easy idea the Churrasco Palta, but I never thought of it before. In Chile combining Churrasco (steak) and Palta (advocado) in sandwich form is normal, I just never had it before this past month. Now I can't stop eating it, particulalrly when I can put on a wee bit of Aji chileno (Chilean hot sauce). They have this whole 50's diner culture in Chile where hamburgers, hot dogs (called completos with mayo, advocado, and other condiments), and all sorts of sandwich varieties can be found and are generally the cheapest places you can eat.
By the way, my first favorite sandwich is the Buffalo Chicken (with Blue Cheese, not ranch), which I can't even seeing being replaced. Sadly, when I'm in Lima the only place I can find it is at Hooters at the Larcomar shopping center.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Hey everyone,
I'm updating the new Insight Guide: Ecuador and writing a new book for Thomas Cook, entitled Traveller's Chile, so I'm off in those two countries for the next little while and will then be back in Peru until May or June. I already have lots of new article ideas, hotels and restaurants to recomend, and a number of other exciting things going on in the continent to share with you. Expecting new details in the coming days.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Begining this March, American citizens traveling to Bolivia will require a visa. Bolivian President Evo Morales said the decision was an issue of reciprocity because the United States requires Bolivian tourists to apply for a visa. Many believe that the act will cause the already impoverished country to lose millions in tourist revenue, but Morales is defiant.
The visas would be issued by Bolivia's 13 consulates in the United States, and Bolivia is taking suggestions from the U.S. Embassy in La Paz so the new requirement can be implemented efficiently, No word on any cost of the visa.
Posted by Nicholas Gill
Machu Picchu has done it. Any intelligent person knew it could and should anyway, but finally the rest of the world has stepped up and followed. The ancient Inca ruin has made the list to be in the running for the next Seven Wonders of the World.
The global vote, which began in 1999, has accumulated 20 million hits. The list has been narrowed to 21 locations from an original 200. The public votes only counted during the inital phase of voting, however. A penl of architecural experts has narrowed the list. The final decision on July 7, 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Machu Picchu is thought to be one of the favorites. Other South America nominations include Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue and Easter Island.
You can vote online at www.new7wonders.com/index.php