Backpacking South America

Fun in the Sun – Tayrona National Park

treksa — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:31:38 +0000

We spent months in the mountains, often in chillier than expected temperatures. The promise was always that we will thaw out with good beach time in Colombia. Fortunately, we found the beach a bit sooner in Ecuador and Peru. But we knowingly saved the best for last – Tayrona National Park. All along, it was [...]

Love…in the Time of Traveling (Cartagena, Colombia)

treksa — Thu, 20 May 2010 23:11:45 +0000

Have you ever read the book “Love in the Time of Cholera?” It is this amazing story written by the creative, artistic writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, another brilliant Colombian. It is a story entwining, love, of course, and the deepness and sickness thereof. As a reader you’re made to believe of a hopeless romantic, but [...]

Beauty in the Obese – Medellín, Colombia

treksa — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:25:16 +0000

While in Colombia we were excited about the fact that we were going to be able to see some Fernando Botero pieces of art. We have seen several pieces in other art galleries in our lifetime, but we’re in Colombia, it’s time to see some true Colombian art. Fernando Botero is one of Colombia’s leading, [...]

Coffee, Wax Palms and the Good Life in Colombia

treksa — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:08:33 +0000

Our first stop in Colombia was the heart of La Zona Cafetera – the coffee region. Now, it seems coffee can actually be grown in many parts of Colombia, but this just happens to be the most concentrated area. We pulled into Salento, Colombia – a quaint, quiet town near coffee farms and the Cocora [...]

Time spent with old friends feels good – Quito, Ecuador

treksa — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:44:35 +0000

While in Ecuador, we stopped in to visit an old friend from college. It was a good stop over. A little bit longer than expected, but that was a good thing. It was just what we needed, some home baked cookies, home-cooked food and quality time with friends. The question at hand is, when did [...]

Busing, Hiking and Hitching the Quilotoa Circuit in Ecuador

treksa — Sun, 02 May 2010 17:29:44 +0000

Sometimes the best trips are the ones that you didn’t plan thoroughly. We were set on visiting Banos, Ecuador, but at the last minute, we changed our plans and headed to Latacunga, the start/end of the Quilotoa Circuit. Latacunga was a fine enough city whose views of the surrounding mountains are supposed to be incredible [...]

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

treksa — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:26:50 +0000

So, it needs to be said, not all of our experiences have been “hoops and glitter.” We have been traveling now for 8 months. We have seen big cities and remote towns. We have survived crazy bus rides and avoided countless dangerous situations. But, no matter how cautious you are or how “on” you are, [...]

Panama Hats Aren’t Really From Panama…and Other Interesting Facts

treksa — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:47:46 +0000

Our first stop in Ecuador was Cuenca, Ecuador – one of the hubs of the Panama hat industry. Interestingly, Panama hats are not actually made in Panama, but Ecuador. The name Panama Hats was a result of the hats departure point being from the Panama Canal, so once they reached their destination, they were called [...]

Beach Bumming it… Huanchaco and Mancora, Peru

treksa — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:51:39 +0000

We have finally left the mountains and descended several thousand feet and made it to the beach. We have come upon my heaven on earth…the Beach. After Huaraz, we took an overnight bus and arrived around 7am in Huanchaco on the northern Pacific coastline of Peru. With nothing else to do at 7am, except sleep, [...]

Breathless in the Cordillera Blanca

treksa — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:32:22 +0000

While planning our trip back in 2008 and early 2009, we lost the ability to plan much beyond Argentina, Chile and early 2010. So for the last few months we’ve been doing our planning just prior to our next destination. So, when we were trying to decide what we should do after Lima, we were [...]