For two weeks in March 2010 we sampled the best of central South America, focusing on the countries of Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay. Our time in Argentina was spent in Buenos Aires, soaking up the city by experiencing the diverse neighborhoods that comprise this vast metropolis. We then took an overnight bus to the border city of Posadas and crossed over into Paraguay.

In Paraguay we visited two Jesuit mission sites to relive a significant time in this region’s history. A six hour bus trip took us to the Brazilian border, where we spent two days at Iguazu Falls. We had the opportunity to view it from both the Brazilian and Argentinean sides.

Uruguay was our last country on this itinerary and we reached it after flying back to Buenos Aires and taking a one hour ferry trip to Colonia, which is a World Heritage Site city. Then we were on to the capital city of Montevideo for some sightseeing before flying home.

Ecuador provided a great getaway to experience historic haciendas, beautiful volcanoes with sweeping vistas and natural rain forest jungle in the Amazon Basin. All of this was experienced during a 10 day trip in November 2008.

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We took 700 pictures and 2 1/2 hours of High Definition Video. The following videos summarize portions of our trip.

Episode 1 - Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is the name of a near-perfect volcano near the Hacienda where we stayed. We saw wild horse, deer and birds while in the National Park.

Episodes 2-6
Note: You will have to register in order to view the rest of the videos. Click the player below and then look for the word REGISTER.

In July and August 2005 we spent three weeks exploring Peru. We started in Lima and then went to Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. Our next stop was five days in the Amazon Basin viewing the wildlife there, including scarlet macaws. Also on the itinerary were a home stay in Lake Titicaca, the “white city” of Arequipa and a trek into Colca Canyon. The highlight of the trip was a visit to Machu Picchu to see the lost city and one of the great archeological finds ever.

4 - 6 March 2010

Arrival and First Day

We arrived in Buenos Aires on Thursday morning after an all night, 10 hour flight from Dallas, Texas. Besides being the largest city in Argentina, It is the second largest metropolitan area in South America (after Sao Paulo). The city is vast, with several distinct neighborhoods and large boulevards, such as the famous 9th of July Avenue.

After settling into our hotel right around the corner from the Plaza de Mayo, we ventured around the heart of the city our first day, walking along the Florida pedestrian street, to the Plaza San Martin. We also spent some time exploring the Plaza de Mayo area and city cathedral before having dinner at a steak house along the Lavalle pedestrian street.

Neighborhood Experiences

Friday we took the Subte (subway) to Plaza Italia. From there we walked to the Evita Museum in the Palermo neighborhood. After visiting the exhibits we continued walking around the neighborhood, enjoying a snack at a sidewalk cafe and a stroll through a park. We then made our way towards the upscale Recoleta district.

Once in Recoleta, we stopped for an outdoor lunch and then made our way to the cemetery, where many famous people are buried in elaborate crypts. Included here is Eva Peron and there was a large crowd at her family crypt. After more neighborhood exploration we came back to the Retiro district and our hotel. Dinner was at a great restaurant off the Avenida Corrientes, in the theater district.

Our last day (Saturday) in Buenos Aires was spent visiting the neighborhoods of San Telmo and La Boca. San Telmo is known for its many markets and we visited both an antiques one, as well as a craft sale in a main plaza. We also toured the national museum before having lunch in a restaurant along the neighborhood’s cobblestone streets. La Boca is one of the oldest parts of town and is the home of a renovated area containing many shops and restaurants. We enjoyed a Saturday afternoon watching various couples dancing to the tango while sitting at an outdoor cafe.

We had time to visit the vast 9th of July Avenue, which is one of the widest streets in the world, and the iconic Obelisk before making our way to the city bus station and our overnight bus to the north and eventually into Paraguay.

Current Time in Buenos Aires:

7 - 8 March 2010

Bus to Posadas and Across the Border to Encarnación

Our bus arrived over an hour late, but we had a comfortable 14 hour journey to Posadas, Argentina. After we arrived, we took a taxi across the Parana River to Encarnación, Paraguay. We arrived in town just after noon and immediately looked for a hotel to check in to for the next two nights. We found an acceptable one near the bus station and then decided to walk toward the main plaza for some lunch. After lunch we found a nicer hotel across the street so paid the first hotel for that night and then moved our bags there. The afternoon was spent walking around the city and then we ate dinner at a restaurant that had an outdoor balcony overlooking the main plaza.

Visiting the Jesuit Ruins of Trinidad and Jesus

On Monday morning we had continental breakfast at the hotel and then walked to the public bus station. There we boarded a the bus to Ciudad del Este (the Brazilian border) and asked the driver to drop us off at the turnoff to the Trinidad mission, about 30 minutes into the journey. Once there we had to walk about a half mile to the entrance to the mission. We arrived there just as a tour group was leaving, and except for five other people who were there, had the entire site to ourselves.

It was a hot day so going into the buildings and getting some shade was a welcome relief from the strong sun. We climbed the tower for great views of the site and especially enjoyed the large church and adjoining area where some of the old relics were displayed.

After a couple of hours we walked back down to the main highway and hailed a taxi to take us 12 kilometers to the Jesus ruins. We made arrangements for the driver to come back and pick us up in two hours. Here we were the only ones there for the two hours we toured the site. This site was up on a hill and there were great views of the countryside all around. The main church here was very nice as well. We had some time for a picnic lunch under some trees before the taxi returned to take us back to the main highway. There we caught a passing bus almost immediately and were back in Encarnación a short time later. After a quiet dinner near the main plaza we called it a night.

Current Time in Paraguay:

9 - 11 March 2010

Bus Journey to Brazil

We woke early on Tuesday to check out and be at the bus station by 8am for our 8:30am departure to Ciudad del Este, continuing along the highway where we had been the previous day. The 150 mile trip was supposed to take about four hours, but with the continual stops for the bus to drop off / let people on, we did not arrive in Ciudad del Este until about 2:30pm, six hours after we began. We immediately hired a driver to take us to the Paraguay and Brazilian borders and then were able to find the hotel in Foz do Iguaçu. It was very hot and we were tired from the long bus ride but managed to walk around town to find an ATM and get some snacks. Dinner was at a nice steak restaurant down the street from the hotel.

Seeing Brazilian Side of the Falls

On Wednesday morning we walked two blocks from our hotel to the public bus station and bought a ticket to take us to the Iguaçu National Park and the Brazilian side of the falls. It was about a 40 minute bus ride and we met several other travelers along the trip. Even though we arrived soon after the park opened for the day, we still had to wait in that ticket line for about 45 minutes before we could finally enter the park. We took the park bus to the third stop and from here we could take a self guided tour of the falls on a nice path up high above the river.

We left the bus and then saw the falls (looking over to the Argentinean side) and they were amazing! The remainder of the morning was spent strolling along the path, seeing different views of the falls with every twist and turn, until we reached the horseshoe portion of the falls and the Devil’s Throat. It is 82 meters (269 ft) high and truly awesome. There are a series of boardwalks here that allow you to walk above the water and get very close to the falls. We also took the glass elevator to get some other great views.

We retraced our steps back down the trail and then took the bus to its last stop, above the falls, where there are gift shops and a buffet restaurant. Here we had a relaxing lunch, sitting outside, above the falls and along the river. We spent a couple of hours there and then, after one more walk along some of the same trails, we made our way back to the park entrance and to the bus back to Foz do Iguaçu. Because we had such a large lunch we had a picnic of sorts with snacks in the hotel room.

Trip to Argentina and Viewing the Falls

We checked out of the hotel on Thursday morning and made our way to the Argentina border. Once across we skipped around the city of Puerto Iguazú and went directly to Iguazú National Park and our hotel. We stayed in the Sheraton, located in the national park, as a big spurge and we were fortunate to get a great room overlooking the falls in the distance.

As soon as we checked in, we were able to walk from the hotel right into the park and then on to the trails. The first area we visited, via the lower trail, allowed us to get close to many of the falls, since the majority of them are on the Argentinean side. We were going to try the upper falls trail next, but since there were so many tours on it, we opted to visit the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat) trail which takes one along a boardwalk over the water to right on top of the waterfall. It was great and we spent time taking many pictures.

After a quick lunch at a cafeteria, we then went back to walk along the upper trail, which moves over the tops of a series of waterfalls. By this time, many of the tours had left for the day, so we were able to enjoy this trail at a leisurely pace and we spent much of the afternoon moving along the trail above the falls.

We returned to the hotel, enjoyed a swim and had a nice dinner before we went to the room and opened our window so that we could hear the sounds of the falls at night.

Current Time at Iguazu Falls:

12 - 15 March 2010

Back to Buenos Aires and Ferry to Colonia

On Friday we left the hotel at Iguazu Falls and went to the Puerto Igauzu airport for our 90 minute flight back to Buenos Aires. Once we arrived in Buenos Aires we went to the ferry terminal to leave our luggage and then had several hours to have lunch, stroll around the city one last time and visit Cafe Tortoni for a late afternoon snack. We went back to the ferry terminal, checked in and cleared customs on the Uruguay side before boarding the boat for 6:30pm departure.

Unfortunately there was no outdoor access on the boat and the windows were very fogged up, so we spent the one hour trip walking around the boat and relaxing. We gained an hour when we arrived in
Colonia del Sacramento, which faces Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata, so it was 8:30pm when we got there. A 15 minute walk took us to our hotel and then we found a small restaurant in the downtown area to enjoy a late dinner.

Colonia and Montevideo Highlights

We spent Saturday exploring the old quarter of Colonia, which is a World Heritage Site. First we climbed a lighthouse and then we visited several small cultural and historical museums along the cobblestone streets. We found a quaint cafe to eat a late lunch and were able to chat with the waiter / chef about Uruguayan life. After relaxing back at the hotel, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner back in the old quarter at a restaurant we had seen earlier in the day.

On Sunday we took a three hour public bus to Montevideo. After checking into our hotel we spent Sunday afternoon walking around the Ciudad Vieja (old town) and had a nice outdoor lunch. A visit to the Mercado del Puerto allowed us to see many food and craft shops. Monday morning provided a shot time to also see the Plaza Independencia, Solis Theatre, Mint and Gaucho Museums before we made our way to the airport in the afternoon for flights to Buenos Aires, overnight to Dallas and then on to Los Angeles and home.

Current Time in Uruguay:

2 - 4 November 2008

We left Los Angeles early on Sunday (2 November) for our five hour flight to Miami. We had lunch at the airport before connecting with our flight to Quito. It was only about three hours there and in the same time zone as Miami, which was really nice. We arrived in Quito and cleared customs at about 10pm. The weather was rainy when we met our driver from the hotel outside of the airport. He drove us about 50 miles north (taking a little over an hour on mountainous roads) to Hacienda Cusin, about six miles from the city of Otavalo. The rain was really coming down when we arrived and we were very happy to get to our cottage, which already had a warm fire going!

The next day it was still raining so we spent the morning exploring the grounds of the hacienda, which dates from the 17th century. There were extensive gardens, a library and a monastery, which were all beautiful. Some of the buildings contained Andean tapestries and church relics. Next, we decided to walk a short distance to the adjacent village of Laguna de San Pablo, which we could see from the roof top balcony of our cottage. It was still raining a little and the town has deserted during the middle of the day but we enjoyed the walk. We could feel the altitude of about 8,500 feet after a while so we found a restaurant to get a bite to eat and a drink. The ceviche restaurant had delicious shrimp and rice. After a relaxing afternoon back at the hacienda we enjoyed an excellent dinner at the restaurant there.

On Tuesday (4 November), it was still raining slightly. We took a taxi six miles to Otavalo to view the famous market. We were dropped off in the middle of the city and first took a walk over to the animal market a short distance from town. After trying without success to find it, we came back into the center of the city and came upon a local food market. It was complete with fruits, vegetables and various cuts of meat. We bought a couple of drinks and watched the people for a while. We then went to the craft market and spent a couple of hours viewing the items and doing some shopping. After having lunch at a local restaurant, the rain increased so we went back to the hotel and spent the afternoon relaxing. Dinner was another great meal in the hacienda dining room.

Current Time in Ecuador:

5 - 6 November 2008

On Wednesday morning we left Hacienda Cusin after breakfast to our next hacienda destination, located about 40 miles south of Quito. On the way there, we stopped at the equator, which is located about 15 miles north of Quito. There we spent about 90 minutes viewing a small museum and getting a local tour of the area, including actually standing on the equator line itself. The guide also provided water demonstrations (it empties opposite directions on either side of the equator and straight down right on the line), sun dial viewing and an attempt to balance an egg on a nail (easier to do on the equator).

Back with our driver, we fought through some traffic in Quito and then arrived at the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo in the late afternoon during a downpour of rain. This is reputed to be the best-known hacienda in Ecuador. Many of the rooms are built upon the walls of the best preserved ruins of the Inca empire. We spent some time walking around the beautiful grounds between rain storms that afternoon. The dining and living rooms were great places to relax and engage in conversation with other travelers. We enjoyed dinner and conversation with several other guests and the owner.

After a good night’s sleep, we awoke Thursday (6 November) to much better weather. Through the hacienda we hired a driver and guide to take us on a day trip to the Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, just a short distance away. As we drove through the park, the clouds cleared and we were fortunate to get clear views of the volcano, which at 5,897 meters (19,347 feet) is the second tallest mountain in Ecuador. We drove to about 14,700 feet and took some pictures of the sweeping vistas and of the hut at 15,748 feet which is a starting point for those attempting to summit the mountain.

The driver took us back down to about 11,800 feet and then we went on a short hike around a lake with our guide. We saw several birds and some wild horses. After enjoying a picnic lunch, we continued our drive through the park and then back to the hacienda. We had another excellent dinner before retiring to our room for the evening.

Current Time in Ecuador:

7 - 9 November 2008

On Friday morning (7 November) we left the Hacienda San Agustin and were driven to the Quito airport. Upon arrival we met up with several others who were making the short flight to the town of Francisco de Orellana (also known as Coca) and on to Sacha Lodge. Our 30 minute flight passed over the third tallest volcano in Ecuador, Cayambe (at 5,790 meters or 18,996 feet) and soon we could see the Amazon basin below us. Upon landing in Coca we transferred to the Rio Napo river and took a two hour speed boat trip to the lodge.

Sacha Lodge is located about 50 miles from Coca. We had to walk about 20 minutes from the river landing, through the rain forest, to a lake, where dugout boats rowed us to the lodge itself. It was really peaceful and beautiful! Our room was at the end of the hotel property and had a great balcony and hammock. At night the sounds of the jungle could be heard right outside the room. The bar and dining areas were also very nice. We spent three nights hiking and viewing wildlife with our two guides and another couple. After dinner the first night we all went on a night hike in which we saw frogs, spiders and bugs.

Early Saturday morning we hiked a short distance into the jungle and then climbed 120 feet to a series of three canopy towers, separated by swing bridges. It was quite high but the views were spectacular! From the towers we were able to see several types of toucans and a vulture. We also spied black-mantled tamarins and squirrel monkeys. We even saw a tarantula climbing the tower next to us. We hiked back through the rain forest and enjoyed viewing different flowers. In the late afternoon another hike along a boardwalk took us through a wonderful swamp. We also saw several monkeys in the trees and leaf carrying ants on the ground. A storm took place in the distance as the sun set.

Sunday morning (9 November) was an early wake up call. We boarded a boat that took us downriver to the Parque Nacional Yasuni and several bird licks. These are primarily for parrots but we were also very fortunate to see scarlet macaws as well. Hundreds of parrots visit the lick each day and we enjoyed the show. After relaxing back at the lodge we took part in a late afternoon activity to climb a 90 foot tree canopy. To get there, we took a incredible jungle cruise in a dugout canoe down a beautiful stream. Once we reached the top of the canopy we spied more birds, a sloth and some wonderful trees below us. The final evening was a lakeside barbecue adjacent to the lodge.

Current Time in Ecuador: