South America – "To Travel is to Live…"

December 8, 2024

Blogpost: The Republic of Suriname

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Suriname (soo-ree-NAH-muh; country #102), where we were able to experience the capital city of Paramaribo (pah-rah-MAH-rih-boh) and surrounding areas. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. Suriname is a small country in South America, bordered by Guyana to the west (with whom it has been involved in territorial disputes), French Guiana to the east (with whom it has been involved in territorial disputes), Brazil to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north. Suriname was first explored by the French and Spaniards in the 16th century, and then settled by the British in the mid-17th century, making it…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, South America, Suriname

December 8, 2024

Blogpost: The Co-Operative Republic of Guyana

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Guyana (guy-ANN-uh; country #101), where we were able to experience the capital, Georgetown, and surrounding areas. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. Guyana (meaning “Land of Many Waters” in the indigenous language; formerly British Guiana [ghee-AH-nuh]) is the third smallest country (behind Suriname and Uruguay) in South America, bordered by Venezuela (to the West, with whom they have been involved in territorial disputes), Suriname (to the East), Brazil (to the South), and the Atlantic Ocean (to the North). It is the only country in South America where English is the official language. Guyana has a population of almost…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Guyana, South America

May 12, 2024

Blogpost: The Plurinational State of Bolivia

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Bolivia (boh-liv-ee-uh; country #97), where we were able to experience La Paz (lah PAHS) and surrounding areas. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. LA PAZ Bolivia (named after Simón Bolivar, the Venezuelan leader of the quest for independence in the Spanish American Wars) is a landlocked country (after it lost access to the Pacific Ocean in the War of the Pacific with Chile [1879-1884]), that is bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The capital of Bolivia is La Paz, which is the highest capital city in the world (elevation of 3640m/11,942ft), and is the seat of…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Bolivia

January 7, 2024

Blogpost: The Republic of Paraguay

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Paraguay (pah-rah-wy; country #96), where we were able to spend a day experiencing the capital, Asunción (ah-soon-see-OHN). Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. “Para” in the indigenous language, Guaraní (gwah-rah-NEE), means “river or sea,” and “agua” (ah-gwah) in Guaraní means “place where it comes from.” As a result, Paraguay means “the place where the water comes from.” Paraguay is the heart of South America, and is bordered to the north by Bolivia, to the east by Brazil, and to the west and south by Argentina (Asunción is 7km/4mi from the Argentina border). While it does not have an…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Paraguay

January 7, 2024

Blogpost: The Oriental Republic of Uruguay

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to South America, where we visited the country of Uruguay (oo-roo-wy; country #95), which shares a border with Argentina (west-northwest) and Brazil (north-northeast), and with the Atlantic Ocean forming a border on the southeast. We primarily explored Montevideo, with a side trip to the historical city of Colonia del Sacramento, both of which lie on the Río de la Plata (Plata River). MONTEVIDEO “Uruguay” is derived from the indigenous Guaraní language, and means “bird river.” Montevideo (mohn-tay-vee-DAY-yo) is the capital of Uruguay, and is home to 2 million of the 3.4 million people who live in Uruguay. The population grows about one percent…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Uruguay

January 17, 2022

Blogpost: The Sovereign State of Ecuador

Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Ecuador (country #82), where we were able to experience Quito (the capital of Ecuador), parts of the Amazon Rainforest, the Highlands, and The Galápagos Islands. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. QUITO Quito (key-toe) is the capital of Ecuador (which means “equator” in Spanish), and is the second highest (in altitude) capital city in the world (2850m/9350ft; second only to La Paz, Bolivia, which is 3640m/11,942ft). Quito is surrounded by the Ecuadorian Andes Mountains, which also surround Colombia and Peru. Within this mountain range are many volcanoes, and the Cayambe (ky-ahm-bay; which means “where the sun rises/was born…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Ecuador

January 21, 2020

Blogpost: Iguazu Falls

We recently returned from a trip to Iguazu Falls, which straddles Brazil (country #70) and Argentina (country #71). Below you will find information and photos from our visit. Foz do Iguaçu Brazil is 4000km (2485mi) from North to South, and 5200km (3231mi) from East to West. It has a population of 292 million people, 10 million of whom live in Sâo Paulo (20 million if you count the surrounding metro area), making it the third biggest city in the world. Foz do Iguaçu (the second busiest city in Brazil after Rio de Janeiro) is the gateway to Iguazu/Iguassu/Iguaçu Falls. We went at the end of December/beginning of January, which is…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Brazil and Argentina

January 21, 2020

Blogpost: Peru: Reflections from the Incan Empire

We recently returned from a trip to visit The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in Peru (country #69). Below is information and photos from our trip. Peru has its history grounded in the Inca Empire, and was referred to as “the last culture.” There was a Rebellion in 1537 in which 30,000 people died, after which there was a 40 year revolution. We were told that there were many different cultures before this, and the Incas picked up the best parts of the other cultures to create their own (e.g., astrology, arts, etc.). The culture reflects “Pachamama,” which is “Mother Earth,” and August (the first month to have good luck…

written by TravelDocta - Posted in South America, Peru