Housed in a wrought iron building fabricated in England and re-constructed in Santiago, the Mercado Central is a busy place, with produce and seafood and eating places, either in small ... Read More

Latin America is busier and costlier this year (The Mercury News): "``I have to beg for rooms,'' said Alex Levin of The Travel Center, a Miami travel agency. That view ... Read More

Wine train pairs Chile's turbulent past with some fine red wines (The Plain Dealer): "Travel to Chile offers high adventure into the mighty Andes Mountains, the lakes and glaciers ... Read More

Brazil to ban airline overbooking over New Year (Reuters): "Brazil will prohibit national airlines from overbooking flights over the New Year holiday to avoid the kind of air traffic jam ... Read More

LeSpa at Sofitel debuts in South America (e-Travel Blackboard): "Sofitel, the prestige brand of Accor hotels, announces the opening of “LeSpa at Sofitel” at the Sofitel Santa Clara in Cartagena, ... Read More

These ten cities garnered the most reader interest over the past year. They share some things in common: scenic locations, a vibrant sense of self, and act as the hub ... Read More

Readers visited the photogalleries most often for these ten top destinations, cities and attractions. Not surprisingly, the list includes Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines, but there may ... Read More

In Rio de Janeiro, on December 31, millions of people flock to the beaches to celebrate. Most go to the huge beach party at Copacabana for the New Year’s festivities ... Read More

Colorful New Passports for Brazil (ohmynews): "From January the Brazilian government will be releasing a new model of passport. This change was necessary for security reasons because the Brazilian passport ... Read More

New FIG website: Introduces the Islands as “a dynamic UK Overseas Territory” (MercoPress): "THE Falkland Islands Government has launched an updated website - www.falklands.gov.fk – which provides visitors with ... Read More

Colombia's Cartagena regains cinematic lustre with Hollywood filmmakers (CanWest Interactive): "Even if you're not a location scout, it's difficult not to become entranced by the timeless beauty of this Caribbean ... Read More

My very best wishes to you and yours for a very happy Christmas, filled with joy, peace and all the good things of the day. Your guide, Bonnie

La Fiesta Grande - Andacollo, Chile "Annually, on December 24 -26, the small town of Andacollo, located in the mountains southeast of La Serena and Coquimbo in central Chile, celebrates ... Read More

There’s nothing nuts about Brazil when it comes to pride and nationhood (Sunday Herald): "Christmas in Salvador de Bahia is an extraordinary experience. But instead of forgetting all about home, ... Read More

update: Missing hikers rescued in Chile (ynetnews.com): "The three Israeli hikers who went missing during a trek in Chile for more than a week were found Sunday evening safe and sound. The ... Read More

This nativity scene is dedicated to the Niño Manuelito, the Andean version of the Christ Child crèche. Photo of this Niño Manuelito crèche in Cuzco, Peru displayed with the kind permission ... Read More

Catch Chile's wilder side - on the coast (the Salt Lake Tribune): "Chile boasts a 2,703-mile coastline, spanning from its searing desert north to the wet and windswept islands just ... Read More

Update: Flight problems improve at Brazilian airports just before Christmas (International Herald Tribune): "Brazilian airports slowly began returning to normal Sunday after five consecutive days of flight cancellations and long delays ... Read More

Many feasts at Christmas in Argentina (Jamaica Gleaner): "On Christmas Eve they feast. On Christmas Day they feast and on New Year's Day they feast some more! Christmas in Argentina ... Read More

December 21 is a major solstice: winter in the northern hemispshere and summer below the equator. In South America, this is the start to the high summer season, when people throng ... Read More

Located within easy driving distance two hours north of Quito, many day trips are available, but it's better to allow several days to see not only the famous market in ... Read More

Colombia Plans to Vie With Brazil to Host World Cup (Bloomberg): " Colombia, which has beaten Brazil twice in 22 soccer matches, plans to take on its larger neighbor ... Read More

Wonders of man and nature (news.com.au); "A chartered and fully staffed Qantas 747 is our transport for the 17-day trip and quickly becomes our second home. The luxury tour includes ... Read More

Guyana not yet open for visa-free South America tourist travel (Stabroek News): "Guyana was the only member of the South American Community of Nations which did not sign an agreement ... Read More

Peru's government plans to promote tourism in northern region (Living in Peru): "Peru's Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Mercedes Araoz Fernandez, revealed a plan by the federal government and ... Read More

Scientists, geologists, environmentalists and volcanologists may come to Antartica for the natural phenomena, but tourists enjoy basking in water heated by an active volcano at Pendulum Cove on Deception Island ... Read More

Air China Launches Sao Paulo Flights (ChinaHospitalityNews.com): "Air China starts to offer service between Beijing and Sao Paulo via Madrid this month. This new route will meet the needs of Chinese, ... Read More

LAN Airlines Initiates Seasonal Service to Puerto Madryn, Argentina (Business Wire): "From December 28th 2006 through March 4th 2007, LAN Airlines will add the Patagonian port of Madryn to its ... Read More

Blue-footed Booby In Top 5 Adoptions (World Wildlife Fund) : "The blue-footed booby has waddled its way into the top five list of most sought after holiday animal adoptions, easily ... Read More

Diane Siskin: 10 Reasons To Visit Chile (news@chattanoogan.com): "Less Than Two Decades Ago, Torres Del Paine, Puerto Natales, Patagonia, And The Atacama Desert Were Practically Unknown: What make Chile such ... Read More

Galapagos Islanders Confront the Hazards of Tourism Built on Conservation (Washington Post): "...the permanent population here jumped from about 2,000 in the 1960s to about 3,000 in the early 1980s, ... Read More

Guyana hotel industry booming in anticipation of CWC 2007 (Caribbean Net News): "The private sector in Guyana has invested millions in the establishment of internationally recognised hotels to facilitate suitable ... Read More

Heavy rains lash Colombia (NDTV.com): " Storms and heavy rain in Colombia have left dozens of families homeless in Cali, the country's third largest city, authorities said on Tuesday. The rain ... Read More

South America's Highest Mountain May Be in Chile (The Santiago Times): "The battle for the title of the 'Roof of South America' is on again, as scientists speculate that the ... Read More

Correction: If you're in Santiago on January 6, not the 7, be prepared to join in and enjoy Loveparade Chile 2007 (hostelbookers) because the "Loveparade in Santiago is huge in every respect; ... Read More

In South America, Missions of a Lost Utopia ( NY times, registration required): "The Guaraní missions are all that remain of a 17th- and 18th-century utopian social experiment — ... Read More

Seagulls Attacking Whales Off Argentina (National Geographic): "In the frigid waters off Argentina's southern Valdés Peninsula, the southern right whale is under attack from an odd-sounding predator: the seemingly docile ... Read More

The priests of the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as Jesuits, developed the series of missions in what is now Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay as a social ... Read More

Pinochet's Death Sparks Clashes in Chile (nwi.times.com): "Violent clashes broke out between police and Pinochet opponents who threw rocks at cars and set up fire barricades on the city's main ... Read More

Briefs: Guyana trip is for the birds (Pittsburg -Tribune Review): "See glorious plumage during an 11-day birding trip to Guyana, a small English-speaking country nestled between Brazil and Venezuela. Guyana is ... Read More

Potosí, Bolivia was once called the richest city in South America due to the silver and other mines in the area. Today Potosí is beckoning new wealth as an adventure ... Read More

Brazil creates 7 new protected areas in eastern Amazon rain forest (Seattle Times): "A swath of Amazon rain forest the size of Alabama was placed under government protection Monday in ... Read More

Rafael Correa declared new president of Ecuador (World Socialist Web Site): "Rafael Correa was officially declared president of Ecuador on December 4 by that nation’s electoral court. He will be ... Read More

Brazil lifts flight ban, but passengers still stuck in travel nightmare (Settle Times): "Authorities lifted a ban on takeoffs from three major Brazilian airports Wednesday morning after fixing an air ... Read More

"Turistas": We're betting someone leaves his heart in Brazil (Seattle Times): Review of this "gory little exploitation shocker spun from the urban legend about tourists in foreign countries who become ... Read More

Avalon’s first cruise offerings in South America including a nine-day roundtrip from Ecuador’s vibrant capital, Quito, and a 14-day itinerary exploring the best of Ecuador and Peru. The nine-day “Ecuador ... Read More

Travel to Huancayo from Lima by train (Living in Peru): "The rail company, Ferrocarril Central Andino (FCA), announced its new rail service to the city of Huancayo from downtown Lima." ... Read More

The Best of Peru & Bolivia tour includes Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and La Paz. INCLUSIONS: • 11 nights accommodation with private facilities • Breakfast daily and other meals as specified • ... Read More

Chávez proclaimed the President of Venezuela (el universal.com): "Hugo Chávez was officially proclaimed the President of Venezuela for the 2007-2013 term. The act took place at the headquarters ... Read More

Indigenous people are key to rainforest conservation efforts (Mongabay.com): In an interview, renowned ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin states his belief that "Integrated biodiversity and cultural conservation can be more effective ... Read More

Chile's Poets in Transalation: Pablo Neruda (the Santiago Times): "Pablo Neruda is undoubtedly Chile’s most famous poet, and one of the most influential of the 20th century. Neruda is known ... Read More

Get a warm welcome in Chile Penguins, seals and glaciers thrill cruising visitors (Contra Costa Times): "The Penguin waddled up the grassy slope with the pace of a tired, overweight ... Read More

A treasure of a town in the mountains of Brazil (Houston Chronicle): "Over the mountains from the glitz and poverty that is the ying-yang of Rio de Janeiro, the sprawling ... Read More

Laguna Verde at 4000 m, 13200 ft, is named for its brilliant emerald color and is the second day stop on the trek up Pico Bolivar, Venezuela's highest mountain. Click ... Read More

Cartagena is one of Colombia's most visited destinations with tourists who come to enjoy the history, the sights, the weather and nightlife. Plan to stay several days, to enjoy the ... Read More

Introducing A Must Read for Chile's Local Travelers (Santiago Times): "Small enough to fit into even the most nonfunctional purse but big enough to encompass Chile and its neighboring, this ... Read More

Ecuador and the Galapagos - 17 days from £4,399pp (Guardian Unlimited): "The Galapagos Islands' reputation as one of the world's great travel experiences is fully justified. Nowhere else on the ... Read More