| People | Art and Culture | Cuisine | Holidays

People:

The Curious Case of Laura Bozzo
Laura, presents a puzzling case. Her show is taped from the studio in Lima where she lives under house arrest for alleged complicity in a political scandal and is not shown on Peruvian TV. An attorney, Laura Bozzo demands a trial to demonstrate her innocence while millions of her fans write supporting emails. Guilty or innocent?

Gauchos
In the great wide plains areas, called pampas of Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil, cattle raising is a primary way of life. The men who work the cattle are called gauchos, from the Quechua huachu, which means orphan or vagabond.

Huasos - The Chilean Cowboy
The huasos of Chile are an integral, colorful part of the Chilean culture. Read about their efforts in the rodeo ring, called a media-luna, and on the dance floor doing the cueca.

Llaneros - Cowboys of Colombia and Venezuela
The llañeros of Venezuela and Colombia lives on the vast plains called llaños or sabana, working stock as their forefathers did - the ones who helped Simón Bolívar and his forces win independence from Spain.

Pablo Neruda
Chilean poet, writer, diplomat, political activist and exile, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, "people's poet," senator, and one of the greatest South American poets, Pablo Neruda is Chile's gift to the literary world.

Gabriela Mistral
Born Lucila Godoy y Alcayaga, this Chilean educator, cultural minister, diplomat, and poet was the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, awarded in 1945 "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world."

Art and Culture:

Talking South American
Every country and culture has its own conversational likes and dislikes. When you meet a South American for the first time, what do you talk about?

Honeymooning in South America
Plan your honeymoon in South America and choose from romantic tropical beaches, cosmopolitan cities with luxurious accommodations, shared adventure, out of the ordinary festivals, spectacular scenery, cruises, and other choices for a fabled trip of a lifetime.

Petroglyphs and Rock Art of South America
Call them pictographs or rupestrian art, petroglyphs give us a look at the past, and the numerous South American sites provide information about ancient peoples and cultures.

South America Trivia
Amaze everybody you know with your knowledge of world records, flora, fauna, wildlife, history, culture and geography of South America. Don't see a fact here? Send in your own bit of trivia!

Immersion Language Programs in South America
Immerse yourself in a language program: learn the language, culture and have fun! Choose individual, group or customized intensive courses in various countries.

South America History Quiz
The quick 10 question quiz deals with history, a little geography, some botany, a dash of culture and a smidgen of gossip. Can you answer all the questions?

South America Guide to Tipping
Guidelines to help with the questions of how much to whom and where. Your feedback is welcome!

Latin American Literary Scene
Resources about South American authors to enrich your traveling experience.

Cuisine:

Cuisine of South America
Regional specialties for food and drink, plus descriptions of ethnic foods.

Cuy - A Traditional Andean Entree
Visitors to the Andean regions might turn up their noses at being served cuy, or guinea pig, but this is a traditional entree and served a number of ways, but almost always with a spicy, pepper sauce and potoates or rice. Try it - you just might like it!

In Search of the Perfect Empanada
These Latin American pastries, filled with seafood, meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit are wildly popular. Check out these recipes, or send in your choice for the perfect empanada.

Parrillada Mixta - Recipes and Variations
A mixed grill is an international favorite, and particularly popular in Argentina, where beef is king, as well as in other South American countries.

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
Your next latte, expresso, cafe au lait, or plain cup of coffee might just have come from South America, one of the world's producers of fine coffee.

Pisco
Pisco is the almost national drink in Peru and Chile. First created in Peru, now it's the subject of intense discussion between Peru and Chile: who owns the appelation rights? Some people don't care, they simply enjoy the product!

Holidays:

Christmas in Ecuador
Christmas in Ecuador is a colorful celebration incorporating traditional religious events with local traditions. Enjoy the festive Pase del Niño Viajero in Cuenca and the Pesebres, novenas, Cena de Nochebuena and Misa del Gallo in Quito and other Ecuadorian communtities and top off the holiday season with the Fiesta de Año Viejo.

Día de Todos Santos
Día de Todos Santos, or All Saints Day, is celebrated throughout Latin America in conjunction with All Souls Day as a reaffirmation of life and a way to honor saints and the dead.

Semana Santa
Semana Santa, Holy Week, is the most important religious festival in South America. The most famous week-long celebrations are in Peru, Chile and Colombia.

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria
The festival, sometimes lasting days, is a mix of Christian and pagan religions and is celebrated in Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Venezuela on February 2.

Dia de la Raza
Columbus Day, Native American Day and Dia de la Raza commemorate the exploration, colonization and multi-cultural and multi-ethnic heritage of the Americas.

Inti Raymi, Festival of the Sun
This week long celebration in Cuzco, Peru draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and is the second largest festival in South America.

Día del Trabajador
If you are traveling in Latin America on the first day of May, you can expect to find banks, government offices, stores, post offices and businesses closed for the day as people celebrate the International Worker's Day.

Festivals throughout the Year
Browse through the calendar of events by country for an event during your travels.

---

Many more articles by country or topic:

Argentina	Bolivia
Brazil	Chile and Easter Island
Colombia	Ecuador and the Galapagos
Falkland Islands / Islas Malvinas	French Guiana
Guyana	Paraguay
Peru	Suriname
Venezuela	Uruguay
South American History	Sports and Recreation
Culture of South America	Travel and Vacations
Nature and the Environment	Archived Articles

From Bonnie Hamre,
Your Guide to South America Travel.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Related Articles

About South American HistorySouth America for VisitorsSouth American TriviaAll About South America - Travel Articles F - V