Getting There & Our Accommodation From Samaipata, there was really only one way to our next destination…an 8 or 12 hour overnight bus, depending on who you ask. ($19/each) An overnight bus is practically the norm for us these days, which really isn’t an issue, particularly because they’re super comfortable in Latin America, and they save on a night of…

Continue ReadingRetracing Ancient Footsteps in Sucre, Bolivia

Well, by late August 2023, we had polished off our last frosty açai bowl in idyllically warm Brazil and traded it in for hand-warming matés in Uruguay. To find ourselves back in Spanish Land (yay!!), we woke up at a spritely time of 2:30 to arrive to the Belo Horizonte Airport by 4, which was followed by a flight with,…

Continue ReadingOff-Season in Slumbering Punta del Este, Uruguay

We read in a BBC article that Buenos Aires and Montevideo are constantly trying to “out-Europe” the other so it was no surprise when arriving to socially progressive Montevideo felt a lot like…arriving in Europe. Vanished are most Latin American vibes and in its place are layers of Art Deco and neoclassical buildings, LGBTQ couples holding hands, polished and clean city…

Continue ReadingMaté Musings and European Ambiance in Montevideo, Uruguay

In its early days, Spain owned a flourishing city called Buenos Aires. You may have heard of it. And, across the Rio de la Plata, actually an estuary, Portugal had a powerful fort in Colonia del Sacramento. Naturally, both Spain and Portugal desired control of this river because it provided access to the gold and silver found in Peru and…

Continue ReadingThe Tranquil Charm of Colonia, Uruguay

While in Buenos Aires, we unexpectedly fell in love. When we visited the “Paris of South America” in 2016, we knew we found her attractive and wanted to return. But the truth is, in those ridiculously short two days, we didn’t even have a chance to bud a romance. But during our rendezvous in September 2023, we experienced some of…

Continue ReadingA New Love: One Month in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is one of those places that was easy for us to stay in for a month and not even have the need or desire to meander beyond its perimeters. It's packed with things to do, places to see, and an absolutely walkable environment. Whether simply living here and enjoying life, or "being a tourist," it's a one-of-a-kind dynamic…

Continue ReadingColor, Class & Culture in Buenos Aires, Argentina

From Petropolis, we hopped another daily budget-busting bus 4.5 hours to Tiradentes. The 8:00 am route from Petropolis to Tiradentes on bus line Peribuna cost $27.06/ticket, including a departure tax. Only cash was accepted at this station for some reason although credit card usage is typically widespread. We never got over the cost of buses in Brasil, when compared with…

Continue ReadingTiradentes: The Hidden Gold Nugget of Minas Gerais, Brasil

São João del Rei is the grandest of the Minas Gerais mining towns and also one of the most functional, which was why we had to spend a night there en route to our next destination, Ouro Preto. (The only direct bus heading that way left at the always desired 5:00 am.) So, we snagged a hostel near the station…

Continue ReadingFinding Beauty in São João del Rei, Brasil