Journey to Colombia: Lawyer Turned Travel Blogger
A technology lawyer turned travel guru is an interesting change, but how does someone go from blogging about 
intellectual property to swimming in mud bathes in Colombia? Denise Howell can tell you. Follow along on this multiple part story of her travel adventures during her first time on a Colombia tour with viventura. Traveling with her friend and both of their 8 year old sons, Denise walks you through her preparation, anxiety, and once-in-a-lifetime experience that she will never forget.
Handmade Fashion, Indigenous Jewlery
Wandering through the San Alejo market in Medellin, Colombia I couldn’t help but feel let down. I had waited an entire month in hopes of purchasing a pair of handmade earrings with natural flower accents. Yet to my disappointment the one and only lady who creates these amazing pieces of jewelry wasn’t there that day. For days I thought about buying other souvenirs and gifts, but nothing really compared. The authentic feel and creative items would not be replaceable. After much time I found that “perfect” pair of earrings and even more handmade gifts for my family members when a friend suggested the Native Source… Read more … »
Christmas Time in the Barrio
Even through cold rains interfered with our activities, there was nothing but smiling faces during viventura’s trip to the Pablo Escobar Barrio in Medellin, Colombia. Riding in taxis up winding streets to the biblioteca, viventura carried bags upon bags of reading books and textbooks for the children in need. I’m sure we looked a lot like Santa Claus, minus the red suit and sleigh lead by reindeers. At first glance, the small library seems run down and quite hard to find if you didn’t know where you were going. But don’t judge a book by its cover, because inside are shelves filled with used-books covering all topics and shiny toy cars lining the walls for the children to play with. This is a perfect place for children of all ages to come and read, play, and do their homework. Read more … »
Get a Chance to Experience the Culture and Beauty of Peru
Want to experience the vibrant culture of Peru and the unforgettable beauty of the Galapagos? Ever dreamed of swimming in pristine blue waters amongst 2500 unique marine species or hiking cliff side stairways up the century old Inca Trail to discover the lost city of Machu Picchu? Want to help support a non profit organization that promotes education, health-care, environmental preservation, and community development? Now you can do both. Literally, it is a Win/Win situation!
Read more … »
Updates from the Barrio
For those of you who have been following our social responsibility activities, you know that our office in Medellin has been a regular supporter of a private biblioteca (library) located in the Pablo Escobar Barrio of Medellin, Colombia. Perhaps in another year, this budding social project will be a stop for travelers that pass through Medellin on their Colombia tour. The biblioteca is a safe haven in the neighborhood where children come to read, play and do their homework. Despite his physical disability, Don Luis is always ready to help.
Our October visit, was filled with a riot of color. We came armed with paints, brushes, markers and color papered. We set up shop as always on the streets. We find that this works best to attract families to join us in our activities. Today our goal was to create ‘living Read more … »
Spontaneous vs. Engagement – You Choose
We have a bet going on in the office. It’s just a friendly little thing between my boss, Andre Kiwitz, and myself. Both of us have been taking photos of our South American vacations for more than 10 years. Over the years we have developed vastly different approaches to photography. In our more extreme moment he might call my style ‘ paparazzi-esque’ and I might say his photos are ‘contrived’. Regardless, we haven’t been getting very far ‘discussing’ this amongst ourselves, so we have decided to ask a more impartial party… YOU.
Check out our ‘dueling’ articles and photographs. Tell us who you think is right. Comments are welcome, but please be gentle.
The Tricks of Spontaneous Photography – by Rachel Robar
5 Reasons to Get Engaged in Photography – by Andre Kiwitz
Sincerely,
Rachel Robar
Photo Loco – The Tricks of Spontaneous Photography
“Photo Crazy” that’s me. I’m the one who always has my camera out, on and in front of my face. I love trying to find that perfect angle where a person looks their most beautiful. I don’t mean that I only take photos of beautiful people, I think that everyone has something beautiful about them. I just like trying to capture that beauty on camera. I am not a fan of posed photos. People ham it up or have that unfortunate automatic response to blink. However, when traveling, the Golden Rule is Ask Permission. That doesn’t jive with my inclination to find someone’s natural beauty. So, over the years, I have tested and almost perfected my less than ethical methods of taking people pictures.
5 Tips to Taking Sneaky Spontaneous Photos Read more … »
5 Reasons to Get Engaged (In Photography)
“I don’t take pictures of people in the streets, it’s like stealing from them…” a photographer in Berlin told me last week. What? Stealing from somebody when you make a picture? I don’t agree at all. First of all photos without people usually suck, and second it’s so easy to avoid this bad feeling you get when you take those sneaky shots with your telelens. Don’t worry, you can do better. Check out these five reasons why it’s worth the trouble.
1. The pictures are more intensive
Almost Interview Part 2
We are back with final part of a 2 part series, Almost Interview with Facebook Fan Sandy Sachs. Last time we discussed what makes viventura different from other tour companies, private journeys, discounts for groups of 9 travelers, the ever fun reciprocity fee and if someday we’ll arrange a Bolivia only tour. Check out our Almost Interview – from Facebook Fan Sandy Sachs to find out more. Today let’s start with Bolivia.
SS:Are there rules against licking the salt-hotel in Bolivia?!?!?! (Okay that was a ridiculous question, but I’m still curious!) /:D
vv: There isn’t a sign that says, “Please do not lick the furniture” if that’s what you are asking. It’s just that you never know who has touched it before you. We don’t recommend it.
SS:What exactly is the Capachica social project? Sounds like a band name.
Almost Interview – from Facebook Fan Sandy Sachs
So our most Fantastic Facebook Fan, Sandy Sachs had a couple (or 14) questions for us that she posted on Facebook late last month. And since we don’t have that much space in a Facebook comment box to answer each one. It’s even too much for just one blog post. We’ve broken it up into 2 easily digestible bites. Next week, you’ll be able to click here to find Almost Interview Part 2. Let’s get comfortable, shall we?
Sandy Sachs (SS): Guess what, viventura!? I have questions: Does viventura offer tours just to Bolivia? (Or do you have to do the Peru-Bolivia-Chile tour?)
viventura (vv): What great questions. Right now, we only have our multi-country tour to Peru-Bolivia-Chile. We have plans to offer other tours in the future. Bolivia is such a culturally rich country and we think it is under appreciated by the US market. So it will definitely be on our must have list for 2012.
SS: Can one actually request to have a group of only 2 people?! (That’s crazy -but fantastic- that viventura offers tours for such small groups!)
