Everyone wears a poncho on International Poncho Day, in Colombia. Watch the video to see birds, dogs, and even lambs walking around the street in a handmade ponchos.<!–

1) Galapagos Islands

The Enchanting Islands, as they are popularly known, offers visitors the chance to get up close to hundreds of bird species, unique flora and fauna, and numerous endemic species found no where else in the world. In the Galapagos you can swim with sea lions, dive with white-tip reef sharks or just meander around giant tortoises in the wild. Moreover, the islands offer fantastic walks on beautiful beaches with jaw dropping sunsets everyday.

2) Amazon Jungle

You do not have to go to Brazil to experience a real rain forest. A large area lays in the east part of Ecuador, which offers exactly the same pristine jungle. Get ready to examine diverse vegetation,  and unique creatures as you trek through the Ecuadorian Amazon. With over 1,000 different species of birds living here, it is a prime location to bird watch. Do not miss this exotic spectacle of monkeys swinging overhead or the search for the brightly colored poison dart frog. Then relax in your Amazon lodge as you enjoy an elegant dinner overlooking the Napo River.

3) Quito

The capital of Ecuador has been recognized since 1978 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved, beautiful colonial center. Transported back to colonial times, we walk amongst the oldest monuments of the city, which include: the 300 year old San Francisco convent and Jesuit Church.  Likewise, you can get an insight into the cultural richness of Ecuador just by enjoying a coffee in one of the side cafes as traditional dressed Quechua women flourish past in their vivid clothing arrangements.

4) Train to the Devil’s Nose

Considered one of the world’s best railway engineering feats, this scenic railroad travels over a series of switchbacks as it zigzags down the steep mountainside passing small villages and Andean lakes along the way. Starting in Riobamba the train rolls through a variety of climate zones for a a really short time.  As you pass over the Andes to the village of Simbambe, the train drops in altitude from aprx. 8000 ft to about 1000 ft in a mere 45 minutes.  The highlight of the trip is to overcome the 100m high, prominent rock also called the “Devil’s Nose”. Experience the thrill as you wind through mountainous terrain on this unforgettable journey.

5) Mountain Biking in Banos

Enjoy the a downhill mountain bike tour to the peaceful village of Banos as you pass roughly 35 miles with 360 views of unbelievable scenery. Along the way, you can stop to admire the numerous waterfalls before you drive further into the tropical climate of the rainforest. At the foot of the excursion you will find the Tungurahua volcano of the Andes and the entrance to the jungle of Puyo.

6) Cotopaxi

Rising 19,347 ft towards the equatorial sun, the Cotopaxi volcano is the second highest volcano in Ecuador. Clearly distant from the Quito skyline, Cotopaxi is also one of few mountains with an equatorial glacier atop its peak. Alexander von Humboldt, the first European who tried to climb the summit only got half way, however you can be one of few that actually trek to the summit with guided tours and assistance to get  you to the top.

7) Cuenca

The third largest city in Ecuador is definitely worth a visit as you pass through historic buildings of colonial charm and bustling markets. The El Sagrario is of particular interest, which was built in 1557 more than 455 years ago. Linger around the city as you venture to different museums, churches, and galleries or stop off to by some authentic souvenirs. Want more nature, then a trip to El Cajas National Park would suite you, having over 275 Andean lakes and many places to just relax and enjoy your surroundings.

Exotic Cuisine

In addition to the unforgettable scenery and historic landmarks, Ecuador offers travelers delicious and even exotic cuisine dishes. Come taste the varieties of savory soups, potato side dishes and hearty meat meals in Ecuador or be more adventurous and try the roasted guinea pig called Cuy. This specialty is served mainly in the Andean regions and although it is unknown in the United States, do not be afraid to try this dish. People say it tastes like chicken.

9) Whale Watching

Each summer between the months of June and October, humpback whales travel to their breeding areas off the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Take a small boat and really get a chance to see the whales up-close in their natural habitats before the move on to warmer waters. The best starting points for your whale watching experience are from the coastal towns of Puerto Lopez and Salinas.

10) Rafting

Throughout the region, Ecuador offers a wide variety of white water rafting trips from the calm rivers to the Class IV rapids in the Andes.  The most challenging of rapids is located between the Sangay National Park and the Llanganates, here you can expect challenging rapids but with rewarding scenery at every turn. Cruise along as you circle around rainforests, rushing waterfalls, or basalt canyon cliffs.

1. Mount Roraima, Venezuela

Since long before the arrival of European explorers, the mountain has held a special significance for the indigenous people of the region, and it is central to many of their myths and legends. This tabletop mountain is a remarkable place with sheer 400-metre high cliffs on all sides. There is only one ‘easy’ way up, on a natural staircase-like ramp on the Venezuelan side – to get up any other way takes and experienced rock climber. On the top of the mountain it rains almost every day, washing away most of the nutrients for plants to grow and creating a unique landscape on the bare sandstone surface. The peak of the mountain is actually considered one of the world’s oldest geological formations. It is believed that the plateau was formed by water and winds, but the reason why some species can’t be found anywhere else remain a mystery.

2. Nazca Lines, Peru

These lines, found near Peru’s coastal plains, were scraped into the Earth between 500 BC and AD 500. They spread out over 173 square miles and form animal and plant figures, including a spider, monkey, killer whale, hummingbird, and pelican.  There are many theories about the Nazca lines that seem to have many perplexed. Some theories state the Nazca people created them to be seen by their gods in the sky,  or are just depictions of star constellations from above. Some even believe they are works or signs to extraterrestrials as most are only viewed from the air.  Every last theory has never been scientifically proven and still remains a a topic of deep thought and conversation.

3. Atacama Desert, Chile

The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, that covers over 600 miles on the Pacific coast line. According to NASA, National Geographic, and various other publications, the Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world.  The average rainfall is said to be around just 1 millimeter per year.  Similar to the surface layer of Mars, with craters and rock formations, the Atacama desert will definitely have you questioning  how any plant or wildlife could live in such an inhospitable environment.

4. Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

The Perito Moreno is a glacier in the South West province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. With 97 sq miles of ice formation, and over 19 miles in length, this ice field is the 3rd largest fresh water reserve in the world.  As a result of global warming, studies of other glacial formations show a constant, but slow decrease in glacier size and that one day these giant glacier formations will disappear altogether.  Besides its amazing presence and awe-inspiring beauty, explorers and scientists have become very intrigued with this local attraction in recent years because it is a rare site to have a glacier actually grow in size each year. Lasting through warmer weather, the Perito Moreno glacier is truly a mystery one must see for themselves.

5. Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

The Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) is a shallow salt lake in the southwest altiplano of Bolivia with a close border to Chile. It will surely fascinate you with its awesome beauty and amazing features. Travelers love to watch flocks of flamingos upon the lagoon shore and also visit to surrounding geysers and hot springs. However, travelers don’t come to watch the array of bird species in the area, but more to view the water of the lake, which is fiery red in color giving  it an incredible look. The reason for the maroon hues is due to the high salt content and pigmentation from algae and plankton thriving in the water.  The Laguna Colorada is certainly a bizarre attraction that many travelers have never even heard about until now.

6. Floating Islands of the Uros, Peru

Travelers to Peru should not miss out on a unique visit to the floating islands of Uros. These islands are made and re-made from the totora reeds which provide home, sustenance and transportation for their residents. About a two hour boat ride from Puno, on the Peruvian side of the lake, one can find over 40 man-made islands. The largest and often a main destination is the island of Santa Maria. These floating islands are the home of the Uros tribe, one which pre-dates the Inca civilization. According to their legends, they existed before the sun, when the earth was still dark and cold. They were impervious to drowning or being struck by lightning. What makes this place so amazing is the fact that people live and perform daily activities on an uneven, thin layer of land on the water’s surface.  Yet the Uros, with their basic reed homes outlasted the mighty Incas with their huge stone temples and mountain-top enclaves. Journey for yourself and sleep on floating islands, but be careful with one wrong move you might find yourself knee deep in water.

7. El Penol, Guatape Colombia

El Penol, or The Rock, is a monolithic formation located in the town of Guatape, Colombia. At its highest part, the rock has an elevation of over 7000 ft. and the weight of approximately 11 million tons. The Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of this region, worshiped the rock and due to its high importance both Guatape and El Penol thought the rock should be considered a part of their own land. Visitors who come to face the massive structure often wonder what the words or symbols “GI” represent. In fact it is a G and the incomplete writing of U, as the citizens of Guatape thought by writing “Guatape” on the rock that it would then be in their jurisdiction. As evident, the city of Guatape never finished painting their city’s name on the rock. Years later, as a result of weather, the rock cracked down the center allowing the ability for a winding staircase consisting of 644 steps to be built along the rock’s edge.

8. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat at over 4,000 sq miles. Located in the Potosi in the southwest region of Bolivia, this salt flat has an elevation close to 12,000ft. Formed during the uplifts of the Andes, the Salar de Uyuni was created by layers upon layers of both fresh and salt water. The crust serves as a source of both salt and a high resource of lithium which actually holds up to 70% of the lithium reserve in the world. Due to its extremely flat surface, it is considered a great place to to measure and accurately track the Earth’s satellites. After rain covers the surface, pictures taken look as if people are walking on water. This enigma might be the answer to how such stories surfaced from biblical times.

9. Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island is a Polynesian island off the Pacific Coast that was annexed from Chile in 1888. The island is famous for over 887 monumental statues called moai created by the early Rapanui people around 1250.  Almost all (95%) moai were carved out of distinctive, easily worked solidified volcanic ash or tuff found at a single site inside the extinct volcano Rano Raraku. The native islanders who carved them used only stone hand chisels. Many theories still circle around the reason behind the statues. Some researchers believe they overlooked the city as protectors to ward off enemies, while others believe each carving could have been of a notable chief of the village. Whichever theory you believe in, the statues are quite a puzzlement to wandering travelers.

10.  Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, Colombia

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira near Bogota, Colombia is an underground roman Catholic church built in the tunnels of a salt mine nearly 200 meters below the Earth’s surface. As many as 3,000 individuals take a pilgrimage to see this remarkable church each Sunday, despite no bishop or Catholic figure presently leading a service.  The mines were created around 5th century B.C.  and throughout the day miners would stop and pray at a small cross. Many years later, in 1954 the small area to pray was expanded. Visitors, religious or not, now walk along tunnels and salt corridors to experience the newly constructed sanctuary, which is actually built below the original Cathedral.

Tyler and I left at the crack of dawn to make our 9 a.m. flight from L.A. on the one day it rained in December.  Some day in my life I’ll be early for a flight. This wasn’t the day — but I did manage to slap on a coat of mascara just before running out the door.

In the departure lounge for Medellín, I perused our fellow travelers discreetly.  Lots of U.S. business people with sensible polos, khakis, and rollerboard carry-ons.  Lots of families returning home.   Very vanilla; I felt like we blended right in.  But no amount of swiping could make the electronic boarding passes on our iDevices work (though they’d gotten us to Miami without a hitch), so it was out of line, get paper boarding passes, try again, board late, and scramble to our cramped aft seats.

Enter Damien.  Damien was tall and broad-shouldered, sporting dark glasses in the already dark cabin, and a blonde, ungelled mohawk flowing down across his shoulders.  His thick arms wore only a series of intricate, reptile skin tattoos.  Boarding just before the cabin doors shut, Damien stashed his bag in a first-class overhead bin, then combat-booted it back to our row in the cheap seats. Apparently Tyler and I had accidentally taken window-middle instead of middle-aisle.  (Doesn’t A-B-C usually mean window-middle-aisle?)  I offered to move but Damien let us stay put — after dropping an f-bomb, p-bomb (i.e., “If I weren’t such a f****** p****…”), and making it clear I knew it was a good thing he wasn’t an a-hole.  (Which had something of the opposite effect.)  Tyler would have thoroughly enjoyed Damien’s “sentence enhancers” (as Spongebob would put it), but was deep in an audio book and oblivious.  [Update:  in the comments, Damien swears — no f-bombs were dropped, and I'll take his word for it.  My memory may have embellished.]

• Manicures and pedicures cost the equivalent of $4 U.S. in Medellín and are awesome.  Colombians love to have well-groomed nails. (I would have to get used to the difference in currency as well)
• Wedding bands are worn on the right hand.  (I moved mine.)
• Damien said Colombian men were “10 times worse than Italians” when it comes to hitting on unaccompanied women.  To stop unwelcome advances, he told me the culturally appropriate tack is to cock your head to one side, give the offender a narrow-eyed once-over, then flash the thumbs-down.  Damien said this would instantly convert any would-be suitor to a harmless best friend/big brother.  (Thankfully I never had to try this, and don’t know if I would have had the chutzpah to pull it off.)

Completing our tourist cards, Damien borrowed my pen and I borrowed his brain.  viventura’s itinerary didn’t include the name and address of our Medellín hotel, but Colombia wanted this information.  ”Put down ‘Poblado.’ You’re definitely in Poblado.”  El Poblado turned out to be an upscale, touristy part of the city, and Damien turned out to be absolutely right.     

Though our seat mate’s offer of a chiva party bus ride into town was tempting, we spotted Bernardo, who had a comforting sign with our names on it, in the throng of humanity outside customs.  It was close to midnight and we still had a 40-minute drive to the hotel.  Tyler and I thus slipped quietly down the mountainside into Medellín, enjoying the city lights views, 4-bar cellular service, kamikaze motorcyclists, and road signs reminding us we weren’t remotely near Kansas any more.

Next time:  I’d take the red-eye to Miami with upgraded seats, grab some sleep on the plane, get to Medellín the next morning and make that a non-tour, rest-and-get-settled day.  Our friends flew in the day before us, went to the science museum (modeled after S.F.’s Exploratorium; there’s also a bug museum the kids would have loved), and really benefitted from the buffer day.

Next up:  La Piedra del Peñol y La Reserva de Guatapé (The Peñol Rock and The Guatapé Reservoir), and dinner in El Poblado.

On August 4, 2011, I’d never thought of visiting Colombia.  I didn’t even have a precise idea where it was in South America.

However, I’d joined Google+ the month before, had been using the service, and at that time I think about 10,000 people had me in circles.  (The growth on Google+ has been remarkable.  On Twitter, some 8,000 people follow me and that’s been constant for awhile.  On Google+ at the moment, 245,590 people have me in circles, up from 10K in early August and 0 in early July.  I have no idea why there’s such rapid uptake on Google+ or why the huge disparity with Twitter, which I’ve used for five years.)  For this reason, 26-year old Matt Dickhaus, head of U.S. marketing for viventura, emailed and asked if I wanted to “participate in a South American tour,” possibly for free.

With apologies to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, thus began my Six Stages of Colombia.

Stage 1 – Incredulity. People don’t offer me trips to South America every day.  I was intrigued but skeptical.  I don’t stay at “free” hotels that require a time-share pitch, and this seemed like a possible branch of that tree.  Also, I have an 8-year-old, Tyler, who, when you pick him up and shake him, feels only somewhat ready for international travel – not quite ripe, in other words.  Leaving him home wasn’t an option, nor did I want to.

Stage 2 – Excitement.  Matt and I started emailing and speaking by phone.  Tyler adores animals, and has been obsessed with the rainforest since age 3.  We honed in on Colombia.  viventura had never had young children join a tour (they generally recommend travelers be at least 14), but Matt and his team began putting together a new itinerary:  “a kid friendly journey with a focus on the beautiful beaches and extraordinary wildlife Colombia has to offer.”  Plus, what viventura wanted from me was something I’d want to do anyway:  post pictures, share the experience online.  viventura could accommodate up to 9 people on a tour, so I started asking friends with kids if this was something they could see themselves doing.  I offered to spread my “free” trip across all the travelers so what it would amount to was a slightly deeper discount than the 10% off they would already receive.  I asked local friends.  I asked relatives.  I asked Evan Brown.  I asked Rick Klau.  Many were interested but it’s a lot for people to drop everything and haul their kids to South America, and our travel dates were right up against the holidays.

Stage 3 – Panic.  By October 3, I was serious enough about the trip to be looking into nitty-gritty details, like air fare (expensive and indirect, from Los Angeles), and safety.  Our anchor city for much of the trip was Medellín, which no North American adult can hear without also immediately inserting the words “Drug Cartel.”  U.S. State Department advisories about Colombia are somewhat encouraging (”Security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years” and “The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade”), but also chilling:

“Terrorist groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN), and other criminal organizations continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. No one is immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Kidnapping remains a serious threat, with two kidnapping cases of U.S. citizens reported since August 2010. One kidnapped citizen was rescued within 4 days and the other case resulted in the murder of the victim. Kidnapping in rural areas is of particular concern. On July 2, 2008, the Government of Colombia rescued 15 hostages, including three U.S. citizens, who had been held for more than five years. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped U.S. citizens, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to or strike deals with kidnappers. Consequently, the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnapping victims is limited.”

Matt and I emailed.  He’s originally from Florida.  He has lived and traveled in Colombia without incident for two years.  They’ve been running tours for 10 years with non-U.S. customers (primarily Germans) without a single issue:  no thefts, let alone a kidnapping.  Matt’s the poster child for the country’s official tourism campaign, The Only Risk Is Wanting To Stay:  he went there on vacation and decided to stay on.

At this point, the exponential growth of Google+ was starting to creep me out.  I was now in over 50,000 people’s circles.  I told Matt that if we did this, I didn’t want to post during the trip.  Someone could readily follow along with our online itinerary and have an unpleasant surprise waiting at our next destination.  No problem, Matt completely understood, and sent me more information about Colombia, crime, drugs, and kidnapping.  Bottom line:  I was reassured.

Stage 4 – Excitement.  This trip was sounding amazing.  Pacific beaches, Caribbean beaches, the historic city of Cartagena, a mud volcano, probably more animal and plant species than in any other country on the planet regardless of size?  Tyler and I were so in.  And, it turned out, so were were my great friend and neighbor Lorri Megonigal, and Tyler’s best pal on earth, her son Ryan.  We started organizing.  Rick Steves travel satchel?  Check.  Packable beach toys?  Check.  Shots and pills…?

Stage 5 – Dread.  The next U.S. government Web site to throw cold water on the proceedings was the CDC.  You don’t go to the beach and jungle regions of Colombia without inoculations for yellow fever, typhoid, and Hepatitis A and B.  And with malaria, of course, there’s no vaccine (have you read State of Wonder?), you have to take preventative pills.

Ugh, two 8-year-olds and a battery of shots and pills.  It was a testament to how much the kids wanted to go that they sucked it up and did it.  Not without tears and trauma, but they did it.  My son had never swallowed pills before, and we learned that capsules (assisted by water through a straw) are easier than tablets, and tablets (even foul tasting ones) are easiest with peanut M&Ms.  Yellow fever shots make your arm sore.  They make a little kid’s arm considerably more so.

The sales clerk at my local Ace Hardware is a dead ringer for Sofia Vergara, a decade or so from now.  I asked her where was she from.

“South America.”

“What country?”

“I don’t talk about that.”

“Is it Colombia?  Because we might go to Colombia.”

“Djyehs.”

End of discussion.

We spent Thanksgiving with good friends, one of whom travels often to Medellín and Bogotá for business.  While there, he is constantly accompanied by armed private security and uses armored ground transport.

There are land mines in various parts of the country, we learned.  Not on our itinerary.  But still.

Stage 6 – Excitement.  We paid our initial deposit, bought travel insurance, checked our existing insurance for what it covered, bought international phone and data plans.

I started cruising Clicker.com for Colombia videos.  Anthony Bourdain did a great one on Medellín and Cartagena.  Music Voyager made me want to salsa, and further assured me visits could be fun and safe.  Globe Trekker showed gorgeous Cartagena and described its pirate past.  I shared these with friends (including my travel companion) and family to help them feel better about our decision; nearly everyone I told about the trip expressed something between surprise and alarm.  I read about smuggling subs in Wired, saw that the FARC leader had been taken out, and noted the myriad videos about drug and FARC violence were mostly out of date.

I met a sweet woman with no English, and her daughter, my son’s age, with some, at a fall craft fair.  She was a talented artisan and made beautiful leather goods.  They were from Colombia.

Another is from Colombia, Barranquilla.  At their holiday party, her sweetheart of a mother gushed about the country and offered to teach me some salsa.

Someone reminded me to dig up Romancing The Stone.  (I’ve yet to see Colombiana.)

By November 12, we’d booked air fare, paid deposits, and were definitely going.  If we didn’t know anything else, we knew it would be an adventure.

Disclosures.  I’ve been following the discussions begun several years ago by Jeff Jarvis and renewed this month by Rafat Ali and Jeremy Head, about bloggers, travel, exposure, and junkets.  I’m also well aware of my obligations under the FTC Endorsement Guides and regulations.  As I think you’ll see in coming posts, the arrangement between me and viventura wound up being more of a beta test than a junket.  I traveled, I gave feedback, and now I’m writing.  In order for you to assess my objectivity, or lack thereof, for yourself, here are all the benefits and incentives viventura provided.

• 1 tour package, ordinarily priced at $1,745.00 U.S.,
• 10% discount for those traveling with me (children priced same as adults),
• 2 surprise Salsa lessons in Cartagena,
• 1 surprise 1-night hotel upgrade, following some flight arrangements gone awry,
• 2 small wooden boxes of coffee candy as farewell gifts, and
• 4 days traveling with Matt Dickhaus as interpreter, guide, all-around good guy, and child-whisperer.

Other than the meals included in my complimentary tour (4 dinners and what wound up being 7 breakfasts, for 1 person), we paid for all our own food and drink, our air fare to Colombia, hotel incidentals, some taxis, entrance fees for Tayrona and El Piedra del Peñol, and horse rental fees in Tayrona.  For more on what is and is not included in the tour, go here.

Next up, our first day in Colombia:  staying in Medellín, and traveling to La Piedra del Peñol y La Reserva de Guatapé (The Peñol Rock and The Guatapé Reservoir).

It just takes 3 simple steps to be entered into the drawing!

1) “Like” the viventura Facebook Page for hints and future contest giveaways. Click Here!

2) Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or on your own blog with this link. (www.viventura.com/quiz)

3) Answer a single trivia question about Colombia. HERE … And that is it! Simple!

On March 1, 2012, one lucky winner will be selected to receive the underwater digital video recorder. Make sure you bookmark the contest page to see if you are a winner!

Fine Print: Only open to US residents, 18 years of age or older.

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.

At the behest and hospitality of Matt Dickhaus and viventura,  I’ve just gotten back from a trip to Colombia, where I was joined by my son Tyler (8), good friend Lorri Megonigal, and her son Ryan (8), on an amazing adventure.  We went to Medellín and its environs, the Pacific coast, the Caribbean coast, and one or two unexpected places along the way.

Over the next couple of weeks as the holiday dust settles, I’ll tell you much more about how we decided to go to Colombia (it unfailingly raises eyebrows), where we went, the people we met, the animals who ate our food and pooped on us, our impressions along the way, the mud we wore (voluntarily and otherwise), and what’s on my list for our next visit. I can’t wait to narrate and re-live our experiences, as it was alternately magical, frustrating, eye-opening, and once-in-a-lifetime fun.

As you know I’m a technology lawyer, not a travel writer. But I have a medium-ish online footprint, and viventura would like U.S. travelers interested in South America to know they’re there. I’ve never opted in to a subsidized trip like this before (and don’t know if I would again, or even be asked), but the good thing about being tapped to beta-test viventura’s program is it got me and my son off our keisters and on the road. We weren’t looking to go to South America but I’m so glad we did.

viventura comped the expense of my tour (otherwise $1,745 U.S.), and gave a 10% discount to everyone traveling with me. We paid for our own international airfare (pricey) and most of our food while there (cheap). I’m under no obligation to say good things about the experience or the company, and when I write it up in detail I’ll let you know what was spectacular and what was less so.

I look forward to telling you more soon about our time in Colombia! In the meantime, a warm and tranquil holiday to you and your family. (For our part, we have a renewed appreciation for hot showers and sane drivers.)

]]> http://viventura.com/blog/colombia/journey-to-colombia-lawyer-turned-travel-blogger/feed 2 http://viventura.com/blog/peru/handmade-fashion-indigenous-jewlery http://viventura.com/blog/peru/handmade-fashion-indigenous-jewlery#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:10:37 +0000 Tovah http://viventura.com/blog/?p=475 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…

The Native Source was founded in 2011, when Bref and Sarah McHugh were traveling through Colombia. The couple’s journeys had already taken them around Europe, Asia, North, South and Central America during which time they met with artisans and explored indigenous communities, finding many great handcrafted items along the way. When they realized that many people would enjoy having the opportunity to these cultures by having indigenous products, The Native Source was born.

The Native Source’s mission is to be one of the world’s leading suppliers of native, handmade, fair trade, eco-friendly and artisan items from around the world. “Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by providing them with the best original, fashionable, handmade and native items from around the world and connecting them with unique fashions, styles, cultures, beauty and attitudes.” The organization specializes in unique jewelry, accessories, handbags, scarves, hammocks, fragrances, textiles and more. Their team works directly with local artisans and handcraft-makers, going so far as to meet the makers in their native region to ensure quality, variety and to provide their customers with a piece of ‘culture with style’.

“Quite a few people would notice one of the pieces of handmade jewelry or an accessory I was wearing, and ask me where I got it. We’d end up chatting for ages about the ring or necklace, how it was made and where it originated from. They were amazed at some of the stories- about a Kuna tribal chief whose family designs some of our handbags, or a family of fourteen in Colombia who specialize in a type of bracelet. It was interesting, so we wanted to help connect people with a time, a place, a person, and a product. Also, we found that many people would visit a country and regret not buying certain items at that time, like handmade jewelry or an alpaca scarf, for example. We help these people to reconnect to a place they have visited and allow them to get those gifts that they wanted.” Sarah also explained that The Native Source is working to become Fair Trade certified. “We already work in a fair trade system, but it can take up to a year to get officially certified.”

Traveling has proven an education for Sarah and Bref, and an opportunity for them to share some truly unique items and experiences from across the globe with their customers. You can learn more about The Native Source at www.TheNativeSource.com or speak with the founders themselves at one of their exclusive live events.

Our December visit was filled with plates of holiday cookies, colorful paper, an abundance of glitter, and a competitive soccer game in the rain. After putting down bags of donated books and special treats, we started the day with a friendly game of futbol! Within seconds it was raining, however that didn’t stop the kids or the viventura team from making the most out of the day. Screams echoed down the streets as both teams scored goals and raced after the ball for better shots. When the game came to a close, both teams were winners as everyone gave one loud cheer and went inside the library to dry off and start to make Christmas cards!

Once everyone was calm and circled in the center of the library we told the kids they could paint or design anything they wanted on their Christmas cards but that they should really think about Christmas and what they enjoy most about this time of year. Our goal was to fill the library with personally created Christmas cards so every child could feel special when they saw their card hanging on the library walls. Not only would the cards make the building more festive, but really brighten the interior.  Many children drew colorful Christmas trees, or glittered-filled stars, while others painted more sentimental images of their families or homes. It was wonderful watching the kids’ imagination take over.   As simple as it was, the kids really appreciated our visit and the chance to be creative.

After Christmas cards were completed and everyone washed their hands full of glue and glitter, we passed out a wide assortment of cookies. If the kids weren’t excited before, they definitely were then. Peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate muffins were being passed throughout the room as little hands reached out for another helping.  As this was my first time visiting the barrio I was quite impressed. It is horrible to say, but I pictured children who were rebellious and rude. On the contrary these kids were full of joy, enthusiastic, smart, and above all so appreciative of our visit.  The trip to the barrio really opened my eyes, not only to the living conditions in poorer neighborhoods but mostly how we take little things for granted. The chance to create Christmas cards and eat cookies seems so common, that we forget what an amazing experience it is for less fortunate kids. I personally, will never forget this memorable experience or the kids I interacted with.

Sadly, it was time to leave the barrio. The day was filled with great memories but in the end many children were sad to see us go. These visits can only happen occasionally throughout the year, but I am so glad individuals like Luis Munoz work everyday with these kids to better their future. His dedication and commitment is in itself quite motivating.

If you want to learn more about the projects in the Luis Munoz library, please feel free to contact viventura. Have a good idea about other activities we can do with the kids, leave a comment and let us know. We are optimistic about the future of this project and look forward to our next visit. Saludos!

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!

viventura- is giving contestants the opportunity to win a free 15 day trip to Peru and Galapagos as part of  their annual Christmas Game. This amazing 15 day tour starts in the famous Galapagos islands, where travelers island hop for four days before their next adventure to one of the 7 Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu. Take the famous Andean train ride through lush mountaintops till you reach the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There you will find yourself in awe as you wander through 15th century maze-like corridors of temples, workshops and royal buildings. It really is a trip of a lifetime filled with culture, history, and plenty of local interaction.

Besides answering fun-filled trivia questions in the hopes of winning a grand prize worth roughly $3000, participants have the opportunity to really help and support underprivileged communities throughout South America. For every correct answer submitted, viventura will donate .25 cents to viSozial. viSozial, a not-for-profit organization, focuses on promoting education, increasing health care, protecting natural environments, and supporting community development for South America neighborhoods and schools. Since 2002, viSozial has succeeded in completing major campaigns such as providing dental care and hygiene to both students and parents, construction of 50 toilets throughout the schools and wawawasi community, promoting nutrition to over 200 individuals to eliminate malnutrition, and purchased musical instruments and financed a music teacher for educational purposes. Some current goals viSozial hopes to achieve includes supplying a local nursery with food for one month, providing each student with school uniforms, and organizing a soccer game for 60 students. This is a great chance to help individuals in need and again win big!

As a firm believer in sustainable tourism practices, viventura hopes this contest will not only increase people’s interest in traveling to South America, but inspire people to think of others this holiday season as well.   viventura focuses on what they know and what they love,  South America, tour guides have local knowledge, extensive experience, and receive the  latest news about South America. Tours are never larger than 9 which allows guides to provide individual attention to every traveler. Above all, with 10 years experience in the European market viventura has a reputation of offering memorable locations with exciting activities, exceptional customer service, and tours that support local economies all at an absolutely amazing value.
Register today in 3 easy clicks and help support South American communities in need.

1. Click on the Christmas Page
2. Answer the Question of the Day
3. Submit your email address