Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Your experiences in South America

  1. #1
    Veteran Member
    Joined
    Apr 2008
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    323
    Thanks
    15
    Thanked 14 Times in 10 Posts

    Default Your experiences in South America

    Tell me about your trips to South America!

    As I mentioned in my other post, I'm considering visiting Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, and/or Brazil... but I'm not sure how to plan my trip, and I'm not even sure what to think or expect!

    If you have been there, where did you go, when, and how was it? Who did you go with, and what did you do? Good/bad experiences? Any interesting stories or people you met?

    Tips/advice/words of wisdom?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Paul in Saudi's Avatar
    Joined
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Doha, Qatar
    Posts
    135
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts

    Default Re: Your experiences in South America

    The nations of South America are as different as those of Europe. Further, there are massive difference based on region and your economic class. Being poor sucks much worse in Latin America than in North America.

    I presume you are planning on going as a tourist. I have never encountered "look, don't touch" dancing anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.

    Wikitravel is an excellent site to cite on the sights in the region. I have not been down there in twenty years, that being said;

    Brazil, non-Spanish speaking of course. Slums that are actually scary. Wonderful tourist traps in Rio (don't miss the Carmen Miranda Museum). Drug use was quite common among younger people.

    Argentina, richer, with less poverty (or maybe it is more out of sight). Property values have crashed I understand making the economic situation rough. Anything that beings in hard currency is important there. The upper- and middle-classes live a life less city-based than the Brazilians (YMMV). If you speak Spanish you will be gobsmacked by the local politics. Still BA is my favorite city in the region.

    Chile, great place. Lovely ladies, stable government and economy.

    Bolivia, Old and poor. Not creepy, but more like a mountain backwater (which it is). Lots of indigenous peoples, ruled by the European types.

    Paraguay, even more militaristic than Chile. In Chile, it is law-and-order, in Paraguay there is a sense of historical wrong (the War of Triple Alliance). Paraguayans seem to want revenge on everyone. (In the old days, Paraguay was a clearing house for cars stolen in Brazil and sold in Argentina and visa versa.)

    Ecuador, another country heavy on Indian influence, but with a European ruling class. I spent most of my time in the uplands, so have no comment on the lowland cities.

    Colombia, Avoid; too dangerous to visit. Almost certainly nothing will happen to you, but why take a chance?

    Venezuela, I have only limited time there. I did not care for it.
    If I give all I have to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love; I gain nothing. Paul’s 1st Letter, 13th Chapter

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Paul in Saudi For This Useful Post:


  4. #3
    Featured Member
    Joined
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    837
    Thanks
    104
    Thanked 791 Times in 316 Posts

    Default Re: Your experiences in South America

    I have been to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, by myself and with friends, I don't know if it is a good Idea for you to go alone at least as far as going out alone at night over there. It is not really a good idea for a female or male tourist to go walking around alone at night over there.

    On my last trip there there were several tourists that were mugged around 7PM at night at a well lit corner next to a restaurant that was open with people around. The muggings were in the tourist area over a 2 week period.

    Here is a link to the State Department information page about different countries

    http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...is_1765.html#b

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to safado For This Useful Post:


Similar Threads

  1. Plastic surgery in South America
    By Kalligirl in forum Body Business
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 04-21-2011, 05:02 AM
  2. Blue America vs Red America
    By Miss_Luscious in forum Member Boards
    Replies: 37
    Last Post: 10-28-2008, 08:17 AM
  3. South America Vacation ideas?
    By Paris in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 06-04-2008, 04:00 PM
  4. south america??
    By mishka in forum Club Chat
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 08-17-2007, 11:38 AM
  5. 5-HTP experiences?
    By Chicagoeditor in forum Body Business
    Replies: 32
    Last Post: 11-03-2006, 05:51 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •