The Latin Beat: Travel
Spots worth a visit. Some legal and others not so easy to visit. Latin America has a lot to offer other than corrupt politicians, poverty, and plain old chaos. Some of the most beautiful sights and beaches and architecture in the world. And of course, the food, music and beautiful women are great too.
Belize and the fishing is easy
Old Belize offers an unforgettable experience that will surely provide an excellent orientation and appreciation for the country and people of Belize. The 45-minute tour begins inside a rainforest exhibit that showcases giant tropical trees that tower the path you walk. Inside this display a waterfall and limestone cave depicts the magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations that scientist say grows about an inch every 100 years! Click here: Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center
Ecological greatness right next door and the water rafting is a blast. San Jose City, known simply as San Jose, was designated as the capital of Costa Rica in 1835. The sprawling capital is nestled in the fertile “Valle Central” (Central Valley) and surrounded on all sides by large forested mountain ranges, some of which include active volcanoes, perennially green savannahs and working coffee plantations.Costa Rica - San Jose
Bossa Nova In Brazil
For hundreds of years, Brazil has symbolized the great escape into a primordial, tropical paradise, igniting the Western imagination like no other South American country. From the mad passion of Carnaval to the immensity of the dark Amazon, it is a country of mythic proportions.Perhaps it's not quite the Eden of popular imagination, but it's still a land of staggering beauty. There are stretches of unexplored rainforest, islands with pristine tropical beaches, and endless rivers. And there are the people themselves, who delight the visitor with their energy and joy.Lonely Planet's Guide to Brazil
Cuba: it is illegal to visit but there is always a way. If you should be so lucky. Fly in through Cancun or Lyford Cay as the Cubans love dollars and no passport is needed. The scariest part of the trip will be flying in on the YAK planes from Russia. Hot flying in and freezing on the way back, but don't be afraid when you board as the seats are collapsed but they bounce back up when you sit. Upon arrival, you will feel like you have stepped back in time as the island hasn't changed much since 1959. Che is everywhere and the old Presidential Palace still has the bullets in the walls from the revolutionary days and Fidel's trinkets and garbage like the boots he wore in the mountains. Hemingway's house is worth the trip and so is the Nacional Hotel and the Havana Yacht Club is completely dilapidated and the opera house has pigeons nesting where the sconces use to be. There is an old lady guarding the door and kids dancing ballet as an eighty year old man plays piano on a Steinway that has seen better days. Eating out is best done in private homes where jam jars serve as the glasses and no tow dishes are alike but the food is good. It is quite sad to see the city in ruins but if you close your eyes sometimes you can imagine Havana as it once must have been. An old girl in need of some TLC, Cuba will rise up again. For more help with your trip to Cuba, continue below the fold:
The Cuban Capital is, without a doubt, the tourism destination of excellence of the largest of the West Indies. Within the city, its historic center (considered by UNESCO World Heritage in 1982) is an obliged reference destination for all visitors who come to this city. For centuries, this city has been considered the key to the Gulf (of Mexico). It was nearer the end of the 19th century to early 20th, that the most important Cuban cigar trademarks that are still around today like: Cohiba, Partagas, Montecristo, Trinidad, Romeo y Julieta...were founded.
The cigar industry did well up until the 1960's when smoking became more of a health concern. At the same time, the United States imposed an embargo against Cuba, making it illegal for US citizens to import goods from Cuba. Today Cigars are back and are becoming extremely popular amongst men and women.
