" " " Lake Titicaca: May 2010 "
 
A video of Halsey and I in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Some of the highlights are: sandboarding, road trip up the coast of Brazil, lake titicaca, the road of death, and Machu Picchu

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 5:34 AM | 0 comments  
What reeeeally happened on the tour :)

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Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 5:24 AM | 0 comments  
A traditional dance after our freshly caught fish lunch on Isla Taquile. We were at almost 2 and a half miles in altitude. Lake Titicaca was beautiful.

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There are loads of websites online which can tell you what they consider to be the top ten holiday destinations. However, with these sites it is usually ones that they are trying to get you to arrange your next holiday to. But when it comes to really discover where the top ten holiday destinations are in any given year the best place to start your search is using the World Tourism Organization website.

Each year they release information regarding which countries had the most visitors in a year compared to others. Also they provide information which clearly shows those countries which have seen a marked increase in the number of visitors from abroad visiting them. They also help to break down this list into the various continents showing which countries within Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas were the most popular.

For example with Europe the most popular country visited by tourists from around the globe is Italy, followed closely by them visiting France, Spain, UK and Germany. In fact currently around 18% of all holidaymakers travel to Europe each year for a vacation. The reason for this being is that many like to learn more about the architecture, culture and history of the many towns and cities within them.

When it comes to Africa the most popular destination for travellers from around the world is Egypt. However, now countries such as South Africa, Rwanda, Tunisia and Morocco are certainly becoming ever more popular as well. All of these countries offer a wide array of activities and wonderful places for the travellers to visit.

Of course this year 2008 certainly one place which has been attracting many tourists to its shores is of course China. Mainly because this is the year where both the Olympics and Para Olympics would be taking place. But along with China other destinations in Asia that are seeing an increase in visitors are Japan and Thailand. All of which although popular with visitors from around the world have still been able to retain much of their own identity and have not been influenced too much by our Western ways.

Along with searching the World Tourism Organization website for what holiday destinations are the most popular take a look at other websites such as the Independent Tour Operators one. They offer a list of the top ten destinations for 2008 and their list seems to be dominated by Western European countries currently. So what are proving to the most popular ten holiday destinations in 2008 according to Independent Tour Operators?

Tresco, Isles of Scilly - This is situated of the west coast of England and is going to be a favorite because of the new built luxury development of holiday homes on it.

Naples, Italy - There is not only many of the historic landmarks of the city which have recently been restored for you to spend time viewing, but it has some really wonderful shops and restaurants also. Plus you are within easy reach of such attractions as Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast.

City Breaks, France - Since the setting up of Eurostar getting to anyone of this countries wonderful cities not just Paris has become much quicker and easier. Although many may not believe it but you will receive a truly warm welcome when you visit any part of France.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia - This is a truly magnificent place where at the moment being able to visit the World Heritage Site here is free currently. Although one can explore the upper levels of the temples here there are certain areas which have now been restricted and visitors are no longer able to gain access to.

Western Iceland - This is a place where if you are looking for seclusion when on holiday is ideal. Throughout your time the chances of you being disturbed are almost zero so being able to relax and unwind won't be a problem.

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico - This is a place where many different cultures come together and where it seems that you could almost be in Egypt because of the pyramids here. Also when it comes to food you will be spoilt for choice as all cuisine here has been influenced by the Spanish, French and Lebanese.

Cook Islands, South Pacific - This is the perfect location if you are looking for some winter sun. Currently this place seems to be proving popular with holiday makers from the UK as the pound is very strong against the New Zealand dollar.

Monte Carlo - For many English people renewed there has been renewed interest in this city because of Lewis Hamilton winning the Formula 1 Grand Prix. However, the price of staying here is certainly not cheap and costs can rise considerably during the week when the Grand Prix does take place each year.

Zambia Family Safaris - The reason that Zambia is gaining in popularity even though many people still travel to Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana for safaris is the cost. Not only is Zambia less expensive than the other destinations we have mentioned but the accommodation is suitable for families being large tribe sized homes. Plus the variety of wildlife to be seen is just as wide as in the other countries where safaris are popular.

Togo & Benin, West Africa - If you are looking for somewhere which offers a completely different kind of view of Africa then these are two destinations worth considering. Plus currently the number of visitors making this one of the top ten holiday destinations is currently not that many so it still remains pretty much like it has for many centuries before.

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Includes Ouros Islands and Taquile

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Peru Tours, Tours in South Peru, map of the circuit. Ica and Paracas, Nazca lines, Arequipa and Colca Canyon, Cusco, Puno and Titicaca, Puerto Maldonado. The most important tourist area of Peru is known as the Southern Circuit is the only transport infrastructure that enables a circuit like this. It is closely linked to Lima because their main access to foreign tourism depends on its international airport. The main destination of this circuit is the city of Cusco, associated with the country's main tourist attraction: the citadel of Machu Picchu.

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A wise woman once said, "He who knows everything knows nothing." 2 billion Christians, 1 billion Muslims and 18 million Jews believe that their Holy Bibles, including the books of the Prophets are the word of God of Mount Sinai, but if you told any one of them that you were a Prophet, they would put you into a mental institution. This is because the human mind thinks that time is linear and "How can an angel tell the future to a person if the event hasn't happened yet? It's impossible." In order for prophecy to exist the future must have already happened and any psychiatrist will tell you that this is impossible.

Apparently no one mentioned this to Nostradamus in the 1500's. So far Nostradamus has correctly predicted the first anti Christ Napoleon Bonaparte and the second anti Christ Adolf Hitler. According to Nostradamus the third and final anti Christ will be named something like "Mabus".

Open your mind. When the mind hears something which seems like absolute baloney it shuts off and doesn't listen. The way to open your mind is to say to yourself when the person is talking to you, "This is right, this is true", over and over. Because Nostradamus predicted in code the coming of "Napaulon Roy" and "Hister" hundreds of years after his death, time cannot be linear. The future must already have happened in order for a spirit to tell Nostradamus the future. One way to understand this is to picture time as an infinity symbol, or an hourglass or the number "8" laid on its side. It's like trying to find "Waldo" or "Nemo".

On May Day, May 1, 2007, the day of the celebration of the Virgin Mary, The Temple of Love - The World Peace Religion announced that Nostradamus' third anti Christ was the ultra hard line daily advisor and puppet master of the President of Iran, Iranian Ayatollah Mesbah (pronounced Maybah, like Nostradamus' Mabus, like Hister is to Hitler) Yazdi. Iranian Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi's declared intention is to follow the word of God of Mount Sinai as told to the angel Gabriel and then to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) outlined in the Koran and the Hadith and "Make War on the Christians, Jews and infidels and be rewarded with eternal paradise in Heaven with God of Mount Sinai, crystal clean lakes and springs, endless wine with no side effects, 72 virgins and 80,000 servants per martyr and believer." (Koran Sura Chapter 9:5, 29-30 and Chapter 56, "Mecca"). Could you throw in a dozen bagels mit cream cheese?

Imagine some Bedouin in the Arabian desert today telling his friends that an angel had just told him that if they converted to his new religion and killed all of the Albanians that God would give them all hot tubs. How many followers would he have, other than Tom Cruise and John Travolta?

Nostradamus' third anti Christ Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi declared that using nuclear bombs is perfectly fine according to Muslim law in order to conquer the world for God of Mount Sinai aka Allah, God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, Elohim, Yehovah, Adonai. He believes that by triggering the Apocalypse it will bring about the advent of the two Muslim messiahs Jesus Christ and the Mahdi, to conquer the world for Islam and bring everlasting world peace.

Every nuclear scientist knows that nuclear world war 3 and its aftermath nuclear winter then ultraviolet summer will have no survivors and Nostradmus' third anti Christ thinks that by triggering nuclear world war 3 the Muslims will survive and own the world. Thanks to George Bush's attempt to conquer the Middle East's oil, and conquer the world for Christianity, if the United States were to leave Iraq now, two thirds of the world's oil would fall into the hands of Nostradamus' Third Anti Christ. With this money, the Anti Christ would have no problem purchasing more nuclear reactors from Russia like the one in Bushehr, Iran, and shiploads of nuclear weapons from North Korea. He could pay every Shiite huge salaries to conquer Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. An even worse scenario for the United States would be if all of the Muslim countries united and turned on the United States.

In his third anti Christ prophecy Michael Nostradamus said that the anti Christ Mabus and the Apocalypse would be heralded by a comet. Nostradmaus said in his book of prophecies:
"Mabus will soon die, then will come, a horrible undoing of people and animals, At once one will see vengeance, one hundred powers, thirst, famine, when the comet will pass." (Century 2, Quatrain 62) "The anti-Christ very soon annihilates the three, twenty-seven years his war will last. The unbelievers are dead, captive, exiled; with blood, human bodies, water and red hail covering the earth." (Century 8, Quatrain 77).

Do you feel like you are having flashbacks from a bad acid trip with threats of being bombarded by the media with years more of Bill and Hillary Clinton in the White House and O.J. Simpson dominating the news? George Bush is trying to trigger the Apocalypse and capture the world for Christianity so that he can meet Jesus Christ in Jerusalem - talk about social climbers. How could 3 billion people be so brainwashed that they believe that nuclear world war 3 is the road to everlasting peace on earth when every scientist knows that it's the road to the extinction of life on earth forever? The question is not "Did we evolve?" but "Will we evolve into a peaceful species to adapt to our change in circumstances, 50,000 100 megaton nuclear bombs on earth today?" The two at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were firecrackers, 50 kilotons. Think kilobytes versus megabytes. The world is about to blow up and everyone is frantic over their SERP.

On Saturday night a meteorite crashed into Peru next to Lake Titicaca with an orange streak and a loud bang. The hole filled with water and is giving off smelly noxious odours which are causing the villagers of Carancas, Peru to suffer from nausea and headaches. So far there has been no sighting of Superman.

WWI was triggered by one bullet in Yugoslovia, the shot heard round the world starring Paris Hilton and Tom Cruise. The new President of France is the new Tony Blair. This week his foreign minister, like every American presidential candidate spoke of nuking Iran, Nostradamus' third anti Christ. Russia, which has been speaking about aiming their nuclear missiles at Europe because of George Bush's nuclear tipped cruise missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland, today warned the United States not to attack Iran. China also warned George Bush not to attack Iran.

Iran is the backyard of Russia and China. We are all pawns in a high stakes poker game with two thirds of the world's oil up for grabs. When the United States hits Iran, and all Hell breaks loose in the Middle East, Russia and China will unite as they did in beating the United States in Vietnam, and Russia and China will grab all of the Middle East's oil. In order to do this Russia will shoot thousands of their new zig zagging 100 megaton nuclear rockets, which separate into 8 nuclear missiles in midair over the North Pole and take out the United States of America.

Before the Apocalypse happens however, the Christian people of America and the Muslim world which also follows both the Old and the New Testament are entitled to know, as does every Bible Scholar on earth today, that the New Testament was first written in Greek by Greeks, the snake goat lion Beast, Devil, Anti Christ of Revelations is a plagiarism of the mythical Greek Chimera, and Jesus of Revelations flying down from Heaven on his flying horse to slay the anti Christ is a plagiarism of the Greek Myth of Prince Bellerophon on his flying horse Pegasus slaying the Chimera. Human beings are now triggering nuclear WWIII, the Apocalypse, to bring about the arrival of ancient Greek cartoon characters like Elmo to save the world for them. All human beings have to do to bring everlasting world peace to earth is for 200 people at the United Nations to agree today to permanently stop fighting. It's that simple. It's called evolution.

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Looking for you next vacation spot can be a challenge with so many options to choose from. However, one place you may have overlooked is South Padre Island. The beautiful locale situated on the Texas Coast has been a hit with Texans for many years. Despite their best efforts to keep it quite, others are finding out why it is so special. Here, are our reasons why it should be at the top of your list.

1. Warm weather and beaches. The temperate climate of Texas coupled with the easy going nature of Texans in general make South Padre a rare find. It is very easy to enjoy life here whether it is building sandcastles with your little ones, relaxing on the beach reading a book while hearing the waves come in or even simply taking a romantic evening stroll along the beach with your loved one.

2. Plenty of water activities. Whatever your fitness level is, you will find something for you at South Padre. You can choose from windsurfing, boating, kiteboarding, parasailing, using jet skis, wave runners, banana boats, water slides, snorkeling, scuba diving and other water sports. Plus, nature lovers can benefit too by seeing sea turtle and other aquatic exhibits and go on dolphin watching tours.

3. Great Fishing options. South Padre Island is a fisherman's paradise as you can participate in bay fishing, deep sea fishing and canyon fishing. These different options let you try your luck at catching dozens of different types of fish and make for great memories for all who participate. Plus, many places let you cook your catch right on the pier.

4. Restaurant Nirvana. If you enjoy seafood, South Padre Island will not disappoint. The most popular items are probably the red snapper and the gulf jumbo shrimp, but the other choices can be just as good. These seafood options are further bolstered by Texas' reputation for great burgers, steaks, and Mexican food. The end result is good eating for everyone.

5. Dozens of Shopping options. If you enjoy collecting items, keepsakes, and other souvenirs, you will really enjoy South Padre Island's endless list of gift shop and t-shirt shops. These shopping options add to the laid-back beach feel of the entire area and are great for finding mementos to share with other family and friends.

As you probably are beginning to see, South Padre Island provides you with many advantages that other beach vacation spots simply lack as a whole. We strongly suggest you research South Padre Island further as we believe you will want to move it to the top of your vacation wish list. Many people have done so already and are sure glad they did.

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Un po' di foto dalla Bolivia... tanto per non dimenticare :)

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Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes that reach 5000 meters above sea level, the Uyuni Salt Flat (Salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia is an immense white plain of 12.000 square kilometers of salt. It is the only place on Earth visible by the naked eye from the moon.

Some call it a desert - nothing lives here - while for others it is a sea. However, the only thing certain is that the Uyuni salt flat is a huge white plain surface formed by grain after grain of salt.

It is such an extraordinary place that no visitor has yet left unimpressed.

Once inside, when everything is white, it is very easy to get lost. For this reason it is essential that all incursions be made accompanied by an expert guide and a suitable all terrain vehicle. It is an extraordinary experience to cross this lake of salt by car, especially during the winter, because at that time the sky is completely clear and the bright blue color of the sky contrasts brilliantly with the salt. On a cloudy day there is a "white-out" effect: the horizon seems to blend in with the sky and you can hardly tell where the salt lake actually ends.

Getting to Uyuni requires certain sacrifice: 8 hours by bus from La Paz. There is a paved road up to Huari, but from there it is a dirt road with many bumps and ditches. The town of Uyuni has grown in recent years and the traveler can now find all that a tourist may need: from varied menus in several languages (though mostly based on llama meat) internet, to hotels of varying prices and service levels.

Several islands in the interior of the salt flat harbor unique forms of life and gigantic cactuses. During the rainy season, the surface is covered by a thin layer of water that presents a unique reflection. The horizon and the sky become one, making this place a paradise for the lovers of photography and nature.

Once at the salt flats and marveled by the fantastic immensity of this white desert, one may think that all the expectations of the trip have been met. However, there are even more amazing and mysterious attractions that reveal themselves to the fascinated tourists.

The Village of Four Names

San Pedro de Quemez, is a small village of about 60 families. It has been destroyed several times but the community has not dispersed.

In 1879, chilean tropos invaded the territory and destroyed the village made of stones. The inhabitants found refuge at the foot of a mountain where they erected Pueblo Refugio (Refuge Village). When the invaders left, they returned and reconstructed their village at the lower side of the hill, leaving the remains of Pueblo Quemado (Burnt Village) as a witness to the invasion and abandoning Pueblo Refugio.

Isla Incahuasi

This strange island in the middle of the salt flats is formed by volcanic rocks. The most characteristic of the island are the giant cactuses that grow here, some since hundreds of years. A short walk of about 10 minutes takes the visitor to the peak from where one can observe this impressive garden of thorns and marvel at the fabulous view of the white desert.

The cave of stars

About two hours away from San Pedro de Quemez are Cueva Galaxia (Galaxy Cave) and Cueva del Diablo (Devil's Cave). The first is a rock fantasy that takes the visitor to another dimension. The rock formations were created when the salt flats were still a sea and the Thunupa volcano came into contact with the water about 225 million years ago. They resemble strange bones hanging from the ceiling and walls, forming extraordinary figures. Next to this cave is the Cueva del Diablo, which contains a cemetery or chullpar with human remains. It is a sacred burial ground surrounded by many myths.

At the feet of the Thunupa volcano

After a refreshing rest at the village of Tahua, the ascent towards Pucara Chilguilla may begin. Walking about an hour to the peak at over 3800 meters, the visitor's resistance is severely tested. It is well worth the effort though: the views of the salt flat and the Thunupa volcano amidst the archeological ruins are simply spectacular. It is believed that these are the ruins of an Inca military post. At the shores of the salt desert, pink flamingos parade their beauty.

Museum of the mummies of Colquesa

About 15 minutes from Tahua, this impressive place conserves pre-Inca mummies and the remains of the rituals and burials of these ancient civilizations.

Visiting Uyuni is an ideal adventure for those who enjoy photography and the wonders of nature. Continuing the trip to the Eduardo Avaroa National Park and the Green and Colored Lagoons is part of this unforgettable journey.

Characteristics of the Uyuni Salt Flat:

The Uyuni Salt Flat, situated at the south-east area of Bolivia, cover an area of approximately 12000 square kilometers, almost the entire province of Daniel Campos.

It is formed by about 11 layers of salt, varying from 2 to 10 meters in thickness. The crust at the surface is about 10 meters thick. The estimated amount of salt is 64 billion tons.

The salt desert is the largest deposit of lithium in the world and contains significant amounts of potassium, magnesium and boron.

The salt deposit was formed by the disappearance of an inland sea that covered the entire Altiplano (High Plains) and extended to the Titicaca lake. Today, the Titicaca lake, the Poopo lake, the salt flats of Uyuni and Coipasa are what remain of this sea.

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Um tiozinho tocando flauta - copacabana bolivia maio 2008

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Bolivia is a country in the very heart of South America. It is surrounded by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Peru. And it has no way out to the sea. It has plenty of architectural rests of other cultures: the Tiwanaku civilization, the Incas, and a very important part of their population today are natives, such as Quechuas and Aymaras.

Because they have such a diversity of geographical regions, cultures and climate their food is varied and also their fruits and their vegetables. Though Bolivians eat three meals a day, the most important one, as in most South American countries, is lunch. Some people come from their works to their houses to eat lunch with the families, except in the mountains when they take their meals when out to work in the fields. But in the cities, they often get home for lunch.

One of the most used meats for their meals is pork. Though they also eat plenty of chicken and beef, pork is the most used. They love pastas, and rice, but definitely potatoes are a must in most meals. Like most countries belonging to the Andes region, they inherited from the Incas the potatoes and their love for them.

Bolivian food has its origin in different sources. The Incas, Quechuas, Guaranies, and all the natives from the region have left their recipes, their way of cooking potatoes, their taste for different meats. Then the Spanish came and brought many other recipes, and other ways and styles of cooking, then different immigrations, and also their neighbors added to this marvelous variety of dishes. It is a country, where every part of a cow is eaten! All of it is changed into a delicious dish.

There are certain vegetables like quinua that grows in the Andes and has a high nutritional value, which is actually part of a balanced diet in many countries and that has called for the scientific interests as a possible way to nourish people in poor countries.

Potatoes are dehydrated, or fresh, used in a thousand ways, any of the nearly 4 thousand different varieties of potatoes. The incas already had figured out how to freeze them and keep them in good conditions for a long time.

Due to the fact that Bolivia has different altitude levels, they have many different vegetables and use them in a generous way in their food. They also love to use herbs to make food tastier. Though Bolivian food is not too strong, but it has delicate tastes. They use trout from the Titicaca Lake, which prepared locally is an exquisite dish. From the same lake they take their frogs, with which they prepare many delicacies, as their frog legs are well known all over the world. Another strong point in the Bolivian food is their soup dishes, where of course, corn is always part of them.

If we were to summarize the main ingredients used by the Bolivians in their food, we would say potatoes, corn, pork, rice, trout, beef and a great variety of sauces. And adding to these ingredients, plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, and the knowledge of what they inherited and what was brought new by the immigrations. All together, it is an exceptional enjoyment eating any of their dishes.

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