Around the World in a Cup of Joe

Coffee is a hot commodity. It’s the world’s most traded foodstuff, worth more than $100 billion, and grown in 50+ countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Yet it’s more widely consumed where it isn’t grown and several countries have unique coffee preparation and drinking habits. My cup of Starbuck’s java inspired a trip around the world …

Fueled with Wine Instead of Gas in Santiago

Chile is arguably the most oddly shaped country in the world; it’s like a long stick. Even more odd is that this stick doesn’t need to beat back tourists (at least not yet) as each nodule on it represents a different climate and ecosystem. Included are outstanding agriculture and viticulture. Thank goodness for the latter when visiting a friend in Santiago.

Football a Go Go, Tango a No Go in Buenos Aires

At the turn of the 21st century, I learned two things about Argentina: never get in the way of football fans or learn tango from an instructor a foot shorter than you. If so, pray that Argentina wins and that no one else is watching, respectively.

Fact Greater Than Fiction in Manu National Park

Peru is a magical, amazing country with many hidden gems outside of Macchu Picchu. In fact, the Peruvian Amazon is arguably more fascinating … it’s home to 25,000 rare and endemic species, several of which we saw for ourselves.