Brazil’s Other Adventurous Side

by Kraig Becker on

With Brazil’s big party, Carnival, coming to an end a few days back, I thought that it was appropriate to look at the country’s other adventurous side, far away from the beaches and party scene of Rio and the other major cities. Brazil has plenty to offer the traveler who is looking to get off the beaten path, and explore some of its more remote regions.

One of the more famous of these attractions is Iguassu Falls, located along the border between Brazil and Argentina. Iguassu is a collection of more than 275 waterfalls compressed into an area that is roughly 1.5 miles in length. Some of them are as tall as 270 feet, and the total amount of water that crosses over Iguassu Falls is more than twice that of Niagara.

While Iguassu doesn’t see nearly as much traffic as Rio or the other major cities, plenty of intrepid travelers still make the journey to take in that natural wonder. For something a bit further off the tourist radar, consider a trip to the Brazilian region of Pantanal, a tropical wetland, much like the Florida Everglades, but on a much larger scale. During the rainy season, the Amazon River overflows into the area, creating a unique and diverse ecosystem with literally thousands of species of birds, fish, and other wildlife. Exploring the area by boat is akin to taking an African Safari, with giant river otter, colorful maccaw, marsh deer, and even piranha on display.Of course, the most famous region of Brazil is the Amazon Rainforest, the vast region that covers much of the South American continent in a dense jungle that is home to more than tens of thousands of plants alone, and thousands more animals. This is a part of the world that most travelers never venture into, even if they come to Brazil, but it is possible to camp and trek through the rainforest, And for those that want to experience the place for themselves, but don’t feel like roughing it, there are a number of eco-lodges in the region, such as the Araiau Towers.

Finally, for the truly adventurous, there is a little known region that falls on the border of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana known as Roraima. This very remote place was the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, and has become a favorite destination for backpackers. Roraima lies beyond the Amazon Basin, and is in the most distant area of Brazil. The tallest mountain in the country can be found here, and it is possible to hike to the summit of the “table-top” mountains, known as “tepui”, that are the hallmark of Roraima. Adventurous travelers can expect to spend four to five days en route to the top, where they’ll be treated to stunning views of the surrounding area.

While Brazil has a much deserved reputation for being a party destination, there is also plenty to offer the adventurous traveler who goes there as well. Get out of the large metropolitan areas, and there is plenty of unique and interesting places, unlike anywhere else on Earth, that will give you a completely different impression of the country.

Budget Travel: Ft. Lauderdale

by Jamie Rhein on

When we flew into Ft. Lauderdale, our original plan was to stay only long enough to drop our daughter and my dad off at their cruise ship before heading out of town for a couple of days. Instead, on a whim, we found ourselves checking into San Souci Resort Hotel for three nights and looking forward to coming back after a jaunt to Orlando once the cruise ship returned.

For an affordable vacation complete with beaches, places to stroll and shop, excellent food, and easy access to the Big Cyprus Seminole Reservation and the Everglades, consider Ft. Lauderdale as a non-fussy destination option. I didn’t expect to be so pleased. As a note, we were there a few days before Christmas and two days after. This was not the college Spring Break version.

Getting In: With AirTran Airways flights as a choice, Ft. Lauderdale can be a very inexpensive flight. Depending upon when you book, Delta and Continental may also offer deals. We flew on Continental for a song. Greyhound is also an option with a bus terminal that’s open 24 hours a day. You can also get here by train. Amtrak has a station.

Where to Stay: We found San Souci by turning left off of the Intercoastal Waterway to check out the retro style motels and hotels just two blocks away from the high-rise beach front versions. We opted for the kitchenette room which added to our budget since we shopped for breakfast and lunch food at a grocery store.

There are several hotels like this one in addition to more swanky options. According to the owner of San Souci, because so many people come to Ft. Lauderdale as a jumping off place for cruises and don’t stay in town, competition for business is fierce. That’s good news for bargain hunters.

Where to Eat: We found places to eat by asking for recommendations and being on the lookout while driving around in our rental car. Ft. Lauderdale is filled with places to eat, and in general, I’d say the competition keeps prices down.

  • Sukhothai Restaurant on E. Sunrise Blvd. We headed to this Thai restaurant twice. Once for dinner and the other time for lunch. Both meals were superb and I’ve been to Thailand four times, so I know good Thai food.
  • Mi Casa Su Casa on Griffin Rd. We went here based on a recommendation. On Tuesdays the margaritas are $.99 with a dinner entree. On Mondays, kids eat free. One adult meal= one free kid’s meal. Happy hour is 4-8 in the bar.
  • Flanigan’s Seafood Bar & Grill on West Davie Blvd. Ask about special deals. We ordered a pitcher of beer and ended up with a free order of chicken wings. This was a fun place to eat and terrific for kids.
  • Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine on E. Oakland Park. With a hankering for Cuban food, we had to head here.

What to See and Do:

In Ft. Lauderdale:

We spent much time at Ft. Lauderdale’s main beach by the Intercoastal Highway and at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

Besides the beach–there are eight in the Ft. Lauderdale area, head into Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. The park, located across the Intercoastal Highway from the beach, was a tucked in gem that I happened upon. The property used to be owned by Birch, but now offers canoeing, hiking, and places to bicycle and skate for a nominal entrance fee. We rented a canoe for an hour. Birch’s house has been turned into a museum that highlights the nature of the area.

If we had had more time, I would have gone to the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens. Hugh Taylor Birch first gave the property to his daughter as a wedding gift. Her husband, an artist, finished the house after her death from breast cancer. Now it’s on the register of National Historic Places.

Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to take a boat ride along the canals that go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Everglades either. Next time.

Here’s another detail to keep in mind. During March you can catch the spring training games of the Baltimore Orioles at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium.

Near by:

The Big Cyprus Seminole Reservation Along with the Billie Swamp Safari, the reservation boasts the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum with exhibits about the history and culture of the Seminole Indians. Give yourself enough time to walk along the nature trail to the living history Seminole village.

About the Billie Swamp Safari. What a blast! We sprung for the package deal that included the airboat ride through the Everglades, the swamp buggy eco tour and the animal show. The swamp buggy tour goes through wetlands and cyprus where bison, deer, water buffalo, wild hogs, hawks, eagles, alligators and more roam free. Some are native. Others are rescue animals.

Here’s a link of the Greater Ft. Lauderdale’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Web site that lists other inexpensive or free things to do. One item that caught my attention is the Old Dillard Museum, a historic building with exhibits that center on the African American heritage of Ft. Lauderdale.

As a note, if you book a hotel through the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Web site, you’ll receive a free Beach Starter kit that includes a beach towel, beach ball and flip flops.

Bowermaster’s Antarctica — St Andrews Bay, South Georgia

by Jon Bowermaster on

I miswrote.

The other day I suggested that South Georgia was like some kind of Magic Kingdom envisioned by Disney. Today I’m revising that; it’s more like something old Walt might have created after a visit while ingesting heavily of magic mushrooms.

Late this afternoon I found myself crossing a wide, six-inch deep pond on St. Andrews ringed by a portion of the 300,000 King penguin colony that bases here, both adults and their several-month old chicks. Most of the chicks were molting, meaning their thick brown down was itching and beginning to fall off, leaving behind an exterior shell that made them look like some kind of “Cousin It” penguins … half-tuxedoed, half covered by wildly sprouting brown tufts of fur.

Everywhere I looked it is surreal. Tall mountains, peaks dipped in snow. Hanging glaciers (though definitely receding) separating the green valleys. Six-foot tall tussock grass running straight to the sea. A wide river of glacier melt running towards the sand beach, lined on each side by penguins, with sizable fur seals surfing and feeding in its fast-running center.
I’ve seen big wildlife gatherings in other parts of the world. Migrating caribou in Labrador. Herds of giraffe running along tongues of hardened lava in west Kenya. The most giant of penguin colonies in Antarctica. But nothing prepared me for both the size and oddity of this mass. The chicks, who unlike other penguin species, are born over a four or five month range and stay with their parent for up to thirteen months, follow mom or dad for all that time … everywhere.

The King lays a single egg and builds no nest, holding it on its feet under a fold of skin. Unlike the smaller penguin breeds, Kings occupy their rookeries all year and travel several hundred kilometers to find their food, mostly lantern fishes which they find at three hundred to one thousand feet below the surface.

Adult and chick march nearly lockstep, braying constantly, bumping into each other like some kind of Three Stooges act. Two weeks after they are born they are nearly the same size as their parents, two and a half feet tall. Imagine if humans birthed the same way, with a son or daughter the same height as his father when he is two weeks old.

As the sun lowers behind the ridge tops the pond brightens and the brown down of the chicks turns golden. It’s not quite as bright as the brilliant yellow-gold plumage of the adult’s neck and throat, but getting there.

There seems to be lots of wandering among the Kings. Unusual among penguins, they are not a vary fidel bunch. I sit for an hour and watch trios squabble, usually two females fighting over a male. They walk in threes, two of them fwapping their short wings at each other, like big city dilettantes on a crowded street. While most penguins, and albatross are faithful to a mate for life, among King’s the divorce rate is near 80 percent. Blame it on timing. When they arrive back at the island after months of feeding, their partner may still be months away. Given limited food reserves they cannot afford to wait faithfully for a late returning mate … so …

History’s Most Famous Travel Adventures

by Kraig Becker on

There is no doubt that history has a level of influence on the places that many of us visit. We read about far off places and exotic adventures, and it fires our own imaginations, sometimes compelling us to take a journey of our own, and experience the things that we’ve dreamed about.

Forbes Traveler has put together an excellent list of the greatest travel adventures from history, not only putting them in historical context, but also explaining why they remain a great travel experience even to this day. Each of the journeys on this list include a link to a travel service than can help organize your own adventure, following in the footsteps of explorers and adventurers from the past.

Some of the famous journeys that make the list include the Lewis and Clarke Expedition’s exploration of the American West, which modern day travelers can experiencing for themselves by spending five days paddling more than 60 miles of the Missouri River. Prefer something a bit more exotic? Then how about a 34-day, 4850+ mile journey through South America, by motorcycle no less, that retraces the travels of Che Guevara. Want to go even further back in time? Then head to the Far East to travel the Silk Road, much the same way that Marco Polo did in the 13th century.

There is a little something for everyone on this list, from the physically demanding to the luxurious. But they all share one thing in common, they are some of the greatest journeys in history, and they are still inspiring travel years, and sometimes centuries, later.

Bowermaster’s Antarctica — Crossing the Scotia Sea

by Jon Bowermaster on


When we left Elephant Island midday yesterday we formally left Antarctica behind. I’ve been to Antarctica many times since 1989 and every time I leave it in my trail, whether by C-130 cargo plane, small sailing boat or expedition ship it is with no small regret. It is a spectacular corner of the world that gets in your blood like no other I’ve experienced. Remote and foreboding it can also be intimate and fragile. The only good thing about leaving is that I am already looking forward to my next return.

We have endured a remarkable stretch of good weather these past six weeks, and the luck continues. Strong winds were expected during the night, which never arrived. As a result, the Scotia Sea – lying just east of the Drake Passage, sharing a similar reputation for wind and storm – is rolling but not rough.

We are now following directly in the traces of Shackleton’s sail for freedom in the twenty-three-and-a-half foot long “James Caird” and I stand on the aft deck for a long time this morning trying to imagine being out here in such a small craft. The eight hundred miles took the six men in the wooden lifeboat cum sailboat sixteen days; we’ll do it in about two. They had no idea what they’d find when they arrived, though they knew there was an active whaling station at Stromness and that the prevailing winds would (hopefully) be at their back. We know pretty much where we are headed and what we’ll find.

They had sailed due north from Elephant Island in hopes of quickly finding warmer temperatures, which did not work so well, though the winds out of the southwest did push them at a sixty to seventy mile a day pace. But the cold continued. “The sprays froze upon the boat and gave bows, sides, and decking a heavy coat of mail,” Shackleton wrote about what he described as “the boat journey.” “This accumulation of ice reduced the buoyancy of the boat, and to that extent was an added peril … we could not allow the load of ice to grow beyond a certain point and in turns we crawled about the decking forward, chipping and picking at it with the available tools … the weight of the ice that had formed in her and upon her was having its effect and she was becoming more like a log than a boat.”

Fifteen days after leaving Elephant Island, they sighted South Georgia. Reduced to straining the last of their fresh water through gauze to clear it of hair from their caribou sleeping bags, they spent one last night just offshore, unable to land due to giant seas. When they finally did land, in a cove that ultimately did not give them access to the rest of the island, they crawled into a cave and slept … though Shackleton stayed awake as long as he could that first night to watch over the “James Caird,” still their lifeline, as it bobbed in the surf just off the rocks.

Just as Elephant Island lives large in history due Shackleton link, South Georgia – for all its magical allure of big animals and grand landscape – is part and parcel of “the Boss’s” myth. I’m sure while we are here these next five or six days we’ll catch sight of his ghost on several occasions.