Margaritas, Cuba libres, piña coladas and mojitos are drinks with Latin American origins that have become staples at bars across America. But what about the drinks being mixed up further south? Whether you want to know what to order up at the bar during your next trip to South America or you are looking for a way to raise the bar at home, these mixed drinks will leave you thirsty for more.
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Ushuaia, Argentina is the end of the line. Situated near the tip of South America, Ushuaia is the main departure point for Antarctic cruises. Though technically not the world’s southernmost settlement–that honor goes to the tiny town Puerto Williams, Chile–it is without question the world’s southernmost city, with a population, according to the 2010 census, of just under 57,000.
Flickr user Guillermo Esteves snapped this image of Ushuaia in mid-December, capturing Ushuaia in its full late spring glory.
Got an epic image of a far-flung place in your archives? Upload it to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. If we like it, we might just choose it to be a future Photo of the Day.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is well known for its booming arts scene. One way to experience the creative side of the city while also getting to enjoy the beautiful weather and outdoor scenery is through the myriad works of graffiti art that adorn the various neighborhoods.
Although many people may think of graffiti as dirty, ugly, or associated with vandalism, Buenos Aires is actually home to some of the most beautiful graffiti in the world, created by actual artists. One group that works to promote street art in the city is graffitimundo, an organization that works with local artists to create tours of the urban arts scene. When discussing their beginnings and mission in 2009, they state, “We wanted to connect people with the art and artists of this unique movement, and highlight the cultural and historical context of the scene.”
For more information on tours with graffitimundo, click here. And to get a glimpse of the graffiti-ladden city yourself, check out the gallery below.
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Each year, non-profit organization Ethical Traveler conducts a survey of the world’s developing nations, analyzing their progress toward promoting human rights, preserving their environment, and developing a sustainable tourism industry. The study, run by Ethical Traveler’s all-volunteer staff, factors in country scores from databases like Freedom House, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the World Bank, then dives into actions that governments have taken to improve circumstances within their countries in the previous year.
The top countries are celebrated in Ethical Traveler’s annual list of the Developing World’s Best Ethical Tourism Destinations, with the hope that increased tourism will help those countries continue to improve. “Travel and tourism are among the planet’s driving economic forces, and every journey we take makes a statement about our priorities and commitment to change,” they say. “Ethical Traveler believes that mindful travel is a net positive for the planet. By choosing our destinations well and remembering our role as citizen diplomats, we can create international goodwill and help change the world for the better.”
This year’s list includes Argentina, the Bahamas, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Latvia, Mauritius, Palau, Serbia, and Uruguay. Explore these countries more in the slideshow below.
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[Flickr image via Lisandro M. Enrique]
Just a few miles out of Ushuaia you can stand at the end of the Panamerican Highway and imagine the long line that connects you to Alaska. Wild nature surrounds you, face one direction and you’ll see sharp granite peaks. Turn the other direction and you’ll see the Beagle Channel, that relatively placid waterway that leads to the Drake Passage, and then, Antarctica.
Antarctica exploration hit a milestone last year, Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole in December 1911. With 100 years of exploration behind us, it’s now surprisingly easy to board a ship from Ushuaia and head out to that last place.
You can book an Antarctic trip from the comfort of home, but if you’ve got time to spare, head to Ushuaia during cruise season (typically January to March) and visit the travel agents that line San Martin. A last minute bookings can save you up to fifty percent.
Ushuaia vibrates with anticipation and exhilaration. The combination of Antarctica travelers both outbound and returning, cyclists (motor and pedal) who have completed the Panamerican Highway, and back country adventurers surfacing from the wilds of Patagonia make for a city where nearly everyone you meet is on an epic, once in a life time adventure.
[flickr image via 23am.com]