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South America's primary mountain range, the Andes, attains one of its widest points in Bolivia. Here the Andes are divided into two subranges, Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Occidental. Peaks in these areas are in excess of 20,000 feet. Between these subranges lies the Altiplano which contains the highest navigable lake on earth. Lake Titicaca, which also lies in Peru, is 12,507 feet above sea level.Also in the Altiplano is one of Bolivia's capitals, La Paz. At 11,700 feet it is one of the highest cities in the world. This region is home to one of the centers of Inca civilization and pre--Inca cultures.Lake Titicaca is what helps make the Altiplano livable. This body of water is large enough to...

A nation that is rich in sights and attractions, Brazil is one of the best destination choices when you fly south of America. Brazil is the 5th largest and 5th most populous country in the world. Its territory spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the central and east of South America, dwarfing the neighboring countries of Argentina, Uraguay, and Paraguay in the south, Bolivia and Peru in the east, and Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana in the north.10 Most Popular Brazil destinations:Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Iguacu Falls, Foz...

Economic development in Latin America has been a matter of great debate since they became independent. In the nineteenth century, Europe and the United States thought the reason why there was a lack of development among Latin American countries was because they were racially inferior and Catholic. In the twentieth century, the reasons advanced was that they are backwards and uneducated. Latin American countries assert their lack of development is not because of the theories that first world countries put forth, but rather due to the fact that those same countries have stolen much of their mineral wealth and agricultural products during the colonial period. Since their independence, Latin American...

Pop music is a genre of popular music distinguished from classical or art music and from folk music . The term indicates specific stylistic traits, but the genre also includes artists working in many styles such as rock, hip hop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and country, making it a flexible category. The expression "pop music" may also be used to refer to particular subgenres (within the pop music genre) that are in some cases referred to as soft rock and pop/rock.Characteristics as a subgenre Pop "is designed to appeal to everyone" and "doesn't come from any particular place or mark off any particular taste." In musical terms, it is essentially "conservative" in that it attempts to resonate with a...

One of only two land-locked countries in South America, Bolivia is a mountainous country. Here is an overview of the countryThe official name of Bolivia is the Republic of Bolivia. Bolivia covers an area of 425,000 square miles, a surprisingly large country. The capital is La Paz, which has a population of just over 800,000 people. Santa Cruz is the largest city by population with over 1.4 million residents.The terrain of Bolivia is one of high mountains and plains with some elevations so high as to result in altitude sickness. La Paz, in fact, is located at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. This makes the highest capital city in the world. The climate varies from arid in the high...

I. The FactsJust days before a much-awaited donor conference, the influential International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended to place all funds pledged to Macedonia under the oversight of a "corruption advisor" appointed by the European Commission. The donors ignored this and other recommendations. To appease the critics, the affable Attorney General of Macedonia charged a former Minister of Defense with abuse of duty for allegedly having channeled millions of DM to his relatives during the recent civil war. Macedonia has belatedly passed an anti-money laundering law recently - but failed, yet again, to adopt strict anti-corruption legislation.In Albania, the Chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party...

Before stepping on that plane for a marvelous safari adventure, plan like there's no tomorrow. You will thank your self for being precautious when faced with untoward incidents. Here are the important things you should consider when going on a safari travel: 1. Remember that it is one challenging endeavor. Planning a safari can be one of the most exciting feats one can ever manage to make happen. It is not one of the generic travels, usual jetsetters indulge in. Though you are provided with a tour brochure and a tourist guide, it still is better to research on your own regarding the various itineraries. 2. Best spots for safari should be spotted. The most suggested parts of Africa to enjoy safari...

She brought the guitar into vogue. She created the first "fake" books designed for regular folks who didn't want to or were unable to invest the time and effort to master the guitar. Who was she?Catherina Josepha Pelzer was born in 1821 in Mulheim, on the Rhine. She was the daughter of Ferdinand Pelzer, a leading German guitarist during the early part of the 19th Century. Ferdinand began tutoring his daughter when she was quite young - a task made easier by the fact that young Catherina was quite the musical prodigy. She made her London concert debut at the age of seven. Soon after, her family moved from Germany to England where she received much critical acclaim and gained fame as a performer. Her...

For a vacationer looking for a city to holiday in that offers unparalleled pleasure, the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is one of the best choices. The city of Rio de Janeiro is a melting pot of races, colors and creeds. Rio de Janeiro is a Portuguese term meaning, River of January...

Sustainable travel has been an issue I have been interested in for a while now and through G.A.P Adventures, the sponsor of the grand prize for our soon to be launched Travel Story Contest, I was able to learn more about the topic of sustainable tourism.Danielle Weiss, a former tour leader for G.A.P, is now the company's Sustainable Tourism Coordinator. While I was quizzing Danielle about sustainable travel issues of course I asked her a bit about herself and her connection to the adventure and eco-travel industry. As she started to tell me more about her background, I realized that I had a very interesting person right there in front of me, who has lived, worked, studied and volunteered in a number...

When people think of traveling to or studying in a large South American city, they often think of Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro first. Many overlook the countless treasures to be found in other South American cities. Cordoba, Argentina is one that is often overlooked, but one can find infinite attractions in this city at a fraction of the cost of its popular huge city competitors. There are so many reasons why Cordoba, Argentina is the best city in South America that you never knew about.Marlo Goldstein, a seasoned veteran in travel throughout Latin America, says: I hesitate to say it because I'm still so new here, but here goes: I think I could fall in love with this place. There I...

Last weekend, Brazilians living in the greater Sao Paulo metropolitan area witnessed one of the country's largest prison riots in the past five years, organized and orchestrated by Sao Paulo's largest criminal faction, the First Capital Command (PCC in Portuguese).When Sao Paulo state authorities transferred some 756 PCC leaders, the PCC criminal enterprise, led by Willians Herbas Camacho (a.k.a. Marcola), implemented its plan to start riots in dozens of prisons in Sao Paulo and around the country. They took advantage of the unusually lax security environment over the weekend when some 10,000 prisoners were given a day pass to visit families on the outside for Mother's Day, and thousands more...

In a significant move the Centre has decided to come up with a greater Capital Account Convertibility (CAS) of the Indian currency in a few days. The central bank has also appointed a six-person committee to produce a "road map" toward that goal by July 31.What is Capital Account Convertibility ?The Capital Account Convertibility, (CAS) of the Indian Currency means, removal of restrictions on cross border movement of capital, no matter whether from India to rest of the world or the vise-versa. The formal regime of capital account convertibility, when in place , will allow all residents, including companies or individuals or other entities, to invest , divest or transect in any property or...

As teenagers growing up in the early sixties, my wife and I saw Hyannis and Hyannisport as mythical kingdoms populated by the rich, the famous, and the powerful. Except for the mythical part this is probably still true.Peg and I traveled to Hyannis with friend and guide, Al Burrage. Our first stop was the John F. Kennedy Memorial. The memorial features a 12-foot-high fieldstone wall with a relief of JFK facing the sea. There is a presidential seal, fountain, and a small pool to honor the late president, who grew up nearby. Tour busses constantly drove in the parking lot for people to visit the shrine. It is lovely with a great view of the beach and water.Flowers form a border around the circular...

In a significant move the Centre has decided to come up with a greater Capital Account Convertibility (CAS) of the Indian currency in a few days. The central bank has also appointed a six-person committee to produce a "road map" toward that goal by July 31.What is Capital Account Convertibility ?The Capital Account Convertibility, (CAS) of the Indian Currency means, removal of restrictions on cross border movement of capital, no matter whether from India to rest of the world or the vise-versa. The formal regime of capital account convertibility, when in place , will allow all residents, including companies or individuals or other entities, to invest , divest or transect in any property or...

When people think of traveling to or studying in a large South American city, they often think of Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro first. Many overlook the countless treasures to be found in other South American cities. Cordoba, Argentina is one that is often overlooked, but one can find infinite attractions in this city at a fraction of the cost of its popular huge city competitors. There are so many reasons why Cordoba, Argentina is the best city in South America that you never knew about.Marlo Goldstein, a seasoned veteran in travel throughout Latin America, says: I hesitate to say it because I'm still so new here, but here goes: I think I could fall in love with this place. There I...

Part 1The Beginning "Where did it all begin?"I don't think anyone can answer this question with certainty, but there are plenty of good hypotheses. Every culture has some form of hand to hand combat in its history. Combat without weapons usually appears in the form of wrestling and sometimes boxing. Looking at the history timeline, one good hypothesis is that the wrestling techniques of Jiu-Jitsu could very well have come from Ancient Greece. Olympic games were one of the Greek's strongest traditions. It is most likely that along with Greek ideas, came one of its most popular sports, Pankration. Pankration was a sport that involved both boxing and wrestling techniques and became more popular to the...

Economic development in Latin America has been a matter of great debate since they became independent. In the nineteenth century, Europe and the United States thought the reason why there was a lack of development among Latin American countries was because they were racially inferior and Catholic. In the twentieth century, the reasons advanced was that they are backwards and uneducated. Latin American countries assert their lack of development is not because of the theories that first world countries put forth, but rather due to the fact that those same countries have stolen much of their mineral wealth and agricultural products during the colonial period. Since their independence, Latin American...

A Nineteenth Century American Immigrant Poinsettias are native to Mexico, where they grow wild, and were first introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, amateur botanist and first ambassador to Mexico. Poinsett brought some cuttings to his plantation in Greenwood, South Carolina. The rest is history. Today, National Poinsettia Day, Dec. 12, commemorates Poinsett and the plant he made famous on the anniversary of his death in 1851. A Charming Holiday Legend The legend of the poinsettia dates back to a Christmas Eve centuries ago, when a little girl named Pepita had no gift to present to the Christ child. On her way to the church she gathered up weeds along the road. Then, a...

"I'm a musician, you know..." said a delighted Condoleezza Rice while strumming the charango - an Andean five-string lacquered guitar - which the Bolivian President had just presented to her.The occasion was a meeting between the U.S. Secretary of State and Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous President, in Valparaiso, Chile.The presentation of the guitar no doubt provided Rice with some light relief at the end of a 25-minute meeting to discuss drug policy, part of a gruelling nine-day diplomacy trip encompassing Chile, Indonesia and Australia.What she didn't realize at the time was that the beautiful Bolivian charango guitar, hand-crafted with five pairs of strings, was inlaid with coca leaves...

When people think of traveling to or studying in a large South American city, they often think of Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro first. Many overlook the countless treasures to be found in other South American cities. Cordoba, Argentina is one that is often overlooked, but one can find infinite attractions in this city at a fraction of the cost of its popular huge city competitors. There are so many reasons why Cordoba, Argentina is the best city in South America that you never knew about.Marlo Goldstein, a seasoned veteran in travel throughout Latin America, says: I hesitate to say it because I'm still so new here, but here goes: I think I could fall in love with this place. There I...

I. The FactsJust days before a much-awaited donor conference, the influential International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended to place all funds pledged to Macedonia under the oversight of a "corruption advisor" appointed by the European Commission. The donors ignored this and other recommendations. To appease the critics, the affable Attorney General of Macedonia charged a former Minister of Defense with abuse of duty for allegedly having channeled millions of DM to his relatives during the recent civil war. Macedonia has belatedly passed an anti-money laundering law recently - but failed, yet again, to adopt strict anti-corruption legislation.In Albania, the Chairman of the Albanian Socialist Party...

Peru is a country with a rich and varied cultural and architectural heritage. Facing the Pacific, it enjoys spectacular and varied scenery, including Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, and has a strong Inca and pre-Inca heritage, which includes the famous Lake Titicaca area, the Nazca Lines, and the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, with its Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu. It's a fantastic place for a holiday and in this article, we'll be looking at some hints and tips to make sure you can get the most out of your holiday in Peru! Language The primary language in Peru is Spanish. This is almost identical to the Castilian Spanish of Madrid, albeit with slightly different...

Today's Quote: "Formal learning can teach you a great deal, but many of the essential skills in life are the ones you have to develop on your own." Lee IacoccaI made a frustrating discovery at my painting class this week, only to make another startling one an hour or so later. Fairly new to this class--this was my fourth lesson--it dawned on me that everyone had a formula for organizing their palettes. Each student had a color scheme that he followed very precisely, and each one laid out paint onto his palette in exactly the same way.I didn't make this observation until this particular class, because I had never allowed myself the liberty of walking around the painting loft at the beginning of...

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 31, 1926 on the Caribbean island of Cuba, a Spanish speaking country with an estimated population of 11.3 million citizens. He eventually became the greatest Marxist revolutionary leader of Cuba as he led the small island into the global community where it has affected international decisions and played a significant role in the world's history over the past four decades. As a young boy Fidel worked in his family's sugar cane fields and, at the age of 6, convinced his parents to let him go to school. He was intelligent and willing to learn, but he had inherited his father's temperament which consisted of extreme violence and unpredictable tantrums. After...

Chardonnay is a thousand year old small village in Mâconnais in the southern portion of France's burgundy region. The famous wine Chardonnay most likely originated here and was then spread throughout France by the monks. The earliest recorded reference to Chardonnay occurs in 1330 when Cistercian monks built stonewalls around their 'Clos de Vougeot' vineyard exclusively planted to Chardonnay grapes. There is another hypothesis that points towards Lebanon when it comes to the origins of Chardonnay, but with no written references. Another direction points to an Austrian vine very similar to Chardonnay, called Morillon. The name Morillon has been used during the middle Ages in the region of...

Economic development in Latin America has been a matter of great debate since they became independent. In the nineteenth century, Europe and the United States thought the reason why there was a lack of development among Latin American countries was because they were racially inferior and Catholic. In the twentieth century, the reasons advanced was that they are backwards and uneducated. Latin American countries assert their lack of development is not because of the theories that first world countries put forth, but rather due to the fact that those same countries have stolen much of their mineral wealth and agricultural products during the colonial period. Since their independence, Latin American...

Economic development in Latin America has been a matter of great debate since they became independent. In the nineteenth century, Europe and the United States thought the reason why there was a lack of development among Latin American countries was because they were racially inferior and Catholic. In the twentieth century, the reasons advanced was that they are backwards and uneducated. Latin American countries assert their lack of development is not because of the theories that first world countries put forth, but rather due to the fact that those same countries have stolen much of their mineral wealth and agricultural products during the colonial period. Since their independence, Latin American...

The role of women in colonial Latin America was very much determined by what racial group and social class they were born into. In her book, The Women of Colonial Latin America, Susan Migden Socolow identifies additional factors that caused differences in women's lives. These other factors include "demography, life cause, spatial variations, local economy, norm and reality, and change over time" (Socolow 1).Socolow contends that among these additional variables, demography was the most important. This is due to the fact that the "ratio of men to women could enhance or limit women's choices" (Socolow 2). The experiences of women also changed as they grew older and moved into different roles in life...

Everyone's talking about China. Don't miss the opportunities in the other CHI..Yes. Chile with an "LE" not "NA"While the whole region is back in favor with investors, it seems appropriate to highlight Chile which is the economic star of Latin America.Chile is about two times the size of Montana and has an incredible coastline of 2,650 miles. While only 3% of its land is arable, it has an amazing variety of climates and rich agricultural production. It gained its independence from Spain in 1810 and has 16 million citizens of which 90% are Catholic.The Chile story is somewhat similar to Ireland before its economic takeoff. From 1978 to 1988, per capita income increased only $100 to reach $1,510.Next...

A successful baseball manager knows when it is time to pull his starting pitcher out of the game and bring in his ace reliever. A good poker player knows when to get up and leave the table with his winnings after the cards start going against him. A top boxing trainer knows that sometimes it is better to throw in the towel and save his fighter for another night, rather than having him go on all 12 rounds and risk serious injury. In the world of sports, the top people know what to look for, and know the actions that need to be taken to give them the best chance for success. The same holds true with investing and particularly in the area of foreign investing. Knowing when it is time to cash in your...