Lima, Peru

Lima is the capital of Peru and its largest city.

The modern city is a curious mix of the modern mega city with some 'islands of modernity', large but orderly slum areas and colonial architecture in the city center.

Metropolitan Lima is a metropolis of almost 8.5 million people. Many of these people have migrated from the Andes mountains to find work in Lima, without success. For this reason, there is widespread poverty in the city center and in the peripheral areas. If you fly into Lima, the first thing you see upon leaving the airport is these types of poor neighborhoods between the airport and Lima's historic center.

Lima is built upon a valley surrounded by an extremely arid desert. In the summer, the weather is usually beautiful, very warm and sunny, sometimes with rains around January. In the winter, the city is overcast and rainy for days at a time. The rain in the wintertime doesn't fall hard, but it gets everything wet. Temperature also falls to around 7-12 C⁰ (45-55⁰ F), which seems chillier when combined with the general dampness.

 

Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru

The Peruvian port of Salaverry leads the way to Trujillo, the nation’s second-largest city,  situated before the Andean foothills. Salaverry is located 15 kilometers (9.3 miles), approximately 30 minute-drive southeast of Trujillo city.

Trujillo is a city of rich colonial architecture and very important archaeological center of the pre-Inca era. Today much of its colonial charm is still retained in its old churches, balconied homes and courtyards with overhanging flowering baskets. Like most Peruvian cities, the Plaza de Armas is surrounded by the cathedral and city hall. Numerous colonial mansions have been preserved in the old city and are open to visitors. The fronts of many of these buildings have distinctive wrought-iron grillwork and are painted in pastel colors.

Marinera is a coastal dance of Peru. Marinera is a graceful and romantic couple's dance that uses handkerchiefs as props. The dance is an elegant and stylized reenactment of a courtship, and it shows a blend of the different cultures of Peru. The dance itself has gained a lot of recognition and is one of the most popular traditional dances of Peru. Ever since the 1960s, during the month of January, in the city of Trujillo, declared national capital of this dance by law N° 24.447, January 24, in 1986 and a National Contest of Marinera Nortena is held. In 2012, the Congress of the Peruvian Republic declared October 7 as Marinera Day in Trujillo City, which is celebrated with a parade and dance expressions.

 

Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena, also known as Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena of the West Indies) was founded in 1533 by Don Pedro de Heredia, and named after the port of Cartagena in Spain’s Murcia region. It was a major center of early Spanish settlement in the Americas and continues to be an economic hub as well as a popular tourist destination. Today the city looks more like a modern metropolis than one of the oldest cities of the New World. The Port, Fortresses and Monuments of Cartagena have been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1984.

History is present throughout the city in its walls, colonial architecture, and in numerous impressive military and religious monuments. These all come together harmoniously with clear-water beaches, exotic nearby islands, and lively bars, cafés, restaurants and night clubs. Surrounded by a ring of massive fortress walls built by the Spanish starting in 1586, the Old City is a delightful enclave, filled with shops, restaurants, and historically significant old structures which make for a fascinating walking tour. Across the lagoon is the enormous Fortress of San Felipe, largest Spanish fort in the New World. High atop San Lazaro Hill, the fortress provides a grand view of the city. 

Manta, Ecuador

Manta is Ecuador’s fifth-largest city and is often ranked first among the world’s sun and sand set as it is home to some of South America’s most beautiful beaches: Barbasquillo, Santa Marianita and San Lorenzo among them. That said, it’s no surprise to find that nautical activities abound here, from waterskiing and deep-sea fishing to kite-boarding and wind surfing, a sport serious enough to draw the South American championships to the city recently.

Manta derives its name from the ancient Mantamanian Indians who long ago populated the region. Visitors needn’t travel far from Manta to explore local towns rich in culture and craftwork, from Montecristi to La Pila, just outside of Manta, where local art pottery is a favorite take-home among visitors. 

 

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is likely the coolest cruising lane a ship might ever pass through: a 48-mile (77.1 kilometers) aquatic highway linking the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) and the Pacific Ocean, snaking through intricate locks and shimmering lakes and surrounded by an environmental wonderland. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. There are locks at each end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal, 26 metres (85 ft) above sea level. The current locks are 33.5 metres (110 ft) wide. A third, wider lane of locks is currently under construction and is due to open in 2016.

The Americans may have built the canal, but the concept, at least public stated, can be traced to the early 16th Century, when King Charles of Spain commissioned a survey for a shortcut through isthmus of Panama to speed ship traffic to and from Peru. While the Spanish shelved that plan, the relatively slim strip of land and its rich location between the Atlantic and Pacific worlds proved too strong a lure for a string of Europeans in their quest for quicker, safer trade routes.

France began work on the canal in 1881, but had to stop because of engineering problems and high mortality due to disease. The United States took over the project in 1904, and took a decade to complete the canal, which was officially opened on August 15, 1914. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, the Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduced the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous Cape Horn route around the southernmost tip of South America via the Drake Passage or Strait of Magellan.

During construction, ownership of the territory that is now the Panama Canal was first Colombian, then French, and then American. The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the 1977. After a period of joint American–Panamanian control, the canal was taken over by the Panamanian government in 1999, and is now managed and operated by the Panama Canal Authority, a Panamanian government agency.

 

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Lying to the west and stretching for along two thirds of the country’s Pacific Coast, Puntarenas is the largest province in Costa Rica. Located approximately 75 miles west of the capital city of San Jose, this province’s main highlight is its rich natural beauty, mainly its tropical rain forests and beaches.

An important aspect of the provincial economy today is tourism. The country’s most popular beach resorts, Puntarenas (including Doña Ana and Barranca beaches), Jacó, and Manuel Antonio, are all found in this province, as are 14 national parks and reserves - more than in any other province.

With over 100,000 inhabitants, the city of Puntarenas sits on a long, narrow peninsula in the Gulf of Nicoya. As the country’s most important fishing port, Puntarenas is the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood, be it “camarones al ajillo” (shrimp scampi), “pescado entero” (a whole fried fish), or “ceviche de corvine”. 

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala’s largest Pacific Ocean port and also the gateway to some of the most fascinating and beautiful sightseeing in the country.

 Guatemala is from words in a native language, variously identified as "Quauhtemellan", "land of the eagle", or "Uhatzmalha", "mountain where water gushes". Hence, it is also translated as "land of eternal spring".

Guatemala has a rich and distinctive culture from the long mix of elements from Spain and the native Maya people. This diverse history and the natural beauty of the land have created a destination rich in interesting and scenic sites.

One of Guatemala's original commercial developments in the 19th century, coffee production is still of vital importance to the national economy.Guatemala's production of coffee is equally important in the global economy, as Guatemala is the world's third largest exporter of coffee.

After coffee, sugar is Guatemala's most profitable crop, Sugar has also shown promise as an expanding industry in Guatemala, particularly because it can be produced in raw form or processed within the country prior to export, augmenting its value.

Bananas, also remain one of Guatemala's top agricultural exports.