Seeking South America

The Real Chicago explores the finer points of Brazil and Peru

Travel location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Traveler: Matt Mohrlang
Where you stayed: I have been to Rio twice, both times staying in rented apartments. On my first trip, I stayed in Copacabana, and on the second trip I stayed in Ipanema. I guess you can’t go wrong either way, but there is definitely a difference in the neighborhoods. Copa is much more touristy, and if you are a male, it is nearly impossible to go 10 minutes without being propositioned by someone who works in the sex trade (prostitution is legal in Brazil). That said, there are tons of great hotels, restaurants and bars in Copacabana, and it’s generally where the most action is. It is also the cheapest beachfront area in town. Ipanema, on the other hand, is more mellow, and is definitely one of the more upscale locations in town. Neither neighborhood offers much of an advantage over the other in terms of proximity to other attractions. Bottom line, as long as you are in Rio, it doesn’t matter where you are staying, you will have a blast.

The people, the culture: The people in Rio (nicknamed “Cariocas”) are great. Everyone is very friendly and extremely laid-back. Communication, however, can be difficult. From my experience, most people do not speak English, and Portuguese is not the easiest language to grasp (many of the words look similar to Spanish words, but they sound drastically different). In any event, I was fortunate to meet some English-speaking locals on both of my trips, which significantly added to my experience. The most striking thing about Cariocas is that they are generally very fit and spend most all of their free time at the beach. Also, they have an obsession with soccer thatborders on the unhealthy. As an aside, it should be noted that for all of the great things about Rio, there is also an inordinate amount of poverty and crime. You definitely need to be on your toes and keep your valuables in a safe place.

Activities of note: In keeping with local customs, I spent most of the time on both of my trips to Rio under an umbrella at the beach. There are definitely a ton of other things to do, though. First off, you can’t go to Rio without checking out the views from Sugarloaf Mountain and Corcovado. Beyond that, I would recommend hang-gliding and a day hike in the Tijuca forest. Basically, it really doesn't matter what you do because as long as you are in Rio, you will be enjoying yourself.

What makes you want to go back: Simply put, Rio is one of the most amazing places on earth. It is a city with approximately the same population as New York that is scattered throughout a beautiful, mountainous region and just happens to be located on a coastline in a tropical climate. Between that and the easy-going lifestyle, Rio is really hard to beat. The nightlife, restaurants and shopping are pretty impressive too.

The costs: On my most recent trip, the exchange rate was approximately 2-to-1 in our favor, but due to inflation, etc., the prices of most goods and services were about the same as in the U.S. On my first visit (three years ago), everything was so cheap that I almost felt guilty about it, so I guess the economic conditions can change dramatically in a short time.

What you’d do differently: The only thing I would do differently is see a soccer game in person. Part of me wants to tour the favelas (highly impoverished neighborhoods consisting of huts, tents, etc.), but I can’t quite come to grips with some of the ethical issues involved (like is it right for others to exploit the impoverished for their own curiosity?). Otherwise, it’s pretty hard to screw up a vacation to Rio.

Travel location: Peru
Traveler: Debbie Podmore
Where you stayed: Where didn’t we stay? From Lima to Cusco to Ollyantambo, to the islands off of Lake Titicaca, our accommodatations included three different hotels, two hostels, a couple nights of camping in a tent in the Andes, and a home-stay on an island off Lake Titicaca. We were able to experience Peru from one extreme to another.

The people, the culture: One would never guess how varied the cultures are in Peru. Although the majority of people are Peruvian, the life that they live varies a great deal. One moment you’re in a cosmopolitan city, surrounded by a plaza with internet cafes, pubs, clubs and numerous little restaurants — the next you’re a couple hours away in a home off an island, where people live as they did hundreds of years ago; they do not speak Spanish, but Quechua, an unwritten language. They have little to no amenities, and still cook with a stoned fire pit on a dirt ground. Pretty neat stuff.

The people were amazing, regardless of where we were at. Although you couldn’t avoid being hounded to purchase something, anything, especially from young children and women, you can see their drive to earn money to support the family. But at no point while walking by a Peruvian, whether on a street in Cusco while passing a contemporary boutique, or past a woman in the Andes in traditional Peruvian clothing with a baby on her back and sandals made out of old tires, where we were not addressed with a salutation. A simple good morning, good afternoon, etc., was always in order. And we found that no matter who we ran into, despite their circumstance, we couldn’t believe how “rich” their lives were, and that gave us the perspective on how we live in abundance and how futile some things are in the grand scheme of things.

Activities of note: Machu Picchu (Incan ruins) was the pinnacle of our trip. It is an enchanted ancient city, chiseled on the side of a hill, the foreground for two tall, narrow mountains. The spiritual energy coupled with the archeological monument was so breathtaking. Our guide described it nicely: “(Machu Picchu) is a work of art from every angle.” The architecture, the agriculture, and the self-sufficiency of these people went beyond brilliant.

Hiking the Lares Trek to reach Machu Picchu. Less crowded than the famous Inca Trail, this trek offered breath taking scenes and some of the highest passes (reaching 15,000 feet). Walking along edges of the mountains, and in the distance, seeing mountains wrapping around and going on for what appears to be forever. After reaching our camping destination one particular night, it was cold, and we were tired. We found ourselves in an area of five hot springs and proceeded to spend hours at night, soaking in the hot springs, under the clear sky, a little frigid out, completely immersed in the Andes. Oh, and with a few bottles of Cusquenas, cold beers! You couldn’t go wrong!

The home stay on Amantani Island allowed us to eat, live and breathe the everyday life of a typical family that resided on the island. The actual home was a little larger than the size of my bedroom in Chicago. The people of the island still dress in traditional clothing. The women spin the thread, the men knit. Most homes do not have any electricity, and all utilize outhouses. We stayed for one-and-a-half days. Most families only speak Quechuan, and my host mom spoke a little Spanish, as did I, so we were actually able to communicate.

What makes you want to go back: The people we so incredibly friendly, and the sights were invaluable. Pictures don’t do it justice and can’t capture how breathtaking the views are. Standing in the Sacred Valley, surrounded by ruins and beautiful scenery, and in the distance, hearing someone playing windpipes, it’s really unbelievable. There are not many places where within a small amount of time, you can travel to the highlands (mountains), and then to the Amazon, all the way to the coastal beach area. There’s so much versatility. It’s like four vacations in one!

The costs: For everything — round-trip from Chicago, internal transportation (flights, buses, taxis), insurance, porters, camping equipment, and most meals — it came to about $2,300. Add on another $200 if you find that cute purse boutique in Cusco. The exchange rate when we went was 3:1 to the U.S. dollar; we made out very well while we were there.

What you’d do differently: Not too much, if anything. Oh, well, not miss my flight. Other than that, I’ve learned that if I take a vacation like this again, it was so great to be in a tour group. We had 12 total, six from the U.S., and others from Norway and Australia. The dynamic of our group was so solid and truly made the experience so much better.

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