No comments about The Andes: Trekking and Climbing, 26 Treks and 18 Climbing Peaks.

No comments about Adventuring in the Andes.

No comments about Amazon headhunters,.

1 comments about Ten Keys To Latin America (Vintage Books).

1. Latin America, despite being our southern neighbor, remains a giant gap in our knowledge. When Americans think of Latin America, their image is of a number countries that are miniature, less civilized clones of the United States. That is definitely not the case and, until recently, this misunderstanding of Latin America has been one of the causes of our poor relations with Latin America. Frank Tannenbaum's "Ten Keys to Latin America" gives its readers a solid base of knowledge about Latin America to build from and dispels many myths about Latin American countries. Each of ten keys in "Ten Keys to Latin America" is a chapter in the book. His first chapter is titled "The Land and The People." It contains this outdated quote on DDT, "A doctor with a few assistants, goes up and down the river, bringing the benefit of DDT to the river towns." (pg. 15 "Ten Keys to Latin America" Tannenbaum, Frank) Fortunately, this was one of the only times that Mr. Tannenbaum's book seemed that hopelessly outdated. A few pages before, though, his prediction of the size of the Mexican population by the end of the century is right on the money. Latin American countries are radically different from the U.S. Mr. Tannenbaum uses his personal experiences and his vast array of knowledge about Latin America to describe the differences between the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S. we are connected to people all around the world via the internet and other forms of communication. Even as this is written, live techno music is playing on my computer's speakers transmitted on the internet from across the Atlantic Ocean. High School students in Latin America do not generally have this luxury. "Ten Keys to Latin America" describes Mr. Tannenbaum meeting some Native Americans who had never left their village. The regionalism that develops from this isolation is one of the "Ten Keys to Latin America" and is key to understanding the difficulties Latin America has had in modernizing. How can a country where 95 percent of the population lives in rural areas industrialize overnight? This is especially true when the people of that country do not feel their loyalty to a country but rather to their own town or region. A whole chapter in "Ten Keys to Latin America" is devoted to the hacienda, a remnant of the feudal system. A hacienda is a large almost self-sufficient with a owner or haciendero who rents land to the peons who work it for him. The hacienda "set the tone and determined the quality of Latin American culture during the nineteenth century and until the First World War." (pg. 76) Yet, in "Latin American intellectual life...the hacienda, which is so all-embracing in its influence is, except in an occasional novel, never written about or studied." (pg. 80) Mr. Tannenbaum writes an interesting, insightful and sometimes scary commentary on hacienda life. He tells of an advertisement he saw in an Ecuadorian paper advertising a hacienda with 50 horses and 20 peons. The peons generally stay on the hacienda all through their life working on rented land. This system is so firmly entrenched that most people do not want it to change. These problems and many others are the difficulties that face Latin America today, according to Mr. Tannenbaum. To help fix these difficulties, he contends the U.S. should shift its policy toward Latin America. He makes competent but not irrefutable points against the U.S. foreign policy of non-intervention and anti-communism in Latin America. He calls these policies negative in nature. He says that the U.S. should have a positive policy of pro-democracy because that is what our policy of trading with these countries amounts to anyway. He says by bringing American materialism in the form of our products to Latin America we are also, in effect, bringing our democratic government and capitalist system. Mr. Tannenbaum's book is well worth reading for anyone and should be required reading for any American, Latin or otherwise, who does business or is involved in politics in Latin America. He slowly and craftily builds his arguments, which are common sense, but have not been adopted to the detriment of the United States' appearance in Latin America.

5 comments about Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures.

1. In "Exploring Texas History," Elaine Galit and Vikk Simmons provide a guide to hands-on discovery of the history of Texas. The 51 weekend adventures give you lots to see and do. If you absolutely must fill every weekend of the year, check out the list of Texas fairs and festivals in the Appendix and you will find lots of suggestions for that 52nd weekend.
   
   Each weekend adventure includes a brief history of a town, a description of historical sites and activities there, the best time to visit, and recommendations for dining and lodging. Web sites are included for more information and assistance in travel planning.
   
   I've been bookmarking the places I want to see, and my copy of the book is filling up with bookmarks and sticky notes. If you want to plan a weekend getaway or a family vacation, you will find lots of great ideas in "Exploring Texas History."
   
   Cathy Stucker



2. This is an enormously easy-to-use travelogue/history book that takes readers on a journey through events that shaped Texas history. The authors have a long history of their own writing about accessible historic places and lessons, especially for kids, and this book is no exception. They hit the high points of extraordinary people, places and events (although a few more contemporary notable figures and spots are noticeably absent) and provide a logical unfolding for the traveler.
   
   It's worth the effort and worth the time to use this book as a guide for your next excursion into Texas yesteryear.



3. Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures is a travel guide for out-of-state vacationers and Texas residents alike. Offering amazing stories of Texas history and themed travel adventures, Exploring Texas History guides the readers to destinations commemorating the settlement of Texas, the battle for independence, the Alamo, Buffalo Soldiers, shipwrecks, cattle drives and more. Maps, recommended lodgings, black-and-white photographs, detailed notes and much more make Exploring Texas History a "must-have" for the Texas sightseer.



4. Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures is a travel guide for out-of-state vacationers and Texas residents alike. Offering amazing stories of Texas history and themed travel adventures, Exploring Texas History guides the readers to destinations commemorating the settlement of Texas, the battle for independence, the Alamo, Buffalo Soldiers, shipwrecks, cattle drives and more. Maps, recommended lodgings, black-and-white photographs, detailed notes and much more make Exploring Texas History a "must-have" for the Texas sightseer.



5. This has basic information for the majority of Texas towns on main roads and such. If you're looking for real history or a real travel book, then keep looking. This book basically is a collection of trivia and odds & ends. It is not a real travel guide nor is it a history of Texas by any stretch fo the imagination.

2 comments about Chile in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture (In Focus Guides).

1. Not a spectacular work, but is takes care of much of the information about Chile.



2. This is a great little book. It's an excellent intro-to- Chile book. If you only want a short, easy to read, interesting book about Chile, this is it.

No comments about Bringing Out Baby: Places to Take Babies and Toddlers : Seattle, the Eastside, and South Snohomish County.

No comments about ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA - KINDLE EDITION [ENG].

4 comments about Guatemala : Adventures in Nature.

1. The investigation of Richard Mahler in Guatemala is above excellent, and I really love all the details of adventure in it. I recommend this book to every tourist and local people, is amazing all the beauty that we have down here. Is very complete, including hotels, restaurants, what to see, what to do in each part of the country. A list of volcanoes, rivers, caves and recommendations of fishing, cycling, kayaking, etc etc. with a list of tourist operators on each issue. Great book!



2. This book is based on an earlier book by Mr. Mahler, which I used frequently during my 1994-97 posting to Guatemala. I had several guide books, but found that Mr. Mahler's was the one I turned to most frequently. I eventually got to many of the places mentioned in his book, and found that the information he had provided was accurate and useful. I spoke with Mr. Mahler just before leaving Guatemala, and am delighted that he included some of my suggestions in this book, including Los Viejitos Restaurant in Nebaj (look for the green door)--the owner told me she used to cook for Nancy Sinatra!



3. As the author of this book, I am predictably biased in its favor. However, I feel it's important to say that I spent several months in late 1998 and early 1999 poring over every word, photo, and map to make sure that it was correct, helpful, and informative. Readers will find everything from restaurant and hotel reviews to reports on Spanish schools, craft markets, and Maya ruins. I find Guatemala a fascinating and rewarding country to visit and it remains one of the world's greatest travel bargains. However, since the Peace Accords were signed in 1996 and the guerrilla war ended, more and more people are discovering this place. Therefore, prices will only go up. I'm convinced that there is no better time to see the unspoiled treasures of Guatemala than right now, before the crowds descend. My specialties are the contemporary and ancient cultures of the Maya as well as the national parks of the country. In the latest edition of my book, I've gone to great lengths to include every possible useful tidbit of information on these subjects, from the best place to explore the rainforest to the best way to tour Tikal. As always, I am eager to receive reports from readers, who supply me with some of the best insider information available. Enjoy!



4. (From Planeta.com Journal) - Reading Richard Mahler is like opening a letter from a well-traveled friend. This is the second edition of a regional classic. Its coverage of environmental issues and travel options is first-rate. This is a must read for any eco traveler.

3 comments about The Natchez Trace: A Pictorial History.

1. We are quasi freqent travelers of The Natchez Trace and have always loved stopping to learn, as we drove this beautiful parkway. We have had several guides, but none come close to the scope of this book. From ancient peoples, up to recent developments along the Trace, this is an easy to read, yet comprehensive history. I highly recommend you take it along as you drive the Trace, I intend to do that very thing later this summer!



2. The Natchez Trace was once a 450 mile highway across a part of the US running from Nashville, Tenn to Natchez, Ms. Before 1820 it was known as the "Path to the Choctow Nation." The French included the Trace in their maps as early as 1733, and many thousands of travelers used it in its heyday from the 1780's to the 1810's.
   
   In 1811 the Roosevelts "plied down the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers from Pittsburg to New Orleans" aboard another piece of Americana, the river boat. In the 1820's the Natchez Trace saw a last hurrah when Andrew Jackson's Military road cut the overland distance to New Orleans by over 200 miles. The Trace had become obselete.

   In the 1930's the Natchez Trace Parkway was begun to allow travelers to follow the old Trace from end to end. The Parkway is almost complete now. There are a few miles near Natchez and Jackson where the Parkway has not been completed, but otherwise the Parkway and the Trace are now known as one and the same.
   
   The Parkway is a scenic route. My wife and I traveled the Parkway and reveled in the gorgeous sites. Is there a better way to remember such sites than with a pictorial history? I think not.




3. A few years ago I made this trip along the Natchez Trace Parkway from end to end in an automobile, stopping at one restored stand and the official Tourist Visitor Center in Tupelo, where I bought "The Natchez Trace: A Pictorial History" and picked up a copy of the fold-out of the "Official Map and Guide."
   
   It is a backwards way of doing things--to buy the book then read about the place after you've been there, but if you don't know you're going to make the trip until you are there, kind of happenstance, then you cannot plan ahead. We found ourselves outside Nashville at the beginning of the Natchez Trace Parkway and said, Why not? Instead of the mad drive down an interstate, we set a leisurely pace down this scenic, national, historic parkway.
   
   According to Congress, "This roadway, following the historic Trace for 450 miles, will ensure a continuously unfolding inspirational interpretation of an important transportation route and its related regional resources which opened the way to expansion of the United States into the Old Southwest" (7). The Trace and Parkway offer a larger variety of scenery than any other place in the country as it passes through three regions of topography: Highland Rim, Northeast Hills, and Tombigbee Prairie. It also links three riverways: Cumberland, Tennesse, and Mississippi Rivers.
   
   "At least 100 species of trees, 215 species of birdlife, 57 species of mammals, and 89 species of reptiles and amphibians reside along today's Natchez Trace Parkway" (9). Buffalo probably were the first natural travelers along the Trace, making their way from south to the salt licks of the northern area. Indians, then explorers, then colonists making their way from one area to the other entrenched the Trace into a permanent trail. (Trace refers to the trail, Parkway is the national roadway.)
   
   Early traveler stops, called stands, are described in documents as sometimes inhospitable. Intending to supplement their income, some farmers opened stands offering a bed, food, and shelter. These were found a day's travel apart. Some, however, were hovels with dirt floors, no walls, and a bearskin to sleep on. The restored stand actually offered a room with "family-style" dining--food piled on a table with a help-yourself service.
   
   Today the map shows hiking trails, horse riding trails, picnic areas, historic areas to visit (Indian mounds, Old Trace exhibits), and nature trails. Sanitary stations and public campgrounds are also interspersed for public use. One historic site marks the place where Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and one-time governor of the Louisiana Territory, was shot.
   
   The first statement in the Map and Guide is this: "This is the story of human beings on the move, of the age-old need to get from one place to another." Even today when hurry and hurry faster are the dominant mode of travel, there is a place designed to slow us and make us observe the beauty of nature and history as they combine.