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New Year resolutions you can accomplish in a tropical destination

The New Year is just around the corner, and we hope you already have your list of resolutions — because Hamaca is taking you to accomplish them all in Latin America! If you don’t know which goals to set to yourself for next year, don’t worry. We crafted the following list of all the things you’ll be achieving on your next trip.

Travel somewhere new

Tropical Latin America contains over 30 countries, and each of them offers unique cities and landscapes that will leave you breathless. It doesn’t matter if your next place to see in your bucket list includes beaches, mountains, or deserts, Latin America has them all for you to discover a new place every time you go.

Meet a new culture

Tired of the winter blues, the cold days, and the long nights? Immersing yourself into Latin American culture will light up your mood. With colorful townscapes, lively dances, delicious food, and heartwarming people, you’ll widen your horizons and bring some sunshine back home.

Learn to cook something new

Bring new flavors home from your next trip! There are people in every country of Latin America open to teaching foreigners the secrets of their cuisine. This is a perfect opportunity to learn new recipes, such as ceviche’s, to spice up your table with tropical flavors.

Get fit

Maybe the most popular new year resolution of the year. Everyone wants to get fit, and there’s no better way to do so than exercising by the sea or the jungle. With so many physical activities to offer — like hiking, swimming, or doing yoga — Latin America will get you in shape while giving you the time of your life.

Learning a new language

Even when the internet offers hundreds of web pages where you can learn a new language, you’ll never get to speak it fluently if you don’t practice it with a native speaker. Latin Americans love when people try to learn Spanish. We’re always willing to teach you to pronounce words correctly, help you to roll your R’s properly, and show you our singular and funny slang.

Learning a new skill

Choose a new talent, and you’ll find where to learn it in Latin America. Want to learn how to surf, how to dance, or to cook? How about birdwatching or coffee tasting? Return home from your holidays with a new skill that will make everyone jealous.

Get closer to nature

The Tropical Zone holds 70% of the Earth’s biodiversity. So it’s impossible to think of a better place than Tropical Latin America to discover the wonders of nature. If your goal this year is to unplug from technology, the city, and a busy lifestyle more often, join us in any of our destinations and get the chance to reconnect with nature.

We’re excited to have you in Hamaca Tropical Tour next year and to help you achieve all your goals!

Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (Pixabay)

By Mariana Arámburu

TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @M_BURU

BORN AND RAISED IN MEXICO CITY, MARIANA GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSIDAD IBEROAMERICANA WITH A DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION AND FILM. LATER, SHE MOVED TO VANCOUVER, BC, WHERE SHE CURRENTLY RESIDES, AND STUDIED CREATIVE WRITING AT CAPILANO UNIVERSITY. MARIANA LOVES PHOTOGRAPHY AND TO VISIT NEW PLACES. SHE ALSO LOVES ANIMALS AND AIMS TO ONE DAY FOCUS HER WORK ON CONSERVATION ISSUES.


Get to know Sandra Jara, our certified yoga instructor that will take you to Ecuador

Get ready to unwind on a full week of adventure in Ecuador and discover the benefits of yoga by the side of Sanda Jara, our certified yoga teacher who will shine a light to many key aspects and guide you further in your path of this ancient practice. Today, we’ll tell you a little about this experienced instructor and show you why Hamaca decided to partner up with her to take you to this fantastic experience.

Sandra was born and raised in Colombia. Though the practice of yoga wasn’t as widespread as it is now, she grew up being close to it and practicing in Bogota, as one of her closest aunts studied it with other eastern philosophies.

Sandra moved to Barcelona to study two master’s degrees studies in dental surgery and aesthetics, and in psychology. She found many inspiring yoga teachers in Barcelona, studying various forms and learning from many different teachers. Not only did she love it, but she found quickly that her passion for human health and curiosity intensified the exploration of the mind-body connection. Since then, Sandra has integrated this practice daily and believes in the benefits of these practices for all aspects of life.

Sandra moved on from the traditional Hatha practices to discovering the benefits of different yoga styles, integrating learnings from Vipassana meditation retreats, teacher trainings, workshops, with many influences in the Ashtanga and Iyengar styles.

This path has taken her to many places around the world, including retreats in Spain, Turkey, Germany, Colombia, and immersions in Rishikesh, India to Hawaii. After 20 years since she discovered yoga, and now based in Vancouver, Sandra continues practicing, learning, and teaching this unique and mind-opening discipline.

With this upcoming tour, Sandra intends to help the participants to cultivate and deepen their knowledge of yoga practices. She looks for everyone to discover the benefits of breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation, and yoga Nidra. With exercises such as the asanas (or postures) for example, she aims to help everyone understand their own body and how to align it to avoid or recover from injuries. The best part is that everyone can join in, as yoga is a personal practice that can be adjusted to all our participant’s specific needs!

With this retreat, Sandra and for Hamaca Tropical Tours want to give everyone the time and space to reconnect with both themselves and with nature, while giving you the opportunity to do so in a harmonic and magical place. Ecuador offers a one-of-a-kind atmosphere to lift your spirit with yoga and other exciting activities such as bird watching, surfing, therapeutic massages, and nature walking.

Now that you know you’ll be in the hands of experts, we invite you to join us on this tour and discover the benefits that yoga can bring to your mind and body. There’s no better place to kickstart your wellness adventure than Tropical Latin America.

You can connect with Sandra by following her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jarayoga/ or her Facebook Fan Page sandrajarayoga  and learn more about her classes and workshops on her website https://www.sandrajarayoga.com

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Celebrate Day of the Dead in Latin America

Known as Día de Muertos, Finados, or Día de los Difuntos, Day of the Dead has been celebrated in most Latin American countries for over centuries and, for anyone foreign to Hispanic cultures, it might have become the most representative festivity of this region. Its origins trace back to the Spanish conquest, when indigenous pagan religions and Christianity met and merged many of their rituals, including those concerning death. Today, we’ll give you a basic introduction to this celebration, so you can join us on honoring the lives of those who’ve passed away.

All prehispanic cultures performed rituals for their dead, but maybe the most influential part for our modern-day celebration comes from the Aztec Empire. When someone in the Aztec society died, their family would gather the most valuable objects of the deceased together, along with their favorite food and place them around the body, as a way of saying one last goodbye. Additionally, there was a whole month of summer where people would celebrate Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of the Aztec underworld, with offerings for her to keep looking over the bones of their deceased.

As for the European heritage, believe it or not, the roots Day of the Dead are the same to those of Halloween. They both originate from an early Christian festivity called Allhallowtide that lasts from October 31st to November 2nd, in where a mass is offered every night to honor and remember the dead. The third day of Allhallowtide celebrates All Souls Day, and commemorates all faithful Christians — saints, martyrs, and baptized people — who have passed away.

As Spaniards conquered the Aztecs, they realized that it was impossible to convert them into Catholicism without preserving many of their traditions. The celebrations for Mictecacihuatl continued, but they gradually ended up merging with Allhallowtide and spreading throughout the Spanish-conquered part of the continent. Now, our festivities to remember the dead start in October 28th and last for almost a week. Here, we welcome all those who have previously left the world of the living and have returned to visit us for a few days. Some activities include visiting their graves, decorating an altar, writing poems, and flying kites, depending on the country you find yourself celebrating. 

On November 2nd, we celebrate Day of the Dead, the day that these visiting souls return to the world of the dead. Before saying goodbye, we prepare their favorite meals of when they were alive and accompany it with different regional treats such as pan de muerto (a Mexican pastry), sugar skulls, fiambre (a Guatemalan salad), atole (a cornstarch-based beverage), colada morada (a drink made from fruit and black corn), or guaguas de pan (a baby-shaped Ecuadorian pastry). This way, we all have one last feast together before saying goodbye until next year.

As you can see, Day of the Dead is not a sad day in Latin America. It’s a bittersweet festivity to celebrate the lives of our most beloved friends and family members that already left us, and one more chance to share memories of them with those who’re still by our side.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Six Spanish expressions you’ll hear in Latin America

It’s never a bad idea to learn some essential words of the local language when traveling anywhere in the world. Even learning to say ‘hello,’ ‘please,’ and ‘thank you’ can open a lot of doors and make people treat you differently from other tourists. If you are coming with us to Latin America in your next tropical adventure, you probably already know how the basics Spanish words like hola, por favor, and gracias. However, this region of the world also has some distinctive slang that can vary from country to country.

Today we bring you some expressions to learn for your next trip with us. They won’t only help you to get around better in many places of Latin America, but you’ll also win the hearts of the locals when using them correctly.

Comiendo moscas

If someone tells you this, they probably caught you being distracted and spaced out. Don’t gross out, but he expression literally means ‘eating flies,’ because when you’re absent-minded, you keep your mouth open, letting the flies enter right into your mouth.

Hablar por los codos

The literal translation of hablar por los codos is ‘to talk through your elbows’. You can tell this to someone that won’t stop talking, as they seem to be using something more than their mouths to speak. If you hear someone saying this to you, they are politely telling you to shut up.

¡Chévere!

Chevere has no literal translation, but it’s a cool way to say ‘cool’! Depending on how much excitement you put into saying it, this expression can also transform into great, awesome, or fantastic. You can also use it when agreeing with someone, as a more local version of saying ‘okay.’

Pura vida

We’ve already mentioned before why Costa Ricans are so happy. Pura vida, or pure life, is their way to celebrate this joy. It can be used as a salutation or another way of saying ‘no worries’ or ‘everything’s good’. It’s the perfect answer when someone in Costa Rica asks you how you’re doing.


Buena onda

The Spanish way of saying ‘good vibes’ or ‘cool. If a person is referred to as buena onda, it means they are easy going; so smile and be polite and you’ll turn into a buena onda tourist wherever you go. Its opposite, mala onda, refers to an unpleasant situation or person.

Se me fue el avión

This phrase is the Spanish version of saying ‘I lost my train of thought.’ It literally means ‘I missed my plane,’ and you can use it when you get distracted and forget what you were thinking or saying just a few seconds ago. You can say se te fue el avión to someone going through the same situation.

Now that you know some Latin American phrases, you’re all set to show your Spanish off on your next travel. Get ready to shine in front of your hosts in the next tropical adventure! Maybe your fellow tour companions will even ask you to teach them some new slang to get around in a new country.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Tropical yoga in Latin America

It’s time to unwind and reconnect with nature through the best meditation and body balance routines. And what better way to do so than in a tropical yoga retreat?

Tropical Latin America offers hundreds of yoga destinations to help you reconnect with yourself surrounded by the most beautiful natural environments. So now that you know the places that await for you on your next big adventure, let us give you a quick introduction to yoga and why you should start practicing it today!

The first mention of yoga comes from the longest epic poem ever written, the Mahabharata. However, it’s hard to trace back when it originated precisely, as the tradition had been passed on orally for hundreds of years before that. The origins of the word come from the Sanskrit root yug, which means ‘to harness,’ and references the practice of controlling the mind to achieve the illumination of the human spirit.

There are many schools of yoga and thus, many different ways to achieve and define illumination. However, the most popular in the western world develops from Hindu and Buddhist philosophies, and it’s called Hatha Yoga. Hatha means force, so hatha yoga is attaining the state of illumination through force.  In hatha yoga, illumination is reached once you have a clean karma — which influences how good or bad your future will be depending on your actions — making you free from the cycle of rebirth. This can be achieved through everyday practices such as mindfulness meditation and physical exercises that lead to self-acknowledgement and liberation of the mind.

As you can see, yoga takes its basic principles from Hinduism and Buddhism, but it isn’t practiced exclusively by these religions. It is practiced by spiritual people all around the world to achieve illumination, and non-religious people do it for the physical and mental benefits it gives to them. For your body, yoga increases your flexibility and strength. For the mind, it helps you to achieve mindfulness, increasing your focus and concentration and helping you fight anxiety of depression. Overall, integrating yoga to your lifestyle helps you to live in the present and at peace with yourself.

Yoga has influenced many aspects of culture, particularly the systems of health, education, and arts of India and Tibet. That’s why the UNESCO named it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2006. Now it’s easy to find yoga retreats anywhere in the world, as it has become incredibly popular in the tourism industry. Wellness travel is in vogue, as new tourism trends are looking to integrate health into fun and exotic destinations.

If you want to spend a week exercising your mind and body and leave behind the hassles of your busy lifestyle, we invite you to practice meditation and some relaxing yoga postures with Hamaca Tropical Tours. The Tropics give you the opportunity to do this by the sea, in the mountains, and even combine it with soft adventure activities, such as surfing. There’s no better place on earth to surround yourself in a calm, natural environment to get some peace of mind!

Cover photo credit Sandra Jara @jarayoga

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Five Books that Will Make You Want to Travel to Latin America

Latin America is not only a place of natural wonders; its harsh, unstable politics blend in with beautiful multicultural traditions to produce some of the most compelling writers of all times. Raised in societies deeply marked by colonialism, most Latin American authors were able to see the beauty of a system broken by racism, elitism, and misogyny. They reflected in their books the surreal but marvelous atmosphere that surrounds this region of the world. If you want to learn more about Latin America before adventuring into your next trip with us, we recommend you to read these five books to get inspired for your journey.

The Storyteller, by Mario Vargas Llosa

This novel captures a debate that has been held for a long time in Latin America: should native populations be saved from or helped by globalization? Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa confronts these two postures by immersing us in the storytelling traditions of the Peruvian tribes of the Amazon. He  juxtaposes the positive and negative effects that modernization brought to the continent by  missionaries, merchants, and anthropologist.

Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel

This passionate love story’s protagonist, Tita, has a deep love for cooking, and discovers that, with her recipes, she’s able to affect the emotions of others. Her life develops parallel to the Mexican Revolution, and serves to represent the rebellion of new generations against old traditions. The author, Laura Esquivel, focuses on making a powerful coming-of-age feminist novel that also does great on showing the importance of food in traditional Latin American cultures.

A Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez

Considered the best work of Nobel prize winner, Gabriel Gracía Marquez, A Hundred Years of Solitude takes place in the fictional town of Macondo. The story follows several generations of the Buendía family to expose the abuse of power and the political violence lived in Colombia. At the same time, the novel is narrated with a touch of humor, and its magical realism elements will make you appreciate the surreal but beautiful uniqueness of Latin America.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Díaz

Following the life of Oscar, a Dominican geeky teenager who migrated to New Jersey, the novel narrates the history of the Dominican Republic and criticizes the harms that colonialism brought to the Caribbean. The book satirizes the racism and identity crisis faced by diasporas, extending outside the Caribbean to talk about many other places in Latin America. Junot Díaz won the Pulitzer prize in 2008 for this book, which he originally wrote in English while adding in some Spanglish slang throughout his narration.

The House of Spirits, by Isabel Allende

Narrating the story of Trueba family, Isabel Allende illustrates the political instability of Chile and the contrasting differences between its low and high classes. Through four different generations, the author shows the political culture of Latin America, characterized for the continuous desire for change and the constant fear for the threat of communist dictatorships. The book also highlights the deep bonds inside Latin American families and how not even death can break those ties apart.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

5 Stunning Birds you’ll Find in Tropical Latin America

One of the most exciting activities for all nature lovers traveling to Tropical Latin America is birdwatching, which offers fun, relaxation, and an escape from the busy city. This paradise, which holds more than ⅓ of the birds in the world, offers you some the most stunning and colorful species no matter the country you go. So, whether you do this activity as a hobby or in a professional way, pack your camera and be ready to see at least one of the following birds in your next tropical tour.

Quetzal
This eye-catching emerald bird was highly regarded by prehispanic cultures. The Mayan legend says the quetzal was created with the breath of the gods. Supposedly, it had the most beautiful voices of all birds, but it stopped singing after the Europeans conquered the continent. The Aztec emperor who ruled at the arrival of the Spaniards wore a crown of quetzal feathers sewn on together with gold, and in this language, the word quetzal means brilliant feather.


Macaws
Macaws inhabit all Tropical Latin America, including many Caribbean islands. Regardless of the species, all of them have vibrant feathers that inspired legends in most prehispanic cultures. The scarlet macaw, for example, is supposed to be an incarnation of the fire of the sun. Because of their flashy feathers and their ability to repeat words, they are one of the most threatened birds by illegal trafficking.


Blue-footed booby
Birdwatching is not only reserved for the tropical forest. The Galapagos Island is home to many one-of-a-kind maritime birds, including the blue-footed booby. The striking blue feet are meant to attract the females, and in mating season they stride to show them off and find their other half. When fishing, these surprising birds speed up to 90km/hour to dive up to 30 meters under the water.


Hummingbirds
There are more than 300 hundred species of hummingbirds, all native to the Americas. The bee hummingbird holds the title of the smallest bird in the world, with 5.5 cm long, and the ruby-throated hummingbird has the fastest wings, with 200 wingbeats per second during mating season. In the Aztec cosmology, hummingbirds were the reincarnation of their warriors fallen in combat.


Tucan
More than 40 different species of toucans live from the south of Mexico to the north of Argentina. They have small wings, which keeps them from flying long distances, and have one of the loudest voices of the tropical forest. However, their most special treat is their colorful bills, that can measure more than half the length of their body. Some tribes of the Amazon consider the toucans a channel of communication between our world and the world of spirits.


Birdwatching offers you the great opportunity of getting close to these and other mesmerizing birds without the need of caging them. That’s why we highly encourage you to enroll in this activity on your next trip to Tropical Latin America. Apart from contributing to saving many species threatened by trafficking and habitat loss, you’ll be able to see these wonders of nature free in their original habitats.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Coffee: a tropical treasure

For coffee connoisseurs, it’s not a secret that the best coffee comes only from a handful of countries including Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Vietnam, Kenya, and Ethiopia. But, what do these countries have in common if they are all scattered around different parts of the planet? Surely you’ve guessed it by now: they all lie close to the Equator along the tropical zone, forming a band around the globe that is known as “the Bean Belt.”

This Bean Belt provides the necessary warmth and humidity for the coffee tree to reach its maximum potential. But it’s not only the latitude what creates a great coffee. Inside the tropical zone, there are unique places with the perfect conditions for the coffee beans to grow as rich and tasty as you know them. The soil, for example, provides nutrients that are absorbed by the plant and are different in every region of the world. That’s why coffee is grown in the volcanic territories of Kenya will never taste the same as the one produced in the limestone soil in Guatemala. The altitude, on the other hand, influences on how much cold the beans receive during the nighttime, which determines their acidity. Los Andes region in Colombia is known for its high-altitude strong-flavored coffee beans, while Brazil’s coffee has a mild and sweeter aroma.

Original from tropical Africa, coffee started to be consumed in the 10th century in the Arab world, traveling to Europe and finally reaching the Americas in the 16th Century. Until today, it remains one of the most consumed drinks in the world, with over 2250,000,000 cups being brewed worldwide daily.  If you are a coffee lover, you’re in for a treat when traveling to Tropical Latin America. This region is the largest producer in the world and contains some of the major exporters of coffee, including Brazil, who produces one-third of the total supply of coffee on the planet. And if you’re interested in visiting a coffee plantation and try the most delicious beans, our Espíritu Santo Coffee tour — included in our Costa Rica package — will give you a fragrant and informative morning experience about how this whole industry works.

Unfortunately, many factors are threatening the coffee production in this region. Climate change is modifying the rain patterns that make the Bean Belt so unique, and the demand for lower prices is pushing farmers to prioritize quantity over quality in their plantations.

One of the advantages of you visiting Tropical Latin America is that you’ll be able to try for yourself the best quality coffee in the world, giving you the chance to support the local economies and learning about the work involved behind a cup of this delicious beverage.

We hope to see you soon here to share with you a morning cup of one of the most valued tropical treasures!

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Ceviche: a unique flavor from Latin America

Now that you know a bit more about Tropical Latin America, you can be sure that there’s an adventure waiting for you no matter the country you choose for your next vacation. And we’re just missing one ingredient to make your holiday perfect: food!

Though every Latin American country has their own signature dish, there are a few recipes that aren’t associated with just one particular place. Such is the case of ceviche, that, more than belonging to a specific country, it is an iconic dish that you can enjoy in any coastal region of Latin America.

There’s not a consensus regarding the origins of ceviche. Some people say it came from the Arab world, and that it traveled through Spain all the way to Latin America. Others say it originated in the pre-Columbian period in South America. In Peru, it is even declared as National Cultural Inheritance and regarded as one of the most representative dishes of the country. For us, it doesn’t matter where ceviche comes from; all we want is to take you to a sunny destination so you can enjoy it with us!

Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche — the four of them are correct, so you don’t even have to worry about spelling it right– is prepared everywhere with the same essential ingredients. It consists of seafood (generally uncooked) marinated in key lime or orange juice and combined with chili peppers, onions, and tomato. Some countries also add cilantro, mustard, or avocado in the mix.

Depending on where you are, you can enjoy your ceviche with different side dishes and spice it up with the country’s favorite sauce. In Mexico you can put it as a topping for fried tortillas; in Ecuador, you can accompany it with fried plantain; and in Colombia, you can serve it with salty crackers. No matter where you are we promise you, with ceviche, you’re in for a treat.

When you come back home, you’ll surely be missing the tropical sun and the sandy beaches of Latin America. So why not bring some flavors from your holiday to your kitchen? Let us then give you the steps of what you need to prepare an excellent ceviche inspired by all the delicious recipes of the countries you’re about to visit:

Marinate 1 pound of skinless tilapia, halibut, bass, or your preferred ocean fish in one cup of key lime juice and ½ onion chopped into small pieces. Put the mix in the fridge for two hours. You’ll see that, just as when you cook it, the key lime juice will make the meat of the fish white and firm.

Mix a cup of chop tomatoes with ½ cup of chopped cucumber, two chopped serrano peppers, cilantro, mint, and tomato-clam juice. Then cut and add your fish to the mixture. Some common things to add as a final touch are avocado, hot sauce, or mayonnaise.

Finally, enjoy your ceviche with your favorite chips and imagine you are back in your comfy hamaca, tasting the refreshing flavors of Latin America.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.

Following Darwin’s footsteps

Almost 200 years ago, Charles Darwin set on an expedition aboard the HMS Beagle to learn more about the natural wonders of the world — particularly South America. His voyage, which was supposed to last three years, extended into five, and he was able to collect fossil records and wildlife observations on the coasts of New Zealand, Brazil, and Chile, between many other locations. However, the most mesmerizing place he found was the Galapagos Islands. After his return to England, this place would inspire him to write one of the most important contributions to biology and genetics of all times, On the Origin of Species.

The Galapagos Islands form part of the territory of Ecuador and are located 900 km away from the South American continent. Together, they form a volcanic archipelago of 21 islands plus more than a hundred islets that geologists believe to be at least 8 million years old. Even more impressive, the archipelago rests on top of the Galapagos Hotspot, a place of constant geological activity that keeps most of the volcanoes active, thus forming new islands.

But the most alluring part for the tourists that visit the Galapagos is the hundreds of species unique to the islands that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Because of their considerable distance from the continent, the flora and fauna here took their own evolutive path thousands of years ago, resulting in species with unusual traits that still wonder naturalists today. Tortoises as old as 200 years, flightless birds, and swimming iguanas are amongst the dozens of animals that encouraged Charles Darwin to propose his theory of Evolution. In short, he claimed that all living creatures gather their traits because of adaptation, made possible thanks to national selection. That’s why it’s here, in the Galapagos, that the Charles Darwin Foundation was built, with the vision to research and promote the safety of the conservation of the archipelago’s wildlife.

Due to their lack of fresh water, the Galapagos didn’t receive any permanent settlers until the 19th century. Maybe this is one of the reasons they’re such a wildlife haven. There’s evidence that Native Americans visited the islands, but they never established here. The Europeans discovered the archipelago by accident in 1535 when a Spanish vessel on its way to the Inca Empire got lost at sea. They named their new finding Insulae de los Galopegos, or Islands of the Tortoises. For the next 400 years, the Galapagos served first as a pirate’s hideout and later as a whaling site. Today, they’re the home of more than 25 thousand people. However, 97% of the land here is a national park and declared by the UNESCO a World Heritage Site.

Are you ready to follow Darwin’s footsteps and discover the Galapagos Islands’ rare species? The best place to start your trip is in Santa Cruz, the archipelago’s most populated and second biggest island that is, in fact, a dormant volcano. There you’ll find hundreds of options to do that include wildlife watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, and even yoga retreats! Unwind on this paradise that holds evidence of our planet’s evolution.

 

By Mariana Arámburu

Twitter & Instagram: @m_buru
Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in Communication and Film. Later, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she currently resides, and studied Creative Writing at Capilano University. Mariana loves photography and to visit new places. She also loves animals and aims to one day focus her work on conservation issues.