Roaming South America

Five Towns Between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz: A Livability Test

June 3, 2026

This blog covers 5 towns between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. I overnighted in each of these towns so I could evaluate them as potential new hometowns. These are all in the center of Bolivia, an area with the Amazon bordering on the north and mountains on the south and west. It's wet, humid, and a bit on the hot side in this part of the country. But after visiting them, there was one clear option that could make it on my list of potential new hometowns.

Cochabamba, BO – Big, Green, and Surprisingly Calm

May 30, 2026

Cochabamba, Bolivia - population of about 662,000. Cocha sits at an average elevation of 2570 meters (ft) in a valley with the Rocha River crossing through the city. The metropolitan area includes six other bedroom towns, and the whole area has a population of about one and a half million. The city has the nickname "City of Eternal Spring" because of its climate, which is unbeatable. It is also known as the city of gardens. That is clearly evident when walking around the city, at least the northern half, as every park, plaza, and space between roads and in intersections is a flower garden. Check out my photos, you'll see what I mean.

The Inca Empire is Gone, but the Inca People are here to stay

May 6, 2026

One question I've been curious about while traveling through the Andes is this: Did the Spanish wipe out the Incas? The answer is: No. The empire fell, the rulers were executed, and the cities were taken over. You would think it was the end of their civilization. But the reality is very different. The Spanish destroyed the Inca ruling structure, not the Inca people. Their descendants are still here, all across the Andes.

Finding the Quiet: Why My Shortlist for a New Home Ignores the Coast

March 5, 2026

What is it about coastal towns that makes them pretty much always "messier"? I'm talking specifically about these countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Chile, and Uruguay. The vast majority of interior towns are almost always cleaner, friendlier, prettier, etc.

I'm not imagining it. This pattern shows up everywhere I've been, and that includes 7 countries and over 300 towns/cities (in South America), and it’s not a cultural coincidence. It’s geography, economics, and human behavior piling up in the same places.

Here’s the straight, unsentimental anatomy of why coastal towns skew messier, while interior towns often feel cleaner, calmer, and more human. The comparisons below are to be taken with a very general understanding.