There are 467 blog posts for you to enjoy.
UNESCO Heritage Sites - Part 1 - The Jesuit Missions
June 6, 2026
A Big City with Little of Interest
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Population, a lot. Actually, it's around two-and-a-half million. The city was founded in 1561, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of where it sits now. After being moved several times, the city finally settled here in this place by the Pirai River in the late 16th century. The city sits at the base of the foothills of the Andes and in the greater Amazon basin. It didn't really start to grow until the early to mid-20th century, when agriculture, livestock, and farming really took off. Then, the city grew big and in a hurry. The problem is that the city is not well-maintained. It grew faster than the government can keep up with.
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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.
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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.
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Yuli, Perú: Stop for the Quiet and the Views
May 26, 2026
Juli, population about 22,000. It has a long history, supposedly going back 10,000 years. But, before getting into that, Juli is located at the edge of Lake Titicaca, at a southwestern bay. It's picturesque, small, and cold. And hilly. Which means, at this elevation, 3879 meters (12,726 ft), where I am in my room, it's almost a struggle to walk anywhere. The main center of town, the Plaza Mayor, sits in a saddle between hills. The lake is a bit downhill, the bus terminal is also a bit downhill, but on the opposite side. Other than a few blocks on top, it's all up or down, in the thin air of the high Andes.
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Where Dinner Isn’t a Given: Traveling Through Peru’s Quiet Towns
May 23, 2026
Chuquito, Perú, population maybe around 8,000, elevation 3875 meters (12,713ft). The town has a history that goes back to pre-Inca times. There's a city-block-sized area in the town that has archaeological history. There are stone carvings that are supposed to be phallic in appearance. But, there is no history of such worship in Perú. That means any such advertising is only for tourism. The town is very small, but it does have two big hotels between the highway and Lake Titicaca. If you stay overnight and want or need to go out for dinner, you have one (1) option - the big white hotel. It has a restaurant, and it is the only place in the town that is open for dinner. There are a couple of cash machines in this town.
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