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There are 72 blog posts for you to enjoy.
Otavalo: Quiet Streets, Courteous Drivers, and a Surprise from Mexico
January 5, 2026
Otavalo, or by its formal name - San Luis de Otavalo, is located in the north-central Andes Mountains a bit south of the border with Colombia. The city sits in a river valley at an elevation of about 2500 meters (8200 feet). The largest percentage of the population is made up of the Otavalo indigenous people. The city has a population of around 42,000 as of 2022. This small city is famous for its indigenous crafts market. It is the largest such market of indigenous crafts in Ecuador. It is located in, and fills in its entirety, a 1-block-square plaza called Plaza de Ponchos. During the day the plaza is jam-packed with vendors selling all types of hand-crafts from jewellry to ponchos (of course), clothing, blankets, hats, and much more. There are photos in the photo album.
Read MoreMy South America Journey - A Brief Summary - Part 3
November 26, 2025
I’ve finally settled into Roldanillo, Colombia, where I’ll be for at least five months. Maybe longer, maybe not, residency is technically an option, but I doubt I’ll spend my days wrestling with immigration offices when I could be drinking coffee in the plaza. Besides, residency in Perú and Ecuador is easier than in Colombia. Before I get too comfortable, I want to rewind and share the trip that brought me here: a winding route through Peru, Ecuador, and into Colombia.
Read MoreWhen “Adiós” Doesn’t Mean Goodbye
October 29, 2025
Today, as I walked down the street (here in Roldanillo, Valle del Cauca, Colombia), an older woman stood in her doorway as she does every day. I walk this block almost every day as it is between where I live and downtown. She smiled, raised a hand, and said, ‘¡Adiós!’, same as she does every day. I waved, said, "buenas tardes," and then kept walking. This has happened in all seven countries I have visited in South America, not just once or twice, but consistently.
Read MoreLa Hormiga, Colombia
October 5, 2025
La Hormiga is the municipal seat of Valle del Guamuez, in southern Putumayo, Colombia. It’s modest, unshowy, and very much a working town. You won’t leave here feeling like you’ve seen a “destination”—but that’s okay. It’s a place that lives more than it dazzles.
Read MoreEscaping the Humidity: A Journey from Ecuador's Amazon to Colombia's Andes
October 4, 2025
I arrived in La Hormiga, Colombia, on Oct. 3. La Hormiga is a small and noisy town on the Colombian edge of the Amazon. After weeks of scratchy throat and sleepless nights from the humid air of the northern Ecuador Amazon region, I decided to leave the it behind and head for higher, drier ground. For almost three months I had lived in the forests and mountains of Peru and Ecuador, places I loved, but northern Amazonia simply wasn’t for me.
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I used to teach English as a foreign language in Barranquilla, Colombia. Now I'm retired and traveling throughout South America.
I'm from Kennewick, Washington, USA. In my previous life, as I call it, I was an IT guy, systems administrator, computer tech, as well as a shipping/receiving guy and also worked as a merchandising guy in a RV/Camping store.