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Colombia: The Outlier Cousin of South America
September 2, 2025
Travel long enough through South America and patterns start to appear — the familiar Costa / Sierra / Selva rhythm of Perú and Ecuador, the European flair of Argentina and Uruguay, the coastal pull of Chilé. And then there's Colombia. Same continent, but it marches to its own beat. From the way Colombians identify themselves to the words they use for their regions, the country stands apart. On a recent trip — sparked by spotting unexpected cacao plantations in central Ecuador — I found myself reflecting on just how different Colombia really is.
Read MoreCatamayo, Ecuador
August 12, 2025
After four days in Catamayo, Ecuador, I’ve decided this town has officially claimed the top spot on my list of potential new hometowns. The standout difference compared to Moyobamba, Peru, is simple but huge: there are no moto-taxis or three-wheeled motorcycles here. Zero. None. Without that constant swarm of buzzing engines, the streets are quieter, the traffic flows more smoothly, and the air is blissfully free of that familiar haze of exhaust. And, Catamayo is only an hour drive west of Loja, so a reasonably big city isn't far away, if needed.
Read MorePiura, Perú
August 8, 2025
Piura, on the northern coast of Perú, has a population of around 600,000. This was my second visit to Piura and I wrote a blog back in January 2023 of my first visit, and it includes much of the the history, so I won't repeat that this time. The city was founded in 1532 with the name "San Miguel de Tangarará," by Francisco Pizarro.
Read MoreLambayeque, Perú
August 6, 2025
Lambayeque, Perú, is a very old small city, around 80,000 population, on the northern Perú coast. It's not a beach city, Lambayeque sits about 12 kilometers inland. The city was officially founded in 1553, though there is evidence of people living in the area going far back before the time of the Incas. Here you will find two of the most important museums in Perú, home to the treasures of the Lord of Sipán - Royal Tombs Museum and the Brüning Museum. Outside the city is the Museo de Sitio Chotuna - Chornancap. I've been to all three and have photos in the photo album from them.
Read MoreChota and Cutervo, Perú
August 3, 2025
I visted the towns of Chota (population about 50,000, founded in 1562) and Cutervo (population about 51,000, founded in 1560), Perú, this week. Visiting Chota and Cutervo feels like stepping into a quieter, higher-altitude world - where life slows down, the air is cool, and history clings to every hillside. These two towns are both in the middle of the Andes Mountains in Northern Perú. Being in the mountains neither of these town have much in the way of level roads - they pretty much all go up or down. Chota sits at an average of 2388 meters (7834 feet) and Cutervo sits at about 2647 meters (8684 feet). The daytime afternoon temps I am seeing are under 20° C (68 ° F). Which I am finding to be too cold. Chota is known as the "Bullfighting capital of Northern Perú."
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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.