El Salvador based Taca Airlines and Colombian based Avianca Airlines have announced a merger. The two airlines will oprate independently for now, though Avianca shareholders will maintain a two-thirds control. Roberto Kriete, TACA chairman and CEO, who will serve as chairman of the new company. Aviation Week reports that “Combined… Read More →

After courts ruled last year that luxury hotel and tour operator Orient Express’s Peru Rail had a monopoly on the rail line that connects the Andean city of Cuzco to Aguas Caliente/Machu Picchu Pueblo, a new operator has entered the picture and caused prices to drop by more than a third. Andean… Read More →

LAN airlines has begun charging foreigners who bought their tickets in Peru at promotional prices geared toward residents of Peru $178 at the airport counter. I do this all the time and have never had a problem, but apparently for tickets purchased after September 1 they have begun implementing these… Read More →

The Washington Post’s Spiritis editor takes on the topic of Pisco on a visit to Peru to discover just how little he knew in Pisco, Perus Drink From the Desert – washingtonpost.com. Also check out the accompanying travel article, Pisco Sipping in Peru. Neither article delves too much in the technical aspects… Read More →

With the world’s second largest barrier reef just off shore, hotels that are set on their own cays, and increasing air service to Central America from around the US, Belize’s corner of the Caribbean is beginning to look more and more attractive. Here are three Belize beach options for the traveler in the know.

–Brazilian Pizza in a Cone Comes to Queens — Grub Street: New York Magazines Food and Restaurant Blog. –Los Feliz | Your New Tequila and Taco Den on the LES – Urban Daddy. –Heads Up – Food of the Andes Finds a Home in San Francisco – NYTimes.com. –In Los Angeles,… Read More →

Increased air service from the east coast of the United States (both JetBlue and Spirit have recently begin flying there) and from within Latin America has made the Colombian capital of Santa Fe de Bogotá a surprisingly affordable and easy to reach destination. Most are pleasantly surprised at just how much there is to do in the city and the number of great restaurants that can be found there.

–Lola Akinmade’s Beautiful Slideshow of Peruvian Weavers in the Village of Caccaccollo – World Hum. –Andina News has an interesting multimedia display of the Peruvian Potato. –My article on 48 Hours in Lima is featured in the September Issue: National Geographic Traveler –Confessions of a Travel Writer premiers on the… Read More →

Now that McDonald’s and soon a Starbuck’s have infiltrated Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas (please boycott these), I thought it was time to paint a picture on what options there are for the foodie in the tourist bubble that is Cuzco, Peru. While pizzerias, backpacker cafes, and pubs are popular, if you only spend your money at these places you will miss out on the bounty of Andean recipes and ingredients that are right under your nose.

Yesterday I received the premier issue of AFAR magazine in the mail. I was beyond impressed. There were travel stories about off beat international locals and there wasn’t a tie in to a Marriot resort to be found anywhere. There is a write up of South African Bunny Chow, a street food. An entire spread of just feet from around the world. Their feature on Morocco wasn’t about the new “it” spot in Marrakech, but a drive through the Atlas Mountains and interactions with Berber tribes. The back page features a story by Tim Cahill. It was extremely refreshing.