If you’re like me, you probably grew up feeling relatively safe and a bit careless. Where I grew up, no one thinks twice about wearing a fancy watch, expensive chains, jewelry, or clipping the newest blackberry to the side of your belt.

But some places are different, Latin America included. In Colombia, there’s a saying that goes something like this: “No de Papaya” which translates into “Don’t give Papaya.” That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t share your papaya with anyone. It’s a saying in Colombia that basically means “Don’t be careless and attract unnecessary attention to yourself or get taken advantage of.” Basically it means to have your wits about you, and have some street smarts. Don’t get taken advantage of by women, thieves, sales people, taxi drivers etc.

I’ll give you a couple of examples of giving papaya.

Example 1: You’re in a club and you have your phone on you. You leave your phone on the table and go to the bathroom. If you were at the table alone, you’re really giving papaya, but even if you’re with a group, leaving it there would be a bit careless, it’s still giving a bit of papaya, especially if it’s an expensive phone.

Example 2: You’re paying for a taxi and you take out a wad of cash in front of the taxi driver or when you step outside to pay for the taxi. Your giving papaya because anyone passing by will see you reach into your pocket and pull out a nice big chunk of cash, and you’re attracting unneeded and unwanted attention. Chances are nothing will happen, but you’re still giving papaya.

Example 3: It’s your first night in Cali, Colombia and you don’t know the city well. You get all dressed up and wear a nice shiny, expensive gold chain. You’re going out alone you call a taxi service (not giving papaya), but you fail to take a cautionary step and leave the fancy stuff at home, because first you need to get a feel for the city and the places you’re going to frequent. Not leaving the chain at home is giving papaya. You’re compromising your chain, money, and maybe even your safety.

So what happens when you give Papaya:
Eventually if do it enough times, you’ll run into someone who’ll want to take advantage of you. Leave your cell phone on the table and someone will snatch it when no one is looking. The taxi driver that sees your wad of cash might say he doesn’t have change to give you because now he’s seen you have a lot of money. Your gold chain attracted the attention of the wrong person and as you walk from Club A to Club B a young kid runs by and snatches it, or worse threatens to attack you if you don’t give it up.

Moral of the story: Don’t give Papaya

Costs of living depends on various factors. First of all, as a foreigner one of the most important factors is the exchange rate between the currency you hold vs. the currency where you plan to go. Next comes location. If you live a small and medium size city the costs will be lower then living in one of Brazil’s mega cities like Sao Paulo and Rio. But location also matters within a particular city. You’ll spend more living in the high class part of town, then in the middle class, and you’ll spend even less living in the poorer parts of town, although this isn’t recommended because of safety issues. The final aspect of cost comes down to lifestyle. If you’re willing to live modestly you won’t spend much. However, if you want to ball in the city of Rio you’ll need a nice chunk of change.

How To Make Brazil Affordable, Even Cheap:

For those who are looking to take advantage or the lower cost of living in Brazil obtain a comfortable lifestyle for a lower cost, it can definitely be done. Like I mentioned above, you’ll want to rent an apartment in a middle class part of town. Don’t rent in the fanciest part of town. If you’re staying long term, don’t rent a furnished apartment. Rent an unfurnished apartment and get in the news papers and buy some used furniture found through the adds in the paper. Take public transportation and don’t rely too much on taxis. Don’t eat out at all or very little, instead shop for your groceries and cook your own food. If you live in one of Brazil’s smaller or medium size cities the cost for rent, utilities, cell phone, internet, transportation, food, health insurance, medical costs, clothes, haircuts, gym and miscellaneous expenses could range anywhere from $2,500 dollars to $4,000 per month. You can increase these costs by 50% if you move to the larger more expensive cities in Brazil.

Here’s a sample budget to show you how much you would spend per month in a small, medium size city with a comfortable lifestyle, taking some taxis, going out on weekends, having internet at home, etc.:

The Expensive Side of Brazil

Brazil use to be a lot cheaper because Brazil’s currency the “Real” was a lot weaker a decade ago. Since then, Brazil’s currency has appreciated greatly against the dollar and modestly against other currencies. For this reason, the cost of living in Brazil has increased greatly for foreigners who rely on currency differences to get great bargains. If you’re the type of person that only likes to take taxis, or wants to by a car, live in a fancy apartment, eat out often, and treat yourself lavishly in Brazil’s most well known cities you’ll find that the costs add up. Although you might save some money compared to say, the same lifestyle in New York, places like Rio and Sao Paolo wouldn’t fall to far behind on cost.

So How Much Does It Cost?

Although Brazil is not as cheap as it was, say 10 years ago, there are still various ways to live comfortably at a lower cost then most places in North America. However, it all depends on location and lifestyle. If you want a penthouse in the best part of Rio, and give yourself a lavish lifestyle, you could end up spending big bucks. By applying a more modest lifestyle you can end up living comfortably in Brazil at a very affordable cost.

Couple of years back when I worked in cubicle, I found out one of my co-workers had been to Brazil. At this time I had already been to Brazil, so I was eager to talk with him to see how much he liked it. I had no clue that he not only didn’t like it. He hated it. But before I approached him about it, I thought it would be impossible for a guy to hate Brazil. But he did, and I wanted to find out why. After a long conversation I was able pinpoint exactly why he was so miserable in Brazil:

#1 He stayed locked up in his apartment.
He didn’t go out at all or very little. He told me he spent most of his time in the apartment because he didn’t know anyone or where to go. If this was 1970 I would accept that excuse, but today with the Internet, the wealth of information and all of the free social networking sites, there’s not reason you should not have friends to just about anywhere you want to travel. And there’s no reason you shouldn’t have some idea of where to go and what to see, at even the most remote of destinations. All you have to do is a quick google search and bam!

#2 He didn’t learn the language:
One of the reasons he didn’t want to go out was because he didn’t know the language and he didn’t even know how to ask for directions or the most basic of phrases. Apart from that he was miserable in the apartment because since he didn’t know the language, he couldn’t understand anything on the television.

#3 He didn’t meet new people there
He didn’t have any online friends before he got there and he didn’t go out to meet any new people. In this situation, who wouldn’t be miserable. He probably felt like he was in a jail cell.

The moral of this story is that there are some basic things you must do in order to have an enjoyable trip. If you’re traveling alone and not with a buddy or a group these things are even more important. Go meet foreign women online. If you didn’t know already, foreign women make the best tour guides and provide you with a lot of safety. Do your research and find out as much information on a city as possible, including restaurants, shopping centers, tourist attractions, bars, night light, clubs etc. Finally and most importantly, get some conversational fluency in the language. If you’re in a group some of these things might not be as important, or you may have someone in your group that is taking care of these things, but if your a lone traveler, you need to your homework.

On a side note, don’t let one bad experience ruin the entire trip. I was told by a friend about a guy that traveled to Brazil and he got robbed the first day he got there right outside of his hotel. He ended staying in his hotel for the entire trip. Don’t let this happen to you. If you take my 13 steps to a safe trip you should be ok, but even if you do get robbed, or stood up by a girl or something, don’t let this ruin your trip.

Ecuador is a larger less explored, cheaper version of Costa Rica. Many people tout Costa Rica for the proximity of it’s different ecological landscapes. You can be on the coast, in the jungle, and high up at the volcano peek in just a matter of hours. The same can be said for Ecuador although it’s a bit larger. Ecuador has a great coast, a tropical amazon region, and mountainous region which offers a diverse ecological landscape in a relatively small geographic region. Apart from that Ecuador is probably 1/3 or at least 1/2 as affordable as Costa Rica. Ecuador is very often ranked as one the of the cheapest countries in Latin America. As far as the women, Costa Rica probably has more attractive women per capita, but Ecuador does have it’s fair share of attractive women. Ecuadorian women tend to be more reserved, faithful and old fashioned then just about any other women in Latin America… Onto the top 5 things:

#1. Natural Rejection in the Galapagos Islands. As you peer out of your cabin you wouldn’t expect that the neon seas and coral shores mark not the peripheries of paradise, but of hell solidified – a savage wasteland of ash cliffs, petrified lava lakes and angry volcanoes. Despite all of this, you will be surprised to learn that nature and life abounds amongst it’s scarred landscape, albeit curious lifeforms, the result of many generations of adaptation to an uncomfortable dwelling. A marine iguana flashes you a mischievous smile before scuttling into the sea to feed – very unlike it’s ancestor’s on the continent. Nearby, yet another one-of-a-kind perches atop the rocks to dry it’s now useless wing stumps – a flightless cormorant which abandoned its aerial abilities for nautical ones years ago. Every island uncovers more animal oddities from giant tortoises to Darwin’s finches – each one a participant in the world’s most famed works of evolution.

#2. Retail Therapy at Otavalo Craft’s Market. At some point in your travels, you will be hit with panic – realizing your nearest and dearest are at home awaiting your offerings of exquisite gifts from a faraway land. If you happen to be in Ecuador count yourselves lucky – one of the largest craft fairs on the continent is Otavalo, brimming with crafts handmade by indigenous artisans. You can hover wide-eyed around stalls selling an astounding range of jewelery, musical instruments, carvings, paintings, textiles and a whole lot more. The phrase ‘Something for Everyone’ is an understatement – deciding who should have the locally made poncho and who back home will appreciate that two meter rain-stick is all part of the fun.

#3. Watching the Sun Rise from Volcano Cotopaxi. At 5897meters high – Volcano Cotopaxi is one of the highest and glorious active volcanoes on Earth. Starting your eight hour trek to it’s summit during the evening will mean most of the climb will be done under starry speckled skies. The payback of a grueling climb in the dark is reaching the top just in time to watch in awe one of the most spectacular sunrises our world has to offer. Cotopaxi’s yawning crater, the great peaks of the Andes and a distant Quito sleeping below the clouds are sights not to be missed.

#4. Standing On the Equator. Just half an hours drive away from Ecuador’s capital city is the middle of the earth – the equator. Don’t leave your camera behind as you will want to show the evidence of having one foot either side of the equator – marked by a simply painted red line. Just a little further is a rival museum which states that it sits directly on the ‘true’ equator line. On visiting the second location, expect to watch the wonderment of magnetic forces at work. Watch how a sink is filled with water and on pulling the plug, instead of whirling – water at the equator runs straight down the plughole. Genius. Amaze friend by balancing an egg atop a nail, performed with ease due to low gravitational pull at the middle of the earth.

#5. Fishing for Piranha in the Jungle. Trekking through the Amazon you will come in to contact with many notorious predators from the pesky Mosquito, the less than friendly Piranha and even those menacing missionaries! Your guide will try to give you the fear if you haven’t yet felt it – tales of piranha’s frenzied attacks and their flesh ripping teeth will put a stone in your throat. If you want a daring challenge – take the plunge and head out in a canoe to the murky waters of Piranha territory. Expect nothing more than a rather primitive set of tackle and bait – a long stick with a piece of twine and an extremely large metal hook carrying a lump of chicken. A mixture of panic and exhilaration will be something of the feelings you experience while tracking and catching your first Piranha.

I recently found another good way to judge the safety of a region or country based a new index called The Global Peace Index. This index ranks countries on how peaceful they are with a color rating system. Based on the 2009 GPI index, most of Latin America is about as safe and peaceful as The United States. Based on the GPI the safest and most peaceful countries in all of the Americas are Canada, Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay.

The methodology for creating the global peace index is as follows: Twenty-three indicators of the existence or absence of peace were chosen by the panel of experts, which are divided into three broad categories: measures of ongoing domestic and international conflict, measures of safety and security in society and measures of militarization.

I think Ecuador should have been upgraded to Blue, but perhaps it was not due to the small conflict they had in 2009 with Colombia. I also think Colombia get’s a red rating because of the FARC presence, which is no longer a threat, unless you venture out into the jungles and mountains, and outside of the large cities.

I have to tend to agree with Venezuela’s red rating because of the deteriorating economic situation and escalating crime in Venezuela. Apart from that Venezuela is heavily militarized, and president Chavez is not afraid to stir up conflicts with Colombia. Also, Venezuela is undergoing and energy, and possibly water crisis, which will most likely increase the chances of political instability in the country.

Europe tops the list for peace and safety as a region. Eastern Europe gradually gets less peaceful and Russia gets a red rating according to the GPI index. South East Asia gets an average rating overall.

Overall I think the peace index is right on the spot. I do feel that things are getting more dangerous in the U.S. because of the economic decline. As unemployment starts to run out within the next year or two, I do feel crime will increase in the U.S as more and more people get desperate. Certain countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Uruguay certainly top the list in terms of cost, safety, weather, and of course women.

The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola, which is part of the beautiful Caribbean region. The island of Hispaniola is unique in that it is home to two nations: Haiti and the República Dominicana. The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation besides Cuba. The nation has over 48,000 km of land and has an estimated population of 10 million people. While the Dominican Republic is known for producing top notch athletes such as Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez, the island offers much more than baseball. The Dominican Republic is famous for their hospitality and friendliness, baseball, beautiful beaches and weather, carnavals, as well as music and dance.

Hospitality and Friendliness
The citizens of the Dominican Republic are very friendly and personable. Whether you are ordering a meal, asking for directions, or conversing with locals, the people are always looking for good conversation. The country opens its doors to millions of tourists each year with their arms wide open. Their hospitable nature extends beyond the beaches and results, even in the busy capital of Santo Domingo, which houses one-fifth of the population.

Baseball
Baseball is a way of life for those in the Dominican Republic, which produces some of the best MLB players in history. The Dominican Republic has several players in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, including Juan Marichal, who retired with the legacy that is called the San Francisco Giants. Record-breaking Dominicans include San Pedro de Macoris and Albert Pujols. Overall, the Dominicans have 1,521 players signed to either minor or major league teams in the MLB. Many American teams, including the Cubs and Athletics, have baseball camps in the Dominican Republic.

Beaches and Weather
The Dominican Republic offers beautiful and elegant beaches and resorts, offering five star conditions year round. The tropical weather attracts millions of tourists, as the average weather is 77 degrees. Average temperatures range from 64 degrees in higher elevations to 82 degrees at the beaches. January and February are the two coldest months of the season, while August is the hottest time of year. The rainy season, primarily by the coast, lasts from November to January. Everywhere else in the country the wet season lasts from May to November, however; May is the wettest month in most locations.

Carnavals
The Dominican Republic knows how to have a good time, especially during the months of January and February, Carnaval is a festive celebration in which everyone takes to the streets and participates in circus, masque, and street parties. It is not uncommon for people to dress up in costume, which is used to signify a change in daily life. Carnaval Vegano is the most famous carnaval in the country.

Music and Dance
The Dominican Republic is known for its music and dance, most notably the Meringue, Bachata, Perico Ripiao and Reggaeton. The Dominicans invented the Moquegua, which is a mixture of fast paced beats and rhythms between 120 and 160 beats per minute. The Meringue is composed primarily out of drums, bass, and chorded instruments unique to the region. Bachata was invented in rural and country neighborhoods and focuses on romantic subjects.

This is a typical motorcycle taxi ride around the city of Barranquilla Colombia. The ride costs about $0.75 cents. A long ride would probably cost around $1.00 to $1.50 or roughly 3,000 Colombian pesos. They make you wear a vest with the motorcycles license plate number on it, along with a helmet. They don’t have motorcycle taxis in every Colombian city, but they have them in Barranquilla…

It’s February, the year is still just getting started and it’s not to late to head down south, away from the cold (for those of you in the north), and take a little time off in one of the many Latin American destinations that are being offered at a discount right now at continental.

I see some interesting prices and destinations on the list including:

San Jose, Costa Rica
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Lima, Peru
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bogota, Colombia
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic among others:

Low Fair To Latin American Destinations From Continental

If you want to bookmark the Continental special offer page it’s right here:

Continental Airlines Special Offers Page

Hope some of you can take advantage of some of these good deals!

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, and one of the most populous. Long a center for immigration, this mixture of different peoples and cultures has created a rich and unique Argentinean culture separate from the rest of Latin America. Although often overlooked in the media, Argentina is actually the birthplace of many world-famous cultural icons that many people will recognize. This article will list five unique thing about Argentina that you may not have been previously aware of.

1. Beef

Argentina has tradition of cattle ranches and cowboys (gauchos) much older than the United States. Raising about 55 million head of cattle, Argentina is the third largest exporter of beef in the world. Argentine beef is world-famous for its quality and flavor. Argentines have the largest consumption of red meat in the world.

Whereas many US ranches contain grain-fed cattle raised in feedlots, Argentine ranches are still largely grass-fed, free-range cattle roaming over the vast rolling pastures of the central Pampas and southern Patagonian plains. Many consider grass-fed, free-range cattle to be tastier and healthier, as free-range cattle are less likely to have hormone injections, get more exercise, contain less saturated fast, and more healthy omega 3 fatty acids which reduce cholesterol.

2. Asado

Argentina has its own, world-famous type of barbeque, known as asado. Asado combines the dry heat of grilling with the humid, slow-cooking method of smoking. The result is grilled, barbequed meat that is very tender and juicy. Many foods Americans consider to be Mexican actually originated in Argentina, including chorizo, empanadas, and Dulce de Leche. Finnally, chimichurri sauce (made of olive oil mixed with parsley, oregano, paprika, garlic, onion, pepper, and salt) is actually an Argentine creation, and is traditionally served with an asado barbeque.

3. Wine

Argentinean wine has become increasingly popular worldwide over the last twenty years. Argentina is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world, and has long been the single biggest producer outside of Europe. The province of Mendoza, Argentina’s primary wine producing region, is considered one of the eight wine capitals in the world. Argentinean wine also reflects Argentina’s diverse ethnic background. The grapes cultivated for wine in Argentina come from Spain, France, and Italy, among others places.

Due to the high altitude and low humidity of the prime Argentinean vineyards in the foothills of the Andes mountains, Argentinean grapevines rarely suffer the problems of insects, molds, fungi, and other grape vine diseases. Consequently, Argentinean vintners rarely use pesticides or herbicides, making Argentinean wine naturally organic and flavorful. Argentina is credited with the finest Malbec wine in the world.

4. The Tango

Almost everyone has heard of this slow, sensual ballroom dance, but many don’t realize it originated in Argentina. Specifically, it evolved in the ports, bars and brothels of Buenos Aires (the capital of Argentina) in the late 19th century. Buenos Aires was a city of immigrants at the time, and the Tango, both the dance and the music, was a fusion of musical styles from Spain, Cube, Africa, Italy, Eastern Europe, and indigenous Argentinean folk music.

This slow, sorrowful, and sexual music and dance spread from the working class slums to the rest of Argentinean society by the turn of the 20th century. In the 1920s, it exploded on the international scene and became wildly popular in Europe and the United States. Like Jazz, the Tango craze flourished until displaced by Rock & Roll in the 1950. In 2009, UNESCO declared the Tango to be part of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage.”

Violin, piano, guitar, flute and bandoneon, sometimes guitar and clarinet

5. Evita

For the average person, the first thing they associate with Argentia is the stage and movie musical “Evita,” a rags-to-riches story about Eva Perón. Eva, nicknamed “Evita” by an adoring public, was the wife of the popular Argentinean President Juan Perón, who ruled Argentina in the 1940s and 50s. Evita’s massive popularity among Argentineans came from the charity foundation she set up to assist the poor and working classes. She also advocated women’s right. The story of Evita hit new levels of popularity in the 1990s, when a movie version of the musical was released starring Madonna in the lead role of Eva Perón,

I spent Carnavales here in Barranquilla Colombia, after having spent 6 weeks in Medellin. This little video is a compilation of some random clips I took during the days of Carnavales in Barranquilla. Hope you like!