Ouro Preto, with its unique baroque architecture, steep cobblestoned streets and many ornate churches – is indeed a very popular tourist destination in Brazil. While this small town has a lot of charm, at the same time it is a real tourist trap and you can expect to pay somewhat higher prices for dining – even higher than RIO.

Dining for Vegetarians in Ouro Preto is somewhat challenging, as there are virtually no bonafide vegetarian friendly restaurants or cafes. Sure, you can go into almost any Italian restaurant (and there are many) and order a salad or have some pasta. In most of these Italian restaurants, the food is mediocre and the prices are a bit on the high side. A simple pasta dish will set you back at least R$15-20 ($8 –11USD) and the same for a salad.

After doing some personal reconnaissance, I was able to identify some “go to” places - the best find was this small sandwich café located on the far corner of the plaza (forgot the name of the place). Popular with the University crowd, the café had a good selection of sandwiches, smoothies as well as a soup of the day. Their vegetarian sandwich - loaded with veggies, including beets, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber and mushroom - was very tasty. It was so good that I ate there three times during my 5-day stay. The cost was $7.50USD – good deal!

My last night in town, upon recommendation of a young Brazilian couple, I went to O Passo, a very classy Italian restaurant that specialized in pizza. On Thursday night, they have a Special Pizza Buffet where you can eat as much pizza you want for a set charge of R$30. The waiters come around every 5-6 minutes or so with different types of pizza. The place was really jamming – most of the patrons were Brasileros with a sprinkling of gringos.

Surprisingly they had at least 8 vegetarian pizzas to choose from – they even had a chocolate pizza. I wolfed down about 8 slices before I said “no mas”. The slices were small and the pizza had a very thin crust. Overall the pizza at O Passo was better than most places I’ve been to in the USA. Highly recommended!

Barra Grande, located on Bahia’s Marau Peninsula in Northeastern Brazil, is truly a slice of paradise. The people are relatively poor but are happy and enjoy life. I was there for six nights in June 2010, and I can truly vouch for the peacefulness and tranquility of Barra Grande. I’ve never been to a more idyllic beach town.

There has been a recent influx of outsiders to the area. Looking for a simpler and less stressful lifestyle, most of these outsiders have come from the largest cities in Brazil – Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro - as well as Buenos Aires, Argentina and from Europe. While I was there, I met at least three Argentine men who have been living in Barra Grande for the last 6-7 years. After resettling in Barra Grande, they started a family with their Brazilian wives or girlfriends and opened up restaurants near the town plaza.

I also met a nice Italian couple that recently moved to Barra Grande from Milan, Italy. They purchased an Italian restaurant located in heart of the tourist zone. At the time business was very slow for them as it was low season, but they had fallen in love with Barra Grande as well as the music of Brazil and the laid back tropical lifestyle. Whether they stick around depends whether they make sufficient monies during the high season.

I was fortunate that my stay coincided with the fiesta for the patron saint (Sao Antonio) of Barra Grande. Held near the town plaza, the festivities attracted quite a crowd - young and old and even some of the local cachorros. The focal point of the festival was a popular local band which played mostly forro music. Everybody was dancing – even me!

The third and final leg of my journey to Bolivia took me to rather quaint town of Samaipata located in the mountains of southeastern Bolivia. Samaipata is a good 3-hour ride from Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s most populous city. To reach Santa Cruz from La Paz, your best bet is to fly Aerosur, as I did. The flight takes about one hour.

Compared to the tropical town of Rurrenabaque, Samaipata is very quiet with an almost nonexistent nightlife. During the early evening hours, the liveliest place in town is the beautiful central plaza, where you’ll often find some street musicians and jugglers. The climate is quite cool at night; after 9:00PM or so, everybody has gone home.

Samaipata is the ideal place to chill out and relax. There are a fair number of expats from Europe and North America who have resettled in Samaipata. At 5,000 feet above sea level, the climate is agreeable all year around – it never gets too hot or too cold and the mountain air is very refreshing. In addition, the town is virtually crime free.

Trekkers love nearby Amboro National Park. Since I didn’t have the time or the legs for an all day trek, I skipped Amboro. Instead I hooked up with two young European gentlemen on a mini trek – about 7 kilometers round trip - to a very prominent mirador (lookout point) located just outside of town.

Along the way, we were joined by a freelance guide by the name of Senor Perro, who expertly led us up the steep and rocky slope to the mirador. The panoramic views of the valley and the town were absolutely wonderful.

Two of the better lodges/hostels in town are the La Posada del Sol and Andorina Hostal. However if you’re willing to splurge a little bit, I can wholeheartedly recommend El Pueblito. Located just outside of town, this 4 star hotel is a replica of a small colonial village complete with its own church and plaza. With rates of $30USD for a nice comfortable studio room complete with fireplace, it’s a real steal!

Most travelers arriving in Rurrenabaque (Rurre for short) are young backpackers from Europe or Israel – for the most part, these travelers stay in Rurre just long enough to book a tour into the rainforests of Madidi National Park or to the savannahs (pampas).

If you choose a tour to the rainforest, you can expect to see many plants (of course) and lush green vegetation, insects, spiders, some birds and monkeys, but very few large animals; on the pampas tour, you’ll see many birds, monkeys, pink dolphins, capybaras and some large mammals.

Clustered around the Amaszonas Airlines ticket office along the main drag are numerous travel agencies offering a variety of jungle and pampas tours as well the sales offices of the different nature lodges in the area.

There is no reason to book your jungle or pampas tour in advance – your best bet is to play it by ear and visit several travel agencies after you arrive, and find a tour to your liking and budget.

There are numerous budget hotels and guesthouses in town. Most are of similar quality and very cheap - from $7-12USD per night – and they cater primarily to backpackers and the walk-in trade. Very few people book their hotel in Rurre in advance.

My personal recommendation is the Oriental Hotel. Located directly across the street from the plaza, Hotel Oriental is a small family owned hotel. Nothing fancy, but the rooms are clean and secure. A lovely tropical garden occupies the center of the property complete with palm trees and hammocks. Room rate for single occupancy was $9USD (70 Bolivianos) including breakfast. Phone 892-2401 (ask for Ruben).

By all means, do not attempt to take the bus from La Paz to Rurrenabaque. Even though the physical distance is not far - approximately 350 KM (220 miles) – I understand that the trip takes a grueling 20 hours. Your best bet is to fly. Amaszonas Airlines has four flights daily using small 16 seat prop planes; in additional TAM Airlines – a military airlines – uses slightly larger equipment but offers only one flight per day.

The airport in Rurre is a very primitive affair – there is a small grassy landing strip which often gets washed out when there is a good rain. When this happens, flights often get canceled.

The first leg of my journey to BOLIVIA took me to the High Elevation Altiplano
of the Andes. From there, I flew on a small prop plane from La Paz across the rugged Andes to the small Amazonian town of Rurrenabaque.

Situated on the banks of the Rio Beni in the middle of Bolivia’s Western Amazon, Rurrenabaque is a popular tourist hub for forays into the rainforests of Madidi National Park and to the wetland savannahs (pampas) northeast of town.

Located at an elevation of 270 meters (approx 900 feet) above sea level, Rurrenabaque is hot and humid and very tropical. Once you arrive at the airstrip located just outside of town, you’ll see a large sign in Hebrew welcoming Israeli Tourists in front of the airport hanger.

The popularity of Rurrenabaque with young Israeli tourists – mostly backpacker types- was quite evident as I walked through town. There is a large Israeli café and internet shop in the center of town; the café really buzzes with activity at night.

In addition, there are a number of Israeli Expats who reside in this jungle town; some of them have collaborated with Bolivian nationals in the restaurant business and other tourist related enterprises.

I ran into so many young Israelis in Rurrenabaque during my short time there, I affectionately renamed the town “Little Israel”.

This colorful jungle town is very laid back and the locals are very friendly. During the late afternoon hours, I enjoyed hanging out at the main park to watch the young children at play. Like many of my fellow travelers, I was just passing through and was in town just long enough to book a 4-day/3-night tour into Madidi National Park

While BOLIVIA is the poorest country in South America, it is a very fascinating and affordable travel destination. Bolivia gets a very bad rap by the American media primarily because of our government’s dislike for the “leftist” policies of President Senor Evo Morales. Due to the media’s portrayal of Bolivia being an unsafe travel destination, very few mainstream American Tourists travel there.

I personally feel that Senor Morales is trying to do a lot good for the indigenous (and mostly impoverished) people of his country who represent the majority of the population. That doesn’t sit well with some of Senor Morales countrymen - for the most part, these people are the privileged minority and are European (white) in ancestry; they lead fairly comfortable lives and control the country’s capital wealth. By no means, do they want the status quo to change.

Politics aside, I had a fantastic time traveling through Bolivia and I highly recommend Bolivia as a destination to my fellow travelers from USA. Compared to more advanced countries in South America - like Argentina, Brazil and Chile - Bolivia is relatively untainted by the excesses of tourism and commercialism, plus it doesn’t hurt that your monies will go a very long way. There is absolutely no anti-American sentiment - at least I didn’t experience any.

To give you some idea about the singular beauty and magic of Bolivia, I will be sharing with you a series of travel videos (three in all) based on my own recent travel experience.

The first installment features The Altiplano of Bolivia - includes highlights of La Paz and Lake Titicaca. ENJOY!

I have never seen so many exotic and different types of spiders until I traveled to the Amazon rainforest. They come in all different shapes and sizes – including the large orb spiders that weave intricate webs to the large ground dwelling tarantulas and wolf spiders.

One particular spider really happened to catch my attention on my recent trip to the Amazon Basin of Bolivia. I was walking on one of the hiking trails in Madidi National Park with my tour guide when I spotted a small, very exotic looking spider nested in its web amidst the dense foliage. See picture

The little gal (she) was no bigger than ¼ inch (6mm) long, but had an unusual oblong shaped body with yellow markings on her flanks and rump. I maneuvered my camera within 2 inches of the creature and snapped a couple of pictures. I know that this particular spider is by no means rare nor is it one of the more abundant spider species in the Amazon rainforest. Admittedly I am not a spider expert nor do I consider myself that knowledgeable about spiders. That being said, are there any arachnophiles out there who can identify this little beauty?

DINING OUT Many restaurants in RIO and throughout Brazil specialize in buffet dining and charge you for your meal on a per kilo basis. Dining out in Rio is not cheap!

VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS Brazil is not the greatest place for vegetarians – it seems that Brazilians love a diet rich with cheese and meat. I was lucky to find a small macrobiotic restaurant in downtown RIO that offered a number of set lunches. Very affordable with local prices.

In Copacabana, I stumbled into Bio Carioca, a quaint vegetarian restaurant located just a couple of blocks from my hotel, and in the upscale neighborhood of Leblon, I ate at the Vegetariano Social Clube, a very stylish and chic (albeit expensive) vegetarian bistro. Despite the relatively high prices, I have to admit that the food was pretty tasty though.

IPANEMA BEACH I had read all the glowing reports about this famous beach, and they are truly deserved. The setting is magnificent with the famed Sugarloaf bookmarking the far end of this magnificent wide, white sand beach. On a Saturday afternoon, the long stretch of beach was packed with sun worshipping cariocas. On the sidewalk lining the beach, came a stream of joggers, walkers and skateboarders. Despite its urban setting, there were very few hawkers and solicitors.

Located across the street from the beach are high-rise office buildings and condos. I was surprised by the absence of streetside cafes, bars and restaurants. The scene is surprisingly low key.

Too bad I was unable to make the trip to the famous Christ the Redeemer Statute. Perched on the top of Corcavado Mountain about 2300 feet up, the panoramic views of RIO from this vantage point are supposed to be incredible.

There is an unwritten rule that if you’re going to Brazil, you must spend some time in Rio. If you ask most people, Rio has a magical allure and a reputation that precedes itself. Well, this traveler made his obligatory visit to Rio. I would like to share you some thoughts and observations.

RIO IS BIG Many travelers don’t realize that RIO is an enormous city. With a population of about 10 million people, it is about the same size as Bangkok, Thailand. Like most big cities, it has many different and distinct neighborhoods.

CARIOCAS LOVE TO PARTY At the end of the work week on Friday evenings, many people – mostly professionals - will set up an impromptu bar on street corners in the upscale neighborhood of Leblon. Using just a wood carton or a small folding table (with or without chairs), they will enjoy beers and mixed drinks with their friends and coworkers.

Located just down from the hill from Santa Teresa is Barrio Lapa, a middle class neighborhood with many bars and upscale nightclubs popular with the University crowd and young professionals. I went there on a Thursday night, and the cariocas were out in force.

RIO BY CABLE CAR An interesting and very cheap way to see Rio de Janeiro is by cable car. The cable car starts in downtown RIO and climbs through several neighborhoods including the very bohemian suburb of Santa Teresa. Along the way, you’ll see some of the very exotic and colorful graffiti that grace the retaining walls of Rio’s tree lined streets. Brazil - Rio in particular - is famous for its graffiti artists

Most people who visit the Amazon rainforest expect to see many colorful birds, monkeys and other exotic wildlife. To be honest with you, it is difficult to observe these animals in the dense vegetation of the rainforest. Many of them – in particular birds - live high up in the canopy; others are hidden or camouflaged by the dense vegetation. If you listen carefully, you may hear many birds singing as well as other animal calls. It is very rare that you’ll observe a large mammal in the middle of the rainforest although you may come across animal tracks or scat.

If you go into caves or enclosed gullies, you may encounter a bat colony.
While hiking in Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon Basin, my guide took me through a small underground cavern, habitat of a small bat colony of 100 or more individuals. As they were flying overhead, they were careful not to bump into us using echolocation to navigate in the darkness. No, they were not vampire bats but insect eaters.

If you’re into creepy crawlers, you’ll be in seventh heaven – there is a multitude of arthropods including insects, spiders, millipedes and centipedes that inhabit the rainforest. Believe it or not, 90% of the animal species that live in the rainforest are arthropods.

I was amazed at the variety of spiders that I encountered while walking through Madidi - from the large orb spiders that spin large intricate webs to the tiny spiders that live in large colonies. In general, spiders play a very important ecological role in keeping insect populations in check as well as being a food source for larger animals. It makes sense, that with so many insects in the rainforest, there would be a large population of spiders as well - there are a reported 3,600 species of spiders in the Amazon.

It’s too bad that many people are terrified by spiders - I find them to be very interesting and beautiful creatures. While most spiders secrete a venomous toxin to immobilize or kill their prey, very few spiders are considered dangerous to human beings.