South America Archives - Wanderboomer

Ring in the New Year in Rio!

New Year's Eve in Rio

(photo courtesy of flickr – Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, Rèveillon 2013 – Copacabana – Rio de Janeiro)

So, how do the Cariocas (as Rio’s fun-loving city inhabitants call themselves) ring in the New Year in Rio? Let’s take a look . . .

Fireworks

As with many cultures, the start of the New Year in Brazil represents a time of renewal, a fresh start and hope for the future. In Rio, the biggest celebration takes place on Copacabana Beach where millions of partygoers flock to the shore to watch the midnight fireworks display set from ocean barges. Meanwhile a steady samba beat fills the sultry summer evening air.

Cultural Traditions

New Year’s in Rio honors the city’s rich cultural heritage. For starters, revelers wear all white clothing to symbolize a cleansing of the past and a welcoming nod to the New Year. But to attract a certain kind of luck, many add accent colors, too, each with its own symbolism: red, to attract love and romance; green, for good health; and yellow for prosperity.

Another popular New Year’s tradition comes from Candomblé, Rio’s Afro-Brazilian religion. In this ritual, celebrants cast white flowers, floating candles and toy wooden boats with small gifts into the ocean as offerings to Yemanja, Queen of the Seas. Believers say that if your tokens return to you, your wishes will not be granted, though nothing prevents you from trying again.

Just after midnight, merrymakers jump into the ocean to skip over seven different waves, making seven different wishes to Yemanja for the New Year. But legend says that if you turn your back while going back to shore, your wishes will not come true.

Food

Naturally, Rio’s New Year festivities include favorite Brazilian foods for good luck, like lentils, pork and fish accompanied by the pop of champagne to bring in the New Year. And where does chocolate fit in, I wonder . . . ?

Rio NYE

(photo courtesy of flickr – Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, Rèveillon 2013 – Rio de Janeiro)

Feliz Ano Novo, wanderboomers!

Wander on!

Nancy

Have you ever celebrated New Year’s in Rio, wanderboomers? Where’s your favorite place to ring in the New Year?

BY Nancy Mueller 7 Comments

Z is for Zihuatanejo Bay!

ZihuatanejoBayRoryFinnerenflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr

To wrap up my participation in the April A – Z Blogging Challenge – and coincidentally the last day of National Poetry Month – I’m ending with three distinct travel destinations:

I. ZihuatanejoBaySunsetRoryFinnerenflickr (450 x 253)

Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr

Z zips us to Mexico’s tropical coast, Zihuatanejo Bay.
Come play in the surf, eat lobster, too, and practice
your Spanish – olé!

II. ZwingerPalaceTheLastMoorishKingflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of The Last Moorish King – flickr

The Zwinger Palace in Dresden is
capped by an onion-shaped crown.
With its beautiful setting and showcase for art
it’s a major landmark in town.

III. ZigZagRailwayBotheredbyBeesflickr (450 x 322)

Photo courtesy of BotheredByBees – flicker

Follow the Z in a series of switchbacks, dated 1869.
On Australia’s Zig-Zag Railway, we’ve come . . .
to . . . the . . . end . . . of . . . the . . . line.

Thank you for joining our A – Z journey!

But of course, dear Reader, we haven’t seen all.

So pack your bags and a sense of adventure –

there’s so much more to explore.

The whole wide world is waiting,

just as soon as you open your door.

Where are you headed next in your travels, wanderboomers?

BY Nancy Mueller 6 Comments

G is for Getaway to the Galápagos Islands

BlueBooby(600 x 399) (450 x 299)

The fragile, moon-like landscape of the Galápagos Islands lures more than 100,000 visitors each year despite the archipelago’s remote location 600 miles off the west coast of mainland Ecuador. Ever since Darwin‘s famed visit aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835, travelers have been enchanted by its history, exotic vegetation and wildlife.

GiantGalapagosTortoise (450 x 299)

In order to protect the eco-system of this UNESCO World Heritage Site as much as possible, the Ecuadorian government restricts the number of cruises that can visit each island at any one time. But you don’t have to worry about missing out: each of the 13 major islands, from the oldest in the East (Española) to the most recent (Fernindina) in the west, offers unique flora and fauna diversity for an extraordinary experience.

MarineIguanaGalapagosIslands (450 x 282)

To plan your own escape to the Galápagos Islands, choose from among a variety of tour options, including 8-day small-ship cruises, shorter-stay lodge-based day trips, and combined land/islands packages. Visit Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism site or discovergalapagos.com for more information.

In case you missed the travelogue of my own 2011 journey to the Galápagos, you can catch up on my stories here:

http://bit.ly/12CrGLs http://bit.ly/10Bvo84 http://bit.ly/Z4pXhV http://bit.ly/XoJd9q

http://bit.ly/10BvTyT http://bit.ly/XoJiK8 http://bit.ly/Yc8o0H http://bit.ly/Zxc8vt

http://bit.ly/10Bx0ia http://bit.ly/16J79ae http://bit.ly/XzY4Ai

What about you, wanderboomers? Have you visited the Galápagos Islands yet?

BY Nancy Mueller 9 Comments

F is for Farmers Market Destinations

Hong Kong Farmer’s Market – Photo courtesy of Crossroads Foundation – flickr

One of my favorite pursuits when traveling is visiting the local Farmers Markets to get an authentic, sensory feel of my destination.

Here I can discover fresh local produce, sampling and tasting as I saunter along from vendor to vendor, smiling while the farmers compete among themselves for my attention and pocketbook. I can get lost in listening to the music of a foreign language, learn where locals like to eat and how to prepare an evening’s meal from unfamiliar ingredients.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market

Even when home in Seattle, I can visit several different neighborhood markets to find unusual teas, melons and spices.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market

And can I ever leave without purchasing a bouquet of flowers or gifts of indigenous handicrafts? Hardly.

Little Red Riding Hood & Friends from Brazil Farmer’s Market

Not a bad way to spend a few hours . . .

What’s your favorite farmer’s market, Wanderboomers?

BY Nancy Mueller 6 Comments

D is for El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

DayoftheDeadcarmichaellibraryFlickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of carmichael library – flickr

One of the many cultural holidays that I have yet to experience firsthand is Mexico’s El Dia de los Muertos. Celebrated annually on November 1st and 2nd, the holiday brings family and friends together to remember, honor and pray for the deceased.

DayoftheDeadElaphurusFlickr (338 x 450)

Photo courtesy of Elaphurus – flickr

Though the holiday begins at midnight on Oct. 31st, the Mexican celebration differs from Halloween in the United States where skulls and skeletons traditionally frighten people away. Instead, hoping to attract the spirits of the dead, celebrants of El Dia de los Muertos decorate altars, sugared skulls and skeletons.

DayoftheDeadminicooper93402Flickr (300 x 450)

Photo courtesy of minicooper93402 – flickr

Other activities include joining in candlelight processions, and carrying photos of loved ones and food and flowers for the deceased on visits to cemeteries. While the practice may seem somewhat macabre to the uninitiated, the mood appears festive rather than somber. Music, dancing and sharing traditional Mexican foods like pan de muerto (bread of the dead) are all part of the ritual.

What about you, wanderboomers? Have you experienced this traditional Mexican holiday?

Ring in the New Year in Rio!

Z is for Zihuatanejo Bay!

G is for Getaway to the Galápagos Islands

F is for Farmers Market Destinations

D is for El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

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