Highly recommended experiences in Brazil

• Lanches for afternoon meal. It's a vast spread of many local delicacies offered as a buffet and savored by the locals and office going crowd
• Soccer match
• Para sailing at the beach
• Eating an acaraje by the road side in Salvador
• Staying with a local or two if you have the opportunity
• Watching late night dances and musical performances on the streets of Salvador
• Fresh juice at the local road side shop in Rio

Colca Canyon, a must visit if you are in Arequipa- pristine, lot of llamas and ofcourse Candors

We visited Colca Canyon through a 2 day, one night tour we booked at our hostel. Surprisingly the cost is negotiable so dont feel bad in asking if they can give a deal. Our tour left in a mini bus with 15 of us from Arequipa town center(or pick up at your hotel/hostel). 


The journey to the Colca Canyon is completely amazing...lots of llamas, preserved lands, beautiful landscapes and small villages. You will be driving through clouds and its a surreal experience. We spent a day travelling in to a village near the canyons and then the next morning left early to get to the canyons. The hotel itself was basic but comfortable. Since it was already evening, and some folks were experiencing morning sickness we could either take it easy or visit a hot spring near by. The hot spring itself was more like an outdoor swimming pool full of gringos. However its backdrop was beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. 


At the canyon itself, we only got a couple of hours, which is not a lot so if there is an option to stay longer, do pick that. At the canyon you see candors flying high- they are majestic against the backdrop of green, looming mountains. 


On the way back we stopped in a village square where there were locals selling handicrafts and some of them were showing their pet animals-owl and llama. All of this is a way for locals to earn some money from the tourism industry so dont hold back. Overall a must visit.

Pisac Market: Colorful vibrant market where one should look beyond shopping

Its a short bus ride from Cusco which locals also use. Once you get there its a mix of touristy experience and local feel. While selling their crafts you see the locals enjoy home cooked meal & beer. We tried the corn beer it has a strong taste but its fun sitting with the jumbo tumbler and sipping with the villagers. Of-course there is tons of stuff to buy from crafts, bags, jewelry and vegetables. However we loved watching the colorful attires of the ladies selling their wares, their braider hair and different head gear. I was in awe of the way they juggled their little babies wrapped in colorful cloths on the back while working hard through the day.

Article in India New England

Looking for India in South America

My husband was asked by a smart, professional Brazilian, does your wife have to seek your permission before she leaves the house. Is Sati still prevalent? Stumped, we wondered while sitting in a jeep in the Bolivian city of Uyuni, why a guy from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, would ask a question like this. We laughed with amazement as we were told of a popular soap opera – produced by a Brazilian and acted by Brazilians – about a family in India. Who knew India would be so popular in Brazil, but maybe for the wrong reasons? As we travelled more we realized the adulation Shah Rukh Khan enjoyed and how Hare Baba was such a popular phrase. And we constantly wondered why did we not come across any Indians on our journey and why Indian food was not popular. We decided to travel across South America, down the Andes this winter. It would be a backpacking trip. Yes, just carry bare essentials in a backpack, stay in hostels, live like the locals, interact with them and see what most tourists would not. We started our journey in Lima, Peru, and flew out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All borders were crossed on foot and most travel was done by bus, unless walking, rickshaw or train made better sense. As we planned for this adventure and the word spread, we got various reactions. Most of it was positive, but some friends and family wondered if this was the best choice. There were warnings of unsafe countries, places, drug wars and even lack of vegetarian food. There was encouragement that we were following our dream. We were apprehensive, no doubt. Not about South America, but about how “un-Indian” we would be by doing this. As doubts continued to creep within our minds, we continued planning our trip. Renting out our present apartment, planning for the journey, booking tickets, getting visas – the list seemed endless. Finally, after crossing various hurdles, we managed to leave. During our first few days in Peru we were pretty shocked. How different it was from the United States, and how similar it was to India! The feeling continued as we went past small villages, met locals and ate different cuisines. Villages were as colorful as what I would see while travelling across Rajasthan. Does adversity become easier to deal with when one is surrounded with more color? One morning, we thought we were dreaming when we heard a song from Ashoka. Stepping outside the room we see a Bolivian guy lounging in the other room and listening to the song. Out and about in La Paz, we were surprised to find a Middle Eastern restaurant. Even more surprising was sitting and eating while we were being watched by a giant picture of Sushmita Sen. Crossing a scenic border while entering Peru. A very collectivistic culture, the warmth and generosity shown by locals in South America was similar to what you would find in the family-oriented, atithi devo bhava culture of India, in which a guest is God and should be treated as such. What else would justify our stay with a family in southwest Brazil? We were invited to stay with them when we were not able to find a good hostel in an unsafe neighborhood. Initially apprehensive, we ended up taking their offer and soon to realized that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. Of modest means, they nevertheless made us feel at home, and even used all the people resources they had to get all we needed delivered for us at their house. Of course, into the bargain, we got a ton of neighborhood folks coming to look at us and maybe try their hand at sign language, so we could exchange a few thoughts. Yes, we were the new animals in their zoo, but we were treated with respect and love. Potatoes, rice, grains and vegetables – if given a kitchen, any Indian could dish up a wonderful meal with such ingredients. Yes, vegetarianism is not very popular in South America, and being vegetarian meant more time spent looking for food. However we never went hungry and, surprisingly, found some very delicious meals, too. We did have to learn some key phrases to explain what we could eat and, in some places, justify why we could not eat meat. But after these initial hurdles we were able to enjoy good food. With some patience and perseverance, it seemed, a vegetarian Indian would do just fine travelling in South America. Dazed by the wonderful experiences, we are now home and settling back into our routines. While looking for a job and getting used to the lack of crowds, sounds and hustle, we hope to spread the word of our delightful journey so that South America may becomes a destination on the list of globe-trotting Indians and, perhaps, more Indians are encouraged to travel with their backpacks.

Must do in Bolivia

• Cross over the border by foot-especially from Peru side. This experience will show you how it feels to not have borders! It is truly liberating
• A trip to Salar de Uyuni. Miles of sparkling white dry salt, see geysers, bathe in natural hot springs and if you are lucky see the best milky way you can imagine. Guidebooks will also recommend but it is so spectacular I did not want to skip over this in my list
• Take a bus ride in a colectivos. Keep an open mind and you will meet many locals and see small towns along the route ,the scenery, if you travel during the day, can be amazing