Brazilian & Cape Horn Grand Adventure

According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is “where the boys are.” The city’s reputation as America’s Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the “Yachting Capital of the World,” with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the “Venice of America” with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping.

St. Maarten offers a delightful case of split personality. Legend has it that a Frenchman and a Dutchman divided ownership of the island through a walk-off: Standing back to back, the two headed in opposite directions, walking around the island until they met. Perhaps the Dutchman paused for a refreshing brew. At any rate, the French ended up claiming 21 square miles of the island to 16 square miles for the Dutch. This lively tale says much about St. Maarten’s easygoing ways. No formal boundary exists between the Dutch and French sides of the island; a simple welcome sign tells you when you cross from one country to the other. But the differences are as noticeable as the spelling of the island’s name. The French spell it St. Martin. And it’s this split personality that lends so much to the island’s charms, including an international reputation for the finest cuisine in the Caribbean.

Lying between Guadeloupe and Martinique is the island of Dominica–an unspoiled Caribbean paradise. The vibrant, rich rainforest is home to rare birds, including Sisserou and Jacquot parrots. Streams tumble down mountain slopes and thread fertile valleys on their short route to the sea. Dominica is also home to the last Carib Indians. When Columbus made landfall on his second voyage of discovery, this fierce tribe managed to keep the explorer at bay. And while the island proved a lure for both British and French planters, Dominica somehow managed to escape the trammels of civilization. This former British possession, independent since 1978, today lures visitors from around the world with its unspoiled beauty. As the islanders fondly say, “Apres Bondi, c’est la terre” (After God, it is the land). Tours may travel narrow, winding roads.

Barbados is one of the few Caribbean islands solely colonized by one nation. It’s no wonder Bajans describe their country as being “more English than England sheself,” surnames like Worthing and Hastings abound. But look around and you know you’re not in England: rich and fertile tropical fields meet a glistening, azure sea. The soft pastels of old chattel houses blend with the vibrant reds, oranges, and greens of roadside fruit stands. In short, Barbados exudes a charm all its own. Perhaps it is due to Bajan culture, that celebrated blend of English tradition and the African heritage brought to the island by slaves imported to work the sugar plantations. The potent brew which results flavors every aspect of island life, from music, dance and art, to religion, language and food.

This scenic coastal city is tucked away on the northeast corner of Brazil and is still relatively unheard of outside of Brazil. Still, Fortaleza is the country’s fifth largest city. The city’s growth has much to do with Brazilians discovering Fortaleza’s beautiful beaches. Today, Fortaleza is a thriving city of some two million. Enjoy a long, leisurely stroll along the lengthy coastline of white-sand beaches.

Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceara, which was the first state in Brazil to abolish slavery. And while Brazilians and tourists alike throng to the beaches, the thriving, colorful city offers its own treasures.

Pulsing to a samba beat and thriving in the hedonism of Carnival, there is literally no place on Earth like Rio, as the city natives — the Cariocas — will tell you. Founded in the early 16th century, Rio was once the capital of Brazil. It remains the nation’s cultural and spiritual center, a dazzling amalgam of Latin and African cultures, with more than five-million city inhabitants.

Nestled between the continent’s two giants, Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America. More than half of the nation’s population of three million reside in the capital of Montevideo, located at Uruguay’s southernmost point on the Rio de la Plata. Although small in size, Uruguay has proven to be big-hearted – the country is one of the most literate nations in the world while Montevideo is one of South America’s most interesting and cosmopolitan capitals.

Montevideo is a charming city made up of 19th-century Beaux Arts buildings, parks, and historical monuments.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Nestled between the continent’s two giants, Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America. More than half of the nation’s population of three million reside in the capital of Montevideo, located at Uruguay’s southernmost point on the Rio de la Plata. Although small in size, Uruguay has proven to be big-hearted – the country is one of the most literate nations in the world while Montevideo is one of South America’s most interesting and cosmopolitan capitals.

Montevideo is a charming city made up of 19th-century Beaux Arts buildings, parks, and historical monuments.

Fleeing the economic devastation of England’s Industrial Revolution, Welsh settlers immigrated to Argentina in search of cheap land. Led by Viscount Madryn, one group of settlers sailed for Patagonia, founding the small city of Puerto Madryn in 1865. Life in Patagonia, however, was not easy. There were lonely prairies, brutally cold winters, and unrelenting winds. Still the Welsh survived, and today visitors can still see their legacy in Puerto Madryn and its surrounding communities.

Puerto Madryn is your gateway to one of South America’s largest breeding grounds for birds and mammals – Tombo National Reserve.

Capital of the Falklands since 1845, tiny Stanley lies on the windswept tip of East Falkland Island. The Falklands long served as a way station for ships, particularly whalers, bound to and from Cape Horn. The islands’ rigorous environment is immediately apparent: Stanley Harbor is dotted with the hulks of vessels that succumbed to the fierce winds and waves of the South Atlantic. While their strategic location led to important roles in both World Wars, the islands are best remembered as the cause of the 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Today, travelers increasingly journey to the islands to view their rich assortment of bird and marine life.

Colorful houses occupy the low rolling moorland bordering Stanley Harbor. Stanley’s climate resembles London’s – cool and rainy though summer visitors are often blessed with clear, sunny skies.

Located on Chiles Isla Hornos in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, Cape Horn is widely considered to be the southernmost tip of South America. The culmination of the Andes mountain range, the legendary Cape is prone to unpredictably strong winds, choppy waters, icebergs and rogue waves – none of which phase the Princess ships that sail here. Nevertheless, hazardous maritime conditions have protected the rocky region from human settlement, so youll enjoy the same views as the earliest explorers discovered centuries ago. Unusual rock formations with deep grooves and granite cliffs covered in trees are its signature features. Navigating around the Cape was a near-impossible feat for sailors who braved its intense winds and treacherous waters in the 17th century. However, those fortunate enough to return from a successful trip were entitled to numerous benefits, including dining with one foot on the dinner table and wearing a gold loop earring to boast of their seafaring victory. Though Cape Horn became a significant trade route between the 18th and early 20th centuries, the opening of the Panama Canal rendered this route obsolete – but that hasnt prevented adventurers from recreational journeys to the Cape, or the bragging rights that come along with them!

Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and one of two main cities on the island territory of Tierra del Fuego. Shared by Argentina and Chile, “The Land of Fire” features unforgettable scenery and trails of discovery framed by the sea, forests, lakes and mountains.

Punta Arenas lies atop rolling hills, looking out over the Strait of Magellan. In the days before the Panama Canal, this was a major port as ships plied the waters of Cape Horn. Punta Arenas remains a prosperous town today, thanks to its rich natural resources. The city is also the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, a maze of fjords, rivers, steppes, and mountains to the north. To the south lies the great frozen mass of Antarctica. Adventure awaits in any direction at this port located near the end of the earth.

Across the Strait of Magellan lies Tierra del Fuego, the lonely, windswept island discovered by Magellan in 1520. The region was settled by Yugoslavian and English sheep ranchers in the 19th century.

Puerto Montt is your gateway to Chile’s magnificent Lake District. Here, snow-capped volcanoes gaze down on alpine valleys nestled among low hills. Glaciers carved out this terrain, leaving the jewel-like lakes in their wake. The Lake District was a magnet for German immigrants, and their legacy can be seen today in the manicured rose gardens of Puerto Varas, the “German Villages” like Frutillar, and the gabled homes with elaborate balconies of Puerto Montt.

Despite a population of more than 130,000, Puerto Montt retains the feel of a small town. For a simple introduction to the city, walk along the waterfront road to the fishing port of Angelmo and browse the local artisans’ stalls, then tuck into a snack in one of the small cafés along the way.

Nestled between rolling hills topped with colorful houses and meandering coastal dunes, the bustling city of San Antonio enjoys its reputation as the gateway to Chile’s central valley and the capital of Santiago. With a population of over five million people, Santiago sprawls at the feet of the snow-capped Andes. Inland lies the sun-kissed wine regions of Casablanca and Maipo Maipo Valley, Chile’s internationally renowned wine district.