Wanderlusting - Knaddison Spanish Tour

Loving Dutch-owned businesses in Latin America

Nikki — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:14:50 +0000

The Dutch seriously know how to start businesses abroad.

Ever since a trip to Central America two summers ago when we were introduced to our first favorite Dutch-pat enterprise, Via Via, we've sought out other DOBs (Dutch Owned Businesses).

Some Favorites:

Via Via, Copán, Honduras: A hostel and restaurant, this place is a hip travelers oasis. Our favorite was the great fresh food with plenty of our favorite Dutch options, which is to say flavorful food inspired by the cuisine of Dutch colonies Suriname and Indonesia.

Chau, suerte: The Knaddisons say goodbye to Argentina

Nikki — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:19:04 +0000

One of my favorite Argentine-isms is the typical goodbye: chau, suerte! Bye and good luck! It's such a hopeful way to say goodbye to someone: a wish for the unexpected and perhaps fortuitous things to come.

Spanish Tour by the Numbers

Nikki — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:48:59 +0000

Here's some vital stats on the old Spanish Tour:

Months: 9
Books Read By Greg: ~20
Books Read By Nikki: ~15 (he reads too fast!)
New Random Websites Launched: 1, 2, 3, 4
Wineries Visited: 29 (winery visits and reviews)
Breweries Visited: 1 (Stone!)

Countries Visited: 10

USA
France
Spain
England
Canada (we stopped-over in montreal, and had to clear customs, eh.)
Argentina
Uruguay
Argentina
Chile
Argentina
Bolivia
Peru
Chile
Argentina
USA

Spanish class recommendation in Buenos Aires

Nikki — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:00:20 +0000

In preparation for taking the Diploma de Español como lengua extranjera, I spent our last two weeks studying Spanish in Buenos Aires. Through craigslist, I found Natalia, an incredible teacher with very reasonable rates. I've been taking Spanish classes much of my life, and Natalia is hands down the best Spanish teacher I've ever had. En serio.

Send the Travel Writers to Hell! or Nothing like a Rip Off to Ruin a Trip

greg — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:52:37 +0000

After having some great times living in Argentina we wanted to end our trip on a travel binge (note the important difference between living somewhere and travelling somewhere). So, we headed north on the so-called "Gringo Trail." After spending months reading various travel books and getting excited about the trip we set off. Who knew that in a few months time we would hate those travel writers for the inaccuracy of their data and the exaggeration of their prose?

Los colores de La Paz

Nikki — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:06:09 +0000

Central America can easily turn one off to Latin American capitals. Smog, poverty, dirt, and chaos prevail from San Salvador to Guatemala City, with the possible exception of Havana-esque Panama City. I'm glad we gave Latin American capitals another chance in South America. Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montevideo, and now, La Paz, have all exceeded our expectations and are well worth a visit.

Lessons Learned: Top Ten Tips for Travelers and Digital Nomads

greg — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:16:09 +0000

So...that's about it. We're nearly done with our trip. We still need to write about some of the sites we saw in Peru/Bolivia but we're back in Buenos Aires winding down and getting ready to head back to the motherland. We learned some things on this trip - just a few - and some of them might be useful to others who are thinking about heading out on a trip like this.

So...our top 10 tips for extended travelers and digital nomads:

Book your hotel for 1 night and Then Explore.

Cafayate: Hiking, Biking, and Wineries in Argentina's North

Nikki — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:30:00 +0000

Wine from Argentina's North

Argentina's North: Salta la linda

Nikki — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:11:24 +0000

The Argentine North

It's refreshing to spend some time in the north of Argentina, an area that differs culturally and geographically from the rest of the giant country. For a country that's obsessed with its European heritage, it's nice to experience the part of the country that prides itself on indigenous blood and to see its rich history.

9 de Julio Plaza

Bariloche and Neuquen: The Northern End of Patagonia

Nikki — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:14:57 +0000

Bariloche - Swiss Alps of Argentina

When our Chilean adventures wrapped up in just under a week we took two long bus rides down Chile - from San Fernando to Osorno - and then from Osorno across the lush tree-covered, lake-filled mountains of the Andes to Bariloche. We started at Hostel El Gaucho, which was friendly, but realized that the double room with private bath there was only US$3 cheaper than full hotel living at Hotel Cambria - so we moved :)