Can't visit Latin America? Bring it into your house!
Travelling. Unfortunately, that is not possible at the moment. We all have to make the best of it. And what will you do if you cannot go to Latin America? Then you just bring Latin America into your own home! I have listed several tips for you. That way we will get through this period together!
1. Think back to your own roundtrip
On the return flight of our unforgettable journey, almost all of us have the good intention of memorize this special experience. It is wonderful to enjoy and relive the holiday while making a beautiful photo book. However, the reality is that daily life quickly overtakes the holiday feeling. Doing some laundry, doing some shopping, visiting family and before you know it, it is Monday and you have to go back to work. The beautiful photos remain on your camera and the idea of a photo book remains just that, an idea.
Do you have any spare time at the moment? Then use this moment to make that long-awaited photo book. In this way you will be busy and you will still be on holiday for a bit. Have you already made a photo book? Then grab it and browse through it to evoke the holiday feeling again.
2. Films and documentaries about/in Latin America
Travelling from the comfort of your own couch is, of course, also a possibility. Netflix has several films and documentaries that take place in or are about Latin America. Enjoy sitting on the couch with nachos or Walkers Sensations Mexican pepper to stay in the right mood. Keep it modest, so that the rest of the Netherlands can also enjoy a bag of crisps on the couch. After some searching I already found a whole list. Below are 6 different viewing tips.
El Faro de las Orcas
A film set in Peninsula Valdés in Argentine Patagonia. In this remote and isolated place the Argentinean Beto works as a park- and lighthouse keeper. One day Lola, a Spanish mother from Madrid, arrives with her autistic son of 11 years old Tristán. Lola has seen a documentary in which Beto, as an orca spotter, regularly goes out to sea to play and swim with these animals. She hopes that Beto will help her to get the autistic Tristán out of his isolation by means of the Orcas. Beto initially rejects her, but in the end he is willing to help.
(can be watched on Netflix)
Source photo: Moviemeter
The lost city of Z
This film tells the story of the explorer Percy Fawcett who first travelled to South America in 1906 with the task of mapping the border between Bolivia and Brazil. During this journey, Fawcett becomes convinced that the Amazon is home to an unknown, very ancient civilisation. He goes in search of this mysterious city which he renames the City of Z.
(can be watched on Netflix)
Source photo: Moviemeter
Magical Andes
A series on Netflix that consists of 6 parts and deals with one of the greatest treasures of South America and perhaps of the world; the Andes. In these 6 episodes different people tell what their connection is with the Andes Mountains. You follow the people from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
(can be watched on Netflix)
Source photo: Netflix
El Sendero de la Anaconda
Writer Wade Davis travels with his fellow anthropologist Martin von Hillebrand to the Amazon in Colombia. About 80 years after Richard E. Schultes' expedition, Wade follows in his teacher's footsteps to discover the Amazon. During this documentary, the two men explore the beauty of the Amazon and come into contact with the different population groups that still live here.
(can be watched on Netflix)
Tip: Last year Johan himself visited the Amazon in Colombia and wrote about it on our blog. Read more.
Source photo: Moviemeter
Todo sobre el Asado
Argentines are just a little bit proud of their barbecue. This film is an ode to this way of preparing meat and the men who prepare it. During this film you will go in search of the origins, the traditions and the thought of the Argentineans about their beloved barbecue or Asado.
(can be watched on Netflix)
Souce photo: Moviemeter
3. Latin American cooking
Enjoy experimenting with new flavours and new dishes from Latin American cuisine. Whether you are a real kitchen princess or not and whether you have much or less time, there are plenty of different dishes to make. I have listed three of my favourite recipes below, click on the dish below and find the recipe.
4. Making cocktails
Cocktails give you that summer feeling. They will undoubtedly get you into the sunny holiday atmosphere. And in Latin America, they know what to do with delicious refreshing cocktails. Here are three classics:
Cuba Libre
Legend has it that this popular cocktail was born in a pub in Havana, Cuba. The story goes that during the Spanish-American war a captain walked into the pub and ordered a drink consisting of rum, lime juice and cola. The soldiers who were in the pub followed his example and were positively surprised. During the toast the soldiers shouted the words 'Cuba Libre' and that is how the drink came into being.
- 50 ml rum, the sweetest Havana Club Añejo especial
- Juice of half a lime
- 100 ml cola
- Ice cubes
Add the rum, lime juice and cola in a long drink glass and add the ice cubes. Stir the drink gently and your Cuba Libre is ready.
Pisco Sour
It is a battle between Chile and Peru, but in both countries the cocktail Pisco sour is the national drink. In Peru, a village to the south in the desert-like region of Ica has the name Pisco and chances are that the drink comes from here.
- 90 ml Pisco (available at the liquor store or online)
- 30 ml lime juice
- 20 ml sugar water
- Egg white of one egg
- Ice cubes
Add the Pisco, lime juice and sugar water the egg whites in a cocktail shaker and shake it well. Now add the ice cubes and shake well once again. Serve the cocktail in a previously chilled glass and your drink is ready!
Caipirinha
A cocktail from Brazil and my personal favourite. Especially when my colleague Petra makes them. Petra is Brazilian and knows better than anyone how to make this refreshing cocktail. In Brazil the Caipirinha is available in almost every bar. Increasingly it is also available as a variation on the classic recipe.
- 30ml Cachaça, if you cannot find it, choose a white rum
- 2-3 tablespoons cane sugar or fine granulated sugar
- 2 limes
- Glass of crushed ice
Put the limes in a glass and crush them finely, preferably with a pestle. Then add the sugar, ice and Cachaça. Stir well and your cocktail is ready.
Caipirinha with passionfruit
5. Follow how-to videos on the internet
Now that we are asked to stay indoors as much as possible, many nice initiatives for activities to do indoors appear on the internet. I have selected three of them:
Learn to dance salsa
Movement is important. Now that we need to be more indoors, you need to be a bit more creative with ways of moving The gyms are closed and your boot camp training will not be going on for the time being. In order to be able to keep moving and make a party out of it you can learn Salsa dancing together with your partner. Cosy with the exhilarating music and, if you are not such a dancer, especially very funny. Through this channel you can learn the basics. Watch the videos.
Discover the birds at the Iguazú waterfalls
Awasi Iguazú, an accommodation near the Iguazú Falls is very focused on the environment in which their accommodation is located. Most famous are immense waterfalls on the border with Brazil, but there is more. Here you will find yourself in the Mata Atlantica rainforest which, with its unique eco-system, is home to many birds. To take you on a trip, Awasi Iguazú has recorded the sounds of the Toucan and other birds. You can listen to them here.
Tip: Are you curious about this accommodation and the Mata Atlantica rainforest? Johan visited this place and wrote about it on our blog.Read more.
Follow the master class Peruvian Cooking
Earlier I wrote a blog about Peruvian cuisine, which is considered to be one of the best in the world. And how nice it is now that you can learn to make some dishes yourself under the guidance of Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Pedro has his own restaurant in Lima, the culinary capital of Latin America. And he is a chef on the Aria Amazon and the Aqua Negra of Aqua Expeditions, a shipping company offering luxury river cruises, including on the Peruvian Amazon. During this master class Pedro will explain how to make the famous fish dish Ceviche and the fresh cocktail Pisco Sour. Check it out here.
6. Decorate your home with travel decoration
To create that holiday feeling in your home, you can decorate your home with fun accessories that remind you of travelling. I have listed a few ideas:
Poster of your favourite destination
Internet is full of fun inspiration for the home. That is how I came across this nice poster of Rio de Janeiro. Although it is not a real picture of the city, which of course is also possible. But this poster does give a nice summer feeling because of the colours. You can order it on the website of Etsy.
World map or globe
I have had a map of the world on my wall for a number of years now, and we have two large maps in our office as well. Very nice to boost your topographical knowledge a bit, but also to dream away at your next travel destinations with the help of the map or globe.
Your personal city map
Do you have a city in the world you have a special memory of? Then you can choose a map of this city or region from the website below and provide it with your own photos. Very nice to hang on the wall as a fond memory. Create your own city map on Mapiful or Modern Map Art.
Getting started with your own photos
What I like most is to use your own travel photos to brighten up your interior. I already wrote about making a photo book, but there are other 'destinations' for your holiday photos:
- Make a selection of your photos and have them printed in different formats. Buy the same number of frames in the right formats and then put them together in your room.
- Have your selection of photos printed in Polaroid format and hang them with small clothes pegs on a string, for example.
(source photo on the right: Pinterest) - Create a wall collage of your photos with Ixxi or choose a large photo to have printed on an Ixxi.
(source photo on the right: Pinterest) - Finally, instead of having several small photos, you can also choose to have your most precious photo printed in large format on canvas, wood, plexiglass or another material. Because of the size of the photo you will be taken from your living room to your memory.
7. Learn Spanish or Portuguese
If you are planning to make a trip to Latin America, you now have the time to prepare yourself a little better for the trip. You can travel in all countries if you do not speak Spanish or Portuguese (in Brazil). However, it is very nice if you can speak a small word to get in touch with the locals. And what could be nicer than to order 'Dos cervezas, por favor' on a terrace?
You can learn a language via videos on YouTube and a nice app for on the phone is Duolingo. And if you want to do it more professionally, you can find plenty of online courses on the internet.
Source photo: Fuentes Spaans
8. Travel plans for later
There is, of course, nothing wrong with starting your travel plans now. Immerse yourself in what you would like to do, where you want to go and what the possibilities are. As soon as travel is possible again, you will be ready for it! Take a look around our website for more information and inspiration. You will find various tips, useful and practical information and trips that we have put together for inspiration.
More Latin America at home?
So far my tips. Are you starting to get itchy now anyway and are you curious about what the possibilities are for a journey through Latin America for a later moment? Then feel free to contact us. We will be happy to tell you more.