Cool shot that really brings the vibrant colors of the La Boca neighborhood in Buenos Aires to life. The area is known for live tango shows, brightly painted houses, cafes and outdoor fairs put on by local artisans. For more about TravelPoster ChristinaFish’s journey in Argentina, click the pic.

Pretty good story from last weekend’s Washington Post about tipping in the U.S. and abroad called Tipping and Travel: It’s No Easy Equation. Sadly, the chart the paper mentions in the story is not available online, but the point of the story is one that will hit home with frequent international travelers: tipping customs vary widely from place to place, and knowing them makes you a kinder traveler when in foreign lands.

The WaPo chart isn’t available online, but the BBC has a good rundown of international tipping customs called International Tipping Ettiquette.

Okay, finally a real life scene that could easily double as a dentist’s office painting. But really, how did they get that rainbow there? TravelPoster spikey doesn’t get into the science behind rainbows, but focuses on the falls instead:

They stretch for as far as the eyes can see. There are some excellent walkways alongside the falls on the Brazilian side which are free. We also went to the Argentinian side for which there is a small entrance fee.

4 more info click the pic…

One of the hottest spots for budget travel these days is Argentina. Quality leather goods are plentiful and inexpensive, high-end hotels go for $150 USD/night and late-night dinners of steak and red wine are ultra-cheap. And there’s also culture. And culture is, like, cool too. Affordable Argentina from the San Jose Mercury News gives some helpful tips for travelers planning to visit.:

- When it comes to hotel bargains, buyer beware. We found that making reservations online can be an iffy proposition. Although there are excellent bargains, some hotel Web sites use four-year-old photos, which don’t show the stained carpets, peeling wallpaper….

- My main shopping stomp was Calle Florida, a nearly milelong walking street that cuts through the Microcenter (financial center) and ends on Plaza San Martín.

- Don’t change money except in very small amounts. You can change the Argentine peso to U.S. dollars at the airport, but you won’t be able to back at home.

- Serious carnivores should head to La Cabaña, where Argentine beef, Japanese Kobe beef, you name it — will land on your plate in whatever weight you desire. You don’t have to name it — your beef is so personalized, it arrives with a certificate giving the birth date of the cattle, the name of the ranch where it was raised, its vaccination records….

[Photo: Tango on Av Florida by TravelPoster kbloman]

Food and Drink in Argentina was originally written for English-speaking newcomers to Argentina, but its publishers decided to make it relevant for tourists, too. The 128-page pocket-sized guidebook ($14.95) includes a dictionary of food terms, tips for choosing restaurants, a guide to Argentinean wines and wine country, cultural and dining etiquette information, suggestions for shopping for food within the country, regional recipes, resources for those on special diets and full-color illustrations.

Food and Drink in Argentina official site

I’m putting out my feelers today, seeing what everyone else is talking about. From the lovelies at Gadling, I found The Guardian (UK) travel round-up of 20 Urban Adventures - you know, wacky fun and semi-daring stuff you can do in big cities around the world. Like ice climbing in London (who knew?), hand-gliding in Rio De Janeiro or braving the Skywalk in Sydney. Check out the links below.

Gadling Urban Adventures
The Guardian 20 Urban Adventures

Over the next 10 months, TravelPosters The_Windleys will be chronicling their adventures in South America in their travel blog. At the moment, they are exploring the very southernmost parts of the continent, from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Coihaique, Chile. Soon they will begin to move north, stopping on Easter Island and then the Galapagos Islands after that.

The Windleys’ blog entries are full of good information about distances between towns, how to find transportation, how much they paid for rides between towns and other practical details that would be helpful to anyone planning a trek through South America.

For example, one blog entry suggests entering Chile from Argentina via Los Antiguos. Another mentions Indian Adventure as a good company to use for renting gear for camping in Torres Del Paine National Park. In Ushaia, Argentina, the couple suggests staying at Hotel Posada Serena.

Almost every post has great info you can use if you’re planning a similar trip.

The Windleys Travel Blog

Got a few minutes to take a spin around the world? Check out recent blog entries from TravelPosters who are buzzing to through places like:

Milan, Italy

Fatehpur, India

Menifee, CA

So many places, so little time.

Wow - nice shot. TravelPoster syroy posted this photograph of Bolivia’s Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) today, and I just loved it. The blog is in French, but I can read enough of it to tell you this: if you want to reach the Laguna Verde, which is located in southwestern Bolivia, you need to go through an adventure outfitter or a travel agency there that will provide an all-terrain vehicle or 4×4. It’s not like you can take the bus. There are no street signs and, because the area is near the vast salt flats, there are few distinquishing landmarks to guide you. But the extra effort will be worth it.

Another tip? Stay at the Salt Hotel in Uyuni, Bolivia as part of your trip. According to syroy, it’s not super comfortable, but what an experience. The hotel is made entirely of salt - the walls, beds, everything. From what I can tell, you can’t book a room at this hotel directly. You have to go through a local travel agent.

In general, if you plan to go to this part of Bolivia, be aware that you’ll probably need to go through a travel agency before you arrive. You can make plans once you arrive in Uyuni, but you may be bombarded by travel agents hawking various trips. If you make the plans in advance, you won’t have to deal with it when you arrive.

Here is a fine pic scored by TravelPoster syroy, who is currently experiencing some travelicious times in Chile. The journal entry that contains this photo is in French - not my first language. But from what I can make out, Chile is breathtaking, kayaking there is quite an experience and that one should get a guide when exploring here. All I can say is, “C’est un photograph tres, tres jolie.”