Hola from Paraguay, What are the arguments against having fruit trees in the footpaths of our cities? Do we think they bring insects? Do we worry about falling fruit? Do we believe the maintenance is greater than for other trees? Or, is there a commercial reason? Perhaps it is thought that they somehow encourage homelessness …Read More
Hola from Asuncion, Paraguay, Imagine a museum paying indigenous people for artifacts; paying a reasonable price; negotiating in good faith with the people who were the original creators of those artifacts. This would be to avoid the deceptions caused by the theft of the so-called Elgin Marbles from Greece, now housed in the British Museum, …Read More
Hola from Paraguay, Socialism will always fail if it supplants capitalism. This, of course, is the impossible conundrum. Karl Marx predicted that capitalism would replace feudalism, and that eventually capitalism’s cruel excesses would lead to the population turning to a fairer system. The question is how to eliminate the ethos of greed and selfishness inculcated …Read More
Oi from Brazil, Most of us know Brazil from afar, but we all place it squarely in the seat of responsibility for the next steps in the fight to stop global warming. The Amazon rainforest is not solely, but largely within Brazil’s jurisdiction. It provides much of the oxygen essential for our existence. This fact …Read More
Oi from Sao Paulo in Brazil, It’s reasonable to show gratitude to people who are no longer with us, such as the founders of a huge city who showed great foresight with the planning. The founders of Sao Paulo deserve that retrospective thought for their setting aside of the land for Ibirapuera Park. This is …Read More
Hola from Brazil, The two best vantages from which to see the natural wonder of Iguazu are on the water or in the air. After travelling such a long way to see Iguazu at its best, it comes down to a budgetary decision. And, on this occasion, the decision is to ‘hang the expense’. Iguazu …Read More
Hola from Argentina, Travelling through Northern Argentina is reminiscent of travelling through outback Australia. It’s not just the similarities in the landscapes but also the laconic people, the urban hierarchies and the landuse. The resemblances in the natural and cultural phenomenon keep on coming. The jagged edges and the red rock – the same iron …Read More
Hola from Potosi in Bolivia, If 80% of all of the world’s silver came from one mine, the men and women who won the ore must have struck it rich from selling that precious metal. In fact, the supply and demand equation would render it difficult to find sufficient candidates to enter the mine. Why …Read More
Hola from Bolivia, Sometimes, it’s very reassuring to know that the driver, in whom you have just placed all of your faith and confidence, is familiar with the road. Bolivia’s famous Death Road will feature in another post, but the road between Villazon and Tarija deserves its own, too. It was a bit of a …Read More
Hola from Bolivia, Surely, the best place to see an artifact is in situ. Museums and zoos are good for allowing us to see a natural or cultural wonder without having to travel to the site. But, seeing a dinosaur footprint in the creek bed right in front of you on a walk in the …Read More