#Amazon River Tours

[junglexperiences]

Rainy Vs. Dry Season: Which Is The Best Time For Amazon River Tours

Amazon River Tours have a huge following among backpackers. Nature lovers have so much to discover in this mighty river flowing over 4000 miles and the region is home to about 10% of the world’s flora and fauna. Therefore, Amazon cruises are both interesting and intriguing. Amazon is a must-visit destination for people interested in unusual kind of tours. If you might wonder which one is the best season for Amazon River tours, here is the answer to let you make an informed decision for best results.

The best time for Amazon River tours Just choosing a river cruise might look simple for you. You might imagine Amazon River tours like exploring a good deal, and then choosing the ship and itinerary. In this, you have not covered the biggest and the most important part namely when to sail. Remember with regard to Amazon tours, choosing the right time is as important as choosing where to go and which cruise to choose.

Weather is a crucially important aspect that will decide what you can see and do on and off the river. Access to the wildlife, excursions on the shore, and ports will highly depend on water levels and hence this is an important topic to understand.

The downsides to travel in the Amazon during wet season are a phenomenal increase in mosquitoes around this time, many hiking trails in the forest becoming inaccessible during this season making you spend more time on the skiff than on foot.

The dry season, also called as the low-water season runs from June through November. In fact, the term ‘dry’ is out of context in this rain forest as Amazon is an ever green forest. The only difference is you will come across fewer rains during this season. If fishing excursions and jungle walks are your interests, then the dry season is the best time for Amazon River tours. Since fish will swim in a lower volume of water during this season, it is easier to catch a piranha. Though this is the hottest time in the year, the mosquitoes will be fewer to contend with.

Take away Always choose your Amazon River cruise itinerary wisely and plan the tours during the right time to make the most of this fantastic experience. To this end, doing some research and updating you with some good information about the region will be highly useful.

[shewhoeatssand]

I want to befriend Kaneki and meet with him and email him forever

[wanderlustphotosblog]

Experience the Brazilian Amazon: A Manaus, Brazil Guide

Nestled in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, the city of Manaus is known as gateway to the Amazon. In my guide, you'll learn when to visit, where to stay, and how to book your guided jungle treks, river cruises, and wildlife spotting excursions.

This Manaus, Brazil guide post contains my Hotels.com, Expedia, Vrbo, and Viator affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you book a hotel or tour from this article, though at no additional cost to you. I hand-pick and recommend only the hotels and tours that I have thoroughly researched and feel comfortable recommending. Discover the vibrant city of Manaus, the heart of the Brazilian…

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: A Cold, Cold World

Synopsis: An amateur female sheriff tries to fill her late father’s boots and be the sheriff her small Washington State Mountain town needs as a deadly snowstorm engulfs the town, in this dark, twisty mystery.  The world felt pure. Nature made the location pristine again, hiding the scene from prying eyes. As if no one had died there at all. In the months since Bet Rivers solved her first…

[manurainforest]

Exploring the Treasures of the Amazon River Tours Peru

Entering the Amazon River region of Peru is akin to entering a vibrant, living Eden. In this place, the natural world thrives in its purest form, with new discoveries revealed at every bend in the river. The sounds of exotic birds fill the air, and the thick undergrowth conceals mysteries that are solely understood by the local aboriginal groups who have lived here for ages. Starting a Peruvian Amazon tour Peru promises an experience like no other, a journey that blends the excitement of seeing wildlife with a deep respect for prehistoric cultures. Read more: https://manurainforestperu.wordpress.com/2023/11/01/exploring-the-treasures-of-the-amazon-river-tours-peru/

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Macron rekindles France-Brazil relationship in widely memed Lula visit

Photos of French president’s three-day trip to Brazil to reaffirm countries’ partnership delight internet observers

If the official photos are anything to go by, Emmanuel Macron’s three-day trip to Brazil has been more romantic getaway than international diplomacy.

The French president, who ended his tour of the South American country on Thursday with a state visit to the capital, Brasília, prompted online hilarity after the publication of photos showing him being particularly chummy with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Macron, 46, began his visit on Tuesday in Belém, the Amazonian city that will host the Cop30 climate conference next year, and the nearby Combu island.

In one photo released on 78-year-old Lula’s social media channels, the two beaming heads of state can be seen clasping hands on a boat while gazing out at the Guamá River. In another, they appear to be blithely skipping under the Amazon canopy.

Quick-witted internet users compared the images to engagement photoshoots or scenes from a romcom.

Continue reading.

[wishfishy]

When I first heard that a new Endless Ocean was going to be released, I was incredibly excited. Just absolutely over-the-moon excited. You see, Endless Ocean 2: Blue World (also called Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep) is one of my favourite games of all time. Scratch that: it is my favourite game. It was far from perfect, but I loved it dearly and happily sank hundreds if not thousands of hours into it.

EO2 is a diving game for the wii that was released in 2010, and I have never been able to find a game quite like it. The main story was a bit cheesy, but charming and engaging, with a bevy of likeable if occasionally one-note characters, and the game itself had surprising depths (diving pun fully intended). The game had 12 different diving maps in 6 locations and while the specific areas were fictitious, they were based on very real places (the South Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, as well as a freshwater river in the Amazon) and this was reflected in the species found in each area, with a few exceptions here and there.  You could explore shallow coral reefs, a sunken castle, ancient temples, abyssal depths, a kelp forest, sandy beaches, riverbanks, hidden coves with murals, and much more. You also had a small private island as a hub location, a personal reef you could decorate, and a public aquarium which you could fill with any of the non-legendary species you discovered.

Speaking of which, the game featured 340 different species of marine and freshwater fish, sharks, rays, marine mammals, penguins, shore birds, reptiles, crustaceans, cephalopods and other invertebrates. Some of these also had different models for young or different genders. You could find truly miniscule species that most other diving games overlook entirely in zoom-spots (such as gobies and nudibranchs), and you could interact with most by feeding, touching or even riding in the case of large marine life. And on top of this you could also find legendary creatures, which could be individuals of extant species with unusual colouring or size, or even extinct species, and could be exceedingly hard to find but entirely rewarding.

This is already getting to be much too long but on top of all this you could customize your diver character, buy things for your island hub, decorate and populate a private reef to propagate and release fish, create various aquarium exhibits, discover a great many side-quests, upgrade equipment, take and sell photographs, heal sick animals, search for and sell salvage, find collectable coins, train dolphin partners, take requests for guided tours, dolphin shows, salvage and photos, dodge or placate aggressive sharks, and more that I am probably forgetting. It’s been a while since I’ve played the game, as I no longer have a wii and don’t have the first clue on how to emulate games on my PC. All this is to say that this game was something special, and I have never been able to find anything remotely close to it. And seeing as how the last one was released almost 15 years ago, I had long given up hope for an Endless Ocean 3.

And then lo and behold, a trailer dropped from out of nowhere for Endless Ocean Luminous! And it was releasing in a month! Holy Shit! What!? Yes!

But alas, the more information came out about the game, the more that excitement started to wane. A focus on multiplayer? Procedural generation? Only one map? The only character being an AI that sounded like all those awful tiktok voices? To be clear, I wasn’t expecting Luminous to be the next GoTY. I wasn’t even expecting it to be an exact replica of EO2, or continue the storyline. If it had even a fraction of what I liked about the previous game I was going to be one happy camper. I assumed that the marketing was focusing on the multiplayer aspect instead of the single-player story, that hopefully the procedurally generated map was exclusive to that multiplayer. Surely the single player mode would extend past what little was shown in the trailers. Some things seemed promising, such as an advertised 500+ species, and even more prehistoric marine life. But again, alas, what I have seen since the release is the barest and palest reflection of what I enjoyed about the previous game. I could understand cutting some content, such as the dolphin training and shows, considering the controversy of cetaceans in captivity. But it seems like there is no aquarium, no central hub of any type, no characters beyond the aforementioned AI and a single faceless diver, salvage reduced to a single click, an incredibly reduced story consisting mostly of scanning fish, no ability to feed or interact with fish and fish behaviour also seems to be quite reduced. At least photography still appears to be in the game, though its unclear to what point. Are there still photo requests? The ability for some critters to swim along with or attach to your diver looks cute at least. But everything I’ve watched so far just feels so… lifeless. Empty. As if the whole game was AI generated, which I’m at least %75 sure isn’t the case.

But I’m left kind of baffled by the direction that this game was taken in. I’ve been trying to find any information about it’s development with little to no success. Why the focus on multiplayer to the exclusion of a single player story beyond the bare minimum? What lead to the choice to have a single, procedurally generated map instead of separate, smaller, but more scientifically accurate maps? Or even a single smaller but purposefully designed map? Was this game more like the previous games at any point in its conception or development or was it always intended to be such a departure?

[antifascistblackmetalnetwork]

Antifascist Black Metal Network today presents the Antifascist Solidarity Compilation, composed of Brazilian antifascist bands and put together by the collective Metal Sem Facho. It aims to raise money for MLB and CSP-Conlutas, organisations involved in the relief effort during the disastrous floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2024. Releasing officially on the December 6th.

When some artists, activists and fans of various political tendencies started to organized the Metal Sem Facho ("Metal Without Fash") collective, we were profoundly bothered with the presence of fascists, misogynists, LGBTQIA+phobes, Zionists and other far-right scum inside heavy music, and the desire to do something to remove this presence and promote a more inclusive and left-oriented underground. Our first effort was organizing groups to debate politics and music, and we talked about and with countless bands, traded information about whom to avoid and who to publish, helped in virtual campaigns such as that against the presence of the accessories of genocide Armored Dawn in Tarja's tour of the USA, and a series of other things. 

However, we also want to fight the far-right in a more material and less musical dimension, bridging the heavy metal community and the struggles that happen in reality. We have many and deep differences between us, but we have some important common principles, among which are there is class solidarity: that is, the support, polical and material (as much as possible), to workers who are victims of polical brutality, mass layoffs, environmental catastrophes, etc. This compilation, which we hope will be the first of many, is on one hand an opportunity to bring attention to some bands that share these values with us, but it also intends to gather funds to help the organized social movements who are on the frontlines against of the biggest disasters in Brazil's history: the huge floods in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, which happened between late April and early May 2024.

The very same climate collapse we see expressed in the forest fires of Canada and Valparaiso of Chile, on the bizarre drought of the Amazon River and on the murderous heat across the world brought a absurd of rain, which led to floods that kept Rio Grande do Sul quite literally underwater for the better part of a month. The losses for the poor are incalculable: hundreds of people dead, hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, millions of animals dead... and on the part of those responsible for all of this, the big businessmen, big farmers, the governments, the efforts to reparate the victims was insufficient in the best of cases. The floods in Rio Grande do Sul show, once again, that the exploited and the oppressed of this world have only theimselves as friends.

The groups we want to support, CSP-Conlutas and the MLB, are old friends of the Brazilian social movement. CSP-Conlutas is a antibureaucratic federation joining hundreds of trade unions, student and popular organizations who are independent from all governments and play an outstanding role in the organization and unification of struggles and strikes around the country. The Movimento de Lutas nos Bairros, Vilas e Favelas ("Movement of Struggles on Neighbourhoods, Villages and Slums") fights for urban reform and for the right to live with dignity. Both organizations are present around the country and have been exemplary in the fight against the first consquences of the catastrophe, be it organizing shelters, community kitchens and distributing free food and donations, be it organizing demonstrations, occupations and other forms of demanding the rights due to the homeless and affected. Both need help to keep the actions of solidarity and struggle, which have not ended and will probably become even more necessary considering the continuity of the climate collapse.

This compilation is a small sample of bands that are somehow involved with Metal Sem Facho, be it in the organization, in the rank-and-file groups, or just are solidary to our ideas. We have legends of the Brazilian underground, bands that play tours around the world, and newer groups/ we have black metal, death metal, grindcore, thrash, and other stuff, we have bands from the South, Southeast and Northeast regions, and from 10 different states of the country; we have bands with LGBTQIA+, black and female members. None of this is by coincidence, since fighting to open space for diversity is one of our principles - in fact, we think we are lagging behind in that sense, since we lack two regions of the country and the oppressed sectors are the minority in this compilation. We believe that heavy metal's place is on the side of the oppressed and exploited and without any type of "proletarian" reductionism like those operated by transphobes and "anti-identitarians" that sell themselves as leftists just to spread the very same disgusting conservatism of the far-right.

The arts of the cover and of the logo, made by our dear colleague Clark, give us a clue of what we want with this compilation: not only to bring antifascist solidarity to our comrades of Rio Grande do Sul, but also to raise high the black and red banners above the reactionary mud that tries to drown heavy metal... and metaphorically (or not), to drown in fascist blood our blades. Fear then, minions, ancaps and others of the same ilk, for this declaration is just the beginning of our war!

[newlullabies]

Animal Crossing x LEGO is here!!! I haven’t been this excited about a collab in a looong time hehe. here are all the details on the five new sets!

Kapp’n’s Island Boat Tour #77048— collect bamboo and coconuts, go fishing, dig for bells, relax on the beach — this set has so many cute activities to do! 233 pieces; includes Kapp’n and Marshal minifigures. — $29.99 on Amazon

Julian’s Birthday Party #77046— this set would make a great birthday present! I love all the charming little details to build, like the cake, treats, and presents. 170 pieces; includes a Julian minifigure. —$14.99 on Amazon

Nook’s Cranny and Rosie’s House #77050— the biggest set in the collab! shop at Nook’s Cranny, have cupcakes with Rosie, and discover a hidden surprise in the orange tree. 535 pieces; includes Tom Nook and Rosie minifigures. —$74.99 on Amazon

Isabelle’s House Visit #77049— this set has so many adorable, iconic ACNH elements, like a present balloon, a garden, and a mailbox. how cute is the smoke coming out of the chimney?! 389 pieces; includes Isabelle and Fauna minifigures. — $39.99 on Amazon

Bunnie’s Outdoor Activities #77047 — imho the cutest set in the collab! I adore the cherry tree, the hidden treasure, and the mechanism for vaulting across the river. I have this set on my desk right now :) 164 pieces; includes a Bunnie minifigure. — $19.99 on Amazon

[cognitivejustice]

How solar power is changing life in Ecuador's Amazon basin

For more than 40 years, the local Indigenous people, the Achuar, have been advocating to stop oil development, which has ravaged large swaths of the Ecuadorian Amazon. But even as they fought against fossil fuels, gasoline was their only option to light their homes and power the boats tied to their livelihood. This area has the thinnest electric coverage in the country. But now a smattering of solar panels across 12 villages in a couple of Ecuador’s deeply forested eastern provinces are transforming life.

Solar power is shaping how they go about daily life in ways big and small, from how they get to work to how they negotiate their connections to the world beyond the Amazon.

Photo above: A solar-powered electric boat

For generations, young men farmed the land, built huts or left their village to find work outside the jungle. Now solar panels are opening up other options.

In the Kapawi Solar Center, an open structure overlooking the Pastaza River, 20 solar panels power a dozen outlets strapped to bamboo poles. There, technicians such as Óscar Mukucham can charge up and hold workshops on how to install panels.

As a boy, Mukucham, now 23, had visions of solar boats moving through the river. Now he teaches others how to maintain them in the Amazon humidity.

Solar power is also fueling eco-tourism. The Kapawi Ecolodge, a hotel managed by the community, boasts 64 panels that illuminate 10 cabins, the dining room and other hotel facilities for 24 hours a day.

The solar boats are so quiet, they make for ideal vessels for nature tours: They don’t scare away dolphins or birds.

For Canelos, the lamps and panels are enabling a bigger vision: powering the Amazon without scarring it with roads and poles. Solar energy connects them to the world beyond their home, while preserving the ancient traditions that have sprouted from its rich rainforest floor.

“We cannot talk about the fight against extractive activities if we are consuming fuel,” he said. “Just as the sun makes life possible on the planet, it also allows the Achuar to keep their culture alive.”

Source

[annachum]

Some other places in the 7 Rings of Hell

Moneytree Hills, Greed Ring

Moneytree Hills is one of the most affluent regions of Greed. Inspired by Greenwich Village, Greenwich London and Upper East Side, Moneytree Hills is famous for having literal money trees and huge bank chains. The money trees there are under tight security by a retinue of money tree guards. There are also a number of fancy art galleries, exhibitions and fancy stores, often charging considerable prices!

Green Eyed Rainforest, Envy Ring

Located at the heart of the River of Covet ( which is inspired by the Amazon River, and which led to Envy Sea ), the Green Eyed Rainforest ( inspired by the Amazon Rainforest ) boasts a huge variety of Envy Ring rainforest wildlife. It also has tour guide boat trips available for tourist groups, where tourists can take pictures of wildlife and may even venture into some of the caves along the way!

[menospreciado]

 https://www.machu-picchu.tours/en/packages/lima-cusco-machu-picchu-puno-arequipa-iquitos-amazon-river-15-days-tour/

[newbookcats]

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation or Olympic Games

Originally posted on my blog: https://newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com/2024/08/ten-noteworthy-and-unforgettable.html

Unless you live in the sun-blazing heat and humidity of Houston or anywhere close to the Earth's equator, Summer rolls around only once a year. Nonetheless, summer in the United States is a time of change: the weather itself turns warmer as the sun works overtime, tropical storms and hurricanes become more occurrent as beach attendance rises, another academic year ends and readies for the subsequent classes to come later, and the awaited summer vacation and family traveling. 

Whether I went to my local park or partook in a family road trip to Florida, each vacation was the most anticipated part of my summer. Moreover, partaking in exciting adventures only gave me more brownie points when I inevitably returned to school and expressed all the amusement to my classmates and friends. Nonetheless, I still left energy to read imaginary stories as well as listen to my classmates' summer stories. 

Meanwhile, to distract myself from the never-ending wait to reach a destination (seriously, how many times is too much to ask a parent "Are we there yet?"?) to the inevitable downtime needed for my family to recharge after too many waves on the lazy rivers, my requirement for serious entertainment was delivered in the form of binging episodes of true-crime from Forensic Files or a murder mystery novel...and from the title of my blog, I do not have a doubt which of the two choices I or you chose on our previous vacations. 

Thus, here are ten noteworthy stories to stash in your next vacation's travel luggage! In between glimpses of dragons and historical romances, do not forget to look up from the imaginary universe in your hands to explore reality outdoors! 

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation

 1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Need a break from home? If yes, then may I suggest traveling with Monty along with his younger sister Felicity and his best friend/crush Percy on their Grand Tour of Europe set in the 19th century?! Not only is Monty perfectly sassy and desired by the likes of many women and men, but his desires for trouble and flirts with danger only lead this trio to life-threatening adventures only heard in tall tales. Watch out for this impeccable novel that tackles both pirates and social issues in the midst of a historical comedy and romance!

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.[Goodreads]

2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

From the book that inspired the hit Amazon Prime series, it's only fitting to read the book before summer ends and compare the book to its television adaptation. Then, we may all decide whether the book is better than the series?

In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. [Goodreads]

3. The War Outside by Monica Hesse

It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan. Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day, and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis. With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other? [Goodreads]

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...[Goodreads]

5. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Although this is my current read, Maniscalco has me completely trapped in impulsively purchasing a one-way ticket to Italy and engulfing plates of pasta while reading. Be sure to bring this book and a bookmark with you wherever you go to vacation because it will keep you hooked!

 Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...[Goodreads]

6. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.[Goodreads]

7. Angelfall by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.[Goodreads]

8. Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

If you are still mourning the last book of Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, I highly recommend Miller's Mask of Shadows. The story follows Sallot who is training to be a royal assassin...but only if someone does not kill them first!

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.[Goodreads]

9. Any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys Mystery

If your ideal read on a vacation is short but still encapsulates all the features of well-thought stories, then I highly recommend choosing a novel from either the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series. I might also recommend bringing several of these novels, particularly if you plan to travel for several days, as they might just leave you wanting more adventure after your first look.

10. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series, this novel is for those who have read all the Nancy Drews and are looking for more history, action, and adventure!

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations. After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world![Goodreads]

Love,

newbookcats

What stories that you read on vacation were so noteworthy that it surpassed your trip experiences? Were any of the novels so good you felt forced to shout its praises from clifftops, or were any so bad that you hid the evidence of your bookish guilt in a dark cave for only Wilson volleyballs to find? Which of my above picks would receive Gold at the Olympics? Correspond with me in the comments below or via my social medias. Talk to you soon!

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[chaletnz]

Amazon: Palo Alto Trek

The morning after my trip, I woke up early enough to make it to the dining room for breakfast, after extraditing a huge cockroach from my room. I ate some tiny slices of bread with butter and jam, with fried plantain and orange slices on the side. I also managed to take down half a cup of coffee splashed with some mystery milk from a tin can with a hole pierced in the top – probably condensed milk. I farewelled the Puerto Rican family who were leaving the jungle today, and then went back to my room to rest again for a few more hours until it was lunchtime. When I woke again and showered, I was shocked at how manageable the temperature was after the rain. It had removed so much humidity from the air and was no longer sweltering hot. Lunch was little medallions of beef (they told us it was snake at first), with rice, yuka potato, and watermelon. After lunch Rodrigo and I headed out to Palo Alto for the day. This was meant as an overnight trip but I didn’t want to go camping feeling so weak so I asked if we could do it as a day trip. Old reliable had been fitted with an engine and had life vests strapped to the seats to make it a little more comfortable for the journey over the river. Our first stop was Santa Maria de Fatima, a more developed town in the rainforest with nicer buildings and even satellite dishes on the houses. Rodrigo took me on a walking tour and showed me plantains, papaya, huge limes, and tumbo the Peruvian giant passionfruit growing on the trees. We then walked about 40 minutes through the jungle to the campsite where I was glad to not be staying. We saw some monkeys on the way, a lot of fire ants, and a couple butterflies. At the campsite there was a boat full of rainwater that Rodrigo scooped out so that we could continue our journey. He paddled us slowly down a little lagoon with seemingly black water. It was beautiful and quiet, with just the sounds of birds chirping as we floated down. We went as far as possible in the boat before the water was too shallow and we then had to get out and squelch our way through the shallows to reach the bank. About 10 minutes later we arrived at the viewpoint tower which overlooks the lowlands and swamp area with a wide view, Rodrigo said there are giant caimans and a lot of other predtors in that area and he wouldn’t want to venture out there too far for his own safety. Thew view was impressive but the black lagoon canoe ride was truly the highlight. We paddled backwards to get back to the campsite and I had a great view, I was lucky to see a tiny monkey run on a branch all the way out to the water until it saw us, got a fright, and ran away. We then trekked the 40 minutes back to old reliable for a nice sunset ride back to Maniti Camp and dinner of the pineapple chicken, rice, fried plantains, and orange halves. I packed up most of my bag ready for departure tomorrow while the lights were on and then went to leave a tip in the tip box for the kitchen staff. The tip box was covered in ants and I wondered if they would eat it before they unlocked it and took the tips. I laid down for another early night and dreamed about my next few nights in Iquitos with air conditioning, and a much more comfortable mattress and pillow that would help the intense pain I was getting in my legs and back every time I slept here.

[2wards-travelling]

Over a week since my last post, but we are still alive and have not been kidnapped (yet). 2 days in the Peruvian Amazon and we discovered just why it was called a rain forest. Day 1 was sunny as we raced down the river, well until the engine failed. False start and 'we needed a bigger boat' No Sharks but caiman, turtles and capybara. The piranhas didn't appear either. Stayed in a lodge type resort , electricity to charge phones etc was limited to between 5 and 10 pm, no hot water, but the bar was open 24/7. Day 2 was the wettest day ever with a 12k hike scheduled. we delayed until the rain eased, however once 6k onto the walk it pissed down again leaving the trails knee deep in shitty water. Not my favourite day so far, but we did get pissed at the bar.

Back to Lima the next day and our last supper with the group. We all promised to keep in touch and they promised to come to Liverpool in August for a weekend out. Aks and Vinny have promised to come up from London, but I will believe that when I see it. I wil still be getting the last train home using my bus pass.

Ann and I stayed a few more days in Mira Flores, before moving on to Santiago. A little bit if luxury, with roof top pool and air conditioning. plus ESPN on the tele for multiple replays of City v Bayern. Football on TV almost 24/7. They have even shown Wrexhams great escape here in Chile with the European round up. A walking tour of the City yesterday, with a lot of political rhetoric. Keeping my gob shut though before we get collared by the secret police. Still a little but volatile here, the riot police out with water cannons tonight. seems like an every day occurrence here. Didn't fancy taking any photos. Been to Valpraiso today on an organised tour. Worth the visit for beaches and so called famous graffiti artists in a very bohemian district. Also a heavy wiff of weed.

Back at our hotel now watching more champions league reruns, after organising flights and accommodation for San Pedro de Atacama ( staying in a converted shipping container, but it does have air con.) No transport from the Airport, yet so winging it a bit this time. That's what all the youngsters do.

Watch out for the next installment in a few days

I will try and post some photos but having trouble uploading them.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Encountering Italy and Germany on a Road Trip Through Southern Brazil

The author encountered accordion music and other unexpected delights on a meandering five-day tour through villages with names like Garibaldi and Teutônia.

I had intricately planned my road trip exploring the Italian and German heritage of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, to maximize immigrant cuisine, unsung wineries and villages with charming timber-frame buildings. I’d visit Antônio Prado, the self-proclaimed “most Italian city in Brazil,” drive along rural roads lined with hydrangeas, and explore Gramado, a town whose center this time of year resembles an Epcot version of an Alpine ski town, decked out with Santa statues and massive candy canes.

But while Gramado’s Christmas parade had its charms and Antônio Prado’s nearly 50 landmark buildings were mesmerizing, unexpected encounters would repeatedly steal the show during my five-day adventure.

Take the impromptu concert that started when I pulled my car over one day near a meandering river. A roadside event was clearly winding down — a woman wiped down a long table, a few stragglers drank beer by a makeshift bar, and a handful of kids splashed in the water. A friendly man told me I had just missed a party celebrating the opening of a bridge to replace the one that had been damaged by tragic floods in May.

As I explained in Portuguese that I wanted to learn “about the immigrant traditions of the region,” a man grabbed an accordion and gathered members of his musical group — Grupo Náni, slogan: “Keeping Italian Cultures Alive” — to belt out “La Bella Polenta,” an immigrant ode to a cornmeal dish with origins in the Italian province of Veneto. The town mayor, one of the dillydallying drinkers, joined in too, and all were singing in Talian, a language that evolved from Venetian and other Italian dialects that their ancestors brought to this region of Brazil more than 100 years ago.

I live in Brazil, and have done the big tourist hits — Carnival in Rio, a cruise on the Amazon, the jaguars of the Pantanal. But pockets of immigrant cultures have always sparked my interest, and I had never experienced the vibrant European traditions that began with 19th-century migration and are still found in the Serra Gaúcha and the neighboring Taquari River Valley.

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