Grand Voyage 2023 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida To Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Grand South America

At Chile’s northernmost end, the dizzying railway from high Bolivia comes down to the sea. Arica, the City of Eternal Spring, has a population of 169,000. and is located in the Atacama Desert. See San Marcos Cathedral, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and marvel at Pre-Incan relics in the City Museum. Or leave the city to venutre to the White City of Arequipa, the Incan capital of Cuzco and Machu Picchu and the ancient Inca city in the clouds.

Belize City is both the geographic and commercial center of the Country of Belize. All major highways lead into and out of this colonial city and provide access to the Rainforests, Mayan archaeological sites, and the other natural inland and offshore attractions. Belize City is an excellent starting point for excursions to the Barrier Islands, for scuba diving and for a wide variety of tours.

The British are still coming!

They discovered her natural beauty in the 1620’s, and they’ve been here ever since. Although the island became independent in 1966, life here till retains a strong British accent.

With a climate that is considered among the kindest in the West Indies, and spectacular natural beauty, Barbados is truly one of the gems of the Caribbean.

Buenos Aires is one of the largest cities of Latin America, a major world port, and Argentina’s commercial and social center. Heavily industrialized, he city is one of the world’s leading exporters of processed foods. It was founded in 1536, abandoned, then resettled in 1580, and was the first Latin American city to revolt (1810) against Spanish rule.

Officially independent in 1816, it became the capital of a united Argentina in 1862. It grew into an urban colossus in the late 19th century, when railroads into the agriculturally abundant pampa to the west began to supplement the great inland river transportation system that linked the city with Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil, and immigration from Europe increased. Famous landmarks include the 19th century cathedral, the opera house, and the many beautiful municipal parks.

Do you like fish? Not necessarily to eat. Just to look at. Because if you do, you’re going to love Cozumel, Mexico,where sheltered coral reefs make this one of the best snorkeling areas in the world. Abundant and colorful marine life turn the sea into a visual fantasy.

Of course, you might even love it if all you like are beautiful secluded beaches, great shopping, and authentic Mexican cuisine. That’s the deal with Cozumel; there’s a lot to like.

Fort Lauderdale, (lô´der-dâl´) city (1990 pop. 148,377), seat of Broward Co., SE Fla., on the Atlantic coast; settled around a fort built (c.1837) in the Seminole War, inc. 1911. The city has more than 270 mi (435 km) of natural and artificial waterways and one of the largest marinas in the world. A major beach resort, it has a performing arts center and art and science museums. Products include electronic devices, boats and yachts, and various light manufactures.

One of Brazil’s largest cities, Fortaleza offers plentiful sunshine along more than 30 km of beaches. Its markets are filled with potential purchases of every kind, from beautiful handmade lace to embroidered tapestries and hammocks. Enjoy a tour of the city, find a party with live music almost any day of the week, or pick a spot near the shore to watch the fishermen on their jangadas (traditional fishing boats) as they return to port with their catch.

Guayaquil, (gwä-yä-kêl´) city (1990 pop. 1,531,229), capital of Guayas prov., W Ecuador, on the Guayas R. near its mouth on the Gulf of Guayaquil, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. It is Ecuador’s largest city and its chief port and manufacturing center. Founded by Sebastián de Benalcázar in 1535, it was liberated from Spain by Antonio José de Sucre in 1821, and in 1822 was the site of a meeting between Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín that determined the course of South American independence. The climate is hot and humid.

The capital of St. Barthelemy, Gustavia is purely French. Though named after a Swedish king, Gustav III, and still retaining some of its Swedish influence, the small group of inhabitants are mostly young, very chic and very French.

Montevideo is on of South America’s major ports, and Uruguay’s only large city, with nearly half its population. It is a specious beautiful city with amazing architecture and spectacular beaches.

Puerto Montt is the gateway to Chile’s Lake District, an Alpine region noted for its crisp air and breathtaking mountain scenery. Gaze at the pristine beauty of towering Mount Osomo; view the rushing falls and rapids of Petrohue; or enjoy a calm interlude at lake Todos Los Santos.

From here, planes fly to the White Continent: Antarctica. Spectacularly situated at Chile’s southern end, La Cruz Hill affords commanding views of the Straits of Magellan. There is a Patagonian Museum to see, the City Museum run by Salesian Friars, a cemetery graced with cypress groves and ornate mausoleums and, naturally, penguins.

Recife, (rè-sê´fe) chief city (1990 est. pop. 1,375,000) of NE Brazil,a port on the Atlantic Ocean; also known as Pernambuco. Cut by many waterways, it lies partly on the mainland and partly on an island and is often called the Brazilian Venice. It is an important transportation center; its economy is based on the processing and export of cotton,
sugar, and coffee. Industrial products include glass, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, and synthetic rubber. Founded (1548) by the Portuguese, Recife was briefly held by the British (1595) and the Dutch (1630-54).

Rio de Janeiro, (rê´o dâ zhe-nâr´o) city (1990 est. pop. 6,042,000), SE Brazil, capital of Rio de Janeiro state, former capital of Brazil, on Guanabara Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. Brazil’s second largest city and principal port, Rio (as it is popularly called) has diverse manufactures and handles much of the nation’s foreign trade. It is predominantly a modern city, with a new airport and subway system. A cosmopolitan city, long the cultural center of Brazil, it is also its greatest tourist
attraction. Rio is celebrated for its pre-Lenten carnival and for its beautiful natural setting within an amphitheater of low mountains. Noted landmarks are Sugar Loaf Mt., which dominates the harbor, and Corcovado peak, with its colossal statue of Jesus. Founded by French Huguenots in 1555, the city was taken by Portugal in the 1560s. It replaced Bahia (now Salvador) as Brazil’s capital in 1763 and was supplanted by Brasília in 1960.

Salvador (sàl´ve-dôr´) or Bahia, city (1990 est. pop.2,050,000), capital of Bahia state, E Brazil. An Atlantic port, it processes and ships cacao, tobacco, sugar, and other products of a fertile crescent, the Recôncavo. The city was found in 1549, flourished with the rise of sugar plantations, and was the leading center of colonial Brazil and the capital of Portugal’s possessions in America until 1763. An influx of plantation slaves was the source of its African heritage. It is now a tourist center noted for its 16th-century cathedral.

Although first visited by Columbus, it was Ponce de Leon who named and established the area.

Because of its strategic location, Spain chose San Juan to be one of its strongholds in the New World. The El Morro Fort,rising defiantly from the sea, is living testament to the days when Puerto Rico was a cornerstone of Spain’s efforts in North America.

Today the fort is still an attraction, in addition to the walled city of Old San Juan, the beautiful hotels and casinos and the nearbyresort areas and golf courses.

Columbus called them Virgins. What he saw in the troika of St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John that gave him this impression is not known for sure, but a visitor to any of the three would probably guess it was their natural, unspoiled beauty that inspired him.

But looks aren’t everything–there’s history too. In the 17th century, ownership of St. Thomas was hotly contested by many of the major European powers. Later, swashbucklers like Blackbeard and Drake made the island a base for their operations. And in 1917, St. Thomas and the other Virgins were acquired by the U.S. from Denmark.

Today, St. Thomas has many draws that make it one of the Caribbean’s most popular vacation spots–not the least of which is the fabulous duty free shopping. Some would contend that with sufficient purchases, one may actually cover the cost of the trip in savings alone. There’s only one way to find out–you gotta be there.

Stanley is a miniature capital, where the masts of old sailing ships stick up haphazardly out of the little harbour and the government house is a little more than a medium-sized Victorian home. There is little to remind visitors of the Falklands war.

Be sure to visit the post office to purchase the extraordinary Falklands commemorative stamps. Many of them depict the Island’s rich variety of wildlife. Unhampered by human encroachment, the Falklands’ huge populations of penguins, black-browed albatross, sea lions, fur seals and elephant seals are totally unafraid of visitors.

As Chile’s chief port, Valparaiso is a major industrial center and the terminus of a trans-Andean railroad. Its setting is a natural amphitheater. The business district, crowded onto a narrow waterfront terrace, is connected by cable railways to residential areas on the surrounding slopes. Founded in 1536, Valparaiso grew rapidly in the late 19th century.