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- 2. Mexico Dia de los Muertos Aztecs
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- Flamenco is a typical dance in Spain that is connected to the gypsies and other people who lived in Spain. The Flamenco guitar frequently accompanies the dance. This summer Spain won their first soccer World Cup ever. They beat the Netherlands in the final. Photo Credits: World Cup = http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigblackbox/4787284213/ Flamenco = http://www.flickr.com/photos/lievensoete/2641565490/
- Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos is celebrated October 30 th to November 2 nd . It celebrates the lives of people who have died. They set up ofrendas to honor the people, including pictures, favorite food, and other decorations. Marigolds are the official flower for the holiday. The ancient Aztecs lived in Mexico during the 14 th , 15 th , and 16 th centuries. They were known for their advanced understanding of the calendar and their architecture. The Aztecs were in power when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico. Today many people in Mexico still observe Aztec traditions and speak Aztec languages. Photo Credits: Day of the Dead: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanjoselibrary/3003965910/ Aztecs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jarvemc/3876804255/
- Guatemala is known for the varied geography. There are two mountain ranges that go through Guatemala – including 37 volcanoes. The landscape is dotted with large lakes. Just like Mexico, Guatemala has a long history of indigenous people inhabiting the country. There has been archeological evidence of people dating back to 12,000 BC. In more recent history, the Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala leaving behind famous ruins like Tikal. Photo Credits: Tikal = http://www.flickr.com/photos/astuder/3297584029/ Lake Atitlan = http://www.flickr.com/photos/adjourned/4593593874/
- El Salvador is a poor but colorful country. They are unique because they use currency from the United States as their legal tender. Houses, busses, and much more is brightly colored and decorated. Some people say the buses are brightly decorated so people who are illiterate can still tell which bus they need to get on. Photo Credits: Dollar = http://www.flickr.com/photos/sami73/38216027/ Bus = http://www.flickr.com/photos/lshave/3635976409/
- Honduras has rich biodiversity. The rain forest areas in the country include brightly plumed birds like the Scarlet Macaw. The Caribbean coastline has a unique culture. It is a mix of Spanish, African, and indigenous. The word used to describe the people is Garifuna. Honduras is also home of some ancient ruins. Copan was a significant city during the Mayan civilization. The Copan Ruins are a major tourist attraction and also a source of study for archeologists and anthropologists studying how the Mayans lived. Photo Credits: Copan Ruins = http://www.flickr.com/photos/pressuretobear/2721907504/ Garifuna = http://www.flickr.com/photos/manuelrojo/114063790/ Scarlet Macaws = http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahvega/3547352189/
- Nicaragua has both an impressive and a tragic history. Indigenous people lived in Nicaragua thousands of years ago. Glimpses into their lives were captured in volcano ash. A families footsteps through the volcano ash are an inspiring reminder of how long people have been living there. Nicaragua has had its share of natural disasters and mistreatment by those in charge. From the Spanish conquests, to the dictators in the mid-twentieth century, to foreign powers funding rebel groups – the people in Nicaragua have suffered. The country as a whole is poor and in some places this leads to a higher crime rate. Photo Credits: Footprints 6000 BC = http://www.flickr.com/photos/celiasu/2523831961/ Bike = http://www.flickr.com/photos/brucethomson/284881988/ Clinic = http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigcloutier/3821372482/
- Costa Rica is a popular vacation destination for people around the world. The many National Parks offer lots of biodiversity and unique animals, reptiles, birds, and insects. About 25% of the land in Costa Rica is protected. Both the Pacific and the Caribbean coast provide endless beaches. Surfing is a popular activity for visiting tourists. The great surfing waves make for dangerous swimming due to strong rip tides. Of all the countries in Central and South America, Costa Rica is seen as the most politically and economically stable. Photo Credits: Rain Forest = http://www.flickr.com/photos/epha/295381860/ Beach/Surfing = http://www.flickr.com/photos/josetenorio/3787680480/ Lizard = http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotlizard/3393794189/
- A traditional type of artwork is mola. The designs are colorful with geometric designs. Women will often incorporate a mola into the front and back of their blouse. Panama is most famous for the canal that divides the country in two. The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 after being under construction for 10 years. The canal allows ships traveling from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean (or vice versa) to cut through Central American instead of going around the southern tip of South America. In 1999 the control of the canal was transferred to Panama instead of being dual controlled by the United States and Panama. Photo Credits: Canal = http://www.flickr.com/photos/bishopsgreen/4561016968/ Panama Mola = http://www.flickr.com/photos/rietje/2348434822/
- The Cuban is a delicious sandwich from Cuba. The sandwich includes ham, pork, pickles, and mustard. Antique cars are common in Cuba. Due to a halt on imports (because of the embargo) beginning in the 1960’s, the Cubans do not have many modern cars. In some ways it seems like Cuba is a postcard from the past. Photo Credits: Cuban Sandwich = http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdpeyton/3215890801/ Old Cars = http://www.flickr.com/photos/flammer/422898652/
- The week before Lent is Carnival. It is celebrated in similar ways to Marci Gras. People wear costumes for parades and there are often pranks youth play on each other. The Dominican Republic is probably the one Spanish speaking country that does not have soccer as their favorite sport. Baseball is the most popular sport with soccer ranked second. There have been many famous baseball players in the MLB from the Dominican Republic, such as Sammy Sosa. Photo Credits: Baseball = http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_jones/3813799018/ Dominican Carnival = http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjaneb/2730107696/
- Technically Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the United States and not an independent country. However, it is so unique, it is being mentioned here anyway. A large portion of Puerto Rico is a rush tropical rainforest. El Yunque is home to many types of frogs that have a distinct sound. Pig roasts are common for celebrations and family gatherings. The entire country is a colorful place to be. Buildings and houses are often colorfully painted. Photo Credits: Old San Juan = http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverhode/3533565716/ Roasted Pig = http://www.flickr.com/photos/falconpr75/2558741048/ Yunque = http://www.flickr.com/photos/sk8ordie/4241898209/
- Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world. It is so tall that much of the water never makes it to the bottom – it is either blown away or evaporates. Venezuela has a mountainous geography. Roads carve into the hills and houses are built into the hills. Photo Credits: Angel Fall = http://www.flickr.com/photos/inti/3102779830/ House = http://www.flickr.com/photos/jopimalg/1415876778/
- Colombia is best known for two items: Coffee and Shakira. Shakira is a pop singer who has been famous in Spanish speaking countries since the 1990’s. She has become more world renowned by including bilingual songs, reaching both Spanish and English audiences. Coffee has been popular around the world for even longer. Colombia has the perfect growing conditions for coffee beans. Beginning in 1959, Colombian coffee was heavily marketed in the United States with the character of Juan Valdez and his coffee carrying mule. Photo Credits: Coffee heart = http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpeschetz/2090738453/ Shakira = http://www.flickr.com/photos/qnibert/369453122/
- Ecuador gets its name from its location along the equator. There is a tourist destination at the center of the earth – el mitad de mundo. The monument was built by the Spanish long before modern GPS showed they were off by a couple miles. There is an island located off the cost of Ecuador that is home to giant Galapagos Tortoises. Photo Credits: Equator = http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicomachus/4704921783/ Sign = http://www.flickr.com/photos/junto/167679435/ Galapagos = http://www.flickr.com/photos/kookr/2926472716/
- Peru was a major part in the Incan empire. Many people still tract their ancestors back to the Incan. Clothing reflects the connection. There are ruins to show the history of the Incan empire. Machu Picchu is located high in the Andes. Because of the damage that tourists have done to the location – only the first 400 people a day are allowed up. People get up and wait in line at 5 am for the chance to hike to the top. Photo Credits: People = http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcio_rodrigues/513427470/ Mancu Piccu = http://www.flickr.com/photos/rollalot/2108055381/
- Bolivia is the poorest country in South America. They are famous for having two official capital cities (La Paz and Sucre), the dangerous roads, and the Salt Plain. The capital La Paz is in the Andes Mountains. It is the highest capital city in the world. Because the capital is in the mountains, the roads winding down from the city are very steep and narrow. National Geographic listed the main road as the most dangerous road in the world. Driving on the road is even more complicated because the side of the road you drive on depends on how steep the edge of the road is. So it constantly switches when you go from La Paz to the jungle below. Long ago there was a connection between the Pacific Ocean and Bolivia. However, as the Mountains shifted it dried out – leaving behind a vast salt plain. It is like a desert, with salt instead of sand. Photo Credits: Salt Plains = http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/4575195593/ Most Dangerous Road = http://www.flickr.com/photos/philliecasablanca/2052666826/ Or Google/maps
- In Paraguay a traditional snack sold on the street is a chipa. The cheese bread is cheap and delicious. Vendors walk around with baskets full of chipas on their heads. A staple of the laid back life in Paraguay is the hammock. They are not the only country that has hammocks, but they are a popular purchase for those who visit Paraguay. Photo Credits: Hammocks = http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_neoluddite/374671750/ Chipacitos = http://www.flickr.com/photos/marisali/4873715992/ Chipa = http://www.flickr.com/photos/juangeracaris/1478515097/
- Easter Island (just one of the names for the island) is located more than 2,000 miles from Chile. The island was formally annexed to Chile in 1888. The island is famous for the moai statues that have a mysterious original. Easter Island is a World Heritage Site. Chile is so narrow a country because it is located between the Andes Mountains and the Ocean. Many of the cities have spread and are now built into the mountains. The sea port of Valpariso, Chile is an example of this. It is the San Francisco of Chile. There are trolleys to transport people up the steep terrain. There are also color staircases for people not opposed to walking up many flights of stairs. Very recently Chile has gotten international attention for the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 68 days before they were successfully rescued. While the miners will have their 15 minutes of fame, hopefully the necessary lessons about mine safety gain more lasting attention. Photo Credits: Easter Island = http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonia_carolina/562122311/ Valpariso Trolley = http://www.flickr.com/photos/feffef/461883087/
- Argentina is known for everything cows – Cowboys, steak, and leather. The Cueva de los manos – Cave of the Hands - is a cave with evidence of indigenous culture dating back to 10,000 BC. This is the oldest evidence in South America. The cave is decorated with painted handprints. The tango is another cultural image of Argentina. In the 1930’s the tango changed from just being a dance – to having the music be equally significant and impressive as the dance. Photo Credits: Cowboy = http://www.flickr.com/photos/bombeador/4330948837/ Tango = http://www.flickr.com/photos/mywayaround/3231608969/ Cueva de las manos = http://www.flickr.com/photos/nick777/316692125/
- Uruguay won the first World Cup for soccer in 1930. This summer the Uruguayan team did much better than anticipated making it to the semi-finals. Uruguay has renowned beaches. It is a destination spot for people around South America. Photo Credits: Beach = http://www.flickr.com/photos/roaming-the-planet/2481839948/ World cup = http://www.flickr.com/photos/articularnos/4707416089/