Enjoy Churrasco

Churrasco is a Spanish and Portuguese term referring to beef or grilled meat more generally, differing across Latin America and Europe, but a prominent feature in the cuisine of Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru and other Latin American countries.

The related term churrascaria or churrasqueria is mostly understood to be a steakhouse.

A churrascaria is a restaurant serving grilled meat, many offering as much as one can eat.

The waiters move around the restaurant with the skewers, slicing meat onto the client's plate.

This serving style is called espeto corrido or rodízio, and is quite popular in Brazil.

In Brazil, churrasco is the term for a barbecue similar to the Argentine, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and Chilean asado which originated in southern Brazil.

It uses a variety of meats, pork, sausage and chicken which may be cooked on a purpose-built churrasqueira, a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers.

Portable churrasqueiras are similar to those used to prepare the Argentine, Chilean, Paraguayan and Uruguayan asado, with a grill support, but many Brazilian churrasqueiras do not have grills.Only the skewers above the embers.

The meat may alternatively be cooked on large metal or wood skewers resting on a support or stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of charcoal, wood may also be used, especially in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

In Nicaragua, the first immigrant group to introduce the term for this cut of beef to the United States restaurant scene in Miami, Fl as early as the 1950s.

It refers to a thin steak prepared grilled and served with a traditional chimichurri sauce- macerated parsley, garlic, peppers, and olive oil sauce.

Although seldom accredited to Brazilians and Argentinians, these two nations' most popular cuts of grilled meats are not churrasco but Rib and Picanha (Brazil) and Entrana respectively.

In Argentina and Uruguay a churrasco refers to any boneless cut of beef that is sliced slightly thin as a steak and grilled over hot coals or on a very hot skillet.

Gauchos would have grilled churrasco as part of their asado, now the national dish of both countries, served with salad and fried or mashed potatoes, and sometimes a fried egg.

In Puerto Rico it always refers to skirt steak, cooked on a barbecue grill. The chimichurri sauce is optional, since the meat is very savory with just a slight hint of sea salt that is sprinkled over the meat during cooking.

It is also customary to replace chimichurri sauce with a guava rum sauce made with spices and 7up or Ajilimojili sauce.

In Ecuador churrasco is a staple food of the Coast Region, specially Guayaquil. The dish's main ingredient is the grilled steak that is seasoned with chimichurri, it is served with plantains, white rice, French fries, a fried egg, and slices of avocado.

In Guatemala, churrasco is regarded as a typical dish, often eaten in familiar gatherings and festive occasions.

It is usually served topped with chirmol, a red sauce containing chopped tomatoes and onions, and accompanied by corn, guacamole, grilled potatoes, stewed black beans, rice and tortillas.

In Chile, churrasco refers to a thin cut of steak which varies depending on the desired quality of the sandwich.

The slices are grilled and served in a -sometimes warmed- local bun called marraqueta, or pan batido in Valparaiso, usually accompanied with tomato, avocado and mayonnaise, in the case of a churrasco italiano.

Another popular dish, churrasco a lo pobre or poor man's churrasco, consists of a churrasco served with French fries, fried egg, and caramelized onions.

In Portugal, Frango de Churrasco with piri piri a kind of salty roasted chicken cooked on the churrasqueira, spiced with hot red chili sauce is very popular.

Portuguese churrasco and chicken dishes are very popular in countries with Portuguese communities, such as Canada, Australia, the United States, Venezuela and South Africa.

The term churrasco is used in former Portuguese colonies—a Churrasco Moçambicano is a grilled meat dish from Mozambique, for instance.

In Galicia, churrasco refers almost exclusively to grilled pork or beef spare-ribs.

Galicians who emigrated to America in the 20th century took with them the recipe for churrasco.

Nowadays, many Galicians of all social classes prepare a churrascada.

In North America, Churrasco is the trademark name for rotisserie/grills manufactured by Hickory Industries, Inc.


Tourism Observer

URUGUAY: Candombe An African Derived Rhythm

Candombe (can-dome-bey) is an African derived rhythm that has been an important part of Uruguayan culture for over two hundred years. Uruguay, with a population of approximately 3.2 million, is a small country located in South America, bordered by its two massive neighbors, Brazil (162 million) to the East, and Argentina (34 million) to the West. This rhythm traveled to Uruguay from Africa with black slaves, and is still going strong in the streets, halls and carnivals of this small enchanting country.

Candombe is an Uruguayan music and dance that comes from African slaves. It is considered an important aspect of the culture of Uruguay and was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage of humanity. To a lesser extent, Candombe is practiced in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.

In Argentina, it can be found in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Paraná, and Corrientes. In Paraguay is continued this tradition in Kamba Kua (Camba Cua) in Fernando de la Mora near to Asuncion. Also in Brazil, it still retains its religious character and can be found in Minas Gerais State.

This Uruguayan music style is based on three different drums: chico, repique and piano drums. This music style is usually played in February during carnival in Montevideo, Uruguay at dance parades called "Llamadas" and "Desfile Innaugural del Carnaval".

African-Uruguayans organized candombe dances every Sunday and on special holidays such as New Year's Eve, Christmas, Saint Baltasar, Rosary Virgin and Saint Benito. They would set a fire to heat the drums and play candombe music, specially during the night in certain neighbors such as Barrio Sur and Palermo in Montevideo.

The typical characters on the parade represent the old white masters during slavery in old Montevideo city. It was a mockery to their lifestyle with a rebel spirit for freedom and a way to remember the African origins.
A music troupe playing Uruguayan Candombe in the Desfile de Llamadas, through the Sur and Palermo neighborhoods, Montevideo (Uruguay).

A new dance, which embodied the movement and style of the candombe, and called a tango with couples dancing apart, rather than in an embrace, was created by the Afro-Argentines of Mondongo in the year 1877So wrote a man who identified himself as "Viejo Tanguero" in a September 1913 article in Buenos Aires's first mass circulation popular newspaper.

In a book published in 1883 Ventura Lynch—a noted student of the dances and folklore of Buenos Aires Province—noted the influence the Afro-Argentine dancers had on the compadritos, or tough guys, who apparently frequented the Afro-Argentine dance venues. Lynch wrote, "the milonga is danced only by the compadritos of the city, who have created it as a mockery of the dances the blacks hold in their own places".

Lynch's report was interpreted by Robert Farris Thompson in Tango: The Art of Love as meaning that city compadritos danced milonga, not rural gauchos. Thompson notes that the population of city toughs dancing milonga would have included blacks and mulattoes, and that it would not have been danced as a mockery by all the dancers.

In the third decade of the 19th century the word candombe began to appear in Montevideo, referring to self-help dancing societies founded by persons of African descent. The term means "pertaining to blacks" in Kikongo. In Montevideo it meant more than a dance or a music or a congregation, but all of the above.

Candombe the dance was a local fusion of various African traditions. A complicated choreography included a final section with wild rhythms, freely improvised steps, and energetic, semi-athletic movements.Candombe in Uruguay includes a music troupe playing Uruguayan Candombe in a special dance parade called “Desfile de Llamadas”, through the Sur and Palermo neighborhoods in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The African influence was not foreign to Argentina, where the candombe also has been developed with specific characteristics. A population of black African slaves had been present in Buenos Aires since around 1580. However their place in Argentine culture nearly died out due to events such as the yellow fever epidemic and the War against Paraguay that decimated the black population in Argentina and nearly wiped out their culture.

In Buenos Aires, mainly in southern districts today called San Telmo and Montserrat, crowds gathered to practice it. Was decreasing while it carried out the invisibility that the government did to blacks during the 19th and 20th centuries, decimated by these causes, and the flow of immigration of white Europeans who displaced to the domestic service, the crafts and alley sale to the afroporteños or black people from Buenos Aires.

Even though the original present-day Angola, where it was taken to South America during the 17th and 18th centuries by people who had been sold as slaves in the kingdoms of Kongo, Anziqua, Nyong, Quang and others, mainly by Portuguese slave traders. The same cultural Carriers of candombe colonized Brazil,especially in the area of Salvador de Bahia, Cuba, and the Río de la Plata with its capital Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The various stories that followed these regions separated the common origin giving rise to different rhythms.

In Buenos Aires, during the two governments of Juan Manuel de Rosas, it was common that “afroporteños” or black people of Buenos Aires practiced the candombe in public, even encouraged and visited by Rosas and his daughter, Manuela. Rosas defeated in the battle of Caseros in 1852, Buenos Aires began a profound and rapid change with respect to European culture.

In this context, the afroporteños or black people of Buenos Aires replicated their ancestral cultural patterns increasingly into their private life. For this reason since 1862, the press, intellectuals and politicians began to assert that had disappeared misconception that has remained virtually until now in the imagination of ordinary people, from Argentina.

Many researchers agree that the Candombe, through the development of the Milonga is an essential component in the genesis of Argentine tango. This musical rhythm influenced, specially, the "Sureña Milonga". In fact, tango, milonga and candombe form a musical triptych from the same African roots. But with different developments.

Initially, the practice of Candombe was practiced exclusively by blacks, who had designed special places called “Tangó’s”. This word originated sometime in the 19th century the word "Tango", but not yet its present meaning.

Lately, some artists have incorporated this genre to their compositions, and have also created groups and NGOs of Afro-descendants, as the Misibamba Association, Afro-Argentines of Buenos Aires Community. However, it is important to note that the Uruguayan Candombe is the most practiced in Argentina, both due to immigration from Uruguay and to the seductiveness of the rhythm that captivates the Argentines.

For this reason they learn the music, dance and characters and recreate something similar. Uruguayan Candombe is played much in the neighborhoods of San Telmo, Montserrat and La Boca. While the Argentine variety had less local diffusion,compared with the diffusion that occurred in Uruguay, mainly by the decrease of population of black African origin, its mixing with white immigrants and the prohibition of the carnival during the last dictatorship.

The Afroargentine Candombe is only played by the Afro-Argentines in the privacy of their homes, mainly located in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Recently, due to a change in strategy by the Afro-Argentines to move from concealment to the visibility, there are some ventures to interpret it in public places, as stages and street parades. Among the groups who play Afroargentine Candombe are: “Tambores del Litoral” or union of “Balikumba” from Santa Fe, and “Candombes del Litoral” from Parana, Entre Ríos, “Bakongo” - these, have their own web page, the “Comparsa Negros Argentinos” and "Grupo Bum Ke Bum (both from Asociación Misibamba). The latter two are in Gran Buenos Aires Buenos Aires City and its surroundings.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s candombe was mixed with elements from 60s pop music and bossa nova to create a new genre called candombe beat. The origin of this genre was largely said to be the work of Eduardo Mateo, a Uruguayan singer, songwriter and musician.This style was later adopted by Jaime Roos and also heavily influenced Jorge Drexler.

Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, UNESCO. The candombe is a source of pride and a symbol of the identity of communities of African descent in Montevideo, embraced by younger generations and favouring group cohesion, while expressing the communities’ needs and feelings with regard to their ancestors.

The music of candombe is performed by a group of drummers called a cuerda. The barrel-shaped drums, or tamboriles, have specific names according to their size and function:

chico, small, high timbre, serving as the rhythmic pendulum
repique, medium, embellishes candombe's rhythm with improvised phrases
piano, largest size, its function similar to that of the upright or electric bass

An even larger drum, called bajo or bombo, very large, very low timbre, accent on the fourth beat, was once common but is now declining in use. A cuerda at a minimum needs three drummers, one on each part. A full cuerda will have 50–100 drummers, commonly with rows of seven or five drummers, mixing the three types of drums.

A typical row of five can be piano-chico-repique-chico-piano, with the row behind having repique-chico-piano-chico-repique and so on to the last row.

Tamboriles are made of wood with animal skins that are rope-tuned or fire-tuned minutes before the performance. They are worn at the waist with the aid of a shoulder strap called a talig or talí and played with one stick and one hand.

A key rhythmic figure in candombe is the clave (in 3–2 form). It is played on the side of the drum, a procedure known as "hacer madera" or "making wood".

Among the most important and traditional Montevidean rhythms are: Cuareim, Ansina and Cordon. There are several master drummers who have kept Candombe alive uninterrupted for two hundred years. Some of highlights are: in Ansina school: Wáshington Ocampo, Héctor Suárez, Pedro "Perico" Gularte, Eduardo "Cacho" Giménez, Julio Giménez, Raúl "Pocho" Magariños, Rubén Quirós, Alfredo Ferreira, "Tito" Gradín, Raúl "Maga" Magariños, Luis "Mocambo" Quirós, Fernando "Hurón" Silva, Eduardo "Malumba" Gimenez, Alvaro Salas, Daniel Gradín, Sergio Ortuño y José Luis Giménez.

The Afro-Argentine Candombe is played with two types of drums, played exclusively by men. Those drums are: “llamador”,also called "base", "tumba", "quinto" or "tumba base", and "repicador" also called "contestador", "repiqueteador" or "requinto". The first is a bass drum, and the second is a sharp drum.

There are two models of each of the drums: one made in hollowed trunk, and the other made with staves. The first type are hung with a strap on the shoulder and are played in a street parade. The latter are higher than those, and played for granted. Both types of drums, are played only with both hands. Sometimes others drums are played: the "macú" and the "sopipa".

Both are made from hollowed tree trunk, the first is performed lying on the floor, as it is the largest and deepest drum; and the "Sopipa" which is small and acute, is played hung on the shoulder or held between the knees.

Among the idiophones that always accompany the drums are the "taba" and "mazacalla", being able to add: the "quijada", the "quisanche", and the "chinesco”. The Argentine Candombe is a vocal-instrumental practice, all the same to be played sitting or street parade. There is a large repertoire of songs in African languages archaic, in Spanish or in a combination of both.

They are usually structured in the form of dialogue and are interpreted solo, responsorial, antiphonal or in group. Although singing is usually a feminine practice, men may be involved. Where there is more than one voice, they are always in unison.

A full Candombe group, collectively known as a Comparsa Lubola,composed of blackened white people, traditionally with burnt corks or Candombera,composed of black people, constitutes the cuerda, a group of female dancers known as mulatas, and several stock characters, each with their own specific dances. The stock characters include:

La Mama Vieja: the Old Mother.
El Gramillero: the Herb doctor. an ancient black man, dressed in top hat and frock coat, carrying a bag of herbs.
El Escobero: the Broomsman, He has to be an expert candombero and graceful dancer, who performs extraordinary feats and of juggling and balance with his broom.

Candombe is performed regularly in the streets of old Montevideo's south neighbourhood in January and February, during Uruguay's Carnival period, and also in the rest of the country. All the comparsas, of which there are 80 or 90 in existence, participate in a massive Carnival parade called Las Llamadas ("calls") and vie with each other in official competitions in the Teatro de Verano theatre.

During Las Llamadas, members of the comparsa often wear costumes that reflect the music's historical roots in the slave trade, such as sun hats and black face-paint. The monetary prizes are modest; more important aspects include enjoyment, the fostering of a sense of pride and the winning of respect from peers. Cuerdaluna is a very popular Candombe group in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Intense performances can cause damage to red blood cells, which manifests as rust-colored urine immediately after drumming.

BRAZIL: About Brazil

FLAG OF BRAZIL
Explore the map of Brazil, the largest country in South America. The country got its name from the 'brazilwood' tree that was grown along the Brazil's coast. Ecuador and Chile are the only South American countries that do not share the border with Brazil. It is the only Lusophone (Portuguese speaking) country in America and also the largest in the world.

Brazil was inhabited by indigenous people since at least 8,000 years ago. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Brazil, which was discovered by Pedro Alvares Cabral in April 1500. He claimed the territory for the Kingdom of Portugal.

However, Portugal was preoccupied with lucrative trade with India, China, and Indonesia, so Brazil was mostly ignored from the time of discovery until about 1529. During this time, invasions by the French and Dutch were mostly unsuccessful. In the mid-16th century, Brazil was a major producer and exporter of sugar, leading to the import of slaves from Africa to meet labor requirement for the sugar industry.

During the Peninsular War in 1808, the Portuguese government fled Napoleon's invasion by moving its operations to Brazil, setting up the capital in Rio de Janeiro, which lasted for 13 years. When King Joao VI returned to Portugal, he left his son Pedro I to govern Brazil.

Pedro I led Brazil in a war of independence from Portugal in 1821, declaring independence and becoming Emperor Pedro I in 1822. The monarchy was overthrown in 1889, and the government was re-established as a Federal Republic. Throughout the following decades, Brazil was plagued by revolts and political instability, a period of military rule, before first civilian president got elected in 1985.

Brazil's economy suffered during these regimes with persistently high inflation rate. Notable leaders during this period include Getulio Vargas, who led first as a dictator and later elected as a president. Another leader of eminence was President Juscelino Kubitschek, who helped in reviving the economy. The country began the process of redemocratization in the 1980s.

In 1989, Fernando Collor de Mello became the first directly elected president since 1960, attempting to reform the economic system, but failing. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, elected in 1994, continued Collor's reforms, and introduced controversial reforms. More recently, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected to confront the wealth disparity. Dilma Vana Rousseff took over the presidency in 2011. Brazil's political scene has been fairly stable in recent years.

Geography

BRAZILIAN FOOD
Brazil is the largest country in South America, and the fifth largest country in the world. Located in eastern South America along the Atlantic Ocean, Brazil borders Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Because of its large size, Brazil is endowed with diverse landscapes. Though the country is mostly flat, there are mountain ranges and highlands, as well as coastal regions. Many rivers flow through Brazil, which has mostly tropical climate. The Amazon is the second largest river in the world that flows through this country. About 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest is within Brazil, which has suffered deforestation and drought in recent years.

Politics
Brazil is a Federal Democratic Republic, which is true for all levels of government: federal, states, and cities.The President of Brazil is both the chief of the state and the head of the government, who appoints the cabinet and the Ministers of State. Brazil has a bicameral National Congress, and its two branches are the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Brazil is divided into 26 states and one federal district, the capital, Brasilia. Each state enjoys a high degree of autonomy, with their own governors, legislators, and courts. The municipalities of Brazil also have autonomy, with their own tax collection, mayors, and legislators.

Travel

BRAZIL SAMBA DANCERS
Brazil sprawls over half of South America and is considered one of South America's main travel destinations. The country is distinctly known for its white-sand beaches, tropical islands, and spectacular sites like Atlantic Ridge Forest,secluded beaches of Fernando de Noronha, cascading waterfalls, and Amazon rainforest with untouched wilderness. One of the breathtaking and extraordinary natural wonders of the world is Iguazu Falls, which is situated between the border of Argentina and Brazil. It is wider than Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara Falls. The most stunning of them all is the popular Devil's Throat, a long chasm with 14 different falls.

The Christ the Redeemer, is Corcovado is a major landmark of Brazil. This beautiful statue is made up of Soap stone and reinforced concrete. It is allowed to visit the top of the place to have an excellent view. Brasilia is the only city of the 20th century that was granted the status of World Heritage Site.

Major cities of Brazil such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia always brim with activities. From culinary delights to music and dancing, these big cities are unique and vibrant.

Education
The federal government handles the education system in Brazil through the Ministry of Education. While the standards are set nationwide, the municipalities of Brazil are responsible for carrying out the regulations.

Brazil's education system is structured into a few different levels, roughly based on the age of the students. Preschool is available for children under six years, but attendance at preschool is optional. Elementary school is required for children aged between six and 14, and is split into two sections: I and II. Elementary school covers the general education requirements, including Portuguese language, mathematics, science, history, and arts. The second-half of elementary education in Brazil usually incorporates a second language, such as English or Spanish.

Once students have finished their elementary education, they can continue to a school for secondary education. From this juncture, the focus shifts to the core curriculum, which includes science courses like Chemistry and Biology. Secondary school lasts around three years, and are only mandatory for students who move on to higher education.

Higher education in Brazil is similar to many other countries, with undergraduate and graduate levels and about four years of coursework to complete a bachelor's degree. Professional degrees such as engineering and medicine take longer, with five or six years of classes, and often requires an internship or fieldwork.

Trivia
- Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas.
- Brazil borders every South American country except Chile and Ecuador.
- Brazil is one of three modern nations in the Americas (along with Mexico and Haiti) to have had an indigenous monarchy, which it had for almost 90 years.
- The Amazon rainforest in Brazil has the most diverse ecosystem in the world. There are an estimated 10 to 15 million species of insects in the country.
- Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).

Fastest Growing Tourists Destinations In The World

1. Paraguay (up 97 per cent to 1.28m)

2. Tajikistan (up 94 per cent to 414,000)

3. Niue (up 62.9 per cent to 10,000)

4. Japan (up 47.5 per cent to 20million)

5. Iceland (up 29.8 per cent to 1.3millon)

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina (up 28.2 per cent to 687,000)

7. Panama (up 22.4 per cent to 2.13million)

8. Thailand (up 22.3 per cent to 30.3million)

9. Chile (up 20.4 per cent to 4.5million)

10. Palau (up 19.2 per cent to 168,000)

11. Hungary (up 19.1 per cent to 14.5million)

12. Seychelles (up 18.7 per cent to 318,000)

13. Sri Lanka (up 17.8 per cent to 2.12million)

14. Cuba (up 17.3 per cent to 3.48million)

15. Colombia (up 17.2 per cent to 3million)

16. Oman (up 17 per cent to 1.78million)

17. Romania (up 16.9 per cent to 2.24million)

More and more people are expanding their horizons and exploring the world, new statistics show, but some locations are creating more of a buzz than others.

The United Nations World Travel Organization has released its latest Travel Barometer, featuring the countries where arrivals rose fastest in 2015.

PARAGUAY
Leading the pack was Paraguay where tourism grew a whopping 97 per cent in 2015, making it the fastest growing travel destination of last year, closely followed by Tajikistan which saw 94 per cent more visitors than the previous year.

The country stealing the title for the fastest growing destination when comparing tourism rates was awarded to Paraguay, which saw an estimated 1.28million visitors arrive - almost double the figures welcomed in 2014.

As well as receiving the fastest grower status for its 97 per cent increase, Paraguay became South America's eighth most visited country, falling slightly behind neighbours, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay.

The large country, which has an estimated population of around 6.8million people, is located between Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia, and is home to large areas of swampland, subtropical forests and beautiful rivers - including the Paraguay River.

TAJIKISTAN
Off the beaten track, Tajikistan became better known in 2015, with 414,000 tourists flocking to the country in Asia.

The home to 8.2million people, which borders Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, saw a 94 per cent increase in the amount of visitors it received in 2015.

Known for its luscious green landscapes and rugged mountains used by hikers and climbers, the central Asian country took home the second spot for this year's fastest risers.

NIUE
Tiny island country, Niue, saw 62.9 per cent more visitors heading to its sands in the South Pacific Ocean in 2015.

Despite the increase only amounting to 3,000 people, this is more than double the population of people residing there - as only 1,109 were recorded living there when last check in 2014.

Niue, which is situated Northwest of New Zealand, is often referred to as 'The Rock' by local people - a spin off nickname from its traditional title 'Rock of Polynesia'.

JAPAN
Japan is packed up with high-rise buildings, imperial palaces and mountainous national parks - making it an obvious contender for one of the most popular destinations to visit

Filled with Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and cherry blossoms, Japan's popularity levels hit the roof in 2015 when they reached a 47.5 increase, seeing the amount of tourists visiting the country hit figures of around 20million people.

The large country, which has an estimated population of 127million people, is packed with high-rise buildings, imperial palaces and mountainous national parks - making it an obvious contender for one of the most popular destinations to visit.

The crowded capital lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia.

ICELAND
Iceland, the home place of mountains, hot springs, black-sand beaches and glaciers, was visited by 1.3million people over the year

Iceland's starring role in the latest Star Wars film - The Force Awakens - may have helped it slide into fifth place of the countries that welcomed extra tourists to their country in 2015.

The home place of mountains, hot springs, black-sand beaches and glaciers, was visited by 1.3million people over the year. As well as it's breathtaking beauty, the Nordic country, which is home to 323,002 people, also offers a renowned nightlife scene.

Ireland, another country to feature in the latest movie alongside Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, saw a 14 per cent increase in arrivals.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is made up of mountainous terrain, medieval villages and Muslim and Christian landmarks, placed sixth

Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is made up of mountainous terrain, medieval villages and Muslim and Christian landmarks, was placed sixth for a 28.2 per cent increase, taking its overall visitation figures for the year to 687,000 people.

PANAMA
Coming in seventh was Panama. The stunning white sands and clear sea country which links Central and South America saw 2.13million people explore its modern skyscrapers, casinos and nightclubs in 2015 - a 22.4 per cent increase from 2014.

THAILAND
Eighth and ninth places were awarded to Thailand - from a 22.3 per cent increase, taking its 2015 visitor total to 30.3 million - and Chile welcomed 4.5million guests in the 12 month period - a 20.4 per cent boost.

South-east Asia experienced a good year for figures. Not only did Thailand, a traveller favourite, welcome an additional five million visitors, but Laos saw a 14.2 per cent increase, Burma 13.3 per cent and the Philippines 11.1 per cent.

The mesmerising Palau in the South Pacific took home tenth place. The tiny island, which is home to just 27,000 people, was visited by 168,000 travellers - more than six times its population and a 19.2 per cent rise.

Making up the rest of the top 17 countries to earn a tourism increase of more than 15 per cent, was Hungary, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Colombia, Oman and Romania.

Sri Lanka is a rugged land of rainforest, diverse wildlife and endless beaches - and last year it was visited by a huge 2.12million people

PARAGUAY: A Little Known Country But A Wonderful Place

Tourists are uncommon in Paraguay, and worthwhile tourist information on why to travel to this country and what to do once you’ve arrived is hard to come by. Here’s what I’d tell you about Paraguay,its worth the trip. This is a country with a past, a place with a romantic’s soul.

Paraguay is also a bargain. Everything is cheap. Right now, everything is especially cheap for anyone with U.S. dollars in his wallet. The dollar is at a five-year high against the guaraní.

It’s not easy to get to know any country. It takes time to peel away the top layers and glimpse the heart and soul of a place, to begin to understand what makes it and its people tick, how things work, what’s important, what’s valued. I’d say that Paraguay is even tougher to know than most countries. This is a place of charmingly contradictory and contrasting perspectives.
As I said, tourists are thin on the ground in this country. Who do you meet in Paraguay?

Historically, Paraguay has been a place to disappear. Folks on the lamb from far and wide have sought out this country because it has something people who don’t want to be found appreciate: Super low population density, at least in parts.

Paraguay is divided in two by the Rio Paraguay. To the east of the river is the Oriente; to the west is the Chaco. Paraguay today is home to 6.8 million people (as best as I can tell; it’s tough to find consensus in Paraguay on anything). About 6.6 million of those 6.8 live in the Oriente, leaving 200,000 for the Chaco, a region larger than the entire country of Uruguay. There is but one real road in the Chaco, the Ruta de Chaco, that travels from Asunción to the Mennonite town in the center of Chaco and then on to Bolivia.

Easy in a place like that to get lost and never to be found again if you didn’t want to be. That reality has contributed to Paraguay’s reputation as a kind of global hide-out. But this is only one face of this country.

Paraguay’s biggest problem is a lack of marketing. If Madison Avenue were on this, Paraguay would steal Americans’ hearts. This country’s story’s got everything — heroes, rogues, dictators, and true villains,cowboys, damsels, poets, and philosophers, intrigue, treachery, legend, hubris, and love affairs.

Paraguay is a country with a twisting, turning, complicated past that, at one time in its history, almost ceased to be at all. The Triple Alliance War, which pitted Paraguay against Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, cost this country 90% of its male population, 60% of its total population, and 25% of its land mass.


Like everything in Paraguay, it’s hard to pin down an answer to that question. Locals blame the whole disastrous experience on the British and their tea. At the time (1864), Paraguay was a middling regional power with a booming economy based largely on agriculture including tea. Paraguayan farmers produced high-grade tea at less cost than tea from Great Britain and decided to try to expand the market for it from the Americas to Europe. When Paraguay offered their cut-rate tea leaves to Germany and France, Britain responded with a vengeance.

Could tea be that important, even to the British? Paraguayans sure think so, though historians don’t always agree and suggest other factors behind the conflict. Regardless, one thing is for sure: This country has only very recently even begun to recover from those six years of holocaust. In the end, women and children were fighting naked to try to defend what was left of their country.

Outside Paraguay and the region, few have ever heard of the Triple Alliance War.

More than 90 percent of the country’s male population gone and much of the total remaining population sick and wounded following the war, Paraguay did something very smart. It sent out a call, far and wide. Come, settle our fertile land, Paraguay offered the world, and we’ll give you a small piece of it. You can farm and develop as a Paraguayan.

The global homesteading offer attracted adventurers, opportunists, and carpet-baggers, a mixed lot, for sure, whose descendants make up this country’s eclectic modern-day population. It also explains the country’s open-minded policies to do with residency and citizenship. This is the easiest place in the world to establish residency and to get a second passport. Paraguayans we’ve met with speak of it often and openly.

Of historic necessity and also, I think, genuine good-heartedness, these are very welcoming people who are trying, for the first time in their history, to make a go of democracy. Young Paraguayans we’ve spoken with are naively, innocently embracing the idea.

Their enthusiasm for what the future could hold for their now democratic nation reminds us how worn and weary we’ve become. One young lady, an attorney, spoke with such pride of her country’s past and such commitment to its future that I was inspired.
Most of the tourist attractions in Paraguay are natural (lakes, rivers, and waterfalls) and outside the city of Asunción. In the capital, I’d make one specific recommendation: Visit the train museum.

Asunción’s Museo Ferroviario is a chance to step back in time inside the oldest railway station in South America. Standing out front, I debated whether or not to invest in a ticket to gain entrance inside.

You can wander at will among the waiting rooms and offices of the old station. Employee records, train schedules, and handwritten passenger logs from as many as 150 years ago are displayed on original wooden shelves, desks, and counters.
Outside on the platform, you can climb up into the old dining car. Inside is all wood paneling and leather seats. There’s a wraparound wooden bar and a wood stove for cooking.

“Why is this so much fun?” I asked my daughter, wandering up and down the aisle with me.
Because you can explore at will. Nothing is restricted or roped off. No one tells you not to touch or not to sit. You can imagine a barman behind the bar, waiting staff, and passengers.

After our train adventure, we continued walking in the direction of a hotel that friends had recommended as a good place for Sunday lunch. Our friends were right. On Sundays, the Grand Hotel de Paraguay lays out quite a spread.

It’s a traditional parrilla. Beef, pork, and chorizo are cooked over open flames then hand carved for your plate according to your directions. You enjoy it all in a big dining room with an elaborately hand-painted wooden ceiling and murals on all the walls. A harpist serenades, while children run in and out between the dining room and the courtyard.

Hyatt launches new brand-The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the launch of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, a global collection of unique and independent stay experiences. The Unbound Collection by Hyatt will include a portfolio of new and existing upper-upscale and luxury properties that will maintain a distinct character while providing guests and owners Hyatt’s award-winning customer loyalty program, robust operational and marketing resources and trusted, quality brand.

The properties within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt – which will include historic urban gems, contemporary trend-setters, boutique hotels, resorts, and more – will have their own individual brand identities, free from constraint or convention. At the same time, the brand will provide guests the freedom from worry by giving them the high-quality that comes with the Hyatt brand.

“The Unbound Collection by Hyatt provides us with a myriad of opportunities to grow, not only in new markets, but also in places we know our guests want to go. The collection of properties will allow us to reach the modern traveler who seeks one-of-a-kind experiences, but also wants the reassurance and loyalty program that comes with our brand,” said Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “What really excites us about The Unbound Collection by Hyatt is that this portfolio provides rich social currency through story-worthy, shareable experiences that guests will take with them long after their stay.”

The Unbound Collection by Hyatt launches with properties around the world, including The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas; the Hôtel du Louvre in Paris, France; the Carmelo Resort & Spa in Carmelo, Uruguay; and the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai, Hawaii, which is expected to undergo a revitalisation and re-open in spring 2018. Future hotels in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt will be equally story-worthy, whether it be through a fascinating past, an exclusive location, famous architecture and design, or an award-winning dining experience.

THAILAND: Aviation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration Bans Thai Flights

Fliers heading to Thailand may have fresh cause for concern after the country's airlines were hit with restrictions by U.S. aviation authorities.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it was downgrading Thailand's aviation safety rating to Category 2 because the country did not comply with international standards.

The decision means Thai airlines will be banned from opening new routes to the United States or expanding existing ones.

While none currently operate direct routes to the U.S., the FAA's downgrades are often matched by other global aviation authorities, raising the prospect of restrictions on routes to Europe or East Asia.

Shares in several Thai airlines fell following the news.

In stripping it of the Category 1 rating it received in 1997, the FAA said Thailand's civil aviation authority failed to meet "minimum international standards."

Category 1 means that the country complies with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

The ICAO, a United Nations agency, "red flagged" Thailand in June over safety concerns, listing it alongside Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Uruguay.

The ICAO's concerns have previously led to restrictions on new airline routes linking Thailand with China, South Korea and Japan.

In response to the FAA's decision, Thailand's prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, ordered a swift overhaul of his country's aviation systems.

He acknowledged the setback could undermine confidence in the military leadership that seized power in a 2014 coup.

"Therefore, all must join hands to bring peace to the country." "Don't try to pick a quarrel, because doing so will not lead us out of crisis."

The country's leading international carrier, Thai Airways, issued a statement defending its safety record.

It said the decision would have no impact on its business or customers as it ceased its only U.S. destination flight, to Los Angeles, in October, although it continues to operate code share connections.

"Thai confirms its commitment to aviation safety standards and assures all that Thai operates with the highest international aviation safety standards," it said.

URUGUAY: Twice Winners Of The Soccer World Cup

Twice winners of the soccer World Cup, in 1930 (as hosts of the competition) and in 1950 (when the national team overcame Brazil in the final), football has for generations been at the heart of how Uruguayans see themselves. It is a matter of intense national pride that they are by a long way the smallest nation in the world to have won football’s biggest prize.

And in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, Uruguay reached the semi-finals, against all expectations, becoming arguably the great surprise of the tournament. As all soccer fans know, Luis Suárez, who plays his club football at Ajax of Amsterdam, made a deliberate and highly controversial handball on the line in the quarter-final against Ghana in the last seconds of extra time. The missed spot kick took the game to a penalty shoot out, which Uruguay won.

Uruguay's next opponents were Holland and the mood in Montevideo on the day of the semi-final was excited and nervy. The city made preparations: The main Registry Office in the Old Town closed its doors at 3 pm so that its staff could get home for the big game in good time. This meant that a number of weddings scheduled for the afternoon had to be rushed through in the morning (leaving some brides rather angry, no doubt). Meanwhile, there was a run on tranquilizers in local chemists and city hospitals were primed for a spike in heart attacks. Uruguay lost, but some say as many as half a million supporters cheered them on the streets when they returned from South Africa.

In the months that followed striker Diego Forlan – whose Twitter messages from the team's camp had been eagerly followed at home – became the new face of Uruguayan tourism, meaning in practical terms that a life-size cardboard cut-out of Diego was hauled from one international tourism fair to another. More relevantly for football, Uruguay and Argentina got a welcome boost from Uruguay's fourth position in South Africa for their nascent bid jointly to hold the centenary World Cup in 2030.

But how did the country's infatuation with soccer begin? “At the end of the nineteenth and start of the twentieth centuries, the population of Uruguay grew exponentially," says Juan Carlos Luzuriaga, historian and author of a book (see below) on the origins of football in Uruguay. “Football gave many new immigrants their own identity, bringing them together and serving as a kind of common denominator. In the 1920s and 1930s football, together with tango and the traditions of Carnival, was the glue that held society together."

British railway workers, importers and ranch owners integrated into a society of criollos (native Uruguayans) and Italian and Spanish immigrants in good measure thanks to soccer. When Uruguay played Argentina in a match in 1909, both teams fielded players of British origin. A Uruguayan newspaper report of the game (published in Spanish) was nonetheless full of English football terminology: “half-time", “shot" and “goal".

During this period the rivalry between Peñarol, the team of the British, their friends and local workers (who tended to feel at odds with wealthy criollos), and Nacional, the club of Italians and monied native Uruguayans, set in.

The Uruguayan league was set up in 1932 following the successes of the national team. From its formation until 1986 Peñarol and Nacional won all but two of the league titles. When the Copa Libertadores (South America's Champions League) started in 1960, Peñarol won the first two trophies. They and Nacional were regulars in the early years of the tournament, with one or the other featuring in all but two of the first 12 finals. But the last time they featured was in 1988 when Nacional lifted the trophy. Since then, globalisation has had a massive impact in such a small country and has made it nearly impossible for Uruguay to keep their best players.

“The rivalry in the early days was intense but it was purely sporting. It was only from the 1980s onwards that things seemed to change decisively. Supporters certainly became more ostentatious," says Mr. Luzuriaga.

Indeed: when Nacional and Peñarol play each other in the local derby (called the clásico) one side of the stadium is a sea of yellow and black replica shirts, the other side is a sea of blue, white and red. In British terms, it is an acute, even bitter rivalry that is more like that which exists between Rangers and Celtic (in Glasgow, Scotland) than the relatively good-humoured stand-off between Liverpool and Everton (in England). Violence outside soccer grounds has also become a serious problem in Montevideo. Experts from England have visited Uruguay to advise on how to combat football hooliganism.

So, the 2010 World Cup notwithstanding, local supporters can hardly be blamed for dwelling on past glories: On 16 July 1950 some 175,000 spectators, the great majority Brazilian, filed into Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium. Brazil took the lead but, in possibly the biggest upset in the history of the World Cup, Uruguay equalised and then scored the winner. The French newspaper Le Monde reported a near complete silence in the stadium at the final whistle. Hundreds of Brazilian supporters had to be treated for shock.

In Uruguay, meanwhile, the government declared a day’s public holiday and the party began. But here, too, there was disbelief. Three people died of heart attacks listening to the radio broadcast; five more lost their lives accidentally during the festivities that followed the game. Uruguay’s World Cup winners were feted as national heroes. The rivalry between Peñarol and Nacional was temporarily put on hold.

Factfile: El football del novecientos by Juan Carlos Luzuriaga is published by Ediciones Santillana. The book is available at all major bookshops in Uruguay. Price: $450. The best place to see a match is the graceful Estadio Centenario, the national stadium, which is used regularly for domestic games. Nacional’s Parque Central stadium in Montevideo’s Cordón neighbourhood is also a good option. Expect to pay between US$5 and US$18 for a ticket. There is a small football museum at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario. Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am to 2.30 pm.

URUGUAY: Cruise Business To Up Tourism

Uruguay is betting that the cruise industry will increase tourism and help create jobs, expand infrastructure and improve the country's image, Tourism Minister Liliam Kechichian told Efe.

Kechichian led the Uruguayan delegation to Cruise Shipping Miami, the world's largest cruise industry conference, which drew more than 900 speakers and 11,000 participants from 125 countries.

The cruise ship business poses a "challenge" to Uruguay's economy and the government will continue its efforts to consolidate all kinds of activities related to the industry, the minister said.

"The cruise business is important, it keeps growing and it generates employment, but we are betting on it becoming even more of an economic engine than it is today," the official said.

Cruise industry activity in the South American country, according to the government, "has grown fourfold" in the past decade, helping improve "Uruguay's image and, in particular, that of its ports."

During the current season, which ends in early April, the two major Uruguayan ports - Montevideo and Punta del Este - will receive a total of 230 cruise ships with more than 400,000 tourists.

"The most important" factor is the economic activity generated by services in the cities welcoming cruise ships, which will generate "about $40 million" in revenues this year, Kechichian said.

"There are many activities around the ship, vendors, sales of mineral water, fruit, fuel, and that makes us very happy," the minister said.

In recent years, Uruguayan ports have become a key destination for cruise ships, with some cities listed as "must-visit" sites on Latin American routes.

The industry's promising outlook has led the Uruguayan government to count on the cruise industry in its efforts to attract more tourists.

Uruguayan officials have come up with a plan to develop and promote the port of Colonia, located 170 kilometers (107 miles) west of Montevideo, in an effort to open new routes.

Tourism is Uruguay's No. 2 source of income after agriculture and food, Kechichian said.

In 2014, more than 3 million tourists visited Uruguay, spending about $2 billion. EFE

Why Is Fast Food An Attraction

Ordering fried chicken at a fast-food restaurant in Colombia’s capital, Paola Flores is one of millions of Latin Americans struggling with obesity, an epidemic hitting this region harder than others in the developing world.

More than 56 percent of Latin American adults are overweight or obese, compared to a global average of 34 percent, according to a report by the Overseas Development Institute last year.

The growing problem often affects the poorest in society, and threatens to overwhelm Latin America’s public health systems and curtail economic gains in the long run, experts say.

“Buying a family combo of fried chicken, chips and a soft drink can feed me and my three children at a price I can afford,” Flores, a secretary, said as she stood in line.

Since 1991, the number of hungry people in Latin America has nearly halved to 37 million in December from 68.5 million. While the region is the only one that is on track to meet U.N. goals on reducing hunger by 2015, far less attention has been paid to combating obesity.

In the past decade, fast-growing economies buoyed by a commodities boom, includingMexico, Colombia and Brazil, have seen a rising middle class with a taste for more processed food that are high in salt, sugar and fat.

Aid in the form of cash transfers, pioneered by some of the region’s left-leaning governments, particularly Brazil, mean people have more money to spend on food.

Governments and nutrition programs now need to focus on ensuring people buy more foods high in fiber and protein, such as fruits and vegetables, U.N. officials said.

“In the past, the main problem we had in Latin America was under-nutrition. We tried to spend efforts on school feeding programs and supplements for families,” said Yenory Hernandez-Garbanzo from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Now, we have to look at the bigger picture. We were feeding these families with a lot of energy but we weren’t teaching them how to be balanced in their diets.
Obesity is the fastest-growing chronic disease, killing 2.8 million adults every year. Obesity-related conditions, including diabetes and heart disease, now cause more deaths than hunger, according to the World Economic Forum.

“Rapidly rising rates of obesity in Latin America and worldwide bring huge social challenges and places a tremendous burden on the individuals affected, as well as the global economy and public healthcare systems,” said Florencia Vasta, a specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

Mexico faces the region’s most acute obesity crisis, with 70 percent of adults overweight or obese, according to Mexico’s National Institute for Public Health (INSP).

Obesity in some countries in Latin America, like Mexico, is an epidemic where extreme measures need to be taken,” Juan Rivera, head of INSP’s health and nutrition research center.

Obesity cost the Mexican economy an estimated $5.5 billion in 2008, he said, and if the problem is not addressed, the figure is expected to hit $12.5 billion by 2017.

To combat obesity, which Mexico has declared a public health priority, lawmakers have introduced measures to promote exercise and healthy eating, such as free subway rides if passengers perform 10 squats and a 2014 tax on sugary drinks and junk food.

Other measures include banning unhealthy food from school cafeterias and require all schools to provide water fountains to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks.

Costa Rica, Uruguay and Colombia have also introduced similar initiatives to promote healthy food in schools, while Ecuador has introduced controls on food labeling.

“Mexico has taken good steps in its fight against obesity during this and the previous administration but there’s still much ground to cover,” Rivera said.

Experts say one reason why obesity is such a problem in Latin America stems from the power of multinational food and beverage firms, particularly those from the United States.

“One of the biggest issues here is the influence of the food industry,” FAO nutrition expert Melissa Vargas said. “They have … a lot of political influence and money for advertising.”