What my WordPress is about

Hello, I am Violette and the aim of my word press work is to show that despite all the negative stereotypes we have heard about South America, this continent has a lot more to offer. Indeed, being French, so European, whether it was in school, in daily life, the television or on social medias, I have always been told that this part of the world was extremely dangerous, and there was nothing of interest there, except drugs, violence, or guns. If you go to Paris and ask a random person “when you think about south America, was the first word that comes in your mind”, I am quite sure he would answer drug cartel. Because, yes, this is the only aspect of South America that we show. Around me, many are those who travelled in many countries, but none of them have been in any south America country. Why ? because they believe that this place has nothing to offer. 

A few years ago, I had the same opinion as most European, I thought that south America was full of people like Pablo Escobar, and there would be no point in going there, except being killed. However, I started to become interested about the real history of south America, with the natives, colonization, the slavery, its culture, and political systems. It has now been two years since I began studying the cultures of Latin American countries, and I am confident in saying that yes, South America has a lot of potential. But, due to the consequences of the dominance of northern countries over the south, these northern states contribute to the prevailing belief that south America is a terrible place. 

I want to prove, through my work on word press, that this part of the world is full of culture, history, and art, and South America should not be considered as an uninteresting place anymore. 

So, the topics related to my work are the first topic : Latin America and The Caribbean as part of the global south, and the Seventh topic : Social Inequality, resistance and guerilla movements. 

Indeed, as I mentioned it before, due to colonization, Latin America , but also Africa which is part of the global south are two places despised by many.  I mention Africa because due to colonization, France is a country with a lot of people coming from Africa (mainly from the previous French colonies like Mali, or Algeria), and Africa has always been depicted as a very dangerous place. Many believe that Africa’s current political systems, education, and infrastructure, such as roads and schools, owe their development to the settlers who are seen as saviors. And I feel that this feeling is the same for South America. I want to show that due to the dominance of the northern countries, Africa and South America has always been considered as being dependent and terrible places. 

Following this, my main question would be : How, despite the dominance of northern countries, South America managed to have his proper identity with its proper culture, food, and art. And what caused the countries of the south of America to stay in a state of poverty and dependance ?

So, my WordPress would be composed of 5 posts, each post will be about a country. 

I started from Mexico, then my next posts would be about El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador and then the last one about Peru. For each country, I will describe what I liked the most and for what reason. It’s usually some historical or Art monument , for example , when I did my post on Mexico, I mentioned the Frida Kahlo Museum. Being really interested about history and Art, it made sense for me to talk about it. For example, for each country, I will talk about 2 cities, like Mexico where I mentioned Guadalajara and Mexico City.  The aim of these posts is to show the diverse culture of Latin America, whether the native’s culture, some painters, the history of colonization. And again, the aim of this whole process is to demonstrate that this continent is not only associated with drugs and violence but is also rich of amazing cultural elements. Through the history of South America, with the colonization, the murder of the natives, the slavery, and the dominance of the north, this place didn’t really have the opportunity to show its beauty, so I want to do it, while at the same time explaining that yes, there is indeed poverty and drugs in South America, but the blame should not be put on South America but on the Northern countries.

Unfortunately, I have never been to any Latin  American countries, so all of my work is aspirational. All the places supposedly visited are places that I  actually really want to visit in my life. This blog is a representation of my dreams places. And it’s also really practical for me, as when I would visit those places, the blogs would be a good list of “what place to do.”

I also chose some of those places because of how they are represented. Indeed, for example Mexico and Colombia are 90% of the time represented as being terrible places with a lot of drugs ( mostly because of some TV Shows). And the other places that I chose are country that really interest me. So, my location choices are a mixed between how the countries are being represented and what country I would love to visit. 

Blog #5 : Peru

The last step of my amazing trip in Latin America is Peru. This wonderful country is located just under Ecuador, on the West Coast of the continent. I wanted to end my journey in Peru due to its amazing history and culture. As I’m used to say in my previous post, coming from Europe, I’m used to hear negative stereotypes on South America, because of the media that only talk about the negative and never highlight the amazing landscape and culture of these countries. Even though Peru is not the worst victim of these stereotypes, compared to Colombia or Mexico, there is still a lack of representation and celebration of the Peruvian culture. Also, when European go to South America, little of them pick Peru as a destination, so I also want to show that this country deserves to be visited too.

The Inca empire was the main civilization of pre-colombian Peru until it fell because of Spanish colonization. Peru became the center of Spanish colonial administration in South America. As many other Latin American countries, Peru also wanted to be free and get rid of Spanish domination, with the help of, for example, Simón Bolívar who was one of the main leaders in liberating Peru. This country ended up being independent in 1824. Nowadays, after being through some political instability, Peru experienced economic growth and better politics. But there is still some important inequalities and poverty and there are still big issues related to the right of indigenous people.

So I decided to visit three cities, Lima, the capital city and Cusco, one of the most interesting city in term of history.

I really loved visiting Lima due to its architecture and its historical elements. One of my favorite spots in the city was the Historic Center due to its colonial era’s building. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its cultural and historical aspect. Lima has an important historical meaning as it was founded by Francis Pizarro, the conquistador responsible for the conquest of the Inca Empire. Lima was one of the most important cities of the Spanish empire. So due to its cultural heritage, the historical center is full of colonial era buildings such as the Cathedral of Lima that was built in the 16th century, or the Government Palace. I really loved that part of Lima, the architecture made me think of an European city, and there is a lot of interesting activities to do.

Something really interesting and particular that I did is the visit of the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco. The construction of this Basilica began shortly after the foundation of Lima in the 17th century. The beautiful basilica represents a Spanish Baroque style, making a link to the origins of those who constructed the building, Spanish. This basilica and the convent had a major role during the colonial era as it served as a center of the Franciscan order. Which makes that building so special is the catacombs and burial site that are just beneath the basilica, these catacombs were used during the colonial period. So this building had a major impact during the colonial period and represents now a really interesting historical building. I really encourage people to visit this basilica, and the catacombs bring a really particular vibe, knowing that thousands of people are buried just under my feet almost bring a “spooky vibe”. The basilica is located in the Historic center of Lima, and its a really big building so you will not miss it ! And the architecture is really different from the typical religious building that I’m used to see. Its yellow color makes it really special.

Then, after Lima I went to the famous city of Cusco. This city is located in the southern part of Peru near the Andes mountains. It used to be the capital of the Inca empire, this is what makes the city so special. The Inca people arrived in Cusco during the 13th century, which became the religious and political center of the Inca territories. But then the Spanish colonizers arrived and ended the empire, and started establishing their presence by constructing churches and administrative buildings. The Inca people went through the worst, and had to assimilate into European culture by giving up their own culture. They had to see their empire being destroyed and changed for colonial purpose. Inca people had to be converted to Christianity as their beliefs were not accepted. They became exploited and had to face forced labor. And most of them died because of diseases brought by Europeans. So as you can see, The Inca people have been through a lot, which make the city of Cusco even more meaningful due to its big historical past.

Obviously, one of the most famous elements of that city is the Machu Picchu, which is one of the seven Wonders of the World due to its iconic archeology. This site is located in the Andes mountains and can be accessible by train or you can hike the Inca Trail to the site. It was built in the 15th century and prove the ingenuity of Inca engineering. This site has been discovered only a century ago, so it is quite new to our world. It is believed that the purpose of this was to be a ceremonial center for the Inca emperor. There are three notable structures to see : the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana stone and the Room if the Three Windows.

One of my goals is to see all the seven Wonders of the World, so I was really excited to see one of them. Being in front of the iconic Machu Picchu is impressive, and you can feel the big historical background of the site. Also, the site is at a high altitude, so when you are at the top of the Machu Picchu, the view is amazing.

Following the Machu Picchu, I explored the Sacsayhuaman, which is also an Inca archeological site, built in the 15th century and located on the outside of Cusco. It was probably use by the Inca people as a fortress or ceremonial center. This site is also used during the Inca festival of the sun that is held annually in June, where an ancient ceremony is celebrated to honor the Inca culture. Sascayhuaman is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which allows it to be internationally recognized and protected. It is a site quite similar to Machu Picchu, but less well-conserved. The Machu Picchu contains more elements. I still really appreciated visiting that site. As I’m used to say it, I am European so the indigenous culture is quite “far” from us, we don’t really study it and there is almost no indigenous people in France so I am not really used to be in contact with this culture. But, the indigenous culture is an important part of the global history of our world, so coming to a place like this was really important, and I want to show that it is very essential to visit this kind of place, even more as European, to become more familiar with this culture.

And for my last step in Cusco and in this big travel around Latin America, I wanted to do something a little bit different. I decided to experience a traditional Peruvian music and dance by attending a folk dance show. I went to “The Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo”. Folk music in Peru holds a big cultural and historical importance as it serves as a powerful means of expressing the country’s heritage coming from Africa, Indigenous people and Europe. So this music allows to remember the diversity of this country and transmit it to the coming generations. And most of the folk music genre is rooted in pre-Columbian traditions by incorporating some indigenous instruments and melodies, which is a direct link to Inca practices and other indigenous civilizations. This is why in many songs, the musicians address issues such as the rights of the indigenous people. Which highlight the importance of music to transmit messages and help serving a cause. And of course, folk music attracts tourists and contributes to Peru’s economy. So due to all that reasons, I deeply encourage to attend to a folk music show. Because it is not only culturally important but it is also very entertaining and I really enjoyed my moment.

So I really loved my journey in Peru, I think that is was one of my favorite trips. I particularly loved Cusco, more than Lima, due to its big historical heritage. I definitely recommend visiting this country, there are plenty of things to do and the culture of this country is wonderful. I wish than in Europe and more precisely in France we could learn more about this country and the Inca empire. Peru in Europe is little known, so I really think we should study more about this in school.

The sources that I used to help me :

• https://www.peru.travel/en/about-peru/history
• https://www.machupicchu.org/machu_picchu_history.htm
• https://www.worldhistory.org/Cuzco/

I also used : Orin Starn ; Carlos Iván Degregori ; Robin Kirk (2005). “The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics” Chapter 1, The Ancient Civilization and Chapter 2, the Colonial Rules.

Blog #4 : Ecuador

My fourth post would be about Ecuador, an amazing country located on the west coast of South America, sharing the border with Peru and Colombia. Ecuador has a really interesting story. Before it became part of the Spanish empire due to the colonization, the territory used to be a part of the Inca Empire. I have already mentioned the Inca Empire in some of my posts, as this empire had a big impact on the history of South America. Indeed, the Inca empire was the largest empire in Pre-Columbian America. In only a few decades, the whole empire has been conquered by the settlers. But Ecuador was also the home of many other indigenous communities such as those of the Amazon Rainforest. After years of Spanish domination over the people of Ecuador, which used to belong to the Viceroyalty of Peru, Ecuador became an independent territory in 1822. Since that period, this country faced some economic and social challenges such as an indigenous movement , or inequalities. So the country is still dealing with the consequences of colonization, while still developing his cultural and natural heritage.

I was very interesting to visit this country as , Ecuador is less famous than other Latin American countries, for example when we think about South America we will probably think about Brazil, Argentina or Colombia, but rarely about Ecuador. Before coming there, I didn’t know anything about the country, so I’m really glad that I have done this trip and discovered a whole new really interesting culture.

During my trip in this Latin American Country, I visited three main cities : Quito , the capital known for its colonial architecture ; Cuenca that is often depicted as the most beautiful city in the country and finally Guayaquil which is located on the Pacific coast.

Quito is a perfect blend between the colonial past, the indigenous heritage and the modern influence. On of the best thing to do in that city is walking around the Historic District which is full of colorful buildings and colonial architecture. This place has even been named on the UNESCO world heritage site, as the site is extremely well – preserved. And one of the most impressive buildings is the Básilica del Voto Nacional built in the 19th century. It is the largest Neo-Gothic basilica in America. This building was very wonderful and made me think about some churches in the south of Europe, like in Italie for example.

Then I went towards the south of the capital city, to Cotopaxi, which is among the highest active volcanoes in the world. This volcano is located in the Andes and can be seen from the downtown of Quito when the weather is good and not too cloudy. The mountain was also a sacred mountain for local Andean people, even before the Inca invasion in the 15th century. In the classe, we read a piece about Alexander Von Humboldt called “Journey to the top of the world” by David McCullough, which explains the journey of that geologist, astronomer and botanist who explored, in the 18th century, some part of the Spanish empire in America that have not been explored before. Thanks to his trip, multiple plant, animal and astronomic data have been discovered. He was even described as the first ecologist and was named “the second Columbus” as he rediscovered America. He climbed many mountains and volcanoes, and while doing my research , I found out that the volcano of Cotopaxi was one of the volcanoes he climbed in 1802. He was the first European trying to climb it. Knowing that Von Humboldt came to that site a few centuries ago made me even more interested in the discovering of that volcano.

Being really interested in the ecology and animals, it made sense for me to visit a volcano, as it is an important element of our earth. The volcano was really impressive and allowed me to contemplate nature.

Then I took a flight to Cuenca, it’s a really short flight. As I said, Cuenca is considered as the most beautiful city of Ecuador. This city is now an economic and cultural hub in Ecuador and attracts many tourists. Cuenca is also really renown for its colonial architecture. One of my favorite spots was Pumapungo Museum and Ruins. This site was really important to the Inca empire as it was the religious center of the Incan City Tomebamba. It was created in the 15th century and contains buildings that was dedicated for political, administrative and religious use. Today Pumapungo is an archaeological park, performance center, and the location of a museum with exhibits from cultures that date back to even before the Inca and Spanish in the area. At the bottom of the Cuenca Pumapungo Museum you can see the entrance to a tunnel more than thirty meters long that served as a mausoleum and symbolized the underground world, home of the wacas and the spirits of the ancestors. So if you are interested in Indigenous history, you must visit that place as it was the major site of one of the greatest people in America.

I then decided to go to “Cajas national park” , situated at the west of Cuenca. Most of the landscapes are covered by a beautiful flower called páramo. The main characteristic of the landscape is mountains, valleys and hills. This is a good spot if you want to go away from the city, it is really calm, there is no sound except the water and the nature. That area was used by the Cañaris, who inhabited the area before the Incan invasion, as a passage between the Sierra and the coast. Later, the Incas built a road here that we can still visit today. Hiking in the park is the most popular activity and the best way to admire the beautiful landscapes.  If you like nature, I highly recommend this park. It is very relaxing and offer another aspect of Ecuador.

And to finish my beautiful trip to Ecuador, my last destination was Guayaquil. This port city located on the coast, and much in the south than Quito is renown to be a really enjoyable city with its beaches. Thanks to its location, that city has a big place in the economy of Ecuador. His strategic location has always been useful, even during the colonization as the port was used as a major port to go to Spain. Thanks to urban development and to its historical elements the city welcome more and more tourist every year.

I greatly appreciated “el barrio Las Peñas” which is an emblematic neighborhood of the city due to its history, colorful houses and cafes. This area is said as being the heart of the city as it is the place where the city was born. Las Peñas is also known to be a cultural hub due to the multiple artists and writers who settled here. Is is true that the beautiful color of the colonial houses immediately attracted my eyes as it is not common to this kind of architecture. To have a better view of the neighborhood I decided to climb the Cerro Santo Ana, which is a hill located in the city. It allows you to contemplate the beauty of the landscape. I really liked the unique style of that cute neighborhood and I definitely recommend it. We can feel through the area that it has a big historic past, with a mix of modernity due to the art that is very present in the city.

And to perfectly finish my trip in Ecuador, I decided to visit El Parque Seminario de Guayaquil. This park has a historical importance as it used to be called “Plaza de los Armas” during the colonial era, and has been created in 1683. But what I particularly liked in the park is the presence of Iguanas everywhere in the park. They move freely in the park and most of them are not afraid of human. This park is a mix between culture and green spaces with animals. I highly recommend it !

I really appreciated my trip in Ecuador due to its amazing culture and the beautiful landscapes. I think this country deserves more recognition as it has a lot to offer. As I said, in Europe this country is not really known, so I really wanted to show how beautiful Ecuador is. So at the end , to follow the work of David Shield in “The Atlantic World, the Senses, and the Arts” that is about the importance of the 5 senses in Latin America , I can say that I used all of my senses during this trip. The food is amazing in Ecuador, even more in Guayaquil where my taste has been able to discover some new flavor. My eyes were amazed by the beauty of the architecture and the color in Las Peñas. I was able to touch an Iguana in el Parque Seminario, which has a really particular texture, I have never felt that before. When I was in Las Cajas National Park, the scent of the water and the flower surrounding me allowed my nose to discover new scent. And also my ear loved the sound of the water and birds in that park. Knowing that all my senses were able to discover Ecuador, and each of them in a different way, is really satisfying and made me appreciate even more that beautiful country.

The source that I used to help me to create that post :

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Ecuador
• https://www.galapagosunbound.com/incan-empire-ecuador
• https://www.travelandes.com/en/ecuador/tourist-guides/quito/history.htmcv

I also used : Alexander Von Humboldt (2011). the personal narrative of a journey, p 72-77 in Chasteen Reader.

Blog #3 : Colombia

Colombia has always been a country that particularly attracted my attention, due to its amazing culture, the landscapes with the jungle or again its art. But this is not the only reason, in fact Colombia is quite often depicted as a very dangerous country and the home of drugs such as cocaine. This point can be related to what Lina Benabdallah wrote in her work “Global south perspectives on international relation theory” where she highlights the omission of a non-Western point of view. In the case of Colombia, it is, as I said before, often portrayed as a really poor and dangerous country without taking into account that this dangerous aspect is not what only define Colombia. Colombia is full of stereotypes, so I wanted to visit it in order to form my own opinion on this country , and to see what’s REALLY qualifies and describes the country, such as its culture and art.

Colombia was also greatly impacted by the conquest and colonization of the spaniards. The Spanish first landed in La Guajira in 1499, and by the mid-16th century they had colonized much of present-day Colombia, and established the New Kingdom of Granada, with Santa Fé de Bogotá as its capital. One of the motives of the settlers was the gold as Colombia has extensive mining sector. The natives and then African Slaves were the ones working in those mines, where the working conditions were awful. And Colombia became independent in 1810, so for more than 300 years, Spanish dominated that region.

So, yes, Colombia’s history is full of dominance, violence and unfairness, which obviously had consequences on its current status, making this country one of the ten most unequal countries in the world. But I want to show that, despite the actual situation of that country, it still have a lot to offer, whether in culture, landscape or music.

In Colombia I visited Cartagena, then I went through the jungle to la ciudad perdida, and I stopped in Medellín for a few days.

Cartagena was the first Spanish colony in the Americas, and its location on the Caribbean Sea made it a vitally important port city. 

The conquistadors were importing slaves from Africa to that city. In order to defend the city and its wealth of stolen goods from pirates, they built a huge stone fortress. One of the thing that I loved the most is “el Castillo San Felipe de Barajas”. The castle was built in 1536 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. It was built by African slave labor under Spanish supervision during the colonial era. The fortress was involved in several battles between the late 17th to early 19th centuries between European powers.

This castle has a rich history, and we can feel it when we walk through the walls, so I definitely appreciated seeing this castle and I recommend it !

And, obviously, what makes Cartagena a wonderful city is its old city. Enjoying the ambiance and character of the old city is one of my favorite things to do here.

Every building within Cartagena’s old city is like a Latin fairytale. The walls of the buildings are brightly colored in reds, yellows, blues, and oranges.

There are flowers laced through colonial architecture-styled windows and doors, with statues in the squares. And walking though these streets makes you feel the powerful history of that place. Cartagena’s old city is definitely my favorite place that I have visited so far since I started this journey of visiting South America countries. So if you love history and want to discover amazing landscapes, Cartagena is your place.

Following Cartagena, I realized one of my dream : going to the jungle. And the goal was to make a trek until La ciudad Perdida which is an archeological site of an ancient city where Indigenous peoples had established advanced communities 1,500 years before the Spanish arrived. Hidden deep in the jungle of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in Colombia sits La Ciudad Perdida, meaning the “Lost City.” Built by the Tairona people, the archaeological site only became an attraction after it was uncovered in the 1970s. Its is even say that this city was build before the Machu Picchu. But the only problem, is that the only way to go there is by foot, by going through the jungle.

Be ready, because it would be a long and hard journey as it is a 4-day hike ! To reach that ancient city, you need to go though the “lost City trek”. The heat and the humidity is terrible. When I moved to Miami, I thought there would be nothing worse in terms of humidity and heat but no, the jungle is 100 time worst. Colombia’s Lost City can only be accessed as part of an organized tour. And even if the trek is extremely exhausting, the beauty of the jungle makes you forget about the pain. The jungle is an extremely particular landscape, and the sound of the nature and a whole biodiversity living together is an incredible feeling. My eyes was in love with the beauty of the jungle, my ears deeply appreciated the sound of the nature, and my smell was also stimulated as the jungle has a very particular smell, with a mix of humidity and plant. And also the touch was stimulated as during the trek you are able to touch the leaf, trees to be more in contact with the surrounding nature.

But the sweat is definitely worth it as at the end you have the beautiful “Ciudad perdida” as a reward of that hard trek. It looks like heaven, a beautiful historical construction reminding the history of indigenous people, surrounded by the intensity of the jungle.

And Finally, my trip in Colombia ended with the city of Medellín, located in the north of Colombia. Once considered one of the deadliest cities in the world, it has undergone a transformation over the last fifteen years that has made it one of the most modern places in all of Colombia. The city has become safer compared to the previous years, with a good metro system, making it easier to move.With the lack of services and opportunities, people turned to drugs and crime. For example, the famous Pablo Escobar was one of the reason of the high dangerousness of the city. But as I said it before, the city has made great changes.

One of the things that stroke me the most was “Tour Comuna 13”, which used to be the most dangerous part of the city back in the 90’s. But this place in now safer, and full of beautiful street arts. Which is interesting here is to take a guide, so he can explain about the history of that neighborhood and the meaning of the graffiti. The improvement of that place is a reflection of the global improvement of the city of Medellín. But, even if that place is way better compared to a few years ago, the poverty is still really present.

And to finish my journey in that beautiful country, I ended up riding into the metro cable which offer an incredible view on the city. Colombian use them as a mean of transport but for tourist its also amazing. When you are up in the sky, you realize the difference in the landscape with poor houses in an horrible state, mixed with big buildings and in the back there is mountains. It is a very particular landscapes, where you observe the inequalities present in that city, which reflect the general inequalities of Colombia.

I completely enjoyed my trip in Colombia, and loved seeing the different landscapes between the jungle and the city. It is clear that this country has inequalities, but it is not the only thing that characterize Colombia. This country is full of nice people, amazing culture and art. And we have to keep in mind that the problems related to poverty are a direct consequence of the dominance of western country over Latin America, and so an indirect consequence of colonization. And this can also be related to the work of Rosemary Thorp in “A historical perspective on the political economy of inequality in Latin America”, where she mentions that the economic and social inequalities of countries such as Colombia were caused by western states and the culture of domination that is still present today.

The sources that I used to help me to create this blog :

• https://www.colombia.co/en/colombia-travel/everything-need-know-lost-city/
• https://www.cartagenaexplorer.com/history-of-cartagena-comprehensive/
• https://medellinliving.com/history-of-medellin/

I also used that video : Forgotten’ Buenaventura on edge as Colombian peace efforts drag on | AFP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGnIGFAWHyk

Blog #2 : El Salvador

El Salvador is a small country, next to Guatemala and Honduras, bordered by the Pacific Ocean.

Indeed, this country located in Central America is often depicted as dangerous and poor. Little are those who know the culture of El Salvador and all the beauty that it can offer. Moreover, it is true that the country has a high crime rate, and a large percentage of the population live in poverty, but this country has a lot to offer, as for example a lot of natives culture sites. The Mayan Civilization lived there, such as many other native tribes. After the Colonization, natives were killed and had to go though terrible living conditions and El Salvador became part of the Spanish Empire. This country finally gained its independence during the 19th century, along with other Central American colonies, but despite this freedom, El Salvador had to go through political and economic tensions with many social inequalities mainly due to the agrarian-based economy. A civil war erupted in 1980, that lasted more than a decade and led to the establishment of a more democratic system. Nowadays, even if El Salvador improved a little bit its economic status, it still has to face with gang violence, migration and natural disasters such as hurricanes that have a big impact on the country’s development. Due to this really eventful history, the culture of El Salvador is really interesting and deserve to be known.

As it is explained by Roxborough I. in “Unity and Diversity in Latin American History”, a lot of people in Latin American countries have experienced underdevelopment, such as El Salvador, due to the colonial heritage, so the actions of Western countries had an impact which created social issues in that part of the world. El Salvador is still struggling with that heritage of violence, slavery and conquest. So it is important to remember the background of such a country before having bad stereotypes, and it is essential to still embrace their beautiful culture and the amazing people that live there.

One of the major thing to do if you go to the capital, San Salvador is ” Joya de Cerén Archeological Site”. Which is Pre-Colombian farming village. This site is quite well preserved, considering that he was touch by an eruption of a volcan. This site was discovered really recently, in the 1970s.

It is important to remind the importance of Mayan people in the history of El Salvador and all that region. These people of mesoamerica are still present in several countries of Central America, although they have been really reduced during the colonization. Their traditions and their way of living was really impacted by the settlers, and this still have impact today.

Then, from San Salvador I took the bus and went to La Puerta Del Diable. This site is also very important to the Mayan people and represents 3 rock structures and offer an amazing view of the surrounding area. This natural attraction originated from a strong storm that occurred in 1762, giving rise to many myths. “the Devil’s Door” got its name from the Spanish who opposed indigenous religious practices and sought to convert the local population to Catholicism. Indeed, during the time of the colonization and even after, the settlers, considering the natives as too savages and thinking that their beliefs was associated to the devil, tried to convert them to Catholicism. This was another way from the European to remove all traditions from the natives, to make them adapt to European culture.

Being someone who loves the nature, I particularly loved this place, where you can hike and enjoy the beautiful Salvadorian nature. You’ll be able to see San Salvador, Lake Ilopango and some of the mammoth volcanoes of San Vicente. The view made you realize how small we are compared to the nature.

Then I decided to go, by bus, to Suchitoto, which is a city closer to the Honduras border. This colonial city, was inhabited long before Spanish colonization. This place is surrounded by dense jungle and a massive lake. And it also happens to be one of the most well-preserved colonial cities in the country. This city is particularly famous due to his particular colonial architecture.

Suchitoto was one of the towns most affected by the Salvadorian Civil war that lasted from 1980 to 1992. The war also extremely reduced the population.  So yes, thus city is full of history, whether it’s colonial history or more actual history. When we are walking through the streets, we can feel that this city has been through a lot of event since the 16th century. This is why it is very interesting to visit the city.

Santa Lucia Church is the site that attracts the most, indeed his colonial architecture is wonderful and very original. The color of that church is really captivating and immediately attracted my eyes.

One of my favorite site was the Lake Coatepeque, located west of the capital city. It is a volcanic caldera created over time by fierce volcanic eruptions, it is estimated that it s 50,000 years old. That amazing lake is surrounded by hills with dense forests, which results in a beautiful landscape. El Salvador is a country that contains a lot of volcanoes, it it even known as the land of volcanoes. So if you love volcanoes, El Salvador is your place.

And finally, the last place that I really appreciated in this country of central America, is, again, a site related to natives people. The San Andrés Archeological site is quite close to the Joya de Cerén Archeological site. This place was also a major site to Mayan civilization, and even constituted a regional capital during Mayan apogee, between 600 and 900 AD. It was a political-ceremonial, and even commercial center. The last evidence of pre-Hispanic activity in the site was between the years 900 and 1200.

During my trip in Salvador I visited a lot of places related to Natives people culture, as this country was populated by many natives tribes, as the Maya, which allow us to have plenty of choice to visit Indigenous-related sites. In my opinion, it’s important to remember and honor natives people culture considering that this continent was at first theirs. And it is also important to enjoy the beauty of their architecture.

So, as you may have understood, I really enjoyed the beauty and the culture of El Salvador. In my opinion, this country deserves more tourism, but unfortunately his history and culture is unknown, and the stereotypes prevent the people to go and discover this amazing place. I highly recommend to visit this country of America !

The sources that I used to create that post :

• https://www.suchitoto-el-salvador.com/english/historia.htm
• https://www.teachingcentralamerica.org/history-of-el-salvador
• https://minorityrights.org/minorities/maya-2/

I also used : Benabdallah, Lina, Murillo-Zamora, Carlos ; Adetula Victor (2017). The Forgetting of Global South Perspectives, Chapter 17 in Global South perspectives on International Relation Theory.

Blog #1 : Mexico

This amazing country have always been one of my dream country. Living in miami, Mexico became much closer to me, and I knew that my road trip of South America would start here. I have always heard many negative stereotypes about Mexico as it is depicted as a dangerous country, surrounded by drug cartel such as the famous cartel of Sinaloa, or poverty. As Chapman D. is saying in his work “US Hegemony in Latin America and Beyond ” the western countries have always exploited and exercise a relationship of dominance and power over poorer countries such as countries in South America, and this dominance, exacerbated by the United States, contributed to the poverty to countries in South America , and so, Mexico, and this poverty is a direct factor of the creation of drug cartel and violence. So yes, Mexico is struggling with poverty and crime, but it is important to remember that those who critics Mexico, are those from the countries who created the poverty in Mexico. So their burden is directly due to richer countries. But, coming from Europe, I know that a lot of people ignore that the poverty in South America is a consequence of exploitation by the western world, as unfortunately we do not study this in class. We actually study nothing related to South America in France, which I think should be changed due to the importance of this society in our world. So through my blog, I want to show that the stereotypes about Mexico are not completely correct, and Mexico deserves to be discovered and appreciate.

Indeed, the history of this amazing country is really interesting, as it has been marked by indigenous civilizations such as the Aztec or the Maya ; Spanish conquest led by Hernán Cortés who conquered the Aztec Empire ; the encomienda system that exploited indigenous ; the war of independence that lasted a decade ; the Mexican Revolution or again the economic growth of Mexico in the 20th century with political stability but also economic inequality or drug violence. The history of Mexico is filled with important step related to the world history, and due to the increase of tourism in Mexico, I think that people should be aware of its history before coming to visit it.

I decided that I would visit 2 cities in this country ; Guadalajara and Mexico City. You can find below my favorite places in these cities!

When I arrived in Guadalajara, I was surprised by how nice and welcoming Mexican were. One of Guadalajara’s specialities is the Mariachi Music, which is traditional Mexican music with musician wearing regional costumes. And which is amazing is that you can listen to this wonderful traditional music for free. La Plaza de los Mariachis is the place to be if you want to hear Mariachi’s songs performed.

If you go to Guadalajara, You have to visit the city of Tequila. The city is easily accessible with the “Jose Cuervo express train”. It’s a 4 hour trip that takes you to the rural part of Mexico. I learnt a lot of things about Tequila and its way of production and the landscapes were really worth it.

I loved having the experience of urban and rural Mexico, both are really interesting and deserve to be seen.

And the last place that completely seduced me are The Guachimontones. It takes 1 hour to drive to go and it definitely worth it. This unusual pyramid, built 2000 years ago, celebrate the culture of the Teuchitlán people. It was really interesting to learn more about this culture I know nothing about. This place was supposedly used for ceremonies. It’s important to remember that natives people had and still have an important place in Mexico and in America. It’s important to celebrate their culture and to not forget their history.

We will now focus on Mexico City. I liked a lot that amazing city. I ate the best tacos ever in that city. We can feel that Mexico City is the heart of Mexico, not only because it’s the capital but mainly because this city is one of the oldest in America. That place is full of pre-colonization history but also post colonization, as Mexico City became a political and economic center for the Spanish empire.

Knowing the importance of the native history in that city, I decided to go to “el Museo Nacional de antropologia”. Which is really interesting with this museum, is that it not only focus on the pre Colombian natives people but also on actual natives population. If you like the aztec, Maya or or olmèque culture, this museum is made for you.

Being really interested about art, I had to go to the Frida Kahlo Museum, an amazing Mexican artist of the 20th century. She was a social engaged artist who fought for women rights. This museum, also called “la casa Azul” is in the house where she spent most of her life. You can find inside of this little blue house some paintings, some sculptures or pictures. I particularly liked this museum, the house is really different of what we are used to see, due to his original color. This kind of amazing Latin American artist is a proof that this continent has a lot more to offer that what television or media are showing us. South America is also full of talented artist, who like Frida, bring some changes in Mexico by fighting for women’s right.

After visiting Mexico, I can assure you that Mexico is not only about drugs cartel and poverty, but has a lot to offer. The history of this country is unbelievable and very interesting. South America is seen as a poor continent because the northern states decided to show this aspect of these countries. In the media, when we talk about Mexico or even South America it’s mostly about negative things. But thanks to this trip in Mexico, I am confident to say that Mexico is historically and Culturally worth it.

So if you were thinking to go to Mexico, stop thinking and go !

Sources that I used :

• https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/mexicos-long-war-drugs-crime-and-cartels
• https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/aztec-civilization/

I also used : Rosemary Thorp (2012) causes of inequality in Latin America, Chapter 6 in A historical perspective on the political economy of inequality in Latin America.  

Sources of all the pictures used

• https://www.kimkim.com/ab/bogota-to-amazon-rainforest
• https://www.mexicodestinos.com/lugares/plaza-de-los-mariachis
• https://whereverfamily.com/5-cities-tequila-lovers-should-visit-in-the-state-of-jalisco-in-mexico/
• https://www.viator.com/Guadalajara-attractions/Guachimontones-Pyramids/d5299-a25001
• https://mansionmauresque.com/visiting-museo-nacional-de-antropologia-in-cdmx/
• https://www.tripsavvy.com/museo-frida-kahlo-1589077
• https://www.visitcentroamerica.com/en/visitar/san-andres-archeological-park/
• https://passporterapp.com/en/blog/el-salvador/things-to-do-lake-coatepeque/
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Iglesia_Santa_Luc%C3%ADa_de_Suchitoto.JPG
• https://www.outdoorproject.com/el-salvador/san-salvador/puerta-de-diablo-rock-climbing
• https://www.visitcentroamerica.com/en/visitar/joya-de-ceren/
• https://www.lonelyplanet.com/colombia/caribbean-coast/cartagena/attractions/castillo-de-san-felipe-de-barajas/a/poi-sig/454761/363310
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• https://national-parks.org/ecuador/el-cajas
• https://www.retireearlyandtravel.com/pumapungo/
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• https://quitotourbus.com/en/basilica-of-the-national-vow-quitos-monumental-church/blog
• https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=352050
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• https://www.myguideperu.com/peru/culture-history/historic-center-of-lima