Below 15º North, the South America Travel Blog - A travel, culture and current events blog on South America.

Passion and Pain - Holy Week in Pampanga (First published in Travel Intelligence)

The real highlight of Holy Week in Pampanga is not, however, the solemn chanting of the Passion but rather the Good Friday bloodlettings. Beginning at Noon, several fanatical Catholics are nailed to crosses in a ceremony to reenact the crucifixion of Jesus. Photos | Full Story

A Day in the Cockpit (First published in Travel Intelligence)

My tensions were somewhat allayed when I entered the arena to find the crowd laughing hysterically at the two roosters in the pit that were refusing to fight. They looked more like two lovers on the dance floor than bloodthirsty killers. Photos | Full Story

Manila - Navigating the Chaos (First published in Travel Intelligence)

Honking, tire screeching, pedestrians dodging cars as they attempt to navigate non-existent crosswalks and cars, jeepneys, buses, tricycles, motorcycles and motor scooters ignoring all existing traffic laws. The only thing absent from Manila traffic is order. Photos | Full Story

A Driver's Guide to Manila (First published in Travel Intelligence)

Driving in Manila is not for the timid or faint of heart. The conglomeration of cars on the streets, where anarchy reigns supreme, more closely resembles the atoms in a heated molecule than typical urban congestion. Cars are facing all directions and coming from all angles as laws and courtesy are ignored like a piece of food caught between a priest's teeth at a potluck dinner. Photos | Full Story

What the Chicken Should Know About Crossing the Road in Manila (First published in Travel Intelligence)

For a measure of added safety, use the elderly and children as human shields. This may sound inhumane but, in reality, it is the exact opposite. If a driver sees an elderly person or a small child, they are more likely to apply the brakes rather than attempt to nudge the pedestrian along his way. Photos | Full Story

There's Something About Madrid (First published in Travel Intelligence)

With the Palacio Real dominating the landscape to our right, the enormous Casa de Campo sprawled out down the hill below us and the Sierra de Navacerrada mountains perched in the distance, we continued the quest for the definitive description of Madrid's charm. Photos | Full Story

Castles in the Sky - Barcelona (First published in Travel Intelligence)

The castells are a source of great pride for the Catalan people. They believe the construction of the human castles is indicative of the Catalan people's ability to work in teams, persevere, endure suffering and, ultimately, to succeed. Photos | Full Story

The Festival of San Fermín (First published in Travel Intelligence)

One should also be aware that valor is taken seriously during el encierro. Therefore, any attempt by a participant to jump out of the fenced-off corridor before being in serious danger from a bull is likely to get that person pushed right back. Those choosing the safe route, and running well ahead of the bulls from the start, can expect to be roundly booed upon entering the Plaza del Toros. Full Story

Finding My Favorite Beach (First published in Travel Intelligence)

With each successive beach, I began to wonder if I had chosen my favorite beach wisely and exactly how someone could choose a favorite. Full Story

A T-shirt from Dublin (First published in Travel Intelligence)

If my friend hadn't so coveted the prize, I still may have been competing in the contest. A day of tourism that consisted of visiting alcohol producers and drinking establishments, sampling the local products at every stop, had mostly silenced my inner voice of ethics. At that point, he, my conscience, was only in the game for major decisions. Playing outside the generally accepted rules of competition was not a decision in which he was going to trouble voicing an opinion. Full Story

Not So Troubled Northern Ireland (First published in Travel Intelligence)

Traveling north on the A2, after leaving the sterile castle, we passed mile after mile of stunning coastline and thoughts that all of North Ireland was a land of trouble were beginning to be removed one gorgeous ocean view at a time. Full Story

No Tokyo Bob, Your Singing isn't that Bad (To appear in the book on which I am currently working)

I thought the money that I made doing the first commercial would come in handy during my trip to Japan.  That U.S. $60 barely paid for one night in a Tokyo hotel.  A hotel room that was tiny, had a trundle bed to make it a double and a bathroom so small that my man parts were literally hanging over the sink as I showered.  I would have scooted to the side of the sink while showering, but one false step and I was in danger of flushing my foot down the toilet. Photos | Full Story