From the Amazon to the Andes and all of the mystical wonders in between, Mexico and South and Central America are full of stories to tell. Whether you prefer to look for clues to the successes of ancient Incan and Mayan civilizations or take in the unrivaled variety of exotic plants and wildlife, these lands are sure to awaken your inner explorer.

Book your South American vacation before October 26, 2010 and save $300 per person with Monograms.  View offer details today and start planning your trip to Brazil!

Looming above Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beach, the Copacabana Palace would have to be one of the world’s most infamous celebrity hotels.  Modeled on the glamorous resorts of the Riviera, it opened in 1923 and soon became the place to stay for Hollywood stars and European aristocrats during Rio’s “golden age.”

When Orson Welles took a suite here in 1942 with the Mexican actress Dolores del Rio while filming a documentary on Brazil, It’s All True, high drama ensued on and off the set.  The couple fought constantly, and Welles drunkenly threw the room’s entire furnishings from the window into the swimming pool below.  Fifteen years later, in 1957, another room in the Palace was trashed by a movie star, this time Ava Gardner, who was heart-broken by the break-up of her marriage to Frank Sinatra.  (No doubt her mood was not improved when, at one ball, an over-enthusiastic Brazilian admirer came up behind her and tore the back off her dress; when she checked out, her room was found to be strewn with whiskey bottles, the mirrors were broken and furniture slashed).

By this point, staff at the Palace had become accustomed to volatile scenes from its upper crust clientele. The newly-divorced Prince of Wales also became so drunk that he went fishing in the fountain, and Lana Turner was at the Copa when she heard that Howard Hughes had dumped her to marry Jean Peters, pushing her to a nervous breakdown. Today, the Copacabana Palace still dominates the city’s iconic beach. Visitors can still stroll into the splendid lobby and ask to see the “golden book,” a guest register filled with famous names from the glorious past: Errol Flynn, Margot Fontayn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich, Anita Ekburg, Brigitte Bardot and Brazil’s first international sex symbol, Carmen Miranda.

Carrying on that grand tradition, Copacabana Beach remains an exhibitionist’s paradise – the spot to flaunt your latest eye-popping thong and then samba all night while sipping caiparinhas (a potent mix of lemon, sugar and cane brandy called caxaça).  But be careful.  As Orson Welles would tell you, they really pack a punch.

It’s time to take flight and journey to the exotic country of Brazil, where the welcoming people and the tropical atmosphere will take your breath away. Grab your passport; your trip to Brazil is on!

For the next couple of weeks, we will explore some of the must-see sights in Rio de Janeiro. Soar with us over Iguassu Falls and bask in its 2-mile-wide torrential downpour. Climb the splendor Sugar Loaf Mountain or relax in the comfort and beauty of Rio’s famous beaches. View the awe-inspiring statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain and feel the power of the city’s rich cultural history electrifying the air.

Grab your bags and enjoy your tour of Brazil’s cathedrals, natural wonders, and incredible people. Let’s lose ourselves in the color, music, and vibrancy of this incredible country.

We will discover the infamous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches, participate in a traditional carnival, and dance the samba in the streets. Whatever comes our way, our vacation in Brazil is sure to be an unforgettable travel experience.

Porcão

Visit this restaurant on Flamengo Beach for all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue as well as incredible views of the bay and Sugarloaf Mountain.

Forte do Leme

A 20 minute walk to the top of this fort on Leme Beach leads you to one of Rio’s best kept secrets. Take in the 360-degree views of Copacabana and Guanabara Bay as sagui monkeys dart around. Read the rest of this entry »