Local Travel Tip

One of the seven wonders in the worlds is the Statue of Christ the Redeemer found in Brazil. The birth of the idea of constructing the statue was in 1921, when Vincentian Father Pedro Maria Boss went to the Rio de Janeiro. He was impressed with the beauty of the nearby mountain and presented the idea as a way of showing honor to the Princess Isabel.

Many engineers were interviewed for the task of constructing this large monument, but only Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen for the task. Fund raising for this statue began. The construction did not actually begin until 1927.

There was a lot of experimentation in the beginning. Many models of various sizes and materials were constructed to test integrity and a variety of other factors. Today it is an impressive sight and a very popular tourist attraction.

Do you think you can find culture in a cup? Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries around the world, yet each country has different likes and dislikes when it comes to this common drink. Here are a few examples of coffee around the world:

Hawaii

Hawaii is famous for its Kona coffee.  Kona coffee is one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world.

Mexico

Even though coffee in Mexico primarily comes from small coffee farms rather than large plantations, coffee farmers number over 100,000. Mexico ranks as one of the largest coffee producing countries in the world. A cup of Mexican coffee can offer a wonderful aroma and a depth of flavor, often with a pronounced sharpness that gives it a kick.

Guatemala

In the cup, a Guatemalan is a medium-to-full bodied coffee, often with a depth and complexity of taste that is almost spicy or chocolaty to the tongue.

Brazil

Brazil is unquestionably the biggest coffee producing country in the world. A fine cup of Brazilian is a clear, sweet, medium-bodied, low-acid coffee.

Ethiopia

Coffee legend tells of the discovery of the first coffee trees in Ethiopia. Indeed, it is not hard to believe that coffee may have originated in a land where wild coffee tree forests are still the primary source of harvested coffee.

Yemen

One still is able to find coffee growing in the age-old, century-proven manner. Due to a lack of water in Yemen, Yemeni coffee has an especially distinctive taste that is deep, rich, and entirely unique.

Vietnam

Today, small plantations, located in the southern half of the country, produce mostly robusta coffee.  In the cup, Vietnamese coffee has a light acidity and mild body with a good balance. It is frequently used for blending.

Coffee Cup

As you travel, you can experience many different types of coffee around the world.