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Sugar cane cutters

Sugar Cane Cutters

Once upon a time, in my “young ‘n feerless” days, way back in my early 20’s, I was hitching across Queensland looking for work and boy did I find it. Just outside of Port Douglas, in northern Queensland I met a young dude who’s family owned a sugar plantation, every day they took newbies out […]

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Escape artist, Panama

Escape Artist Extraordinaire

Without a doubt, the oldest and most well-recognized brand in the “Expat” niche is Escape Artist (see: EscapeArtist.com). I moved to South America in 2004, prior to that I lived in South Florida and Miami for 12 years, from where my career took me all over the Bahamas, Central America and the Caribbean. Back in […]

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Aaron on Big Rock Brazil - Pedra Grande and Body by design

Big Rock Brazil

Pedra Grande is actually the name of this magical place I discovered about 100km from Sao Paulo. Big Rock Brazil was a brand idea for creating a mountain bike resort on a private property in Pedra Grande. Btw: (by the way) Pedra translates to English as stone or rock and grande is large or big, […]

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Santa Catarina, Brazil

Santa Catarina, Brazil

Santa Catarina (Portuguese pronunciation for: Saint Catherine) is a state in southern Brazil with the perfect climate year round for mountain bike riding and action sports. The very best of the Floresta Atlantica, beside the largest natural preserves and huge state parks bursting with rivers and waterfalls. Aside from the natural beauty, according to the […]

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Created by the construction of Mica Dam on the Columbia River, Kinbasket Lake (For a short time known as McNaughton Lake) sits in the Rocky Mountain Trench on the Western edge of the Rockies. On the Western side of the Trench lies the Purcell and Selkirk Ranges of the Columbia Mountains.

Protect the Jumbo Valley

The Jumbo Valley, located deep in the wilds of British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains, has long been revered for its spiritual significance and beauty. To the Ktunaxa Nation, it is known as Qat’muk, home of the grizzly bear spirit. Part of a crucial international wildlife corridor, the Jumbo Valley is one of only two remaining areas […]

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Andres Levin, Caetano Veloso and Lenine

I’m Alive Brasil

On the first day the Rainforest Alliance released “I’m Alive” it became the theme song for Wild Orchid Brazil. Our minds were blown by Gisele Bündchen saying; “the time for sustainable forestry in Brazil has arrived”. We felt as though she was speaking directly to us and we feel compelled to answer back – we […]

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Mathematistan by Martin Kuppe

Resilient Community Planning

Resilient communities are capable of bouncing back from adverse situations. They can do this by actively influencing and preparing for economic, social and environmental change. When times are bad they can call upon the myriad of resources that make them a healthy community. A high level of social capital means that they have access to […]

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Get a Higher Perspective

Do you ever browse the “About” page of a website, or read a company’s “Mission Statement”? I do, not all the time but when I find outstanding information, often I’ll follow the links to the source and take some time to learn about the authors. HigherPerspective.com is one such case, the information is so interesting […]

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Casa Dom Ignacio de Loyola

Casa Dom Ignacio de Loyola is named after Ignatius of Loyola (Spanish: Ignacio de Loyola) (ca. October 27, 1491 – July 31, 1556) was a Spanish knight from a local Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and, on 19 April 1541, became its first Superior […]

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winter_olymic_pot.jpg

Vancouver Winter Olympics

On this day 50 years ago I entered this world on a night that was so stormy in Vancouver that electricity was knocked out through much of the city and phone lines were down in North Vancouver. It was in the very early hours at Lions Gate Hospital, so I’m told, that my mother delivered […]

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