Looking Back: A List of Lists

After eight months of travel through Latin America (including a Grecian detour for two weeks), we thought it would be fun to share a list of our favorite and not so favorite places and experiences, as well as some random fun facts.

Overall Country Rankings

Yahm’s List

1. Guatemala

2. Panamá

3. Colombia

4. Brazil

5. Uruguay

6. Greece

7. Costa Rica

8. Argentina

Adam’s List

1. Guatemala

2. Panamá

3. Brazil

4. Colombia

5. Uruguay

6. Greece

7. Costa Rica

8. Argentina

Favorite Cities

Yahm’s List

1. Panamá City, Panama

2. Bogotá, Colombia

3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

4. Montevideo, Uruguay

5. São Paulo, Brazil

Adam’s List

1. Panamá City, Panamá

2. São Paulo, Brazil

3. Bogotá, Colombia

4. Montevideo, Uruguay

5. Cartagena, Colombia

Favorite Small Towns

Yahm’s List

1. Río Dulce, Guatemala

2. Ubatuba, Brazil

3. Salento, Colombia

4. La Paloma, Uruguay

5. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Adam’s List

1. Salento, Colombia

2. The towns surrounding Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

3. El Valle de Anton, Panamá

4. Ubatuba, Brazil

5. Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Favorite Museums

Yahm’s List

1. Mola Museum, Panamá City, Panama

2. Museo Casa de la Memoria, Medellín, Colombia

3. Palace of the Inquisition, Cartagena, Colombia

4. Jewish Museum, São Paulo, Brazil

5. Evita Museum, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Honorable mention: Carnival Museum, Montevideo, Uruguay

Adam’s List

1. Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil

2. 1972 Andes Museum, Montevideo, Uruguay

3. Museo Casa de la Memoria, Medellín, Colombia

4. Origami Museum, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

5. Palace of the Inquisition, Cartagena, Colombia

Honorable mention: Museo de la Memoria, Montevideo, Uruguay

Favorite Lodging*

Yahm’s List

1. Hotel Kangaroo, Río Dulce, Guatemala

2. The Sunsetter, Bocas del Toro, Panamá

3. Quijano Hotel – Aparts & Suites, Montevideo, Uruguay

3. Casa Salento, Salento, Colombia

4. Casa da árvore, Ubatuba, Brazil

5. Absolute Athens III, Athens, Greece

Adam’s List

1. Hotel Kangaroo, Río Dulce, Guatemala

2. Quijano Hotel – Aparts & Suites, Montevideo, Uruguay

3. Apartment Flat – Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

4. The Sunsetter, Bocas del Toro, Panamá

5. Casa Salento, Salento, Colombia

*Does not include house and pet sitting gigs

Best Food

Yahm’s List

1. Brazil

2. Colombia

3. Panamá

4. Guatemala

5. Greece

6. Uruguay

7. Costa Rica

8. Argentina

Adam’s List

1. Brazil

2. Panamá

3. Guatemala

4. Colombia

5. Greece

6. Uruguay

7. Argentina

8. Costa Rica

Favorite Dish From Each Country

Yahm’s List

1. Brazil: the fruit

2. Colombia: whole fried fish

3. Panamá: potatoes and yucca

4. Guatemala: anything in tomato sauce

5. Greece: gyros; ice cream

6. Uruguay: chivito a la plata; ice cream

7. Costa Rica: pejibaye; arroz con mariscos

8. Argentina: sausages

Adam’s List

1. Brazil: moqueca with pirarucu fish

2. Panamá: Panamian Caribbean whole fried fish; salchipapas

3. Guatemala: caldo de gallina

4. Colombia: obleas; empanadas

5. Greece: chicken souvlaki

6. Uruguay: chivito

7. Argentina: choripán

8. Costa Rica: arroz con mariscos

Honorable mention: yerba mate

Favorite Malls

Yahm’s List

1. Bocagrande Mall, Cartagena, Colombia

2. Albrook Mall, Panamá City, Panamá

3. Santa Fe Mall, Bogotá, Colombia

4. Shopping Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

5. Pátio Paulista Mall, São Paulo, Brazil

Adam’s List

1. Albrook Mall, Panamá City, Panamá

2. Bocagrande Mall, Cartagena, Colombia

3. Shopping Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

4. Pátio Paulista Mall, São Paulo, Brazil

5. Santa Fe Mall, Bogotá, Colombia

Silly Awards

Worst road infrastructure: Costa Rica

Least diverse culinary scene: Argentina

Best empanadas: Colombia

Best accent when speaking English: Brazil

Best hot sauces: Panamá & Colombia

Country with the most wildlife spottings: Costa Rica

Favorite Spanish accent: Panamá (Guatemala is a close second)

Countries with the worst showers: Guatemala and Costa Rica

Most impressive bus terminal: Tres Cruces, Montevideo, Uruguay

Fun Facts

The city we wanted to love but it just didn’t click for us: Medellín, Colombia

What item(s) did we pack but never use? The water-proof ponchos and nets to put over our hats & faces to protect ourselves from bugs; malaria pills (thankfully!)

What item did we assume we would use more of? Bug spray

Best advice: Go to Colombia, just lock your stuff up

Most important lesson learned: it’s okay not to plan everything ahead of time

Number of international flights taken: 13

Number of domestic flights taken: 3 (1 in Guatemala; 2 in Colombia)

Number of borders crossed not via airplane: 1 (Argentina > Uruguay & back via ferry)

Countries that we rented a car in: Costa Rica (a must) and Panamá (helpful but not necessary)

Number of coach buses taken: 22

Number of coach buses Adam took on his own: 4

Thanks for coming along the ride y’all. We will keep sharing our adventures both in the U.S. and outside of it. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to Traveling While Introverted so you don’t miss our next post!