Colombia's Newest Attraction Turns Drug Lord's Mansion Into Tourist Stop
By William Moss Wilson

With Colombia's most popular theme park dedicated to the coffee bean, it was only a matter of time before a park opened in recognition of the country's other lucrative cash crop.

"Here begins a truly wild adventure," reads the sign above the door to Hacienda Napoles, the former grounds of cocaine-trafficker Pablo Escobar's 3,700-acre compound 100 miles southeast of Medellin. Open to tourists since December 2007, Hacienda Napoles is the latest attraction to capitalize on the notoriety of the car thief turned drug lord who was worth an estimated $3 billion in 1989.

For $8, visitors can explore the once lavish estate, now ravaged by looters and treasure hunters and reclaimed by jungle foliage during 15 years in government seizure. Rusted shells of cars, planes and amphibian vehicles litter the grounds. A herd of hippos sunning in one of the estate's 14 lakes are all that remain from Escobar's personal zoo.

The private operators of the park, Ayuda Tecinca y de Servicios, have restocked the grounds with exotic animals and plan to install a replica of the single engine Piper Cub Escobar used to fly his first international cocaine shipment. What was a bullring will reopen as a Coliseum to host concerts and local celebrities.

But should travelers support a monument to Escobar and the Medellin cartel responsible for three decades of violence in the region?

"We're not trying to profit off of Escobar," estate overseer Oberdan Martinez told the Seattle Times. "He was a criminal who did a lot of damage to the country. But we can't wipe him off the earth. Visitors want to know where he slept and where he brought his mistresses. It's kind of like the museums in Germany to Hitler or to Al Capone in the United States."

Martinez emphasizes that the new operation at Napoles will provide a boon to the local economy, creating jobs to service the expected annual influx of 400,000 tourists.

That a major tourist operation is viable in rural Puerto Triunfo is testament to the vastly improved security situation in Colombia. Under the leadership President Alvaro Uribe, the government has demobilized much of paramilitary infrastructure and made advances against the left wing guerillas of the FARC. The recent liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and three American hostages is the latest in a series of government victories over the rebel armies that signify the decades-long conflict may be nearing a permanent end.

If tourist dollars can provide stability in Colombia's return to peace, perhaps Escobar's playground is finally being put to good use.

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Machu Picchu: Threatened by Tourism?
By Theodore Scott


In early July, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considered placing Machu Picchu, one of the top tourist destinations in South America, on its list of endangered World Heritage sites. The addition of Machu Picchu to the list has been lobbied by conservation and environmental groups in hopes that international attention would help spur preservation actions.

Deforestation, landslides, and urban development are threatening the site. The number of visiting tourists has more than doubled in the last ten years and is now at around 800,000 people. The ruins and the nearby gateway town of Aguas Calientes are hard-pressed to handle the massive growth in tourism.

These issues have been developing for years. In April 2004, 1500 people were stranded and at least 6 were killed when two large mudslides occurred in Aguas Calientes. 1400 tourists were stranded in 2005 when an avalanche wrecked a portion of the train tracks between Cusco and Machu Picchu. There is widespread concern that these types of incidents will only increase.

Due to increasing international pressure, the Peruvian government recently proposed a $132.5 million plan to preserve the ruins. The plan would restore parts of the site, install surveillance cameras, and upgrade the entry ticket controls. The government has also been working to clean up the Inca Trail and restrict the number of trekkers.

Adding a site to the List of World Heritage in Danger is meant to provide immediate assistance from the World Heritage Fund. It also informs the international community of the situation with the hope that the right people will respond to save the site.

Ultimately, UNESCO decided to not add any sites to their List of World Heritage in Danger (www.unesco.org/en/danger/) which consists of 30 sites right now.

They did request "reinforced monitoring" for Machu Picchu. Under reinforced monitoring, experts will periodically examine and evaluate the conditions at Machu Picchu and report changes to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The Peruvian archaeological site of Chan Chan is already on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It was placed there in 1986 (the same year it was added to the World Heritage List), due to erosion of its earthen structures.

Ecuador's Galapagos Islands were added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2007 due to uncontrolled tourism, human immigration, and invasive species.
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Travel in Grizzly and Cougar Territory: Recommendations for a Safe Journey
By Lili DeBarbieri

The news of several recent bear attacks on humans -- including one near Yellowstone and another in Alaska -- serves as an important reminder to be aware of wildlife while enjoying the outdoors. Understanding the behavior of grizzlies and mountain lions can help prevent negative interactions with hikers and campers.

Grizzly bears are a wide-ranging species found in the Arctic, western Canada and the northwestern United States. Grizzlies are mostly herbivores, although they may have a varied diet. Occasionally, garbage, livestock, and grains serve as food sources from a habitat shared with humans. Increased human access to bear territory, primarily through roads, adds to the frequency of contact and potential conflict between humans and bears, and is the greatest threat to grizzly livelihood.

Bears react to humans in different ways depending on the animal's sex, age, health, the season, whether cubs are nearby, or if there is an available escape route. Although far from the ferocious man-killers depicted in the media, grizzlies can be dangerous, particularly when surprised.

Mountain lions also maintain large territories in a variety of environments, preferring areas with dense undergrowth and cover. Unfortunately, sport hunting -- a leading cause of mountain lion mortality -- may actually increase the likelihood of attacks on humans by upping the number of younger, inexperienced lions in relation to the overall population.

Though they often play a starring role in our myths and legends, grizzlies and cougars are elusive with ever-dwindling populations; it is highly unusual to even catch a glimpse of them in remote wilderness areas. However, should you, Ethical Travelers, encounter these creatures, Alberta's BearSmart program and the Mountain Lion Foundation recommend following these basic rules to stay safe:

1. First, assess the situation. Is it a black bear or a grizzly? Are there cubs, and where are they in relation to you and the bear? Do not make any sudden moves or loud noises. Avoid direct eye contact.

2. Talk quietly while slowly backing up; always give a bear enough opportunity and space to leave on its own.

3. Never run! A bear will often make a "bluff" charge, only to turn away at the last moment. Running will trigger a more aggressive response in both animals.

4. If you happen upon a cougar, open your jacket, wave your raised arms slowly, and throw whatever is on hand in the cougar's direction; this will make you appear larger and more aggressive, and it will discourage predatory behavior.

5. In the rare event of a bear attack, cover your neck and head, roll into a "cannonball" position, and play dead until the bear leaves. However, if attacked at night, consider it predatory in nature and fight back!

6. If attacked by a cougar, try to remain standing to protect head and neck and defend yourself without turning your back.

7. All things considered, stay in groups when in the wilderness. A group of people is far less vulnerable than an individual.

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