Few towns celebrate a single artist as thoroughly as Arles does Vincent van Gogh.  Copies of his paintings are set up at the very sites where van Gogh painted them, so we can admire the same picturesque street views that once inspired the Dutch-born visionary.  Cultural centers are named after van Gogh, a replica of his home the “Yellow House” has been recreated (the original in Place Lamartine was bombed in WW2) and the Café La Nuit on the Place du Forum has recreated the lemon-accented color scheme he used to evoke gaslight in Café Terrace at Night.

All this devotion belies the embarrassing fact that, although van Gogh painted around 200 canvases in Arles, not one of them is owned by the town.  Worse, van Gogh’s actual experience in Arles was famously miserable.  In 1888, at the age of 35, the troubled artist was lured here by the brilliant colors of Provence.  But money was a constant problem: He only sold a single painting in his life, and in Arles, his work was held in such low esteem that, when Vincent gave a local doctor a portrait in thanks for his services, the doctor used it to cover a hole in his chicken coop.  Van Gogh was also desperately lonely: He hoped the town would become an artist’s colony, but only Paul Gaugin came to stay with him.

The pair argued constantly and Gaugin fled when Vincent, racked by mental illness, famously lopped off of his earlobe with a razor and gave it wrapped in newspaper to a local prostitute for safe keeping.  The citizens of Arles had no patience for van Gogh’s drunken, crazed antics: they called him the “fou roux,” or red-headed madman, and insisted that the authorities lock up van Gogh in a mental asylum outside of town.  Prolific though he was, the painter’s mental and financial problems never eased.  Upon his release, Vincent moved to Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris and soon shot himself, never imagining how beloved his work would become.  His suicide note read: “The sadness will last forever.”

Thanks to the British author Peter Mayle, whose wildly popular memoirs about the expatriate life in Provence were turned into a 2006 film, A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe, this sun-dappled pocket of southern France has become the ultimate choice for Europeans to retire and renovate old farmhouses.  Few realize they are echoing a habit laid down 2000 years ago.

The ancient Romans conquered the whole of Europe, but they too had a soft spot for Provence, which was their first acquisition outside of Italy.  (The very name Provence comes from the Latin provincia).  No sooner had it been taken in 121 BC than its delightful ports and pretty rural villages began to attract wealthy Roman citizens looking for fresh air and sunshine.

Today, the landscape of Provence is rich with relics from that ancient golden age, especially in the city of Arles.  Around 50 BC, the town had the good judgment to support Julius Caesar in Rome’s civil wars, and was showered with rewards when he won.  As a result, Arles was transformed into the hub of the Western Empire, and a miniature version of Rome itself.  Modern visitors can still stroll from the Arena (a scaled-down Colosseum, where today bullfights have taken the place of gladiators) to the Place du Forum (the site of ancient market and meeting-place), inspect the Crypto-porticus (the granaries) and the Baths of Constantine (where citizens would while away whole days swimming, exercising and flirting).

To put all this in context, visit the new Museum of Ancient Arles.  Built next to the Roman Circus, where chariot races were once held, on the edge of the city, the museum contains a wonderful set of scale models and dioramas recreating Arles in its Roman heyday.

Afterwards, the ancient ruins of the town seem to come alive: You can virtually hear the Arena packed with 20,000 citizens howling for blood, the Forum filled with food vendors, and the riverfront promenade lined with wealthy tourists from Italy, lounging on marble benches and enjoying the sun – not so different from today, after all.

Welcome to Arles, France! Be prepared to be inundated with French cuisine and wine, rich history, and an impressive artisan culture.

We have an educational program for you for the next several weeks, which will introduce you to the sights and customs of Southern France. Ever wondered what to tip, or even if to tip, when dining out at French cafes? We will make sure tipping etiquette is crystal clear, in addition to discussing the basics of French travel. More importantly, we’ll tour the Roman Amphitheatre and visit the home of Vincent van Gogh. Though the famed artist only spent a year in Arles, he produced more than 300 paintings during his time there. We will also absorb the incredible culture of the region through the many pristine museums in Arles.

Pack your bags, it’s time to lose ourselves in the romance and delight of a vacation in France! We’ll languish with French cuisine, drink lavish French wines, and experience the country’s incredible culture.

Whether it’s the food, atmosphere, or history you crave, Arles has it all. Come, learn more with us as we discover this enchanting city!

A small bronze plaque at Iguazu Falls commemorates the wandering Spanish conquistador Cabeza de Vaca, who in 1541 became the first European to set eyes on one of South America’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders.

We have no record of what the crusty fortune-hunter thought when first encountering the 275 cataracts that cover a distance of over a mile and a half, including the great arc known today as The Devil’s Throat, where water surges so violently over the rim that visitors today feel the need to wear raincoats on the walkways.  But we do know that when Eleanor Roosevelt visited Iguazu Falls, now shared by Brazil and Argentina, she exclaimed: “Poor Niagara!”  Oddly, this South American powerhouse remained largely off the world radar until the 1986 film The Mission, starring Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons, which shed some light on the area’s unique colonial history.

It was around Iguazu that teams of Jesuit priests began setting up their mission stations in the 1600s to convert the local Guarani Indians to Christianity.  Compared to other evangelical attempts of the time, it was a noble and humane experiment.  Instead of putting the Indians to work on brutal plantations, the Jesuits created an enlightened system that allowed the Guarani to study, grow grain and carve musical instruments that became famous in the courts of Europe.  At their height, the missions housed 100,000 Guarani, with a standing Indian army to keep out marauding slave traders.  And this system survived for over 150 years.  But when the Spanish king expelled Jesuits from South America in 1767, the missions began to collapse, slave traders pounced and the Guarani fled back into the jungle.

Today the ancient missions remain as poetic ruins on both side of the Brazil-Argentine border, their walls decorated with elegant Indian carvings of angels and stars.  In one, San Ignacio, the gravestones of the priests bear simple but clear messages: “Here lies Father Juan, a good man.”

The last thing you might expect to find in the middle of the world’s densest rainforest is a Italian opera house.  But in the city of Manaus, the Renaissance-style Teatro Amazonas, Amazon Theater, looms above the fast-flowing river like an apparition from a distant world.  Its improbable saga began in the 1880s rubber boom, when the pneumatic tire was invented and Amazon rubber suddenly became a valuable substance.  Pioneers flooded into the jungle by riverboat, and the remote camp of Manaus, thousands of miles from civilization, became a boom town overnight.

In this Brazilian El Dorado, millionaire rubber barons outdid one another to prove their sophistication, ordering the latest fashions from Paris, building art nouveau mansions and lighting their cigars with $100 bills.  In 1881, the local governor decided that Manaus should become the southern hemisphere’s cultural hub by building an opera house along the lines of Milan and Naples, then pumped a fortune into the project.  It took a decade and a half to ship the luxury materials from Europe, including swathes of Carrara marble, 198 chandeliers and 36,000 ceramic tiles, but on New Year’s Eve, 1896, the marvelous house was inaugurated with a  performance of La Giaconda.

The audience sweated through the show in tuxedos and evening dresses, swatting malarial mosquitoes with their theater programs.  But the evening was a huge success: patrons were dazzled by the sumptuous interior, which boasted four levels of Corinthian pillared balconies and Louis XV-style red velvet chairs.  The house curtain was painted with Grecian nymphs lolling at the meeting-place of the Amazon and the River Solimoes, which occurs at Manaus.

In 1982, the theater enjoyed a renewed fame when it was featured in the Werner Herzog film Fitzcarraldo as a monument to human obsession.  Today, operas are still performed here, although the musicians are mostly immigrants from Eastern Europe, lured to the jungle from their chilly homelands.

Monograms provides traveler’s access to a Local Host, so you will have someone on hand to answer those vacation questions pertaining to Iguassu Falls.  Your Local Host is also about to share local Iguassu Falls insights and suggestions for getting off the beaten path, leaving you more time to create lasting vacation memories that are yours alone.  Here are some of the sights a Local Host would recommend exploring while in Brazil:

Bird Park
Located near the entrance of Iguassu National Park, the Bird Park has more than 300 species of birds and was constructed with the intention of offering ideal breeding conditions for birds. Rare and colorful birds fly in the huge aviaries, which have been built to blend in with the humid subtropical forest. Visitors are able to enter these aviaries and view the birds at close quarters. They will also see alligators, anacondas, pythons, marmosets, and butterflies. At present, the Bird Park is the largest in Latin America and is internationally recognized. It is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Itaipu Dam
A joint venture between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu Dam is responsible for 20% of the energy consumed in Brazil and 90% in Paraguay. Located approximately 30 minutes from Iguassu, the Dam is five miles wide and 600 feet high. It is considered second in generating capacity behind the Three Gorges Dam in China. Since it was opened for visitation in 1977, the Itaipu Dam has been visited by 10 million people from over 165 countries.

Casino Iguazu Argentina
Venture to Casino Iguazu to play some roulette, black jack, poker, baccarat, or slot machines. Or maybe just enjoy its beautiful restaurant serving international dishes. Don’t forget to bring your passport, as you will need it to enter.

Iguassu Falls, one of the most spectacular sights on earth is located between Brazil and Argentina. Meaning “Big Water” in the local dialect, there are 275 falls that cover a distance of over a mile and a half. A photograph cannot accurately portray this breathtaking sight—you must experience it for yourself on a vacation to South America.

Rounding out our must-see sights of Rio de Janeiro, here are some additional places to visit on your vacation in Brazil:

Barra Da Tijuca
Rio’s longest beach, it stretches over 18km along Av. Sernambetiba. A hot spot on the beach is the area around the Barraca do Pepê, a bar named for a famous Brazilian hang glider who died competing outside Brazil.

Recreio Dos Bandeirantes
This is a charming 2km long inlet at the end of Sernambetiba Ave. Sheltered by a large rock, Recreio is safe for swimming.

Prainha
A secluded sandy strip 700 meters long, Prainha is a surfer’s beach. It is an Environmental Protected Area.

Grumari
Enjoy the reddish sand in an unspoiled setting. The sea is often rough here. It is also an Environmental Protected Area.

Burle Marx
Out beyond Barra, the vegetation is almost virgin. If you have time, visit Prainha and Grumari beaches—much loved by the surfers. The vegetation is protected, and building is not permitted. Nearby is the estate where the famous landscape artist, Burle Marx, lived. This is open to visitors and is perfect for an ecological/photographic safari. It contains plants from all over the world, though the emphasis is on wonderful examples of Brazilian flora.

Open Fairs
There are open fairs, such as the Hippie Fair in Praça and General Osório in Ipanema, where all sorts of handcrafts, art, and leather goods can be found. At the Babilônia Feira Hype (in the Jockey Club in Gávea), every fortnight the booths are loaded with clothes—mainly for the young. A typically Brazilian event is the open street market—selling fruit and vegetables—which moves around from borough to borough, so a little local knowledge is needed to know when one is operating near your hotel. The show of fruit and greens is spectacular, and prices are reasonable.

Continuing our post from Friday, September 3, here are some more must-see sights when traveling to Brazil:

Tijuca National Park
For a break from the city, take a walk through this lush rainforest with 30 waterfalls and over 300 plant species.

São Conrado Beach
While the tourists flock to Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, head to this secluded beach for a little more space and beautiful mountain scenery. It’s also fun to watch the hang gliders descend to the landing strip here.

Old Rio
Admire the colonial architecture and baroque churches before hitting the Uruguaiana Shopping District for local treasures. The soft Brazilian cotton is extremely popular.

Santa Teresa
For a break from the glitzy and hedonistic side of Rio de Janeiro, take the streetcar to this charming, authentic village. Colonial houses have been converted to small inns and art studios, and the women are more likely to be in peasant skirts than halter tops.

Misiones Province Jesuit ruins
Most people stop at breathtaking Iguassu Falls on their way from Rio to Buenos Aires, but don’t just visit the amazing waterfall. The Misiones Province area has much to offer, including the 17th-century Jesuit ruins.

Colombo Tea House
If you want to travel back through time and eat in the past, then Colombo is the place for you. This magnificent Continental café has changed little since opening on September 17th, 1894, and it retains an air of restful elegance on its upstairs restaurant balcony.

Botanical Garden
Enjoy a paradise of plants and trees from the four corners of the earth. Founded in 1808, it spreads over an area of approximately 340 acres. It has over 5,000 species of plants, including the impressive Imperial Palms planted in 1842.

You will be fascinated by Rio de Janeiro because it is rich in culture, history, art, and above all, great natural beauty.  Here are few must-see sights when traveling to Brazil:

Porcão
Visit this restaurant on Flamengo Beach for all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue, incredible views of the Bay, and great views of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Forte do Leme
A 20-minute walk to the top of this fort on Leme Beach leads you to one of Rio de Janeiro‘s best-kept secrets. Take in the 360-degree views of Copacabana and Guanabara Bay while sagui monkeys dart around.

Rio Scenarium
Housed in a renovated warehouse that was once an antique store, this bar in the hip Lapa neighborhood is considered to be the most beautiful in Rio de Janeiro.

Aprazível
Chef Ana Castilho hosted a community event at her home in 1996 and never closed the door. Her Brazilian-fare restaurant takes up several rooms in her charming home and trickles out into the garden, where you can enjoy views of downtown Rio.

Rua da Carioca
The berimbau, a wooden string instrument, is one of the most popular Brazilian souvenirs. Rua da Carioca, dubbed “Music Row” due to its numerous music shops, is the perfect place to purchase one.