Last Thoughts Before The Flight Home

I am about to fly out of Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentinia and although seven months it can be long time for some, it goes by fast when you travel as you are constantly exploring new places, meeting new people and cultures and having new experiences. What is after the next mountain range, the next country city or town, the next country. For me, you travel both physically on the ouside and within yourself as you find out more about who you are and where you fit in with other people and this world. Looking back on these past months, here is a list of my South American experience.

CHEAPEST HAIRCUT: Ometepe, Nicaragua ($0.75 US) - Roadside barber that also doubled as a bike shop.

FAVORITE TRAFFIC STOP: The Zebras of Bolivia (Sucre & La Paz) !!!  As an initiative by city mayors to employ at-risk youths dressed in zebra suits to increase pedestrain safety. These zebras jump out on the street and stop cars from running red lights or other traffic violations. Well loved by the locals and always positive and energetic, they have the ability to control traffic that most traffic cops don't.

MOST EXPENSIVE DORM: Salvador, Brasil ($78.00 Cdn per night) - Yes, for $78 you too can stay in a noisy 12-bed dorm with a fan but it includes breakfast and it was also during the Copa de Mundo (World Cup).

MOST THEMATIC HOSTEL: Lua Cheie HI Hostel, Natal, Brasil ($26 for a bed in
a six-bed dorm) - Ever had an inkling to stay in a fake medieval castle in South America. Yes, true to the Lonely Planet guide's description, this Harry Potterque decor complete with a draw bridge, gothic doorways, a long table with iron chandeliers, lockers with Latin inscpriptions and a suit of armor to greet you.  Monk chanting extra.

BEST HOSTEL ON THIS TRIP: Hostal Casa Verde (Santa Ana, El Salvador) -  Hands down the best hostel on this trip. The owner, Carlos must of previously stayed in many hostels and picked up the best features of them as his hostel is so well thought out. Two complete kitchens, yes, TWO fully stocked kitchens with decent pots and pans (and not the usual dented, rusted ones you get at other hostels) and enough to plates, utensils and and cups for everyone. Carlos also owns a coffee finca so he brings in bags of coffee beans. What are coffee beans without a coffee grinder and both french press and several coffee percolators of varyng cup sizes. There is an actual clothes washing and hanging area, swimming pool, partioned off bar/ drinking area, TV room, roof balcony and free drinking water. The dorms are big enough for bunk beds but there are only single beds and each bed has their own individual fan, backpack and towel rack, electrical socket, and security locker. Each 8 bed dorm has two washrooms with hot water. I can´t praise this hostel enough and the owner is ever so helpful, well informed and laid-back. If you ever find yourself in Santa Ana, El Salvador, stay here.


BIGGEST PET PEEVE IN A DORM: Not replacing the toilet paper after the last sheet.

FAVORITE WASHROOM ACCESSORY: Toilet Hand Spray (Brasil) - Standard in most bathrooms in Brasil, next to the toilet bowl and handy for washing away any unwanted residues !!!

NUMBER OF TIMES I GOT DIARRHEA: 5 (Brasil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile) - Almost a perfect record for South America.

NUMBER OF WORLD CUP GAMES ATTENDED: 3 (France vs Switzerland; Bosnia vs Iran; Netherlands vs Brasil).

LONGEST CONTINIOUS BUS RIDE: 28 hours (Asuncion, Paraguay to Santa Cruz, Bolivia) - What was suppose to be a 14-16 hour bus ride, turned out into a 28-hour ride with a broken toilet and hardly any food. Not a good time.

MOST PLEASANT BUS COMPANY: Cruz De Sur (throughout Peru) - As good or even better service than on an airplane. Hot meals with coffee, tea or cold drinks served by a ¨bus¨ stewardess who could move her body with the winding and bumpy motion of the bus. Seats that almost fold flat with clean blankets and cushions. Movies and yes, Bingo. Clickety click 66.

NUMBER OF TIMES MY BUS BROKE DOWN: 2 (Paraguay, Peru)

NUMBER OF TIMES MY BOAT GOT STUCK IN THE RIVER: 1 (Manu National Park, Peru)

BEST ¨FREE¨ WALKING TOUR: Red Cap Tours (La Paz, Bolivia). Funny, insightful and interesting. This 3-hour tour will start outside the San Pedro Prison and wind its way through three markets including the great food Lanza market and witches market complete with llama fetuses and then to many squares, the city cathedral, presidential palace, churches and end in four-star hotel which you can repel from the 17th floor. Great fun.

BEST DOMESTIC FAST FOOD CHAIN: Mamut (Arequipa, Peru / $2 to $4). Move aside Subway and Quiznos and your processed meat, eggs and tasteless, fake fresh buns, this is a real sandwich meal. Fresh Pollo, Lomo Saltado, Bifstek or Lomito (chicken, stir fried beef, pork) with sautéed onions, peppers and tomatoes and maybe a fried egg on a crusty, delicious bun and a choice of multiple sauces. The McDonald's next door is empty but this place is packed with locals. Long live the woolly sandwich mammoth !!!

BEST INDIGENOUS COOKIES: Cocokis - Costa Rica ($1.12 for 8 packages) - Their crunchy version of a chocolate chip cookie and artificial chocolate that taste like chocolate. Packages of three cookies, handy when you are on the road.

FAVORITE CENTRAL/ SOUTH AMERICAN FRUIT: Chirimoya or Cherimoya (aka. custard apple) - Native in Argentina, Peru and Bolivia highlands. The American author, Mark Twain described it as "the most delicious fruit known to man." With an avocado-like skin that is green when ripe which gives way to a soft, sweet, fleshy inside that taste lik a mix of pear, papaya, pineapple and strawberry. Hard to describe but uniquely delicious.


BEST CHEVICHE: Che Vicherio Stall, Mercado, Peru - Among the raw hanging chickens, slabs of beef, and piles of vegetables and fruits,  fresh fish mixed with lime, chili, and cilantro is served with a delicious fish broth soup with octopus chunks, a sweet purple-corn drink (Chicha Moran), pan fried corn kennels, sweet potatoes and their version of a seafood paella for $8.16. Need I say more?

BEST STEAK: La Cabrera Restaurante, Buenos Aires, Argentina - This restaurant could turn a vulnerable vegetarian into true carnivore. Steak cooked with love and care and accompanied by small dishes of sauces and vegetables. Nothing like the taste of a good cut of meat, perfectly grilled with meat juices flowing.  Voted as one of the top five steak houses in Buenos Aires and number 22 of the top 50 restaurants in South America. Come around 6:45 pm and eat between 7-8 pm for "happy hour" to get 40% off. The only two things any proud Brasillian will freely admit that Argentina does better is wine and steak. Admittedly, I averaged a steak a day while I stayed in Buenos Aires and with good reason. Tasty, inexpensive (compared to home) and well-loved by men, women, children and crying babies. They love steaks down here and usually they just salt it and cook it. I like mine with a little chimichurri (spicy sauce of garlic, parsley, chili and olive oil).

CHEAPEST LAUNDRY: Quetzaltenango (Xella), Guatemala ($2.06 per full load). Drop off, and wash and dry and wrapped in plastic bag like a birthday and Christmas present in 4 hours. Much happiness.

MOST EXPENSIVE LAUNDRY: Rio De Janeiro, Brasil ($13.62 per load).  

FAVORITE PLACES ON THIS TRIP: Quetzaltenango (Xella), Guatemala; Sucre, Bolivia; Ayacucho & Machu Picchu (when the sun came out), Peru - Often it is hard to differentiate a place from the people or a moment. These places were special to me, likely if you go to these countries, you will find your own places.

BEST CAVING EXPERIENCE: Actun Tunichil Mukinal (ATM) Cave, Belize (Near San Ignacio) - Part caving adventure and part archeological site. Where else can you walk among thousand-year old skulls and pottery in an ancient Mayan sacrificial chamber.

BEST WATERFALL: Foz Do Iguacu, Basil  - Walk along the paved path and admire this huge waterfall chain from the many view points and then walk on a catwalk right into Garganta do Diabo (Devil´s Throat). Exhilarating with the deafening roar as tons of water from the Rio Iguacu flows by.

BEST GLACIER: Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina - Larger than Buenos Aires (Population: 13 million), it is difficult to realize how immense this glacier is as it extends well beyond the horizon. The bright blue glacier is a beautiful sight and when a piece cracks, it sounds like a a gun shot. Wait, and you will see chunks of pieces fall in the water below.

BEST SALT FLATS: Saler De Uyuni, Bolivia. When the sun rises from the distant horizon and you stare out into this ocean of dry, harden salt. It is raw, harsh and beautiful. The lakes and changing landscape along the way were equally breathtaking.


BEST GEYSER FIELD: San Pedro De Atacama, Chile - Like a field of smoking chimneys. Well worth getting up in the morning to see the geyser field wake up with spouting steam and pools of bubbling water.

BEST MOUNTAIN: I can´t point to only one mountain as the whole Andean mountain range is absolutely beautiful. From the big monsters in Peru and Bolivia rising to 6000 meter plus of rocky, barren and icy terrain to the lush green wind-swept Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, full of bright blue glacier-fed lakes.

UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL SPORT IN THE AMERICAS: Making change from large bills. From the shop keeper to the hostel owner to the bus driver. Nobody seems to have change for the big bills that come out of the ATMs. When you give them a large bill, they either have a look of horror or a "pained" expression.

UNOFFICIAL SECOND NATIONAL SPORT IN THE AMERICAS: Avoiding stepping on doggy doo. There are many stray dogs down here and for the most part, they are very friendly and passive and are often well-fed by locals who give them food scrapes. However, they often leave "little presents" on the street. So if you walk down the sidewalk and suddenly start to slip, it isn´t snow.

NUMBER OF COUNTRIES TRAVELED ON THIS TRIP: 12

NUMBER OF DAYS AWAY: 211 days

COST OF TRIP: $20521.00

NUMBER OF COUNTRIES STILL TO TRAVEL:  ?

Don´t Cry For Me Argentina

As the Robert Burn´s poem, To A Mouse goes ¨The best laid schemes of mice and men, Often go awry.¨ My plans to come to Buenos Aires and trade US money at the black market rate on Florida street (which was suppose to be about 75% more than the official rate) to buy my plane ticket home did not go as planned. Little did I know that if you buy an international plane ticket inside Argentina, the government slaps on a 35% tax. Then about six months ago, the government passed a regulation that international plane tickets can not be paid with cash and for foreigners, it must be purchased with a credit card from outside of the country. With all the loop holes covered and a large bundle of Argentinian Pesos, I limped back to the money changer and traded the Pesos back to US dollars with a little loss.   

Argentina has been in economic crisis since 2001-2002 (when the bank accounts were frozen to stop the rush of money being withdrawn) with citizens feeling the blunt of the crisis in the last five years with high inflation of 35-40%, devalued money and high unemployement. The fact that Argentina has defaulted on its debt (to bond holders) in 2001 and most recently this summer in 2014 hasn´t helped or encourgaed foriegn investment.

For the average Argentinians this has meant increased food prices and high taxes on import goods, fuel, and traveling long distances. As a result of the devalued money, there has been a scramble to change Pesos into a more stable currency which means either  US dollars or Euros. What this means to a tourist is that you can either to trade at a bank for 8.5 to $1 US dollar or the 12-13 current black market rate. It is such an accepted practice there are even websites (http://www.dolarblue.net/ or http://www.lanacion.com.ar/dolar-hoy-t1369) for the ¨blue dolar rate¨ which is even printed on local newspapers. If you choose to trade on the black market, bring large currencies like $100´s and $50´s as you get a better rate than 20´s, 10´s and 5´s. Even with this rate, Argentina is still an expensive country due to the inflation and prices around are at least 50-100 % more than listed in my guidebook.   

I am impressed this society has not deteriorated as the wages have not kept up with the inflation and the Argentinian just seem to keep going. I also noticed there are homeless families on some streets in Buenas Aires with children and women sleeping on mattresses on the sidewalk. Garbage gets picked up, streets are cleaned and people plod on with their day to day life. I guess most people want the same thing whether in the capital city, remote Patagonian mountain village or port town... a safe place to sleep, food in their stomach, family and friends around and moments of happiness. I spoke the owner of a laundry mat and he said it was ¨not a matter of adjusting to the inflation, it was to anticipate it¨ as he felt Argentina goes through these economic problems every 10 years or so and that is what he will be teaching his young daughter.

Often considered the most European city in South America, Buenos Aires has a lively and dynamic vibe and lots of cultural activities, markets on weekends and some very tasty restaurants. I recommend attending a Fuerza Bruta show of drumming and interpretative dance which uses water tanks, gaint foil, wind fans and air dome. I have not seen anything like this before, artful, lively, creative and hard to describe.

What makes Buenos Aires so wonderful is visiting the many distinct neighbourhoods located throughout the city. San Telmo seems like a street in New York while affluent Recoleta could pass for Paris with all the French architecture and huge mansions and La Boca by the port, is a collection of brightly coloured houses and buildings that conjures up the same feelings as Valpariso or Porto in Portugal and home to one of the oldest futbol clubs in South America, the Boca Jrs (and where Maradona formerly played). Other parts feel like I am walking down the Thames River in London or sitting late night in some plaza in Barcelona. They even have a plaza named Cataluyna with a similar fountain found on Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Traditionally, if you drink from this fountain, you are destined to return to the city.

One site often visited by most tourist is the famous Cementerio de la Rocoleta where the famous, important, and richest of the rich in Buenos Aires were burried with many ornate and elaborate marble mausoleums and gravestones. Both BBC and CNN consider the Cementerio de la Rocoleta to be one of the best and beautiful cementeries in the world. Buried here are past presidents, poets, entertainers, Nobel Prize winners and ironically, Eva (Evita) Peron where her body rests among the rich who she dispised and who dispised her. Eva is buried in her family´s mausoleum in her maiden name, Durante. Her grave is simple and modest and unlike the other highly decorated grave sites, flowers are constantly being placed by public as she continues to be well-loved by her countrymen (but also depised by others).

Time to walk around and enjoy a Sunday afternoon before I fly home tomorrow.

A Whale Of A Good Time

Puerito Madryn is home to Aluar, the only aluminum smelter in Argentina and one of the largest processing plants in South America, employing 4000 locals. But it is not the smelter and hydrodam that draws tourists to this small non-descript town. It's all about the whales,  Magellenic penguins, sea lions, Commerson's dolphins and sea elephants that are either breeding, feeding, sleeping or nesting along the nearby Peninsula Valdes coast.

Despite the error in my guidebook that it was whale season (which actually runs from July to September), I was not disappointed in my boat tour as there were plenty of Southern Right Whales to be seen. Mostly mothers and their new-born swimming around and occasional sighting of their fins or tail as they turned over. One adult whale even swam directly at our boat with it's mouth open, filtering the water for plankton and then dived and swam below us. Simply wonderful. There were also plenty of sea lions lying with their bellies in the sun or posing for our cameras and dophins jumping and layfully swimming in the waters.

The Peninsula Valdes Reserve is dry desert-like landscape of small shrubs that reminded me of the Atacama desert but it it is endowed with two large sheltered bays and plenty of marine life to be seen.

Off to eat lunch and catch an overnight bus to Buenos Aires.

Sweet Patagonia and O´Argentina

Torres Del Paine is simply one fine national park. Despite the high number of visitors that come to admire the glacier-fed blue lakes and the 2000 meter granite croppings that gives the park its name (Towers of Paine), the 181 000-hectacre park is pristine with wonderful wildlife and fauna. One reason for this is that you have to remain on the designated trail (unlike the freedom in hiking in Canada). The other reason seems to be that everyone is pretty conscientious about bringing their garbage out and the facilities at the camp sites are top-notch with some of them having flushing toilets. Unfortunately, 40% of the park was burned as an Israeli attempted to start an illegal campfire in 2011 but it went out of control due to high winds and dry weather. You can still see the remains of the fire as trees grow very slowly here in this raw, wind-swept terrain.    

As it is Patagonia, it is very windy and the weather is eratic. I experienced all four seasons on my five-day trip, from raging wind and rain to sun and clouds then more rain and hail finally, snow on the last night and day. Traditionally, the ¨W¨Trek starts from east to west but my recommendation is that if you see the peaks on the bus ride in, get off but if you do not see the peaks, stay on and either walk in from the adminstration or catch the expensive catamaran to start the ¨W¨Trek from the the other end and hopefully, the weather improves by time you get to the Torres.

What makes the ¨W¨ Trek great is that can camp at the bottom of the ¨W¨and then go on day trips to see Glaciers and walk past floating blue ice-bergs one day then hike into a sort of ampitheatre of mountains and jagged cliffs (Valle Frances) the next day and hear and see the rumble of the occasional avalanche. You can then camp below the Torres Del Paine before hiking up to catch the sunrise and view of the granite towers above an blueazure lake. Although this did not happen to me as I got snow and clouds instead and only a brief window in the weather to get a glimpse of the Torres, I thoroughly enjoyed the trek. Walking the trail with glacier lake and distant snow capped mountains on one shoulder and imposing granite mountains on my other shoulder with all the bright red flowers and emerald forest around. And when the sun comes out, the colours really come out.

The ¨W¨ Trek is also very accessible and if you don´t want to camp, you can stay at the comfortable refugios. I had mistakenly thought it would be basic wooden huts but not so, they are more like ski lodges with hot showers, cafeterias and two with even bars.

After the Torres Del Paine, I entered Argentina to visit the towns of El Calafate and El Chalten to see some more of Patagonia. In El Calafate, you can take tours to see the majestic blue Perito Moreno.

 

Glacier at the Parque National Los Glaciers which is only third largest glacier in the park but still larger than the whole city of Buenos Aires. It is a very impressive sight from the boat and catwalks and there is a certain excitement when you hear them cracking and see huge chunks come crashing down on the water. Unlike most glaciers in the world, Perito Moreno Glacier is not receding but actually advances up to 2 meters a day and is considered a ¨stable¨galcier.

In El Chalten, I went for one more more hike in Patagonia hoping to get a glimpse of the famous Cerro Fitz Roy but the Patagonian weather strikes again and all I saw was fog and only caught a glimpse of the Fitz Roy as I was leaving on a 24-hour bus ride  to the Atlantic coastline. I am now in Puerto Madryn to view some Right Whales in the Peninsula Valdes today.                  

One Last Trek

To save time and avoid the Argentinian Reciprocity Fee, I flew from the pleasant German lake town of Puerto Varas to Punta Arenas at the entrance of the Straits of Magellean and then took a 3-hour bus into Puerto Natales. The coastal town is made of small houses and mostly one-story buildings and is the jumping-off point into the Torres Del Paine. It has that "small, isolated town feel" and reminds me of Masset in Haida Gwaii (formerly Queen Charlottes Island). The people are friendly and the town´s main economy is based on the tourist trekking crowd.    

It is the evening before I hike the classic "W" trail in the Torres Del Paine National Park in Southern Pantagonia. The park is suppose to be one of the finest parks in South America. I am hoping to see this popular trail before it becomes very crowded as the high season is just beginning as the weather improves and daylight grows longer. The 4 or 5 day trail is shaped like a gaint W with hopefully will offer sunny views of Grey Glacier, emerald lakes and the famous spirling granite stone pillars.

Most travellers are renting tents and stoves, packing in food and hiking the trail as it is very expensive to stay in the refugios (basic rustic huts) which will set you back $60+ for more for just a bed and hotels can costs up to $1000 a night, and guides charge $200 a day.

I have to go buy some food and supplies, and do some last-minute packing.

Viva Valparaiso

The picturesque port city of Valparaiso, surrounded by 45 cerros (hills) full houses, mansions, churches and streets haphazarded built along the sides and tumbling to the downtown below. The city gained
prominence during the Calfornia Gold Rush in the late-1840s and 1850s as Europeans made their way around the treacherous Cape Horn to go north along the Pacific Ocean. Valparaiso became the leading port stop-over for these merchant and passenger ships. Some of these merchants simply stayed and the port grew with many immigrants from Germany, Italy, England, France, America and Yugoslavia. It had South America´s first stock exchange, telegraph office, fire station, publicated newspaper (El Mercurio De Valparaiso), Presbyterian church, and yes, heated showers. With the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914, Valparaiso went into decline and its prosperity and prominence began to fade.

The once elegant streets around Plaza Sotomayor are filled with crumbling historical buildings, drinking holes for sailors and dock workers, and the occasional prostitute. The cerro neighborhoods are great places to explore and get lost. Full of winding cobbled stone lanes, alleys, stairs, and streets full of graffitied or mural painted walls and buildings. Often aspiring mural artist will approach house or building owners to offer a design to paint on a new wall to showcase
their talent for free. They are often accepted or soon the wall will be covered with graffiti as there is an "agreement" between graffiti taggers and mural artists not to paint over each other's pieces. Most of the street murals are quite unique and beautiful and some are several stories high. There are also 18 great little ¨ascensores¨ (funiculars or elevator cars) dotted arund the city built from 1880´s to 1910´s that can take you
 up the hills to get different views of the city or simply just take the many stairs up.

Full of atmosphere, I can see why famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and other artists have fallen under the city's charm. Much less publicized, it was also the birthplace of Chile's former dictator (from 1973 to1989), General Augusto Pinochet.

Off to explore the port docks on this bright, sunny day and maybe visit the nearby city of Vina Del Mar. The sun really brings out the colours in this wonderful city.