I've always wanted to go to Argentina and Chile, and knew that this would be a trip of a lifetime. Little did I know how that trip would turn out.
After much panic and stress, we finally heard back from DFAIT that we should stay in Mendoza and that travel to Chile was seriously discouraged. Searching news on the internet I found a CBC story that mentions the road through the Andes had landslides and one tunnel was closed. (Whether this is the road we were to take, who knows.)
It is frustrating not knowing what is really going on, but at least we know that we aren't moving onward. Now we wait to hear whether we can get a flight out of Mendoza home, hopefully sooner than later.
A journey with uncertainty, we will only know what is going on by the hour. What is worse is that today is Sunday, so everything comes to a hault here. (Now if we were at a resort instead of a crummy hotel, it may not be as bad.) In the meanwhile, we'll try and get some sleep and be thankful that we're safe and alive.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, Mendoza
With no wine bookings made, we hit the road to see what fate had in store for us.
First attempt: La Rural
Again, the maps we used were short on details and great for general area. I'm not too sure whether we took the wrong street (the winery was shown between two), but the only thing we could find were dogs that loved to chase our car.
Result: Fail
Second attempt: Tempus Alba
I was looking forward to this winery, as it needed no appointment and had a wine bar. Bonus points were also awarded for Heather recommending it as the best wine tasting room.
Result: Success!
This winery is ahead of its time with respect to wine tourism. Upon entering the ground you see a sign that you can do a self-guided tour around the facility, or if you want a guided tour to just ask.
After looking around and enjoying the finally nice weather, we made our way upstairs for the perfect tasting. There were three options of wine flights, plus you could buy some tapas if so desired.
Unfortunately the wines weren't anything stellar, but the experience was.
Final attempt: Lagarde
I had received a recommendation about this winery, so we decided to stop there for lunch.
Result: we found the place...
We found the place in Luján de Cuyo - it looked like it was rural on the aforementioned map - with its regular guard. Driving up, he was nice to let us in and show us where to park to go to the restaurant.
So far so good.
We walk into the out courtyard/restaurant, where we were asked it we had reservations. Noticing the ample empty tables we were easily ushered in.
That's about where the good ends.
Unlike the previous two days, we only 3 courses, paired with three wines.
The first course was delish, the white Viognier was alright.
The second main course was a disaster. It was an assortment of asado meats, grilled cold veggies, lettuce, and tomatoes and olives. The worst part was the meat, which was salted to the hilt and well overdone. One of the worst steaks of my life. (Coming into a tie with the aforementioned chorizo fat monster.)
The Malbec it paired with was also acceptable, but nothing outstanding.
The dessert was pretty good, but by that point we were stuffed. The pairing was with a champagne, which was actually not bad (for someone who doesn't like champagne), but could have been chilled more.
To the chaos of Cuidad de Mendoza
Tired of drinking wine and just wanting to rest we made our way to Mendoza city. Realising the road we were on had the same name of the street name near our hotel, we decided to follow it north and avoid the policia.
Somewhere along the way, the street randomly changed names and we had no clue where we were. So, taking the safer option, we found our way to Ruta 40 and the traffic chaos. For a town about the size of Winnipeg, it certainly is much more hectic! We dodged heavy traffic and finally found a street to turn to our hotel.
The challenge? One-way street heaven. Oh, and minimal allowance of left turns. We did a few circles around our hotel and finally came upon it with a huge sigh of relief. We were quick to check in and ditch the car and enjoy the less hectic pace on foot.
While Mendoza doesn't have a lot to offer, it is nice to stroll around and rest. And after much chaos driving around, it was certainly welcome!
First attempt: La Rural
Again, the maps we used were short on details and great for general area. I'm not too sure whether we took the wrong street (the winery was shown between two), but the only thing we could find were dogs that loved to chase our car.
Result: Fail
Second attempt: Tempus Alba
I was looking forward to this winery, as it needed no appointment and had a wine bar. Bonus points were also awarded for Heather recommending it as the best wine tasting room.
Result: Success!
This winery is ahead of its time with respect to wine tourism. Upon entering the ground you see a sign that you can do a self-guided tour around the facility, or if you want a guided tour to just ask.
After looking around and enjoying the finally nice weather, we made our way upstairs for the perfect tasting. There were three options of wine flights, plus you could buy some tapas if so desired.
Unfortunately the wines weren't anything stellar, but the experience was.
Final attempt: Lagarde
I had received a recommendation about this winery, so we decided to stop there for lunch.
Result: we found the place...
We found the place in Luján de Cuyo - it looked like it was rural on the aforementioned map - with its regular guard. Driving up, he was nice to let us in and show us where to park to go to the restaurant.
So far so good.
We walk into the out courtyard/restaurant, where we were asked it we had reservations. Noticing the ample empty tables we were easily ushered in.
That's about where the good ends.
Unlike the previous two days, we only 3 courses, paired with three wines.
The first course was delish, the white Viognier was alright.
The second main course was a disaster. It was an assortment of asado meats, grilled cold veggies, lettuce, and tomatoes and olives. The worst part was the meat, which was salted to the hilt and well overdone. One of the worst steaks of my life. (Coming into a tie with the aforementioned chorizo fat monster.)
The Malbec it paired with was also acceptable, but nothing outstanding.
The dessert was pretty good, but by that point we were stuffed. The pairing was with a champagne, which was actually not bad (for someone who doesn't like champagne), but could have been chilled more.
To the chaos of Cuidad de Mendoza
Tired of drinking wine and just wanting to rest we made our way to Mendoza city. Realising the road we were on had the same name of the street name near our hotel, we decided to follow it north and avoid the policia.
Somewhere along the way, the street randomly changed names and we had no clue where we were. So, taking the safer option, we found our way to Ruta 40 and the traffic chaos. For a town about the size of Winnipeg, it certainly is much more hectic! We dodged heavy traffic and finally found a street to turn to our hotel.
The challenge? One-way street heaven. Oh, and minimal allowance of left turns. We did a few circles around our hotel and finally came upon it with a huge sigh of relief. We were quick to check in and ditch the car and enjoy the less hectic pace on foot.
While Mendoza doesn't have a lot to offer, it is nice to stroll around and rest. And after much chaos driving around, it was certainly welcome!
The Unexpected
As you might have heard on the news this morning, central Chile had a major earthquake early this morning.
The good news (for us):
- we are in Argentina when it happened
- the quake was south west of where we are going
The not so good and moreso uncertain news:
- the quake is close enough to where we are going
- we have no clue what the status of things are with respect to our trip
The plan:
We still have our bus tickets to depart to Valparaiso tomorrow, where I gather things are still okay. If I know any new news, I'll be sure to post.
Today:
We have our last day in Argentina, and plan to play ignorant so that we can enjoy our day in Mendoza. Wine to the rescue! :)
The good news (for us):
- we are in Argentina when it happened
- the quake was south west of where we are going
The not so good and moreso uncertain news:
- the quake is close enough to where we are going
- we have no clue what the status of things are with respect to our trip
The plan:
We still have our bus tickets to depart to Valparaiso tomorrow, where I gather things are still okay. If I know any new news, I'll be sure to post.
Today:
We have our last day in Argentina, and plan to play ignorant so that we can enjoy our day in Mendoza. Wine to the rescue! :)
Friday, February 26, 2010
La Policia
While driving down Ruta 40, and even other routes, you'll notice that there are a TON of policia randomly pulling drivers over.
Now I know that some countries are more (openly) corrupt than others, but I didn't think that Argentina was one of them. But when we picked up our rental, there was a sign that said that if a police officer pulled us over and "fined" us for not having proper papers, that we were to call the 24 hrs of the day.
I had read about this dubious activity further north in Argentina, but didn't think (rather hoped) it would take place further south in Mendoza. Well apparently it does happen.
And thankfully we were lucky enough for it not to happen to us.
Another reason to rethink hiring a car here in Argentina - is it really worth the frustration and hassle?
Now I know that some countries are more (openly) corrupt than others, but I didn't think that Argentina was one of them. But when we picked up our rental, there was a sign that said that if a police officer pulled us over and "fined" us for not having proper papers, that we were to call the 24 hrs of the day.
I had read about this dubious activity further north in Argentina, but didn't think (rather hoped) it would take place further south in Mendoza. Well apparently it does happen.
And thankfully we were lucky enough for it not to happen to us.
Another reason to rethink hiring a car here in Argentina - is it really worth the frustration and hassle?
Uco Valley, Mendoza
We overnighted at a fancier hotel, which is also a small winery. It was one of the treats of the trip, and it was very much appreciated. Thankfully trying to find the place wasn't too much of a challenge, but it still wasn't easy.
As soon as we arrived we hit the sheets for a good mid-day siesta. It was the most amazing bed on the trip thus far, which is really appreciated after over a week away from our own bed.
We woke up in time to eat supper, which was mediocre at best. Truth be told we were still full from lunch, but since supper was part of the price we were certainly going to eat it!
By dinner's end the cold was taking its toll, so I went fast asleep. Meanwhile Mike ended up watching the Canada-Russia men's hockey game.
Round 2 - Tasting wine
Appointments made: 3
Appointments kept: 2
Appointments made on time: 0
Navigating around the province of Mendoza is a pure exercise in frustration. While we had expected some challenge, what we ended up facing was just insane.
Signs: minimal, and usually small and sometimes spray painted
Street signs: one or two, unless you're in a town
Signs to get to Ruta 40 (the main route): none
La Azul
With some reverse navigation we made it to our first winery. It is small and thankfully only had a tasting with some education about the winery. (Which I don't mind at all)
Number of tastings: 3
Wine quality: good and outstanding
The outstanding bottle is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec 2004, aged in oak for just over a year. For just over $20 it was a steal.
The problem? It had no label. So in a rush decision I decided not to buy it, fearing what customs would think.
Oh how I regret my decision - it was that good.
O Fornier
We had lunch here, and unfortunately (for Mike) there was only the pairing option.
6 dishes, 4 wines.
Again we were quite late, but had gotten really lost at one point looking for the major Ruta 40. Apologizing when we arrived, the host says it is common for people to get lost.
Umm, wouldn't that signify a problem that you might want to solve?
I'm starting think that the remise industry has a hold on the wine tourism industry.
I found the Alpha Crux the best, which priced for about $30 USD. If you want to understand the markup incorporated our bureaucratic system, this same wine can be purchased through Opimian for just under $60 CAD. (And yes, I understand there is shipping fees, brokerage fees and the like....but that's quite the markup!)
Thankfully I managed to escape the tour.
Still trying to find our way
Skipping the last tour, we just wanted to find our B&B and relax.
We were fools for thinking that trying to navigate was frustrating thus far, since the fact that we actually found our B&B was nothing short of a miracle.
We had direction and found the street no problem. We also had an address. We, of course, were hoping for a sign to identify the B&B. Fools!
We drove for more than we thought we should and couldn't find a single sign. We then looked to the building numbers: 2013, 1985 - we were heading in the right direction.
2165, 1801, 937, 1593, 1689...
While the numbers may not be precise, that is pretty much the sequence: random.
We turned around one more time to give one last go of it, and preparing to ditch the accommodations to find something else. We had randomly pulled over to try and figure out a plan, when looking over there was the address we were looking for! But no sign, or any indication that it was indeed the right place.
Desperate, we rang the bell, when a lady came out inquiring "Tiffany?" Success! And pure fluke. I haven't a clue why they don't have a fricken' sign.
Oh, and to make matters worse there is apparently another building down the street with the same number. They get so many people looking for the B&B that they have the phone number of the B&B to communicate with.
Common sense need not apply.
As soon as we arrived we hit the sheets for a good mid-day siesta. It was the most amazing bed on the trip thus far, which is really appreciated after over a week away from our own bed.
We woke up in time to eat supper, which was mediocre at best. Truth be told we were still full from lunch, but since supper was part of the price we were certainly going to eat it!
By dinner's end the cold was taking its toll, so I went fast asleep. Meanwhile Mike ended up watching the Canada-Russia men's hockey game.
Round 2 - Tasting wine
Appointments made: 3
Appointments kept: 2
Appointments made on time: 0
Navigating around the province of Mendoza is a pure exercise in frustration. While we had expected some challenge, what we ended up facing was just insane.
Signs: minimal, and usually small and sometimes spray painted
Street signs: one or two, unless you're in a town
Signs to get to Ruta 40 (the main route): none
La Azul
With some reverse navigation we made it to our first winery. It is small and thankfully only had a tasting with some education about the winery. (Which I don't mind at all)
Number of tastings: 3
Wine quality: good and outstanding
The outstanding bottle is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec 2004, aged in oak for just over a year. For just over $20 it was a steal.
The problem? It had no label. So in a rush decision I decided not to buy it, fearing what customs would think.
Oh how I regret my decision - it was that good.
O Fornier
We had lunch here, and unfortunately (for Mike) there was only the pairing option.
6 dishes, 4 wines.
Again we were quite late, but had gotten really lost at one point looking for the major Ruta 40. Apologizing when we arrived, the host says it is common for people to get lost.
Umm, wouldn't that signify a problem that you might want to solve?
I'm starting think that the remise industry has a hold on the wine tourism industry.
I found the Alpha Crux the best, which priced for about $30 USD. If you want to understand the markup incorporated our bureaucratic system, this same wine can be purchased through Opimian for just under $60 CAD. (And yes, I understand there is shipping fees, brokerage fees and the like....but that's quite the markup!)
Thankfully I managed to escape the tour.
Still trying to find our way
Skipping the last tour, we just wanted to find our B&B and relax.
We were fools for thinking that trying to navigate was frustrating thus far, since the fact that we actually found our B&B was nothing short of a miracle.
We had direction and found the street no problem. We also had an address. We, of course, were hoping for a sign to identify the B&B. Fools!
We drove for more than we thought we should and couldn't find a single sign. We then looked to the building numbers: 2013, 1985 - we were heading in the right direction.
2165, 1801, 937, 1593, 1689...
While the numbers may not be precise, that is pretty much the sequence: random.
We turned around one more time to give one last go of it, and preparing to ditch the accommodations to find something else. We had randomly pulled over to try and figure out a plan, when looking over there was the address we were looking for! But no sign, or any indication that it was indeed the right place.
Desperate, we rang the bell, when a lady came out inquiring "Tiffany?" Success! And pure fluke. I haven't a clue why they don't have a fricken' sign.
Oh, and to make matters worse there is apparently another building down the street with the same number. They get so many people looking for the B&B that they have the phone number of the B&B to communicate with.
Common sense need not apply.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wine country
After a long night flying from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, we arrived early this morning in Mendoza.
The weather is a lot cooler than expected, but that is probably a good thing.
What is not good is that we're now both fighting a cold, which is something I feared with all the different weather changes. Just when I need my tasting palette!
Visiting wineries
In France, there are two ways to taste wine: pull up directly at the winery and walk in or go to a tasting caveaux in a city.
Here it is not so simple. Wineries expect reservations for the most part, and worse, they also expect you to do a tour. Now I've been to all sorts of wineries, and quite frankly I don't want to hear about how grapes are grown, etc.
What I want to do is taste the wine. Oh, and buy it if I like it.
In France this was done for free, which was nice, but usually came with a guilt trip to buy wine. I'd rather pay a token fee and get a nice sampling.
Wine country - not quite what I expected
Driving through Spain, France and even Canada's wine country, it is very picturesque. Here, driving down Ruta 40 you see a bunch of industrial-looking buildings, dust and some wineries.
We pulled off the main road to a quieter parallel one and it got better. Still, there was a touch of ghetto versus sprawling vines everywhere you look in other countries.
Finding your way
I was hoping with the big push towards wine tourism that there'd be more signs to help me find my way. I was lucky enough to get through to a winery and book a tour before we landed at our hotel. The only problem was that we couldn't find it and was too tired to try.
Instead we found a large winery - Bodegas Norton. We pulled up to be met by a security guard. (Yes, a security guard) I told him that I would like to try some wines, and he put me on the phone with someone inside.
She told me that I needed a reservation, but no problem, there was an English tour at noon that I could go on. I told her that I didn't want to go on a tour and just wanted to try wines. She told me that I could try wines after the tour.
Noticing they had a restaurant, I asked if we could instead just eat at their restaurant. Sure, but I would need a reservation. Luckily this wasn't a problem - which was obvious when we got in, seeing that there was no one in there!
The meal
I got a choice of 5 dishes, of course paired with their wines. To me this is the best way to try wines, as it really allows you to experience its character.
The food was stunning, and the wine was pretty good too. But quickly fading, we wanted to get on our way to our hotel.
Before we left I wanted to pick up a bottle at the shop. The problem? No one was there! So I went back to the restaurant and asked if someone could assist. We waited for over 5 minutes and ended up leaving without success.
Looks like the wine tourism industry needs some work.
The weather is a lot cooler than expected, but that is probably a good thing.
What is not good is that we're now both fighting a cold, which is something I feared with all the different weather changes. Just when I need my tasting palette!
Visiting wineries
In France, there are two ways to taste wine: pull up directly at the winery and walk in or go to a tasting caveaux in a city.
Here it is not so simple. Wineries expect reservations for the most part, and worse, they also expect you to do a tour. Now I've been to all sorts of wineries, and quite frankly I don't want to hear about how grapes are grown, etc.
What I want to do is taste the wine. Oh, and buy it if I like it.
In France this was done for free, which was nice, but usually came with a guilt trip to buy wine. I'd rather pay a token fee and get a nice sampling.
Wine country - not quite what I expected
Driving through Spain, France and even Canada's wine country, it is very picturesque. Here, driving down Ruta 40 you see a bunch of industrial-looking buildings, dust and some wineries.
We pulled off the main road to a quieter parallel one and it got better. Still, there was a touch of ghetto versus sprawling vines everywhere you look in other countries.
Finding your way
I was hoping with the big push towards wine tourism that there'd be more signs to help me find my way. I was lucky enough to get through to a winery and book a tour before we landed at our hotel. The only problem was that we couldn't find it and was too tired to try.
Instead we found a large winery - Bodegas Norton. We pulled up to be met by a security guard. (Yes, a security guard) I told him that I would like to try some wines, and he put me on the phone with someone inside.
She told me that I needed a reservation, but no problem, there was an English tour at noon that I could go on. I told her that I didn't want to go on a tour and just wanted to try wines. She told me that I could try wines after the tour.
Noticing they had a restaurant, I asked if we could instead just eat at their restaurant. Sure, but I would need a reservation. Luckily this wasn't a problem - which was obvious when we got in, seeing that there was no one in there!
The meal
I got a choice of 5 dishes, of course paired with their wines. To me this is the best way to try wines, as it really allows you to experience its character.
The food was stunning, and the wine was pretty good too. But quickly fading, we wanted to get on our way to our hotel.
Before we left I wanted to pick up a bottle at the shop. The problem? No one was there! So I went back to the restaurant and asked if someone could assist. We waited for over 5 minutes and ended up leaving without success.
Looks like the wine tourism industry needs some work.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Ushuaia - penguinos
Ushuaia is a pretty town, surrounded by mountains and the Beagle Channel. But unlike the other smaller towns we've visited, there's a much bigger tourist trap feel. Plus it is filled with old people, unlike the young ready-to-hike vibe we've gotten before.
The reason is that there are a ton of cruises that leave for Antarctica. And the size of the ships, they just dwarf this smaller town.
Penguinos
One reason for coming to Ushuaia is to see some penguins. We took the only tour that allows you to embark on the island and walk among the charming creatures.
First was an uber-cramped mini-bus ride, filled with mostly old tourists from Europe. The drive was long and winding, and I got the worst seat on the mini-bus. I had to open the window - even though it was probably around 10 C outside - just to give my shoulder some room. (Thankfully on the way back I was able to get a better seat just in front of the crappy one, and I heard that the younger guy who got stuck with the seat complaining just as much.)
We eventually arrived at Estancia Haliburton, ready to get on our zodiac to take us to the island. The ride was short and pleasant enough and soon we set our eyes on an island with many black and white dots.
Greeting us were penguins swimming in the water, scampering on shore, or just sleeping and minding their own business. With a slow and quiet walk we were right amongst them - you could probably get right next to one if you sat long enough. (Only the guide said we should keep a few meters away to give them their space.)
The penguins were everything I expected - cute with their waddle and shakes, awesome in their cries and general chatter, and just so trusting. If I had the chance, I could probably watch them all day.
We walked among their nesting ground, where I was surprised to learn that they actually burrow holes to nest in. Mating for life, they return to the same nest every year. First comes the male, who prepares the nest. After about a week the female comes back to inspect, and if satisfactory lay her eggs.
Apparently there is an exception clause to the "mating for life". If the male doesn't make the nest to the female's satisfaction, she will just leave the nest for another.
Now only if us ladies could just leave as easily if the male didn't do his share of the upkeep! ;)
Ushuaia
Once back to town, we wandered back to our B&B to change into cleaner clothes. After an early morning wake-up, we were lazy and took our time to go back into town to wander around and grab some food.
Unlike other towns, restaurants here close after 3pm and only open again after 8pm or so. Plus the number of restaurants was far less than we would expect for a town of this size, so we had to settle for one that was open.
Luckily it turned out really well, even though they didn't have half wine bottle sizes. So I convinced Mike to split a white Torrontes with me, and was surprised at how yummy it was.
The good life continues, even though it is at a slower pace. (Yes, it is taking some getting used to!)
The reason is that there are a ton of cruises that leave for Antarctica. And the size of the ships, they just dwarf this smaller town.
Penguinos
One reason for coming to Ushuaia is to see some penguins. We took the only tour that allows you to embark on the island and walk among the charming creatures.
First was an uber-cramped mini-bus ride, filled with mostly old tourists from Europe. The drive was long and winding, and I got the worst seat on the mini-bus. I had to open the window - even though it was probably around 10 C outside - just to give my shoulder some room. (Thankfully on the way back I was able to get a better seat just in front of the crappy one, and I heard that the younger guy who got stuck with the seat complaining just as much.)
We eventually arrived at Estancia Haliburton, ready to get on our zodiac to take us to the island. The ride was short and pleasant enough and soon we set our eyes on an island with many black and white dots.
Greeting us were penguins swimming in the water, scampering on shore, or just sleeping and minding their own business. With a slow and quiet walk we were right amongst them - you could probably get right next to one if you sat long enough. (Only the guide said we should keep a few meters away to give them their space.)
The penguins were everything I expected - cute with their waddle and shakes, awesome in their cries and general chatter, and just so trusting. If I had the chance, I could probably watch them all day.
We walked among their nesting ground, where I was surprised to learn that they actually burrow holes to nest in. Mating for life, they return to the same nest every year. First comes the male, who prepares the nest. After about a week the female comes back to inspect, and if satisfactory lay her eggs.
Apparently there is an exception clause to the "mating for life". If the male doesn't make the nest to the female's satisfaction, she will just leave the nest for another.
Now only if us ladies could just leave as easily if the male didn't do his share of the upkeep! ;)
Ushuaia
Once back to town, we wandered back to our B&B to change into cleaner clothes. After an early morning wake-up, we were lazy and took our time to go back into town to wander around and grab some food.
Unlike other towns, restaurants here close after 3pm and only open again after 8pm or so. Plus the number of restaurants was far less than we would expect for a town of this size, so we had to settle for one that was open.
Luckily it turned out really well, even though they didn't have half wine bottle sizes. So I convinced Mike to split a white Torrontes with me, and was surprised at how yummy it was.
The good life continues, even though it is at a slower pace. (Yes, it is taking some getting used to!)
Ushuaia - trying to generate industry
Our remise ride from the airport to our B&B was the most amusing yet.
We got quite the lesson, including about how the beaver was brought to Ushuaia to create a fur industry. The problem was that there is no natural predator for the beaver, so it ended up destroying forests. Even more crazy is that it has mutated, where they are about 1 meter head to tail and I'm guessing twice as large (45 kgs-ish).
Even worse, with this mutation the beaver's fur became no good to use as pelts.
The beaver wasn't the only animal brought over, as the rabbit was brought for the British. Well you know rabbits and their population also exploded and ate the food that the sheep ate.
The solution? Import some foxes from Patagonia (just north) to eat them.
The problem? They didn't like the rabbits. Instead they choose to eat the local birds.
That's what happens when you play with nature.
A solution
Our remise had the most hilarious solution for Ushuaia's animal problems.
Import Chinese! They eat anything, so they will help control the out-of-control animals.
The problem? Well, just take a look at China :)
Best just stop with the foxes.
We got quite the lesson, including about how the beaver was brought to Ushuaia to create a fur industry. The problem was that there is no natural predator for the beaver, so it ended up destroying forests. Even more crazy is that it has mutated, where they are about 1 meter head to tail and I'm guessing twice as large (45 kgs-ish).
Even worse, with this mutation the beaver's fur became no good to use as pelts.
The beaver wasn't the only animal brought over, as the rabbit was brought for the British. Well you know rabbits and their population also exploded and ate the food that the sheep ate.
The solution? Import some foxes from Patagonia (just north) to eat them.
The problem? They didn't like the rabbits. Instead they choose to eat the local birds.
That's what happens when you play with nature.
A solution
Our remise had the most hilarious solution for Ushuaia's animal problems.
Import Chinese! They eat anything, so they will help control the out-of-control animals.
The problem? Well, just take a look at China :)
Best just stop with the foxes.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Rest day in Calafate
Since you are supposed to rest on vacation, we finally got a day to do not much.
We wandered around town, kicked up our feet at the hostel, and caught up on things (like this blog). It felt nice to slow down and take it easy.
Late in the afternoon we headed for the airport and made our way to the next stop: Ushuaia. Next report will be from the fin del la mondo in Tierra del Fuego.
We wandered around town, kicked up our feet at the hostel, and caught up on things (like this blog). It felt nice to slow down and take it easy.
Late in the afternoon we headed for the airport and made our way to the next stop: Ushuaia. Next report will be from the fin del la mondo in Tierra del Fuego.
Big Ice - Perito Moreno glacier
Another early morning had us putting the last bits into our backpacks, scarfing down some breakfast, and waiting for the shuttle pickup. This was the big day.
Weather: perfecto! Bright blue skies and sun. Perfect to see the mountains.
Total hiking time: 6.5 hrs
We were picked up on comfortable buses and slowly made our way the Glacier National Park. So far so good.
Arriving at the park we went on a mini-hike to get a good frontal view of the glacier. Up and down stairs with many different lookout areas, the only reason that it took so long was for everyone to stop and take photos. No problemo.
The best part of viewing the glacier from a far is watching the ice calf off the glacier. Huge rumbles of the ice cracking and creaking, it is truly an amazing sight.
The Glacier
The perito moreno glacier is one of the few (only?) glaciers that is maintaining its size. The theory is that its collection field makes up the majority of the glacier so it is able to maintain its size. As well, the area gets ridiculous amounts of precipitation.
What is also neat is that the glacier is fast moving, with the centre section moving about 1.5 metres per day. That would explain all the calving.
The Big Ice
After the hike we took a quick trip to the boat, which would pass by the glacier (basically the same as all the boat tours except faster and not as close) and drop us of across the lake so that we could hike to our destination.
Once docked, we hopped off to get the details of our trek. First was to make sure we had gloves - mandatory wear in case of a fall due to the sharp ice. Check.
Surveying the crowd, my worries of not being able to keep up quickly melted. My competition? At least half a dozen wearing jeans, another half wearing runners. Some didn't even have backpacks. And I was worried my injured-self wouldn't be able to keep up?
So we were on our way, with 1 hr to hike on land.
Second stop: getting fitted for crampons.
Then more hiking along the glacier.
Almost there: getting fitted for harnesses, just in case.
Then it was just a few more minutes hiking until we were at the base, having our crampons put on (they were really old fashioned and involved intricate lacing) and getting a lesson on how to walk on the ice.
Nothing I could write would be able to describe how awesome an experience it was. (Photos will hopefully do it more justice) If you ever get a chance, do it. Pure awesomeness.
Injuries: Tiffany - a matching blister on the other food (probably compensating) and a red neck. No, not the Albertan red neck at the back, but at the front. WTF?
Mike - two red spots by his ears that got missed with the coating of sunscreen.
Who needs a beach when you've got a glacier? :)
The Bottleneck
In all my travels I cannot recall running into anyone from Israel. So I had no bias, and the only information I had was a story that a coworker told me (which was actually verified by my story below).
I also believe in every guided tour that there is one "Nanook", or some idiot who is the weak link of the group.
The two happened to be from Israel, and wow.
The one guy was larger and huffing and puffing a storm. Comments were "why are we hiking so long" and the like. Apparently he hadn't read the details of the trip? I mean, what did he expect?
The one girl, wearing white sweat-like pants carried not only a backpack, but a little purse AND this paper shopping bag. (The latter of which she left at the first stop.) Any downhill step or crossing was met with apprehension. At one point one of the tour guides said to her "what, are you afraid?!", obviously frustrated.
I should also point out that this tour has a, poorly chosen, age restriction of 45. From what I've read, if you can prove you're fit they'll let you on the tour. I'm sorry, but I know of several people beyond that age who would fair much better than these two. New restrictions are a definite need.
Asado
Our great hostel had this all you can eat asado. For about $20ish you get:
- all you can eat meat: steak and this incredible sausage. Plus there was some sort of red spicy sauce that went on top.
- all you can eat veggies: grilled eggplant, grilled squash (my favourites), corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and probably more I'm forgetting.
- 1 litre of beer or some wine
By the end we were chatting it up with some German travelers until some wee hours of the morning. Good times had by all, and thankfully we were able to sleep in the next morning.
Weather: perfecto! Bright blue skies and sun. Perfect to see the mountains.
Total hiking time: 6.5 hrs
We were picked up on comfortable buses and slowly made our way the Glacier National Park. So far so good.
Arriving at the park we went on a mini-hike to get a good frontal view of the glacier. Up and down stairs with many different lookout areas, the only reason that it took so long was for everyone to stop and take photos. No problemo.
The best part of viewing the glacier from a far is watching the ice calf off the glacier. Huge rumbles of the ice cracking and creaking, it is truly an amazing sight.
The Glacier
The perito moreno glacier is one of the few (only?) glaciers that is maintaining its size. The theory is that its collection field makes up the majority of the glacier so it is able to maintain its size. As well, the area gets ridiculous amounts of precipitation.
What is also neat is that the glacier is fast moving, with the centre section moving about 1.5 metres per day. That would explain all the calving.
The Big Ice
After the hike we took a quick trip to the boat, which would pass by the glacier (basically the same as all the boat tours except faster and not as close) and drop us of across the lake so that we could hike to our destination.
Once docked, we hopped off to get the details of our trek. First was to make sure we had gloves - mandatory wear in case of a fall due to the sharp ice. Check.
Surveying the crowd, my worries of not being able to keep up quickly melted. My competition? At least half a dozen wearing jeans, another half wearing runners. Some didn't even have backpacks. And I was worried my injured-self wouldn't be able to keep up?
So we were on our way, with 1 hr to hike on land.
Second stop: getting fitted for crampons.
Then more hiking along the glacier.
Almost there: getting fitted for harnesses, just in case.
Then it was just a few more minutes hiking until we were at the base, having our crampons put on (they were really old fashioned and involved intricate lacing) and getting a lesson on how to walk on the ice.
Nothing I could write would be able to describe how awesome an experience it was. (Photos will hopefully do it more justice) If you ever get a chance, do it. Pure awesomeness.
Injuries: Tiffany - a matching blister on the other food (probably compensating) and a red neck. No, not the Albertan red neck at the back, but at the front. WTF?
Mike - two red spots by his ears that got missed with the coating of sunscreen.
Who needs a beach when you've got a glacier? :)
The Bottleneck
In all my travels I cannot recall running into anyone from Israel. So I had no bias, and the only information I had was a story that a coworker told me (which was actually verified by my story below).
I also believe in every guided tour that there is one "Nanook", or some idiot who is the weak link of the group.
The two happened to be from Israel, and wow.
The one guy was larger and huffing and puffing a storm. Comments were "why are we hiking so long" and the like. Apparently he hadn't read the details of the trip? I mean, what did he expect?
The one girl, wearing white sweat-like pants carried not only a backpack, but a little purse AND this paper shopping bag. (The latter of which she left at the first stop.) Any downhill step or crossing was met with apprehension. At one point one of the tour guides said to her "what, are you afraid?!", obviously frustrated.
I should also point out that this tour has a, poorly chosen, age restriction of 45. From what I've read, if you can prove you're fit they'll let you on the tour. I'm sorry, but I know of several people beyond that age who would fair much better than these two. New restrictions are a definite need.
Asado
Our great hostel had this all you can eat asado. For about $20ish you get:
- all you can eat meat: steak and this incredible sausage. Plus there was some sort of red spicy sauce that went on top.
- all you can eat veggies: grilled eggplant, grilled squash (my favourites), corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and probably more I'm forgetting.
- 1 litre of beer or some wine
By the end we were chatting it up with some German travelers until some wee hours of the morning. Good times had by all, and thankfully we were able to sleep in the next morning.
Back where once we came
I was sad to leave Torres del Paine, but was thankful to see that the clouds were even more covered in clouds than the previous day. (How I would have hated to still had an opportunity to try and reach the Torres peaks)
Views: even worse
It is amazing how the clouds completely hide the mountains and how it would be completely disappointing to never have seen at least a few.
So we got on the first catamaran and made our way out of the park and back to Argentina.
The Boarder
This time we took the boarder that is closer to Torres del Paine, since we didn't have to go to Puerto Natales. The system was far less confusing, more efficient and we didn't have a problem at all.
We even had a bonus treat at the Argentine boarder with a couple of fuzzy black puppies to play with while waiting to get stamped through.
El Calafate
After another long and desolate drive we arrived back to El Calafate to drop off our rental. We had underestimated our gas level (with the not-trustworthy gas gauage) and had to wait in a very long queue to fill up, since the other gas station had ran out of gas.
Welcome to life in a small town in the middle of nowhere.
The town is much bigger than we expected, with a ton of little shops and restaurants. Apparently the town is just exploding, as it is close enough to Torres del Paine and the Glacier national park, which includes the Perito Moreno glacier and Mount Fitz Roy to the north (about 2 hrs away).
Are you sure you're okay?
The two days of hiking took its toll and after a lengthy car ride I was walking quite stiff. The hostel had booked our tour for the next day, which was a semi-intense hike on the Moreno glacier. This hike was the other highlight of the trip, so there was no way I was missing it.
There were stern warnings that if I showed that I was limping that I would be denied to go on the hike, even though I had paid. And no, they would not repay my money. And yes, the excursion wasn't cheap and definitely a treat.
So all evening I worked on stretching and resting my fatigued muscles and blisters.
Flight of meat
Argentina is back in my good books! We found a recommended restaurant that had excellent service, great wine, a flight of meat and the most amazing papas fritas, or french fries.
The meat: Of course grilled, we had lamb and two types of beef - one a sirloin of sorts and the other the infamous chorizo. While there was some fat, it was no where near what we experienced in BA. The lamb stole the show though, being tender and flavourful.
The fries: Cooked with white wine, garlic and herbs. Must try to replicate at home. I could actually go for some now they were that good.
More dogs
On our short trek back to our hostel we encountered several more dogs. Of course we had to pet as many as we could, even rescuing one whose leash was wrapped up around its fence.
How can you grow that here?
For being so far south, and being really in a tundra/desert terrain, I was absolutely amazed at what is grown here.
Roses - huge bushes with large flowers covering the bush. Something you'd see in Vancouver.
Lavender - again, huge bushes littered with flowers. Reminds me of what I saw in France. Again, wtf?!
Views: even worse
It is amazing how the clouds completely hide the mountains and how it would be completely disappointing to never have seen at least a few.
So we got on the first catamaran and made our way out of the park and back to Argentina.
The Boarder
This time we took the boarder that is closer to Torres del Paine, since we didn't have to go to Puerto Natales. The system was far less confusing, more efficient and we didn't have a problem at all.
We even had a bonus treat at the Argentine boarder with a couple of fuzzy black puppies to play with while waiting to get stamped through.
El Calafate
After another long and desolate drive we arrived back to El Calafate to drop off our rental. We had underestimated our gas level (with the not-trustworthy gas gauage) and had to wait in a very long queue to fill up, since the other gas station had ran out of gas.
Welcome to life in a small town in the middle of nowhere.
The town is much bigger than we expected, with a ton of little shops and restaurants. Apparently the town is just exploding, as it is close enough to Torres del Paine and the Glacier national park, which includes the Perito Moreno glacier and Mount Fitz Roy to the north (about 2 hrs away).
Are you sure you're okay?
The two days of hiking took its toll and after a lengthy car ride I was walking quite stiff. The hostel had booked our tour for the next day, which was a semi-intense hike on the Moreno glacier. This hike was the other highlight of the trip, so there was no way I was missing it.
There were stern warnings that if I showed that I was limping that I would be denied to go on the hike, even though I had paid. And no, they would not repay my money. And yes, the excursion wasn't cheap and definitely a treat.
So all evening I worked on stretching and resting my fatigued muscles and blisters.
Flight of meat
Argentina is back in my good books! We found a recommended restaurant that had excellent service, great wine, a flight of meat and the most amazing papas fritas, or french fries.
The meat: Of course grilled, we had lamb and two types of beef - one a sirloin of sorts and the other the infamous chorizo. While there was some fat, it was no where near what we experienced in BA. The lamb stole the show though, being tender and flavourful.
The fries: Cooked with white wine, garlic and herbs. Must try to replicate at home. I could actually go for some now they were that good.
More dogs
On our short trek back to our hostel we encountered several more dogs. Of course we had to pet as many as we could, even rescuing one whose leash was wrapped up around its fence.
How can you grow that here?
For being so far south, and being really in a tundra/desert terrain, I was absolutely amazed at what is grown here.
Roses - huge bushes with large flowers covering the bush. Something you'd see in Vancouver.
Lavender - again, huge bushes littered with flowers. Reminds me of what I saw in France. Again, wtf?!
Torres del Paine - Day 2
We woke up to the sound of rain on the roof and clouds all around.
Weather: boo!
Views: out of order
Total hiking time: 10 hrs
While I appreciated the weather for hiking in, what I wanted most was the views. Knowing that weather can change on the fly, we decided to put our best effort into the hike and hope for the best.
When we reached the mirador, or viewpoint, there was cloud all around - including beneath us. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but that is the risk when hiking in the temperamental mountains.
Injuries: Tiffany - mountain-sized blister and ridiculous amounts of aches and pains. Mike - general soreness and tender spots from his boots.
What I never thought I would do: drink water from a stream.
One of my hiking paranoias is to run out of water on a hike. For the first time this fear actually was realised. With two hours to go back to the Lodge, we decided to take the risk and dream from the steam. After all, it was fed from the snow/glacier, so it should be okay, right?
Success! With several days past, there were no adverse reactions by either of us.
So while we never got to see what we came for, we knew it was a risk and still were glad we came. Besides, perhaps it will give us reason to come back one day.
Weather: boo!
Views: out of order
Total hiking time: 10 hrs
While I appreciated the weather for hiking in, what I wanted most was the views. Knowing that weather can change on the fly, we decided to put our best effort into the hike and hope for the best.
When we reached the mirador, or viewpoint, there was cloud all around - including beneath us. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but that is the risk when hiking in the temperamental mountains.
Injuries: Tiffany - mountain-sized blister and ridiculous amounts of aches and pains. Mike - general soreness and tender spots from his boots.
What I never thought I would do: drink water from a stream.
One of my hiking paranoias is to run out of water on a hike. For the first time this fear actually was realised. With two hours to go back to the Lodge, we decided to take the risk and dream from the steam. After all, it was fed from the snow/glacier, so it should be okay, right?
Success! With several days past, there were no adverse reactions by either of us.
So while we never got to see what we came for, we knew it was a risk and still were glad we came. Besides, perhaps it will give us reason to come back one day.
Torres del Paine - Day 1
Another early morning and we were our way to Torres del Paine.
Weather: sunny
Views: amazing
Total hiking time: 5 hrs
The roads to the park are absolutely awful and range between potholes and gravel washboards. So it took us a bit longer than expected to get to the park, where we arrived just in time for our catamaran to our lodge.
The rental
We got this small VW with an iffy gas gauge - always helpful when gas stops are so far and few in between. The other "feature" was the extra "air conditioning". The seal between the door and car wasn't quite, so when driving on paved highways you get this loud whistling sound like you're on a small plane. When you're driving on a dirt road your extra treat is layer of dust in your car.
We suspect with the winds here that someone opened the door to a gust which just wrenched the door. There were several breaks in the glass too, but that seems to be the norm here.
We ran into another Canadian couple who drove up from Ushuaia (REALLY barren drive) and their windshield even featured a hole. But I'll count our blessings, since when we last ran into them their car nearly died on the way to Calafate.
The Park
Outstanding. On our first day we hiked part of the famous "W" trek, going to Glacier Gray. Since we had a later start and wasn't sure what time we'd lose daylight, we didn't quite make it to the glacier. Still, outstanding views with the weather.
Injuries: Tiffany - 2 blisters; Mike - sunburn on the face
We got back in time for a badly needed shower and dinner, which included in our stay at Paine Grande. While it was nothing spectacular, it filled the gut.
Best discovery: Austral beer, Calafate. An amber ale with calafate berry. Would love to be able to drink at home.
Weather: sunny
Views: amazing
Total hiking time: 5 hrs
The roads to the park are absolutely awful and range between potholes and gravel washboards. So it took us a bit longer than expected to get to the park, where we arrived just in time for our catamaran to our lodge.
The rental
We got this small VW with an iffy gas gauge - always helpful when gas stops are so far and few in between. The other "feature" was the extra "air conditioning". The seal between the door and car wasn't quite, so when driving on paved highways you get this loud whistling sound like you're on a small plane. When you're driving on a dirt road your extra treat is layer of dust in your car.
We suspect with the winds here that someone opened the door to a gust which just wrenched the door. There were several breaks in the glass too, but that seems to be the norm here.
We ran into another Canadian couple who drove up from Ushuaia (REALLY barren drive) and their windshield even featured a hole. But I'll count our blessings, since when we last ran into them their car nearly died on the way to Calafate.
The Park
Outstanding. On our first day we hiked part of the famous "W" trek, going to Glacier Gray. Since we had a later start and wasn't sure what time we'd lose daylight, we didn't quite make it to the glacier. Still, outstanding views with the weather.
Injuries: Tiffany - 2 blisters; Mike - sunburn on the face
We got back in time for a badly needed shower and dinner, which included in our stay at Paine Grande. While it was nothing spectacular, it filled the gut.
Best discovery: Austral beer, Calafate. An amber ale with calafate berry. Would love to be able to drink at home.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Onward to Torres del Paine
This morning was a difficult awakening at 2am to make our very early flight to El Calafate. But despite the early wake up, we were happy to be on our way.
Special kudos to LAN a mostly efficient service, with bonus points for having English spoken on the flights down. (Funny how we now really appreciate it.) Still, I am amazed at the Argentine bureaucracy and love for queues.
As soon as people arrive they must form a queue. Wait, is that an announcement about the flight? A mad rush swarms the check-in, even though there are announcements about boarding by seat row. I've still to figure out why the obsession with queues.
Have car will travel
The first car of our trip, as soon as we arrived in El Calafate we picked up our car to head west for Chile. The pickup was smooth and the sky blue. The temperature was much more my liking, even though it got quite warm in the car on the drive down.
The scenery is just so barren and unlike anything I've seen before. Imagine vast rolling plains of dirty sand, with rock and little land urchins everywhere. (That's why I call the shrubbery in its greys, greens, yellows and blacks.) Sometimes in the distance you see snowy mountain peaks, that don't quite fit with the dessert-like terrain before you.
Creatures along the road: Sheep, horses, cows, ostriches (or maybe a rhea) and guanacos (picture a llama). Certainly not stuff you'd see at home.
Total drive time: 5 hrs/forever, or about 400 kms
Stops: minimal. Being a Canadian from the prairies, this at least helps to prepare you for vast openness and isolation. But this terrain takes it to a new level.
Gas stops from El Calafate to Puerto Natales: 2
Cost of gas: Holy sh@#$!!!
Boarder crossing
You think you know bureaucracy? You don't know bureaucracy until you've tried crossing a board in South America. (I can only imagine how it would work in some other countries on this continent.)
First, unlike a crossing to the US, you have to stop at the Argentine boarder. You park your car on the side of the road and walk into the office. First you go to this "entrance" desk, where they stamp your passport, and then look hard and sharp at your rental papers. (We had to pay extra to get these in proper order)
After that? You walk across the small room to the duty desk, waiting, of course, in another queue...just to have someone else examine your passport and at your rental papers. Of course a hard time is given, mumbling stuff about not having the proper documents. Finally, after some glances, papers are stamped and we are on our way...
To the Chilean boarder....about 18 kms past the Argentine one.
To our delight there were hardly any queues, and the first "police" desk kindly handed us papers to fill out (yea for English translations!), and promptly stamped them with our passport. Of course we then went to the customs desk, where mumblings about how the Argentine boarder guards didn't stamp the forms properly ended our boarder experience.
Phew, two down, and only two more to go on the return. *ugh*
But we were happily on our way, and safely arrived in Puerto Natales.
Puerto Natales
A small town that is the gateway to Torres del Paine, we planned a quick-overnight here before heading over to (the more expensive) Torres del Paine.
The town is a bit like Banff, with its tourism explosion. On quaint little streets are tons of gear shops, hostels, laundromats and anything else to appease the tourists. The town is easy to navigate and has gortex-laden tourists walking about along the streets and along the water channel.
While it is a bit of a trap, the small town size surrounded by mountains, nature and water is much more my speed. Yeah for being out of BA!
A satisfying meal
We found this parilla closer to our B&B and what a great delight! Beer was still cheap, there was some creature being cooked on a spit over open coal flames, and the beef and papas (potatoes) were gut-warming. And the temperature outside was perfect for me, so much that I ordered my demi-bottle of Chilean wine.
So far, Chile is winning the race. We'll see what Torres del Paine holds in the next few days. Notice that internet connection is probably unlikely...which is probably good as I'll be pooped from my hours of hiking and fresh air!
Special kudos to LAN a mostly efficient service, with bonus points for having English spoken on the flights down. (Funny how we now really appreciate it.) Still, I am amazed at the Argentine bureaucracy and love for queues.
As soon as people arrive they must form a queue. Wait, is that an announcement about the flight? A mad rush swarms the check-in, even though there are announcements about boarding by seat row. I've still to figure out why the obsession with queues.
Have car will travel
The first car of our trip, as soon as we arrived in El Calafate we picked up our car to head west for Chile. The pickup was smooth and the sky blue. The temperature was much more my liking, even though it got quite warm in the car on the drive down.
The scenery is just so barren and unlike anything I've seen before. Imagine vast rolling plains of dirty sand, with rock and little land urchins everywhere. (That's why I call the shrubbery in its greys, greens, yellows and blacks.) Sometimes in the distance you see snowy mountain peaks, that don't quite fit with the dessert-like terrain before you.
Creatures along the road: Sheep, horses, cows, ostriches (or maybe a rhea) and guanacos (picture a llama). Certainly not stuff you'd see at home.
Total drive time: 5 hrs/forever, or about 400 kms
Stops: minimal. Being a Canadian from the prairies, this at least helps to prepare you for vast openness and isolation. But this terrain takes it to a new level.
Gas stops from El Calafate to Puerto Natales: 2
Cost of gas: Holy sh@#$!!!
Boarder crossing
You think you know bureaucracy? You don't know bureaucracy until you've tried crossing a board in South America. (I can only imagine how it would work in some other countries on this continent.)
First, unlike a crossing to the US, you have to stop at the Argentine boarder. You park your car on the side of the road and walk into the office. First you go to this "entrance" desk, where they stamp your passport, and then look hard and sharp at your rental papers. (We had to pay extra to get these in proper order)
After that? You walk across the small room to the duty desk, waiting, of course, in another queue...just to have someone else examine your passport and at your rental papers. Of course a hard time is given, mumbling stuff about not having the proper documents. Finally, after some glances, papers are stamped and we are on our way...
To the Chilean boarder....about 18 kms past the Argentine one.
To our delight there were hardly any queues, and the first "police" desk kindly handed us papers to fill out (yea for English translations!), and promptly stamped them with our passport. Of course we then went to the customs desk, where mumblings about how the Argentine boarder guards didn't stamp the forms properly ended our boarder experience.
Phew, two down, and only two more to go on the return. *ugh*
But we were happily on our way, and safely arrived in Puerto Natales.
Puerto Natales
A small town that is the gateway to Torres del Paine, we planned a quick-overnight here before heading over to (the more expensive) Torres del Paine.
The town is a bit like Banff, with its tourism explosion. On quaint little streets are tons of gear shops, hostels, laundromats and anything else to appease the tourists. The town is easy to navigate and has gortex-laden tourists walking about along the streets and along the water channel.
While it is a bit of a trap, the small town size surrounded by mountains, nature and water is much more my speed. Yeah for being out of BA!
A satisfying meal
We found this parilla closer to our B&B and what a great delight! Beer was still cheap, there was some creature being cooked on a spit over open coal flames, and the beef and papas (potatoes) were gut-warming. And the temperature outside was perfect for me, so much that I ordered my demi-bottle of Chilean wine.
So far, Chile is winning the race. We'll see what Torres del Paine holds in the next few days. Notice that internet connection is probably unlikely...which is probably good as I'll be pooped from my hours of hiking and fresh air!
Buenos Aires
(trying to catch up)
Knowing we're not big city folks, we only planned a couple of days in BA. For us, that is more than enough.
Having traveled quite a bit, seeing many cities - mainly in Europe - I can't say that BA is worth the trip. And we gave it an honest effort!
The buildings have a European flavour, but are very worn and only some are well-kept. The sidewalks are a disaster and add an extra challenge to walking. It is a big city and numerous in its people on the streets.
Have feet will walk: San Telmo to La Boca
Our first journey by foot was from San Telmo to La Boca. Judging by our host's face when we told her of our adventure, this isn't really common for tourists to do.
Now we were fully aware that going by night was highly unadvisable, but it was Sunday morning. Not many people were out and it was quite tame. Sure there were some really dodgy areas off the main road, but we weren't THAT stupid to take them.
The highlight of the trek: Roadside empanadas and passing La Boca's stadium.
La Boca
This is probably the highlight of BA. It has charm in its brightly painted buildings, but it is also a tourist trap. Cafes have sales staff in front trying to lure you in. Tango-dancers offer to pose with you for a photo, for a price of course. Still, this is the Forks of Winnipeg.
Dogs
There are a ton of dogs here in BA, which is actually a big thumbs up for us. No, they aren't skin and bones, but are well fed and looked after. In all our travels never has there been so many dogs. Go dogs!
La Defensa
On Sundays the street is closed and people pack down the street to view antique shops and booths, plus booths of other fairs. While an interesting look, the street is endless and fairs end up looking the same.
Tango
This is a beautiful dance that you can find it everywhere. Everywhere! While the initial thought was to take in a show, it just felt so commercialized and cheapened. We watched some street performers at Plaza Dorrengo and seeing the square fill with people off the street was probably the most genuine passion. Otherwise I might have been at Folklorama.
Bottom line is that I still love tango, but am disappointed at how BA has sold it out to make a quick buck.
Is that rain?
If you're walking on Florida, or in the central area of the city, odds are you have air conditioner condensation dripping on you as you're walking. At least that's what we'd hope for.
Exchanging USD
A punishing adventure, as we were told that the airport rates were not good and they were much better in the city. We had read that exchanging at a bank provided better rates and guaranteed real (ie. not counterfit) currency.
Oh the lies! While you can exchange money at the National Bank at the airport, this is the ONLY bank you can do so. We found this out after waiting over 1 hour in line to get to the teller, only to be told "no"...along with a bunch of other spanish we didn't understand.
What we've learned is that bank "service" in BA sucks and there a lot of long queues. Cambios are pretty much the only place to exchange cash, with the exception of Banco Piano. Not only did they speak some english, they were very helpful! A serious contrast in service.
Oh, and the exchange rates? Pretty much the same. Next time this way, we'd seriously consider ditching the cash and just withdrawing from an ATM.
Cheap beer
At about $3 for 1L of beer, on a hot muggy day you can't complain. And yes, for those who know me are probably wondering where the wine is. Well with this heat, certainly not in a glass in front of me!
What good food?
I had read that the pizza, steak and ice cream are above par in BA. The ice cream? Absolutely. Satisfying on a hot day and the dulce de leche is uber-yummy-rich-goodness.
The pizza? Meh. A bit of sauce, some meat, spare veggies and nothing really special.
The steak? Alright, the one tenderloin was cut with a spoon and was yummy. The chorizo? I've never seen so much fat in my life. Without joking this steak was 50% fat. The waiter said it was the best cut of the house! I can only be left to guess that the locals love their steak fat. Me? Not so much.
An honest effort
We tried to find the love for BA, but just couldn't find it. While it had its moments, all in all, it wouldn't rate in the top 10 places to visit. We searched several different areas, looked at a variety of cafes, and yet it just wasn't for us.
The last night, after our "fancy night out with fat-steak" it ended up in a torrential downpour - almost a sign that it was time to move on. And so this morning we did, happily, even though it was 3am.
Knowing we're not big city folks, we only planned a couple of days in BA. For us, that is more than enough.
Having traveled quite a bit, seeing many cities - mainly in Europe - I can't say that BA is worth the trip. And we gave it an honest effort!
The buildings have a European flavour, but are very worn and only some are well-kept. The sidewalks are a disaster and add an extra challenge to walking. It is a big city and numerous in its people on the streets.
Have feet will walk: San Telmo to La Boca
Our first journey by foot was from San Telmo to La Boca. Judging by our host's face when we told her of our adventure, this isn't really common for tourists to do.
Now we were fully aware that going by night was highly unadvisable, but it was Sunday morning. Not many people were out and it was quite tame. Sure there were some really dodgy areas off the main road, but we weren't THAT stupid to take them.
The highlight of the trek: Roadside empanadas and passing La Boca's stadium.
La Boca
This is probably the highlight of BA. It has charm in its brightly painted buildings, but it is also a tourist trap. Cafes have sales staff in front trying to lure you in. Tango-dancers offer to pose with you for a photo, for a price of course. Still, this is the Forks of Winnipeg.
Dogs
There are a ton of dogs here in BA, which is actually a big thumbs up for us. No, they aren't skin and bones, but are well fed and looked after. In all our travels never has there been so many dogs. Go dogs!
La Defensa
On Sundays the street is closed and people pack down the street to view antique shops and booths, plus booths of other fairs. While an interesting look, the street is endless and fairs end up looking the same.
Tango
This is a beautiful dance that you can find it everywhere. Everywhere! While the initial thought was to take in a show, it just felt so commercialized and cheapened. We watched some street performers at Plaza Dorrengo and seeing the square fill with people off the street was probably the most genuine passion. Otherwise I might have been at Folklorama.
Bottom line is that I still love tango, but am disappointed at how BA has sold it out to make a quick buck.
Is that rain?
If you're walking on Florida, or in the central area of the city, odds are you have air conditioner condensation dripping on you as you're walking. At least that's what we'd hope for.
Exchanging USD
A punishing adventure, as we were told that the airport rates were not good and they were much better in the city. We had read that exchanging at a bank provided better rates and guaranteed real (ie. not counterfit) currency.
Oh the lies! While you can exchange money at the National Bank at the airport, this is the ONLY bank you can do so. We found this out after waiting over 1 hour in line to get to the teller, only to be told "no"...along with a bunch of other spanish we didn't understand.
What we've learned is that bank "service" in BA sucks and there a lot of long queues. Cambios are pretty much the only place to exchange cash, with the exception of Banco Piano. Not only did they speak some english, they were very helpful! A serious contrast in service.
Oh, and the exchange rates? Pretty much the same. Next time this way, we'd seriously consider ditching the cash and just withdrawing from an ATM.
Cheap beer
At about $3 for 1L of beer, on a hot muggy day you can't complain. And yes, for those who know me are probably wondering where the wine is. Well with this heat, certainly not in a glass in front of me!
What good food?
I had read that the pizza, steak and ice cream are above par in BA. The ice cream? Absolutely. Satisfying on a hot day and the dulce de leche is uber-yummy-rich-goodness.
The pizza? Meh. A bit of sauce, some meat, spare veggies and nothing really special.
The steak? Alright, the one tenderloin was cut with a spoon and was yummy. The chorizo? I've never seen so much fat in my life. Without joking this steak was 50% fat. The waiter said it was the best cut of the house! I can only be left to guess that the locals love their steak fat. Me? Not so much.
An honest effort
We tried to find the love for BA, but just couldn't find it. While it had its moments, all in all, it wouldn't rate in the top 10 places to visit. We searched several different areas, looked at a variety of cafes, and yet it just wasn't for us.
The last night, after our "fancy night out with fat-steak" it ended up in a torrential downpour - almost a sign that it was time to move on. And so this morning we did, happily, even though it was 3am.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
A new adventure: Argentina and Chile
We´re off to a new adventure - this time in Argentina and Chile!
Also, apologies in advance: we´re having some "technical problems", so that means posts may be more sporatic this trip.
Also, apologies in advance: we´re having some "technical problems", so that means posts may be more sporatic this trip.
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