Travel – Page 15 – Elizabeth Erickson

Chasing Huckleberry Finn

23 April 2012

I left BSAS for a quick tour of towns along the various rivers that empty into the Delta. My adventure was spurred by the reading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It was to be my own river tale.

In the end it did not turn out quite as planned, alas c’est la vie.

Natalie and I went to the little town of El Tigre, just north of BSAS in the Delta region. There are three attractions to El Tigre, boat trips through the meandering rivers, the fruit and handicraft market, and Parque de la Costa, the amusement park. Well, the amusement park is only open on weekends and thus the town does not exist on weekdays. The area population goes from a mere 3,000 on weekdays up to 20,000 on weekends. Quite the ever changing ebb and flow of people. Fortunately, in my opinion, we went on a Wednesday. The town was blissfully quiet. The market was practically deserted. Conditions were prime for walking along the port and riverside to see natural river banks and abandoned boats from times past. It was amazing.

The highlight of the day was the boat ride back to BSAS through the Paraná River Delta. We barely witnessed a fraction of the delta’s 21.000 sq km area. The Paraná River Delta splits into several arms before flowing into Río de la Plata, the world’s widest river at just over a mile. In the delta the “road system” is actually a sinuous string of river paths between an endless number of islands. Except the closest islands where all the weekend/summer homes and resorts are, there is no power and none have a water system. However, from source to ocean, this river system remains unpolluted. Why then, many ask, is it completely choked with sediment? Well that is due to the natural laws of geomorphology, allowing healthy amounts of water and sediment transported out to sea.

The next leg of the journey was to San Antonio de Areco. I was only going for the day but I somehow made no preparations for this tiny gaucho village. I had the name of one gaucho museum and off I went.

All I can say is that it sometimes pays off to trust in providence.

Also departing the bus at the pretty little pampas village were Anne Brown, from Florida, and Wayne, from New York. They are both into their seventies yet are Tango partners. They come to BSAS and a place in Mexico each year to dance Tango and see shows. Being wonderful and friendly people they invited me to join a visit to the Museo Las Lilas de Areco, home of a part of the collection of artwork by Florencio Molina Campos. Alive 1891 to 1959, he is considered an extraordinary 20th century painter from the pampas of Argentina, who safeguarded the gaucho culture and heritage. He has a very stylized method and keen attention to detail in his depictions of gaucho life. He started started with sketches then onto paintings in the early 20’s and quickly became widely acclaimed. I liked how the horses had these long Roman noses, huge hooves, and large bugged-out eyes. And the gauchos (essentially pampas cowboys) had these almost grotesque expressions.

Well I had a wonderful afternoon. Anne and Wayne were incredible and they just scooped me up. They even treated me to lunch in the museum cafe. My favorite part was listening to them tell me all about the history, styles of dance, musicians and more. Not to mention discussions of our lives, with them bestowing their tried and true wisdom onto me. Such a delight. The reason this day goes to providence is because the museum which initially brought my to San Antonio de Areco was closed for renovations. Had I not met them or they not swooped me under theirs wings, I would never have known about the art museum and would have had a long day to only sit by the river. Despite this being a river adventure, I was fortunate to enjoy both.

Always continuing on, my next destination was Rosario, situated along the Río Paraná waterfront. I was there two-ish days but could have stayed longer. It is a city but has a familiar feel. Everyone is friendly and, I am told, very motivated for physical activities. While there, I enjoyed a bike tour around the city and a kayak trip along the river.

What I liked the most was that Rosario is a major port city, but a decade ago the government brilliantly decided to move the port to the south of the city. Urbanization is in action converting the once blocked off riverfront into running paths, parks, and apartments. Of particular entertainment to myself is the fact that incoming businesses are keeping the giant cement silo foundations. There is a brightly painted silo that is now the art museum; there are a couple sets of silo hotels; there is a club perched at the top of some silos; and who know what else they will utilize them for.

Another thing that caught my attention was the concept stencil graffiti, predominantly of bicycles, around the city. We rode past a government building with a brightly painted old-style bike tethered to the top of a light pole. It is to represent the Disappeared from the military dictatorship. The story behind is that when the first man was taken, there was an abandoned bicycle left in the street where he was last seen. This symbolism has been used since to represent the abductions of people who were taken by the military government. Despite being under a different government regime in the present, the March of the Mothers, which took place on the Plaza de Mayo in BSAS still has a following today. Each Thursday afternoon the Madres rally at the Plaza and march for their lost sons, husbands, and brothers.

Next stop, Santa Fe for a day. No providence for this one, I simply lacked foresight. I went for a day on a Sunday. The almighty day when everything is closed. Silly me. One excitement was that each Sunday they block off the main boulevard and turn it into a pedestrian fair. Mostly things were targeted at children activities, but it was nice to mosey along the pretty street down to the river front. I also went to the mall/casino which is built onto the old shipping piers. My day ended with a book under a tree in a beautiful park where old train station buildings still stand. Lovely.

Last stop, Colón, Entre Ríos, not to be mistaken by the 10 other Colóns… In true Huck fashion, I again had no plan and just went. I knew the river is stunning at Colón (concurred after I visited), what I did not know is that it is a resort town and all accommodation (at least right now in the off season) is incredibly expensive (when compared to my hostel-level budget). I rashly decided to stay only a day (literally just over 24 hours, middle of the night to middle of the night). Thus I was unable to tour the river, but I did the next best thing and went on a terrestrial excursion. The perk was the guide, Charlie Adamson. Argentinian native Scottish man, boarding schools in England, Sean Connery voiced, and a nice combination of rambunctiousness and eccentricity. Fantastic. Plus, I got to learn all about the native agates and jasper. The day ended with a sunset view along the river while rock hunting. What more could a girl ask for? I sat in a cafe sipping hot chocolate and reading until my bus was due to leave. I must say I enjoy that supper time starts at 22:00. Cafes and restaurants are conveniently open late.

At this point I am sure you have noticed that my river adventure petered out after El Tigre and Rosario. However, I think it only fitting in correspondence to Huck’s gradual evolution in the book. His adventures begin only in the river, then little by little they are more and more on land, until finally land comes to them and they are only on land. The river representing his vagrant lifestyle away from rules and civilization and land representing all the responsibilities Huck is running away from. Well I suppose I have already run my course for vagabondism, so it is only fitting that I started off already tied closely to the land. Regardless I enjoyed myself. And in the end I headed back to BSAS to await my final days until all of this ends and I return to the US of A.

Buenos Aires Love

14 April 2012

Of course, just in time to leave, I have fallen in love. Not with a person but with Buenos Aires. From my week there I have managed to fill a whole section of my journal, so I will try to stick to the highlights.

After my romantic get-a-way, I arrived in Buenos Aires (from here on BSAS) around 23:00 to find out it was Easter weekend and everything was booked full. Oops! It turned out in my benefit, however, because I found the Ritz Hotel. It is a corner building overlooking the intersection of the enormous, fourteen lane Avenida 9 de Julio (with a two lane road flanking either side to make a total of EIGHTEEN LANES!) and another major street Av. de Mayo. It is quite the busy place. It is actually the largest street in all of South America. An entire city block was taken out to make room for it all, and the roads to either side are the original streets. Despite this enormous size, it is always packed with busy vehicles. Well, the Ritz is a nice hotel but it also has dorms, so I stayed the whole week there. The lounge/lobby starts on the second floor, and my room, two floors above, had a balcony overlooking the chaos. It was nice. They had a decent breakfast and the lounge always had great music (usually chill or old jazz). Overlooking the whole scene is a skyscraper with the image of Eva Perón facing out both directions of Av 9 de Julio.

First, I toured around the Central District, as that is where I was staying. I headed down Av. de Mayo right to the Plaza de Mayo, the political center of Argentina where people come to express their opinions. It is the city´s first plaza, built 1580, and is symbolic of Argentina´s history. It was named for the 1810 May Revolution for the independence from Spain. It has survived the military bombings in 1955, witnessed the march of the Madres (Mothers) as they protested the disappearance of their sons, and is the site where spirited crowds cheered Evita on the balcony of Casa Rosada. The Casa Rosada is the presidential offices built in 1862. The name meaning Pink House, is a Renaissance-style palace and got it color from the use of ox blood to stain it red. This building is still used as the presidential offices, yet they give free tours every weekend and holiday. I even had the opportunity to enter the actual Presidential Office, where during the week only people with authorization and use of a fingerprint scanning machine can enter. Argentina´s current incumbent is Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Yes, a woman. I also went onto the lower balcony to reenact Eva Perón pontificating to the crowd below. I felt a desire to break out in, “Don´t Cry For Me Argentina.” Madonna does have a striking resemblance to this national icon. Also free and just behind the Casa Rosada is the Museo del Bicentenario, which uses a variety of high-tech multi-media and technology to present the history of the city. It is located in the remaining foundations of the original port barricade. I thought this was interesting because the coastline has been extended a good half mile further out to sea, leaving the old port abandoned. Hence, my next visit to Puerto Madero, the century-long abandoned port which has been turned into apartments, a promenade, and elegant restaurants. This is notable because I visited the Buque Museo Fragata A.R.A. “Presidente Sarmiento,” an old training vessels for the Argentine navy. They removed all the missiles and other dangerous equipment and fixed up a few exhibits with information and photographs or maps, but essentially left the boat alone and allow visitors to freely explore all the way to the engine and furnace rooms. It was something right up my father´s alley with machinery and history. 🙂

My next adventure was to the Barrios of La Boca and San Telmo. I went to La Boca to see the Calle Caminito. It is lined with murals, statues, and colorfully-painted corrugated metal houses. Home to many artists´ studios, many of those artists dot the pedestrian walkway exhibiting their work. And why is all this important? Because this is the place where Tango dancers come to dance freely in the streets, allowing the general tourist to capture an elegant dance move with the picturesque background. It also contains many of the Tango night shows and typical parillada restaurants. Everything is almost too perfect in this little area. Tango dancers are attired in fantastic costumes and occasionally holding extravagant poses; also letting you get a picture in a pose for a small fee… While wandering towards San Telmo is stumbled upon La Bombonera (the chocolate box), home football stadium of the Boca Juniors. Caminitio is quite fantastic, but I must say that this luster is a bit masked by the utter horror of the neighborhood. Run down streets, abandoned cars, long term homeless corners, and people staring you down. When I passed the stadium a guy actually threw some kind of liquid at me from a truck window. I left as fast as my little legs could carry me and recommend everyone else take the bus. Ha. On the other hand, San Telmo was completely fantastic. It has a particular charm with cobble stoned streets, colorful cafes, numerous antique shops, and dancers in the Plaza Dorrego along Defensa Street while people dine outside on patio fronts. Very lovely. I went straight to Plaza Dorrego to catch some Tango action only to discover that the Feria San Telmo, the weekly craft market when dancers and Tango orchestras are aplenty, is only on Sundays. No matter, I will return.

That evening I met Natalie, 19, from Washington, and Dean, 24, from England, at my hostel. All fellow travelers and all traveling solo, we decided to check out the BSAS nightlife. We headed back to San Telmo and found a bar with a live band playing Reggae and Jazz. They were fantastic. Guitar, drums, keyboard, and trumpet/vocalist. Wow. Despite singing some of my favorite oldies, as well as some Spanish tunes, they did a Beatles song just for our little group. The best part, however, was that this all took place in an Egyptian-themed bar. Ha! Very seriously glammed-up with pharaohs, pyramids, palm trees, and desert scenes. It was like a built-up scene too, not just some fancy wallpaper. I loved it. Especially with the highly contrasting music that would have been more fitting of a 60´s back saloon. Well is was a fantastic evening of great music and good company. I was particularly keen of the keyboardist, he was really talented and could play lightening fast.

The following day was checking out BSAS´s “lungs.” I went to the Botanical Garden, BSAS Zoo, walked by the Japanese Garden, and then all along the parks in Barrio Recoleta. The Botanical Garden was my favorite, and I renamed it Cat Garden because they were everywhere slinking through the plants or basking in a sunny patch. They were really friendly and well-behaved cats too. I even saw a woman come in with cat food and water dishes. The garden is free to the public, has numerous benches all over, and contains plant varieties from all over the world. The only down fall was that the butterfly garden is not yet finished and I could not enter any of the green houses. No matter. I sat and read my book awhile. The BSAS Zoo was a little depressing. I only went on recommendation from Dean, only to learn later that he was talking about a different zoo…which I hope to visit on my return to BSAS. It was a quiet day, so at least I did not have to tear my way through gangs of sticky children. There was a large group of Jewish families there (BSAS has a very large population of traditional Jewish people from the 1920´s) who I particularly noted upon due to their overwhelming harassment of some animals. Specifically when they goaded the Old World Hamadryas baboons. It was very rude and they are lucky those baboons were securely caged or chaos would have ensued. There was a great variety of exotic animals, and Aaron would have hated how many large and numerous varieties of snakes were in the reptile house, but nothing seemed overly happy. My last stop was to have a long knowing look with an elephant. They are such majestic creatures. She had wrinkled skin and wise, knowing eyes. I wanted to climb into her cage and curl up in her tusk.

Last stop of the day was in Recoleta at the Centro Cultural. Recoleta is this fantastic Parisian-styled neighborhood. In front of the C.C. Recoleta in Plaza Francía, I ran across this anamorphosis conceptual display that was very interesting. Anamorphosis is where the image can only be viewed from a specific point of view. Step away from that point of view and the image does not make sense. The artist then advanced this method by creating two points of view within the same structure. Which I must admit would have been an incredible challenge to undertake, and I think he is one of the first people to do it in this manner. The front of the structure, showing the first point of view, is U.S. President Obama´s face with the inscription “HOPE” beneath. Then walking 90 degrees to the right reveals the second point of view. This side shows a manifestation of Wall Street with the inscription “HOPELESSNESS.” It is the two sides to U.S. government. In a single structure, his goal was to show two sides of a story. I really liked it.

Dribble on my mind

11 April 2012

Alright, I realize that I tend to be a little dry with these entries and lacking in personality, but I have decided to throw caution to the wind and provide some blasphemous jabber. As many of you may know, I officially return to the U.S. of A. in 14 days! Therefore I have had a few thoughts on my mind. The main one, though a bit pre-mature, has been to figure out what I will do with myself [in the long term].

In reflection of the past year (I cannot believe it has been almost a year!), this trip has been the best thing for me. I was a bit burned out after university and needed some reflection and “me” time. I have been claiming for some time now that I will travel the whole world over, but such an idea could easily have been naive ambitions of a Kansas country girl, dissipating once actually experienced or constantly set aside as an unfulfilled dream. It could be let unfulfilled yet, by unforeseen circumstances, but I have come to the conclusion that I am at my best when experiencing new things, meeting new people, exploring different parts of the world, and obtaining new knowledge about whatever I happen to stumble upon. Which sort of seems like I am at my best while traveling and learning. On one hand I want to jump right back into schooling to continue letting knowledgeable professors enlighten my ignorance, but I also want the freedom to travel at will and [the real issue being] be able to afford whatever activity my every whim produces. The problem is that I do not actually foresee such an arrangement as feasible without some type of financial stability.

Where will that money come from? For the immediate future, I am considering a year of work in Colorado for a mining company while applying to graduate schools. The work year will not only provide valuable experience on my resume but also flush out my depleted bank account. The problem is that this is all too fantastic a scenario.

Now that I am so set on accomplishing my global tour, I have to consider the future, long term. I am currently trending toward a career in academia, teaching at the university level. Ambitious definitely, but so is everything I set my mind to (hence wanting to travel to all the 200-some countries). Such a long time and a PhD away, why dwell on it now? Well, I have a friend in graduate school, also pursuing a career in academia, who is tending a position on a faculty selection committee. She has expressed the reality that it is a competitive career and that once your PhD has been completed, there should be no unaccounted time lapses from post-docs or work. Thus no breaks for travel rendezvous outside the measly vacation time allowances. Do I think I will be using my vacation for these excursions? No, I suspect I would be saving up vacation for research sabbaticals and actual vacation. I will not deny the evident possibilities for travel with my chosen profession of geology, but I have not encountered any career paths that include extended travel opportunities nor travel encompassing the entire globe. Therefore, my only solution is to get in as much travel, at my preferred pace of travel, before I am in a solid career and settled down.

This long, tiresome speech all comes down to the conclusion of what my plans for the next few years will incorporate. My inference is that I must come up with more [extensive] travel time before completion of my doctorate (a goal of which I am stubbornly set on regardless if I actually enter a career in academia). To me, the sensible scenarios avoid a major break between Masters´ and Doctoral degrees (of which I would like to complete separately for the benefit of having a break in between and creating experience and connections across several departments at different universities). Thus, straying from the perfect, previously mentioned scenario, I could work two years, saving money back the whole time, and decide during the second year if I should apply to schools or take another year for travel. Now I realize that this plan removes me from the academic mind set for four whole years, but two of those years would be gaining work experience and the other two would be giving me peace of mind and promoting my love of geology by allowing my interaction with landscapes from around the world. Would not two years of work benefit my resume, keep my brain engaged, and provide the means for these travel fantasies? Likewise, I would get to have a significant time allotment to knock of some more of the world before finishing my education. Win-win situation all around?

The hangers of course are what provide the big IF´s. Will I even get the Colorado position, because the immediate financial stability that could provide affects the whole equation. Second I could decide that mining or my immediate immersion into a working environment are not my cup of tea. Or the opposite, my pursuit of higher education degrees may change if I prefer working. I might actually preferring the schooling environment over securing travel time, but this past year has tainted my ability to judge objectively. I am unsure if I could handle another year of intellectual idleness. I may meet someone and want to marry [ha]. There are too many variables independently fluctuating.

This is the end of my rant. I am unsure how to go about this business and feel the need to appeal to an unbiased audience for insight and guidance. I do not want to avoid returning to school, but I genuinely want to take advantage of my youth and the availability of such opportunities. I am nervous about going back to school and not being able to handle everything. Prolonging my absence from academics would do nothing but further that ineptitude and inability. However, my desire to travel is constantly on mind and will not be suppressed. I truly begin planning future travels before I have even begun already planned ones.

There you have it. A current, streaming dialogue that runs through my mind a few times a day.

My romantic get-away

6 April 2012

Let the jealousy ensue.

When discussing Corrientes to my dear friend Amanda Gilbert, who probably never reads this, she said it sounded romantic. That has turned out to be the best way to describe it. In fact, the entire last ten days has been one amazing, romantic get-away. I went from Corrientes to Puerto Iguazú to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini. It was like a honey moon, just me and Earth´s stunning beauty. Walking along the peaceful river, lush atmosphere, and incredibly easy-going pace of life in Corrientes. Then Iguazú Falls is still like an enigma that my brain does not know how to comprehend. The shear power and raw beauty of so much water, with complete disregard for how it has and will shape the landscape around it. Finally, the Esteros del Iberá, probably the single-handed most stunning wetland reserve to see bird and animal wildlife. And I supposedly saw it at a bad time when not as many animals are around. Incredible. It should be easy to understand that I have quite quickly run out of space on my camera´s memory card.

Corrientes

Just what I said, a quiet, river front city. My hostel, Golondrina, was literally one block away from Río Paraná. I spent the afternoon walking along the picturesque river to Playa Negra. The weather was splendid, everything was serene, and the drowsy lull of the city put me under a trance. I ran into very few people, and the ones I did see were friendly and full of smiles. I wandered through Parque Camba Cuá on my way back, stopping by the market for some fresh vegetables.

The following day I wandered down the opposite direction of the river, which is lined with a pretty little park area. I saw the artsy block decorated in historical murals, chronicling the city´s history since colonial times. Many places also honor the substantial Italian community. I stumbled upon this music store, La Casa de Chamamé, on the corner of Pellegrini street. The man inside was incredibly patient and helped me to pick out three Tango music CD´s. He literally hand picked CD´s based on my preferences and let me listen to the actual CD´s to see if I liked the music. I should have looked for some Salsa and Folklórica while I was there.

In all Corrientes was a much needed break to get away from people, organize my thoughts, and put my journal and blog together. Golondrina Hostel was very clean and peaceful and everyone pretty much left me alone. Granted I only stayed one night, but it was fantastic.

Puerto Iguazú

The resting stop on the Argentinian side for the world famous Iguazú Falls. Which happens to be a World Wonder but not of the Seven [Top] Wonders of the World. The town is not much. I went to Hito Tres Fronteras, the confluence of Ríos Iguazú and Paraná marking the natural border between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Each country has a symbolic obelisk which can all be viewed from any of the others. Otherwise, I really did not bother with the over-priced, tourist inundated place.

By comparison, I was blown away by Parque Nacional Iguazú, A.K.A. Iguazú Falls. The falls are where the Río Iguazú broadens into 1.8 km then plunges 100 m off a basalt plateau in a series of 274 separate cataracts. I made sure to take the very first bus, earning the first entry ticket of the day, to head straight for the Garganta del Diable (Devil´s Throat). Yes, once again something referring to the devil´s throat… Anyways, it is the most spectacular waterfalls. Truly indescribable. I was among the first few individuals to race across the catwalk, to experience the overwhelming sight and sounds before the view became congested with people. The largest amount of water pours over here and I am still struggling to comprehend the shear magnitude and intense power of it all. I remember Niagara Falls as being spectacular, but even with my exaggeration on life my the eight-year-old perspective, Iguazú was greater. I cannot even come up with an adequate comparison of how grand it was.

I also walked the Upper and Lower Circuits to see the rest of the falls, which are obviously of smaller proportions. Then I took a boat to San Martín Island for the great views looking back on the long run of falls from Salta Excondido to Salto Bossetti. Wow! I end the day walking to the measly Salto Arrechea by the Macuco Trail through the forest. The purpose was for the walk through the jungle. The park boasts over 2000 species of bird, mammal, and plant life. I had the grand opportunity to witness playful Capuchino monkeys, who knew the perfect distractions for passersby to snatch food out of bags; adorable coati as they came in groups sniffing out insects with their incredibly expressive noses; coypu rodents; numerous lizard sightings, as well as several Black Tegus; an uncountable amount of birds (especially the very friendly Plush Crested Jays); and the sighting of the day, a PUMA! That is right, I was stealth enough (and they are numerous enough) that I was able to come upon a puma. Though a rude and noisy boy came up with ruined my slow and calculated approach. I did manage some photo documentary, however.

The following day I went to Güirá Oga, a bird recuperation center, with a woman named Anj. The center was not astounding. I did get to see the more exotic predator birds that are less common to sight. Plus, the center actually focuses on rehabilitation and reintroduction back into the natural habitats. Much approved of by me. I met this fantastic English couple, now residents of Australia, at my hostel. They are literally a glimpse of who I want to be in my late thirties. Happy, intelligent individuals, who are incredibly well traveled, nature loving, outdoor enthusiasts. Justin, an independent environmental scientist has lived more places around the world than I have merely visited. Anj, a water engineer, proves travel is still possible while holding down a professional career. They have been in Southern Chile and Argentina backpacking through Patagonia and are heading north in essentially the opposite direction that I came from. They provided me the company of fellow outdoor enthusiasts and I gave them helpful tips for their future locations. The best part was that they were also heading to the Esteros del Iberá after Iguazú.

Colonia Carlos Pellegrini and the Esteros del Iberá

We made the bus ride adventure to C. Carlos Pellegrini together. I say adventure because we left on a night bus to Corrientes, then caught a bus 40 minute later to Mercedes, where we caught the first, and only, bus to C. Carlos Pellegrini. The lack of a single bus route was a cake walk compared to the complete lack of information out there on how to get to C. Carlos Pellegrini without hiring a private driver. We made it is one piece and in less than 24 hours. Job well done. In addition to having no information on how to get there, we also had this preconceived notion that we were going completely off grid. Thus we made sure to stock up on food stuffs before leaving Puerto Iguazú. Much to our surprise, Mercedes turned out to be quite the bustling little place with at least three full-sized grocery stores. Not exactly the hole in the road we were led to believe.None-the-less we simply shopped again to top off our food supply. Which turned out to be the right choice. Despite having over 100 homes containing the more than 900 permanent inhabitants, Carlos Pellegrini does not really have a store besides the random dispenser, all with highly overpriced products. Luckily I had over-prepared and only had one purchase of two quite expensive tomatoes to round out my onion and garlic dish.

Carlos Pellegrini is a relaxed and slow-moving little place; the perfect level of tranquility to experience the nature of Argentina´s impressive wetlands. Truly all I can is Wow! Any nature lover would be crazy not to want to go. I now know why they keep it such a secret. In the middle of the humid wetlands, the Esteros del Iberá have cultivated one of the most important and unique ecosystems in the world. It is literally the world´s second largest wetlands. Carlos Pellegrini is the town to stay and it has its own special flavor with all dirt roads that are picturesquely lined with street lamps; horses, cows, sheep, chicken, and dogs freely roaming at their leisure; and the friendly shops and restaurants. Despite its quaintness, most of the accommodation more closely resembles luxury lodges. And the finely sculpted campground has a very Argentina feel with the 16 fully functioning asados (fire grills) complete with awnings and wooden picnic tables. The best lake views are also found from the campground´s little dock. Absolutely stunning. There is practically no light pollution, nothing taller than a tree, and endless sky. Across my boat tour, nighttime walking tour, and my own wandering along the walking trails, I saw an incredible amount of the bird and animal wildlife. To overwhelm you I will include the list. 🙂

Two species of cayman (Southern Spectacled Cayman and Broad Nosed Cayman), an alligator type; three species of deer (Red Rocket, Gray Rocket, and the orange-colored Marsh Deer); carpinchos, or capybaras, the world´s largest rodent; Plain Vizcachas, rodents which look like robber rabbits with black stripes across their faces; Coypu, Nutria rodents; two species of fox (red-furred Crab Eating Fox and Grey Fox); Geoffrey´s Cat, a black-spotted, yellow-furred, wild cat about the size of a house cat; armadillos; a large black tarantula which joined us for supper one evening; bats; dragonflies; and butterflies. Not to mention the over 360 species of bird, of which I remember seeing: colorful Kingfishers, delicate hummingbirds, parrots, Snail Kites, Black Vultures, Great Egret, the magnificent Rufescent Tiger-Heron, White-necked Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Neotropic Cormorants, Black-bellied Tree Ducks, Red-crested Cardinals, Scarlet-headed blackbird (Federals; very similar looking to the red-crested cardinals), Yellow-billed Cardinals, the enormous Southern Screamers (and chicks), Great Black Hawk, Giant Woodrail, Purple Gallinule, Wattled Jacana, White-headed Marsh Tyrants, Cattle Tyrants, Great Kiskadee, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Spot-winged Pigeon, Smooth-billed Ani, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Red-eyed Vireo, Saffron Finch, very playful Plush-crested Jay, swallows, and woodpeckers. Among numerous others I could not differentiate myself or remember long enough to ask Anj (a dedicated bird enthusiast). Among the heaps of wildlife I did see, there are plenty I missed: the plethora of piranha in the lake, a variety of venomous and nonvenomous snakes (including the boa and other constrictors), howler monkeys (which I could have seen if I went at an appropriate time for), the rare Maned Wolf, giant otters, and the Giant Anteater.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I stayed at the Casa de la Luna while my companions were at the campsite. I enjoyed the luxury of a kitchen, full-sized bed, private bath, and air conditioning! The most astounding part, however, was that I was told this is the worst time to see a wildlife because it has been unusually hot and dry. I literally could have touched the Crab Eating Fox, Jeoffrey´s Cat, or any Capybara. And I feel like I have seen more wildlife with the least produced effort than anywhere I have every been before. It was sufficient for me.

That is it. My romantic get-away.

Geology and other sites

29 March 2012

Let´s begin with a little geology. (Definitions provided by the Merriam-Webster online dictionary with Encyclopedia Britannica Company).

Valley: An elongate depression of Earth´s surface usually between ranges of hills or mountains;
An area drained by a river and its tributaries.
Canyon: A deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it.
Gorge: A narrow passage through land;
A narrow steep-walled canyon or part of a canyon.
Ravine: A small narrow steep-sided valley that is larger than a gully and smaller than a canyon and that is usually worn by running water.
Gulch: A deep or precipitous cleft: ravine.
Gully: A trench which was originally worn in the earth by running water and through which water often runs after rains;
A small valley or gulch.

Alright, back to my travels. I went on a whorl-wind tour from Tucumán to Cafayate to Salta to Purmamarca to Tilcara to Iruya and back to Salta. All accomplished in just over a week. Phew! I barely found enough time among the daily bus rides, constantly unpacking and packing, check-ins and check-outs, and trying to catch some shut eye while not out and exploring.

After leaving Córdoba, I arrived in Tucumán. There were two Germans in my Córdoba hostel who left on a similar bus and we all ended up at the Backpackers´ Tucumán Hostel together. They however went off paragliding, so I toured the city solo. I mostly just walked my grid pattern across the city center. I said the main Plaza Independencia. Then I stopped at the Casa Histórica de la Independencia, where 9 July 1816, the unitarist lawyers and clerics declared Argentina´s independence from Spain. It now also holds valuable objects from the colonial period, from the Independencia wars, and from the 19th century, as well as a library and photographic and journalist archives. I walked down to the Plaza Yrigoyen to see the Palacio de Tribunales, and then through the Parque 9 de Julio, stopping at the Museo de la Industria Azucarero: Casa Obispo Colombres, an 18th century museum dedicated to sugar industry.

The following day I left Tucumán for Cafayate, a small town in the Calchaqui Valley. I went on the day bus to catch the scenic landscape. The two Germans got off at an earlier town while I continued on with a French girl, Virginia, who also happened to be from my hostel. We went to the Hostel Ruta 40 and reserved bikes for the following day. The nest morning we headed 50 km up Route 68 towards Salta to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil´s Throat). The plan was to ride back to Cafayate through the Quebradas (ravines) de las Conchas and Cafayate. Virginia´s bike, however, was broken and thus she immediately hitch-hiked back to town while I headed out alone. I actually had a great time. It has been awhile since I have been completely isolated from people. I, of course, spent much of that un-invaded time belting out songs while riding down the highway. I also stopped at all the recommended vistas: Garganta del Diablo (Devil´s Throat), Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre), Tres Cruces (Three Crosses), El Sapo (The Frog), Casa de Loros (House of Parrots), Las Ventanas (The Windows), and Los Castillos (The Castles), as well as anything else I thought notable. Specifically, there were two points in the road where the river is actively cutting into the cliff face and thus undermining the road. If only I had gotten to go a few kilometers further up the road from Garganta del Diablo, I would have seen where a practically unused road runs straight into the ravine with it starting again 500 m later where the ravine edge has not been further eroded. I could not get a good picture from the bus but that was awesome. The 50 km were mostly downhill or level, with very few uphill sections. It had some great panoramic views into the valley. Closer to Cafayate, the ride ends with going through the vineyards.

I mentioned the Malbec dominated region near Mendoza. Well Cafayate and the Calchaqui Valley it resides in is the second dominant wine producing region in Argentina. Specifically, they produce Torrontes white wine which is unique to Argentina as no where else in the world has the right conditions to produce Torrontes grapes. After my morning bike ride, I went to the Museo de la Vid y el Vino. This was a fantastic museum explaining the whole process of growing with grape type to soil and climate conditions; the production through reception, squeezing, pumping, pressing, fermentation, decanting, and breeding; and ending with the differences in wine production techniques for determining unique colorings, textures, and flavors. Though I feel as if I have learned quite a bit about wine, I simply want to learn more now. One thing I know for certain, chemistry is tantalizing: C6H12O6 –> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 (fermentation equation).

I also made my way to Helados Miranda, the creator of wine ice cream. They literally have ice cream made out of Malbec and Torrontes wines. I tried both. Very delectable, and the perfect treat on a sunny afternoon. The genial and entertaining man who served my double cone assured me that too much wine ice cream would result in intoxication.

The next morning I left for Salta. Again taking Route 68, but getting to see the last 200 km of the ravine. Stunning scenery all over the northwest Argentina. I met back up with Virginia and we decided to self tour a few small villages to the north. Always taking day buses, in part because buses are infrequent but also because you WANT to see the views, we quickly working our way through Purmamarca, Tilcara, and Iruya.
We left early in the morning for Purmamarca, of pre-Hispanic origins with a tiny urban layout centered around the St. Rosa Church, where a 700 year old Algarrobo Negro tree is located. The village lies against the Cerro de los Siete Colores (Hill of the Seven Colors). Sedimentary rocks illustrating various geological eras. Colors: light orange-red clay, sand and mud; white-lime rock;brown, purple and violet-lead and calcium; red-clay and iron; green-copper oxide; brown-bed rock and manganese; and yellow-sulfur. We walked the 3 km trail, Paseo de los Colorados, around the hill to see the naturally sculpted red cliffs and breath taking views.

Then we caught a bus to Tilcara, our area base camp, staying there two nights. Tilcara is a quaint, little Andean village. It is simple and tranquil. Though, I should have brought two books as I started and finished one before getting back to my luggage stored in Salta. The next morning, Virginia and I went on a pleasant 6 km walk to Garganta de Diablo (yes, everything seems to have this name!), a geographic feature from tectonic plate movement origins. It was pretty clear in the ravine that some serious pressure occurred at one time with sporadic folding and noticeable scraping marks. Water from the Huasamaya River has come through and created the gorge, exposing what happens to be some of the earliest evidence of trilobites. I obviously looked around to see if I could find anything, but the rock is likely in the deepest parts of the incision, safely barred off from crazy people like me climbing down to my death. We also walked up the Quebrada de Alfarcito, criss-crossing the river numerous times, up to a natural waterfall.

On the way back to town, we continued over to the ruins of Pucará de Tilcara (Tilcara Fortress), a pre-Hispanic fortress–despite the lack of surrounding walls or ramparts–located on an inaccessible hill. It represents cultures of the Quebrada Humahuaca dating back to 10,000 BCE. Though the pucarás occurred during 1000-1480 CE. Really I just went for the astonishing views of the quebrada landscape: Perchel gorge to the north and Maimara to the South, as well as Huichairas ravine to the west and Huasmay ravine to the east. And, despite the many species of cactus overtaking the landscape, I escaped my cacti enclosure completely unscathed by any prickly disasters.

The following day we left for Iruya. Now I know I said the whole point of this trip was predominantly for the views from the bus, but this was a very long day in the bus. It was about four hours going into Iruya, we had less than two hours to see Iruya, then four hours back, followed by 4-5 hours back to Salta. Despite doing almost nothing but sit on my lazy butt, I was still quite worn out by the end of it. Anyways, Iruya is a tiny mountain village, literally at the end of the road as everything stops in front of the church. Truly a picturesque location perched in the enclosing mountains and cliffs. The only disappointing part is that we were not there long enough to actually go on any quick treks to the vista points surrounding the village. But it was worth the trip. Entering the Quebrada Humahuaca was like seeing a tiny crack on a smooth surface while slowly zooming in. First you see the ravine and surrounding mountains, then the landscape becomes undulated with hills, and finally you work your way into the myriad of crevices which once were a single incision. Breath-takingly stunning!

We parted after returning to Tilcara. I headed back to the south to Salta, while Virginia stayed to head north into Chile. Returning to Salta, I had meant to give the city more time for exploring, but instead I spent the time organizing myself. I was quite behind on my journeling and blogging, as well as needing to finish establishing my final travel routes and approximate time frames. After the non-stop moving since Mendoza, it was nice to have a day to myself. Also, I met some people from my hostel and finally went to my first Peña.

They are properly referred to as Peña Folklórica, or Folk Rock. This can be any music event involving several singers, poets, folk dancing, and orchestras, typically in confined spaces before audiences seated at candlelit tables, often enjoying a parrilla or empanadas. Hence, dinner and a show in a restaurant. I find they usually take place between 9 PM and 1 AM, the typical supper hours. Also, members of the audience are sometimes invited up for improvised dance (which of course had to happen to me…). It was actually really fun. The music is always really loud, but I suppose you are normally eating and thus do not need to have a conversation, maybe? Ha. We fortunately, or unfortunately, went on a Monday when everything is practically dead. We had a group of six: two brothers from Louisiana, a guy from D.C. area, two girls from Belgium, and myself. We started at one place with a 5-6 man band and several dancers and hopped across the street to a 3 man band with, it turns out, the same dancers who were simply running back and forth across the street. It is nice to see both sides of the full band to a small band mix. Also, the dancers wore traditional folk costumes of rich colors, feathers, sequins, capes, and head masks. And like I mentioned, I was called up at one point. I still am not sure what the steps are supposed to be… We ended the night at the only open bar, where the live music was slightly less loud and we could actually converse more. One of the brothers was a fellow geologist! and the other just finished his Peace Corp term in Paraguay. The other three were just travelers like me, though all of us of the long term sort. We had lots to chat about. It was quite an evening, and I think I am ready to try out a full-fledged Peña on a Saturday night when things are really hopping. 🙂

Argentina, a new page.

28 March 2012

Argentina, a new page.

I must admit that the pending thoughts of going home sort of dampened my short while in Chile. Until having that issue decided and over with, I did not realize that it was affecting me. That said, I have flight tickets home confirmed, the rest of my travel agenda established, and now I am just riding the wave until April 25th. My only responsibility until then is to make it to Buenos Aires. Hopefully I can handle it.

First stop, Mendoza.

The Chile-Argentina border cross was one of the most efficient crosses I have made yet. We pulled into this large building with queues for the vehicles. Very ingenious set-up. Each vehicle gets its own customs building with two windows, one for leaving Chile and one for entering Argentina. You only wait for the people in your bus/vehicle, everyone is happier and thus more willing to be helpful, and while waiting in line the bus conductor and attendant take care of sending your luggage through the scanners.

From there I arrived to Mendoza in the heat of the afternoon and started walking towards my hostel. Moments later I realized that I had a 19 kilo pack strapped around my waist and a very full bladder. No accidents, but let´s just say that was the fastest mile and half I have ever walked. I went to the Hostel Estacion Mendoza, inevitably, due to its location closest to the terminal.

Mendoza is the fourth largest city, though it does not give off a huge city vibe, and the wine capital, most notably for Malbec, of Argentina. It is also surrounding by several national parks and outdoor recreation activities. This was definitely my type of place.

Staying true to the grid-pattern coverage of the cities, I wandered the main center of Mendoza in like fashion. I will admit that I have realized how little physical activity I seem to partake recently, which I directly correlate to my perception of having gained weight and lost tone over this last year. Bummer. However, the terminal is usually never that fair from wherever my selected hostel resides, so it can only be good for me health wise and budget wise to refuse the use of taxis (unless it is unsafe or late at night…). As well as touring the city center, I wandered through the Parque General San Martin, a 420 hectare park with immense areas of luscious green grass, tree-lined pedestrian paths, and other outdoor amenities. This park is easily one of the best park systems I have encountered throughout my South American wandering and remains one of the best I have found in Argentina. Thus my first day in Argentina included lots and lots of walking.

A bonus to my arrival was the fact that my dear friend, Melanie from Belgium, whom I worked with in Cuzco had been working in Mendoza and was still there when I arrived. It was great getting to see her again, and we had a fantastic last hurrah together. I got to meet people in my own hostel as well as mingle with her crowd at a different hostel. This turned out to my benefit because I was able to put together a little group of people to go on a bicycle wine tour with me. There was a brother and sister combo from Washington, Denny and Abby, who I met at Melanie´s hostel. Then two girls, Julia from Sweden and Tara from Germany, I met from my hostel. And the last girl, Paula from Texas, I actually met on my bus to Mendoza who I happened to run into again one night. We had a great, wine-filled day. We started at the Museo del Vino La Rural, a wine museum with the best collection of traditional wine making tools and history. Then we dropped by Entre Olivos, an olive tree farm where they make delicious olive oils, olive pastes, salsas, marmalades, dulce de leches, chocolates, and dessert liquors. I tried everything of course and sampled a spicy pepper liquor, a creamy liquor similar to Bailey´s, and absinthe. After this warm up to our day we made it to three different wineries in the end including the region´s oldest winery, an entirely French winery, and a small traditional family winery. The tour concluded back at Mr. Hugo´s where we rented our bikes and they had an abundance of free wine for anyone who did not get their fill. I have been on two tours of Sonoma Valley in California, but I liked to Argentinian take on the subject. I learned that U.S. wine is considered so awful mainly because we are not at good elevations for the grapes and that our vineyards are simply too young. At the wine museum we saw a field with 400 year old vines. They clone the same vine to keep younger generations coming up at the same time, so there is a mix, but our oldest U.S. vines can only be 100 years max due to prohibition. I also learned that Argentinians have obscure traditions of watering down their red wines, putting ice cubes in their red wines, and literally mixing reds and whites together to make the rose or blush wines. They are working on changing these customs.

To top off the day, there was a barbecue at Melanie´s hostel that night with bottomless wine and heaps of steak, ribs, sausage, and blood sausage, with a lone green salad and rolls to balance out the meal. I of course had to partake, not only to experience an Argentinian parrilla, but also because it was Melanie´s going away party and another staff member´s birthday. It is a good thing I had so much to eat because that was one wine filled day for me.

Moving on, Córdoba.

The following evening I headed for Córdoba along with Paula, the Texan girl from my first bus into Argentina. We arrived early the next morning and went to Alvear Hostel. I was quite pleased with the choice because they let us eat breakfast even though we had just checked in! It is always the little things that make a hostel great. Plus the breakfast was pretty descent.

After breakfast and some freshening-up, Paula and I headed out to explore the city. Córdoba is supposedly the cultural capital of Argentina with a plethora of museums, galleries, and theatres. Of these endless options, I had chosen three museums that I really wanted to see. Two of them were closed for the entire duration I was in Córdoba. None-the-less, Paula and I walked all over the city center and saw the Iglesia y Residencia Compañia de Jesús Museo Historico UNC. There is a huge history of the Jesuits in Argentina in their mission to convert everyone to Christianity. They founded this university and school of the Montserrat in 1610 with a grand library and accompanying church. However, Pope Clementius XIV dissolved the Society of Jesus in 1773 and when the Society returned to Córdoba in 1860, the place was under Federal State ownership. However, it is now a museum which displays the old hand-written and hand-bound leather covered books from the library as well as numerous old maps depicting the changing provinces and cartographic ideals of those times.

My third museum option (at least one was open) was the Museo Superior de Bellas Artes Evito in the Palacio Ferrerya. An art museum, it contains some 400 pieces over twelve rooms in three floors. The art was interesting but only one exhibit really drew me in. That was of Manuel Molina with Copies of Famous Art Pieces. He showed some well known pieces (such as the Mona Lisa) and how they have been replicated and reproduced over time with changes in fine details, paint type and quality, and brush stroke technique. I was truly intrigued by the exhibit. Though maybe that is because I recently read a book about Interpol and they had a section dedicated just to art theft and falsified copies. Other than that, I mostly went just to investigate the remaining semblances of the palace, which was built in 1914 by Ernest Sanson in a Louis XVI style. Some of the original hand-laid mosaic floors, silk walls, ceiling frescoes, and other designs still remain.

Then we walked towards the Parque Sarmiento and were able to enter the Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales for free as we quickly rushed through in the last ten minutes before closing time. It turned out to be quite a good display with excellent collections of fossils, taxidermy animals, rock and mineral samples, etc. To end the long day, we went to the Paseo del Buen Pastor for a live music concert with lighted fountain water show as the sun set.

The following day we headed to Alta Gracia, a tranquil town of winding streets and shady parks. We first took a leisurely walk along the river towards the main park before heading to the Museo Casa del Che. This is Ernesto “Che” Guevara´s childhood home called Villa Nydia. Despite having been in South America for eight and one half months, I know very little about this iconic political hero. I liked the museum because it was full of information about Che´s childhood and young adult life that lead up to his later activities. I will share a few random facts with you.

1) His South American tour by motorcycle with friend Alberto Grenado–most of you might recognize the reference to “The Motorcycle Diaries,” yes that is about Che Guevara–was actually his second time out in the world to witness the blatant social inequalities prevailing not on in Argentina but all through South and Central Americas. Only a few years after this second journey was he given the nickname “Che” and began his associations with Fidel Castro.

2) Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez visited this museum on 22 July 2006, as part of the Presidential Summit held in Córdoba.

3) I finally made the connection to the “Che tour” in Valle Grande, Bolivia. In November 1966, Che entered Bolivia to lead the revolution there. After a few successful skirmishes, the Bolivian army hunted him down. He was caught after receiving a leg injury and taken to La Higuera School for interrogation. On 9 October 1967, at 1:10 PM, Ernesto “Che” Guevara was shot dead by officer Mario Terán, acting under orders from Bolivian President René Barrientos. Che´s body was found 30 years later in a communal grave in Valle Grande, Bolivia. Hence there is a “Che tour” out of Samaipata for Vallegrande in Bolivia.

4) The final tid bit of information. Cuban photographer Alberto Díaz Guttérrez, under the pseudonym of Alberto Korda, took the most famous of photos of Che ever taken. On 5 March 1960, at the funeral of the 186 Cuban citizens killed in a raid on the French vessel La Coubre. Rising from his seat in the back, Che appeared on the dais with his gaze lost towards the horizon. In one instant Korda took the most famous and celebrated photo, which is reproduced innumerable times. Years later, the Italian Communist editor, Feltrinelli saw the photo on Korda´s wall and edited it, thus making producing the famous profile image most people would recognize even if unaware the image is of Che.

After this museum we relaxed for a picnic lunch on the grass alongside the Tajamar, the still-standing dam and reservoir from the 1659 Jesuit community. After are rest, we walked around the reservoir and passed the Reloj Publico (a pronouned clock tower built in 1938 to celebrate the city´s 350th anniversary) to the Museo de la Estancia Jesuítica de Alta Gracia y Casa del Virrey Liniers. This is a Jesuit residence of 17th century, then the viceroy´s home in 1810. It has a connecting church, Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Merced, which is supposed to be stunning but is currently closed for floor restoration. After the estancia (ranch) we headed away from the peaceful and beautiful Alta Gracia back to Córdoba. I left that evening for Tucumán. Paula was heading for Buenos Aires, thus did not continue with me, but I had a great time having someone to see sights with again.

The journey never ends

16 March 2012

There is no place like home. (I mean the U.S., not Colby…sorry)

I have been traveling for 8 months now. Last week I officially made the plunge and booked tickets home. I will be Stateside April 26th.

Entering Chile made me realize that it was time for me to end my vagabond lifestyle; I am actually tired of being a vagrant. Chile and Argentina are so similar to life in the U.S. that I almost forget I am not in the U.S. And when I think about it that way, I wonder why I do not just go home where I could be in a semi stable lifestyle where I am not wearing the same six shirts each week and I do not have to repack my life´s possessions every few days. I am sort of ready to have a space of my own where I am not constantly spitting out the traveler essentials: name, where from, time traveling, where been and where going next, age, etc. I adore meeting new people and I have made many wonderful friends throughout this journey, but sometimes I want to know a place. Have my favorite coffee shop, know the best grocery shops, be a recurrent costumer to my favorite farmers´ market stand. I want to be able to sleep in and not have ten other people wandering about the room at odd hours making noises or to be kicked out of bed by 10 AM for checkout. I have have enough overnight bus rides. This trip has been vital to my realization that despite wanting to live simply without partaking in too many excesses of materialism, I really appreciate living with all the comforts and commodities of highly developed countries. I also am looking forward to having a routine where I do not have to plan each move of every day. However, I also enjoy traveling outside those comforts, and they serve to remind myself to not take my fortunate life for granted.

Upon entering Chile I was suddenly confronted with full-sized grocery stores containing imported luxury items, shopping mall complexes in every city, Internet that functions faster than snail pace, and certain niceties of transportation and accommodation. I could be anywhere in the U.S. At first I thought it was the extreme similarity to U.S. life that made Chile and Argentina seem so completely different than Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, but then I realized there was a bit more to the situation. I could literally feel the level of safeness increase in Chile. When I walk around the cities in Chile or Argentina I do not have that ominous feeling that half the people are weighing whether I am appropriate bait for robbery. Despite not having the local appearance, people eye me for the sake that I am a tourist or a female. I am a shiny new penny, enough to compel a glance but then we move on. Cat calls are more common here than the U.S., but that is it. It is a breath of fresh air to not constantly feel the need to look over my shoulder. However, it also forces me to acknowledge that the “dangers” of traveling in South America alone or with other people, are the same dangers presented me in the U.S. There are incredibly safe places in the U.S., but there are also incredibly safe places in Bolivia. Also, when I know a place and feel completely comfortable there, it does not mean that location is suddenly “safer” than the next town.

Well, I am not really providing thought provoking insights here, but this trip has served its purpose for me. I needed to escape responsibility and expectations after university to clear my slate. Now I have had that freedom and I am ready to move back into feeling useful and productive. I am ready to have a job and be able to provide for myself. We are not talking career ready or having my whole life planned out ready, but I am looking forward to having a space of my own where I have a job to keep me busy so that I appreciate weekend get-aways and look forward to free time. The saying, “There is little pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it,” is too true. And I am finally ready to go back to that. 🙂

Thus, I am officially in Argentina and will continue travelling across northern Argentina to end my trip with a week on a beach in Uruguay. Life is good.

Chile in a flash

13 March 2012

Chile – Done in the blink of an eye.

Iquique/Calama

After San Pedro de Atacama, Leen and I headed to Iquique. First, however, we stopped for the day at Calama. We did not have tons of time, so we really only checked out the mall complex. I know some of you are thinking that is a typical girl response, but honestly it has been quite some time since I have seen a proper mall. We even caught a movie, Apollo 18, while we were there. What a surreal moment to find a full-sized mall. Then it was a night bus to Iquique.

Iquique was fantastic. In fact, I could easily have stayed an additional week. It was fairly small and not all that nice, but it had the right vibe and all the necessities. Basically the perfect beach town. Built along an endless shoreline, an inexpensive fresh fish and produce market, fantastic empanada stands everywhere, hot desert temperatures, and all the modern conveniences of public transportation, shopping center and mall complex, and beach side refreshment stands. I replaced my camera while in Iquique. I actually made a major contribution to the store (Paris, a WalMart or Target chain business equivalent) by uncovering an entire shipment of faulty memory cards. Granted that discovery required me to purchase a camera and have it not work immediately after…but I am quite pleased with what I ended up with. Anyways, I am all equipped with my fourth camera of this trip…let´s hope I can hold onto this one.

Leen and I explored the city center and relaxed on the beach. We got into a great hostel where we had a grill-out on Leen´s last night. A huge past time of Chilean life is parrilladas, which is essentially grilling heaps of meat. Frequently these enormous meat portions come “a la pobre” meaning that the meat comes with a large helping of fries, fried onions, and a fried egg. It is a lot to take in. For the full Chilean experience, I had fish a la pobre in La Serena and steak a la pobre in Santiago, as well as wonderful salmon sushi in Iquique. Do not forget that Chile is a major producer of wine. Good, quality wine costs about $6 US (and still tasty selections come at $2 US). I was in heaven. 🙂

With some people I met at the hostel, we wandered among the shipping piers for a brilliant sunset view of the coast, saw a sea lion covered pier (they are called sea tigers in Spanish!), and walked along the pedestrian walkway. This walkway was an odd sight. It was an extra wide, two way street with completely wooden pedestrian walks to both sides; fully equipped with old-fashioned looking lantern light poles. The buildings were all wood fronted with large Victorian doors, large windows, and built-in wooden patios wrapping around the second stories. Seriously all that was missing were the two-way swing doors and a stand-off duel in the middle of the road. It could have been a scene from an old Western movie.

I stayed in Iquique several days, but I felt unsatisfied when I left for La Serena. It was such a lazy and pleasant place. Also a major contrast to anything I found in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Sadly, Leen departed back for Peru. It was so nice having a travel partner for a bit. I did travel to La Serena with a friend from the hostel, who coincidentally was named Lee. Haha.

La Serena

Lee and I over-nighted a bus to La Serena and found this fantastic little B&B. The family was wonderful, everything was clean, kitchen fully equipped, and the breakfasts were great (little luxuries like whole grain bread, cheese, grapes, and yoghurt). That first day we walked to 3km to the lighthouse and beach, we wandered through a delightfully authentic Japanese garden, Kokoro No Kiwa, we explored the city center, and enjoyed a nice meal (fish a la pobre). Lee had to get down to Santiago the following day, but I befriended two English guys at the hostel. One of them, Fred, had Chilean friends in La Serena, so I had the opportunity to experience a night out Chile-style and the following night went to their house party. A speciality to Chile is to cut open a honey dew melon and fill it with white wine. Quite the tasty and refreshing drink. I also spent time wandering around the city, relaxing on the beach, and enjoying the nice weather. Located in a cooler climate where vegetation can actually grow, La Serena is subject to cool fogs in the mornings, so it was not quite up to Iquique standards, but three months in cold Bolivia made it more than acceptable.

Valle Elqui and Pisco Elqui

While in La Serena, I went on a day trip to Pisco Elqui in the vineyard lands of Elqui Valley. This was a mind warp trip. I could easily have been heading right into Sonoma or Napa Valleys in California. I seriously forgot where I was at one point; which was exacerbated when the nice Spanish gentleman next to me began chatting. Though we were clearly conversing in Spanish, I have a moment of pause where I literally had to think about what language I was supposed to be speaking in. Such a bizarre experience. The valley was great. Hot climate with lush valleys of grape vineyards (though in Chile they are predominately producing Pisco rather than wine: Pisco being a clear brandy liquor made from grapes). I spent a lovely day enjoying the valley views on the bus ride, wandering around the tiny town of Pisco Elqui, and reading under a tree in a peaceful little park.

Santiago

After La Serena, I jettisoned down to Santiago, the center of life in Chile. About 40% of Chile´s entire population lives in the Greater Santiago region. Santiago, itself, is enormous. In fact it was a bit too large for me. For that I did not stay long. Fortunately, I arrived to Santiago on a Sunday when all the museums are free entry! I went to the Museo Arte Precolombina, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and Museo Historico Nacional. I also stopped by the Palacio de le Moneda. Originally the national mint, it is now the Presidential palace. Not knowing it current use to house the President, the guards must have thought I was crazy when I asked if I could enter the premises. I had thought it a bit excessive to have twenty-odd guards variously placed around the Plaza de la Constitución. I did find where the old minting equipment is set up for display, though sadly the museum is currently not open to the public. The bright side is that I stumbled upon the Santa Lucía, a park hill with a castle at the top. The hill is a gated property of gardens and walkways up to the castle and other buildings at the top. I also walked along the Parque Forestal, which was once a long, green, tree-lined park where the wealthy used to drive their carriages through during the weekends. A few other activities include La Vega Central, the several block meat and produce market; the Bohemian neighborhood; and the pool located at my hotel. However, as I mentioned, Santiago was a bit too much for me and I quickly headed back to the coast to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, the vacation hot spot for Santiagoneros.

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar

Though not as satisfying as Iquique in terms of climate (again with the cool morning fogs), I absolutely adored Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. Valparaiso is more where people actually live and work, whereas Viña del Mar is the vacation spot with the beaches. Though they are really an extension of each other. I stayed at a fabulous B&B in Valparaiso on Cerro Bellavista (Turista Bellavista Hostel). Valparaiso in a chaotic city of hills, crumbling buildings from the several earthquakes, fading grandeur combined with modern luxury, and madly criss-crossing electric lines (I immediately imagined the crazy network of power lines in New York before the Great Blizzard of 1888 caused them to be put underground). The main city areas are all around the main port and piers, but the unique neighborhoods are tucked onto the cerros (hills).

On Cerro Bellavista, I enjoyed the Museo a Cielo Abierto, which is “open air” because the air is the graffiti-covered walls, eclectic building art, and random sculptures scattered around the blocks. I also toured one of Pablo Neruda´s (famous artist and poet) homes, La Sebastiana, which has phenomenal views over the harbor, a chaotic collection of ships´ figureheads, glass, 1950´s furniture, and art works from his friends. Mostly I wandered the streets. Plaza Sotomayor, the main plaza around the harbor, includes: El Plan-the naval heart of the city, Edificio de la Comandancia Naval-the naval command building, Monumento a los Héros de Iquique-mausoleum to Chile´s naval martyrs in Iquique during the War of the Pacific, and Muelle Prat-the main pier at the foot of the plaza. The Plaza was en route to Cerro Concepción, a delightful neighborhood of brightly painted homes, corrugated iron façades and pitched roofs, and most turrist targeted businesses. The unique part about Valparaiso´s many hills is that there are Ascensores (funicular elevators) leading up to all the hills from the main level. There are 15 in total, built between 1883-1916, they are definitely engineering feats built up to the chaotic cerros with labyrinthine roads, crumbling mansions, and kaleidoscopic rooftops. I rode in Ascensor Concepción, one of the oldest elevators, up to Cerro Concepción. I personally did not mind the walk up and down the hills (the Bellavista elevator was currently out of functioning order), but it would have been nice when I walked up the several flights of stairs with my pack that first day…

I also spent a day at Viña del Mar. I took a bus to the Reloj de Flores, literally a functioning clock made of flowers. I walked along the coast to the Castillo Wulff, a castle built right on the edge overlooking the rocks below, which is now an art museum though closed the day I visited. Next door is the Cap Ducal Hotel and Restaurant with is built in the shape of a boat. Very entertaining. Then I walked to the Parque Quinta Vergara, a magnificently landscaped park, to find HUGE lines. I did not bother to wait only to be shuffled around with the crowds. Then to the Museo de Arqueología e Historia Francisco Fonck, all Chilean history including Easter Island, to find that closed too. I obviously picked the worst times/day to go, but all was redeemed at Entremasas, a specialty empanada eatery where I grabbed one shrimp, mushroom, olive, cheese, and tomato and one basil, mozzarella, tomato, and olive empanadas to eat down at the beach. Mmmm. The beach was not a let down, I relaxed in the welcoming sun, ate my delicious empanadas, and read a book.

And that is it. Now I am in Argentina!

Sucre, Potosí, Uyuni, the Salar, and San Pedro de Atacama

26 February 2012

Sucre, Potosí, Uyuni, the Salar, and San Pedro de Atacama

In all of Bolivia, Sucre has been one of my favorite places. It has stunning colonial architecture that actually intrigues the eye beyond the main plaza; the city is actually safe enough to walk the streets at night alone; the people here are incredibly friendly and welcoming; and there are plenty of surrounding trekking opportunities to occupy several days. What I enjoyed the most, however, was basking in the serene atmosphere. I meant to stay two days but lasted five.

I cannot say that the extension of my stay had anything to do with being overwhelmed with activities, really it was how convenient it was to add a couple days while determining the rest of my travel plans. Sucre is large enough to keep one entertained day or night but small enough that you can head to the large market for last minute supper ingredients before the water boils over. My primary appeal for Sucre, however, was that I would soon be heading into Chile and truly needed to know my agenda before entering a new country. This need was expanded by the fact that I did not know whether the best route heading south would be to make occasional border crossings into Argentina to prevent expensive back-tracking later. Turns out it is best to cover north Chile all in one shot.

Thus my extra days were spent in Internet cafés. Though I did do my share of exploring the city and even partook in a Condor Trekkers (non-profit tour agency, I highly recommend: http://www.condortrekkers.org/) one day trek. We visited Parque Cretácico, which houses one of the world´s most impressive dinosaur footprint sites. Using print sizes and strides, they have replicated life-size dinosaur models to walk amongst and a brief presentation over dinosaurs and the Cretaceous Period. I found the knowledge base a bit wanting, but I was inspired by the quarry company efforts to inform the public and preserve this tremendous dinosaur remnant discovery. After our tour of dino land, we started a trek into a deep river valley, which turned into an adventure to scramble over crumbling rock cliffs as the river system was fuller than normal due to all the rains they have been receiving recently. Then we lunched at the “Seven Waterfalls,” which is really just a single waterfall with maybe seven breaking platforms. Though is was quite nice, especially with the above normal water flow level.

After Sucre, I jumped over to nearby Potosí. This is a nothing of a town, but used to be hopping during the mining boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though as early as the 16th century. It was a quick trip but provided an important lesson about the conditions that miners are still subjected to today. The weather in Potosí is cold, so when you first enter the mines it is cold. However, shortly after entering you start reaching quite hot temperatures. We barely even entered the major depths of the mine and people on the tour could not even handle the dust and heat. I truly cannot imagine being in those conditions for the 8 to 24 hours shifts some people do. And the working conditions are not the only problem. The mines are privately owned, so workers are only paid if their mine produces (the mineral mainly being silver). The concept is that they are not getting paid unless they work hard, however it is impossible to produce silver if the vein has been depleted or the quality is not worth the effort. Thus, many workers are quite impoverished. Only the young ones who have potential for school will ever leave the mines. And if you are working in the main drilling areas, where you make the most money, your life expectancy is lowered daily due to the toxicity of your environment. Many miners die from silicosis, a lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, causing inflammation and scarring in the upper lobes of the lungs. These workers also will spend their entire shifts chewing on coca leaves as a way to stipend hunger from not eating (be it from lack of money or length of shift) and to lessen the effects of working underground in hard conditions for long periods of time. While on the tour, you cannot help but notice the active precipitation of sulfur-related minerals in all small cracks and drainage areas. To make matters worse, I watched a documentary called “The Miners´ Devil.” It was supposed to portray the culture of how miners practically worship this mining god as a form to prevent accidents and deaths within the mines and to ensure successful discovery of silver veins. What the documentary achieved on a greater scale was show the startling reality of how small children of 12 to 14 years are included in the roster of mine workers. These children have various backgrounds, but frequently they come from families with no father where the eldest child works in the mines as a means to support the family. I still cannot fully comprehend such a lifestyle. It is truly eye-opening to other cultures when you first hand witness such living conditions.

Seeing the mine working conditions really brought to light a comment someone told to me recently. They said you can tell the level of poverty of a place by observing where children play and what toys they are playing with. The context was for the fact that we were watching children playing a soccer-type game with a 2-liter plastic bottle on the sidewalk of a major street. At first I compared the ingenious utilization of a plastic bottle to my childhood days of playing in boxes, but the comment stuck and now I have been paying attention to little signs. There was more truth than I realized to that statement. While in Sucre, observing the noticeable lack of crime, I also realized there is a noticeable lack of young children playing in the streets and older children loitering around parks that have become a background site in most of South America. I then thought about my trip to Santa Cruz when Gillian mentioned the over abundance of activities for young people there. Despite the plethora of extracurricular activities, there are still major hubs of loitering youth. Coincidentally, most of those areas are also in the areas where Gillian advised me to never carry a bag or anything of value. Interesting… Then there is this stark comparison to Potosí when the realization that the miner demographics include young children. I could not make an appropriate comparison in Potosí as I arrived during Carnival, thus most children and adults were running around in odd costumes covered in paper streamers and confetti while spraying all bystanders with water guns (or water balloons) and foam spray. Despite the celebrations, I did see large numbers of adolescents not partaking in the celebrations except to target innocent on-lookers (tourists apparently make especially desirable targets).

My last stop in Bolivia was Uyuni. I was only there long enough to book a Salar (salt flat) tour which ended in the tiny Chilean town of San Pedro de Atacama. I did take an evening to eat at Minutemen Pizza, quite possibly the best pizza I have had since leaving the U.S. and the Death by Chocolate cake, valiantly tried to live up to its name.

My three-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni was easily one of the high-lights of my entire last seven months. I have been to Death Valley in California to see salt flats, but the Salar was utterly stunning. The vastness of pristine land was phenomenal. At the salt flats proper, where the raining season provides a good foot of water over the salt layer, the reflections made the sky look never-ending. Truly the world´s largest mirror; horizon to horizon, only interrupted by distant mountain ranges. The perspectives of sight are amazing. For three days we simply drive through an uninhabited desert seeing the salt flats, mountains, volcanoes, lagoons, intriguing rock formations, and never-ending landscape. I will not even try to explain how breath taking the entire three days are. And sadly my photographs will not be able to speak for it either, as I brilliantly dropped my camera into the salt lake on the first day. Go me! Two cameras stolen, one camera broken, all in less than a year. I have never had such difficulties with cameras. Luckily my tour included three great girls (though everyone on the tour was fantastic) whom have been incredibly helpful in documenting the sights. On the last day we woke up before dawn to drive through a snow-covered geyser field and end up at a hot thermal lake for sunrise where we lounged in fantastically warm waters overlooking a flamingo-filled, misting lake with the sun peaking through the mountains. Indescribably mesmerizing.

The end result, I have finally arrived to Chile! At the end of the tour, we took a bus over the Bolivian-Chilean border to the little desert town of San Pedro de Atacama. I have finally reached warm weather! What a relief after the months in cold and rainy Bolivia. And I stayed with the three girls from the tour. One of whom, Leen, I had met twice before, once in Arequipa through my fellow Cusco hostel worker Melanie and then again randomly in Sucre at the same hostel. It was such a delight when I saw her arrive to enter the same tour vehicle for the Salar. While in San Pedro de Atacama, we rented mountain bikes and rode to Valle de Muerte and Valle de la Luna to see the Chilean side of the desert. Then we went on a night astrology tour. We ended up having exceptionally cold and windy weather and a very cloudy sky, thus not optimal sky observing conditions, but it was fun none-the-less.

I finally made it to Chile! I am so relieved to be moving again. The only down side it that Chile and Argentina will be obnoxiously expensive compared to Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, but I will manage somehow. 🙂

Sorata

10 February 2012

Sorata

Absolutely stunning. My only wish is that I had been able to see it in winter. It is just like those picturesque mountain villages of Colorado, skiers in plenty. It was only missing the snow. The village is perched on a hillside in a valley beneath towering, snow capped peaks of Illampu and Ancohuma. The views of the valley are awe-inspiring. Everything is green and lush and beautiful. As the village is on the side of a mountain, every window presents a million dollar view, regardless of your location. Our hostel, El Mirador, went an extra step to provide a patio built out overlooking the valley below. Our first night was at Reggae House, which had a grungy hippy vibe and was really cheap. It would have served fine if the beds had not been horribly uncomfortable and the rooms serving as a warm refuge for bugs in the chilly nights. El Mirador was a huge step up in many ways with a mere $1 increase of price. Well worth the splurge. After traveling for seven months, you become tired of accepting the barest of accommodation just to save a dollar or two. It is nice to appease certain little conveniences.

Well, I went to this lovely little place with Nadya, my good friend whom I worked with at the Wild Rover in La Paz. We had a splendid time relaxing out of the grasps of the hostel. We took advantage of the break to have long nights of rest, time to read, and a kitchen to cook in. It was wonderful! And surprisingly, of the small crowd of tourists in Sorata, almost all were Spanish-speaking natives from Chile and Argentina. Except with each other, we mostly spoke Spanish, though Nadya did find a few people to speak French with. On the first day we were told that the heavy rains from the day we arrived caused blockage on the road to the cavern, thus we explored the village and went on a nice easy trek up the mountain behind town. This was a nice warm-up to physical activity and provided wonderful views. We also lounged in the warm sun which quickly pinked our skin and set us into siesta mood.

Due to this summer arrival, I was not able to trek up to the glacier lake. However, I did see La Gruta de San Pedro, a large cavern with an enclosed lagoon at the bottom. The best part was that we were able to pedalling-boat around the lake. Pretty cheesy, but everyone took the bait. It was quite pleasant to float about on the water staring up at the different wall formations. The water was a crystal blue, evident even in the dim lighting. It was not an incredibly large cave, but after the trek there along the road, it is a nice rest before heading the 12 km back to town. On the way back, both quite exhausted of the long day and sun baring down on us once again, we were able to grab a short ride on the most grueling up down part of the route. It was a splendid adventure on the back of a truck loaded with red clay bricks. Both of our bums were coated in a fine red powder at the end of the ride. The valley scenery along the path to La Gruta was also a wonderland for my geologic mind to play with. Uplifted mountains, metamorphism, river induced interlocking spurs with occasional glacially-affected truncated spurs, erosion of erosional layers. It was wonderful. After an innocent inquiry, Nadya even received a brief lesson on evaporate layers.

On our final evening together, as I am heading south and she is staying in La Paz to return home soon, we cooked a fabulous dish of egg fettuccine pasta, onions, garlic, tomato, broccoli, and bell pepper, topped with a spicy pepper seasoning. We enjoyed our meal with Argentinian wine, Oreo´s for dessert, and hours of conversation. I am extremely delighted that I will soon be in the wine countries of Chile and Argentina! The next morning we went our separate ways, Nadya to Copacabana in Peru to renew her passport and I to Sucre. A road blockade put me overnight in La Paz, once again, but transportation is back and running and I will leave tonight. So so soon I will be beach side in Chile. First, however, I will make a couple last stops in the cooler Bolivian highlands.

Elizabeth Erickson

Life in Motion

Category: Travel

Chasing Huckleberry Finn

Buenos Aires Love

Dribble on my mind

My romantic get-away

Geology and other sites

Argentina, a new page.

The journey never ends

Chile in a flash

Sucre, Potosí, Uyuni, the Salar, and San Pedro de Atacama

Sorata