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| Lima, Peru - Day 4 |
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Lima, Peru - Day 2
Today Matt and I went to the big (by South American standards) Museo Larco, one of the largest collections of pre Colombian art, which houses over 45,000 Peruvian pottery and clay figures. As such the majority of the pictures in today’s photo album will be the really unique pottery and vases shaped into different animals and peoples.
The museum also has an erotic section of pottery. This album of photos may not be appropriate for young children.
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| Lima, Peru - Day 2 |
The museum also has an erotic section of pottery. This album of photos may not be appropriate for young children.
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| Lima, Peru - Erotic Musuem - Day 2 |
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Lima, Peru - Day 1
Today we arrived in Lima after an early morning flight from Cusco. We dropped our bags off and set off to explore the old section of town. Our first stop was Covento y Museo de San Francisco, a spectacular colonial area church with a catacomb connecting other churches below grounds and housing large open burial grounds with hundreds of skeletons. The church also has a world renowned library with ancient manuscripts and wonderful leather bound books in transcribed in Latin.
We made a brief pit stop for some Anticuchos de Corazon or beef hearts on a skewer which were surprisingly tender and amazingly flavorful. I’ve converted another traveler to the wonders of organ meats!
After a brief stop at the inquisition museum where there were numerous artifacts of torture, we walked over to the Lima Chinatown. Apparently there is a large Chinese population in Lima. Actually there are Chinese people everywhere that I went in South America. Very few places did not have one or two Chifas (Chinese restaurants) providing some variety to the local cuisine. Chifa is a play on the mandarin chi fan or eat rice / meal. The best way that I can describe them as fusion restaurants taking the Chinese style of cooking and incorporating local ingredients, but in reality they are about as close to authentic Chinese food as your local crappy take out place.
Although Lima had the largest Chinatown outside of possibly Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Japan / Korea / Chinatown, I didn’t really notice a lot of Chinese people there. There were blocks and blocks of restaurants and stores run by Chinese, but the customers were all Peruvians and no Chinese were in sight eating in the restaurants or shopping in the stores. Perhaps this is a Chinatown akin to the one in San Francisco where tourists and non Asians flock to while local Asians look for more authentic and non-touristic establishments.
We made a brief pit stop for some Anticuchos de Corazon or beef hearts on a skewer which were surprisingly tender and amazingly flavorful. I’ve converted another traveler to the wonders of organ meats!
After a brief stop at the inquisition museum where there were numerous artifacts of torture, we walked over to the Lima Chinatown. Apparently there is a large Chinese population in Lima. Actually there are Chinese people everywhere that I went in South America. Very few places did not have one or two Chifas (Chinese restaurants) providing some variety to the local cuisine. Chifa is a play on the mandarin chi fan or eat rice / meal. The best way that I can describe them as fusion restaurants taking the Chinese style of cooking and incorporating local ingredients, but in reality they are about as close to authentic Chinese food as your local crappy take out place.
Although Lima had the largest Chinatown outside of possibly Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Japan / Korea / Chinatown, I didn’t really notice a lot of Chinese people there. There were blocks and blocks of restaurants and stores run by Chinese, but the customers were all Peruvians and no Chinese were in sight eating in the restaurants or shopping in the stores. Perhaps this is a Chinatown akin to the one in San Francisco where tourists and non Asians flock to while local Asians look for more authentic and non-touristic establishments.
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| Lima, Peru - Day 1 |
Monday, May 11, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 7
Today is our last day in Cusco and we would be sad to leave. We’ve spent over a week in Cusco, the sacred valley, and Machu Picchu and have enjoyed our time in this cultural utopia. We decided to embark on a trip to the weekly Sunday market in Pisaq, a city about an hour away from Cusco. I managed to persuade Matt to take the local bus which costs less than a dollar each way. Not so much to save money as a tax ride would be less than 15 dollars, but more so to get an authentic experience, to travel as locals travel, and to experience the trials and tribulations of a crowded bus with people standing and holding overloaded packages. Exposing oneself to local customs whether it be food, modes of transportation, or living accommodations builds a broader perspective and forces one outside their comfort zone; in my opinion, two of the main benefits of traveling.
I’m glad that Matt is game to try most new things, so he readily agreed to take on this mini challenge. We found the bus station, a empty parking lot in the middle of a rather nondescript block, with a line of people looping around the lot and out to the street. Vendors selling food and drinks, and locals toting screaming children and large packages all added to the atmosphere. After waiting for about half an hour we were the first couple to get on the next bus and we secured a seat for the ride to Pisaq. Others were not as lucky as they crowded the aisles and loading area in the front of the bus. I half expected the bus driver to pull a ladder out for people to climb up to the roof as they do in other third world countries.
The Pisaq Sunday market is a quite an assorted vivid overload of colors, smells, sounds and unique sights. Multi-colored corn ranging from the typical yellow to the exotic brown and purple flanked exotic fruits and rainbow-like color assortment of spices and dyes.
One of the more interesting items was little penthouses built into the building’s facade which housed multiple guinea pigs in a plethora of rooms. Next to the housing complex was an oven which resembled a brick oven pizza oven in the states. It was round with a small hole in the front and a long wooden pole with a broad flat end used to transport foods in and out of the oven. On top of a big metal pan that was just recently pulled out were a couple roasted guinea pigs hanging out.
I’m glad that Matt is game to try most new things, so he readily agreed to take on this mini challenge. We found the bus station, a empty parking lot in the middle of a rather nondescript block, with a line of people looping around the lot and out to the street. Vendors selling food and drinks, and locals toting screaming children and large packages all added to the atmosphere. After waiting for about half an hour we were the first couple to get on the next bus and we secured a seat for the ride to Pisaq. Others were not as lucky as they crowded the aisles and loading area in the front of the bus. I half expected the bus driver to pull a ladder out for people to climb up to the roof as they do in other third world countries.
The Pisaq Sunday market is a quite an assorted vivid overload of colors, smells, sounds and unique sights. Multi-colored corn ranging from the typical yellow to the exotic brown and purple flanked exotic fruits and rainbow-like color assortment of spices and dyes.
One of the more interesting items was little penthouses built into the building’s facade which housed multiple guinea pigs in a plethora of rooms. Next to the housing complex was an oven which resembled a brick oven pizza oven in the states. It was round with a small hole in the front and a long wooden pole with a broad flat end used to transport foods in and out of the oven. On top of a big metal pan that was just recently pulled out were a couple roasted guinea pigs hanging out.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 7 |
Friday, May 1, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 6
So one thing you realize after traveling for an extended period of time is that there are quite a number of other travelers who travel on the same gringo route. The pooling of travelers seems to grow exponentially when you visit the unique monolithic tourist attractions. Since Cusco and Machu Picchu are some of the undoubted highlights of South America, over the week period, we ran into three sets of Brazilian and Argentinean friends that I had met previously in Argentina and Chile. I even ran into middle aged French couple that was on my Solar de Uyuni tour in Bolivia over a month prior.
But the group that we easily ran into the most is this mix group of Argentineans from Cordoba. I met them on a tour of Tiwanaka in Bolivia. After parting ways I didn’t expect to run into them again. But on a boat trip to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca about 4 hours from La Paz, Marcus tapped me on the shoulder. On a tour in Cusco of the outlining temples and structures, Matt and I ran into the two girls in the market place. Then in Machu Picchu, then on top of Waynu Picchu, then at a restaurant, and finally watching a 12 piece traveling band perform in the Cusco town square. It’s a small world after all.
But the group that we easily ran into the most is this mix group of Argentineans from Cordoba. I met them on a tour of Tiwanaka in Bolivia. After parting ways I didn’t expect to run into them again. But on a boat trip to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca about 4 hours from La Paz, Marcus tapped me on the shoulder. On a tour in Cusco of the outlining temples and structures, Matt and I ran into the two girls in the market place. Then in Machu Picchu, then on top of Waynu Picchu, then at a restaurant, and finally watching a 12 piece traveling band perform in the Cusco town square. It’s a small world after all.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 6 |
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 5
Today we walked around to a couple museums and had a tasting smorgasbord at a local restaurant somewhat off the beaten path. It was still in Cusco but there were a ton of locals there, no tourists, and the place was well priced. Here is a list of foods that we tried in the order of how they appear in the pictures. I borrowed the food descriptions from this website.
Papa Rellena: Basically a variation of your stuffed potato. It is mashed potato rolled into balls or ovals and then stuffed with ground meat and spices. They are then deep fried is the outside is a crispy brown.
Papa a la Huancaina: Sliced Boiled Potatoes covered in a cheesy, slightly spicy yellow sauce (which contains Turmeric) served on top of lettuce. This dish is usually garnished with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg and sometimes with olives too.
Lomo Saltado: If you are on diet, we don't recommend this dish. Peruvians take strips of steak and sauté it with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, chilies, onions and tomatoes. It is then served over a bed of rice with a large helping of chips (french fries). It is often served with a small side of salad too. It is a hearty meal that is served in many of the cheaper restaurants.
Picarones: These look like thin donuts (with a biggish hole in the center) that are not perfectly round. They are a type of pumpkin fritters which are normally served with syrup on top. It is sweet, but not overly so, and it is a filling dessert or snack.
Lucuma (In the ice cream): This 'nutty' flavored, orange colored fruit can frequently be found in Peruvian desserts. Peru is the only place in the world that has a large production of the lucuma fruit, although you will also find smaller lucuma farms throughout South America. The most common way to find this unique flavor is in ice-cream.
During other meals while in Peru we also sampled:
Anticuchos: Skewered meat (brochettes) that are sold throughout the streets of Peru and of course in restaurants. We recommend that you ask what type of meat it is before ordering one, as the most general kind is called anticucho de corazón, which is marinated beef hearts grilled on a stick.
Ceviche: There are many different variations of the dish which can be found in almost every restaurant in Peru. It is generally made with bite size chunks of raw white fish, normally sea bass. The fish is marinated in lemon / lime juice, onions and chilies. Traditionally it is served with boiled sweet potatoes or corn.
Tiradito: is similar to Ceviche though the fish is cut into strips instead of the chunks and it is made without onions giving it a lighter flavor.
Rocoto Relleno: Stuffed Rocoto peppers with a kick (they're a little hot/spicy). They are usually filled with meat, onions, egg whites, olives and sometimes with nuts. This dish originally comes from Arequipa.
Cuy Chactado: Here is where Peruvian cuisine might get a little scary for you. Fried Guinea pig! It was once eaten by Incan royalty and today remains a special food in Peru. While some restaurants serve it cut into small pieces and marinated others prefer a more dramatic presentation. It isn't uncommon to see the entire animal, head, feet and all grilled and served on a platter. Beware of the word Cuy (Guinea Pig) on any menu you see.
Papa Rellena: Basically a variation of your stuffed potato. It is mashed potato rolled into balls or ovals and then stuffed with ground meat and spices. They are then deep fried is the outside is a crispy brown.
Papa a la Huancaina: Sliced Boiled Potatoes covered in a cheesy, slightly spicy yellow sauce (which contains Turmeric) served on top of lettuce. This dish is usually garnished with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg and sometimes with olives too.
Lomo Saltado: If you are on diet, we don't recommend this dish. Peruvians take strips of steak and sauté it with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, chilies, onions and tomatoes. It is then served over a bed of rice with a large helping of chips (french fries). It is often served with a small side of salad too. It is a hearty meal that is served in many of the cheaper restaurants.
Picarones: These look like thin donuts (with a biggish hole in the center) that are not perfectly round. They are a type of pumpkin fritters which are normally served with syrup on top. It is sweet, but not overly so, and it is a filling dessert or snack.
Lucuma (In the ice cream): This 'nutty' flavored, orange colored fruit can frequently be found in Peruvian desserts. Peru is the only place in the world that has a large production of the lucuma fruit, although you will also find smaller lucuma farms throughout South America. The most common way to find this unique flavor is in ice-cream.
During other meals while in Peru we also sampled:
Anticuchos: Skewered meat (brochettes) that are sold throughout the streets of Peru and of course in restaurants. We recommend that you ask what type of meat it is before ordering one, as the most general kind is called anticucho de corazón, which is marinated beef hearts grilled on a stick.
Ceviche: There are many different variations of the dish which can be found in almost every restaurant in Peru. It is generally made with bite size chunks of raw white fish, normally sea bass. The fish is marinated in lemon / lime juice, onions and chilies. Traditionally it is served with boiled sweet potatoes or corn.
Tiradito: is similar to Ceviche though the fish is cut into strips instead of the chunks and it is made without onions giving it a lighter flavor.
Rocoto Relleno: Stuffed Rocoto peppers with a kick (they're a little hot/spicy). They are usually filled with meat, onions, egg whites, olives and sometimes with nuts. This dish originally comes from Arequipa.
Cuy Chactado: Here is where Peruvian cuisine might get a little scary for you. Fried Guinea pig! It was once eaten by Incan royalty and today remains a special food in Peru. While some restaurants serve it cut into small pieces and marinated others prefer a more dramatic presentation. It isn't uncommon to see the entire animal, head, feet and all grilled and served on a platter. Beware of the word Cuy (Guinea Pig) on any menu you see.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 5 |
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Machu Picchu Trek Fauna, Peru
So in the four days of hiking up to Machu Picchu we experienced quite a varietal of fauna and vegetation. Some huge aloe looking plants here. A vivid assortment of purple, blue, red, and yellow unique flowers which ran the gamut of the rainbow sprinkled the trail over there. A veritable rain forest greeted us on the third day of the hike. All flushed against the jaw dropping snow capped mountain back drop. In this photo album of about 140 pictures, all the pictures are of different plants with the exception of a couple favorites.
Yellow Lady Slipper Flowers
Yellow Lady Slipper Flowers
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| Machu Picchu Trek Fauna |
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 4
So today we woke up at 3:45 in the morning to be one of the first three groups at the gate which opens at 5:30 in the morning. While we grumbled a bit at the early morning rise in the pitch black, we were very grateful in hindsight. Matt and I ran the last part of the trek in 45 minutes which normally takes 1 – 1.5 hours to walk to get to the Sun Gate. From there we had to wait for the rest of the group to catch up so we could go to Wayna Picchu to get tickets. Only 400 people are allowed access per day to the soaring mountain which rises over Machu Picchu and gives stunning panoramic views of the ruins and valley below. This would be the one of the highlights of the trip!
We were racing against the masses of people who would be taking a slightly easier route and catching an early bus from Aquas Calientes, a neighboring town, up to Machu Picchu. They would be getting there around 7am so we were trying to get there in that timeframe so we could get one of those magical tickets. We must have looked like quite a circus show running into Machu Picchu; all harried, unshowered and unkempt with exhausted gaunt, sunken eyes bestowing the pain of waking up before the sun and carrying our bags for the last 4 days. Some of the other tourists who took the bus appeared rather refreshed and springy in their dapper sweaters resting over their shoulders and crossed in front, and glanced at us with a mixture of awe and interest. Perhaps it was more shock and disbelief. I prefer to believe that they were inspired.
So after all that running we got to the WP ticket counter and got the 392 to 400th ticket. I got the LAST ONE! It was crazy, I actually felt bad because a couple of the guys had walked through Machu Picchu and they missed out on tickets to Waynu Picchu. Wow the euphoria of getting the last ticket was like winning the lottery. Despite my calm demeanor and even keeled personality, I don’t think I would have stood up well to being number 401 in line.
Half way up Waynu Picchu, I was starting to wonder if it would have been better to be number 401. My legs were burning like I had just run a marathon with a 50lb bag on. The effects of the three day trek and waking up early were getting the best of me. I was getting light headed and had to lean heavily on the steel cables that lined the steep mountain walls. This mountain was steep, at some points only had space for one person to cross, and did not have cables in some sections. At the top, we had to crawl under a huge rock for about 20 feet on our hands and knees through some water which was only big enough for barely me to fit. I have no idea how a large unathletic person managed this natural obstacle course. We emerged on the other side of the fallen rock where after climbing up another flight of steps we arrived at the top of the mountain, which was a huge pile of enormous boulders. It was really cool to run around on top of huge rocks overlooking the valley and Machu Picchu, until you realize that there are no cables up here. That it’s raining and the rocks are slippery. And that this is probably where that tourist fell of the mountain about 9 months ago. Then it gets realistically scary rather quickly. After slowing edging our way around the precipitous boulders, we edged our way down and properly explored Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu is as amazing as everybody says it is. I’m not going to bore you with superlatives which you can read by googling Machu Picchu. Just know that if you haven’t been already you should go. I would rank it on par with the Great Wall, Ankor Wat and the Forbidden City in terms of awesome man-made beauty and engineering. It should be on everybody’s bucket list.
We were racing against the masses of people who would be taking a slightly easier route and catching an early bus from Aquas Calientes, a neighboring town, up to Machu Picchu. They would be getting there around 7am so we were trying to get there in that timeframe so we could get one of those magical tickets. We must have looked like quite a circus show running into Machu Picchu; all harried, unshowered and unkempt with exhausted gaunt, sunken eyes bestowing the pain of waking up before the sun and carrying our bags for the last 4 days. Some of the other tourists who took the bus appeared rather refreshed and springy in their dapper sweaters resting over their shoulders and crossed in front, and glanced at us with a mixture of awe and interest. Perhaps it was more shock and disbelief. I prefer to believe that they were inspired.
So after all that running we got to the WP ticket counter and got the 392 to 400th ticket. I got the LAST ONE! It was crazy, I actually felt bad because a couple of the guys had walked through Machu Picchu and they missed out on tickets to Waynu Picchu. Wow the euphoria of getting the last ticket was like winning the lottery. Despite my calm demeanor and even keeled personality, I don’t think I would have stood up well to being number 401 in line.
Half way up Waynu Picchu, I was starting to wonder if it would have been better to be number 401. My legs were burning like I had just run a marathon with a 50lb bag on. The effects of the three day trek and waking up early were getting the best of me. I was getting light headed and had to lean heavily on the steel cables that lined the steep mountain walls. This mountain was steep, at some points only had space for one person to cross, and did not have cables in some sections. At the top, we had to crawl under a huge rock for about 20 feet on our hands and knees through some water which was only big enough for barely me to fit. I have no idea how a large unathletic person managed this natural obstacle course. We emerged on the other side of the fallen rock where after climbing up another flight of steps we arrived at the top of the mountain, which was a huge pile of enormous boulders. It was really cool to run around on top of huge rocks overlooking the valley and Machu Picchu, until you realize that there are no cables up here. That it’s raining and the rocks are slippery. And that this is probably where that tourist fell of the mountain about 9 months ago. Then it gets realistically scary rather quickly. After slowing edging our way around the precipitous boulders, we edged our way down and properly explored Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu is as amazing as everybody says it is. I’m not going to bore you with superlatives which you can read by googling Machu Picchu. Just know that if you haven’t been already you should go. I would rank it on par with the Great Wall, Ankor Wat and the Forbidden City in terms of awesome man-made beauty and engineering. It should be on everybody’s bucket list.
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| Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 4 |
Friday, March 27, 2009
Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 3
Along the trail today we got to visit a couple Inca ruins as well as see some hummingbirds. The weather wasn’t spectacular as it rained extremely hard for parts of the trek resulting is some heads down concentration on the rocky steps. A highlight of the day was looking forward to our last campsite where we would be able to take a hot shower for 10 soles or 3 dollars. When we arrived late at night, we discovered that there was only one shower for men and one for women for over 300 people on the trail. At that point we were so tired and we would have to be up at 3:45 the following morning in order to be at the gate at 5:30, that we decided to just go to bed after dinner. Interestingly enough, for a large group of people who haven’t showered in 3 days, nobody had any offensive odors. Perhaps it was the rain, cool weather, or just a lot of deodorant. Or perhaps we just got use to the scent.
We had to be up uber early on the fourth day of the trek because you want to be one of the first three groups in line when the gate opens so that you can run down the trail for about an hour and get access to Wayna Picchu. Wayna Picchu is a mountain which nestles up against Machu Picchu and has amazing soaring views of the lost city. Only 400 people a day are allowed access to the mountain for the privilege to tackle the steep and precipitous climb in order to get the coveted panoramic view of Machu Picchu. At times the steep trails are exposed with little protection other than a steel rope embedded in the side of the mountain. While Wayna Picchu is normally a difficult and precarious climb, when raining the trail can be extremely slick and treacherous. In the past 9 months, a tourist fell off the mountain and passed away. So while we were well aware of the genuine risks, we were excited to climb the mountain and gaze down upon Machu Picchu. This is why one wakes up at 3:45 in the morning.
We had to be up uber early on the fourth day of the trek because you want to be one of the first three groups in line when the gate opens so that you can run down the trail for about an hour and get access to Wayna Picchu. Wayna Picchu is a mountain which nestles up against Machu Picchu and has amazing soaring views of the lost city. Only 400 people a day are allowed access to the mountain for the privilege to tackle the steep and precipitous climb in order to get the coveted panoramic view of Machu Picchu. At times the steep trails are exposed with little protection other than a steel rope embedded in the side of the mountain. While Wayna Picchu is normally a difficult and precarious climb, when raining the trail can be extremely slick and treacherous. In the past 9 months, a tourist fell off the mountain and passed away. So while we were well aware of the genuine risks, we were excited to climb the mountain and gaze down upon Machu Picchu. This is why one wakes up at 3:45 in the morning.
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| Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 3 |
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 2
The first day of trekking was rather easy with a 12km trek on a rather flat surface without any rain. On day two after waking up at around 5:30am, Matt and I found the side of our tent thoroughly soaked through. Apparently it had rained hard during the night as we slept.
As we were packing up our damp gear that was along the side of the tent in preparation for breakfast, I looked over the campsite and soaked in the marvelous scenery. Snow capped mountain peaks in the distance; a meandering river flowing into a small waterfall provided a tranquil backdrop to the ambient noises of the forest and fellow trekkers; and wild horses earnestly grazing not more than 10 ft away. Our group consisted of a fun mix of tourists from around the world and included a group of six 20 year old students from England, a couple from Toronto on part of their honeymoon, and a 60 year old mother from North Carolina among others.
The food was extremely plentiful and quite good considering the cooking circumstances. The chef even made a cake for the last meal. We had an extensive array of food options from pancakes to fruit to oatmeal. We usually have two to three meat / vegetable dishes and a starch or two to go along with a soup or appetizer. After breakfast, we prepared for the hardest day of the trek. A 16km stretch with an ascension of over 800km up to Dead Woman’s Pass and then back down another 500km to our camp site.
The hike up to Dead Woman’s Pass was tough and exhausting, but I had a couple advantages versus some other trekkers such as Matt. Most people drop into Lima and then fly over to Cusco for their trek, spending 2 days in Cusco to get acclimatized to the altitude which can render walking up a flight of stairs a monumental task. While two days helps a lot, Matt and others were obviously facing the battle versus the altitude and often losing. Having been in Bolivia for the last couple weeks or so at high elevations, allowed me to handle the altitude with ease. A girl on our trek marveled that I was able to walk and not have to hunch over to catch my breath every 5 minutes and that my breathing was not labored.
The second advantage that I had was that I packed light. A change of shirts and socks with the minimal toiletries, sleeping bag, and foam mattress were given to a porter to carry. In my small bag, I carried my jacket when I wasn’t using it, bug spray, and water. Others, I have no idea how they managed, carried all their stuff with them on their backs in large backpacks. They were able to keep up, and I applaud them. While I considered carrying my stuff myself, I knew that I wanted to enjoy the scenery and trek; and while I definitely could have done the trek with my big bag, I know that it would have impaired my ability to enjoy nature. Without the additional bulk and weight, I was able to easily handle the tough rocky spots of the trail which were sometimes slick with rain, climb up the side of the mountain to look at an interesting flower, and run up the last 100meters of Dead Woman’s Pass. Yes I sprinted up the hill on a bet. I wanted to see if I could run at this altitude up a steep incline. The porters have a yearly marathon over the entire trail which is the same distances as the NYC one just with altitude and extremely difficult terrain. The fastest guy completed the 25 mile course in a little more than three hours. I found that the main issue was lung capacity at that altitude as I had to stop half way up to catch my breath. When I got to the top, I thought my head and lungs would explode but my legs did not really hurt at all.
The third advantage is that I’ve been doing a lot of trekking through Argentina and Chile and walking around exploring new cities over the last couple months so that extra exercise probably prepared me for the trek a bit more than a person who is normally sitting at a desk for most of the day.
But one can do the trek and survive without any of these “so called” advantages. The 60 year old mother carried her huge bag by herself.
As we were packing up our damp gear that was along the side of the tent in preparation for breakfast, I looked over the campsite and soaked in the marvelous scenery. Snow capped mountain peaks in the distance; a meandering river flowing into a small waterfall provided a tranquil backdrop to the ambient noises of the forest and fellow trekkers; and wild horses earnestly grazing not more than 10 ft away. Our group consisted of a fun mix of tourists from around the world and included a group of six 20 year old students from England, a couple from Toronto on part of their honeymoon, and a 60 year old mother from North Carolina among others.
The food was extremely plentiful and quite good considering the cooking circumstances. The chef even made a cake for the last meal. We had an extensive array of food options from pancakes to fruit to oatmeal. We usually have two to three meat / vegetable dishes and a starch or two to go along with a soup or appetizer. After breakfast, we prepared for the hardest day of the trek. A 16km stretch with an ascension of over 800km up to Dead Woman’s Pass and then back down another 500km to our camp site.
The hike up to Dead Woman’s Pass was tough and exhausting, but I had a couple advantages versus some other trekkers such as Matt. Most people drop into Lima and then fly over to Cusco for their trek, spending 2 days in Cusco to get acclimatized to the altitude which can render walking up a flight of stairs a monumental task. While two days helps a lot, Matt and others were obviously facing the battle versus the altitude and often losing. Having been in Bolivia for the last couple weeks or so at high elevations, allowed me to handle the altitude with ease. A girl on our trek marveled that I was able to walk and not have to hunch over to catch my breath every 5 minutes and that my breathing was not labored.
The second advantage that I had was that I packed light. A change of shirts and socks with the minimal toiletries, sleeping bag, and foam mattress were given to a porter to carry. In my small bag, I carried my jacket when I wasn’t using it, bug spray, and water. Others, I have no idea how they managed, carried all their stuff with them on their backs in large backpacks. They were able to keep up, and I applaud them. While I considered carrying my stuff myself, I knew that I wanted to enjoy the scenery and trek; and while I definitely could have done the trek with my big bag, I know that it would have impaired my ability to enjoy nature. Without the additional bulk and weight, I was able to easily handle the tough rocky spots of the trail which were sometimes slick with rain, climb up the side of the mountain to look at an interesting flower, and run up the last 100meters of Dead Woman’s Pass. Yes I sprinted up the hill on a bet. I wanted to see if I could run at this altitude up a steep incline. The porters have a yearly marathon over the entire trail which is the same distances as the NYC one just with altitude and extremely difficult terrain. The fastest guy completed the 25 mile course in a little more than three hours. I found that the main issue was lung capacity at that altitude as I had to stop half way up to catch my breath. When I got to the top, I thought my head and lungs would explode but my legs did not really hurt at all.
The third advantage is that I’ve been doing a lot of trekking through Argentina and Chile and walking around exploring new cities over the last couple months so that extra exercise probably prepared me for the trek a bit more than a person who is normally sitting at a desk for most of the day.
But one can do the trek and survive without any of these “so called” advantages. The 60 year old mother carried her huge bag by herself.
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| Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 2 |
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 1
And so the journey begins. 4 days, 3 nights, no showers. 45 kilometers or about 28 miles spread out over the majority of 3 days and ascending to an altitude of 4200 kilometers. If the altitude doesn’t get you, the rain will. It’s the rainy season and it’s guaranteed to rain hard at some point during our trek. In fact in a couple of days after our trek, the trail closes down for a month in part due to the rain and to restore the trail. And the altitude usually gets you. Gasping and wheezing, while you struggle to catch your breath on a trek that would be strenuous at sea level. Why would anyone subject themselves to this?
There are easier ways to get to the Lost Incan city. From Cusco, you can take a 3 hour train to Aguas Calientes and then a 30 min bus. Or you can take a helicopter and be there in 30 minutes.
Most seasoned travelers agree that Machu Picchu in Peru is the world's most dramatic ruins. If it’s not the first, then it’s definitely in the top three. Machu Picchu sits boldly perched on a steep sided mountain saddle far above the partially encircling Urubamba River. What remains of the precision stonework of the pre-Colombian Inca temples and palaces clearly reveals how exalted Machu Picchu was in its glory days.
Yet despite all these accolades, the arduous journey to the ruins is just as much a part of the enchanting magical experience as the ruins themselves. To tread in the previous footsteps of thousands of Incas as they conducted their daily commute to surrounding villages for trade or labor. To see the majestic mountains and landscape unfold as you round a corner of the path and happen upon a quaint Inca ruin. To marvel in amazement at the uniquely delicate and intricate fauna that populates the trails. To speculate what the next turn or twist in the trail may bestow upon you. Or to merely contemplate when you can put your bag down and rest your weary feet.
For me, some of the magic of Machu Picchu is lost if you descend upon it in a helicopter. The journey augments the aura and intensifies the anticipation. And so the journey begins.
There are easier ways to get to the Lost Incan city. From Cusco, you can take a 3 hour train to Aguas Calientes and then a 30 min bus. Or you can take a helicopter and be there in 30 minutes.
Most seasoned travelers agree that Machu Picchu in Peru is the world's most dramatic ruins. If it’s not the first, then it’s definitely in the top three. Machu Picchu sits boldly perched on a steep sided mountain saddle far above the partially encircling Urubamba River. What remains of the precision stonework of the pre-Colombian Inca temples and palaces clearly reveals how exalted Machu Picchu was in its glory days.
Yet despite all these accolades, the arduous journey to the ruins is just as much a part of the enchanting magical experience as the ruins themselves. To tread in the previous footsteps of thousands of Incas as they conducted their daily commute to surrounding villages for trade or labor. To see the majestic mountains and landscape unfold as you round a corner of the path and happen upon a quaint Inca ruin. To marvel in amazement at the uniquely delicate and intricate fauna that populates the trails. To speculate what the next turn or twist in the trail may bestow upon you. Or to merely contemplate when you can put your bag down and rest your weary feet.
For me, some of the magic of Machu Picchu is lost if you descend upon it in a helicopter. The journey augments the aura and intensifies the anticipation. And so the journey begins.
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| Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 1 |
Monday, March 23, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 4
Today we took a tour of the Sacred Valley visiting Pisaq and Ollantaytambo. The archeological ruins of Pisaq are in the Sacred Valley about a 25 minute hike up rich green terraced mountains along the Urubamba River. The modern town of Pisaq has a extensive Sunday open air market and the only church in the world to hold mass in Quechua, the native Incan language.
Ollantaytambo was a complex, extensive archeological site which was rather well maintained. It was an important place for the Incas and served as the Incan capital for a short period of time. Ollantaytambo was also the starting point of our Machu Picchu trek the following day.
Ollantaytambo was a complex, extensive archeological site which was rather well maintained. It was an important place for the Incas and served as the Incan capital for a short period of time. Ollantaytambo was also the starting point of our Machu Picchu trek the following day.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 4 |
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 3
So my high school friend Matt arrived early in the morning and we kicked off the adventurous part of our next two weeks together with a tour of 4 archeological sites of Inca importance.
The first was Qorikancha (from the Quechua words Quri Kancha meaning 'Golden Courtyard'). It was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. It was one of the most revered and respected temples of the city of Cusco, Peru. The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and the courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was 'fabulous beyond belief'.
The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the site, using the ruined foundations of the temple that was flattened by the Spanish in the 17th century, and is a fine example of where Inca stonework has been incorporated into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes have severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand thanks to the sophisticated stone masonry.
The next stop was Saqsaywaman located 2km from the Cusco. The Incas called it the House of the Sun and the Spaniards called it a fortress because of its zig-zag shape and the 1536 revolution. The construction, which is made up of three platforms one on top of the other, was one of the most important religious complexes of its time. The enormous boulders that form part of the construction were put together perfectly without using mortar. The heaviest weighs up to 125 tons. Archaeologists are currently excavating and have discovered water fountains, canals and rooms. In a nearby flat area, every June 24 local inhabitants hold the Festival of the Sun, or Ind Raymi.
Despite all of these fascinating archeological sites, the highlight of our day was trying the local delicacy of Cuy, otherwise known as a guinea pig. Most of the locals that I spoke with raved about this dish, and I was eager to give it a try. Admittedly, a guinea pig, what some people refer to as a pet, is a bit unconventional as a food item but some people have pot belly pigs as pets and I’m not going to give up pork. I have eaten some weird things before in my travels including insects, baby chickens inside an egg, and spoiled soy beans so I figured this couldn’t be much worse. We got it in a fancy restaurant with mostly refined middle aged patrons who shrieked in joy and amazement when the roasted tailless rat was brought to our table. Or perhaps it was horror. We got the baked version instead of the fried one and the skin was rather chewy. There wasn’t much meat on the Cuy and the meat that was there wasn’t really that flavorful. Perhaps they toned the spices down to account for a tourist palate but I didn’t see what there was to rave about. The 20 minutes of pictures and posing was better than the food.
The first was Qorikancha (from the Quechua words Quri Kancha meaning 'Golden Courtyard'). It was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. It was one of the most revered and respected temples of the city of Cusco, Peru. The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and the courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was 'fabulous beyond belief'.
The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the site, using the ruined foundations of the temple that was flattened by the Spanish in the 17th century, and is a fine example of where Inca stonework has been incorporated into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes have severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand thanks to the sophisticated stone masonry.
The next stop was Saqsaywaman located 2km from the Cusco. The Incas called it the House of the Sun and the Spaniards called it a fortress because of its zig-zag shape and the 1536 revolution. The construction, which is made up of three platforms one on top of the other, was one of the most important religious complexes of its time. The enormous boulders that form part of the construction were put together perfectly without using mortar. The heaviest weighs up to 125 tons. Archaeologists are currently excavating and have discovered water fountains, canals and rooms. In a nearby flat area, every June 24 local inhabitants hold the Festival of the Sun, or Ind Raymi.
Despite all of these fascinating archeological sites, the highlight of our day was trying the local delicacy of Cuy, otherwise known as a guinea pig. Most of the locals that I spoke with raved about this dish, and I was eager to give it a try. Admittedly, a guinea pig, what some people refer to as a pet, is a bit unconventional as a food item but some people have pot belly pigs as pets and I’m not going to give up pork. I have eaten some weird things before in my travels including insects, baby chickens inside an egg, and spoiled soy beans so I figured this couldn’t be much worse. We got it in a fancy restaurant with mostly refined middle aged patrons who shrieked in joy and amazement when the roasted tailless rat was brought to our table. Or perhaps it was horror. We got the baked version instead of the fried one and the skin was rather chewy. There wasn’t much meat on the Cuy and the meat that was there wasn’t really that flavorful. Perhaps they toned the spices down to account for a tourist palate but I didn’t see what there was to rave about. The 20 minutes of pictures and posing was better than the food.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 3 |
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Cusco, Peru - Day 1
After spinning through South America like a tightly wound out of control top, I need a chance to regroup and recharge. I had heard amazing stories from other tourists about Cusco, oozing in history and fun. In this book that I’m reading, the author talks about the city that she is in and how the essence of a city could be boiled down to a specific word. New York is Aspire. Stockholm is Conform. Los Angeles is Succeed. One could say that Cusco is Culture. Amazing churches and architecture, narrow cobbles stone streets which would give three fat people walking side by side some issues, ladies in traditional clothing and bowler hats, and the gateway to Machu Picchu all give Cusco an aura seeped in culture. There is also a prevalent feeling of tourism and capitalism which while paradoxically contradictory to the concept of culture is also ironically exponentially intertwined.
I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of a good buddy from high school who was flying down to Peru for a brief vacation. Growing up collect stamps, playing swords, or building forts in the back yard were all part of the fun memories that we had growing up. Peru was just another adventure that waited to unfold.
So for the next two days while I waited for Matt, I relaxed, reflected and explored the gateway to the lost Incan City.
I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of a good buddy from high school who was flying down to Peru for a brief vacation. Growing up collect stamps, playing swords, or building forts in the back yard were all part of the fun memories that we had growing up. Peru was just another adventure that waited to unfold.
So for the next two days while I waited for Matt, I relaxed, reflected and explored the gateway to the lost Incan City.
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| Cusco, Peru - Day 1 |
Puno, Peru - Day 1
The floating villages on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca are a very staged tourist attraction. The Peruvians should just call it Disney World on reeds. Locals dressed in their native outfits, pose, smile and wave just like the “It’s a small world after all” ride. But like Disney World, the floating village has an innate ability to entertain and amaze anybody between the age of 5 and 80. The floating islands are like a 17th century science fair project. How many people can we fit onto a pile of floating plants? Can we build a house on it? How about a town? Oh let’s just see if we can LIVE on floating plants. Somewhere along this science fair project, the teacher forgot to tell the students that the science fair was over and that they can return to their land which is a 20 minute boat ride away.
Jumping up and down on the floating blocks of soil, climbing up lookout towers, and taking boat rides on straw bound together with string, is a fun learning experience. The locals string together blocks of floating soil (don’t ask me how it floats but I tried to push a block down in the water and it promptly popped back up like a cork) and then place piles and piles of reeds on them. When the reeds become waterlogged every two weeks or so, they are replaced with new ones. As such, a large part of the local’s activities not only include fishing and hunting birds but also prepare the future reeds for use. Although who knows, perhaps they live in mini mansions on the main land and just come to the floating islands that their ancestors previously inhabited from 9-5.
I got to my place around 8 pm and set about exploring Puno for a dinner spot. Following the suggestion of a local, I ended up finding a remarkably touristy, delectable delicious, and entertaining restaurant. They had folk dancing there and I got to try alpaca. The meat arrived perfectly cooked, medium rare, slightly charred and quivering atop a bed of cheesy grain which I can only equate to grits. The mass was more cheesy and stringy than grainy with a one needing to cut the starch that the meat rested on. Local organic vegetables accompanied the dish. Along with a local Andean soup and a delicious kingfish ceviche, the whole meal and dining experience set me back only $15 dollars. Gotta love Peru.
Jumping up and down on the floating blocks of soil, climbing up lookout towers, and taking boat rides on straw bound together with string, is a fun learning experience. The locals string together blocks of floating soil (don’t ask me how it floats but I tried to push a block down in the water and it promptly popped back up like a cork) and then place piles and piles of reeds on them. When the reeds become waterlogged every two weeks or so, they are replaced with new ones. As such, a large part of the local’s activities not only include fishing and hunting birds but also prepare the future reeds for use. Although who knows, perhaps they live in mini mansions on the main land and just come to the floating islands that their ancestors previously inhabited from 9-5.
I got to my place around 8 pm and set about exploring Puno for a dinner spot. Following the suggestion of a local, I ended up finding a remarkably touristy, delectable delicious, and entertaining restaurant. They had folk dancing there and I got to try alpaca. The meat arrived perfectly cooked, medium rare, slightly charred and quivering atop a bed of cheesy grain which I can only equate to grits. The mass was more cheesy and stringy than grainy with a one needing to cut the starch that the meat rested on. Local organic vegetables accompanied the dish. Along with a local Andean soup and a delicious kingfish ceviche, the whole meal and dining experience set me back only $15 dollars. Gotta love Peru.
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| Puno, Peru - Day 1 |
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Copacabana, Bolivia - Day 2
I took a tour of ”Island of the Sun”, the birth place for the Inca Empire, on Lake Titicaca.
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| Copacabana, Bolivia - Day 2 |
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Copacabana, Bolivia - Day 1
Today I arrived in Copacabana mid day and spent the day exploring the town, the local church, and the small mountain next to the town. At 3800 meters, Copacabana sits on Lake Titicaca the highest navigatiable body of water in the world. The lake was a glistening cold mass of water which looked rather infinite. The altitude had a definite affect on the temperature and climate of the city. It was rather warm during the day but as soon as the sun set, the chill set in and air cooled significantly.
I made an attempt to climb up the mountain next to the city as I heard that the sun set from the top overlooking the city was something not to be missed. I use the word “attempted” because even though I’ve been in La Paz for a couple days getting acclimated to high altitude, trying to hike up a mountain is a much different task then trying to dodge cars and vans crammed full of people on the cobblestone streets of La Paz. I got half way up and the sun started to set and in conjunction my head started hurting. Then the heavy legs started and I had to sit down for a while. The altitude affects were sudden and noticeable. Taking more than 5 steps at a time was tough and I thought my head would explode. It was starting to get dark and to get bitterly cold, and I debated turning back. But I was half way up already and grandmothers were nimbly passing me, so I figured if I passed out the grandparents could probably carry me down as they did not seem in the less bit winded. When anybody over 75 can do something better than me, especially when it’s physical in nature, my hubris kicks in and cajoles me to continue. It took me another 30 minutes to get to the top, the sunset was blocked out by clouds, and my frozen hands were too cold to cut the mango that I brought up for a mountain top snack. Luckily coming down was much easier than going up.
On the positive side, I found one of the coolest things that I’ve seen in a local market in a long time. It was a lost exhibit from the “Body Works exhibit”. You know, the traveling museum which shows plasticized bodies sliced and diced in various forms to display the inner workings of the muscular, skeletal, and nervous system. If you haven’t seen it yet, I would highly recommend it as it was a fascinating, educational view of the human body in a rather innovative viewpoint. Well I entered the local market and in the meat section, low and behold, I find a cow’s head that had all the outside skin removed and the muscular and skeleton systems exposed. I have no idea what they do with it; perhaps they make a huge pot of soup. But it was definitely the first time I’ve seen a stripped cow’s head.
I made an attempt to climb up the mountain next to the city as I heard that the sun set from the top overlooking the city was something not to be missed. I use the word “attempted” because even though I’ve been in La Paz for a couple days getting acclimated to high altitude, trying to hike up a mountain is a much different task then trying to dodge cars and vans crammed full of people on the cobblestone streets of La Paz. I got half way up and the sun started to set and in conjunction my head started hurting. Then the heavy legs started and I had to sit down for a while. The altitude affects were sudden and noticeable. Taking more than 5 steps at a time was tough and I thought my head would explode. It was starting to get dark and to get bitterly cold, and I debated turning back. But I was half way up already and grandmothers were nimbly passing me, so I figured if I passed out the grandparents could probably carry me down as they did not seem in the less bit winded. When anybody over 75 can do something better than me, especially when it’s physical in nature, my hubris kicks in and cajoles me to continue. It took me another 30 minutes to get to the top, the sunset was blocked out by clouds, and my frozen hands were too cold to cut the mango that I brought up for a mountain top snack. Luckily coming down was much easier than going up.
On the positive side, I found one of the coolest things that I’ve seen in a local market in a long time. It was a lost exhibit from the “Body Works exhibit”. You know, the traveling museum which shows plasticized bodies sliced and diced in various forms to display the inner workings of the muscular, skeletal, and nervous system. If you haven’t seen it yet, I would highly recommend it as it was a fascinating, educational view of the human body in a rather innovative viewpoint. Well I entered the local market and in the meat section, low and behold, I find a cow’s head that had all the outside skin removed and the muscular and skeleton systems exposed. I have no idea what they do with it; perhaps they make a huge pot of soup. But it was definitely the first time I’ve seen a stripped cow’s head.
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| Copacabana, Bolivia - Day 1 |
La Paz, Bolivia - Day 3
Today was a blog day. I spent most of the day in the local burger king leaching off their wireless and clogging my arteries with Whoppers. The managers walk around with menus and take dessert orders. Who can so “no” to a delivered apple pie ala mode? It’s a good thing that cholesterol does not contaminate the air like the tar from cigarette smoke because I would have had a healthy dose of second hand grease.
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| La Paz, Bolivia - Day 3 |
Monday, March 2, 2009
La Paz, Bolivia - Day 2
Today was a tour of Tiwanaku a pre Colombian archeological site that has been named a UNESCO site. It has significant importance as precursors to the Inca Empire, flourishing as the ritual and administrative capital of a major state power for approximately five hundred years.
They have these stone megaphones that you could speak into that projected your voice across the archeological campus to the other side where someone listening into a similar stone piece could hear you. They built this approximately 1,500 years before Christ. I wouldn’t be able to build two stone voice projection devices right now if you paid me. Perhaps two styrofoam cups with a string, maybe a long long string.
They have these stone megaphones that you could speak into that projected your voice across the archeological campus to the other side where someone listening into a similar stone piece could hear you. They built this approximately 1,500 years before Christ. I wouldn’t be able to build two stone voice projection devices right now if you paid me. Perhaps two styrofoam cups with a string, maybe a long long string.
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| La Paz, Bolivia - Day 2 |
Sunday, March 1, 2009
La Paz, Bolivia - Day 1
La Paz dazzles. It astounds. Illustrative descriptions abound. The La Paz is world’s highest capital city, highest golf course, highest football stadium, highest airport, and most dangerous road.
Unlike in most cities where the social elite tend to live on plots of land which are higher and look down on the proletariat, La Paz, because of its high altitude, has the unique distinction of having its richest citizens living at lower altitudes while the poor are scattered in mud huts high on the mountain top.
Block after block of street markets buzz with throngs of indigenous women in bowler hats, ruffled shirts, big puffy skirts, and dress shoes hawking all types of wares.
One lady was selling only fly swatters and TV antennas. Hm …a rather diversified product offering. Although I wondered what her margins were like on those items and how much volume she could possibly generate with fly swatters and TV antennas. I mean you really only ever need one…fly swatters don’t exactly break every day.
Yup those are fried chicken heads. YUM.
Unlike in most cities where the social elite tend to live on plots of land which are higher and look down on the proletariat, La Paz, because of its high altitude, has the unique distinction of having its richest citizens living at lower altitudes while the poor are scattered in mud huts high on the mountain top.
Block after block of street markets buzz with throngs of indigenous women in bowler hats, ruffled shirts, big puffy skirts, and dress shoes hawking all types of wares.
One lady was selling only fly swatters and TV antennas. Hm …a rather diversified product offering. Although I wondered what her margins were like on those items and how much volume she could possibly generate with fly swatters and TV antennas. I mean you really only ever need one…fly swatters don’t exactly break every day.
Yup those are fried chicken heads. YUM.
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| La Paz, Bolivia - Day 1 |
Sucre, Bolivia - Day 1
I spent the day exploring the museums and markets that Sucre, a UNESCO city, had to offer. I find the local markets fascinating, a culmination of the indigenous culture in one location. Where else can you so easily get a glimpse into the daily activities of the locals? Observing what they eat, wear, and buy. Observing how they live.
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| Sucre, Bolivia - Day 1 |
Potosi, Bolivia - Day 2
I spent a half a day in Potosi and took a 3 hour bus to Sucre at around 2pm.
In Potosi, I got to see some mummies of children who were sacrificed in a volcano to appease the volcanic gods. They were found perfectly preserved on top of a large volcano.
I also tried a Saltenas for the first time. This empanada like pastry is filled with a juicy stew mixture of meat and vegetables. A Bolivian hot pocket.
In Potosi, I got to see some mummies of children who were sacrificed in a volcano to appease the volcanic gods. They were found perfectly preserved on top of a large volcano.
I also tried a Saltenas for the first time. This empanada like pastry is filled with a juicy stew mixture of meat and vegetables. A Bolivian hot pocket.
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| Potosi, Bolivia - Day 2 |
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Potosi, Bolivia - Day 1
I visited a silver mine today in Potosi, a UNESCO site, one of 700 mines in the area employing 2500 locals to slave away in the mines. These mines are co-operatives owned by the miners with the government taking a small percentage of the proceeds. Miners make about 1200-1400 bolivianos a month which is about $170-200 dollars a month. The average salary for non miners in Potosi is about 400 bolivianos a month which is about 55 dollars a month. So compared to other locals the miners are making a king’s ransom.
Until you consider that miners have a life expectancy of 40 years. We met a father and son team working in the mines. The father was 38 and his two sons were 18 and 15 with three other children at home; the youngest one being 1.5 yrs old. The youngest child will not remember his father who will pass away in 2 years. It’s poignantly heartbreaking. Even more so may be the fate of the two young boys who work with their father. Because they started working in the mines at such a young age, their life expectancy goes down exponentially and reaching the age of 34 may be a lucky scenario. We met children as young as 11 working in various roles in the mines.
The mines are filled with uneducated Bolivians lured in by the comparatively lucrative money to be made. Miners work reasonable hours as they have to be out of the mines by 5pm to allow for the large explosions to open up new passages. They have a large breakfast and dinner and do not eat lunch, instead macerating coca leaves which are purported to provide an energy rush similar to caffeine and to stave off hunger. In order to avoid putting their asbestos covered hands in their mouths while eating the coca leaves, they urinate on their hands prior to eating their lunch. As the mines are cooperatives, the miners get paid in accordance with as much ore as they can pull out of the ground and sell to refineries. Teams within the mines are in constant battle for prime real estate and physical altercations often break out. Miners go on years and years of experience in finding a vein of ore, and there are no regulations as to where you can blast. As a result, miners may accidently blast underneath other preexisting mines, causing cave-ins and casualties.
Miners have health insurance and a decent retirement plan. However, this plan comes with a number of stipulations. In order to get health insurance, the miner must work as a “helper” in a group for 4 consecutive years. After working as a helper for 4 consecutive years with the same team, he gets the insurance and is promoted to a “miner” with access to the more desirable jobs and potential managerial positions. What often happens is young miners do not feel the effects of the dust and asbestos filled air on their lungs, and because they are compensated based on how much ore they extract, they will often switch teams once their particular vein of ore has dried up. The impact is that their 4 year timeline to get insurance starts over. After doing this a couple times, a miner may not get insurance until they are 30 or ¾ of their life is over.
The retirement plan goes as such. If a miner is found to have 50% of their lungs damaged by working in the mines, the miner can retire and get paid the same amount of money (1200 Bolivianos) until they die. The stipulations are that they can only get tested every 4 years. So if a miner is 38 and gets tested and is found to have 45% lung damage he must continue to work until he can get tested again at 42. The problem is that they are often dead before the next scheduled test. Even if they manage to have 50% lung damage and retire and collect on the retirement plan, they are not expected to live more than 1 year past that point.
Traveling has definitely opened my eyes and adjusted my perspective. Things are not always as bad as they seem. Even though the US economy is in shambles, even though gloom and doom abound on every newspaper and news channel on TV, even though I don’t have a job, even though .......
My father is alive and lives past 40. I have a loving family. I have my health. I can afford to travel. I’ll get a new job, it may not be my dream job but I know I won’t starve. Count your blessings. Others are not so fortunate.
Everything is amazing and nobody is happy
Until you consider that miners have a life expectancy of 40 years. We met a father and son team working in the mines. The father was 38 and his two sons were 18 and 15 with three other children at home; the youngest one being 1.5 yrs old. The youngest child will not remember his father who will pass away in 2 years. It’s poignantly heartbreaking. Even more so may be the fate of the two young boys who work with their father. Because they started working in the mines at such a young age, their life expectancy goes down exponentially and reaching the age of 34 may be a lucky scenario. We met children as young as 11 working in various roles in the mines.
The mines are filled with uneducated Bolivians lured in by the comparatively lucrative money to be made. Miners work reasonable hours as they have to be out of the mines by 5pm to allow for the large explosions to open up new passages. They have a large breakfast and dinner and do not eat lunch, instead macerating coca leaves which are purported to provide an energy rush similar to caffeine and to stave off hunger. In order to avoid putting their asbestos covered hands in their mouths while eating the coca leaves, they urinate on their hands prior to eating their lunch. As the mines are cooperatives, the miners get paid in accordance with as much ore as they can pull out of the ground and sell to refineries. Teams within the mines are in constant battle for prime real estate and physical altercations often break out. Miners go on years and years of experience in finding a vein of ore, and there are no regulations as to where you can blast. As a result, miners may accidently blast underneath other preexisting mines, causing cave-ins and casualties.
Miners have health insurance and a decent retirement plan. However, this plan comes with a number of stipulations. In order to get health insurance, the miner must work as a “helper” in a group for 4 consecutive years. After working as a helper for 4 consecutive years with the same team, he gets the insurance and is promoted to a “miner” with access to the more desirable jobs and potential managerial positions. What often happens is young miners do not feel the effects of the dust and asbestos filled air on their lungs, and because they are compensated based on how much ore they extract, they will often switch teams once their particular vein of ore has dried up. The impact is that their 4 year timeline to get insurance starts over. After doing this a couple times, a miner may not get insurance until they are 30 or ¾ of their life is over.
The retirement plan goes as such. If a miner is found to have 50% of their lungs damaged by working in the mines, the miner can retire and get paid the same amount of money (1200 Bolivianos) until they die. The stipulations are that they can only get tested every 4 years. So if a miner is 38 and gets tested and is found to have 45% lung damage he must continue to work until he can get tested again at 42. The problem is that they are often dead before the next scheduled test. Even if they manage to have 50% lung damage and retire and collect on the retirement plan, they are not expected to live more than 1 year past that point.
Traveling has definitely opened my eyes and adjusted my perspective. Things are not always as bad as they seem. Even though the US economy is in shambles, even though gloom and doom abound on every newspaper and news channel on TV, even though I don’t have a job, even though .......
My father is alive and lives past 40. I have a loving family. I have my health. I can afford to travel. I’ll get a new job, it may not be my dream job but I know I won’t starve. Count your blessings. Others are not so fortunate.
Everything is amazing and nobody is happy
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| Potosi, Bolivia - Day 1 |
Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 3
We had to wake up at 4 am this morning to see the sun rise. I wasn’t entirely excited about waking up that early, especially since we were sleeping at 4000 meters and it wasn’t exactly restful recuperative sleep. I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of sunrises is this one really going to be worth waking up at 4am? Wow. This was one of the most spectacular sites so far. The sun rising over a crystal clear lake of white salt; reflecting and shimmering off of the pools of water on the salt made for a magnificent site with a color spectrum that ran the gamut.
Today was the most jam packed of the 3 days, and we were to be done by 2ish. After watching the sunrise, we drove to a massive salt flat. We were driving on the salt flat for about an hour and did not get across it. In the middle of the salt flat was a small hill full of cactus which we explored for a bit. Then we made some funny photos on the salt flats all before having our breakfast.
After we finished breakfast, we visited a hotel made entirely out of salt blocks and a train museum that was more of a graveyard where they sent trains to die.
Today was the most jam packed of the 3 days, and we were to be done by 2ish. After watching the sunrise, we drove to a massive salt flat. We were driving on the salt flat for about an hour and did not get across it. In the middle of the salt flat was a small hill full of cactus which we explored for a bit. Then we made some funny photos on the salt flats all before having our breakfast.
After we finished breakfast, we visited a hotel made entirely out of salt blocks and a train museum that was more of a graveyard where they sent trains to die.
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| Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 3 |
Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 2
Today was more desert and lagoons as we continued our way towards Uyuni, Bolivia. I got to climb up some rock formations, watch a flat tire being changed, and play soccer with some local kids when we arrived at the hostel.
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| Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 2 |
Friday, February 27, 2009
Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 1
So today was the start of one of the best tours that I took in South America. A 3 day tour of Bolivia’s salt flats and beautiful lagoons in a 4x4 truck, with food and lodging was only $100 dollars. Granted the accommodations were a bit rough, with no heat and the first place did not have shower facilities, but we had people on the tour ranging in age from 25 to late 60s and everybody survived and enjoyed themselves.
On the tour that day, we visited the desert that inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s art work, volcanic geysers overflowing with mud and steam, and saw a tornado approaching us through the desert. We also explored a couple lagoons which were so vividly brilliant that they appeared to be painted vibrant hues of blue, green, white, and red. Complimenting the beautiful water colors were towering mountain scenes and masses of magnificent flamingoes. I’ve never seen so many animals of one species in one place at one time. Couple that with the amazing scenery and you are driven into visual sensory overload. Of course a picture can only get a fraction of what the eye can see so while the pictures that I have on this tour are stunning, the in person experience was exponentially better.
Trying to move around for your first couple days at high altitudes, 3000 meters is where you first start of feel some of the altitude symptoms, is like trying to run a marathon while carrying a horse who is kicking you in the head. You take five steps and have to stop, completely winded, hunched over trying to catch your breath, while a headache constantly pounds your skull. Sleeping at that altitude is a totally different matter. We had to sleep at 4200 meters on the first day and with no previous altitude exposure it was really difficult. The best way that I can describe it is to use a simile - sleeping at 4200 meters is like trying to breathe through a straw while a baby elephant performs back flips on your chest.
On the tour that day, we visited the desert that inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s art work, volcanic geysers overflowing with mud and steam, and saw a tornado approaching us through the desert. We also explored a couple lagoons which were so vividly brilliant that they appeared to be painted vibrant hues of blue, green, white, and red. Complimenting the beautiful water colors were towering mountain scenes and masses of magnificent flamingoes. I’ve never seen so many animals of one species in one place at one time. Couple that with the amazing scenery and you are driven into visual sensory overload. Of course a picture can only get a fraction of what the eye can see so while the pictures that I have on this tour are stunning, the in person experience was exponentially better.
Trying to move around for your first couple days at high altitudes, 3000 meters is where you first start of feel some of the altitude symptoms, is like trying to run a marathon while carrying a horse who is kicking you in the head. You take five steps and have to stop, completely winded, hunched over trying to catch your breath, while a headache constantly pounds your skull. Sleeping at that altitude is a totally different matter. We had to sleep at 4200 meters on the first day and with no previous altitude exposure it was really difficult. The best way that I can describe it is to use a simile - sleeping at 4200 meters is like trying to breathe through a straw while a baby elephant performs back flips on your chest.
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| Solar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Day 1 |
Thursday, February 26, 2009
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 2
So today I had a very packed day of tours starting at 4am until 2pm for an early morning geysers tour and then another tour of the Death Valley, Moon Valley, and some desert sites from 4pm to 9pm.
El Tatio Geyser Field is located in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 4,200 meters above sea level. With over 80 active geysers, El Tatio is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere and the third largest field in the world, after Yellowstone, and Dolina Giezerov in Russia. And at 4,200 meters, the El Tatio field is purported that they are the highest elevation geyser field in the world.
The best time to see them is at sunrise when each geyser is surmounted by a column of steam that condenses in the bitterly cold morning air. The steam plumes disappear as the air warms up. The tourist agency told me it was going to be cold, but it was hot in San Pedro, so I wore a T shirt and thin hiking pants and a light jacket and I figured that would be sufficient. WOW was I freezing. When the sun was down, the weather hit -11 degrees Celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit) and I was doing jumping jacks to stay warm. I would take a picture and then warm my fingers up and try and repeat. What I didn’t understand was how people were swimming in the hot springs. As soon as you get out of the water, you must be freezing. Once the sun came up, it warmed up a bit but it was still rather chilly.
The second tour of the day included Death Valley, a huge desert canyon; Moon Valley, a desert space that had rolling valleys and hills which resemble the moon’s surface; and a desert peak climb to watch the sun set. A very very packed and satisfying day.
El Tatio Geyser Field is located in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 4,200 meters above sea level. With over 80 active geysers, El Tatio is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere and the third largest field in the world, after Yellowstone, and Dolina Giezerov in Russia. And at 4,200 meters, the El Tatio field is purported that they are the highest elevation geyser field in the world.
The best time to see them is at sunrise when each geyser is surmounted by a column of steam that condenses in the bitterly cold morning air. The steam plumes disappear as the air warms up. The tourist agency told me it was going to be cold, but it was hot in San Pedro, so I wore a T shirt and thin hiking pants and a light jacket and I figured that would be sufficient. WOW was I freezing. When the sun was down, the weather hit -11 degrees Celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit) and I was doing jumping jacks to stay warm. I would take a picture and then warm my fingers up and try and repeat. What I didn’t understand was how people were swimming in the hot springs. As soon as you get out of the water, you must be freezing. Once the sun came up, it warmed up a bit but it was still rather chilly.
The second tour of the day included Death Valley, a huge desert canyon; Moon Valley, a desert space that had rolling valleys and hills which resemble the moon’s surface; and a desert peak climb to watch the sun set. A very very packed and satisfying day.
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| San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 2 |
Monday, February 23, 2009
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 1
So 2 other travelers, Oliver from France and Martina from Switzerland, and I made the 6-7 hour car journey together from Salta to San Pedro. We were on our way to San Pedro, the desert town in Chile's Atacama Desert. The town serves as a gateway to multiple outdoor activities, archeological sites, and natural wonders such as geysers and desert formations. It’s a popular tourist attraction for foreigners and local Chilean’s alike.
It was a fun talkative journey as we meandered our way through the mountains and salt flats until we got to the border crossing with Chile. We had been speeding most of the way to stay in front of a large tourist bus as we did not want to get stuck behind 80 some people for the border crossing formalities. But it didn’t matter because when we got there the line snaked around the building and we got caught in the quagmire. After some questioning, we found out that the power to the station just went out. Backup generator? Nope. Welcome to South America. We waited for 3 hours and during that time the office managed to process perhaps 15 people tops using the manual process.
So our driver goes to the front of the line and who knows what kind of deal he made with the man in charge but he ushers us to the front amid the stares and Spanish outbursts to “Respect the line!” After getting our passports stamped and hurriedly skirting out amid hostile glares, we got in our car…where we waited for 10 minutes while our drivers got…coffee. Coffee? UMM…were you doing something during our 3 hour wait in line?
It was a fun talkative journey as we meandered our way through the mountains and salt flats until we got to the border crossing with Chile. We had been speeding most of the way to stay in front of a large tourist bus as we did not want to get stuck behind 80 some people for the border crossing formalities. But it didn’t matter because when we got there the line snaked around the building and we got caught in the quagmire. After some questioning, we found out that the power to the station just went out. Backup generator? Nope. Welcome to South America. We waited for 3 hours and during that time the office managed to process perhaps 15 people tops using the manual process.
So our driver goes to the front of the line and who knows what kind of deal he made with the man in charge but he ushers us to the front amid the stares and Spanish outbursts to “Respect the line!” After getting our passports stamped and hurriedly skirting out amid hostile glares, we got in our car…where we waited for 10 minutes while our drivers got…coffee. Coffee? UMM…were you doing something during our 3 hour wait in line?
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| San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 1 |
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Salta, Argentina - Day 3
Today I took another tour north of the city which had highlights of “train to the clouds”, the salt flats, and a 4200 meter marker. The train to the clouds is a train that goes up an extremely steep hill that uses a method called switch backs in order to ascend very steep mountains. The train goes from left to right on the track in a “Z” shape up the mountain instead of going straight up or around. The salt flats were amazing and provide some interesting pictures with the white background as a background to reduce depth perception. The 4200 meter mark (13,800 ft) was a marker on a hill that we drove up to and it was the highest elevation that I had been to so far. Just for perspective, the highest mountain in Europe is the Mont Blanc Massif in the Swiss Alps and that sits at about 4800 meters (15,775 ft) above sea level. Denver, the mile high city, is 1,609 m (5,280 ft). We DROVE to 4200 meters.
So I had a reservation to stay in Purmamarca that evening and get picked up by a car to go to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile the following morning. I would normally take a bus to San Pedro but the buses were fully booked for 2 solid weeks because it was the Argentinean summer vacation period and a lot of people are traveling. So I guess my question would be if you have that much demand that your booked solid for 2 weeks why not do one of two things – 1. Raise your prices to lower demand or make more money 2. Increase the supply of buses temporarily??? Helllooooo, no bus company should be booked solid for 2 weeks straight, rent some crappy busses and crappier bus drivers and fill the demand. Anyway so I had to pay $110 dollars for a 6 hour taxi ride. The travel agency, which had a monopoly on the cab rides to San Pedro, is loving the bus companies right now.
So I arrive in Purmamarca at 7pm and go to the hostel where I had a reservation and for some reason the hostel doesn’t have the reservation. So this girl from the tour and I walk around the town with our bags in search of a place, but every place is booked solid. Then we find out there is a rock festival going on in the next town and all the beds are taken. A Rock Festival? In a village in northern Argentina? OKAAAAAAY so how are they going to have enough electricity to support the concert? I don’t think the town had internet, and the village electricity was probably generated with a bunch of kids running on a hamster wheel or blowing on a wind turbine. We finally find a person’s house that put a ton of beds (like more than I’ve seen in one place outside of a mattress store or higher than I can count) in one room. Well beggars can’t be choosers and at this point in the night my back hurt from carrying my bag around for an hour or so. Thanks rock concert.
So I had a reservation to stay in Purmamarca that evening and get picked up by a car to go to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile the following morning. I would normally take a bus to San Pedro but the buses were fully booked for 2 solid weeks because it was the Argentinean summer vacation period and a lot of people are traveling. So I guess my question would be if you have that much demand that your booked solid for 2 weeks why not do one of two things – 1. Raise your prices to lower demand or make more money 2. Increase the supply of buses temporarily??? Helllooooo, no bus company should be booked solid for 2 weeks straight, rent some crappy busses and crappier bus drivers and fill the demand. Anyway so I had to pay $110 dollars for a 6 hour taxi ride. The travel agency, which had a monopoly on the cab rides to San Pedro, is loving the bus companies right now.
So I arrive in Purmamarca at 7pm and go to the hostel where I had a reservation and for some reason the hostel doesn’t have the reservation. So this girl from the tour and I walk around the town with our bags in search of a place, but every place is booked solid. Then we find out there is a rock festival going on in the next town and all the beds are taken. A Rock Festival? In a village in northern Argentina? OKAAAAAAY so how are they going to have enough electricity to support the concert? I don’t think the town had internet, and the village electricity was probably generated with a bunch of kids running on a hamster wheel or blowing on a wind turbine. We finally find a person’s house that put a ton of beds (like more than I’ve seen in one place outside of a mattress store or higher than I can count) in one room. Well beggars can’t be choosers and at this point in the night my back hurt from carrying my bag around for an hour or so. Thanks rock concert.
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| Salta, Argentina - Day 3 |
Salta, Argentina - Day 2
Today I took an all day tour of 4 small villages north of Salta which covered a total of about 250km or about 150 miles. These villages were my first taste of a more rural “traditional” Latin America culture which I was expecting when I started planning this trip. You know…the colorful traditional clothing, the unique handicrafts, the fresh foods made from local ingredients, and the dirty children happily playing with sticks and pig bladders. Ok so I didn’t see any animal parts being thrown around, but the rest of my perception (right or wrong) of South American living was unveiled today.
The first place was Purmamarca, a small village with the 7 colored mountains nearby. The second place was Tilcara, a small village about 2500 meters above sea level. The key to this city is the archeological site of Purcara de Tilcara, the ruins of a pre Inca Puracar people. The archeological site was atop a large hill which had a panoramic view of the area for protection from invaders. The third place we visited was Humahuaca, a UNESCO site for its fine example of pre Inca life and architecture. The fourth place was Jujuy, the capital city of the area. We also visited the marker for the Tropic of Capricorn, a major line of latitude in the southern hemisphere.
The first place was Purmamarca, a small village with the 7 colored mountains nearby. The second place was Tilcara, a small village about 2500 meters above sea level. The key to this city is the archeological site of Purcara de Tilcara, the ruins of a pre Inca Puracar people. The archeological site was atop a large hill which had a panoramic view of the area for protection from invaders. The third place we visited was Humahuaca, a UNESCO site for its fine example of pre Inca life and architecture. The fourth place was Jujuy, the capital city of the area. We also visited the marker for the Tropic of Capricorn, a major line of latitude in the southern hemisphere.
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| Salta, Argentina - Day 2 |
Friday, February 20, 2009
Salta, Argentina - Day 1
I arrived to Salta early in the morning on an overnight bus from Mendoza so I took a nap and then hit the town to explore. I went to a couple museums, and a lookout point on top of a hill. I think of all the Argentinean cities that I’ve visited so far, Salta has the most indigenous culture and charisma to the city, both the architecture and its people.
The fun part of the day was taking an empanada class at the hostel in the evening. We made both fried and baked empanadas. One of the telltale characteristics of empanadas from Salta is that the meat and other ingredients are chopped into very fine cubes and not ground. They also add a decent dose of cumin which adds a lovely flavor and a ton of lard – wahoo! Pork fat can make cardboard taste good. Lard may be the best condiment ever after ketchup. Just like ketchup it works on pretty much everything! OK everything savory. I can’t wait to reproduce those tasty suckers back home.
The fun part of the day was taking an empanada class at the hostel in the evening. We made both fried and baked empanadas. One of the telltale characteristics of empanadas from Salta is that the meat and other ingredients are chopped into very fine cubes and not ground. They also add a decent dose of cumin which adds a lovely flavor and a ton of lard – wahoo! Pork fat can make cardboard taste good. Lard may be the best condiment ever after ketchup. Just like ketchup it works on pretty much everything! OK everything savory. I can’t wait to reproduce those tasty suckers back home.
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| Salta, Argentina - Day 1 |
Monday, February 9, 2009
Mendoza, Argentina - Day 1
Mendoza is the main city in Argentina’s wine country. But besides the wine tourism, it also has amazing rivers to raft and the largest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere to scale, Aconcagua, at 6,900 meters. To cater to the up market wine tourists there are a plethora of first class restaurants at reasonable prices (compared to New York). So there is a lot to do in Mendoza. Yet for some reason, I really really did not like this city.
First off the actual city of Mendoza. Mendoza was demolished in a earthquake a while ago, so when they rebuilt the city, the city planners made the street blocks extra wide and very grid like. The city is a huge square, with a main square in the center, and four themed squares (spain, Italy) extending from each corner of the main square. On the good side, it’s impossible to get lost in Mendoza. And while the town squares were a nice touch, you couldn’t help but feel that the squares were erected as a half hearted attempt at an aesthetic façade. Half of the fountains weren’t even working. There is no beauty in the city; no city culture; no museums. It’s a grid, the buildings are ugly, and it’s immensely overcrowded.
The surrounding area of Mendoza. Perhaps I chose the wrong wine tour. Perhaps I chose the wrong day to go rafting. But the wine tour that I went on was horrible. There was an olive oil plant that we visited along with the two vineyards, and that was infinitely more interesting and educational. I learned that olive oil is made purely from crushing olives with nothing being added. 60% of the olive is water and the olive pits contain about 10% of the olive’s oil. Everything is conserved; the olive water is used to water the crops, and the ground olive pits and skins are rendered to a hard bark like substance that is used for fueling the factory. The olive oil comes in multiple grades such as extra virgin, virgin, etc. These grades are based on the acidity of the olive oil with extra virgin olive oil having less than 1% of acidity. The quality can be controlled by picking and processing the olives just as they ripen to ensure the purest oil with the least acidity.
I signed up for a rafting trip for the following day as the trips came highly recommended from other travelers, Mendoza apparently has some of the best rapids in Argentina. But when I returned to my hostel after dinner on the first day, I was told that there were not enough people to fulfill the tour minimum and they would have to cancel the rafting expedition. So I bummed around all day and then worked on my blog.
I went to two really nice restaurants in Mendoza’s plush restaurant area near the town square. One was an Asian fusion restaurant that had the first location outside of the city and due to popular request opened another location in the middle of town. That has to be good right? The second was a jam packed steak house that I walked past on the first day and decided to try on the second day. Note to self – temper your expectations on any type of “Asian” food while in South America. I suppose some key ingredients are just too hard to find here or the flavors must be adjusted to suit the local customers because I have yet to find anything that resembles real Asian food. The bread and spread at the Asian restaurant were a nice touch, and the hot chicken salad with apples and raisins was good. But the lamb masala, the restaurant’s supposed specialty, was watery and bland, lacking the punch and spice that comes with good Indian food. The accompanying Nan was a thick pancake like pad of dough that was neither flaky nor absorbent. It just kind sat in the watery masala and got soggy, not properly sopping up the supposedly rich spicy mess which it is intended to do. The second restaurant, a steak place, was something that I looked forward to all day while I was working on my blog and stewing over my missed white water rafting trip. Perhaps that was my mistake. Perhaps pessimism is the best optimism. That way I’ll always be pleasantly surprised no matter what the outcome. Perhaps I’ve just been pampered with amazing steaks at all the other Argentinean cities that I’ve visited. If you love meat, Argentina should be a food destination. They don’t have much in the way of food variety or creatively. But they sure know how to make an amazing steak, except in the one steak restaurant that I picked in Mendoza. The rich cream and tomato sauces drowned out the bife de lomo and the steak was well on its way to being burnt. The steamed veggies were nice though.
If you can’t tell, I didn’t really like Mendoza.
First off the actual city of Mendoza. Mendoza was demolished in a earthquake a while ago, so when they rebuilt the city, the city planners made the street blocks extra wide and very grid like. The city is a huge square, with a main square in the center, and four themed squares (spain, Italy) extending from each corner of the main square. On the good side, it’s impossible to get lost in Mendoza. And while the town squares were a nice touch, you couldn’t help but feel that the squares were erected as a half hearted attempt at an aesthetic façade. Half of the fountains weren’t even working. There is no beauty in the city; no city culture; no museums. It’s a grid, the buildings are ugly, and it’s immensely overcrowded.
The surrounding area of Mendoza. Perhaps I chose the wrong wine tour. Perhaps I chose the wrong day to go rafting. But the wine tour that I went on was horrible. There was an olive oil plant that we visited along with the two vineyards, and that was infinitely more interesting and educational. I learned that olive oil is made purely from crushing olives with nothing being added. 60% of the olive is water and the olive pits contain about 10% of the olive’s oil. Everything is conserved; the olive water is used to water the crops, and the ground olive pits and skins are rendered to a hard bark like substance that is used for fueling the factory. The olive oil comes in multiple grades such as extra virgin, virgin, etc. These grades are based on the acidity of the olive oil with extra virgin olive oil having less than 1% of acidity. The quality can be controlled by picking and processing the olives just as they ripen to ensure the purest oil with the least acidity.
I signed up for a rafting trip for the following day as the trips came highly recommended from other travelers, Mendoza apparently has some of the best rapids in Argentina. But when I returned to my hostel after dinner on the first day, I was told that there were not enough people to fulfill the tour minimum and they would have to cancel the rafting expedition. So I bummed around all day and then worked on my blog.
I went to two really nice restaurants in Mendoza’s plush restaurant area near the town square. One was an Asian fusion restaurant that had the first location outside of the city and due to popular request opened another location in the middle of town. That has to be good right? The second was a jam packed steak house that I walked past on the first day and decided to try on the second day. Note to self – temper your expectations on any type of “Asian” food while in South America. I suppose some key ingredients are just too hard to find here or the flavors must be adjusted to suit the local customers because I have yet to find anything that resembles real Asian food. The bread and spread at the Asian restaurant were a nice touch, and the hot chicken salad with apples and raisins was good. But the lamb masala, the restaurant’s supposed specialty, was watery and bland, lacking the punch and spice that comes with good Indian food. The accompanying Nan was a thick pancake like pad of dough that was neither flaky nor absorbent. It just kind sat in the watery masala and got soggy, not properly sopping up the supposedly rich spicy mess which it is intended to do. The second restaurant, a steak place, was something that I looked forward to all day while I was working on my blog and stewing over my missed white water rafting trip. Perhaps that was my mistake. Perhaps pessimism is the best optimism. That way I’ll always be pleasantly surprised no matter what the outcome. Perhaps I’ve just been pampered with amazing steaks at all the other Argentinean cities that I’ve visited. If you love meat, Argentina should be a food destination. They don’t have much in the way of food variety or creatively. But they sure know how to make an amazing steak, except in the one steak restaurant that I picked in Mendoza. The rich cream and tomato sauces drowned out the bife de lomo and the steak was well on its way to being burnt. The steamed veggies were nice though.
If you can’t tell, I didn’t really like Mendoza.
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| Mendoza, Argentina - Day 1 |
Valparaiso, Chile - Day 3
Today was a blog day while I awaited the New Years Eve festivities in Valparaiso. The city is the site of the largest fireworks display in the world. More than a million people flock from around the world to Valparaiso to watch 20 tons of fireworks go off from seven locations throughout the pier. For me, fireworks are often very similar. Regardless of the location, most shows have a similar bouquet of fireworks with some being slightly longer or slightly higher or slightly more elaborate. But at the end of the day, they kind of look the same. Valparaiso was like watching 7 shows at the same time in a wrap around IMAX theater. Because they shot the fireworks off from multiple spots along a half moon shaped bay and because they spent an exorbitantly excessive amount of money during this global economic crisis, the show was an amazingly coordinated display unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before. And I forgot my camera.
Valparaiso, Chile - Day 2
I went to some museums, hills tops, to a local restaurant, and to observe some street performers in a park. A long day of wandering. Other people may call what I did today a long day of getting lost. I prefer wandering.
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| Valparasio, Chile - Day 2 |
Valparaiso, Chile - Day 1
Valparaiso, a Unesco Site, is an artsy bohemian town about an hour and a half northwest of Santiago along the Pacific coast. A cluster of winding streets, massive hills, and cable cars permeate the city. They have artists galore and homeless people aplenty.
Valparaiso is definitely not for everybody. It’s a very overcrowded city; the streets are narrow and people are everywhere. There are rough edges not just at the city edges but throughout the city. Of all the cities that I’ve ever visited, it’s one easiest cities to get lost in as the streets names change a couple times for the same street on one stretch of road, most of the streets are extremely windy, there are few main streets to walk along, and the city is built around multiple hills and along a bay which adds to the confusion. Certainly, the flock of homeless people laying around the entire city also makes it somewhat difficult to ascertain the “safe” areas from the somewhat “shady” areas.
For the shutterbug, wanderlust takes over and exploring the numerous side streets on each hill can become a multiple day activity. The artistic graffiti, colorful houses, and small art galleries on the hills are a joy to discover with each street providing a glimpse into the local art work and often crescendoing into the next find.
Valparaiso is definitely not for everybody. It’s a very overcrowded city; the streets are narrow and people are everywhere. There are rough edges not just at the city edges but throughout the city. Of all the cities that I’ve ever visited, it’s one easiest cities to get lost in as the streets names change a couple times for the same street on one stretch of road, most of the streets are extremely windy, there are few main streets to walk along, and the city is built around multiple hills and along a bay which adds to the confusion. Certainly, the flock of homeless people laying around the entire city also makes it somewhat difficult to ascertain the “safe” areas from the somewhat “shady” areas.
For the shutterbug, wanderlust takes over and exploring the numerous side streets on each hill can become a multiple day activity. The artistic graffiti, colorful houses, and small art galleries on the hills are a joy to discover with each street providing a glimpse into the local art work and often crescendoing into the next find.
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| Valparasio, Chile - Day 1 |
Friday, February 6, 2009
Santiago, Chile - Day 2
So here are some things that I’ve learned about Argentina and Chile so far while traveling.
1. Most stores close between 2-6pm for a siesta so it’s really hard to purchase things or plan anything during this time. If you’re gushing blood and you need a bandage, tough luck wait until 6pm.
2. Most restaurants do not open for dinner until 8pm. Get a snack.
3. Argentineans eat a huge meal really late at like 10 or 11 pm so restaurants do not get packed until then.
Today I learned that in Santiago, restaurants are closed for dinner on Sunday.
I’ve been craving sushi for a long time and there was a sushi restaurant right next to where I was staying. I noticed it after walking back home the night before from a really crappy Korean restaurant. The Korean food was rather authentic, the place was run by Koreans, and only Koreans were in the restaurant. But the seafood tofu stew that I ordered was horrible, the shrimp were half rotten and the tofu somewhat grainy.
On the way back from that restaurant I passed this Japanese restaurant next to where I was staying. It was packed with people. Good sign. Packed with Asian people. Even better sign. So I decided to give it a try the following night. I went to the Santiago zoo, climbed up a mini mountain for a view, checked out a pre Columbian museum, and worked on my blog. In anticipation of my sushi dinner, I had forgone a large lunch and had a snack instead. After working on my blog, I exit my building promptly at 8pm, turn right, walk down the block and low and behold the restaurant is closed! WHHHHAT?!? What’s going on? I checked the time, it’s past 8 pm so the restaurant should be open. It’s Sunday? Japanese restaurants are closed on Sundays! No wait a minute ALL restaurants are closed on Sunday evenings! So like no one eats on a Sunday?
So I’m wandering around Santiago trying to find something to eat and I run into a Chinese restaurant…and it’s open. Just like in the states on Christmas and Thanksgiving, Chinese restaurants seem to open when others close. That’s work ethic.
1. Most stores close between 2-6pm for a siesta so it’s really hard to purchase things or plan anything during this time. If you’re gushing blood and you need a bandage, tough luck wait until 6pm.
2. Most restaurants do not open for dinner until 8pm. Get a snack.
3. Argentineans eat a huge meal really late at like 10 or 11 pm so restaurants do not get packed until then.
Today I learned that in Santiago, restaurants are closed for dinner on Sunday.
I’ve been craving sushi for a long time and there was a sushi restaurant right next to where I was staying. I noticed it after walking back home the night before from a really crappy Korean restaurant. The Korean food was rather authentic, the place was run by Koreans, and only Koreans were in the restaurant. But the seafood tofu stew that I ordered was horrible, the shrimp were half rotten and the tofu somewhat grainy.
On the way back from that restaurant I passed this Japanese restaurant next to where I was staying. It was packed with people. Good sign. Packed with Asian people. Even better sign. So I decided to give it a try the following night. I went to the Santiago zoo, climbed up a mini mountain for a view, checked out a pre Columbian museum, and worked on my blog. In anticipation of my sushi dinner, I had forgone a large lunch and had a snack instead. After working on my blog, I exit my building promptly at 8pm, turn right, walk down the block and low and behold the restaurant is closed! WHHHHAT?!? What’s going on? I checked the time, it’s past 8 pm so the restaurant should be open. It’s Sunday? Japanese restaurants are closed on Sundays! No wait a minute ALL restaurants are closed on Sunday evenings! So like no one eats on a Sunday?
So I’m wandering around Santiago trying to find something to eat and I run into a Chinese restaurant…and it’s open. Just like in the states on Christmas and Thanksgiving, Chinese restaurants seem to open when others close. That’s work ethic.
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| Santiago, Chile - Day 2 |
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Santiago, Chile - Day 1
So today I explored a couple museums including the Museo de Santiago, Academia de Belle Artes, and Museo de Belle Artes before joining a friend from NYC for lunch. Cata, a native Chilean, who was working in NYC, gave me an exclusive tour of her home town and then took me to a delicious lunch at a beautiful restaurant. Traveling is exponentially better when a local shows you around.
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| Santiago, Chile - Day 1 |
Pucon, Chile - Day 4
Today I went rappelling down a couple waterfalls. Was a fun day in the sun; however, I’ve done a bunch of rappelling while rock climbing so this was just kind of like rappelling under a shower.
I learned today from the tour guide that you can buy an acre of land in Pucon, Chile for around 10k dollars. What an amazing deal. Pucon is going to blow up as a tourist destination. It has everything – mountains, trekking, a volcano, a lake, great restaurants, a well oiled tourist infrastructure, and beautiful weather. Perhaps I’ll invest when I’m done traveling. Or if I win the lottery.
I learned today from the tour guide that you can buy an acre of land in Pucon, Chile for around 10k dollars. What an amazing deal. Pucon is going to blow up as a tourist destination. It has everything – mountains, trekking, a volcano, a lake, great restaurants, a well oiled tourist infrastructure, and beautiful weather. Perhaps I’ll invest when I’m done traveling. Or if I win the lottery.
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| Pucon, Chile - Day 4 |
Pucon, Chile - Day 3
For Christmas Day, some Aussie friends that I met on the Volcano trek and I cooked a feast (by backpacking standards). It was weird having Christmas in the southern hemisphere where it was 85 degrees and sunny with people hanging out at the lake. I contemplated wrapping a gift for myself and opening it up and pretending to be surprised. But I thought of that idea too late on Christmas, the shops were closed, and I didn’t feel like wrapping my Tupperware. Oh well.
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| Pucon, Chile - Day 3 |
Pucon, Chile - Day 2
I'm going to die. My lungs are screaming for oxygen, my heart is racing, and my legs are burning. I feel like I’m going to fall off the side of the volcano. I had to wake up at 5 am and I’m exhausted. Why am I torturing myself to climb a stupid volcano that at 2800 meters is the highest I had been so far? It’s probably just going to erupt half way up anyway.
Well the trip up Villarrica volcano in Villarrica National Park was definitely memorable. But the views from the top and along the ascent made the trip well worth it. Viewing stunning 360 degree panoramic views of amazing mountains and other volcanoes. Glimpsing inside the volcano spewing burning sulfuric acid smelling like a combination of rotting eggs and burning tires. Trekking on the white shimmery surface with specks of grey volcanic puke and wisps of hot steam coming up from the snow.
All amazing. But coming down was the best part. How, you may ask, do you climb up a volcano almost 3000 meters high for 7 hours and then descend in a little more than 30 minutes? Why sliding down on your butt of course. Ya OOOOOKAAAY. When I got to the top and looked down and saw the slick steep descent and the ants sized people still climbing up, I started looking around for the helicopter…or perhaps a ski lift. Nope we’re skiing down on our butts in little trails left by other brazen souls. So after a brief tutorial on how to break with your ice pick and your feet, down we go. The first trail was a bit slow as I bumped around trying to get a hang of the breaking system. The remaining trails were somewhat reminiscent of the Tasmanian devil being shot out of a cannon downhill. I lost control a couple times and spun around in circles while flying down the mountain. So much exhilarating fun. When I got to the bottom, I was ready to hike up another 7 hours to do it again. I even thought about signing up for the same trek the next day. I should submit this as an event to the Olympic committee for inclusion in 2012.
Well the trip up Villarrica volcano in Villarrica National Park was definitely memorable. But the views from the top and along the ascent made the trip well worth it. Viewing stunning 360 degree panoramic views of amazing mountains and other volcanoes. Glimpsing inside the volcano spewing burning sulfuric acid smelling like a combination of rotting eggs and burning tires. Trekking on the white shimmery surface with specks of grey volcanic puke and wisps of hot steam coming up from the snow.
All amazing. But coming down was the best part. How, you may ask, do you climb up a volcano almost 3000 meters high for 7 hours and then descend in a little more than 30 minutes? Why sliding down on your butt of course. Ya OOOOOKAAAY. When I got to the top and looked down and saw the slick steep descent and the ants sized people still climbing up, I started looking around for the helicopter…or perhaps a ski lift. Nope we’re skiing down on our butts in little trails left by other brazen souls. So after a brief tutorial on how to break with your ice pick and your feet, down we go. The first trail was a bit slow as I bumped around trying to get a hang of the breaking system. The remaining trails were somewhat reminiscent of the Tasmanian devil being shot out of a cannon downhill. I lost control a couple times and spun around in circles while flying down the mountain. So much exhilarating fun. When I got to the bottom, I was ready to hike up another 7 hours to do it again. I even thought about signing up for the same trek the next day. I should submit this as an event to the Olympic committee for inclusion in 2012.
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| Pucon, Chile - Day 2 |
Pucon, Chile - Day 1
So I took my first bus between cities in South America from Bariloche to Pucon, and I almost get stranded at the transfer point. We stopped in Osorno, Chile, and I had about an hour in between bus rides. I grabbed a quick empanada and waited for my bus in front of the company bus sign where I thought the bus would be pulling up to. When another bus from the same company going to a different destination pulled up at about the time that mine was suppose to leave, I wondered where mine was and went into the station to ask the desk person. He made a quick call and told me that it was on the other side of the terminal and that I would have to run to make it. I was the last one on the bus and they started pulling away as soon as I stepped on it. At least I got some exercise.
One of the first things that I noticed about Chile is the amazing fresh produce selection and quality in the supermarkets. Argentina's produce in the local supermarkets across the country were somewhat lacking. The selection usually included cabbage, potatoes, onions, carrots and the like with most of the produce being bruised and beaten up. Celery would be extremely limp and predominantly brown, if you found a predominantly green one with some spring left in it when you poked it, you'd be lucky. Given, Argentina had specialty vegetable vendors which had a more favorable variety and quality although it was still below what I would expect from a country of Argentina’s resources.
Chile, on the other hand, literally a 4 hour bus ride away was a word of difference. Freshness, Quality, Variety. I felt like I was back in the states. I promptly bought about 5lbs of fruits for less than 5 dollars and gorged on fresh fruit…something that was sorely missing from my meat diet for the last month and half.
One of the first things that I noticed about Chile is the amazing fresh produce selection and quality in the supermarkets. Argentina's produce in the local supermarkets across the country were somewhat lacking. The selection usually included cabbage, potatoes, onions, carrots and the like with most of the produce being bruised and beaten up. Celery would be extremely limp and predominantly brown, if you found a predominantly green one with some spring left in it when you poked it, you'd be lucky. Given, Argentina had specialty vegetable vendors which had a more favorable variety and quality although it was still below what I would expect from a country of Argentina’s resources.
Chile, on the other hand, literally a 4 hour bus ride away was a word of difference. Freshness, Quality, Variety. I felt like I was back in the states. I promptly bought about 5lbs of fruits for less than 5 dollars and gorged on fresh fruit…something that was sorely missing from my meat diet for the last month and half.
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| Pucon, Chile - Day 1 |
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