One day of luxury in Indonesia just isn't enough. We have one more day of R+R, so we started our day early. We polished off our fruits, including oranges, rambutan, and snakeskin fruit (by far the most stylish packaged-fruit ever). Then it was off for a walk-through of the Ayana Spa, the most ridiculous spa I've ever seen in my life. We just couldn't go through with a $100 massage after spending $5 for 60 minutes in the villages. So onward to mini-golf. The Ayana has a real grass 18-hole putting course, and it's by far the largest I've seen. The longest hole was 65 yards. Yes, 65 yards. The course had bends, turns, bunkers, and Par 5 holes. Insane, quite challenging, and good fun. I even saw my wife cracking a smile on the golf course. OK, maybe because I found the bunker. But she had fun nonetheless...
Mid-day wasn't terribly adventurous. Just relaxing. We hit the beach, as well as two more of the hotel's 6 pools. Lots of fun with the camera. Right about lunch time, the urge hit us both. WE'RE DYING for a real home-cooked cheeseburger. It's a miracle I made it this far along the trip without hunting down pizza and burgers... So we ordered from the pool deck, as well as a tasty tropical drink served in a carved out watermelon. I've had pineapple drinks. Coconut drinks. But a watermelon size serving? I likee. Needless to say, the burger/fries hit the spot.
After some problems with the hotel management (they didn't hold up to their end of the bargain with some promises), we were offered the choice to change rooms. The offer: Please stay in our villa for 50% off. Details: 5000 sq. ft. villa. Cabana in back with private infinity pool at cliff's edge and ocean view. Bath tub filled with plumeria and orchids. Marble everything. Personal butler. Private beach club. Breakfast Included. Done. Done. And done. Nicest hotel I'll ever see in my life. By a mile. If you ever come to Bali, stay at the Ayana. For a reasonable price, they made us feel like royalty.
Dinner was recommended by some friends, and a wonderful idea it was. Jimbaran Beach is the local area of town, filled with dozens of seafood stands right on the beach. We allowed the taxi to take us to the "best" one, meaning he probably got a commission and they overcharged us by 20%. Regardless, the experience was exactly as promised. Bali dancer girl giving us flowers upon arrival. Table in the sand just yards from the ocean's edge. Not a single person obstructing our view of the setting sun. Dining is a unique experience as well. We walked back to the restaurant, picking out the exact red snapper and prawns they bbq'd for us. Delish.
So we're at Jimbaran beach. Glorious sunset just finished its show. Final bites of fish and prawns just went down. A 5 piece band walks to our table, asking where we're from. "U.S.A.," we respond. They all nod approvingly. Two seconds later, they've moved into the opening bars of Sweet Home Alabama. Played the whole song. Don't think I've ever heard a better version of it in my life. Gotta love some Balinese Skynyrd...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
March 28 - Sanur to Ayana Resort
This was a much anticipated day. A few friends have told us what kind of value the US dollar can buy in Bali. After much research online, we found our destination: Ayana Resort and Spa on Jimbaran's southern Bali beaches. Recently renamed from the Ritz Carlton Bali, this hotel has an eye-popping website and accolades from Conde Nast as "Best Resort in Asia." After a week of mostly modest accommodations in some very local settings, it was time for a splurge.
After a 30 minute cab ride, we reached the front gates. The cab driver knew the routine, but we were surprised. Multiple security guards converged on the cab, doors opened, and the trunk popped. A bomb-sniffing golden retriever made his way around the car, earning his reward for a job well done. OK--this is definitely the first time I've been sniffed for weapons of mass destruction before entering a hotel property. The Bali Bombings in 2002 & 2005 have been successful mainly in being destructive to the local economy of the island. The locals speak of the bombings like we do 9/11. It has been devastating to some of their livelihoods. So the bomb dogs actually are a very smart move by the hotel. We proceeded onward, and it became clear very quickly that this place is the real deal. The grounds were immaculate. Flowers everywhere. Basically, we've seen nothing like it in Bali. It was like going from a 3rd World country, all of a sudden into the poshest resort you've seen on Maui. But far bigger. The place is enormous, touted at 200 acres. I think we had "perma-smiles" on our faces for about the next hour.
Exiting the cab, a man dressed in historic Balinese garb banged a giant gong three times. Loved the gong... A strikingly dressed Balinese girl offered plumeria leis and offered the obligatory passion fruit juice we receive upon check-in everywhere. Maybe it's the surroundings, but Terri and I both agree it's the best we've had yet.
At check-in, those sweet words were uttered by a hotel staff member: "Mr. Carlson, you've been upgraded to the Deluxe Ocean View Room." Well, this trip just got a helluva lot better... Smiles remain intact.
It wasn't long before we were at the pool, rubbing in sunblock, soaking in the 90 degree heat, and peering at the Indian Ocean off the largest infinity pool we've ever seen. At the risk of going on and on, I'll stop there. After 7 furious days of travel around the island, it was just nice to absorb Bali this way as well.
We also stopped in to Kuta, the local touristy beach area. Described as the "Waikiki of Bali," we both found it to be much worse. Although I certainly don't fault their topless sunbathing policy, there honestly wasn't much to this area other than shop-after-shop, and vendor-after-vendor. People solicited us for everything from massages to kites to beach chairs, nonstop. It's honestly the armpit of Bali, and we can say we've been, and not going back. It was good for two things, however:
1. A beer and snack run. We literally brought a box of beer/water/snacks back to the hotel. I'm sure the hotel loved that.
2. The International McDonald's Taste-Test: I have an ongoing debate with my buddy Rob. He states all McDonald's are 100% the same in product. I contend that not only can the product be different, but sometimes it's prepped differently. I have clear anecdotal documentation that Tokyo and Buenos Aires were different, but Bali proved to be mostly in Rob's corner. A cheeseburger and fries tasted identical. However, the bun was unlike anything I've seen at McDonald's before. That said, I should note I've had a self-imposed ban on McDee's since Dec. 2008. I've not had a single burger/fry from them in 1.5 years. While Wendy's has clearly benefitted from this policy, I still won't be going back. Regardless... Damn, that is a TASTY burger!
Dinner was an experiece worth sharing, though. Ayana is proud of their new Rock Bar, as well they should. They've managed to build a glass encased bar onto the lower part of a cliff, just a few feet above the rocks and crashing surf of the Indian Ocean. Accessing the bar can only be done via the "Inclinator," a cable-car that goes up/down the cliff's face. It's like a hybrid of an open-air elevator and a roller-coaster. Being the "Type A Travel Planner" I am, I knew from my research that you have to get to the Rock Bar BEFORE it opens to get one of a few choice tables. So despite Terri's griping that I'm insane to stand in line before a resort bar opens, we made it just in time. There was a line of 8 people before us, 15 minutes before the bar opened. We got the last "good" table, with a clear and unobstructed view of the ocean. I had the Shandy (50/50 Bintang Beer and Sprite), which I will definitely be drinking on the golf course this summer... Terri had her little fu-fu drinks. Dinner was lobster spring rolls, rock shrimp cocktail with Balinese sambal sauce, and lemongrass chicken-stuffed potato skins. Awesome. As was the sunset, which fell perfectly over the rocks as all the fishing boats made their way out to sea. Photos look to be great, and this day couldn't have gone any better.
If I've made you sick by asking you to read this, I'm sorry. But it was a great day. Hope yours is too. :)
After a 30 minute cab ride, we reached the front gates. The cab driver knew the routine, but we were surprised. Multiple security guards converged on the cab, doors opened, and the trunk popped. A bomb-sniffing golden retriever made his way around the car, earning his reward for a job well done. OK--this is definitely the first time I've been sniffed for weapons of mass destruction before entering a hotel property. The Bali Bombings in 2002 & 2005 have been successful mainly in being destructive to the local economy of the island. The locals speak of the bombings like we do 9/11. It has been devastating to some of their livelihoods. So the bomb dogs actually are a very smart move by the hotel. We proceeded onward, and it became clear very quickly that this place is the real deal. The grounds were immaculate. Flowers everywhere. Basically, we've seen nothing like it in Bali. It was like going from a 3rd World country, all of a sudden into the poshest resort you've seen on Maui. But far bigger. The place is enormous, touted at 200 acres. I think we had "perma-smiles" on our faces for about the next hour.
Exiting the cab, a man dressed in historic Balinese garb banged a giant gong three times. Loved the gong... A strikingly dressed Balinese girl offered plumeria leis and offered the obligatory passion fruit juice we receive upon check-in everywhere. Maybe it's the surroundings, but Terri and I both agree it's the best we've had yet.
At check-in, those sweet words were uttered by a hotel staff member: "Mr. Carlson, you've been upgraded to the Deluxe Ocean View Room." Well, this trip just got a helluva lot better... Smiles remain intact.
It wasn't long before we were at the pool, rubbing in sunblock, soaking in the 90 degree heat, and peering at the Indian Ocean off the largest infinity pool we've ever seen. At the risk of going on and on, I'll stop there. After 7 furious days of travel around the island, it was just nice to absorb Bali this way as well.
We also stopped in to Kuta, the local touristy beach area. Described as the "Waikiki of Bali," we both found it to be much worse. Although I certainly don't fault their topless sunbathing policy, there honestly wasn't much to this area other than shop-after-shop, and vendor-after-vendor. People solicited us for everything from massages to kites to beach chairs, nonstop. It's honestly the armpit of Bali, and we can say we've been, and not going back. It was good for two things, however:
1. A beer and snack run. We literally brought a box of beer/water/snacks back to the hotel. I'm sure the hotel loved that.
2. The International McDonald's Taste-Test: I have an ongoing debate with my buddy Rob. He states all McDonald's are 100% the same in product. I contend that not only can the product be different, but sometimes it's prepped differently. I have clear anecdotal documentation that Tokyo and Buenos Aires were different, but Bali proved to be mostly in Rob's corner. A cheeseburger and fries tasted identical. However, the bun was unlike anything I've seen at McDonald's before. That said, I should note I've had a self-imposed ban on McDee's since Dec. 2008. I've not had a single burger/fry from them in 1.5 years. While Wendy's has clearly benefitted from this policy, I still won't be going back. Regardless... Damn, that is a TASTY burger!
Dinner was an experiece worth sharing, though. Ayana is proud of their new Rock Bar, as well they should. They've managed to build a glass encased bar onto the lower part of a cliff, just a few feet above the rocks and crashing surf of the Indian Ocean. Accessing the bar can only be done via the "Inclinator," a cable-car that goes up/down the cliff's face. It's like a hybrid of an open-air elevator and a roller-coaster. Being the "Type A Travel Planner" I am, I knew from my research that you have to get to the Rock Bar BEFORE it opens to get one of a few choice tables. So despite Terri's griping that I'm insane to stand in line before a resort bar opens, we made it just in time. There was a line of 8 people before us, 15 minutes before the bar opened. We got the last "good" table, with a clear and unobstructed view of the ocean. I had the Shandy (50/50 Bintang Beer and Sprite), which I will definitely be drinking on the golf course this summer... Terri had her little fu-fu drinks. Dinner was lobster spring rolls, rock shrimp cocktail with Balinese sambal sauce, and lemongrass chicken-stuffed potato skins. Awesome. As was the sunset, which fell perfectly over the rocks as all the fishing boats made their way out to sea. Photos look to be great, and this day couldn't have gone any better.
If I've made you sick by asking you to read this, I'm sorry. But it was a great day. Hope yours is too. :)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
March 27: Kintimani to Sanur
Disclaimer: This day was looooong. Read this when you have 5 minutes or so...
Wakup call: 3:30am. Uh huh. 3:30am. Today started with a very quick snack, then off to the trailhead. The goal: summiting Mt. Batur by sunrise. Wiping the crust out of our eyes, we hit the trail in the dead of night. It was hard to watch the trail at first, as the stars were RIDICULOUS. I've never had such a great view of the Milky Way. Yet the footing was unsteady, and our flashlights and guides proved useful. Mt. Batur rises about 5500 feet above sea level, and we started at the lake, around 3000 feet. The Balinese consider volcanic Mt. Batur to be holy, as the most recent lava flow (2000) spared only a temple built on a hill on the south slope. The rest of the southern slope is entirely black lava flow, save just one two-acre sized piece of forest housing the temple.
It's actually quite expensive to do this hike ($30), at least by Bali standards. This includes a tiny flashlight and guides, as it is pitch dark. It also ensures that you won't be threatened by physical violence from the locals, as they monitor all the trailheads and basically shake any tourist down for their cash. Word is that they will get violent if tourists ignore their little scam on the holy mount. So we chose the path of least resistance, quickly making our way up with our lightened pockets. I definately have some work to do before our PAC NW summer, as it was a bit of a struggle. Two hours later, all the fuss about this mountain proved true. Sharing our perch with a few dozen monkeys, we watched the sun rose over Lake Batur, climbing along the edge of Mt. Agung. The colors put on a show, and the early wake-up call wasn't a wasted effort.
The next incident may also be something hard to forget. We all heard a loud CRACK, and then we saw about 20 local guides rushing down the mountain. It turns out, a guide was sitting on a ledge, and accidentily leaned backward too hard against the guard rail. By guard rail, I mean a 10 foot piece of bamboo held up by two crooked sticks. What happened next was shocking and horrifying. As we all peered over the cliff, we saw the poor guy laying lifeless on the rocks. He probably fell 15 feet before contact, falling backwards off the cliff. He then tumbled another 25 feet, lying in a position that could only mean bad things. A few minutes later, the other guides carried him up to the top. He remained lifeless--either unconscious or worse. We all sat horrified, thinking it was the latter. Actually, we were pretty sure he was a goner. It was hard to even look. Chaos ensued, as the locals were all shouting in Balinese, trying to help the guy. It became pretty clear that he still wasn't responding. I do NOT want to see someone die on vacation, nor did I feel too excited about doing CPR. At that point Ian, Koni (our GAP Group Leader),and myself entered the scene and offered our assistance. Immediately I could see the man was taking shallow breaths, yet remained unconscious. THANK GOD he was breathing. He had a faint pulse, which I took 44. Koni talked to the locals (GAP does provide great leaders), Ian gave the man smelling salts from Koni's first aid kit, and I got his legs elevated to bring up his blood pressure. Side note---for the amount of $ we pay these guides, it's sad how ill-prepared for disaster and little training in basic First Aid they have. When I asked them to elevate his legs, they literally raised his legs 100% vertical to the ground. A backpack under his feet ultimately did the trick. Around this time, he regained consciousness. He could feel all extremities, and shockingly complained of pain only in his scraped up right arm. No apparent broken bones, and not really any blood. Long story short, within 5 more minutes he was sitting up, talking, and thanking us for our help. He was a VERY lucky man. We went back and looked where he fell. Basically, his landing spot was the only piece of land below that was soil and not black volcanic rock. Also of interest, the locals put a Hindu prayer basket of bamboo and flowers (they're everywhere in Bali) on the exact spot he fell. Mt. Batur blessed us all this day.
Should have things gone worse, Koni tells us they would've carried him down the mountain. There's no helicopter rescue here. No CT scan awaiting at the ER. These are the northern villages of Bali. There may not even be western medicine in Kintimani. And even if there was a hospital, who's going to pay for it? We're told these guides take home roughly $300 US a month, and the government takes the rest of the cash we pay. Although the comparative economy of Bali is quite different than the US, in terms of material wealth the folks of northern Bali are very poor. Yet very happy, friendly people.
So back to the hike. We made our way down the trail, ultimately stopping at what we were told were the "hot springs." It turns out, the hot springs actually is a full-fledged resort, and we had 2 hours to lay by the pool, soak in the hot springs, sip juice drinks, and get $5 massages. We partook in all. As this is rainy season and the tourists are limited, we had the place to ourselves. Quite nice.
Back to the hotel, and another nice surprise. The Lake View Hotel lunch buffet was fan-flippin'-tastic.
Menu: Pumpkin soup, nasi goreng, mie goreng, fried mashed potatoes, fried fish, Balinese Onion Rings, various satays, black rice pudding, and fresh fruit. All topped with my new favorite exotic condiment: Balinese Sauce.
Dessert: Banana Pancakes, Fried Bananas, and Balinese Cake. FINALLY--a cake I love. It was a pink soft-breading, rolled up like a Little Debbie cake. Inside--coconut mixed with palm sugar. YUM.
We piled into the bus, off to our next stop: Besakih Temple. This is regarded as the most important temple in Bali, and it delivered a great experience. About 3 miles before arrival, our bus came to a standstill. We discovered we were behind a parade of people, hundreds strong. They were all dressed in white, marching up the road toward the temple. Some were carrying ornate yellow, white, or red umbrellas. Some were carrying offerings on bamboo altars over their shoulders (two people in front, two in back). It took us another hour to get to the temple parking lot, following the procession the whole way. Karen, Marvelynn, Terri, and myself decided to enter the fray, after our tour leader warned us to prepare for chaos. He wanted none of it, and the other 8 stayed back as well.
After paying our 10,000 rupiah ($1) to enter the temple, the continuous scamming began. I'll start by saying that rarely did we go 30 seconds (for the next hour) without someone trying to sell us a sarong (to cover our legs even though we had long pants on), or say, "You can't go here!!!" After walking another 50 yards toward the temple, some men at a desk stopped us and said we had to pay, "Uhmm, hmmmm, 3 Euros each." When we showed them the tickets we just bought, they responded, "Oh no; that was only for insurance." INSURANCE FOR WHAT?!?! This is when Terri and I just turned around and walked off. It worked. They didn't stop us. We still had 300 more yards to get to the temple. This was repeatedly met with people approaching us, saying we weren't allowed unless we hired them as guides. We continued to ignore, apparently angering many. Prior to entering the temple, four policemen then stopped us. They demanded we buy sarongs or hire guides. We argued back and forth, as HELLO--we're wearing pants! Finally we'd had enough again. This was the ultimate test. If you can walk away from village police, then you know the whole place is working as a collective unit against the tourists. Again, we gambled correctly. We were yelled at by many, but no one ever physically touched us. Even the police.
We watched the blessing ceremony, which was fascinating. They placed offerings at the base of a very steep temple. The offerings included a large pile of fruits, coconuts, incense, flowers, and the head and skin of a recently killed goat. Terri saw them sacrifice a duck and a chicken on the spot, placing them onto the pile. After the hundreds of locals prayed, a chosen few carried the remaining altars and offerings up to the top temple. The procession of colorful outfits, altars, and umbrellas was a sight to behold. Photos should be good. We did not DARE go up there either. Many locals made it very clear to us to not even step foot on those steps. I didn't care to take it any further, thankful to get a glimpse such interesting culture.
Back on the bus, we stopped at another temple, then back to Sanur. Sadly, we are at the end of our GAP trip. Back at the Retro Restaurant, we had some final Arak Attacks (my new favorite Balinese rum drink) and some delish eats. Beef rendang for me, that tasty beef marinated in coconut milk and Balinese chilis. Good Lord it's tasty. We said our good-byes to the group, hopeful our paths will cross again. I love GAP trips, as a collection of 12 strangers from 5 countries always seem to end up with some long-distance friends. We were lucky to travel with great people again.
My head hit the pillow at 10 PM tonight. Terri says I was out in less than 15 seconds. G'night.
Wakup call: 3:30am. Uh huh. 3:30am. Today started with a very quick snack, then off to the trailhead. The goal: summiting Mt. Batur by sunrise. Wiping the crust out of our eyes, we hit the trail in the dead of night. It was hard to watch the trail at first, as the stars were RIDICULOUS. I've never had such a great view of the Milky Way. Yet the footing was unsteady, and our flashlights and guides proved useful. Mt. Batur rises about 5500 feet above sea level, and we started at the lake, around 3000 feet. The Balinese consider volcanic Mt. Batur to be holy, as the most recent lava flow (2000) spared only a temple built on a hill on the south slope. The rest of the southern slope is entirely black lava flow, save just one two-acre sized piece of forest housing the temple.
It's actually quite expensive to do this hike ($30), at least by Bali standards. This includes a tiny flashlight and guides, as it is pitch dark. It also ensures that you won't be threatened by physical violence from the locals, as they monitor all the trailheads and basically shake any tourist down for their cash. Word is that they will get violent if tourists ignore their little scam on the holy mount. So we chose the path of least resistance, quickly making our way up with our lightened pockets. I definately have some work to do before our PAC NW summer, as it was a bit of a struggle. Two hours later, all the fuss about this mountain proved true. Sharing our perch with a few dozen monkeys, we watched the sun rose over Lake Batur, climbing along the edge of Mt. Agung. The colors put on a show, and the early wake-up call wasn't a wasted effort.
The next incident may also be something hard to forget. We all heard a loud CRACK, and then we saw about 20 local guides rushing down the mountain. It turns out, a guide was sitting on a ledge, and accidentily leaned backward too hard against the guard rail. By guard rail, I mean a 10 foot piece of bamboo held up by two crooked sticks. What happened next was shocking and horrifying. As we all peered over the cliff, we saw the poor guy laying lifeless on the rocks. He probably fell 15 feet before contact, falling backwards off the cliff. He then tumbled another 25 feet, lying in a position that could only mean bad things. A few minutes later, the other guides carried him up to the top. He remained lifeless--either unconscious or worse. We all sat horrified, thinking it was the latter. Actually, we were pretty sure he was a goner. It was hard to even look. Chaos ensued, as the locals were all shouting in Balinese, trying to help the guy. It became pretty clear that he still wasn't responding. I do NOT want to see someone die on vacation, nor did I feel too excited about doing CPR. At that point Ian, Koni (our GAP Group Leader),and myself entered the scene and offered our assistance. Immediately I could see the man was taking shallow breaths, yet remained unconscious. THANK GOD he was breathing. He had a faint pulse, which I took 44. Koni talked to the locals (GAP does provide great leaders), Ian gave the man smelling salts from Koni's first aid kit, and I got his legs elevated to bring up his blood pressure. Side note---for the amount of $ we pay these guides, it's sad how ill-prepared for disaster and little training in basic First Aid they have. When I asked them to elevate his legs, they literally raised his legs 100% vertical to the ground. A backpack under his feet ultimately did the trick. Around this time, he regained consciousness. He could feel all extremities, and shockingly complained of pain only in his scraped up right arm. No apparent broken bones, and not really any blood. Long story short, within 5 more minutes he was sitting up, talking, and thanking us for our help. He was a VERY lucky man. We went back and looked where he fell. Basically, his landing spot was the only piece of land below that was soil and not black volcanic rock. Also of interest, the locals put a Hindu prayer basket of bamboo and flowers (they're everywhere in Bali) on the exact spot he fell. Mt. Batur blessed us all this day.
Should have things gone worse, Koni tells us they would've carried him down the mountain. There's no helicopter rescue here. No CT scan awaiting at the ER. These are the northern villages of Bali. There may not even be western medicine in Kintimani. And even if there was a hospital, who's going to pay for it? We're told these guides take home roughly $300 US a month, and the government takes the rest of the cash we pay. Although the comparative economy of Bali is quite different than the US, in terms of material wealth the folks of northern Bali are very poor. Yet very happy, friendly people.
So back to the hike. We made our way down the trail, ultimately stopping at what we were told were the "hot springs." It turns out, the hot springs actually is a full-fledged resort, and we had 2 hours to lay by the pool, soak in the hot springs, sip juice drinks, and get $5 massages. We partook in all. As this is rainy season and the tourists are limited, we had the place to ourselves. Quite nice.
Back to the hotel, and another nice surprise. The Lake View Hotel lunch buffet was fan-flippin'-tastic.
Menu: Pumpkin soup, nasi goreng, mie goreng, fried mashed potatoes, fried fish, Balinese Onion Rings, various satays, black rice pudding, and fresh fruit. All topped with my new favorite exotic condiment: Balinese Sauce.
Dessert: Banana Pancakes, Fried Bananas, and Balinese Cake. FINALLY--a cake I love. It was a pink soft-breading, rolled up like a Little Debbie cake. Inside--coconut mixed with palm sugar. YUM.
We piled into the bus, off to our next stop: Besakih Temple. This is regarded as the most important temple in Bali, and it delivered a great experience. About 3 miles before arrival, our bus came to a standstill. We discovered we were behind a parade of people, hundreds strong. They were all dressed in white, marching up the road toward the temple. Some were carrying ornate yellow, white, or red umbrellas. Some were carrying offerings on bamboo altars over their shoulders (two people in front, two in back). It took us another hour to get to the temple parking lot, following the procession the whole way. Karen, Marvelynn, Terri, and myself decided to enter the fray, after our tour leader warned us to prepare for chaos. He wanted none of it, and the other 8 stayed back as well.
After paying our 10,000 rupiah ($1) to enter the temple, the continuous scamming began. I'll start by saying that rarely did we go 30 seconds (for the next hour) without someone trying to sell us a sarong (to cover our legs even though we had long pants on), or say, "You can't go here!!!" After walking another 50 yards toward the temple, some men at a desk stopped us and said we had to pay, "Uhmm, hmmmm, 3 Euros each." When we showed them the tickets we just bought, they responded, "Oh no; that was only for insurance." INSURANCE FOR WHAT?!?! This is when Terri and I just turned around and walked off. It worked. They didn't stop us. We still had 300 more yards to get to the temple. This was repeatedly met with people approaching us, saying we weren't allowed unless we hired them as guides. We continued to ignore, apparently angering many. Prior to entering the temple, four policemen then stopped us. They demanded we buy sarongs or hire guides. We argued back and forth, as HELLO--we're wearing pants! Finally we'd had enough again. This was the ultimate test. If you can walk away from village police, then you know the whole place is working as a collective unit against the tourists. Again, we gambled correctly. We were yelled at by many, but no one ever physically touched us. Even the police.
We watched the blessing ceremony, which was fascinating. They placed offerings at the base of a very steep temple. The offerings included a large pile of fruits, coconuts, incense, flowers, and the head and skin of a recently killed goat. Terri saw them sacrifice a duck and a chicken on the spot, placing them onto the pile. After the hundreds of locals prayed, a chosen few carried the remaining altars and offerings up to the top temple. The procession of colorful outfits, altars, and umbrellas was a sight to behold. Photos should be good. We did not DARE go up there either. Many locals made it very clear to us to not even step foot on those steps. I didn't care to take it any further, thankful to get a glimpse such interesting culture.
Back on the bus, we stopped at another temple, then back to Sanur. Sadly, we are at the end of our GAP trip. Back at the Retro Restaurant, we had some final Arak Attacks (my new favorite Balinese rum drink) and some delish eats. Beef rendang for me, that tasty beef marinated in coconut milk and Balinese chilis. Good Lord it's tasty. We said our good-byes to the group, hopeful our paths will cross again. I love GAP trips, as a collection of 12 strangers from 5 countries always seem to end up with some long-distance friends. We were lucky to travel with great people again.
My head hit the pillow at 10 PM tonight. Terri says I was out in less than 15 seconds. G'night.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
March 26: Lovina to Kintimani
Wakeup call was 5:30 am, as we embarked by boat at 6 am. Destination was the north waters off Bali, about a mile off the coast. The attraction was the hundreds of dolphins that patrol these waters, along with a breathtaking sunrise over the peaking green mountains of Bali.
I'd like to think we were out there to watch the dolphins and enjoy the scenery. But I'm writing this blog from a perspective of reality, and not everything we see here is the best and the greatest. In fact, it's sometimes shockingly Third World. So reality, huh? OK. We were on a full-fledged dolphin hunt. Should a dolphin periscope his head 2 inches above water.... Well, then he's got 3 dozen motorized outrigger boats, full-steam ahead. At first the dolphins were playful, and we got a real "Sea World Moment," as one lept about 10 feet in air, spinning more times than I could count. That was terrific, as it was close to our boat. However, the rest of the tour was mostly cat-and-mouse with the dolphins. It was fun enough, and some photos will hopefully turn out nice.
A quick breakfast followed, and then it was off to cooking school. Terri, myself, and 3 of the Brits booked a class with Putu, who offers the unique experience of learning to cook Balinese recipes in his home. Putu is a local chef, and the guy knows what he's doing. These experiences are what this way of traveling is all about. The ability to cook and share food in a local's kitchen will be one of the highlights of this trip. We started in the local market, getting a crash course in local ingredients and veggies. After a quick bus ride to his home, Putu had us shaving coconuts, pounding chilis with a mortar/pestle, and putting everything together. A noteworthy event, however, is that prior to cooking the seasoned chicken, Putu put a healthy amount of RAW chicken into his mouth, sampling for taste. Even better---our recipe book says to do so. Fantastic! So salmonella doesn't exist in Bali I guess. Who knows--maybe the chicken we ate today was dispatched only minutes before entering the kitchen. Also of note was Putu's snappy chef attire. Cut-off shorts and no shirt. Yes, this is the REAL Bali. Despite the occasional worried looks we gave each other, the food was prepped and it was time to chow.
Menu: Nasi Goreng, Bergedel Kelapa, Lemon Grass Shredded Chicken (Insanely Tasty), Wok Fried Chicken/Tomato Sauce, Jeruk (Spicy Coconut Milk with Long Bean). By long bean, I mean LONG bean. End to end, these beans were nearly 3 feet long.
It goes without saying, but this meal will be one of the more memorable of my life. The Balinese people don't have much as far as worldly possessions go. Putu's kitchen was modest at best. He operates on just a two burner propane/table top stove in a house that most of us would consider to be a shack. The conditions are what any American would consider to be far below the poverty level. Putu has three part-time jobs, trying to make ends meet for his wife and 3 kids. He also works as a taxi driver and guiding tours to Balinese Cremation Ceremonies. Nonetheless, Putu could outcook any top-name Asian restaurant in America. Hands down. No contest. It probably has something to do with the fresh local ingredients, but this was one to remember.
Happily fed, we all piled into the van for our ride to Kintimani. This area boasts the tallest mountains of Bali, Mt. Agung and Mt. Batur. Upon arrival, we checked into our lodge at Lake View Hotel. Walking into our room, the view was fantastic. Below us, Batur lake. Directly across, Mt. Batur rising to 5500 feet. Gorgeous. Also welcomed are the temperatures, as we're up in the mountains and it's a bit cooler. By cooler I mean about 85 degrees instead of 95.
Dinner was VERY local at a warung (local restaurant) down the street. Not really great, but I got some protein in for a big day tomorrow. Off to bed at.... 9pm Yes. 9 pm. Tomorrow's gonna be rough.
I'd like to think we were out there to watch the dolphins and enjoy the scenery. But I'm writing this blog from a perspective of reality, and not everything we see here is the best and the greatest. In fact, it's sometimes shockingly Third World. So reality, huh? OK. We were on a full-fledged dolphin hunt. Should a dolphin periscope his head 2 inches above water.... Well, then he's got 3 dozen motorized outrigger boats, full-steam ahead. At first the dolphins were playful, and we got a real "Sea World Moment," as one lept about 10 feet in air, spinning more times than I could count. That was terrific, as it was close to our boat. However, the rest of the tour was mostly cat-and-mouse with the dolphins. It was fun enough, and some photos will hopefully turn out nice.
A quick breakfast followed, and then it was off to cooking school. Terri, myself, and 3 of the Brits booked a class with Putu, who offers the unique experience of learning to cook Balinese recipes in his home. Putu is a local chef, and the guy knows what he's doing. These experiences are what this way of traveling is all about. The ability to cook and share food in a local's kitchen will be one of the highlights of this trip. We started in the local market, getting a crash course in local ingredients and veggies. After a quick bus ride to his home, Putu had us shaving coconuts, pounding chilis with a mortar/pestle, and putting everything together. A noteworthy event, however, is that prior to cooking the seasoned chicken, Putu put a healthy amount of RAW chicken into his mouth, sampling for taste. Even better---our recipe book says to do so. Fantastic! So salmonella doesn't exist in Bali I guess. Who knows--maybe the chicken we ate today was dispatched only minutes before entering the kitchen. Also of note was Putu's snappy chef attire. Cut-off shorts and no shirt. Yes, this is the REAL Bali. Despite the occasional worried looks we gave each other, the food was prepped and it was time to chow.
Menu: Nasi Goreng, Bergedel Kelapa, Lemon Grass Shredded Chicken (Insanely Tasty), Wok Fried Chicken/Tomato Sauce, Jeruk (Spicy Coconut Milk with Long Bean). By long bean, I mean LONG bean. End to end, these beans were nearly 3 feet long.
It goes without saying, but this meal will be one of the more memorable of my life. The Balinese people don't have much as far as worldly possessions go. Putu's kitchen was modest at best. He operates on just a two burner propane/table top stove in a house that most of us would consider to be a shack. The conditions are what any American would consider to be far below the poverty level. Putu has three part-time jobs, trying to make ends meet for his wife and 3 kids. He also works as a taxi driver and guiding tours to Balinese Cremation Ceremonies. Nonetheless, Putu could outcook any top-name Asian restaurant in America. Hands down. No contest. It probably has something to do with the fresh local ingredients, but this was one to remember.
Happily fed, we all piled into the van for our ride to Kintimani. This area boasts the tallest mountains of Bali, Mt. Agung and Mt. Batur. Upon arrival, we checked into our lodge at Lake View Hotel. Walking into our room, the view was fantastic. Below us, Batur lake. Directly across, Mt. Batur rising to 5500 feet. Gorgeous. Also welcomed are the temperatures, as we're up in the mountains and it's a bit cooler. By cooler I mean about 85 degrees instead of 95.
Dinner was VERY local at a warung (local restaurant) down the street. Not really great, but I got some protein in for a big day tomorrow. Off to bed at.... 9pm Yes. 9 pm. Tomorrow's gonna be rough.
March 25: Lovina
After perhaps the longest night of sleep I've had in years, it was up early for the day's activity: Scuba Diving Menjangan Island. Terri stayed back for a culture tour, which she chose to do with her new friend Karen. So it was Ian the Brit, the Swedish girls, and myself. We jumped in the van for a 90 minute ride to the dive boat. Interesting stop---we got out at a roadside Hindu temple, which basically was a small shrine encased in locked fencing. I'm guessing the secure temple was to keep the scores of roadside monkeys out. Unannounced, our drivers then went into the temple, praying for about 10 minutes. Ummm, do I need to worry about the rest of this drive?
So let's stop right there. Driving in Bali. THANK GOD we booked a GAP trip and didn't try to drive ourselves. I thought South Africa was crazy. Basically the roads in Bali are about 50% the size in the US. They drive on the left side of the road. Rarely are there any shoulders or guard rails. Basically, there's just enough room for two average sized cars to squeek by each other. Now, go ahead and throw in random pedestrians, road-side fruit stands, and stray dogs by the thousands. This would make a great video game. Finally, the ultimate hazard: motorbikes. Not quite a motorcycle, but a step up from your basic moped. These ubiquitous crotch rockets are flying all over the road, and if there are any traffic rules, I'd be surprised. They pass with wreckless abandon, most of the time when no sane person would venture toward oncoming traffic. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a near head-on collision. It's just one after another. OK, I'm digressing here. Back to the diving. So Wayan and Putu's prayers were answered. We arrived safe and sound.
Diving: OK, I don't know how to put this delicately. This dive experience was the most horrifying experience I've had with this recreational sport. These guys broke just about every rule in the book for safety and operational procedures. I understand this is Indonesia, but I would've bailed had I not already paid, drove 90 minutes, and a subsequent 45 minute boat ride.... So without going into an maniacal tirade, here's the gyst:
The Bad:
1. No emergency oxygen on board. The cardinal safety sin of any dive operation.
2. No First Aid Kit on board.
3. No radio in case of problems.
4. Air Tanks just piled on top of each other in the middle of the boat. No safety valve covers. Not on a single tank. Who knows how old these things are and the last time they've been inspected.
5. "Boat" is a generous term for this mode of transport. Basically a longtail wooden boat, with our captain chain-smoking in the back with the 40 hp gas engine.
6. One member of the group was not certified, and they let him dive anyway. Wow. Let me repeat this. Wow. They gave him a 5 minute review (in broken English) prior to him descending. Good luck, pal. I actually overheard part of this briefing, which some of it included the exact opposite wrong info. I set him straight before he went under.
7. I had to persist to even have a dive master join this trip with me. They initially tried to stick me with the divemaster and uncertified diver. I gave them the stinkeye, and all was fixed. That would've been the deal-breaker. No buddy=No dive.
8. Rule #1 of Diving: Plan your dive, dive your plan.
Upon descent, we argued and I had to demand what our dive plan was (depth and length). He basically refused, saying "Look, I don't want to die either. We'll go off my dive computer." So I guess I'm on my own here then, huh?
9. Divemaster hands me a dive belt with 15 pounds of weight, all held together with a broken plastic clasp. Quick lesson: Your dive belt offsets the entrapped gas in a neoprene wetsuit, keeping you safely under water. Should you lose your belt underwater, you'd skyrocket to the surface. That equals likely death, as the nearest decompression chamber would be hours away. Minimum. So I refuse to use the broken belt, asking for another. I'm informed there is no other belt. I continue to refuse, and they somehow produce another one. After the dive I find out they gave it to the uncertified diver. Niiiiiice. Wouldn't you know it, the belt fell off him underwater, and he managed to keep it around his thighs until his dive buddy fixed it. He apparently had to abort his dive because of this, as he got freaked out. Solid.
Uhhhmmm, I think you get the point. Lesson learned. If it costs $50 US for 2 dives, you're getting what you pay for. For the record, this shop was recommended by our GAP Leader. And I'll no longer believe a word he says.
The Good: Great dives. Amazing coral. Fairly good sea-life. Highlights were a lobster, parrotfish by the dozens, trigger fish, and a black-tip shark scooting below us at about 30 miles an hour. Visibility was good, but not great. Nice nasi goreng lunch sitting in a cave on the beach, looking back at the gorgeous, green mountained island of Bali.
The Ugly: I'm sad to report this, but this beautiful dive site/island was completely polluted with garbage and trash. The reef was gorgeous and world-class. But the local government obviously has little money to put into conservation and cleanup. It was sad to see how much plastic was clinging to the reef. At one point I mistook a floating plastic bag for an exotic fish. I swam back 30 yards to figure out what it was. Not kidding. Anyway, the point is that I did enjoy myself, and I escaped with my life. One more adventure, but a risk I will not take a second time.
Back from our dives, we had just enough time to prep for dinner. Our fearless leader Koni arranged for a special feast tonight. We walked along the beach, ultimately arriving into the local neighborhoods. These homes are small, made mostly of cinderblock with roofs made of tile (like you'd see on a pagoda). One of the local women collected $6 each from us last night, prepping a 10 course Balinese dinner. Our group of 13 showed up to tables filled with food. It was A W E S O M E.... Chicken lemongrass satays, minced fish satay, tuna satay, fried sweet potatoes, nasi goreng, exotic veggies, and the best dish of all---shredded chicken fried with shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and red chilis (chili sambal on top). Good Lord, this was good. Definitely our best meal in Bali so far. Topped off with a giant cold beer.
The AC still works in the room. I still don't know what day of the week it is. Sometimes the best things in life are the least expensive. Just not when you're diving. Good night.
So let's stop right there. Driving in Bali. THANK GOD we booked a GAP trip and didn't try to drive ourselves. I thought South Africa was crazy. Basically the roads in Bali are about 50% the size in the US. They drive on the left side of the road. Rarely are there any shoulders or guard rails. Basically, there's just enough room for two average sized cars to squeek by each other. Now, go ahead and throw in random pedestrians, road-side fruit stands, and stray dogs by the thousands. This would make a great video game. Finally, the ultimate hazard: motorbikes. Not quite a motorcycle, but a step up from your basic moped. These ubiquitous crotch rockets are flying all over the road, and if there are any traffic rules, I'd be surprised. They pass with wreckless abandon, most of the time when no sane person would venture toward oncoming traffic. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a near head-on collision. It's just one after another. OK, I'm digressing here. Back to the diving. So Wayan and Putu's prayers were answered. We arrived safe and sound.
Diving: OK, I don't know how to put this delicately. This dive experience was the most horrifying experience I've had with this recreational sport. These guys broke just about every rule in the book for safety and operational procedures. I understand this is Indonesia, but I would've bailed had I not already paid, drove 90 minutes, and a subsequent 45 minute boat ride.... So without going into an maniacal tirade, here's the gyst:
The Bad:
1. No emergency oxygen on board. The cardinal safety sin of any dive operation.
2. No First Aid Kit on board.
3. No radio in case of problems.
4. Air Tanks just piled on top of each other in the middle of the boat. No safety valve covers. Not on a single tank. Who knows how old these things are and the last time they've been inspected.
5. "Boat" is a generous term for this mode of transport. Basically a longtail wooden boat, with our captain chain-smoking in the back with the 40 hp gas engine.
6. One member of the group was not certified, and they let him dive anyway. Wow. Let me repeat this. Wow. They gave him a 5 minute review (in broken English) prior to him descending. Good luck, pal. I actually overheard part of this briefing, which some of it included the exact opposite wrong info. I set him straight before he went under.
7. I had to persist to even have a dive master join this trip with me. They initially tried to stick me with the divemaster and uncertified diver. I gave them the stinkeye, and all was fixed. That would've been the deal-breaker. No buddy=No dive.
8. Rule #1 of Diving: Plan your dive, dive your plan.
Upon descent, we argued and I had to demand what our dive plan was (depth and length). He basically refused, saying "Look, I don't want to die either. We'll go off my dive computer." So I guess I'm on my own here then, huh?
9. Divemaster hands me a dive belt with 15 pounds of weight, all held together with a broken plastic clasp. Quick lesson: Your dive belt offsets the entrapped gas in a neoprene wetsuit, keeping you safely under water. Should you lose your belt underwater, you'd skyrocket to the surface. That equals likely death, as the nearest decompression chamber would be hours away. Minimum. So I refuse to use the broken belt, asking for another. I'm informed there is no other belt. I continue to refuse, and they somehow produce another one. After the dive I find out they gave it to the uncertified diver. Niiiiiice. Wouldn't you know it, the belt fell off him underwater, and he managed to keep it around his thighs until his dive buddy fixed it. He apparently had to abort his dive because of this, as he got freaked out. Solid.
Uhhhmmm, I think you get the point. Lesson learned. If it costs $50 US for 2 dives, you're getting what you pay for. For the record, this shop was recommended by our GAP Leader. And I'll no longer believe a word he says.
The Good: Great dives. Amazing coral. Fairly good sea-life. Highlights were a lobster, parrotfish by the dozens, trigger fish, and a black-tip shark scooting below us at about 30 miles an hour. Visibility was good, but not great. Nice nasi goreng lunch sitting in a cave on the beach, looking back at the gorgeous, green mountained island of Bali.
The Ugly: I'm sad to report this, but this beautiful dive site/island was completely polluted with garbage and trash. The reef was gorgeous and world-class. But the local government obviously has little money to put into conservation and cleanup. It was sad to see how much plastic was clinging to the reef. At one point I mistook a floating plastic bag for an exotic fish. I swam back 30 yards to figure out what it was. Not kidding. Anyway, the point is that I did enjoy myself, and I escaped with my life. One more adventure, but a risk I will not take a second time.
Back from our dives, we had just enough time to prep for dinner. Our fearless leader Koni arranged for a special feast tonight. We walked along the beach, ultimately arriving into the local neighborhoods. These homes are small, made mostly of cinderblock with roofs made of tile (like you'd see on a pagoda). One of the local women collected $6 each from us last night, prepping a 10 course Balinese dinner. Our group of 13 showed up to tables filled with food. It was A W E S O M E.... Chicken lemongrass satays, minced fish satay, tuna satay, fried sweet potatoes, nasi goreng, exotic veggies, and the best dish of all---shredded chicken fried with shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and red chilis (chili sambal on top). Good Lord, this was good. Definitely our best meal in Bali so far. Topped off with a giant cold beer.
The AC still works in the room. I still don't know what day of the week it is. Sometimes the best things in life are the least expensive. Just not when you're diving. Good night.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
March 24: Ubud to Lovina
Another lovely day in Bali. We had enough time to pack our bags, another quick western breakfast, and out of Ubud we go. As enjoyable as the last 2 days have been, we're not sad to see Ubud in our rear-view mirror. It was beautiful, great people, cultural experiences, fantastic food, and the occasional cockfight. But I think the word has spread. It's just gotten too big I'm afraid. After two days, I think I've been propositioned for taxi rides no less than 500 times. Relentless. Additionally, we're finding most of these shops to be selling exactly the same stuff, probably made somewhere in China. No lie---in one shop, one of the aborigonal masks actually said "Jamaica" on the forehead. Whoops, I think that one went into the wrong box!!! Not complaining, but I think perhaps if our hotel was about 3 more stars, we could've fallen in love with the place. As it was, it was enjoyable. Sadly, it's not a place I'm dying to return. Interesting how our feelings changed, as upon arrival we loved the place. Feelings seemed to be mutual across our international group.
We hopped onto the bus, heading into the mountains. We stopped at two different Hindu temples, one in a jungle-type setting, the other built on a lake. Photos will hopefully do justice. They were ornate and beautiful. The cooler temps were welcomed, as I think this is the first time since the Tapei Airport that I haven't looked like I just went through a car-wash with my clothes on.
Next stop was our stomping grounds for the next 2 days: Lovina. We're now on the very north coast of Bali, which was about a 2 hour drive from central Ubud (the airport is on the very southern coast). I guess it takes about 3 hours to drive the island, south to north (about the size of Oahu). Lovina is a much smaller beach town, with a few tourist shops, a couple dive shops, and a black sand beach just in case we haven't sweat enough... I already love the hotel, as we pulled up to an open-air lobby, swimming pool behind, and beach about 10 feet further. No peeing frog fountains, but instead a dolphin shooting a nice stream of water out its snout. Yes, the sea is about 20 yards from the pool, and we have an ocean view. Much better digs, as we also don't need a gas-mask to enter the bathroom.
The group enjoyed a nice lunch (I had the coconut braised beef), and we organized our activities for the next few days. Lovina is much more laid-back, far less people, and relax we did. A few hours by the pool, a nice king prawn dinner (for both of us), and off to bed.
I currently have ZERO idea what day of the week it is. I've officially arrived to my vacation. How sweet it is.
G'night!
We hopped onto the bus, heading into the mountains. We stopped at two different Hindu temples, one in a jungle-type setting, the other built on a lake. Photos will hopefully do justice. They were ornate and beautiful. The cooler temps were welcomed, as I think this is the first time since the Tapei Airport that I haven't looked like I just went through a car-wash with my clothes on.
Next stop was our stomping grounds for the next 2 days: Lovina. We're now on the very north coast of Bali, which was about a 2 hour drive from central Ubud (the airport is on the very southern coast). I guess it takes about 3 hours to drive the island, south to north (about the size of Oahu). Lovina is a much smaller beach town, with a few tourist shops, a couple dive shops, and a black sand beach just in case we haven't sweat enough... I already love the hotel, as we pulled up to an open-air lobby, swimming pool behind, and beach about 10 feet further. No peeing frog fountains, but instead a dolphin shooting a nice stream of water out its snout. Yes, the sea is about 20 yards from the pool, and we have an ocean view. Much better digs, as we also don't need a gas-mask to enter the bathroom.
The group enjoyed a nice lunch (I had the coconut braised beef), and we organized our activities for the next few days. Lovina is much more laid-back, far less people, and relax we did. A few hours by the pool, a nice king prawn dinner (for both of us), and off to bed.
I currently have ZERO idea what day of the week it is. I've officially arrived to my vacation. How sweet it is.
G'night!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
March 23: Ubud - Day 2
Jet-lag reared its ugly head. I was up at 5am today. A nice western brekkie later, and onward with today's activities. We had planned to take a half-day cooking course today. Unfortunately, only a few cooking schools are running now (off season in Bali). The ones that are running were fully booked by yesterday. So plan B was hitting the Ubud Botanical Gardens, which panned out quite well. I'm not one to get too excited about flowers, but this place was stellar. It is basically jungle-land, with bamboo forests, exotic flora, and an Indiana Jones-type feel to the place. Terri's highlight were the carnivorous flowers. I'm going with the undulating landscape, great photo opps, and "cool" temps under the canopy. Probably 80-85 degrees when we arrived at 8 am.
The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around town, shopping, a nice foot massage (for $4 each). That's right. 60 minute massages can be found in Ubud for anywhere from $4-$6. This was my first venture with foot reflexology, and probably my last. My brain couldn't decide if it was feeling tickles or intense pain. Sometimes it was both at the same time. At the very least, it was a great respite from the heat. And I did sleep through half of it.
On the way to lunch, we walked by an open lot where about 40 Balinese men were huddled in a circle, all yelling. It took about 3 seconds to figure out what was going on. Yup, cock-fighting remains alive and well in Bali's culture. Terri abstained, but my curiosity overtook me. I will not post any details here, but ask me if you're interested. From a cultural perspective, the subsequent events were fascinating. From a personal perspective, it was rather barbaric and it'll be the last cockfight I attend. And no, I did not take pictures.
Lunch followed, and we finally found Three Monkeys. It was strongly recommended in Lonely Planet, and the food delivered. Terri had a noodle beef dish, and I had an avocado/spinach/pinenut/bacon salad for starters, along with shrimp ravioli in kaffir lime cream sauce. Not exactly traditional fare, but nice nonetheless.
By the way, we're millionaires in Bali. Many times over. One dollar buys you roughly 10,000 Indian Rupiahs. It took a couple days, but I actually think I have a good handle on this currency. It feels quite strange to tip someone with a note that says "10,000," but that's actually a nice tip here-- $1. Five bucks will buy you a pretty nice lunch and a drink. Cab rides are around $1.50. Everything is negotiable. They start pretty high, but we can usually knock them down to 50% of their starting price.
Dinner was a quick dish of Nasi Goreng for both Terri and myself. Then it was off to the fire-dance show. Bali and Ubud in particular are well known for these shows. Naturally, our show was not in English. So all I can tell you is that it involved a golden deer, beautiful Balinese female dancers, 100 men chanting crazy-cool tunes, and two princes fighting before a man dressed as a horse ran MANY times over burning coconut husks. NO, they did NOT hand out hallucinogenic drugs with paid admission. Nonetheless, it was one to mark off the list...
So it's time to retire. I should note two interesting facts as I write this letter:
1. The power cords of the computers in this internet cafe are all tied together with bamboo husks. They live dangerously in Ubud.
2. Backstreet Boys is currently BLARING on the radio. For the second time since I've sat down here.
BC Out.
Monday, March 22, 2010
March 22: Sanur to Ubud
I have a feeling I'll be writing a lot about food. I wasn't expecting much, but the food so far has been very good. Brekkie (included in our stay) is no different. We both got the standard Western fare: eggs, bacon, toast. But the local tastes were not to be missed either. Fruit included watermelon, papaya, and rambutan. Terri went for the chicken porridge (I'm not a fan), and I had the black rice pudding. This is black rice cooked with coconut milk and I'm guessing palm sugar. It was DELISH. Other delights included sweet rice wraped in banana leaves. Yum.
Our bus showed up, a nice AIR CONDITIONED coach that comfortable seats all 13 of us. And by comfortable, I mean, seats in width and cushion built for 12 year-old-Balinese girls. Everyone commented how no-one fits on this bus. But it does have AC, so onward we go. Next stop is the Tannah Lot Temple, a beautiful and HUGE temple built in and around the crashing Indian Ocean. We got some great photos, and off we go to Ubud.
Ubud is the cultural center of Bali, up in the mountains. It's a bit cooler here--I'd say all of about 90 degrees. Ubud is known for their artwork, laid-back lifestyle, good food, and peaceful ricefield settings. We're here for two days, and already I know I could easily have done a week here. It's littered with restaurants, resorts, and massage parlors (of respectable variety).
Lunch was at the Dirty Duck, one of the more popular spots in town. I had (what else) the duck, which the cut in half length-wise, then deep fried. The idea is to tear it apart with your hands, dipping it into chili sauce and sambal (chili paste flavored sauce). Naturally, I loved it. Absolutely, the best duck I've had. The resaurant is open seating/ basically throughout lily ponds and with open views of rice paddies. Gorgeous.
Next up was the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Ubud has some very cool temples, and 3 of them just happen to be set in the jungle with perhaps thousands of Balinese Macaques. These little rascals are cuter than ever, and will take you to the cleaners if you don't watch yourself. As long as they suspect you don't have food or an open backpack, they'll leave you alone though. About 500 photos later, we're off to the rice fields.
We met back up with our group, hiking through the trails and roads weaving throughout the rice paddies. We hiked Campuan Ridge, going about 4 or 5 miles. We were invited to a Balinese wedding along the way, meeting bride and groom. Both wedding participants were dressed in traditional outfits, and the makeup was on thick (even on the guy). Very colorful and beautiful decorations. They actually were going to let us stay, but this could've been a loooong day. So we said our congrats and headed onward. I'll post a photo later, but as we walked out, about 10 people were giving their car a blessing, with incense, a dead chicken, and various fruits on the hood. One woman repeatedly through rice at the car as she said a blessing. To say the least, people are very spiritual here. I'm told Hindu and Muslim are the primary religions.
Dinner tonight was also at a traditional Balinese Restaurant. Fantastic again. We both had the Nasi Goreng, a fried rice dish with shrimp and a fried egg on top. It was served with two delicous chicken satays, as well as a dish of sambal (chili sauce) for fire. Needless to say, I'll be ordering this again. I'm learning the Balinese food is fairly basic in dishes. Most places all have the same items. The ingredients lean heavily toward chilis, shrimp paste, tamarind, palm sugar, ginger, tumeric, and coconut. Many kitchens cook over bamboo or coffee wood, providing a flavor unmatched back home. The dishes are similar to Thai, but far less curry, and not quite as spicy.
We're staying at the Panorama Hotel. Nice room (again with the ornate door), but lets just say the bathroom has a smell that wouldn't pass a Seattle health dept. inspection. Going on a GAP Adventure trip, the accommodations can be hit or miss. At least the AC Works.
Oh yeah, the pool has 2 six-foot tall frog statue fountains. Both are peeing directly into the center of the pool, arcing about 10 feet inward from their respective corners. Photos have been taken. I'm thinking Facebook profile photo here...
Good night, Day 2.
Our bus showed up, a nice AIR CONDITIONED coach that comfortable seats all 13 of us. And by comfortable, I mean, seats in width and cushion built for 12 year-old-Balinese girls. Everyone commented how no-one fits on this bus. But it does have AC, so onward we go. Next stop is the Tannah Lot Temple, a beautiful and HUGE temple built in and around the crashing Indian Ocean. We got some great photos, and off we go to Ubud.
Ubud is the cultural center of Bali, up in the mountains. It's a bit cooler here--I'd say all of about 90 degrees. Ubud is known for their artwork, laid-back lifestyle, good food, and peaceful ricefield settings. We're here for two days, and already I know I could easily have done a week here. It's littered with restaurants, resorts, and massage parlors (of respectable variety).
Lunch was at the Dirty Duck, one of the more popular spots in town. I had (what else) the duck, which the cut in half length-wise, then deep fried. The idea is to tear it apart with your hands, dipping it into chili sauce and sambal (chili paste flavored sauce). Naturally, I loved it. Absolutely, the best duck I've had. The resaurant is open seating/ basically throughout lily ponds and with open views of rice paddies. Gorgeous.
Next up was the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Ubud has some very cool temples, and 3 of them just happen to be set in the jungle with perhaps thousands of Balinese Macaques. These little rascals are cuter than ever, and will take you to the cleaners if you don't watch yourself. As long as they suspect you don't have food or an open backpack, they'll leave you alone though. About 500 photos later, we're off to the rice fields.
We met back up with our group, hiking through the trails and roads weaving throughout the rice paddies. We hiked Campuan Ridge, going about 4 or 5 miles. We were invited to a Balinese wedding along the way, meeting bride and groom. Both wedding participants were dressed in traditional outfits, and the makeup was on thick (even on the guy). Very colorful and beautiful decorations. They actually were going to let us stay, but this could've been a loooong day. So we said our congrats and headed onward. I'll post a photo later, but as we walked out, about 10 people were giving their car a blessing, with incense, a dead chicken, and various fruits on the hood. One woman repeatedly through rice at the car as she said a blessing. To say the least, people are very spiritual here. I'm told Hindu and Muslim are the primary religions.
Dinner tonight was also at a traditional Balinese Restaurant. Fantastic again. We both had the Nasi Goreng, a fried rice dish with shrimp and a fried egg on top. It was served with two delicous chicken satays, as well as a dish of sambal (chili sauce) for fire. Needless to say, I'll be ordering this again. I'm learning the Balinese food is fairly basic in dishes. Most places all have the same items. The ingredients lean heavily toward chilis, shrimp paste, tamarind, palm sugar, ginger, tumeric, and coconut. Many kitchens cook over bamboo or coffee wood, providing a flavor unmatched back home. The dishes are similar to Thai, but far less curry, and not quite as spicy.
We're staying at the Panorama Hotel. Nice room (again with the ornate door), but lets just say the bathroom has a smell that wouldn't pass a Seattle health dept. inspection. Going on a GAP Adventure trip, the accommodations can be hit or miss. At least the AC Works.
Oh yeah, the pool has 2 six-foot tall frog statue fountains. Both are peeing directly into the center of the pool, arcing about 10 feet inward from their respective corners. Photos have been taken. I'm thinking Facebook profile photo here...
Good night, Day 2.
Bali Departure--March 20
March 20, 2010; 2:08 am. The Carlsons have saved our pennies, so Asia (Bali and Singapore) are the next destinations in the adventure series.
That's right. Our plane to Bali LEAVES at 2 am. Seattle-->Taiwan-->Bali. Door-to-door (Seattle to Sanur, Bali): 27.5 hours. Ouch. Find me something to lay on so I can get off my butt. Only remarkable point in the flight was dinner (or was it breakfast?) in the Tapei Airport. I had some Udon Noodle Chicken Curry. Off the charts... If you need proof, take a look at my shirt. I think I'm wearing half of it. Slurp! Anyway, we crossed the date line, so we arrived a day later (March 21) in Bali at 5:30 PM. The arrival queue at the airport was a complete disaster. Patiently, we stand in "line" to get our visas. Line is a loosely coined term here. It was a mob of people, and after only 10 minutes and after talking to two different airport employees, we figured out where to stand to get a visa. Have your visa? Great. Now stand in a MUCH longer "line." One in which apparently doesn't move for 5 minutes at a time. This is due to both slow immigration officers and people cutting. Terri uses her adept social tactics at keeping me from going off on an Iranian woman who thinks she so coy and CUTTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. OK, I'm over it. 60 minutes later in this sweatbox, we're finally out. Really not complaining here. I love all the disorganization and mayhem that comes with travel. But only later.
A thirty minute cab-ride later, we check into our hotel: Swastika Bungalows. Uhhh, yeah. That's not a typo. Swastika. So the story goes, the literal translation of swastika from Sanksrit is, "to be with goodness." We didn't see any Nazi symbols, so I guess we'll stay. Our room is an ornate bungalow, right in the middle of a tropical jungle. Very cool. You know what isn't cool? The 5 foot, 6 inch doorway into the bathroom. It took all of about 10 minutes for me to smash my head into the doorframe. Once again, Terri intervenes to prevent me bodily farm, hanging my luggage tag from the doorframe. It's two days later as I write this, and my head still hurts when I take a shower. Which by the way, I need to about 4 times a day. IT IS HOT in Bali. Really hot. I'd say the temp. is somewhere around 90-95 degrees, but the humidity is stifling. I cannot stop sweating. My first day in Bali, I drank about 8 liters of water.
We met up with our group from GAP Adventures. Our tour leader is Koni, from Switzerland. We are 12 members strong, hailing from Canada, Sweden, Germany, and the UK. Terri and I are the lone US citizens. My undiagnosed paranoia dictates that the rest of them are scheming against us already.... Actually, everyone is quite nice.
Tonight's dinner was near the hotel, at Retro Restaurant. I had the red snapper and an avocado juice shake. Yeah, that's right: Avocado Juice. Mixed with a few swirls of chocolate syrup, it went down quite well. Terri had the Nasi Campur, a plate of mixed Indonesian foods: Chicken Satay, steak, some veggies mixed with seafood, curry, and a hint of coconut milk. The all-star tonight was the steak. They apparently marinate in coconut milk, and it was suprisingly amazing. I'll be looking for more of that. Time for bed. Jet lag. Big time.
That's right. Our plane to Bali LEAVES at 2 am. Seattle-->Taiwan-->Bali. Door-to-door (Seattle to Sanur, Bali): 27.5 hours. Ouch. Find me something to lay on so I can get off my butt. Only remarkable point in the flight was dinner (or was it breakfast?) in the Tapei Airport. I had some Udon Noodle Chicken Curry. Off the charts... If you need proof, take a look at my shirt. I think I'm wearing half of it. Slurp! Anyway, we crossed the date line, so we arrived a day later (March 21) in Bali at 5:30 PM. The arrival queue at the airport was a complete disaster. Patiently, we stand in "line" to get our visas. Line is a loosely coined term here. It was a mob of people, and after only 10 minutes and after talking to two different airport employees, we figured out where to stand to get a visa. Have your visa? Great. Now stand in a MUCH longer "line." One in which apparently doesn't move for 5 minutes at a time. This is due to both slow immigration officers and people cutting. Terri uses her adept social tactics at keeping me from going off on an Iranian woman who thinks she so coy and CUTTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. OK, I'm over it. 60 minutes later in this sweatbox, we're finally out. Really not complaining here. I love all the disorganization and mayhem that comes with travel. But only later.
A thirty minute cab-ride later, we check into our hotel: Swastika Bungalows. Uhhh, yeah. That's not a typo. Swastika. So the story goes, the literal translation of swastika from Sanksrit is, "to be with goodness." We didn't see any Nazi symbols, so I guess we'll stay. Our room is an ornate bungalow, right in the middle of a tropical jungle. Very cool. You know what isn't cool? The 5 foot, 6 inch doorway into the bathroom. It took all of about 10 minutes for me to smash my head into the doorframe. Once again, Terri intervenes to prevent me bodily farm, hanging my luggage tag from the doorframe. It's two days later as I write this, and my head still hurts when I take a shower. Which by the way, I need to about 4 times a day. IT IS HOT in Bali. Really hot. I'd say the temp. is somewhere around 90-95 degrees, but the humidity is stifling. I cannot stop sweating. My first day in Bali, I drank about 8 liters of water.
We met up with our group from GAP Adventures. Our tour leader is Koni, from Switzerland. We are 12 members strong, hailing from Canada, Sweden, Germany, and the UK. Terri and I are the lone US citizens. My undiagnosed paranoia dictates that the rest of them are scheming against us already.... Actually, everyone is quite nice.
Tonight's dinner was near the hotel, at Retro Restaurant. I had the red snapper and an avocado juice shake. Yeah, that's right: Avocado Juice. Mixed with a few swirls of chocolate syrup, it went down quite well. Terri had the Nasi Campur, a plate of mixed Indonesian foods: Chicken Satay, steak, some veggies mixed with seafood, curry, and a hint of coconut milk. The all-star tonight was the steak. They apparently marinate in coconut milk, and it was suprisingly amazing. I'll be looking for more of that. Time for bed. Jet lag. Big time.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Monday, January 22, 2007
Monday, March 20, 2006
March 15, 2006 Day 20, Patagonia Trip
March 20, 2006 Seattle!
We finally landed this morning. I waited for Terri to land an hour later than myself, and we shared a cab back home. BACK ON US SOIL! Door to door, the return trip took 21 hours. I COULD USE A SHOWER! The weather here in Seattle as what we had hoped to leave behind. 39 degrees, rainy, with the cabbie reporting some hail and spitting snow the last couple of days. Geez.I gotta tell you, after 3 or 4 weeks away from the US, there are certain things you appreciate a little more. Anyway, before I get too crazy, I'll share just a few of the striking differences between the Americas:1. The people themselves. Living in Seattle, you come to see lots of different styles of people. Although other areas are more or less diverse, Argentina is very distinct in their people and culture. A high majority of their ancestry is Spanish and Italian. That remains highly prevalent, along with a Catholic faith. Southern Argentina does have more Germans, reportedly due to the Nazis seeking refuge when things unfolded in Germany. But for the most part, very few blacks, asians, or other minorities can be found in Argentina. Even fewer would be the native peoples of the region. The history we've read and learned state that nearly all were killed by either war or "new" disease 200 years ago. Other than the rabidly crazy people in La Boca the night of the soccer game, most everyone we came in contact with were very nice. Many locals in Buenos Aires were happy to help us get around, some even offering help in English. Of course, as a traveler, this comes with a grain of salt. Terri and I might as well have had a dollar sign on our foreheads, as a majority of people we got to know were guides or workers in the tourist industry. Regardless, the people of a country to me are the most important thing you take back, and Argentina was very welcoming.2. Food. If you've been reading these blog entries, our love of the food in Argentina is well documented. An average steak here is above and beyond what you'd get in say, Outback Steakhouse or even somewhwere nicer. It's like eating fresh salmon in Alaska. You just won't get better. Anywhere. The eating schedule for me was difficult to acquire in Argentina. Breakfast is minimal. Just some juice, coffee (which I hate), and bread. Lunch is usually very modest as well. And dinner. Well, the locals just pile it on there. But at REALLY weird hours. We would go to restaurants at 10PM and they wouldn't fill up till closer till 11 or midnight. I just don't know how they all stay so thin.That said, I clearly did not accomodate for this the way I should. Upon hopping my fat rear on the scale, the numbers don't lie and aren't suprising. 5 pounds added on to the frame in the last 3 weeks. Terri would annihilate me if I reported her figures, but let's just say our next vacation will be tonight at 7PM on the ol' treadmill--quite the foreign place for the last month.... And was it worth it? Yes. And Terri would tell you the same.3. Smoking--If you're a smoker, I don't write this as a jab at you. I simply just don't do well with it due to my eyes. Having lived in FL, CA, and now WA, it's wonderful that public smoking laws are in effect in buildings. Going to Buenos Aires, it was an all-out aerial assault on me. Am I just being paranoid or does it seem every smoker here in a 10 meter radius is magnetically attracted to blowing smoke directly into my face? It's very evident everywhere--hotels, restaurants, internet cafes, and on the street in general. Pretty much anywhere but an airplane as far as I can tell. Enough said about that.4. Traffic--I've been told India and some other places is worse. However, in B.A., there are no rules to the road. I've noticed people don't run red lights at all here and will SLAM on the brakes to avoid doing so. Otherwise, the road is first-come, first-serve. Lanes are broken through with reckless abandon. Turn lights and blinkers are never used. If you can wedge your little car into a spot to cut someone off, well that's part of the game. People don't get mad about being cut off. Want to know what they get mad at? Waiting at a light for ANY reason. Someone could be bleeding and lying in the middle of the road. And guess what? You'll have 25 cars BLARING their horns till someone scrapes that poor soul off the pavement. For completely reasonable situations, people will just lay on the horn for 15 seconds at a time. And not just one person--it's usually ten at a time. It's ridiculous.The other big difference is the pedestrian traffic. I learned quickly--cars have the right of the way. At all times. If you're not completely aware of where you are on the slim sidewalks, getting hit by a car is a very real consequence. Buses come whipping by and leave almost no room for chance. The sidewalks are definitely 2-3 times bigger in Seattle--we recognized it immediately upon getting home. And with far less people... B.A. is a HUGE city---13 million people is what Lonely Planet says. In contrast--New York is 8 million. Enough said.5. Architecture--Buenos Aires is grand, huge, and magnificent. If you were magically placed on some of the streets, you'd swear you were in Paris or New York. There are fountains and monuments everywhere, and it's all a bit surprising. However, the grafitti is a major problem in Argentina and Chile. They really don't seem to combat it, and upon closer inspection of some of their major statues and landmarks, there is just far too much grafitti. It's quite overpowering. Upon returning home, I can look out my window and see a striking contrast to the environment we expect. Of course, Seattle is pretty much Ground Zero for "Tree Hugger Nation," but it is nice to have clean surroundings.6. Summer Style--We were fortunate to spend 2 or 3 great sunny days in Buenos Aires. We're talking 80 degrees, very humid, and sunburns for all pasty white-skinned Americans around... So imagine me--T-shirt, shorts, trekking shoes, backpack, and camera around my neck. Not a stretch to imagine I guess. But the locals NEVER seem to wear shorts. The guys wear slacks and nice shirts, the women--mostly pants and some long skirts. I commented on this to Terri, and for about a 5 minute stretch, walking through downtown B.A., we could find NO ONE wearing shorts on a hot summer day. Really weird. Also running out of clothes, I spent parts of 2 days shopping for just a basic T-shirt to make it through. Sadly enough, the only thing I could find were soccer jerseys that would have ZERO re-wear value upon returning home. No T-Shirts. I'm beginning to think perhaps that we as Americans meet the stereotype that other countries have tagged us with. Yep. That's right! We're bad dressers in public. You won't find sweat pants in B.A. Nor will you find shorts, tennis shoes, or anything comfy. The same was true in Tokyo. Society apparently sets the bar much higher in other parts of the world. Good or bad? Not sure... It just is. 7. Landscape--Patagonia was the big draw on this trip for me. It's an area in southern Argentina/Chile, and it came as advertised. It is incredibly remote, and the desert wildlife and mountains were surreal. I'd recommend it to anyone. Unlike our mountains in the West, the Andes and Patagonian Andes are sharp, distinct, and jagged ranges. It makes for dramatic scenery, no doubt. Despite our poor weather in the national parks, I still greatly value the experience. The intensity of the wind in Torres del Paine was far greater than the swiftest wind I've ever been part of. The dynamic and colorful changes in weather were also impressive. All 60 miles of the hikes were wonderful, and I'd definitely do it again. If you'd ever consider a trip like this, I definitely recommend it. You definitely would have to lower your living conditions requirements, but the things you see will blow you away.Pictures are coming to this website. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading,Brian
We finally landed this morning. I waited for Terri to land an hour later than myself, and we shared a cab back home. BACK ON US SOIL! Door to door, the return trip took 21 hours. I COULD USE A SHOWER! The weather here in Seattle as what we had hoped to leave behind. 39 degrees, rainy, with the cabbie reporting some hail and spitting snow the last couple of days. Geez.I gotta tell you, after 3 or 4 weeks away from the US, there are certain things you appreciate a little more. Anyway, before I get too crazy, I'll share just a few of the striking differences between the Americas:1. The people themselves. Living in Seattle, you come to see lots of different styles of people. Although other areas are more or less diverse, Argentina is very distinct in their people and culture. A high majority of their ancestry is Spanish and Italian. That remains highly prevalent, along with a Catholic faith. Southern Argentina does have more Germans, reportedly due to the Nazis seeking refuge when things unfolded in Germany. But for the most part, very few blacks, asians, or other minorities can be found in Argentina. Even fewer would be the native peoples of the region. The history we've read and learned state that nearly all were killed by either war or "new" disease 200 years ago. Other than the rabidly crazy people in La Boca the night of the soccer game, most everyone we came in contact with were very nice. Many locals in Buenos Aires were happy to help us get around, some even offering help in English. Of course, as a traveler, this comes with a grain of salt. Terri and I might as well have had a dollar sign on our foreheads, as a majority of people we got to know were guides or workers in the tourist industry. Regardless, the people of a country to me are the most important thing you take back, and Argentina was very welcoming.2. Food. If you've been reading these blog entries, our love of the food in Argentina is well documented. An average steak here is above and beyond what you'd get in say, Outback Steakhouse or even somewhwere nicer. It's like eating fresh salmon in Alaska. You just won't get better. Anywhere. The eating schedule for me was difficult to acquire in Argentina. Breakfast is minimal. Just some juice, coffee (which I hate), and bread. Lunch is usually very modest as well. And dinner. Well, the locals just pile it on there. But at REALLY weird hours. We would go to restaurants at 10PM and they wouldn't fill up till closer till 11 or midnight. I just don't know how they all stay so thin.That said, I clearly did not accomodate for this the way I should. Upon hopping my fat rear on the scale, the numbers don't lie and aren't suprising. 5 pounds added on to the frame in the last 3 weeks. Terri would annihilate me if I reported her figures, but let's just say our next vacation will be tonight at 7PM on the ol' treadmill--quite the foreign place for the last month.... And was it worth it? Yes. And Terri would tell you the same.3. Smoking--If you're a smoker, I don't write this as a jab at you. I simply just don't do well with it due to my eyes. Having lived in FL, CA, and now WA, it's wonderful that public smoking laws are in effect in buildings. Going to Buenos Aires, it was an all-out aerial assault on me. Am I just being paranoid or does it seem every smoker here in a 10 meter radius is magnetically attracted to blowing smoke directly into my face? It's very evident everywhere--hotels, restaurants, internet cafes, and on the street in general. Pretty much anywhere but an airplane as far as I can tell. Enough said about that.4. Traffic--I've been told India and some other places is worse. However, in B.A., there are no rules to the road. I've noticed people don't run red lights at all here and will SLAM on the brakes to avoid doing so. Otherwise, the road is first-come, first-serve. Lanes are broken through with reckless abandon. Turn lights and blinkers are never used. If you can wedge your little car into a spot to cut someone off, well that's part of the game. People don't get mad about being cut off. Want to know what they get mad at? Waiting at a light for ANY reason. Someone could be bleeding and lying in the middle of the road. And guess what? You'll have 25 cars BLARING their horns till someone scrapes that poor soul off the pavement. For completely reasonable situations, people will just lay on the horn for 15 seconds at a time. And not just one person--it's usually ten at a time. It's ridiculous.The other big difference is the pedestrian traffic. I learned quickly--cars have the right of the way. At all times. If you're not completely aware of where you are on the slim sidewalks, getting hit by a car is a very real consequence. Buses come whipping by and leave almost no room for chance. The sidewalks are definitely 2-3 times bigger in Seattle--we recognized it immediately upon getting home. And with far less people... B.A. is a HUGE city---13 million people is what Lonely Planet says. In contrast--New York is 8 million. Enough said.5. Architecture--Buenos Aires is grand, huge, and magnificent. If you were magically placed on some of the streets, you'd swear you were in Paris or New York. There are fountains and monuments everywhere, and it's all a bit surprising. However, the grafitti is a major problem in Argentina and Chile. They really don't seem to combat it, and upon closer inspection of some of their major statues and landmarks, there is just far too much grafitti. It's quite overpowering. Upon returning home, I can look out my window and see a striking contrast to the environment we expect. Of course, Seattle is pretty much Ground Zero for "Tree Hugger Nation," but it is nice to have clean surroundings.6. Summer Style--We were fortunate to spend 2 or 3 great sunny days in Buenos Aires. We're talking 80 degrees, very humid, and sunburns for all pasty white-skinned Americans around... So imagine me--T-shirt, shorts, trekking shoes, backpack, and camera around my neck. Not a stretch to imagine I guess. But the locals NEVER seem to wear shorts. The guys wear slacks and nice shirts, the women--mostly pants and some long skirts. I commented on this to Terri, and for about a 5 minute stretch, walking through downtown B.A., we could find NO ONE wearing shorts on a hot summer day. Really weird. Also running out of clothes, I spent parts of 2 days shopping for just a basic T-shirt to make it through. Sadly enough, the only thing I could find were soccer jerseys that would have ZERO re-wear value upon returning home. No T-Shirts. I'm beginning to think perhaps that we as Americans meet the stereotype that other countries have tagged us with. Yep. That's right! We're bad dressers in public. You won't find sweat pants in B.A. Nor will you find shorts, tennis shoes, or anything comfy. The same was true in Tokyo. Society apparently sets the bar much higher in other parts of the world. Good or bad? Not sure... It just is. 7. Landscape--Patagonia was the big draw on this trip for me. It's an area in southern Argentina/Chile, and it came as advertised. It is incredibly remote, and the desert wildlife and mountains were surreal. I'd recommend it to anyone. Unlike our mountains in the West, the Andes and Patagonian Andes are sharp, distinct, and jagged ranges. It makes for dramatic scenery, no doubt. Despite our poor weather in the national parks, I still greatly value the experience. The intensity of the wind in Torres del Paine was far greater than the swiftest wind I've ever been part of. The dynamic and colorful changes in weather were also impressive. All 60 miles of the hikes were wonderful, and I'd definitely do it again. If you'd ever consider a trip like this, I definitely recommend it. You definitely would have to lower your living conditions requirements, but the things you see will blow you away.Pictures are coming to this website. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading,Brian
March 14, 2006 Day 19, Patagonia Trip
March 14, 2006
We woke up late today to attempt to train for the 5 hour change in time. After packing and storing our bags, Terri checked her email while I hit the grocery store. I found the GREAT wine we had with dinner last night, for the whopping total of about $9 a bottle. Again, the US$ to Argentina Peso is roughly 3-1. So the dollar takes you far, and prices here are consistent with what you'd pay in dollars. Except, gloriously, we pay in pesos! With a limit of 6 bottles allowed on the plane, we opened up the Lonely Planet guidebook and headed to Palermo Viejo for another walking tour. First off--WHAT HAPPENED to the sun! It was overcast and rainy today, despite the perfectly warm sun yesterday. Oh well--I guess this is just a way of transitioning to Lord-knows-what in Seattle. Palermo is a neighborhood quite similar to where I live in Seattle. It is downtown living, with highrise apartments and condos. Restaurants and small grocery stores dot the corners, and there are plenty of parks and entertainment options available as well. After failing miserably to communicate with a cab driver, we gave up and took the subway. Why we didn't try sooner, who knows? Following 3 different maps, we finally found our much-needed destination---->Rio Alba, the area's famous steakhouse. The parilla did not disappoint either. Appetizers of chorizo sausage, more provoletta cheese, and a MASSIVE basket of bread started us off right. Terri dug into a giant filet, and myself, a ribeye. This was some of the best meat we've had in all of Argentina. I'm starting to realize one of the main differences in the way steak is cooked here. I like steak in the US too, but many times it's the seasoning or marination that makes it taste good. In Argentina, they are all about the flavor of the meat. If anything, it comes underseasoned. But the meat is always so fresh, lean, and flavorful, it doesn't need all that salt. That's probably the major difference between a great steak place in your nearby city and any parilla available on any street in Buenos Aires. Terri and I have joked that some day in the future, we'll just jump on a dropped-rate fare to B.A. for a weekend, have 2 or 3 huge steaks, and come right back. They really are THAT good.The rest of the day was spent trying to walk-off our giant caloric intake. Although the Latin Art Museum (MALBA) was closed, we did check out a Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and dove into some Italian-style ice-cream. It was a nice lazy day, and a great way to finish off the trip. Terri and I both decided there was no way to top today's steak, so we just had dinner on our respective planes.We left for the airport at 7:15. Upon arrival, we thanked our lucky stars we left 3 hours before flight-time. The lines were the worst I've ever seen. Arriving at the airport at 8, I BARELY made my flight at 10:30 (American). Terri made it just in time as well for her earlier flight (United). Just 5 zones to cross back and the trip is over!
We woke up late today to attempt to train for the 5 hour change in time. After packing and storing our bags, Terri checked her email while I hit the grocery store. I found the GREAT wine we had with dinner last night, for the whopping total of about $9 a bottle. Again, the US$ to Argentina Peso is roughly 3-1. So the dollar takes you far, and prices here are consistent with what you'd pay in dollars. Except, gloriously, we pay in pesos! With a limit of 6 bottles allowed on the plane, we opened up the Lonely Planet guidebook and headed to Palermo Viejo for another walking tour. First off--WHAT HAPPENED to the sun! It was overcast and rainy today, despite the perfectly warm sun yesterday. Oh well--I guess this is just a way of transitioning to Lord-knows-what in Seattle. Palermo is a neighborhood quite similar to where I live in Seattle. It is downtown living, with highrise apartments and condos. Restaurants and small grocery stores dot the corners, and there are plenty of parks and entertainment options available as well. After failing miserably to communicate with a cab driver, we gave up and took the subway. Why we didn't try sooner, who knows? Following 3 different maps, we finally found our much-needed destination---->Rio Alba, the area's famous steakhouse. The parilla did not disappoint either. Appetizers of chorizo sausage, more provoletta cheese, and a MASSIVE basket of bread started us off right. Terri dug into a giant filet, and myself, a ribeye. This was some of the best meat we've had in all of Argentina. I'm starting to realize one of the main differences in the way steak is cooked here. I like steak in the US too, but many times it's the seasoning or marination that makes it taste good. In Argentina, they are all about the flavor of the meat. If anything, it comes underseasoned. But the meat is always so fresh, lean, and flavorful, it doesn't need all that salt. That's probably the major difference between a great steak place in your nearby city and any parilla available on any street in Buenos Aires. Terri and I have joked that some day in the future, we'll just jump on a dropped-rate fare to B.A. for a weekend, have 2 or 3 huge steaks, and come right back. They really are THAT good.The rest of the day was spent trying to walk-off our giant caloric intake. Although the Latin Art Museum (MALBA) was closed, we did check out a Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and dove into some Italian-style ice-cream. It was a nice lazy day, and a great way to finish off the trip. Terri and I both decided there was no way to top today's steak, so we just had dinner on our respective planes.We left for the airport at 7:15. Upon arrival, we thanked our lucky stars we left 3 hours before flight-time. The lines were the worst I've ever seen. Arriving at the airport at 8, I BARELY made my flight at 10:30 (American). Terri made it just in time as well for her earlier flight (United). Just 5 zones to cross back and the trip is over!
March 13, 2006 Day 18, Patagonia Trip
March 13, 2006
Buenos AiresDue to such a late dinner, it was time to finally catch some sleep. As a result, we arrived late to the ferry terminal for the first ride to Colonia, Uruguay. After sorting it all out, we figured it would cost us about $60 US to visit Uruguay for about 5 hours. Not worth it. So we ended up doing a GIANT walking tour of B.A. in the 80+ degree heat. I loved it! Today was by far the warmest day yet, but at times it got pretty heavy due to all the humidity and street pollution. We visited 3 primary areas of the city--Puerto Madero (ports), Plaza de Mayo (governmental area), and Microcentro (business and shopping district). The highlight of the day was by far the visit to Teatro Colon, their world-famous theater. Built in 1908, the building is magnificent, inside and out. You'd expect a work like this to be in Italy, not in Argentina. The theater itself seats about 3,000 people and is in the shape of a horseshoe on the inside. Terri is most impressed with the curtains, which all still are original and nearly 100 years old. The main curtain was 1.5 tons, and there's a fire door curtain that weighs 3 tons. They say the room is acoustically perfect, and is in the top 3 in the world. People on stage to this day do not even use microphones or amplification for sound, as you can hear even talking from anywhere inside. The tour was actually great, as we visited a the balcony, orchestra rows, and then the underground maze of rehearsal rooms, prop rooms, and inner workings of the theater that went 4 stories deep. You'd have to see it to understand, but it seemed more a work of art than an actual functioning theater, all the way from gold trimmed rooms to painted mural ceilings. Unfortunately, the next performance is in a week...Grabbing a smoothie in an adjacent cafe, all of a sudden the opera music got really loud. HELLO, turn down the speakers! Then we realized that one of the waitresses was belting it out! She was awesome. We stayed for 2 songs, as I've never seen anyone sing that loud, so perfectly, and from about 2 feet away at times. Terri got a great video of it on her ultra-cool camera as well... After a bit more walking and cleaning up, we headed over to grab some Italian for dinner. It was amazing. Terri had some pasta in cream sauce. Myself, lasagna filled with filet mignon, ham, sausage, and spinach. We also tasted a few bottles of wine to attempt to bring back the right kind. A corner grocery store has some bottles priced at about 5 pesos (less than $2). Not that it has to be cheap, but things are ridiculous in the stores...Again, off to bed. Tomorrow is our last day...
Buenos AiresDue to such a late dinner, it was time to finally catch some sleep. As a result, we arrived late to the ferry terminal for the first ride to Colonia, Uruguay. After sorting it all out, we figured it would cost us about $60 US to visit Uruguay for about 5 hours. Not worth it. So we ended up doing a GIANT walking tour of B.A. in the 80+ degree heat. I loved it! Today was by far the warmest day yet, but at times it got pretty heavy due to all the humidity and street pollution. We visited 3 primary areas of the city--Puerto Madero (ports), Plaza de Mayo (governmental area), and Microcentro (business and shopping district). The highlight of the day was by far the visit to Teatro Colon, their world-famous theater. Built in 1908, the building is magnificent, inside and out. You'd expect a work like this to be in Italy, not in Argentina. The theater itself seats about 3,000 people and is in the shape of a horseshoe on the inside. Terri is most impressed with the curtains, which all still are original and nearly 100 years old. The main curtain was 1.5 tons, and there's a fire door curtain that weighs 3 tons. They say the room is acoustically perfect, and is in the top 3 in the world. People on stage to this day do not even use microphones or amplification for sound, as you can hear even talking from anywhere inside. The tour was actually great, as we visited a the balcony, orchestra rows, and then the underground maze of rehearsal rooms, prop rooms, and inner workings of the theater that went 4 stories deep. You'd have to see it to understand, but it seemed more a work of art than an actual functioning theater, all the way from gold trimmed rooms to painted mural ceilings. Unfortunately, the next performance is in a week...Grabbing a smoothie in an adjacent cafe, all of a sudden the opera music got really loud. HELLO, turn down the speakers! Then we realized that one of the waitresses was belting it out! She was awesome. We stayed for 2 songs, as I've never seen anyone sing that loud, so perfectly, and from about 2 feet away at times. Terri got a great video of it on her ultra-cool camera as well... After a bit more walking and cleaning up, we headed over to grab some Italian for dinner. It was amazing. Terri had some pasta in cream sauce. Myself, lasagna filled with filet mignon, ham, sausage, and spinach. We also tasted a few bottles of wine to attempt to bring back the right kind. A corner grocery store has some bottles priced at about 5 pesos (less than $2). Not that it has to be cheap, but things are ridiculous in the stores...Again, off to bed. Tomorrow is our last day...
March 12, 2006 Day 17, Patagonia Trip
March 12, 2006 Buenos Aires
Today we woke up for the first day in about 15 that there was nothing on our plate from GAP Adventures. The trip with them is officially over, so we have a few days to ourselves to collect a few things, eat a few more steaks, and transition back to normal life. We said our good-byes to the rest of the group this AM, heading to the Recoleta Cemetary for some sight-seeing. The Recoleta is the nicest part of B.A., and it's like the ¨Manhattan¨ of the area as far as housing goes. There are fancy shops, and historically, it's the "in" part of the city, with shopping and housing coming at a premium. The cemetary is well known and similar to those in New Orleans (above ground). It's actually more like a city of tombs, some that were so ornate and huge that it was sickening that $ was used in such a way. We're talking granite and marble structures. Stained glass windows on the insides... Domed ceings on some with mosaics and painted ceilings. Some were huge and beautiful. Many others were old, beaten down, and the caskets almost falling out of them. There is a lot of history in this place, as the oldest person we saw was born in 1880. Eva Peron's grave is also here, but very modest compared to the bigger ones.After a quick saunter through a street market, we hit up our favorite Steak joint, La Caballeriza. Although not as good as the one in Puerto Madero, we enjoyed a 20 ounce steak, chorizo sausage, the mandatory 2 pounds of bread for Terri, and the glorious grilled provoleta. Mmmmmmmmm... The rest of the afternoon was spent doing some shopping and preparing for the evening.We were to meet at 4:00 with some of our new friends---Roberto, Ted, Paul, and Mufti. After waiting for over an hour for Roberto (our GAP Leader), it was apparent he would neither show up nor call. Kind of a bummer, as Ted and Mufti have a grasp of Spanish. Terri, Paul, and myself---nearly worthless. Anyway, tonight's event was truly unforgetable. We headed out to La Boca for the big soccer game. The Boca Juniors is the most popular team in B.A., and a Sunday night match against Quilme was a great draw. After piling all 5 of us into a cab, we arrived to Boca, a somewhat shady neighborhood with a reputation for eating up tourists and spitting them out.A cop quickly informed us that the game as sold out and we should just go back to where we came from. We would not be getting tickets. However, like in the US, scalpers easily spotted us and we let the negotiations begin... It took nearly 2 hours, and I thought we'd have to give our first born to indeed get the tickets. But ultimately, 100 pesos each ($33) got us Club Seats in a nice area. It's very important to get the right section for these matches, as it can be quite dangerous if you're in with the riff-raff. The rough section is called "el populares," and the activity from this area was just as entertaining as the game itself. I saw a few people get pummelled at the game's end...Terri can vouch for me on this: It was a bit scary even getting into the stadium. It seemed everywhere we went, many eyes were following us. We had all agreed to not speak English, as this was definitely not the element you want people to know you're a tourist and likely have a money pouch somewhere on you (Ted actually got scammed of $200 and a credit card earlier in the day).Once we found our seats, the game was ELECTRIC. We've all heard about how passionate non-Americans are about soccer. Let me tell you--it's all that and more. I've not seen energy like this at any sporting event I've ever attended. A majority of the stadium sang songs through the ENTIRE game. Never stopped. Just one song after the other. And LOUD. People were yelling and screaming the entire match, which Boca won (Thank God cause it could've been bad had they lost) 3-1. There are some blazing differences between US Football and Argentina Soccer.1. The opposing players must enter the field in giant blown up tubes that goes halfway out onto the field. That way, no fans can throw batteries or harmful objects at them as they near the edges of the field. 2. The opposing team bench is built INTO the stadium so no one can get at them.3. There are 20 foot fences around the playing field to keep the fans out. Some fences are barbed wire, and some have REALLY sharp spines on them.4. Those same fences (as well as bulletproof glass) kept the common fans out of our Members Only section. 5. There was no scoreboard or time clock. However, EVERYONE was very into the game and followed very closely. Including the women, which actually were very few.6. The opposing team's fans were kept away from everyone else. When the game ended, it is common policy to let them leave for 30 minutes before the home team leaves. That way no one gets maimed or worse...7. The opposing team SET FIRE to their section of the stadium as they left. I'm not joking. It was a big fire that burned for several minutes as we made our way from the seats. Lose the game? Fine. But we're gonna set fire do your bleeping stadium. 8. It seems in US football, people spend great energy and $ on showing how big a fan they are. People dress up, trick out their vehicles, wear goofy clothing, and it seems to be a lot about image. Here, it seems ALL energy is put through vocalizing, singing, and completely FREAKING OUT. I've been fortunate to attend some exciting sporting events in the USA. None of them come close to matching the energy tonight, minute for minute.... Not even close.9. In the US, no one likes the referees. In Argentina, you might get shot if you're a ref. Yes, it's happened. The fans actually booed and cussed the refs just as much as the entire team. And this was BEFORE the game even started.10. I've learned some new swear words... From the mouth of an 8 year-old at the game with his parents. I won't give you a verbatim definition, but let's just say that the words "punta" and "madre" is no way to give someone a compliment. Especially when used together.11. Cheerleaders. The cheerleaders come out only before the game and at halftime. This is the the tune of about 60,000 men whistling. The cheerleader outfits reminded me mostly of a bad high-school team, and their dancing was pretty unorganized as well. The interesting thing, however, is that 3 women flag bearers decorate the field with the cheering squad. Yup, in a tiny sports bra top and a G-String. Mufti (Brit) more appropriately calls them "cheekers," which might be my new favorite slang word for the trip.Anyway, despite the highly anxious acquisition of tickets, leaving the stadium was much easier. We again instituted our "No English" policy until we found a cab. Boca is no place to be milling about on your own after dark. But there were 5 of us, and despite the seemingly scary situation, we never really met any imminent danger. It can just feel a little intimidating when you find yourself in an element 100% foreign, you speak just a little of the language, and your guide decides not to show up! Once home, we cleaned up and headed straight over to Rodizio, a highly recommended steak place. Dinner time: 11 PM. This is very typical of the locals, as they usually eat dinner 10PM or later. This is served Brazillian style, where the waiters come by with skewers of various types of beef. Options included Steak, pork, chicken, chorizo sausage, intestines, blood sausage, goat, and ribs. Needless to say, I ate till the next bite may cause illness. Although Rodizio came highly recommended, I'd say it was way overpriced, at about $20 US per person. The service was great though, and overall it was better meat than in the US. Just not as good as hoped. I'm sure we'll find more tomorrow...A quick cab ride home was time enough for me to learn that I tried to pay with counterfeit $. That's right. BC dishing out the fake 10 Peso bills. Apparently the lovely ladies in the souvinier shop passed me a fake bill after I bought a hat at the game. Nice to know their gift stand has a stack of counterfeit bills for obscenely obvious non-locals. So I guess the hat was actually 40 pesos instead of 30. Just the nice touch I'd hoped for to end off a crazy night. You all would have loved the interaction between me and the cab driver as he told me my 10 peso note was "no bueno," offering no other explanation due to the language barrier. It was a bit tense, and perhaps Terri saved my life by stepping in with real money, as it wasn't till later I figured out I was duped. Time for sleep.
Today we woke up for the first day in about 15 that there was nothing on our plate from GAP Adventures. The trip with them is officially over, so we have a few days to ourselves to collect a few things, eat a few more steaks, and transition back to normal life. We said our good-byes to the rest of the group this AM, heading to the Recoleta Cemetary for some sight-seeing. The Recoleta is the nicest part of B.A., and it's like the ¨Manhattan¨ of the area as far as housing goes. There are fancy shops, and historically, it's the "in" part of the city, with shopping and housing coming at a premium. The cemetary is well known and similar to those in New Orleans (above ground). It's actually more like a city of tombs, some that were so ornate and huge that it was sickening that $ was used in such a way. We're talking granite and marble structures. Stained glass windows on the insides... Domed ceings on some with mosaics and painted ceilings. Some were huge and beautiful. Many others were old, beaten down, and the caskets almost falling out of them. There is a lot of history in this place, as the oldest person we saw was born in 1880. Eva Peron's grave is also here, but very modest compared to the bigger ones.After a quick saunter through a street market, we hit up our favorite Steak joint, La Caballeriza. Although not as good as the one in Puerto Madero, we enjoyed a 20 ounce steak, chorizo sausage, the mandatory 2 pounds of bread for Terri, and the glorious grilled provoleta. Mmmmmmmmm... The rest of the afternoon was spent doing some shopping and preparing for the evening.We were to meet at 4:00 with some of our new friends---Roberto, Ted, Paul, and Mufti. After waiting for over an hour for Roberto (our GAP Leader), it was apparent he would neither show up nor call. Kind of a bummer, as Ted and Mufti have a grasp of Spanish. Terri, Paul, and myself---nearly worthless. Anyway, tonight's event was truly unforgetable. We headed out to La Boca for the big soccer game. The Boca Juniors is the most popular team in B.A., and a Sunday night match against Quilme was a great draw. After piling all 5 of us into a cab, we arrived to Boca, a somewhat shady neighborhood with a reputation for eating up tourists and spitting them out.A cop quickly informed us that the game as sold out and we should just go back to where we came from. We would not be getting tickets. However, like in the US, scalpers easily spotted us and we let the negotiations begin... It took nearly 2 hours, and I thought we'd have to give our first born to indeed get the tickets. But ultimately, 100 pesos each ($33) got us Club Seats in a nice area. It's very important to get the right section for these matches, as it can be quite dangerous if you're in with the riff-raff. The rough section is called "el populares," and the activity from this area was just as entertaining as the game itself. I saw a few people get pummelled at the game's end...Terri can vouch for me on this: It was a bit scary even getting into the stadium. It seemed everywhere we went, many eyes were following us. We had all agreed to not speak English, as this was definitely not the element you want people to know you're a tourist and likely have a money pouch somewhere on you (Ted actually got scammed of $200 and a credit card earlier in the day).Once we found our seats, the game was ELECTRIC. We've all heard about how passionate non-Americans are about soccer. Let me tell you--it's all that and more. I've not seen energy like this at any sporting event I've ever attended. A majority of the stadium sang songs through the ENTIRE game. Never stopped. Just one song after the other. And LOUD. People were yelling and screaming the entire match, which Boca won (Thank God cause it could've been bad had they lost) 3-1. There are some blazing differences between US Football and Argentina Soccer.1. The opposing players must enter the field in giant blown up tubes that goes halfway out onto the field. That way, no fans can throw batteries or harmful objects at them as they near the edges of the field. 2. The opposing team bench is built INTO the stadium so no one can get at them.3. There are 20 foot fences around the playing field to keep the fans out. Some fences are barbed wire, and some have REALLY sharp spines on them.4. Those same fences (as well as bulletproof glass) kept the common fans out of our Members Only section. 5. There was no scoreboard or time clock. However, EVERYONE was very into the game and followed very closely. Including the women, which actually were very few.6. The opposing team's fans were kept away from everyone else. When the game ended, it is common policy to let them leave for 30 minutes before the home team leaves. That way no one gets maimed or worse...7. The opposing team SET FIRE to their section of the stadium as they left. I'm not joking. It was a big fire that burned for several minutes as we made our way from the seats. Lose the game? Fine. But we're gonna set fire do your bleeping stadium. 8. It seems in US football, people spend great energy and $ on showing how big a fan they are. People dress up, trick out their vehicles, wear goofy clothing, and it seems to be a lot about image. Here, it seems ALL energy is put through vocalizing, singing, and completely FREAKING OUT. I've been fortunate to attend some exciting sporting events in the USA. None of them come close to matching the energy tonight, minute for minute.... Not even close.9. In the US, no one likes the referees. In Argentina, you might get shot if you're a ref. Yes, it's happened. The fans actually booed and cussed the refs just as much as the entire team. And this was BEFORE the game even started.10. I've learned some new swear words... From the mouth of an 8 year-old at the game with his parents. I won't give you a verbatim definition, but let's just say that the words "punta" and "madre" is no way to give someone a compliment. Especially when used together.11. Cheerleaders. The cheerleaders come out only before the game and at halftime. This is the the tune of about 60,000 men whistling. The cheerleader outfits reminded me mostly of a bad high-school team, and their dancing was pretty unorganized as well. The interesting thing, however, is that 3 women flag bearers decorate the field with the cheering squad. Yup, in a tiny sports bra top and a G-String. Mufti (Brit) more appropriately calls them "cheekers," which might be my new favorite slang word for the trip.Anyway, despite the highly anxious acquisition of tickets, leaving the stadium was much easier. We again instituted our "No English" policy until we found a cab. Boca is no place to be milling about on your own after dark. But there were 5 of us, and despite the seemingly scary situation, we never really met any imminent danger. It can just feel a little intimidating when you find yourself in an element 100% foreign, you speak just a little of the language, and your guide decides not to show up! Once home, we cleaned up and headed straight over to Rodizio, a highly recommended steak place. Dinner time: 11 PM. This is very typical of the locals, as they usually eat dinner 10PM or later. This is served Brazillian style, where the waiters come by with skewers of various types of beef. Options included Steak, pork, chicken, chorizo sausage, intestines, blood sausage, goat, and ribs. Needless to say, I ate till the next bite may cause illness. Although Rodizio came highly recommended, I'd say it was way overpriced, at about $20 US per person. The service was great though, and overall it was better meat than in the US. Just not as good as hoped. I'm sure we'll find more tomorrow...A quick cab ride home was time enough for me to learn that I tried to pay with counterfeit $. That's right. BC dishing out the fake 10 Peso bills. Apparently the lovely ladies in the souvinier shop passed me a fake bill after I bought a hat at the game. Nice to know their gift stand has a stack of counterfeit bills for obscenely obvious non-locals. So I guess the hat was actually 40 pesos instead of 30. Just the nice touch I'd hoped for to end off a crazy night. You all would have loved the interaction between me and the cab driver as he told me my 10 peso note was "no bueno," offering no other explanation due to the language barrier. It was a bit tense, and perhaps Terri saved my life by stepping in with real money, as it wasn't till later I figured out I was duped. Time for sleep.
March 11, 2006 Day 16, Patagonia Trip
March 11, 2006 Buenos Aires
Thank God! The Argentian Air 24-hour strike was lifted yesterday, and the pilots/mechanics here in Argentina decided to work one more week before they go for the big strike. The last one lasted 15 days, and the reason they're striking is the management decided NOT to pay them 5 million of the 16 million pesos promised. That's about $1.75 million, US. So although our flight was delayed 2 hours, our 4 hour flight back to Buenos Aires went as planned. Interesting enough, we saw Stacy in the airport--the 18 year-old initial member of our group who had a ¨family emergency.¨ Ten days ago, she left 10 minutes after meeting us, and she unsuccessfully attempted to recover her trip costs. Turns out she lied about the whole thing, including attempting to get Roberto (group leader) in trouble over the ordeal. Drama, drama, drama. She must've been really embarassed when our entire group spotted her and Roberto confronted her in the airport. Yes, drama!We arrived back at Hotel Splendid. I could think of a few other adjectives other than ¨splendid¨ for this place. How about: stinky, cramped, tiny, dusty, or puny. Once Terri and I dropped our behemoth backpacks on the 3 square feet of open room, we pretty much have to hop on clothes and shoes to reach the bathroom. And this is coming from a guy who's perfectly happy in a 600 sq. foot studio in downtown Seattle... We had little time to shower, as we hit up the store for some empanadas, as well as some shaving cream/razors for myself. Today was the happiest I've seen Terri in many days--I shaved the Grizzly Adams beard. The lumberjack look just isn't very accomodating to the fashion world of Buenos Aires. Of course, I'd hate to look out of place. As if my 60 pound backpack, glacier terrain clothing, and camera strapped around my neck aren't enough...Tonight we said our good-byes to some of the group. The rest of us headed to Complejo Tango, providing tango lessons, dinner, and a 2 hour show. It was pretty fun. The tango is a 7 step dance that wasn't terribly difficult to learn. However, to learn the steps, lead a partner, and dance in time to the music.... That ain't happening. It was fun regardless, and the pictures are indeed hilarious. The dinner was good, as we're back to being strictly carnivores (STEAK!!!!!!!) the rest of the trip. The show also provided 1 bottle of wine per person, so by the end of the night, all was good. Time to hit the sack and enjoy the last few days of sunshine.
Thank God! The Argentian Air 24-hour strike was lifted yesterday, and the pilots/mechanics here in Argentina decided to work one more week before they go for the big strike. The last one lasted 15 days, and the reason they're striking is the management decided NOT to pay them 5 million of the 16 million pesos promised. That's about $1.75 million, US. So although our flight was delayed 2 hours, our 4 hour flight back to Buenos Aires went as planned. Interesting enough, we saw Stacy in the airport--the 18 year-old initial member of our group who had a ¨family emergency.¨ Ten days ago, she left 10 minutes after meeting us, and she unsuccessfully attempted to recover her trip costs. Turns out she lied about the whole thing, including attempting to get Roberto (group leader) in trouble over the ordeal. Drama, drama, drama. She must've been really embarassed when our entire group spotted her and Roberto confronted her in the airport. Yes, drama!We arrived back at Hotel Splendid. I could think of a few other adjectives other than ¨splendid¨ for this place. How about: stinky, cramped, tiny, dusty, or puny. Once Terri and I dropped our behemoth backpacks on the 3 square feet of open room, we pretty much have to hop on clothes and shoes to reach the bathroom. And this is coming from a guy who's perfectly happy in a 600 sq. foot studio in downtown Seattle... We had little time to shower, as we hit up the store for some empanadas, as well as some shaving cream/razors for myself. Today was the happiest I've seen Terri in many days--I shaved the Grizzly Adams beard. The lumberjack look just isn't very accomodating to the fashion world of Buenos Aires. Of course, I'd hate to look out of place. As if my 60 pound backpack, glacier terrain clothing, and camera strapped around my neck aren't enough...Tonight we said our good-byes to some of the group. The rest of us headed to Complejo Tango, providing tango lessons, dinner, and a 2 hour show. It was pretty fun. The tango is a 7 step dance that wasn't terribly difficult to learn. However, to learn the steps, lead a partner, and dance in time to the music.... That ain't happening. It was fun regardless, and the pictures are indeed hilarious. The dinner was good, as we're back to being strictly carnivores (STEAK!!!!!!!) the rest of the trip. The show also provided 1 bottle of wine per person, so by the end of the night, all was good. Time to hit the sack and enjoy the last few days of sunshine.
March 10, 2006 Day 15, Patagonia Trip
March 10, 2006 Ushuaia, Argentina
Good news. Today we learned at 6:00 that the airline strike is over. Although we'll certainly be delayed, we will indeed make it to B.A. without difficulty. Fingers crossed... Even a 1 day strike has completely crippled some people's vacations. Many were to leave today on the last boat of the season to Antarctica. Apparently there are 100 people who did not make it. Some did make it, but not their bags. Can you imagine flying all the way to B.A., only to not make your boat because you the connecting flight is dead?Today we woke up in a new room at the hostel, but nothing different. The bugs again paid us a visit, this time dining on both Terri and myself. Not fun.However, the rest of the day was fantastic. Today was quite sunny, hitting the low 60's for a high with a nice breeze that picked up in the afternoon. I'll give you one guess what breakfast was. Good job--bread and juice. The croissants they give us have a sticky honey cooked into the top, so they're actually quite good.At 10:00, we headed out to the ranch for some horseback riding. Of course, Terri thinks it's hilarious that I got the ugliest horse on the ranch. It looked more like a cross between a donkey and a sheep, but got the job done. The trail ride couldn't have been better. We rode up into the nearby mountains, offering views of the bay, islands, and mountain ranges. It was actually spectacular, as the sun was peeking through the clouds all day. The ride was 2 hours long, which is actually perfect for me. We even got some beach galloping in, as well as crossing a river and settling back into the ranch in the early afternoon. Terri then went into the town to shop, and I headed to the obvious activity. GOLFING. Yesterday I spotted a course, and the urge to play in the southern-most course in the world was just too much. To rent clubs, play 18 holes (9 hole course twice), buy 3 balls, as well as tees, it ran me about $60. For the quality of the course, I'd say I got ripped off. Especially since the locals only have to play $16 for a round. But throw in the views of the mountain peaks jutting straight up, a beautiful day, the wild horses running around the fringes--- it was a wonderful day for any price. This is the first chance I've had to just do my own thing and relax on this trip. Nearly every minute of every day has been planned to this point by GAP Adventures. Today was our first free day since Buenos Aires, 2 weeks ago. Not that I don't enjoy Terri's company (or the the rest of our group), but to ramble around a golf course in a spot like this will definitely be remembered.Dinner tonight was back at the Crab Shack we ate at 2 night ago. Tonight we had dinner with the whole group, and I had a Parmegian King Crab Dish (Yum). Terri had the spicy crab, and has now decided this crab doesn't meet her expectations. Dungeness all the way for her. To me, it pretty much tastes all the same. But for the next 3 days, BRING ON THE STEAKS!!!Time again to get to bed. We have a date with the bugs. We don't want to keep them waiting, as they can get very upset with us...
Good news. Today we learned at 6:00 that the airline strike is over. Although we'll certainly be delayed, we will indeed make it to B.A. without difficulty. Fingers crossed... Even a 1 day strike has completely crippled some people's vacations. Many were to leave today on the last boat of the season to Antarctica. Apparently there are 100 people who did not make it. Some did make it, but not their bags. Can you imagine flying all the way to B.A., only to not make your boat because you the connecting flight is dead?Today we woke up in a new room at the hostel, but nothing different. The bugs again paid us a visit, this time dining on both Terri and myself. Not fun.However, the rest of the day was fantastic. Today was quite sunny, hitting the low 60's for a high with a nice breeze that picked up in the afternoon. I'll give you one guess what breakfast was. Good job--bread and juice. The croissants they give us have a sticky honey cooked into the top, so they're actually quite good.At 10:00, we headed out to the ranch for some horseback riding. Of course, Terri thinks it's hilarious that I got the ugliest horse on the ranch. It looked more like a cross between a donkey and a sheep, but got the job done. The trail ride couldn't have been better. We rode up into the nearby mountains, offering views of the bay, islands, and mountain ranges. It was actually spectacular, as the sun was peeking through the clouds all day. The ride was 2 hours long, which is actually perfect for me. We even got some beach galloping in, as well as crossing a river and settling back into the ranch in the early afternoon. Terri then went into the town to shop, and I headed to the obvious activity. GOLFING. Yesterday I spotted a course, and the urge to play in the southern-most course in the world was just too much. To rent clubs, play 18 holes (9 hole course twice), buy 3 balls, as well as tees, it ran me about $60. For the quality of the course, I'd say I got ripped off. Especially since the locals only have to play $16 for a round. But throw in the views of the mountain peaks jutting straight up, a beautiful day, the wild horses running around the fringes--- it was a wonderful day for any price. This is the first chance I've had to just do my own thing and relax on this trip. Nearly every minute of every day has been planned to this point by GAP Adventures. Today was our first free day since Buenos Aires, 2 weeks ago. Not that I don't enjoy Terri's company (or the the rest of our group), but to ramble around a golf course in a spot like this will definitely be remembered.Dinner tonight was back at the Crab Shack we ate at 2 night ago. Tonight we had dinner with the whole group, and I had a Parmegian King Crab Dish (Yum). Terri had the spicy crab, and has now decided this crab doesn't meet her expectations. Dungeness all the way for her. To me, it pretty much tastes all the same. But for the next 3 days, BRING ON THE STEAKS!!!Time again to get to bed. We have a date with the bugs. We don't want to keep them waiting, as they can get very upset with us...
March 9, 2006 Day 14, Patagonia Trip
March 9, 2006
Weather: It's COLD here! I'd say upper 40's or low 50's for a high, and it is summertime. The weather is cloudy as well, but at least no rain yet. A warm jacket, hat, and gloves will be required for anything outside.Sleeping Guests: Apparently Terri has made friends with the local bedbug population. She had about 6 fresh new bites on her arms and legs. About half our group has experienced evening interludes with these unwelcomed guests. Although the accomodations we've encountered have no-doubt been modest, I would say only one place we've stayed at has been seriously "below par." But waking up with new bites is never comforting. Roberto (tour leader) has agreed to switch rooms with us, as our window is right next to the noisy road as well. Otherwise, our place is GREAT!Breakfast: Yup, you've guessed it. An assortment of hot teas, coffees, and other unidentifiable liquid options that I want no part of. And the other constant--bread. I have eaten more bread in the last 2 weeks than in the prior year combined I think.Today's morning adventure was actually a pleasant suprise. We did a boat tour of the Beagle Channel, which is the harbor and island-filled waters surrounding the southern tip of the continent. The terrain is mountainous all around us, with distant glaciers visible and waters FILLED with wildlife. Before even exiting the harbor, we saw albatross, playing seals and penguins (TOGETHER), and a surprising humpback whale. We followed the whale for about 15 minutes, as our moronic tourboat captain obviously has ZERO clue about how you might want to treat the gliding undersea beast. We were on a much smaller boat than most, hosting about 20 passengers. By US standards, we got VERY close to the whale. Not that I'm some raging PETA follower, but I must say I got pretty upset at the proximity we encountered the whale. At every opportunity, our boat pretty much puttered right over the top of the whale, forcing it to flash his massive tail and dive down deep. Of course, when the whale came up minutes later, it was full speed ahead, straight at the whale until we went right over it again (with motor running). This happened over and over. I know there must be regulations, but my complaints fell on deaf ears today. Despite this, the tour was a smashing success. Paul, our British birding enthusiast, gave me an education on the birds of South America and all the rare things we were observing. We visited a few islands to observe the birds, with the final island offering a hike to the top of a hill to catch a panoramic view of the mountains and water. It was very nice. After a quick bite in a cafe with Richa and Eddie, we were suckered into the biggest joke of all time. The Mother of ALL tourist traps. We all heard and read of the supposedly nice train ride through the Tierra del Fuego National Park. How nice this could be, to just catch some views in the mountains and enjoy a lazy afternoon? A $3 cab ride brought us to the entrance, and the sign should've been our first hint. The "Sponsored by VISA" portion of the sign was literally bigger than the name of the train ride. Not joking. We paid for our tickets, which came to $25 US. This is one of the costliest things we've come across in all of Argentina. Our 5 hour boatride (covered by GAP), for example, would have been only $30. So this train should be pretty nice.So the one thing I'll put in the trains favor was that it was an actual steam engine on a small gauge track. It was what I'd imagine a tour in Europe to be like, with spectacular mountain vistas even seen in the taxi ride to this place.HOWEVER...... It was the biggest hoax of all time. If you could imagine the crappiest ride in the worst amusement park you've ever been to, this was about it. I could literally run as fast as this train went (even after a 20 ounce steak and king crab). The train only went about 4 miles, and it stopped twice for 20 minutes each (constituting most of the 1 hour travel time, each way). The stops were at man-made spots to look at crappy waterfalls and exhibits they had set up. In addition, we were "supposedly" in inaccessible areas of the National Park. That must've been news to the tourists who travelled there in their cars to take PICTURES OF US in the train going at Mach .0000000001 Speeds. To top it all off, the tour operator went into great detail on the microphone to explain to us how the prisoners in the early 1900's had to cut down all the trees surrounding the tracks. So what was our view? You guessed it. Tree stumps. Not just a few. Thousands. I'll get over it hopefully soon, but I swear the taxi ride to the train offered better views than the train itself. You could see the looks on the faces of the people getting off. This place is a roundup for suckers from out of country---and today we got took. At $25 US a pop, this place is a gold mine. Eddie and I argued whether it was even worth $5 US. I thought maybe it could be. He is even more bitter than me, and I think he will make it his personal mission to educate all of Australia on this possible mishap. Lesson learned.Upon returning, we received some stressful news. Being at the literal End of the Earth, what could be the worst thing to happen? Perhaps getting stuck here? Yup, that's what might be happening. Argentina Airlines has decided to go on a 24 hour strike. We are supossed to fly out in 2 days. We're a 4 day busride to Buenos Aires, where we fly out next Tues. I'm thinkng this might be a problem! Anyway, this could all be resolved tomorrow, or it could be the worst ending to this trip possible. We'll see. But ARG Airlines is the only way to fly from Ushuaia. If not, it may involve a 12 hour busride back to Puerto Natales, a flight to Santiago, Chile, and a subsequent flight from there to B.A. At the FASTEST, that could take 2 days. Houston, we may have a problem! More details to follow. Work will love this one...Dinner tonight was much better King Crab. Dripping in butter, it was cooked with garlic and parsley and was awesome. Even the connesiour, Terri, offered compliments. Time for some sleep. Buenas noches...
Weather: It's COLD here! I'd say upper 40's or low 50's for a high, and it is summertime. The weather is cloudy as well, but at least no rain yet. A warm jacket, hat, and gloves will be required for anything outside.Sleeping Guests: Apparently Terri has made friends with the local bedbug population. She had about 6 fresh new bites on her arms and legs. About half our group has experienced evening interludes with these unwelcomed guests. Although the accomodations we've encountered have no-doubt been modest, I would say only one place we've stayed at has been seriously "below par." But waking up with new bites is never comforting. Roberto (tour leader) has agreed to switch rooms with us, as our window is right next to the noisy road as well. Otherwise, our place is GREAT!Breakfast: Yup, you've guessed it. An assortment of hot teas, coffees, and other unidentifiable liquid options that I want no part of. And the other constant--bread. I have eaten more bread in the last 2 weeks than in the prior year combined I think.Today's morning adventure was actually a pleasant suprise. We did a boat tour of the Beagle Channel, which is the harbor and island-filled waters surrounding the southern tip of the continent. The terrain is mountainous all around us, with distant glaciers visible and waters FILLED with wildlife. Before even exiting the harbor, we saw albatross, playing seals and penguins (TOGETHER), and a surprising humpback whale. We followed the whale for about 15 minutes, as our moronic tourboat captain obviously has ZERO clue about how you might want to treat the gliding undersea beast. We were on a much smaller boat than most, hosting about 20 passengers. By US standards, we got VERY close to the whale. Not that I'm some raging PETA follower, but I must say I got pretty upset at the proximity we encountered the whale. At every opportunity, our boat pretty much puttered right over the top of the whale, forcing it to flash his massive tail and dive down deep. Of course, when the whale came up minutes later, it was full speed ahead, straight at the whale until we went right over it again (with motor running). This happened over and over. I know there must be regulations, but my complaints fell on deaf ears today. Despite this, the tour was a smashing success. Paul, our British birding enthusiast, gave me an education on the birds of South America and all the rare things we were observing. We visited a few islands to observe the birds, with the final island offering a hike to the top of a hill to catch a panoramic view of the mountains and water. It was very nice. After a quick bite in a cafe with Richa and Eddie, we were suckered into the biggest joke of all time. The Mother of ALL tourist traps. We all heard and read of the supposedly nice train ride through the Tierra del Fuego National Park. How nice this could be, to just catch some views in the mountains and enjoy a lazy afternoon? A $3 cab ride brought us to the entrance, and the sign should've been our first hint. The "Sponsored by VISA" portion of the sign was literally bigger than the name of the train ride. Not joking. We paid for our tickets, which came to $25 US. This is one of the costliest things we've come across in all of Argentina. Our 5 hour boatride (covered by GAP), for example, would have been only $30. So this train should be pretty nice.So the one thing I'll put in the trains favor was that it was an actual steam engine on a small gauge track. It was what I'd imagine a tour in Europe to be like, with spectacular mountain vistas even seen in the taxi ride to this place.HOWEVER...... It was the biggest hoax of all time. If you could imagine the crappiest ride in the worst amusement park you've ever been to, this was about it. I could literally run as fast as this train went (even after a 20 ounce steak and king crab). The train only went about 4 miles, and it stopped twice for 20 minutes each (constituting most of the 1 hour travel time, each way). The stops were at man-made spots to look at crappy waterfalls and exhibits they had set up. In addition, we were "supposedly" in inaccessible areas of the National Park. That must've been news to the tourists who travelled there in their cars to take PICTURES OF US in the train going at Mach .0000000001 Speeds. To top it all off, the tour operator went into great detail on the microphone to explain to us how the prisoners in the early 1900's had to cut down all the trees surrounding the tracks. So what was our view? You guessed it. Tree stumps. Not just a few. Thousands. I'll get over it hopefully soon, but I swear the taxi ride to the train offered better views than the train itself. You could see the looks on the faces of the people getting off. This place is a roundup for suckers from out of country---and today we got took. At $25 US a pop, this place is a gold mine. Eddie and I argued whether it was even worth $5 US. I thought maybe it could be. He is even more bitter than me, and I think he will make it his personal mission to educate all of Australia on this possible mishap. Lesson learned.Upon returning, we received some stressful news. Being at the literal End of the Earth, what could be the worst thing to happen? Perhaps getting stuck here? Yup, that's what might be happening. Argentina Airlines has decided to go on a 24 hour strike. We are supossed to fly out in 2 days. We're a 4 day busride to Buenos Aires, where we fly out next Tues. I'm thinkng this might be a problem! Anyway, this could all be resolved tomorrow, or it could be the worst ending to this trip possible. We'll see. But ARG Airlines is the only way to fly from Ushuaia. If not, it may involve a 12 hour busride back to Puerto Natales, a flight to Santiago, Chile, and a subsequent flight from there to B.A. At the FASTEST, that could take 2 days. Houston, we may have a problem! More details to follow. Work will love this one...Dinner tonight was much better King Crab. Dripping in butter, it was cooked with garlic and parsley and was awesome. Even the connesiour, Terri, offered compliments. Time for some sleep. Buenas noches...
March 8, 2006, Patagonia Trip, Day 13
March 8, 2006
Today we woke up in Puerto Natales, Chile. We said our sad good-byes to our Sanford n' Son Suite, off for another adventure. Today's trek started with carrying our bags about 4 blocks to the train station. To combat destruction to our backpacks, Terri and I bought gigantic duffle bags to house the packs. This makes things pretty darn difficult when carrying 60+ pounds around, but we made it OK. Arriving on time for the 8AM bus, we were again happy to see that our seats were rather comfy on a legitimate bus, as today's journey was scheduled southward for 12 hours. We had both immigration borders to cross, and YES, the Chilean border again had the soap opera on the TV--although this time at least the guards looked at us. Let's hope our border control is a bit more alert... Anyway, the road was again desolate, windy, and jumped back and forth between actual paved and dusty dirt roads. If you wanted to find a more remote spot on Earth, I challenge you to show me one more so than on these "highway" roads. There was little more to look at than wild sheep, birds, and rolling desert hills. So 11 hours later, we finally arrived to our destination-- Ushuaia, Argentina. Ushuaia has self-proclaimed itself as "The End of the Earth," as demonstrated by the countless T-Shirt shops and promotional materials scattered about. It reminds me a lot of the villages of Seward or Homer in Alaska, as it's a port town on the VERY southern tip of South America. Mountains, islands, glaciers, king crab, and a great outdoor scene are what makes this town famous. Upon initial view, it has a bit of a touristy feel to it, as it's the official launching point for the large boats to Antarctica. However, I think there must be a good reason for so many people to find their way down here, so we'll see.We checked into our new hostel, La Mustapic, a fairly decent place thankfully with private rooms for us. It has the largest bathroom we've seen for the entire trip, so it can't be that bad, can it? A quick stroll through downtown found some window shopping and then Terri's delight--King Crab!! This stuff looks perhaps a bit smaller than Alaskan Crab, but the legs are thicker and the crab itself looks a bit more spiny. The prices are a bit steeper here (by ARG standards), as this town is so remote. Still not bad though. Fifty bucks (US) bought us 2 crab dinners, 2 sides, a bottle of local wine, and 2 desserts. I was pleased with dinner, but Terri thinks we can do better. She's the expert, so we'll keep on plugging away. The crab is definitely fresh though, and there are some fun things to look forward to in this area. And Thank God we're done with that 11 hour busride!!!A few notes about this trip in general... So far I have found two ways in which, if you choose, you could completely REVOLUTIONIZE Argentina.1. Come down here and offer services as a grafitti removal operator. If you've got the equipment and know-how, there isn't one building I've found that does not need a good scrubbing. Also in Chile, there isn't a storefront that is not void of Spanish nonsense, Nazi symols, or anti-Bush slogans. It's quite out of control. Even decent looking homes have grafitti all over them. The really nice homes will have 10 foot high metal fencing around them to protect them.2. FOR THE LOVE OF PETE, does anyone around here know a good locksmith?! How about someone who actually has a key and lock that is functional? Hotel rooms don't follow the US format of "put the key in the hole in an obvious manner, turn, and unlatch the door." No, that'd be too easy. Here, they are still back in the ice-age in locksmith technology. They have these old "grandfather clock" looking keys that are symmetrical and you can't tell up from down, right from left. The keyhole is just a wide-open hole, and upon attempt to enter your domain, it it takes the delicate touch of a surgeon to actually approximate the key to the necessary contact points of the lock. I'm not kidding, it can take upwards of 10-20 tries before one of us will luck out and actually get the ?&"%$"% thing to work. So if you're looking for a life change and have the necessary skills, I've laid out your big shot at MILLIONS. These Argentinians have no idea what kinds of advances are waiting for them!
March 7, 2006 Patagonia Trip, Day 12
Punta Arenas, Chile March 7, 2006
Today we woke up in a much warmer, dryer, windless private room in Puerto Natales. It was really nice. After another quick breakfast of bread and juice, we again hopped on board a bus and headed to Punta Arenas, also in Chile. A 3 hour busride allowed us to arrive sometime after noon, and this town was much more complimentary to the country of Chile. It's a bit more cosmopolitan and is what I imagined Chile to be. Although the store fronts look nice and there seems to be reasonable shopping here, the roofs are still made of corrogated tin and things still seem to be below standards we expect back in the ol' US of A. Suprisingly, prices are still much steeper than Argentina. A quick lunch with Roberto found a cheeseburger and Fanta for about $5 US. Terri was not feeling well with a migraine, so I cruised over to the grocery store and did some shopping for us. It took me about 45 minutes to locate peanut butter and jelly, as the MANY private duty cops and store managers watched me like a hawk with my backpack on. Apparently thievery is a big problem here. Or perhaps they saw me stuffing all that ice-cream in my pockets.At 4:30, we all met at the travel agency for Terri's highlight of the trip--Las Penguinas!!! We drove 1.5 hours down a dirt road to reach the Otway Penguin Colony, which during peak season is home to 60,000+ Maggellan Penguins. They were pretty darn cool. Although their numbers were significantly decreased (we saw several hundred), it was quite an experience to view penguins in their natural habitat. The babies had nearly grown and lost all their new feathers, and many have already let. They have to drop all their baby feathers before heading to the Faulkland Islands for the winter, as they would freeze otherwise. These penguins were about 2 feet tall, and we could view them on the beach as well as inland in the holes they use to burrow as homes. Many of them were doing their crazy mating calls and were really loud at points. In addition, today offered great views of other wildlife, as we were truly out in the wilderness. We saw a wild yellow-eyed owl hunting (I think I got a great photo of this guy), wild coyotes, rheas (like an ostrich), pink flamingos, and caracaras (like eagles). Overall, it was an incredible experience. Quite unique, and I'm glad Terri improved enough to be able to see it. I think the frequent mentioning of this excursion was how I finally convinced her to do this trip!The hostel in Punta Arenas is noteworthy in itself. If you could transport yourself to the early 70's, this is the decor of this place. Although it is REALLY old, it has a kind of character to it that is welcoming. Call me crazy, but things could be worse. The temp. continues to be cold, as we are now even further south. Thankfully, the sun was out for part of the afternoon and it was comfortable with just a thin coat on. But for summertime in South America, I'd still call it colder than expected--no more than 50 degrees for a high.Dinner was initially fun, then an experience I won't soon forget. La Luna was the place, specializing in Italian food. It was a cleverly designed restaurant with good woodwork and even a fully set table upside-down on the 2nd floor ceiling. Roberto, Terri, myself, Herbert, and Ted were at our table. After an initial round of pisco sours, Terri had the filet and myself, the spaghetti. Terri's steak was no doubt completely BATHED in a marinade comprising of nothing more than a giant bowl of SALT. It was pretty bad. After the initial shock, it was at least edible. I had dug into my spaghetti and meat for a couple of minutes, when out of the corner of my eye something seemed awry. There seemed to be perhaps a bit more motion than I had expected coming from my dish. Perhaps something moving within the noodles on its own. Was it the pisco sour playing tricks with my mind? Ummm, negative. How about a nice 3/4 inch sauce-covered cockroach making a mad dash from my bowl of noodles and meat. CHECK PLEASE!!!! I didn't make a giant deal of it, but my dining experience terminated immediately. They gave me a pisco sour on the house, and that was good enough. I think I am ready for soom Argetine food. It's much better, free of bugs so far, and less than half the price... Time for bed and a long busride tomorrow. Hasta! La Cucaracha Out!
Today we woke up in a much warmer, dryer, windless private room in Puerto Natales. It was really nice. After another quick breakfast of bread and juice, we again hopped on board a bus and headed to Punta Arenas, also in Chile. A 3 hour busride allowed us to arrive sometime after noon, and this town was much more complimentary to the country of Chile. It's a bit more cosmopolitan and is what I imagined Chile to be. Although the store fronts look nice and there seems to be reasonable shopping here, the roofs are still made of corrogated tin and things still seem to be below standards we expect back in the ol' US of A. Suprisingly, prices are still much steeper than Argentina. A quick lunch with Roberto found a cheeseburger and Fanta for about $5 US. Terri was not feeling well with a migraine, so I cruised over to the grocery store and did some shopping for us. It took me about 45 minutes to locate peanut butter and jelly, as the MANY private duty cops and store managers watched me like a hawk with my backpack on. Apparently thievery is a big problem here. Or perhaps they saw me stuffing all that ice-cream in my pockets.At 4:30, we all met at the travel agency for Terri's highlight of the trip--Las Penguinas!!! We drove 1.5 hours down a dirt road to reach the Otway Penguin Colony, which during peak season is home to 60,000+ Maggellan Penguins. They were pretty darn cool. Although their numbers were significantly decreased (we saw several hundred), it was quite an experience to view penguins in their natural habitat. The babies had nearly grown and lost all their new feathers, and many have already let. They have to drop all their baby feathers before heading to the Faulkland Islands for the winter, as they would freeze otherwise. These penguins were about 2 feet tall, and we could view them on the beach as well as inland in the holes they use to burrow as homes. Many of them were doing their crazy mating calls and were really loud at points. In addition, today offered great views of other wildlife, as we were truly out in the wilderness. We saw a wild yellow-eyed owl hunting (I think I got a great photo of this guy), wild coyotes, rheas (like an ostrich), pink flamingos, and caracaras (like eagles). Overall, it was an incredible experience. Quite unique, and I'm glad Terri improved enough to be able to see it. I think the frequent mentioning of this excursion was how I finally convinced her to do this trip!The hostel in Punta Arenas is noteworthy in itself. If you could transport yourself to the early 70's, this is the decor of this place. Although it is REALLY old, it has a kind of character to it that is welcoming. Call me crazy, but things could be worse. The temp. continues to be cold, as we are now even further south. Thankfully, the sun was out for part of the afternoon and it was comfortable with just a thin coat on. But for summertime in South America, I'd still call it colder than expected--no more than 50 degrees for a high.Dinner was initially fun, then an experience I won't soon forget. La Luna was the place, specializing in Italian food. It was a cleverly designed restaurant with good woodwork and even a fully set table upside-down on the 2nd floor ceiling. Roberto, Terri, myself, Herbert, and Ted were at our table. After an initial round of pisco sours, Terri had the filet and myself, the spaghetti. Terri's steak was no doubt completely BATHED in a marinade comprising of nothing more than a giant bowl of SALT. It was pretty bad. After the initial shock, it was at least edible. I had dug into my spaghetti and meat for a couple of minutes, when out of the corner of my eye something seemed awry. There seemed to be perhaps a bit more motion than I had expected coming from my dish. Perhaps something moving within the noodles on its own. Was it the pisco sour playing tricks with my mind? Ummm, negative. How about a nice 3/4 inch sauce-covered cockroach making a mad dash from my bowl of noodles and meat. CHECK PLEASE!!!! I didn't make a giant deal of it, but my dining experience terminated immediately. They gave me a pisco sour on the house, and that was good enough. I think I am ready for soom Argetine food. It's much better, free of bugs so far, and less than half the price... Time for bed and a long busride tomorrow. Hasta! La Cucaracha Out!
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