Happy Holidays from Ushuaia

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Eventhough we couldn`t be home to celebrate with you all, we had a relaxing time drinking lots of wine and watching cheesy 90s movies with some friends of ours in Puerto Natales, Chile. The gorgeous Patagonia mountain backdrop definitely made for a memorable Christmas location.

We are now in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. It`s a cute little harbor town with mountains all around. Although it`s a bit touristy as many cruise ships pass through, it still has an Argentine feel.

We set sail today on the Marco Polo to Antarctica…

Happy Holidays to all and we`ll be back online in a week…

El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glaciar

Although Patagonia is thought of by many as one distinctive area, it is actually a huge expanse of land basically covering the entire southern halves of Argentina and Chile. It is primarily characterized by vast expanses of flat land that are pretty desertous looking. But between all the flat lands jet up gorgeous mountains. Beneath the mountains, lie crystaline lakes. And between the two, enormous glaciars have formed.

Zig-zagging back across the border to Argentina (neither country wanted to forfeit the beautiful land, so all the major sites are conveniently divided between the two), we set out to explore one of the most dynamic glaciars of Patagonia…

About the height of a 14 story building (60m above water) and 5 km wide at the face, this massive glaciar is 250 square km and advances 2m every day. From the various viewpoints in front of the glaciar, you can`t even see where it ends as it sprawls on beyond our sight…

There isn`t much else to say besides, it`t really big and cool!!! Listening to it crack and waiting and watching for ice chunks to break off and creat huge waves beneath it kind of make it feel alive.

Unfortunately, we didn`t have the time to make it up to El Chalten and Fitz Roy for more trekking, but maybe next time. We really can`t say enough about how cool Patagonia is, so hopefully we`ll make it back for round 2 someday.

5 days in Torres del Paine

So, once we were geared up it was time to head outdoors and into one of the world’s most revered trekking destinations, Torres del Paine. Towering rock formations, glaciers all over the place, ever changing weather, 100kmph+ winds, a harsh blazing sun (no ozone down here), long beautiful sunsets, and the list goes on. We had 5 days set to enjoy the park and here’s what we did …

The most trekked route in Torres del Paine is called the W based on the shape of the route and that’s basically what we did, however we did a shortened W in 3 days just via day hikes rather than the full trekking. So on Day 1 we came into the park and set out on our first hike along Grey lake to the Grey Glacier …

On day 2 it was a long haul up into the French Valley which offered a wonderful view where you are surrounded by mountains and glaciers all around you. Along the way you have some great views of the various flora in Torres del Paine as well as some of the best views of the “cueros” (horns). I’ll try and stitch a photo together for a panoramic view, but i don’t have the time/tools right now …

Day 3 the weather turned a little bit worse and we lost our beautiful sun and blue skies, but none the less we had a great day for our hike up to the torres (towers) …

After 3 days of hiking we decided it would be good to switch gears and try seeing Patagonia in a different way so we setup a 2 day overnight kayaking trip down the river Serrano at the southern boarder of the park. The wind proved to be a bit of a challenge for the kayaking and made it a bit more difficult than we had envisioned, but none the less it was great fun and we had some amazing views of the park from a distance on day 4 …

At this point we were beat and ready for some R&R, but we have no time to waste, so it’s off to El Calafate to check out the Perito Moreno glacier, one of the world’s largest and still advancing glaciers. More about that in a couple days.

Merry Christmas everyone, we are off to a good old fashioned Chilean Christmas BBQ. yum!

Getting to Patagonia

Sorry for not updating this in a while, things have been happening quickly the past couple weeks and we’ve spent most of that time in places without internet access, so here’s a big update to start to get you caught up.

After leaving Mendoza we moved into Chile to spend a little time checking out Santiago and Valparaiso. Truth be told we weren’t even sure we were going to go to Santiago at all since it has the reputation of being one of the more uneventful cities in South America. That basically proved to be true so we spent only a short time in Santiago before heading just a little further west to Valparaiso. Similar to Santiago there isn’t particularly a lot to say about Valpo other than the fact that it is known for having some colorful and vibrant neighborhoods, in a kind of hippie or bohemian way. So we spent only about a day and a half in Valpo before it was time to make our way into Patagonia. Here’s a couple pics from Santiago and Valpo …

From Valparaiso we took an overnight bus down to Puerto Montt which was really our official launch pad into Patagonia. From Puerto Montt we took a 3 day ferry ride through the glacial fjords on the western coast of Chile which eventually brought us down to Puerto Natales, one of the main towns in the heart of Patagonia. Aboard the Navimag (the name of the ferry) we basically just relaxed and made friends, watched some amazing scenery stream by day after day, drank quite a bit, and at one point got a little sea sick where the boat passed into some rough waters in the Pacific ocean.

Once we got to Puerto Natales we had a day to gear up before it was time to see the wilder side of Patagonia in Torres del Paine National Park …

Wine Touring in Mendoza

After a splendid couple of weeks in Buenos Aires it was finally time to move on and our next destination was due east in Mendoza, Argentina’s wine region. As you would expect, the main activity in Mendoza is wine tasting, so that’s what we did, spending a couple of days total trying to go out and visit some vineyards. The first day turned out to be rather comical because we tried (and somewhat succeeded) in doing things the cheap way by visiting the closest and most commonly visited vineyards via the bus. Well, as usual, the info we got about how to do this was not exactly correct and the buses didn’t run exactly where we thought or when we thought, so we ended up having to add in quite a bit of walking to get where we needed. In the end, we did make it to a couple of wineries, but the day wasn’t exactly a complete success.

A couple of days later we wisened to the fact that bus travel for wine touring wasn’t going to cut it and since we wanted to visit some of the nicer wineries a bit further away from the town we decided to rent a car and do things the easy way. Fortunately this day turned out to be much more productive and we got to visit a few very nice wineries.

Our first winery, Septima, was our favorite in terms of wine and also offered a cool raised view of their wine facilities. Their operation itself wasn’t particularly special, using stainless steal for pretty much everything, but it was a nice start to the day.

Our second winery, Carlos Pulenta, was the most interesting of our tours. For starters they were using concrete fermentors for a portion of their wines which is something i had never heard of and sounds like it’s a pretty new technique that is not used much yet. Even more impressive though is the fact that the entire winery is built in vertical layers so that rather than having to use pumps to move the wine through each phase of the production process they can just rely on gravity itself, simply opening up channels from one floor to the one below to let the wine pass to it’s next container. The design also ensures that the cellar is well below ground level which helps maintain an even temperature without much energy cost. Pretty cool stuff.

Our final visit was to Ruca Mallen, which didn’t offer the same level of interest as far as the tour was concerned, but they had a nice building with a view of their winery and a very nice tasting room. They were also the only winery which gave you a spending voucher to use for buying wine after the tasting, which we liked.

Sadly only a very small portion of the wines made in Mendoza are being exported to the US or other locations right now, and most the wines that are exported are often not the most interesting varieties. So we were able to grab a few bottles for immediate consumption but sadly won’t likely be able to get more from these wineries once we get home.

So from Mendoza it is onward back to Chile for a couple stops in Santiago and Valparaiso before we turn directly south and head into Patagonia =)

Peru and Bolivia Highlights

OK so this one is well overdue, but we thought still worth it…

Cusco and the Sacred Valley:

• Machu Picchu/Lares Trek with SAS – This one is of course a classic, but we also have to recommend doing a trek in the area. Most people we know did one of the classic alternative treks and loved it. There are a number to choose from based on your interests, but we were really happy with the Lares Valley and SAS did a great job. The day at Machu Picchu was the most tiring part, so don`t think you can`t do the trek, you can. You have to climb Wayna Picchu when you get there for the best views.
• Jack´s Cafe – Order yourself a ¨gordo¨ and enjoy. Perfect after coming back from a Sacred Valley trek.
• Tratamundo Cafe – On the second floor of the South side of the plaza, this place has great views of the Cathedral and serves up devine sandwiches and cafes…yum.
• Korikancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo – Our favorite sight in Cusco and one of the most impressive Inca structures.
• Pisaq – Our favorite sight in the Sacred Valley (aside from Machu Picchu). There are a number of temples to see, but not are all worth the effort. Do this one first or make sure to leave time because it´s big and worth the time.
• San Blas Neighborhood – The best place to stay in Cusco, without a doubt.
• Alpaca gear – You`ll need it to keep warm and it`s cheap!

Lake Titicaca:

• Reed Islands – It only takes a few hours but they are one of the most unique places we went.
• Quinoa Soup – The lake is almost like the heartland of the Andean experience and it wouldn´t be complete without trying some quinoa soup. Delicious.

Other stuff in Peru:

• Segundo Muelle in Lima – Considered one of the best cebicherias in Peru and it doesn´t disapoint. Absolutely worth going to if you go through Lima.
• Cruz del Sur – Our favorite bus company in Peru, bingo included.
• Monasterio de Santa Catalina in Arequipa – Awesome convent in Arequipa worth wandering around in for hours.
• Fez – Really good falafel house in Arequipa.
• Chicha morena – Special juice made from purple corn and fruit juices.
• Pisco sours – It´s not a trip to Peru if you don´t try one of these. Refreshing and delicious.
• Dunkelvolk – Cool Peruvian surf brand.

La Paz and around:

• Salteña tasting – Heaven in a little pastry. Our favorite place was Pacena La Salteña (get tumbo juice as well).
• Wagamama (not the UK chain) – Get your sushi fix here since we know you´re probably craving it about now.
• Coca museum – Small, but packs a punch. Really interesting museum with cafe for tasting coca products.
• Adventure Brew Hostel – One our favorites so far, this place was big and fun with most of the amenities you could ask for at a cheap price. The free beer every day helped!
• Biking World´s Most Dangerous Road – As if the bragging rights aren´t enough of an incentive, it´s actually a kick ass ride and totally worth whatever you pay. We went with Gravity Assisted and loved ém.

The Jungle:

• Pampas tour - This is a good intro to the jungle with the most opps for viewing wildlife. Whatever you do, the jungle is fun and you get to hang out in hammocks a lot. Getting to Rurrenabaque is an adventure though, so good luck with that one.
• Moskito bar – Good bar in Rurrenabaque with damn good caipirinhas.
• Casa de Campo – Really good restaurant in Rurre with patio seating at someone`s house. The couple cooks everything you order fresh.

Eastern and Southern Bolivia:

• Southwest Circuit and Salar de Uyuni – This was one of the true highlights of our trip. Surreal scenery for three days on a four wheel drive trip you won`t forget. It gets cold, so bring your alpaca purchases along. A definite must see!
• Minuteman pizza – Excellent pizza place in Uyuni that´s warm and cozy and totally yummy.
• Sucre – The white city. This one actually lives up to its billing a bit better than Arequipa in Peru and is worth the one or two day stop when travelling between Uyuni and La Paz.
• Convento de San Felipe Meri - You have to knock on the door to get in, but the courtyard is gorgeous and head to the roof for a view you´ll never forget.
• Para ti chocolates – Divine!

General tips…

• These countries are cheap!! So soak it up while you can…
• Prepare yourself for some ugly bus rides. The system in Peru is pretty good with tourist buses, but there is no real system in Bolivia (meaning lots of random stops and locals crowding on along the way).
• Everyone says everywhere in South America is dangerous, but it`s all exaggerated. Watch your bag at all times, but don`t be scared because its not nearly how it sounds.
• Look up the expected temperatures before you come. It`s cold here, even on the coast. Come prepared.
• Girls, bring toilet paper with you everywhere and get used to peeing behind rocks.
• They speak a little more English here and are more accustomed to tourism, so no problem if you don`t speak the language. No need to book ahead either, you can do almost everything when you arrive (except Cusco).

So that´s the quick rundown on what we liked most in Peru and Bolivia. If you have other questions about the area then drop us a line and we´ll answer what we can.