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Introduction to Chile, Argentina and Brazil from Frommer's
About Chile. Chile's tremendous length covers a hugely diverse array of landscapes, from the desolate moonscape of Chile's Atacama Desert, to the fertile vineyards of the Central Valley, to the lush rainforests of the Lake District, down to the magnificent glaciers and peaks of Patagonia -- not to mention more than 3,000 miles of coastline and Easter Island. It's truly mind-boggling to think of how many different experiences a traveler can have in just 2 or 3 weeks in this South American nation.
About Argentina. The distance from Argentina's northern tip to Tierra del Fuego spans 2,263 miles. And the scope of experiences you can find here is no less grand, ranging from the cosmopolitan bustle of Buenos Aires to the tropical jungles and pounding falls of Iguazú or the thunderous splash of icebergs in Los Glaciares National Park. Whether you've come to meander the quiet towns of the Lake District or dance the night away in a smoky, low-lit Argentine tango bar, your trip to the Southern Hemisphere won't disappoint.
About Brazil. There's a joke Brazilians like to tell: When the world was created, one of the archangels peered over God's shoulder at the work in progress and couldn't help noticing that one country had been especially favored. "You've given everything to Brazil," the archangel said. "It has the longest beaches, the largest river, the biggest forest, the best soil. The weather's always warm and sunny, with no floods, hurricanes, or natural disasters at all. Don't you think that's a little unfair?" "Ah," God replied, "just wait until you see the people I'm putting there." Accuracy rarely comes with a punch line, but there's a significant grain of truth in that tale. Brazil as a nation is unusually blessed. Five thousand miles of coastline -- some of it packed with cafes and partygoers, but long stretches blissfully empty. Rainforests and wetlands teem with exotic critters. Some of the oldest cities and civic architecture in the New World (and one of the newest cities in the entire world) are here. Restaurants match the snobbiest standards, with regional cuisines that have yet to be discovered in culinary capitals like New York or L.A. Music lovers could make Brazil a lifetime study. And let's not forget a little thing called Carnaval. And about those Brazilians: They work as hard as anyone in the First World, and many a good deal harder. In recent years Brazil has devoted time and resources to improving its tourism infrastructure, reflected in the new airports, hotels, and inns that have sprung up around the country. Yet no one could accuse Brazilians of worshipping efficiency. They'd much rather get along than get things done; the goal is, above all, harmony.
Post-Trip Summary
Day 1 - Monday, January 19, 2009 - US to Santiago, Chile
Day 2 - Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - Santiago
Day 3 - Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - Vina del Mar & Valparaiso
Day 4 - Thursday, January 22, 2009 - Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas
Day 5 - Friday, January 23, 2009 - Lakes District of Chile & Argentina
Day 6 - Saturday, January 24, 2009 - Bariloche, Argentina
Day 7 - Sunday, January 25, 2009 - Buenos Aires
Day 8 - Monday, January 26, 2009 - Buenos Aires
Day 9 - Tuesday, January 27, 2009 - Argentine Pampas Outside Buenos Aires
Day 10 - Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Day 11 - Thursday, January 29, 2009 - Iguassu Falls, Argentina
Day 12 - Friday, January 30, 2009 - Iguassu Falls, Brazil
Day 13 - Saturday, January 31, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro
Day 14 - Sunday, February 1, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro
Day 15 - Monday, February 2, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro and Flight Home
Day 16 - Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - Arrival Home in the US
Post-Trip Summary
Sixteen days, four countries, 14,000+ miles, rich history, interesting sights, amazing scenery, warm weather, nice people, great food, comfortable accommodations and fun travel companions. That pretty much sums up the great time I just had vacationing in South America. Despite 18 years of international travel, this was the first time I visited South America. My travels included Chile, Argentina and Brazil. We also took a day trip to Uruguay while in Argentina. The beauty of it all was that I was there at the height of summer. That means I left the cold, dreary winter in Wisconsin behind. Now that I'm back home in Wisconsin, I've got memories of my vacation to keep me warm until summer returns.
Where in the %^&* are Chile, Argentina and Brazil Anyway?
Chile and Argentina comprise the southern half of South America. Chile is a long, narrow country running along the Pacific coast on the west side of South America. Argentina is Chile's neighbor to the east and runs along the Atlantic coast on the east side of South America. The Andes Mountains form the border between the two countries. Brazil dominates the northern half of South America and is the largest country on the continent. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and all but two countries--Ecuador and Chile.
For the first time in a long while, there was little or no jet lag to contend with. The early part of our trip in Chile and southern Argentina was only +3 hours ahead of US Central Time. The latter half of our trip in northern Argentina and Brazil was +4 hours ahead.
How Long Was Your Trip? Where Did You Go?
Our trip lasted 16 days and covered a lot of ground.
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Did You Do This on Your Own or with a Tour Company? We traveled with SmarTours, the same company we used for our Thailand & Cambodia trip in 2007. I thought the itinerary was fine and allowed sufficient leisure time to venture out on your own though I could have used an extra day in Santiago to explore the city. The only problem we had was that a boat trip at Iguassu Falls was not part of the tour and 15 of us wanted to do one. Once we got to our Brazilian hotel in the late afternoon, we scurried about trying to organize one on our own. We succeeded and it ended up being one of the best experiences of the trip.
Our travel group had 31 people from North America, including 4 Canadians from Toronto, and 7 Russians now living in Chicago. The rest of the group came from other parts of the US. Usually you have one or two crazy people in every tour group, but not this time.
We had a Greek program director named Alex who accompanied us for the duration of the trip. In each town, a local expert joined our group and led our tours. I don't like having all those guides because it makes the trip feel so impersonal. But the local guides were pleasant and knowledgeable.
With Whom Did You Travel?
I was joined on the trip by my frequent travel companions Vicki and Vicky from Arkansas and Dave from St. Louis. Vicki, Vicky and I met in November 2003 during a guided tour of Egypt. We were assigned to the same group and became fast friends. Since the Egypt trip, we have traveled six other times: India/Nepal (2004), Australia, New Zealand & Fiji (2005), Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria & Romania (2006), Thailand & Cambodia (2007), Turkey (2007) and Poland (2008). Vicki, Vicky and I met Dave on our Thailand & Cambodia trip in 2007. Since then, he joined Vicky, Vicki and me on our trip to Turkey (2007) and traveled with me to China (2008).
How Did You Get There?
To get to South America, I flew from Milwaukee to New York's LaGuardia Airport, then took a shuttle to JFK. My friends and I flew from JFK to Santiago, Chile on LAN Airlines. It was excellent. It was an 11-hour flight. Most of our tour group flew in and out of Miami. On the way back to the US, my friends and I flew from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to New York's JFK airport on American Airlines. It was a 10-hour flight.
While in South America, we got from city to city mostly by air on LAN Airlines: (1) Santiago, Chile to Puerto Montt, Chile, (2) Bariloche, Argentina to Buenos Aires, Argentina, (3) Buenos Aires to Iguassu Falls, Argentina, (4) Iguassu Falls, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Gol Airlines). We went by bus from the Puerto Montt area in Chile to Bariloche, Argentina. That trip included travel along the Pan American Highway and over the Andes Mountains. It was quite scenic. I tallied up the mileage by air and road and estimate that we covered 14,300 miles.
Where Did You Stay?
We stayed in several 4-star hotels along the way. Most were situated right in or near the heart of each town we stayed in, close to major sites and transportation. All the accommodations were modern, clean and comfortable. Each offered American and Continental breakfast, which were generally quite good.
What Was the Food Like? We found pretty much any type of food we wanted. Meat and potatoes seemed to be the norm down there. The typical fancy dinner restaurant offered salad bar, assorted meat specialties and a great wine selection. The meat consisted of beef and chicken, often carved and served right at your table.
How Were the People? The locals were pretty friendly. We had no problems whatsoever. However, there was a language barrier since few people spoke English. I made a mental note to learn Spanish and bring a phrase book with me next time I'm down there.
Was It Easy Navigating Your Way Around? Generally yes because our tour company provided a bus and driver who took us everywhere we needed to go. Otherwise, we took cabs everywhere since they were cheap. Most of the cities we visited had subways and public buses, but we steered clear of them, not because they were dangerous, but because we had other economical options.
What Was the Currency? What Were Prices Like? We dealt with 3 currencies: Chilean Pesos, Argentina Pesos and the Brazilian Real. The US dollar gained against these currencies from August 2008 when I booked this trip to the time we left in mid-January 2009. So it got cheaper by the day. The prices everywhere were quite reasonable by US standards, though a little more expensive in the major cities. Private cabs and car services try to rip you off, which is why they stake out territory near hotels frequented by foreigners. Always get a metered cab. You'll save a lot of money.
So Net-Net, What Did This Whole Trip Cost You? This was one of the most expensive trips I ever took. The base trip cost $3,700, but I ended up spending about $5,400 for 16 days, or roughly $335 per day. I think the base trip cost a lot more because we traveled by air almost everywhere. On top of the cost of the base trip, I spent $400 for my Chile entrance fee ($131) and my Brazilian visa ($270), $350 for meals not included in the base trip, $300 to get from Milwaukee to New York City, $175 on optional tours and touring not included in the base trip price, $135 on ground transportation, $128 on trip cancellation insurance, and the rest on souvenirs and tips.
How was the Weather? We traveled in the middle of summer in South America, so it was wonderful. It was hot but dry in Chile and Argentina. We had one rain day in Bariloche, Argentina, but it cleared by the end of the day. It was hot and humid further north in Iguassu Falls and Rio de Janeiro. I'm talking 95°F with 80%+ humidity--not very comfortable.
Any Parting Comments? Yes. Travel is an adventure. It’s an opportunity to experience, learn and appreciate how people around the world live. While I’m always happy to come home at the end, I never come back the same person. And for that, I have a lot to be thankful for.
Following is a day-by-day account of our trip. Each day starts with an overview of what we did, followed by my daily journal. You can just read on or go back to the Table of Contents above and jump to a specific day or topic of interest. You can also click on the pictures below for a larger version. Enjoy!
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Day 1 - Monday, January 19, 2009 - US to Santiago, Chile
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Itinerary: Your fascinating journey to glorious South America begins as you depart this evening on your overnight flight bound for Chile.
Daily Journal
Weather: 7°F and sunny in Milwaukee. 30°F, overcast and snowy in New York City.
Well, the big trip is finally here. The weather in Milwaukee has been very cold and snowy for the last week and a half, so heading down to South America in the height of their summer will be a treat.
I woke up early around 4:30 am US Central Time. I had breakfast, checked my email and finished packing my bags. I took the city bus to the airport to save myself $30. But that entailed walking 8/10ths of a mile to the bus stop. On the way out the door, I turned around and went back into my condo and took several T-shirts out of my suitcase. At 25 pounds, I was really exceeding my personal weight limit on clothing even though up to 45 pounds was allowed. I planned to buy some T-shirts at Hard Rock Cafe in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, so there seemed no sense in bringing more T-shirts when I'm going to be buying some down there.
I also brought my computer and travel books, which weighed more than my suitcase. I packed almost all summer clothes, including all the Hawaiian shirts Vicky sent me last September. I also brought some warmer clothes--a pair of pants, a long-sleeve T-shirt and a jacket just in case we have some cold weather. That is unlikely since it's forecasted to be in the 80s and 90s in all the places we'll be visiting over the next 16 days. I brought my laptop computer so I could keep up with my trip journal en route. Otherwise it will be a nightmare trying to type it after I come home. I also like to access the Internet from my hotel room instead of fighting over a terminal at the hotel and paying high charges. It also allows me to back up my camera.
I left home at 7:45 am on my way to the bus stop. It reminded me a lot of my trip to Thailand in January 2007 because I was leaving a cold place and heading to a really warm one. I looked up at the clock of Chase Tower as I made my way to the bus stop. Yep, it was a balmy 7°F, a virtual heat wave considering it had been below zero for several days.
I trudged through the snow with suitcase in tow stopping at the Post Office on the way to mail some letters. I made it to the bus stop with a few minutes to spare and found myself down at the airport 8 miles away after about 20 minutes.
My 10:30 am flight from Milwaukee to New York's LaGuardia airport was delayed one hour, which eventually became two hours because of snow and fog in New York City. I spent my time reading my travel book, doing Sudoku puzzles and listening to Airport CNN blather on endlessly about tomorrow's Obama inauguration. Eventually my flight left at 12:30 pm Central and I was in New York by 3:30 pm Eastern. Dave had already arrived from St. Louis at 10:30 am and Vicki and Vicky had spent the weekend there with their daughters shopping, going to the theater and dining out.
Upon arrival, I collected my bag and caught the shuttle to JFK. It was indeed foggy, 30°F and snowy in New York. The trees looked beautiful all covered in snow. It reminded me of my 15 years of living in Manhattan back in the 1980s and 1990s.
Just before I got to the airport, Dave called. He had met Vicki and Vicky at JFK and was going to wait for me to get there before checking in. Since I was still 20 minutes away, I told them to go on without me. I arrived at Terminal 4 around 4:15 pm and proceeded right to check-in. As I was getting in line, I saw Dave, Vicki and Vicky. There was no one in line at the LAN Airlines counter so I was all checked in after about 2 minutes. The plane was also only 1/2 full so I got a window seat with no one next to me.
We then went through customs, which took all of 1 minute because nobody was in line. We then went to a restaurant to have a bite to eat and catch up. I last saw Vicki and Vicky a few months ago when we went to Poland together, so there wasn't much to catch up on. The drama was that Vicki and Vicky's daughters got stuck at LaGuardia on their way back to Little Rock because of the weather. By the time we boarded at 7:15 pm they had been sitting on the tarmac waiting to de-ice for about 2-1/2 hours. After boarding and taking our seats, we were all overjoyed to find that there would be plenty of room to spread out. We each had a row of seats to ourselves. We had a Boeing 767-300.
We de-iced and took off from New York bound for Santiago about 1-1/2 hours late at 9:30 pm. The flight would take 10 hours and 35 minutes. And with a 2-hour time difference from New York, we would arrive in Santiago around 10:00 am Chile time.
After take off, I had dinner and went to sleep. Vicki was across the aisle from me. She went right to sleep as well without dinner. We all needed as much sleep as possible because we had a full day of sightseeing the next day.
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Day 2 - Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - Santiago
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Itinerary: Morning arrival in Santiago, the bustling capital of Chile, located between the Pacific Ocean and the majestic Andes. On arrival, ride up to the top of San Cristobal Hill for a bird’s eye view of the city and the Andean mountain range. Later, learn more about Santiago’s charms from a local expert that leads you through the fascinating exhibits at the Pre-Columbian Museum containing a unique collection of artifacts from South and Central America. Proceed to the Plaza de Armas, the city’s main square and the nearby Cathedral. You’ll also see the Presidential Palace and the Bohemian section of Bellavista.
Introduction to Santiago from Frommer's
Santiago, one of South America's most sophisticated cities, is a thriving metropolis that's home to a third of Chile's entire population, and it is the civic, cultural, and historical nucleus of the country. In spite of this, Santiago is one of Chile's least-popular tourist destinations, and most visitors use the city only as a jumping-off point to locations such as Patagonia or the Lake District, or as a base while exploring the central region.
You won't find a rich, vibrant culture in Santiago that defines cities like Río de Janeiro or Buenos Aires, or an endless list of things to do and see, either. Yet as the city booms economically and memories of the stifling Pinochet dictatorship fade, Santiago is reinventing itself, and the arts, nightlife, and restaurant scene has never been better: Pay a visit to the city's spanking new cultural center and you'll see where Santiago is headed. Add to this the city's historical attractions and its proximity to ski resorts and wineries, and you can see why the capital city deserves at least a 1-day visit.
Santiago's salient feature is its one-of-a-kind location sprawled below some of the highest peaks of the Andes range, providing a breathtaking city backdrop when the air is clear and the peaks are dusted with snow. Visitors are unfortunately not always treated to this view, as dust and smog is a chronic problem in Santiago, especially during the winter months. From December to late February, when Santiaguinos abandon the city for summer vacation and the city is blessed with breezier days, the smog abates substantially. These are the most pleasant months to tour the city.
Architecturally, Santiago's city planners have shown indifference to continuity of design during the last century. Rather than look within for a style of its own, Chileans have been more inclined to copy blueprints from other continents: first Europe and now the U.S. Earthquakes have flattened many of Santiago's colonial-era buildings, and what remains has been left to decay to the point that tearing down an antique mansion is cheaper than restoring it to its former glory. Thus, it isn't uncommon to see a glitzy skyscraper or cracker-box apartment building towering over a 200-year-old relic, or to see cobblestone streets dead-end at a tacky 1970s shopping gallery. Some neighborhoods look as though they belong to entirely different cities. The residential areas of Providencia and Vitacura are an exception. Here you will find lovely leafy streets, manicured lawns, and attractive single-family homes divided by parks and plazas -- but even these two neighborhoods are being threatened by an unprecedented boom in condominium construction.
Daily Journal
Weather: 90°F and sunny.
Today we arrived in Santiago, Chile, went on a city tour, and had a welcome dinner with our tour group at the hotel.
I woke up on the airplane en route to Santiago around 5:30 am US Central time, which was 8:30 am Santiago time. I slept about 6 hours. I noticed Vicki, Vicky and Dave sleeping on my way back to the bathroom. When I awoke, we were flying over the Pacific Ocean along the Chilean coastline about 1-1/2 hours north of Santiago.
It was good everyone slept because we had a full day of sightseeing ahead of us. I didn't notice anyone else from our SmarTours group on the plane though we discovered later that two other people (John and Maria Bartlett from Massachusetts) were also on the plane. SmarTours groups have an orange tag on their luggage so they are easy to spot. Another SmarTours flight left out of Miami carrying 26 other people in our tour.
About 1 hour out of Santiago, my BlackBerry beeped unexpectedly and all my messages came through. It was the first time ever my BlackBerry operated while in flight.
We landed at 10 am. People were clapping. It was weird. Now I know that South Americans clap at the end of a flight like Europeans.
We collected our luggage, cleared customs and got some Chilean pesos by 11 am, except Dave, who had unlawful almonds in his bag that he didn't declare. We waited one hour for him to pay his $175 fine and rejoin our group. Chilean agricultural exports are amongst the purest in the world so they take no chances with tourists bringing agricultural products into the country. They give you a chance to declare any agricultural products on your way into the country. If you don't, you are screwed.
After Dave reappeared, our local guide, Jose Munoz, and our driver took us in a minivan on a tour or Santiago. When we stepped out of the airport, it was 90°F, which was perfect considering it was cold and snowy in the states when we left over 10 hours earlier. The rest of our tour group from Miami took a separate tour of the city.
Santiago is like Phoenix. It sits in a flat valley surrounded by towering mountains and is very dry. The city is flat because it sits on the same fault as Los Angeles and has 30-60 tremors a day.
I was awestruck by how lush and green the city was. The city was modeled off of Madrid with its wide avenues and green spaces. We drove through an economically depressed area then through a 4-mile underground tunnel to a modern, more affluent part of town. We learned that 6 million people live in Santiago. It's not even near the coast, which is 60 miles away.
The Spanish found Santiago to be the best location for the city back in the 1500s when they established the city. This makes sense because it is in the center of a country that stretches 3,000 miles north-south and only 264 miles east-west.
We noticed that gas was almost $4.00 per gallon. 37% of the gas in the country comes from Argentina. The rest comes from Kuwait. Next year Kuwait's share of gasoline will come from Brazil as new refineries come online.
Our first stop on our tour was a local restaurant where we snacked on ham and cheese sandwiches, cookies, coffee and papaya juice. Our tour guide also gave us a souvenir package containing a map, a copper bookmark with the imprint of Chile on it, and a pin with the Chilean flag on it.
As we left the restaurant, we stopped to watch the Obama inauguration on TV. It looked like a coronation.
We continued east through the city going through different neighborhoods. Chile is doing its best to eliminate poverty. When Pinochet took over in the 1970s, he enlisted a number of Harvard-educated Chilean nationals to rebuild the economy following the ideology of Pinochet's hero Milton Friedman. Those Chilean nationals came up with economic policies that still benefit Chile today, making Chile one of the most prosperous countries in South America. Chile is the only country in South America doing business on a global scale, having trade agreements with every major economic power in the world.
When Pinochet took over, the average person made $2,300 per year. Today it is $24,000 per year. By 2015, the average person is expected to earn $24,000 per year. Even Hillary Clinton came to Chile to understand social reforms in Chile as a possible way to lift people from poverty in the US.
Of course, prosperity did not come without problems. About a decade ago, Santiago was one of the most polluted cities in the world. Since then they have enacted various reforms to clear the air, including pollution control devices on cars. The situation is much better today, but a haze still envelopes the city.
We also learned that families used to have 5 kids per family 20 years ago but only 1.8 kids per family today. So the population is aging like in other industrialized nations around the globe.
During our tour, we admired the wide avenues and colonial style buildings which were modeled after Madrid.
We learned that the government system is comprised of center-left and center-right, but center-left politics has prevailed since the fall of Pinochet in the 1980s. September 11 is also a day of remembrance in Chile because that is the day Pinochet took over in 1973. He was supposed to be the country's savior but was eventually a brutal dictator who presided over some of the darkest years in Chile history. Today, Chile has a woman President, Michelle Bachelet, whose approval rating plummeted after her slow response to violent student protests a few years ago.
We eventually stopped at the Pre-Columbian museum containing artifacts of the indigenous peoples of Chile--Incans, Aztecs, Mayans and Tiwamlu (Bolivian Indians). It was a nice museum. Pictures were not allowed but I took pictures anyway. Some other tourists alerted the security guards that I was taking pictures and the guards swarmed around me and reprimanded me. Then I shut the sound off my camera and continued to take pictures when they disappeared.
After the museum, we stopped at Plaza de Armes, the main pedestrian square in Santiago. There were several historic buildings around the square and the cathedral, which was beautiful inside.
Our next stop was Park Metropolitano de Santiago where we drove up and up and up to the top for a panoramic view of the city. We learned from our guide that there are 18 active volcanoes in the region, which explains why there are so many earthquakes and tremors in the area. Construction standards are very high here, which is comforting since our room is on the 17th floor of an 18-floor hotel.
Our final stop before going to the hotel was a state-run store featuring copper, bronze and lapis lazuli jewelry and artifacts. We were not much into shopping at that stage and asked to be taken to our hotel pronto.
We have a really nice hotel in a nice part of town. It was called the Atton el Bosque. We checked in and then went to the local market to get some water. The water here is clean and potable from the tap, but it's never a bad idea to drink bottled water to be on the safe side. We then wandered to an outdoor cafe around the corner called Pub Licity for a few beers.
At 6:30 pm, we met our program director, Alexander, and the rest of our group for an orientation meeting. Then we had dinner.
After dinner, Dave, John Bartlett and I went back to Pub Licity for a night cap and then back to the hotel.
It was a long day and I looked forward to getting a good night's sleep.
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Day 3 - Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - Vina del Mar & Valparaiso
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Itinerary: Day of Leisure. Join us on the option excursion to the enchanting towns of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso on the Pacific Coast as well as Chile’s thriving wine making industry.
Introduction to Valparaiso, Chile from Frommer's
115km (71 miles) NW of Santiago; 8km (5 miles) S of Viña del Mar
Valparaíso is Chile's most captivating city, and, accordingly, it is the most popular coastal destination and an obligatory cruise ship port of call. During the 19th century, Valparaíso ranked as a port town of such wealth that few others in the world could compare, but in the years following the completion of the Panama Canal, Valparaíso sunk into poverty. Like a penniless aristocrat, the city clung for decades to its glorious past, yet only traces of the architectural splendor and riches the city once knew could still be seen. Today, especially on hills such as Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre, the city's rundown buildings are experiencing a rebirth. With so many gourmet restaurants and boutique hotels opening at such a fast pace, Valparaíso is quickly becoming the choice destination for dining and lodging on the coast. The historical importance of this city paired with the vibrant culture of local porteños is far more intriguing than Viña -- a reason why UNESCO designated Valparaíso a World Heritage Site in 2002.
Much like San Francisco, the city is made of a flat downtown surrounded by steep hills, but unlike that city, the irregular terrain in Valparaíso presented far more challenges for development. The jumble of multicolored clapboard homes and weathered Victorian mansions that cling to sheer cliffs and other unusual spaces are testament to this, and you could spend days exploring the maze of narrow passageways and sinuous streets that snake down ravines and around hillsides. Given the lack of towering high rises on the hillsides, the city is frequently described as "stadium seating" -- providing breathtaking views no matter where you are.
Valparaíso has spawned generations of international poets, writers, and artists who have found inspiration in the city, including the Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, who owned a home here. The city is also known for its bohemian and antiquated bars that stay open into the wee hours of the morning.
But the real attractions here are losing yourself in the city's streets, admiring the angular architecture that makes this city unique, and especially riding the century-old, clickety-clack ascensores, or funiculars, that lift riders to the tops of hills. If you're the type who craves character and culturally distinctive surroundings, this is your place.
Daily Journal
Weather: 85°F and sunny--blissful.
Today we took the optional tour to the Pacific coast towns of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, located 60 miles west of Santiago.
I stayed up well past midnight last night typing my journal and editing pictures. After that I went to bed and slept soundly till 7 am this morning. I showered, checked my email and then headed downstairs to breakfast with Vicky and Vicki around 8:30 am. The hotel had a nice breakfast spread. They had both American and Continental breakfast, so I had scrambled eggs, sausage, croissants, fruit, juice and coffee. I wolfed it down so I wouldn't be late for our 9 am departure for our day trip to the coastal towns of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar 60 miles away. Vicki had been talking to another couple in our group before I arrived. They thought I was her son and that I was traveling with my parents. They were in their 80s so their eyesight probably wasn't very good. Vicki doesn't look anywhere close to being my mother so we got a good laugh out of it.
Around 9 am I ran out to our bus, which was rather small. As usual, we commandeered the back of the bus. Upon boarding, we met our local guide Fernando.
We headed west on Highway 86 out into the valley surrounding Santiago. The countryside reminded me a lot of Phoenix, which also lies in a valley surrounded by towering peaks.
About an hour into the trip at 10 am, we stopped at the Veramonte Winery to tour the winery and sample their Chilean wines. As we pulled into the gate, we saw a fox running amongst the grounds. After last night's drinking binge, I don't think any of us were ready to start drinking before noon. We had a lot of Christal beers at a local bar and a few Pisco Sours at the welcome reception. Pisco Sour is a cocktail containing Pisco (a regional brandy), lemon or lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and regional bitters. It reminded me of a margarita, but served in a champagne glass with sugar on the rim.
Our winery tour included the factory where the wine was produced. The reception hall overlooking the vineyards was beautiful with its hardwood floors and vintage furniture. Then we went out into the vineyards and then to the bar to sample their white and red wines. We learned that rose bushes are used to signify whether the grapes in each row were for white or red wine. A red rose bush means that the grapes are for red wine. A white rose bush signifies the grapes are for white wine. At the end of the tour, we got a map of the Chilean wine country. Most of the wine produced in Chile is exported to the US. It was quite good.
After the winery tour, we got back on the bus and headed 5 miles west to Valparaiso. Valparaiso has been Chile's main port since 1536 and was the busiest port in South America until the Panama Canal was built. In those days, ships bound for the west coast of the US had to sail around the Cape of Good Horn and stop in Valparaiso along the way. Valparaiso and San Francisco were sister cities back then. Valparaiso is spread over 45 hills along the Pacific coast. The homes hug the cliff sides and are painted in bright, candy-colored tones. The neighborhoods of Valparaiso are named after the hills they occupy. Valparaiso was leveled by an earthquake in 1906 only a few hours before San Francisco. That's because the two cities straddle the same tectonic plate.
Our first stop in Valparaiso was Plaza Sotomayor, which is on the waterfront overlooking the port area. The square was surrounded by a number of well-preserved 19th century buildings. There was also a public art exhibit consisting of several rows of white wedding gowns representing 62 women who had been victims of domestic violence in 2007. The wedding dresses were embroidered with emblems on the front representing how each woman died--shooting, stabbing, beating, etc. The wedding dress represented their glorious day of happiness.
Then we went on a cable car ride up one of the many hills of Valparaiso for a panoramic view of the city and harbor. The cable car was made entirely of wood and was built in the mid-1800s. Once we got to the top, we took some pictures, but it was pretty foggy. There were also a number of shops that we browsed before heading further up the hill to meet our bus. Vicki bought her nieces some interesting locally-made dolls for a few dollars.
After boarding the bus, we headed over to neighboring Vina del Mar. It was pretty much a tourist town with beaches, shopping and a casino. Vicky and I went to a pizza restaurant for lunch while the rest of our 18-person group ventured elsewhere for a seafood lunch. After lunch, Vicky and I wandered the town. We found a really busy section with shopping where Vicky bought some jewelry. After that we wandered over by the casino to use the bathroom and meet our bus. The men’s bathroom at the casino was at least 3,000 square feet in size. Just the lobby of the bathroom was bigger than my condo.
On our way out of town, we stopped at the Francisco Fonck Archeological Museum to take pictures of one of the stone heads from Easter Island, located some five hours by plane west of the Chilean coast. We also stopped at a shop across from the museum featuring lapis lazuli jewelry and other locally made crafts.
Around 4 pm, we got back on the bus and headed back down the highway 1-1/2 hours to Santiago. I slept almost all the way home.
When we got back to Santiago, Dave and I went back to Pub Licity for a few beers. Vicki and Vicki stayed back at the hotel because no one was hungry after lunch this afternoon. Around 8:30 pm, we headed a few blocks back to the hotel and went to bed.
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Day 4 - Thursday, January 22, 2009 - Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas
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Itinerary: Today board a short flight to the southern port city of Puerto Montt, gateway to the Chilean Lake District. Upon arrival, drive along the shores of placid Lake Llanquihue to the nearby village of Puerto Varas. Here, stop at the Handicraft Market where you can see and perhaps buy some of the fabulous arts and crafts of Chile.
Introduction to Chilean Lake District from Frommer's
The region south of the Biobío River to Puerto Montt is collectively known as the Lake District, a fairy-tale land of emerald forests, white-capped volcanoes, frothing waterfalls, and plump, rolling hills dotted with hundreds of lakes and lagoons that give the region its name. It is one of the most popular destinations in Chile, not only for its beauty, but also for the diverse outdoor and city-themed activities available and its well-organized tourism structure.
The Lake District is home to the Mapuche Indians, who fiercely defended this land against the Spanish for 300 years. German settlers came next, clearing land and felling timber for their characteristic shingled homes. Both ethnic groups have left their mark on the region through architecture, art, and food.
The region is dependent on fishing, tourism, and, unfortunately, the timber industry, which has done much to destroy the Lake District's once nearly impenetrable forests. However, the many national parks and reserves give visitors a chance to surround themselves in virgin forest that is unique for its stands of umbrella-shaped araucaria and 1,000-year
South of the Bío-Bío River, Chile is transformed. The climate cools and becomes much more humid; dairy farms replace the vineyards; and lagoons, lakes, and emerald forests of ancient trees appear. The Andes lose altitude but more than make up for it in beauty, sprouting magnificent white-capped volcanoes. It is one of the most popular destinations in Chile, not only for its beauty, but also for the cultural and especially outdoor activities available, with a well-developed tourism infrastructure.
Only relatively recently did Chile manage to fully integrate the Lake District into the country. For some 350 years, the Mapuche Indians fiercely and successfully defended this land first against the Incas and later against the Spanish. Their influence spread into what is now Argentina, and only in the mid-1880s did Chile manage to subdue them. German-speaking settlers meanwhile had begun to clear land and fell timber for their characteristic shingled homes. Both ethnic groups have left their mark on the region through architecture, art, and food. In fact, German pastries have become so prevalent the German word for cake, kuchen, has largely replaced the Spanish word pastel in Chilean usage.
Its natural wonders continue to provide the basis for the region's economy, harboring tourism, farming, salmon production, and forestry -- a mix tough to manage, to the detriment of its once nearly impenetrable forests. But the many national parks and preserves give visitors a chance to immerse themselves in virgin forest unique for its stands of umbrella-shaped araucaria and 1,000-year-old alerce trees.
Daily Journal
Weather: 77°F and sunny.
Today we flew from Santiago down to Puerto Montt, the gateway to the Chilean Lakes District. We then drove by bus to nearby Puerto Varas.
I stayed up late again working on my journal. It was a challenge because we skipped dinner and just drank beer around the corner from the hotel at Pub Licity again. That Chilean beer sure is good.
I got up around 6 am and tried to get a free Internet connection to no avail. I tried to get on the hotel Internet last night but they needed me to come downstairs and verify my credit before they would give me access. That was too much bother so I waited until we got to our hotel in Puerto Varas to upload my journal.
Around 7:30 am we went down to breakfast. We came back before 8 am to toss our bags outside our door for the porter to collect. We then went to the lobby and waited for our 9 am bus to the airport. We got there 15 minutes later and got through check-in rather quickly and went to the gate with time to spare. Our flight down to Puerto Montt left on time at 11:15 am. Puerto Montt is 600 miles south of Santiago on the Pacific coast and took 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach by air. It's the same latitude south that New York City is in the north.
We arrived in Puerto Montt around 12:30 pm. Our local guide Patricio met us at the airport. The porters gathered our luggage and we got on our bus and headed to a scenic overlook featuring a panoramic view of Puerto Montt. Puerto Montt is considered the northern gateway to Patagonia. Patagonia means "big foot." That's because the indigenous people, who averaged 6' in height, wrapped their feet in bison hide during winter to protect them from the snow. They left giant footprints. Today these people comprise only 3% of the local population.
The Puerto Montt area was originally settled by island people who lived off the coast and came to the area for the cypress and other precious woods which functioned almost like currency and were valuable for building. Later in the 1850s, the government made land grants to develop the country. The Germans came first to come to Chile to escape problems back home, followed by other European cultures. The German influence was quite profound until the 1950s when German was taught as a second language at local schools. Now English is the second language Chilean children learn in school. In Puerto Montt's early years, there was no Panama Canal so ships had to sail around the southern tip of South America to reach the Pacific Ocean. Puerto Montt was an ideal stopping point along the way. The city continues to grow rapidly and has about 220,000 people. 50,000 of these people work in the salmon business. Salmon is a local favorite. Most of it is farmed rather than caught in the sea. Most of Chile's salmon goes to Japan, followed by the US.
In 1960, Puerto Montt was leveled by a 9.3 strength earthquake and a huge tsunami, which is why it looks relatively modern today. The area is also quite geologically active with several volcanoes in the region. On the horizon we could see what looked like smoke but it was actually ash from a volcanic eruption.
We eventually got to the scenic overlook and got some nice pictures of Puerto Montt harbors with the mountains in the background. Fortunately the weather here was as nice as Santiago.
After the photo stop, we drove another 5 or 6 miles to the resort town of Puerto Varas. It is entirely residential with no industry except tourism. It sits on a large lake (Lago Llanquihue) and has about 35,000 people. The town is famous for its Chilean handicrafts. We drove around the 4 block X 4 block downtown area and then were turned loose for 1-1/2 hours to venture on our own and eat before heading to our hotel. Dave and I went walking around town taking pictures of the interesting buildings, parks and the church. The town is also know as the "City of Roses" because they have been planted all over the city. When we came back into the downtown areas, we ran into Vicki and Vicky on the street and sat outside at a local bar for a beer. Vicki and Vicky went to the casino and Vicky actually came out ahead.
After our beer, we met our group back at the bus and drove a short distance to our hotel, which was situated on a hill overlooking Lago Llanqihue and two huge volcanoes in the distance-Osorno and Calbuco. The lake was very beautiful against the mountainous backdrop. Too bad we were only there one night. We sipped our welcome drinks (caipirinhas again) prior to checking in. Then I went for a 10-mile run around the lake. The heat and altitude got to me a little but it was nice to get some exercise after getting none for the last 2 days. Vicki, Vicky and Dave went down to the pool while I ran.
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In the evening, we had a group dinner at the hotel restaurant. Vicki, Dave and I had the local salmon and Vicky had beef. It was good. After dinner, I went back to the room to work on my journal and went to bed early because of our very early departure for Argentina the following morning.
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Day 5 - Friday, January 23, 2009 - Lakes District of Chile & Argentina
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Itinerary: Today’s unforgettable excursion is reputed to be one of the most scenic in the world. Traverse the Andean Mountains through the Lake District from Chile to Argentina. Enjoy dramatic landscapes, spectacular emerald green lakes, gushing waterfalls, snow-capped volcanoes and dense forests. The breathtaking scenery unfolds as you journey along winding roads overlooking the magical lakes of Chile's Puyehue National Park into Argentina's equally amazing Nahuel Huapi National Park. Arrive in quaint Villa Angostura and embark on a boat ride to view the striking Arrayanes Forest with its rare and ancient Myrtle trees.
Daily Journal
Weather: 77°F and sunny.
It's another gorgeous day and the only one that really needed to be nice because it was the day we crossed the Andes Mountains from Chile to Argentina and the most scenic of all days.
We left Puerto Varas very early to beat the other tour groups so we wouldn't get stuck behind a lot of people at the Argentina border and so that we wouldn't miss a boat tour later in the day.
We left at 6:45 am and headed north on the 11,000-mile long Pan American Highway. Of course we took it only about 45 miles to Orsono instead of Alaska. A few miles of out Puerto Varas the landscape turned from pine forest to rolling farm land with heavy ground fog backlit by the rising sun. Beautiful. They grow pretty much what we grow in the US--wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, apples, tulip bulbs, and berries of all sorts. They also have a lot of dairy and beef cows--Holsteins and Friesen for milk and Angus for beef. Beef quality had improved a lot in recent years.
When our local guide used the slang term "hang a right," Vicki yelled out "How long did you live in the States?" As it turned out, our local guide was Chilean but grew up in the US where he did all his primary education and college. His parents moved back to Chile and when he came to visit them once, he decided to stay in Chile where he held various jobs in the tourism industry before settling into being a guide.
Once we got to Osorno, we headed east on Highway 215 towards the Andes Mountains. Osorno was founded in 1558 but abandoned after an Indian uprising in 1590, then resettled again in 1770. Around 9 am, we started the long climb up the mountains to the Chilean border. We had to pull over for several minutes because the bus overheated. It was probably because they ran the air conditioning so hard. We were all freezing in the back of the bus. Eventually we would climb to 3,400 feet above sea level across a mountain range that stretches 4,800 miles.
Eventually we got underway and made our way to the Chilean border. We had to line up and pass through customs to have our passports stamped. We lucked out because we beat a number of other tour buses to the border. That means we would be ahead of them when we reached the Argentina where it could take anywhere from 1 hour to 4 hours to process the paperwork necessary for us to enter the country.
After leaving the Chile customs office, it was all uphill. The bus climbed up a long snaking road through the dense forest and towering Andes Mountains. The Spanish discovered these mountains when they first explored Chile and Argentina. The wildflowers and scenic overlooks were breathtaking, especially with all the lakes dotting the countryside. The environment is so pure that lichen grows on the trees and you can drink water from the lakes and rivers. In certain spots, you could also see exposed pumice rock.
A few minutes later we stopped at the Chile-Argentina border. You could see where one country ended and the other started because the pavement changed color. We stood on the dividing line for pictures. There were also a Virgin Mary shrine at the side of the road and a number of signs welcoming you into the respective countries.
By 11 am, we reached the Argentina border where we got off the bus and wandered about shopping at the nearby drugstore or just taking pictures. We were told not to wander off too far so we could leave when our entry papers were processed. By 11:45 am we were officially admitted to Argentina and were on our way to Lake Nahuel Huapi for an afternoon cruise from the Llao Llao Peninsula to Victoria Island.
Before the boat ride we stopped in nearby Angostura (=narrowing point) to take pictures of Lake Nahuel Huapi and have lunch.
We all ate at Los Amigos. While we ate, all our stuff was taken off the Chile bus and transferred to our Argentina bus with a new driver and local guide. The Chile bus and guide then returned to Chile. After lunch, I made a quick run into town and got some ice cream. Then I ran back to catch the bus and we continued down to the docks to meet our boat. We learned that Angostura is well known amongst Argentines because Peron's wife after the death of Evita in 1952 was imprisoned here until she was allowed to return to Spain, where she still lives today.
Around 2:30 pm, we arrived at the pier where we boarded our boat for a 1-1/2 hour cruise on the lake. The first sight of Lake Nahuel Huapi and all the surrounding mountains had camera shutters snapping. The lake is 60 miles long, 8 miles wide and 1,500 feet deep. The water was crystal clear.
Video of Lago Nahuel Huapi:
After about 45 minutes on the boat, we stopped at Parque National de Arrayanes and took a foot tour of the forest along a boardwalk for about half an hour. The trees were part of the eucalyptus family, but orange in color. They were cool to the touch as well. There was a rumor that this park inspired Disney to produce Bambi but there is no proof that anyone from the Disney organization ever came here.
After the tour of the forest we got back on the boat for the trip back to the bus. We were told to get on one boat even though the one we came over on was docked at the next pier. I thought it was strange. Eventually our Program Director Alex told us to get off the boat and wait for the original one to come over and pick us up. The water was very rough on the way back and most of us sat inside rather than out on the deck where several people got drenched.
Around 5:15 pm, we got back to the bus and headed for Bariloche. We stopped at Los Amigos to use the bathroom. Vicki brought me a beer to drink. It made me type faster.
We arrived in Bariloche around 7 pm. Bariloche is famous for being a ski resort but it is really a year round vacation destination. It borders a national park so people come here to enjoy the great outdoors when it is not ski season. Our hotel, the Edelweiss, was centrally located in town overlooking Lake Nahuel Huapi. Very nice.
After checking in we went for a walk around town. It was quite busy. We reached the main square a block away. There was a live band playing and a lot of people watching. There was a guy with a large St. Bernard named Hector with a barrel around his neck holding a puppy. There was also this guy in a gorilla costume holding up a cage with a clown inside. The man's bottom half was the gorilla and his top half the clown. It was pretty interesting.
We then walked down a busy street off the main square where there was a flea market and a many shops. We stopped at the flea market where Vicki had a lady at one booth fix the handle on her purse.
We then wandered the shopping street and visited a number of interesting shops. Vicki bought her husband a belt at one of them. I also tried something called "mate." Mate is the Argentine tradition that involves drinking a strong tea steeped from loose leaved herbs out of a gourd (mate) with a filtered metal straw (bambilla). The tradition is one that pulses so deep through Argentina that mates are ornate works of art and bambillas are objects for collection. The man at the store told me not to say it tasted like sh*t, so I said it tasted like manure. We then made a final stop at the local drug store so Vicki could get some drugs for her swollen ankles. We've been doing a lot of walking on this trip and almost everyone is sunburned.
By then it was 9 pm so we headed down the street from our hotel for an Argentinean steak dinner at Don Monlina, where they were cooking huge slabs of lamb over an open fire in the window. We all had steaks and assorted vegetable side dishes over a fine bottle of red wine. It seemed to drag on forever since we got out of there around 11:00 pm. Because we had ordered one of the featured wines with our dinner, we got a nice gift box on the way out of the restaurant containing a corkscrew, wine pourer, and other wine-related items in a nice wooden box.
Then it was back to the hotel and to bed. I was tired. We had another full day of sightseeing in Bariloche the following day.
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Day 6 - Saturday, January 24, 2009 - Bariloche, Argentina
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Itinerary: Set in idyllic scenery reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, Bariloche is a splendid lake-side town, easily explored from your centrally located hotel. An included walking tour features a visit to the engaging Patagonia Museum. Later, explore on your own, relax or shop for knit woolen sweaters and delicious locally made chocolate.
Introduction to San Carlos de Bariloche from Frommer's
1,621km (1,005 miles) SW of Buenos Aires; 180km (112 miles) S of San Martín de los Andes
Just mention Bariloche to an Argentine, and you'll inspire a whimsical sigh. Officially known as San Carlos de Bariloche, this city represents the good life in the national consciousness. With stunning natural scenery and fine cuisine, it's a winter and summer playground for vacationing Argentines, and it's practically a right of passage for Argentine youth to explore nature in the Nahuel Huapi National Park here, with Bariloche in the middle.
Bariloche is blessed with a strategic geographic position. With the rugged plains of the Patagonian Steppe to the east, the towering snowy peaks of the Andes to the west, and the glistening and grande Nahuel Huapi Lake in front, opportunities for adventure are abundant. Even if you're not much of an adventurer, you'll still find plenty of pleasant sightseeing tours, boat trips, boutiques, driving excursions, and fine dining to keep you busy. Or just park yourself wherever the view is good and soak it all in.
The city itself embodies a strange juxtaposition: an urban city plopped down in the middle of beautiful wilderness. Unfortunately, Argentine migrants fleeing Buenos Aires, an evergrowing tourism industry, and 2 decades of unchecked development have left a cluttered mess in what was once an idyllic mountain town. Bits and pieces of the charming architecture influenced by German, Swiss, and English immigration are still in evidence. Visitors to Bariloche are sometimes overwhelmed by its hodgepodge of ugly apartment buildings and clamorous discos, and the crowds that descend on this area from mid-December until the end of February and again during ski season in July. Yet drive 10 minutes outside town, and you'll be surrounded again by thick forests, rippling lakes, and snowcapped peaks that rival the Alps. If you're looking for a quiet vacation, you'd be better off lodging outside the city center, on the road to the Llao Llao Peninsula or in the town of Villa La Angostura. On the flip side, Bariloche offers a wealth of services, including the area's largest and best-serviced airport.
Daily Journal
Weather: 60°F, rain at first then clear and sunny.
It was our first day of bad weather. I knew it had rained because we left the windows open all night and I could hear the sound of car tires on wet pavement. We started our day at 9:30 am with a tour of the city -- in the rain. The afternoon optional circle tour of the surrounding area was cancelled due to poor weather and heavy clouds in the area. But we organized a similar tour in the late afternoon and it turned out wonderful.
The morning orientation tour of Bariloche with our local guide Daniel started in the hotel lobby because it was pouring rain outside. We went down the main drag, San Martin Street, where Daniel pointed out the sites, restaurants and shops worth visiting. Since this is the Patagonia area, there were lots of shops featuring clothing made from alpaca wool. And because the Germans played a significant role in developing the area as a ski resort in the 1930s, there were a lot of chocolate shops.
Eventually we made our way back to the main square where we toured the Museo de la Patagonia, which tells the social and geological history of the area through displays of Indian and gaucho artifacts and exhibits of the regional flora and fauna. Just before we got to the main square, we saw Hector the St. Bernard from yesterday's visit to the square sitting in the back of an old Renault Citroen automobile.
Dave and I made quick work out of the museum and left the tour before it ended and headed to Los Alpinas restaurant in town for lunch. It was a good, reasonably-priced choice. We had the deluxe hamburgers, which came with a fried egg on top.
After lunch, we went looking for telephones and Internet service. The Internet terminals were full in all the places I went to. I eventually went back to the hotel and Dave went off and found a place where he could call his wife back in the US. I worked on my journal and eventually found a free and fast Internet connection in the area from my hotel room and used that to check email and update my blog.
Around 1:30 pm, the weather had not improved so our afternoon circle tour of the region was cancelled. A little later it started to clear so we got our program director to arrange a private tour of the area. The bus picked up Dave, Vicky, Vicki, Denise and me at our hotel around 3 pm. The tour took us out along the shores of Lago Nahuel Huapi, out onto the Llao Llao peninsula and finally to the top of Mount Companario by chairlift for a scenic view of the entire countryside.
We headed west out of Bariloche and along the lake shore. I couldn't believe how large this lake was. The shore was lined with hotels, resorts, vacation bungalows and private Swiss-chalet style homes. It was raining on and off and the windows got a little foggy since there were 10 other people on the bus. One lady complained but there was really not much that could be done.
The tour was conducted in English and Spanish. I wish I knew more Spanish because I could hardly understand anything and was nearly lulled to sleep. We learned that Bariloche is most famous for skiing, but was really a year round resort area, much like the Rocky Mountain region of the US. During the summer, people come here to enjoy the nearby national parks.
Our first stop on the tour was this shop where they produced what I have been calling "The Fountain of Youth." It's this lotion made from rose petals called Aceite de Rosa Mosqueta. It is reputed to cure all sorts of skin problems like cancer, blemishes, wrinkles and scars. It reminded me of a similar potion we saw in Romania called Revitol, which is also supposed to take years off your face. We also sampled some rose petal tea, which had an interesting, pungent taste.
Next our tour bus climbed up a mountain for a scenic view of the valley below and the famous 5-star Llao Llao Hotel. The hotel was built in 1940s and is the most luxurious, expensive and famous hotel in the area with nightly prices in the $300-$3,000 range. Bill Clinton, Fidel Castro and other dignitaries stayed here after a Pan American economic summit some years ago. The resort is nestled amongst towering mountains, lakes and forests, and features and 18-hole golf course. I'm not much into this kind of stuff but it was beautiful. After the photo op, we drove back down the mountain and around the hotel grounds. It was very nice and I can see why it's so popular with the elite.
We then headed over to Mount Companario for a chairlift ride to the observation deck on top. Along the way we were told how much dryer the climate on Argentinean backside of the Andes Mountains is relative to the Chilean coastal side. The summers here in Bariloche are usually quite dry, but today was not one them. The wettest season is typically autumn, which comes in a few months.
After arriving at Mount Companario, we boarded the chairlift for the wet ride to the top.
By the time we reached the top, the rain had stopped, the clouds had cleared, the sun came out and a rainbow formed right next to the restaurant observation platform where we stood taking pictures. The scenery at the top was spectacular. This made the whole trip worth it. From the observation platform, we could see the route we took by boat yesterday to Victoria Island where we saw that interesting, colorful forest.
Video Coming Down the Chairlift:
We got back to the hotel around 6:45 pm. Vicki and Vicky came over to our room and watched TV for a little while until it was time to go to dinner. Vicky's leg/hip was out of joint and Vicki's neck was out of joint, so some chiropractic and other services were rendered to correct those.
We then arranged a cab to go to the Kandahar restaurant for dinner. The Canadians in our group went there last night and raved about it. My guide book also had a nice write up about it. Vicky was tired of walking so 5 of us piled into a tiny cab--three in front, two in front--for the 1-1/2 mile uphill ride to the restaurant. We invited Denise from our group to join us. The cabby didn't want so many people in his cab but eventually capitulated. It was crowded but we didn't mind it because the ride was so short. We arrived at Kandahar and it was empty. People here eat really late. At the Don Molina restaurant last night, it was empty when we got there at 9 pm and packed when we left at 11 pm. So we got to Kandahar early because we wanted a table and didn't have a reservation. We had steak, fish and pasta dishes, which were very good and reasonably priced. We also had a nice bottle of wine from the extensive selection, and a fruit/chocolate dessert. After dinner, Dave, Denise and I walked back to the hotel while Vicky and Vicki took a cab.
When we got back to the hotel, we saw Barbara from our group over by the Internet terminals doing email. Her husband Ron fell ill yesterday on the trip and has been in the hospital unconscious for two days. The next day, Ron and Barbara dropped out of the tour and had to stay a few extra days in Bariloche until Ron's condition had stabilized and they could head back to the US. I didn't realize anything was wrong with Ron until yesterday when we were at the Argentina/Chile border office coming into Argentina. Denise came down and joined Dave and I for a local beer in the bar and then it was off to bed.
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Day 7 - Sunday, January 25, 2009 - Buenos Aires
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Itinerary: Fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, often called "Paris of the South". The city is a great mix of European heritage and Latin spirit, evident in architecture, culture and lifestyle. Drive through the Avenida 9 de Julio, the world’s widest avenue.
Introduction to Buenos Aires from Frommer's
A country's tragedy has become a tourist's opportunity, and in between the two is a vastly improved economy for Buenos Aires, the glamorous capital of Argentina. Up until the peso crisis of December 2001, Buenos Aires was regarded as Latin America's most expensive city, if not one of the world's, with prices for some hotels and restaurants rivaling those of New York and Paris. Many on the South American-tourist crawl avoided this sophisticated and beautiful city altogether, staying in the cheaper capitals of the countries that surrounded it. But now that the peso, once on par with the U.S. dollar, has fallen to a third of its former value and stabilized there, tourists from all over the world are flocking to this city, often called the Paris of South America. Since 2005, prices have gone up, most considerably in terms of hotels. Still, the city is a relative bargain, as the enormous number of tourists here will tell you. Tourism has become the third most important component of Argentina's economy, with Buenos Aires the main recipient of visitors.
In spite of the 2001 peso crisis, the beauty of Buenos Aires is still here and always will be. Now, with the pending 2010 bicentennial, the city is busily renovating to renew its wealth of architecture, much of which dates from nearly a century ago. Stroll through the neighborhoods of Recoleta or Palermo, full of buildings with marble neoclassical facades on broad tree-lined boulevards, or tour the historic Avenida de Mayo, which was designed to rival Paris's Champs Elysées. European immigrants to Buenos Aires, mostly from Spain and Italy, brought with them the warm ways of Mediterranean culture, where friends, family, and conversation were the most important things in life. Whiling away the night over a long meal was the norm, and locals had always packed into cafes, restaurants, and bars until the early morning hours. The peso crisis hit the locals all the harder because of this, making the lifestyle and good times that they cherished almost unattainable for a period of time.
But don't think that the new Buenos Aires is a depressing shell of its former glorious self. Instead, when you get to Buenos Aires, you'll find a city quickly recovering from its former problems, with old cafes and restaurants not only full of patrons but also competing with new places opening up at a breakneck pace all over town.
The crisis also had a remarkable effect on the country's soul. Argentines as a whole are becoming more self-reflective, looking at themselves and the reasons why their country fell into so much trouble and trying to find answers. This has led, ironically, to an incredible flourishing of all things Porteño, the word Buenos Aires locals use to describe both themselves and the culture of their city. Unable to import expensive foods from overseas, Buenos Aires's restaurants are concentrating instead on cooking with Argentine staples like Pampas grass-fed beef and using locally produced, organic ingredients as seasonings. What has developed is a spectacular array of Argentine-nouvelle cuisine of incredible quality and originality. Chefs can't seem to produce it fast enough in the ever-expanding array of Buenos Aires's restaurants, particularly in the trendy Palermo Viejo district on the city's north side.
This new Argentine self-reliance and pride is not just limited to its restaurants. The same thing has happened with the country's fashion. In the go-go 1990s, when the peso was pegged to the U.S. dollar, Argentines loaded up on European labels and made shopping trips to the malls of Miami for their clothing. Now, however, even the middle class cannot afford to do this anymore. Instead, with necessity as the mother of invention, young Argentine designers are opening up their own shops and boutiques in the Palermo Soho neighborhood, putting other Argentines to work sewing, selling, and modeling their designs. Women, especially, will find fantastic and utterly unique fashions in Buenos Aires that you won't find anywhere else in the world, at prices that are unbelievable. And, if you're looking for leather goods, say no more. The greatest variety and quality in the world are available all over town.
Importantly, the most Porteño thing of all, the tango, has also witnessed an explosive growth. Up until the peso crisis, Argentines worried that the dance would die out as young people bopped instead to American hip-hop and European techno. But the peso crisis and the self-reflection it created helped bolster the art form's popularity: New varieties of shows for tourists mean you can now see a different form of tango every night of your stay. And, more importantly to residents, the traditional, 1930s-style milongas (tango salons) have opened in spaces all over town. These are drawing not only the typical tango dancers but also young Argentines, who have rediscovered their grandparents' favorite dance, as well as young expats who are making Buenos Aires the world's new hot city, the way Prague was at the end of the Cold War.
The city is also home to an incomparable array of theaters and other traditional venues. Buenos Aires's vast array of museums, many in beautiful neoclassical structures along broad tree-lined Avenida Libertador, is as exquisite as the treasures these museums hold inside.
This all means there is no time like now to come visit Buenos Aires, a city rich in cultural excitement, all at a bargain price unheard of just a few short years ago. With prices on the upswing, this will of course change, so get there soon!
Daily Journal
Weather: 60°F but sunny during the morning in Bariloche. 65°F, sunny and dry in Buenos Aires in the afternoon.
We had the morning at leisure in Bariloche before our 2-1/2 hour afternoon flight to Buenos Aires.
I woke up around 7:30 am, showered, packed my bags and went down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. By 9 am I was back in the room working on my journal and checking email. Dave went shopping for gifts and brought me back a souvenir Patagonia T-shirt. Thanks, Dave! By late morning, Vicki and Vicky were over in our room checking email. Vicky also showed us all the work she has done over the past year on Ancestry.com to document her family history. Pretty amazing body of work.
At noon we left for the airport, which took about 15 minutes. We checked in by 1 pm and took off on time at 2 pm. We arrived in Buenos Aires around 5 pm. It was a beautiful day for travel. I couldn't get over how large and sprawling Buenos Aires was. We waited over 45 minutes for everyone's luggage to come off the plane.
Video of Landing in Buenos Aires:
By 6:30 pm, we were at our 4-star hotel, The Dazzler, located in the heart of downtown. It was a very nice location because it was near subways, shopping, restaurants and major sites. On the way into town from the airport, we drove along what I thought was the Atlantic Ocean. But it ended up being the 136-mile wide Rio de la Plata river, which leads to the ocean.
We sat around our hotel room waiting for the porters to bring our luggage. We then wandered a few blocks over to Calle Florida, which is this huge pedestrian mall and shopping district. We had trouble finding it because the map we had was oriented to the South Pole rather than the North Pole like we are accustomed to in the north. Even the GPS on my Blackberry was operating in reverse so I turned it around 180° to get oriented properly. Many of the shops had closed for the day but scores of street vendors had set up shop on the street displaying all sorts of handicrafts and souvenirs on blankets on the ground.
Eventually we wandered off Calle Florida and down towards Plaza de Mayo where we saw Casa Rosada (The Pink Palace), where the government's executive branch is housed and where we saw this huge statue of Columbus in front. It's pink as a symbol of unification between two warring political factions--red for the federales and white for the unitarios. Local legend says the original paint was made by mixing whitewash and bull's blood.
After Casa Rosada, we wandered down to the river front to Puerto Madero to find a place to eat. We avoided TGI Friday's and Hooters, opting for something a bit more local and creative. We eventually found a restaurant called Rodizio. It was great, but a bit pricy. You helped yourself to an awesome salad bar, then waiters brought spit after spit of different kinds of beef, pork and chicken and carved it at the table. I was stuffed at the end, but left room for a nice chocolate mousse desert and coffee.
After dinner, we caught a cab back to our hotel, took a walk around the block, then went to bed at 11:30 pm.
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Day 8 - Monday, January 26, 2009 - Buenos Aires
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Itinerary: On this morning’s guided tour see the Plaza de Mayor, the famous Colon Opera House and the historic La Boca district. Proceed to the elegant Recoleta district and the cemetery where Evita Peron is buried.
Daily Journal
Weather: 86°F, dry and sunny--perfect.
Today we had the grand tour of Buenos Aires, then explored other parts of the city on our own.
We got home from dinner way too late last night (11:30 pm) and I didn't sleep well because I was so full. I woke up at 5:30 am and just worked on my journal. I threatened to eat with the Feldman brothers so I could get home at a decent hour. Both are in their 80s.
Our local guide Natalie and our driver, Ricky Martin, took us on a grand tour of Buenos Aires today from about 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. It was a very good tour. We visited Plaza de Mayo, which we passed through on our way to dinner last night, La Boca, Puerto Madero, where we ate last night, and the Recoleta area of town.
On the way to our first stop, we learned that Argentina has 3 million people living in the city and 10 million in the suburbs. When we flew in yesterday, you could see what a large, sprawling city it was. Now I know why. Buenos Aires is also very flat, which is why the surrounding area is called the flat land, or Pampas. We passed by Avienda 9 de Julio, which is avenue that is 1-1/2 blocks wide (20 lanes) and the widest in the world. It opened in 1936. Along the way, we passed the opera house and the obelisk, which is the symbol of Argentina. It looks like the Washington Monument. On World AIDS Day, it is covered in red material to symbolize a phallic object.
We went to Plaza de Mayo first. It commemorates Argentina's Independence from Spain in 1810. It is the center of government. It is surrounded by the cathedral from 1822, the old and new city halls, and the Pink Palace where the president works. We were there last night on our way to dinner. Today we learned that the balcony section containing three arches is where Eva Peron appeared before the public.
The Plaza itself is used for demonstrations. The most famous is the demonstration of mothers who demonstrated against the government when their sons went missing during tough economic times. The white scarves they laid in the square are gone, but they have been replaced by a circle of stone scarves embedded in the ground. I took a lot of pictures so was the last one to get back to the bus.
We then drove through the San Telmo section of town where nomadic people once lived before the Spaniards arrived. They left when the Spaniards arrived. Following independence from Spain, Argentina was settled by millions of immigrants, mostly from Europe, as we would see in La Boca a little later in the tour. The San Telmo area contains the city's soccer stadium. I got a good shot of it from the air yesterday. Soccer was introduced by the British, and is now the national sport. They call it the "Candy Box" because it is painted bright blue and yellow. Elton John played here a few weeks ago. It holds some 55,000 people.
We then came to the La Boca area of town by the river front. La Boca means "mouth of the river." What a riot it was. It was settled by the Italians and constructed with whatever material they could lay their hands on, mostly scrap wood and metal from ships. All the buildings are painted in bright colors and there are shops, outdoor markets, galleries and restaurants all over small area. We walked around and enjoyed the sights for 30 minutes. There were men and women dressed in tango costumes who would pose for pictures with you for $15. They were very busy.
After La Boca, we headed over to the riverfront area of Puerto Modero where we ate last night. It was a drive-by here so it was a good thing I got pictures last night. The Santiago Calatrava Bridge was built in 2001 and is supposed to represent two dancers doing the Tango. You had to use your imagination to see this.
On our way over to the Recoleta area, we passed Luna Park where the Perons met. Other famous people like Frank Sinatra performed here. We also passed the English Tower, which was changed after the Falklands War in 1982 after Argentina lost to Britain in a dispute over the islands.
And we passed the Flower Monument, which is a giant, shiny metal statue that is opened in the morning and closed at night, just like a flower. It takes half and hour to open and close. It is supposed to represent "hope" and is a symbol to the country that tough times are inevitable in life and you have to endure them by opening and closing like a flower every day.
We then headed to the cemetery in Recoleta where Eva Peron is entombed. The cemetery was like a miniature city and on par with the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris in that it is filled with dignitaries and comprised entirely of mausoleums. We toured around the cemetery before see the tomb where Eva Peron lies in rest.
After the cemetery, we went to a leather shop nearby. Argentina is the place to buy leather. Vicky and Vicki bought some shoes.
After the leather shop, we left the group and ventured on our own. We walked over to the Buenos Aires Design Center a few blocks away. I bought a T-shirt at the Hard Rock Cafe and then we went to a restaurant called Tucson nearby. It was nice being able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather and the nice breeze. I just sipped a beer while everyone else had steaks and burgers. Vicki also had one of those nice cairpirinha, which tastes like a vodka margarita with a lot of limes in it and sugar on the rim of the glass. We had them last night at Rodizio. I also called my colleague back in Milwaukee to see if she could get on the Buquebus website to check out the high-speed ferry timetable since we are thinking of going to Colonia, Uruguay on our free day Wednesday.
We then walked back to the hotel, stopping at the 5-star Alvear Palace Hotel and a number of posh shops in the neighborhood. Vicki and Vicky stopped at Louis Vuitton. I told Vicki she should walk in there with her fake Louis Vuitton purse to see if they can tell the difference.
We got back to the hotel around 5:30 pm. Dave and I went out for a beer across the street from the hotel while Vicki and Vicki rested back at the hotel.
Around 8 pm, we went out for dinner to a tango show. It was great and we all got to dance and pose for pictures with the dancers. We got home rather late, but at least we got to sleep in late.
Video of Tango Band Playing:
Video of Tango Dancers:
Video of Tango Dancers:
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Day 9 - Tuesday, January 27, 2009 - Argentine Pampas Outside Buenos Aires
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Itinerary: Travel outside the city on a full day excursion to the Argentine Pampas. Visit an estancia (ranch) and enjoy a sumptuous barbecue lunch followed by a Gaucho Fiesta, complete with gaucho riding and folklore show.
Daily Journal
Weather: 86°F, slightly overcast and a little humid.
We spent a nice day out at a ranch called Hacienda Susana in the Pampas (flat lands) outside Buenos Aires. We got home late in the afternoon and went to the Museo Evita, then walked up to the Palermo Soho district of Buenos Aires for dinner.
I slept past 8 am because we got home from the Tango show after midnight and I drank too much red wine with our delicious chicken, beef and vegetable dinner. It was a really wonderful show. I sat right in the first row next to the stage and got an excellent view.
After breakfast, I went back to the room to recharge my Blackberry because I forgot to do it last night. I waited till the last minute to unplug it, then ran downstairs to meet our bus to go out to the hacienda, which was about 1 hour away from Buenos Aires.
Our route out of Buenos Aires took us onto the Pan American Highway again. It starts here in Buenos Aires and goes all the way to Alaska--11,000 miles. The Pampas is the flat agricultural region of Argentina where cattle and crops are raised. Cattle used to be really big business, but not so much any more. Crops are the major revenue producer today with soybeans being the number one export. They also grow wheat, oats, barley corn and other crops. Argentina is also the #5 wine producer in the world but only 20% of it is exported. So the Argentines drink a lot of wine. Argentine wine is made largely with Malbec grapes, which are a cheaper type of grape brought here by the French years and years ago. Argentina is 1/3 the size of the US.
On the way out to the hacienda, we were quizzed on what a Gaucho looks like (South American cowboy). The standard garb is a cloth hat, poncho, spurs, chaps, and leather straps with balls on the end used to get the horse moving fast. Our local guide Natalie got Vladimir, a member of our group, to put on traditional gaucho clothes and model for us. We learned that gauchos are independent loner types, which you had to be to survive out in the middle of nowhere.
Gauchos used all parts of the cows they tended. They not only ate them, but also used their hides to make doors for their homes and their bones to make furniture. We saw how cow hip bones and ribs were used to make chairs and foot rests. Argentines also use all parts of the cow for food. The leanest cut is not necessarily the most coveted since taste is what people like here in Argentina. That means that steaks may contain more fat than we are accustomed to.
Before reaching the hacienda, we visited a rest stop where there was a shop containing all sorts of traditional gaucho clothing, shoes, accessories and jewelry. They also had some parrots in a cage outside, one of which could say "hello." Inside the shop they had a coffee cup made from a horse hoof and this crazy dancing Jamaican doll that caught my interest.
Video of Funny Doll at the Gaucho Store:
Around noon, we arrived at Hacienda Santa Susana. It was a sprawling spread close to the highway. Don Cirilo, an older man with a big black hat and a huge mustache was there hugging and kissing the women as they exited the bus. At the hacienda we rode horses, visited an old house filled with vintage artifacts from a bygone era, chowed down on a barbecue lunch, watched a Tango show, and went out to the corral for a horse show.
Upon arrival, we made our way to the front gate where we were fed empanadas (meat filled pastries) and wine.
We then headed straight out to the stable to ride horses because a number of tour groups had arrived and we wanted to avoid the rush. I got a big laugh out of watching Vicky mount her horse. Mine just wanted to eat grass and was a bit hard to control until I gave it a little yank on the reins and a few kicks in the side to get it to catch up to the rest of the group. The group made its way around the circuit and eventually got back to the stables.
After the horse ride, we went to the house to see the museum inside. It was filled with lots of amazing vintage furniture and artifacts dating back maybe 150 years. Each room was filled with period furniture and photos from a bygone era.
We then went to the fire pit where they were grilling our lunch. Soon after that, the lunch bell rang and we went to a massive open-air, covered dining room where several other tour groups had congregated. We had plenty of wine, beer, soda, bread and salad. This was followed by assorted meats, like steaks, chicken and blood sausage.
Following lunch, we watched a Tango show like the one we saw last night at El Viejo Almacen. It was very entertaining. At the end, the audience was allowed to get up and dance. It was crazy watching all those half-drunk people from several different countries dance.
Video of Gaucho Show:
Video of Half Drunken Audience Dancing at Gaucho Show: 1-27
After the show, we went out to a viewing area to watch a horse show. The last event was the one the ladies liked best. Several rings were hung from a post. The rider would then gallop at full speed and spear the tiny ring as he went by. He then came over to the side and gave the ring as a souvenir to one of the ladies in the audience, giving her a kiss when he did. Vicky was lucky enough to get a ring. I think she got two kisses out of it.
By then it was 3:30 pm and we got back on our bus and headed right back to Buenos Aires. I slept all the way back. When we got back to the hotel close to 5 pm, we got on my computer and booked our tickets for the high speed boat to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay tomorrow.
Around 5:30 pm, we piled into a cab and headed over to the Museo Evita, which is housed in an old children's home Eva Peron supported. The museum chronicled her life and was worth the visit. Each room featured artifacts from different parts of her life. We finished seeing the museum at 7 pm when it closed.
About Eva Peron from Wikipedia
"Don't cry for me Argentina." María Eva Duarte de Perón (7 May 1919 – 26 July 1952) was the second wife of President Juan Domingo Perón (1895–1974) and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita, which literally translates into English as "Little Eva".
Born out of wedlock in rural Argentina in 1919, at the age of 15, she made her way to the nation's capital of Buenos Aires, where she pursued a career as a stage, radio, and film actress. Eva met Colonel Juan Perón in 1944 at a charity event in San Juan, and the two were married the following year. In 1946, Juan Perón was elected President of Argentina. Over the course of the next six years, Eva Perón became powerful within the Pro-Peronist trade unions, essentially for speaking on behalf of labor rights. She also ran the Ministries of Labor and Health, founded and ran the charitable Eva Perón Foundation, championed women's suffrage in Argentina, and founded and ran the nation's first large-scale female political party, the Female Peronist Party.
In 1951, Eva Perón accepted the Peronist nomination for the office of Vice President of Argentina. In this bid, she received great support from the Peronist political base, low-income and working class Argentines who were referred to as descamisados or "shirtless ones". However, opposition from the nation's military and elite, coupled with her declining health, ultimately forced her to withdraw her candidacy. In 1952 shortly before her death from cancer at the age of 33, Eva Perón was given the official title of "Spiritual Leader of the Nation" by the Argentine Congress.
Eva Perón has become a part of international popular culture, most famously as the subject of the musical Evita. Christina Alvarez Rodriguez claims that Eva has never left the collective conscience of Argentines. Cristina Fernandez, the first female elected President of Argentina, claims that women of her generation owe a debt to Eva for "her example of passion and combativeness".
We then walked south from the museum up to the Palermo Soho area where we reached the lively Plaza Cortazar where there were several bars, dance clubs and restaurants. We found a table outside a place called Brujas (=witches), where we drank beer and caipirinhas and ate a pizza.
After dinner, we wandered down the streets of Palermo Soho admiring the shops and restaurants. Then we caught a cab down Santa Fe Avenue back to our hotel. I went right to bed since it had been another long day.
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Day 10 - Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
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Itinerary: Day of Leisure. Why not take a “behind the scenes” tour of the ornate Colon Opera House, visit the shops lining the renowned Florida Street, or relax in one of the many outdoor cafes and parks.
Introduction to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Lonely Planet
The land west of Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is in many ways the ‘real’ Uruguay – little river towns separated by large expanses of pampas and wheat fields. It’s far off the tourist trail, mostly, except for the region’s superstar, Colonia del Sacramento, whose charms attract visitors from all over the world. Take some winding, cobbled streets, add an intriguing history and put them on a gorgeous point overlooking the Río de la Plata. What do you get? A major tourist attraction. But the snap-happy hordes can’t kill the atmosphere of "‘Colonia." This place has got "it," whatever that is, as well as enough restaurants, bars and nightlife to keep you happy for weeks.
Daily Journal
Weather: 86°F and overcast.
It was a free day, so we opted for a day trip aboard a 1-hour ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, a small UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uruguay across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires. Colonia was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the Río de la Plata, the city was of strategic importance in resisting the Spanish. After being disputed for a century, it was finally lost by its founders. The well-preserved urban landscape illustrates the successful fusion of the Portuguese, Spanish and post-colonial styles.We poked around Buenos Aires till 10:30 am and then caught a cab over to the Buquebus Ferry Terminal to catch the fast, 1-hour boat to Colonia. Checking in was a bit confusing. We discovered we had to present our e-tickets downstairs at the check-in counter, then go upstairs through immigration where stone-faced clerks dutifully stamped our passports out of Argentina and into Uruguay. We then went to the tourist class section on the main level of the boat and found some seats. This boat was a floating city with fast food restaurants, shops and TV.
It was a relatively uneventful crossing and we arrived on time at 12:30 pm in Colonia. Vicky made a friend on the boat, a young college girl name Krisma from Hong Kong who was traveling solo. Vicky invited her to join us. We made our way off the boat and down the main drag towards the old part of town one mile away. It became clear that Krisma and my group had different sightseeing styles and we soon left her in the dust and went off on our own.
The 6-block X 6-block historic section of Colonia was one of the best preserved old cities I've ever seen. At the end of the day, we all felt that there was no other place we would have rather spent the day. Words like charming and quaint come to mind when I think of Colonia, but these words grossly understate the visual impact the city has on you. 
After crossing a draw bridge and going through the old city wall, you are immediately bowled over by the scores of 200-year-old Spanish-style brick buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, towering sycamore trees, an abundance of flowers, and beautiful squares. Amongst all this are several interesting shops and restaurants, a marina, and even a lighthouse you can climb for a panoramic view of old town.
We spent several hours leisurely walking up and down all the streets and admiring the sights. We stopped for a wonderful lunch at El Drugstore, a restaurant near the main square, before heading over to the newer part of the city to do some more shopping.
Around 5:00 pm, we headed back to the ferry terminal to catch the 5:30 pm fast boat back to Buenos Aires. We made it back through check-in and immigration quickly and headed to our seats. For the trip back, we had "Special" class tickets that allowed us to sit on the upper deck in comfortable leather rocker chairs with a killer view of the water. We also enjoyed complimentary champagne. The ride back was much rougher and the boat rocked from side to side for several minutes.
We arrived back in Buenos Aires on time at 6:30 pm and caught a cab back to our hotel. We stopped at a bar across the street for a drink before heading back to the room to pack our bags for tomorrow's 6:30 am departure for the airport. We go to Iguassu Falls on the Argentina/Brazil border.
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Day 11 - Thursday, January 29, 2009 - Iguassu Falls, Argentina
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Itinerary: After breakfast board a short flight to the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls. You’ll soon discover why this is considered one of the greatest natural wonders of the world! Set at the border of Argentina and Brazil, the falls consist of 275 inlets and cataracts that send their cascades roaring 250 feet below. Enjoy a ride on the ecological train through the rainforest to Devil’s Throat for a spectacular close-up view of the Argentinean side of the falls.
Introduction to Iguazu Falls from Frommer's
"Awesome" is a word English speakers tend to overuse, but Iguazú Falls embodies the term in its fullest sense: In a spectacular subtropical setting, 23km (14 miles) of deafening waterfalls plummet up to 70m (229 ft.) into a giant gorge. The sheer power is overwhelming. You come face to face with raging sheets of water, with sprays so intense it seems as though geysers have erupted from below. Forget Niagara Falls (a mere toilet flush), forget Angel Falls (a faucet); think Grand Canyon with way too much water. Iguazú is a must-see on any trip to Argentina, and the well-run national park with howler monkeys and elusive pumas is another top national tourist draw.
It's shocking that this ecological blockbuster is 90 minutes from the civilized, cosmopolitan buzz of Buenos Aires. Many people drop into this humid corner of Misiones province on a day trip or for 2 days max. Yet this fascinating jungle zone of red soil, giant butterflies, and comical toucans has more to offer than jaw-dropping waterfalls. Misiones Province is a heady mix of strong indigenous tribal culture, blond eastern European settlers, and tropical frontierland. Its abundant wildlife and the mystery of its long-fallen Jesuit ruins are worth exploring. With its multitude of isolated national parks and huge swathes of untouched rainforest, it is an eco-tourist's paradise, with several genuine jungle lodges. Civilization has encroached in the form of tea plantations and pine forests, yet it is not too difficult to get off the beaten track and visit isolated wonders such as the stunning Mocona falls (a mere 3km/1 3/4 miles wide). Farther west of Misiones are the sprawling lowlands of El Chaco, a vast savannah of endless wetlands, cotton plantations, and sunflower prairies that could draw you as far as Bolivia.
Daily Journal
Weather: 86°F and overcast early and sunny later.
It was a long day. We flew 1-1/2 hours north from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Iguassu Falls on the Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay border. We spent the day touring Iguassu Falls. It was one of the best days of the trip.
I got up at 5:30 am, showered and ate breakfast before we left for the airport at 6:45 am. We got to the airport in 15 minutes and were checked in around 7:15 am. We left at 8:40 am. Before we arrived they sprayed the cabin with "non-toxic" insecticide. We arrived on the Argentina side of Iguassu Falls around 10 am, met our local Brazilian guide and headed directly to Iguassu Falls for a walking tour. Iguassu means "Big Water" in Portuguese.
We got to the Parque Nacional de Iguazu and boarded the EcoTrain that took us through the jungle to an elevated walkway on top of the bluff overlooking the falls. There are over 275 falls. Camera shutters were snapping furiously. You can see 80% of the falls from Argentina and 100% from the Brazil side.
Video of Iguassu Falls, Argentina:
After viewing the falls, we went back to the train station and had lunch. While dining, these raccoon like creatures called quati emerged from the jungle and begged for food from the tourists. One guy in our group had his bag of Doritos stolen by one while some other tourists fed soda to the others.
Video of Quatis at Iguassu Falls, Argentina:
We then took the train back to the park entrance and reboarded our bus. We drove to the Argentina border and checked out of the country. We then drove to the Brazil border and waited for our entry to be processed. While waiting, several people in our group got off the bus to buy wind chimes made from agates from a bunch of kids selling them in the parking lot.
After half an hour, we were officially admitted into Brazil and on our way to our hotel, the Cataratas Bourbon Hotel and Resort. Upon arrival, 16 members of our group booked a river raft tour of the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls for about $72 each. The tour company picked us up and took us to the national park. We paid our $9 entry fee, then got on a bus and went down into the park, where we transferred into a smaller vehicle for a short tour of the jungle where we heard about the flora and fauna in the region.
We then went walked about a third of a mile down to the water. Along the way, we went down some steps to the bottom of one waterfall for pictures before getting to the dock. We were warned we would get soaked and were offered the opportunity to leave our stuff behind. About 20 of us got into a zodiac boat and went up the river towards the falls. We went through rapids and along the shore. Then the fun started. The driver got the boat so close to the falls that we were all soaked from the spray. Then the driver did 360° circles in the river and crashed through the wake getting us completely soaked. Then the driver inched the boat directly under the thundering falls and let the water pour on those of us seated in the front of the boat. Then he backed the rear of the boat into the falls so those seated in back could get soaked as well. It was a lot of fun but my backpack was not as waterproof as I thought and my wallet and passport got soaked. A guy on the boat gave me a plastic bag so at least my camera did not get wet.
Video of Iguassu Falls, Brazil, River Boat Tour:
Video of Iguassu Falls, Brazil, River Boat Tour:
Video of Iguassu Falls, Brazil, River Boat Tour:
We got back to the hotel around 7:15 pm and paid the tour company for the tour. Then I ran upstairs to shower and change. I had to put strips of toilet paper between the pages of my passport to dry it out and set a book on top of it so it wouldn't curl up.
At 8 pm, we had a group dinner in the hotel restaurant, which was very nice. After that, I went to bed. We had another long day of travel to Rio the next day.
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Day 12 - Friday, January 30, 2009 - Iguassu Falls, Brazil
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Itinerary: View the dramatic Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls and lush sub-tropical vegetation on an included tour.
Daily Journal
Weather: 85°F and mostly sunny.
Today we visited the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls and then flew to Rio de Janeiro.
I got up early around 6 am but still wasn't feeling well. Something I ate a few days ago wasn't agreeing with me. We went down for breakfast early but I didn't eat much. By 8 am, we boarded our bus for a short visit to the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls. 80% of the falls are in Argentina and 20% in Brazil. We drove to the national park where we did our boat ride yesterday and toured the exhibition which told the history of the falls and conservation efforts surrounding the Brazilian rain forests. The government of Brazil is setting aside more and more land for national parks to protect the rain forest.
Afterwards we boarded our bus and headed down to the lower cataratas to walk along a boardwalk overlooking the falls. First you see the Argentina side. Then you see the Brazilian side. The walk culminated with towering waterfalls that cascade down the mountainside into a river below. We walked out onto an observation platform and stood in front of the falls and got drenched from the spray.
Video of Iguassu Falls, Brazil:
Afterwards, we took the panoramic elevator from the bottom of the falls to the street above. The view was great up there as well. We walked down the street to the shopping area and redeemed a coupon for a free agate from one of the jewelry stores.
Around 11:30 am, we met our bus and went to the airport to catch our 2 pm flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight got delayed and we ended up leaving around 3 pm. We made a stop in San Jose about 45 minutes later, took on more passengers and continued our flight one hour to Rio. We arrive about 5:30 pm, collected our bags, met our local guide Lily, then spent the next two hours fighting Friday night rush hour traffic to our hotel.
We stayed at the Sheraton Rio Hotel and Spa right on Ipanema Beach with a killer view of the harbor. We checked in, had our caipirinha cocktail, then went to our rooms to drop our stuff off. Since it was raining, we ate at the poolside restaurant along with everyone else from our group who did not take a taxi to a local restaurant for dinner.
After dinner, it was straight to bed. I was really tired.
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Day 13 - Saturday, January 31, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Itinerary: On this morning tour, a cog railway takes you through the rainforest up Corcovado Mountain, a 2300 foot peak crowned by the landmark statue of Christ the Redeemer. The views from the top of the mountain are dazzling! Later, explore Rio’s Portuguese colonial history in the downtown area and visit the largest Cathedral in South America. Afternoon of Leisure - On your free afternoon why not head to the beach or relax at your hotel’s pool! Tonight, celebrate with your fellow travelers at a farewell dinner.
Introduction to Rio de Janeiro from Frommer's
Say "Rio" and mental images explode: the glittering skimpy costumes of Carnaval; the statue of Christ, arms outspread on the mountaintop; the beach at Ipanema or Copacabana, crowded with women in miniscule bikinis; the rocky height of the Sugarloaf; or the persistent rhythm of the samba.
Fortunately in Rio there's much more beyond and behind the glitter: historic neighborhoods, compelling architecture, wildlife and nature, dining (fine and not so fine), nightspots, bookshops, cafes, museums, and enclaves of rich and poor. In Rio, the more you explore, the more there is.
Stunning as the physical setting is -- mountains tumbling down to sandy beaches, then the sea -- Rio was not always the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) it would become. The town grew up as a shipping center for gold and supplies during Brazil's 18th-century gold rush. In recognition of the city's growing commercial importance, the capital was transferred from Salvador to Rio in 1762, though the city remained a dusty colonial backwater.
In 1808, Portuguese Prince Regent Dom João (later King João VI) fled Lisbon ahead of Napoleon's armies and moved his court and the capital to Rio. Accustomed to the style of European capitals, the prince and the 12,000 nobles who accompanied him began to transform Rio into a city of ornate palaces and landscaped parks. High culture in this new imperial city arrived in the form of a new library, an academy of arts and sciences, and the many glittering balls held by the imported elite. King João's son, Pedro, liked Rio so much that when the king returned to Lisbon, Pedro stayed on and declared Brazil independent.
Now the capital of a country larger and richer than many in Europe, Rio grew at a phenomenal pace; by the late 1800s it was one of the largest cities in the world. Many of the newcomers came from Europe, but a sizable portion were Brazilians of African descent who brought with them the musical traditions of Africa and the Brazilian Northeast.
A new "low culture" of distinctly Brazilian music began to develop in the city's poorer neighborhoods. The high point of the year for both high and low cultures was the celebration of Carnaval. In palace ballrooms the elite held elaborate costume balls. In the streets, poorer residents would stage their own all-night parades. Not until the 1920s did the two celebrations begin to merge. It became, if not respectable, at least possible for elite and middle-class Brazilians to be seen at on-street Carnaval parades. Low culture likewise influenced composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, who incorporated Brazilian rhythms and sounds into his classical compositions. Gowns and costumes at the elite balls got more elaborate, not to mention more risqué. At about the same time, the first road was punched through to Copacabana, and Cariocas (as Rio residents are called) flocked to the new community by the beach.
All of these elements came together in the 1930s with the opening of The Copacabana Palace hotel -- a luxury hotel on Copacabana beach with a nightclub that featured exclusively Brazilian music. The 1933 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical Flying Down to Rio portrayed Rio as a city of beach, song, and beautiful, passionate people. The image held enough truth that the iconography has stuck through the end of the 20th century and beyond.
In the years following World War II, São Paulo took over as Brazil's industrial leader; the federal capital was moved inland to Brasilia in the early 1960s. By the 1980s, violence and crime plagued the country, and Rio was perceived as the sort of place where walking down the street was openly asking for a mugging. For a time Cariocas feared for the future of their city -- needlessly, it turned out. In the early 1990s, governments began pouring money back into basic services; cops were stationed on city streets, on public beaches, and anywhere else there seemed to be a problem. Public and private owners began renovating the many heritage buildings of the city's colonial core. Rio's youth rediscovered samba, returning to renovated clubs in the old bohemian enclave of Lapa. Now a city of some seven million and growing, Rio remains the country's media capital, an important finance center, and Brazil's key tourist destination.
Daily Journal
Weather: 95°F, sunny and humid.
Today we visited Corcovado, the mountain on which the Holy Redeemer statue stands, followed by a tour of Rio de Janeiro.
I got up early around 6:30 am and took a stunning photo of the sunrise over Rio from our hotel balcony.
By 7:30 am, we were downstairs having breakfast at a table overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The view was fantastic although a bit sunny, but I'm not complaining since the weather at home is 10°F and dismal.
By 8:30 am, we were on the bus headed for Corcovado Mountain. Corcovado means "hunch back" because that's what the mountain looks like. It towers 2,300 feet over the city. On top of the mountain is the Holy Redeemer, or Christ statue, with its outstretched arms overlooking the city. It was nominated as one of the 7 modern wonders of the world like yesterday's Iguassu Falls.
We were a little late leaving the hotel, so our guide had to call ahead to tell them to hold the train till we got there. We arrived a little after 9 am and ran to catch the cog train that takes about 15 minutes to reach the base of the statue, after which you take an elevator and either stairs or an escalator to the top.
The weather was so perfect today that you could see miles and miles. Camera shutters were clicking furiously as went from one clearing to the next and got killer views of the city and harbor below.
Eventually we reached the top and made a dash for the elevator and escalators. Fortunately it wasn't too busy since we were on one of the first trains of the morning. We posed for pictures in front of the Christ Redeemer statue and city, then took other panoramic shots and headed back down to catch the train down. Upon reaching the bottom, I ran ahead of the group so I could buy a T-shirt at the Hard Rock Cafe merchandise shop at the bottom of the mountain.
Video of Rio de Janeiro from Corcovado Mountain:
We then started our tour of the city which included San Sebastian Cathedral, several neighborhoods, the Samba Training School and the Ipanema Beach area. San Sebastian was cool. It's a giant pyramid-shaped church with 4 stained glass windows stretching from the top to bottom.
After the cathedral, we drove through several neighborhoods, such Flamengo, Centro, Lana , Leblon and Ipanema.
Along the way we stopped at the Samba training school where people come to learn the samba so they can dance in the Carnival parade, which is one month from now. In the store, you could rent a costume for 5 reals ($2) and pose for pictures. It was 95°F, so I passed, but Denise in our group was brave and we all got a photo with her. We all thought the Carnival parade was held in the city streets. It actually takes place in a tiny stadium-like park with box seats and unassigned seats. Crews were working hard to get the park ready for the parade. The school was inside the park.
Our final stop was the Stern Jewelry shop tour. We bolted immediately upon exiting the bus and went to ViaSete for a great lunch a few blocks away. Vicky sat inside by herself because it was too hot. Dave, Vicki and I sat outside with a bucket of beers and enjoyed the endless stream of beachgoers parading past. Ipanema Beach (ee-pan-nay-ma) was just a few blocks away. Lunch took 1-1/2 hours so we were eager to get down to the beach. Dave and Vicki stopped at Louis Vuitton while Vicki and I headed down to the beach. That was the last we saw of Dave and Vicki until we got back to the hotel. Ipanema Beach is probably 2 miles long and was wall to wall people. We took our shoes off and walked down to the water. I snapped a few pictures, including one of Vicky with her new boy toys for her "wall" at work.
After the beach, we headed back to the hotel and went down to the pool and beach for a few hours. I swam in the pool, which was like bathwater, and the ocean, which wasn't much cooler.
Around 5:30 pm, I donned my running gear and ran about 8 miles round trip in the 86°F heat. I ran the entire length of Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. I wish I had brought my camera because there was a lot of eye candy.
I got back to the hotel just as 16 people from our group were congregating in the lobby to go to dinner and a samba dance show. I had no interest in either so went out to dinner and a few clubs on my own. I've seen a lot of samba already. And we still have another night in Rio to party it up.
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Day 14 - Sunday, February 1, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro
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Itinerary: Sprawling between lush tropical mountains and the exquisite beaches of the Atlantic, Rio’s natural beauty and the warmth of its people will win your heart. This morning drive along white-sanded beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Ascend by cable car to the 1300 foot summit for stunning views of the city and surroundings. Afternoon of Leisure - Balance of the day is at leisure to explore on your own, enjoy delicious local cuisine and shop for authentic gemstones.
Daily Journal
Weather: 95°F, sunny and very humid.
It was another day in paradise except that the heat was sweltering with the 80% humidity. We visited Sugar Loaf Mountain, shopped at the Hippie Market and had a farewell dinner with our group at the hotel. It was our last night in South America before returning home tomorrow night.
I was awoken at midnight by Vicki, Vicky and Dave coming back from the samba show. I think there was alcohol involved and there are incriminating pictures. I managed to get back to sleep after all that excitement and woke up in time for another spectacular sunrise around 6:15 am.
We went down for breakfast around 7 am and then puttered around with my journal and photos until 9:30 am when we got on the bus and headed out to sightsee. I sweated constantly all day from the moment we left the hotel.
Our first stop was the famous Copacabana Beach. Like Ipanema Beach yesterday, it was quite picturesque and crowded with beachgoers. We stopped to admire the view and examine some sand sculptures.
Our second stop was Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar). At 4,290 feet, it's much smaller than Corcovado where we saw the Christ Redeemer statue yesterday. The mountain gets its name from the Portuguese because it reminded them of the conical loafs in which refined sugar was sold in the old days. We boarded cable cars that took us up the mountain. Each cable car holds 75 people and takes three minutes to reach each stop. The first stop was Morro da Urca, a smaller 705' mountain, and the second stop was the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain. We stopped for pictures at both locations. The views were fantastic. At the summit, we ducked into the gift shop to take advantage of the air conditioning. It was nice but didn't last long enough.
After Sugar Loaf, we got dumped off at the huge Hippie Fair in the Ipanema district. It's the biggest outdoor gallery of arts in the world. It's been around for over 40 years. It was started by hippies but there aren't many around today. They had several hundred booths stuff with interesting and unique clothing, jewelry and art. We lost Dave somewhere in the shuffle. After an hour in the sweltering heat, Vicki, Vicky and I went to a very busy grocery store and waited while Vicky stood in the check-out line for 15 minutes to buy a bottle of water. Then we went across the street to an outdoor cafe for lunch and watched the eye candy parade past on the way to and from Ipanema Beach one block away.
After lunch, Vicky and Vicki went shopping and I walked down to the beach to people watch and take pictures. After about 20 minutes, I decided to walk back to the hotel 2 miles away. It was so hot, but I made it back in about 20 minutes. As I was going into the room, I ran into Dave. We went down to the ocean and pool for a few hours. Around 6:30 pm, Vicky called to say they got back from the Hippie Market but had spent all of their money. They will need to use one of their spare duffel bags to get their purchases home.
Around 7:30 pm, we went down to the pool area for our buffet farewell dinner. We had a nice travel group. John and Mara gave me a pair of Havaianas Rubber Flip Flops as a gift for giving them CDs with all my pictures from the trip. Thanks, John and Maria!
Around 9:00 pm, we headed back to the room to pack our bags and plan our free day tomorrow.
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Day 15 - Monday, February 2, 2009 - Rio de Janeiro and Flight to US
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Itinerary: Day of leisure for independent pursuits. Evening transfer to airport for your return flight to the US.
Daily Journal
Weather: 93°F, sunny and humid.
It was our last day in Rio. We explored various parts of the city and took a harrowing trolley car ride up into the Santa Teresa district above the city.
We got up around 7:30 am then went down for breakfast around 8:30 am. Dave met Vicki to go walk on the beach and I stayed up in the room and worked on my journal and packed my bags.
Around 10:30 am we checked out of our room and left our stuff with the hotel while we went sightseeing. We decided to go up to the Lapa area to admire the colonial style buildings and shop for antiques. After some negotiations with car services and taxis at the hotel, we decided we were being ripped off, so we caught a cab to Ipanema to see the restaurant where the hit song "The Girl from Ipanema" was inspired. Helô Pinheiro is the "girl from Ipanema." In the winter of 1962, she was a fifteen-year-old girl living on Montenegro Street in the fashionable Ipanema district of Rio. Each day she would stroll past the popular Veloso bar-café on her way to the beach, attracting the attention of regulars and songwriters Jobim and Moraes. It is easy to imagine why they noticed her. Helô was a five-foot-eight-inch-tall vivacious brunette. Since the song became popular, she has become a celebrity. The Veloso bar has since been renamed "A Garota de Ipanema," The Girl from Ipanema. And right next door is Helô's swimsuit shop. We stopped in but didn't see Helô, but the clerk looked like she could have been her daughter.
We then caught a metered cab up to Lapa. We got out in the heart of downtown and walked a few streets to shop. Just before we got there, we saw this trolley car loaded with people, some hanging on the outside, cross over the aqueduct in front of us. We decided to go for a ride on it and had the cab driver drop us off at the station. Because we thought it would take us away from the shopping area, we did some shopping first, then headed back to the station. We stood in line at the station for about an hour waiting for the train. There was a giant tour group in front of us and a few other tourists, so we weren't sure if we would get on the train. The train pulled in and people started to get on board after paying about 25 cents.
Before we got through the turnstile, an announcement in Portuguese came on and there was a rush for the gate. Some people, however, backed away. I asked the girl in front of me what was going on and she said that the only space left on the trolley was on the outside of the car. We didn't want to wait so we grabbed onto a handle on the outside of the trolley and stood on a narrow running board and off we went. Little did we know what we were in for. The trolley headed out of the station and across the aqueduct with us hanging on the outside. The objects on the side of the train were so close you had to lean in whenever they came up. This included light posts, bushes and parked cars. After the aquaduct, the trolley started to climb higher and higher up a narrow cobblestone street into the economically depressed Santa Teresa neighborhood above the city. The train went up and down and around sharp curves, speeding up and slowing down, and making the occasional stop. Whenever we passed a car, we had to lean in to avoid being hit by the mirror on the driver side door. In some cases we missed hitting cars by an inch or so. One sympathetic woman tourist seated in the trolley hung onto Vicki so she wouldn't fall off the trolley. Eventually enough people got off that Dave and Vicki were able to stand or sit inside the trolley. I continued to hang onto the outside of the train. Once we reached the top, the conductor collected another 25 cents and we headed back down the way we came. It was an equally harrowing ride. About halfway down, a man in a black suit grabbed a spot next to me on the outside and things got a bit crowded. When we started crossing the aqueduct again, my rear end hit the bushes and the back of my shoes hit the side of the concrete barrier that ran along the tracks.
Video of Rio de Janeiro Riding the Dos Bondes Trolley (Notice the Lady Inside Holding onto Vicki):
After the trolley, we wandered down the street to a local restaurant to have a beer and lunch. After lunch, we went to the bank to get some more money. Then we did some shopping in the Lapa antique stores and stopped at a local supermarket to get some coffee. Then we caught a cab back to the hotel and went up to our hospitality suite to shower.
Around 6;30 pm, we met the group in the lobby and got on the bus for the airport. Since our flight didn't leave till 11:15 pm, we had plenty of time to shop and relax.
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Day 16 - Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - Arrival Home in the US
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Itinerary: Your exciting sojourn ends as you arrive the USA this morning.
Daily Journal
Weather: 93°F, sunny and humid when we left Rio de Janeiro. 25°F, cloudy and snowy in Milwaukee when I arrived home.
Today I traveled from Rio de Janeiro to Milwaukee. We arrived at New York JFK about 15 minutes ahead of schedule at 5:55 am Eastern Time. The plane was practically empty so everyone spread out across several seats and slept all the way to New York.
When I got to JFK, I hurried to LaGuardia to see if I could catch an earlier flight to Milwaukee. I caught a cab and got to LaGuardia around 6:45 am but just missed the cut off for the 7:15 am flight to Milwaukee by a few minutes. So I checked in for my 11:30 am flight. I was tiffed over having to pay $15 for my bag. Next thing you know, the airlines will be charging you for sober pilots, courteous flight attendants, 2 properly functioning engines and 8 adequately inflated tires. By the time I got to the gate, the 7:15 am flight to Milwaukee was still at the gate but the doors were closed and they were getting ready to push back. So I sat in the food court for three hours organizing pictures, editing my journal and drinking coffee till my flight was called.
I arrived in Milwaukee around 1:30 pm Central Time. I took the city bus from the airport to downtown, dropped my computer off at the office and walked home. Like two weeks earlier, I looked up at the clock on the bank. It said 25°F. It was a stark contrast to yesterday when I left Rio.
Fortunately I have a lot of memories of South America to keep me warm over the remainder of the winter here in the frozen north.
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