Feel The Paine

So we entered Chile, country number seven for us in South America. Chile is the longest country on the planet, boxed in for over 4,300km between the Andes in the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West. To view a map of Chile on it's own is quite strange, it resembles a gnawed pencil (a lot of the coast is archipelagos), and it is so long that most maps of any relevance require Chile split into several pages.

We entered into the Southern Patagonian town of Puerto Natales, gateway to the Parque National Torres Del Paine. Due to it's dry summer terrain and strong winds this area is particularly vulnerable to devastating fires. Unfortunately Torres Del Paine has been the victim of several non-natural but accidental fires in the last decade. Two destructive fires accidentally started by tourists in 2005 and 2009 caused widespread damage, and just two weeks prior to our arrival a fire broke out causing more damage than either of those before. So much so that it led to the evacuation of the park and the President of Chile declaring the area a 'disaster zone'.

Fortunately for us on our arrival 80% of the park was open, but only half of the 'W Circuit' hiking trail. Not fancying our chances of undertaking the full five to nine day W route anyway there was still plenty on offer for us.

After a night in Puerto Natales to plan our route we made our way to the Parque Nacional with just our sleeping bags and enough food for a couple of days. On approach of the park we got our first sight of the 'towers of pain' rising up from the Patagonian Steepe like a fortress. The towers are akin to a violent force that could be attributed to Dantes seventh level of Hell, and would make the perfect lair for the bad guy in a James Bond film!

On arrival we dumped out stuff at a refuge and started the 10km hike to the base of the Torres. Expecting a freezing temperature we'd packed hat and gloves but the first few hours of our uphill hike was in the powerful Patagonian summer sun. The ozone over Patagonia is very thin so you can really feel the full force of the sun on your back when slogging your way up a rocky incline.

Four hours, a couple of litres of water and a few sandwiches later we arrived at the base of the Torres Mirador. A final one hour climb had us scrambling up and over loose rock and slate to reach the laguna at the base of the Torres Del Paine. Mission accomplished, it was a chance to catch our breathe and have a snack before starting our descent.

Another four hours and another 10km later and we were back at the refuge, and time to bed down for the night to give our body's some much needed recuperation.

Despite some stiff limbs and sore feet we were eagerly anticipating a 24km round trip hike on day two. However after a relatively straight forward first couple of kilometers the wind began to pick up to an almost intolerable level. Northface jackets came on (despite it still being relatively hot and sunny) to provide some respite, and we decided to push on! After 20 minutes or so we found ourselves stuck 'sheltering' every couple of minutes. Sheltering is a loosely used term here, and in essence we found ourselves flat on the floor in a desperate attempt not to be whisked into the air like Dorothy and Toto. Either through bravery or stupidity we continued on to the Laguna, trying to cover as much ground as possible in between every two minute 'GET DOWN' situations! In no exaggeration of the truth it was not possible to stay on your feet when these winds are at their bi-minuitely high. They took the sunglasses clean of Adams head and 50m into the air never to be seen again. Quite literally beaten by the weather we decided to turn back once reaching the extremes and open space of the laguna. Here you could be fooled in to thinking it was raining as the winds plucked the water out of the laguna and scattered it in the air.

Slowly we started to make our way back to the comfort of the refuge. As we did we started to feel quite fortunate to return intact as we passed a few people who had not been as lucky and suffered injuries to exposed limbs and faces where gravel had been picked up in the wind! I'm not superstitious but this day happened to be Friday the 13th! Pleased to report we survived our visit to Torres Del Paine, and got a great understanding of the reasoning behind the name!

With winds this strong and in such a dry climate it's very easy to see how a small fire can quickly spread to 20,000 acres, and take days to get under control. We were fortunate not to have been affected by the fire, but the park which usually receives an annual 200,000 visitors (just two and a bit Wembley Stadiums) and has a high season of just three months of the year has been severely hit. The impact on the local community and their livelihood, as well as the seven firefighters who gave their life battling the blaze is a tragedy. Meanwhile the tourist who has been charged with starting the fire (by burning toilet paper) has received a $100 USD fine, and his country have as yet offered up no form of compensation. A current controversial and political issue in Chile which we will be keeping our eye on.

As Cold As Ice

Our flight took us to the Southern Patagonian town of El Calafate. Expecting freezing cold weather we were pleasantly surprised by a strong sun and low 20° temperatures. We checked into our hostel and started making plans for the Perito Moreno glacier, the star attraction of the region.

We did the 'alternative tour' of the glacier. By this it meant they take a different, or alternative route. So instead of taking the straight forward paved road they took a more off road approach along a longer gravel road. This however turned out be really rewarding as we stopped several times whenever any interesting wildlife was nearby. Along the way we saw plenty of eagles and condors hovering above the Patagonian Steppe, hares darting across the road and even a skunk. We also stopped at a ranch heavily populated by sheep, lamb and ram, as well as a guanaco and a very playful patagonian fox. Our guide also provided us with a lot of very interesting information on the history of Patagonia, from the forming of the Steppe millions of years ago to the European colonisation of the area which for thousands of miles is barren land.

Shortly though we joined the main road and an even shorter time later we got our first view of the highly impressive Perito Moreno glacier. We then took a short hike down to and along the shore of the lake Lago Argentino which is dotted with cobalt blue icebergs. On reaching our destination we took a boat up to the south wall of the glacier, and had the chance to grab some up close photos and view the glacier from the ground up. From that distance you can really see the different shades of blue and white that make up the 5km wide wall of ice. The different colours are made up of the content of minerals, and the varying compactness of the ice. The bluer the ice the more compact the ice. Whilst on the boat we were also lucky enough to see several large sheets of ice come sliding down off the front wall and go crashing into the lake. The sound of the ice cracking, the sight of a double decker bus sized sheet of ice falling, followed by the sound when it plunges into the water and the creation of a mini tidal wave all combine to create a stunning experience. You can't help but will the gigantic ice formation to collapse further for your own entertainment!

After the boat we stopped for lunch, luckily we had bough own so could skip the queues for the overpriced and underportioned food that was on offer at the only restaurant! Then it was time to hit the walkways and get a top down view of this frozen natural phenomenon. From here you can see the true size of the glacier as the front wall gives way to over 30km of fragmented ragged spires of towering ice that have made their way down the mountain as a river of ice. The Perito Moreno is a long way short of being the largest glacier in Patagonia (although it covers a greater surface area than Buenos Aires), but its stable and easily accessible hence the paved road, restaurant and walkways. From atop the walkways you can really appreciate the size, and stop, watch, and wait for 'just one more' sheet of ice to come crashing down off the glacier.

As the afternoon went on blue skies and sunshine become ever more present. The hats and gloves came off and it became somewhat strangely hot to be positioned so close to such a huge landmass of ice! Our first glacier but hopefully more to come as we jump countries and push further south into Chilean Patagonia!

Good Winds - Buenos Aires

We arrived in Buenos Aires in the midst of a storm on the first day of the Argentinian Summer. As we approached the sprawling metropolis across the Rio Plata from Uruguay forks of lightning were visible above the city, striking the high rise skyscrapers lining the waterfront!

The apartment we'd earlier booked wasn't available until the next day so we stayed at a friends apartment in the barrio (neighbourhood) of Palermo (Thanks again guys!). After dinner we took a stroll to one of the many Heladerias (Ice Cream Parlours) that dot the streets of Palermo, and as we left in the stifling city heat the storms whipped up a treat of their own with winds blowing tables and chairs over and torrential rain that was enough to soak us to the skin as we ran the short two blocks back to their apartment!

The next day however the sun was shining and we were all set to start our two and half weeks in Buenos Aires living like Porteños (people from Buenos Aires, literally 'people from the port'). We checked in to our apartment in Recoleta which over the fortnight allowed for the luxury of a private bathroom, private kitchen, private living room, and well, some privacy! A nice change after three months of hostels of varying standards! Suddenly the little things become nice luxuries; putting socks and pants in a draw, clothes on hangers, leaving shower gel in the bathroom, having enough pans to cook with, and powerpoints to charge from!

Our apartment was in the barrio of Recoleta. Recoleta is one of the more exclusive neighbourhoods in the city, famous for it's fortified cemetery which houses thousands of mausoleums, the most renowned of which is for Eva 'Evita' Peron. The cemetery itself is walled in by 12 foot walls on each side and contains row after row of sizeable monumental graves. Whilst we were strolling around there was a funeral in progress, and to our surprise people were still posing in Japanese fashion in front of the graves! Recoleta is quite a leafy neighbourhood with cafe restaurants open until late, trees lining the streets, and some sprawling parks along the main Av Libertador. As we meandered through the greenery here we saw lots of professional dog walkers, some humongous trees, and a massive bench! Its also home to the modern art museum, the Malba, although it's not that big there's plenty of exhibts to interact with, and well worth the £2 entry. Not far from the Malba is an outdoor installation of an 80 foot silver flower which blooms and closes each day with the rising and setting of the sun.

Recoleta Cemetery

One of many professional dog walkers

At the Malba

Slightly oversized novelty colour bench

Giant flower

To the west of Recoleta lies the barrio of Palermo, split into three; Viejo, Soho & Hollywood. Each comprises slightly different characteristics but Palermo itself can be defined as a trendy residential neighbourhood with lots of cafés, bars, restaurants and boutique shops scattered along the streets, with plenty of green parks and gardens to enjoy. We took our time here to visit the parks and enjoy the Argentinian Summer. We visited the stunning Japanese Gardens, the not quite so stunning Botanical Gardens, and the immaculately kept Rose Garden. Any trip to Palermo isn't complete without a visit to the Plaza Serrano, a small square surrounded by bars on all side stocking the local Quilmes Crystal beer. Here we met up with one of G's friends from France (and we hope to see you guys in Bariloche in Feb!) and enjoyed a nice evening perched on a terrace drinking beers and eating pizza before wandering lost around Palermo in the early hours of the morning! Palermo is also home to some great restaurants and after glowing reviews and recommendations (thanks Mikey) on a mystical 800g steak at La Cabrera we thought we better check it out! On our penultimate night in BA we dined out heavily there with a couple of friends and tucked into 800g Steak, Kobe Wagyu Beef and an assortment of sides all washed down with a couple of bottles of Malbec (the local Argentinian Red).

Japanese Gardens

The Rose Garden

Steak Night at La Cabrera

East of Recoleta and Palermo are several very interesting neighbourhoods. Centro is the old founding of Buenos Aires and centred around the original Plaza de Mayo. It's home to some classical architecture which is very Parisien in it's design, including the government building in which we were lucky enough to see Christina Fernandez (the newly re-elected president) departing in her helicopter. She's loved by the masses in Argentina due to her reforms, but they don't overly agree with the more affluent residents of Buenos Aires. We learnt quite quickly that it's best to just not mention her (or the Falkland Islands) when talking to Porteños. The story of her rise to power however makes for an interesting read). Anyway... the Centro district is dominated by the extraordinary Ave 9 de Julio which is a 22 lane wide 'road' running alongside the centre. At the heart of this (and in the middle of the road) is a giant obelisk commemorating Argentinas independence. Whilst in the area we took a ride along the Subte (Metro/Tube) Line A which is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere and made of wood! It creaks a little as it pulls out of the station, and smells faintly of wood polish but otherwise still runs like normal, transporting thousands of commuters to work every day. Whilst downtown on Ave Santa Fe there is the worlds second greatest library in the world (apparently, according to the Guardian), which was a former grand theatre now converted into it's current bibliotheque form.

Buenos Aires is home to some big roads!

The Obelisx

Old Theatre = New Library

South of Centro is the district of San Telmo, the original residential heart of BA. Now it's home to a famous Sunday Antiques Market which we visited on New Years Day. It holds a certain Brick Lane / Shoreditch quality to it which is very different to the rest of the city. The bars also host impromptu tango shows where we got to experience our first viewing of this infectious South American dance. San Telmo is also full of quirky bars, restaurants and a fantastic Steak House called 1880 where we ate till way past full. Meat sweats galore! Continuing south is the district of La Boca, 'The Mouth'. This area is home to the Boca Juniors football team, as well as the famous Caminito Market street, which is lined by brightly coloured houses. Although we found this area to be a bit too much of a tourist trap. As you walk the street here you get pizza menus, and flyers for tango shows shoved at you, and an assortment of novelty fridge magnets to admire from the market!

San Telmo Antiques Market on New Years Day

Streetside Tango Show

Parilla at 1880

Colourful La Boca

Whilst in BA we did plenty of walking but also took advantage of the cheap public transport to get around, buses and the subway cost less than 20p. We visited the Puerto Madero, the upmarket transformed old dock yards for the New Years celebrations. We travelled to Nuñez for an authentic Argentinian Asado (BBQ) with a friend we met in Brazil (great steak Federico!), and visited G's friend in Villa Crespo for dinner (thank you Ann-Soph & Sergio - great view of the city from the 23rd floor). We also headed over to Abasto to a club called Bomba De Tiempo, where the music is driven by an 18 strong orchestra of drums!

Puerto Madero by day

Bomba De Tiempo

We had an awesome time in Buenos Aires, and it provided the perfect location for us to enjoy Christmas and New Year. However the Argentinian Summer raises the city to the high 30s, so we like many Porteños are escaping the city in Summer in search of somewhere cooler.... for us a lot cooler, as we take the 2000km flight down to Patagonia....

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year, Joyeux Noel & Bonne Année, or Feliz Navidad & Feliz Año Nuevo!!

As today is epiphany, and we should officially all be taking down our Christmas decorations it seems like the ideal opportunity to wish everyone a belated seasons greetings!!

Christmas 2011 was for both of us a first Southern Hemisphere celebration. We knew things were going to be different this year but the 35°c heat really makes for a completely foreign environment! We did however go all Blue Peter and decorate our apartment as cheap as possible with just green and red paper, a pair of scissors and some glue! 

In Latin America Christmas is largely commemorated on the 24th, with a family meal, fireworks and celebrations at midnight, and eating leftovers and opening presents on the 25th.

Centro Shopping Centre & Christmas Tree

With a distinct lack of family on the continent, we dined at our apartment on the 24th with a couple of friends. In a not so traditional manner (but at least Spanish) we had a tapas feast washed down with a few jugs of sangria. From the apartment the noise to be heard out on the street was minimal until the clock struck 12 and the streets filled with people and the skies with fireworks. Note, all types of fireworks are easily available to everyone in Buenos Aires, so this time of year everyone fancies themselves as a pyrotechnic!

On Christmas day we had a lazy morning stocked high with crepes and champagne, before taking a stroll through the parks of Recoleta and Palermo. To our surprise there was a reasonable wealth of people to be seen, with joggers doing the rounds and locals (Porteños) lining the cafés that had chosen to open.

For lunch there was no roast turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets or brussel sprouts, but we did cook a sizeable meal for two, taking advantage of having our own kitchen! After lunch we both skyped home to wish the families a merry Christmas.

In the evening we headed over to our friends apartment in Palermo where we started our more traditional European celebrations with music and drinking with a few more friends. We saw the night out with good friends, a selection of drinks and plenty of laughs before stumbling our way back through the streets to our apartment in Recoleta.

New Years Eve is also a very family orientated celebration here, where a lot of people stay in for a meal before heading for the fireworks just before midnight or heading to a bar around 1am. We decided to walk down to the Puerto Madero, BAs waterfront neighbourhood to watch the fireworks. As we made our way down there at 11pm with our bottle of bubbly in hand the streets were deathly quiet in what was a surreal ghost town environment. However as we neared the waterfront we met more and more people heading in the same direction. The Puerto Madero runs along the old docks of the city, and is lined with classy restaurants and bars. Needless to say when we arrived there it was a world away from the quiet leafy streets of Buenos Aires as people lined the docks in anticipation of the celebrations. At midnight the fireworks began and the music starting to blast from each bar as the docks transformed into an outdoor dance floor. The fireworks continued intermittently for over an hour as we enjoyed the music, had a dance and a drink and took in the new year!

So a late Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all, we hope you all enjoyed the festive period!

A&G

Uruguay & Yerba Maté

We arrived in Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, on the Wednesday evening. An easy traverse across the city on the public transport had us arriving at our hostel a little later in the day than we would have liked. Just enough time to grab a bite to eat and settle into our dorm... our biggest to date... a 12 bed dorm that fortunately was partially split in two by a dividing wall, and even more fortunately only one other person to share with... a Venezuelan motorbike gang member!

After coming from the beach Montevideo was stifling, humid and sticky in the heat, but that first night the heavens opened, in what was to become a nightly occurrence for our stay. During the day the sun would shine more often than not, but every night the rains would come in a futile attempt to cool the city.

Montevideo was a return to the city lifestyle we had left behind whilst touring the Atlantic coast beaches, our last major city was in Paraguay, and it had been nearly a month since we'd resided in a place with a cash point! Montevideo is home to half the population of Uruguay, but four days was enough time for us to get a good feel for the city. We based ourselves in the Ciudad Vieja, the old town, and were able to visit the the whole city from their taking in the Ramblas, the promenade along the waterfront, the multitude of huge plazas, and the hundreds of confiteriers.

Whilst there we added a padlock to the lovelocks fountain (for good luck), ate at the Puerto Mercado (a meat eaters heaven) and got a taste for the Yerba Máte...

Our lock added

Lunch at the Puerto Mercado

Yerba is a herb drunk by 90% of all Uruguayans, and is popularly found in the old Guaraní tribe area, Paraguay, Uruguay and Northern Argentina. It's drunk through a mettle filtered straw, a bombilla, and out of a special cup. It's a common sight in this corner of the world to see it shared and passed around as a social activity. In fact it's very often you see men walking around with maté in hand and a thermos tucked under the arm. After sharing a few yerba's with locals in Montevideo we decided to jump on the band wagon and invest!

After Montevideo we made our way further along the coast to a small town called Colonia Del Sacramento. Colonia is like a step back in time, with cobbled streets and lots of vintage of cars. Every corner you turn is visually stunning and we've ended up with quite literally hundreds of pictures. Definitely the most picturesque of the Unesco city sites that we have been to.

Whilst in Colonia we spent a few lazy days walking around the town, taking a bike ride along the playa, and enjoying the weather sat outside one of the many terraced cafes. Due to the fact Colonia is on the Rio Plata as opposed to the Atlantic the sun sets over the water. This made for some fun evenings watching the sunset whilst listening to one of the local bands play down by the waterfront. Enjoyed even more with a bottle of the local vino (not quite as famous as it's Argentinian or Chilean cousins, but nice all the same), and some homemade empanadas (Latin American pasties).

Colonia is just 60km across the water from Buenos Aires and the outline of the city can be seen on a clear day, and the lights from the skyscrapers made out on a clear night. So onwards via the Ferry to our next destination for Christmas and New Year... Buenos Aires!

A&G

Playa Uruguaya

Time to make our way south along the Brazilian coast in search of a place of solitude and wellbeing in Uruguay.

First we had to get out of Brazil and into Uruguay....Chui (Brazil) or Chuy (Uruguay) is a very interesting concept if not a rather underwhelming location. The city is a duty free haven, part Brazilian, part Uruguayan. A central road running East to West through the centre divides the city and forms the border of the countries. Banks and prices on one side are in Brazilian Reals and Portugese, whilst across the street the bank distributes Uruguayan Pesos in Spanish.

The most lax border crossing we've yet to experience as you can easily enter the adjacent country without realising just to visit the shop over the road. Immigration formalities are 2km outside of town in their respective countries so we needed to jump off the bus at the end and beginning of our trip in and out of Chui/Chuy.

After getting everything stamped it was onwards to the Uruguayan Coastal village of Punta Del Diablo, 'The Devils Edge'. Diablo has a small permanent residency of a few hundred which can swell to 25,000 in the January summer. So best to check in a few weeks earlier for the still off season prices and a bit of R&R.

The eastern stretch of the Uruguay coast is home to hundreds of beaches (or playa's in Spanish) and from Diablo we got to see a handful. We also visited the Parque Nacional Santa Teresa which turned into a very enjoyable but tiring 12km hike in the sun through the park and along the aptly named 'Playa Grande'. In the park there were some nice botanical gardens, a small zoo with monkeys in some very small cages, plenty of parrots, a huge fort, and an underwhelmingly small 'waterfall'.

In Diablo we met another two couples and all ended up staying longer than first anticipated. Our days in Diablo consisted mostly of enjoying the weather courtesy of the swimming pool and beach, and gorging ourselves on empanadas (South American Cornish pasties). In the evening we took it in turns to cook for the group in a scoreless non-competitive Uruguayan Come Dine With Me. Whilst after dinner activities were dominated by slightly more competitive card games and waning away into the early hours with the 1lt beers and imported Argentinian wine. Four nights in Diablo flew by but with the clock ticking for a Buenos Aires Christmas we had to keep moving....


Several hours further down the coast we arrived at the even more remote village of Cabo Polonio. Cabo is home to less than 100 Uruguayans and is so remote it can only be reached by special 4x4 jeeps that take you 7km over the sand dunes, or alternatively by a 10km hike along the beach from the next nearest town. Due to summer sun and 15kg rucksacks we opted for the former.

Cabo is a small peninsular obtruding from the mainland into the Atlantic Ocean. A small patch of rock and grass near the point of the outreach provides foundations for the few permanent structures. An almost square shape is surrounded on two sides by deserted sprawling sand dunes, another two sides Atlantic Ocean beach, with a rocky outcrop dividing the beaches.

 

The rocky peninsula of Cabo is home to a colony of sea lions which is so vast it means Cabo has a greater population of sea lions than humans. The sea lions sprawl out on the rocks just yards from the lighthouse and provide great entertainment as they haul themselves out of the water and climb there way up the rocks!

Due to Cabo's remoteness the village has no electricity, but a nights stroll along the beach is just well enough lit by the moonlight and circling beam from the lighthouse. Cabo is also home to the best beach we've seen so far, and along with Diablo it's easy to understand why the Uruguayan coast is starting to get so much attention from Argentinian holiday makers!

With tans stocked up our tour of the beaches is coming to an end as we make our way to the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo....

Floripa

Since setting off two months ago we have crossed the continent from the Pacific Ocean in Lima to the Brazilian Atlantic Coast. It's seen us gain 13 passport stamps (and nearly lose them), pick up some useful Spanish and a little less Portugese!

...Our search for the sun took us to Florianopolis and the Isle de Santa Catarina. Floripa as it's known to locals has been ranked the best place to live in Brazil, and it's very easy to see why! The north of the island is a second home for many of Rio and Sao Paulo's richest residents (think The Hamptons of Brazil). Fortunately a bit further south the price is a bit more affordable, 20 reals (£7) a night with the beach right on the door step.

Floripa is home to some of Brazils best beaches and the 50km long island is home to over 40, plus two laguna's. Floripa is also home to some of the best surf in the world and hosts the surfing world championships.

So where better to learn a new trade.... The hostel we stayed at had plenty of free surf boards to use, but after a few failed attempts it was definitely time for a lesson.

A real adrenaline rush to ride the waves, that leaves you wanting one more every time. Plenty of practice had us prepared for Oz's gold coast next year but still with plenty to learn!!

We stayed in a small village called Barra de Lagoa which is home to local fisherman and visited by people looking for endless beaches and surf.

We booked for two nights and stayed for two weeks! Florianopolis for us was our two week holiday.... Two weeks without overnight buses, immigration, or hauling 15kg rucksacks around. In true holiday fashion we spent a fair amount of time on the beach, in the sea, and sipping beer from litre sized bottles. On the more energetic side we did a few hikes along the island (but visited only a handful of the beaches on offer), toured the laguna, took out a paddle boat and canoes, and of course tried our luck on the waves.

Two weeks flew by and we decided to see our visit out with a trip up to the huge music park in the north of the island to see Ben Harper. A great gig in an awesome venue which turns into one of Brazils biggest clubs in the high season!

Florianopolis and Barra de Lagoa is a beautiful place with endless stretches of unspoilt and deserted beaches which I'm sure we will return to one day. We met some great people, made some good friends, and found it very difficult to leave. Alas all good things must come to an end and we had to pack up our bags find our passports and make for the bus terminal to head south.... for Uruguay.