Copacabana – no, not that one, the other one!

Yes another wonderful place that is within a couple of hours of La Paz is the small town called Copacabana. It lies on the edge of the largest lake in South America, Lake Titicaca which, were it not for its cold water, would be one hell of a place for water sports and partying.  Perhaps this is for the best as it is venerated for having a rich, ancient past and historical communities on the mainland and its islands.

I really needed to have a few days in a hotel after spending what feels like months in dorm rooms. My wish list has come true because for 5 GBP a night I have a large room with a view of the harbor boats on the lake, cable TV, WI-FI and a private bathroom with hot water. To be able to watch some French Open Tennis like this is bliss and the ESPN previews of Wimbledon catch me missing home somewhat. I really do miss playing tennis right now out here so I hope to be able to figure something out, preferably at sea level and not 4K metres high!

Small 40ft boats with Yamaha outboard motors ferry people to the Isla del Sol and its very relaxed and simple lifestyle. I now have a third object to carry – my Suzuki semi-acoustic, red sunburst guitar – which I manage to drop the first time due to my forgetting about having it one my person! My simple needs are satisfied yet again when I manage to find a room situated on a hill overlooking the expansive lake and some of the white-capped Andean mountain range beyond. It is the same range that I saw much closer up whilst trekking in Sorata a few weeks previously.

My room on the hill

My commitment to now carrying a guitar feels like a worthy one as I play and sing with others staying with me during the day, around the night camp fire, at the most happening (and only!) bar in the village and at the beach. It is a bit crazy to be playing Stairway to Heaven twenty odd years after first learning how to play this maligned song, but it seems to drop very easily out here, where any sort of live entertainment is gratefully received and praised. A great thing about being here is that I have found somewhere that for once, does not think that playing loud crap DJ music means that a good time can be had! (am I now sounding a bit old?!)  Hell, I am old! Do I really need to be the eldest person in a hostel bar?!

So, apart from the cold lake water and the energy sapping altitude, Lake T is a beautiful and grounding place to be. My mind is also taken back to the jungle town of Rurrenaque and how peaceful that place also was and how I feel I would like to go back there for more time, now with my guitar, picking away at nothing in particular tune as yet another one of those classic water sun sets happen one more time.

La Paz – The highs and the lows and Jungle inbetween

Flying into La Paz in decadent fashion is not the norm as most travelers arrive by bus, but at 50GBP it feels like a valid splurge. I had imagined that it would be so high that one would struggle to even lift an arm to drink a beer. Fortunately, this not the case, as many a party goer proves otherwise in the Wild Rover Hostel. It is a place to stay where everyone is up for a good time and I very much welcome the very friendly atmosphere around.  My first day nerves are eased when I meet up again with some travelers with whom I partied with in Rio for Carnaval.  In fact, La Paz is a kind of traveler bottleneck where they stay far longer than planned.
The hostel’s karaoke themed night is just one big piss up so no chance to deliver one of my crooner songs. But the Killer Pool competition is rightly won by yours truly and thus my status and notoriety increase-unlevelled table and very average cues aside!

It's hilly in town!

One of La Paz’ greatest attractions are its surrounding attractions. One hears so much about The Death Road that it would be rude to not go down it at dangerous speed on a double suspension mountain bike, on a journey that takes much of the day. There used to be many fatalities until the new road was completed. That said, I heard of a car that had gone over the perilous side very recently, so nothing can ever be taken for granted when ‘doing it’.  My long time riding experience was a great help as I find that going faster makes it marginally safer because one can ride over the bumps, stones, rocks and dust. I could easily do it all over again it was that much fun.

I am up there somewhere

Eating a good pizza in a restaurant in Potosi was the first time that I had seen a travel poster of the hills surrounding Sorata, a town two hours north of La Paz.  So the offer by some friends to go there and trek to the Laguna Chillata and its glacial at 5,100 metres is too good to turn down. It also offers me the opportunity to get out of the city for a while. So three days, two friends, two mules and one guide/cook later I find myself camping out in nighttime temperatures that have me longing for the really good sleeping bag I bought last year in anticipation of this adventure (it got the final thumbs down very late in the packing stages). At times, whilst walking through the meadows I can only think of Julie Andrews in the opening to A Sound of Music!

Robben, you let me down bad!

A trip to Bolivia’s Amazon, The Pampas, is my first chance to experience it, and to also be somewhere near sea level for a time. I did not know what to expect to see so it was great to see so much wildlife, and to also be able to capture much of it well on camera. This is where my camera with its x36 zoom came into its own as all of the tree dwelling animals were well within my sights. The people on my tour are all so much fun to hang with:  in the rustic dorm rooms, the slow chugging boat trips and the partying in the town of Rurrenabaque (On the flight there from La Paz, it feels as if we are going to fly directly into the massive Huayna Potosí mountain).  My highlight is catching not one, but two piranhas using but a nylon string with hook and some meat on its end.  I don’t recall ever catching a fish before so to be the 'fisher king' feels very satisfying! Also, seeing a sloth doing not a lot in a tree reminds me a lot of myself at times!

Ah, dinner!

This guy sees a lot of himself in me.

The Parque Nacional Madidi is one of the South America’s gems in terms of wildlife and natural diversity and it just happens to be nearby, so the jungle tour just has to be done.  The two hour boat ride up the Rio Beni is a joy as the river breeze is much needed.  I was not so sure how I would cope in the Amazon but it was wonderful to witness pigs, monkeys, dazzling parrots and tarantulas doing their natural thing.  It is not for everyone - the night trek in the jungle could break a person of faint heart!

Heading back to La Paz

My return to La Paz means that my numerous mosquito back bites can heal and I can concentrate on purchasing a guitar, which has been sorely missed over these last six months of travel.

Sweet Sucre

After the lofty heights of Potosi, the city of Sucre is a very welcoming respite as it is about 2,000 metres less in altitude and quite different in attitude. It takes pride in calling itself the capital of the country despite the rest of the World recognizing La Paz as its premier city.  It feels like the most pleasant town for us gringos to rest up after either traversing the Salar or the partying in La Paz.

One of Sucre's pretty squares 

There are a few Dutch owned bars here which is perfect for hosting the celebrations for the Dutch Queen’s birthday, as well as any other reason for going out.  It is also one of the cheapest and easiest places to enroll in a school and to learn some Spanish. Me Gusta is the school that I have chosen to spend two weeks to learn.  I have also chosen to stay with a local family which is a great way to be in the language so much more than by staying in a hostel. I have so much respect for all those students who come to the UK to study and live.

Some of the boys working their Spanish at the homestay

 It is not until one attempts to seriously learn another language that one can appreciate just how difficult and rewarding it can be.  To be able to live in a country/continent for an extended time is priceless in my being able to ‘test-drive’ what I have been taught. I am beginning to relish the challenge of communicating in situations such as buying tickets, ordering food and buying stuff in shops. It does not always work out but as long as it does not cost me money or too much embarrassment then that is fine.

Another road block

Demonstrations continue to overshadow the genial atmosphere of Sucre. The doctors and transport workers are united in not allowing the government to increase their working hours for the same pay. I support their cause but it can be a real challenge to travel when there are daily road blocks.   Direct action appears to be the way of things here and I am told that it is generally successful.

I am sad to be leaving this town but I will take with me some lovely memories such as singing Karaoke in Spanish and feeling like I was part of a more natural style of living with the locals.

Sun, Sand, Salt & Surrealism

I had heard a lot about this area from my fellow traveler friends so I arrive here with great anticipation. I had also read that Dali had visited here and was inspired by it so much that it heavily influenced his work, so I was eager to see his art in this landscape.

The main reason this amazing landscape is shaped the way that it is because any rain which falls on the plateau does not drain away due to the non-porous rock base. Its evaporation in the hot and dry climate along with it interaction with all of the volcanic minerals creates lots and lots of salt.

The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the World, and it, alongside the crazy rock formations, high altitude, blazing sun and miles of infinite flatness make for a mind bending experience. There also exist underground rivers which create steam when they are heated by volcanic larvae. This produces fields of active geysers that are just incredible to be in the midst of.

The opportunity to attend a good old rave up on the Salar (salt flat) is far too enticing to pass up on. To feel as if one is dancing on snow when it is in fact salt is a strange. The cold is too much to bear for me after 4am so I retreat to the hostel in the middle of nowhere that is constructed of blocks of salt as I witness all the craziness going on all around me. In the morning I can see a hot air balloon being filled up and I am told by a friend that I can return to Uyuni town on it.  This proves not to be the case as it transpires that it is only going up and down so as to offer superb sunrise views of the Salar. This is what can happen when there is a preposition translation issue when the balloon company is named after the town!

The party crew are all top people and I know that we will all be friends for a long time to come, so shout outs go to Zane, Lisa, Carl, Lisa and Santiago.

Now time for some civilization in Potosi. Peace.

Lost and Found in the Atacama Desert

Being without the facility to draw cash out is a pain, whereas not being able to do so whilst in a small town in the middle of the desert when tours and transportation need to be booked is a serious situation.  Fortunately, with my mother’s help I am able to order a new card have its details sent to me and the moment standing at the ATM with the sound of cash being counted in the machine is such a big relief.

Main Street in San Pedro de Atacama

The tours in question can all be arranged in the quant desert town called San Pedro de Atacama, which feels, and is, in the middle of nowhere. It is where one can venture out into the desert which is defined by hot springs,volcanic mountains, steaming geysers, minerals, salt lakes and great wildlife. Late night drinking is also the order of the evening which can make getting up to visit the sights a little tricky when attempting to awake for a 4am start!  I have never been to Israel and its Dead Sea but Chile has its equivalent here and it is strangely wonderful to be floating around in a lake having 30% salinity.

Trying to drown in this stuff!

The town also serves as the stepping stone for getting across the Chilean border and into Bolivia. 4x4 vehicles are loaded up with up to six people and drive across the desert over three days to arrive at a town called Uyuni, Bolivia.  The whole experience leaves a deep impression because the stunning landscape is unique to the rest of the World. Getting on with the other travelers in a tightly squeezed van can test ones tolerance! So despite being in the middle of a massive desert, one is actually rarely alone. Venturing too far off from the touring group could result in being left behind in some pretty inhospitable  and unforgiving terrain!

Flamingos grazing on some delicious algae!

Wow!

This feels like the next phase of my journey as departing Chile is to leave behind the most expensive countries in South America. I have been told that Bolivia is cheap as chips which will provide welcome relief to my spending rate!

See you in Bolivia! Peace.

La Serena – The Night Watchman

The dictionary states that Sereno is a masculine noun meaning the above, but it also states that it is an adjective meaning calm, peaceful and unruffled. After having spent six days here in this delightful place, I did feel muy tranquillo. Travellers and Chileans are thinking about where they will be over the Easter weekend. The country more or less shuts down on the Sunday with the days either side, its transport system attempts to fulfil our destination needs. My decision of the day is whether to travel Northwards either through Chile or Argentina. Chile has won out.

Therefore, I have made the small city of La Serena my next stop where the guided book promises a relaxing time. The main attraction here for me is the International Observatories and the chance to see a telescope working out in the field of choice for astronomers – the clear Chilean skies (as opposed to a mock-up one in London).  It also offers the added attractions of being near to pisco vineyards (Chile’s national spirit of choice which is used to make its famous pisco sour), and also being near to the Parque Nacional Pinguino de Humboldt, where, you’ve guessed it, penguins reside year-round. And who would not wish to witness these creatures doing their natural thing?

The Observatorio Cerro Mamalluca offers the chance to view the stars through a 30cm diameter telescope and the guide gives both astronomical and astrological presentations that are both informative and interesting. For example, did you know that Venus has a day longer than its year! That is to say, the time it takes to revolve around the Sun (225 Earth days) is less than the time it takes to spin once around its own axis (243 Earth days).  

As we are about three hours shy of a full moon, the night sky is too illuminant to see as many stars as at other times, but at least it means that we can observe the Moon very well. We are informed that the best time to see our galaxy in its entirety is between June-August. This is due to the Earth’s positioning at this time of the year in relation the galaxy plane.  Enough physics for one day I think!

The Valle Del Elqui is a beautiful verdant valley surrounded by hot and dry earth, which I always find rather striking.  It has Pisco distilleries and New Age travelers who settle here and sell their artisan range of UFO centric jewelery, minerals and tie-dye clothing. I even buy a ring which changes colour according to my mood. Today it is blue so I am meant to be feeling Relajado.

Lunch consists of chicken at a restaurant which cooks its meat in solar heated ovens. What a good idea!

Our tour guide, Alan, talks for Chile into his microphone in a strangely odd tone of English which I reason he has picked up from his English Grandfather’s side of his family. Throughout the day I practice saying Inglaterra  with its rolling rrrr sound to him whenever relevant, to which he then responds in jest, then later initiating. During one of his afternoon soliloquies to the tour bus group he prompts me, but unbeknownst to him, or to anyone else, I am fast asleep behind my sunglasses. Only the gentle prodding of my delightful neighbour awakes me whereupon I pronounce Inglaterra once more a few embarrassing seconds later than he wished for. This did amuse me and a few others rather. But what is one to do when one is feeling hot and tired of the bellows of an uninteresting tour guides voice I ask?

The Parque Nacional Pinguino de Humboldt consists of a series of three small islands where sea lions, penguins, cormorans and sea lions inhabit year round. I love being out on the sea on smaller boats during clement weather and to see such wildlife is wonderful. Jorge, our tour guide this time is a delight to be with as he is funny, very well informed, relaxed and just knows how and when to say the right things. In other words, he is not in love with the sound of his own voice!

The old fashioned place that I stay is very chilled as it is run by a family. Despite the place showing signs of neglect, it has a homely charm given by the use of old family bed linen of cartoon characters, the three cats wistfully playing in the garden of old sofa furniture. Maritza, her brother, son and cleaner are such charming hosts and I relish practicing my Spanish as we hang out in the kitchen (thank you Google Translate also!). I just love the quirkiness of choosing to stay in a place which is not advertised online or in the guidebook, because you just never know what you will find.

Despite having my trainers stolen from a department store changing room and my also losing my wallet at the bus station as I depart, I am sad to be leaving as I know that I have left and made some lovely Chilean friends there.

So Santiago!

I had developed the incorrect impression that Chile’s capital, Santiago was very much the poorer relation of Buenos Aires. In fact, it has much of what BA can offer but without the prospect of being mugged, dissed or stepping into dog poo on every corner. Smog rules this city the same way it does in Athens and Mexico City (I think) which is a pity, as the Andes Mountains would otherwise provide a stunning backdrop to proceedings. The city can rightly pride its artistic self because the street wall art and paintings, sculptures and contemporary art relief work that can be found in many of the metro stations, for example, means that no art gallery need be entered on a hot sunny day in order to get a daily uplifting and thought provoking fix around town.

The city walking tours are a great way of appreciating this manageable city with its busy markets (I just loved the dedicated avocado shop), well maintained squares, new and old photogenic buildings extremely friendly inhabitants. Even the street dogs are super friendly and look healthier than any others I have seen anywhere in the World. 

However, it is a pity that the completed work on an upstream dam has resulted in the city’s main artery, the Rio Mapocho, to not be the river that it once was, as something went badly wrong in either the planning or execution of the restoration process. 

Due to my needing to get a move on in my Northerly migration through South America, I cannot spend enough time here, but it gives me yet another good reason to return to this wonderful town and country.

Peace

Hot springs and even Hotter Collars!

Just outside the town of Pucon, Chile, there are the Termas Los Pozones, a complex having series of six hot spring pools down in a valley. My idea was to have a relaxing soak and do some star gazing after trekking up and down the Volcan Villarrica. The problem commenced as my minibus picked up a gang of young, French, drunken adolescents and went downhill from there. Drinking is prohibited but it did not stop most groups taking in alcohol masqueraded in coke or water bottles, or not at all. Now, I love a drink but when people start to have loud disagreements in and around the pools it really is not cool.  Two of the  patrons were patrolling with torches for alcohol just like German soldiers around a POW camp perimeter!

If their actions seem a trifle heavy handed then think again: the evening ended around midnight when we saw the flashing lights of a police vehicle and yet another situation. I later found out that a wine bottle had dropped and smashed into one of the pools. I do not know the upshot but I am sure it was one big hassle to say the least.  There is something to be said for paying higher end prices in order to exclude much of the idiocy of others.

Yours unhappily!

Heavenly Lakes and Dharma

The Lakes District is an area which can cater for the needs of most people in terms of trekking, touring, adventure and adrenaline activities and sight-seeing. I was not sure what I was going to do here but I upon arriving in Puerto Montt in Chile, it was apparent that the Chilean people were all very friendly, self-respecting and welcoming; much more so than elsewhere I had experienced (I have come to conclude they are thus because the population is about 80% Catholic and evidence would suggest that a large proportion are practicing ones, unlike what I have seen in much of either Argentina or Brazil).

Puerto Varas, Chile - Puerto Varas is a small town on the coast whose German design and feel is as a result of many of them immigrating to Patagonia during the previous two centuries.  It was not what I was I was expecting but it helped to provide a relaxing environment, even if it didn’t feel very South American.  Chile’s supermarkets have goods that are just not sold elsewhere, and this is due to its free trade with the US. It was also gratifying to see whole roasting chickens turning on spits at the deli counter! 

My hostel was a nice one to  relax in after spending four days on a boat. It has a guitar hanging around, and I can never resist banging out some pop tunes for others to sing along with. In fact, I have heard more Western rock and pop music here than I ever expected in the hostels, bars buses. They also love the band A-ha and so I often ponder just how much these former pop stars receive in royalties across the globe.

Cochamo, Chile - After a few days of catching up with myself in a comfortable quite, private room with a double bed, I decided to go to the Cochamo valley for some trekking. This was only  after being informed by others that it was a beautiful valley resembling  Yosemite National Park in the US. Good enough for me then as this is a place on my ‘to visit’ list. This gorgeous valley is only accessible by foot, horse and helicopter. I elected to go by horse firstly because I did not wish to carry my gear, and secondly, I really wanted to ride a horse again after such a long time.  I was just amazed at just how a horse could negotiate such muddy and rocky terrain with up and down gradients with such care and ease. I also surprised myself that I could handle sitting on and holding on with ease, notwithstanding a bout of saddle rash. Ouch!

The refugio in which I stayed felt like a ranch in the middle of nowhere, which it is, and has much rustic charm. Being run by two lovely Argentinian women who spoke hardly any English gave me a much needed opportunity to practice some Spanish. The treks themselves were some of the hardest that I have undertaken due to their gradient but the beauty of the forests and mountains more than made up for my aches and pains.

Bariloche, Argentina- After a few days I headed back into Argentina and to the fairly large town of Bariloche- famed for its chocolate, lakes and skiing in addition to all the usual adventure activities on offer. I again elected not to do too much here apart from hang out in the evenings playing pool and making friends at the hostel. I did spent one day sharing a car hire with a good group of boys from Israel to visit the famed seven lakes. It was fun to drive again after three months and to skid around on some rough road, albeit on the right hand side and left hand drive.

Pucon, Chile - After another few days it was back across to Chile and to Pucon and its massive volcano. This small town has its own cozy alpine style look and feel to it and is where I took the chance to have some fun. The climb up to the top of the volcano was quite arduous but the group of six was good value and the reward for scaling it was to witness an active volcanic hole bellowing out acrid sulphur (enough to induce quite a headache) and great panoramic views. 

Another day was spent canyoning and canopying in the beautiful surrounding forest. Canyoning involves abseiling down waterfalls of about 100 metres and into cold waters, surrounded by an ethereal circular formed rainbow around me (I really do hope that the photos taken of me are sent by the large and young Israeli group I did the activity with). It was special fun to hang out in thin air on a rope, however, the next time I will ensure that I am not doing it with a load of tiresome, loud, stupid and irritating female Israeli’s!  Canopying was fast and fun as I zip lined back and forth across the valley for an hour.  I may receive some pics of this event also if I am lucky.

The problem is that as I no longer possess my small party camera, and I cannot expect anyone to take a half decent pic with my larger Nikon, I am currently relying on others to take pics  involving anything to do with crazy parties, heights and water. I shall consider investing in one again at some point.

I also paid a visit to a hot springs complex in order to relax my weary limbs, but more of that episode later.

Peace.

What’s in a name ?

I have decided to start using one of my other middle names as my forename whilst travelling in Latin America. The main reason is that the Spanish language does not really handle my name very well and its pronunciation is challenge for many here. They are just not used to the ry syllable and I am becoming fed up correcting it. The name Nicholas is commonplace, especially here in Argentina and I also like having three syllables instead of just two as it will then have a kind of symmetry with my surname.

I know that it will feel quite strange at first; that I will have to modify many things such as my mindset, introductions with others, my online presence and other many other situations that I haven’t even thought of as yet. I also like the idea of being named after a Saint, which can never a bad thing. My mother even uses her third name as her forename, as I believe is the custom in countries such as France and Spain.

I look forward to this experiment and seeing how much it changes things. Watch this space.

Peace

Nicholas!

Patagonia – The End of the World

It is now three months since I departed the UK, where I now find myself in Patagonia; an area that straddles Argentina and Chile, and possesses one of the lowest population densities anywhere in the World. I have wished to come here for many years, since I first experienced the awesome splendor of the Nepali Himalayas so it was a trill and a relief to arrive here.

The town of Ushuaia, Argentina is the Southernmost anywhere and a world away from Buenos Aires, if not a three flight. At this point one is not that far away either from the Falkland Islands and indeed Antarctica.  I am tempted to spend around USD 4,000 to go there but perhaps I should wait until another time, when I can get my good friend Richard onboard also ( he first put the idea out there when we were in Cape Town many years ago).  The Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego (fire earth) is here and hosts, penguins, sea lions and whales and has a host of tour companies that send boats out into the Beagle Channel to these creatures in the their natural habitat.

After an 18 hour coach trip north through bleak, beautiful and desolate countryside, there are the towns of El Calafete, El Chalten and the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. To witness the incredible Glaciar Perio Moreno shed its ice from its face as it steadily advances about two metres a day is spectacular. The day before I arrive there, I am informed that its ice arch has finally collapsed into the river; an event that occurs about once every four years or so with its remnants floating away.  The event occurs at about 3am in the morning ( as it did the previous time) so no one but the time-lapse cameras actually witness it.

The Fitz Roy range next to El Chalten, which is within the national park is stunning and offers numerous day treks into the mountain range without the need for any bus transfer. It is the sort of place that I could easily revisit with my tent and sleeping bag so that I could catch the sunrise rays illuminating the snow covered rock faces.

To travel in Patagonia usually means crossing the border between Argentina and Chile a few times, so it is advisable to have plenty of pages in ones passport! As I write, I am travelling on a four day cruise ship journey through the islands, fjords and glaciers off the Southwestern coast of Chile. It is enchanting, beautiful and somewhat windy journey to the Lakes District; a place for adventure, wine tasting and so much more I am told.

Ciao for now.

A Setting Sun in the big cities

We have come at the end of February and my last two days in Buenos Aires, where I have given myself the luxury of staying in a private single room in a friendly, quiet hostel that attracts the more mature traveler.  This is just what I need after the excesses of the previous festivities. It feels like the end of the first stage of my journey; a feeling that I expected because my flight was booked before my initial departure.

 I have decided to use my time here to rest, to catch up with some friends and source some decent books to read. I am not a convert to electronic books and I have concerns that I will not find what I want to read. I am yet to find a second hand English language book exchange shop the like of which that are prevalent in India, here in Argentina or Brazil. Fortunately I do find a really good one back in San Telmo and buy three books which will give me enough engrossing reading material for the next month or so. This will be supplemented by my Spanish exercises that still remain to be completed from the classes I took last month. I greet every successful Spanish conversation with a local with a smile of satisfaction as if it were a small victory in my war with words.

Another task I have set myself is to also procure some half decent underwear! From what I have seen thus far, the shops mostly sell pants made from polyester. What kind of people  are they out here? All I want to do is to walk into a department store to select and pay for decent boxers without having a conversation about it in one of the many smaller mens’ shops.  My quest is finally over when I see a Zara store in the upmarket barrio of Ricoleta.  Bingo! My friend Ali and I still have to discern between the cotton and synthetic underwear but I finally find what I need so much after two months of relative discomfort!

Due to government  import restrictions,  many items are just not available here in Argentina; the most surprising of which are guitar plectrums.  I can’t be certain whether the country manufactures these harmless bits of plastic, but I was told by a salesperson in a well-stocked musical instrument shop that he had none to sell.  I suspect that Argentina is getting by, but not in a way in which they are now used to. Time for me to cut to size a plectrum or two from my shaving cream can top!

Next stop Ushuaia - 'the town at the end of the World' , well the nearest one to the Falkland Islands.

Peace

G

Rio-Carnaval!

 I am writing this piece from the beautiful Brazilian island called Ilha Grande, which is about three hours South of Rio. It has lovely beaches that are mostly accessed by boat, although the more energetic can use the trails. I have elected not to attempt such feats as it is far too hot and humid to contemplate. The island offers much welcome rest bite from Rio, and Carnaval!

Previous experience had led me to stay down in Ipanema as it is an area that is not awash with pickpockets and other miscreants; just travelers and locals mixing in and having a good time in the more upmarket end of town.  Carnaval week started with a group of us having a large one seeing Armand Van Buren at a large and stylish DJ event party by the docks of Gloria. What followed is what I can only describe as the biggest party in the World, bar none. 

I have never witnessed so many people, over so many days, during all hours, in all city districts, party so hard in all of the bars, clubs and most amazingly the streets. They are known as a bloco party and they consist of samba floats and loud beats vibrating the streets, which are full of revelers in all forms of fancy dress. The vibe is incredible as hundreds to thousands of people drink, pose, and dance in the sun. There is a great sense of fun, and togetherness in trying to have the best time of it whilst not missing out on all of it.

I went with some friends to purchase tickets for the actual procession at the Sambdrome , and in that journey we partied at 5 separate bloco’s, without even attempting to find them!  The main carnival itself was a spectacular show which was a thrill to be there after imagining it for so many years. We were in the cheap seats at the end of the parade line. It did, however, offer great views of all of the different dance troupes of each school congregating at the finish line, all cheering each other on. The sequence of dancers and floats lasts for about 75 minutes and the shows are all amazing in their creativity and execution. The best news of all was that my friend Gladys participated in the parade of the winning school, known as de Tijuca.  It felt great to be cheering on the winning team as I was told how the marking system consists of various judges scoring on various aspects of the performance. The Carioca  (inhabitants of Rio) build a purpose built massive open air dance theatre holding 90,000. Magic!

I have met some good people here again in Rio who have all been so friendly and fun to hang with. The hostel more or less retained all of its guests over the period so it was a good chance to settle in instead of adjusting to new comers. I shall definitely be back here again for it and I urge you to make similar plans.

Next stop Patagonia, which has been on my to go list for a long time now. Can't wait!

Peace

G

The Streeets of San Telmo, Buenos Aires

It has been about three weeks since my last blog. During the first week here in Buenos Aires I found myself partying along with everybody else. My arrival here from Iguazu was smooth and I had little trouble settling into the European style vibe in this great city. 

The main reason I wanted to come here now was to study and to practice some Spanish. After three weeks of classes I have certainly learnt a great deal but I still have a long way to go before I feel entirely at ease. It is not so much the speaking if one is initiating the conversation, it is the listening and understanding of others, especially in large and loud groups.

An advantage of going to the college is that it has allowed me to stay in a family’s home, along with about ten fellow language students. I realize that after two months it is the first time that I have actually stayed on my own in my own en-suite room, without having to deal with anyone else. Bliss!  And to top it all off it has a TV which receives ESPN and the Premier League games. Perfecto!

Going out here is fairly easy; the taxis are cheap, no real door policy at bars and clubs, and they stay open between 5-7 am all week.  I took the opportunity to play in a live jam session at one particular cool bar in the barrio of Palermo.  Whilst playing on stage, I felt at home in BA and with its whole music vibe. Musicians play everywhere here and it is great to hear them play and dance so well.

The challenges one has to face here include: keeping appointments on time as journeys tend to take longer than ever anticipated; avoiding the dog poo and general rubbish which pervades most streets; keeping cool in the 30deg plus heat; and eating well.

For all the talk of their beef I have been disappointed with the overall cuisine and variety on offer. The food on offer at the cheaper cafes and restaurants rarely stray from very average pizza to beef steak sandwiches that resemble a breeze block! At the more expensive restaurants it is possible to order fish and vegetables, however, the by far the best thing to do if possible is to cook at home if the kitchen is up to it.

Overall, Buenos Aires is a cool city in so many ways and probably unique in the Americas for being as modern as it is.  I have met some really cool people here who have come from the UK and are making it work for them here and it is encouraging and inspiring to know them.

My next stop is Rio again, this time for Carnival which I am really looking forward to. I have some idea of what to expect and it feels good to be returning to somewhere which I am already familiar. At least I know that eating well here is so much easier, especially at the per kilo restaurants. I can’t wait. Vamos! 

Iguaçu Falls but remains to fight another day!

It is not easy pulling myself from the Floripa beaches but the prospect of seeing the spectacular waterfalls at Iguaçu is far too great, notwithstanding the 15 hour coach journey required to get to them.  It has been one of the must-do places to see after what I have read and heard about its magnificence. I had been to visit Niagara Falls last Summer with my brother where we discussed seeing other natural beauties; so it is thrilling to be so close to them now. Typically, it was raining upon arrival at the Brazilian town of Foz de Iguaçu, but Evelina, the owner of the Evelina Pousada, reassured me that it was the first and last amount of rain expected for a while.

A pousada offers private rooms with cooking facilities where the owner ensures its smooth running for its guests. It is a good option if one wishes to get away from the 12 bed dorm scenario often found in hostels I have seen thus far. Far more pleasingly, they tend not to have CCTV watching ones every move it would seem as is the case in Rio.  I appreciate the security aspect of this system but not the invasion of ones privacy.

The Falls are situated where the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet and one can view the falls from either or both the Argentine/Brazilian sides. They are indeed very spectacular from any viewpoint and the power and noise emanating from the Devil’s Throat part of the Falls is astounding to witness.  It takes two days to visit the Falls properly and it involves crossing the Argentine border and back over to Brazil in one day.

Although Paraguay’s borders do not encompass the Falls itself, it’s nearby town does offer excellent tax-free shopping and specializes in the sale of electronics goods such as cameras, phones and computers. A tax-free haven full of bandits and dodgy knock-off gear may be an accurate description but it does not deter me from purchasing the Samsung notebook that I am now typing this blog entry on.  I now feel back on-track and online which is a considerable relief.  I thought that I could get by with just using my iphone but it sure feels good to be touch typing away on this cheeky little number. Thank you relatively inexpensive Paraguay! 

Next stop Buenos Aires baby! Ciao.

In Search of some Southern Sun

It has been a couple of weeks since my initial blog, which is due to my not having much access to a computer that does not cost by the minute.  I felt the need to escape Rio after the New Year in search of some chilled out beach action.  I had heard of a place in Southern Brazil called Florianopolis, or Floripa which promised everything and it did not disappoint.

But before I could enjoy the place, I had to negotiate Rio’s international airport and the chaos caused by the airline carrier’s lack of information and organization at the check in desks.  I am sure that I can become used to it but I would rather not have to go through the hassle if at all possible. I think I have the time to use the coaches as their appeal becomes greater despite the time/distance equation. 

After two stops and one change of plane, we finally arrive at Floripa and instantly I feel a much relaxed vibe here. I had read that the rich, white middle class Brazilians here were a breed apart and it felt as much, as I did not think for any moment that I would be relieved of my possessions at any point.

 The town of Floripa is situated at the point of entry of a beautiful peninsula called Santa Catarina, which holds many beautiful beaches of varying sizes and vibe. We choose a small part of the island that has a simple beauty as it mixes up its beach and picturesque estuary with locals, backpackers and many Argentinian short holiday makers.

What left an impression with me were the beach bars that held wonderful samba dances and local bands. The Brazilians do not need a second invitation to dance with a partner to this music so I felt inspired to learn and practice a few moves with them without too much embarrassment.  It is also the place where I feel that I have properly heard Samba, Bossa Nova and some Jazz- all backed up by terrific sea views and the sound of the waves shifting the sands.  To hear just a few guitarists playing this music using an array of jazz chords is a joy and an inspiration.

There is also the scope to really party here a la Ibiza style and we felt it rude not to do so a little. So we partied by the pool at a large party that was supported by house DJs and the rich and beautiful, who happily paraded around whilst spending lots on drink and having access to previously reserved lounge tables.   I look forward to returning here with more of my party gear in tow. Bring it on!