Caballos en la Pampas, or the last day of Explora.

Due to my rather unorthodox travel arrangements I managed to make it so I had what amounted to an entire extra day. Almost everyone else had to leave my mid-day to make it to flights and other arrangements. We were three who had the day to enjoy, though my fellow travelers' plans were much more sensible then mine, and with all this extra time the hotel organized a morning ride for us. After a delicious breakfast and a bit of a sleep in, the hotel drove us a few minutes to the hotel's stables where we were met by half a dozen gauchos and three beautiful horses. The horses are bred in Chile and sent to the hotel expressly to be ridden by guests (see: budget, wind).

We set out on what was shaping up to be another beautiful day. A gallop across the pampas, a couple rivers crossed and I have checked a major item off the bucket list. Riding a horse in Patagonia. It's a really nice feeling to realize that something you've wanted to do for decades is happening right in that moment.

Las fotos.

​Morning world.

Campamento Británico, or lets just walk 30 km.

On my third day I had in mind a relaxing morning of not doing very much, followed by a gaucho-prepared lunch of Patagonia lamb at an estancia owned by Explora and a nice walk to take pictures of the local wild llamas (guanacos - bigger and more camel like). This was not to be. The night before, after coming back from our very long but fulfilling hike to the base of the towers, I heard rumors that a hike was being organized to the elusive and very far away Campamento Británico.

You have to understand people come to the Torres del Paine park to hike the 'W'. It's a trail shaped, well, like a W, that runs on the east side up to a glacier, comes back down and up the middle of the Torres to another glacier and then back down again and up the west side to the base of the towers. Most people when hiking the middle will only go so far as about half way up that leg, because to get to the very end, or the Campamento Británico lookout, you have to do a very healthy 30km hike. That is what I decided to sign up for instead of grilled Patagonian lamb and guanacos.

My companions and I set out before light across the lake to rejoin the beginning of the trail. We were a small group of 5, including our guide and a member of staff who wanted to join, and I'm very glad I chose to keep walking long distances up mountains for one more day. We saw the sun change the colour of the mountains as we hiked, and rise up above the towers just as we reached the mid-point. It was another prefect day and it turned into one of the most rewarding and special hikes I've ever been on. We made it home for a boat ride back in time to see the sun starting to set behind the mountains we'd just hiked.

Loved it. And I promise no more hiking pictures for a while.

Base of the Towers, or "has anyone told you today, that you look wonderful?"

For my second day at Explora I chose to continue with the all day hiking thing. This time the weather was more than perfect, so perfect even our guides and the local staff were awed by the cloudless and windless days ("never happens"). The base of the towers is 'the' hike to do in Torres del Paine and it takes all day. In my usual way I hadn't done much research so didn't know what everyone was going on about. When we reached the top, after a solid 3.5 hours of hiking, it was an awe inspiring surprise. You turn a corner and come face to face with a glacier lake above which the three towers loom, all solid white granite bleached by the sun and surrounded by a perfect, cloudless blue sky. One of my favorite part of the hike, of any hike it turns out in the park, is the simple pleasure of filling up your water bottle at any of the innumerable little streams running down from the top of the mountain into the lakes. As suspected Patagonian stream water tastes delicious. I will miss that.

The day was also made a bit more special because of the members of the group. It is never unpleasant to be told "that you look wonderful today" by a charming man or to have a great giggle about the fabulousness of terrible British reality television series. Thank you.

Valle del Frances, Torre del Paine

This will be a bit dull for my myriad of readers (right) because unfortunately today was a day that was more about the experience. It was the first day at Explora and involved a beautiful all day hike to a valley between two of the peaks of Torre del Paine to sit and have lunch under a glacier. First woke up to pink light on the mountians. That was rather unforgettable. The hike was exhausting, fulfilling, beautiful and awe-inspiring. All wrapped up in a lovely bundle with lunch, boat ride to the trail head and back to the hotel - where I had the most southernly brewed beer in the world (cool). The evening was spent nursing sore feet in a hot tub on the edge of a glacier run-off lake with a glass of champagne. Remember, threw budget to the wind. Et maintenant les photos.

​Morning boat ride to the hike. 

Chile

​I'm not a huge fan of hot tubs, but I think this was a brilliant end to the day.

Hotel Explora, or how to make an entrance.

After eating what I must admit was the best lamb, or Cordero Patagonico, of my entire life I went to sleep in the adorable but simple Miyazato Inn of El Calafate. Tonight is a whole other story. I'm fulfilling a bucket list item here so thought I'd do it in high style. After gawping at the pictures of a friend who came here (thank you Therese) I decided to throw budget to the wind and booked a 4 day stay at Explora hotel in the Torres del Paine national park in Chile. That involved an early wake up, a long bus ride, a border serving, and a confusing dropping off arrangement. After scaring the staff because I didn't show up when and where I promised, I walked into the lovely modern lobby of the hotel all dusty and sunburned after an impromptu hike. The manager actually exclaimed my name and sighed in relief. After dropping my bags off in a room with the best view I'll ever experience, I went for a short hike with one of the hotel guides. Yep it's that kind of place. Enjoy the pics of the Torres del Paine.

Pause cafe in Buenos Aires and arrival at the end of the world

Flew from Bariloche to El Calafate today but that is not a direct trip and involves a stop in BA. Took advantage of having my bags checked through to go for a brief wander in the city and see the must-see of the Recoleta church and cemetery. After the rainy cold of Bariloche the sub tropical sun of BA felt like liquid gold though I was completely over layered for it. Here are some artsy shots of the cemetery, couldn't help myself.

El Bolsón, or how far you can take a Chevy

Day two of the car rental and I woke up with what I'll call a mild hangover. Had the pleasure of joining some new friends for dinner (thank you to the Raffertys!) at Alto de Fuego (best meal so far and delicious by any standard). After some fantastic wine and a few Pisco sours I felt a little groggy this morning and the pouring rain didn't help much. Nonetheless, got into my trusty rented Chevy and made my way down Routa 40 to El Bolsón. Probably the most beautiful road I've ever driven on and I can say that with some authority, it winds itself in and around some rather spectacular mountains. All the while you have to make sure you don't careen off the side as a much smaller and older cars pass you on the two lane highway. I drive like a grandmother in this country.

El Bolsón is famous for its beer and jams. I tried the second one of that list to great success and ate two of the best empanadas of the trip so far. Then I headed up the mountain that dominates the skyline of the town to the weird and wonderful Bosque Tallado or carved forest. After a harrowing (for my car, not for me) 30 minute drive up the kind dirt road used in range rover ads and a hard 1km hike you arrive at what feels the top of the mountain and are greeted by a forest of bizarre carved figures. It was totally magical and worth the crazy drive. Enjoy the pics, I have a video but that will have to go up at a later date - only so much an iPad can do apparently.

Villa La Angostura and Villa Traful, or a lot of dirt roads

Tours are great and all but sometimes being able to get around by yourself is rather priceless. After renting a car this morning through a very local outfit I headed out on the open road. First up was a little town that apparently wins Argentina's annual competition of most flowery villages (this concept doesn't really work in English but you get what I mean). After a coffee in Villa la Angostura I had a choice between San Martin de Los Andes and the tiny little hamlet of Villa Traful on what is supposed to be the prettiest of the 7 lakes (there are, you guessed it, 7 lakes in the Argentinian lake region). 60 km of gravel and dirt roads, and lots of beautiful sites, I'm back home in Bariloche and very proud of my driving skills.

Puerto Blest and a lot of rain

The weather didn't get any better today so instead of another hike I joined a few people I'd had the chance to meet on the plane to Bariloche for a boat ride out to Puerto Blest. I had a imagined a village nestled into the end of one of the lakes but it turns out Puerto Blest is just an old hotel type structure that was probably built 60 or so years ago and now provides a lunch and a place to shelter from the rain for tourists. It's not that bad actually since the whole location is completely underdeveloped and you can go on a lovely 10km walk to two lakes and a beautiful waterfall. This end of the lake Nahuel Huapi is so rainy that a it's an entirely different climate to Bariloche and feels and looks very much like the temperate rainforest of British Colombia. You get the boat from Puerto Pañeulos which faces the impressive Llao Lloa hotel (pronounced Chao Chao).

Nahuel Huapi

The weather turned today so instead of a walk I joined an organized "excursión" to the glacier at the base of the tallest mountain and dormant volcano Cerro Tronador (thunder maker). Decidedly good decision. Stayed dry and warm and got to see my first glacier. Parque Nahuel Huapi is Argentina's first and oldest national park with some great history involving rich patrons, dead Jesuits and poisonous liquor made of mushrooms. Well more or less and a wooden statue of a virgin wrapped in leather and rediscovered after 3 hundred years. ​

Cerro Catedral and figuring out public transportation

Spent yesterday on a long and rather wonderful hike around the back of the biggest ski mountain here in Bariloche. The little town at the base was a bit sad and empty this time of year but you can hike from there to a shelter, the Refugio Frey, and very quickly escape the off season doldrums of the base town. Apparently you can also take a gondola to the top but I decided this would be more fun. ​

​The pictures are a bit nat geo- boring but believe me when I say it was lovely. From about half way. Up you have a spectacular view of the Lago Gutierrez.

Llego a Bariloche.

After a lovely morning of sleeping in at my decidedly adorable hotel - Boutique Hotel ​Raco I went to meet the brother of a good friend in Palermo. He has been living in BA long enough to serve as the perfect cipher for all things porteño and more. After a discussion on politics and personalities of Argentina he kindly drove me to the airport for a short and very civilized flight to San Carlos de Bariloche. Landing on the edge of Patagonia and overlooking the Andes I couldn't help thinking it all looked like a much less populated Idaho. A much vaster version of it. Enjoy the pics.  First is of the little place I we had a coffee this morning and the rest is what I've had a chance to see in Bariloche.

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Argentina

I'm off tonight for Argentina. Never been and am very excited. Wont be spending much time in BA but I figure that I can always make it back there and its harder to make it to the other parts of the country. Here is my itinerary:​

- Buenos Aires (1 day)​

- Bariloche and San Martinl de los Andes (5 days)​

- Torre del Paine in Chile (at this place!)​

- El Calafate and the glacier Perito Moreno

- Back to BA for a day

... and then home and to Chicago for a very gastronomique wedding.​

Y, el fin. At least for me and Mexico (for this time)

Last day. It was a short one because what started as allergies became a cold which ended with me without a voice. So maybe they weren't allergies at all. I was a pretty gross mess though. Paulina and Sue deserve a lot of credit for watching me blow my nose through a million kleenex. Anyhow, I digress. Here are the pictures! ​

Spent the morning at the Dolores Olmedo Museum in Xochomiclo. Fantastic place. I could have stayed all day if they just let us walk on that grass. Basically anywhere with peacocks is magical, and this place had at least a dozen. Peacocks and Xoloitzcuintli (trying say that 5 times fast), a hairless mexican dog.

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Museo Tamayo and a lot of Mexican Anthropology

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Last full day in Mexico City so Sue and I decided we wouldn't stray too far from home base. Paulina recommended the Museo Tamayo so after a dusty walk through Polanco and the Bosque de Chapultepec (note to self - life is much harder without unlimited data and Google Maps), we arrived in the cool, modern museum. ​

After saying goodbye to Sue once our dive into modern Mexican art was through, I made my way to the intense and inspiring Museo de la Antropologia. Wow. Rather indescribably and uundoubtedly a must see for any visitor to Mexico. Well, any visitor who cares about culture, history and place. 

Teotihuacan and boozy lunches

I'm all for long visits to beautiful and unique historical sites (see tour of the Palacio Nacional yesterday) but nothing beats a long and very late delicious boozy lunch. I have discovered to my immense pleasure that Mexico City eats on a Spanish schedule with long lunches starting around 2 pm.

Sue and I spent the morning honorably by driving out to the giant archeological site of Teotihuacan located about 40 odd kms out of the city. It was rather breathtaking though hot and dusty. I got a lovely sunburn on my shoulders though I swear I wore lots of sunscreen. After a couple of hours of climbing dizzyingly steep steps up and back down huge pyramids we came back to the city and settle on lunch at Contramar in Roma.

Two hours later we peeled ourselves away from delicious sangria and flan de coco for a wander around Roma and Condesa neighborhoods.

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Benito Juarez, Diego Rivera and la Cuidad de Mexico

Discovered el Centro today. Started off the day with a delicious tamal and jugo from the street sellers below Paulina's apartment in Polanco. A cab ride later and several hours on our feet we had wandered around the oldest colonial city in the "new world". From the Aztecs to Hernan Cortes via a private tour of the Palacio National.

Valle de Bravo

Or how to live life.

First Stop: Mexico City

The big trip kicks off with a soft landing with a long overdue visit to Mexico City, more accurately referred to as the DF (Districto Federal). 

​A few facts about the DF:

- ​Its a mega-metropolis with a population of 8.84 million people (2009). If you count the whole metropolitan area then we are talking about 21 million people. 

- Located at about 7,350 ft above sea level or 2,240 metres. Either measurement you use, it means the air is definitely thinner than in Seattle.​

- Its massive. 573 square miles of massive. ​

- And last but not least interesting, it was originally built as Tenochtitlan by the Aztecs in 1325 and since 1585 has officially been known as the Cuidad de Mexico, ​Mexico City. That has to qualify it as one of the oldest cities on the American continent right?

Mexico City to-do Map

Above is a link to a google map of all the places that friends, websites and guide books have informed me are interesting, beautiful or tasty to visit: 

Two wheels is better than four

One of the first things I have to do is go out and buy myself a solid and no-fuss road bike. Today was my first go and I'll report back soon on when I've made my choice.