TravelStream™ news feed for member jennykelly on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jennykelly en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:48:47 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258486061/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258486061/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258486061/tpod.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:48:47 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Our visit to the Amethist mine - Ametista ParqueAmethyst Heaven Des and I booked a trip to Ametista Parque with the local bus company at 10am on Saturday the 14th November for a 1 hour trip. All ticketing is done by hand…with a pen and paper…in triplicate…  I tried to pay for my ticket with my credit card but a young lady told me that was not possible because there are so many different companies operating out of the bus terminal, it would become too difficult.  Unfortunately I picked a very wet day to travel, and this meant that the bus was four wheel driving down the muddy dirt road most of the time. It was such a hoot. We really enjoyed the experience. There was water cascading down the road causing streams to run on both sides of the narrow, windy road.  Oncoming traffic and the odd Brahman bull, had very little room to maneuver as the bus hurtled past on its determined route, windscreen wipers flashing and huge sprays of dirty water kicking up the side of the bus every time I tried to open the window to take a photo. It wasn't cold at all. We bounced around in our seats quite happily and confident that the driver had made this trip many times before.There were 2 bus conductors and a driver on this country bus and tickets could also be bought on the bus when it made its various stops to pick up the locals. It really was a pleasant ride through the Brazilian countryside. It’s very lush and green here, not surprising with all the rain and sunshine they have. We saw tobacco plantations, corn fields and cows grazing. And no matter how humble the casas appeared, they all seemed to have a large satellite dish in the gardenAs we arrived at Ametista do Sul, a thick cloud unzipped and a torrential downpour saw us scuttle into the nearest shop. Ana Getelina, director of In-Flux English school organized for us to be met by an ex student of hers, whose parents own the Ametista Parque Museum. Reubens arrived just as we were arranging for a taxi and took us in his vehicle to the mine, museum and shop.  He gave us a tour of the museum and enlightened us on the various grades of amethyst.  The darker the purple, the more valuable the stone, especially the big ones.Reubens took us into the mine and showed us some amethyst geodes (large egg shapes) which had not been removed completely. The miners drill a small hole into the geode and shine a light inside it to determine its worth.We had a coffee in the mine during the tour and saw some of the older machinery used to extract the gems. Reubens’ family kept a wine cellar in the mine as the temperature is constant. It was an educational experience and one which answered a lot of our questions about such mining techniques.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258475610/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258475610/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258475610/tpod.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:50:01 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Podcast. My lovely friend Claudia took Des and I to see Dr. Hermes for evaluation of my arm. Doctor Hermes was his usual jovial self, cracked a few jokes in Portuguese, laughed with us a bit then removed my old cast. He redressed the pin in my wrist, which looked a bit foreign sticking out of my arm. I suppose all was healing well because Doctor bandaged another plaster cast on my arm and suggested, with a wink, that I would soon be up to my normal activities! He has a wry sense of humour this Doctor Hermes. Later in the day I received a text message from Lou saying that he had a bee sting in his hand and that it had swelled up pretty badly. I understand he had to take a course of anti-histamine tablets to settle it down. I told him to bee careful next time.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258470907/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258470907/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258470907/tpod.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:33:11 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

11.11.09 I don't know how I did it but I managed to erase all 1008 songs from my iPod while it was on charge last night. Not happy Jan!My favourite 'North to Alaska'T-Shirt has become lost between the Hospital and the Hotel on the day of the accident. Oh well, bad luck, I can live without it. Having my arm in an annoying cast has also had its problems. I haven’t been able to put my hair up in a pony tail, so Des had been doing it for me every day. It felt like it wasn’t always straight, but he did his best, and that’s all that matters. I shower with a plastic bag over my arm, or hang it outside the shower screen. I hate to think what my arm looks (or smells) like under the cast.Putting deodorant under my right armpit with my right hand has been a bit of a trial too. I can’t wait to get a shorter cast on Friday, so that I can manage things a little easier.I have a massive bruise on my bum from the fall. I suppose there is enough padding around there for me not to have noticed it after the accident. These are just small things compared to the broken arm, of course, and even that will pass.We have managed to while away the time easily enough in Frederico Westphalen, and we try to plan something different for each day. Our many new Brazilian friends here have also invited us out, and to their homes, which has been a very pleasant distraction. Des and I went for a walk to Rotarian Aguinaldo Dalberto’s shop 'Rancho Gaucho’ which stocks all things to do with gauchos or cowboys. There were lots of boots, belts, hats and other leathery things. It smelled lovely, like the newly tanned hides Aguinaldo had for sale. (It’s a bit like RM Williams in Australia).We no longer have to ask the kitchen staff of the hotel for boiling water for our thermos as we’ve found a new contraption which can heat our thermos water straight in the thermos. (See photographs)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258390905/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258390905/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258390905/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:09:34 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Kiwi fruit and white chocolate on a pizza???On Tuesday while we were walking along the road, Des and I met Rosa and her boyfriend Midas, (his name is really Maires, which I didn't know until he signed my plaster cast, but he’ll always be Midas to me, as that is what I heard when he was introduced to me. He doesn’t seem to mind one way or the other. In fact, I noticed Diego calling him Midas, for which he got a quick slap on the head, but a good laugh was exchanged too.)We were walking, which we’re doing a lot of lately, to a Rotary meeting in Frederico Westphalen, when we met the young couple, Rosa and Midas. When we told the young folk where we were going, Rosa said. "Ok, I come with you". This was not a request, but a statement. Rosa, as I mentioned earlier in the pod, is the Martins family exchange student from Finland. She is very effervescent and willing to experience new things. She said she had never been to a Rotary meeting and said, “I want to know about these things” The Martins family call her 'I Want’ because she says it so much. She said she needed to come along to interpret for us. No ifs or buts about it.  Midas was allowed to go home by himself!The Rotary meeting was expedient and economical and the 12 out of 22 members who came were delighted, and a little surprised, to see us. President Rogerio Vargas dos Santos said “You now have 22 new friends in Frederico Westphalen”, which was so nice to hear. All the members were welcoming and friendly, and we are looking forward to the Barbecue they are having next Tuesday for us. Rogerio gave Des, Rosa and I a lift to the local pizza bar and introduced us to the owner.  We had a variety of thin crust pizzas served to us one piece at a time The waiters walk around with a tray of pizzas and ask, “Would you like to try this one, it is….” Some combinations of pizza toppings I had never heard of. For example: Four cheeses, cheese and mince, cheese and bacon. These varieties of savoury pizzas had no tomato toppings. The sweet pizzas included:  kiwi fruit and white chocolate,  cherries and chocolate, and also apple crumble pizza (I liked this one). When we had had our fill, the owner’s wife drove us all home. Such good service!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257799459/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257799459/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257799459/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:01:34 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Hi, to my Brazillian friends.Oi todos os meus novos amigos Brazillian, welcome to my TravelPod. Por favor, leia sobre ou olhar para as imagens do seu belo país.Des and I are having such a wonderful time here in Frederico Westphalen and the surrounding district, we shall be sad to leave. We are learning a great deal about Brazil, one way or another, and sometimes feel we interrogate the few English speaking people here. We still use many hand gestures and sometimes miss understand instructions which usually causes a great deal of laughter, and some embarrassment.It's been very humid here and to get the amount of lush growth which is all around us, one would expect the country to be very wet. I learned the other day that the capital of Brazil is Brasilia, not Rio de Janeiro, and that the country of Brazil is about the size of the United States of America and has a population of about 190 million people. No prizes for guessing the National Sport in Brazil. Just bring  up the name Pele and you have a friend for life, whereas if you mention Diego Maradonna, or The Hand of God incident, you’re likely to be asked to leave!Many Brazilians are of German or Italian extraction, and the Dutch contingent, I’m told lives in Sao Paulo province. I’m not sure if there’s an Irish contingent!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256388669/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256388669/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256388669/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:43:33 -0500 North to Alaska

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS – CLEAR & DRY – 23.10.09Can't complain about the cost of the breakfast at Palace Hostel Suites…it’s free…what a pleasant surprise. Continental breakfast - yoghurt drink, cereal, bread and fresh fruit.  Filling enough for all the walking we’re doing. The evening meal is also supplied for the cost of one drink. Set menu and small serves. It makes for good commraderie among the guests.I spent the morning learning a lesson in patience and humility (and Spanish). Phone communication without the language is impossible, so I asked the Hostel staff to once again check with Customs to see where our motos were. I really had to bite my tongue, smile, wait, leave, come back later. But in the end Fakundo did manage to find out that the bikes were being cleared through customs and I was to ring back at 2pm.  Today we all set out on foot to get insurance for the bikes within South America. Lou sourced a company through Dakka Motors who provided a policy for 4 months at 40 pesos per month (exchange rate is 3.1 pesos to our Aus dollar) So the total cost was $51.61 per bike. Quite reasonable.It became quite warm and sticky during the course of the day, like it was swelling up for a big downpour. We had tasteless omelets for lunch and were hit with a wave of jetlag. I awoke at 5pm and remembered I had to ring Marisa at Customs. As we had to change rooms earlier in the day, we put everything we owned into the safe/lockable wardrobe, including Marisa’s phone number.  I tried to unlock to wardrobe without success, even Des couldn’t do it! So, down 7 flights of stairs Des went to get Pablo to free up the lock. Pablo brought about 910 (the number of rooms in the building) keys and tried each one in the lock, unsuccessfully. Pablo was a pretty fast worker and after 439 keys could see that this method was useless, so he brought up an electric grinder and cut the old lock off and replaced it with a new one. By this time I guess Marisa had gone home because she wasn’t answering the phone. Oh well, manana.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256953477/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256953477/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1256953477/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:41:35 -0500 North to Alaska

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

ONWARD TO URUGUAY - 29.10.09Having loaded up the bikes in the underground carpark the previous night, we were able to get an early (7am) start to ride in convoy to Puerto Madero to board the ferry. We received many stares and drivers slowed down to have a look at us. They were waving and giving us the thumbs up and gave us some space on the road which was much appreciated. At the traffic lights they asked us where we were from and other relevant questions. Through Immigration, you wouldn't believe it, the officer saw Des’s passport and noticed he was born in Ireland, which prompted him to ask which part of Ireland he was from. Apparently the Officer studied English in Dublin (where Des was born) and stayed in the same village where Des grew up, Clondalkin. Just proves it’s a small world after all.I don’t know what it is about Des, but once again they singled him out for another body search, paying particular attention to the padding in his riding pants, around the knees and hips, but paying no mind at all to the Leatherman Knife, in his belt. One thing we have used a lot so far on the trip is the 4 plug power board, thanks to who ever gave us that tip!URUGUAY – COLONIA – HOT AS HELL – 29.10.09S34 28.240 W57 50.967The ferry trip was relaxing and gave me time to catch up on some Pod writing. The waterway we crossed was like a millpond and the bikes did not even need to be strapped to the deck! A bit of a worry for Lou. There were 4 other BMW 1200 motorbikes on the ferry. We rode off the ferry into a very hot Uruguay. Of course we had all our heavy riding gear on and became quite heat stressed very quickly. The Customs Officer was unfamiliar with the vehicle Carnae and kept us standing in the sun for some time while he was on the walkie talkie to the main office. Eventually we had to follow behind his vehicle to Customs House. As each of us headed off individually, we became a bit separated, and I was left to try and catch up. I found myself on the wrong side of the road with a bus coming in my direction, yikes! I just stopped. I had taken a turn too early, luckily Lou came to look for me and beckoned me on to the next street. I was on a narrow, gravel road, with 50Kg of gear on my bike in full leathers on a 35 degree day, about to negotiate a U turn with a crowd of male onlookers and a bus load of passengers. Unfazed, I slowly maneuvered the bike around being careful not to jam on the brake. A 3-point turn saw me safely on my way again to the shaking heads of the male onlookers. I must admit, I was pretty proud of myself and maybe cool on the outside but shaking inside. After a few more wrong turns in tandem, (must have looked funny to anyone following us). We located Hostel Colonial and asked for two double rooms, which were unavailable, but we could have a dormitory with six bunk beds for just the four of us. We asked if there would be room for storing our bikes somewhere and the answer was, yes. We couldn’t wait to get some of our hot gear off, so we paid $13.80 each per night and settled in. We had only ridden 3 kilometers and were totally spent. In fact we’ve only done 29kms in 10 days, pretty poor really considering this is a motorbike journey.   
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Buenos Aires, Argentina

RECOLETA CHURCH AND CEMETERY – SUNNY – 25.10.09It seems a bit macabre to go sightseeing in a cemetery but apparently this is a biggie on the tourist map of Buenos Aires. I must admit it was a lovely walk around the Cementerio de la Recoleta, no grass anywhere, all concrete and mausoleums, but quiet, restful and very interesting for its age mostly, but also for its amazingly tall marble statuary and granite facades &nbsp;Many of&nbsp; the important people in Argentina's history are buried here. One chap was telling us that the Argentines publish their family member’s death announcement in the papers, and that the deceased will be interred at Recoleta Cemetery, and then 2 days later the body is unceremoniously moved to a cemetery they can afford. It’s a status symbol to be buried in the posh neighbourhood of Recoleta.&nbsp; We saw Eva Peron’s resting place, that’s where all the guides take the tourists. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s song " Don’t cry for me Argentina", about Eva Peron, is very popular here and is played in the malls on Pipes of Pan ad nauseum by the local buskers. Cats are also welcome in the cemetery, but they don’t have to be dead.Lou and Lynn were happy to continue their walk in the necropolis for awhile longer, so Des and I had a coffee at La Biela. It appears “Ice Coffee Please” sounds a lot like “Irish Whiskey in a china coffee cup” because that’s what I got. Oh well, Des thought it was funny, and helped me drink it, under sufferance I’m sure. A tiny little kiddie was hanging around begging, so I asked her to give me a big smile in return for some money, she was cute with lovely soft curly hair and very clean. She had Princess embroidered on her jacket, I thought she was too. I had my shoes polished for 8 pesos while Lou and Lynn joined us for a drink. I felt a bit sorry for the guy doing the polishing as the weather had been quite warm and my shoes may have been a bit on the pongie side. A walk through the markets yielded a refreshing glass of fake orange juice passed off, and charged for, as the real stuff. They see us coming, I’m sure. Lunch at an <i>Irish Pub, would you believe it, was our main meal of the day, then we were off to the village of the painted houses.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257680836/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257680836/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1257680836/tpod.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:51:55 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

FREDERICO WESTPHALEN – BRAZIL – 39 Degrees - 4.11.09TRAGEDYYou couldn't get two more contrasting days. The heat and humidity was intense today. Des and my riding gear was more suited to the cold, so I was feeling the heat quite badly when I indicated to the others, after riding 298kms, that I was ready to pull into the Hotel Bella Vista, 50 meters up the road. I was envisaging a cold shower and cold drink. I was stationary and talking with Lou and Des and we decided to go and check-in. I put my bike into gear and lost my balance on the rocky gravel driveway. I fell hard on my hand and knew by the sound it made and that squelchy feeling, that I had done some damage. I took my glove and jacket off, as I knew it would hurt to take them off once the wrist swelled. The hotel manager rang for an ambulance which arrived within 10 minutes. This all happened at about 2pm. By 5pm I was in the operating theatre having my wrist pinned under general anesthetic. No one at the Divina Providencia Hospital at the time, could speak English, and to their credit, they rang the local language school and asked an English teacher to come and translate. Young Karina appeared with Sylvana to ask the relevant pre-op questions. Karina was delighted to be asked, by Dr Hermes, to stay and watch the operation. She later told me it was fantastic! Soon after I returned from surgery another young English teacher, Claudia and her brother Diego came to help interpret about the drugs I was receiving and the menu. In the morning, Karina and her friend&nbsp;Sylvana popped in when Dr Hermes came, to assist with post-op care interpretation. &nbsp;I can’t thank the young people enough for their help through my ordeal. Claudia stayed with me all night and drove us around town the next day to get the hospital accounts and hotel accommodation sorted. She even took us home to meet her family. All this was unpaid and above and beyond the call of duty. Service above self.The treatment at the hospital was first class, everyone was concerned for my welfare, and the staff were smiling, empathetic and caring. &nbsp;I think I was lucky my accident happened so close to such a good facility.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258150549/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258150549/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jennykelly/45/1258150549/tpod.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:26:12 -0500 North to Alaska

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Frederico Westphalen Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

7.11.09You have to hand it to Lynn and I for sacrificing our bodies for the sake of an interesting Pod story. It appears Lynn got hit in the face by a boom gate, at a toll road up towards Foz do Iguaçu, or Iguaçu Falls. Pour girl, she must have been a bit dazed because she dropped her Kawasaki 500cc on her foot. These bikes are not light, let me tell you. I dropped a 650cc on my foot when I did the 'Staying upright' course at Werribee, Victoria, Australia in October 2008 and it really hurt. In the mornings, I can still feel the area which I damaged.Lynn was attended by a very handsome group of medicos in an ambulance. The Doctor assessed that there was nothing wrong with her head (questionable), but that her big toe needed to be elevated and iced. The Police were called to make an incident report, so Lynn is now on record in Brazil. I really appreciate Lynn’s effort to keep up her end of our sensational trip through South America, but I think that’s quite enough damage for now.&nbsp;9.11.09 MondayClaudia came to shop with me. We bought an extension cord which can be made up on the spot to the desired length, at the local hardware store. Des and I have been back to the hardware store a couple of times since&nbsp;for various&nbsp; small items, using a great many gestures, with varied success, but now, we just go in to watch the staff scatter when&nbsp; we set foot inside the door! Claudia and I also bought a Portuguese/English dictionary. When I got back to the Palace Hotel, I tried to look up 3 words, but none of them were in there, so I went back to the book store to exchange it for a bigger dictionary. This of course will have to be ditched when we leave Brazil, as weight is to be kept at a minimum on the bike. &nbsp;I have a ‘Ditched List’ in my note book to remind me of the things I’ve had to throw out, including: my bucket, battery charger, shower shoes, tripod, hack-saw, blow-up pillow, compact mirror, rouge, photos, business cards (the ones which were damaged the most during The Great Flood) and the book "To the Bitter End" about John Howard, ex PM of Australia. &nbsp;In the evening Des and I went down the lift to go out for dinner and were stopped by the concierge who used his only English word, in all the time we’ve been here, “STOP!!!” &nbsp;We froze. A lady spoke to us in Portuguese as though she knew us. We were confused, to&nbsp; say the least. Concierge went behind the desk (I’ve never seen him move so fast) and made a frantic phone call. The lady kept us engaged in Portuguese, while we just looked blank. Soon John appeared with outstretched hand to welcome us in perfect English. John translated that we were being invited to a barbecue dinner by the Portuguese lady. John and his wife Ines would be coming along too and several friends. We quickly changed out of our shorts and into long pants and jumped into the car provided and headed off down the road to, we knew not where! John drove to the local light aircraft aerodrome, chatting all the while about his profession and the barbecue, and asking us questions. John is a surgeon practicing in Chapeco, Santa Catarina, the next district north of Rio Grande do Sol, where we’re staying, and owns a light aircraft which is his passion.There were about &nbsp;16 people at the barbecue, which was held in the club rooms, next to one of the hangars, all interested in aviation and many with their own aircraft. The friendliness and hospitality of these people was overwhelming and the language was not a barrier. A smile and warm welcome is universal. These were good people with good intentions.&nbsp; We didn’t get to know everybody by name, but John and Pedro showed us through 2 of the hangars which contained 3 beautiful light aero planes. They really were magnificent mono engine aircraft.Meat on huge skewers in a fire in the chimney built into the wall made for an interesting way of cooking. &nbsp;Big slabs of meat and ribs were dripping fat onto the hot charcoal. The smell was sensational, and makes my mouth water just recalling it. &nbsp;There was an interesting array of sausages and cold meats served prior to the main meat meal. Sausage with macadamia nuts appealed to Des.
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