TravelStream™ news feed for member siestabrigid on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/siestabrigid en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:07:23 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/3/1232722800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/3/1232722800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/3/1232722800/tpod.html Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:07:23 -0500 Back to complete Australia and other places along the way!!

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

19th January 2009

I left Heathrow this evening at 9 pm. On this trip I am flying Virgin, Singapore and Air New Zealand - all come highly recommended. I arrived at the Virgin Upper Class lounge in Heathrow to a wonderful meal, a facial in their Cowshed Spa, which was excellent and then came the let-down!! The full flat-bed was flat - like a board and as hard as a rock - not conducive to a good night's sleep - Cathay Pacific still keeps it's the Gold Star!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1210504920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1210504920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1210504920/tpod.html Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:44:12 -0400 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Baltra, Ecuador

4th to 11th May - Galapagos Islands with GAP group

You have to pay $100, payable on arrival, to the National Park, to visit the Galapagos Islands - to fund the Park Maintenance. This is laid down by the Ecuadorian Government to protect the heritage of the islands.

We - four of us - flew to Baltra in GI (this is too long to spell each time) We boarded our boat - Adventurer II - having met our guide Walter when we arrived at the airport. There were only 4 of us because some of the group had missed the connecting flight from LA - what a bonus for us!! There were 8 crew for the 4 of us. The other people were from London, New York, Canada and me from Brighton. We really hit it off and had a wonderful rapport. The first think you notice is the heat - it is only 12 miles from the Equator and it was in the 80's. We spent the rest of the day walking on the beach of Santa Cruz island. We saw red crabs, turtle nests, and snorkeled on Bachus Beach. That evening we met the crew for cocktails before dinner. It is a really nice boat - the food is fantastic - the owner, his daughter and the wife of our guide has joined us for 4 days as there is plenty of room - they are really nice people and fantastic divers (they would be - show-offs!!). I can just about swim and snorkeling is the height of my achievements.

Just to backtrack!! The GI's are a group of 22 islands - most of which are off limits. We visited 8 of them during the course of our 8 day trip. Our guide, Walter, is a native and has been guiding for 23 years and diving for 40 years - so we were in safe hands - he was also really interesting, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his homeland. Our daily routine was early rising, eat, snorkel for 2 hours, walk on islands, see all wildlife, lunch, rest, more landings, briefing for next day, drinks, dinner and early to bed for another early start - no TV, radio, Internet - a complete switch-off from the outside world - bliss!!

I have kept a programme of each day but will not go into it in detail here. If anyone wishes to go there and wants detailed info please let me know and I will be happy to help.

I will list the islands we visited, tell you what we saw on them and give a final overview of this trip.
We visited Santa Cruz, Sombrero Chino, Santiago Island, Bartolome Is, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Espanola, Gardiner Bay, Sante Fe, Rabida.

We had a wonderful day walking on Sombrero Chino Beach - saw iguanas, lizards and sea lions. It was very hot so we did some snorkeling in the bay where we saw beautiful coloured fish. My snorkel did not work very well - it was letting in water through the nose-piece. After lunch I changed the snorkel and this time I managed to see penguins, sea lions and loads of fantastic fish. We then had a walk to the summit of Bartolome Island - great views. We got back at 5.30 and had a briefing for another full day tomorrow on Santiago Island. We then had a 4 hour sail to St James Bay on SI. After dinner we had a drink and retired to bed at 9 pm - it is very tiring snorkeling and I suppose being on the water also makes one sleepy. Having the owner, his daughter and the guide's wife on board made it more interesting as they gave us a lot of local information and told us interesting things about the islands.

The next day we had a 6.30 start for a beach walk!! We saw many marine iguanas (they are almost black and are well-camouflaged), fur seals, beautiful delicate flowers, blow-holes and an unusual lava beach with lave pipes. We then had a dingy ride to see blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, seals and penguins. We did some snorkeling on Rabida Island which has a red beach. This time we say rays (both sting and manta), sea lions, grouper, admiral fish, and puffer fish. The colours were stunning and the water was crystal clear and warm.

We then had a long sail to Santa Cruz - 1.30 to 8 pm. On the way we spotted whales, tuna and manta rays. However, we had to lie down on our bunks and take sea-sickness pills as the sea was very rough - no dinner!!

On 7th May we were up again at 6.30 for breakfast and we visited the Darwin Research Station at 7.15 am until 11.45. There we saw magnificent giant tortoises including Lonesome George, who has not mated for 36 years!! poor chap! He is the last of his species to be alive and is 200 years old. We also saw iguanas, baby tortoises and visited the information centre to learn the history of the centre. We then walked in to the town and had coffee.

After lunch we went up to the Highlands where we say wild giant tortoises and went down lava tunnels - that was scary and we decided to come back as it was pitch black, with water and mud, and you had to crawl on your hands and knees at one point to get out the other end - not for the claustrophobic among us, including me!! It reminded me of pot-holing in Mallam Caves in Yorkshire!! We also saw how the locals live in their fincas and farms. It was a very interesting day - got back to the boat at 5.30 pm.

The only blot on the day was that I lost my sunglasses in the Highlands - a tip - do not put your sunglasses on top of your sun hat because when you take off your hat the glasses disappear into the undergrowth, and it is too late when you realise you have lost them!!

The next day we arrived at Floreana - having had a long overnight sailing. We had a "wet landing" - means you have to get into the water from the dingy to land on the beach!! We went for a hike and saw lots of pink flamingos in the lagoon. It was a brown sandy beach this time. We then went on to a white sandy beach where we say sea turtles, lots of fish and rays. We also saw some small sharks near the shore.

We went snorkeling at Champions Rock - sea lions, fish and sharks there. After lunch we went to Post Office Bay where there is a mail box that was used in the old days by sailors to put letters and cards in to be collected by the next passing ship on the way back to the UK. We posted our cards there - no stamps - to be picked up by people who lived in the same area as yourself and they would be posted in the UK - would you believe it works!!!! My cars posted there got to their destination and the ones I posted in Baltra, the main town, never reached their destination - there must be a moral there! Again we did two hours snorkeling in the afternoon - the time flies when you are looking at all the wonderful sea life - it is all so colourful and interesting - I never thought i would enjoy something so much - especially as I am not a good swimmer.

After our dinner and briefing we sailed overnight for Espanola Island. We arrived there the next morning at 6 am. After breakfast we had a dry landing at Suarez Point, where we saw a Red Marine Iguana Colony and a Sea Lion colony. We also saw waved albatross, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, mockingbirds, doves, finches and lava lizards. There was also a huge blow-hole (see picture).

At 11 am we sailed to Gardiner Bay which had a gorgeous beach - we had a long walk there, lunch and a siesta. At 2.30 we had a wet landing on a coral sand beach, where we saw a sea lion colony. We did some snorkeling off this beach - again to shoals of the most beautiful coloured fish - I know it is getting boring going on about all the fish we have seen but believe me if you ever go, or have been there, you will know what I mean - it is no exaggeration.

At 6.30 we had our usual briefing and dinner. Bed as usual at about 9 pm. I slept really well on this trip - we were knocked out at the end of each da, having done so much!!

On 10th May at 7.45 am, we had another wet landing at Sante Fe Island . This place is famous for its iguanas and prickly pear cactus - also cactus finces and lush vegetation. By 9 am we were again snorkeling with sea lions, turtles, sharks and rays as well as the now boring coloured fish - only joking!!

We then sailed to South Plaza for 2 hours and on the way we saw dolphins. It was a pretty rough sea ride so we lay down in our cabins. After lunch we had a walk on the beach where we saw lots of sea lions and land iguanas, and tropic birds. these birds are very difficult to photograph as they are so fast in flight. We also saw the Batchelor Sea Lion Colony in that area. The cliffs here are very dramatic and the waves are pretty high and rough.

At 4 pm we sailed to Itabaca Canal and saw some dolpins on the way. When we reached the canal we had to refill the water tanks on the boat with fresh water. That evening we had a briefing and dinner - afterwards we had a farewell cocktail "a Grasshopper" with the crew and a Brithday Cake from the chef for one of the guests whose birthday happened to be on that day.

On Sunday 11th May we had our farewell breakfast and had a wet landing on North Seymour Island where we say large iguanas.







]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1209927960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1209927960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1209927960/tpod.html Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:14:13 -0400 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Quito, Ecuador

1st - 4th May 09 - Ecuador

I am back to continue my trip in South America. I arrived from Miami on 1st May. Miami Immigration is bedlam and took 1.5 hours to go through. Avoid leaving here if you can but as it is the hub for most South American cities, you may have no choice. I got to Quito one hour late and took a taxi to my B&B. It is owned by an Italian lady who worked in the Italian Embassy for 24 hours and having retired, set up a B&B in one of her houses. It was a really peaceful, quiet and safe part of town - near enough to all the places of interest.

I had 3 nights in Quito but only 2 full days so I had to make the most of my time while there. Just a little historical and geographical background on Equador. It is 14 miles south of the Equator - has the biggest biodiversity per area in the world with 9 species per km2. It consists of 4 regions: the Amazon Rain forest, the highland Andes, the Coast and the Galapagos Islands. It is one of the smallest countries in the Americas. Some of the reasons for its biodiversity are: it is the warmest region on the planet, the influence of "El Nino" from the north which is warm and humid and the "Humbold" current from the south which is cold and dry, and the Andes Range of mountains which divide the country from north to south.

Quito (9348ft above sea level) is the 2nd highest country in the world, after La Paz. It is in a valley surrounded by mountains and snow-capped volcanoes, notably Pichincha. Besides its amazing landscapes, Quito is known for its treasures and colonial churches, painting, sculptures and carvings. The main influences were Jesuits, Dominicans and Franciscans and of course the Incas and Spanish.

As it was late when I arrived in Quito, I did not go very far the first evening - just locally. Also, the weather here is very unpredictable because of the surrounding mountains. It can range from 10 to 25 degrees in one day! There are aslo, as I witnessed, some heavy downpours, unexpectedly.

With the help of my landlady, I planned my time as follows: in the morning I got a taxi to the Old Town (the city is divided into the Old and New town) and wandered around to get an overview of the place. I booked a guided tour for the afternoon. The next day I went to Otavalo, a well-know market town. Then left for the Galapagos Islands on 4th May.

Just a couple of tips: Pickpockets and bag snatchers are a problem in the Old Town. Secondly, altitude sickness can be a problem - take it easy - do not rush around - nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness are symptoms - take altitude sickness pills and drink coca tea to help with this problem.

Quito is in the shape of a "cross - there are 5 major churches 4 of which stem out from the main square. I began my sightseeing at "La Plaza de la Independencia" from where you can walk to most of the downtown sites. This plaza is surrounded by four buildings that represent the four ruling powers of the colonial era: the Government Palace (you must have your passport to visit this place and there are queues), the Municipal Palace, the Archbishop's Palace and the Cathedral. There are also some very interesting museums eg Centro Cultural Metropolitano, San Francisco Museum and Museo de la Ciudad. The most spectacular place is La Compania de Jesus Chruch (a Jesuit example of opulence gone mad). This is one of the richest churches in America - everything is covered with gold leaf - all 1.5 tons of it!! It took 170 years to complete.

After lunch in an arcade in this square, which was very palatable, I met up with my guide - a policewoman!! She took me on a really interesting trip of the Old town for 2.5 hours - as well as being a policewoman she is a trined guide and really knew her stuff! It would take me hours to describe all the details of the tour and I do not want you to end up in a dark room with a serious headache!! Suffice to say, I had a wonderful cultural experience and at the end of it I was put in a taxi back to my B&B.

Just one little snippet of interest - while I was having lunch there was a terrif thunderstorm and hailstones the size of golf balls - it lasted for an hour and then the sun came out! That is what the weather is like here - unpredictable!

The next day my landlady took me to Otavalo - she had not been there for 8 years and decided to take me in her car - it was a 2.5 hour journey through the Andes Mountains and of course as |I wasnot driving I could take pics and admire the scenery without crashing the car! I would not drive here anyway - they are all mad drivers and horn-blowing happy! On the way to we saw an8-wheeler lorry overturned by the side of the road and its load of maize tipped out - we wondered why there were so many people there, only to find that they were hauling away sacks of maize - they must have thought they had won the lottery!! It held us up for an hour as we culd not get past - the traffic was so bad. When we got to Otavalo we had lunch in a Backpackers Hotel which had a really good restaurant! We then went to the market (it is famous in Ecuador) which had llama-wool jumpers, ponchos, bags, rugs - all made by the locals - there was also handicraft stalls, fresh fruits, produce, meat and all sorts of things to buy. It was a really colourful market and things were at non-tourist prices. It was a long but enjoyable day and my landlady/driver was a very interesting companion.

We got back to Quito to another terrific thunderstorm, black sky and torrential rain. I had to make my way to the hotel, to meet up with the GAP group for the Galapagos trip, that evening - my landlady would not hear of me getting a taxi but drove me to the hotel in her own car - she was a really kind person - she did not want me wandering around in the rain! The streets were like streams from the rain.

My room mate on the trip was a young girl from Calgary, Canada. She is really nice - I have been so lucky with the people I have shared with so far. We had a meeting with the GAP leader for a briefing on the trip and to let us know about our flight to Baltra the next day.

Thoughts on Ecuador - what I saw of it!
It is worth visiting Quito - I wished I had more time there. The weather is not reliable. I did not get a chance to go up the cable car to Pichincha to get an overview of the city - mind you, it is often covered in cloud as I found out from some other visitors. People are very friendly and polite in Quito and it is a relaxing place. It has a very Spanish influence and little of the Inca influence is now seen

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1204948380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1204948380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1204948380/tpod.html Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:43:01 -0400 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Bogota, Columbia, Colombia

20th Feb 08

I flew from Santiago to Bogota with American Airlines Business class - not a patch on Lan Chile - for one thing the seats did not recline and there were no footrests. However, in their defense, the food was quite good. I had the most wonderful fruit platter for breakfast - my plane left at 8.30 am and arrived in Bogota 6 hours later.

My friend Luisa was at the airport to meet me and took me back to her house. They live in downtown Bogota in a lovely family house. She is a really kind person and all the family made me very welcome. I did not do anything that evening - just chatted with the family.

The next day we went to the Salt Cathedral, which is most unusual. It is all underground and all the stations of the cross are in salt. The pictures will have to explain it to you. The only other place in the world that has a salt church is Poland. When we had finished there we went to see Luisa's mother in Chica, a lovely town outside Bogota. Again I was made vey welcome. We went for a walk into the town square, where all the locals meet. We saw a procession walking through the town - this happens each week - it reminded me of Spain, where in Lent there are always processions.

On the following day Louisa took me into Bogota central and we visited the Gold Museum, lots of galleries and churches - again, very ornate. We went up the funicular and came down in a gondola to the church of Our Lady of Monserrat - the views of Bogota were magnificent. Afterwards, we visited the home of Simon Bolivar, who was a famous conquistador in Columbia. We got home at 6 pm - pretty tired after a long day sightseeing.

On Sunday the whole family were taken to a wonderful place way out in the country. Ivan - Louisa's husband did all the driving. We went to a lake high up in the mountains and did a 4 km trek to the top where we saw a beautiful lake and great scenery.

Having collected a hire car, which was 3 levels higher than I had booked, I drove to Sarasota in three and a half hours. It was an easy journey on I75 all the way. That night I stayed with my really great friends, Judy and Rob.

At last I have uploaded my photos so I will now close this chapter of my travels. Hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to completing this trip in May and June. Bye for now and thanks for reading this blog.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202685600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202685600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202685600/tpod.html Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:17:39 -0400 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sun 10th Feb .. end of the adventure trip

I am now back in Buenos Aires after a 4 hour flight from Ushuaia. We have been gone for 23 days and have done so much in that time.

To sum it up: My lasting memories have been the Torres del Paine 'W' trek, the Fitzroy climb, Grey Glacier and El Chalten stand out the most. Would I do it again?? This tour is not for the feint-hearted. You need to be very fit especially for climbing the amount of hills we had to do. I certainly was not as fit as I thought, to do a five-day hike and there were times when I got there by sheer determination and pushing myself to the limit. We were unlucky in that the guide we had set the pace to the fastest member of our group and so we were very fragmented. I seemed to be forever playing catch-up!! The schedule was pretty taxing physically but my stamina definitely built up over the days.

The guide we had in Fitzroy was perfect and obviously far more experienced - his pace was very consistent and he kept the group together, informing us of all the flora, fauna and birds along the way. We also had appropriate stops for photo opportunities. What a difference.

The time of year was perfect - we had marvellous weather. The accommodation was satisfactory - budget style - some better than others - breakfasts likewise.

Ours was a small group - 4 to begin with - then 3 after one lady went home. They were very nice ladies and I enjoyed their company - hope they felt the same!!

I have my last day in Buenos Aires tomorrow - then on my way to Mendoza for a 3-day stay in the vineyards - that will suit me just fine!! I have no more organised activities until I go to The Galapagos Islands and Macchu Pichu next May - what a relief - only kidding!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/worldtrip-2005/1132551480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/worldtrip-2005/1132551480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/worldtrip-2005/1132551480/tpod.html Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:07:27 -0400 To the Far East, Down Under and beyond - a solo trip meeting up with friends along the way - better late than never!!

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Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Hong Kong... What a place - full of surprises like Arnold Schwartznegger, Dom Perignon and High tea at the Peninsula...

Well, I have got a little time - I am now in the Cathay Pacific lounge at HK airport - what a state of the art place this is!! Anyhow, to go back to my visit here - the last time I made an entry I had been to the Peak last Friday. Since then I have had an amazing time. On Saturday morning I went to Lantau Island to see the big Buddha and the Pi monastery. I got the ferry from Pier 6 on HK Island to Lantau - it was a bit choppy and took about 40 minutes. When I landed on the island I took a No. 1 bus to Tai O which is a fishing village - lots of quaint stalls selling dried fish and I saw a huge dried shark for sale. While I was there I took a boat trip to see the Pink Dolphins - they are very rare and can only be seen in this part of the world. I then took a No 21 bus to the Big Buddha - there are 280 odd steps to climb up to the feet of the Buddha - needless to say, I ran up there!! That would be quite a sight, especially with my wonky knee! The smell of incense is overpowering at the temple - you would need to get used to it. I returned by the MTR, which is a fast train, back to the mainland. The trains here are so clean and just glide along. I would recommend the Airport Express into town from the airport - it was great.

When I got back I decided to have high tea at THE hotel in HK - the Peninsula - I had to wait in line for 45 mins. but it was worth it! As I was waiting for a table who should go past me but Arnold and his wife - I asked him if I could take a photo and he said "go right ahead" and he wished me a good vacation!!!! The high tea was excellent and I was invited to sit with a family from HK - they were there with their son and nanny. In the evening I went to a place called the Aqua Spirit for a celebration cocktail and to watch the laser display across the bay - this takes place every night at 8 pm and is quite a spectacle. While I was there a really lovely young French lady asked if she could sit at my table as the place was packed - of course I said yes as it was great to have someone to talk to. Her husband had to go to China on business and they had been staying at the Peninsula. We decided to have dinner together as she had already booked a table in the restaurant on the mezzanine below. When we had ordered our food she also ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon for us to celebrate! This is her favourite drink and I could hardly refuse sharing it with her, could I? After dinner her car and chauffeur came to collect us and we had another drink in her suite while she packed to go to the airport - the Peninsula has wonderful suites! When it was time for her to leave for the airport, I returned to my hotel. We had a really good evening together and she is a most delightful person - I really enjoyed her company. So you can see what I mean by saying I hit the jackpot - meeting Arnold Swartzenegger, afternoon tea at the Peninsula and dinner with a really nice French lady. I wonder if it will be downhill from here?

Sunday 20th Nov......

I decided to go to the market in Stanley - don't bother - the drive to the market was more exciting than being there - I saw Murray House which was an old colonial place in HK and was transported brick by brick some years ago to preserve the place. On my return I stopped off at the Repulse Bay Hotel for tea - unfortunately, they were not serving high tea as a wedding had been booked and the place was closed to the public. There is a lovely beach here so I sat on the beach for a while and then headed back to get 7 pm Mass at Holy Rosary Church - that was a breath of fresh air - all the Phillipino staff have Sunday free and they have a really happy clappy singing time at church - the choir was youngsters and they were marvellous - what voices! After church I went to a place called "Heaven and Earth" to eat - it is in a very trendy area called Knutsford Terrace, just off Nathan Road - very good food and athmosphere, and no I did not hook up with another stranger!

Monday 21st - not a lot of time to do much today before flying off to Bangkok. Had a walk along the Avenue of Stars and visited the Museum of Art and Kowloon Park where people were doing Tai Chi - would liked to have tried it but time was against me - that's my excuse anyway!

You will have to wait for my pics to be downloaded when I get to Port Douglas - I will do them all in one hit for each of the places I have been.

To summarise HK - I loved it! My hotel was The Kimberley - it was in a very good location just off Nathan Road - all the focal points were within walking distance and I felt very safe there - got some brilliant reactolite specs - thanks to Laura's suggestion) at a fraction of the cost they would be at home and got a 1Gb memory card for my computer - again very reasonable. Would I go back? Yes, because there is plenty to see and do - I did not get to see it all - time ran out. Bye for now - I will not be in touch again until I have done Bangkok, so you will have time to digest the foregoing.

PS Get an Octopus Card at the airport on landing - it covers all forms of transport - it is very good value and saves queuing all the time. I have already met a couple from Milton Keynes while I was having some dinner tonight and have got lots of tips from them for Bangkok - they have been coming here for 16 years - lots of experience!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203460680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203460680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203460680/tpod.html Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:36:54 -0500 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Santiago, Chile, Chile

15th to 21st Feb ....back in Chile but not chilly!!

I left for the bus station full of excitement about the trip over the Andes mountains into Santiago. The first thing you see is a row of 50 bus lanes and you do not know which lane your bus is leaving from, and your Spanish is not up to such interrogation! With the help of a really nice couple I ended up on the correct bus with my luggage. Oh for Business Class travel!! The bus was really very comfortable, once I got on it.

But, I was not prepared for the four hour wait at the border crossing in blistering heat!! I will never complain about US Immigration again! To give you some background history, Chile are dependent on wine growing and vegetables, so they are, rightly so, paranoid about taking a whole list of things into their country. The sniffer dogs are not for drugs but insects, fruit, cheese.... I could go on forever, but I think you get the message. Everything has to be taken out of the bus and put through a scanning machine - of course, you always get the idiot who forgot to eat the apple or banana, and so the whole thing grinds to a halt - many times!! The only redeeming feature was the amazing switchback ride down the mountain - I was sitting upstairs at the front and it was a white knuckle ride - I thought the bus was going over the edge down a sheer drop of hundreds of feet - I held my breath most of the way down!! Wait until you see the pictures! I was not the only one who was sweating or holding on for dear life. I have the utmost respect for the driver - he must have nerves of steel.

We eventually got to Santiago at 7.30 pm to a free for all at the taxi rank. It was bedlam! Again, two very nice professional ladies came to my aid. They happened to live in Providencia, where I was staying. One of them took me in her taxi and the other one went alone in another taxi. She was a really nice lady but, not a word of English!! Again my pigeon Spanish came in useful - I was able to tell her where I was staying and when she was dropped off she told the driver to take me to my B&B - what a relief! By the time I got there I was cream crackered (those of you, who know cockney rhyming slang, will know what that means - the rest of you can guess!! I retired to bed and slept like a baby.

Everyone here seems to use the long-distance buses and I am not surprised - they are really luxurious, well CATA definitely is worth travelling with. This is another lovely B&B. I have not had a bad one yet - long may it continue - thanks Trip Advisor.

Santiago is in a bowl and so I was not prepared for the heat and the SMOG, which causes havoc with your picture-taking. It was, on average, 32 degrees centigrade and upwards each day and very little air.

On Saturday I took another city tour - US$30 - it was a hop on hop off but I stayed the distance and then decided what I wanted to see in depth. This city has a very European look about it - lots of tree-lined avenues and beautiful houses. I managed to get Mass in Santiago Cathedral, which is really ornate, as most of them are - the only contrast is that as you come out of the church you are faced with the beggars on the steps - what a contrast. I spent all day Saturday and Sunday exploring Santiago.

Must Do´s

Buy a Bus/Metro Card - the drivers or stations do not take cash - buy the card (like an Oyster card in London) at the metro and you can top it up when necessary.

Take the Funicular and the Gondola to see the Virgin at Cerro San Cristobal - fantastic views - if the smog lifts!!
Visit Bellavista - one of Pablo Neruda´s houses, and a Bohemian district with lots of Lapis Lazuli gem shops.
Go to the top of Cerro Santo Lucia - again great views.
Plaza de Armas is the main square with the nicest Post Office I have ever seen - great architecture.
Palacio de la Modena - residential palace of the Presidents of Chile - really cute guards, I mean changing of the guards!!
Some very interesting museums to visit
Visit a vineyard - I visited Conche y Toro but it is very touristy - try one of the less well known places - Conche y Toro is the largest winery in Chile and in the top 10 in the world.

On Monday I got another bus (this time Tur Bus company) to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. It was a two hour journey through the vineyards, which are at the foothills of the Andes. Unfortunately, when we got to Valpo - that is what the locals call Valparaiso - it was covered in a sea fret or mist so you could not see anything!! It also made the temperature chilly. The other problem was that all the museums were closed - you need to remember that museums close here on Mondays. I took another tour of this area which was alright apart from the weather. Apparently, this is a regular occurrence in this area - the sea mist. We had lunch at a little restaurant overlooking the sea with its high rollers (I mean the waves, not the people) - although there is a Casino in Vina del Mar! There are lots of ascensores (lifts) to the houses on the top of over three dozen hills, on which Valpo stands. The town is like a semi-circle bay with the houses sweeping down to this bay. Many cruise ships dock here and there is a big tanker business at the port. I went up ascensor Conception which gives a really good view of the bay and there is a good coffee place up there with comfortable lounge chairs. I also went up another couple of ascensores - the higher up you go the more expensive the houses!! There is a very strong Naval presence here, with lots of frigates and destroyers in the harbour. I spent the day between Valpo, Vina del Mar (a more up-market seaside resort) and Renaca beach area, where we had lunch. It was just a pity that the sun did not break through until 4 pm, when the haze burnt off. I got the bus back at 6.30 pm, as it takes 2 hours and I wanted to take some more pics on the way back.

Tuesday was wine day...... Conche y Toro to be precise. A big multi-national concern, with a guided tour to match - all very automated and sterile - just like the vats where the wine is stored! Big groups being shown around, but no spontaneity - all very regimented for me. I only liked one of the wines - a Cab Sauv - but we did not taste their top range - surprise, surprise!! Mendoza was far more personable and personal.

Tomorrow I am going to Los Domenicos - more of which I will tell you later.
Have now been there! It was an arts and crafts centre with lots of small craftspeople selling their wares. I was not in the mood as just before I got there a cruise ship had dropped off a bus full of American tourists!! I have nothing against Americans but this group took over the whole place, so I just went and had a coffee and watched the world go by! I did not know that it was a tourist stop on the cruise lines. I spent the rest of the day covering some of the places I had not managed to see before. The temperature here has been in the 90´s every day so very difficult to keep cool and when you are sightseeing you need some breeze!

I was taken by taxi to the Diego del Almagro hotel, which is near the airport. I ti s a great place to stop if you have an early flight the next day. They provide breakfast and a shuttle to the airport for checking in. Well worth the $106 I paid.

I am now leaving Chile with very fond memories of the country - wonderful scenery with vast contrasts, lakes, mountains, desert, glaciers, straits and friendly people - it is more expensive than Argentina but not too much.

I have been really fortunate with the B&B´s I have stayed in - up to now!! They have all hit the spot. You probably will not hear from me again until I am in Florida as I do not know what Columbia has to offer. It is another adventure into pastures new!! So I will say Buenas Dias y Hasta Luego!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203026160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203026160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1203026160/tpod.html Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:38:00 -0500 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Mendoza, Argentina

12th to 15th Feb ... Mendoza

I spent my last hours with Lorena and Andrea at Casa Palermitano (my second home) in BA - did some washing (badly needed), burned photos onto CD, freshened up and said my goodbyes. I was catching the bus at 9 pm in Retiro, so Lorena got me a taxi at about 8 pm.

Hints and tips on BA

Palermo is a very safe place to stay and I could highly recommend my B&B. I used the local buses and metro most of the time - no problems and very cheap - 1 peso each time - you must have lots of coins! Get the help of a cicerone - www.cicerones.org.ar - for local tour of any area. There is also a man who did The Real Buenos Aires tours but at the moment he is not available, so there is no point giving you details. Go to see a tango or milonga at Ideal - the tourist tango shows are staged and not so authentic. Walk as much as possible, as you will find places you did not expect. Do not bother with Cafe Tortoni - it is a tourist trap and a rip-off. Your B&B is the best place to get info and guidance.

Well, to continue with my journey ......

I travelled with a company called CATA (they have excellent buses, really luxurious) to Mendoza. It was a 12 hour drive - well worth paying out 190 pesos for a full flat bed with blanket and pillow - also dinner with wine and champagne were served on board. When I arrived in Mendoza I got a taxi to my B&B - another gem of a place. I had a beautiful bedroom with bathroom (take a look at my picture of it). It was just perfect. That afternoon Tito (the owner) organised a guided city tour for me for AR$35. This is the best way to start in any city as you get an overview and then can decide what to do in your own time.

Mendoza has lots of beautiful squares, because of the earthquake zone, to combat the effect of this problem. Every street has irrigation channels, as water is released from the dams on a strictly controlled basis. I also visited the central market, which was built in 1853. It has a lot of character and many interesting stalls. I spent another day doing a tour of the wine region - 4 vineyards in total and a 5-course lunch at one of them. I tasted some really good Malbec (Argentine´s most important grape variety) and Cab Sauv. I also met some really nice Texans - yes, there are some about!! Ony joking Mark, Jim, Sandra and Dee Dee!! I would recommend this tour - it cost US$112 including the wonderful lunch with wines to match each course - glad I was not driving!!

I left my wonderful hosts on Friday morning to get another bus to Santiago - now that is another story!!!!!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202597280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202597280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202597280/tpod.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:58:00 -0500 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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Ushuaia, Argentina

7th to 10th Feb Final countdown..

From Thurs to Saturday we were in Ushuaia - it is called "The End of the World" - unless you are going to Antartica!! This is a big city and is the provincial capital of Argentina. It is the hub of tourism for Tierra del Fuego and the starting place for all the boats departing to the Antartic. Ferdinand Magellan found these straits connecting Argentina with Chile and the Atlantic with the Pacific in 1520 - hence, The Magellan Strait. We had a boat ride through the Beagle Channel (The Beagle was Fitzroy's ship) to see the Lighthouse, cormorants, seals and other birds. We were very lucky that the channel was calm - it can be very rough and stormy. After lunch we did a 3 hour hike on the Costera Trail through forests by the channel - it was a really peaceful walk - apart from the woodpeckers in the trees!

The food in this place is the best I have had in the whole trip. I can recommend two good places to eat: Kaupe and Gustini - both equally good - Kaupe is the most expensive but not in European terms - dinner about 25 pounds including the best Pisco Sour I have had and, an excellent Sauvignon Blanc (Rutini) - yes, I am still on the wine trail!!! King Crab is the local specialty. After dinner we went to a Milonga (a place where the local people do the tango) - they were really fascinating to watch - it is now trendy for young people to learn and do the tango. I was invited to dance!!! I declined due to my glaring lack of expertise and inappropriate dress sense!! I really enjoyed watching how the tango should be done - maybe I will take lessons when I get back home!

If anyone wants a list of the restaurants I have dined in, I can furnish you with it!!

I had a chance to go horseback riding or bring my blog up to date - the blog won! I spent the afternoon visiting the former prison to see the Museo Maritimo y Presidio. This is where serial killers and notorious criminals were incarcerated - the famous famous was Simon Radowitzsky (see In Patagonia). This is Argentina's equivalent to Alcatraz. There are models of famous ships to be seen in this museum. While you are in Ushuaia you can take trips to Penguin Island, Harberton Estancia, El Tren del Fin del Mundo and lots of trails in the National Park.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202163180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202163180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/siestabrigid/2/1202163180/tpod.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:57:06 -0500 A Pensioner's Guide to South America - anything can happen!

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El Chalten, Argentina

4th and 5th Feb - El Chalten

Before leaving El Calafate we visited the most famous glacier in Argentina - namely, Perito Morena. Fortunately, we got there early in the morning before all the coach tours arrived! It is an active glacier in that it is always advancing and receding - there were lots of calvings while we were there - it is at times like that that I wished I had a super-duper camera with all the bells and whistles!! One of our group - an Aussie chap - had a terrific camera so he is going to send me his digital shots of a calving sequence - so I will not lose out!! After our visit to the glacier, we went on a boat trip to the same glacier for more close-up views of the spectacle. I much preferred Gray Glacier - more stately and personal - I think because I walked to it there was a special significance to it.

That evening we took a late bus to El Chalten - a trip of another 5 hours!! At least the scenery was more interesting - lots of lakes and wildlife along the way. When we got there we stayed in a really cozy hostel. We were lucky to have a room all to ourselves - no sharing this time! We had our own bathroom also and the place was nicely heated. All in all, a good result! This town is totally different to el Calafate - a small exclusive little town - great for climbers but time and tourism is fast catching up and there are signs of uncontrolled development already. However, there is a very relaxed atmosphere here - there are lots of good restaurants and right opposite our hostel there was a marvellous cafe called Del Bosque, where we had breakfast - excellent coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.

We decided to go for what was to be a 40 minute each way hike up a hill to get some good views - well, the 80 minute round trip turned into 4 hours!! What a surprise! We got back at 10.30 pm - I was so hungry and tired that I could not be bothered going to a restaurant at that hour so retired to bed having eaten a yogurt, apple and some crackers - I must be crackers too!! The trouble is that it does not get dark hear until 10.30 to 11 pm so you get carried away with the walking bug.

The next day we had a full 8-hour hike to Fitzroy, in the north part of the P N Los G - another of the granite peaks with a glacier and glacial lake at the foot of it. It was a fantastic day - ideal weather conditions - there are great views from the top, of Laguna Sucia (a glacial lake, emerald green) and we took wonderful photos of condors flying overhead. This peak is 3445 metres high. We got back to our base at 8 pm having left at 8 am that morning. The day would not have been such a roaring success if it were not for our guide Marcello - who was the tops.

On Wed 6th I had a chill-out day in El Chalten while the others in the group did an ice hike on Viedma glacier. I went to my favourite cafe for breakfast - had a wander around the town - found a beautiful Alpine church (dedicated to an Austrian mountain climber called Toni Egger, who lost his life climbing Cerro Torre on it's first ascent). After lunch I had booked a full body massage and a reflexology session - it was a perfect tonic to iron out my creaking bones and tight muscles!! All for the princely sum of US$26 - for 1 hour 15 mins treatment. Sheer bliss!! Sorry Peter!! I then met up with 3 girls from California and, had a lesson in how to get the best out of my digital camera from one of these really nice girls. We got a 5 pm bus back to El Calafate that evening. What a contrast to El Calafate!
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