This town is amazing. I flew in from Patagonia and picked a hostel out of the book that looked cool and was in a cool part of town. The first night here was Saturday and I made some friends at the hostel that were cruising out so I joined them. Victor and Patrick are both riding motorcycles around. Victor started in Michigan and has covered 17 countries in 17 months. Pretty amazing. It was his birthday so we rolled to a club around 3AM. That is typical here. We danced and partied until the sun came up then slept till mid afternoon. I woke up and had a craving for a proper steak as Argentina is famous for it. Luckily on the corner near our hostel is an amazing Parilla (BBQ) joint and I ordered the steak. They brought it still bleeding and it was absolutely amazing. During the day I walked around the artist market in San Telmo which was very colorful. There were all kinds of street performers and crafts. That evening the three of us rolled to the local futbol game. We saw River Plate and it was crazy with fans! Unfortunatly they lost but the game was still great and the experience was amazing. It was an early night for me.
The following day I decided to track down some friends of a friend. This is an interesting story. I was on a night bus in Vietnam and started talking to a guy sitting next to me. He is an American and cool guy so we exchanged Facebook info. We hadn´t communicated at all after that until he randomly sent me a message about a week ago asking for an update and telling me where he was at. I actually didn´t even remember who he was at first until I checked his profile and remembered his face. So I tell him that I am heading to Buenos Aires and he says he has some friends there that I should contact...so I do. I wound up heading over to there house early on Monday to say hello. Robin, BJ and Mike are all from the states and became friends at San Diego State. BJ and Robin just started a bike tour company in town and Mike runs a futbol league. They are all super cool guys and we got on immidiatly. I decided to do the tour with Robin that day and see the North side of town. It was a great tour which included the Recoleta cemetary along with many sights and loads of cool information. That evening we rolled to Bomba del Tiempo (time bomb) which is an amazing drum band that has a special guest every week playing various instruments. This week was a cool bassist. That was amazing. We bounced to drum beats for a few hours straight all laughing and having a great time. It is a must do in BA and I think it goes down every Monday.
The tour was so much fun that I decided to do it again on Tuesday. This time we did the South part of town which included the nature reserve and a stop for the famous Bondiolla sandwich. Wow that thing was amazing. Grilled pork sandwhich with all the fixings on a huge fresh bun....my mouth is watering. The guys are so chill that they allowed me to crash on their couch so we spent most of the evenings chilling and watching movies and the mornings drinking yerba mate.
Wednesday I borrowed one of their bikes and went out on my own to check the local graffiti. Very cool riding around town and I pretty much covered all of BA in those three days. I met up with Nathan in the afternoon and we decided to kick it the following day as it was St. Patties Day. I headed back to the pad and went to play some futbol with Mike. I was a little worried that my skills would not stand up but it was no problem. I had 3 goals the first game (one header) and some amazing stops while playing goalie. The second game was with much better competition and I snuck one in and had a great time. Needless to say, I was extremely sore from all the biking and playing.
Thursday brought the festivities and I met up with Nathan and one of his friends in the early afternoon. We went to the happening part of town and drank beers on the street. It turned into a wild mess and we bounced at the perfect moment! I met up with the guys and we partied on a rooftop patio for a bit more before calling it a night. The weekend was actually pretty mellow for me aside from eating. I went to Siga la Vaca which was recomended on the tour for great steaks....and it is all you can eat. I did myself in there with all kinds of amazing BBQ meat, a bottle of wine and great ice cream for dessert. I bounced super early on Sunday to fly to Bogota where I am meeting up with Towe for some adventures. After two months solo on the road, I am ready to have a buddy!! Stay tuned!!
Monday, March 21, 2011
El Chalten
I arrived to El Chalten after going non-stop for the last week. Hiking the W then seeing the glacier was fairly exhausting so I was looking forward to chilling in Chalten and resting up. For that reason I hoped for a few days of bad weather so I wouldn´t feel like I was wasting time. I got what I asked for but unfortunatly the weather didn´t let up when I was ready for it. I spent two days catching up on emails, my blog and photos, watching American movies in Spanish (a great way to practice) and eating lots of great food. My last full day there I decided I was going to hike up to Lagunas de los Tres which is the closest you can get to the Fitz Roy whether the weather permitted or not. The forecast called for a nice day so I prepared for the hike....
Today was all about the journey. So, I have been in El Chalten for the last few days relaxing and waiting for the weather to clear so I could hike up to the Fitz Roy. The forecast said today was going to be the best
option for me and it was my only day as I am heading back to Calafate tomorow so I siezed the moment, rented a rain jacket and bought some supplies last night in preparation for today. The hike is supposed to
be about 4 hours each way staring at 430 meters and ending at 1150 meters so I wanted to get an early start. I set the alarm fo 6AM only to wake up and realize the sun wasn´t up yet. Oh yeah, there is a girl in my dorm room that sleeps like a bulldog...she snorts, snores, wheezes, coughs, moans and sighs like no other human so sleeping has been a trick..I am buying earplugs for tonight. Anyway, I get up and have a little breakfast while waiting for the sun. At pre-dawn around 7, I head out. The wind and rain where ripping but I figured it would just add to the adventure. With no watch, I had no idea about my pace but just trekked into the wilderness. So the rain stopped but then the snow started...hahahah...What was I getting myself into?! I figured this would be more about the journey than the destination and just kept forging on. When I reached the base of the mountain leading to Lagunas de los Tres (the closest one can get to Fitz Roy), I
stopped for a snack (olives, very good) then began the climb. At that point the snow was sticking. It was funny actually because when it started to snow at the beginning I took a pic of a few flakes on my jacket...that was nothing! The ascent up the mountain was trecherous and the snow was accumulating around ankle high in most places. Also, I had not seen another soul since I started. It was nice as the last
hike I did was with a group and I was chatting the entire time with Nathan. This hike was all me and my thoughts. Some people hike with music but I like to just be..zen like ya know! The climb was crazy
and the blizzard was intense. Once I reached the summit of the mountain I was looking for the 3 lakes and the Fitz Roy but could see nothing. It was at that point that I lost the trail too. I had pushed on a lot farther than I expected and realized that there was no use as there would be no view so I started my descent. It was crazy windy up there and super blizzardy!! It wasn´t until I was about a third of the way back that I ran into my first group and asked the time. Only 11 AM..WHOA!! The weather was clearing a bit but the
snow clouds still covered the Fitz Roy. I made it back to the starting point at 12:30....25km in 5 and a half hours...not bad for a morning walk in the park!? Nathan said he loved the hike and had great weather but I was not that fortunate. Oh well, you can´t have it all!?
That night the bulldog snorer was accompanied by a dude that could not stop coughing. Between the two of them I did not get much sleep but I had planned to get up early on my last day anyway. I saw an advert for a ´donation only´ yoga/self-relaxation class that I wanted to attend...and wrote this-
Today I experienced many emotions. Today I experienced happiness, relaxation, rejuvination as well as anger, frustration, sadness and energy loss. First thing was the tsunami and earthquake in Japan. I watched the news in amazement as it showed the devasation going on over there. It was surreal but didn't really affect me much. Then I went to a free yoga, relaxation class. I was the only one to attend so it was just the teacher and I. What a great way to start the morning. We did some thai-chi, some yoga, some stretching and some self-massage. It was all in Spanish and very fun and informative. I left feeling fresh and ready for the day. In the early afternoon I boarded a bus and headed to Calafate. On the way I was thinking about calling a friend back home to discuss my frustration with him. I had asked him to help me with a few things back home and also looked to him for support recently and had not been helped ( in either way). I was frustrated because there were a few time sensitive issues that did not get handled and could have easily been sorted. Oh well, I put that behind me and started looking forward to being in Calafate as it was Friday night and I was ready to dance! I arrived to the hostel and checked in then called a friend who requested me to give her a ring. It was through sobs and tears that I learned a good friend had just passed away from cancer. Maggie was one of the most beautiful people I knew and I had just sent her a postcard two days before telling her that I was thinking about her and to keep up the fight. If anyone could beat cancer, she could! It was surreal to find out that she passed. Here I am, all alone, with no shoulder to cry on or person to cry with. The tears wouldn´t come out and I had a very wierd feeling. I wanted to be home with my friends grieving but instead I am here. I bought a new book and tried to read it over coffee but was too distracted to concentrate. It totally took the wind out of my sails. Dinner at the hostel revived me a little as conversation was nice and I made some new friends. We all headed out for a drink but most were tired and there wasn´t much going on in the small town. On the way home I stopped in the casino. Why not!? That turned into a riot as I was the shot caller for the blackjack table and friends with everyone playing. The guy next to me was buying us beers and we were all making money. Everyone loses at gambling and most win from time to time but the hardest part is to actually walk away once you are up. I did and it felt great. Needless to say the day was a rollercoaster of emotions. I feel better getting it out but wish I could have a close friend here to talk to about it. Time will work it out as it always does.
Today was all about the journey. So, I have been in El Chalten for the last few days relaxing and waiting for the weather to clear so I could hike up to the Fitz Roy. The forecast said today was going to be the best
option for me and it was my only day as I am heading back to Calafate tomorow so I siezed the moment, rented a rain jacket and bought some supplies last night in preparation for today. The hike is supposed to
be about 4 hours each way staring at 430 meters and ending at 1150 meters so I wanted to get an early start. I set the alarm fo 6AM only to wake up and realize the sun wasn´t up yet. Oh yeah, there is a girl in my dorm room that sleeps like a bulldog...she snorts, snores, wheezes, coughs, moans and sighs like no other human so sleeping has been a trick..I am buying earplugs for tonight. Anyway, I get up and have a little breakfast while waiting for the sun. At pre-dawn around 7, I head out. The wind and rain where ripping but I figured it would just add to the adventure. With no watch, I had no idea about my pace but just trekked into the wilderness. So the rain stopped but then the snow started...hahahah...What was I getting myself into?! I figured this would be more about the journey than the destination and just kept forging on. When I reached the base of the mountain leading to Lagunas de los Tres (the closest one can get to Fitz Roy), I
stopped for a snack (olives, very good) then began the climb. At that point the snow was sticking. It was funny actually because when it started to snow at the beginning I took a pic of a few flakes on my jacket...that was nothing! The ascent up the mountain was trecherous and the snow was accumulating around ankle high in most places. Also, I had not seen another soul since I started. It was nice as the last
hike I did was with a group and I was chatting the entire time with Nathan. This hike was all me and my thoughts. Some people hike with music but I like to just be..zen like ya know! The climb was crazy
and the blizzard was intense. Once I reached the summit of the mountain I was looking for the 3 lakes and the Fitz Roy but could see nothing. It was at that point that I lost the trail too. I had pushed on a lot farther than I expected and realized that there was no use as there would be no view so I started my descent. It was crazy windy up there and super blizzardy!! It wasn´t until I was about a third of the way back that I ran into my first group and asked the time. Only 11 AM..WHOA!! The weather was clearing a bit but the
snow clouds still covered the Fitz Roy. I made it back to the starting point at 12:30....25km in 5 and a half hours...not bad for a morning walk in the park!? Nathan said he loved the hike and had great weather but I was not that fortunate. Oh well, you can´t have it all!?
That night the bulldog snorer was accompanied by a dude that could not stop coughing. Between the two of them I did not get much sleep but I had planned to get up early on my last day anyway. I saw an advert for a ´donation only´ yoga/self-relaxation class that I wanted to attend...and wrote this-
Today I experienced many emotions. Today I experienced happiness, relaxation, rejuvination as well as anger, frustration, sadness and energy loss. First thing was the tsunami and earthquake in Japan. I watched the news in amazement as it showed the devasation going on over there. It was surreal but didn't really affect me much. Then I went to a free yoga, relaxation class. I was the only one to attend so it was just the teacher and I. What a great way to start the morning. We did some thai-chi, some yoga, some stretching and some self-massage. It was all in Spanish and very fun and informative. I left feeling fresh and ready for the day. In the early afternoon I boarded a bus and headed to Calafate. On the way I was thinking about calling a friend back home to discuss my frustration with him. I had asked him to help me with a few things back home and also looked to him for support recently and had not been helped ( in either way). I was frustrated because there were a few time sensitive issues that did not get handled and could have easily been sorted. Oh well, I put that behind me and started looking forward to being in Calafate as it was Friday night and I was ready to dance! I arrived to the hostel and checked in then called a friend who requested me to give her a ring. It was through sobs and tears that I learned a good friend had just passed away from cancer. Maggie was one of the most beautiful people I knew and I had just sent her a postcard two days before telling her that I was thinking about her and to keep up the fight. If anyone could beat cancer, she could! It was surreal to find out that she passed. Here I am, all alone, with no shoulder to cry on or person to cry with. The tears wouldn´t come out and I had a very wierd feeling. I wanted to be home with my friends grieving but instead I am here. I bought a new book and tried to read it over coffee but was too distracted to concentrate. It totally took the wind out of my sails. Dinner at the hostel revived me a little as conversation was nice and I made some new friends. We all headed out for a drink but most were tired and there wasn´t much going on in the small town. On the way home I stopped in the casino. Why not!? That turned into a riot as I was the shot caller for the blackjack table and friends with everyone playing. The guy next to me was buying us beers and we were all making money. Everyone loses at gambling and most win from time to time but the hardest part is to actually walk away once you are up. I did and it felt great. Needless to say the day was a rollercoaster of emotions. I feel better getting it out but wish I could have a close friend here to talk to about it. Time will work it out as it always does.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Puerto Natales, Torres Del Paine National Park, Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier
Per my usual style, I am seizing the day and squeezing as much out of it as possible. I flew from Santiago down to Puerto Natales and met up with my friend Kristy. That is a cool side story. Kristy is an American I met in Cambodia while she was volunteering there. We both realized that we would be in South America at the same time and have been in touch to see if and when our pathes would cross. Since I slowed my pace it turned out that we crossed here in Puerto Natales and decided to do the W hike together! She booked the hostel for me and we met there (at Erratic Rock). The cool thing about this hostel is that they give a free talk on the hike everyday at 3PM and anyone can attend. I also had another connection in Puerto Natales. Maarten, a very cool dude from the Netherlands that travelled with me for a bit in SE Asia, has a cousin there and put us in touch. I had been emailing her leading up to this point asking all kinds of questions.
So I arrived around 6PM to the hostel and we went about putting our packs together so we could leave the following morning. We decided to do a 5 day, 4 night hike of the W in Torres Del Paine National Park. The hike is called the W because of the shape the route is. We went to Raquel´s (Maarten´s cousin) office first to see what kind of info and gear she could offer. She showed us the best route, advised on which direction to start the W (most people go left to right but she suggested right to left due to the weather forecast) and offered me a sleeping bag and rain jacket, both of which proved priceless. Then back to our hostel to rent the remaining gear (tent, sleeping pad, stove, pot, utensils and gas) and off to the store to get our supplies. That was an adventure in and of itself as the store was packed and food was flying off the racks. I can´t imagine what it is like here during the peak of the peak season. So, after two trips to the store we finally had all our food and headed for our final real meal before the trek. That proved disasterous as we wanted something fast and good...and it was late at night. We went for churrasco sando´s and were not very happy with the meat. Oh well. Back to the hostel to unpack our packs and repack with the trekking gear then off to bed around 1 or 2AM. We were up at 7 for our free breakfast and then picked up at 7:30 for the two hour bus ride to Torres Del Paine National Park. It wasn´t until I was explaining to the guy next to me our food diet on the trek that I realized I had left the lunch food in the fridge at the hostel...DOH! Oh well, we had enough food I figured to last us and this would just add to the adventure.
We arrived to the park, paid our entrance and transferred to a smaller shuttle that would take us to our starting point. The first day was our shortest in terms of distance but our longest in terms of altitude change. That, along with the weather and first day with our heaviest packs (which would become lighter as we ate the supplies) made for a difficult start. The weather was bizarre to say the least. It was sunny, super windy and rainy all at once. As we ascended I kept thinking ´what have I gotten myself into´ while also accepting that I was going to be soaked the entire time and that this would be a very difficult, and thus rewarding, experience. Coming across the pass into the first valley we were nearly blown off the edge of the trail into the abyss. We finally made it to the first refugio (ultra-expensive hostels along the route) and stopped for lunch and to dry off. I sat next to the fireplace watching the wind and rain ripping outside, contemplating our next move which was another few hours up the hill to the free camping area and then another hour or so up to the Torres (huge rock formations). After a bit of waiting we decided to just push on and as soon as we stepped outside the rain and wind began to slow. Feeling blessed, we pushed on through the valley towards the camp ground. One of my favorite parts about this trek is that you can drink out of the streams. Pure glacier water without contamination, cold and fresh! We finally made it to the campground, set up next to the river and headed up to the Torres. The clouds had been hanging on all day and the people we passed said that the tips of the Torres were covered but it was still nice. By the time we reached them the sky had cleared, mostly, and we had great views. That evening we made dinner and discussed how much we earned the meal and how good we were feeling to be on the trek. I also had my best nights rest. We discussed getting up pre-dawn to catch the sunrise at the Torres but when my alarm went off at 6AM we both decided not to push ourselves. This wound up to be a perfect decision as we found out later that the weather wasn´t good for the sunrise.
When we woke that morning I decided to do what I called a ´glacier cleanse´ throughout the hike. This meant no alcohol, just pure glacier water which was somewhat difficult as people would always be sharing their wine or booze at the camps with their fellow trekkers. It felt good to say ´no´ for a change and I feel better for it. The second day was absolutely beautiful. Since everyone is on the same route, you start noticing faces and making friends fairly easy. Kristy had met a German girl and American guy the night before and the German girl was heading our way but didn't cross our pathes until later that day. We started with a hearty oatmeal and raisin breakfast then headed out for our longest day of hiking. It was about 15 miles but the scenery and weather were breathtaking. Along the walk we saw a guy sitting in a perfect spot, eating lunch and staring out into the beauty. Kristy commented that we should find a spot like that for lunch so we went about looking for our perfect vista. Post lunch we continued on the trail only to have that guy catch up to us near a river. We all started talking and then shared some of our water and he shared some of his tea. Nathan is from Rochester, New York and studies in Chicago but is currently doing a year abroad in Buenos Aires. He and I had an immidiate connection and since his pace was more like mine we headed off, talking non-stop. By late afternoon we reached the second refugio and stopped for snacks. We also noticed that their showers were located in the back and no one was necessarily monitoring access so a few of us seized the opportunity to get a hot shower!! WOW!! It was there that we met up again with the German girl, Susanna, and we all headed out together towards our final destination for that day at the base of the French Valley. Nathan and I talked the whole way and conversation flowed easily from topic to topic. He studies Philosophy, lived in Prague for a year and speaks Czech, loves music and poetry, and has a gift of gab that I can get into from time to time (understatement). We finally reached camp and went about setting up our sites then reconviened for dinner. It was really fun to sit with the group and chat and laugh and all that fun stuff that comes with meeting new friends.
The following morning neither Kristy nor I slept very well and we both decided that we were going to just go with the other two and cut our trip short one night. We could still see everything we planned but would just have to hike a little more. We all left our backpacks at camp and headed up the French Valley. This may have been my favorite day. The valley is beautiful. You can see glaciers calving, beautiful mountains and rugged landscapes. We reached the summit and had a great lunch with amazing views then headed back down the trail to collect our things and get to the next campground. Again, this entire day Nathan and I chatted non-stop. He makes these very cool journals and carries one with him that we started filling with info we needed to remember to tell each other. Books, authors, poets, music, places...you name it, we were jotting it down. We reached the final camp and set up our tents in a little circle for our last dinner on the trail. Since we were all trying to unload food at that point it was a 5 course meal and we all shared everything. Instant mashed potatotes, soups (several), rice and pastas. Filled to the brim we all crashed but none could sleep well as the wind was whipping all night.
We woke the next morning, broke down camp, ate the last oatmeal and headed for our last trek up to Glacier Grey. Nathan and I had quite a pace with Susanna following on ipod and Kristy not too far back. She had hurt her ankle the day before and was walking gingerly on it. We reached the first vista and the wind coming off the glacier was FREEZING!! Nathan, Susanna and I all huddled together like penguins then shared some tea and leftover rice n cookies before making the last run up to the glacier and the tip of the left side of the W trail. A few hours later, when the end was in sight, Nathan, Susanna and I grabbed hands and ran down the trail whooping and hollering and laughing. It was so fun!! Susanna had been told that it is a ritual to drink a little pisco at the end of the trail so we fished some glacier chunks out of the lake and had pisco on the rocks...literally glacier rocks!! I figured that would be a good time to break my cleanse and had a sip or two. Kristy caught up, we had a few more snacks, looked out at the glacier and enjoyed our work. Then we had to bolt back to catch the last boat back to civilization. Nathan and I made it back with two hours to spare and went about cooking up the last of our food. We also calculated our route. 45 miles in 4 days!! WOWZERS!!
Oh yeah, we ran into Raquel the day before as she noticed the good weather forecast and took a day off to hike the French Valley. We met again on the boat and talked about my next moves as I needed to get to Buenos Aires in time for my flight to meet Towe in Columbia. She suggested a flight and it wound up being a great idea. We got back to Puerto Natales super late (around 10ish) then showered and tried to work out our next moves. I wanted to get to the Perito Moreno glacier and Calafate the following day by bus but we found that it was all booked. My only other option was to take a tour that went to the glacier then dropped back off at Calafate. Then, if I wanted, I could take the evening bus to Chalten. Well it looks like I am not slowing down just yet! I booked both tickets and the 4 of us went out for our last dinner together then back to the hostel to pack and asleep by 3 only to wake at 6 for the bus.
It was a 4 hour or so ride across the Argentine border to the glacier. This glacier is amazing as it is dissapearing at a rate of 2 meters per day making it very very active! Ok that information was provided by my guide but I just checked wikipedia and it says that it is actually a growing glacier. I guess both can be true. Either way, this thing is enormous and very cool. We took a boat ride for an hour that took us up next to it while watching it calve and make thunderous noises. Then we went up to a vista point where we could see the entire glacier...WOW. Huge. From there we went back to Calafate and I immidiatly boarded a bus for Chalten. I was ready for an early night but that didn´t happen. I´ll continue that in the next chapter though!!
So I arrived around 6PM to the hostel and we went about putting our packs together so we could leave the following morning. We decided to do a 5 day, 4 night hike of the W in Torres Del Paine National Park. The hike is called the W because of the shape the route is. We went to Raquel´s (Maarten´s cousin) office first to see what kind of info and gear she could offer. She showed us the best route, advised on which direction to start the W (most people go left to right but she suggested right to left due to the weather forecast) and offered me a sleeping bag and rain jacket, both of which proved priceless. Then back to our hostel to rent the remaining gear (tent, sleeping pad, stove, pot, utensils and gas) and off to the store to get our supplies. That was an adventure in and of itself as the store was packed and food was flying off the racks. I can´t imagine what it is like here during the peak of the peak season. So, after two trips to the store we finally had all our food and headed for our final real meal before the trek. That proved disasterous as we wanted something fast and good...and it was late at night. We went for churrasco sando´s and were not very happy with the meat. Oh well. Back to the hostel to unpack our packs and repack with the trekking gear then off to bed around 1 or 2AM. We were up at 7 for our free breakfast and then picked up at 7:30 for the two hour bus ride to Torres Del Paine National Park. It wasn´t until I was explaining to the guy next to me our food diet on the trek that I realized I had left the lunch food in the fridge at the hostel...DOH! Oh well, we had enough food I figured to last us and this would just add to the adventure.
We arrived to the park, paid our entrance and transferred to a smaller shuttle that would take us to our starting point. The first day was our shortest in terms of distance but our longest in terms of altitude change. That, along with the weather and first day with our heaviest packs (which would become lighter as we ate the supplies) made for a difficult start. The weather was bizarre to say the least. It was sunny, super windy and rainy all at once. As we ascended I kept thinking ´what have I gotten myself into´ while also accepting that I was going to be soaked the entire time and that this would be a very difficult, and thus rewarding, experience. Coming across the pass into the first valley we were nearly blown off the edge of the trail into the abyss. We finally made it to the first refugio (ultra-expensive hostels along the route) and stopped for lunch and to dry off. I sat next to the fireplace watching the wind and rain ripping outside, contemplating our next move which was another few hours up the hill to the free camping area and then another hour or so up to the Torres (huge rock formations). After a bit of waiting we decided to just push on and as soon as we stepped outside the rain and wind began to slow. Feeling blessed, we pushed on through the valley towards the camp ground. One of my favorite parts about this trek is that you can drink out of the streams. Pure glacier water without contamination, cold and fresh! We finally made it to the campground, set up next to the river and headed up to the Torres. The clouds had been hanging on all day and the people we passed said that the tips of the Torres were covered but it was still nice. By the time we reached them the sky had cleared, mostly, and we had great views. That evening we made dinner and discussed how much we earned the meal and how good we were feeling to be on the trek. I also had my best nights rest. We discussed getting up pre-dawn to catch the sunrise at the Torres but when my alarm went off at 6AM we both decided not to push ourselves. This wound up to be a perfect decision as we found out later that the weather wasn´t good for the sunrise.
When we woke that morning I decided to do what I called a ´glacier cleanse´ throughout the hike. This meant no alcohol, just pure glacier water which was somewhat difficult as people would always be sharing their wine or booze at the camps with their fellow trekkers. It felt good to say ´no´ for a change and I feel better for it. The second day was absolutely beautiful. Since everyone is on the same route, you start noticing faces and making friends fairly easy. Kristy had met a German girl and American guy the night before and the German girl was heading our way but didn't cross our pathes until later that day. We started with a hearty oatmeal and raisin breakfast then headed out for our longest day of hiking. It was about 15 miles but the scenery and weather were breathtaking. Along the walk we saw a guy sitting in a perfect spot, eating lunch and staring out into the beauty. Kristy commented that we should find a spot like that for lunch so we went about looking for our perfect vista. Post lunch we continued on the trail only to have that guy catch up to us near a river. We all started talking and then shared some of our water and he shared some of his tea. Nathan is from Rochester, New York and studies in Chicago but is currently doing a year abroad in Buenos Aires. He and I had an immidiate connection and since his pace was more like mine we headed off, talking non-stop. By late afternoon we reached the second refugio and stopped for snacks. We also noticed that their showers were located in the back and no one was necessarily monitoring access so a few of us seized the opportunity to get a hot shower!! WOW!! It was there that we met up again with the German girl, Susanna, and we all headed out together towards our final destination for that day at the base of the French Valley. Nathan and I talked the whole way and conversation flowed easily from topic to topic. He studies Philosophy, lived in Prague for a year and speaks Czech, loves music and poetry, and has a gift of gab that I can get into from time to time (understatement). We finally reached camp and went about setting up our sites then reconviened for dinner. It was really fun to sit with the group and chat and laugh and all that fun stuff that comes with meeting new friends.
The following morning neither Kristy nor I slept very well and we both decided that we were going to just go with the other two and cut our trip short one night. We could still see everything we planned but would just have to hike a little more. We all left our backpacks at camp and headed up the French Valley. This may have been my favorite day. The valley is beautiful. You can see glaciers calving, beautiful mountains and rugged landscapes. We reached the summit and had a great lunch with amazing views then headed back down the trail to collect our things and get to the next campground. Again, this entire day Nathan and I chatted non-stop. He makes these very cool journals and carries one with him that we started filling with info we needed to remember to tell each other. Books, authors, poets, music, places...you name it, we were jotting it down. We reached the final camp and set up our tents in a little circle for our last dinner on the trail. Since we were all trying to unload food at that point it was a 5 course meal and we all shared everything. Instant mashed potatotes, soups (several), rice and pastas. Filled to the brim we all crashed but none could sleep well as the wind was whipping all night.
We woke the next morning, broke down camp, ate the last oatmeal and headed for our last trek up to Glacier Grey. Nathan and I had quite a pace with Susanna following on ipod and Kristy not too far back. She had hurt her ankle the day before and was walking gingerly on it. We reached the first vista and the wind coming off the glacier was FREEZING!! Nathan, Susanna and I all huddled together like penguins then shared some tea and leftover rice n cookies before making the last run up to the glacier and the tip of the left side of the W trail. A few hours later, when the end was in sight, Nathan, Susanna and I grabbed hands and ran down the trail whooping and hollering and laughing. It was so fun!! Susanna had been told that it is a ritual to drink a little pisco at the end of the trail so we fished some glacier chunks out of the lake and had pisco on the rocks...literally glacier rocks!! I figured that would be a good time to break my cleanse and had a sip or two. Kristy caught up, we had a few more snacks, looked out at the glacier and enjoyed our work. Then we had to bolt back to catch the last boat back to civilization. Nathan and I made it back with two hours to spare and went about cooking up the last of our food. We also calculated our route. 45 miles in 4 days!! WOWZERS!!
Oh yeah, we ran into Raquel the day before as she noticed the good weather forecast and took a day off to hike the French Valley. We met again on the boat and talked about my next moves as I needed to get to Buenos Aires in time for my flight to meet Towe in Columbia. She suggested a flight and it wound up being a great idea. We got back to Puerto Natales super late (around 10ish) then showered and tried to work out our next moves. I wanted to get to the Perito Moreno glacier and Calafate the following day by bus but we found that it was all booked. My only other option was to take a tour that went to the glacier then dropped back off at Calafate. Then, if I wanted, I could take the evening bus to Chalten. Well it looks like I am not slowing down just yet! I booked both tickets and the 4 of us went out for our last dinner together then back to the hostel to pack and asleep by 3 only to wake at 6 for the bus.
It was a 4 hour or so ride across the Argentine border to the glacier. This glacier is amazing as it is dissapearing at a rate of 2 meters per day making it very very active! Ok that information was provided by my guide but I just checked wikipedia and it says that it is actually a growing glacier. I guess both can be true. Either way, this thing is enormous and very cool. We took a boat ride for an hour that took us up next to it while watching it calve and make thunderous noises. Then we went up to a vista point where we could see the entire glacier...WOW. Huge. From there we went back to Calafate and I immidiatly boarded a bus for Chalten. I was ready for an early night but that didn´t happen. I´ll continue that in the next chapter though!!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Valpairiso, Chile
It has been 24 hours since I arrived but a lifetime of activity and a new perspective on life (again and again and again). I arrived from Santiago and picked a hostel without consulting the guidebook. Walking down the streets I was amazed by all the street art. This city is a UNESCO world heritage site with just cause. I dropped my bag and decided to look for a hostel that had a great description in the book possibly for the next night. Also, it was far which would give me a chance to get into the city vibe. I wandered the streets getting lost in the mazes. At one point I walked past an artisinal ice cream shop. I had read about the amazing flavors in Santiago but hadn´t tried yet so I decided to indulge myself with a scoop. I went in and asked for the most special flavor (in Spanish of course) and was answered in English with a ánd where are you from?´ I told her and she exclaimed that she lived in Berkeley 40 years ago when ´hippies and weed were just starting´...made me laugh. She then let me try all the flavors and proceeded to introduce me to all the girls working at the shop. Josefina is a 70 year old woman who embodies all that is Valpairiso. The book says that the city may not be for everyone because of the grit but also mentioned the Bohemian lifestyle that is prevalent aka just my kind of city. Josefina said that if I wanted any information about the city to just ask and she would tell me....so I did, duh! She grabbed my hand and lead me outside to the bench to converse. We spoke in Spanglish. At the moment I am speaking English with a Chilean accent and Spanish with an English accent which makes for perfect Spanglish. She is so full of life and her energy made the brights in her eyes brighter. I said that I needed a break from reggaeton and asked where I should go. No problem she said and gave me some names of places with live music, etc. During our conversation she kept pausing to introduce me to people. ´This is so and so and he is a musician. This guy is a musician too and he plays at this spot. This lady owns the restaurant down the street and if you want amazing food you should go there.´ I left both full in stomach and spirit when we parted.
That evening I decided to try the restaurant recommended to me. It is amazing Chilean/ new fusion food with all the products purchased locally and very fresh. I asked for the special of the house and was given Pastilla de Mariscos which is an amazing dish baked in a clay pot with all kinds of seafood, cream, bread crumbs and other ingredients I cant begin to fathom. They also have artisinal beers which were delicous. Possible new favorite beer is Kross Amber Ale with a yellow label. Muy rico!! I was sitting at the bar and started asking the staff what they were doing after work for fun. They gave me tons of info on places to go and then a friend of theirs, also sitting at the bar said she was heading to a live music performance before the club with everyone and asked if I wanted to roll. We headed for a hole-in-the-wall bar that was jam-packed with people so full that we had to stand on the street and listen through the windows. The band named Poder Guadaña was amazing and full of color. The lead singer had a mohawk and orange 80´s glasses, the wind instrument dude who played a melodica among other things had a clean cut moustache and fit, the drummer had dreadlocks. They played a fusion of rock, cumbya and local style that was so great after so much electronic. After their set they came outside for some air and I started a conversation with the bassist who spoke decent English. No, they didn´t have cds for sale but he gave me the link for their music online. He then said that his other group was playing the following night at a club that many people had mentioned to me and he could put me on the list if I wanted. I asked what he was up to later that evening and he said that he was helping a friend, a girl from New York, paint one of the Ascencars (trains that go up and down the hills). They had been working all night, every night for over a week as during the night is the only time they are not moving. So cool!!
Post that we all headed to Mascára for the club scene. There all the people from the restaurant met up with us and we had a huge group on the dancefloor having a great time. When that ended we went to an after hours party near there for more dancing and fun. That night ended around 6AM. Talk about a full day!!
The following day I spent walking around the city photographing the art. I am going to have a dedicated folder on facebook for all of it as it is amazing and there is so much. I said to a few people who all agreed with a laugh that if you throw a rock in Valpairiso it will bounce off a painted wall and hit a musician!!hahaha. That evening I returned to the restaurant of my friends and was fed very well. I ordered the special empanada (Pino) which has meat cooked for hours (word of advice, the Pino usually has olives inside that are not pitted...almost broke a tooth finding that out). So good. Then I had fresh salmon and shrimp ceviche that melted in my mouth. Everyone was opting for an early night and I decided to do the same in preparation for the weekend.
Upon leaving the restaurant I hear my name from across the street. It was Josefina with her grand daughter. She asked if I was in a hurry or if I wanted to see her house and neighborhood. OF COURSE!! She took me to the area none as Concepcion and showed me the oldest paseo (train car station) and the oldest house then showed me an incredible hotel that her friends owned. We were taken for a tour inside and it was beautiful. Then we went back to her house for a glass of Chilean wine and some conversation. By the time I left, I had a full sheet of paper of things I needed to do while here. I decided to walk by Piedra Feliz to check it out on my way home. Every room in this place has different live music. That night was a great jazz band upstairs in one room, a mixed group in the other room, salsa in another room and classic flamenco in the main room. It was there that I finally realized what city this reminds me of. Actually not a city as there are no others like it but if you have seen Moulin Rouge then that is as close as it will get. Everyone is a character here and everyone is full of life, color, music and love.
The next day I spent exploring more of the city including the ports and ascencars. I called Rodrigo, the bassist, to ask about being put on the list and he said no problem. No, he didnt need my last name as it was too complicated to convey over the phone but they would be expecting me and I had a plus on the list too which was perfect because there is a very cool guy staying in my room name Niman who is living in Italy, from Iran and is about to study here. We headed to Piedra Feliz at midnight and when I walked up to ask about the list the guy, without even looking at the list, says to me, ´´you must be Daniel, come on in.´ Niman exclaimed that I was already famous here. Rodrigo´s other group was amazing Cuban music and now I am inspired to go there on my next voyage. One of the lead singers was an exact replica of my buddy Matt to and I could not get over it! In the back room was an amazing Janis Joplin cover band that killed it and upstairs was a great electric guitar blues band who was also ripping. Post Piedra we headed back to Mascára for some other music. At one point we started dancing with three girls from Santiago and Viña who were all really cool. They all studied or are studying Psychology and wanted to practice English. Sure, they had boyfriends but we just wanted to dance and meet people so we all got on really well. After the club I escorted everyone to the after hours for more fun. Unfortunatly one of the girls had her wallet taken from her bag that was on the ground but had it returned by a bouncer at the end of the night without money but with all other cards. After hours was fun and a little wierd as everyone there was incredibly drunk and probably on other things by the look in some of their eyes. We bounced from there and escorted the girls to the bus station. One was pretty drunk at that point and, while waiting for a colectivo, decided to run and try to catch one before it pulled away only to fall directly on her face...and not in a funny way. She broke a tooth and messed her face up really bad. The girls had to call her father and it was all very surreal and scary for everyone. I feel so bad for her and it was not the way we wanted to end our evening.
The following day I went on a great walk. I started at the cemetary on top of the hill then walked along the rim of the hill to Pablo Neruda´s house. I was fairly ignorant about him but now am inspired by his poetry and flair. His house was super custom and showed how much he loved to entertain and host. I wish I could have attended one of his parties. Post Neruda´s house I went to the Museo a Cielo Abierto. I asked at information what the hours of the museum were and the girl laughed at me as the museum is in the streets and always open!
That evening Nima and I headed to the painted ascensor to meet the artist and see if there was a fiest there as she was wrapping up her work. Nicolina is a New York based international artist who is the first person to paint an ascensor EVER! At the bottom we asked where the party was and they said at the top. At the top we found no party and asked and they said it was at the bottom. Then we realized that it was actually in one of the cars so when we were at the bottom it was at the top...hahahah! Nicolina was there and a group of musicians who were all very nice. After that, Nima and I headed to La Piedra Feliz for more music.
I fell in love with Valpairiso and hope to return. The city is magic and full of amazing energy!
That evening I decided to try the restaurant recommended to me. It is amazing Chilean/ new fusion food with all the products purchased locally and very fresh. I asked for the special of the house and was given Pastilla de Mariscos which is an amazing dish baked in a clay pot with all kinds of seafood, cream, bread crumbs and other ingredients I cant begin to fathom. They also have artisinal beers which were delicous. Possible new favorite beer is Kross Amber Ale with a yellow label. Muy rico!! I was sitting at the bar and started asking the staff what they were doing after work for fun. They gave me tons of info on places to go and then a friend of theirs, also sitting at the bar said she was heading to a live music performance before the club with everyone and asked if I wanted to roll. We headed for a hole-in-the-wall bar that was jam-packed with people so full that we had to stand on the street and listen through the windows. The band named Poder Guadaña was amazing and full of color. The lead singer had a mohawk and orange 80´s glasses, the wind instrument dude who played a melodica among other things had a clean cut moustache and fit, the drummer had dreadlocks. They played a fusion of rock, cumbya and local style that was so great after so much electronic. After their set they came outside for some air and I started a conversation with the bassist who spoke decent English. No, they didn´t have cds for sale but he gave me the link for their music online. He then said that his other group was playing the following night at a club that many people had mentioned to me and he could put me on the list if I wanted. I asked what he was up to later that evening and he said that he was helping a friend, a girl from New York, paint one of the Ascencars (trains that go up and down the hills). They had been working all night, every night for over a week as during the night is the only time they are not moving. So cool!!
Post that we all headed to Mascára for the club scene. There all the people from the restaurant met up with us and we had a huge group on the dancefloor having a great time. When that ended we went to an after hours party near there for more dancing and fun. That night ended around 6AM. Talk about a full day!!
The following day I spent walking around the city photographing the art. I am going to have a dedicated folder on facebook for all of it as it is amazing and there is so much. I said to a few people who all agreed with a laugh that if you throw a rock in Valpairiso it will bounce off a painted wall and hit a musician!!hahaha. That evening I returned to the restaurant of my friends and was fed very well. I ordered the special empanada (Pino) which has meat cooked for hours (word of advice, the Pino usually has olives inside that are not pitted...almost broke a tooth finding that out). So good. Then I had fresh salmon and shrimp ceviche that melted in my mouth. Everyone was opting for an early night and I decided to do the same in preparation for the weekend.
Upon leaving the restaurant I hear my name from across the street. It was Josefina with her grand daughter. She asked if I was in a hurry or if I wanted to see her house and neighborhood. OF COURSE!! She took me to the area none as Concepcion and showed me the oldest paseo (train car station) and the oldest house then showed me an incredible hotel that her friends owned. We were taken for a tour inside and it was beautiful. Then we went back to her house for a glass of Chilean wine and some conversation. By the time I left, I had a full sheet of paper of things I needed to do while here. I decided to walk by Piedra Feliz to check it out on my way home. Every room in this place has different live music. That night was a great jazz band upstairs in one room, a mixed group in the other room, salsa in another room and classic flamenco in the main room. It was there that I finally realized what city this reminds me of. Actually not a city as there are no others like it but if you have seen Moulin Rouge then that is as close as it will get. Everyone is a character here and everyone is full of life, color, music and love.
The next day I spent exploring more of the city including the ports and ascencars. I called Rodrigo, the bassist, to ask about being put on the list and he said no problem. No, he didnt need my last name as it was too complicated to convey over the phone but they would be expecting me and I had a plus on the list too which was perfect because there is a very cool guy staying in my room name Niman who is living in Italy, from Iran and is about to study here. We headed to Piedra Feliz at midnight and when I walked up to ask about the list the guy, without even looking at the list, says to me, ´´you must be Daniel, come on in.´ Niman exclaimed that I was already famous here. Rodrigo´s other group was amazing Cuban music and now I am inspired to go there on my next voyage. One of the lead singers was an exact replica of my buddy Matt to and I could not get over it! In the back room was an amazing Janis Joplin cover band that killed it and upstairs was a great electric guitar blues band who was also ripping. Post Piedra we headed back to Mascára for some other music. At one point we started dancing with three girls from Santiago and Viña who were all really cool. They all studied or are studying Psychology and wanted to practice English. Sure, they had boyfriends but we just wanted to dance and meet people so we all got on really well. After the club I escorted everyone to the after hours for more fun. Unfortunatly one of the girls had her wallet taken from her bag that was on the ground but had it returned by a bouncer at the end of the night without money but with all other cards. After hours was fun and a little wierd as everyone there was incredibly drunk and probably on other things by the look in some of their eyes. We bounced from there and escorted the girls to the bus station. One was pretty drunk at that point and, while waiting for a colectivo, decided to run and try to catch one before it pulled away only to fall directly on her face...and not in a funny way. She broke a tooth and messed her face up really bad. The girls had to call her father and it was all very surreal and scary for everyone. I feel so bad for her and it was not the way we wanted to end our evening.
The following day I went on a great walk. I started at the cemetary on top of the hill then walked along the rim of the hill to Pablo Neruda´s house. I was fairly ignorant about him but now am inspired by his poetry and flair. His house was super custom and showed how much he loved to entertain and host. I wish I could have attended one of his parties. Post Neruda´s house I went to the Museo a Cielo Abierto. I asked at information what the hours of the museum were and the girl laughed at me as the museum is in the streets and always open!
That evening Nima and I headed to the painted ascensor to meet the artist and see if there was a fiest there as she was wrapping up her work. Nicolina is a New York based international artist who is the first person to paint an ascensor EVER! At the bottom we asked where the party was and they said at the top. At the top we found no party and asked and they said it was at the bottom. Then we realized that it was actually in one of the cars so when we were at the bottom it was at the top...hahahah! Nicolina was there and a group of musicians who were all very nice. After that, Nima and I headed to La Piedra Feliz for more music.
I fell in love with Valpairiso and hope to return. The city is magic and full of amazing energy!
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