Today is Wednesday, March 25, & we are now back in Kolkata where we have some time to regroup before very long flights home. I will arrive at O’Hare on Thursday at 6 pm after flying from Kolkata to Mumbai to London to O’Hare. I refuse to calculate the travel time, but instead will use the serenity I have learned from the Bhutanese to make it all agreeable. The trip has been amazing even with its challenges. But most importantly, much was learned primarily in Bhutan. In Bhutan, happiness is not a fleeting concept but is woven into the fabric of their everyday life. It is a joy to behold, & a lesson for each of us. Live life to its fullest joyfully everyday, because time is so fleeting.
Now for some last pictures.
Visited the Takin Preserve where we saw a variety of animals from Bhutan. This one is the national animal of Bhutan, the Takin. Not a very attractive animal, & is often called a cross between a gnu & a goat.Visited what we would call a trade school where young people who are not university material learn a trade in order to carry on the culture of Bhutan. The school provides education in textiles, carving, painting, sculpture, gold smithing, calligraphy, etc.The Four Harmonies: Elephant, Monkey, Rabbit, Bird. They each have to live together peacefully in order to enjoy the fruits of the tree. Represents cooperation, peacefulness & respect of elders. Which would one think to be the eldest of these 4 animals?The Memorial Chorten built in 1974 in memory of Bhutan’s 3rd King, the founder of modern Bhutan. This stupa is unlike other stupas as it does not contain human remains.This is taken on the grounds of the Memorial Chorten. Elderly folks from the mountain regions have moved into Thimphu to live with their children. They are dropped off here when their children go to work, spend the day praying, visiting & eating their boxed lunches. At the end of the day, their children pick them up; an adult daycare. Here two women are sitting turning the prayer wheel while the gentleman is circumnavigating the grounds praying his rosary.This gentleman is carrying his mini prayer wheel as he walks the grounds of the memorial. The goal is to walk around the Memorial 108 times. He was “moving”, so I am sure he attained that goal. The number 108 is a sacred number in Buddhism because it represents the 108 imperfections that must be overcome to realize enlightenment.Using the prayer wheel provides good karma. Not sure standing in front of them does the trick, but hopefully, with our exposure to all of these rituals we, too, will realize enlightenment.Entertained before dinner with 9 different dances telling us the stories of local life & lore.Our illustrious tour leader, Anne, from Scotland.Last night in Thimpu, we donned the native costume called the Kira. Lots of fabric wrapped around to make a shirt & tied with an attached belt. Beautiful matching jackets. Wore these for the evening of entertainment & dinner.Kuenga Rinchen: Chose to become a monk at the age of 8 under his own volition. He is now 32, & on his way back to Vietnam after visiting his family in Bhutan. He has been studying in Vietnam, & returning for additional schooling. After leaving Vietnam, he will return to Bhutan to do his three years of mediation before becoming a full fledged monk. Often times families send their sons to become monks because they are incorrigible. The same can happen with the girls. In Bhutan there are 12,000 monks & 4,000 female nuns (monks). The female monks must shave their heads, so sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between monks & nuns.Snack bag on Bhutan Airlines featuring the National Flag of Bhutan.Saying goodbye to Bhutan, & our last look at the valley of Paro.Joan took this from her window seat as we were flying from Paro to Kolkata. We think it’s Mt Everest. Certainly is beautiful.
Another adventure coming to a close. The world is a beautiful place, just need to enjoy it. Back to Asia in September when it is on to South Korea & Japan. Have to do these difficult long haul trips while I can.
It’s been quite some time since you have heard from me, but we are most busy travelers. It’s up early for a full day of adventure with some hours of bus time. By the time we get to our hotel to settle in, it’s time for a 7:30 dinner. Crawling into bed at 10 or 10:30 affords little time or ambition to think about a blog.
I am having a most fascination adventure to this beautiful small country with beautiful people. It is becoming more modern as time goes on, but the Bhutanese are trying hard to retain their culture. We see it in dress, cuisine, architecture, & their strong religious beliefs. We have seen our share of monasteries, monks, idols & deities; sometimes hard to grasp the mythology. Probably no different from Greek or Roman mythology or the statues of Catholicism. Actually, when one stops to think about it, religion is universal worldwide with the same aims of unity, love, peace & tradition.
Now on to some pictures to tell the story of what I have been seeing.
5th King of Bhutan with his wife who was a commoner, now a Royal. The previous King had 4 wives, all sisters, but this king has chosen wisely. Actually, only the Bhutanese in the hill country still practice polygamy & polyandry (multiple husbands). The Monarchy came about in 1908. The people of Bhutan honor their royals by wearing picture pins of them on their native attire.The 4th Queen Mother had these 108 Stupas built to honor the soldiers who died in the 2003 two-day war to clear militants from the area. These Stupas are located at the Dochula Pass which is at 10,100 feet. Misty day, so lucky to get this picture.Joan took this picture of me among the stupas appreciating the serenity of this place.Posing monk in front of the Bhutanese stupa. The stupas are holy places for the Buddhists.Punakha Dzong, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, & called the Palace of Happiness. Built in 1637 at the junction of the Phochu & Mochu Rivers. When we enter these temples, we walk clockwise to view the stunning artwork & the various Buddhas. No photos allowed, & no shoes.Joan & a mountain woman, always dressed in black, selling her wares outside a temple. She could have been featured in the movie A Yak in the Classroom. After seeing that movie, Bhutan was on my bucket list.Palace of Happiness, & more stairs to climb. Shoes must come off to visit any monastery, & no pictures. We have been fortunate to witness & hear monks chanting, & in one instance eating with their hands during a break.Palace of Happiness. This beautiful architecture is found all over Bhutan on government buildings, offices, hotels, homes. It’s characterized by ornate wooden windows, sloping roofs & symbolic paintings. Technology is still a way of life even in the monastery. Maybe he should put it aside given he is in the Palace of Happiness.Family in traditional dress visiting the Palace of Happiness. They each prostrated themselves 3 times as they entered, & then walked clockwise inside to worship the hundreds of colorful deities & Buddhas.Roadside Market selling dried cheese, apples, grapes, fiddle head ferns & other assorted items from the garden. That which looks like bunched garlic gloves is actually dried cheese.Coming into the bustling city of Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Population of around 100,000 & is the administrative center of Bhutan. Royal family resides here as well.Changing of the guard outside the administrative offices of Bhutan in Thimphu. The King rules from here as well, hence the guards. On the other side of the government headquarters, which we could not enter, is the Tashichhoed Dzong, a fortress on the banks of the Wangchhu River.Human traffic light. Thimpu is the only capital in the world with no traffic light. One was installed a few years back, but the locals complained enough that it was removed. They want to preserve their culture & only let so much modernization creep in.Chenchi, one of our guides, & me in front of the Golden Buddha. He is responsible for the research for a book about female shamans: Devine Messenger: Female Shamans of Bhutan. It was written by 2 females, one from the US & one from Paris. The Paris woman went to Bhutan in 1978 & is now a citizen. The Golden Buddha was erected in 2007 to commemorate 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan. It is made of bronze & gilded in gold. It was built to encourage happiness, prosperity & peace all over the world.Water bowls at the top of the Golden Buddha. Steps took us to the top where we had a beautiful view of the valley.Jigme, one of our 2 guides, agreeing to be photographed with the Golden Buddha in the background.
Let’s call it a night. More fun pictures with stories to come tomorrow.
Left Darjeeling on a warm day for our 5 hour bus ride to Bhutan. More winding roads, some washed out because of the storm from several days ago, which made for rather treacherous driving. Fortunately, we have really good drivers.
Said farewell to Santos at the border of India & Bhutan. Needed to pass through India immigration & again through Bhutan immigration. Stayed a night at the first city in Bhutan which certainly was not representative of what we came to see.
Anyway, a few facts about Bhutan: Population of about 700,000, primarily Buddhists. Ruled by a democratic monarchy who the people respect & revere. Bhutan became open to tourism in 1974; however, the first road was not built until 1961, so travel would have been slow & arduous when tourists first visited. Internet was introduced in 1999, television in 2003 and mobile in 2009. Bhutan is surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains, a lot of the time not visible because of fog & mist. The Bhutanese strive to be the happiest people in the world & believe strongly in their deities. There main economy is rice production & some farming. All in all, a most beautiful culture.
Harvesting the tea. Probably migrant workers from India or Bangladesh. This taken from bus window on way to Bhutan by Melinda.Loading our bags for our trip to Paro. Two buses, 11 per bus. Very basic ride on these curvy roads. Bags covered with a tarp to hopefully protect from the rain. While working, the Bhutan men & women required to wear the native dress.Roadside view.Eight stupas which contain relics from smaller stupas made from clay mold & broken apart. Buddhists are cremated so the ashes might be buried in these stupas along with objects of the person’s life. Eight is an important number in Buddhism as it often means a bridge between the physical & spiritual realms.The international airport in Paro deemed the most dangerous landing airport in the world because it is surrounded by the Himalayas & the runway is very short. We are departing from this airport on Tuesday.Visited a Mandala Museum to learn how to create a simple Mandala using colored sand. A Mandala is a spiritual & ritual symbol used in both Hinduism & Buddhism. The Mandela is destroyed after completion to remind us that nothing is forever; we come into the world with nothing, go out with nothing.Visited the Namgay Artisanal Brewery where we had a guided tour led by this lovely young woman. After the tour, we tasted some of the beers produced here, then offered a full glass of our favorite. I chose the Paro Red Rice Lager.Inside a most interesting Museum of the history of Bhutan. The museum is housed in a historic watchtower built in 1651 & became a museum in 1968. Artifacts date from as early as 3000 BC. The traditional fabric makes for beautiful light coverings.
One of the highlights of visiting Bhutan is the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, one of the most famous of many located in Bhutan. It is perched on the side of a cliff 2952 feet above the Paro Valley floor which is at 7300 feet. Legend has it that Guru Rimpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress & meditated at the monastery for 3 years, 3 months & 3 days, hence its name. The site has been recognized as a most sacred place, & all Bhutanese hope to visit at least once in their lifetime.
Bird’s eye view of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery/Temple. Called a temple today because in order to be called a monastery, monks must live & study there. Today, only 3 monks reside at Tiger’s Nest as caretakers.
Trekking to the viewpoint, which is at 9500 feet, of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. From where we started, we experienced a 1245 foot elevation gain. Extremely difficult because of the elevation, steep steps, & uneven surfaces. Took about 2 hours to reach our destination.Some people choose to ride a horse to the viewpoint of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery/Temple.We made it to the viewpoint/cafe.Success for those of us who managed to complete this part of the trek. Two from our group made it all the way to the top. You can see Tiger’s Nest in the background, so the brave 2 had another 50% to go. Our round trip uphill/downhill was just over 3 miles.
Another viewpoint. Russ, who made it to the top with Pam, is responsible for the two photos of the temple.
Enough for this post. We have another two nights after tonight before we head back to Paro for our flight to Kolkata.
Today is the last day we are spending in India. Suffice it to say that this has been a trip of experiences & a few challenges. Changed & delayed flights. Traffic gridlock. Rain & a ferocious windstorm. Day long knocked out internet server. Late & stalled weather related trains. An 82 year old Malaysian woman hobbling with a walking stick, & needing to stay behind at times. A potential visit to see the sunrise over India’s highest mountain, Kanchenjunga at 28,169’, that didn’t materialize because of mist & fog. But, isn’t that why I travel. Each trip is a unique adventure with countless learning experiences. Again, need to reiterate how fortunate I am.
Today’s blog, just picture stories. Not even sure they are in sequence, but who really cares. These pictures, some a group effort, show several days in the life of this latest trip, a tough & busy one in this overpopulated India.
Cows roam freely in this part of India. Sometimes become a traffic hazard. “Grazing” right outside the Buddhist Monastery we visited in Siliguri.Iskcon Hindu Temple which is dedicated to Lord Krishna & located in Siliguri. The walls inside, no pictures allowed, are adorned by the paintings of Russian artisans depicting the various deities. Beautiful lush grounds.Met at the train station in Siliguri by 6 different drivers for the 22 of us plus 2 guides. We called our driver Santos; easier to pronounce. Santos is a practicing Hindu & Shiva, principal deity of Hinduism, is protecting us as we drive the winding, narrow, congested roads. We are now close to the Himalayan foothills.Santos with his girls. Scarves given to us as a welcome gift when arriving at the Mayfair Hill Darjeeling.Reception area of the Mayfair Hill in Darjeeling.Picturesque village along the train tracks.Toy train to Darjeeling. Added another car for us, but only lasted 1 of the 3 hours we were to be on the train. The tracks were slick so sand bags, stored on the side of the road, needed to be emptied on the tracks so we could proceed. Stopped countless times while the skies were darkening. Rescued by the drivers. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the first & still operational hill passenger railway. Opened in 1881 to establish a rail link across a mountainous terrain.This 11 year old was a master of the English language. Introduced her brother to us as her sibling. Lovely family, & another chance meeting because of a late train.Fish merchant along a shopping lane in Kurseong. Scaling, cutting, weighing & selling the farm raised local fish. We always have fish on our buffet lunch & dinners, so the mild tasting fish is probably local.Coal train we rode for about an hour. Covered with cinders once we disembarked. Took quite the shower to remove the grime from my hair & face.On our climb to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute women were shucking, cooking & selling corn on the cob.Two beautiful wolves at the Zoo. Located on the grounds of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.Traffic & pedestrian gridlock. Takes forever to go even a short distance. Drivers use horns incessantly, but display a great deal of patience when behind the wheel.Steep incline, many steps, heavy load, fit body. Undoubtedly of Nepalese descent as the majority of those residing in Darjeeling are Nepalese.In traditional Sherpani dress. Photographed her outside the car window. Coincidentally, our next stop was the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the final resting place of Tensing Norgay. As a reminder, he was the Sherpa guide who led Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest. This duo managed to accomplish the feat in 1953.Retired Sherpa.
So many more pictures of life in the West Bengal part of India, but enough for now. Hopefully, we will have internet service in Bhutan so that you can travel with me again.
Left Torres del Paine on this 21st day of traveling. Rode by bus with sightseeing stops along the way. A passport check leaving Chile into Argentina. Again, this required a bus, driver & local guide change. Lots of moving parts. On to El Calafate for our last 3 nights.
First major activity on Monday was a Patagonian ranch visit, where we learned about the gaucho lifestyle & experienced a delicious barbecue lunch.
On Tuesday, a full day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park where we visited Perito Moreno Glacier. After returning from the Glacier, Marta gathered us together for our farewell debriefing. We shared our most memorable experiences, & enjoyed an 18 minute film Marta created of our days together; multi-talented Marta, a master of making our trip so special.
Lastly, our farewell dinner before the flight back to Buenos Aires on Wednesday morning. Then off to the international airport for an overnight flight to Miami then finally Wheaton. No Thanksgiving for turkey for me this year.
Ventricular cloud found in the sky of Torres del Paine. Looks like a UFO, at least in my imagination. Saw this as we were departing the park.Ranger station stop where Poncho explained how the mountains were formed millions of years ago. Lovely setting!!!Cazuala, chicken stew, at Cerro Castillo, with Pisco Sour, bread & pebre (salsa). Stew consisted of chicken, squash, potatoes & very delicious broth. Sunday’s lunch on the way to El Calafate, Argentina. Long bus ride in a big bus, so plenty of elbow room. Needed to pass through immigration to get out of Chile & again to get into Argentina. Easy & fast.Arrive at Estancia Bon-Accord, a working ranch. Became part of the ranch crew with a beret & a scarf.Our host & the chef of the ranch. Gerardo is the owner of Estancia Bon-Accord. Today, he shared his Scottish ancestral heritage with us. Ancestors came to Patagonia late 19th century to basically homestead this rugged landscape. Water scarce, grass tough, so sheep were about the only animals they could raise. He is the last of his lineage, but he is trying to keep the ranch functioning. Tough, tough life.Lamb being cooked with a fire using Calafate wood. Takes about 3 hours for the lamb to be done.Waiting for our history lesson from Gerardo. Enjoying coffee & homemade bread. From left: Chris, Rachel, Pip, Connie, Amy, Soosie, Jill, Stan. In the home of Gerardo.Marta & Gerardo sharing a Mate. Pass to one another to drink the Mate, a social ritual, until one says gracias. In this case, Marta finished first. Yes, they do share the metal straw.Gerardo demonstrates hand shearing which is not done anymore, except around the eyes.Today’s lunch: Roast lamb, potatoes, squash, red peppers, onions & Malbec. Began with a pickled hare dish & ended with a caramel stuffed cookie. All so extra yummy. Will need to intermittent fast when I get home.Marta’s protector from the wind, Gori, our local guide, from El Calafate.Gaucho’s lasso.Chopping the tomatoes for the best salsa ever. Have had it multiple times.Perito Moreno Glacier from afar.Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciers National Park which towers nearly 200 feet above Lake Argentino.Cloudy day to visit the Glacier, but we were not disappointed as we did see calving of Perito Moreno.Portion of the glacier emerging. Resembles a torpedo as it emerged from the water, taking a giant burp.Glacier Perito Moreno National Park, 11/25, our last adventurous hurrah in Patagonia.Gabriel hosted us for our farewell dinner. Started with very thick vegetable soup, then Osso Buco, finished with Crepe Dulce Leche. Gabriel could easily be on a comedy stage. Had us laughing as he told his story & answered our questions. A terrific way to end a fabulous trip. His house was a feast for the eyes. Most eclectic.He came to say goodnight outside my window at the Kay Yatun Hotel during my last night in El Calafate. Quite the send off.
As you might have gathered from my posts, this has been another favorite trip. How fortunate for me to have so many favorites, but I must say, South America holds a special place in my heart, next to Africa.
Plan on hearing from me in March, and again, thanks for traveling with me.
Started our morning, Friday 11/21, at the tip of South America in Puerto Arenas. Spent the day traveling by bus, with stops of course, to our destination for the next 2 nights: the park of Torres del Paine & Lago Grey. Along the way, we experienced life on the Patagonian steppes, saw wildlife, and otherworldly beauty. I have been to many breathtaking spots in the world, but nothing quite as dramatic as Torres del Paine.
This is where my tootsies are on Thursday, 11/20; the tip of South America. Two plus weeks ago, I was on RAPA Nui, 2500 miles from nowhere. WOW.Puerto Arenas on Thursday night at 10 pm. Taken from my 3rd floor hotel room. Dwelling was a former mansion converted to a hotel.Partly cloudy today on our long bus ride through Patagonia Steppes to Torres del Paine National Park. Large sheep stations, estancias, along the way. Had lamb last night for dinner; delicious.Gaucho probably going to attend to his sheep. Lonely existence in the Patagonian Steppe.Nandu, the Rhea, on side of road traveling to Torres del Paine.Guanacos on the side of the road. Camelids or part of the camel family. Similar to a llama & native to the Patagonian steppe. Protected.Poncho, our local guide, teaching us about the history of the area.
As we approach Torres del Paine.
No explanation necessary.
Glacier Grey in Torres del Paine. This view outside of our lodge, Lago Grey.
Paine Mountain Range. “Nature is a book, we just need to learn how to read it.” So says Poncho. A Saturday morning stop before we start our hike in Torres del Paine.Paine Grande 10,000 ft.Mirador Salto Grande, first stop on today’s hike, Saturday.Four of the RAPA Nui 5. Jill decided to stay at the lodge today.Fire bushes, spring bloom. November best time to visit the park. Lots of blooming plants & bushes, just like the desert blooms in our spring.Fire art. Lots of dead tress because of past fires.How’s this for a stunning view, one of many, on today’s hike,
Mirror Lake.
Looks like I am traveling alone, but it is a deception.Last shot before returning to the bus for the trip back to the lodge for a bit of R&R.Spartans on a quest to conquer the wind. Saturday afternoon’s last hike of the day.Battling the wind.Poncho is multi talented. Such a fun evening of song & dance. Marta plans the most entertaining activities, & really enjoys herself. Excellent tour leader. Yea OAT, you know how to pick them!
Thanks to Starlink, I was able to complete this post at the Lago Grey. Guess Elon Musk is good for something. Now on to El Calafate where more adventures await.
Left Puerto Vargas at a reasonable time; no crack of dawn departure. Moderate bus ride to the ferry for a 30 minute ride to Chiloe Island. Chiloe consists of an archipelago located at the southern end of the Lake District of Chile. It is the largest of some 40 islands 40 located between the Pacific & the Andes.
We knew we were visiting the Punihuil Wildlife Reserve when we arrived, but little did I know the wildlife would be from the sea. What a great way to wet my whistle for my trip to Antartica in February of 2027.
Bridge that is going nowhere. Is supposed to link the island of Chiloe to the mainland. Conceived in the 90’s; started building in early 2000’s. Still a fantasy. Our guide, Barry, calls his country a 3rd world country as nothing gets accomplished. Can’t take away from the beauty of the water, however.Bus/passenger carrying ferry like this one transported us to Chiloe Island. Took only 30 minutes. Looking at the Island of Chiloe, place of seagulls. Will be taking the ferry again on Thursday to eventually make our way to Puerto Monty Airport for our flight to Punta Arenas. I’m racking up the Delta FF miles.“Dingy” to get us to the boat to see the sea-life on Penihuil Wildlife Preserve, which is located on the Pacific Ocean.Docking. What an efficient way to get us to the sightseeing boat. Who said that Chile is a 3rd world country?Magellanic Penguins out for a stroll.Humboldt Penguin taking its time getting into the waterFinally made the leap. Really blends into the landscape which certainly helps with anonymity.Nature made bridge. Probably created by a tsunami during one of the many earthquakes.Sea Lion sunning on the rocks at Puñihuil Wildlife Preserve. Big yawn which is sometimes how I feel after a full day of exploring.Magellanic Penguin. Aren’t I beautiful!!!Humboldt Penguin, competing for most beautiful.After our wildlife happy time, we visited the Church of Your Lady of Nercon. Dates from 1880’s, all wooden including the statues & columns. Has withstood many earthquakes. UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the shape of a boat. We were able to go up to the roof area to see how the church was constructed.Nighttime view from my hotel room in Castro. Reflection of village lights in the water. Low & high tide occurs 6 times a day.
On Wednesday, we had another luxuriously lazy morning, departing at 8:45. Stopped along the waterfront of Castro, the capital of Chiloe Island. Many of us travelers dropped off stinky clothes at the local laundry & then viewed the houses on stilts before making our way to Rilan for A Day in the Life. Here we met Ilsa & Raul who welcomed us with tea/coffee & bread right out of the oven. Then it was off to the fogan, a covered outdoor structure, for an introduction as to how Ilsa & Raul conduct their daily lives, patterned after how their ancestors lived. After this introductory lesson, we rolled up our shirt sleeves to help prepare the Curanto, a typical Chiloean stew.
Stew ingredients: mussels, chicken, sausage, pork, milcaos (potato pancakes), chochoca (potato dough) both filled with finely chopped pork. This pot of deliciousness was topped with wine, water & large leaves from the garden. While this was stew was cooking for an hour over an open fire, we walked the farm with Raul & learned more about his many daily jobs.
This was a day of experiencing with limited picture taking.
These colorful wooden homes, Palafitos, built along the seashore on the Island of Chiloe to avoid the spongy wet marshlands.Ilse & Raul’s property stretches to the sea. Such a serene spot.Our hosts for A Day in the Life, Ilse & Raul. Another special day made so by this extraordinary couple. She weaves her own yarn sheared from their sheep, weaves baskets using the bark of the their trees, sews & cooks a delicious meal. Raul is a farmer, carpenter, miller, sculptor & terrific story teller. All of their daily activities, which are numerous, have evolved from their ancestors. How fortunate for us to enjoy this experience on their farm as who knows how long they will be able to host; but most importantly, who will continue these traditions.Used these leaves in the Curanto. Torn into smaller pieces, of course.Jill was the winner of the Chilean version of Cornhole, our last activity before enjoying our delicious lunch. She is also enjoying a Pisco Sour.Boat anchor. Wood instead of metal has the Chilote believe metal contaminates the sea.Welcome back to your hotel room says Mother Nature.
So much to share, but perhaps this blog has gone on just a bit too long.
Left Bariloche, Argentina & made our way to Chile where we stayed for two nights In Puerto Varas deep within Chile’s Lake District. Views of snowcapped peaks, jagged rock towers & freshwater lakes. No time to get stir crazy on the bus.
Ibis saying goodbye to us as we were leaving Bariloche on Sunday morning.Today’s ride: Sunday, 11/16. Bariloche to Puerto Varas. Immigration at both the Argentina border & the Chilean border easy, so our bus ride was not as long as anticipated. Quite enjoyable actually. Changed buses, local guide & driver once we reached Chile. Now in a 26 passenger bus.Volcano in Chile. Can’t ever remember the names of any of the 1200+ volcanoes, but can enjoy the majesty of them. Just left Argentina.Fox on HWY 215; just left Argentina, approaching Chile border control. This one is used to travelers, so not hesitant to stand on the side of the road. Marta calls us travelers, not tourists.Destruction of the trees because of the last volcanic eruption, but regrowth happening.Today’s destination, Puerto Varas. Marta pointing the way.Had lunch at this most out of the way cafeteria. Farmer opens his house to groups like ours: salad, chicken, strawberries, water.Our lunch stop also included the car collection of the farmer. An entire barn of Studebakers. Other cars & collections in another room of the barn. Had to rush through the museum because Sunday was Election Day in Chile, & nothing is supposed to be open. Mandatory voting in Chile.Reached our destination: Puerto Vargas. Osorno Volcano. View from our hotel.Licarayen on the lakeshore in Puerta Varas who is embracing Osorno Volcano. A legend about Licarayen dating from the ancient peoples, but too lengthy to explain. Charming little resort town, & our stay for the next two nights.Attentive Tom. These are the varieties of Pisco used in this bar. Waqar, 4th one, the best, but our Pisco Sours were made from the last one; house brand. Pisco Sours can be lethal. Very tasty, & go down easy.Learning how to make Pisco Sours from the bartender at the hotel. Twelve varieties of Pisco grapes grown in Chile & Peru. Big debate concerning which country makes the best Pisco Sours.Lovely walkway into our restaurant on Sunday night in Puerto Varas. Delicious seafood spot. Beautiful springtime in Chile.Central American Agouti, smallest reindeer in world. Rarely seen on side of road.Monday’s visit. The 1st national Park of Chile. Influenced by Teddy Roosevelt to create national parks in Chile. Our 1st rainy day of the trip, but we persevered.Vincente Perez Rosales National Park has been shaped by ancient glaciers & volcanic eruptions.The park’s waterfall. Not a gigantic one, but still impressive.
Mirror like lakes inside the park.
OAT, the tour company, plans a home hosted meal every trip. Here 6 of us were hosted by Jacquline & Edwardo. We started with empanadas we each made, then moved on to a typical Chilean stew & blueberry kuchen for desert.Edwardo & Jacqueline our delightful hosts. Good food, Chilean wine, Music but most importantly, great company.We started with the cheese empanada we each made. Not very pretty, but tasty.
On the road again today, Tuesday. Taking a ferry to Chiloe Island for more exploring & learning.
Flew from Buenos Aires to Barlioche on Thursday morning. Bariloche is a beautiful lakeside city nestled in the foothills of the Andes. It is situated along the banks of the 40 mile long Lake Nahuel Huapi & is a gateway to Patagonia’s Lake District. It is both a summer & winter getaway very much like the ski resorts in Colorado having very much an alpine feel, hence its nickname “Little Switzerland.
Interesting sculpture of Mary in front of this charming Catholic Church. There are many of German descent in Bariloche. Began to come here in the mid 1800’s & continued to do so until after WW11. In fact, we had a lecture on Friday by a German educator who spoke of Nazi war criminals escaping to Argentina as well as many other countries & being protected. Most interesting.Morning view of Andes from our hotel in Bariloche. Huinid Bustillos which sounds like We Need.Getting ready to board the chairlift to go to the top of Campanario Hill. It’s late Spring here so everything is in full bloom.Chairlift to the lookout point.From lookout point after reaching the top of the chairlift. The beautiful Andes with glacier made lakes.The Andes from another view. Pictures hardly do the beauty justice.So fortunate to be here among all of this beauty.Learning about the flora & fauna from Lettie. Amazing how much these young local guides know, & how well they communicate in English. Command of the language so impressive.Forest walk only to come upon Lago Escondido (Hidden Lake). Another lake & Mountain View, this one from our rocky hike.Amy & I enjoying the view during our hike.Marta with a treat of chocolate covered raspberries before we headed back to the trailhead/beach. Quite a challenging rocky hike. Marta is a terrific tour leader who is just so much fun. Bariloche is the chocolate capital of Argentina. Chocolate shops abound.Recreational beach area. Several individuals chose not to join us on the hike, so they collected sea glass. BTW, there are 14 of us traveling together.Another beautiful lookout point. Famous hotel in the distance, & no we did not stay there. Would have taken a Tauck tour to experience such a stay.Gilbert Brewery where we sampled four different kinds of beer & had a boar stew lunch w/pumpkin soup starter. The brewmaster gave our group a short lecture on the beer making process. Little hole in the wall brewery that brews beer for the restaurant only. Beer & wine are big industries in Argentina.Started our very busy Saturday with a lecture called First Hand Testimony “Mapuche People”. This gentleman is a Mapuche who told his story in Spanish & Marta translated. Mapuche are the native people of Argentina, & he talked about their struggles then & now. Found it most interesting that his father was Mapuche & his mother was a captured white woman who considers herself a Mapuche because she was raised in their culture. Loved this lecture as it was so similar to the American Indian story.We then arrived at a horse ranch where the first order of business was learning how to make & drink Mate, a South American drink since way back when. There is a social ritual to the making & drink that would require too many paragraphs. Will say, it is definitely an acquired taste.Drinking of Mate in its special cup & metal tube. Am I really sharing this picture????? Oh well, have to demonstrate how it is ENJOYED.Our next adventure was a horseback ride through the steppe before having a barbecue lunch.Barbecuing lamp, chorizo sausage & beef for our lunch.Salads to accompany our barbecue. The yellow penguins contain wine, of course.Ended with a float trip on the Limay River with a snack at the end.
Busy day, late night & early morning to come. Tomorrow, we’ll travel 8 to 10 hours overland into Chile. We cross the border from Argentina into Chile, & will have our passports stamped which can take a few hours, hence the long travel time by bus. Fortunately, a big bus for the 14 of us to spread out.
I am having a blast. Lots of adventures & many laughs.
Traveling with Judy 