Final note from our South American Adventure via Buenos Aires

We are on our last leg, in more ways than one.  Last night we had dinner with a local family - we each went to different families. Pat´s sounded more interesting than mine, but we both had fun.

We toured BA today, which we had seen before, but still enjoyed.  We went to the Fine Arts Museum which had some interesting pieces & a special exhibit of pre-Columbian ceramics from a special collection from Brazil.  Then we went to a street fair.  Tonight we head for a dinner & tango show.  Should be fun. 

Tomorrow we head for the delta area for a float trip and then to the airport.



Will write upon our return.

Ciao! 

View fm hotel in Bariloche looking west

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

View fm room in Bariloche w/sun

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

An update from Argentina

Well, we are in Bariloche, Argentina and will send along a picture from today - we have been in rain, snow & wind since we crossed into Aragentina.  The trip to Southern Chile was ok.  It was overcast & very windy.  We visited a horse breeding ranch and watched a demonstration of Chilean rodeo.  They only have one event similar to cutting cows out of herd, but it involves two huasos (not gauchos) directing a cow where they want it to go.  The horses are trained to move sidways at pretty high rates of speed.- unusual.  For their chmpionship they win something like a microwave or a tv.  We had a nice dinner there also. We then headed to Puerto Varas.  There is a picture from our bedroom window overlooking the lake.  They have a great casino.

The next day we took a boat ride to Porto Puella, a very small place which is an entry point into Argentina.  Many waterfalls along the way and there is a picture of one that is behind the hotel where we had lunch that I hiked up to.  It rained the entire day.  The trip wasn´t worth the time spent, but that´s what happens sometimes when you are on a tour. 

We left Varas on Wednesday and hit snow as we started up the pass to cross into Argentina.  It continued to rain, snow & bñow for the next two days.  Needless to say our itinerary changed a bit.   Bariloche is a sister city to Aspen and as you can & will see formm the poseted pictures it is on the south end of a huge lake surrounded by  awesom mountains.  You will note that they are recently snowcapped.  They all say this weather is unusual for springtime, but we don´t believe them.  The sun is out this morning.  We are heading out to a sheep ranch which actually happens to be owned by  the Gary family - small world, no?

Got to go,  On to Buenas Aires tomorrow.  Will stay in touch.

In the bar @ Bariloche AR

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

Falls in Puella Chile

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Bariloche view fm room

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

All saints lake - Chile

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

View from hotel in Puerto Varras 1

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

IMG00018-20091101-1750.jpg

IMG00016-20091101-1747.jpg

Santiago Chile

We left Cusco on 10/29 & flew back to Lima for a day.  It was mostly time on our own.  We went to a museum (National Archeological Museum) & then dinner with the group (outside.....weather was great). The next am we flew from Lima to Santiago.  Settled im at the hotel & wandered some.  The next dat ay we took a bus to Valpriaso & Vina del Mar.  Wonderful cities.  Very picturesque.  Lots of wonderful old buildings!  We walked all over town.  Tonight we found a Patagonian restaurant to visit for our last night here.  Great food & music!!
Tomorrow we head to Puerto Montt & Puerto Varras for 2 days.  Weather is supposed to be much colder than here.

IMG00023-20091101-2135.jpg

Machu Picchu

We made it and are now back in Lima.  Machu Picchu - MP -was marvelous - much more impressive than anything we've seen before.  We arrived on Tuesday around noon, had lunch then headed for the site.  Really interesting in that we took a bus from Cuzco to a train to MP city and then a bus up the mountain.  Lots of switch backs.  It is amaizing what the Inca's did in the relatively short amount of time they ruled prior to the arrival of the Sapnish with their guns, horses and smallpox.  All of the terraces which they used for agriculture were filled with dirt form the Sacred Valley over 20 km away.  Toured the main site for about 3 hours, finally getting kicked out after four of us made a quick and harried trip to the location from which the poster pictures of MP are taken.  It was quite fun, but showed us just what terrible shape we are in - oh well we made it, just not in record time.  We had dinner at the same restaurant we had lunch, nothing to write home about.

The next morning we took off about 8 to return to the mountain to take the trail to the Sun Gate.  It took us about 2 hours with about a 1,000 foot elevation gain over a couple of miles.  Again we came up against our physical limitations, but made it to the top.  Spectacular views all the way up with intersting views of the main area of MP.  Our pace allowed for a lot of picture taking while others caught their breath.  Ran down to get to lunch at a great buffet - ate too much - to catch the train back to the bus to return to Cuzco. 

Cuzco was very interesting - left much more to see.  It was the focal point -  the belly button - of the Inca empire.  They built roads from there to all their other major cities and into Argentina.  Many of the Inca buildings were built on pre-Inca sites which the Spanish then put their colonial buildings - mainly churches.  There were 27 Catholic churches at their peak, 18 are sitll active.

We have returned to Lima this afternoon and leave for Santiago, Chile tomorrow.  More to follow, but will continue to be intermittent.

Cusco Peru

We are in the great city of Cusco.  We arrived mid-morning.  Quite a dramatic setting - nestled among the Andes at 11,000 feet.  Not much oxygen this high up.  We toured the old city Spanish buildings built upon Inca ruins on top of pre-Inca walls.  Fascinating architecture.  We head tomorrow to an archeological site and other fun things.  Weather is warm with intemittent wind & a few sprinkles.  We visited a fabric shop with native weavers & their products.  Really neat woven wools with great colors.  The food has been great.  We are traveling with 8 others.  Our guide is a native of Cusco.  They have all travelled extensively - makes us feel like beginners - except we have had more fun.  For some reason they think i´m crazy - gee wonder where they got that idea.  The camera just takes over.  BTW Jersey Boys in Toronto was the best.  Lima was a large, not very attractive city,  Flying inter-country was an experience - they actually weighed our carry-on bags - 8kgs limt & not an ounce more. 
More to follow.
 
Jen, muchos gracias for the help in setting up the blog.
P&M

Test Update

Hi,  Here is another test.  M & P are on the plane and in chaos!  They switched the plane and randomly assigned everyone's seats with no regard to who was traveling with whom.  Bon Voyage! 

Setting up the Blog

Hi,  They are off.  They are packed; and their bags are counted and weighed!  They are on their way to see Jersey Boys tonight.  This is a test of the e-mail update! 

Have fun!