flight delays

Dreaded words during travel--'flight delays!' But whatcha gonna do? We did indeed miss our connecting flight to LA from Dallas, but we have new boarding passes now and will still make it home today. We are tired, certainly, but safe and in good spirits.  We'll look for somewhere to eat after the phone is charged, then Kay will phone Bob. Definitely not what we would prefer, but we're practicing the positive reaction of Buena Onda!

A darker than usual morning

Woke up this morning, and -- no lights or hot water! The power company shut off the whole town and didn't warn anyone in advance. The eggs for breakfast had already been prepared, coffee was lukewarm, but we ate pretty well anyway and left on the bus for Perito Moreno Glacier in Las Glaciares National Park. Blue skies and sunshine yet another day, little wind even at the glacier! It was about an hour and a half drive there from Calafate (it's EL Calafate, but no one says that.) following a tour of the town/small city/whatever. There's really nothing scenic about it except that the presidente of Argentina has a house here because this is where she's from. We are kind of tired of information and wished we could just go to the glacier!

And we did finally make it there, right when they said we would--imagine that! It has always been so on this tour, no one is late and we often depart a few minutes early. The glacier was--as they always are--magnificent and huge! There is simply no scale to measure their height against--massive! They (whoever 'they' is) have always said that an overcast day is best for viewing a glacier, but in spite of our clear blue sky (some lenticular clouds high above telling of strong wind at that elevation), the cracks and fissures in the facade and on the top were brilliant turquoise, varying in value from bright to deep dark turquoise-y blue!) I could have stood in one place and clicked the camera over and over, it was so beautiful!

The route our guide had chosen was uphill, very long, and with easily a thousand steps over a couple miles. The advantage to this route was that you are always facing the glacier, so if it calves, you have a good chance of seeing it. We saw two relatively small calvings--'small' because they were probably only the height of a ten-story building instead of twenty-five! They were preceded by loud cracks (though the glaciers are never completely quiet, and not every crack is a portent), almost a ripping sound and followed by a great sustained crash! I heard a bigger one but was walking behind some trees at that moment--drat! Still it was amazing. We were there for three hours and walking for easily two+. I could've stopped for a photo every few steps, the sight was so magnificent!

I think I will make a glacier quilt; I've wanted to since Iceland, think I told you yesterday that I found a good subject at Gray Glacier in Torres del Paine National Park, but these photos will become excellent fore/back-ground. And anyway, if I never make anything at all, I've seen these glaciers and felt their presence and taken in as much as my mind and soul can absorb.

We returned to the hotel--lights clicked on the moment we left--and repacked our bags. Then cabbed to el centro of town and shopped, using up much of our Argentinean money and buying fun things as well as pizza, beer and gelato for dinner! Hope to get to sleep early tonight, flying away at 9:15 in the morning to Buenos Aires where the temp has been 110 degrees, not looking forward to that at all! Then we head for home late Monday. It will be good to be in my own home again, seeing my family and my little dog, but what a wonderful adventure this has been. I don't think it could have been better in any way.

Good night for now.

Guanacos out the wazoo!

Lazy morning, soothing and restful, drove a long while on a gravel road out of the park, but watched lots of wildlife on the way. But the weather was overcast, quite cool and breezy! The mountains were mostly obscured, what we have been told is their usual state. We have been unusually fortunate AND we are grateful for calm winds and sun! So on the bus for a long travel day.

To the visitor center for a chat about the major hiking circuits and photos of more lupines and parts of mountains (see above.) Back on the bus to Guanaco Land all along the route out of the park and beyond! We saw singles, doubles, and massive herds. Stopped a couple times to even stand quietly 30 yards from them. After the cameras stopped clicking, we could hear them calling to each other, kind whinnying. They are lovely, so elegant the way they hold their heads, chins in the air. Sometimes they almost freeze into position.

We also saw a family of geese: father mother and three babies. Then--condors sitting on a low hill, obviously too full to take off, also not much wind there; they are certainly Large birds!!! A family of rheas--father and three juveniles.

Geologic formations were also interesting with sedimentary layers in graceful curves having been pushed up by igneous extrusions--does that sound possible, you geologists out there? Anyway striking and beautiful!

Now, Kay and I have just had wine with our dinner and words are not coming as swiftly as we would like, so if we sound a little vague, we are. Forgive our lapses, we're doing the best we can.

Lunch at some minute town with a large shop (more lapiz lazuli to appease Jackie's delightful addiction)  and some kind of Chilean soup/stew that was very tasty. After lunch we crossed out of Chile and into Argentina, changing buses, drivers, and local guides. As the local guide droned on, we took a short nap, no offense to the guide, but it's difficult to stay awake sometimes.

Stopped again at La Esperanza, a community of only 47 people out nowhere in eastern Montana-like terrain. Had there a drink that sounded something like 'submarine' which is hot milk with pieces of chocolate in it; you have to stir a lot, but it's very tasty!

Another two hours to reach Calafate, a pleasant tourist town. We'll have a drive of an hour and a half to reach the glacier in the morning. We took a taxi downtown to shop a bit, then dinner (spinach raviolis for Kay and lamb raviolis for Jackie) with some Malbec wine; all was tasty, even if the wine did elicit a sneeze or two from Jackie.

That's all the news that's fit to print. Really just one more day of sightseeing then the flight to Buenos Aires, a festive dinner all together, and the long trip home. It's magnificent so far and promises to be continue so tomorrow.

Glacier Gray up close and personal

Up even earlier today to bus to a trailhead for a 15 minute hike to a pier where we boarded a boat to ferry us to a bigger boat on Lago Gray--what a site for departure! Amazing views in every direction! It took us a solid hour to motor the length of the lake to the glacier, funny thing about that: it seemed like mountains grew larger and we were getting nearer to them, but the glacier was elusive. It didn't seem any nearer than it had been. The glacier forked into two around an island that looked insignificant back where we started, but IT grew and grew! Very large! And finally we really approached the glacier and felt quite small--as one should feel in such proximity. I remember our guide in Iceland saying that glaciers have presence, almost like they are alive, and this one had that feeling too--a presence flowing into the lake right there where we were. We communed on one side then motored around the island to the other side; there I saw a landscape that I think I can create in cloth. I was/am excited about the prospect, have been excited about creating a glacier since Iceland but I didn't get any appropriate photos there. So I have hope of doing that now!

So an hour down the lake, an hour there, an hour back to the pier. Instead of the bus we walked back to the hotel through the woods and watched a Magellanic woodpecker for several minutes--another specimen for the list!

Box lunches in the bar looking out on the mountains---oh! did I tell you we had another incredible day? Much blue sky, warm temperatures of 70 degrees, and no wind. Did you hear me? I said, "No Wind!" which is apparently unheard of here. At some point we met an Overseas Adventure Travel group going the opposite direction and one woman said to one of us that the weather here had been miserable with very strong winds and low temps. The sun is still shining brightly and I can see patches of blue through the trees at 6:30 p.m. So fortunate are we, and we are grateful.

After lunch a delightful couple hours of down time, Kay and I both fell asleep! Awoke in time to meet the bus for another hike walking across the terminal moraine at the lake (so the magnificent mountains were still watching over us), then up and around a peninsula overlooking a section of the lake with glistening icebergs--looked like they were studded with diamonds! Very pleasant! Back to the hotel for a rest, soon drinks and dinner, then bed.

Tomorrow we'll leave dramatic Torres del Paine, just a few days left of our odyssey. What an amazing adventure we're having. Think we'll go for drinks now, G'night all!

It IS the road to the end of the world!!!

Hola, Amigos! We have spent much of the day in Torres del Paine National Park. For this I have waited about 15 years! Sure I had seen photographs, but the images are all around us--360 degree view of wonderful sights! But let me back up to the beginning of the day...

Another early departure (8:00), another long bus ride, this time across the pampas!!! And we saw gauchos, though they can be called something else here in Chile, 'gauchos' in Argentina. Still they ARE gauchos. They don't wear hats with brims because of too much wind, instead Basque berets--supposedly more Basques here than in Spain! That felt comfortable to Kay and me. One day you will see a photo of the three gauchos with their dogs: our bus stopped to see them and, as we examined them, they peered at us as well!

We saw several animals today: a fox (unusual to see, but we were quick), a European hare, guanacos--many, many guanacos, cara cara (a large scavenger bird), rheas--several females lay eggs in a single nest and the father incubates and raises them though the mortality rate is high, condors including a juvenile who flew low enough to see the 'fingers!,' black-neck swans,  flamingoes----did you know there were flamingoes clear down here??, and some kind of meadowlark with a bright red breast.

We began to see the Paine Massif at least an hour-and-a-half from the park. So exciting, a thrill to see!

A box lunch was provided so we could keep moving, and we were hiking by 3:30. There had been a fire in that area only two years ago, and low plants have already filled in around the white ghosts of trees. Lovely colors--complementaries, actually: red violet and yellow green. Just stunning, I kept taking pictures of it with the magnificent massif in the background.

It was a four mile, two hour hike to see  Glacier del Frances and Salto Grande (waterfall). Breath-taking vistas! We stood for photos and moved a few feet to have another taken--endless sights to see--all wonderful! It took an hour to reach our hotel after the hike, all on gravel roads--kind of narrow gravel roads, a little dicey for two buses to pass, but the drivers are excellent--especially OUR driver, Roberto!

Tomorrow an earlier departure (7:30) for a boat ride to see a glacier up close, box lunch again, and another hike--hooray!!! Until then, amigoes--buenas noches!

Tierra del Fuego!!!!!! Can you imagine Tierra del Fuego? Almost the end of the earth!

bus trip off Chiloe this morning, an hour's ride to the Puerto Montt airport , wait around, wait around, then a two-hour flight to Punta Arenas---as far south as we'll go---this trip anyway! First stop: a look at a full-size replica of Magellan's ship; I would not want to be on the open sea in something that small!!! amazing! (they are working on a replica of The Beagle as Darwin sailed through there too.)

And Tierra del Fuego!!!!!!!! It's just right there! Tierra del Fuego has been on every world map I've ever seen, and it's right here! Got my feet wet in the Straits of Magellan, wouldn't exactly say I went wading, but almost.

Punta Arenas was founded in the 19th century and has very impressive buildings around the central plaza, including a large cathedral. Didn't match the pictures in my head at all. As you might imagine if you thought about it, which I didn't, it is located at a crucial point on a majorly important sailing route.  Anyway Kay and I are impressed.

Tomorrow an early departure so we can hike at Torres del Paine in the afternoon. We'll even be taking box lunches so as not to stop for lunch en route, though I am certain there will be potty breaks. So tomorrow is the day I'll finally get to see the Torres!! I've been waiting probably fifteen years, longer than I've been a grandmother!  I am beside myself with excitement--wouldn't it be funny if I said I was beside myself  'literally?'  Can't you just see two of me side by side jumping up and down eagerly? Anyway that will be tomorrow.

Yesterday I neglected to describe one of the UNESCO churches on Chiloe: Iglesias Nuestra Señora de Gracias de Nercon. It is all built of wood in a way that uses only ten percent of the nails required in regular construction ; nails were expensive as you can imagine. They did it by fitting the pieces together like a puzzle--fascinating! It has just undergone  some renovation and only re-opened two weeks ago. Lovely interior as well  Someday hopefully someday you'll see the photos.

That's it for tonight, tomorrow--Torres del Paine!

Palafitos and Curanto

Gray morning again, and though we were hopeful it would burn off, it stayed most of the day. We did have a few drops, but that was it. We have been fortunate with the weather. Also tired, so if you don't sense enthusiasm today, it's only fatigue speaking.

Up fairly early, left for the capital of Chiloe: Castro. The big cathedral there was closed for cleaning, but the exterior was in fine shape--and painted yellow and purple! They do enjoy color here; we think that much of the time it is rainy and gray, so the color is uplifting. Anyway, they're cheerful.

Palafitos are houses on the edge of the water with the backside supported by stilts--again, very colorful. There is grant money available and many, once fishermen's houses, are being gentrified, so quite an interesting mix. Our guide Andrea is gregarious and spoke to a man who was working on renovating a palfito--we were invited to see the work on the terrace over the water in the back. We then walked through the small house which turned out to be not as small as it looked. We toured two sections of palafitos--exterior only--taking a lot of photos; they will morph into a quilt one day.

For lunch we joined the locals--we don't really know what we had, we just pointed. I think one was a potato pancake thing with a little meat inside and the other one was more 'bread-y' made of potato flour with a little meat inside. They were okay but we wished we'd had empanadas again; still we were bold and tried something new--that's worth something, isn't it? Two small, energetic women ran the food booth where we ate. There was a young man and a young woman, but they did nothing that we could see. The young man scraped one plate, but those two women were dynamos with one taking orders and serving, the other cooking in extremely cramped conditions. Both rather stout, hair under bandanas, big aprons and engaged expressions as they ran their business.

There was a good-sized artisan market adjacent to the Chiloean food court, lots of knitted goods and yarn. Back in the bus for a short drive to meet a man who single-handedly builds boats. Right now  he has three projects underway, the largest a 36+' fishing boat. They are quite lovely in their simplicity of line.

Last stop of the day was our final home visit, where, once again, a feast was prepared for us. Like a luau, it was cooked on heated rocks in a hole in the ground. Called a curanto, it contained mussels, pork, chorizo, chicken, and potatoes. More wine for dinner--we've had it every day, I'm just not a regular drinker as you already know, so I was pleased to be at the end of the table where no one urged me to eat or drink more than I wanted.

Stopped at a big super-mercado and Kay and I walked back to the hotel. We're getting ready for bed now, as I said, we're weary.

Oh, I didn't tell you that last night we stayed up very late to look at the stars. It was perfectly clear and the Southern Cross was clearly visible--hooray!  Orion was standing on his head, pretty fun. He is the only constellation we share with the Southern Hemisphere. Good night to you all.

Found a notion! (say it fast)

A Bueno dia indeed! Again perfect weather, though it didn't look that way first thing this morning--all overcast and almost gray as we left Puerto Varas. Drove through Puerto Montt toward the island of Chiloe to visit a very small school--only 18 students from grades one through six. The school, El Sol Pacifico, has been adopted by the Grand Circle Foundation, of which Overseas Adventures Travel is a part. The school is delighted to have visitors, and even though it is summer vacation and school is not in session--as well as being a Sunday--six students and their mothers were there to greet us. They had delicious snacks prepared--crispy fried doughnutty things, some kind of ?potato pancakes, fruit-filled crepes and some rolls, plus tea or Nescafe (which our guide calls 'no es cafe.') Our guide gave a description of the accomplishments and needs of the school, then we wandered around the two classrooms and the outdoor space before watching a short folkloric dance in full costume--which you'll see a picture of someday, I hope!

On to Chiloe! The ferry crossing was no more than 20 minutes and very calm, quite protected by the island itself. Our guide said the island is about the size of Jamaica, which was meaningless to me as a westerner. Funny the mental images we create: it's an island, right? So I should be able to see the sea! But it's large, so I can't always see it. No problem, I can certainly deal with that and hadn't even been aware of that pre-concept.

We headed right down to the beach though it took 20+ minutes to get there. Wide and flat beach with gentle waves lapping the shore, it too is protected by small islands, the wildlife sanctuary we'll look at from small boats. After lunch (hake this time, tasty too) followed by a stroll down the beach and back, we were issued life jackets and rolled to the boat through the surf on a raised 'wagon', then stepped right into the boat--pretty clever! Off to look for penguins, and within minutes there they were! All over the place!! What a delight! We almost squealed! We saw both varieties as well as oystercatchers, flightless ducks and kelp geese (mother, father and immature female). More excitement ensued as we caught sight of an otter--they are certainly slick, swift swimmers! A lone sea lion basked on a rock with a black vulture, kind of a creepy-looking bird.  It was a thrilling adventure on another perfect day!

We found a notion! (say it fast!)

As you know, we have had perfect weather, just a fine mist of rain one single day; today we left Puerto Varas under gray, overcast skies. Passing through Puerto Montt, we headed toward Chiloe Island and stopped 5 minutes before the ferry to visit a very small school: 18 students in grades 1 through 6. Though it is summer vacation and also a Sunday, six students and several mothers were there to greet us with several sweet treats and folkloric dance performed in full costume by three pairs of children. The school is currently receiving support from the Grand Circle Foundation; Overseas Adventure Travel is affiliated with Grand Circle. Through our guide, we learned about the challenges and accomplishments of the school as we toured the facility. It was an excellent opportunity to meet local people.

The overcast sky had evolved into brilliant, clear blue--hooray! The final five minutes to the ferry went quickly and we were suddenly aboard and moving across the bay. The protected waters were smooth and the wind was calm. On Chiloe, after wandering around the plaza of a small town, we headed to the beach--our first ocean beach of the trip, with gentle waves lapping the shore in graceful lines, and fine, packed sand.  We ate lunch right away--hake this time and quite tasty. Then a walk down the beach and back before boarding small open boats to seek the elusive penguin! Actually they are not elusive at all--we saw dozens of them! It was so exciting that we almost shrieked with delight! Also seen: a black vulture (!), flightless ducks, kelp geese (father, mother, immature female,) oystercatchers, different varieties of cormorant, one large sea lion and a slick, swift otter! Also lots and lots of seagulls, naturally. Oh, I almost forgot--to reach the boats, which were simply pushed onto the sand, we avoided stepping into the surf by riding tall, open 'wagons' from which we simply stepped aboard! Clever, very clever.

Do you recall that yesterday we shopped for smoked seaweed? Today we saw harvested seaweed drying on the beach--amazing to see, so unusual for us Nevadans! As we headed toward our hotel in Ancud, we stopped at several viewpoints; it's a beautiful island with miles of beach.

We have now had our evening meal: first course a huge mound of crabmeat, at least 3/4 cup--yum! Second course: salmon--moist and flavorful, with a sauce that included ham! Dessert--the best we've had on the trip: A cream puff with ice cream and dulce de leche and raspberries. We are sated now, resting as I write, soon to seek the Southern Cross in a night sky

We are privileged to be here, especially with another day of perfect weather.

Lazy morning but we picked up steam...

After our 'hurry up and wait' morning yesterday (so we could be ahead of other buses at the borders), we didn't depart today until 10:00! Took public transportation into Puerto Montt where we spent a few hours shopping,both for ourselves and fulfilling a mission of locating two ingredients per group of four. Our list contained kelp and smoked seaweed, seemed pretty exotic to us! More empanadas for lunch; we shared two: bay shrimp and cheese & king crab and cheese in a thin, flaky crust--mmmmm! The crab was best!

Now the serious shopping began in about a three-block strip of tiny shops. Bigger than booths, some even extended quite far back. I finished off my collection of lapis lazuli and we both purchased gifts for family (no, I won't tell you what exactly we bought!) We had a very good time!!! What's not to like?

Back on board the bus we drove to Petrohue Falls whose chutes of rushing turquoise water made an incredible sight and a magnificent background for more shots of Orsorno Volcano! Look up that mountain online, its perfect inverted cone shape dominates the landscape for miles and miles and, the weather again today was perfect with a starkly clear, blue sky--we are so fortunate!!!!

Finally to  Vincente Perez National Park. Lovely woods an placid lakes. We were ferried just a few minutes across Emerald (or All Saints) Lake for dinner with a fisherman and his family: fresh trout! Perfectly cooked, potatoes in cheese sauce, salad, some kind of fried something (we heard it was a kelp dish and also hush puppies, so who knows really?), fresh salsa, fresh biscuits, red wine, Liquor de Oro, a gentle digestive, but alas the  liquer made me sneeze! Have you heard of such a thing? Someone said the culprit was probably the saffron!

Driving home, Osorno had taken on a breath-taking pink hue due to the sunset--a lovely end to yet another spectacular day.

Now I'm weary and will snuggle down; 6:00 a.m. wake-up tomorrow will come early!

Yesterday was a Zen day, today wearying but Wonderful!

Early this morning I leapt up and into the shower to be ready for an early departure from Barriloche, Argentina, we did fine then oohed and aahhed and gasped as we drove over the Andes--did you hear that right? The Andes!!! ( We are really in South America!) Superb views of mountains and lakes, then foothills and finally it looked like the U.S. Midwest! (Even round, pastic-wrapped bales!) It is kind of confusing, really, to see what looks like home every time we get into the bus!

Leaving Argentina was a rather long process but not as long as entering Chile where we had to de-bus with paperwork our guides had already filled out for us (we only needed to check a box or two and sign), then line up, put our carryons all on a low table to be sniffed by a happy dog which also sniffed all our luggage outside (thank goodness my laundry was clean); then the stamping of the passport and a second form handed to another person, a toilet visit (yet another queue) and finally off.  easily two to three hours at both borders. Tedious but not unbearable with the good company. And it was beautiful there.

Had fun getting a group photo, each with one foot in each country. Exciting to see the Chilean flag!

After the crossing, still on the bus, We learned about mate, a kind of tea, really, shared among friends from a special cup made from a gourd(!) and the tradition of the sharing, the close ties developed. Mate is the Argentine national drink, and we all shared it. It does enhance the closeness among people, even new friends.

After all that waiting we had a pleasant lunch and visited a Studebaker car museum--had you ever heard of such a thing? Every model made is there, pretty funny actually, then, driving down the freeway (!)  I guess Peuerto Montt is a pretty big place though Puerto Varas is small and lovely, plus you can see Osorno from here--have I said it already? Osorno is Magnificent!!!

We shopped after arriving here, both of us buying lapis lazuli--lots of it around, then the sea bass for dinner--very good with some white wine. (BYW did I mention that I developing a taste for Malbec red wine? Oh, Jeff: pasta night next month--you make pasta, I'll make sauce, Kay will bring Malbec--who'll be on for dessert? Any takers?

As the title says, the day was wearying, but stunning. Chile (as Argentina before it) doesn't match any of the uninformed pictures we had in our heads.  How could we imagine the unending loveliness we see all around us. We just keep looking and looking and looking. My brain is full of beauty, but there is always more, always.

Until tomorrow...

What are Mapuches, you ask? Read on---

Cristina is a lovely Mapuche lady--any idea yet? One of the indigenous population like our Native Americans, the Scandinavian Sami people, Australian aborigines or really, any native people. She spoke of their struggle to keep open isolated schools with small populations (instead of sending 6 year-olds to boarding schools), the lack of official deeds for lands since centuries-old paperwork doesn't seem to count, and providing upper grade and higher education as well as usable voc ed for students. Both inspirational and poignant. Then she sold us silver jewelry--actually there was much more to her talk than that, a lovely person. And yes!!! I was tall, quite tall, standing next to her! So there's that as well. I am rushing to get in my tale of the whole day, read on---

Having packed my backpack to almost bursting, I pulled out my waterproof pants, my rain jacket, an extra layer and climbed into a raft under cloudy skies. Fortunately a mist fell on us a couple times but that was all. We floated gently down the stream, no! I mean the Limay River!  So peaceful was it there, willows on the banks, some special geese with immature children, not extremely young, columnar basalt, volcanic ash from a year or two ago, a kingfisher, and more naturalist information. The talk was informative, but the river is wonderful in its peace and calm with only the sound of the raft and the river, and, yes, of course, the wind for it was sometimes strong and the layers were needed, but we needed no more than we had. One fellow thought I'd have enjoyed the ride more if I had paddled, but I doubt it. I was in an almost meditative state, absorbing the ambience through my senses and my very pores. 'Peaceful' is the best word for it.

Following lunch we drove to an estancia for horseback riding and a barbecue with a charming family
It took awhile to reach the place on a road rather rough for our bus; we even forded a small stream (I think the bridge wasn't strong enough!) Lovely, gentle, genuine people, pleased to share their life with us for an afternoon. Parents maybe late 50s, son in late 20s, daughter around 30 and her two children aged 8 and 4 (her husband has a different job and doesn't participate in this.)  Let me tell you about the countryside there: it could be almost anywhere in the American West from western Nebraska to Montana to northern Nevada. Many other places as well: mountains on the horizon, foothills, more willows where there's water, ground cover and broad meadowlands--but is it still a meadow without lots of grass, because this had ground cover but not rich grass so they don't raise cattle. And like many beautiful places, they do many things to support themselves. The father planted from seed thirty thousand pine trees, a plantation which will be harvested in a few more years. (Actually he planted many more, that's how many are growing now.)

Although my steed was a little independent, I managed well and was entirely pleased to be out IN that comfortable landscape. The moon had risen over some mountains in the afternoon sky and watched over us all. I realize my vocabulary of the day is redundant, but it was truly lovely and, once again, peaceful, a genuine joy to be there.

Dinner was a feast as you can imagine! Grilled chorizo, lamb and, for the second round--beef! Many side dishes and garnishes(?) including chimmichurri and squash mayonnaise. For some reason they serve wine (delicious Malbec!) in a white pitcher in the shape of a penguin; when you finish one, you have 'killed' a penguin! Don't tell Greenpeace, but we killed a few! Malbec doesn't make me sneeze!

Driving back to the hotel, the sun set and again, it was beautiful--though it had been so even before that. Who knew all this beauty was down here in the bottom of the Southern Hemisphere? Who knew it looked so much like home? What a blessing this trip is.

Tomorrow over the Andes to Chile--really? That's surreal!! Jackie and Kay are going to Chile tomorrow!

Lago Nahuel Huapi--ever heard of such a place? You have now!!!!

Buenos dias to all you people out there! Kay and I had no pictures of this place in our heads before we got up this morning, but WOW! It is amazingly wonderful!! (The perfect weather didn't hurt either.) First thing we took a chairlift up Campanario Hill. Until then Bariloche seemed a very pretty place, but after riding above the trees, the world opened up magnificently! You know the color of Tahoe? Same brilliant blue but more of it with more mountains, more rugged, peninsulas here and there! Well we are in the foothills of the Andes for goodness sake! Just stunning, magnificent, incredible!!! Finished off the visit in the cafe with a cup of--recommended by our well-traveled guide: chocognac! Wow! I know, I know, I'm saying 'Wow!' quite a lot, but Wow! That's a drink to remember!

After a short drive we followed local guide Marta on a nature walk about local trees, birds--heard a few bird calls, some people saw one, but I caught sight of only the movement. Amazing bamboo-like plants that have now completed their seventy-year cycle, now all gray, but lovely lines and sections. Unlike bamboo, however, it is not hollow but solid! Most of the lagos around there were formed by glaciers, but  a smaller one here was formed by a spring and is smaller than the others, warmer to swim in too, Marta says (she swims in the cold ones.)

That was the preparatory walk, the real trek was rather steep (though not as bad as we'd been told, I think to winnow the herd). Took us 55-60 minutes to climb (yes, huffing and puffing) to the viewpoint, much shorter time to get back again.

But what vistas! We were in part of the landscape we had seen Campanario Hill, on a promontory peninsula between two arms of the huge lake. Huger mountains arose beyond--some quiet cones, other extremely rugged, like teeth. Far in the distance, snow covered peaks in Chile --we'll go that way day after tomorrow. A truly magnificent sightseeing experience.

Lunch at a local brewery--as much beer as we wanted! Aren't you jealous? The brown ale was quite good and didn't make me sneeze!

The final experience of the day out was a talk wandering through the German/Argentinean neighborhood of Bariloche learning the history of that ethnic group as related to the Nazis.  Peron liked Mussolini and Franco, not Hitler so much--too extreme, but Peron did allow/invite? Nazi war criminals into Argentina following the war. Before he was executed Eichmann praised Germany, Austria and Argentina! But a Nazi was an active citizen in Bariloche for years and years as president of the local German school, ran a deli, active in social affairs-had his picture taken with everyone! Our speaker is a local German/Argentinean whose father was active in the community as well and who has, as an anthropologist, a history teacher and a journalist, investigated the community (and the country, to some degree) about the period following WWII. The local Nazi had been involved in a massacre in Rome during the war and was eventually recognized by Sam Donaldson when he was tracking down someone else! He was tried and lived the rest of his life under house arrest in Rome until his death. Locals were stunned by the revelation and chagrined by the photos taken of him with the Nazi. Fascinating, and, as always when hearing of the Holocaust, horrified and terribly saddened.

Now, we have had a lovely few hours relaxing and putting our feet up. You can recognize by the length of this post that I have had time to write. Still unable to upload pix except a couple onto Facebook. As I said before, Buenos Aires was a lovely city, but this is what we came for--it is well worth the effort!

Hola from Barriloche-it looks like home here!

And so, my friends, we are now in the far west of Argentina and south of Buenos Aires. I hadn't realized that my breathing was constricted in the city, but it felt SO good to see mountains and wide open country!Chaotic domestic airport, bumpy ride and all, we made it and are about to  begin our outdoor adventures. But first, let's learn about yesterday. We toured many neighborhoods or barrios of Buenos Aires including a very colorful one called Caminito where poorer families used to live. Unable to afford paint, they frequently visited the port and brought home remnants of paints, so their houses were many colors. It is a vibrant tourist area now, though we had strict orders not to wander even a little off the tourist path.

I must tell you that it seems there will be no photos in the blog at least for the present. I had difficulty getting online with the mini in BA and learned that is a frequent problem with ipads. After talking with a couple in our group, I think that  something is blocking the mini from locating the photos and I'm too tired to spend a lot of time attempting to solve the difficulty. If it isn't solved before, there will be a photo blog when I return home.

Now--on with yesterda! The central political center (May-something plaza) is where the demonstrations take place, and Argentineans are great demonstrators. We learned while there about the grandmother who protested when their children were among those who simply disappeared and then for their grandchildren who were also taken or born in prisons, The majority have never been located, too sad to contemplate.

Afternoon had us dancing tango at our lesson. Mostly Kay and I were a couple though we both seemed to want to lead even when in the role of  'follower.' The teachers were excellent and we  both did much better with them, so we felt some success. Evening took us to the tango stage show--Wow! Amazing! About ten couples danced several times some elegantly and some torridly! The live orchestra was marvelous; dinner ok.

I'm certain that I've skipped some interesting happenings waiting for the photo problem to be resolved, but now I'll simply blog on every day. I apologize for the lack of visual interest, but alas, there is no recourse at this time. I'll attempt to be clever and descriptive with language, so you must imagine the pictures in your cabeza instead.

Buenos dias, compadres, from Argentina! Still no photos today, it's Sunday and the Apple store isn't open, plus the adaptor didn't charge this mini, so brief and to the point.  Yesterday at the Galleria, we saw children lined up for photos not with Santa, but with the three kings! Someday I'll be able to post the photo--fascinating. We shopped and walked, no purchases but a lot of walking and people-watching. Wandered across the street from our hotel for dinner at a charming Italian cafe-excellent food; there's a lot of Italian influence here. Our guide Andrea said we must have pizza before we leave . An orientation walk this morning got us to the shopping area in less than half the time and distance we went yesterday--what a delight to have a guide! In the afternoon we went to an outdoor market and visited an art museum where we saw European as well as Argentinean art--outstanding! Dinner with the group tonight--hopefully a good piece of beef; the guide book says that beef is not a passion in Argentina, it's an obsession, so we'll check that out! More tomorrow, hopefully with pix. Adios!

Aqui en Buenos Aires--did I get that right?

Lots of time in DFW yesterday--yes! Yesterday! for we are indeed here in BA now--but yesterday we walked and walked and walked , even through a musical labyrinth, fun!
 Now it appears that I am unable to locate that photo, and I do want to inform you all that we are indeed walking the streets of Buenos Aires--does that sound right? Arrived on time, passed through Customs/Immigration, car was waiting, arrived at hotel and took a delightful nap, stretching out full length--no comments please.  Now we've spent hours walking and shopping--great handbags her, lots of leather. No cycling jerseys though, alas. Soccer is huge here though.

Now it begins....

Well before the sun's rays touched the frost on the roof at Talus Way, I was up and at 'em. Showering, drying my hair, getting dressed in the clothes I'd laid out so I didn't forget any detail, making the bed, putting dry dishes away... then Jennifer arrived and whisked me off to the airport where I met my friend Kay to begin our journey to another continent!! We left Reno (where this picture was taken) still before sunrise (admittedly the days are very short this time of year) and flew three hours to Dallas, good old DFW. We've walked and walked and had a late lunch, now Kay is writing Christmas thank-you notes, and I'm writing to you! Still more than three hours to wait because we were cautious about winter weather in April when we planned this trip. By the way, the sun did finally come up, but who knows where we were when that happened!

Tomorrow we'll be in Buenos Aires! Can small town girls really go to Buenos Aires? Quite a world we live in, quite a world. So many wonders to see! We'll share them with you, stay tuned....