Saturday, April 23, 2011
Bus rides anybody?
We thought hard about out route through Argentina and decided to go for the jugular, which means many 20 hour plus bus rides with the aim of getting to the farthest town in the southern hemisphere, Ushuaia and then traveling North to Mendonsa before heading into Santiago, Chile. This meant Iguacu to Buenos Aires first, which is a 20 hour bus ride.
We walked around and found a deal with the bus company Rio Uruguay. Here I need to explain the bus system in Argentina. The buses are divided broadly into 4 categories Cama Suite (180 bed) , Cama ( big seats and 135 recliner) , Semi cama ( less wide seats and reclines a tad less than the Cama) and then the commun or really local bus. Most long routes only offer the 1st three. Rio Uruguay offered us a Cama bus for $3 more than the Semi Cama so we jumped on it. Remember the tickets cost aboit US$90 each for a 20 hour ride. Steep???? Its a bloody cliff !!The only saving grace is that they give you dinner and breakfast!
We got on the bus at 2pm. At 3, they surpised us with a plate of ALFAGOR or a sweet biscuit like tart and coffee or soft drinks.. The seats were way more comfortable than any flight I´ve taken. At 7 they gave us a packet of salted biscuits and offered us a drink. Yes... a real alcoholic drink... on a bus! The options were whisky or liquor, which I realised meant snapps with real ice cubes. Great start I thought! At 8 we were offered more alcohol with Vino thrown in for good measure. At 9 we were served a dinner that would make any airline business class proud. A pie, salad with a vinaigrette, bread, butter , cheese, dulce e leche ( something super sweet like sweetened condensed milk that Argentines can´t live without and something I would rather not have known existed) , Chicken Milanese, rice and a desert! I was sure there must be a catch when they came around half an hour later with another plate of alfagor and champagne!! And yes it was a pretty great champagne!
Anu is pretty sure there was a chepaer ticket that we missed out on!!
What a way to enter Buenos Aires !
We walked around and found a deal with the bus company Rio Uruguay. Here I need to explain the bus system in Argentina. The buses are divided broadly into 4 categories Cama Suite (180 bed) , Cama ( big seats and 135 recliner) , Semi cama ( less wide seats and reclines a tad less than the Cama) and then the commun or really local bus. Most long routes only offer the 1st three. Rio Uruguay offered us a Cama bus for $3 more than the Semi Cama so we jumped on it. Remember the tickets cost aboit US$90 each for a 20 hour ride. Steep???? Its a bloody cliff !!The only saving grace is that they give you dinner and breakfast!
We got on the bus at 2pm. At 3, they surpised us with a plate of ALFAGOR or a sweet biscuit like tart and coffee or soft drinks.. The seats were way more comfortable than any flight I´ve taken. At 7 they gave us a packet of salted biscuits and offered us a drink. Yes... a real alcoholic drink... on a bus! The options were whisky or liquor, which I realised meant snapps with real ice cubes. Great start I thought! At 8 we were offered more alcohol with Vino thrown in for good measure. At 9 we were served a dinner that would make any airline business class proud. A pie, salad with a vinaigrette, bread, butter , cheese, dulce e leche ( something super sweet like sweetened condensed milk that Argentines can´t live without and something I would rather not have known existed) , Chicken Milanese, rice and a desert! I was sure there must be a catch when they came around half an hour later with another plate of alfagor and champagne!! And yes it was a pretty great champagne!
Anu is pretty sure there was a chepaer ticket that we missed out on!!
What a way to enter Buenos Aires !
Friday, April 22, 2011
Border Crossings
The bus to the border was a local bus. It dropped us off at the Brazilian border and we had to get stamped out. Another bus would arrive in 20 mins or so and we had crossed our first international border via land! All very new and interesting. We bumped into a Japanese couple Osamu and Aki, as we were stranded waiting for the 2nd bus. They were traveling through SA without any spanish and a smattering of English. Gutsy!
Puerto Iguacu is a town meant only for the Cataratas. Touts tried to sell us hostels but we had learnt the benefits of walking around and looking. Someone walking alongside us asks us if we were Indian. Vivek works with the Interpol and so travels to PI quite often. Of course he travels on work and so has no idea about hostels. He takes the trouble to walk us to the one he had encountered the day before. One of touts see this and decide to threaten him. A little disconcerting but made our decision not to stay at the touts suggested place.
A quick shower and we headed to the cataratas! The entry fee pretty much dampned any further shock that we could feel, or so we thought but the cataratas from this side is even more awe inspiring! You get to see the size of the canyon and the force of the water much more clearly here. We bit the bullet, and decided the boat ride under the falls was worth it. It was!! I have no words that can explain the feeling of awe that nature can inspire.Faced with the falls at that proximity, you feel only respect!
We bumped into some more wild life in a coaxi. A racoon like animal with a jester like personality, except that he gets vicious when close to food. As in every place, we made a bunch of friends. Finally got back to the hostel and thought of looking up Vivek. He did really go out of his way to walk us to the hostel. He was with his family, and it panned out to be a really great evenig! Great company. Priscialla his wife and his little kid Arya were fun to hang out with..Yannick and Vivek had some great conversation and then he did something that surprised all of us. He invited a hungry street singer to eat at the next table! I think it was his belief in karma or just in doing the right thing. Vivek is a very interesting guy who has lived a very interesting life, another guy I look forward to keeping in touch with.
Puerto Iguacu is a town meant only for the Cataratas. Touts tried to sell us hostels but we had learnt the benefits of walking around and looking. Someone walking alongside us asks us if we were Indian. Vivek works with the Interpol and so travels to PI quite often. Of course he travels on work and so has no idea about hostels. He takes the trouble to walk us to the one he had encountered the day before. One of touts see this and decide to threaten him. A little disconcerting but made our decision not to stay at the touts suggested place.
A quick shower and we headed to the cataratas! The entry fee pretty much dampned any further shock that we could feel, or so we thought but the cataratas from this side is even more awe inspiring! You get to see the size of the canyon and the force of the water much more clearly here. We bit the bullet, and decided the boat ride under the falls was worth it. It was!! I have no words that can explain the feeling of awe that nature can inspire.Faced with the falls at that proximity, you feel only respect!
We bumped into some more wild life in a coaxi. A racoon like animal with a jester like personality, except that he gets vicious when close to food. As in every place, we made a bunch of friends. Finally got back to the hostel and thought of looking up Vivek. He did really go out of his way to walk us to the hostel. He was with his family, and it panned out to be a really great evenig! Great company. Priscialla his wife and his little kid Arya were fun to hang out with..Yannick and Vivek had some great conversation and then he did something that surprised all of us. He invited a hungry street singer to eat at the next table! I think it was his belief in karma or just in doing the right thing. Vivek is a very interesting guy who has lived a very interesting life, another guy I look forward to keeping in touch with.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
THE CATARATAS
Leaving SP , new bag in tow, for a 12 hour bus ride to Foz de Iguacu was an emotional one. Luisa's grandmom and Neozonha were in tears. One by one the entire family came by and we said our goodbyes. The metro was packed but not unpliable.
We reached Foz early next morning, and found a friendly looking hostel, katarina. They had a little cocker spaniel. Seeing her took us back home.
The waterfalls are located at a point where Brazil Argentina and Paraguay meet. The controversial Itiapu hydro project apparently supplies all of Paraguays power needs , 20% of Brazils power and a significant amount of Power to Argentina so we did expect something pretty gigantic.
A 45 min bust ride took us there. We trekked along the paths and finally got a first look at the falls. It was impressive !
Butterflies of all hues abound. One even decided to take a ride on my hand for quite a while. A 1.2 KM path runs alongside the canyon and every few metres you get another more breath taking view of the falls. The path is so well laid out that every new view Is a better one. The path ends right under the largest drop. A walk way divides the falls into the gushing water on one side and another drop on the other. Words have to be created to describe the power of these cataratas.
The falls themselves look like all of a sudden the Rio (river)iguacu's bottom fell out. A long canyon drops into the landscape causing an otherwise huge but relatively placid river to scream and toss frantically over. The quantum of water is awe inspiring. The size of the falls is to be seen to be believed.
Soaked and stunned we slowly took the bus back to Foz.
Dinner was at the hostel chatting with fellow travellers. We decided it was time to see the falls from the Argentine side and so move on from Foz the next morning
We reached Foz early next morning, and found a friendly looking hostel, katarina. They had a little cocker spaniel. Seeing her took us back home.
The waterfalls are located at a point where Brazil Argentina and Paraguay meet. The controversial Itiapu hydro project apparently supplies all of Paraguays power needs , 20% of Brazils power and a significant amount of Power to Argentina so we did expect something pretty gigantic.
A 45 min bust ride took us there. We trekked along the paths and finally got a first look at the falls. It was impressive !
Butterflies of all hues abound. One even decided to take a ride on my hand for quite a while. A 1.2 KM path runs alongside the canyon and every few metres you get another more breath taking view of the falls. The path is so well laid out that every new view Is a better one. The path ends right under the largest drop. A walk way divides the falls into the gushing water on one side and another drop on the other. Words have to be created to describe the power of these cataratas.
The falls themselves look like all of a sudden the Rio (river)iguacu's bottom fell out. A long canyon drops into the landscape causing an otherwise huge but relatively placid river to scream and toss frantically over. The quantum of water is awe inspiring. The size of the falls is to be seen to be believed.
Soaked and stunned we slowly took the bus back to Foz.
Dinner was at the hostel chatting with fellow travellers. We decided it was time to see the falls from the Argentine side and so move on from Foz the next morning
Monday, April 18, 2011
Big Cities
Ilha Grande gave us the tranquil spirit needed to tackle another big city. We met with Nana and Andreas at the wharf early next morning,exchanged a copy of the film for some wonderful nutella crepes they brought for Yannick. It was strange to wave goodbye to someone as we moved away into the ocean.
Missed the first bus from Angre del Ries to Sao Paulo but caught the next one. A 6 hour drive turned out to be 9 hours long which meant we reached SP at 11 pm. Bad news got worse with Yannick's backpack ripping open. The buses deserve a post by itself so I won't write about them now!
Anyway, found our way using a super metro system to Vila Mariana and the nicest family ever. Louiza was super enthusiastic, even picked us up from the subway station, which meant she dragged her mother out of her sons birthday party at 11.30 pm to find us.We stayed at her grandmothers place. Her grandmother Amelia, 91 years old , sprightly as a 60year old, still sits in her office for a few hours everyday , is everything you could want in a grandmother. It was wonderful chatting away with her, she in Portuguese, us using our phrasebook, a portuguese englsh dictionary and the kindle phrase book. She loved Yannick like he were her own grandchild.Tears in her eyes when we said goodbye! Yannick reciprocated equally. The family was wonderful, they took us in, fed us, had long discussions about |Brasil and just about everything else. We definitely leant a lot.
Sao Paulo is a big city, has a bunch of intersting things to see, the most impressive of which is the Merrcadom Municipal. A market with the most amazing fruits vegetable and meats. Fruits I hadn't dare imagine existed. Fruit Ninja can definitely add a few ultra rare fruits to its repertoire! It is also a huge food court with amazing restaurants. The pastel baccaloa is a SP speciality, so is the Mortadella Sandwich. Definitely gives the NY stle delis a run for their money, the juices are outstanding, the beer sadly still sucks!
Sunday was an early easter cleberation at Lauiza's house. Anu and Louisa's father Ricardo cooked, well what else but ...Baccaloa. Louisa, Yannick and I took the bicycle ride of our lives 25or so kms through SP. The city shuts down a lane from 7 am to 2 pm every sunday for cyclist to ride aroud and hundreds land up. The best way to see the city! The easter lunch doubled up as Anu's birthday celebration. It was also Henriques birthday so was a nice double celebration.
We also bumped into an Indian at the Market, who was so surprised to see Indians here that he invited us over for dinner. It was a real surprise that he had actually watched and loved Barah Aana. I think dinner was payment for downloading a pirated version of the film!! I´m beginning to have a chage of heart about piracy! How wlse would someone in SP see my film? The party was a bunch of Indian expats who have been living in SP for varying lengths of time. Interesting!
Sao Paulo for us for mostly Luiza, Ricardo, Sulekha (laura's mom), Maria (sis), Henrique ( bro) and Amelia, not to forget Neozinho (Amelia's housekeeper). Nouzinha was amazing, she even gave Anu a gift , a box of biscuits. A fantastic gesture! Made Nu's day! Walking aroudn the city , cycling around etc was a different kind of few days and we loved it!
Off to the cataratas - foz de Iguazu , apparently the most impressive waterfalls in the world!
Missed the first bus from Angre del Ries to Sao Paulo but caught the next one. A 6 hour drive turned out to be 9 hours long which meant we reached SP at 11 pm. Bad news got worse with Yannick's backpack ripping open. The buses deserve a post by itself so I won't write about them now!
Anyway, found our way using a super metro system to Vila Mariana and the nicest family ever. Louiza was super enthusiastic, even picked us up from the subway station, which meant she dragged her mother out of her sons birthday party at 11.30 pm to find us.We stayed at her grandmothers place. Her grandmother Amelia, 91 years old , sprightly as a 60year old, still sits in her office for a few hours everyday , is everything you could want in a grandmother. It was wonderful chatting away with her, she in Portuguese, us using our phrasebook, a portuguese englsh dictionary and the kindle phrase book. She loved Yannick like he were her own grandchild.Tears in her eyes when we said goodbye! Yannick reciprocated equally. The family was wonderful, they took us in, fed us, had long discussions about |Brasil and just about everything else. We definitely leant a lot.
Sao Paulo is a big city, has a bunch of intersting things to see, the most impressive of which is the Merrcadom Municipal. A market with the most amazing fruits vegetable and meats. Fruits I hadn't dare imagine existed. Fruit Ninja can definitely add a few ultra rare fruits to its repertoire! It is also a huge food court with amazing restaurants. The pastel baccaloa is a SP speciality, so is the Mortadella Sandwich. Definitely gives the NY stle delis a run for their money, the juices are outstanding, the beer sadly still sucks!
Sunday was an early easter cleberation at Lauiza's house. Anu and Louisa's father Ricardo cooked, well what else but ...Baccaloa. Louisa, Yannick and I took the bicycle ride of our lives 25or so kms through SP. The city shuts down a lane from 7 am to 2 pm every sunday for cyclist to ride aroud and hundreds land up. The best way to see the city! The easter lunch doubled up as Anu's birthday celebration. It was also Henriques birthday so was a nice double celebration.
We also bumped into an Indian at the Market, who was so surprised to see Indians here that he invited us over for dinner. It was a real surprise that he had actually watched and loved Barah Aana. I think dinner was payment for downloading a pirated version of the film!! I´m beginning to have a chage of heart about piracy! How wlse would someone in SP see my film? The party was a bunch of Indian expats who have been living in SP for varying lengths of time. Interesting!
Sao Paulo for us for mostly Luiza, Ricardo, Sulekha (laura's mom), Maria (sis), Henrique ( bro) and Amelia, not to forget Neozinho (Amelia's housekeeper). Nouzinha was amazing, she even gave Anu a gift , a box of biscuits. A fantastic gesture! Made Nu's day! Walking aroudn the city , cycling around etc was a different kind of few days and we loved it!
Off to the cataratas - foz de Iguazu , apparently the most impressive waterfalls in the world!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The mugging, the snake and a Sail boat
Rio without being close to a mugging can't be Rio. We felt so safe throughout the trip that when faced with a potential mugging we were completely unprepared. It wasn't all that dramatic. Walking back from the supermarket at around 8pm along a quiet street we see 3 young men looking at us suspiciously. We react by keeping our eyes on them and unconsciously sticking closer together. Nothing happen and 2 mins later they mug a brazilian girl behind us. It was all very clinical. She was stopped , her bag searched everything taken and let go.
We left Rio to Ilha Grande or Big Island. Its an island with no cars or banks. No idea why they discriminate against banks but that is the way it is. The Island has some 100 beaches, we walked from one to another and saw about 7or 8. Trees on the beach, caves and all kinds of formations that seems like were put there to make each one special. Kayaking out into the cove was great but then it started to rain and the rest of the day was washed out.
The next day we trekked to a waterfall. It was a 2 hour trek through thick forest on the mountain. Yannick was walking behind me and suddenly he screamed. A snake about 3 or 4 feet long, yellow and black slid past him into the grass. We all turned and watched it as it climbed away into the thicket. Our first wildlife viewing, a bit too up close but worth it. The trek ended in the most beautiful little waterfall. Nu and I jumped right in and the water was like a massage on our backs. Yannick took a while before he too could not resist. 20 mins later a couple joined us. I think seeing us in the water inspired them to get in. We really hit it off almost immediately, something that seems to happen a lot while we travel, got talking and realised that they were sailing around the world and had just crossed the Atlantic, two people in a 38 foot sailboat!! They offered to take us around the island probably not realising how thick skinned we could be. Naturally we jumped at the chance. We got back to base, picked up pasta tomatoes beers and sailed away on their 38 footer and anchored in a beautiful bay. It was the experience of a life time Jumped into the ocean and snorkeled around. Anu was great esp given it was her first snorkeling experience. Yannick just swam around like a fish. I'm envious of how comfortable he is in the ocean.Tons of beautiful fish swam around us and we also saw a huge starfish. The guy was probably 18 to 20 inches from one tip to the other.
I realised that being on the open seas on your boat is probably as free as a man can ever be.
Great pasta, great conversation, and we sailed back. Its funny how easily you make great friends when you are travelling. I know we will keep in touch and be inspired by Nana and Andreas.
We left Rio to Ilha Grande or Big Island. Its an island with no cars or banks. No idea why they discriminate against banks but that is the way it is. The Island has some 100 beaches, we walked from one to another and saw about 7or 8. Trees on the beach, caves and all kinds of formations that seems like were put there to make each one special. Kayaking out into the cove was great but then it started to rain and the rest of the day was washed out.
The next day we trekked to a waterfall. It was a 2 hour trek through thick forest on the mountain. Yannick was walking behind me and suddenly he screamed. A snake about 3 or 4 feet long, yellow and black slid past him into the grass. We all turned and watched it as it climbed away into the thicket. Our first wildlife viewing, a bit too up close but worth it. The trek ended in the most beautiful little waterfall. Nu and I jumped right in and the water was like a massage on our backs. Yannick took a while before he too could not resist. 20 mins later a couple joined us. I think seeing us in the water inspired them to get in. We really hit it off almost immediately, something that seems to happen a lot while we travel, got talking and realised that they were sailing around the world and had just crossed the Atlantic, two people in a 38 foot sailboat!! They offered to take us around the island probably not realising how thick skinned we could be. Naturally we jumped at the chance. We got back to base, picked up pasta tomatoes beers and sailed away on their 38 footer and anchored in a beautiful bay. It was the experience of a life time Jumped into the ocean and snorkeled around. Anu was great esp given it was her first snorkeling experience. Yannick just swam around like a fish. I'm envious of how comfortable he is in the ocean.Tons of beautiful fish swam around us and we also saw a huge starfish. The guy was probably 18 to 20 inches from one tip to the other.
I realised that being on the open seas on your boat is probably as free as a man can ever be.
Great pasta, great conversation, and we sailed back. Its funny how easily you make great friends when you are travelling. I know we will keep in touch and be inspired by Nana and Andreas.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Brazilian by the Quilo
The Brazilian like everyone else is unique in many ways. Who is a Brazilian? Is he/she black, white, a mix of the two...honestly no one can tell. Everyone is Brazilian... its in the attitude. While there are no signs of racism, talking to people gives me the feeling that some subtextural racism does exist. The black guy is more likely to be a theif than a white guy for instance. Having said that, white friends tell me their parents would not think twice if she were to marry a black man!
The Brazilian is friendly, had a beat , and will go out of their way to help. On more than one occasion, people left their stalls or shops and walked us to our destination, other would pick up phones to find out locations that we asked them to guide us to. Very very humbling! for all that , they are a shy people. Most won't attempt English even if they can speak the language enough to communicate in fear apprently of losing face..
Our luck with people continues. Thiago took a day off to show us parts of the city he felt we should experience. Eating local food, climbing up to the top of a favella where he spent a few years when he was in University, and then walking past the spot where Micheal Jackson shot ''They don't really care about us' to another fantastic aerial view of Rio.
Today we finally picked up our Chilean visas and then called on our french friends from Tiredentes. Axel works as a guide in Rio. Amandine and he met us for lunch and he is the expert on how to live cheap in one of the world most expensive cities. They walked us through the crazy markets of Centro. Much like India but a little different. Yannick found an I Touch case for Rs 400/-. And I my Kindle chaarger cable!!!
Buffet lunches are rife in Brazil, except that instead of being all you can eat, its a pay for what you eat concept. The food is charged by the Kilo ( quilo in portuguese). You pick your plate, fill it up, weigh it and pay for what the weight you have on your plate. A quilo can be anywhere from R$ 11 ( Rs 300) to R$ 35. The real is pronounced Heyal. In portuguese the R is almost an H. No alcohol sadly. Oh yeah Brazilian beer is the wolrds worst!
Over the weekend we went to Renata's family holiday home about 180 kms from Rio. A beach town called Cabo Frio or Cold Cape. The water was beautiful and Yannick spent every waking hour in the ocean. Next door to Cabo Frio is Buzios, an upmarket, french Reviera style town. Beautiful but unaffordable. We had a token ice cream but stopped at that. Apparently Brigette Bardot discovered this little town.
Back home and packing to leave Rio, a city we have all fallen in love with. Its edgy, tough, beautiful, naturally blessed, silicone enhanced and everything you can dream of. A city of two side like many. The south zone, pretty, organised, beatiful bodies who seem to spend most of their time working out and the North zone, much more real, darker, crowded, still beautiful.
Tomorrow we take the 4 am bus to Mangaratiba, then the ferry to Ilha Grande or Big Island. Excited except for the fear of the Brazilian love for air conditioning! The buses are frozen to 14 while the outside temp is 30. No idea why but this is how they do it in Brazil.
The Brazilian is friendly, had a beat , and will go out of their way to help. On more than one occasion, people left their stalls or shops and walked us to our destination, other would pick up phones to find out locations that we asked them to guide us to. Very very humbling! for all that , they are a shy people. Most won't attempt English even if they can speak the language enough to communicate in fear apprently of losing face..
Our luck with people continues. Thiago took a day off to show us parts of the city he felt we should experience. Eating local food, climbing up to the top of a favella where he spent a few years when he was in University, and then walking past the spot where Micheal Jackson shot ''They don't really care about us' to another fantastic aerial view of Rio.
Today we finally picked up our Chilean visas and then called on our french friends from Tiredentes. Axel works as a guide in Rio. Amandine and he met us for lunch and he is the expert on how to live cheap in one of the world most expensive cities. They walked us through the crazy markets of Centro. Much like India but a little different. Yannick found an I Touch case for Rs 400/-. And I my Kindle chaarger cable!!!
Buffet lunches are rife in Brazil, except that instead of being all you can eat, its a pay for what you eat concept. The food is charged by the Kilo ( quilo in portuguese). You pick your plate, fill it up, weigh it and pay for what the weight you have on your plate. A quilo can be anywhere from R$ 11 ( Rs 300) to R$ 35. The real is pronounced Heyal. In portuguese the R is almost an H. No alcohol sadly. Oh yeah Brazilian beer is the wolrds worst!
Over the weekend we went to Renata's family holiday home about 180 kms from Rio. A beach town called Cabo Frio or Cold Cape. The water was beautiful and Yannick spent every waking hour in the ocean. Next door to Cabo Frio is Buzios, an upmarket, french Reviera style town. Beautiful but unaffordable. We had a token ice cream but stopped at that. Apparently Brigette Bardot discovered this little town.
Back home and packing to leave Rio, a city we have all fallen in love with. Its edgy, tough, beautiful, naturally blessed, silicone enhanced and everything you can dream of. A city of two side like many. The south zone, pretty, organised, beatiful bodies who seem to spend most of their time working out and the North zone, much more real, darker, crowded, still beautiful.
Tomorrow we take the 4 am bus to Mangaratiba, then the ferry to Ilha Grande or Big Island. Excited except for the fear of the Brazilian love for air conditioning! The buses are frozen to 14 while the outside temp is 30. No idea why but this is how they do it in Brazil.
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