We have arrive in buenos Aries after one final day in la Serena where gelys and matthieu took u to coquimbo. There we went to the fish market (charlottes paradise) where Gelys picked put seafood like a pro. Unfortuneatley the day was really ba weather so our original trip even further south we opted out of. Instead we had a day of grooming with a manicure and hair wash followed by a nice coffee. No complaints here. Gelys then cooked an awesome paella and fideua.
It took pretty much a day of traveling but we arrived in our beautiful Marriott plaza hotel where it's hard to forget we're in a budget and are "backpacking". (thanks again mom and dad).
Charlotte well tell you our start to buenos aires hasn't Been in my favor. The 140$ reciprocity fee made me more ma than anxious about arrivig in Argentina. (of course the French girl was let right in, no questions asked). Then yesterday was a national holiday(something we didn't figure out till like 3pm), meaning almost everything was closed... So we walked around and luckily the shops were open. The late afternoon was spent at the gym and jacuzzi then Off to dinner. One of the most expensive dinners either of us have been too without the credit card of a relative or boyfriend. Charlotte was amazed that they would come around and pour our wine into our glasses when our glass looked empty. But it was delicious.
Today, again this country is laughing at me. I had a whole list planned. The museum was closed for renovation, the other one closed on Tuesday, the casa de la culture is open only for tours on Saturdays, the palacios Barolo has tours only on thursdays. We did walk through the cathedral, have a yummy Peruvian lunch, go to La Boca neighborhood (which was so awesome), tour the Palacio del Congresso (even though the tour was in Spanish), and have overpriced cider at the oldest cafe in town. Overall a good day despite all the setbacks and things we've rearranged to visit later on.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
We have been super spoiled in our time here in la Serena. Gelys and Matthieu took us out for a fabulous dinner on Wednesday after Gelys took us out to see downtown. Dinner was a nice break from the pasta and salt we have cooked 4 times already since we've been here... Yesterday Charlie and walked on the beach (super romantic bonding time) and went downtown to the archeological museum and saw the only one of those big statues on Easter island that's outside of Easter island. So that was very cool. We went to Gelys and Matthieus old house (gelys's palace as it used to be called) and had a salsa lesson with some peeps. That was very cool and were glad we got to see the mansion we would have been staying in. Then we went out for drinks with some oftheir friends. Gelys and Matthieu are great! Again they have spoiled us. At drinks they were showing up the band with their super cool dance moves. It was quite hilarious and cute.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Pisco Elqui
Charlotte and I have returned from our petit sojourn to the pisco elqui valley. We spent two nights there. It was ery peaceful and beautiful. Unfortuneatly we didn't think to bring any food.. And we were kinda in the middle of no where. We did find a resteraunt our dirt mght, luckily. In the morning we toured a pisco vineyard and then had an empanadas lunch. We then read by the pool and played with their dogs! They were so cute!!! We didn't want to go out again for dinner so we ate the Trader Joes Nuts j had in my bag... And drank water.
In the morning we drove to the observatuory for the tour charlottes aunt set up. That was really cool and up in these beautiful snowey mountains.. Then we drove back to la Serena and charlottes aunb and uncle are in town!! So now we get to go have dinner with them and I get to meet them!!! Yay :)
In the morning we drove to the observatuory for the tour charlottes aunt set up. That was really cool and up in these beautiful snowey mountains.. Then we drove back to la Serena and charlottes aunb and uncle are in town!! So now we get to go have dinner with them and I get to meet them!!! Yay :)
Sunday, June 12, 2011
La Serena
Our time in la Serena has been amazing so far! Gelys's work friend picked us up at the airport and made sure we got situated in our hostal and gave us food got us a cell phone and we got to hang out with him his girlfriend. We later met his cousin and one of his friend who bought us the best news ever. He'll be ou of town all week and we can use his apartment, beach front. Today Martin took us to get our rental car (which I drove almost flawlessly!) and got our bags from our hostal and moved into our new sweet apartment. We owe him big time.
Earlier today we just hung out, Charlotte made a pair of sandals withthe owner of our hostal. So we widdled away durin the afternoon and Charlie has a very new cute pair of shoes.
So tomorrow we go to Pisco Elqui to stay for two nights incabins in the valley! We are so spoiled here....
That's all for now! Huge thanks to charlottes aunt and uncle!!! All their friends are so great here!!
Earlier today we just hung out, Charlotte made a pair of sandals withthe owner of our hostal. So we widdled away durin the afternoon and Charlie has a very new cute pair of shoes.
So tomorrow we go to Pisco Elqui to stay for two nights incabins in the valley! We are so spoiled here....
That's all for now! Huge thanks to charlottes aunt and uncle!!! All their friends are so great here!!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Santiago
Charlotte and I are on our way to la Serena after two days in Santiago. Fun city with lots of walking, sight seeing, and people meeting. Nothing much to say but that were looking forward to a week filled with activities in charlottes aunt and uncles ex-residency.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Into the Amazon
The jungle.
Day 1: I'm not sure i will survive. We got to our lodge at lunch time. The place is really nice, our bungalow is as if were outside, the walls are wood and mosquitoes netting. Really nice bathroom though, thank god. Charlotte put it nicely, upscale camping.
We went out on a boat tour and saw lots of birds, a sloath, monkeys and grey dolphins. Charlotte has decided she's overthe bugs, I however am not, yet she refuses to take on the role as my protector.
Coming back there was a tranjula. The English girl screamed. I didn't but am going to be permanently petrified for 6 days.
We also went on a night boat ride after dinner. Scariest thing ever. I was worried we weren't gonna see anything but eventually we did. Like Dixon in Africa who spotted a leopard somehow, Moises (our guide for the week) did the same with a caimen. Except in the dark, in the water, with a little flashlight, and he reached into the water and caugt it.
It had a tail bitten off by a pirhana... Water which supposedly one day we swim in.
Day 2: morning bird watching boat tour. it was nice and cool and a fun mornig excersion. After breakfast trek trough the jungle. It was hot and literally every part of your body needs to be covered, by thinck things. Moises said my pants were too thin, I had to wear jeans (yep hiked the Amazonian jungle in my true religions). We were wearing raincoats, hoods up and rubber boots. Parents bring bandanas or light scarfs to wrap around your face abd neck. We saw monkeys, giant tree rat, and crazy ants. After lunch we went out on the little boat, and we were stuck in the middle of the river in the pouring rain. Like pellets falling from the sky. Neither of us have experienced anything like it. We got soaked, but charlotte and i just laughed the whole time (Charlotte would like to I've a shout out to Mark- the panchi came in handy). It finally cleared out and we fished for pirahnas. Charlotte and I both caught two each that were big enough to eat. We had them with dinner. We ate pirahnas. I ate a pirahna eye. Yep.
After dinne we did a short ish hike throught the jungle. It's dark. It was like being in the bat mangrove in Singapore but I couldn't get out. I rarely express discontent when im traveling, but I hated that. I would rather hike the inca trail again than do that again. (I donnonif it's clear from the blog how hard the Inc trail was and how much I never want to do it again). I don't know why treking at night lookig for taranjulas and there cousin the scorpian was a good idea. Never again. Charlotte was more embrassing of the situation, at least we can say we did it.
Day 3: it poured all night. We were supposed to go for our all day excursion right after breakfast but it was still pouring in the morning. We waited until it slowed down, and went out around ten. We cruised around, looking at birds, slothes and monkeys. We then made our way to the main channel o the amazon to go look at the pink dolphins. We found them, they were all over popping up. It was so cool. We had lunch right along the side, a little picknik while we watched the dolphins. Then it was swimming time. We took the boat out and got the dolphins to come back, then jumped in! Charlotte of course, did not join. But I did it was awesome. Dolphins like 10 feet away. Then we cruised and saw the bug iguanas then to the giant Lilly pads. It was soooo beautiful. I loved it. Charlotte was a little confused why were looking at big leafs. Thennit was back to the lodge. Me and the couple on our group went out to watch the sunset, I felt I was intruding on their date but oh well, it was beautiful. Then dinner then a night boat excursion. We saw another caimon (that he brought into the boat and I held, Charlotte was too scared even though it was her idea). We also saw some snakes. We went to the "tranjulas home". How fun. Saw a huge poisonious spider as well as the most poisonous snake in the amazon. Everyone was takin pictures with flash and I was just waiting for It to pounce on us. But alas it remained curled and we got out of the tranjula home. Our favorite day so far.
Day 4: Charlotte went on the prebreakfast hike that I opted out of. She said it was nicer cause it wasn't as hot, but nothing new. After breakfast we took the boat out then canoes back to the lodge. Despite the heat it was really fun. After lunch we hung out then went to the village. That was really nice, all the kids were obsessed with the books I brought. Thanks mom. Then we went to look at prehistoric birds. Apparently there not actually prehistoric, like We thought, just called that and really rare. They were really cool funky looking birds. Before dinner there was a cockroach in our room. Charlotte miss apparently-over-bugs, freaked out as we caught it under a cup and started screaming. I had to finish the job and someone from the lodge came to see if everythig was alright... Then after dinner we canoed down then motor boater in. It was really nice, just bright stars, siloetted trees, and black silent water. Would of been perfect if it weren't for the huge spider, literally the size of a slice of bread, that was right next to me when I got in. (everyone admitted it was huge, not me being paranoid)
Day5/6: this morning we web out for the last time with our UK friends and had breakast on the boat. Cruised around and went looking for an anaconda. And WE FOUND ONE!!!!!!! It was 4meters long!!! That's 12 feet for you American folk. That's a huge freaking snake. My Amazonian adventure is complete. We tookthe after noon off from excursions to just chill in hammacks reading napping an writing. Fantastico. After dinner we talked with thi couple for like 3 hours before bed. The next day was a morning excursion, breakfast on the boat, lillypads, and swimming with the pink dolphins again. It was hot and so nce to get in the water. I even convinced Charlie to jump in for a photo. Literally 2 seconds. Ten we were taken back to Iquitos and to the airport. Over night in the airport an now currently at our Santiago hostel!!!
Day 1: I'm not sure i will survive. We got to our lodge at lunch time. The place is really nice, our bungalow is as if were outside, the walls are wood and mosquitoes netting. Really nice bathroom though, thank god. Charlotte put it nicely, upscale camping.
We went out on a boat tour and saw lots of birds, a sloath, monkeys and grey dolphins. Charlotte has decided she's overthe bugs, I however am not, yet she refuses to take on the role as my protector.
Coming back there was a tranjula. The English girl screamed. I didn't but am going to be permanently petrified for 6 days.
We also went on a night boat ride after dinner. Scariest thing ever. I was worried we weren't gonna see anything but eventually we did. Like Dixon in Africa who spotted a leopard somehow, Moises (our guide for the week) did the same with a caimen. Except in the dark, in the water, with a little flashlight, and he reached into the water and caugt it.
It had a tail bitten off by a pirhana... Water which supposedly one day we swim in.
Day 2: morning bird watching boat tour. it was nice and cool and a fun mornig excersion. After breakfast trek trough the jungle. It was hot and literally every part of your body needs to be covered, by thinck things. Moises said my pants were too thin, I had to wear jeans (yep hiked the Amazonian jungle in my true religions). We were wearing raincoats, hoods up and rubber boots. Parents bring bandanas or light scarfs to wrap around your face abd neck. We saw monkeys, giant tree rat, and crazy ants. After lunch we went out on the little boat, and we were stuck in the middle of the river in the pouring rain. Like pellets falling from the sky. Neither of us have experienced anything like it. We got soaked, but charlotte and i just laughed the whole time (Charlotte would like to I've a shout out to Mark- the panchi came in handy). It finally cleared out and we fished for pirahnas. Charlotte and I both caught two each that were big enough to eat. We had them with dinner. We ate pirahnas. I ate a pirahna eye. Yep.
After dinne we did a short ish hike throught the jungle. It's dark. It was like being in the bat mangrove in Singapore but I couldn't get out. I rarely express discontent when im traveling, but I hated that. I would rather hike the inca trail again than do that again. (I donnonif it's clear from the blog how hard the Inc trail was and how much I never want to do it again). I don't know why treking at night lookig for taranjulas and there cousin the scorpian was a good idea. Never again. Charlotte was more embrassing of the situation, at least we can say we did it.
Day 3: it poured all night. We were supposed to go for our all day excursion right after breakfast but it was still pouring in the morning. We waited until it slowed down, and went out around ten. We cruised around, looking at birds, slothes and monkeys. We then made our way to the main channel o the amazon to go look at the pink dolphins. We found them, they were all over popping up. It was so cool. We had lunch right along the side, a little picknik while we watched the dolphins. Then it was swimming time. We took the boat out and got the dolphins to come back, then jumped in! Charlotte of course, did not join. But I did it was awesome. Dolphins like 10 feet away. Then we cruised and saw the bug iguanas then to the giant Lilly pads. It was soooo beautiful. I loved it. Charlotte was a little confused why were looking at big leafs. Thennit was back to the lodge. Me and the couple on our group went out to watch the sunset, I felt I was intruding on their date but oh well, it was beautiful. Then dinner then a night boat excursion. We saw another caimon (that he brought into the boat and I held, Charlotte was too scared even though it was her idea). We also saw some snakes. We went to the "tranjulas home". How fun. Saw a huge poisonious spider as well as the most poisonous snake in the amazon. Everyone was takin pictures with flash and I was just waiting for It to pounce on us. But alas it remained curled and we got out of the tranjula home. Our favorite day so far.
Day 4: Charlotte went on the prebreakfast hike that I opted out of. She said it was nicer cause it wasn't as hot, but nothing new. After breakfast we took the boat out then canoes back to the lodge. Despite the heat it was really fun. After lunch we hung out then went to the village. That was really nice, all the kids were obsessed with the books I brought. Thanks mom. Then we went to look at prehistoric birds. Apparently there not actually prehistoric, like We thought, just called that and really rare. They were really cool funky looking birds. Before dinner there was a cockroach in our room. Charlotte miss apparently-over-bugs, freaked out as we caught it under a cup and started screaming. I had to finish the job and someone from the lodge came to see if everythig was alright... Then after dinner we canoed down then motor boater in. It was really nice, just bright stars, siloetted trees, and black silent water. Would of been perfect if it weren't for the huge spider, literally the size of a slice of bread, that was right next to me when I got in. (everyone admitted it was huge, not me being paranoid)
Day5/6: this morning we web out for the last time with our UK friends and had breakast on the boat. Cruised around and went looking for an anaconda. And WE FOUND ONE!!!!!!! It was 4meters long!!! That's 12 feet for you American folk. That's a huge freaking snake. My Amazonian adventure is complete. We tookthe after noon off from excursions to just chill in hammacks reading napping an writing. Fantastico. After dinner we talked with thi couple for like 3 hours before bed. The next day was a morning excursion, breakfast on the boat, lillypads, and swimming with the pink dolphins again. It was hot and so nce to get in the water. I even convinced Charlie to jump in for a photo. Literally 2 seconds. Ten we were taken back to Iquitos and to the airport. Over night in the airport an now currently at our Santiago hostel!!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Ollanta
Took the trainthis morning to Ollantatambo. Probably one of the smallest towns. We went to lunch while we waited for check in time. I got palta rallena, stuffed avacado basically. Delicious!!!!! Checked in then went to the ollanta ruins. Walked around for a but but we both weren't feeling too great so we meandered back to the hotel. Hung out, read, and went to the hotels suana. It was vey nice... An hot. Obviously. But it felt good to just hang out. We were walking to a little place for dinner but came across street vendors of choclo con queso, basically huge corn with a chunk of cheese. We opted for the cheap street food and went back to the hotel to read, drink, and eat.
Tomorrow it's off to Cuzco to take our plane to Iquitos. Unless we have Internet at our cheapish, not so ice looking hotel, this is the last post u til we come out of the jungle on June 9th. Wish us luck, well need it.... So many bugs.
Tomorrow it's off to Cuzco to take our plane to Iquitos. Unless we have Internet at our cheapish, not so ice looking hotel, this is the last post u til we come out of the jungle on June 9th. Wish us luck, well need it.... So many bugs.
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