Around the World

Our last days in Buenos Aires

Originally we planned to spend about two weeks in Buenos Aires, but getting short on time we decided that we couldn’t stick to our original plan. At most, we would only have six days—at the minimum three days if we made the trek to Iguazu Falls. Fellow travels told us that two to three days was enough to experience Buenos Aires. Thank goodness we didn’t heed their advice. Instead, we listened to fellow Seattleite and residence expert Tango Tina who recommended skipping Iguazu Falls for a longer stay in Buenos Aires. Based on the short time we spent in Buenos Aires we agree with Tina that a longer stay is preferable. We don’t feel Buenos Aires’ essence can be absorbed in three days, much less one month.

That being said, here’s our take on some aspects of this eclectic city.

Transportation
Buses, trains, and subways all served as our cheap mode of transport. Thrilled by the 30 cent fares we used public transport to get almost everywhere. Despite warnings we found the subway safe, clean, and easy to use with one exception. On our first subway ride a homeless child of about seven persistently tugged at Jodi’s water bottle in her purse pocket. Being well aware of the BA scams we remained vigilant with our belongings (carrying all our gear at the time made this slightly more difficult) as the rest of his family wandered around us (think, sharks circling). After a constant stream of “NO” we finally managed to pry the bottle from his grip and tuck it away inside her purse. Finally succumbing to defeat he stalked away with a hiss and slap to Jodi’s knee.

The buses and trains were also cheap, timely, and clean. In every town, we established a bit of a routine. In Buenos Aires route 17 was our routine. It took us near several different subway stops and into the city center and out to swanky Recoleta. Between these different modes of transportation you can get anywhere in the city, which is great for travelers like us on a budget. You just can’t beat a 30 cent ride ….

Shopping
From grandiose shopping malls to artisan stalls, Buenos Aires offers a little bit of everything for the hard core shopper. With Christmas approaching, we spent our first several days strolling artisan and antique markets. Near our hostel, the San Telmo Antique Market bustled with tourists and porteños alike. We wished we knew more about antiques because old soda bottles, pocket watches, china, and silver filled stall after stall. After getting our fill of antiques, we made our way to the artisan market outside the cemetery. Filled with local crafts from the surrounding regions, the artisan market offered unique gifts. However, we also recommend making an effort to get out to the Tigre fruit market for other Argentinean products. Loaded with homemade jams and jellies, leather goods, and wood carvings, the Tigre fruit market met all of our Christmas shopping needs.

In search for handmade chocolates for my grandfather, we made our way down Florida street and into several high-end shopping malls. Argentina’s currency plummeted in 2002, but by the look of the merchandise and shoppers you wouldn’t know it. Let’s just say we only window shopped, certain there wasn’t anything we could afford.

Public Parks
Buenos Aires is filled with many accessible public spaces. There is the Buenos Aires cemetery, filled with crypts for the wealthiest families from the city (including the final resting place of Eva Peron). It feels like a mini city but lined with intricately crafted crypts instead of homes.

One of our favorite parks was located next to the Buenos Aires National Museum, where paintings from the likes of Monet and Picasso are housed. We watched parakeets and other birds bathe and drink from puddles and happily looked on as people exercised while we took naps on the cement benches. One of the things we’ll miss most about South America is the parks. We enjoyed whiling away hours just people watching and relaxing in the beautiful parks. With siesta lasting several hours, parks served as our refuge.

On Jodi’s birthday we found our way to Barrancas de Belgrano (a park) to watch the local milonga (tango), La Glorieta. It felt like Tango Tina let us in on a little secret as we gazed at the couples swiftly dancing about the dimly lit gazebo. Tango is a seductively romantic dance, and we could have watched the dancers for hours if we didn’t need to catch the subway before it closed.

PDA
Public Displays of Affection (PDA) seemed to be in effect everywhere we went in Buenos Aires. We hate to be prudish, but it seemed like just about every park we visited had at least one couple who were making out with disregard for anyone around them. Jodi was convinced that they were all having affairs, and that no married couple would make out like that in public (despite my pleas).

Beef
Argentinean beef is hard to avoid. We abstained from beef for our entire trip, but on Jodi’s birthday we suspended our usual non-beef eating rule to try the legendary Argentinean steaks. We can report that there status is well worth the praise. They were incredibly tender and delicious. You could probably cut our steaks with a spoon they were so tender. But, be forewarned…the portions are huge. After finishing off nearly a 12oz tenderloin, we quickly entered a beef coma and could barely waddle home. Forget making it out to the clubs ….

Overall, we enjoyed our stay in Buenos Aires. The diversity of the city made our last days in South America end on a good note.

Karma giveth, and taketh away

Throughout our travels, we managed to bank some karma (if karma can be banked). We argued with a bus representative to help some Canadians get their money back. Their bus was canceled and the company refused to refund their money; the girls were clearly distressed. As we listened to their story, I bristled with the injustice and eventually marched on over to the counter and argued their case (in Spanish I might add, a feat within itself!). We performed random acts of kindness like anyone else would in a typical day—providing helpful directions or advice, producing a website for our homestay family in Otavalo, making change for fellow travelers (the always needed, but rarely provided service from merchants). In essence, we racked up some traveling karma.

Racing against the calendar in Argentina, we decided to book a flight from southern Patagonia to Buenos Aires. We couldn’t afford Argentina’s premier airliner, Aerolineas Argentinas, so we booked a flight on LADE—the military operated airline. Tickets on LADE were three times cheaper than Aerolineas—turns out there’s a reason for that. I’d prepared myself that we’d be flying on a turboprop Fokker F27 with two short layovers in El Calafate and Ushuaia. I’m not a fan of flying, but this flight was so much cheaper I figured I could manage. Upon arriving at the airport, however, we further learned that we’d actually have four layovers, which meant six takeoffs and six landings. Oh dear, I thought. What in the world did we get ourselves into. We immediately beelined toward the runway so I could take a look at the airplane. Ok, indeed it was a turboprop. Six landings and takeoffs, eh? Regret for not taking the 36 hour bus overwhelmed me. Chris as usual remained calm and reserved, simply stating “not much we can do about it now”. True, but those words didn’t console me when the turboprop engines started to whirl, shaking the entire plane. Seriously, I thought the screws were going to come loose the plane was shaking so hard. Fellow passengers glanced around with worry; I’m certain my eyes didn’t provide them any solace. Our seats were so tightly packed, there was no chance of getting into a protective crash position yet I couldn’t help but work out our intended escape route anyway.

Thankfully, we arrived safely in El Calafate. On our second takeoff to Rio Grande, quite a few more tourists were on board. As the plane started to shake like we were in the midst of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, their worried faces mirrored mine. I was in countdown mode, after this takeoff only four more left, only four more left. While racing down the runway, we were watching the wheels because on the first flight we weren’t more than a few inches off the ground when the wheels were pulled up. It freaked me out so much the first time; I wanted Chris to see it this time. We were going fast, and I was certain any minute those wheels would be pulled up just mere inches off the ground, when all of a sudden we powered down. Sighting some sort of technical problem, the plane made its way back to the terminal. For the next two hours I debated our options. There was no way I was getting back on that plane to make 5 more takeoffs and landings. Working mentally on my argument line to Chris, I decided to wander around the airport and came across the ticketing window. (Ok, Ok, perhaps I was actually inquiring about available seats on the premier airline… but don’t tell Chris).

Luckily, karma stepped in. Wandering up to the counter to inquire about our flight, the LADE representative informed me our flight was canceled, and he was getting us on the next Aerolineas Argentina flight out to Buenos Aires. Holy cow! Seats on an Aerolineas flight and a direct flight to boot; it was like we won the lottery!!

Unfortunately when karma giveth, she also taketh away. We enjoyed our flight immensely, but upon arrival in Buenos Aires it seems all our good karma vanished. Making our way through the city, our excitement rose as we saw all the nightlife possibilities. Buzzing with activity, people sat at outdoor cafes and bars, strolled along the pedestrian-only streets, and chatted in parks. Looking forward to grabbing a drink, we made our way to our hostel. It’s amazing how quickly a good vibe can turn sour. Arriving at the Hostel Suites Florida, they informed us they canceled our reservation and refused to return our deposit. We pleaded with them to no avail. If there’s something to learn about Argentina, it’s that rules must be followed and acceptions are very rarely made. Our reservation was canceled because we failed to provide the three digit security code for our credit card within an hour of when we made the reservation. Inquiring whether rooms were available the next few nights, the staff informed us that yes rooms existed but they would not credit our deposit to them. And why not??? You guessed it, we didn’t provide the three digit code initially and thus forfeited our deposit forever. We went round and round to no avail. I am not one to expect things to operate as they do in the United States, but admittedly I am still struggling with the logic behind this one; it’s just bad business….

Defeated, we hit the Buenos Aires streets at midnight in search of other lodging. Eventually finding ourselves a happy respite in Hostel-Inn Buenos Aires, we thought our luck might be improving until we returned one afternoon to find a small leak in our room. Informing the staff, they said someone was taking care of it. Ok, we thought and headed out into the night for my birthday celebration. Returning home significantly later, we found water covering the floor and bed. Looking up, water lines snaked their way across the ceiling as drips of water splattered the floor. Again, we went downstairs to inform the staff and again they told us they were aware of the problem. This time, however, I insisted a staff member come upstairs and look at our room. Visibly shocked, the staff member rushed to get mops and buckets. In total, we placed seven buckets around the room. By morning, the buckets were half full of water and the ceiling wasn’t letting up with its deluge. At breakfast, I informed the morning staff member of the problem and inquired whether a plumber was coming. Oh yep, we know about the problem she responded. The “plumber” (just another staff member) set about working on the problem mid-morning, but it wasn’t until I grabbed him and dragged him to our room that he knew the full extent. Apparently, no one bothered to tell him the ceiling was leaking too!

Despite our shaky start, our luck eventually improved in Buenos Aires, and we spent six wonderful days exploring the city. We will post on our experiences soon.

Our salvation

At some point in a RTW trip, your desire to keep traveling weakens. When this occurs it’s hard to know what might spark a renewed interest in continuing; a stay in a 5-star hotel with down comforters and Egyptian sheets, a nice dinner out with an exquisite bottle of wine, or lazy days on a beach—anything might do the trick. For us, at this juncture in time, the Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy range renewed our inspiration to travel.

When the peaks first came into view, my excitement rose—this is what we needed. Jagged peaks punctuate clear, blue skies for a stunning view. Arriving at the park service office, the ranger informs us that they are experiencing the best weather anyone has seen in years and that it should hold for several days. Apparently, the peaks are typically shrouded in clouds and rain, but not for our stay. Nearly cloudless, blue skies grace us for each of our hikes. Around El Chalten (at the base of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy) several day hikes exist. Chris wisely suggests that we tackle the most difficult of our planned hikes first. This area is blessed with daylight until 10pm so unlike most 10-hour day hikes where we must rise early, we sleep late and meander to the trailhead at our own pace. The trail climbs relatively easily through beech forest until reaching a spectacular viewpoint of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy. From that point forward amazing views of Fitz Roy pull us forward. After three hours of sauntering down the trail, we reach the most difficult section. The park brochure states the slope is steep and difficult. Whenever the park service warns a trail is steep, it means its steep! We pass several people on their way down as we head up, each providing moral support that it’s tough but well worth it. This part of the trail is indeed difficult, our quads ache with each step. It’s without a doubt, one of the steepest slopes we’ve climbed in terms of gradient. Others top it due to their altitude (a difficult trail combined with not being able to breathe tops any vertical grade issues). But, the views it offers are incredibly rewarding. It’s blistering cold at the top though, and I can’t manage to run around to snap many pictures. I leave it to Chris, and he captures the picture at the beginning of this post—our salvation.

We spend the next two days hiking around the area. All are good hikes, but the Fitz Roy hike to Laguna de Los Tres is by far the best.

As always, our recent photos can be viewed on Chris’ and Jodi’s flickr pages.

Glacierized

With the Perito Moreno glacier looming in front of us we knew exactly what we were about to see, yet we were not expecting to be overwhelmed by its beauty.

Jodi and I have seen a few glaciers before, in North America and New Zealand, but for me this was by far the most impressive. To really get up close to the glacier’s massive cliff we took a boat that navigated between icebergs on the glacier-fed lake. The glacier’s cliff is about 600m (200ft) high and spans the entire width of the lake, about 5km (3mi). We were told that this glacier is actually growing about two meters a day, which is pretty amazing in itself. However, it loses about that much each day when large chunks fall off. Every few minutes, thunderous crackling of ice warned that another piece was getting set to fall. Our eyes scanned constantly watching for a large chunk to break off. And when one of these massive pieces finally fell, exclamations of excitement and clicking of cameras nearly drowned out the thunderous explosion of glacial ice crashing into the lake.

As always, our recent photos can be viewed on Chris’ and Jodi’s flickr pages.

A black tie affair

We are surrounded! Everywhere we looked penguins went about their daily lives. Most just lay about keeping their newly hatched babies warm and safe; some were on their way to or from their Atlantic fishing grounds, and others entertained themselves by pecking the ankles of tourists milling about. Along with these daily activities, many juvenile males practiced their future domestic duties. They gathered brush to build nests, practiced their prowess against each other, and cared for rocks (future eggs). Of all the penguins, the juvenile males entertained us the most.

Ever year, over half a million Magellanic penguins migrate from Brazil to breed on this small section of beach in Argentina. This particular colony is the largest outside of Antarctica, and the amount of penguins here is amazing. Unfortunately, only 1 out of 4 chicks survives to adulthood. We witnessed several predatory birds feeding on the chicks, and saw two chicks struggling for survival in an empty nest. However, even with those statistics the colony is growing by 8% each year.

On the rainy day we visited, large puddles blocked the trail, and everyone skirted the barriers keeping a close eye on the penguins. It didn’t take any of us long to figure out they out numbered us. Keeping a vigilant eye on the nibbling ones, we snapped picture after picture of the tuxedo-clad penguins. Above-ground boardwalks allowed these very active birds to walk freely under our feet, toward the sea. I did notice a few that liked to hang out at the stairs of these boardwalks and peck at the ankles of unsuspecting people. It was amazing to be so close to the penguins, but it was a bit disheartening as well. Some tourists seemed to think the penguins pecking them was cute or some sort of greeting, rather than a sign of stress and aggression. The trail crosses their entire path to the sea, and thus the penguins have no other option than to come in contact with people. Jodi was highly distressed while watching a horde of tourists photograph a penguin chewing on a plastic grocery bag and enraged when no one bothered to pick it up (she stuffed it in her backpack after watching for several minutes to see if any of them would take it). Visiting the penguins was a unique experience but we hope in the future the national park service will do more to protect these penguins and their habitat.

As always, our recent photos can be viewed on Chris’ and Jodi’s flickr pages.