You are also invited to visit his blog at: http://awadosa.blogspot.com. You'll find more pictures and stories there.
Showing posts with label Chile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chile. Show all posts
Friday, 14 May 2010
Guest Picture Album
Ohad has some great photos from the Chilean lake district of us, the Villarica and the waterfall reppeling from Pucon.
You are also invited to visit his blog at: http://awadosa.blogspot.com. You'll find more pictures and stories there.
You are also invited to visit his blog at: http://awadosa.blogspot.com. You'll find more pictures and stories there.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Pucon and the Villarica volcano
All across South America there are people that are willing to take care of Israelis (for money of course). They get discounts for Israelis all over the town, they sometimes own a hostel full of Israelis, they organize tours, and most important, they speak Hebrew. There is Juan in Puerto Natales, there are Ido & Leon in El Chalten and in El Calafate, and there is Gideon in Pucon.
The Israeli tourists are very different from the European ones. They are usually much younger (right after the Army), and some of them you wouldn't let cross the road by themselves. They sometimes travel in a large and "happy" (loud) groups. Lots of them haven't experienced much in their life, that's why they are willing to climb on very high mountains or take part in rapid 5 rafting (the stormiest one), without being at the Banyas even once. This is why traveling in large groups and getting help from people like Gideon helps those who are less oriented. So if you are parents to a 21 year old girl that can't tie her own shoes, and she decides to go to South America by herself, don't worry, she will find her herd here and manage just fine.
Pucon was the first place we had to deal so closely with all the Israelis. We came to Gideon's after getting a recommendation from friends (Gabi & Achia) in order to book a place on the next morning climb on the Villarica volcano (2847m). It was the first clear day after few rainy ones, so there were a lot of people planning on climbing that morning. You can't climb it without a guide, since the top of the mountain is covered with snow and ice, so you need special equipment for that part.
The next morning, after a "joyful" ride in a minibus full of Israeli kids, we arrived to the lower slopes of the Villarica, only to find out that the ski-lift, that should have save us 400m of climbing, doesn't work (even though there were dozens of people willing to pay for it). So now there were about 1600m for us to climb. Our group consisted of 31 people and 9 instructors. We stopped from time to time for a break and at some point we reached the snowy part and had to put on the crampons on our feet. The climb was quite difficult and the pace was quick. Some of the instructors were very anxious to return before the Inter-Barcelona game at 14:45, so they kept encouraging us to go faster. The last 400 meters were the steepest and it took some time for the instructors to decide whether we can climb it (because of the wind, the ice and the smoke coming out of the volcano). At the end they decided that only those who think that they can keep up with the fast pace can continue, they also asked us to be honest with ourselves. Oren, who was an honest person, and also short of breath, decided not to go on. Lilya turned out to be less honest, but very anxious to see the top of the volcano. The rest of the climb wasn't easy, mostly because of the pace, but not very long. The last dozens of meters of the climb weren't so pleasant, mostly because of the Sulfurous smoke coming out from the crater. But the magnificent view from the top was worth it all. All around the volcano there was a blanket of low clouds, and from a distance we could see the Lanin volcano on the border with Argentina and two other volcanoes peaking from the clouds. The Villarica crater itself was quite deep (about 150 meters), but from time to time the volcano got angry and spit a little bit of lava. Since Lilya didn't carry her own camera, the only pictures from the top were taken by Ohad.
The way down was the fun part. There were some routes on which you can slide down, while sitting on your behind. It kind of reminded the sliders of water parks, except for the freezing cold.
The day ended with Inter passing over Barcelona on the way to the Champions League finals, which was a proper ending for Lilya's good day, and a poor ending to Oren's.
The next day was Oren's birthday, so in addition to the every morning pancakes, he got a stupid looking birthday hats, we all had to wear in the hostel all day long, to the great amusement of the hostel owners, and their kid. Unfortunately, Oren stomach had a celebration of its own, so we decided to spend the day in Pucon.
The town is pretty touristic, full of tourist agencies, restaurants, a "North Face" store and a lake of course. Because of the proximity to the volcano, on the main street there is a special traffic light, that informs you on the condition of the Villarica. We checked it each day, but to our disappointment it stayed green all the time. We did get a chance to see a performance by the Villarica whenever the night was clear. The lava painted the gas coming out the volcano in red so it looked as if it was erupting. Oren spent half an hour taking the picture of it...
That day we met two very nice dogs that kept following us for the rest of our stay and wait for us every time we entered a building, even though they didn't get any food for four days. Their love was truly unconditional (are you listening, cat lovers?). Only on the last day Lilya prepared one of them a chicken soup from some leftovers. The look on their faces when we got on the bus out of Pucon was heart breaking.
On our fourth day in Pucon, Lilya and Ohad went canyoning (SNEPLING MAPALIM in hebrew). It seemed that most of the tourists have left Pucon, and we got a private instructor. They give you a full diving suite and even a waterproof coat, that protects you from the cold water, at least for the first waterfall...
You´re supposed to decline beside the waterfalls, but you can jump in and out of them, while hanging from the rope. All together there were 4 waterfalls to descend. On the next day, the three of us took a half our bus to see the beautiful Ojos de Caburgua waterfalls, and lake Caburgua. Don't miss these if your in Pucon.
We left Pucon (and Chile) on the next day. On the way to the Argentinian border, while crossing the Andes, the scenery was amazing. May is the middle of Autumn here and the rainforest was painted in different shades of yellow and red. We also saw the most breathtaking lake, surrounded by colorful trees covered with mist. It felt like Chile is telling us not to leave, maybe we haven't seen enough of it yet. After crossing to the Argentinian side of the Andes, all the colors magically disappeared.
Chile is definitely the most beautiful country we've seen so far.
Tip 1: Gideon's tourist agency on the main street of Pucon (O'Higgins, what else?) is very recommended. The guys at the office are very nice and helpful, the guides seemed to be very professional, and the prices are relatively low. Don't be intimidated by the large, noisy (or jolly, depends on your perspective) Israeli groups.
Tip 2: The guys at Gideon's recommended us a good place to have lunch at with only one condition: We can't tell anyone else (in Pucon) about it. If you are in Pucon right now, go to the next tip. The place is a very small and local and they want to keep it that way. It is in a private house, with no sign on the door. It is called "La Picada" and it is located on 215 Paraguay street. They only serve two dishes but they are very good and very cheep.
Tip 3: Our hostel is one of the main reasons for staying in Pucon for so long. It is called Maitahue and it is on 965 Cacique Paillalef. The señora of the hostel will probably wait in the bus stop when you'll arrive.
The Israeli tourists are very different from the European ones. They are usually much younger (right after the Army), and some of them you wouldn't let cross the road by themselves. They sometimes travel in a large and "happy" (loud) groups. Lots of them haven't experienced much in their life, that's why they are willing to climb on very high mountains or take part in rapid 5 rafting (the stormiest one), without being at the Banyas even once. This is why traveling in large groups and getting help from people like Gideon helps those who are less oriented. So if you are parents to a 21 year old girl that can't tie her own shoes, and she decides to go to South America by herself, don't worry, she will find her herd here and manage just fine.
Pucon was the first place we had to deal so closely with all the Israelis. We came to Gideon's after getting a recommendation from friends (Gabi & Achia) in order to book a place on the next morning climb on the Villarica volcano (2847m). It was the first clear day after few rainy ones, so there were a lot of people planning on climbing that morning. You can't climb it without a guide, since the top of the mountain is covered with snow and ice, so you need special equipment for that part.
The next morning, after a "joyful" ride in a minibus full of Israeli kids, we arrived to the lower slopes of the Villarica, only to find out that the ski-lift, that should have save us 400m of climbing, doesn't work (even though there were dozens of people willing to pay for it). So now there were about 1600m for us to climb. Our group consisted of 31 people and 9 instructors. We stopped from time to time for a break and at some point we reached the snowy part and had to put on the crampons on our feet. The climb was quite difficult and the pace was quick. Some of the instructors were very anxious to return before the Inter-Barcelona game at 14:45, so they kept encouraging us to go faster. The last 400 meters were the steepest and it took some time for the instructors to decide whether we can climb it (because of the wind, the ice and the smoke coming out of the volcano). At the end they decided that only those who think that they can keep up with the fast pace can continue, they also asked us to be honest with ourselves. Oren, who was an honest person, and also short of breath, decided not to go on. Lilya turned out to be less honest, but very anxious to see the top of the volcano. The rest of the climb wasn't easy, mostly because of the pace, but not very long. The last dozens of meters of the climb weren't so pleasant, mostly because of the Sulfurous smoke coming out from the crater. But the magnificent view from the top was worth it all. All around the volcano there was a blanket of low clouds, and from a distance we could see the Lanin volcano on the border with Argentina and two other volcanoes peaking from the clouds. The Villarica crater itself was quite deep (about 150 meters), but from time to time the volcano got angry and spit a little bit of lava. Since Lilya didn't carry her own camera, the only pictures from the top were taken by Ohad.
The way down was the fun part. There were some routes on which you can slide down, while sitting on your behind. It kind of reminded the sliders of water parks, except for the freezing cold.
The day ended with Inter passing over Barcelona on the way to the Champions League finals, which was a proper ending for Lilya's good day, and a poor ending to Oren's.
The next day was Oren's birthday, so in addition to the every morning pancakes, he got a stupid looking birthday hats, we all had to wear in the hostel all day long, to the great amusement of the hostel owners, and their kid. Unfortunately, Oren stomach had a celebration of its own, so we decided to spend the day in Pucon.
The town is pretty touristic, full of tourist agencies, restaurants, a "North Face" store and a lake of course. Because of the proximity to the volcano, on the main street there is a special traffic light, that informs you on the condition of the Villarica. We checked it each day, but to our disappointment it stayed green all the time. We did get a chance to see a performance by the Villarica whenever the night was clear. The lava painted the gas coming out the volcano in red so it looked as if it was erupting. Oren spent half an hour taking the picture of it...
That day we met two very nice dogs that kept following us for the rest of our stay and wait for us every time we entered a building, even though they didn't get any food for four days. Their love was truly unconditional (are you listening, cat lovers?). Only on the last day Lilya prepared one of them a chicken soup from some leftovers. The look on their faces when we got on the bus out of Pucon was heart breaking.
On our fourth day in Pucon, Lilya and Ohad went canyoning (SNEPLING MAPALIM in hebrew). It seemed that most of the tourists have left Pucon, and we got a private instructor. They give you a full diving suite and even a waterproof coat, that protects you from the cold water, at least for the first waterfall...
You´re supposed to decline beside the waterfalls, but you can jump in and out of them, while hanging from the rope. All together there were 4 waterfalls to descend. On the next day, the three of us took a half our bus to see the beautiful Ojos de Caburgua waterfalls, and lake Caburgua. Don't miss these if your in Pucon.
We left Pucon (and Chile) on the next day. On the way to the Argentinian border, while crossing the Andes, the scenery was amazing. May is the middle of Autumn here and the rainforest was painted in different shades of yellow and red. We also saw the most breathtaking lake, surrounded by colorful trees covered with mist. It felt like Chile is telling us not to leave, maybe we haven't seen enough of it yet. After crossing to the Argentinian side of the Andes, all the colors magically disappeared.
Chile is definitely the most beautiful country we've seen so far.
Tip 1: Gideon's tourist agency on the main street of Pucon (O'Higgins, what else?) is very recommended. The guys at the office are very nice and helpful, the guides seemed to be very professional, and the prices are relatively low. Don't be intimidated by the large, noisy (or jolly, depends on your perspective) Israeli groups.
Tip 2: The guys at Gideon's recommended us a good place to have lunch at with only one condition: We can't tell anyone else (in Pucon) about it. If you are in Pucon right now, go to the next tip. The place is a very small and local and they want to keep it that way. It is in a private house, with no sign on the door. It is called "La Picada" and it is located on 215 Paraguay street. They only serve two dishes but they are very good and very cheep.
Tip 3: Our hostel is one of the main reasons for staying in Pucon for so long. It is called Maitahue and it is on 965 Cacique Paillalef. The señora of the hostel will probably wait in the bus stop when you'll arrive.
Monday, 3 May 2010
Friday, 30 April 2010
Chilean Lake District
There is only a 5 hour ride by bus from Bariloche (Argentina) to Osorno (Chile), but what a difference! Life on the western side of the Andes looks simpler. Throughout our trip across the Chilean lake district we mostly slept in very simple Hospedajes, on the upper floor of crumbling houses made of wood and tin. Nothing fancy like Bariloche. No chocolate as well...
For us, Osorno was the first real city we saw for a long time. Not a small village or touristic shiny city, but a regular town with regular people leaving their regular lives. Most of the tourists won´t stay here for more than the few hours they need to wait for the bus to Pucon. Maybe that is the reason we liked it. There are so few tourists in Osorno that we had to look for hours around the city center until we found the only car rental company in town. If you do pass through Osorno, don't miss the cathedral near the main Plaza. It is definitely the most beautiful cathedral we saw in South America. It is a modern building made of exposed concrete and wood. The interior is stunning and the natural lighting coming from the upper windows creates endless games of light and shadows. Despite its size and the exposed concrete, the feeling is cosy and warm.
The hospedaje we slept in that night was cold, noisy, with no good hot water and uncomfortable beds. We liked it very much! The owners of the hospedaje were the nicest father and son which had 3 dogs! It is amazing how the Chileans will not give up on having a dog (or two, or three, or ten) even if they haven´t got enough money for themselves. Two of the dos were a sheep like small mother and daughter and the third was the a handsome Afgan Borzoi named Simon (as can be seen in the picture).
The next day in the afternoon we drove to Puerto Varas, passing on the way the amazing view of a full rainbow above lake Llanquihue in Frutillar. Puerto Varas was the most touristic stop on our trip to the lake district. There are some important signs for touristic towns, such as the large tourist information booth and fancy restaurants. But the most important sign is the number of trekking gear shops, and the expensive "North Face" store.
The Chilean lake district has a long German history and it can be seen in the buildings and especially in the food. Fruit pies (kuchens) can be found everywhere. The hostel we slept in (a huge labyrinth of bedrooms, toilets and stairs) had a lot of "Willkommen" signs, as well as a "real German breakfast" that turned out to be the regular bread and butter.
The landscape of the Chilean lake district is much greener than that of the Argentinian which is in the rain shadow of the Andes. There are a lot of volcanoes on the Chilean side and you can see at least one of them from practically everywhere, if there is a clear weather. On the day we left Puerto Varas, unfortunately, the weather was not clear at all, so we couldn't see the Osorno volcano (which is actually quite far from the city bearing its name), even from the road that climbs it. We drove on this road and entered a thick fog, until we almost couldn't see the road and then gave up. We decided to spend the night at Ensenada, on the shores of lake Llanquihue, right bellow the Osorno and wait for the next day. We spent the night at a small hospedaje, with an old landlady. Sleeping in those small houses is like staying at a different type of grandparents everyday. For a single night, they are your family away from home.
It was a good thing that we stayed another day because the next day was clear and we could see that the town is surrounded by no less than 3 volcanoes. Imagine leaving in such a place...
We drove to Lago Todos los Santos (the lake of all saints), stopping on the way at the amazing Petrohue waterfalls. These powerful, turquoise waterfalls cut through the black volcanic stone, while the Osorno volcano with it's snowy top looks from above. Near Lago Todos los Santos we did a few hours hike, on the black shores of the lake. We climbed again (by car) the Osorno in the afternoon only to discover that despite its size, the Osorno is actually a very shy mountain. As soon as we started driving on the ascending road, a cloud came from nowhere and covered its peak. It stayed there exactly until we got down and then left.
On the next day, we drove between lakes (Rupanco, Puyehue and Ranco) and small villages, passing across 3 more volcanoes. As we already said in the previous post, the beauty of a lake depends strongly on the weather and the lighting. In our case, the grey clouds and the lack of sunshine made this day a bit less impressive. However, we drove through rural areas so beautiful that we actually considered buying ourselves a small farm with few cows and sheep in the area. When the sun did come out, the view of the Puntiagudo volcano above the fields and Rupanco lake was spectacular. While driving we stumbled upon a river (a big one) crossing the road in the middle. The only way to cross it was a by a small ferry, fitted to no more than 2 cars, that crossed the river whenever a car needed a ride.
The biggest advantage in having a car is the possibility to go off trek and sleep in small towns like Paillaco, where we slept that night. Paillaco proved again that these small towns have a magic of their own. We looked for quite a lot of time until we found the only place we could sleep in (except the Hotel). The house (as can be seen at the pictures) belonged to a very nice grandfather, who also was a violin teacher. We also ate a great (and very cheap) beef stew at a local place he recommended ("El Rapido").
We completed our tour through the Chilean lakes on the next day, driving through smaller and bumpier roads near the lakes Panguipulli, Calafquen and some smaller lakes. On the road to Puerto Fuy, we passed through the Hulla Hulla waterfalls, which really worth the long drive. The whole forest is a private park, so there is also a luxury hotel deep in the woods. Some lucky (and no doubt a fan of the "Lord Of The Rings" movie) architect got a free hand in designing this hotel. The results is a fairy kingdom made of wood, with hanged bridges leading to it. It was too dark to take good pictures, so you can try imagining it by yourself.
We had another half a day to spend until we had to return the car, so we visited Valdivia. According to the Lonely Planet, this is a nice studential city with a good wind from the sea. Once again the Lonley Planet proved to be inefficient and to miss the real issue. On the boardwalk, near the main square there is a fish market. The sellers clean the fish and throw the leftovers to river behind the counters. This simple act attracts countless birds to the place and several sea lions. They all stand less than a meter away from you. The birds (including seagulls,cormorans and large eagle size predator birds) are flying back and forth all the time trying to grab a piece of food. This place is a heaven for photographers and animal lovers. The locals seems to like this place, but the girls in the tourist information nearby didn't even mention it, so we almost lost the greatest attraction in Valdivia.
We returned the car that day and took the the bus to the next stop in our journey - The lovely town of Pucon, which will be the center of the next post.
Tip 1: If you anywhere near Lago Todos los Santos, you must visit the magnificent Petrohue falls, and if you are planning on staying in the area, you should stay in the "Escala II" hospedaje in Ensenada.
Tip 2: The Copec (the national gas stations company) map of Chile is a must for anyone travelling in this country. 3$ will buy you all of Chile.
Tip 3: Some of the roads in the Chilean lake district are much worse even from the ones in Carretera Austral. So you should drive accordingly, and take into the account the capability of your vehicle. We rented a good but very small car (for 3 adults), and there were places that it couldn´t pass so we didn´t even try.
Tip 4: Don't miss the fish market in Valdivia, and not only because of the fish, (read above, if you hadn't already). And while you are there, you can enjoy one of the many wonderful fish and sea food restaurants across the street.
For us, Osorno was the first real city we saw for a long time. Not a small village or touristic shiny city, but a regular town with regular people leaving their regular lives. Most of the tourists won´t stay here for more than the few hours they need to wait for the bus to Pucon. Maybe that is the reason we liked it. There are so few tourists in Osorno that we had to look for hours around the city center until we found the only car rental company in town. If you do pass through Osorno, don't miss the cathedral near the main Plaza. It is definitely the most beautiful cathedral we saw in South America. It is a modern building made of exposed concrete and wood. The interior is stunning and the natural lighting coming from the upper windows creates endless games of light and shadows. Despite its size and the exposed concrete, the feeling is cosy and warm.
The hospedaje we slept in that night was cold, noisy, with no good hot water and uncomfortable beds. We liked it very much! The owners of the hospedaje were the nicest father and son which had 3 dogs! It is amazing how the Chileans will not give up on having a dog (or two, or three, or ten) even if they haven´t got enough money for themselves. Two of the dos were a sheep like small mother and daughter and the third was the a handsome Afgan Borzoi named Simon (as can be seen in the picture).
The next day in the afternoon we drove to Puerto Varas, passing on the way the amazing view of a full rainbow above lake Llanquihue in Frutillar. Puerto Varas was the most touristic stop on our trip to the lake district. There are some important signs for touristic towns, such as the large tourist information booth and fancy restaurants. But the most important sign is the number of trekking gear shops, and the expensive "North Face" store.
The Chilean lake district has a long German history and it can be seen in the buildings and especially in the food. Fruit pies (kuchens) can be found everywhere. The hostel we slept in (a huge labyrinth of bedrooms, toilets and stairs) had a lot of "Willkommen" signs, as well as a "real German breakfast" that turned out to be the regular bread and butter.
The landscape of the Chilean lake district is much greener than that of the Argentinian which is in the rain shadow of the Andes. There are a lot of volcanoes on the Chilean side and you can see at least one of them from practically everywhere, if there is a clear weather. On the day we left Puerto Varas, unfortunately, the weather was not clear at all, so we couldn't see the Osorno volcano (which is actually quite far from the city bearing its name), even from the road that climbs it. We drove on this road and entered a thick fog, until we almost couldn't see the road and then gave up. We decided to spend the night at Ensenada, on the shores of lake Llanquihue, right bellow the Osorno and wait for the next day. We spent the night at a small hospedaje, with an old landlady. Sleeping in those small houses is like staying at a different type of grandparents everyday. For a single night, they are your family away from home.
It was a good thing that we stayed another day because the next day was clear and we could see that the town is surrounded by no less than 3 volcanoes. Imagine leaving in such a place...
We drove to Lago Todos los Santos (the lake of all saints), stopping on the way at the amazing Petrohue waterfalls. These powerful, turquoise waterfalls cut through the black volcanic stone, while the Osorno volcano with it's snowy top looks from above. Near Lago Todos los Santos we did a few hours hike, on the black shores of the lake. We climbed again (by car) the Osorno in the afternoon only to discover that despite its size, the Osorno is actually a very shy mountain. As soon as we started driving on the ascending road, a cloud came from nowhere and covered its peak. It stayed there exactly until we got down and then left.
On the next day, we drove between lakes (Rupanco, Puyehue and Ranco) and small villages, passing across 3 more volcanoes. As we already said in the previous post, the beauty of a lake depends strongly on the weather and the lighting. In our case, the grey clouds and the lack of sunshine made this day a bit less impressive. However, we drove through rural areas so beautiful that we actually considered buying ourselves a small farm with few cows and sheep in the area. When the sun did come out, the view of the Puntiagudo volcano above the fields and Rupanco lake was spectacular. While driving we stumbled upon a river (a big one) crossing the road in the middle. The only way to cross it was a by a small ferry, fitted to no more than 2 cars, that crossed the river whenever a car needed a ride.
The biggest advantage in having a car is the possibility to go off trek and sleep in small towns like Paillaco, where we slept that night. Paillaco proved again that these small towns have a magic of their own. We looked for quite a lot of time until we found the only place we could sleep in (except the Hotel). The house (as can be seen at the pictures) belonged to a very nice grandfather, who also was a violin teacher. We also ate a great (and very cheap) beef stew at a local place he recommended ("El Rapido").
We completed our tour through the Chilean lakes on the next day, driving through smaller and bumpier roads near the lakes Panguipulli, Calafquen and some smaller lakes. On the road to Puerto Fuy, we passed through the Hulla Hulla waterfalls, which really worth the long drive. The whole forest is a private park, so there is also a luxury hotel deep in the woods. Some lucky (and no doubt a fan of the "Lord Of The Rings" movie) architect got a free hand in designing this hotel. The results is a fairy kingdom made of wood, with hanged bridges leading to it. It was too dark to take good pictures, so you can try imagining it by yourself.
We had another half a day to spend until we had to return the car, so we visited Valdivia. According to the Lonely Planet, this is a nice studential city with a good wind from the sea. Once again the Lonley Planet proved to be inefficient and to miss the real issue. On the boardwalk, near the main square there is a fish market. The sellers clean the fish and throw the leftovers to river behind the counters. This simple act attracts countless birds to the place and several sea lions. They all stand less than a meter away from you. The birds (including seagulls,cormorans and large eagle size predator birds) are flying back and forth all the time trying to grab a piece of food. This place is a heaven for photographers and animal lovers. The locals seems to like this place, but the girls in the tourist information nearby didn't even mention it, so we almost lost the greatest attraction in Valdivia.
We returned the car that day and took the the bus to the next stop in our journey - The lovely town of Pucon, which will be the center of the next post.
Tip 1: If you anywhere near Lago Todos los Santos, you must visit the magnificent Petrohue falls, and if you are planning on staying in the area, you should stay in the "Escala II" hospedaje in Ensenada.
Tip 2: The Copec (the national gas stations company) map of Chile is a must for anyone travelling in this country. 3$ will buy you all of Chile.
Tip 3: Some of the roads in the Chilean lake district are much worse even from the ones in Carretera Austral. So you should drive accordingly, and take into the account the capability of your vehicle. We rented a good but very small car (for 3 adults), and there were places that it couldn´t pass so we didn´t even try.
Tip 4: Don't miss the fish market in Valdivia, and not only because of the fish, (read above, if you hadn't already). And while you are there, you can enjoy one of the many wonderful fish and sea food restaurants across the street.
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Friday, 19 March 2010
Puerto Natales and the Torres del Paine
Hola!
It means hello in spanish, it also means that you are in South America. Even if you are Chinese meeting another Chinese from your home town you will ¨hola¨ each other when passing.
But lets start at the beginning. Our trek to Torres del Paine was supposed to start with a bus picking us up from the hostel at 7:30 a.m on Sunday, but it didn´t. Apparantly, our Seniora (the landlady) was supposed to remind the bus, but she woke up to late...¨La falta¨ as she described it. So our departure was delayed until 14:30. We used this time to sleep a bit more and to visit the church, of course (since it was Sunday).
After few hours drive we arrived to the Torres del Paine. There we had to take a catamaran to the beginning of the trek. The main trail of the park looks like a W. We planned to finish the left (west) wing of the W on the first day. Because of the delay we had little time to do so. On the catamaran we met a group of people who intended to complete this part even thought it was quite late. So we decided to join them. We´ve had to do it in about 3 hours with all the equipment on our back (because it was already getting a bit dark). During the walk, it turned out that this group was part of a science expedition that has just returned from a month and a half in Antartica. Most of them were Geology and Paleontology (just like Ross!) students from USA and Sweeden, who were sent there as part of their studies. It seems that we have picked the wrong profession...
The next day we went north to see Glasier Grey. There was nothing Grey about it, it was very blue. The path to it goes through a beautiful forest near an amazing lake with small icy islands in it.
In general, the park is very well addapted for hiking. The trails are very well marked most of the time. There are lots of people of different ages and nationalities hiking around. But it was never too crowded. The park is also very clean, we haven´t seen even one piece of junk for five days.
Every now and then there is a campsite and ¨Refujios¨ which are a sort of a mountain cabins, which included 4 walls and a place to put your sleeping bag and cost about 50$ per person. It is also possible to purchase some food there, but the prices are high (6$ for a pack of pasta). We preffered to stay in our tent. We and all the mice around us enjoyed our pasta and monosodiun glotomat very much.
On the third day we left most of our equipment in the campsite and went to see the French valley. On the way we passed near a stormy lake. The strong wind raised a lot of water drops that turned into a rainbow in the morning sun and it was trully beautiful. The valley itself is a narrow valley surounded by sharp peaks covered with snow. There is a difficult climb up to the top of the valley where we passed by the narrowest part, where the river, that has created this valley flows down furiously, very close to the path. The climb continued until we arrived at the point where the 3 marble peaks that are the Torres del Paina can be seen from the rear side. The sun was perfect and view was amazing.
On our way back we met a very nice Corean girl who was travelling alone. As we walked together, it seemed as if she knew every second person we met.
The next day we took the catamaran back in the dirrectione of the Torres. Because of lack of time or energy we couldn´t do anything else that day.
At night we set up a campfire, and invited few other Israelis we met to join us for coffee and wine. The sky there was absolutely amazing, and of course very different from the northern sky we are used to. Oren desided to take a picture with a long exposure time. That picture finished his battery...He spent the next day looking for people that also had a Nikon in order to borrow their battery, so he can picture the Torres. Fortunately enougth, he found few. The climb to the Torres was quite steep, but the classic view of the Torres and the lake in front of them was worth the muscle ache.
Now we have a day in Puerto Natales before leaveing to El Calafate in Argentina.
Chao!
(Thats another word in spanish that you have to use in posts when you're in South America)
Tip 1: You can find very cheap accommodation in Puerto Natales. We had a twin bedroom in only 10$ per person, including breakfast, in Josmar hostel in Esmeralda and Prat.
Tip 2: The Israeli secret: all you can eat meats on the grill for 10$ in Juan hostel in Magallanes street. Look for the big Israeli flag in the window. Juan also has lectures about the Torres del Paine in Hebrew every day at 16:00.
Tip 3: Take the time to see some guanacos near the park enterance. Take few hours to move away from the enterance on the road to the catamaran and you´ll see them everywere.
Tip 4: In some of the campsites in the trek there are showers and electricity. Also, you don´t have to carry water with you - fill a small bottle with water from the small waterfalls on the way.
It means hello in spanish, it also means that you are in South America. Even if you are Chinese meeting another Chinese from your home town you will ¨hola¨ each other when passing.
But lets start at the beginning. Our trek to Torres del Paine was supposed to start with a bus picking us up from the hostel at 7:30 a.m on Sunday, but it didn´t. Apparantly, our Seniora (the landlady) was supposed to remind the bus, but she woke up to late...¨La falta¨ as she described it. So our departure was delayed until 14:30. We used this time to sleep a bit more and to visit the church, of course (since it was Sunday).
After few hours drive we arrived to the Torres del Paine. There we had to take a catamaran to the beginning of the trek. The main trail of the park looks like a W. We planned to finish the left (west) wing of the W on the first day. Because of the delay we had little time to do so. On the catamaran we met a group of people who intended to complete this part even thought it was quite late. So we decided to join them. We´ve had to do it in about 3 hours with all the equipment on our back (because it was already getting a bit dark). During the walk, it turned out that this group was part of a science expedition that has just returned from a month and a half in Antartica. Most of them were Geology and Paleontology (just like Ross!) students from USA and Sweeden, who were sent there as part of their studies. It seems that we have picked the wrong profession...
The next day we went north to see Glasier Grey. There was nothing Grey about it, it was very blue. The path to it goes through a beautiful forest near an amazing lake with small icy islands in it.
In general, the park is very well addapted for hiking. The trails are very well marked most of the time. There are lots of people of different ages and nationalities hiking around. But it was never too crowded. The park is also very clean, we haven´t seen even one piece of junk for five days.
Every now and then there is a campsite and ¨Refujios¨ which are a sort of a mountain cabins, which included 4 walls and a place to put your sleeping bag and cost about 50$ per person. It is also possible to purchase some food there, but the prices are high (6$ for a pack of pasta). We preffered to stay in our tent. We and all the mice around us enjoyed our pasta and monosodiun glotomat very much.
On the third day we left most of our equipment in the campsite and went to see the French valley. On the way we passed near a stormy lake. The strong wind raised a lot of water drops that turned into a rainbow in the morning sun and it was trully beautiful. The valley itself is a narrow valley surounded by sharp peaks covered with snow. There is a difficult climb up to the top of the valley where we passed by the narrowest part, where the river, that has created this valley flows down furiously, very close to the path. The climb continued until we arrived at the point where the 3 marble peaks that are the Torres del Paina can be seen from the rear side. The sun was perfect and view was amazing.
On our way back we met a very nice Corean girl who was travelling alone. As we walked together, it seemed as if she knew every second person we met.
The next day we took the catamaran back in the dirrectione of the Torres. Because of lack of time or energy we couldn´t do anything else that day.
At night we set up a campfire, and invited few other Israelis we met to join us for coffee and wine. The sky there was absolutely amazing, and of course very different from the northern sky we are used to. Oren desided to take a picture with a long exposure time. That picture finished his battery...He spent the next day looking for people that also had a Nikon in order to borrow their battery, so he can picture the Torres. Fortunately enougth, he found few. The climb to the Torres was quite steep, but the classic view of the Torres and the lake in front of them was worth the muscle ache.
Now we have a day in Puerto Natales before leaveing to El Calafate in Argentina.
Chao!
(Thats another word in spanish that you have to use in posts when you're in South America)
Tip 1: You can find very cheap accommodation in Puerto Natales. We had a twin bedroom in only 10$ per person, including breakfast, in Josmar hostel in Esmeralda and Prat.
Tip 2: The Israeli secret: all you can eat meats on the grill for 10$ in Juan hostel in Magallanes street. Look for the big Israeli flag in the window. Juan also has lectures about the Torres del Paine in Hebrew every day at 16:00.
Tip 3: Take the time to see some guanacos near the park enterance. Take few hours to move away from the enterance on the road to the catamaran and you´ll see them everywere.
Tip 4: In some of the campsites in the trek there are showers and electricity. Also, you don´t have to carry water with you - fill a small bottle with water from the small waterfalls on the way.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Punta Arenas
Arriving to Punta Arenas at night is like entering a thriller book. The windy streets are empty except for the occassional sleeping dog. The city looks like an abandoned ghost town somewhere between the Australian desert and a Stephan King´s book.
We arrived late, after the most beautiful flight we´ve ever had, above an unbelievable view of volcanos, mountains, glaciers and wide planes.
The hostel we were in is not your usual European style hostel. It is run by a young familly which is hardlly clean or organized, so it basically feels as if you stumble upon a young couple and they agreed to host you in their spare room if you agree to play a little with their young (and a bit annoying) son. They also had a computer, full with viruses, that killed 3 days of our photos. Small price to pay for the lesson we´ve recieved - never connect your hard drive in a familly hostel!
The next day we went to the Mecca of the travellers in south Chile - the tax free zone in the far end of Punta Arenas (the Zona Franca). In the Doite travelling shop you can find some pretty cheap cooking gear as well as some tents, sleeping bags and warm clothes. The variety is not too great, though. Later that day we took a nice pinguineros tour. The driver took us to a private reserve, an hour from the town, where there is a marked walking path that leads to a gathering place of the pinguins near the shore. On the way you can find some of the more publicity hunting pinguins that model for the photographers some classical, 'Happy feet' style, pinguin moves like the 360 degrees spin of the head or looking at the sky while openning their mouth. The photographers, us included, gargled with joy and everyone were happy. Too bad that most of the pictures where lost because of the virus.
We are now in Puerto Natales, getting ready to start the Toress del-Paina trek tommorow. The next update will be after we´ll be back, 5 or 6 days from now.
We arrived late, after the most beautiful flight we´ve ever had, above an unbelievable view of volcanos, mountains, glaciers and wide planes.
The hostel we were in is not your usual European style hostel. It is run by a young familly which is hardlly clean or organized, so it basically feels as if you stumble upon a young couple and they agreed to host you in their spare room if you agree to play a little with their young (and a bit annoying) son. They also had a computer, full with viruses, that killed 3 days of our photos. Small price to pay for the lesson we´ve recieved - never connect your hard drive in a familly hostel!
The next day we went to the Mecca of the travellers in south Chile - the tax free zone in the far end of Punta Arenas (the Zona Franca). In the Doite travelling shop you can find some pretty cheap cooking gear as well as some tents, sleeping bags and warm clothes. The variety is not too great, though. Later that day we took a nice pinguineros tour. The driver took us to a private reserve, an hour from the town, where there is a marked walking path that leads to a gathering place of the pinguins near the shore. On the way you can find some of the more publicity hunting pinguins that model for the photographers some classical, 'Happy feet' style, pinguin moves like the 360 degrees spin of the head or looking at the sky while openning their mouth. The photographers, us included, gargled with joy and everyone were happy. Too bad that most of the pictures where lost because of the virus.
We are now in Puerto Natales, getting ready to start the Toress del-Paina trek tommorow. The next update will be after we´ll be back, 5 or 6 days from now.
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Chile - the land of the sleeping dogs
It's a bit strange. Everywhere you go around here, you can find dogs, most of them are asleep. It's something they don't tell you before you get here. You can understand how hard it is for me (Lilya) to stay away from them. But you must be proud of me, I didn't touch not even one!
We arrived here 2 days ago. The landing was alright, but since the terminal wasn't functioning due to the earthquake, we received our luggage right in the middle of the field not far from the plain (at least we got all of it this time). We went through passport control inside a tent (as you can see from the pics).
Since Chile is ecologically isolated you are not allowed to bring any fruits/vegetables/animals. Nice dogs go around the passengers and sniff their bags. Don't worry they let SEMPA pass.
The weather in Santiago is great (30C). We stay in a beautiful hostel- La Casa Roja. It is a big 19th century mansion with lots of shared and private rooms, a huge kitchen, a pool, a hair saloon a free internet and other great stuff. Santiago is a nice developing city. It's more developed than some of the east European capitals we know (including one particular eastern capital that has celebrated 3000 years lately). Not at all the third world you might have expected from South America, but a modern and lively capital. The earthquake only slightly effected its buildings. Here and there you can see some bricks that fell of the walls, or some collapsing walls in the older brick building (don't tell mom, but there is some plaster that fell of the walls of the room we're sleeping in). We used the first day to travel around the city center, which was mostly closed, because it was Sunday. We ate at the Marcado Central where they have loads of see food in all colors forms and textures. We can't recommend it, however, because Oren got a nice stomach ache which might be related (and might have nothing to do with it). In all the city you can see Chilean flags and fund raising for the people effected by the earthquake. We stumblled uppon at least two places that held concerts for charity to the earthquake victims.
On the next day we took the bus to Valparaiso, which is a port city on the shores of the Pacific. This is an exciting city indeed. It is spread on the hills around the bay and it seems that there are no two adjacent houses that has the same color. It is also not the most secure city in Chile, so we had to cut on the photography thing after an old lady and two cops warned us and told us to leave the camera inside. However, some pictures were snicked out of the city in a dangerous and successful operation and you can see them in the gallery. We then took the train to Vina del Mar which is a close and more touristic city. It felt much more safe there, but as you can see, there are no pictures from it because it is quite boring. It is mostly a long street with lots of stores. That´s it.
We now getting ready to fly to Punta Arenas. Next stop - Patagonia.
We arrived here 2 days ago. The landing was alright, but since the terminal wasn't functioning due to the earthquake, we received our luggage right in the middle of the field not far from the plain (at least we got all of it this time). We went through passport control inside a tent (as you can see from the pics).
Since Chile is ecologically isolated you are not allowed to bring any fruits/vegetables/animals. Nice dogs go around the passengers and sniff their bags. Don't worry they let SEMPA pass.
The weather in Santiago is great (30C). We stay in a beautiful hostel- La Casa Roja. It is a big 19th century mansion with lots of shared and private rooms, a huge kitchen, a pool, a hair saloon a free internet and other great stuff. Santiago is a nice developing city. It's more developed than some of the east European capitals we know (including one particular eastern capital that has celebrated 3000 years lately). Not at all the third world you might have expected from South America, but a modern and lively capital. The earthquake only slightly effected its buildings. Here and there you can see some bricks that fell of the walls, or some collapsing walls in the older brick building (don't tell mom, but there is some plaster that fell of the walls of the room we're sleeping in). We used the first day to travel around the city center, which was mostly closed, because it was Sunday. We ate at the Marcado Central where they have loads of see food in all colors forms and textures. We can't recommend it, however, because Oren got a nice stomach ache which might be related (and might have nothing to do with it). In all the city you can see Chilean flags and fund raising for the people effected by the earthquake. We stumblled uppon at least two places that held concerts for charity to the earthquake victims.
On the next day we took the bus to Valparaiso, which is a port city on the shores of the Pacific. This is an exciting city indeed. It is spread on the hills around the bay and it seems that there are no two adjacent houses that has the same color. It is also not the most secure city in Chile, so we had to cut on the photography thing after an old lady and two cops warned us and told us to leave the camera inside. However, some pictures were snicked out of the city in a dangerous and successful operation and you can see them in the gallery. We then took the train to Vina del Mar which is a close and more touristic city. It felt much more safe there, but as you can see, there are no pictures from it because it is quite boring. It is mostly a long street with lots of stores. That´s it.
We now getting ready to fly to Punta Arenas. Next stop - Patagonia.
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