We arrived in Buenos Aires via Sao Paulo, Brazil after a 10
hour flight across the Pacific. Gotta
love those in-flight entertainment systems. Although our Spanish is limited, we
(especially Jim) had been studying up via the Duo Lingo app and he had luck
chatting with the cab driver. Even if we
only can speak in present tense, it was nice to at least be able to sort
of
communicate. Spanish speaking people
understood Jim better than many South Africans. |
| La Recoleta Cemetery |
We spent the first few day exploring the vibrant city of Buenos
Aires and trying to adjust our schedules to not only the time zone difference,
but the lifestyle difference—people in Argentina typically don’t eat dinner
until around 9pm and many shops are closed from about 1 to 5 for a
mid-afternoon siesta. Highlights for our
time in Buenos Aires included exploring both a natural history and science
museum, where we scientifically proved that Xander is now officially taller
than Carolyn, a city walking tour that included a gory description of the extensive
travels of Eva Peron’s body before she finally ended up in equally spooky and
charming La Recoleta cemetery, and a wonderful dinner at new Rotarian friend’s
house.
Planning our time in Argentina was challenging because it is
so big—over
ten times the area of Colorado (our measuring stick for the size of countries) and
relatively difficult/expensive to travel around. Among the 5+ plus regions that we wanted to
visit, each involved a 20+ hour bus ride or multi-hour plane ride that cost
$600+ one way (for 4 people), so we had to narrow down our choices.
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Jim's fishing spot
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| Perito Merino glacier |
Along with the incredible scenery we learned about some of
the fascinating economics, politics and history of Argentina. Although we had heard about it before we
arrived, it was still shocking to learn about the “blue market” (black sounds
too ominous) for changing money in Argentina.
If you use a credit card or ATM, the exchange rate is about 9 pesos per
USD, while if you change cash on the street, the exchange rate is about 15
pesos per USD. Basically, we “saved”
over $1000 by changing the approximately $1500 in cash we had on the blue
market- with the added bonus of Jim
getting the exciting experience of being led into the back office for “cambio.” When the boys and I heard some loud voices
coming from the backroom (Jim insisted on looking at each bill) brave Xander squared
his shoulders, took advantage of his new lower voice and asked if Jim “needed
any help back there.” Basically, inflation
is currently (and historically has been) so high (for example, over 30% last
year) that Argentinians have to deal with the reality that any pesos they earn
and save are worth less and less. (Want
that $500 ipad? Saving for a year? Now it costs $650) To protect their money, Argentinians prefer
the more stable US dollars, but these are extremely difficult to get—add this
to an exchange rate kept artificially low by the government, and you get the
blue market. Crazy.
Another amazing thing we learned about in Argentina was the Association
Madres de Plaza de Mayo, a group of mothers who marched in front of the Casa
Rosada (Pink House of Evita fame) in Buenos Aires to try to learn what happened
to their children who were “disappeared” during the Dirty War of the military
dictatorship in the mid 70s to mid 80s.
The plaza is circled by paintings on the ground of the white kerchiefs
the mothers wore on their heads (the kerchiefs white cloth represented their children’s
diapers) when they marched in silent defiance of the government state’s
terrorism intended to silence all opposition.
The related “Grandmothers of the disappeared” have found over 100
children born to mothers who were imprisoned and killed during the Dirty War
and subsequently illegally adopted.
These children have largely been found due to DNA testing. Amazing lesson in history that occurred during
our lifetimes and a real world application of Liam’s desire to be a genetic
scientist when he grows up.
We truly enjoyed our time in Argentina learning about its
history, seeing some beautiful sights and filling our bellies with empanadas, yerba
mate, steaks, and wine.
Next we headed to Lima, Peru.
We explored some pre-Incan ruins in the city before heading to Cusco (the
“belly button of the world” and center of the Incan empire). We had planned to go Puno to see the reed
islands, but got waylaid big time by altitude sickness (see previous post). Once we get over the trauma of the two kids
in the hospital at once we can joke that the whole thing was a kid conspiracy
to avoid the long bus rides we had scheduled. We were thrilled to meet Tracey (Carolyn’s
sister) and Scott in Cusco. We had a
nice afternoon walking (slowly) through the city and marveling at the astounding
Incan architecture and puzzle-like palace walls that have withstood earthquakes
that reduced the Spanish churches built on top of them to rubble.
The next day we toured the Sacred Valley where we visited
Ollantaytambo and Pisac ruins from the Incan empire and learn about the amazing
architecture that is designed to shine beams of sun on the temple throne on solstice
days. It’s mind boggling to imagine how
Incans transported and fit together the huge stones without wheels or
mortar. On the way back we stopped to
get cuy (aka guinea pig), a common Peruivan food, from a stand at the side of
the road. Liam said it “tastes like
chicken.”
No trip to Peru is complete without seeing Machu Picchu, so we
took the train to Aguas Callientes, the base town for Machu Picchu. Machu
Picchu, although way more touristy than when Jim and I visited via the Inca Trail
over 15 years ago, still maintains its mysticism and magic. The Spanish never found the site- which isn’t
surprising considering it took a 4 hour train ride from Cusco and a 30 minute
drive up gasp-inspiring hairpin turns to get there. We agreed with the “worldwide internet poll”
that named it one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” (along with the Coliseum
and Great Wall of China).
By far the best part of the day was when Scott proposed to
Tracey on a secluded terrace overlooking the ruins and the mountains! Definitely worth a jump for joy J
Scott had told us about his plan to propose back before we left in July, so we were excited to finally
get to see the plan play out and happy for Scott to be able to let his backpack
out of his sight once he gave the ring to T.
Hooray! 
To make the most of our stay the next day we hiked up Machu
Picchu Mountain. The original plan was
to hike up Huanynu Picchu (the mountain behind the ruins in all of the pictures)
but now they only have limited tickets per day that we didn’t get soon enough. Machu Picchu Mountain is on the other side,
and somewhat to our surprise, quite a bit harder/higher, but ultimately worth
the 2 hours walking up steps for a stunning view of the ruins peeking out from
the drifting clouds. The kids also got
the chance to prove that they were over their altitude sickness, as they easily
beat up to the top of the ~3000m (10,000 foot) peak. No rest for the weary in this crew (sorry
Scott!).
We got to visit a few more Inca ruin sites full of “old
stacked rocks” before heading back to a long layover in Lima, a stop in Houston
(where we almost missed our plane due to some customs issues over the ostrich
egg souvenir we carried since South Africa) and finally home to Colorado. The 10 degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures were
a bit of a shock to our follow-the-summer, wear shorts every day bodies, but
more than worth it to see family and friends!
We’re enjoying catching up with everyone, drinking tap water,
and speaking English. It’s nice to know
where we’re going, and be comfortable with what we’re doing for a change (and
oh, the amazing grocery stores) —but we can’t wait to get back on the road to
New Zealand right after Christmas.
It’s hard to believe we’ve already completed the first half
of our trip-- A wonderful experience for the family where we have all learned a
lot about the world, the joy of living light, and how to adapt to whatever
happens.
Senses:
Carolyn- The glisten
of the rain on the streets of elaborate tombs in La Recoleta cemetery while I
peek into the dingy windows that reveal staircases descending into the spooky
abyss; The little brown bird hopping through the brush chirping while we walk
through the Bariloche Chicco Circuit forest dwarfed by towering cinnamon colored Arranayn "bushes"
and their smooth peeling bark; The swirling shadow circles dancing gracefully
on the bottom of the river bed, created from mini whirlpools on the clear surface
of the turquoise river; Listening to
crack and groan of the seemingly alive peaks and valleys of the Perito
Merino glacier, waiting to hear the thunderous sound indicating a new iceberg
plummeting into the aqua lake below; Happy tears wetting my eyes as I witness Scott
propose to T on the terrace overlooking the stunning ruins and surrounding
magical mountains of Machu Picchu.
Jim- The stark differences from crypt to crypt in design,
quality and upkeep in the Recoleta cemetery; The bitter earthy taste of mate
savored through my silver mate sieve straw; the wonderful taste of sweet breads
and coffee to fuel the day walking around the city and learning more about the
history of Argentina; The sharp tooth-like peaks edging out above the snow and
glacier-capped Andes mountains over the town of Bariloche; The cooked brown
skin of the cuy sizzling around the spit confirming without a doubt I was not
hungry for Guinea pig.
Liam- The pitter patter of the rain falling on my umbrella
as we walk through the maze like streets of Buenos Aires looking at somewhat
old historical buildings and learning about the complex government and money of
Argentina; The elaborate twists and turns of the treelike red and orange
"bushes" that grow nowhere else in the world stretching out creating
a vast canopy above me; The cold ice cup freezing my lips and mouth as I took
gulp after gulp of fanta, sprite and lemonade at the unlimited drinks ice bar
inside the glaciarium; The hoard of teenage girls swarming around me d snapping
multiple photos of my beautiful face as I stand there frozen in horrified shock;
The waitress coming out with a computer-sized metal platter heaped with all
different types of sausage, chicken and mystery meats as Scott and I stare in
awe at what we ordered for dinner
Xander- The familiar numbing of snow I grab from a snow
patch at the top of a dusty, almost
vertical hill as I look down on a sky blue lake and matching cloudless sky
above Bariloche; The aqua blue water reflecting snowcapped mountain peaks and
revealing a school of trout many feet below; The cool wind rushing across my
face as I stare mesmerized by the vast andes mountain range as I ride the boat
in the turquoise lake near bariloche; The rough sand paper texture of the
pumice rock as I grabbed it while it floated down the small creek leading to
the esperco chico (mirror lake); The intricate smooth grey puzzle-like Incan
stones overshadowing the Spanish colonial
church built above them
Lessons Learned:
- Argentinians drink mate (tea) out of sieve straws everywhere
- There are lots of stray dogs wandering around in Argentina
- Good Argentinian steak is cheaper than a bag of pretzels
- Arranyan trees are really bushes and are only found near Bariloche
- Eva Peron's body had a long and sordid journey after her death, including being embalmed and displayed, being stored in a basement, a government officials office, and in a septic tank and being transported to Spain
- In Argentina, you can change your family, you can change your religion, but you can never change your futbol team
- Argentina has a lot (potentially the most) dinosaur bones
- Buenos Aires architecture is a juxtaposition of mismatched styles
- In Bariloche a "small trout" is 18 inches
- Most of the world's glaciers are in Antarctica; Africa is the continent with the least amount of glaciers
- What's the difference between snow and glaciers? Density.
- Glaciers appear blue because blue wavelength light travels the farthest
- The Earth’s “snow zone” is about 35degrees N and S in latitude, although higher elevations may have snow
- In Argentinian grocery stores, milk (and many other liquid substances) come in bags, the stores don't have any bags to put your purchases into and eggs come in pallets of 30. If you ask for fewer eggs, they tell you to put them in a bag (!)
- Many stores in Argentina are closed from around 1 to 5 pm, and aren't open on Sundays
- The tourist ticket (aka “tourist tax”) is typically at least double the local entrance fee
- There is always someone more adventurous than you, and there's always a way to do things more luxuriously or cheaply
- Pass on good travel karma
- If you want to buy something, get it the first time you see it because you probably won't go back
- Travel insurance is worth it
- If your kids end up in the hospital, you really slack off on recording lessons learned
- It's great to be home, but even better to know you're going back out
