Sunday 7 March, 2010

South America

The long way home: South America overland

 

Photos: Click here to see the LATEST PHOTOS

Map: Click here to see my CURRENT LOCATION and ROUTE MAP

 

Peru

03 December 2009, Cusco: Five year anniversary of FABILOUS-TOUR and a visit to Machu Picchu

Yes, I completed five years of traveling around the world! Who would have thought that a holiday trip to Asia that was meant to last for 6 months only would last for more than five years?!? Well, not me - that's for sure. I left Germany on a one-way flight to Hongkong on December 2nd, 2004 where I arrived the next morning. From there a fabilous trip through all the continents except Antarctica started. Today, the five year anniversary, I spent with Elan who is here for a three week visit at Machu Picchu, Peru's and South America's most popular and mysterious sight.

Photo: Machu Picchu, Peru

 

Bolivia

02 November 2009, La Paz: Climbing Mt. Huayna Potosi (6.088 m)

!!! SO, THIS IS IT !!! I climbed my first 6.000+ m. mountain and it was the most strenuous adventure I've ever done during the last five years. I was equipped with ice ax, crampons and rope and had to jump over crevasses, climb vertical ice walls and pass over glaciers until I finally reached the summit. It was the best hike ever but never again! Along came Henning and Ingo, two Germans who I have met in Argentina a month ago. Check out the photo gallery for more photos.

Photo: Mt. Huayna Potosi, Bolivia

 

24 October 2009, Sucre: Bolivia's capital, hiking an Inca Trail, rock paintings

Sucre is surounded by the most beautiful mountains and valleys. I took a truck from Sucre to Chataquila with my latest friends Ali and Leila from the U.S. Our goal was to reach the town of Maragua in one day which is located in a meteorite crater about 35 km from Chataquila (3.650 m). We walked an ancient inca trail, passed rock and cave paintings, watched an old lady chase her goats up the mountains and sleept on hey mattresses in a picturesque village on the way. Check out the photo gallery for more photos.

Photo: Chaunaca Valley, Sucre, Bolivia

 

Paraguay

12 October 2009, Asuncion: I arrived in Asuncion, Paraguay's capital city.

The weather changed dramatically from the mountainous area of north west Argentina where it was desert-like dry and cold at night. In Paraguay it's very humid and hot with about 35 degrees celsius. There was heavy ss rain and wind last night. Imagine this: I haven't seen any rainfall in three months.

Photo: Asuncion, Paraguay

 

Argentina

29 September 2009, Salta: I am back in Argentina in the north western provinces, aka NOA.

Visited a few Quechuan villages along the Panamericana: Humahuaca, Tilcara and Purmamarca. Outside of Humahuaca there is a UNESCO world heritage site which I wanted to visit. While I waited for a shared taxi on the road to the ruins I was invited by villagers to join them for a wedding ceremony in a remote farming settlement 25 km outside of Humahuaca . It didn't take me long to say "Si, gracias."

Photo: Shepard with flock, Humahuaca, Argentina

 

Invitation to a wedding: During the day there was the obligatory soccer (football) match, a running competition, a fishing contest, and even traditional dacing. The priest and his helpers gave me a ride back into town after a long day of ceremonies, games, eating, drinking and the church service.

Photo: Quechuan wedding, Humahuaca, Argentina

 

Bolivia

24 September 2009, Tupiza: Crossing the high Andean mountains by 4x4.

Spent a week in Bolivia, crossed the Andean Mountains from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile to Uyuni, Bolivia passing hot springs at 4.200 m, geyser fields at 5.000 m, 6.000 m volcanos, heaps of lagunes with lots and lots of flamingos. There were also numerous llamas along the way. Highlight were the salt flats of Uyuni. Pictures will follow soon. Check out the photo gallery for more photos.

Photo: Vulcan Ollargue, 5863 m., Bolivia

 

Chile

16 September 2009, San Pedro de Atacama: Touristy and overloaded with tour agencies...

...that's my impression of San Pedro de Atacama. I participated in one tour one afternoon which was alright, visiting some places of geological importance, huge sand dunes, a dry moonlike river bed and a sunset view point. Shortly after my arrival I signed up for a 3 days 4x4 trip to Uyuni, Bolivia. I didn't intend to go to Bolivia already but the offer was to tempting.

Photo: View point in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

08 September 2009, Valparaiso: UNESCO World heritage for urban development.

Arrived in Valp(arais)o recently and marvel around the UNESCO world heritage sites, the cerros (hills), mainly Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion. Valparaiso downtown doesn't have much to offer for my taste. But I really enjoyed the hillside areas with its acensores (escalators), cobbled streets, little cafes, churches and many view points (paseos).

Photo: Cerro Alegre, Valparaiso, Chile

 

Argentina

05 September 2009, Uspallata: Smack in the middle of the Andean Mountains

I am in the village of Uspallata, in an exceptionally beautiful valley surrounded by polychrome and snow capped mountains about half way between Mendoza and border to Chile. The area served as location for the Brad Pitt epic Seven Years in Tibet. To the east the mountains rise to about 2.000 - 2.500 m. high and fairly easy to scale. South of town mountains are about 3.000 - 3.500 m. above sea level and in the western direction going towards Chile they get even more majestic with 4.000 - 4.500 m.

Photo: Bovedas Historicas, Uspallata, Argentina

 

One and a half hours away from Uspallata is the highest mountain in the western hemisphere, Cerro Aconcagua, 6.960 m. Rumours say that the mountain can be climbed with a guide even by non-professionals. Unfortunately the Provincial Park is closed during winter and opens for climbers and trekkers only from December to March. I'll try to get at least to Base Camp (as I did at Mount Everest in 2006) but access seems to be restricted.

Photo: Cerro Aconcagua and I, Argentina

 

01 September 2009, Vallecitos: First days in the Andean mountains

I am headed to the Andean Mountains. Finally! This mountain range was on my list of must-see before returning home for a long time. I booked transfer and accommodation for a 'Refugio', a mountain lodge at 2.550 m. above sea level in Vallecitos. The surrounding mountains are called Cordon del Plata with their summits way above 5.000 m. I try a few lower peaks like Arsenales (3.400 m.) and Lomas Blancas (3.650 m.). Check out the photo gallery for more photos.

Photo: Summit of Lomas Blancas, Vallecitos, Argentina

The winds on the summits and ridges are strong! I even got blown over twice and had to stay down for a while until the winds calmed down. Tail wind while going up is a great help but dangerous going down hill. The gusts are so strong that I have to hold up my hiking pants or else I would lose them. I am lucky, too: On one of the hikes I saw wild lamas grazing at an altitude of 3.500 m. They are actually called something else but I can't remember. The difference to lamas is that they cannot be domesticated or tamed. Their fur looks more like deer fur but they still have their long necks.

 

13 August 2009, Cordoba: The city of churches and plazas

I had some really great days in Cordoba. Cordoba is the second biggest city in Argentina and has a charm of its own. Most of the time I spent in the city centre wandering around the many sights like the plentiful churches, old buildings and beautiful plazas. I was always looking around for a quite place to study Spanish and have a cafe con facturas (sweet pieces). And there were many. Highlight was a wine tasting in an old church (benches, altar etc. were removed). The location is used for functions now. That's where I met the most inviting Argentinean couple, Federico and Veronica. The day after the tasting we drove to the country side, al campo, to attend a birthday party on a friend's estate. Views were awe inspiring and the company non plus ultra. I had a really great time. Photos will follow shortly.

Photo: Federico and Veronica, al campo, Cordoba, Argentina

 

08 August 2009, Buenos Aires: My dear friend Stefan marries Katrin in Germany!

I am back in Buenos Aires for a few days to see Elan off. She stayed for three fantastic weeks. We had so much fun travelling around together. I was sad to say another 'good bye' to her. Also: On August 8th, my dear friend Stefan gets married to Katrin in Wiesloch, Germany. Celebrations are in Mannheim, Germany. I deeply regret not being there to celebrate with them. BA is a long way from Mannheim.

Photo: At 20:08 (German time) I called the MARUBA in Mannheim to speak to the newly married couple.

Today I will leave Buenos Aires. On a night bus I will travel to Cordoba to enjoy the sierras (mountains) and culture of central Argentina. I just hope it won't be too cold in Cordoba - it's still winter in Argentina.

 

Brazil

06 August 2009, Foz do Iguacu: 275 waterfalls and a 80m drop.

We finally made it to the waterfalls, catarates, in west Brazil, the oversized local water feature and tourist magnet. We endured a long overnight bus from Curitiba and arrived early in the morning. We left our backpacks at the entrance gates and enjoyed these magnificent waterfalls without hauling them around. I have been here in 1996 already on a clear sunny day like today. The only difference is that it didn't rain during the days before my last visit thirteen years ago. Today the water is not blue and clear as I remember but rather brown from all the siderivers despositing their mud and dirt into Rio Parana. Check out the photo gallery for more photos.

Photo: Devil's Throat, Iguacu Falls, Brazil

 

One of my travel mates from Malaysia 2005 wrote about the Iguacu Falls: "... picture if you will, a wonky horseshoe 3km wide, 90 metres high with 275 waterfalls spouting from it like a giant watering can! In the rainy season, the falls merge into a gargantuan wall of water, cascading 17,750 cubic metres of water a second..   According to some nerd on the Internet, an Olympic swimming pool holds 375 cubic metres of water... Noooow.. if i jus do that calculation in my head (rigght).. that´s approximately 43 Olympic swimming pools falling 90 metres every second...  Put plainly, that's a lot of water falling a great deal of the time... And like one of those electric pictures hung in Chinese take aways... it´s near impossible to stop staring at!!!" by Dan Cremin, 13 May 2006

 

28 July 2009, Canela: A German town in southern Brazil

Two days ago we left Uruguay. The last night we spent in the border town Rio Branco. Brazil is just on the other side of the river. We could just walk over and have a look around without doing immigrations - which was easy but almost ended up in an disaster when we went to buy tickets to Porto Alegre. We were told the local bus wouldn't stop to do the border formalities. Luckily there was enough time to go back to the Uruguayan immigration office (5 km outside of town) to obtain our exit stamp and to go to the Brazilian policia federal to receive an entry stamp. Formalities completed, we then bought the bus ticket with our last USD and Uruguayan pesos - the brazilian ATMs didn't like our bank cards. We were actually USD 5 short but still obtained a ticket!

Photo: Caracol Waterfall (130 m.), Canela, Brazil

 

Uruguay

24 July 2009, Minas: Rain and cold

We're freezing in the hill town of Minas and planning the Southern Brazil leg. There are only three hotels in Minas only. The room prices doubled since Lonely Planet's last edition! Bugger but at least there is free internet.

Photo: Church in Minas, Uruguay

 

21-July 2009, Montevideo: Drowning in rain in Carmelo and Colonia del Sacramento. We almost got blown over in stormy weather in the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo.

 

Argentina

19 July 2009, Buenos Aires: Elan arrived on July, 19th at Buenos Aires airport.

During her three-weeks-stay we'll discover Buenos Aires, colonial cities and the hinterland of Uruguay, German south Brazil and the waterfalls in Iguacu as well as Jesuit estates in northeast Argentina. I hope that we'll manage to spend some time in places in Brazil where I have been in 1996 already.

Photo: Elan and Fabian on a boat to Uruguay, Rio Plata, Arg.

 

15 July 2009, Buenos Aires: Finally, I arrived in South America - two months later than expected.

Buenos Aires is a huge city with a population of about 13 million - four times the total of New Zealand and half of the whole of Australia. But it's easy enough to get around on foot. I stay in San Telmo with its cobbled streets and aging mansions, a 15-minute walk from the city centre, Microcentro. I already walked around the blocks and paid my respects to a few sights like the Casa Rosada with its famous balcony from where Evita energized adoring crowds during her heyday in the 1940s. Nearby is the neoclassic Catedral Metropolitana where national hero and liberator Jose de San Martin is buried.
Photo: Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires, Argentina

At the same time I am busy figuring out where to go next. It'll probably be Uruguay - Southern Brazil - Paraguay and back to Argentina for the next four weeks.

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