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THE OTHER AMERICA JOURNALS
                        Peru – Ecuador – Brazil – Argentina – Uruguay – Chile
                                                          July & December 2010

                                                               By David Berkowitz




What follows is a personal travelogue spanning six South American countries over the course of about
three weeks in July and December 2010. All views and photos are my own. All photos from the trip are
at http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz , with a smaller sampling on Facebook as well.




Contents
The Other America Journal: Peru and Ecuador ............................................................................................ 2

The Return to Other America: Rio – Buenos Aires – Colonia - Santiago..................................................... 70

Appendix 1: Recommendation List ........................................................................................................... 110

Appendix: Book List................................................................................................................................... 112
The Other America Journal
                  Peru & Ecuador
                        7/15-7/29

                           2010

                   By David Berkowitz




Just a seven hour flight, but an entirely different universe
7/15 9:18pm

JFK Terminal 4 Oasis Lounge

We overshot the Oasis, backtracking to find it. Well worth it, of course, especially with the business class
pass making security reentry a cinch.

To start, let’s hear from Peruvian novelist and poet Jose Maria Arguedas in Deep Rivers:

        I felt I should be like the great river, crossing the land, cutting through the rocks, undetainably
        and serenely flowing through mountains and forests, and entering the sea accompanied by a
        huge nation of birds that sing from the heavens.

And so it begins.

Weaning myself off the day to day. Goodbye laptop and Droid, an iPad and iPhone with me to check in
and keep me entertained. After Deep Rivers¸ a Kindle with my library. And a general sense of lightness,
one I haven’t felt so prominently in some time.



Friday, July 16

11:16pm

Radisson Decapolis
Miraflores
Lima
Peru

A very long day…

12am – Departed on LAN, so spacious. The steward spoke to us in Spanish, as everyone else would wind
up doing here. We noted we spoke English.

        Steward: Do you know where you’re going? Lima or Santiago?

        Us: Lima

        Steward: Do you know what language they speak in Lima? In Lima, we speak Spanish.

He was being playful, but truthful. It’s an attitude implicit here. Little English. The expectation is you
speak the language.

I basically slept the whole flight, bed flat, eye mask on. Not a perfect night’s sleep but really close.
6:40am – Land. Customs. Bags await us. So does Milagros, our host from Inka Natura (our travel agency),
and Miguel the driver.

8ish, maybe a bit later – Arrive at hotel. Modern, clean, comfortable.

8:30ish – Breakfast, a good international spread. Chicken tamale, egg with huancaina sauce, some new
fruit I’ve never seen before like some kind of cactus, and a yambo. And lox – always lox at these things.
Great bread.

9 – Room. Shower.

9:30 – Pass out.

11:30 – Stir.

12 – Get moving. First, heading out on foot to Mercado Indio, Indian Market. Supposedly a huge area
supporting locals. Really, a tourist trap. Some fun stuff – got a Cholo Bond tshirt and a well hung statue.

Passed by JFK Park.

Hailed a cab with little difficulty – cabs were easy to find and never seemed to cheat us, even running off
the meter. But they didn’t always know where we were going.

1-1:30 – Cab from Miraflores to San Isidro, another nice neighborhood that underwhelmed. Our target
restaurant: Chifa Real, a highly recommended restaurant, and it was packed. But it wasn’t any good.
Chifa is everywhere here – amazingly so. Every neighborhood we saw had several. It’s Peruvian Chinese
food and from our first tastes, we’ll take NY’s.




                                    No reason to sing ‘hail to the chifa’
Had Inca Cola. Similar to Jarritos, bought by Coca-Cola. It is everywhere, more than chifa. No Diet Coke,
except at dinner later – not in any ‘bodega’ or street cart.

3ish- Got to Pueblo Libre, further west. With a bit of effort, found the San Rafael Larco Herrera Museum,
with an amazing exhibition of mostly pre-Inca pottery, jewelry, clothing, art, and other artifacts. So
beautifully done, and the Moche, Huari, etc were incredible with their animal and human
representations. Must visit.




And then, their erotic art gallery – fascinating, but less of a wonder or treasure.




                              Typical caption at Larco Hererra’s erotic gallery
Walked from there. At a random bakery on Bolivar, had an amazing chicken-filled pastry, a sweet
empanada of sorts reminiscent of chicken hombows in Seattle’s Pike Place.

Made it to a collective of native women artists, less enthralled.

Cab to Barranco, through severe traffic at 5, to Dedalo, recommended by a NY-turned-Lima resident
encountered outside Museo Rafael. Pretty but not a must.

Tough to find a cab back. Rudimentary Spanish and TripIt helped get there.

Dinner: Astrid Y Gaston, a 10-15 minute walk away. Some say Peru or South America’s best food. We’ll
believe it. HAD to do 12 course tasting menu. Loved every last one.

The amuse bouche was really special – a potato soup, raw seafood, and corn fritter, representing 3 of
Peru’s most important staples. Brilliant and perfect. So was the crisp and juicy guinea pig in a blue corn
tortilla. All great dishes – no weak links, but damn were we full.




                                     The Astrid Y Gaston tasting menu
11:15 – Back.


Sat July 17
8:26am
Radisson

The morning begins with:

COPS: Bizarre Calls

Dubbed in Spanish, on TruTV



5:30pm
Radisson

Fun facts today:

    -   Peru has 4,000 chifa restaurants and 200,000 Chinese people

    -   Facundo Arana stars in both Yago Pasion Morena and Padre Coraje (two soap operas)

    -   Many buses are privately run, hence why they call out for passengers

Today – Too full for breakfast. I had a snack pack, enough until lunch.

Our guide Nelida (?) and driver (Manuel?) picked us up at 9.

Braved the traffic to Plaza de Armas and the Colonial City of Lima – something awesome, a great mix of
architecture borrowed from the Spanish, French and elsewhere, much of it dating to 17th C. Saw the
Church of San Martin and later San Francisco, the train station converted to a literary cultural center,
the cathedral, post office, and probably more than I can make sense of, though photos will help. This is
clearly why Lima has been and should be a world class city, and they’re ramping up efforts to increase
tourism. Case in point: the Red Bull / Samsung motorcross event taking place soon right outside the
presidential palace, just to get more exposure for the venue.
Mail slot in Peru’s Colonial City




You can still stare at some of Peru’s saints eye socket to eye socket
This saint is from the same small Polish town as my grandfather




         Francisco Pizarro’s head wound up in this box
Inca Kola: easier to find in Peru than water




                            A sampling of imports available at the post office

Lunch: Rosa Nautica, on a pier in Miraflores. It’s more about the scenery, which was gorgeous, and
included local wildlife such as Inca terns [birds], spider crabs and surfers. A seagull camped out on a
ledge by the window outside our table waiting for the bread man to feed him. The bread man came
through, and fed us plenty – I had 6 pieces. The food was good – finally had ceviche in Peru, C had
potatoes, then we had different seafood dishes and a flan for dessert – but nothing we’ll crave later like
the guinea pig last night.
An Inca Tern outside Rosa Nautica

After that, ruins of Pachacamac 30km outside Lima, surrounded by the city’s slums. Interesting, but the
explanations needed work, and while vast, they’re among the less aesthetically pleasing ruins I’ve seen,
which diminishes the experience. The cathedral at least had bones of tens of thousands of bodies – a
great showpiece. Not much like that here.




                       The slums outside Lima were more fascinating than the ruins

Then a drive through nicer parts like San Isidro, leading to a useful lesson: If you want to find the ritziest
part of town, look for the embassies. What’s true in Cairo is true of Lima.
The tour ended in Miraflores with Parque del Amor, a gorgeous park with a massive statue by an artist
unfortunately initialed VD.
Then on our own we hit Larcomar, handily the most overpriced shopping area we ever visited. It was
packed, but no one seemed to be buying anything.



10:48pm

Dinner – 7 – La Huaca, a restaurant at the front of ruins in San Isidro.

More guinea pig, ceviche… decent but not spectacular. Beautiful venue, al Fresco with coal fires and the
ruins in front of us. Similar to Rosa, the experience trumps the cuisine.

Walked home. Along the way:

-A supermarket, a major one, with tons of great and varied produce, international delicacies…
fascinating. Why those grocers wore dunce hats, no idea. And apparently Philly cream cheese goes on
everything but bagels.




                                      Silly hat day at the grocery store

-Arriving near Kennedy Park, fireworks – totally unexpected, in advance of independence day festivities.
Likely a dry run.
-An awful flea market in the park – hideous stuff.

-A department store with great variety and awful prices, and nothing we’d want to buy.



Sun 18 Julio

12:20 P(eru)ST

LAN 098 Lima-Quito

Premium Economy to Quito – it helps in Lima’s airport, where LAN’s economy line snaked around the
terminal. Easy baggage claim will help when we get in. As for the lounge, C heard LAN’s Lima lounge is
the nicest in South America. Beyond the full bar and delicacies like Diet Coke, it’s hardly worth the price
of admission.

Woke up in the middle of the night dreaming I was buying a pickle farm, as a magazine about pickle
farming arrived for me at home, and I was reviewing the classifieds, even wondering if I should buy one
from Matt W and Danielle M at work. Apparently they grow in a very select latitude, which crosses NJ.
Mike McCurry had some announcement about it too.

Breakfast – a nosh in-room and at the hotel restaurant. Had Ritz galletas w/cheese, better than the
strawberry Oreos.

Now on the plane, so breakfast in Peru leads to dinner in Ecuador, a marvel of today – to think we could
have planned dessert in Medellin.
As for the seats, it’s a funny jerry rig, a middle seat in regular economy accommodations reserved for
blankets and drink holders.

Take off soon, Quito soon enough.



10-something, Hotel Quito, Quito

Another long day, and a high one

After an easy flight – more sleeping, reading, breezed through airport security in Quito and met
driver/guide Roberto and his daughter, 5, Maria-something, holding a small beverage and, in her left
hand, a small bird she found en route to the airport. Google Translate taught me “bird” was “pajaro,”
later providing some grounds for communication while Roberto disappeared. He lost his airport exit
ticket, delaying us at least a half hour before he gave up and paid the $50 – in USD, as everything is here,
except some small change from certain vendors. Perhaps consequently, some prices seem cheap, some
low cost, some pretty standard for the US, and at the mall, some downright ludicrous.




                                     The mysterious bird girl of Quito
We dropped our bags at the hotel and spent little time here before bolting to Teleferiqo, the cable cars
going up a mountain from around 9,700 feet to 13,300 feet, and we further walked higher – no
acclimatization, drinking a bottle of water on the way. The driver, Manuel, speaking in Spanish, kept
selling us on his touring services as we darted across town, past another few dozen chifa spots, along
with plenty of KFCs, Pizza Huts and Texas Chickens, a surprisingly prominent chain.

Violating every ounce of good advice, we bought our tickets all of 90 minutes after landing. Locals paid
under $5 and foreigners paid $8.50, but the foreigner prices were the same for the regular and express
lines so we just cut ahead. Then came the rapid ascent, leaving the city behind us, soaring over some
mountain bikers making their way down the steep slopes, all covered in green this close to the equator,
even in winter. Hopping out, after sharing a car with a kid around 20 now living in Killeen, TX doing
construction work, we felt a bit dizzy but overall okay, enough to go walk awhile further, and some
degree higher, to soak in the views just before daylight faded.

Really astounding, and our visit to Quito was worth it for that alone.
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
We found a taxi after trekking well past the exit, feeling good about not feeling too bad with the high
altitude. We had the driver take us to an Indian and/or artisan market which he said was open until 9
but closed early on Sunday. We had him take us to a mall downtown, and then he tried doubling the
rate because it was two stops, even though he knew the market closed early. We gave him $6 instead of
the $10 he asked, which was more than he should have charged us to go direct anyway.

The mall was again overpriced, except for the supermarket, and we had a great if slow cooked snack of
chicken kebabs and fries in the food court.

For dinner we sought out La Ronda, which Roberto the guide and the hotel clerk recommended, despite
us knowing some good options. Supposedly authentic, it was clearly for tourists, with folk singing and
dancing, but they couldn’t answer basic English questions like if the water was purified – a bad sign,
compounded by the packaged butter and nearly stale bread (the bread wherever we went in Peru was
amazing and abundant). A banana empanada, an amuse bouche of sorts, was decent, but my tamale
appetizer was inedible, as was the egg-covered oversalted beef entrée. After a couple bites we got the
check and left in a cab for McDonald’s – the fifth continent on which we’ve eaten it, C opting for the ¼
pounder and me the Shrek burger with tortilla chips on it – fantastic. With two stops (and a long wait at
McD’s), the driver charged us $5 and we gave him $8.




                         Well, at least SOMEONE is happy to be at McDonald’s

Now we repack – carry-on only for the Galapagos, we hope, as we will return here Thurs. Too soon?
Sure, but so far so good.
Monday, July 19
2pmish
Galapagos Legend ship
Middle of the Galapagos Islands
Ecuador

Made it. The world wonder tour is now well underway as pelicans, seals, and flora I can’t truly
appreciate greeted us at Baltra Island.




                First animal sighting in the Galapagos: the pelican hospitality committee

On the way, there was an hour delay for a flight at a chaotic, confusing, tiny airport terminal. Despite
too little info from Roberto and too much Spanish from the announcements, it all came together. It just
took:

    -   Waking up at 5, storing our large suitcases and packing our carry-ons. Liquids turned out to be a
        non-issue.

    -   The delay and confusion, as noted.

    -   Two flights on the same plane, a pretty massive one about as big as each airport where it
        stopped.

    -   Surviving the strange noxious spray they misted into all the overhead compartments. As for the
        family with buckets of KFC, I hope they didn’t eat it.

    -   A raft [panga] ride from the airport-area dock (following a bus trip there) to the ship. Klein Tours
        made that leg easy.
Pangas, or rafts, which we used a couple times a day to shuttle between the ship and the islands

So…

Hotel Quito – car – airport – plane – break in Guayaquil – plane – Galapagos airport – bus – raft – ship




                                       The bathroom on AeroGal 33
6:25pm

Following lunch – v good buffet I neglected to mention earlier, sitting beside a middle aged couple from
LA and a senior couple from Houston, Ray and Nancy, who visited about 99% of US National Parks and
whose male half was in seminary school and later worked for Lifeway Christian publishing. All very nice.

Oh, so this Galapagos thing…




The map of our itinerary; we just covered the shorter, orange span

I’ll hardly do justice describing it. Heck, Darwin’s Origin of the Species, brilliant and important as it is, is a
bore. Reading it though, I’m all the more honored to walk through his footsteps. The Galapagos Islands
are so meticulously cared for, even if too many visitors pass through, and it’s clear we are guests on the
animals’ and plants’ turf.

As for sightings…

    -    Pelicans and seals after landing

    -    Approaching North Seymour Island by raft, a swarm of hermit crabs escaped en masse into the
         rocks, a perfectly timed, picturesque greeting.
-   Sea lions hid on the rocks – you could step on one in particular if you weren’t looking. Another
      lay dead up top – one more reminder of where we are, a natural environment. Another seemed
      lifeless but was just napping.

  -   Swallow tailed gulls with their red feet then greeted us.

  -   They soon made way for their enemies, the violent great and magnificent frigatebirds, never so
      great or magnificent as when mating, with the males puffing out the red ventral sack.

  -   Land iguanas occasionally lazily walked by. Some seemed to smile.

  -   Blue footed boobies courted each other. We saw one promising male get rejected.

  -   Little yellow warblers blended in with the sparse greenery.

  -   Larger crabs dotted the rocks.




Bob Marley rock – you can see the face, and then sort of see the dreads vertically carved into the side
Frigatebirds attack one another




    A content land iguana
Puff, puff, pop
Tues July 20
Galapagos Legend
11:40am

Another hike, this time through Santa Cruz to see land lizards, and a couple of their darker water lizard
brethren.




Also saw pelicans, blue herons – a majestic one, sulfur butterflies, a sea lion, crabs, a gecko,
mockingbird, and all kinds of flora. No sign of goats, those ruinous pests they’re trying to take out, or
blackberries – ditto.

Breakfast was fantastic, served 7-8 following wakeup music and announcements starting at 6:45. Bacon,
pineapple, plantains, mozzarella sticks, French toast. Then toured with group Albatross and guide
Andres from 8-11.
A favorite memory: sea lions with their rock pillows



6:40pm
Galapagos Legend

LAND, SEA, AIR

Lunch – a so-so spread, fried squid, hot dog bar, rice… ehh. But undoubtedly more than anyone we’re
making the best use of the galleta (cookie & cracker) bar down the hall.

Napped.

Wet landing at Floreana – Cormorant Point.

Beautiful scenery and hiking and beach walking – sea lions, turtles, crabs, a couple frigates, a dead
seahorse, jellyfish, stingrays… lots of plant life, including the pink algae that gives the color to shrimp
and then flamingos. But no flamingos. Also saw mineral olivine, which sounds like a big deal and gives a
pretty green color to the beach.
Galapagos crab

Water for snorkeling – freezing, even in a wetsuit. Didn’t see much and we missed the big turtles. Oh
well. Stopped by Galleta Bar and saw Eric & Beverly from Houston. No one gets how I’m not from Texas
and wearing the UT shirt.

Oh, great hot chocolate after the water – score another for Klein Tours.

And… yes, now we’ve seen the islands from air, land, and sea.

One other note:

Fascinating how different all these islands are, in such close proximity. You’d think you’re hopping
among different countries.


Wed 7/21

12:30pm
Legend

Breakfast – awesome cheese empanadas, basically mozz sticks, plus some other stuff. Good pineapple.

Then, an awesome tour of Espanola, the rocky trails encircling the island going by the cliffs and other
terrain, another wealth of ecological sites. Marine lizards everywhere, often keeping still to preserve
heat.
Christmas iguanas huddling close



Sea lions- tons of them, lots of pups. A big one blocked our path as we started out.
Albatrosses cared for their babies, while we saw others do the mating dance.
Finches abounded, many wanting our attention.

Blue footed boobies dotted the paths. Nazca boobies hung out along the cliffs.




                              Blue footed boobies show off their footwear
Smaller lizards popped up, while finches fed on a dead one.

A snake appeared just off the path.

A pair of hawks buzzed atop a rock.

Yellow warblers added spots of color in contrast to the black rocks.

Animal life was everywhere today, out in full force. So much beauty and amazement.

Also good: the chocolate fondue after we got back.

Good lunch too – seafood paella, sausage/chicken kebab.



6:30pm

Legend

Back in the room with our Nabisco/Kraft Coronita Konitos Fresa (strawberry/vanilla sandwich cookies)
and Club Social (Club crackers) – staples of the galleta bar. Oreos werehard to find, and the Chips Ahoy
tasted funny.

This afternoon, after a bit of a nap, left for San Cristobal, dry landing, 30 min bus ride across the island to
a tortoise breeding center. They’re making adorable tortoise babies and when they’re old enough at age
five, reintroducing them to repopulate the different species, many endemic here. Really amazing,
ancient creatures. We watched awhile as a younger male went after a most unwilling cougar.
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The babies were fun but all penned in, except for #1 offspring Genesis, now 5, who was in the open
munching away.




                             Genesis 1:1 – the tortoise repopulation begins

The main town, the political seat of the islands, was rather sparse – many stores on an extended siesta,
and lots of souvenir shops selling the same stuff. We got 3 bottles of soda for $4.50, some time at an
internet café for $1, and a couple tshirts for about $10 apiece. Watching seals play on the steps by the
dock: priceless.




                                                Seal tag
On the raft, or panga, back, we heard of a strike that may go on across Peru when we’re in Machu
Picchu. What drama will unfold? As long as we can see MP, I’m really eager to find out and wouldn’t
mind getting stuck here because of it.

On that note, this was our first chance to get ANY news. The US could have gone to war and we’d have
no idea. No internet, TV or news clippings on the boat.


10:30

Finalizing the paperwork of this short long trip, saying farewell, packing.

At dinner tonight, at our assigned seats, for the first time we spoke with both Hispanic families on either
side.

On my right, a Quito-area-based family of four that spoke almost no English. Very sweet, but they were
surprised to see me smile and thought I was so serious. When with a waiter’s help they learned I worked
in advertising, the mother refused to believe that was a real profession.

On my left, Sylvia, Alberto and their two kids, of four. Mexico City Jews that do advertising for properties
they own in jewelry and technology. Sylvia appreciated some tips for NY and loved talking about Israel,
which she visited twice in the past two years.

And just hours before, on the bus from the tortoise breeding center into town, I got into a lengthy,
somewhat one-sided chat with Lifeway Ray about football. Sometimes the conversations pick you.

Did farewell cocktails. A guide’s takeaway was how this area, so dependent upon human support for its
conservation, is this totally wild environment where humans opt to explore nature in a rare Eden-like
way. Perhaps it’s too much to say it’s untouched – there were footpaths built by us, we saw the
breeding center, and we can’t totally control introducing species that can drastically impact the ecology.
But it’s close, and it’s real, and you can trip over animals who completely don’t mind our presence. It is
unusual, incredibly special, and well worth the trip here, even for the duration we’ve been here.


Thurs 7/22

6:40am

Last night, a final stroll on deck – sea deck.

Cold night. Lots of cold here now – the water, the room temp. A jacket comes in handy.

A half dozen swallow tail gulls trailed the boat, flying overheard. A pod of sea lions played a game of
boat tag, swimming toward the boat, then swimming out 15-30 feet on their backs. The more you
watched, the more of them you saw.

Cold as it was, I stayed awhile to watch.
8:40am

Breakfast: Toast, pineapple, sausage, a couple mini potato empanadas – fairly small plate all in all, plus
strawberry juice.

Finished packing. Just handheld bags left. Did a quick panga ride around Santa Cruz, with the highlight
being a bunch of sharks hanging out in clear, shallow water, and countless Brooke Shields references in
Spanish (re: Blue Lagoon).




                      Sharks in the blue lagoon. Insert Brooke Shields reference here.

Stopped by Galleta Bar. Must have eaten all the cornitas. Saw the Texas Christians and the lesbians
(possibly).

A little downtime now before the hubbub of returning. The strike looms ever closer – four more days
until we’re supposed to see Machu Picchu and stones may literally obstruct our train tracks if it’s a day
early, or they may keep us there if it’s on schedule. Dun dun DUNHHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNNHNHN!



12:45 mainland time

11:45 Galapagos time

AeroGal 33 Galapagos -> Guayaquil -> Quito (3 places that mean something to me now that didn’t not
long ago)
Said our farewell to the Legend, mingled with some passengers and took a panga to the Baltra dock,
greeted by an array of birds and a couple marine iguanas.

A bus then brought us to the terminal where we found out about an hour delay. We spent the time
browsing souvenirs, snacking on pollo empanadas and Sprite/Diet Coke, flying through security, and
then chatting awhile with Sylvia the Mexican Jew, a fascinating woman who speaks perfect English
(unlike her husband, who spoke none), loves reading and travel, and openly shared her take on Mexico’s
kidnapping problem. This is her biggest concern – she fears it every time her kids leave her each day. Her
uncle was kidnapped but was treated kindly as the local priest in Acapulco told the kidnappers how well
the victim, a hotel owner, treated the locals, especially the poor. Sylvia’s bigger concern is the
spontaneous kidnapping designed to get a few bucks (eg $10K) in a few hours.

Ahh, Mexico.

And now the flight takes off, feeling somewhat like an episode of Lost where you know the names of a
bunch of the people on board, and others you recognize from random episodes. I’m next to Eric and
Beverly, who are kind of like the interracial older couple on Lost, just not interracial. And on this flight
there are far more teens and boomers/seniors rather than the 20-30-something stars of the series.




3pm
Guayaquil

Here’s the episode in Lost where half the plane gets off in Guayaquil, the chief coastal city of Ecuador,
including the older not-quite interracial couple that has a connecting flight on Copa Airlines.



10:30 Mainland Time
Quito Hotel
By Abraham Lincoln Plaza
Fascinating city – often third world but cosmopolitan. Lots of English – real pride in it, with less Spanish
nationalism. Ecuador had economic booms before with coffee, bananas and chocolate, and perhaps
they see English as the ticket to the next one. It can’t hurt. Their prices are just cheap enough to offer
great deals for American shoppers, along with others. They’re just high enough that the country doesn’t
feel like a charity case – it’s not third world pricing.

After landing, no sign of a guide, which was soon sorted out with Klein Tours and Inka Natura. Altitude
effects kicked in, and being overtired couldn’t help.

The first stop: a return to Hotel Quito, with much of the Legend – the lesbians, Texans and Canadian
class are all here, so the whole hotel may exist to serve Klein Tours. It sounds like we’ll be the last to
leave.

After a quick scare over a missing camera, false at that, and reports that the strike may not affect us (but
could…), we left for the artisan market, with maybe a hundred stalls – more? - of souvenirs – enough of
it beautiful, handcrafted, reasonably priced stuff, with plenty that’s chintzy or I-could-never-wear-it-
ugly.

I did get a leather cowboy hat – they love leather here – and a few other things with C. We then walked
around the neighborhood, near Quito’s Central Park and a bust of 19th C. President Garcia Moreno.

Then… dinner.

Wait, no. We had balon de verde from a café of sorts owned by the son of a Swiss immigrant. Basically
fried baseball sized chunks of banana falafel like dough with cheese (C) or pork (me). From the Hilton,
we cabbed it to Zazu, rated as possibly the best restaurant in Ecuador. If so, it deserves it. The only
knock I have is how it labeled the restrooms. I first saw “m” and almost went in, but it was open enough
to reveal no urinals. Then I held back, pretended to check my phone, and followed another guy in the
other bathroom, which I later saw was marked “h” – hombres, not mujeres.




                              Seeing the “m” first is very confusing for gringos
The dinner – SO good –

    -      Perfectly battered and dressed fried calamari

    -      Grilled pulpo salad

    -      Crispy cones with raw tuna, stone crab, and something else – reminded us of Per Se

C had a delicious and generously portioned tuna, while my Criollo de Lomo steak was ridiculously
flavorful. A trio of chocolate desserts via Republic de Cacao capped it off. Beautiful, modern décor, good
service… I’d return in a heartbeat. All for $90 total, at a place that would compete with Aureole if in NY.

With this and Astrid Y Gaston, we’ve probably hit two of the best restaurants on the continent, a
surprising bonus.

Must wind down. Another day of touring ahead, and a flight – international. Yet Galapagos to Quito
really feels like country hopping. Quito to Lima, not as much.

It is nice being in a stationary bed – no seafaring tonight. Miss those boobies and others though.



Fri 7/23

4:34pm
Hotel Quito (where I’m now the [Foursquare]mayor!)

Another packed day.

Not a great night’s sleep, battled a bit of a stomach bug.

Breakfast at hotel – nice spread but I ate light. Incredible views of Quito from 7th fl.

A bit late, we met our guide Ammalia and drove to the equator museum [Museo de Sitio Intinan]. The
landmark we recognized as a symbol of Ecuador is actually 215 meters away from the equator, with the
original discoverers having been a bit off a couple hundred years back. We later saw the big monument,
but it didn’t compare to the museum and tour at the REAL center, complete with shrunken heads, boa
constrictors, guinea pigs, fish that enter your genitals when you pee, and [dramatized] science
experiments, such as balancing an egg, watching how water draining has no centrifugal force right on
the equator, and a challenging balancing act with the northern and southern hemisphere forces pulling
at you simultaneously. Well done [if not always perfect science], with an engaging guide who plays well
with American tourists.
Remember, first cut, THEN boil the water
The guide swore this wasn’t intentional. COME ON!




Ever feel like men are from the northern hemisphere and women are from the southern hemisphere?
Meaning: not calculated with this guesswork like you get at the other site
People who paid to stare at the outdated monument




               So cute, so delicious
From Mitad del Mundo, we drove through Quito’s traffic and noxious pollution (a real issue here) to the
old colonial town, a breathtaking city within a breathtaking city, though the views everywhere here
always offer some kind of visual feast. We saw a couple churches and a cathedral, the churches
especially ornate. Words fail me here, and no pictures are allowed.




  So, umm, downtown Quito was being invaded by alien octopi and our guide just took us along to the
                                          next church

Our guide dropped us off at the prime food and bar area where we had an Ecuadorian meal at a non-
touristy place – a good spread of corn, pork (braised and fried), and plantains.

Walking around more, after an overpriced shop where I met a medical missionary from Nashville
watching the Cubs play the Cardinals, then wandered more and saw a sign by Kallari, a café, saying The
New York Times called it the world’s best chocolate. An MIT student from California told us she’s helping
them with their fair trade cooperative this summer. The chocolate was very good, hot chocolate pretty
decent and brownie nearly inedible.

Back to the hotel. We had 2 hours to kill and returned for the stretch (we negotiated a rate of $24 for
the time, but our tour manager later said it was on the house with extra late checkout). Watched some
local TV including short music videos from some frighteningly unphotogenic people with hotmail
addresses.

En route to UIO in <30.
7pm
Sala VIP
UIO

The VIP Lounge here is far nicer than the one in Lima – various amenities like ‘tv dinner’ carts for your
laptop, food or notebook, sodas on tap (Coke products), easily viewable departure times, and others.

Thanks in part to our Premium Economy status, it was a very quick process getting through here, even
with exit fees, checking bags (we checked all of them since they restricted it due to the overhead bins
not working well on this plane), going through immigration even as we forgot our cards (they couldn’t
have been nicer about it), and then security where we were the only people in sight. Then we passed
through literally about 3 dozen souvenir stands. Perhaps in honor of Ecuador with more biodiversity per
mile than any other country, they have more tchotchke shops per square foot than any other airport.

More fun facts about Ecuador:

Top industries, in order:

    1. Oil

    2. Roses (sent to Russia)

    3. Tourism / bananas

           (really)

Their president, Correa, is the first ever to speak Quechua, the traditional indigenous language (though
there are of course many others).

“Friends” is still popular here.

(Note: we had to distinguish when our guide meant “popular” in the American sense, vs her meaning,
which was “common.” So, it’s popular to serve in the military at 18 or live near the airport for the poor
and lower/middle classes.)



Sat 7/24

9:03am
Lima International airport
Gate 12

Last night, a largely uneventful flight.

Ramada Airport Hotel – Costa del Sol was modern and comfortable. Never had a bad shower in these
hotels. The room seemed a bit loud at first but it was a non issue. Manhattan living paid dividends.
RANDOM OBSERVATION:

In public areas like airports, mens rooms are on the left here, unlike the US where they’re on the right.
Once again, I almost entered the wrong one and was spared by following the crowd.

Ramada’s breakfast was another good spread. Still trying not to eat too heavy, though needed a taste of
bacon.

We walked back to the airport to security here. They have no premium class for domestic, not for
seating nor luggage, so our path led to the commoners line, snaking around much of that section of the
terminal. Soon enough it started moving, and the ticket counter clerk said even our carry-on baggage
was too heavy, so we checked that. Then security, but we had to pay a $7 exit fee. The lines would have
made 19th c. Russian writers proud.

Got some Frito Lay sweet potato (camote) Peruvian chips and Inca Kola. Off soon.



1:05pm
Casa Cartagena – restaurant
Cuzco or Cusco

Another early flight, slept and read.

Our greeter Maria was very nice. We asked about the strike, and she calmly said it’s on for the 27th-28th,
the first day being when we’re coming back from MP.



10ish? No clue.

Cartagena, room 5

Got cut off earlier following an outstanding bread plate at lunch, then some delicious trout and a
broccoli puree. Next time, alpaca kebab.

The hotel’s incredible – 16 rooms, spacious courtyard, tons of comfortable touches from decorative
pillows to bubble bath to motion sensor bathroom fans. We arrived and the host was waiting with our
key, expecting us. They greeted us with papaya-mango juice and coca tea, to help with the altitude.
Maria warned max 3x/day, none at night.
Casa Cartagena courtyard

It’s a funny town, with beautiful mixtures of Spanish and Inca architecture, and then tourist souvenir
stands everywhere, even in the grandest of churches. It was a relief this afternoon to see a handful of
young kids playing in the street and not hawking something, as so many do. Women, older ones in local
garb, offer to pose with their alpaca – some baby alpacas are hard to resist.

From lunch, Maria introduced us to Marta, an older, local woman who was great at scheduling visits to
hot spots for when they were less crowded, but exhorted us to ask questions only to criticize when we
did. If something bore repeating, she couldn’t understand many of our most basic questions, and
omitted key historical events because she didn’t like them – really. Where’s the passion of Galapagos
Andres, Egypt Hassan or India Ajay? It’d be hard to recommend Inka Natura, our travel operator, but it’s
also hard to be too critical when we’re having an amazing journey. Still, I’ve read 12-15 books on Peru
and Ecuador in the past several months and tried to understand a few things ahead of time, with the
idea that it would come to life here. That hasn’t been the case for much of the tour.

Back to Cuzco – narrow streets, similar style of construction in most of it (beyond the oldest parts) –
white or beige walls, some with blue trim due to a former mayor’s plan to spruce it up, red clay roofs.
Lots of Americans here, plus Germans and other Europeans. Lima had little English and most foreigners
seemed to be South American. Quito had a lot of English on storefronts, especially in central areas, and
it wasn’t uncommon to hear English there, it all exists for tourists, which is fun in the sense that it
thrives, but it dampens the magic that Cuzco should have, with its pivotal Inca history and then Colonial
renaissance. With so much hubbub it’s hard to imagine the Inca stones talking, as they did in Deep
Rivers by Arguedas.

The itinerary today:
1st, Sacsayhuaman, Inca spiritual and astrological center, full of symbolism and in a beautiful setting, as
is all of Cuzco in the mountains here. But the altitude does hit us, and walking uphill is a challenge, even
with coca and gingko.




Then Tambomachay, and another Inca ruin Q’enko. At the former, we saw irrigation, and the Canadians
from our Galapagos boat. Without the real context though – beyond some rote symbols and explanation
of Inca architecture – it lacked meaning. And we were ready to move.

Plaza de Armas was something else, especially the church-cathedral mega combo. Hard to describe and
no photos to share.
It was something special to be there, but really, McDonalds and Bembos in the main square? And the
vendors – as bad as Chichen Itza. Yes, something is lost here for it.

Then the Temple of the Sun, once an Inca religious center, but I grew tired of Marta, and more so that
she robbed that spot of any real fascination.




We did a quick stop at an alpaca store and learned about different qualities, but styles are either too
local, outdated (Cosby) or bland and overpriced.

Back to hotel. Ordered a new guide.

Then went walking – not much to buy at the tons of shops. We walked to and around Plaza de Armas,
fascinated by the energy but eager to move on.

We went back to Bistrot 370, a spot we passed a bit before Armas, greeted by a British waitress who
tipped us off to a good chicha spot (and we left a good tip accordingly).

Food – decent, but not amazing especially with how good the menu looked.

My carrot ginger soup was perfect (though more ginger wouldn’t hurt), and my gnocchi and shrimp dish
hit the spot. Bread was good. C’s mushroom soup and Asian fusion lo mein thing were decent, nothing
special. A four-brother band came in to play local music and was surprisingly good. Two groups, one
American and the other perhaps Dutch, had a blast, and we bought a CD before leaving, pricey at 30NS
but they deserved a good tip.

Walked back uphill (ugh). Cold but not freezing. (Oh, 1st hit Gato, an odd market in Armas – fun but quick
visit -basically a large bodega)
In our room, chocolates on pillow, hanging bathrobes, mood lighting, heat, and bags for our Hiram
Bingham train – v. nice touch.

More tomorrow.



Sunday 7/23

Casa Cartagena, room 5
6pm

Another long day, but a great one

Breakfast – great spread at hotel. Kept it light with bread, tamale, coca tea.

8:30, met our new guide Edison. He was outstanding – perfect English in speaking and understanding,
Cuzco native, loves his job, and can discuss everything – history, culture, religion, politics, agriculture
and anything else that came up.

(Just interrupted by some amuse bouche and XL pisco sours served by the hotel to our room)

First stop: Chinchero, a vast local market on Sundays, with enough touristy dreck but plenty of local
flavor at this market that’s been going on for ages. At a shop near it we got alpaca sweaters.




Then Ollantaytambo, a tough climb up the stairs along the terraces but well worth it, seeing the temple
and fortress Manco Inca last used in the 1530s before fleeing.
Inca ruins and architecture are everywhere, including trails running along mountains, grain storehouses,
various ruins, and the levels used for agriculture, erosion prevention and other purposes. It’s not just an
occasional mark, and more gets uncovered by the day.
We continued to follow the Urubamba River deep in the valley through farming and mining towns. One
key stop: a bar to try CHICHA! We couldn’t have much as it’s homemade with local water, but a few sips
didn’t hurt, and the strawberry version was fun. Played a game of Frog.




                                             Cheers for chicha

Along the way, we learned what Edison thinks of various tourists:

    -   Americans: fun, easygoing, “walking dollars,” average intelligence; the rich ones are worse but
        they go to Europe

    -   Irish: the best, great sense of humor, women are the most beautiful and smartest

    -   Germans: rigid, no fun at all, no sense of humor (we hear this all the time), cheap

    -   French: like the Germans in lack of fun and their thriftiness

    -   Brazilians, Argentineans: women are beautiful but can’t talk to them about anything besides
        soap operas

Back to the tour:

Lunch at a sprawling hacienda, less sprawling than it was before the agrarian reforms of 1970.

Food – decent, not amazing. Potato appetizers were so-so (the bread overall underwhelmed here even
at nicer places, hotels included) [interesting to see me sour on bread so much since the time in Lima].
Then some potato tuna appetizer. Pretty good lomo saltido steak dish, and the suspiro limeno
traditional custard was very good.
More driving, to Pisac. Great views, cheap stuff to buy. Not a must-see but great prices for cheap
souvenirs like my Inca Kola tshirt and ceramic bull.




Then drove back. And I can only imagine how much I’m missing here.



Mon 7/26

11:25am
Hiram Bingham train, finally

A long morning

    -   Up around 7 (maybe a bit before)

    -   Got ready with our duffel bags. Left our luggage, even my backpack.

    -   8:15: Maria got us. Told us something about a vague bus ride to Ollantaytambo. Got to the
        station, greeted with pastries and coca tea (I passé), got on a bus. It would take 2.5 hours to get
        to Ollantay, but it wouldn’t go smoothly.

First, we were supposed to board near Cuzco on this luxury train rated higher than Machu Picchu itself
on TripAdvisor. Now that we’re on it, we can see why it’s so esteemed – all comfort and elegance. But
the ride should have been 3 hours, instead of the 2 we’ll be on it now. Apparently some flooding and
mudslide damage from January is still making an impact during the off season. But we heard nothing,
and refunds are unexpected.
If that wasn’t enough, a key narrow road in Ollantaytambo was blocked with stones. We were close to
the train stop but no one knew how close. A second detour road was blocked with traffic. Cars and tour
buses had us fenced in, and when we went in one direction, we had to backtrack. Then we got out a
block or two further only to get stuck in the town for 20 minutes, no explanation. A bus leader would
later tell us he spoke to the town’s mayor, occupied with pre-Independence Day festivities in the square,
and he said it’s not his problem.




                                      In the Independence Day spirit

Soon, we walked. Bus guy said it was a block. Really, 10-15 minute walk. And yes, this is the luxury train.
On animals in Peru

Once you get beyond the big cities, animals are everywhere – stray dogs, cows, alpacas, plus here and
there on the roadside sheep, chickens, pigs, a few goats.

I knew I had more to say. Not sure.

Oh and we made a pooch friend named Tika at the Hacienda.

The dogs here – strays and all – really are cute. It’s unlike any place I’ve seen. The cats in Israel, dogs in
India and random animals elsewhere tend to look mangy and malnourished. Here, the dogs are usually
dirty but overwhelmingly cute. We even saw a dalmatian in Cuzco. (I didn’t note that in Lima, the vast
majority of dogs we saw, all pets and not strays, were wearing doggy sweaters.)



1:01pm
Bingham




Brunch menu
-Alpaca slices, quiche, bacon, tamale. Alpaca’s very good
-Cannelloni filled with quinoa, spinach, chicken, topped with tomato cream sauce. Delicious.

Also had a bit of pisco sour and white wine.
Something you won’t see on the Travel Channel: infinite mirror effect in the Hiram Bingham bathroom

9:20pm

Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel
Aguas Calientes, Room 38

In a rustic hotel – expensive for its location, beautiful in many respects, great dinner (I basically had two
quinoa, beef, pepper dishes that were delicious), but for this price I wouldn’t mind TV and wifi.
The train was a ton of fun once it got moving, and getting there was an adventure that paid off. Our
guide, Veronica, was excellent – engaging, informative, a helpful resource.

Another long day that feels much later than it is.

The heart of it was, of course, souvenir shopping. Okay, maybe not, but the train station area had more
stands per square foot than even Ecuador’s airport. It was all overpriced, the vendors making ludicrous
claims of their items’ authenticity – “BRONZE!” “STONE!” and then didn’t want to bargain that much. I
got a couple gifts, and then a “stone” puma for me partially because the puma is so central as the earth
deity in Inca spiritualism, and partially because vendors didn’t want to bargain as much as I did, so I got
one for 18 soles, or $6.50.

Of course, I’ll have now wound up writing more about souvenir shopping than I will have about Machu
Picchu.

Driving on the bus along mountain cliffs for 25 minutes and seeing the steep, verdant mountain slopes
was jaw dropping. The same went for the setting of MP – you can see why the Incas would have made
this landscape a spiritual center, and if you’re going to worship many elements of nature, this setting
can make for the perfect deity.




                   Is it a llama or alpaca? Whichever it is, it’s at home at Machu Picchu
The nature around Machu Picchu was more inspiring than the ruins themselves

Brilliant as the Incas were, I was still left wondering how well they did justice to the landscape. Their
craftsmanship is remarkable, but much of it is like looking at the foundational remnants of a small city.
Also, unlike with Egypt’s pyramids, the Taj Mahal or Petra, there’s no showpiece, no main event. There’s
that view, and countless breathtaking views, but it’s all just there.
We changed plans – no MP at sunrise, or departure for Huayna Picchu at 3am just to get a chance to see
MP from above. We’ll train it back, and we caught an earlier one. We still have to go to Oll., not Cusco,
then cab it.

Worth it though, to see more of C., and not as much of MP. Glad we did it, but I can’t buy into the hype.




                          Aguas Calientes, a name much prettier than the city

Tues July 27

Vistadome 302
11:05am

DAMN THE ELECTRIC FENCE!

The first day we can sleep in and… up at 6:30am. Sunlight and noise easily seep in the room at Pueblo
Hotel, a drawback. But it came with a perk – I chose to get out early and explore the trails behind and
beyond the resort, alongside the Urubamba River, through the fern and (invisible) orchid gardens, up to
every locked passageway, past the point where one is not supposed to go without a guide.

The smells were invigorating, salubrious with each breath. The cloud cover kept the air damp and cool, a
contrast with the bright, blue open sky at MP yesterday, making me realize how fortunate we were to
see MP when we did – nothing’s a given, and the photos in some ways were more awesome than how it
looked in person. One path today led to the Sacred Rock, with some ancient, pre-Inca drawings (or
petraglyphs). Note “ancient” here means pre-colonial, through the whole of the 15th c. Egypt it’s not.
Sacred Rock

One disappointment: a path down to the Urubamba River. It reminds me of the Far Side cartoon on cow
poetry, with the recite repeating, “Damn the electric fence!” Barbed wire blocked my path.




                    If I can interpret this sign, does that make me an interpreter?
On the way back, I passed through workers’ quarters at the hotel and the edge of the decrepit town.

Then, near our room, water feeders attracted these beautiful, green hummingbirds – so much fun to
watch.




Breakfast: a great spread – bacon, prosciutto, yucca bread, kalamata olives, cheese, cinnamon rolls,
pineapple juice, coca tea.

Brief visit to the internet center across the railroad tracks. Back to room, then check out, to the train
through the markets.

Vistadome is full of backpackers, basically ages 20-25.


STRIKE UPDATE

Some backpackers in front of us indicate the strike is on in Cusco, centered on natural gas. How close we
can get to Cusco is uncertain. We’ll soon find out, if the train starts moving. C asked the hotel staff about
it and they laughed, like it was crazy to ask. Not so much.



1:40pm
Vistadome

Inca ruins are everywhere – not just the main spots. Some have names visible from the train window.
Some of their terraces are still used by farmers. It’s hard to imagine any other group of people around
for all of about 150 years leaving such an indelible mark on the landscape.
Even more visible are the political ads – names painted 3 feet high on random walls, usually without
slogans and party affiliations, gearing up for October local elections.




Another down moment on the trip: a server spilled scalding coffee all over C, burning her legs. Just 10
minutes before we had switched seats, giving her the aisle.



3:40 – the main highway, somewhere between Chinchero and Cusco

Stopped on main and only highway. Waiting for meridian paint to dry. In the middle of a weekday
afternoon.

Random note:

Forgot to mention Kevin and G., the Atlanta-based couple – she’s Brazilian and was miserable at MP, not
helped by an upset stomach after Bingham’s lunch. He was a conspiracy theorist who couldn’t believe
the Incas did what they did and seemed to think MP was the work of extraterrestrials.

I got his email to stay in touch. [Epilogue: I resisted following up.]



10:40pm
Casa Cartagena, now room 2

Another long day. Did I say that yet?

Once more…
C wanted to speak with Perurail. Apparently they don’t care much about making up for causing
passengers bodily harm. The 19th c. Russian beaurocracy we sampled in Lima’s airport now delivered a
main course, with no shortage of six people telling us what to do and ultimately giving little hope of a
make good. [I gave this episode relatively little space in the journal, but it continued long after, and
ultimately, thanks to tenacious C, they came through and refunded the ride.]




                            The least helpful among the Perurail beaurocrats


The rest of the night was better – souvenir shopping while wandering more streets of Cusco bookending
this period, picking up a Peruvian shofar for me. We saw the famed Inca stone wall of Hatum Rumiyoc
Street, with the especially famous 12-face centerpiece.

Dinner: overeating at Chicha, a restaurant by Gaston of Astrid y Gaston. Very good overall, hardly
amazing, good value. Had some chicken and corn salad, beef spring rolls with rocoto pepper dip, and a
mix of potatoes (a mixed bag at that). C had a yummy but heavy Peruvian pizza, while I had a bunch of
meats – chicken, suckling pig, other stuff, with potatoes, cheese, corn tamale. I prefer our US Mexican
tamales –much more flavorful, and while I appreciate the variety of potatoes here, few have been
impressive. Corn, on the other hand, has been better prepared, whether on the cob, fried and salted
corn nuts, in chicha beer, or other ways, such as the corn-dill spread for the bread. The purple corn jelly
candies and candied gooseberries were also delicious here for dessert.

Also, finally had a Cusquenia beer – very good. Wish they served chicha though.
Wed July 28 2010
Casa Cartagena, rm 2
9:05am

“Papa, every stone is talking. Let’s wait a moment… Each stone is different. They’re not chiseled. They’re
moving… This wall can walk; it could rise up into the sky or travel to the end of the world and back…
Wherever I go the Inca Roca’s stones will go with me. I should like to swear to it right here.”
-Jose Maria Arguedas, “Deep Rivers”




2:55pm
LAN whatever
Cusco-Lima

The farewells fly by now. First, to the streets of Cusco. After packing and checking out of Casa Cartagena,
we went for a walk – along Inca Roca’s stone-walled paths, Plaza de Armas bustling for Peru’s
Independence Day, El Sol and other main streets, the markets. I proudly sported my Inca Kola shirt and
Peruvian red & white ribbon pin – tourist and local together as one. Many on the trip thought I blended
in or couldn’t guess where I was from at first glance, and I’ll blend worlds together further still.
This is how I blended in




We stopped at Café Edna for lunch, a spot supporting social services programs, though I just got an Inca
Kola. Elsewhere I picked up a couple bags of Nabisco Choko Travesuras – animal crackers covered in
chocolate with nonpareils, and a local delicacy I like even more than suspiro limeno. We also popped
into a random bakery that smelled good, but the smell was somewhat deceiving. A cheese bread was
pretty decent but no better, and a hot dog in a puff pastry did justice neither to the dog nor dough.

Farewell to the hotel, the final of our six resting spots:
Radisson Miraflores (Lima), Hotel Quito, Galapagos Legend, Ramada Decapolis, Casa Cartagena, and
Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel. Given we only were gone 12 nights (plus two nights sleeping mid-air), I use the
word “rest” lightly.

We got our bags and saw Maria, travel agency greeter who was more on the ball than usual. Sadly, our
regular driver wasn’t there. He was fantastic.

Then the farewell to Cusco itself. Really fascinating city, fun to walk with its layers and life, though hard
to breathe from the air pollution and altitude. I loved being there, but kept wishing it was more of the
Cusco I read about, of Atahualpa and Francisco Pizarro, a capital ancient and colonial and a modern
doorway to the many paths of Peruvian history. It’s a living idea of all of that, just not a living ideal.

Farewell Cusco airport. It wasn’t crowded but checking in took awhile. We needed to dig up our ticket
stub from Lima to Cusco, which I wound up finding in my stash. They ran out of priority stickers since the
labels were soon arriving in a new color, and after no one could find stickers new or old, the clerk just
wrote VIP on our bag tags. We’ll see…. One more reminder that we’re in a western country that still
manages to offer its constant surprises.

I slept some of this short 70 minute flight, missing the girl throwing up behind us, and the potent spray
used by the staff. C had moved to another seat. I woke up for a blaring UNICEF promo later on.

And now, landed in Lima… hello again.



Thurs July 29

12:07am
Lima Airport, by Gate 19

Locked up our luggage conveniently in Lima.

Took a cab to Plaza de Armas, arriving in the aftermath of Independence Day festivities, thousands of
people there and many more flooding streets in various directions. We took photos with guards by the
presidential palace.
We walked along, following the crowds for awhile, and then colonial architecture, all of which ultimately
led us to San Martin Plaza, named for the hero of Independence Day, their George Washington.
San Martin




                                Sometimes I really don’t get this country

Once we were running out of architecture to follow, we cabbed it back to Capon St., or near it, to Lima’s
Chinatown, a one-street center of Chinese food and a couple malls, finding Salon Capon, featured in The
New York Times. The only Chinese-looking person we saw anywhere was an old man telling horoscopes
in a pagoda-shaped booth.
Well, at least there’s one Chinese guy in Chinatown


Dinner was good, with fried wantons, steamed shrimp dumplings, and a fried garlic shrimp dish, plus
Inca Kola (of course). [One challenge there: reading a menu in Spanish and Chinese.]

Took a cab to a Metro grocery store. Couldn’t find Kraps crackers – lots of Kraft for the office though.
The store, in a totally different part of town from the main square, was packed, a hangout spot.



12:40am
LAN 530, 3A

We found a bitchin’ ride with a spoiler and decals for Thundercats and Michael Jackson. The driver,
while barely able to speak a word of English, loved American music and could rattle off names like
Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Metallica, George Michael, Boy George (Karma
Chameleon), and the Village People. C more than held her own, as the driver spoke the fastest Spanish
we heard on the trip, short of the Law & Order dubbing on TV this morning.
The airport was easy with our check-in at Cusco, and we made it early. Grabbed Dunkin’ Donuts to buy
their Peruvian I-day collection – the suspiro cinnamon with a caramel cream was delicious.

Went to VIP lounge. Got an Inca Kola, later some mini-palmiers.

We spent most of the time chatting with a British couple living in TX. He’s a geologist largely consulting
for BP, since before the oil spill, and the conversation started with birding (his hobby) but largely
focused on the oil industry, economics, and in a major way, probability. That seems to define the oil biz,
and so many others.

In the lounge, we saw familiar faces – the Oakland family from the Galapagos and the Houston family of
4 from Machu Picchu. All kinds of worlds collided there, a swan song with a flashback reel, a fitting end
to a trip that felt much longer than its two weeks.

More to come.
The Return to Other America
                          Rio – Buenos Aires – Colonia – Santiago
                                             3/12/10-13/12/10

4/12 1:37pm Brasil time (10:27am NYC)
Arena Hotel, Copacabana

Made it to the hotel. No shortage of recommendations from concierge Aldo up front.

Last night, a surprisingly quick ride, via gypsy gab, to JFK, following a frenetic day and week. Got the
inbox to 0 and skipped town. No phone for me (well, iPhone, but that’s more for games and Foursquare)
[I actually didn’t use social media all for the week]. No laptop or iPad. Two cameras. No deodorant or
floss (whoops – got more).

Long line at JFK terminal 8 for AA. Convenient wait in AA’s Admirals Club lounge to pass the couple
hours. Not the most comfy flight, slept a lot but not in a row in seats that barely reclined. But the 9-10
hours didn’t feel too long.

And now we’re here, in Rio. Cabbed it to Arena Copacabana, met Aldo, looked for a place to eat and
wound up at La Maison, a French restaurant in name only, one of several across from the beach that
serves all of Brazil’s cuisines and anyone else’s they can fit on a menu.

C: Pizza, Coca Light Plus
Me: Seafood special, Coke

First impressions: after the miles of favelas (slums), Copacabana itself is like Tel Aviv in many ways, but
with more speedos, souvenir hawkers, and racial diversity.
Top: Rio’s beach promenade by Copacabana. Below: Tel Aviv’s beach promenade. The walkway patterns
                    are remarkably similar, and the vibe is echoed across continents.
Birds-eye view (or, Hotel Arena-eye view) of Copacabana

10:10pm, Arena

MEAT YOUR MATCH

Brazil is known for so many things – Carnival, skimpy swimwear, hyperinflation, and of course
churrascarias. We went to Rio’s most famous all you can eat meat joint [Porcao] tonight to try out #4.

Zagat style:

Décor: Situated amidst a park a la Tavern on the Green but with views of water and mountains, it gets
points for the view. But inside, it’s more mid-market Utah ski lodge – light wood, high angled ceilings,
random buffets… you get the gist. 14

Service: No one on staff there, including the most senior person we could find, spoke enough English to
tell us if the ice in our caipirinhas was made from unfiltered water and thus might make us violently ill.
After we must have offended half of the staff, they took C’s drink back but not mine, and her
replacement was at best mediocre anyway. Also, you know those cards they put on the table where you
use the green side for “serve me more meat” and the red side for “one of my organs just ruptured so let
me figure out if it was an essential one before giving me more meat”? At Porcao, both sides apparently
mean, “I will not go away until you take my meat, and if you ask for any darker than medium rare, I will
say mean things about you in Portuguese behind your back.” 3

Food: Some of the meat was really amazing, though often tough. Don’t even ask which cuts were
served, though we could have looked at the cow diagram on the TV screen to try to decode the servers’
meager attempts at English. [Note: I’m fine with locals not speaking English in other countries, but this
was a restaurant that heavily catered to tourists, and only tourists seemed to be eating there that night.
Locals repeatedly recommend the spot too though.] None of it was any better than Plataforma in NYC,
Fogo de Chao in Texas, or any other great churrascaria in the US. Avoid the sushi bar at all costs, where
all the fish looked mildly pinkish, and the salad bar was no better. 15

Value: For all you can eat plus drinks and a 10% tip, it was about $150 US. Awful. If you only eat the
meat, eat A LOT of it, and walk there so you don’t have to pay the cab fare, and have never eaten at a
good churrascaria, it’s a very good deal. 5

I’m so exhausted by that meal that I won’t even get to the whole saga of the ATMs, where two
Portuguese machines rejected me, one only let me withdraw R100 in VERY slow increments, and one
(Banco de Brasil) worked even better than US machines in that it gave me a choice of denominations.
And finding non-melted ice cream was tough too.




                                   The magical ATM of Banco Popular

Relaxing day at beach before, but very loud and no lounge chairs to lie back on. The beach chairs at R3
(3 reals) are among few good deals here.

C got ice cream at McDonald’s.

I later found some that wasn’t too overpriced or melted after the ATMs.
And the grocery store before was fun but nothing special. Lots of ham though.




                               Supermarkets have massive ham sections



PORKY’S III

8/12 8:38am Arena restaurant

Learning Spanish, in a Portuguese speaking country, as an Israeli yammers on his phone behind me.

Up early to read. Work dreams about new (fictitious) hires were too vivid.

Breakfast: cheese, pineapple, underwhelming chocolate cake, tried cashew and peach juice but stuck
with orange, and had pork 3 ways – sliced ham, flavorful sausage and ham-filled mini croissants served
hot (so good).

Touring today.


8:45am

Oh, they’re cheesy ham croissants. No wonder they’re so good.
11ish pm, Arena

A FIVE HOUR TOUR
or, THE WEATHER STARTED GETTING ROUGH

A five hour tour followed breakfast, in a minivan with a driver, a middle aged woman as our guide, and a
Portuguese speaking man who lives in the Amazon and works in ecotourism hospitality.

First, a drive through the forest enveloping much of Rio, up a mountain to Corcovado, with Christ the
Redeemer perched up high, a magnificent statue in a setting to match, and one of few manmade
contributions to Rio that holds its own with the natural wonders of biological and topographical
diversity. Western Europeans in Brazil tend to prefer homes in the cooler heights of Santa Teresa, and
it’s fascinating that residents here have such options.




                                              Redemption
From Christ, a pit stop at another house of worship, the soccer stadium. Then downtown, the main
attraction was the modern Mayan-influenced conical, colorful cathedral that one might almost consider
sacrilegious had Pope John Paul II not visited it. [It’s truly unlike any cathedral I’ve seen and opens up
the definition of what a cathedral can be.]




                               Holier than thine run of the mill cathedrals
The final stop was a trip to Pao de Acucar, or Sugarloaf Mountain, with its dual cable cars for more views
of the city, plus some Baconzito chips, Churrasco Ruffles, and Coke Zero. Oh, and awesome souvenir:
glow in the dark Jesus [as the Reedemer]. Found out later it REALLY works.

The clouds moved in as we descended Sugarloaf – we caught our views just in time, and later we heard
the same fog closed Christ, marking another bout of good timing for us.




                                         Clear skies at Sugarloaf

Lunch: Stambul, surprisingly flavorful Arabian cuisine a half mile or so down from the hotel. Then a long
walk to Ipanema where we finally found the sprawling but worthless Hippie Fair.

Then we beached at Ipanema, a world famous beach that we found lacking, though it didn’t lack for
exposed flesh. Hardly the embodiment of eye candy, it was less island paradise, more Coney Island.
Ipanema with its crowds and haze

Walked back to the room with a pit stop for a coconut and Coke Zero. By dinnertime at 8, it was raining.
We got disposable ponchos from our hotel and headed to Marius, largely a seafood and also steak joint,
all you can eat for all you can pay, with seafaring décor and countless other mementos lining the walls
and the staff dressed like pirate crew. The food was like last night – sometimes great, sometimes so-so.
Don’t save room for dessert.

One more surprise: the rain poured so much that it was shutting down the city. Flooding everywhere.
Cabs wouldn’t come. A half hour into it, we tried our hotel where Aldo told us to wait 20 minutes. Little
changed except flooding got worse. Even private cars wouldn’t come.

A large party hired a bus, and for R50 we hitched a ride. We got soaked instantly, but never so bad as
when we got to our hotel and found ourselves stranded on an island of sidewalk surrounded by a puddle
moat. I gunned it, later finding 2 soaked R10 bills I had hidden in my shoe lining after the ATM fiasco. C
took off her shoes and made like a barefoot Carioca [the term for native inhabitants of Rio].
Not the safest place to stash your savings in a flood



6-12-10

SLUMDOG BRAZILIANAIRE
or, THE BIG GREEN SPLOTCH

5:15pm, Arena

Back at the hotel, out largely since 9am. Savoring the taste of dolce de leche churros lingering in my
mouth, the best food I’ve had in Brazil and only R2 (well, R6 since I got 2 more).




                                         Churros: best deal in Rio
The morning was a true highlight – a tour of Brazil’s favelas [slums] with three other young couples, led
by Marina, who has been doing these tours for 10 years and whose company has done them since 92.

Some #s:

# of Rio favelas: >1,000

# of people living in them: ~1.5 million

% of population: 20%

Largest one: Riocinha, with 85,000 people (est.)

On the H. Stern maps of Rio given out at airports and hotels, it looks like much of Rio is covered by
greenery, such as a version of Central Park larger than Brooklyn. Yet right behind the Sheraton, easily
located on the map at the edge of the green splotch, is Riocinha, which we toured. It is literally off the
map, for Brazilians even more than foreigners, as at least a few of us outsiders take an interest in it.

It’s hard not to be interested when you’re there. Gangs patrol them, even the ones that don’t serve as
drug dens. The best ones to live in are controlled by a single gang, and thus are stable. The worst suffer
ongoing rivalries by the three main gangs. Minors, who can’t go to jail, serve as lookouts for dealers and
gang leaders, and they’re fiercely loyal due to the salaries they can earn – about R300 a month, equal to
minimum wage. Other children beg or sell trinkets, and families have more kids to better support
themselves.

It’s not all drugs and violence, though those are dangers. Some of these favelas, which are essentially
small cities or large towns, have their own businesses and whole economies to support themselves.
Residents often have LCD TVs and other luxuries, paying their monthly installments on time and then
getting the next item on their wish lists. Some business owners who live in favelas are now middle class
but choose to stay put rather than uproot themselves. With squatters’ rights here, anyone who stays
five years on public land becomes the owner.

Our first stop was Riocinha, bustling and massively sprawling all over a hill, but quieter than usual as
police raids were due at any moment. The police have been more active there lately, accepting over
1,000 anonymous tips daily from favela residents. We didn’t see any drama when we were there.

We did a little shopping at Riocinha artist stalls, then learned more from above on a balcony from an
auto repair shop, and then walked around down below. At street level it was vaguely reminiscent of
Delhi – Old Delhi. We didn’t take photos of motorcycles here though, as the drivers sometimes deal
drugs and are suspicious of police.
Inside and above Riocinha

Then we went to Sao Conrado to the smaller 2500 person favela of Vila Canoas. We walked around a
good chunk of it, all of which was makeshift – the apartment levels, décor, stairs, you name it. We spent
time at the 85-student school that receives 80% of its funding from the tour operator.

Eye opening? Certainly. That’s the biggest takeaway – that they’re here, and a vibrant part of Rio. The
federal and local governments are finally working on improving infrastructure and services (healthcare,
athletics, security) thanks in part to preparations for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. It is a
shame such tours are not part of the highlights with Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, but people
locally and globally are starting to notice.
A brighter spot in Vila Canoas

Lunch: Bella Via or something – pizza and Italian-ish buffet. The owner, who lived in Boston 10 years
ago, came by to tell us he knows Americans don’t like buffets but his was good. It was in fact better than
others, but still a buffet.

Went via metro to downtown, on the easily navigable subway system. We gravitated toward colonial
sights, walking through the bustling business district and making friends with crazy people.

Exhausted after awhile, we took the metro past our stop to get Havaianas in Copacabana.

Then a walk home.



THE GRILL FROM IPANEMA

11:33pm, Arena

So much to write, as usual, so little time to sleep, so much packed in a few days in Rio, full of beauty
more in bodies of water than in human bodies, more in the slums than the sand.
Tonight: reluctantly woke from a long nap. Almost didn’t do it.

Saw the floating Christmas tree here in the lagoon – a fun spectacle.




                                      The tree that walks on water

Walked around the closed shops of Ipanema, a fun stroll.




                             Good dog, bad afro – in an Ipanema storefront
Stopped at Devasse bar to find English menus and a waiter who, though later went MIA, could speak
enough of the language. We had tasty codfish balls (they love baccala). C had burger, I had “sundried”
steak with grilled somewhat tough cheese and fried cassava and farofa [manioc flour]. Steak was tough
but good with farofa. As at every restaurant, with every cuisine, olive oil was on the side. The beer was
great – a pale ale, the same brand (Devasse) I had at Marius the night of the flood.

While walking around, we hit up a grocery store – high end with lots of high fiber, low fat options. Lots
of Nestle, no Kraft – no Oreos. Yes, crazy.

So the day started in Riocinha and the night ended in Ipanema. Socially worlds apart, even if some of
Riocinha’s denizens are working in the kitchens of Ipanema and cleaning their streets. Such is Rio, such is
our world.


7-12-10

KAFKA INT’L

6:40am, GIG

20 minutes until boarding. For the past half hour we’ve explored three levels of a fairly small
international terminal.

The good news: security let us through. We’ve encountered foreigners, we got a passport stamp, and we
gave in our exit dues.

The bad news: We’ve seen no sign of our airline. Our gate says C9 on our boarding pass and there is no
C9 here. The guard to K9’s employee entrance speaks only Portuguese and has made various hand
gestures to tell us we’re in the wrong place.

The gate on the departure screen is 8. Taking the down-only motion-sensor escalators (which at first
seemed not to work), we discovered the airport, at gate R8, has a bus terminal. That was the low point,
for now.


6:50am

Found one person who works for Gol [our airline], or at least pushed a Gol wheelchair. We’re in the right
place, though it still feels like we’re flying Stephen King Air.

Breakfast- Nestle Calypso chocolate covered cookies. Yum.

More Coke Zero at airport. Oozing Zero.

Easy security here, pretty quick to get the boarding pass. It’s less crowded than other tiny airports I’ve
been to – Abu Simbel, Baltra, Eilat, Knoxville – which is just slightly disconcerting.
7:38
Gol GIG-EZE

One more surprise as we got on the plane: they take our whole ticket from us before boarding. Better
hope you remember your seat number.



11:10pm

Hotel Moreno, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

On little sleep – me more than C – we toured Buenos Aires on foot and largely loved what we saw. It’s a
very walkable city, and there’s excitement everywhere – a statue, a gorgeous colonial building, a
thoughtfully manicured park – it’s tremendous. It’s also so much cheaper than Brazil.




                               Public art in a San Telmo church courtyard

First we hit lunch, and we were initially the only ones at Gorro de Oro, a spacious, cavernous old world
Argentine twist on an Italian restaurant. The service was charming, even if they didn’t know what to
make of our order of two appetizers and entrees:

        C: Salad, ravioli

        Me: Deep fried veal-stuffed olives with tartar sauce, broiled chicken with endives

Overall, great meal. Came to $40 or $50 US.

Then the walk – to Plaza de Mayo, bubbling with a veterans’ protest, with more scheduled. Then Calle
Florida – bustling like Peru on Independence Day, but today was a normal day. Then peace in the park in
San Martin Plaza, a walk past the shops and embassies around Recoleta (though the cemetery was
closed for fumigation), Vicente Lopez Plaza, Av 9 de Julio to the obelisk, and then the hotel where we
desperately needed to unwind, or to book a trip to Uruguay. C did the former, and I did the latter.




                                    A sculpture in the Recoleta park




                          A menorah in front of cross-wielding Chris Columbus
The hotel’s fantastic. The front desk is spotty, but it’s an old world hotel with plenty of room to move
around and a very snazzy lobby. So far, great.

One down note: left my hanging bag with my sport coat and two dress shirts in the room in Rio. Stupid.

Dinner: La Brigada. Great empanada, awesome wine suggestion, loved the house salad, but our first
taste of Argentine beef fell short – nothing special about it beyond the price.

Condensed the day too much. More to come?



8-12-10

3 YR ANNIVERSARY

GUAYLORDS
or GUAYEST DAY EVER

[The handwritten journal gives no context for the trip. The day of our anniversary coincided with
Immaculate Conception Day in Argentina. The city largely closed down; we were told in the hotel a
couple coffee shops may be open, but that’s it. C discovered it was easy to get to Uruguay via ferry, and
the fast ferry only takes an hour. The ferry operator, Buquebus, offers packages to Colonia del
Sacramento, one of the three most popular cities for tourists along with beach town Punta del Este and
capital Montevideo. Colonia happens to be the easiest to get to, and you can easily see it in a couple
hours.]

4:40pm Uruguay Standard Time
Radission Colonia del Sacramento

Slept in our first class cabin en route to Uruguay on the Buquebus Ferry. 1st class “especial” was
nominally more than the other classes, even if no info was available online as to what each class meant,
so for less than $50 each extra we got the high end tickets with comfy accommodations and a sit-down
lunch on the fast ship [the total cost of the day trip was <$150 US each]. The lunch wasn’t great – it was
some unmemorable spot in town where I had lots of ham from the salad bar and then a grilled meat
parrilla platter, plus lots of peeled cucumbers since the water here is questionable.
Uruguayan lunch

We sat across from David and Cecelia, a 40-something Asian couple with a daughter studying in B.A. We
passed the time talking to them, as they were better company than the Arab soccer game on TV and the
obnoxious elderly screaming gringos behind me.

Uruguay’s fascinating, given that I still can’t pronounce it.

Fun facts:

Population: 3.4 million

% in capital: 40%

US state department travel advisory: in Montevideo, young armed robbers are dangerous but non-
confrontational (whew)

        [Actual text: “Those planning to live in Montevideo should note that burglaries and attempted
        burglaries seem to be on the rise in upscale neighborhoods. Home invasion robberies do
        occur. The perpetrators are mostly non-confrontational but determined teenagers.” I’m left
        wondering if that means you should try to confront them since it seems like they’d try to avoid
        you.]
#1 export: milk

#2 export: wine

Population of Colonia del Sacramento: 26,000 [Wikipedia says 22,000. Oh, and the whole time I was
writing this, I thought it was Colonia del Santiago. I really had no clue where I was.]

TV break [at the Radisson]: The Spanish show just went from a dog show to a spontaneous congo line
with a clown and someone in a Hamburger Helper outfit to a guy dressed as a green elf reading
horoscopes.

Colonia’s a beautiful town – gorgeous homes along the water Rio de Plata (world’s second widest, to the
Amazon, but Amazon wasn’t as wide until deforestation picked up in the 1960s).



5:58pm
Buquebus bus, Colonia

So yes, lovely city here – riverfront properties, a mix of Portuguese and Spanish colonial architecture,
beautiful plants in full bloom, trees with canopies arched over their streets, some friendly stray dogs
sleeping or chasing moving vehicles.

The English from our guide Eugenia, the hotel clerk, and others has been the best we’ve heard in now six
Latin American countries this year.

It turns out the shopping’s underwhelming. Despite cute facades, most stores carry the same shlock and
rarely fun shlock. Despite a promising 20:1 USD:Uruguayan Peso exchange rate, the real prices feel too
American. Who buys this stuff? All the better for us.

With the tour we drove through Colonia, slowing down by the Moorish-influenced bullfighting ring now
crumbling, and then a walking tour culminating in a visit to the church. Our own tour finished the job,
with me climbing the lighthouse to the very top for a better view.
It’s quiet here, relaxing. Especially with today a national holiday in AR where little is open beyond cafes,
it was a worthwhile escape. To get a taste of another country for a couple hundred bucks is all the better
– one more place we are now connected to. That connectedness to another place and population makes
it all the more worthwhile.



6:50pm UST
Buquebus Uruguay

SUNSET OVER THE RIVER GUAY

No security here. Passport control has Uruguayan salida (exit) officials working right next to their
counterpart Argentine entrance staff – very efficient. The only empty page in my passport now is the
one cross from the Tanzanian visa. At the counter, the clerk marveled at C’s Kindle, which they said they
don’t have yet.

They also told us how to pronounce Uruguay: OO-ROO-GWUY. Lesson learned. Ready for the next one.



11ish?
Hotel Moreno

8 GUAYS OF CHANUKAH

Lit our travel menorah for the last time this trip – the eighth night is here, adding light to our 3rd
anniversary. A peaceful moment as the menorah offered the only light in the room.




         The Department of State does not advise lighting travel menorahs on flammable maps

A long walk home from the port, through Puerto Madera, over the Women’s Bridge (Puente de la
Mujer), and then further still, all around San Telmo, even as an officer didn’t recognize San Telmo nor
Avenida 9 de Julio, the largest, longest street in Buenos Aires.
Way too pretty to be Puente del Hombre

No time for rest. Cabbed it to Astrid Y Gaston after changing. So fantastic, and cheap for all we ate –
with generous tip under $150 for five courses, three drinks, soft drinks:

    •   2 pisco sours

    •   1 glass of Torrontes wine, only from here

    •   Tasting of corn fritters, potatoes, cassava with sauces

    •   Octopus, salmon, cod with huancaino, passion fruit, sake sauces

    •   Bread with sauce – mix of mint, olive oil, cheese, salt, pepper

    •   “Stews” of lamb, beef, ? in fried wonton w/sauces (sort of like a fancy hot pocket)

    •   Shrimp, squid, fish w/soy/tangerine sauce over rice

    •   Suspiro Limeno w/port meringue, rice pudding w/balsamic & strawberries

So good, all augmented by suggestions from waiter Manuel.
Another plus: he gave C an English menu, me one in Spanish. As in Egypt, it feels good to blend in. A Jew
in New York, an Arab in Egypt, a Porteno in BA.

So yes, the food was perfect, more than living up to months of expectations. But getting mistaken for a
local ensures I’ll savor the night even longer.



9-12-10
Moreno
~6pm AST

ON HAM

One could write a travelogue on much of Latin America focused entirely on ham and capture most of all
that’s important about the principal localities. I won’t attempt to do that here, but ham deserves more
than a few words.

Most breakfasts include some kind of ham. Today, I had ham and cheese and a croissant, as little else
was offered. Nothing topped the ham and cheese-filled mini croissants in Rio.

Lunch today, at Madero, a diner near Plaza de Mayo:

        C: Bacon cheeseburger with fried egg (and ketchup)

        Me: Sandwich with steak, ham, cheese, hard boiled mini eggs (quail?), tomatoes – basically C’s
        sandwich reimagined




                         All of South America’s key food groups on one plate:
                    cheese, beef, pork, bread, eggs, potatoes, and a token vegetable
Now I snack on Twistos Iberian ham flavored tostaditos and Kraft Club Social ham flavored crackers.

Today was about more than ham though. We toured the Jewish areas of Once and Abasto, finding only a
handful of Jews, a lot of wholesale stores, and two synagogues we couldn’t get into – a Sephardic shul
wasn’t even marked as such at all, and only a menorah outside and some nearby orthodox Jews made it
clear we were in the right place. We also found the kosher McDonald’s in the Abasto mall, the only such
McD’s outside Israel, but photos weren’t permitted due to security. We did have some very tasty Freddo
ice cream though.




Speaking of pork, before the Jewish visit we took the subway to Congresso. The main building was
closed, but we did rest for a few at the HQ of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, the organization of women
who lost their children during the “dirty war” of government terror from 1976-82.




                                 Next stop on the pork tour: Congress
We took the B train from the Jewish district with few Jews to the Murrillo Street leather district in Villa
Crespo with few decent leather stores, but C did find a good bag. Shopping here was hit or miss, heavier
on the miss.

Then we made it back to Plaza de Mayo in time to catch the Madres perform their weekly march, still
holding up photos of their lost children and joined by other protest groups. Very moved, we stayed for a
half hour or so to show support.
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
And then we kept moving, on through San Telmo to a new media modern art exhibit – a bit
underwhelming, but at least the graffiti was supposed to be part of it. Throughout the city, graffiti mars
nearly every building and landmark of note, a disappointment as it feels like the city doesn’t care for its
innumerable treasures.

One treasure we did catch: San Martin’s mausoleum in the cathedral by Plaza de Mayo. We even made
it for the changing of the guards. It was fun being up close with the Liberator.



11:40pm
Moreno 376

TANGO ROBBERY

Consider two experiences from today:

    1) Getting fresh squeezed orange juice from a friendly vendor in San Telmo

    2) Dinner and a tango show at Carlos Gardel
I’d only do one again. And I’d pick #1, even if #2 was free, and I was close to dying of hunger. As I write
this, it’s 12:05am 10-12 (December 10). The show should just be ending. Then we’d have to wait for the
car to transport us and a handful of others back, all through side streets. We’ve been home an hour. If
you read this and feel compelled to visit Buenos Aires, try to resist going to what’s supposed to be one
of the all-time great tango shows. At the very least, do NOT pay for dinner. I’ve never eaten so little of
steak and fries in my life.

The place is run like a machine> get you there, take your picture with dancers (offered for US $20 later),
quickly get you a menu, serve food almost as fast as your order it, ply you with cheap red wine, and
make you wait interminably for the show. Majestic theater? Nope, dinner theater. The dancers were
fine, but dull, in overly hokey costumes – Guys & Dolls era, but no Guys and Dolls score or plot.

We came to BA, we saw the tango, and we ran like hell. So good to be back in the room.

Oh, and we sat with two guys (friends), one from South Africa. C asked if Robben Island, where Mandela
was imprisoned, was moving. He shrugged, and after C was surprised he said it got pretty bad when they
changed (after apartheid ended) and anyone (white) who could left the country by now.

Yup.


9:58pm AST
BA Airport
AmEx Lounge
10-12-1

WHAT WOULD JC DO?

As we wait for our flight now delayed to Chile, we wrap up our Argentine leg in an airport most notable
as the spot where C spotted James Carville and told him she’s a fan. It’s great that wherever we wind up,
JC is with us tonight.

Once we got moving today, we made it to Recoleta cemetery, a fittingly over the top mausoleum
collection spanning four city blocks given it’s a city overflowing with monuments. Most were remarkable
in one way or another – the type of stone, a bust, an inscription – with some better maintained. We also
saw a number of the 80+ cats that live there, one proving to be especially good company for me. Seeing
Evita’s tomb was memorable for where we are, but it’s hardly the only reason to go, and the entire
stone city is in many surprising ways inspiring.
I made friends with one of the living inhabitants




                                          Okay, a shot of Evita…

It started raining so we found a cab to take us to see more of Evita at her eponymous museum, a mix of
well produced videos and thoughtful life highlights, but put together or told by someone watching their
life flash before their eyes. It starts and ends with her death but doesn’t say how she dies. It discusses
her union with Juan Peron but says nothing of their courtship. Lionizing her, it alludes to scandal and yet
asserts Eva’s defense without stating the charges. So glad I went, but it could be so much more.
What did live up to their renown were the crepes we ate upon arrival at the café. My Americano – ham,
egg, cheese, mustard – was among the best I’ve had, up there with Ti Couz in San Francisco and Eastern
Market in DC.




                                           Crepes de Peron

The rain grew worse. Following crepes and the museum, we were ready for lunch at 1:30, so we went to
La Cabrera, the famed steakhouse that neglected to hold our Tuesday reservation. We made it in, and
the beef empanadas were outstanding. The 800g chorizo sirloin was enormous, with a side of salad and
8 mini accompaniments. And yet the meat lacked any flavor. We’ve eaten some great red meat dishes
as empanadas and burgers, but the steak has been underseasoned, unevenly cooked, and consistently
lacking flavor. But at least here it’s cheap, even when washing it down with a mini bottle of Malbec as
we did. The atmosphere was great and it was worth a visit, but really, what’s up with Argentine beef?
It’s not unlike Rio’s women – why such a reputation?




                  Argentine beef: doesn’t taste like much, but look at those portions!
Braving the storm as we sought a cab, we headed to Galeria Pacifico on Florida to check out some last
minute shopping in an enclosed space, but nothing was worth buying. We left and the sky cleared up, so
we walked to Café Tortoni, BA’s oldest café, on Avenida de Mayo. A bit touristy, but loved the setting,
along with the ice cream and hot chocolate (not the churros), and the service was among the best we’ve
had on the trip.

We then headed back toward our hotel but couldn’t resist entering a demonstration that combined
mentions of Eva Peron, Che, and Inca rebel Tupac Amaru who has given his name to leftist resistance
movements. The timing coincided with an anniversary of the Resistancia movement to unite against the
repressive military government 30 years ago, and the Madres de Mayo were connected to it. What was
being protested and why were unclear.




                         As they say in Argentina, if you can’t understand it, join it

Got to the hotel. Soon got a cab to the airport, with traffic so bad near the entrance that many chose to
walk within a mile or so of it, not counting the lengthy trek to the terminal. Driving still proved faster in
the end.

So here we are – dinner of Quilmes beer and Coke Zero, olives, cheese, crackers – lounge specials. All
good. Chile soon.

BA was a blast, a city we could have dallied in longer, and I wouldn’t mind making use of the 10-year
visa. I’d be fine eating less steak next time around though.
11-12-10

10:10pm
Meridiano Sur hotel
256 Santa Beatriz
Santiago, Chile

Arrived to our hotel after 4am – I slept the flight, even when we were waiting, not flying. C wasn’t so
lucky.

After 10 we were up, and by 12 we were on the move – walked to a subway station. It was the wrong
way, but in doing so, C found a tourism office and picked up a brochure for free walking tours in English
lasting hours and covering much of Centro and the artsy/Bohemian district.

We first took the subway east, through a park and walked to Vitacura, the shopping area, where we
then cabbed it west to the heart of it. After not finding a place to eat, we backtracked and spotted a
German restaurant, which was fantastic (Starnberg) – bread smorgasboard with warm pretzels, 2 kinds
of mustard, delicious goulash better than either of us had in Hungary, C’s over the top hamburger and
fries, my perfect brat and sauerkraut – so good and filling. Not cheap, but good. Well worth it.




                             Eating authentic Chilean means eating German

Checked out some underwhelming artisan markets and then went to Plaza de Armas for the tour, where
we first caught some tango dancing thanks to a new festival.

By 3, or soon after, we joined the tour in Plaza de Armas – 10 tourists, with the others being UK & Aussie
20-30-somethings staying in hostels. Guide Bobbi (Roberta) was a riot, very open, fun, vibrant. She’d
admit Chile’s chocolate and coffee suck while it can’t touch Peru’s claim to Pisco, even while saying
Pinochet remains controversial and not outright reviled.




                           A Chilean miner human sculpture in Plaza de Armas
Salvador Allende, looking out at the presidential palace where his life ended

We saw a ton, loving it. It’s generally a beautiful, lively, well maintained city. The subway was
immaculate, the main cathedral was truly awesome, and the artsy area was a ton of fun. Not bad for a
free tour too.




                                        Feisty window pooches
Fun fact: the founder of the ubiquitous New York City staple is from Santiago



After a bit of shopping – I love the Selk’nam demon I got [from Jugueteria – see the Flickr set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jugueteriasur/ ] – and an “earthquake” drink (Terremote – a white wine
with pineapple ice cream that then melts into it – so delicious) – we cabbed it to Bar Liguria, a
recommend restaurant [in the neighborhood of Providencia, where we stayed]. It was a fantastic meal.

The Carmenere wine selected by the waiter was among the best we had. [When I got back I bought the
Apaltagua 2009 Carmenere from winechateau.com at
http://www.winechateau.com/vsku1594610_APALTAGUA-CARMENERE-750ml-2009 .] Loved the goat
cheese appetizer and my asada ‘brisket’ – better than Argentine beef. C’s gnocchi was very good too.

Awesome. Better deal than lunch too, as wine is about $20/bottle, even for great finds. Whole meal was
about $80.

A bit drunk. [And then I can’t read the rest. It was amazing I caught as much as I did then. Not only did I
polish off most of a bottle of red wine, which is more than enough to do me in, but we arrived after
4am, I didn’t get to sleep until a bit after, and then we spent the entire day touring, mostly on foot.]



12-10-10
Admiral’s Club, Santiago Airport

AHOY, and GUT NACHT
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America
The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America

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The Other Americas Journal: Travels through South America

  • 1. THE OTHER AMERICA JOURNALS Peru – Ecuador – Brazil – Argentina – Uruguay – Chile July & December 2010 By David Berkowitz What follows is a personal travelogue spanning six South American countries over the course of about three weeks in July and December 2010. All views and photos are my own. All photos from the trip are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz , with a smaller sampling on Facebook as well. Contents The Other America Journal: Peru and Ecuador ............................................................................................ 2 The Return to Other America: Rio – Buenos Aires – Colonia - Santiago..................................................... 70 Appendix 1: Recommendation List ........................................................................................................... 110 Appendix: Book List................................................................................................................................... 112
  • 2. The Other America Journal Peru & Ecuador 7/15-7/29 2010 By David Berkowitz Just a seven hour flight, but an entirely different universe
  • 3. 7/15 9:18pm JFK Terminal 4 Oasis Lounge We overshot the Oasis, backtracking to find it. Well worth it, of course, especially with the business class pass making security reentry a cinch. To start, let’s hear from Peruvian novelist and poet Jose Maria Arguedas in Deep Rivers: I felt I should be like the great river, crossing the land, cutting through the rocks, undetainably and serenely flowing through mountains and forests, and entering the sea accompanied by a huge nation of birds that sing from the heavens. And so it begins. Weaning myself off the day to day. Goodbye laptop and Droid, an iPad and iPhone with me to check in and keep me entertained. After Deep Rivers¸ a Kindle with my library. And a general sense of lightness, one I haven’t felt so prominently in some time. Friday, July 16 11:16pm Radisson Decapolis Miraflores Lima Peru A very long day… 12am – Departed on LAN, so spacious. The steward spoke to us in Spanish, as everyone else would wind up doing here. We noted we spoke English. Steward: Do you know where you’re going? Lima or Santiago? Us: Lima Steward: Do you know what language they speak in Lima? In Lima, we speak Spanish. He was being playful, but truthful. It’s an attitude implicit here. Little English. The expectation is you speak the language. I basically slept the whole flight, bed flat, eye mask on. Not a perfect night’s sleep but really close.
  • 4. 6:40am – Land. Customs. Bags await us. So does Milagros, our host from Inka Natura (our travel agency), and Miguel the driver. 8ish, maybe a bit later – Arrive at hotel. Modern, clean, comfortable. 8:30ish – Breakfast, a good international spread. Chicken tamale, egg with huancaina sauce, some new fruit I’ve never seen before like some kind of cactus, and a yambo. And lox – always lox at these things. Great bread. 9 – Room. Shower. 9:30 – Pass out. 11:30 – Stir. 12 – Get moving. First, heading out on foot to Mercado Indio, Indian Market. Supposedly a huge area supporting locals. Really, a tourist trap. Some fun stuff – got a Cholo Bond tshirt and a well hung statue. Passed by JFK Park. Hailed a cab with little difficulty – cabs were easy to find and never seemed to cheat us, even running off the meter. But they didn’t always know where we were going. 1-1:30 – Cab from Miraflores to San Isidro, another nice neighborhood that underwhelmed. Our target restaurant: Chifa Real, a highly recommended restaurant, and it was packed. But it wasn’t any good. Chifa is everywhere here – amazingly so. Every neighborhood we saw had several. It’s Peruvian Chinese food and from our first tastes, we’ll take NY’s. No reason to sing ‘hail to the chifa’
  • 5. Had Inca Cola. Similar to Jarritos, bought by Coca-Cola. It is everywhere, more than chifa. No Diet Coke, except at dinner later – not in any ‘bodega’ or street cart. 3ish- Got to Pueblo Libre, further west. With a bit of effort, found the San Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, with an amazing exhibition of mostly pre-Inca pottery, jewelry, clothing, art, and other artifacts. So beautifully done, and the Moche, Huari, etc were incredible with their animal and human representations. Must visit. And then, their erotic art gallery – fascinating, but less of a wonder or treasure. Typical caption at Larco Hererra’s erotic gallery
  • 6. Walked from there. At a random bakery on Bolivar, had an amazing chicken-filled pastry, a sweet empanada of sorts reminiscent of chicken hombows in Seattle’s Pike Place. Made it to a collective of native women artists, less enthralled. Cab to Barranco, through severe traffic at 5, to Dedalo, recommended by a NY-turned-Lima resident encountered outside Museo Rafael. Pretty but not a must. Tough to find a cab back. Rudimentary Spanish and TripIt helped get there. Dinner: Astrid Y Gaston, a 10-15 minute walk away. Some say Peru or South America’s best food. We’ll believe it. HAD to do 12 course tasting menu. Loved every last one. The amuse bouche was really special – a potato soup, raw seafood, and corn fritter, representing 3 of Peru’s most important staples. Brilliant and perfect. So was the crisp and juicy guinea pig in a blue corn tortilla. All great dishes – no weak links, but damn were we full. The Astrid Y Gaston tasting menu
  • 7. 11:15 – Back. Sat July 17 8:26am Radisson The morning begins with: COPS: Bizarre Calls Dubbed in Spanish, on TruTV 5:30pm Radisson Fun facts today: - Peru has 4,000 chifa restaurants and 200,000 Chinese people - Facundo Arana stars in both Yago Pasion Morena and Padre Coraje (two soap operas) - Many buses are privately run, hence why they call out for passengers Today – Too full for breakfast. I had a snack pack, enough until lunch. Our guide Nelida (?) and driver (Manuel?) picked us up at 9. Braved the traffic to Plaza de Armas and the Colonial City of Lima – something awesome, a great mix of architecture borrowed from the Spanish, French and elsewhere, much of it dating to 17th C. Saw the Church of San Martin and later San Francisco, the train station converted to a literary cultural center, the cathedral, post office, and probably more than I can make sense of, though photos will help. This is clearly why Lima has been and should be a world class city, and they’re ramping up efforts to increase tourism. Case in point: the Red Bull / Samsung motorcross event taking place soon right outside the presidential palace, just to get more exposure for the venue.
  • 8. Mail slot in Peru’s Colonial City You can still stare at some of Peru’s saints eye socket to eye socket
  • 9. This saint is from the same small Polish town as my grandfather Francisco Pizarro’s head wound up in this box
  • 10. Inca Kola: easier to find in Peru than water A sampling of imports available at the post office Lunch: Rosa Nautica, on a pier in Miraflores. It’s more about the scenery, which was gorgeous, and included local wildlife such as Inca terns [birds], spider crabs and surfers. A seagull camped out on a ledge by the window outside our table waiting for the bread man to feed him. The bread man came through, and fed us plenty – I had 6 pieces. The food was good – finally had ceviche in Peru, C had potatoes, then we had different seafood dishes and a flan for dessert – but nothing we’ll crave later like the guinea pig last night.
  • 11. An Inca Tern outside Rosa Nautica After that, ruins of Pachacamac 30km outside Lima, surrounded by the city’s slums. Interesting, but the explanations needed work, and while vast, they’re among the less aesthetically pleasing ruins I’ve seen, which diminishes the experience. The cathedral at least had bones of tens of thousands of bodies – a great showpiece. Not much like that here. The slums outside Lima were more fascinating than the ruins Then a drive through nicer parts like San Isidro, leading to a useful lesson: If you want to find the ritziest part of town, look for the embassies. What’s true in Cairo is true of Lima.
  • 12. The tour ended in Miraflores with Parque del Amor, a gorgeous park with a massive statue by an artist unfortunately initialed VD.
  • 13. Then on our own we hit Larcomar, handily the most overpriced shopping area we ever visited. It was packed, but no one seemed to be buying anything. 10:48pm Dinner – 7 – La Huaca, a restaurant at the front of ruins in San Isidro. More guinea pig, ceviche… decent but not spectacular. Beautiful venue, al Fresco with coal fires and the ruins in front of us. Similar to Rosa, the experience trumps the cuisine. Walked home. Along the way: -A supermarket, a major one, with tons of great and varied produce, international delicacies… fascinating. Why those grocers wore dunce hats, no idea. And apparently Philly cream cheese goes on everything but bagels. Silly hat day at the grocery store -Arriving near Kennedy Park, fireworks – totally unexpected, in advance of independence day festivities. Likely a dry run.
  • 14. -An awful flea market in the park – hideous stuff. -A department store with great variety and awful prices, and nothing we’d want to buy. Sun 18 Julio 12:20 P(eru)ST LAN 098 Lima-Quito Premium Economy to Quito – it helps in Lima’s airport, where LAN’s economy line snaked around the terminal. Easy baggage claim will help when we get in. As for the lounge, C heard LAN’s Lima lounge is the nicest in South America. Beyond the full bar and delicacies like Diet Coke, it’s hardly worth the price of admission. Woke up in the middle of the night dreaming I was buying a pickle farm, as a magazine about pickle farming arrived for me at home, and I was reviewing the classifieds, even wondering if I should buy one from Matt W and Danielle M at work. Apparently they grow in a very select latitude, which crosses NJ. Mike McCurry had some announcement about it too. Breakfast – a nosh in-room and at the hotel restaurant. Had Ritz galletas w/cheese, better than the strawberry Oreos. Now on the plane, so breakfast in Peru leads to dinner in Ecuador, a marvel of today – to think we could have planned dessert in Medellin.
  • 15. As for the seats, it’s a funny jerry rig, a middle seat in regular economy accommodations reserved for blankets and drink holders. Take off soon, Quito soon enough. 10-something, Hotel Quito, Quito Another long day, and a high one After an easy flight – more sleeping, reading, breezed through airport security in Quito and met driver/guide Roberto and his daughter, 5, Maria-something, holding a small beverage and, in her left hand, a small bird she found en route to the airport. Google Translate taught me “bird” was “pajaro,” later providing some grounds for communication while Roberto disappeared. He lost his airport exit ticket, delaying us at least a half hour before he gave up and paid the $50 – in USD, as everything is here, except some small change from certain vendors. Perhaps consequently, some prices seem cheap, some low cost, some pretty standard for the US, and at the mall, some downright ludicrous. The mysterious bird girl of Quito
  • 16. We dropped our bags at the hotel and spent little time here before bolting to Teleferiqo, the cable cars going up a mountain from around 9,700 feet to 13,300 feet, and we further walked higher – no acclimatization, drinking a bottle of water on the way. The driver, Manuel, speaking in Spanish, kept selling us on his touring services as we darted across town, past another few dozen chifa spots, along with plenty of KFCs, Pizza Huts and Texas Chickens, a surprisingly prominent chain. Violating every ounce of good advice, we bought our tickets all of 90 minutes after landing. Locals paid under $5 and foreigners paid $8.50, but the foreigner prices were the same for the regular and express lines so we just cut ahead. Then came the rapid ascent, leaving the city behind us, soaring over some mountain bikers making their way down the steep slopes, all covered in green this close to the equator, even in winter. Hopping out, after sharing a car with a kid around 20 now living in Killeen, TX doing construction work, we felt a bit dizzy but overall okay, enough to go walk awhile further, and some degree higher, to soak in the views just before daylight faded. Really astounding, and our visit to Quito was worth it for that alone.
  • 18. We found a taxi after trekking well past the exit, feeling good about not feeling too bad with the high altitude. We had the driver take us to an Indian and/or artisan market which he said was open until 9 but closed early on Sunday. We had him take us to a mall downtown, and then he tried doubling the rate because it was two stops, even though he knew the market closed early. We gave him $6 instead of the $10 he asked, which was more than he should have charged us to go direct anyway. The mall was again overpriced, except for the supermarket, and we had a great if slow cooked snack of chicken kebabs and fries in the food court. For dinner we sought out La Ronda, which Roberto the guide and the hotel clerk recommended, despite us knowing some good options. Supposedly authentic, it was clearly for tourists, with folk singing and dancing, but they couldn’t answer basic English questions like if the water was purified – a bad sign, compounded by the packaged butter and nearly stale bread (the bread wherever we went in Peru was amazing and abundant). A banana empanada, an amuse bouche of sorts, was decent, but my tamale appetizer was inedible, as was the egg-covered oversalted beef entrée. After a couple bites we got the check and left in a cab for McDonald’s – the fifth continent on which we’ve eaten it, C opting for the ¼ pounder and me the Shrek burger with tortilla chips on it – fantastic. With two stops (and a long wait at McD’s), the driver charged us $5 and we gave him $8. Well, at least SOMEONE is happy to be at McDonald’s Now we repack – carry-on only for the Galapagos, we hope, as we will return here Thurs. Too soon? Sure, but so far so good.
  • 19. Monday, July 19 2pmish Galapagos Legend ship Middle of the Galapagos Islands Ecuador Made it. The world wonder tour is now well underway as pelicans, seals, and flora I can’t truly appreciate greeted us at Baltra Island. First animal sighting in the Galapagos: the pelican hospitality committee On the way, there was an hour delay for a flight at a chaotic, confusing, tiny airport terminal. Despite too little info from Roberto and too much Spanish from the announcements, it all came together. It just took: - Waking up at 5, storing our large suitcases and packing our carry-ons. Liquids turned out to be a non-issue. - The delay and confusion, as noted. - Two flights on the same plane, a pretty massive one about as big as each airport where it stopped. - Surviving the strange noxious spray they misted into all the overhead compartments. As for the family with buckets of KFC, I hope they didn’t eat it. - A raft [panga] ride from the airport-area dock (following a bus trip there) to the ship. Klein Tours made that leg easy.
  • 20. Pangas, or rafts, which we used a couple times a day to shuttle between the ship and the islands So… Hotel Quito – car – airport – plane – break in Guayaquil – plane – Galapagos airport – bus – raft – ship The bathroom on AeroGal 33
  • 21. 6:25pm Following lunch – v good buffet I neglected to mention earlier, sitting beside a middle aged couple from LA and a senior couple from Houston, Ray and Nancy, who visited about 99% of US National Parks and whose male half was in seminary school and later worked for Lifeway Christian publishing. All very nice. Oh, so this Galapagos thing… The map of our itinerary; we just covered the shorter, orange span I’ll hardly do justice describing it. Heck, Darwin’s Origin of the Species, brilliant and important as it is, is a bore. Reading it though, I’m all the more honored to walk through his footsteps. The Galapagos Islands are so meticulously cared for, even if too many visitors pass through, and it’s clear we are guests on the animals’ and plants’ turf. As for sightings… - Pelicans and seals after landing - Approaching North Seymour Island by raft, a swarm of hermit crabs escaped en masse into the rocks, a perfectly timed, picturesque greeting.
  • 22. - Sea lions hid on the rocks – you could step on one in particular if you weren’t looking. Another lay dead up top – one more reminder of where we are, a natural environment. Another seemed lifeless but was just napping. - Swallow tailed gulls with their red feet then greeted us. - They soon made way for their enemies, the violent great and magnificent frigatebirds, never so great or magnificent as when mating, with the males puffing out the red ventral sack. - Land iguanas occasionally lazily walked by. Some seemed to smile. - Blue footed boobies courted each other. We saw one promising male get rejected. - Little yellow warblers blended in with the sparse greenery. - Larger crabs dotted the rocks. Bob Marley rock – you can see the face, and then sort of see the dreads vertically carved into the side
  • 23. Frigatebirds attack one another A content land iguana
  • 25. Tues July 20 Galapagos Legend 11:40am Another hike, this time through Santa Cruz to see land lizards, and a couple of their darker water lizard brethren. Also saw pelicans, blue herons – a majestic one, sulfur butterflies, a sea lion, crabs, a gecko, mockingbird, and all kinds of flora. No sign of goats, those ruinous pests they’re trying to take out, or blackberries – ditto. Breakfast was fantastic, served 7-8 following wakeup music and announcements starting at 6:45. Bacon, pineapple, plantains, mozzarella sticks, French toast. Then toured with group Albatross and guide Andres from 8-11.
  • 26. A favorite memory: sea lions with their rock pillows 6:40pm Galapagos Legend LAND, SEA, AIR Lunch – a so-so spread, fried squid, hot dog bar, rice… ehh. But undoubtedly more than anyone we’re making the best use of the galleta (cookie & cracker) bar down the hall. Napped. Wet landing at Floreana – Cormorant Point. Beautiful scenery and hiking and beach walking – sea lions, turtles, crabs, a couple frigates, a dead seahorse, jellyfish, stingrays… lots of plant life, including the pink algae that gives the color to shrimp and then flamingos. But no flamingos. Also saw mineral olivine, which sounds like a big deal and gives a pretty green color to the beach.
  • 27. Galapagos crab Water for snorkeling – freezing, even in a wetsuit. Didn’t see much and we missed the big turtles. Oh well. Stopped by Galleta Bar and saw Eric & Beverly from Houston. No one gets how I’m not from Texas and wearing the UT shirt. Oh, great hot chocolate after the water – score another for Klein Tours. And… yes, now we’ve seen the islands from air, land, and sea. One other note: Fascinating how different all these islands are, in such close proximity. You’d think you’re hopping among different countries. Wed 7/21 12:30pm Legend Breakfast – awesome cheese empanadas, basically mozz sticks, plus some other stuff. Good pineapple. Then, an awesome tour of Espanola, the rocky trails encircling the island going by the cliffs and other terrain, another wealth of ecological sites. Marine lizards everywhere, often keeping still to preserve heat.
  • 28. Christmas iguanas huddling close Sea lions- tons of them, lots of pups. A big one blocked our path as we started out.
  • 29. Albatrosses cared for their babies, while we saw others do the mating dance.
  • 30. Finches abounded, many wanting our attention. Blue footed boobies dotted the paths. Nazca boobies hung out along the cliffs. Blue footed boobies show off their footwear
  • 31. Smaller lizards popped up, while finches fed on a dead one. A snake appeared just off the path. A pair of hawks buzzed atop a rock. Yellow warblers added spots of color in contrast to the black rocks. Animal life was everywhere today, out in full force. So much beauty and amazement. Also good: the chocolate fondue after we got back. Good lunch too – seafood paella, sausage/chicken kebab. 6:30pm Legend Back in the room with our Nabisco/Kraft Coronita Konitos Fresa (strawberry/vanilla sandwich cookies) and Club Social (Club crackers) – staples of the galleta bar. Oreos werehard to find, and the Chips Ahoy tasted funny. This afternoon, after a bit of a nap, left for San Cristobal, dry landing, 30 min bus ride across the island to a tortoise breeding center. They’re making adorable tortoise babies and when they’re old enough at age five, reintroducing them to repopulate the different species, many endemic here. Really amazing, ancient creatures. We watched awhile as a younger male went after a most unwilling cougar.
  • 33. The babies were fun but all penned in, except for #1 offspring Genesis, now 5, who was in the open munching away. Genesis 1:1 – the tortoise repopulation begins The main town, the political seat of the islands, was rather sparse – many stores on an extended siesta, and lots of souvenir shops selling the same stuff. We got 3 bottles of soda for $4.50, some time at an internet café for $1, and a couple tshirts for about $10 apiece. Watching seals play on the steps by the dock: priceless. Seal tag
  • 34. On the raft, or panga, back, we heard of a strike that may go on across Peru when we’re in Machu Picchu. What drama will unfold? As long as we can see MP, I’m really eager to find out and wouldn’t mind getting stuck here because of it. On that note, this was our first chance to get ANY news. The US could have gone to war and we’d have no idea. No internet, TV or news clippings on the boat. 10:30 Finalizing the paperwork of this short long trip, saying farewell, packing. At dinner tonight, at our assigned seats, for the first time we spoke with both Hispanic families on either side. On my right, a Quito-area-based family of four that spoke almost no English. Very sweet, but they were surprised to see me smile and thought I was so serious. When with a waiter’s help they learned I worked in advertising, the mother refused to believe that was a real profession. On my left, Sylvia, Alberto and their two kids, of four. Mexico City Jews that do advertising for properties they own in jewelry and technology. Sylvia appreciated some tips for NY and loved talking about Israel, which she visited twice in the past two years. And just hours before, on the bus from the tortoise breeding center into town, I got into a lengthy, somewhat one-sided chat with Lifeway Ray about football. Sometimes the conversations pick you. Did farewell cocktails. A guide’s takeaway was how this area, so dependent upon human support for its conservation, is this totally wild environment where humans opt to explore nature in a rare Eden-like way. Perhaps it’s too much to say it’s untouched – there were footpaths built by us, we saw the breeding center, and we can’t totally control introducing species that can drastically impact the ecology. But it’s close, and it’s real, and you can trip over animals who completely don’t mind our presence. It is unusual, incredibly special, and well worth the trip here, even for the duration we’ve been here. Thurs 7/22 6:40am Last night, a final stroll on deck – sea deck. Cold night. Lots of cold here now – the water, the room temp. A jacket comes in handy. A half dozen swallow tail gulls trailed the boat, flying overheard. A pod of sea lions played a game of boat tag, swimming toward the boat, then swimming out 15-30 feet on their backs. The more you watched, the more of them you saw. Cold as it was, I stayed awhile to watch.
  • 35. 8:40am Breakfast: Toast, pineapple, sausage, a couple mini potato empanadas – fairly small plate all in all, plus strawberry juice. Finished packing. Just handheld bags left. Did a quick panga ride around Santa Cruz, with the highlight being a bunch of sharks hanging out in clear, shallow water, and countless Brooke Shields references in Spanish (re: Blue Lagoon). Sharks in the blue lagoon. Insert Brooke Shields reference here. Stopped by Galleta Bar. Must have eaten all the cornitas. Saw the Texas Christians and the lesbians (possibly). A little downtime now before the hubbub of returning. The strike looms ever closer – four more days until we’re supposed to see Machu Picchu and stones may literally obstruct our train tracks if it’s a day early, or they may keep us there if it’s on schedule. Dun dun DUNHHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNNHNHN! 12:45 mainland time 11:45 Galapagos time AeroGal 33 Galapagos -> Guayaquil -> Quito (3 places that mean something to me now that didn’t not long ago)
  • 36. Said our farewell to the Legend, mingled with some passengers and took a panga to the Baltra dock, greeted by an array of birds and a couple marine iguanas. A bus then brought us to the terminal where we found out about an hour delay. We spent the time browsing souvenirs, snacking on pollo empanadas and Sprite/Diet Coke, flying through security, and then chatting awhile with Sylvia the Mexican Jew, a fascinating woman who speaks perfect English (unlike her husband, who spoke none), loves reading and travel, and openly shared her take on Mexico’s kidnapping problem. This is her biggest concern – she fears it every time her kids leave her each day. Her uncle was kidnapped but was treated kindly as the local priest in Acapulco told the kidnappers how well the victim, a hotel owner, treated the locals, especially the poor. Sylvia’s bigger concern is the spontaneous kidnapping designed to get a few bucks (eg $10K) in a few hours. Ahh, Mexico. And now the flight takes off, feeling somewhat like an episode of Lost where you know the names of a bunch of the people on board, and others you recognize from random episodes. I’m next to Eric and Beverly, who are kind of like the interracial older couple on Lost, just not interracial. And on this flight there are far more teens and boomers/seniors rather than the 20-30-something stars of the series. 3pm Guayaquil Here’s the episode in Lost where half the plane gets off in Guayaquil, the chief coastal city of Ecuador, including the older not-quite interracial couple that has a connecting flight on Copa Airlines. 10:30 Mainland Time Quito Hotel By Abraham Lincoln Plaza
  • 37. Fascinating city – often third world but cosmopolitan. Lots of English – real pride in it, with less Spanish nationalism. Ecuador had economic booms before with coffee, bananas and chocolate, and perhaps they see English as the ticket to the next one. It can’t hurt. Their prices are just cheap enough to offer great deals for American shoppers, along with others. They’re just high enough that the country doesn’t feel like a charity case – it’s not third world pricing. After landing, no sign of a guide, which was soon sorted out with Klein Tours and Inka Natura. Altitude effects kicked in, and being overtired couldn’t help. The first stop: a return to Hotel Quito, with much of the Legend – the lesbians, Texans and Canadian class are all here, so the whole hotel may exist to serve Klein Tours. It sounds like we’ll be the last to leave. After a quick scare over a missing camera, false at that, and reports that the strike may not affect us (but could…), we left for the artisan market, with maybe a hundred stalls – more? - of souvenirs – enough of it beautiful, handcrafted, reasonably priced stuff, with plenty that’s chintzy or I-could-never-wear-it- ugly. I did get a leather cowboy hat – they love leather here – and a few other things with C. We then walked around the neighborhood, near Quito’s Central Park and a bust of 19th C. President Garcia Moreno. Then… dinner. Wait, no. We had balon de verde from a café of sorts owned by the son of a Swiss immigrant. Basically fried baseball sized chunks of banana falafel like dough with cheese (C) or pork (me). From the Hilton, we cabbed it to Zazu, rated as possibly the best restaurant in Ecuador. If so, it deserves it. The only knock I have is how it labeled the restrooms. I first saw “m” and almost went in, but it was open enough to reveal no urinals. Then I held back, pretended to check my phone, and followed another guy in the other bathroom, which I later saw was marked “h” – hombres, not mujeres. Seeing the “m” first is very confusing for gringos
  • 38. The dinner – SO good – - Perfectly battered and dressed fried calamari - Grilled pulpo salad - Crispy cones with raw tuna, stone crab, and something else – reminded us of Per Se C had a delicious and generously portioned tuna, while my Criollo de Lomo steak was ridiculously flavorful. A trio of chocolate desserts via Republic de Cacao capped it off. Beautiful, modern décor, good service… I’d return in a heartbeat. All for $90 total, at a place that would compete with Aureole if in NY. With this and Astrid Y Gaston, we’ve probably hit two of the best restaurants on the continent, a surprising bonus. Must wind down. Another day of touring ahead, and a flight – international. Yet Galapagos to Quito really feels like country hopping. Quito to Lima, not as much. It is nice being in a stationary bed – no seafaring tonight. Miss those boobies and others though. Fri 7/23 4:34pm Hotel Quito (where I’m now the [Foursquare]mayor!) Another packed day. Not a great night’s sleep, battled a bit of a stomach bug. Breakfast at hotel – nice spread but I ate light. Incredible views of Quito from 7th fl. A bit late, we met our guide Ammalia and drove to the equator museum [Museo de Sitio Intinan]. The landmark we recognized as a symbol of Ecuador is actually 215 meters away from the equator, with the original discoverers having been a bit off a couple hundred years back. We later saw the big monument, but it didn’t compare to the museum and tour at the REAL center, complete with shrunken heads, boa constrictors, guinea pigs, fish that enter your genitals when you pee, and [dramatized] science experiments, such as balancing an egg, watching how water draining has no centrifugal force right on the equator, and a challenging balancing act with the northern and southern hemisphere forces pulling at you simultaneously. Well done [if not always perfect science], with an engaging guide who plays well with American tourists.
  • 39. Remember, first cut, THEN boil the water
  • 40. The guide swore this wasn’t intentional. COME ON! Ever feel like men are from the northern hemisphere and women are from the southern hemisphere?
  • 41. Meaning: not calculated with this guesswork like you get at the other site
  • 42. People who paid to stare at the outdated monument So cute, so delicious
  • 43. From Mitad del Mundo, we drove through Quito’s traffic and noxious pollution (a real issue here) to the old colonial town, a breathtaking city within a breathtaking city, though the views everywhere here always offer some kind of visual feast. We saw a couple churches and a cathedral, the churches especially ornate. Words fail me here, and no pictures are allowed. So, umm, downtown Quito was being invaded by alien octopi and our guide just took us along to the next church Our guide dropped us off at the prime food and bar area where we had an Ecuadorian meal at a non- touristy place – a good spread of corn, pork (braised and fried), and plantains. Walking around more, after an overpriced shop where I met a medical missionary from Nashville watching the Cubs play the Cardinals, then wandered more and saw a sign by Kallari, a café, saying The New York Times called it the world’s best chocolate. An MIT student from California told us she’s helping them with their fair trade cooperative this summer. The chocolate was very good, hot chocolate pretty decent and brownie nearly inedible. Back to the hotel. We had 2 hours to kill and returned for the stretch (we negotiated a rate of $24 for the time, but our tour manager later said it was on the house with extra late checkout). Watched some local TV including short music videos from some frighteningly unphotogenic people with hotmail addresses. En route to UIO in <30.
  • 44. 7pm Sala VIP UIO The VIP Lounge here is far nicer than the one in Lima – various amenities like ‘tv dinner’ carts for your laptop, food or notebook, sodas on tap (Coke products), easily viewable departure times, and others. Thanks in part to our Premium Economy status, it was a very quick process getting through here, even with exit fees, checking bags (we checked all of them since they restricted it due to the overhead bins not working well on this plane), going through immigration even as we forgot our cards (they couldn’t have been nicer about it), and then security where we were the only people in sight. Then we passed through literally about 3 dozen souvenir stands. Perhaps in honor of Ecuador with more biodiversity per mile than any other country, they have more tchotchke shops per square foot than any other airport. More fun facts about Ecuador: Top industries, in order: 1. Oil 2. Roses (sent to Russia) 3. Tourism / bananas (really) Their president, Correa, is the first ever to speak Quechua, the traditional indigenous language (though there are of course many others). “Friends” is still popular here. (Note: we had to distinguish when our guide meant “popular” in the American sense, vs her meaning, which was “common.” So, it’s popular to serve in the military at 18 or live near the airport for the poor and lower/middle classes.) Sat 7/24 9:03am Lima International airport Gate 12 Last night, a largely uneventful flight. Ramada Airport Hotel – Costa del Sol was modern and comfortable. Never had a bad shower in these hotels. The room seemed a bit loud at first but it was a non issue. Manhattan living paid dividends.
  • 45. RANDOM OBSERVATION: In public areas like airports, mens rooms are on the left here, unlike the US where they’re on the right. Once again, I almost entered the wrong one and was spared by following the crowd. Ramada’s breakfast was another good spread. Still trying not to eat too heavy, though needed a taste of bacon. We walked back to the airport to security here. They have no premium class for domestic, not for seating nor luggage, so our path led to the commoners line, snaking around much of that section of the terminal. Soon enough it started moving, and the ticket counter clerk said even our carry-on baggage was too heavy, so we checked that. Then security, but we had to pay a $7 exit fee. The lines would have made 19th c. Russian writers proud. Got some Frito Lay sweet potato (camote) Peruvian chips and Inca Kola. Off soon. 1:05pm Casa Cartagena – restaurant Cuzco or Cusco Another early flight, slept and read. Our greeter Maria was very nice. We asked about the strike, and she calmly said it’s on for the 27th-28th, the first day being when we’re coming back from MP. 10ish? No clue. Cartagena, room 5 Got cut off earlier following an outstanding bread plate at lunch, then some delicious trout and a broccoli puree. Next time, alpaca kebab. The hotel’s incredible – 16 rooms, spacious courtyard, tons of comfortable touches from decorative pillows to bubble bath to motion sensor bathroom fans. We arrived and the host was waiting with our key, expecting us. They greeted us with papaya-mango juice and coca tea, to help with the altitude. Maria warned max 3x/day, none at night.
  • 46. Casa Cartagena courtyard It’s a funny town, with beautiful mixtures of Spanish and Inca architecture, and then tourist souvenir stands everywhere, even in the grandest of churches. It was a relief this afternoon to see a handful of young kids playing in the street and not hawking something, as so many do. Women, older ones in local garb, offer to pose with their alpaca – some baby alpacas are hard to resist. From lunch, Maria introduced us to Marta, an older, local woman who was great at scheduling visits to hot spots for when they were less crowded, but exhorted us to ask questions only to criticize when we did. If something bore repeating, she couldn’t understand many of our most basic questions, and omitted key historical events because she didn’t like them – really. Where’s the passion of Galapagos Andres, Egypt Hassan or India Ajay? It’d be hard to recommend Inka Natura, our travel operator, but it’s also hard to be too critical when we’re having an amazing journey. Still, I’ve read 12-15 books on Peru and Ecuador in the past several months and tried to understand a few things ahead of time, with the idea that it would come to life here. That hasn’t been the case for much of the tour. Back to Cuzco – narrow streets, similar style of construction in most of it (beyond the oldest parts) – white or beige walls, some with blue trim due to a former mayor’s plan to spruce it up, red clay roofs. Lots of Americans here, plus Germans and other Europeans. Lima had little English and most foreigners seemed to be South American. Quito had a lot of English on storefronts, especially in central areas, and it wasn’t uncommon to hear English there, it all exists for tourists, which is fun in the sense that it thrives, but it dampens the magic that Cuzco should have, with its pivotal Inca history and then Colonial renaissance. With so much hubbub it’s hard to imagine the Inca stones talking, as they did in Deep Rivers by Arguedas. The itinerary today:
  • 47. 1st, Sacsayhuaman, Inca spiritual and astrological center, full of symbolism and in a beautiful setting, as is all of Cuzco in the mountains here. But the altitude does hit us, and walking uphill is a challenge, even with coca and gingko. Then Tambomachay, and another Inca ruin Q’enko. At the former, we saw irrigation, and the Canadians from our Galapagos boat. Without the real context though – beyond some rote symbols and explanation of Inca architecture – it lacked meaning. And we were ready to move. Plaza de Armas was something else, especially the church-cathedral mega combo. Hard to describe and no photos to share.
  • 48. It was something special to be there, but really, McDonalds and Bembos in the main square? And the vendors – as bad as Chichen Itza. Yes, something is lost here for it. Then the Temple of the Sun, once an Inca religious center, but I grew tired of Marta, and more so that she robbed that spot of any real fascination. We did a quick stop at an alpaca store and learned about different qualities, but styles are either too local, outdated (Cosby) or bland and overpriced. Back to hotel. Ordered a new guide. Then went walking – not much to buy at the tons of shops. We walked to and around Plaza de Armas, fascinated by the energy but eager to move on. We went back to Bistrot 370, a spot we passed a bit before Armas, greeted by a British waitress who tipped us off to a good chicha spot (and we left a good tip accordingly). Food – decent, but not amazing especially with how good the menu looked. My carrot ginger soup was perfect (though more ginger wouldn’t hurt), and my gnocchi and shrimp dish hit the spot. Bread was good. C’s mushroom soup and Asian fusion lo mein thing were decent, nothing special. A four-brother band came in to play local music and was surprisingly good. Two groups, one American and the other perhaps Dutch, had a blast, and we bought a CD before leaving, pricey at 30NS but they deserved a good tip. Walked back uphill (ugh). Cold but not freezing. (Oh, 1st hit Gato, an odd market in Armas – fun but quick visit -basically a large bodega)
  • 49. In our room, chocolates on pillow, hanging bathrobes, mood lighting, heat, and bags for our Hiram Bingham train – v. nice touch. More tomorrow. Sunday 7/23 Casa Cartagena, room 5 6pm Another long day, but a great one Breakfast – great spread at hotel. Kept it light with bread, tamale, coca tea. 8:30, met our new guide Edison. He was outstanding – perfect English in speaking and understanding, Cuzco native, loves his job, and can discuss everything – history, culture, religion, politics, agriculture and anything else that came up. (Just interrupted by some amuse bouche and XL pisco sours served by the hotel to our room) First stop: Chinchero, a vast local market on Sundays, with enough touristy dreck but plenty of local flavor at this market that’s been going on for ages. At a shop near it we got alpaca sweaters. Then Ollantaytambo, a tough climb up the stairs along the terraces but well worth it, seeing the temple and fortress Manco Inca last used in the 1530s before fleeing.
  • 50. Inca ruins and architecture are everywhere, including trails running along mountains, grain storehouses, various ruins, and the levels used for agriculture, erosion prevention and other purposes. It’s not just an occasional mark, and more gets uncovered by the day.
  • 51. We continued to follow the Urubamba River deep in the valley through farming and mining towns. One key stop: a bar to try CHICHA! We couldn’t have much as it’s homemade with local water, but a few sips didn’t hurt, and the strawberry version was fun. Played a game of Frog. Cheers for chicha Along the way, we learned what Edison thinks of various tourists: - Americans: fun, easygoing, “walking dollars,” average intelligence; the rich ones are worse but they go to Europe - Irish: the best, great sense of humor, women are the most beautiful and smartest - Germans: rigid, no fun at all, no sense of humor (we hear this all the time), cheap - French: like the Germans in lack of fun and their thriftiness - Brazilians, Argentineans: women are beautiful but can’t talk to them about anything besides soap operas Back to the tour: Lunch at a sprawling hacienda, less sprawling than it was before the agrarian reforms of 1970. Food – decent, not amazing. Potato appetizers were so-so (the bread overall underwhelmed here even at nicer places, hotels included) [interesting to see me sour on bread so much since the time in Lima]. Then some potato tuna appetizer. Pretty good lomo saltido steak dish, and the suspiro limeno traditional custard was very good.
  • 52. More driving, to Pisac. Great views, cheap stuff to buy. Not a must-see but great prices for cheap souvenirs like my Inca Kola tshirt and ceramic bull. Then drove back. And I can only imagine how much I’m missing here. Mon 7/26 11:25am Hiram Bingham train, finally A long morning - Up around 7 (maybe a bit before) - Got ready with our duffel bags. Left our luggage, even my backpack. - 8:15: Maria got us. Told us something about a vague bus ride to Ollantaytambo. Got to the station, greeted with pastries and coca tea (I passé), got on a bus. It would take 2.5 hours to get to Ollantay, but it wouldn’t go smoothly. First, we were supposed to board near Cuzco on this luxury train rated higher than Machu Picchu itself on TripAdvisor. Now that we’re on it, we can see why it’s so esteemed – all comfort and elegance. But the ride should have been 3 hours, instead of the 2 we’ll be on it now. Apparently some flooding and mudslide damage from January is still making an impact during the off season. But we heard nothing, and refunds are unexpected.
  • 53. If that wasn’t enough, a key narrow road in Ollantaytambo was blocked with stones. We were close to the train stop but no one knew how close. A second detour road was blocked with traffic. Cars and tour buses had us fenced in, and when we went in one direction, we had to backtrack. Then we got out a block or two further only to get stuck in the town for 20 minutes, no explanation. A bus leader would later tell us he spoke to the town’s mayor, occupied with pre-Independence Day festivities in the square, and he said it’s not his problem. In the Independence Day spirit Soon, we walked. Bus guy said it was a block. Really, 10-15 minute walk. And yes, this is the luxury train.
  • 54. On animals in Peru Once you get beyond the big cities, animals are everywhere – stray dogs, cows, alpacas, plus here and there on the roadside sheep, chickens, pigs, a few goats. I knew I had more to say. Not sure. Oh and we made a pooch friend named Tika at the Hacienda. The dogs here – strays and all – really are cute. It’s unlike any place I’ve seen. The cats in Israel, dogs in India and random animals elsewhere tend to look mangy and malnourished. Here, the dogs are usually dirty but overwhelmingly cute. We even saw a dalmatian in Cuzco. (I didn’t note that in Lima, the vast majority of dogs we saw, all pets and not strays, were wearing doggy sweaters.) 1:01pm Bingham Brunch menu -Alpaca slices, quiche, bacon, tamale. Alpaca’s very good -Cannelloni filled with quinoa, spinach, chicken, topped with tomato cream sauce. Delicious. Also had a bit of pisco sour and white wine.
  • 55. Something you won’t see on the Travel Channel: infinite mirror effect in the Hiram Bingham bathroom 9:20pm Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel Aguas Calientes, Room 38 In a rustic hotel – expensive for its location, beautiful in many respects, great dinner (I basically had two quinoa, beef, pepper dishes that were delicious), but for this price I wouldn’t mind TV and wifi.
  • 56. The train was a ton of fun once it got moving, and getting there was an adventure that paid off. Our guide, Veronica, was excellent – engaging, informative, a helpful resource. Another long day that feels much later than it is. The heart of it was, of course, souvenir shopping. Okay, maybe not, but the train station area had more stands per square foot than even Ecuador’s airport. It was all overpriced, the vendors making ludicrous claims of their items’ authenticity – “BRONZE!” “STONE!” and then didn’t want to bargain that much. I got a couple gifts, and then a “stone” puma for me partially because the puma is so central as the earth deity in Inca spiritualism, and partially because vendors didn’t want to bargain as much as I did, so I got one for 18 soles, or $6.50. Of course, I’ll have now wound up writing more about souvenir shopping than I will have about Machu Picchu. Driving on the bus along mountain cliffs for 25 minutes and seeing the steep, verdant mountain slopes was jaw dropping. The same went for the setting of MP – you can see why the Incas would have made this landscape a spiritual center, and if you’re going to worship many elements of nature, this setting can make for the perfect deity. Is it a llama or alpaca? Whichever it is, it’s at home at Machu Picchu
  • 57. The nature around Machu Picchu was more inspiring than the ruins themselves Brilliant as the Incas were, I was still left wondering how well they did justice to the landscape. Their craftsmanship is remarkable, but much of it is like looking at the foundational remnants of a small city. Also, unlike with Egypt’s pyramids, the Taj Mahal or Petra, there’s no showpiece, no main event. There’s that view, and countless breathtaking views, but it’s all just there.
  • 58. We changed plans – no MP at sunrise, or departure for Huayna Picchu at 3am just to get a chance to see MP from above. We’ll train it back, and we caught an earlier one. We still have to go to Oll., not Cusco, then cab it. Worth it though, to see more of C., and not as much of MP. Glad we did it, but I can’t buy into the hype. Aguas Calientes, a name much prettier than the city Tues July 27 Vistadome 302 11:05am DAMN THE ELECTRIC FENCE! The first day we can sleep in and… up at 6:30am. Sunlight and noise easily seep in the room at Pueblo Hotel, a drawback. But it came with a perk – I chose to get out early and explore the trails behind and beyond the resort, alongside the Urubamba River, through the fern and (invisible) orchid gardens, up to every locked passageway, past the point where one is not supposed to go without a guide. The smells were invigorating, salubrious with each breath. The cloud cover kept the air damp and cool, a contrast with the bright, blue open sky at MP yesterday, making me realize how fortunate we were to see MP when we did – nothing’s a given, and the photos in some ways were more awesome than how it looked in person. One path today led to the Sacred Rock, with some ancient, pre-Inca drawings (or petraglyphs). Note “ancient” here means pre-colonial, through the whole of the 15th c. Egypt it’s not.
  • 59. Sacred Rock One disappointment: a path down to the Urubamba River. It reminds me of the Far Side cartoon on cow poetry, with the recite repeating, “Damn the electric fence!” Barbed wire blocked my path. If I can interpret this sign, does that make me an interpreter?
  • 60. On the way back, I passed through workers’ quarters at the hotel and the edge of the decrepit town. Then, near our room, water feeders attracted these beautiful, green hummingbirds – so much fun to watch. Breakfast: a great spread – bacon, prosciutto, yucca bread, kalamata olives, cheese, cinnamon rolls, pineapple juice, coca tea. Brief visit to the internet center across the railroad tracks. Back to room, then check out, to the train through the markets. Vistadome is full of backpackers, basically ages 20-25. STRIKE UPDATE Some backpackers in front of us indicate the strike is on in Cusco, centered on natural gas. How close we can get to Cusco is uncertain. We’ll soon find out, if the train starts moving. C asked the hotel staff about it and they laughed, like it was crazy to ask. Not so much. 1:40pm Vistadome Inca ruins are everywhere – not just the main spots. Some have names visible from the train window. Some of their terraces are still used by farmers. It’s hard to imagine any other group of people around for all of about 150 years leaving such an indelible mark on the landscape.
  • 61. Even more visible are the political ads – names painted 3 feet high on random walls, usually without slogans and party affiliations, gearing up for October local elections. Another down moment on the trip: a server spilled scalding coffee all over C, burning her legs. Just 10 minutes before we had switched seats, giving her the aisle. 3:40 – the main highway, somewhere between Chinchero and Cusco Stopped on main and only highway. Waiting for meridian paint to dry. In the middle of a weekday afternoon. Random note: Forgot to mention Kevin and G., the Atlanta-based couple – she’s Brazilian and was miserable at MP, not helped by an upset stomach after Bingham’s lunch. He was a conspiracy theorist who couldn’t believe the Incas did what they did and seemed to think MP was the work of extraterrestrials. I got his email to stay in touch. [Epilogue: I resisted following up.] 10:40pm Casa Cartagena, now room 2 Another long day. Did I say that yet? Once more…
  • 62. C wanted to speak with Perurail. Apparently they don’t care much about making up for causing passengers bodily harm. The 19th c. Russian beaurocracy we sampled in Lima’s airport now delivered a main course, with no shortage of six people telling us what to do and ultimately giving little hope of a make good. [I gave this episode relatively little space in the journal, but it continued long after, and ultimately, thanks to tenacious C, they came through and refunded the ride.] The least helpful among the Perurail beaurocrats The rest of the night was better – souvenir shopping while wandering more streets of Cusco bookending this period, picking up a Peruvian shofar for me. We saw the famed Inca stone wall of Hatum Rumiyoc Street, with the especially famous 12-face centerpiece. Dinner: overeating at Chicha, a restaurant by Gaston of Astrid y Gaston. Very good overall, hardly amazing, good value. Had some chicken and corn salad, beef spring rolls with rocoto pepper dip, and a mix of potatoes (a mixed bag at that). C had a yummy but heavy Peruvian pizza, while I had a bunch of meats – chicken, suckling pig, other stuff, with potatoes, cheese, corn tamale. I prefer our US Mexican tamales –much more flavorful, and while I appreciate the variety of potatoes here, few have been impressive. Corn, on the other hand, has been better prepared, whether on the cob, fried and salted corn nuts, in chicha beer, or other ways, such as the corn-dill spread for the bread. The purple corn jelly candies and candied gooseberries were also delicious here for dessert. Also, finally had a Cusquenia beer – very good. Wish they served chicha though.
  • 63. Wed July 28 2010 Casa Cartagena, rm 2 9:05am “Papa, every stone is talking. Let’s wait a moment… Each stone is different. They’re not chiseled. They’re moving… This wall can walk; it could rise up into the sky or travel to the end of the world and back… Wherever I go the Inca Roca’s stones will go with me. I should like to swear to it right here.” -Jose Maria Arguedas, “Deep Rivers” 2:55pm LAN whatever Cusco-Lima The farewells fly by now. First, to the streets of Cusco. After packing and checking out of Casa Cartagena, we went for a walk – along Inca Roca’s stone-walled paths, Plaza de Armas bustling for Peru’s Independence Day, El Sol and other main streets, the markets. I proudly sported my Inca Kola shirt and Peruvian red & white ribbon pin – tourist and local together as one. Many on the trip thought I blended in or couldn’t guess where I was from at first glance, and I’ll blend worlds together further still.
  • 64. This is how I blended in We stopped at Café Edna for lunch, a spot supporting social services programs, though I just got an Inca Kola. Elsewhere I picked up a couple bags of Nabisco Choko Travesuras – animal crackers covered in chocolate with nonpareils, and a local delicacy I like even more than suspiro limeno. We also popped into a random bakery that smelled good, but the smell was somewhat deceiving. A cheese bread was pretty decent but no better, and a hot dog in a puff pastry did justice neither to the dog nor dough. Farewell to the hotel, the final of our six resting spots:
  • 65. Radisson Miraflores (Lima), Hotel Quito, Galapagos Legend, Ramada Decapolis, Casa Cartagena, and Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel. Given we only were gone 12 nights (plus two nights sleeping mid-air), I use the word “rest” lightly. We got our bags and saw Maria, travel agency greeter who was more on the ball than usual. Sadly, our regular driver wasn’t there. He was fantastic. Then the farewell to Cusco itself. Really fascinating city, fun to walk with its layers and life, though hard to breathe from the air pollution and altitude. I loved being there, but kept wishing it was more of the Cusco I read about, of Atahualpa and Francisco Pizarro, a capital ancient and colonial and a modern doorway to the many paths of Peruvian history. It’s a living idea of all of that, just not a living ideal. Farewell Cusco airport. It wasn’t crowded but checking in took awhile. We needed to dig up our ticket stub from Lima to Cusco, which I wound up finding in my stash. They ran out of priority stickers since the labels were soon arriving in a new color, and after no one could find stickers new or old, the clerk just wrote VIP on our bag tags. We’ll see…. One more reminder that we’re in a western country that still manages to offer its constant surprises. I slept some of this short 70 minute flight, missing the girl throwing up behind us, and the potent spray used by the staff. C had moved to another seat. I woke up for a blaring UNICEF promo later on. And now, landed in Lima… hello again. Thurs July 29 12:07am Lima Airport, by Gate 19 Locked up our luggage conveniently in Lima. Took a cab to Plaza de Armas, arriving in the aftermath of Independence Day festivities, thousands of people there and many more flooding streets in various directions. We took photos with guards by the presidential palace.
  • 66. We walked along, following the crowds for awhile, and then colonial architecture, all of which ultimately led us to San Martin Plaza, named for the hero of Independence Day, their George Washington.
  • 67. San Martin Sometimes I really don’t get this country Once we were running out of architecture to follow, we cabbed it back to Capon St., or near it, to Lima’s Chinatown, a one-street center of Chinese food and a couple malls, finding Salon Capon, featured in The New York Times. The only Chinese-looking person we saw anywhere was an old man telling horoscopes in a pagoda-shaped booth.
  • 68. Well, at least there’s one Chinese guy in Chinatown Dinner was good, with fried wantons, steamed shrimp dumplings, and a fried garlic shrimp dish, plus Inca Kola (of course). [One challenge there: reading a menu in Spanish and Chinese.] Took a cab to a Metro grocery store. Couldn’t find Kraps crackers – lots of Kraft for the office though. The store, in a totally different part of town from the main square, was packed, a hangout spot. 12:40am LAN 530, 3A We found a bitchin’ ride with a spoiler and decals for Thundercats and Michael Jackson. The driver, while barely able to speak a word of English, loved American music and could rattle off names like Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Metallica, George Michael, Boy George (Karma Chameleon), and the Village People. C more than held her own, as the driver spoke the fastest Spanish we heard on the trip, short of the Law & Order dubbing on TV this morning.
  • 69. The airport was easy with our check-in at Cusco, and we made it early. Grabbed Dunkin’ Donuts to buy their Peruvian I-day collection – the suspiro cinnamon with a caramel cream was delicious. Went to VIP lounge. Got an Inca Kola, later some mini-palmiers. We spent most of the time chatting with a British couple living in TX. He’s a geologist largely consulting for BP, since before the oil spill, and the conversation started with birding (his hobby) but largely focused on the oil industry, economics, and in a major way, probability. That seems to define the oil biz, and so many others. In the lounge, we saw familiar faces – the Oakland family from the Galapagos and the Houston family of 4 from Machu Picchu. All kinds of worlds collided there, a swan song with a flashback reel, a fitting end to a trip that felt much longer than its two weeks. More to come.
  • 70. The Return to Other America Rio – Buenos Aires – Colonia – Santiago 3/12/10-13/12/10 4/12 1:37pm Brasil time (10:27am NYC) Arena Hotel, Copacabana Made it to the hotel. No shortage of recommendations from concierge Aldo up front. Last night, a surprisingly quick ride, via gypsy gab, to JFK, following a frenetic day and week. Got the inbox to 0 and skipped town. No phone for me (well, iPhone, but that’s more for games and Foursquare) [I actually didn’t use social media all for the week]. No laptop or iPad. Two cameras. No deodorant or floss (whoops – got more). Long line at JFK terminal 8 for AA. Convenient wait in AA’s Admirals Club lounge to pass the couple hours. Not the most comfy flight, slept a lot but not in a row in seats that barely reclined. But the 9-10 hours didn’t feel too long. And now we’re here, in Rio. Cabbed it to Arena Copacabana, met Aldo, looked for a place to eat and wound up at La Maison, a French restaurant in name only, one of several across from the beach that serves all of Brazil’s cuisines and anyone else’s they can fit on a menu. C: Pizza, Coca Light Plus Me: Seafood special, Coke First impressions: after the miles of favelas (slums), Copacabana itself is like Tel Aviv in many ways, but with more speedos, souvenir hawkers, and racial diversity.
  • 71. Top: Rio’s beach promenade by Copacabana. Below: Tel Aviv’s beach promenade. The walkway patterns are remarkably similar, and the vibe is echoed across continents.
  • 72. Birds-eye view (or, Hotel Arena-eye view) of Copacabana 10:10pm, Arena MEAT YOUR MATCH Brazil is known for so many things – Carnival, skimpy swimwear, hyperinflation, and of course churrascarias. We went to Rio’s most famous all you can eat meat joint [Porcao] tonight to try out #4. Zagat style: Décor: Situated amidst a park a la Tavern on the Green but with views of water and mountains, it gets points for the view. But inside, it’s more mid-market Utah ski lodge – light wood, high angled ceilings, random buffets… you get the gist. 14 Service: No one on staff there, including the most senior person we could find, spoke enough English to tell us if the ice in our caipirinhas was made from unfiltered water and thus might make us violently ill. After we must have offended half of the staff, they took C’s drink back but not mine, and her replacement was at best mediocre anyway. Also, you know those cards they put on the table where you use the green side for “serve me more meat” and the red side for “one of my organs just ruptured so let me figure out if it was an essential one before giving me more meat”? At Porcao, both sides apparently mean, “I will not go away until you take my meat, and if you ask for any darker than medium rare, I will say mean things about you in Portuguese behind your back.” 3 Food: Some of the meat was really amazing, though often tough. Don’t even ask which cuts were served, though we could have looked at the cow diagram on the TV screen to try to decode the servers’ meager attempts at English. [Note: I’m fine with locals not speaking English in other countries, but this
  • 73. was a restaurant that heavily catered to tourists, and only tourists seemed to be eating there that night. Locals repeatedly recommend the spot too though.] None of it was any better than Plataforma in NYC, Fogo de Chao in Texas, or any other great churrascaria in the US. Avoid the sushi bar at all costs, where all the fish looked mildly pinkish, and the salad bar was no better. 15 Value: For all you can eat plus drinks and a 10% tip, it was about $150 US. Awful. If you only eat the meat, eat A LOT of it, and walk there so you don’t have to pay the cab fare, and have never eaten at a good churrascaria, it’s a very good deal. 5 I’m so exhausted by that meal that I won’t even get to the whole saga of the ATMs, where two Portuguese machines rejected me, one only let me withdraw R100 in VERY slow increments, and one (Banco de Brasil) worked even better than US machines in that it gave me a choice of denominations. And finding non-melted ice cream was tough too. The magical ATM of Banco Popular Relaxing day at beach before, but very loud and no lounge chairs to lie back on. The beach chairs at R3 (3 reals) are among few good deals here. C got ice cream at McDonald’s. I later found some that wasn’t too overpriced or melted after the ATMs.
  • 74. And the grocery store before was fun but nothing special. Lots of ham though. Supermarkets have massive ham sections PORKY’S III 8/12 8:38am Arena restaurant Learning Spanish, in a Portuguese speaking country, as an Israeli yammers on his phone behind me. Up early to read. Work dreams about new (fictitious) hires were too vivid. Breakfast: cheese, pineapple, underwhelming chocolate cake, tried cashew and peach juice but stuck with orange, and had pork 3 ways – sliced ham, flavorful sausage and ham-filled mini croissants served hot (so good). Touring today. 8:45am Oh, they’re cheesy ham croissants. No wonder they’re so good.
  • 75. 11ish pm, Arena A FIVE HOUR TOUR or, THE WEATHER STARTED GETTING ROUGH A five hour tour followed breakfast, in a minivan with a driver, a middle aged woman as our guide, and a Portuguese speaking man who lives in the Amazon and works in ecotourism hospitality. First, a drive through the forest enveloping much of Rio, up a mountain to Corcovado, with Christ the Redeemer perched up high, a magnificent statue in a setting to match, and one of few manmade contributions to Rio that holds its own with the natural wonders of biological and topographical diversity. Western Europeans in Brazil tend to prefer homes in the cooler heights of Santa Teresa, and it’s fascinating that residents here have such options. Redemption
  • 76. From Christ, a pit stop at another house of worship, the soccer stadium. Then downtown, the main attraction was the modern Mayan-influenced conical, colorful cathedral that one might almost consider sacrilegious had Pope John Paul II not visited it. [It’s truly unlike any cathedral I’ve seen and opens up the definition of what a cathedral can be.] Holier than thine run of the mill cathedrals
  • 77. The final stop was a trip to Pao de Acucar, or Sugarloaf Mountain, with its dual cable cars for more views of the city, plus some Baconzito chips, Churrasco Ruffles, and Coke Zero. Oh, and awesome souvenir: glow in the dark Jesus [as the Reedemer]. Found out later it REALLY works. The clouds moved in as we descended Sugarloaf – we caught our views just in time, and later we heard the same fog closed Christ, marking another bout of good timing for us. Clear skies at Sugarloaf Lunch: Stambul, surprisingly flavorful Arabian cuisine a half mile or so down from the hotel. Then a long walk to Ipanema where we finally found the sprawling but worthless Hippie Fair. Then we beached at Ipanema, a world famous beach that we found lacking, though it didn’t lack for exposed flesh. Hardly the embodiment of eye candy, it was less island paradise, more Coney Island.
  • 78. Ipanema with its crowds and haze Walked back to the room with a pit stop for a coconut and Coke Zero. By dinnertime at 8, it was raining. We got disposable ponchos from our hotel and headed to Marius, largely a seafood and also steak joint, all you can eat for all you can pay, with seafaring décor and countless other mementos lining the walls and the staff dressed like pirate crew. The food was like last night – sometimes great, sometimes so-so. Don’t save room for dessert. One more surprise: the rain poured so much that it was shutting down the city. Flooding everywhere. Cabs wouldn’t come. A half hour into it, we tried our hotel where Aldo told us to wait 20 minutes. Little changed except flooding got worse. Even private cars wouldn’t come. A large party hired a bus, and for R50 we hitched a ride. We got soaked instantly, but never so bad as when we got to our hotel and found ourselves stranded on an island of sidewalk surrounded by a puddle moat. I gunned it, later finding 2 soaked R10 bills I had hidden in my shoe lining after the ATM fiasco. C took off her shoes and made like a barefoot Carioca [the term for native inhabitants of Rio].
  • 79. Not the safest place to stash your savings in a flood 6-12-10 SLUMDOG BRAZILIANAIRE or, THE BIG GREEN SPLOTCH 5:15pm, Arena Back at the hotel, out largely since 9am. Savoring the taste of dolce de leche churros lingering in my mouth, the best food I’ve had in Brazil and only R2 (well, R6 since I got 2 more). Churros: best deal in Rio
  • 80. The morning was a true highlight – a tour of Brazil’s favelas [slums] with three other young couples, led by Marina, who has been doing these tours for 10 years and whose company has done them since 92. Some #s: # of Rio favelas: >1,000 # of people living in them: ~1.5 million % of population: 20% Largest one: Riocinha, with 85,000 people (est.) On the H. Stern maps of Rio given out at airports and hotels, it looks like much of Rio is covered by greenery, such as a version of Central Park larger than Brooklyn. Yet right behind the Sheraton, easily located on the map at the edge of the green splotch, is Riocinha, which we toured. It is literally off the map, for Brazilians even more than foreigners, as at least a few of us outsiders take an interest in it. It’s hard not to be interested when you’re there. Gangs patrol them, even the ones that don’t serve as drug dens. The best ones to live in are controlled by a single gang, and thus are stable. The worst suffer ongoing rivalries by the three main gangs. Minors, who can’t go to jail, serve as lookouts for dealers and gang leaders, and they’re fiercely loyal due to the salaries they can earn – about R300 a month, equal to minimum wage. Other children beg or sell trinkets, and families have more kids to better support themselves. It’s not all drugs and violence, though those are dangers. Some of these favelas, which are essentially small cities or large towns, have their own businesses and whole economies to support themselves. Residents often have LCD TVs and other luxuries, paying their monthly installments on time and then getting the next item on their wish lists. Some business owners who live in favelas are now middle class but choose to stay put rather than uproot themselves. With squatters’ rights here, anyone who stays five years on public land becomes the owner. Our first stop was Riocinha, bustling and massively sprawling all over a hill, but quieter than usual as police raids were due at any moment. The police have been more active there lately, accepting over 1,000 anonymous tips daily from favela residents. We didn’t see any drama when we were there. We did a little shopping at Riocinha artist stalls, then learned more from above on a balcony from an auto repair shop, and then walked around down below. At street level it was vaguely reminiscent of Delhi – Old Delhi. We didn’t take photos of motorcycles here though, as the drivers sometimes deal drugs and are suspicious of police.
  • 81. Inside and above Riocinha Then we went to Sao Conrado to the smaller 2500 person favela of Vila Canoas. We walked around a good chunk of it, all of which was makeshift – the apartment levels, décor, stairs, you name it. We spent time at the 85-student school that receives 80% of its funding from the tour operator. Eye opening? Certainly. That’s the biggest takeaway – that they’re here, and a vibrant part of Rio. The federal and local governments are finally working on improving infrastructure and services (healthcare, athletics, security) thanks in part to preparations for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. It is a shame such tours are not part of the highlights with Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, but people locally and globally are starting to notice.
  • 82. A brighter spot in Vila Canoas Lunch: Bella Via or something – pizza and Italian-ish buffet. The owner, who lived in Boston 10 years ago, came by to tell us he knows Americans don’t like buffets but his was good. It was in fact better than others, but still a buffet. Went via metro to downtown, on the easily navigable subway system. We gravitated toward colonial sights, walking through the bustling business district and making friends with crazy people. Exhausted after awhile, we took the metro past our stop to get Havaianas in Copacabana. Then a walk home. THE GRILL FROM IPANEMA 11:33pm, Arena So much to write, as usual, so little time to sleep, so much packed in a few days in Rio, full of beauty more in bodies of water than in human bodies, more in the slums than the sand.
  • 83. Tonight: reluctantly woke from a long nap. Almost didn’t do it. Saw the floating Christmas tree here in the lagoon – a fun spectacle. The tree that walks on water Walked around the closed shops of Ipanema, a fun stroll. Good dog, bad afro – in an Ipanema storefront
  • 84. Stopped at Devasse bar to find English menus and a waiter who, though later went MIA, could speak enough of the language. We had tasty codfish balls (they love baccala). C had burger, I had “sundried” steak with grilled somewhat tough cheese and fried cassava and farofa [manioc flour]. Steak was tough but good with farofa. As at every restaurant, with every cuisine, olive oil was on the side. The beer was great – a pale ale, the same brand (Devasse) I had at Marius the night of the flood. While walking around, we hit up a grocery store – high end with lots of high fiber, low fat options. Lots of Nestle, no Kraft – no Oreos. Yes, crazy. So the day started in Riocinha and the night ended in Ipanema. Socially worlds apart, even if some of Riocinha’s denizens are working in the kitchens of Ipanema and cleaning their streets. Such is Rio, such is our world. 7-12-10 KAFKA INT’L 6:40am, GIG 20 minutes until boarding. For the past half hour we’ve explored three levels of a fairly small international terminal. The good news: security let us through. We’ve encountered foreigners, we got a passport stamp, and we gave in our exit dues. The bad news: We’ve seen no sign of our airline. Our gate says C9 on our boarding pass and there is no C9 here. The guard to K9’s employee entrance speaks only Portuguese and has made various hand gestures to tell us we’re in the wrong place. The gate on the departure screen is 8. Taking the down-only motion-sensor escalators (which at first seemed not to work), we discovered the airport, at gate R8, has a bus terminal. That was the low point, for now. 6:50am Found one person who works for Gol [our airline], or at least pushed a Gol wheelchair. We’re in the right place, though it still feels like we’re flying Stephen King Air. Breakfast- Nestle Calypso chocolate covered cookies. Yum. More Coke Zero at airport. Oozing Zero. Easy security here, pretty quick to get the boarding pass. It’s less crowded than other tiny airports I’ve been to – Abu Simbel, Baltra, Eilat, Knoxville – which is just slightly disconcerting.
  • 85. 7:38 Gol GIG-EZE One more surprise as we got on the plane: they take our whole ticket from us before boarding. Better hope you remember your seat number. 11:10pm Hotel Moreno, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina On little sleep – me more than C – we toured Buenos Aires on foot and largely loved what we saw. It’s a very walkable city, and there’s excitement everywhere – a statue, a gorgeous colonial building, a thoughtfully manicured park – it’s tremendous. It’s also so much cheaper than Brazil. Public art in a San Telmo church courtyard First we hit lunch, and we were initially the only ones at Gorro de Oro, a spacious, cavernous old world Argentine twist on an Italian restaurant. The service was charming, even if they didn’t know what to make of our order of two appetizers and entrees: C: Salad, ravioli Me: Deep fried veal-stuffed olives with tartar sauce, broiled chicken with endives Overall, great meal. Came to $40 or $50 US. Then the walk – to Plaza de Mayo, bubbling with a veterans’ protest, with more scheduled. Then Calle Florida – bustling like Peru on Independence Day, but today was a normal day. Then peace in the park in
  • 86. San Martin Plaza, a walk past the shops and embassies around Recoleta (though the cemetery was closed for fumigation), Vicente Lopez Plaza, Av 9 de Julio to the obelisk, and then the hotel where we desperately needed to unwind, or to book a trip to Uruguay. C did the former, and I did the latter. A sculpture in the Recoleta park A menorah in front of cross-wielding Chris Columbus
  • 87. The hotel’s fantastic. The front desk is spotty, but it’s an old world hotel with plenty of room to move around and a very snazzy lobby. So far, great. One down note: left my hanging bag with my sport coat and two dress shirts in the room in Rio. Stupid. Dinner: La Brigada. Great empanada, awesome wine suggestion, loved the house salad, but our first taste of Argentine beef fell short – nothing special about it beyond the price. Condensed the day too much. More to come? 8-12-10 3 YR ANNIVERSARY GUAYLORDS or GUAYEST DAY EVER [The handwritten journal gives no context for the trip. The day of our anniversary coincided with Immaculate Conception Day in Argentina. The city largely closed down; we were told in the hotel a couple coffee shops may be open, but that’s it. C discovered it was easy to get to Uruguay via ferry, and the fast ferry only takes an hour. The ferry operator, Buquebus, offers packages to Colonia del Sacramento, one of the three most popular cities for tourists along with beach town Punta del Este and capital Montevideo. Colonia happens to be the easiest to get to, and you can easily see it in a couple hours.] 4:40pm Uruguay Standard Time Radission Colonia del Sacramento Slept in our first class cabin en route to Uruguay on the Buquebus Ferry. 1st class “especial” was nominally more than the other classes, even if no info was available online as to what each class meant, so for less than $50 each extra we got the high end tickets with comfy accommodations and a sit-down lunch on the fast ship [the total cost of the day trip was <$150 US each]. The lunch wasn’t great – it was some unmemorable spot in town where I had lots of ham from the salad bar and then a grilled meat parrilla platter, plus lots of peeled cucumbers since the water here is questionable.
  • 88. Uruguayan lunch We sat across from David and Cecelia, a 40-something Asian couple with a daughter studying in B.A. We passed the time talking to them, as they were better company than the Arab soccer game on TV and the obnoxious elderly screaming gringos behind me. Uruguay’s fascinating, given that I still can’t pronounce it. Fun facts: Population: 3.4 million % in capital: 40% US state department travel advisory: in Montevideo, young armed robbers are dangerous but non- confrontational (whew) [Actual text: “Those planning to live in Montevideo should note that burglaries and attempted burglaries seem to be on the rise in upscale neighborhoods. Home invasion robberies do occur. The perpetrators are mostly non-confrontational but determined teenagers.” I’m left wondering if that means you should try to confront them since it seems like they’d try to avoid you.]
  • 89. #1 export: milk #2 export: wine Population of Colonia del Sacramento: 26,000 [Wikipedia says 22,000. Oh, and the whole time I was writing this, I thought it was Colonia del Santiago. I really had no clue where I was.] TV break [at the Radisson]: The Spanish show just went from a dog show to a spontaneous congo line with a clown and someone in a Hamburger Helper outfit to a guy dressed as a green elf reading horoscopes. Colonia’s a beautiful town – gorgeous homes along the water Rio de Plata (world’s second widest, to the Amazon, but Amazon wasn’t as wide until deforestation picked up in the 1960s). 5:58pm Buquebus bus, Colonia So yes, lovely city here – riverfront properties, a mix of Portuguese and Spanish colonial architecture, beautiful plants in full bloom, trees with canopies arched over their streets, some friendly stray dogs sleeping or chasing moving vehicles. The English from our guide Eugenia, the hotel clerk, and others has been the best we’ve heard in now six Latin American countries this year. It turns out the shopping’s underwhelming. Despite cute facades, most stores carry the same shlock and rarely fun shlock. Despite a promising 20:1 USD:Uruguayan Peso exchange rate, the real prices feel too American. Who buys this stuff? All the better for us. With the tour we drove through Colonia, slowing down by the Moorish-influenced bullfighting ring now crumbling, and then a walking tour culminating in a visit to the church. Our own tour finished the job, with me climbing the lighthouse to the very top for a better view.
  • 90. It’s quiet here, relaxing. Especially with today a national holiday in AR where little is open beyond cafes, it was a worthwhile escape. To get a taste of another country for a couple hundred bucks is all the better – one more place we are now connected to. That connectedness to another place and population makes it all the more worthwhile. 6:50pm UST Buquebus Uruguay SUNSET OVER THE RIVER GUAY No security here. Passport control has Uruguayan salida (exit) officials working right next to their counterpart Argentine entrance staff – very efficient. The only empty page in my passport now is the
  • 91. one cross from the Tanzanian visa. At the counter, the clerk marveled at C’s Kindle, which they said they don’t have yet. They also told us how to pronounce Uruguay: OO-ROO-GWUY. Lesson learned. Ready for the next one. 11ish? Hotel Moreno 8 GUAYS OF CHANUKAH Lit our travel menorah for the last time this trip – the eighth night is here, adding light to our 3rd anniversary. A peaceful moment as the menorah offered the only light in the room. The Department of State does not advise lighting travel menorahs on flammable maps A long walk home from the port, through Puerto Madera, over the Women’s Bridge (Puente de la Mujer), and then further still, all around San Telmo, even as an officer didn’t recognize San Telmo nor Avenida 9 de Julio, the largest, longest street in Buenos Aires.
  • 92. Way too pretty to be Puente del Hombre No time for rest. Cabbed it to Astrid Y Gaston after changing. So fantastic, and cheap for all we ate – with generous tip under $150 for five courses, three drinks, soft drinks: • 2 pisco sours • 1 glass of Torrontes wine, only from here • Tasting of corn fritters, potatoes, cassava with sauces • Octopus, salmon, cod with huancaino, passion fruit, sake sauces • Bread with sauce – mix of mint, olive oil, cheese, salt, pepper • “Stews” of lamb, beef, ? in fried wonton w/sauces (sort of like a fancy hot pocket) • Shrimp, squid, fish w/soy/tangerine sauce over rice • Suspiro Limeno w/port meringue, rice pudding w/balsamic & strawberries So good, all augmented by suggestions from waiter Manuel.
  • 93. Another plus: he gave C an English menu, me one in Spanish. As in Egypt, it feels good to blend in. A Jew in New York, an Arab in Egypt, a Porteno in BA. So yes, the food was perfect, more than living up to months of expectations. But getting mistaken for a local ensures I’ll savor the night even longer. 9-12-10 Moreno ~6pm AST ON HAM One could write a travelogue on much of Latin America focused entirely on ham and capture most of all that’s important about the principal localities. I won’t attempt to do that here, but ham deserves more than a few words. Most breakfasts include some kind of ham. Today, I had ham and cheese and a croissant, as little else was offered. Nothing topped the ham and cheese-filled mini croissants in Rio. Lunch today, at Madero, a diner near Plaza de Mayo: C: Bacon cheeseburger with fried egg (and ketchup) Me: Sandwich with steak, ham, cheese, hard boiled mini eggs (quail?), tomatoes – basically C’s sandwich reimagined All of South America’s key food groups on one plate: cheese, beef, pork, bread, eggs, potatoes, and a token vegetable
  • 94. Now I snack on Twistos Iberian ham flavored tostaditos and Kraft Club Social ham flavored crackers. Today was about more than ham though. We toured the Jewish areas of Once and Abasto, finding only a handful of Jews, a lot of wholesale stores, and two synagogues we couldn’t get into – a Sephardic shul wasn’t even marked as such at all, and only a menorah outside and some nearby orthodox Jews made it clear we were in the right place. We also found the kosher McDonald’s in the Abasto mall, the only such McD’s outside Israel, but photos weren’t permitted due to security. We did have some very tasty Freddo ice cream though. Speaking of pork, before the Jewish visit we took the subway to Congresso. The main building was closed, but we did rest for a few at the HQ of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, the organization of women who lost their children during the “dirty war” of government terror from 1976-82. Next stop on the pork tour: Congress
  • 95. We took the B train from the Jewish district with few Jews to the Murrillo Street leather district in Villa Crespo with few decent leather stores, but C did find a good bag. Shopping here was hit or miss, heavier on the miss. Then we made it back to Plaza de Mayo in time to catch the Madres perform their weekly march, still holding up photos of their lost children and joined by other protest groups. Very moved, we stayed for a half hour or so to show support.
  • 97. And then we kept moving, on through San Telmo to a new media modern art exhibit – a bit underwhelming, but at least the graffiti was supposed to be part of it. Throughout the city, graffiti mars nearly every building and landmark of note, a disappointment as it feels like the city doesn’t care for its innumerable treasures. One treasure we did catch: San Martin’s mausoleum in the cathedral by Plaza de Mayo. We even made it for the changing of the guards. It was fun being up close with the Liberator. 11:40pm Moreno 376 TANGO ROBBERY Consider two experiences from today: 1) Getting fresh squeezed orange juice from a friendly vendor in San Telmo 2) Dinner and a tango show at Carlos Gardel
  • 98. I’d only do one again. And I’d pick #1, even if #2 was free, and I was close to dying of hunger. As I write this, it’s 12:05am 10-12 (December 10). The show should just be ending. Then we’d have to wait for the car to transport us and a handful of others back, all through side streets. We’ve been home an hour. If you read this and feel compelled to visit Buenos Aires, try to resist going to what’s supposed to be one of the all-time great tango shows. At the very least, do NOT pay for dinner. I’ve never eaten so little of steak and fries in my life. The place is run like a machine> get you there, take your picture with dancers (offered for US $20 later), quickly get you a menu, serve food almost as fast as your order it, ply you with cheap red wine, and make you wait interminably for the show. Majestic theater? Nope, dinner theater. The dancers were fine, but dull, in overly hokey costumes – Guys & Dolls era, but no Guys and Dolls score or plot. We came to BA, we saw the tango, and we ran like hell. So good to be back in the room. Oh, and we sat with two guys (friends), one from South Africa. C asked if Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned, was moving. He shrugged, and after C was surprised he said it got pretty bad when they changed (after apartheid ended) and anyone (white) who could left the country by now. Yup. 9:58pm AST BA Airport AmEx Lounge 10-12-1 WHAT WOULD JC DO? As we wait for our flight now delayed to Chile, we wrap up our Argentine leg in an airport most notable as the spot where C spotted James Carville and told him she’s a fan. It’s great that wherever we wind up, JC is with us tonight. Once we got moving today, we made it to Recoleta cemetery, a fittingly over the top mausoleum collection spanning four city blocks given it’s a city overflowing with monuments. Most were remarkable in one way or another – the type of stone, a bust, an inscription – with some better maintained. We also saw a number of the 80+ cats that live there, one proving to be especially good company for me. Seeing Evita’s tomb was memorable for where we are, but it’s hardly the only reason to go, and the entire stone city is in many surprising ways inspiring.
  • 99. I made friends with one of the living inhabitants Okay, a shot of Evita… It started raining so we found a cab to take us to see more of Evita at her eponymous museum, a mix of well produced videos and thoughtful life highlights, but put together or told by someone watching their life flash before their eyes. It starts and ends with her death but doesn’t say how she dies. It discusses her union with Juan Peron but says nothing of their courtship. Lionizing her, it alludes to scandal and yet asserts Eva’s defense without stating the charges. So glad I went, but it could be so much more.
  • 100. What did live up to their renown were the crepes we ate upon arrival at the café. My Americano – ham, egg, cheese, mustard – was among the best I’ve had, up there with Ti Couz in San Francisco and Eastern Market in DC. Crepes de Peron The rain grew worse. Following crepes and the museum, we were ready for lunch at 1:30, so we went to La Cabrera, the famed steakhouse that neglected to hold our Tuesday reservation. We made it in, and the beef empanadas were outstanding. The 800g chorizo sirloin was enormous, with a side of salad and 8 mini accompaniments. And yet the meat lacked any flavor. We’ve eaten some great red meat dishes as empanadas and burgers, but the steak has been underseasoned, unevenly cooked, and consistently lacking flavor. But at least here it’s cheap, even when washing it down with a mini bottle of Malbec as we did. The atmosphere was great and it was worth a visit, but really, what’s up with Argentine beef? It’s not unlike Rio’s women – why such a reputation? Argentine beef: doesn’t taste like much, but look at those portions!
  • 101. Braving the storm as we sought a cab, we headed to Galeria Pacifico on Florida to check out some last minute shopping in an enclosed space, but nothing was worth buying. We left and the sky cleared up, so we walked to Café Tortoni, BA’s oldest café, on Avenida de Mayo. A bit touristy, but loved the setting, along with the ice cream and hot chocolate (not the churros), and the service was among the best we’ve had on the trip. We then headed back toward our hotel but couldn’t resist entering a demonstration that combined mentions of Eva Peron, Che, and Inca rebel Tupac Amaru who has given his name to leftist resistance movements. The timing coincided with an anniversary of the Resistancia movement to unite against the repressive military government 30 years ago, and the Madres de Mayo were connected to it. What was being protested and why were unclear. As they say in Argentina, if you can’t understand it, join it Got to the hotel. Soon got a cab to the airport, with traffic so bad near the entrance that many chose to walk within a mile or so of it, not counting the lengthy trek to the terminal. Driving still proved faster in the end. So here we are – dinner of Quilmes beer and Coke Zero, olives, cheese, crackers – lounge specials. All good. Chile soon. BA was a blast, a city we could have dallied in longer, and I wouldn’t mind making use of the 10-year visa. I’d be fine eating less steak next time around though.
  • 102. 11-12-10 10:10pm Meridiano Sur hotel 256 Santa Beatriz Santiago, Chile Arrived to our hotel after 4am – I slept the flight, even when we were waiting, not flying. C wasn’t so lucky. After 10 we were up, and by 12 we were on the move – walked to a subway station. It was the wrong way, but in doing so, C found a tourism office and picked up a brochure for free walking tours in English lasting hours and covering much of Centro and the artsy/Bohemian district. We first took the subway east, through a park and walked to Vitacura, the shopping area, where we then cabbed it west to the heart of it. After not finding a place to eat, we backtracked and spotted a German restaurant, which was fantastic (Starnberg) – bread smorgasboard with warm pretzels, 2 kinds of mustard, delicious goulash better than either of us had in Hungary, C’s over the top hamburger and fries, my perfect brat and sauerkraut – so good and filling. Not cheap, but good. Well worth it. Eating authentic Chilean means eating German Checked out some underwhelming artisan markets and then went to Plaza de Armas for the tour, where we first caught some tango dancing thanks to a new festival. By 3, or soon after, we joined the tour in Plaza de Armas – 10 tourists, with the others being UK & Aussie 20-30-somethings staying in hostels. Guide Bobbi (Roberta) was a riot, very open, fun, vibrant. She’d
  • 103. admit Chile’s chocolate and coffee suck while it can’t touch Peru’s claim to Pisco, even while saying Pinochet remains controversial and not outright reviled. A Chilean miner human sculpture in Plaza de Armas
  • 104. Salvador Allende, looking out at the presidential palace where his life ended We saw a ton, loving it. It’s generally a beautiful, lively, well maintained city. The subway was immaculate, the main cathedral was truly awesome, and the artsy area was a ton of fun. Not bad for a free tour too. Feisty window pooches
  • 105. Fun fact: the founder of the ubiquitous New York City staple is from Santiago After a bit of shopping – I love the Selk’nam demon I got [from Jugueteria – see the Flickr set http://www.flickr.com/photos/jugueteriasur/ ] – and an “earthquake” drink (Terremote – a white wine with pineapple ice cream that then melts into it – so delicious) – we cabbed it to Bar Liguria, a recommend restaurant [in the neighborhood of Providencia, where we stayed]. It was a fantastic meal. The Carmenere wine selected by the waiter was among the best we had. [When I got back I bought the Apaltagua 2009 Carmenere from winechateau.com at http://www.winechateau.com/vsku1594610_APALTAGUA-CARMENERE-750ml-2009 .] Loved the goat cheese appetizer and my asada ‘brisket’ – better than Argentine beef. C’s gnocchi was very good too. Awesome. Better deal than lunch too, as wine is about $20/bottle, even for great finds. Whole meal was about $80. A bit drunk. [And then I can’t read the rest. It was amazing I caught as much as I did then. Not only did I polish off most of a bottle of red wine, which is more than enough to do me in, but we arrived after 4am, I didn’t get to sleep until a bit after, and then we spent the entire day touring, mostly on foot.] 12-10-10 Admiral’s Club, Santiago Airport AHOY, and GUT NACHT