Stats:
- 2 taxi rides
- 2 flights
- 22 hours door to door
- 2 bags arrived intact (the duct tape held!)
We are back home and it is gooood! We walked into our building and kept saying, "Isn't this clean? Doesn't everything look so clean?"
At the writing of the post, we have completely unpacked, gone through two huge bins of mail, Arn has prepared our taxes, Arn has removed the power supply and ordered a new one for our server that died while we were gone, I have run 6 loads of laundry and put everything away, Arn has drained and refilled the hot-tub, I have washed all the camping supplies and unpacked all the bike gear (all has been stored away), we have picked up our new ottoman for the living room, and we went grocery shopping. Not bad for less than 48 hours! Arn has headed out to go kayaking. My plans for a bike ride in the tulip fields have been crushed. While I survived all the harrowing moments with the traffic while cycling, I did not survive a greasy spot on the floor at Fred Meyers (while grocery shopping). With a glass jar in hand, I had a massive wipe out. To avoid landing on the jar of jam as it smashed, I landed on the back on my hand and smashed the knuckles. So, I am currently without a "breaking hand" to cycle. Figures.
We'd love to hear from you. You now know where to find us!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Homeward Bound (Thurs 4/8)
Last night after dinner, I sat in the window and enjoyed the lights of Santiago from the 35th floor. It was a pretty sight. Knowing that we head home today, I grew a bit pensive. Our travels to the southern hemisphere have always been in search of a "second summer". Or, given the order of the year, perhaps it is a "first summer" before the one at home. Our first trip to New Zealand was in 1992, just 7 months after we started dating. While we have returned many times, we haven't been there in over five years. Still, much has changed between our first visit and our last. Last night, I started to reflect on our trips to Chile. Our first visit was in 2003. We were headed to Antarctica and tagged on two weeks in Chile. We booked an organized bike trip with Backroads for our time in Chile. The trip was canceled two weeks ahead of time. With no Spanish language skills, we threw a few ideas together and bought a phrase book. Since then, we have returned 3 more times to Chile, I have mastered restaurant Spanish, and Arn is fluent in what he calls travel Spanish. Also during this time, we have seen a lot of change in Chile. More colleges and universities have been built. Education is stressed more as a means to greater opportunities. This is evidenced by advertising and marketing campaigns highlighting the value of a college degree. We have seen dramatic changes in the skyline of Santiago. Construction cranes and beautiful, new modern skyscrappers are abundant.
We are leaving having had a great trip. The Carretera Austral and our cycle tour will be remembered as a magical time where we feasted on the remote and wild scenery. We both suspect it will be a long time before we return to Chile or Argentina. As I have said before, we have satisfied our curiousities about so many places. So, I sat in the window last night and wondered --- if we come back in 5 or 10 years, how will it have changed? What will be different? I have my own secret wishes for them. Only time will tell what happens.
So, for today's blog, we decided to finish with a sort of "Best" and "Worst" list. It is a random collection of topics, but subjects that were important to our overall experience. Some you will probably already know. Others, well, we didn't include those moments until now. Here goes...
Best breakfast ---
1st Place: Diplomatic Suites Hotel in Mendoza (Arn had grapefruit juice)
2nd Place: Hotel in Puerto Chacabuco (first time we had something other than bread in three weeks)
3rd Place: Xelena in El Calafate (eggs, Dulce de leche bombs, jam in every flavor -- not just peach)
Worst toliet ---
1st Place: Trevelin. Arn dropped a job. It would not flush. Finally, Arn had to cut it in half to flush it. One half of it flushed. The second half still didn't go. So, I dropped a new dump and then the whole thing went. It proved that sometimes in Argentina a turd needs company to leave the bowl.
2nd Place: Villa la Angostora. Arn dropped a job. It flushed, but everything backed up. We had to get maintenance and a toilet plunger. Bet you don't know the word for plunger in Spanish?
3rd Place: Trevelin. Really, it was so bad it must be mentioned again!
Best toilet --
1st Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
2nd Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
3rd Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
Best Sandwich ---
1st Place: This could a tie between the sandwich we ate in a woman's dining room the day we left Futaleufu and the peanut butter sandwiches we made in Puerto Chacabuco. One was the size of our head with lettuce, awesome tomatoes, a hamburger, and roasted chicken. The other was crunchy peanut butter, thick strawberry jam with whole chunks of fruit and a perfect kaiser type bread roll.
Best Dinner ---
1st Place: No question here. This was Butterfly in Bariloche. All seven courses were awesome from the smoked trout to the risotto to the steak to the raspberry mouse.
2nd: La Cabrara in Buenes Aires. This was the shock and awe dinner with 14 side dishes and 19 different fruits and vegtables on the table at the same time.
Best city for food ---
1st Place: Buenes Aires
2nd Place: tie between Santiago and Mendoza
3rd Place: Valporaiso
Best bed ---
1st Place: Los Antiguos (awesome sheets that were clean!)
2nd Place: Buenes Aires (biggest bed we've ever seen)
Worst moment ---
Arn: When a rock nearly killed Deborah
Deborah: When a truck nearly hit Arn
Worst meal ---
For Arn: mystery meat in Amanguel. Five cyclists ate it and not one could identify it.
For Deborah: trout in El Bolson. It had too many bones that were too small to work around, yet too big to eat. The waitress said they eat the bones that size!
Best moment --
Deborah: When I saw Cerro Castillo. It was sceney on steriods that just kept getting bigger and better. It was a beautiful stretch of road. It was cycling perfection.
Arn: 1st -- When the rock thrown up by the crazy driver didn't kill Deborah. 2nd -- Base of Fitz Roy with no wind. 3rd -- Seeing the road downhill coming into Cerro Castillo and our out running of the horseflies.
Best lessons learned:
For Both of Us: For two anal planners, it was great to do a trip with no set plans. There were very few things we missed out on and many more things we were able to take advantage of.
For Arn:
1 -- Less planning and letting it unfold rather than micro managing the plan worked out better. This year's approach was a direct reaction to last year's trip. We missed on a few things but it worked out better.
2 -- Like the scenery better in Chile and the food better in Argentina.
For Deborah:
1 -- My bad Spanish is still good enough to retrieve my lost nightgown.
2 -- It is good to hold onto a wild ass dream as it might just pan out.
Worst statement made by a local ---
1st place: The doctor in Argentina that said while he felt bad for the Chileans in the earthquake, Argentina is now 20cm wider.
Best wine --
Errazuriz 2007 Carmenere Max Reserva from Aconcagua Valley (all 2007 carmenere from this valley are supposed to be silky and delicious)
Best winery ---
Benegas (Mendoza)
Best ice cream ---
El Chalten.
Best hike ---
Without a doubt, this was the hike El Chalten...from hostel, thru the white valley to the base of Fitz Roy and back to town
Best day of riding ---
Too hard to know...perhaps Valle de Los Explorodores or the day into Cerro Castillo. Everyday with good weather was a good day.
Best View from Hotel Room
1st Place: Radison Concoón, Chile
2nd Place: Sol Arrayan, Villa La Angostura, Argentina
3rd Place: Boulevard Suites, Santiago
4th Place: Xelena Hotel, El Calafate, Argentina
Best Place to See Kitties ---
1st Place: Botantical Garden in Buenes Aires
2nd Place: Cabana along road between Pucon and Argentina border (13 kittens)
3rd Place: Streets of Valpo
Biggest surprises ---
- The extent of earthquake damage so far from the epicenter
- How quickly I bonded with "Naranjita" and how hard it was to part with her once she was sold
- How good the food was in Buenes Aires
- How disgusting and dirty the streets were in Valpo
- How stunning Fitz Roy was
- How unbelievably lucky we were with weather on the Carretera Austral after such an auspicious beginning.
Lost items:
- 2 socks (Arn)
- 1 t-shirt (Arn)
- 1pair of silver earrings (Deborah)
Damaged items:
- Holes in Deborah's favorite tatoo arm warmers (with matching scars)
- Purchased new cheap duffle --- end pocket torn off during first flight, holes rubbed into other end on second flight
Packed items never used:
- Folding Bucket
- Water filter
- Most of repair kit for the bikes
- Cook kit used 1 time
- Stove used 1 time
- Bug repellent
- PreparationH (good thing)
- Platypus extra bag for water filtering
- Chemical hand and foot warmers
- GPS (only used 2 or 3 times to see elevation)
Wish we with us:
- More advil (it is $1 U.S. per 400mg pill)
- SD card reader
- 2nd pair of pants
- Long sleeve wool shirt (DC)
Things we most miss about home:
Arn:
- Friends
- Kayaking
- Computer
- Our bed
- Pasta shop
- Ethnic food
- Good pizza
- Pretzels
- Hot tub
Deborah:
- Friends
- Ability to use the phone whenever
- Our bed
- Hot tub
- Road bike
- My chocolate chip cookies
- Listerine
- soft Kleenex
- Jeans
- A real American burger
-Fitted sheets
- Decaf Lattes (the way Arn makes them)
We are leaving having had a great trip. The Carretera Austral and our cycle tour will be remembered as a magical time where we feasted on the remote and wild scenery. We both suspect it will be a long time before we return to Chile or Argentina. As I have said before, we have satisfied our curiousities about so many places. So, I sat in the window last night and wondered --- if we come back in 5 or 10 years, how will it have changed? What will be different? I have my own secret wishes for them. Only time will tell what happens.
So, for today's blog, we decided to finish with a sort of "Best" and "Worst" list. It is a random collection of topics, but subjects that were important to our overall experience. Some you will probably already know. Others, well, we didn't include those moments until now. Here goes...
Best breakfast ---
1st Place: Diplomatic Suites Hotel in Mendoza (Arn had grapefruit juice)
2nd Place: Hotel in Puerto Chacabuco (first time we had something other than bread in three weeks)
3rd Place: Xelena in El Calafate (eggs, Dulce de leche bombs, jam in every flavor -- not just peach)
Worst toliet ---
1st Place: Trevelin. Arn dropped a job. It would not flush. Finally, Arn had to cut it in half to flush it. One half of it flushed. The second half still didn't go. So, I dropped a new dump and then the whole thing went. It proved that sometimes in Argentina a turd needs company to leave the bowl.
2nd Place: Villa la Angostora. Arn dropped a job. It flushed, but everything backed up. We had to get maintenance and a toilet plunger. Bet you don't know the word for plunger in Spanish?
3rd Place: Trevelin. Really, it was so bad it must be mentioned again!
Best toilet --
1st Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
2nd Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
3rd Place: Hotel Diplomatic in Mendoza
Best Sandwich ---
1st Place: This could a tie between the sandwich we ate in a woman's dining room the day we left Futaleufu and the peanut butter sandwiches we made in Puerto Chacabuco. One was the size of our head with lettuce, awesome tomatoes, a hamburger, and roasted chicken. The other was crunchy peanut butter, thick strawberry jam with whole chunks of fruit and a perfect kaiser type bread roll.
Best Dinner ---
1st Place: No question here. This was Butterfly in Bariloche. All seven courses were awesome from the smoked trout to the risotto to the steak to the raspberry mouse.
2nd: La Cabrara in Buenes Aires. This was the shock and awe dinner with 14 side dishes and 19 different fruits and vegtables on the table at the same time.
Best city for food ---
1st Place: Buenes Aires
2nd Place: tie between Santiago and Mendoza
3rd Place: Valporaiso
Best bed ---
1st Place: Los Antiguos (awesome sheets that were clean!)
2nd Place: Buenes Aires (biggest bed we've ever seen)
Worst moment ---
Arn: When a rock nearly killed Deborah
Deborah: When a truck nearly hit Arn
Worst meal ---
For Arn: mystery meat in Amanguel. Five cyclists ate it and not one could identify it.
For Deborah: trout in El Bolson. It had too many bones that were too small to work around, yet too big to eat. The waitress said they eat the bones that size!
Best moment --
Deborah: When I saw Cerro Castillo. It was sceney on steriods that just kept getting bigger and better. It was a beautiful stretch of road. It was cycling perfection.
Arn: 1st -- When the rock thrown up by the crazy driver didn't kill Deborah. 2nd -- Base of Fitz Roy with no wind. 3rd -- Seeing the road downhill coming into Cerro Castillo and our out running of the horseflies.
Best lessons learned:
For Both of Us: For two anal planners, it was great to do a trip with no set plans. There were very few things we missed out on and many more things we were able to take advantage of.
For Arn:
1 -- Less planning and letting it unfold rather than micro managing the plan worked out better. This year's approach was a direct reaction to last year's trip. We missed on a few things but it worked out better.
2 -- Like the scenery better in Chile and the food better in Argentina.
For Deborah:
1 -- My bad Spanish is still good enough to retrieve my lost nightgown.
2 -- It is good to hold onto a wild ass dream as it might just pan out.
Worst statement made by a local ---
1st place: The doctor in Argentina that said while he felt bad for the Chileans in the earthquake, Argentina is now 20cm wider.
Best wine --
Errazuriz 2007 Carmenere Max Reserva from Aconcagua Valley (all 2007 carmenere from this valley are supposed to be silky and delicious)
Best winery ---
Benegas (Mendoza)
Best ice cream ---
El Chalten.
Best hike ---
Without a doubt, this was the hike El Chalten...from hostel, thru the white valley to the base of Fitz Roy and back to town
Best day of riding ---
Too hard to know...perhaps Valle de Los Explorodores or the day into Cerro Castillo. Everyday with good weather was a good day.
Best View from Hotel Room
1st Place: Radison Concoón, Chile
2nd Place: Sol Arrayan, Villa La Angostura, Argentina
3rd Place: Boulevard Suites, Santiago
4th Place: Xelena Hotel, El Calafate, Argentina
Best Place to See Kitties ---
1st Place: Botantical Garden in Buenes Aires
2nd Place: Cabana along road between Pucon and Argentina border (13 kittens)
3rd Place: Streets of Valpo
Biggest surprises ---
- The extent of earthquake damage so far from the epicenter
- How quickly I bonded with "Naranjita" and how hard it was to part with her once she was sold
- How good the food was in Buenes Aires
- How disgusting and dirty the streets were in Valpo
- How stunning Fitz Roy was
- How unbelievably lucky we were with weather on the Carretera Austral after such an auspicious beginning.
Lost items:
- 2 socks (Arn)
- 1 t-shirt (Arn)
- 1pair of silver earrings (Deborah)
Damaged items:
- Holes in Deborah's favorite tatoo arm warmers (with matching scars)
- Purchased new cheap duffle --- end pocket torn off during first flight, holes rubbed into other end on second flight
Packed items never used:
- Folding Bucket
- Water filter
- Most of repair kit for the bikes
- Cook kit used 1 time
- Stove used 1 time
- Bug repellent
- PreparationH (good thing)
- Platypus extra bag for water filtering
- Chemical hand and foot warmers
- GPS (only used 2 or 3 times to see elevation)
Wish we with us:
- More advil (it is $1 U.S. per 400mg pill)
- SD card reader
- 2nd pair of pants
- Long sleeve wool shirt (DC)
Things we most miss about home:
Arn:
- Friends
- Kayaking
- Computer
- Our bed
- Pasta shop
- Ethnic food
- Good pizza
- Pretzels
- Hot tub
Deborah:
- Friends
- Ability to use the phone whenever
- Our bed
- Hot tub
- Road bike
- My chocolate chip cookies
- Listerine
- soft Kleenex
- Jeans
- A real American burger
-Fitted sheets
- Decaf Lattes (the way Arn makes them)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Santiago (Wed 4/7)
Well, today's breakfast was a new experience --- room service! That is how they do it here. It is actually a nice change to sit in our own mini-apartment and enjoy breakfast and the view from our window. It has been a slow day. Arn says we should try and soak up the heat as it is not going to be this warm at home for a while.
Here was the rundown for the day....
- Breakfast & internet
- Packing (I am ready to GO HOME)
- Two workouts (his and hers) on the exercise bikes in the gym
- Showers
- More internet
- Lunch (another great salad and pizza)
- Movie: The latest Mel Gibson thrill....skip it, unless you are killing time
- Watched episodes of 24 from our DVR at home
- More internet
- Dinner...we returned to the same Italian restaurant.
Now, there is a danger in revealing this itinerary because some people ask us, "what is your typical day like?" Let me tell you, this is not our typical day. In fact, the last 3 weeks have been extremely different than our typical life experiences. At first, I think Arn went a bit crazier than me. Then, I turned into the caged animal. We have enjoyed some awesome food and great wines. However, we are lacking in physical activity. And since leaving El Chalten, we have missed the company of fellow cyclists. We are just ready to get on a plane and suffer the journey. If only one could click one's heels and be transported!
Here was the rundown for the day....
- Breakfast & internet
- Packing (I am ready to GO HOME)
- Two workouts (his and hers) on the exercise bikes in the gym
- Showers
- More internet
- Lunch (another great salad and pizza)
- Movie: The latest Mel Gibson thrill....skip it, unless you are killing time
- Watched episodes of 24 from our DVR at home
- More internet
- Dinner...we returned to the same Italian restaurant.
Now, there is a danger in revealing this itinerary because some people ask us, "what is your typical day like?" Let me tell you, this is not our typical day. In fact, the last 3 weeks have been extremely different than our typical life experiences. At first, I think Arn went a bit crazier than me. Then, I turned into the caged animal. We have enjoyed some awesome food and great wines. However, we are lacking in physical activity. And since leaving El Chalten, we have missed the company of fellow cyclists. We are just ready to get on a plane and suffer the journey. If only one could click one's heels and be transported!
Return to Santiago (Tues 4/6)
We woke up again to foggy skies. Arn's upper back is still very wrenched and he moves a bit like the tin man. After breakfast, we packed up our stuff and hung out reading. We had time to kill before getting the bus. "Packing up" is such an overstatement. Most of what we are carrying has not been opened or touched since we finished cycling. I would say that everything the two of are actually using would fit in one brown paper grocery bag. The rest of it is just heavy gear.
As an aside, I have to admit --- I have had some time in front of the television. I have to tell you about South American infomercials. While I think the ones in the U.S. can be crazy, the ones here are totally over the top. Last year, we watched this "thing" that was the super push up bra. Women were supposed to wear it in addition to their regular bra. This thing hoisted everything so high that a woman could rest her chin on her boobs. The before and after photos were comical. This year, I have watched adds for this super chopper thing. It beats the ginzu knife commerial and it total crazy. My two favorite ads have been for the shoes you wear 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week. The result? Buns of steel! Abs of steel! And legs of iron! Give me a break. Then, there is the "hand massager" that you use to increase your muscle tone. I was not really sure about this..."hand massager" or "sex aid tool". I will leave that one to the customer to decide. It can be ordered everywhere from Panama to Argentina.
Today was our last bus ride and our return to Santiago. It was uneventful. Our hotel is more of a small apartment. It is in a complex next to the Marriot and a block from the super-high-end mall with tons of restaurants and a movie theatre. Our room is nice and on the 35th floor over looking the city. Now, how do we feel about being on the 35th floor after the earthquake? Well, the building is still standing. In fact, we have not seen damage as visible as along the coast. Once we checked out the hotel a little more closely, we noticed the main entrance into the Marriot is closed. The glass atrium has several panels of glass that have shattered. It looks like one giant shattered windshield about two stories over head. Good thing the area is taped off.
We checked out the nearby mall. It is a very nice mall. Clearly, there are some people in Santiago and Chile that are doing extremely well to support such high end retail. On the top floor of the mall, there is the design center. It is full of super modern furniture and accessories. I would love to have this Seattle! For lunch, we had a great salad and pizza. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in the biggest grocery store we have ever seen in South America. It was huge even for the U.S.
As luck would have it, Arn met a fellow American on the elevator. And then as luck would have it again, I ran into them as they were getting off the elevator (I was headed up). The three of us stood and talked for a while. This guy is living and working in Santiago for 2-3 years. He has been here a little over a year. He and his wife were in Santiago for the quake. For those of you have have been in a quake, you'll appreciate this. He said the shaking was so violent that it would have been impossible to walk out of their condo without falling. They decided to stay in bed. He said many people were injured in the process of trying to leave their beds. He also said their offices in Santiago were completely destroyed --- roof collapsed into the building. He felt sure people would have been killed if it occured during the work day. They have rented suites in our hotel and set up their offices. He said they checked out the fire escape and wondered if the building is really safe. There are cracks 8 to 12 inches wide in the concrete inside the stairwells. They talked with the hotel manager and he assured them a structural engineer had signed off of the safety of the building. They were still concerned and hired their own structural engineer. This guy explained that the cracks are how the building absorbs the shock. Okay. I still have not checked out the stairwell -- maybe tomorrow or maybe the day we leave so I don't have to think about too long. I did tell you we are on the 35th floor?!
After the earthquake discussion, we moved onto restaurants. This guy gave us a great tip and we took it. We enjoyed the best Italian dinner of the entire trip. Arn had a stuffed pasta with seafood and cheese. Mine was pasta stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta and a black truffle sauce. It was sinful. I hope I can get outside for some cycling when we get home...I am going to have a lot of meals to pedal off! Tonight was probably the first night ever that it was too cool to sit outside for dinner in Santiago. This and the fact it is getting dark by 7pm are two clues that fall is here. In the mall, I noticed that all the stores are showing sweaters and boots. So, we are looking forward to a return to spring. While Seattle will be much colder, the days are growing warmer and longer. Well, at least longer. The snow levels are forecasted at 500 feet for Friday. Can you imagine if we fly home into snow in the hills?!?!
As an aside, I have to admit --- I have had some time in front of the television. I have to tell you about South American infomercials. While I think the ones in the U.S. can be crazy, the ones here are totally over the top. Last year, we watched this "thing" that was the super push up bra. Women were supposed to wear it in addition to their regular bra. This thing hoisted everything so high that a woman could rest her chin on her boobs. The before and after photos were comical. This year, I have watched adds for this super chopper thing. It beats the ginzu knife commerial and it total crazy. My two favorite ads have been for the shoes you wear 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week. The result? Buns of steel! Abs of steel! And legs of iron! Give me a break. Then, there is the "hand massager" that you use to increase your muscle tone. I was not really sure about this..."hand massager" or "sex aid tool". I will leave that one to the customer to decide. It can be ordered everywhere from Panama to Argentina.
Today was our last bus ride and our return to Santiago. It was uneventful. Our hotel is more of a small apartment. It is in a complex next to the Marriot and a block from the super-high-end mall with tons of restaurants and a movie theatre. Our room is nice and on the 35th floor over looking the city. Now, how do we feel about being on the 35th floor after the earthquake? Well, the building is still standing. In fact, we have not seen damage as visible as along the coast. Once we checked out the hotel a little more closely, we noticed the main entrance into the Marriot is closed. The glass atrium has several panels of glass that have shattered. It looks like one giant shattered windshield about two stories over head. Good thing the area is taped off.
We checked out the nearby mall. It is a very nice mall. Clearly, there are some people in Santiago and Chile that are doing extremely well to support such high end retail. On the top floor of the mall, there is the design center. It is full of super modern furniture and accessories. I would love to have this Seattle! For lunch, we had a great salad and pizza. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in the biggest grocery store we have ever seen in South America. It was huge even for the U.S.
As luck would have it, Arn met a fellow American on the elevator. And then as luck would have it again, I ran into them as they were getting off the elevator (I was headed up). The three of us stood and talked for a while. This guy is living and working in Santiago for 2-3 years. He has been here a little over a year. He and his wife were in Santiago for the quake. For those of you have have been in a quake, you'll appreciate this. He said the shaking was so violent that it would have been impossible to walk out of their condo without falling. They decided to stay in bed. He said many people were injured in the process of trying to leave their beds. He also said their offices in Santiago were completely destroyed --- roof collapsed into the building. He felt sure people would have been killed if it occured during the work day. They have rented suites in our hotel and set up their offices. He said they checked out the fire escape and wondered if the building is really safe. There are cracks 8 to 12 inches wide in the concrete inside the stairwells. They talked with the hotel manager and he assured them a structural engineer had signed off of the safety of the building. They were still concerned and hired their own structural engineer. This guy explained that the cracks are how the building absorbs the shock. Okay. I still have not checked out the stairwell -- maybe tomorrow or maybe the day we leave so I don't have to think about too long. I did tell you we are on the 35th floor?!
After the earthquake discussion, we moved onto restaurants. This guy gave us a great tip and we took it. We enjoyed the best Italian dinner of the entire trip. Arn had a stuffed pasta with seafood and cheese. Mine was pasta stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta and a black truffle sauce. It was sinful. I hope I can get outside for some cycling when we get home...I am going to have a lot of meals to pedal off! Tonight was probably the first night ever that it was too cool to sit outside for dinner in Santiago. This and the fact it is getting dark by 7pm are two clues that fall is here. In the mall, I noticed that all the stores are showing sweaters and boots. So, we are looking forward to a return to spring. While Seattle will be much colder, the days are growing warmer and longer. Well, at least longer. The snow levels are forecasted at 500 feet for Friday. Can you imagine if we fly home into snow in the hills?!?!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Concón (Mon 4/5)
We woke up to coastal fog, a still wrenched back and shoulder for Arn, and no internet. So, Arn will not be going for a run today. I am continuing to nurse my foot. We both agree --- I have become the herion addict that has not had a "fix" in quite a while. In other words, I am experiencing a serious withdrawl effect from the lack of endorphins. Given my foot issues, going for a run is not an option. Walking is not aerobic enough to produce the same "high". I am really missing a bike. I can't remember the last time I was off a bike this long. It certainly wasn't went I had a hysterectomy --- I was cycling on a trainer exactly two weeks after surgery. Arn can't remember the last time he didn't paddle a kayak for this long (probably before we started paddling). While I have been out of a kayak for longer than Arn, I don't miss it like he does. And, he isn't craving a bike ride like I am. He had been running.
After breakfast, the Internet returned. This is a very good thing as there is not much to do. Our Plan B is proving not to be such a good Plan B. We are thinking we should paid the fee and come home early. Or, we should have gone to Uraguay to check out the beaches. In a perfect world, the earthquake would not have happened and we would be at my favorite inn --mountain biking, running, swimming, eating and drinking. Oh well.
Our thoughts have defintely turned toward home and all that we are missing...time with friends, our bed, the hot tub, bikes, kayaks, etc. We are both feeling that we want to park ourselves in Seattle and never leave. Arn calculated that out of the last 9 months, we have only been home for 3. "Traveled out" is definitely the feeling.
We enjoyed a walk along the coastline. It felt a lot like a foggy day in Monterey or Carmel, CA. We found a place for lunch and both enjoyed great salmon. My salmon was described as coming with various vegtables including something called "dientes de dragón". This literally means dragon's teeth. While I asked, the waiter could not offer a different translation. They turned out to be bean sprouts. My Spanish food vocabulary continues to grow.
Our afternoon was spent reading, slinging some television from our DVR at home, and watching bad television locally. For dinner, we enjoyed a great dry-aged steak. It looked like something out of the Flintstones. We ordered grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. For dessert, we tried something called "Toblerone". Yes, it was made from Toberlone chocolate, but is was something like a semifreddo, ganache, mousse, fudge thing. Tomorrow, we take out last bus ride --- back to Santiago. We are both hoping for a gym in the hotel. This girl needs an endorphin fix.
This afternoon, I started mapping out my bike rides for the weekend. I am thinking about riding the tulip fields north of Seattle. This month is the Tulip Festival. This, of course, assumes that 1) I can get my car battery reconnected, or 2) AAA can get it reconnected and 3) once connected, it actually starts. I created so much 'drama' in the disconnecting process that I had to call AAA and place two 'phone-a-friend' calls to our friend, Bret, for technical support. Luckily for both of us, Arn was in Ecuador and missed this whole evening of "fun". So, this is on my todo list for Friday afternoon.
After breakfast, the Internet returned. This is a very good thing as there is not much to do. Our Plan B is proving not to be such a good Plan B. We are thinking we should paid the fee and come home early. Or, we should have gone to Uraguay to check out the beaches. In a perfect world, the earthquake would not have happened and we would be at my favorite inn --mountain biking, running, swimming, eating and drinking. Oh well.
Our thoughts have defintely turned toward home and all that we are missing...time with friends, our bed, the hot tub, bikes, kayaks, etc. We are both feeling that we want to park ourselves in Seattle and never leave. Arn calculated that out of the last 9 months, we have only been home for 3. "Traveled out" is definitely the feeling.
We enjoyed a walk along the coastline. It felt a lot like a foggy day in Monterey or Carmel, CA. We found a place for lunch and both enjoyed great salmon. My salmon was described as coming with various vegtables including something called "dientes de dragón". This literally means dragon's teeth. While I asked, the waiter could not offer a different translation. They turned out to be bean sprouts. My Spanish food vocabulary continues to grow.
Our afternoon was spent reading, slinging some television from our DVR at home, and watching bad television locally. For dinner, we enjoyed a great dry-aged steak. It looked like something out of the Flintstones. We ordered grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. For dessert, we tried something called "Toblerone". Yes, it was made from Toberlone chocolate, but is was something like a semifreddo, ganache, mousse, fudge thing. Tomorrow, we take out last bus ride --- back to Santiago. We are both hoping for a gym in the hotel. This girl needs an endorphin fix.
This afternoon, I started mapping out my bike rides for the weekend. I am thinking about riding the tulip fields north of Seattle. This month is the Tulip Festival. This, of course, assumes that 1) I can get my car battery reconnected, or 2) AAA can get it reconnected and 3) once connected, it actually starts. I created so much 'drama' in the disconnecting process that I had to call AAA and place two 'phone-a-friend' calls to our friend, Bret, for technical support. Luckily for both of us, Arn was in Ecuador and missed this whole evening of "fun". So, this is on my todo list for Friday afternoon.
Concón (Sun 4/4)
Well, the Chileans partied last night and we heard it all out the window. It was a long and fitfull night with car alarms, people laughing, and kids crying. Last night was also daylight savings time, so I guess people figured they had an extra hour to party. The Chilean government changed the date for the time change --- they delayed it several weeks because of the earthquake. I am not sure if or how that helped.
Arn went for a run. I decided to wait for the fitness center in our next hotel. This would turn out to be a bad decision for both of us.
Arn encountered a dog on his run. This dog followed him. Then, this dog met up with another dog. Arn turned to make sure he was not about to become dog meat. This was the moment his upper back and shoulder got wrenched. It was and is wrenched badly. He returned from his run in agony. I tried to massage it, but he had a knot over six inches long and one inch wide. That baby smacks of a keeper. He took a shower while I watched more bad television. I would have gone for a walk, but my left foot (yes, the one that required a cortisone injection) is giving me problems. While denial would be better, I am fearful of where this is headed. So, I held out for a fitness center with a bike.
We took a taxi about 13 miles north to Concon. Our next hotel is brand new and on the water. We arrived around noon, check in is not until three, and today is Easter. So, our room was not ready. We checked out the hotel. I am screwed on my desire for a nice fitness center. They are building a new fitness center. There are two bikes facing the wall in a dark corner in the bowls of the hotel. I might get that desperate tomorrow.
We walked into town looking for lunch and to check things out. We have been duped. While on-line we read good things about Concón, the reality is pretty disappointing. There is not a lot here other than a beautiful stretch of coastline, surfers, and an oil refinery. We did manage to find the one good restaurant in town. We both enjoyed fantastic pasta for lunch --- something stuffed with cheese and artichokes. Arn had a putanesca sauce that I could smell the anchovies in from across the table. I went with the tomato sauce (no surprise there). The restaurant is better known for their dry-aged beef. The waiter explained that they are the only restaurant in Chile to offer dry-aged beef. They have a few locations --- one in Concón and the others in Santiago. So, we booked a dinner reservation for tomorrow night.
After lunch, we were able to check into our room. It is a stunning view and perhaps the best of the trip. We are overlooking the ocean. It is a rocky coastline with crashing waves. It reminds both of us of Carmel. Our windows are close enough to the water that we could literally spit into the sea. With the windows open, it is quite spectacular in sight, sound and smell. Perched on the rocks, we can see several types of birds including black cormorants and pelicans the size of a tricycle. I am not pulling your leg --- their bills are at least a foot long and they stand as tall as my mid-thigh. While we saw lots of seals along the drive, I am glad we are not listening to them bark or smelling them. So far, I have not spotted them on the rocks in front of us. We had all the barking and putrid smells in Valpo that one needs for any trip.
The internet was out all day. So, I have watched a total of three movies --- 2 were Hugh Grant films. Clearly, it was not a highlight. Now, Mark Walberg or Christian Bale movies would be a different thing all together.
Given the Easter holiday and restaurant closures, we ate in the hotel. It was much better than expected and actually quite good. Arn had Mahi Mahi and I had a smoke salmon salad. Given that Arn had no relief from wrenched back and shoulder, we were ready for bed with the hope of recovery through sleep.
Arn went for a run. I decided to wait for the fitness center in our next hotel. This would turn out to be a bad decision for both of us.
Arn encountered a dog on his run. This dog followed him. Then, this dog met up with another dog. Arn turned to make sure he was not about to become dog meat. This was the moment his upper back and shoulder got wrenched. It was and is wrenched badly. He returned from his run in agony. I tried to massage it, but he had a knot over six inches long and one inch wide. That baby smacks of a keeper. He took a shower while I watched more bad television. I would have gone for a walk, but my left foot (yes, the one that required a cortisone injection) is giving me problems. While denial would be better, I am fearful of where this is headed. So, I held out for a fitness center with a bike.
We took a taxi about 13 miles north to Concon. Our next hotel is brand new and on the water. We arrived around noon, check in is not until three, and today is Easter. So, our room was not ready. We checked out the hotel. I am screwed on my desire for a nice fitness center. They are building a new fitness center. There are two bikes facing the wall in a dark corner in the bowls of the hotel. I might get that desperate tomorrow.
We walked into town looking for lunch and to check things out. We have been duped. While on-line we read good things about Concón, the reality is pretty disappointing. There is not a lot here other than a beautiful stretch of coastline, surfers, and an oil refinery. We did manage to find the one good restaurant in town. We both enjoyed fantastic pasta for lunch --- something stuffed with cheese and artichokes. Arn had a putanesca sauce that I could smell the anchovies in from across the table. I went with the tomato sauce (no surprise there). The restaurant is better known for their dry-aged beef. The waiter explained that they are the only restaurant in Chile to offer dry-aged beef. They have a few locations --- one in Concón and the others in Santiago. So, we booked a dinner reservation for tomorrow night.
After lunch, we were able to check into our room. It is a stunning view and perhaps the best of the trip. We are overlooking the ocean. It is a rocky coastline with crashing waves. It reminds both of us of Carmel. Our windows are close enough to the water that we could literally spit into the sea. With the windows open, it is quite spectacular in sight, sound and smell. Perched on the rocks, we can see several types of birds including black cormorants and pelicans the size of a tricycle. I am not pulling your leg --- their bills are at least a foot long and they stand as tall as my mid-thigh. While we saw lots of seals along the drive, I am glad we are not listening to them bark or smelling them. So far, I have not spotted them on the rocks in front of us. We had all the barking and putrid smells in Valpo that one needs for any trip.
The internet was out all day. So, I have watched a total of three movies --- 2 were Hugh Grant films. Clearly, it was not a highlight. Now, Mark Walberg or Christian Bale movies would be a different thing all together.
Given the Easter holiday and restaurant closures, we ate in the hotel. It was much better than expected and actually quite good. Arn had Mahi Mahi and I had a smoke salmon salad. Given that Arn had no relief from wrenched back and shoulder, we were ready for bed with the hope of recovery through sleep.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Viña Del Mar (Sat 4/3)
Well, we survived night 1 in our less than desirable hotel room. I have a bunch of bug bites to go with the experience. They must have itched a lot in the middle of the night because they were pretty raw and red this morning.
We had toast for breakfast and headed out for some exercise. Arn went for a run while I went for a walk. The morning temps were cool and very pleasant for running and walking. There were quite a few runners and walkers along the ocean this morning. There were also all the guys with their horse drawn carriages preparing for a day of tourist rides. It was like something out of Central Park in New York City times ten! Yesterday, we noticed that quite a few people actually seem to take a carriage ride. It is not for us. But then, we are the people who say, "a horse killed Superman". After our respective run/walk, we stopped at Starbucks. We both ogled the pastries in the case. It looked like home...chocolate chip muffins, raspberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and lemon cake. We left with a coffee for Arn and iced tea for me.
We found a place to drop off our laundry. It must be express service because of Easter. This is the fastest turn around time of the whole trip --- 2.5 hours. Yes, the place was more expensive, but it also probably the only place that is open near our hotel. We spent a couple of hours in the internet cafe waiting for our laundry. For lunch, I proposed Pizza Hut. We did a bit of the "El Camino" crawl and decided on Mexican food. The place was packed with Chileans. In the same way people in Argentina seemed obsessed with sushi, the people in Viña del Mar seem obsessed with Mexican food. It was actually pretty good and definitely better than Pizza Hut.
After lunch, we figured we would try another movie. On the way to the theatre, we walked a different street. We were stunned by the earthquake damage. Two high-rises were completely evacuated. In both cases, the buildings were between 10 and 12 stories. Windows were shattered throughout the buildings. In one case, rebar punched through the plaster. Both buildings had large cracks and slumps in the structures. Through the windows, it was clear that people had completely moved out. Signs were posted indicating that the buildings are inhabitable. They both appeared to have been built in the 1970s or early 80s. It is frightening to consider --- the distance from Vina del Mar to the epicenter is about the same as San Jose, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA. Luckily, the buildings are still standing and people made it out.
On a lighter note, we have noticed a big difference between Viña and Valpo. We think there is someone in Viña rounding up all the dogs and dropping them off in Valpo. The streets are clean here and we have seen way fewer stray dogs. Don´t get me wrong, we still see them, but in much fewer numbers. We have also noticed "fake dog poop" for sale along the beach. There are all kinds of stalls selling everything you can imagine --- hats, t-shirts, jewelry, and fake dog poop. We think there is some enterprising guy that drives to Valpo, carefully scoops the poop and sprays it with a special sealant. It is like the people in New Zealand that use the fur from dead possums to make houseslippers. They have a great marketing name --- "New Zealand Mink".
For dinner, we returned to the same place we ate last night. We had another good meal and another awesome wine from the Aconcagua Valley. We ordered tiramisu. We just need to wait until we are home and I make it.
P.S. Today's movie? Daybreakers. A story about vampires. Not bad and a very different twist on an old story.
P.S.S. I finished Jon Krakauer's book about the Pat Tillman story. If I had it to do over again, I think I might have read the book that Pat's mom wrote. Krakauer can't tell the story without lacing in his politically views. So, now I am reading, "Body Signs"....another medical book.
We had toast for breakfast and headed out for some exercise. Arn went for a run while I went for a walk. The morning temps were cool and very pleasant for running and walking. There were quite a few runners and walkers along the ocean this morning. There were also all the guys with their horse drawn carriages preparing for a day of tourist rides. It was like something out of Central Park in New York City times ten! Yesterday, we noticed that quite a few people actually seem to take a carriage ride. It is not for us. But then, we are the people who say, "a horse killed Superman". After our respective run/walk, we stopped at Starbucks. We both ogled the pastries in the case. It looked like home...chocolate chip muffins, raspberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and lemon cake. We left with a coffee for Arn and iced tea for me.
We found a place to drop off our laundry. It must be express service because of Easter. This is the fastest turn around time of the whole trip --- 2.5 hours. Yes, the place was more expensive, but it also probably the only place that is open near our hotel. We spent a couple of hours in the internet cafe waiting for our laundry. For lunch, I proposed Pizza Hut. We did a bit of the "El Camino" crawl and decided on Mexican food. The place was packed with Chileans. In the same way people in Argentina seemed obsessed with sushi, the people in Viña del Mar seem obsessed with Mexican food. It was actually pretty good and definitely better than Pizza Hut.
After lunch, we figured we would try another movie. On the way to the theatre, we walked a different street. We were stunned by the earthquake damage. Two high-rises were completely evacuated. In both cases, the buildings were between 10 and 12 stories. Windows were shattered throughout the buildings. In one case, rebar punched through the plaster. Both buildings had large cracks and slumps in the structures. Through the windows, it was clear that people had completely moved out. Signs were posted indicating that the buildings are inhabitable. They both appeared to have been built in the 1970s or early 80s. It is frightening to consider --- the distance from Vina del Mar to the epicenter is about the same as San Jose, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA. Luckily, the buildings are still standing and people made it out.
On a lighter note, we have noticed a big difference between Viña and Valpo. We think there is someone in Viña rounding up all the dogs and dropping them off in Valpo. The streets are clean here and we have seen way fewer stray dogs. Don´t get me wrong, we still see them, but in much fewer numbers. We have also noticed "fake dog poop" for sale along the beach. There are all kinds of stalls selling everything you can imagine --- hats, t-shirts, jewelry, and fake dog poop. We think there is some enterprising guy that drives to Valpo, carefully scoops the poop and sprays it with a special sealant. It is like the people in New Zealand that use the fur from dead possums to make houseslippers. They have a great marketing name --- "New Zealand Mink".
For dinner, we returned to the same place we ate last night. We had another good meal and another awesome wine from the Aconcagua Valley. We ordered tiramisu. We just need to wait until we are home and I make it.
P.S. Today's movie? Daybreakers. A story about vampires. Not bad and a very different twist on an old story.
P.S.S. I finished Jon Krakauer's book about the Pat Tillman story. If I had it to do over again, I think I might have read the book that Pat's mom wrote. Krakauer can't tell the story without lacing in his politically views. So, now I am reading, "Body Signs"....another medical book.
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