Departure from Vina del Mar

Our time in Vina del Mar is coming to an end. We leave tomorrow for our cruise to San Diego on the Holland America ship Amsterdam. Although we are looking forward to 18 days of cruising, we are sorry to leave our condo in Vina. It has been a wonderful stay. I am writing this while looking out the window at another sunset over the bay of Valparaiso. Beautiful!

Today we had another tour with Juanita from Genercia Cultourachile. Our tour was of Valparaiso. This city is quite a contrast to Vina – its twin to the north. Valparaiso is gritty with wide contrasts. The city is perched on steep hills above the narrow band of flatland along the waterfront. Many funiculars have moved people up and down their hillside neighborhoods for many years. Unfortunately many of these “people-movers” have stopped operation – either through neglect or destruction due to questionable “progress.” Juanita is very knowledgeable about the City – she took us to the many ethnic neighborhoods with their colorful palettes of house colors.

The highlight was a tour of Pablo Neruda’s hillside home. Neruda was the Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet. He led a fascinating life as a poet, diplomat, ambassador, and politician. We visited Neruda’s home in Isla Negra in 2006 – it was interesting to see the similar interiors with his eclectic collections. Even though the homes are totally different in design, they have similarities. The Isla Negra home is set along the coast – basically on one level. The Valparaiso home is vertical – with many narrow stairways. Views of the bay were from every room. The views of the water tie the two together along with the interesting Neruda collections that were displayed in each home.

Our late lunch today was a return visit to the Austrian restaurant in Vina – I had to have more goulash soup! Now it is time to pack – my least favorite activity but at least we have no more flights and when we return to San Diego we only have a 10 minute taxi ride to home!

Vina del Mar, Chile

Hello from Vina del Mar, Chile. We flew from Buenos Aires to Santiago last Thursday morning. Reba and Imre Quastler were there to greet us along with Victor Hugo. No – not the ghost of the French writer – our van driver Victor Hugo was taking us to Vina! He was an English school teacher who had changed to being a tour guide. Victor was more than a van driver – he gave us a running commentary on the sites along the way. In Vina, he took us to his favorite restaurant for lunch – before we went to our condo.

The restaurant turned out to be one of our favorites from our stay in Vina in 2006. The restaurant, Delicias del Mar, specializes in fish – of course. The owner is also a Marilyn Monroe fanatic! There are pictures, figurines, and all sorts of Marilyn memorabilia. The crab lasagna was also EXCELLENT! Chile has some of the best king crab in the world. Having tried both Alaskan and Chilean, I would have to vote for Chile – sorry Governor Pallin!!!

View from the Bedroom

After a great lunch, we drove to our “condo home” for the next week. When we saw our “digs,” I think our jaws all dropped to the floor. This is the nicest rental we have ever had from Vacation Rentals by Owner - http://www.vrbo.com/. The unit is on the 19th floor with stunning views of the city, ocean, and coastline. There are four bedrooms and three and a half baths. The kitchen is modern and large compared to others we have had, complete with dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave, convection oven, and a large refrigerator/freezer. Talk about being spoiled. The condo is also within easy walking distance of many restaurants – and Bravissimo – the best gelateria this side of Italy!

A few days after arriving, we got an email from Jennifer Wilson, our Travel Agent extraordinaire at Sunshine Travel in Palm Desert, telling us that Holland America had upgraded all of us to Deluxe Verandah Suites on the Navigation Deck. They must have known that after our condo in Vina del Mar that a Deluxe Suite was required!!!

On Day 1 in Vina, we got a late start and only headed out in time for our main meal in the early afternoon. We went to an Austrian restaurant – Austriaco – yes Austrian in Vina del Mar! Chile has some local cuisine traditions but their food seems to be more a mixture of cooking styles from around the world. There are immigrants from all parts of Europe. The chef of the restaurant greeted us in excellent English and he checked on us frequently. We had a fabulous meal – the best wienerschnitzel I have had since being an exchange student in Austria in 1964. Antje and Georg gave it high marks for authenticity – high praise from German born Americans!!

Day 2 was a trip to Estancia El Cuadro – a vineyard in the Casablanca Valley a short distance from Vina. We were picked up by our guide Juanita from Genercia Cultourachile – based in Valparaiso. This is a tour company specializing in cultural tourism. Juanita is a pediatrician who works part of the week in her practice and the rest of the week with her tour company. She was a very interesting woman and more than willing to discuss anything that interested us. Juanita discussed the times of the Pinochet government candidly.

The New Grape Picker

El Cuadro is a recently developed facility that primarily caters to tourists – the vineyard has many varieties but they specialize in Chardonnay, Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and blends.

The Carmenere grape has an interesting story. It was thought that the grape was lost to wine history - due to the phlox plague in France (and in much of the rest of the world) in the 19th century. Later it was discovered that the Carmenere grape had been combined with the Merlot grape in Chile. Chile is isolated from other areas – it has the Andes to the east, the driest desert on earth to the north, and the glaciers of Patagonia to the south. As a result, their agricultural areas have been immune to these world- wide agricultural diseases. They were eventually able to separate the Carmenere vine from the Merlot and to make this unique wine. The Chileans are good wine salesmen – they are proud of the fact that their vines are “pure” and not grafted onto other stock so that the root that goes down in the soil is the “real thing!”

We started our tour with a wagon ride around the property with a great guide. Josefina not only had a great personality and a great command of English, but she shared with us an obvious love for wine. She really knew her topic!

After the ride, we went into a large room with huge oak vats to sample the wines. Another employee – Andres – guided us through the process with exacting instructions on how to look at the color, smell the bouquet, and taste the wine – letting it swirl in the mouth so all the taste buds can enjoy the taste! The next stop was the wine museum that had led us through dioramas of the wine making process in the early days of Chile. We then went onto a lovely patio where we sampled pisco sours – the national drink of Chile (actually it originated in Peru). Pisco is a distilled grape product that is “fiery.” It is combined with sugar, lemon or lime juice, and a small amount of whipped egg white. Elisabeth had a Chardonnay Sour, a modern version of the traditional drink. We were serenaded by a Chilean musical group which was similar to a Mexican mariachi band. A Chilean “rodeo” was next. They demonstrated the horse skills of the huaso – the Chilean cowboy – their version of the Argentine gaucho.

Next came empanadas on the patio and then lunch in the dining room. The food was excellent – especially a desert of peaches, dried peaches, and barley. I know – it sounds strange but I assure you it was delicious! Our day at El Cuadro was wonderful, the weather was warm and dry, the wine excellent, and our hosts personable and welcoming.

Buenos Aires This and That and Other Ramblings

Well this is our last day in Buenos Aires. We leave for Santiago in the morning and then on to Vina del Mar for a week before the cruise to San Diego. Buenos Aires is a wonderful city – with many things to do that could keep you busy for months. We feel we know it better and would recommend a stay here to anyone with a sense of adventure.

Some of the things we have done I have not mentioned so far in these blog entries. The museums are great and most are free. We visited the old Palais de Glace – yes the French word for ice skating rink. It is now an art museum with some very strange art! At a distance, the art looked like textured cloth. Up close it was small plastic baby dolls strung together with string – some were blue, white, pink, etc. Very odd!

The National Museum of Bellas Artes houses a large collection of 19th and 20th century Argentine art. The ground floor has a very good collection of European art – spanning several centuries. There were many sculptures by Rodin. Artists included Diego Rivera, Picasso, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Gaugin, Sisley, and other impressionists from Italy, Spain, etc.

The Malba Museum is housed in a strikingly modern structure in Palermo. We also ate lunch in their excellent restaurant which we highly recommend. This museum houses the collection – or at least part of the collection – of Eduardo Constantini, a Buenos Aires developer and entrepreneur. The collection is said to be the largest, most diverse, and most valuable collection of 19th and 20th century Latin American art in the world. There are many paintings by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Lygia Clark….yes…Clark!. She was a Brazilian born artist – must be the Portuguese branch of the family!

The Museo de Arte Decorative is housed in a beautiful French style house once owned by the Alvear Family. The art is interesting but it is the house that is the real attraction. If you did not know you were in Buenos Aires, you would think you were in Paris. We also enjoyed a late afternoon coffee and snack in their outdoor tea room.

There is a lot of public art in Buenos Aires - from the monumental columns and statues to modern pieces like the Floralis Generica. This giant aluminum flower opens and closes with the sun!

We also visited the Evita Museum – which was very well done. The exhibits all have English translations and several films have English and Spanish descriptions above the news footage. Eva Peron is loved by many and hated by just as many. She was an intriguing woman who did a lot for Argentina – no matter what her motives might have been. The vote for woman and many social reforms were attributed to her. Some claimed that her Eva Peron Foundation was a way of funneling government money into Swiss bank accounts. Other experts refute this claim. Who knows? She is certainly an intriguing woman – made even more famous by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. Some claim she was just ahead of her time – people now accept movie actors in political roles! Ah…the cult of celebrity! We also tried their restaurant for an afternoon snack…do you see a pattern here? We also visited Eva Duarte Peron's grave in Recoleta - the story of how her body was secretly moved to Italy and then back to Argentina is a mystery story in itself.

Evita's Grave in Recoleta Cemetery

The Japanese Garden in Buenos Aires is claimed to be the largest outside of Japan. It was donated by the Japanese community in Argentina. Yes...we stopped for a drink and ice cream!

Buenos Aires is also a place for shopping, shopping, shopping. With the value of the dollar high (yes there is a place where the dollar goes far), there are many bargains. Avenida Florida is a pedestrian street in the Micro-Center with shop after shop.

When in Buenos Aires, always look down! Why – the sidewalks are terrible – must not be many lawyers here…lots of “trip and fall” cases if this was the US – spoken like a true retired City Manager!!

Taxis are so cheap – we used them constantly. Buses cost about 35 cents but when we tried to figure out how to use them we gave up. You have to know where you are getting off and the driver then tells you the amount. You must have the exact change. Most rides are one pesos 10 centavos. But…change is horded in Argentina and it is hard to get it. The subway is 17 cents but it does not come near Recoleta. So…taxis for us. From here to the main downtown area – about a 10 minute ride – cost about $3 US.

The dog walker! Yes there are 10 here!

Have to count the legs below the big dogs...

and divide by 4 and don't forget

the one in his arms!

Buenos Aires is a city of dogs! They are everywhere. Dog walking is a big business. Today we saw a walker with 10 dogs and he was carrying a puppy across the street with him. They are all so well-behaved. Have not seen a fight or much barking either! Cats are not around much except in Recoleta Cemetery and the one in church – of course.

We usually do a lot of cooking when we rent an apartment – but this time we ate out more. Why? It is so inexpensive. We tended to eat our main meal at lunch and then have a snack in the evening. Of course, breakfast was here at the apartment.

Well…that is it for fabulous Buenos Aires – staye tuned for reports from Vina del Mar, Chile!

Tigre and the Parana Delta

On Monday March 23 we took a day excursion to the city of Tigre (named for the jaguars that were hunted here in the past) and the Delta of the Parana River. This area is so close to Buenos Aires but so far in terms of scenery and surroundings. The Delta of the Parana forms hundreds of small islands and is crisscrossed with tributaries and wetlands. Homes have been built along the waterways usually raised above the flood stage. Every home seemed to have its own dock – we were to learn why later on the trip into the Delta.

The journey started with a taxi ride from the apartment to the Tren de la Costa station at Libertador in Olivos. Although you can take a train from the main station in Buenos Aires and change to the Coastal Train, we decided it would be faster to take the cab. Although it was a long ride, the cost was only $9US so split between two couples it was inexpensive.

The Coastal Train travels through the exclusive neighborhoods of Buenos Aires along the Rio de Plata. The British built most of the railroads in Argentina in the 19th century which were nationalized by Juan Peron in 1948. The Coastal Train is really more like an above-ground subway line – with cars that remind me of the Metro in Paris. There are several interesting stops along the way but we did not have time to enjoy them – maybe next trip.

One of the locals on the boat - no - maybe a tourist?

Restaurante Gato Blanco Dock with a local "bus" on the river.

We read about a restaurant out in the Delta called the Gato Blanco (White Cat) that we wanted to try. Getting to the “Gato” was the best part of the day, requiring traveling by boat with the locals. What a great experience! In 2006, we had taken an excursion boat around the Delta with other tourists. This boat was local transportation for the residents. Some were on their way to or from Tigre with their shopping. Some children got on and were doing their homework as we sailed the river. The only tourists were the few going to the Gato Blanco. The boat stopped along the channels of the river to drop people off and pick up new riders. People would just come out on their dock and the captain seemed to know where people needed to be dropped and where to stop and pick up a new passenger. These “bus” riders had to be nimble – the captain would back the ship up to the dock’s staircase that extended into the water – the rider would then hop on or hop off while the engine raced. Fortunately, the captain gave the “Turistas” more time.

The canals and tributaries were busy with boats – some were floating grocery stores. We noticed items delivered to homes sitting on the docks – a bag of onions, water, fuel, etc. There were a few small shops and gas stations along the way as well as hotels and recreation sites. Many residents sat on their lawns or docks watching the world go by – what a complete contrasts with the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires! Although there are permanent Delta residents, we understand that many of the homes are for weekends and summer vacations for people from Buenos Aires. Considering the temperatures we have had in their “September,” we understand why the Delta is an attraction in summer.

Those lazy days of river life at Gato Blanco.

When we arrived at the Gato Blanco in about an hour, we were greeted by a….gato blanco! The restaurant was full – how could that be – there were only a few people on the boat? There was a large tour group that had come with their own boats. Fortunately they left shortly after we arrived. We were seated on the patio/deck under an umbrella, facing the river and a side tributary. The food was good – except for the new local “fish” Elisabeth decided to try. It was the first fish she ever disliked – I agree with her – it tasted liked the mud of the river! I rescued her with the chicken from my mixed grill brochette – that was huge!

We left on the 4pm boat that arrived at Gato Blanco at 4:30pm! The ride back to Tigre was another adventure – with a boat that was even more crowded with locals than the one coming out. So – back to the Coastal Train and then by taxi to the apartment. What a great adventure!!!

Back to civilization - or is it?

March 21 - Elisabeth's Birtday

Saturday March 21 was Elisabeth’s birthday! I am now younger again!!! :) Our day was quiet but we did celebrate for lunch with Georg and Antje at the Restaurant Munich. Yes – Munich – but I cannot reproduce how they pronounce it in Buenos Aires!! This restaurant has been in Buenos Aires for many years. Entering Munich is like walking into a bistro in Paris – in fact it reminded me of Balzar on the Rue des Ecoles in the 5th arrondisement in Pairs. Even the waiters are interchangeable! The difference – the absolute best steak I have EVER eaten. Their creamed spinach is also fabulous. The steak was a chateaubriand – cooked perfectly – red in the middle and juicy! All for less than $15 – yes BA is inexpensive. 442 out of 444 on the most expensive cities in the WORLD! I’ve got to find 443 and 444 – or maybe I do not want to know??? Check out the before and after pictures!!

Since it was Saturday we walked around the weekend craft market near the Recoleta Cemetery and then rested at home until the evening. We then went to the Café Tortoni for their Tango Show. Café Tortoni is a Buenos Aires institution – now a bit of a tourist attraction. Café Tortoni is to Buenos Aires what Les Deux Maggots and Café Flor are to Paris. Anyone and everyone in Argentine history and literary society made this their “home.” The reason it is so French is that it was established by an immigrant from France in 1858 who named it after his favorite café on the Boulevard des Italiens in Paris.

We had been to a Las Vegas style Tango Show in Buenos Aries in 2006 so this time we were looking for something a little more authentic. We found it. The room only held 60+ people and we were at a table in the second row from the stage in the middle – only three tables wide in the room. A Tango Show is somewhat of a misnomer. They include singing, music, and dancing. In fact, a whole show of nothing but Tango would probably drive me crazy. I love the mix. The singer was obviously someone known to the residents. Many locals were in the audience and sang along when prompted. I watched one young woman – lip synch every word of the songs. The singer, Carlos Rossi, was excellent. The band was incredible – especially the pianist and the bandoneón player. This instrument is from the concertina family and differs from the accordion.

We had a great day and evening!!!

Colonia Sacramento Uruguay

Our stay in Buenos Aires is coming to an end in two days so I better catch up on more of our adventures.

Last Friday we went to Colonia Sacramento, Uruguay, the oldest city in the country. (Old City Gate above). The historic quarter is a World Heritage site designated by UNESCO. The city was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and the city has changed between the Spanish and Portuguese 9 times between then and 1821. Colonia was under Brazil from 1821 to 1828 when Uruguay became independent. As a result, the city is a mixture of architectural styles. It is a very charming place!

Our trip to Colonia from Buenos Aires was on a hydrofoil that took about an hour to cross the Rio de Plata. The River has the widest estuary in the world – ranging from 30 to 130 miles in width. The river is only 180 miles long – it is formed by two rivers – the Parana and the Uruguay River. The Parana drains 1/5 of South America. In Spanish, it means River of Silver but it is more like the River of Brown! Actually, the word Plata was not used to describe the river’s color but the riches of silver thought to be upstream. There is so much silt in the Rio de Plata that there is constant dredging to keep the port of Buenos Aires open.

The hydrofoil was very comfortable and included snacks like being on an airplane with flight attendants. We had first class seats since the tourist class was sold out – and since it was only a few dollars more – why not?

When we arrived in Colonia we found an open air shuttle to take us out of the port (more like an overgrown golf cart). From here we walked to the Tourist Office. Our friends from Poway, Bob and Linda Thomas, had been here earlier this year. They recommended going to the Tourist Office and finding a guide. What a good recommendation! We ended up with the same guide they had. As Linda said, “The guide was a spitfire!” Excellent description! We were taken on a walking tour of the old quarter before going by van to sites outside the City.

The old quarter is fabulous. There are many shops, restaurants, and hotels along with quiet squares, old houses, the Church of the Holy Sacrament, etc. When walking through the city, we found residents sitting in front of their houses sipping their mate, dogs sleeping in the shade, and charm around every corner.

Our guide recommended we eat at El Mesón de la Plaza – and it turned out to be a wonderful choice. (See pictures below.) We sat in the garden and had a great meal while listening to a guitarist/singer. We even bought his CD – something we rarely do! This leisurely lunch lasted until mid-afternoon just in time for shopping and going back to the hydrofoil. Our guide even came back to pick us up and take us to the port.

This is a great one day excursion for anyone staying in Buenos Aires. Highly recommended!

Our Buenos Aires Apartment

It is about time I told you more about our “digs” in Buenos Aires. Our apartment is great. We are – near the corner of Vincente Lopez and Azcuenaga in the Recoleta District of Buenos Aires. We are on an upper floor – accessed by a classic old elevator that reminds us of being in an older building in Paris. It has real charm. It never stops exactly with the floor level – it stops and starts with a jerk and you have to pull shut two sliding doors before the elevator will work.

The apartment is modern (with WIFI) – one bedroom plus a Murphy Bed in the living room. The kitchen has a good sized refrigerator/freezer, stove with oven, and a microwave/toaster combination. Yes you read that right. Microwave/toaster! Actually it is a great idea for saving space - must look for one when we get home. It is perfect for high rise condo living in San Diego!

View from the Bedroom!

The best part of the apartment is the view – or I should say the views! All rooms – including the bathroom have incredible views of the Recoleta Cemetery – one of the most interesting sites in Buenos Aires. We can see the Rio de Plata – vaguely – in the distance. You can take a shower and look at the view. You can sit in the living room and look at the view. You can sit on the balcony and look at the view. You can lie in bed and look at the view. You can even sit on the toilet and look at the view!!! Absolutely wonderful – and with all the windows we have there are very nice breezes and cross ventilation.

Downstairs and two doors away is a market – not huge – but big enough for our needs. Larger markets are a few blocks away. Two blocks away is Recoleta Village – a very large cinema complex with restaurants on the front with sidewalk cafes. We have had drinks here in the evening listening to the sidewalk guitarist. The Cemetery entrance is a short walk from the apartment and the Basilica where we encountered the religious cat last Sunday is next to the Cemetery! There are other restaurants along a sidewalk near the Cemetery that are great people watching sites. La Biela – a famous Buenos Aires landmark – is in the area. The outdoor café is under a giant gum tree that is more than two hundred years old. We are also in walking distance of museums, the Rodeo Drive of Buenos Aires, and many excellent restaurants and shops.

Over 200 years old - THE TREE that is!!!

So how did we find this gem? On Vacation Rentals by Owner, of course! We have used this site for apartments in France, Italy, Argentina, and Chile. We have never been disappointed. This apartment is one of the best due to the owners - Valerie Watkins and Jim Millerick who live in Miami. They have been so helpful and accommodating. Their local manager, Frank, is an American who has lived here 5 years. He is very helpful and gave us a long list of his favorite restaurants. Valerie and Jim also own the apartment next door where our friends from Escondido, Antje and Georg Funke, are staying. Their apartment has been redecorated more recently and has some features that are better but their views are not as spectacular. The apartments can be found on VRBO at http://www.vrbo.com/59534 but be sure to click on the link toward the bottom of the page for Website with additional pictures and more information. We can recommend these apartments to anyone interested in a true Buenos Aires experience.

One note of warning – Buenos Aires is considered the 4th noisiest city in the world according to a World Health Organization study. They are right! Fortunately the apartment has air conditioning if it gets too noisy at night. The Portenos (resident of Buenos Aires) do not get started until very late and on the weekends they are still in the café below us at 4am!!! We are now sleeping well but it took some getting used to. One thing that helps is to follow their lifestyle – well – almost. We find ourselves staying up very late and getting up late – oh well – we ARE on vacation!

Mothers of the Plaza Mayo

Today we went to the Plaza Mayo – a famous square in Buenos Aires and all of Argentina. The Plaza was the scene of the 1810 revolution that led to independence. It has been the center of politics ever since. The Casa Rosada – the Argentine equivalent of the White House – stands on one side of the square. The Persons – Juan and Eva – spoke to the masses from a balcony of the Casa.

Every Thursday at 3:30pm, the Mothers of the Plaza Mayo march around the central column., wearing their trademark white headscarves and carrying pictures of their "lost" children. They are the mothers of those who “disappeared” during the Dirty War of the military government from 1976 to 1983. It is estimated that the military government murdered up to 30,000 citizens - trade unionists, students, and anyone on the left or with connections, no matter how tenuous, with these people. Watching these women march is a moving experience. Those who started the marches in 1977 were very brave women – three of them also “disappeared.”
Seeing these women march, is a sobering experience!

A Day with the Gauchos!

We did something touristy today – but it was a lot of fun! We went to the Estancia La Alameda about 120 kilometers outside Buenos Aires on the pampas. A bus picked us up at a hotel near our apartment for the drive to the Estancia. Most of our fellow passengers were from South America – Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, etc. We seemed to be the only Americans. The trip was interesting – first there were suburbs and then the pampas – very, very flat fertile farm land. It was like western Kansas but very green.

The Estancia is now a small hotel, only nine rooms. They put on day “entertainments” for the tourists. The day started with horse rides – but not for us – we settled for a ride on a wagon! Then it was empanadas and wine (above). Empanadas are wonderful – small meat pies in pastry. We have had them often in Argentina – beef, chicken, cheese, vegetables, etc. The wine was excellent!!

This was followed by free time around the ranch – of course a stop at the gift shop! Roaming the estancia were horses, colts, llamas, roosters, goats, and a pig or two. Elisabeth’s camera was busy!

We also spent time watching the “gaucho” cook while he barbecued lunch. The meat was on sticks placed near an open wood fire. Sausages and other meats were on a grill placed over hot coals. The smells were great.

Lunch was in a large Hall – with salads, wine, breads, and meat, meat, meat! Argentinean beef is fabulous – real taste! The meal ended with a type of crepe with leche dulce. Very sweet but good!

Next came a folkloric show – the dancers and singers were excellent. For some reason, I was not expecting much but I was very surprised – the quality was superb. After the show the gauchos put on a horse show – putting a small wooden peg through a small ring hanging on a wire while galloping at full speed. Quite the showman!

The Mate Drinker!

The day ended with a sampling of mate – a South American (mainly Argentina) drink made from Yerba Mate. It tasted like very strong tea. Actually I liked it – but I do like strong coffee and strong tea. Then it was back on the bus to Buenos Aires!

We had a great day on the pampas!!

The Cat Who Went To Church

On Sunday March 15 we went to mass at Our Lady of Pilar Basilica in Buenos Aires. The 18th Century Basilica is a beautiful church built by the Jesuits. Built in 1732 it is considered one of the best examples of Argentine colonial architecture.

Toward the end of the mass, I looked up on the altar – at about the second story level – and out of a small hole came….a CAT! He/She walked to the center of the altar, sat down, and stared down on us. Look at me – bow down and worship!

I poked Elisabeth to show her and then others in the congregation saw the same thing and started pointing. The priest had his back to the altar – he must have wondered what was going on! At the end of the mass, someone showed the priest and he started laughing.

This reminded me of the old joke – Cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt – they have not forgotten! Our cat Jake would have been impressed but I do not think he is particularly religious! He sleeps in on Sundays – actually he sleeps in every day!

The Recoleta Cemetery which is adjacent to the Basilica is home to many cats – well fed and cared for by women in the neighborhood. The cats even have their own website.

I imagine our Catholic Cat came in from his cemetery haunt to see what the living were doing!!!

Au Revoir Iguazu Falls – Day Three!

Another Dam Picture!

Our last day at Iguazu was a short half day! After checking out of the Pousada, Ricardo took us to the Itaipu Dam on the Parana River. The Dam is amazing - a joint venture of Paraguay and Brazil. The American Society of Civil Engineers has listed it as one of the Seven Wonder of the Modern World (along with the Panama Canal, Empire State Building, Chunnel, etc.). It is second in the world in generating capacity – only the new Three River Gorges dam in China produces more. 90% of Paraguay’s energy comes from the dam and almost 20% of the electricity for Brazil. This seems amazing considering that Brazil has a population of around 190,000,000. The dam spans the Parana River just outside Foz de Iguazu. Touring the dam is well organized with a visitor’s center where there are exhibits and a short film on the construction and history of the project. Group buses then leave the visitor center for a close up view of the dam and lake.

After our tour, we headed to a place to change travelers checks to pay our bill and then on to the airport in Argentina. Our return flight on LAN was just as good as the first and we were back to Buenos Aires 15 minutes early! GO LAN!!!

Back to our apartment and Eva Peron!

You say Iguacu and I say Iguazu….

Day two at Iguazu started at 8:30am – but we were waiting for Ricardo at 7:30am – why? He forgot to tell us that Brazil went off of Daylight Savings Time at the beginning of the month – Argentina does not change until March 14/15. Oh well…at least we were not late.

We drove first to the Parque das Aves – a Bird Park. The Park was set in the natural jungle setting – there were some cages but mostly giant aviaries. It was a lot like the Wild Animal Park in Escondido/San Diego. The Parque also rehabilitates birds. Two Scarlett Macaws were there because poachers had cut out there wings for the feathers…how awful!!! The Park was well maintained and had explanations in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.

Next we drove to the Falls after stopping at a small museum at the entrance to the Brazilian National Park. Ricardo took us to the starting point of a pathway down into the canyon of the river. At the top we saw a large coatis – a raccoon like animal whose habitat runs from Central America to northern Argentina.

The walk down the path was spectacular. Since most of the Falls are actually on the Argentinean side, the views are really best from Brazil. The path continues to a natural ledge that is about half way down into the gorge of the Iguazu River. Views from here are spectacular – there is that word again! There are viewing platforms seemingly built out into thin air!

There is an elevator that takes you back to the top – where there are more viewing platforms and a restaurant. We again indulged in a great buffet lunch – which served as our main meal of the day. From here, we took a park bus back to where Ricardo’s car was parked at the hotel – the one inside the Park on the Brazilian side.

The last stop of the day was the BEST – the Macuco Safari by Boat. The trip starts with a ride through the jungle in a “wagon” type vehicle with seating for about 20 being pulled by a jeep. After a while, you switch to the back of a truck fitted with seats. Finally, you reach the river. On a floating dock, you take off your shoes and socks, put on a life preserver, and board the Zodiac with outboard motor. Off WE GO! The Zodiac flies down the river – what a great way to cool off. After a while, the Falls come into view – and the Devil’s Throat – what a sight from the floor of the canyon from the river! After waiting our turn, the Zodiac raced up the river toward the main part of the Falls. Along the side of the canyon there were three large falls. The “captain” swung around and we approached the water – suddenly we were really close to where the water hit the river. Drenched! Did I say “Drenched?” I mean soaked, drenched, water-logged!! No wonder we were told to take off our shoes and socks.

The unsuspecting Tourist about to be drenched!!

In our group of “boaters” were 5 “grandmas” from St. Louis having the times of their lives! Whooping and hollering like teenagers. What fun…and it sure cooled us off! We bought a DVD of our trip. Think I will look at it during the next heat wave in San Diego!!!

Back to the Pousada after another fabulous day at Iguazu Falls!

The Day of the Pickpocket and Our first day Iguacu Falls!

I better get busy before I forget the details. There is a lot to catch up on. Before I go into our trip to Iguacu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, I should fill you in on our grand adventure last Sunday, March 8. We went to mass at the Cathedral on the Plaza Mayo (See picture above - Was it a preview of things to come?). We walked around the square. The Casa Rosada – Argentina’s White House – is on the Plaza. We stopped at an ATM for some cash. From here we decided to walk to Puerto Madero to meet our friends Paul and Marilyn Whisenand for lunch. We decided to stroll around the back of the Casa Rosada to take pictures.

Suddenly, I felt and smelled that a bird had landed a “present” on me. I then broke all my rules. I let a “helpful” woman give me tissues and she started to help me clean off the mess. Next thing I knew Elisabeth had been “hit” by a bird too and the woman’s “friend” started helping Elisabeth clean up. Suddenly it HIT me. This was a scam. By the time we woke up, the two left and jumped in a taxi. You have it – pick pockets. They got some lose bills in my pocket but they unzipped Elisabeth’s purse she had around her neck and only took the large bills. Of course, we had just been to the ATM. The good side is that they took no credit cards and we do NOT carry our passports with us – only copies.

Back of Casa Rosada - Scene of the Crime!

I have foiled pick pockets in Paris by having a wallet that attaches to my belt and is carried inside my pants. We have warded off gypsy scam artists in Rome and Florence, etc. Why we went brain dead is what upsets us. After traveling together for 37 years, we know better. Never let anyone touch you for any reason! Carry large amounts of money after going to an ATM in a concealed wallet that attaches to you. It was a tough lesson – but one that will make us safer. If I had been thinking, I would have known that the bird had to be a Giant Condor considering the mess that was left! What is interesting is how the brain takes over and all you want to do is clean up and you forget to really THINK!

Our friend Marilyn Whisenand told us she never even carries a purse – she sees it as a target. She just carries a lipstick and a small amount of cash in a pocket. Not a bad idea. We later learned that the same bird scam was used on the previous renter of our apartment. However, he lost an entire wallet with credit cards, money, and passport. He spent a lot of his time in BA getting a new passport and dealing with credit card companies. NEVER carry your passport – unless it is a travel day. Just take a copy. We also have sent a PDF file of our passports to our son who has stored these on his computer so he can email them to us if necessary.

Now for the fun stuff – our trip to Iguacu Falls!!

One of our first view of Iguacu Falls - one of the 275 Falls in 2.5 kilometers!!!

We flew from the domestic airport in Buenos Aires to the airport on the Argentina side of the falls on LAN airlines. As an aside, LAN is a wonderful airline. It is part of the One World Alliance with American – so you can earn miles with them. Since I just hit the million mile club with American, I get bonus miles on all my travels.

Our “on time” domestic flights were an hour fifty minutes each way. No baggage fees, free food and drinks – even beer – wider seats, and more legroom than US airlines. American, United, Delta - are you listening? The service was excellent and the plane was spotless. While waiting for the return flight on Thursday, I noticed two full cleaning crews get on the plane after it landed and before we boarded. When was the last time you saw REAL cleaning crews get on a plane in the States?

When we landed our guide was waiting with a sign for us. Ricardo was born in Santiago but has lived in Brazil most of his adult life. He is married to a Brazilian. His English was excellent. I strongly urge a private guide in Iguacu. The price was not that much and a guide can arrange things so you see a lot more than if you did this on your own. We wanted to see as much as possible with only two nights – one full day and two half days of sightseeing. We packed a lot into the time.

Iguacu is fabulous! Both countries have National Parks around the falls – Brazil for 70 years and Argentina for 74. As a result, it is not commercialized. There is one hotel in each Park and a few concessions. It is nothing like the Disneyland atmosphere of Niagara. We have also been to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and we rate Iguacu higher. There is not as much water at Iguacu but the falls stretch over 2.5 kilometers. They say there are actually 275 falls – but Ricardo said that during a flood, there is only one! We also suggest that you go to both sides. Most of the falls are on the Argentina side so the viewing is best from Brazil. The main cataract is the Devil’s Throat and it is split between the two countries.

Our visit started with a walk through the semi-tropical jungle with views of butterflies, fish, birds, a caiman, and giant spiders. We took the upper circuit which takes you to several observation points – spectacular! We did not take the lower circuit on advice of the Whisenands and our guide. There are many slippery steps.

Next was a ride on a small tourist train (all covered in the admission to the Park) out to the starting point for a walk to the Devil's Throat (Above). What a sight!!! The platform is perched right over the major cataract of the Falls! Getting drenched is not an option – it just happens! It was an incredible experience. We ate lunch at a concession at the Park entrance – a fabulous buffet of all kinds of salads, entrees, and barbecued meat. We made this our main meal at about 3pm.

Next we crossed the border into Brazil on our way to our lodging. Our guide handled the formalities which was nice. To go into Brazil, you need a visa issued at one of their consulates. Fortunately, we had five year visas issued in 2006 for our trip up the Amazon.
Several South American countries have adopted so-called reciprocity fees for citizens from countries that charge their citizens for visas. In Brazil it is a visa and in Chile it is an entry fee paid at the airport. The price is the same their citizens pay for a US visa – right now about $130. The Chilean fee is good for the life of the passport. Argentina has adopted the same thing but it has not yet been implemented.

After crossing the border, we went to the town of Foz de Iguazu, Brazil – a town of about 300,000 that grew up with the building of the giant Itaipu Binacional Dam on the Parana River. We stayed at the Pousada El Shaddai – a sort of bed and breakfast. Our room was very basic – just two beds, one bench, but an air conditioner and TV. It was clean – if basic. The price was right - $56 for two with a great breakfast!

Our first day at Iguacu (or Iguazu in Portuguese) was over, we were tired, and we had lots of memories! We had seen the Falls from Argentina but now we were on the Brazil side. How would day 2 of the trip be? Stay tuned….

Happy Birthday to Me…..!

I had the best birthday! The long saga of the missing suitcase came to a happy conclusion, but not after more frustration. The day started out with Mexicana not calling at 8am as promised so getting up “early” was a waste! Later in the day we called and called the airport baggage number. Again, no one answered. The main office of Mexicana opened but our new good “friend” Augustine was not in yet. Miracles of miracles the airport answered their phone about noon. Great…well….not great! No one was there who could help. Finally Elisabeth called back to the main office and talked to Augustine who was again very sympathetic. He was able to get Fernando to call us back – (yes…someone new in the mix). He said our claim had been closed! What!!!!! Our bag had been delivered. Excuse me – but that was only for one. I guess we had been calling for three days just for fun? He promised to contact Mexico City and get back to us on Saturday – but oops…he would not be working then but would have someone else call us. Sure! Of course, people had been promising us for days they would contact Mexico City.

About an hour later, Fernando called again and….surprise….the suitcase had been found!!! Wonderful birthday present! Where is it? In Buenos Aires! It was delivered to the apartment about 4:30pm. We have a feeling it was in BA all along. Well – now I feel human again. Clean everything.

I have had my first birthday ever with warm, balmy weather thanks to the southern Hemisphere! It was a beautiful warm day but with nice breezes through the apartment. At 6pm we went to the Hotel Alvear Palace for their famous Tea in the L'Orangerie Restaurant. The hotel is one of the most elegant in Buenos Aires if not South America. The Tea was served in an indoor garden in beautiful surrounding. When we ordered two teas, they advised to only order one – with an extra cup of tea. Good advice. First we chose from a long list of teas. The waitresses were dressed elegantly with white gloves. The teas were loose leaf and it was quite a production – hot water poured in the tea pot, steeping for 3 minutes, and then it was poured into elegant china. Then the food began – finger sandwiches, a three tier cake stand with scones, savory and sweet petit fours, lemon curd, marmalade, and strawberry jam. Well that was a feast…and…then they brought the dessert cart! The patisserie was as beautiful and as good as anything in France! Elisabeth agreed! So…did we break the bank? Mais non! This is Argentina. 112 Pesos for the two with tip….or…. (Drum roll)….about $15 a piece!

After tea we walked through the elegant shopping mall of the Hotel and then back toward our apartment. On the way we stopped at the BA Design Center – a shopping center but mostly with modern design shops – very interesting high style things. We then took our stroll with the rest of Recoleta in front of the Recoleta Village – outdoor cafes, cinema, etc. I was reminded of Spain on a summer evening. People watching was the BEST! Kids, dogs, old people, young people, families…a cross section of humanity. We stopped at a sidewalk café for something to drink and listened to a guitarist who was set up on the sidewalk. The breezes were balmy. The whole thing was like Paris – but warm! We got “home” about 11pm. So far - Buenos Aires is fabulous…and even better with a suitcase!!!

Journey to Buenos Aires!

(One of the views from our balcony of Recoleta Cemetery - Eva Peron is looking at us!)

Our journey to Buenos Aires was fine until Mexico City.

We had gotten a ticket on Mexicana from San Diego to BA via DFW and Mexico City. Why you ask? Well…I found a deal! Since we were cruising back to San Diego from Chile, we needed a one way ticket which is often expensive. I found a one way ticket on Mexicana in Business Class for less than $1,000 from DFW to Buenos Aires – connecting in Mexico City. We bought a coach ticket from SAN to DFW making the whole trip less than most coach tickets. So the inconvenience of three flights seemed a small price to pay for going Business for the long flights DFW to MEX (less than 2 hours but 9 hours to BA from Mexico City.

In San Diego, AA gave us boarding passes for their two flights and said we needed to go to Mexicana in Mexico City for our boarding passes for Buenos Aires. Our luggage was checked all the way through. (A nice thought but more of this later.)

The first thing to be prepared for at the Mexico City airport is that everyone goes through immigration even if you are in transit. At first, they said we would not need a Customs form – more on this later in the blog too. The line for foreigners was very long and was inefficient. The sign said flights for North America, Asia, and Europe. We thought we were in the wrong line until an official said it was for South America too. If your connecting flight is less than an hour away, you can get in the line at desk 20 but if it is longer than that they will not let you in it. After finally getting through immigration after about 30 minutes of waiting, we went to the escalator for connecting flights but because we did not have a boarding pass we had to go out of the entry hall and to the Mexicana desk for check-in. Now we had to go through customs so we did need the form. The walk to Mexicana took a while. We got in the line for Elite Class – we asked about the flight to BA which was not listed. She waved us away and to the other side of the room.

The first person we talked to said we were too late that you had to check in an hour and a half before the flight. We were there one hour and 25 minutes before departure. We protested loudly in two or maybe it was three languages and asked for the supervisor. It was all confusion and he said “we have no responsibility for you because you were connecting from AA.” I said, "Yes YOU are responsible – we have a Mexicana ticket!" Fortunately I had made a copy of the Mexicana Invoice our Travel Agent gave us and I showed him my PROOF. Then he said it did not matter because the flight was canceled and they would not do anything for us for the night. More loud protests were delivered. He was not pleasant but took our invoice and passports to another woman. She was VERY nice! She rebooked us on the flight for the next day and we got two good seats in Business. We also asked her about what we were supposed to do for the night – she said with a slight grin on her face – “What would you like?” I said, “A place to sleep.” She told us to take our new boarding passes to the El Camino Real Hotel connected to the airport and Mexicana would pay. When we got there, a long line had formed behind a sign that said Mexicana. Everyone signed a check-in sheet and EVERYONE put Mexicana flight 1690! Mexicana also paid for our dinner and breakfast.

One thing that makes me suspicious (and several of the other passengers) is why the flight in the morning was not that full. Could it be that they canceled the evening flight because there were too few people? Maybe it was cheaper to put people up in a hotel than to fly a half empty plane.

Also be aware that the Mexico City airport is a maze with poor signage. We stopped people frequently to find out where Mexicana was located, the hotel, the boarding gates, etc. The signs take you the long way around BUT through the Duty Free shops! We did find a Santander bank in the airport to change some money for when our cruise stops in Mexico in April. We used this bank because it has a reciprocal agreement with the Bank of America so there is no ATM use charge.

When we arrived in Buenos Aires, 10 hours later than scheduled, our bags were not on the plane!!! They told us when we arrived that there were three bags that missed the plane and two were ours. Missed the plane? Ten hours to get bags from AA to Mexicana is not enough? This morning we got a call that one of the bags arrived on this morning’s flight – they are checking on the other bag which they “thought” would be on tonight’s flight. So we are stuck in the apartment waiting for luggage. Being stuck is not a problem, however, because it is raining and we are tired from the journey and the jet lag – 6 hours difference from San Diego.

Travel is full of adventures – this is not the first time this has happened to us. Several years ago British Air lost our suitcases and it took a week to catch up with us in Turkey. We were not a pretty sight – or smell! Our lesson was to never change planes at Heathrow. We have now added Mexico City to that list. Fortunately we have some things in our carry-on luggage but it is not enough for 7 weeks!!!

The flights themselves were great – except the coach from SAN to DFW of course! But…it was short and on time – we were on the side with 2 seats which makes it better. Mexicana was very good – spotless plane, great service, good (not great) food, and very nice flight attendants.

The apartment in the Recoleta district is great – ninth floor overlooking the famous Recoleta Cemetery. We have views from every room – including the bathroom. You can take a shower or sit on the toilet while looking at the graves in the cemetery. Hope the ghosts don’t mind!

News Flash - Elisabeth won the lottery - her bag just came - I now suspect American because the bag had an American red and white tag that said RUSH! I wonder if the bags did not make the plane in DFW? Of course, Mexicana and American will just point fingers at each other!

Here we go again!!!

The roaming Clarks are about to take off again! This time we will be spending time in Buenos Aires, Argentina for about three weeks. We have rented an apartment in the Recoleta district of the capital. This area looks like Paris! Our apartment overlooks the famous Recoleta Cemetary where Eva Peron is buried. In 2006 we spent two days in Buenos Aires on a cruise and fell in love with the City. This time we hope to get to know BA well! Our friends from Escondido, Georg and Antje Funke will be renting an apartment next to ours for part of the time we are there.

We found the apartment on our favorite website for apartments Vacation Rentals by Owner. Our rentals in Assisi and Venice Italy last September and October were found on this website. The rental we like the most in Paris was also found at VRBO. There is nothing better than really getting to know a city or region by living in an apartment. We like to shop in local stores and "pretend" to be Venetians or Parisians. We like to cook for ourselves a lot of the time - it is so much fun shopping in both super markets and local open-air markets.

While in Buenos Aires, we will spend two nights and three days at Iguacu Falls on the Brazilian/Paraguayan/Argentinean border. Another day is planned for a trip to an estancia for a barbecue and horse show by the gauchos - probably touristy but it sounds like fun. We also want to take the hydrofoil across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia Sacramento in Uruguay - a World Heritage site.

After BA, we will fly to Santiago with Georg and Antje where we will meet the Quastlers - our cruising buddies from Coronado, CA. The three couples have rented an apartment in Vina del Mar, Chile for a week. Yes...another apartment from VRBO. Splitting the cost three ways of this 4 bedroom apartment in a high rise on the ocean will cost about $20 per person per night! Sure beats a hotel!

We have been to Vina before and love it! It is a lovely coastal city next to the more gritty Valparaiso - a major port for Chile. After a week in the apartment, the six of us leave on the Amsterdam - Holland America line - for an 18 day cruise back to San Diego. We have stops in La Serena and Arica Chile; Lima, Peru; Manta, Ecuador; Costa Rica; Puerto Chiapas, Huatalco, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

We leave a week from tomorrow - not long now. Of course, I have to go to northern California for consulting for three days - which means the bags will be packed at the last minute as usual!

Check back to see how our adventure progresses!