After leaving the Pantanal we soon arrived into our next stop in Bonito. The small town of Bonito in the southern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul is perfectly located in a beautiful and unique area. The area's main attractions are the crystal clear rivers, springs and the stunning caves, not to mention the abundant wildlife, which includes monkeys, alligators, anacondas, over 30 varieties of fish and tremendous birdlife. Unsurprisingly, the town is often described as the "eco-tourism capital of Brazil". With 3 nights here we had lots of time to explore and I spent the evening by the pool, eating dinner at the hostel. Prior to us arriving there were 5 trucks here but it was just the other dragoman trucks when we arrived on their last night, so we just partied.
Thursday was an opportunity so see the abundance of fish life on a river snorkeling trip down the Rio Sucuri. I however somehow didn't make it to my room the night before and woke up in the hammock. After breakfast we took the short drive to the river where we had to put on a wetsuit for the activity. After a short walk through the jungle we arrived at this crystal clear river full of fish and we able to snorkel downstream, just letting the river flow take us. There were lots of fish and river plant life, although I didn't see an anaconda.
After the snorkeling we returned to the centre where a buffet lunch was provided, before returning to the hostel via town. In town I purchased a new pair of havaianas and accidentally brought an inflatable crocodile. I then spent the afternoon relaxing in the hammock. Come evening I went out for dinner where I shared this platter with someone, with the meats being caiman, capybara, and piranha, and an array of side dishes. It was really good. We then went out in town, checking out a few of the local bars before finally ending up at another hostel for a party. It was actually a really good night out although a slightly late one.
Come morning I woke up in the hammock again and after little sleep just decided to go out for the day. Surrounding Bonito there are many caves and swimming holes so I basically hired a bike and cycled out to this river which was effectively a municipal pool. When arriving there were lots of people there and I went swimming with all the fish of which there were loads! They even jumped out water when you put some bait on a stick. After relaxing here for a bit I had lunch which was just burger and chips.
After the river I cycled to this ecological museum with a cave tour. The museum had lots of stuffed animals and retro artefacts, and after having a nap in the hammock went on a tour of the nearby cave. It was full of stalactites and bats and the formations were very interesting. I even had a translater as the tour was in Portuguese. I then cycled back into town and returned to the hostel by dinner so it was quite a long day. I just had dinner at the hostel and had an early night as I was tired.
Friday, 24 February 2017
Friday, 17 February 2017
Pantanal
Sunday was an early start which wasn't great with little sleep. I did put my tent down prior and slept on the truck as we couldn't be bothered to lie down in the tent just to wake up again so soon. I managed to sleep much of the morning. The day itself was just a long drive day and where we leave the other trucks again for a while. We were initially meant to camp although we managed to get a good deal on a hotel in Maracaju so stayed there instead. It was a very muggy day however and wet at times, quite uncomfortable. We arrived at Maracaju by evening, the clocks going back an hour just to confuse things even more. Dinner in the evening was a bacon chowder, and after dinner I sat down and watched a local game with some local Ituapu fans. I was however surprised after a while to notice Guly do Prado was one of their players and he scored a bullet header for Ituapu to win 1-0 which created some scenes. I then had an early night to catch up on some sleep.
Monday was only a short drive day to a fantastic opportunity to stay in a ranch in the Pantanal. The Pantanal is a vast wetland that covers much of inland central and southern Brazil - it is formed of a huge gently-sloping depression surrounded by rolling highlands, so the water from thousands of small rivers runs off from the highlands to collect in the basin before draining out into the Paraguay River. The Pantanal is predominantly an agricultural area, dotted with cattle ranches known locally as "Fazenda". Many of the Fazendas have opened up for eco- tourism in recent years and offer safaris and tours of the area. The wildlife here is staggering, and there is probably nowhere else in South America where you'll be able to see as many indigenous species. There are over 250 different species of birds that have been recorded here, including parakeets, macaws, owls, kingfishers, ibis, storks, kites and hawks, hummingbirds and more, and there are prolific numbers of caiman, anacondas, iguanas, two species of anteaters, ocelots, jaguars, tapirs, giant river otters and thousands of marsh deer. One of the easier animals to spot is the capybara, a giant guinea-pig-type rodent that grows up to 60 kgs and lives in large herds in the swamps.
We arrived at the ranch by lunchtime and had lunch waiting for us upon arrival. With the ranch being over 50km from proper civilisation as well we were even able to open the roof seats as we had to get there off road. Lunch was a buffet with various dishes including meats, rice, and salads. After lunch we were given time to relax as the heat and humidity was top intense to do activities during the day. I just relaxed by the pool, and after afternoon tea I decided to go horse riding which isn't something I would normally do but I thought why not. We went out for a couple of hours round the ranch, through many wet and boggy fields spotting an array of wildlife en route including caiman and capybara, and a lot of bird life. We got back during sunset which was pretty special.
When arriving back dinner was ready which was another big buffet like with lunch. I also got an addiction for starfruit as there was a tree full of them next to the pool. After dinner we had the chance to go out on a night safari to spot some nocturnal wildlife. We spotted some feral pigs, foxes, and owls, although the highlight was the stream which was absolutely teaming with caiman. You could see there eyes out the water in the dark, and when shining the light you could see their whole body. We also saw loads of capybara. The night sky was also as equally impressive with the milky way very clear. When arriving back I just had a few beers by the pool before going to bed.
Tuesday was an early start as I signed up for the boat trip which went at 7am. After breakfast which included various savouries, fruits, and cereals, we took a short walk to the river, passing a large group of macaws and capuchin monkeys en route. When getting into our canoe like boats we went downstream, spitting various forms of birdlife. We also saw more monkeys. The highlight however was seeing a wild anaconda which swam past us with its head out the water. It wasn't ridiculously big but it's head was about the size of my hand to put it into perspective.
After the boat trip we were given the day to relax due to the heat and humidity which was already unbearable by 9. I had a nap in the morning as the room had good air con, and after lunch which was another buffet with an array of dishes relaxed by the pool for the afternoon. Our afternoon activity was a daytime safari, where we spotted a lot more birdlife, as well as stopping at the stream where we chucked dead fish in to get caiman to come. So many came and they were soon by our truck fighting which was impressive.
We then continued to a small lake where we went piranha fishing. Using a wooden pole and with a line and hook attached, we spent a while fishing. You could feel the piranhas tugging the hook with their teeth but they were good at taking the bait and leaving the hook empty. It took me a while but I caught one eventually, even if I did have a few caiman a bit close for comfort. On the way back we stopped at the stream and fed the caiman again, and also saw some coaties as well. When arriving back we had a bit of time to relax before dinner which was a Brazilian bbq beef, chicken, pork belly, with various sides. There was a lot of meat. After dinner we sat by the pool and played games before bed.
Wednesday was our last morning on the ranch, and I was up early again this time to go for a bush walk. There was only 2 of us however as everyone else couldn't be bothered. Our guide took us out through the wetlands and we spotted an abundance of birdlife, as well as some rodent things and anteaters. It was very humid however even at such an early time. When returning I relaxed in the room for the air con, before our final lunch which was once again a massive buffet. We departed straight after lunch for the shortish drive to our next stop in Bonito.
Monday was only a short drive day to a fantastic opportunity to stay in a ranch in the Pantanal. The Pantanal is a vast wetland that covers much of inland central and southern Brazil - it is formed of a huge gently-sloping depression surrounded by rolling highlands, so the water from thousands of small rivers runs off from the highlands to collect in the basin before draining out into the Paraguay River. The Pantanal is predominantly an agricultural area, dotted with cattle ranches known locally as "Fazenda". Many of the Fazendas have opened up for eco- tourism in recent years and offer safaris and tours of the area. The wildlife here is staggering, and there is probably nowhere else in South America where you'll be able to see as many indigenous species. There are over 250 different species of birds that have been recorded here, including parakeets, macaws, owls, kingfishers, ibis, storks, kites and hawks, hummingbirds and more, and there are prolific numbers of caiman, anacondas, iguanas, two species of anteaters, ocelots, jaguars, tapirs, giant river otters and thousands of marsh deer. One of the easier animals to spot is the capybara, a giant guinea-pig-type rodent that grows up to 60 kgs and lives in large herds in the swamps.
We arrived at the ranch by lunchtime and had lunch waiting for us upon arrival. With the ranch being over 50km from proper civilisation as well we were even able to open the roof seats as we had to get there off road. Lunch was a buffet with various dishes including meats, rice, and salads. After lunch we were given time to relax as the heat and humidity was top intense to do activities during the day. I just relaxed by the pool, and after afternoon tea I decided to go horse riding which isn't something I would normally do but I thought why not. We went out for a couple of hours round the ranch, through many wet and boggy fields spotting an array of wildlife en route including caiman and capybara, and a lot of bird life. We got back during sunset which was pretty special.
When arriving back dinner was ready which was another big buffet like with lunch. I also got an addiction for starfruit as there was a tree full of them next to the pool. After dinner we had the chance to go out on a night safari to spot some nocturnal wildlife. We spotted some feral pigs, foxes, and owls, although the highlight was the stream which was absolutely teaming with caiman. You could see there eyes out the water in the dark, and when shining the light you could see their whole body. We also saw loads of capybara. The night sky was also as equally impressive with the milky way very clear. When arriving back I just had a few beers by the pool before going to bed.
Tuesday was an early start as I signed up for the boat trip which went at 7am. After breakfast which included various savouries, fruits, and cereals, we took a short walk to the river, passing a large group of macaws and capuchin monkeys en route. When getting into our canoe like boats we went downstream, spitting various forms of birdlife. We also saw more monkeys. The highlight however was seeing a wild anaconda which swam past us with its head out the water. It wasn't ridiculously big but it's head was about the size of my hand to put it into perspective.
After the boat trip we were given the day to relax due to the heat and humidity which was already unbearable by 9. I had a nap in the morning as the room had good air con, and after lunch which was another buffet with an array of dishes relaxed by the pool for the afternoon. Our afternoon activity was a daytime safari, where we spotted a lot more birdlife, as well as stopping at the stream where we chucked dead fish in to get caiman to come. So many came and they were soon by our truck fighting which was impressive.
We then continued to a small lake where we went piranha fishing. Using a wooden pole and with a line and hook attached, we spent a while fishing. You could feel the piranhas tugging the hook with their teeth but they were good at taking the bait and leaving the hook empty. It took me a while but I caught one eventually, even if I did have a few caiman a bit close for comfort. On the way back we stopped at the stream and fed the caiman again, and also saw some coaties as well. When arriving back we had a bit of time to relax before dinner which was a Brazilian bbq beef, chicken, pork belly, with various sides. There was a lot of meat. After dinner we sat by the pool and played games before bed.
Wednesday was our last morning on the ranch, and I was up early again this time to go for a bush walk. There was only 2 of us however as everyone else couldn't be bothered. Our guide took us out through the wetlands and we spotted an abundance of birdlife, as well as some rodent things and anteaters. It was very humid however even at such an early time. When returning I relaxed in the room for the air con, before our final lunch which was once again a massive buffet. We departed straight after lunch for the shortish drive to our next stop in Bonito.
Thursday, 16 February 2017
Foz do Iguaçu
Wednesday was simply a drive day, with an intended stop for the night in Yapeyú. Yapeyú is very famous amongst Argentines for being the birthplace of their national hero General Jose de San Martin, one of the liberators of South America from Spanish colonial rule. We couldn't camp here however as the campsite had shut down and the house we were going to visit the next morning to learn about San Martin was having renovation work done. We instead drove a bit further north, stopping for the night at a water park which included a few slides and a large pool which was fun! Dinner in the evening was a risotto and we all had an early night after our 5am departure from Buenos Aires. I even slept outside again for the first time in a while.
Thursday was another drive day with the border into Brazil to negotiate as well towards our destination of Foz do Iguaçu for the next three nights. Foz do Iguaçu (meaning "Mouth of the Iguazu River") is the Brazilian town nestled against the double-border with Argentina and Paraguay. The town is of course most famous as the base for exploring the incredible Iguazu Falls. En route we stopped for lunch nearby the Jesuit ruins which a few people had a guided tour round. I instead explored the nearby market and helped make lunch which was a potato salad. By the time we negotiated the border and the fact the clocks went forward an hour, we arrived in Foz by late afternoon, going to the supermarket and atms before going to our campsite.
After setting up my tent in the pouring rain, we had a short time to relax before going out to this dance show in the evening. The show included dances from 8 countries in Latin America culminating with the Brazilian dances. It was a really fun and energetic show and the fact we had an all you can eat buffet to accompany the show made it even better. Unlike the Argentinians who bbq their meat in big joints, the Brazilian way of cooking meat involves putting large hunks on a skewer and cooking it by rotating the skewer, before serving you the hunk. I ate a lot of meat, although there was also many other cuisines to eat, as well as some amazing desserts. I could barely walk as I had eaten so much after leaving.
Friday was a day trip to visit the waterfall, on the Argentinian side. Iguazu Falls, located on the Iguazu River between Argentina and Brazil, is the world's largest waterfall system and one of the most spectacular natural sights in the world! The name "Iguazu" originates from the native Guarani words "y" (meaning "big") and "uasu" (meaning "water") - the Guarani legend says that the falls were created when a deity wanted to marry a beautiful mortal woman, but when she tried to escape away from him in a canoe with another man the deity sliced the river in two, condeming the water and the lovers to fall for eternity. Getting there involved recrossing the border and the clocks going back an hour despite only a short drive.
The Argentinian side has miles of trails and walkways through the forests to various viewpoints of the waterfall system. With falls of between 60m to 82m, the system has 275 waterfalls over a width of 2.7km so it's big. The first place I went to was "Garganta del Diablo (meaning "Devil's Throat"), the largest and most powerful section of the waterfall system. Millons of gallons of water thunder down violently to the bottom of the huge ravine, forming the most incredible display of power, rainbows, and spray! Getting here involved catching a train to a 1km walkway which we followed out to see the section. About 60% of the water decends to this one point in a u like shape and it was so powerful with spray and water flow that we couldn't see the bottom! I got quite wet.
On the way back from the Devil's Throat we saw a camon, and after catching the train back to the central area of the park we had lunch where we were joined by a lot of Coatis. They seemed cute at first but they were actually absolute pests jumping on tables and fighting with each other to steal our food. After lunch there were a couple of walkways to follow to various viewpoints, an upper walkway and a lower walkway. We got to see many smaller waterfalls here as well as some impressive aerial and panoramic views of the whole system. I did however start to rain by the end, although I was wet anyway.
We left the waterfalls by 4, where we recrossed the border into Brazil, with the clocks going forward an hour. When getting back the rain was torrential, so while everyone ran for cover I went for a swim in the pool which was refreshing. Come evening it was our drivers birthday which meant reason to celebrate so we had a bbq. Gus and Cameron also arrived as well as well as the Tucan truck which meant there were a lot of people to celebrate. The bbq was amazing, especially the pork belly. There was a lot of food. We then partied into the night, and it was nice to meet some new people as Gus is practically all new passengers, and Cameron are passengers who have only paralleled with us since Buenos Aires.
Come morning I was woken up in the hammock and was told we were leaving in 5 minutes which was embarrassing. I don't think I got that much sleep. Saturday was a day trip to the Brazilian side of falls. This side wasn't as extensive in terms of walkways, but offered great panoramic views as well as another view of the Devil's Throat from the other side which was just as impressive. I didn't spend as long at the Brazilian side and after visiting all the viewpoints caught a taxi back to the hostel. There were various options for the afternoon including a visit the Ituapi Dam, the 2nd largest dam in the world, and a trip to Paraguay and Cuidad del Este the other side of the river. Where we were was basically a border with three countries split by the river.
I decided to go back to the hostel and watch the football which was worthwhile, next stop Wembley. I also ordered a takeaway which were these weird sandwich things made with cassava bread. Come afternoon I had a sleep in the hammock. After my nap I went to my tent and nearly trod on a snake. When telling someone I was told it was a coral snake which is one of the most venomous in South America. Dinner was pasta with salad and various other accompaniments. There was once again a lot of food. As Gus and Cameron were at the dance show the hostel was quiet until a bunch of rowdy Brazilian locals arrived followed by the trucks returning which equalled party. It was another late night.
Thursday was another drive day with the border into Brazil to negotiate as well towards our destination of Foz do Iguaçu for the next three nights. Foz do Iguaçu (meaning "Mouth of the Iguazu River") is the Brazilian town nestled against the double-border with Argentina and Paraguay. The town is of course most famous as the base for exploring the incredible Iguazu Falls. En route we stopped for lunch nearby the Jesuit ruins which a few people had a guided tour round. I instead explored the nearby market and helped make lunch which was a potato salad. By the time we negotiated the border and the fact the clocks went forward an hour, we arrived in Foz by late afternoon, going to the supermarket and atms before going to our campsite.
After setting up my tent in the pouring rain, we had a short time to relax before going out to this dance show in the evening. The show included dances from 8 countries in Latin America culminating with the Brazilian dances. It was a really fun and energetic show and the fact we had an all you can eat buffet to accompany the show made it even better. Unlike the Argentinians who bbq their meat in big joints, the Brazilian way of cooking meat involves putting large hunks on a skewer and cooking it by rotating the skewer, before serving you the hunk. I ate a lot of meat, although there was also many other cuisines to eat, as well as some amazing desserts. I could barely walk as I had eaten so much after leaving.
Friday was a day trip to visit the waterfall, on the Argentinian side. Iguazu Falls, located on the Iguazu River between Argentina and Brazil, is the world's largest waterfall system and one of the most spectacular natural sights in the world! The name "Iguazu" originates from the native Guarani words "y" (meaning "big") and "uasu" (meaning "water") - the Guarani legend says that the falls were created when a deity wanted to marry a beautiful mortal woman, but when she tried to escape away from him in a canoe with another man the deity sliced the river in two, condeming the water and the lovers to fall for eternity. Getting there involved recrossing the border and the clocks going back an hour despite only a short drive.
The Argentinian side has miles of trails and walkways through the forests to various viewpoints of the waterfall system. With falls of between 60m to 82m, the system has 275 waterfalls over a width of 2.7km so it's big. The first place I went to was "Garganta del Diablo (meaning "Devil's Throat"), the largest and most powerful section of the waterfall system. Millons of gallons of water thunder down violently to the bottom of the huge ravine, forming the most incredible display of power, rainbows, and spray! Getting here involved catching a train to a 1km walkway which we followed out to see the section. About 60% of the water decends to this one point in a u like shape and it was so powerful with spray and water flow that we couldn't see the bottom! I got quite wet.
On the way back from the Devil's Throat we saw a camon, and after catching the train back to the central area of the park we had lunch where we were joined by a lot of Coatis. They seemed cute at first but they were actually absolute pests jumping on tables and fighting with each other to steal our food. After lunch there were a couple of walkways to follow to various viewpoints, an upper walkway and a lower walkway. We got to see many smaller waterfalls here as well as some impressive aerial and panoramic views of the whole system. I did however start to rain by the end, although I was wet anyway.
We left the waterfalls by 4, where we recrossed the border into Brazil, with the clocks going forward an hour. When getting back the rain was torrential, so while everyone ran for cover I went for a swim in the pool which was refreshing. Come evening it was our drivers birthday which meant reason to celebrate so we had a bbq. Gus and Cameron also arrived as well as well as the Tucan truck which meant there were a lot of people to celebrate. The bbq was amazing, especially the pork belly. There was a lot of food. We then partied into the night, and it was nice to meet some new people as Gus is practically all new passengers, and Cameron are passengers who have only paralleled with us since Buenos Aires.
Come morning I was woken up in the hammock and was told we were leaving in 5 minutes which was embarrassing. I don't think I got that much sleep. Saturday was a day trip to the Brazilian side of falls. This side wasn't as extensive in terms of walkways, but offered great panoramic views as well as another view of the Devil's Throat from the other side which was just as impressive. I didn't spend as long at the Brazilian side and after visiting all the viewpoints caught a taxi back to the hostel. There were various options for the afternoon including a visit the Ituapi Dam, the 2nd largest dam in the world, and a trip to Paraguay and Cuidad del Este the other side of the river. Where we were was basically a border with three countries split by the river.
I decided to go back to the hostel and watch the football which was worthwhile, next stop Wembley. I also ordered a takeaway which were these weird sandwich things made with cassava bread. Come afternoon I had a sleep in the hammock. After my nap I went to my tent and nearly trod on a snake. When telling someone I was told it was a coral snake which is one of the most venomous in South America. Dinner was pasta with salad and various other accompaniments. There was once again a lot of food. As Gus and Cameron were at the dance show the hostel was quiet until a bunch of rowdy Brazilian locals arrived followed by the trucks returning which equalled party. It was another late night.
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Buenos Aires
Friday was a ridiculously early start, leaving Puerto Madryn at half 4 in the morning to cover as much ground as possible to get to Buenos Aires as early as possible the following day. The issue our truck keeps getting the alternative itineraries due to there being two trucks and some of the accommodation not being big enough to accommodate everyone was once. On the next leg a third truck called Cameron which has come from Cartagena via the Andes route has caught up with us so we now have three trucks together. The Pantanal later in the trip can't handle that many people which means we are leaving Buenos Aires a day earlier than planned, following the same schedule until Foz, where we are then leapfrogging Bonito and going straight to the Pantanal which requires bush camp en route, before driving back on ourselves to Bonito before following the original itinerary to Rio. This has caused a little controversy with certain members of our truck although it's probably a good thing in terms of numbers.
We made really good progress on Friday, stopping en route at a supermarket en route for food supplies, covering over 1000km by the end of the day, with Gus about 400km behind as we effectively drove until 9 arriving in darkness! Dinner in the evening was spaghetti bolognese, and we then had an early night in our very overgrown camp on the side of the road in long grass.
Saturday was a little bit of a later start being within 300km of Buenos Aires, and arrived in the city by lunchtime. At the mouth of the River Plate estuary (where the Uruguay and Paraná rivers flow out into the Atlantic Ocean) lies the fabulous city of Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. It's a buzzing, energetic city that often feels more European than Latin American, so much so that it's often referred to as "the Paris of the South". We are now staying 4 nights here which gave us 3 full days as well as the afternoon on Saturday. After settling into the hotel I went into the centro district and looked round the shops, buying some new shoes and some trousers. I also saw the impressive obelisk for the sign with the big BA hedge in front of it.
Come evening I somehow agreed to go for a tango lesson which was actually really fun. It's a very simple dance although the footwork is complicated as you have to synchronise with your partner. It wasn't helped either by the heavy to girl to guy ratio which meant I had to do a lot more dancing than everyone else. After the lesson we went to a steak restaurant where I had this ridiculously big steak with chips, although I demolished it. After dinner we went to a local milonga for a night of Tango with the locals which was basically like a big ball with all inclusive drinks. I got told by someone I was worst dancer ever though. After a late departure from the milonga I caught a taxi into the palermo district and went to a club and it was very late night.
Come morning I woke up late, although I was out the hotel by lunchtime and walked out to the Puerto Madero district via the famous Plaza del Mayo. Puerto Madero is the dockland area famous for its high end restaurants. It was a pleasant walk before working my way round to the San Telmo market which takes place every Sunday. Primarily selling handicrafts and antiques, it was full of the very interesting products. I then continued into the La Boca district known most commonly as the home of Boca Juniors fc, and despite being the neighbourhood with the poorest residents and crime record, has a very colourful vibrant vibe. It is also the birthplace of Tango. I didn't go alone however just to be safe, although down the brightly coloured streets it was full of colours and cafes and felt safe.
We stayed here for a drink before catching a taxi back to the San Telmo market, walking back from there to the hotel. I then relaxed before heading out in the evening to the english pub called the Gibraltar bar for dinner where I had the fish and chips. From there I found I headed into the centro district and after looking round the shopping centre went to a nice cafe down one of the streets and had a couple of beers outside before going to bed.
Monday I actually made it to breakfast which was really good, lots of sugar treats, fruit, and breads. I then headed out the opposite direction, passing the Congress building en route to the Recoleta district often described as the Mayfair of the Buenos Aires with its high end establishments. Here was also home to the Recoleta Cemetery which has many high profile Argentinians placed in these massive tombs. The site was a maze of pathways and it was almost big enough to get lost! I then headed out through the Malba district with its gardens and sculptures, eventually getting back to the Palermo district this time in daylight! I had lunch here at plaza Italia.
After lunch I caught the underground out to the Nunez district which was nightmare as I couldn't work out how to buy a ticket, and no one understood me to help me. In the end I just had to jump the barriers and leg it onto the train. When arriving in the Nunez district I headed out to see River Plates football stadium which was pretty impressive. Boca Juniors ground the day before was set in the street whereas River Plates was more of a modern stadium. From here I caught the public overground train which was very basic and graffiti covered back to the central train station. En route back to the hotel I stopped at plaza San Martin, walking back via the centro district to the hotel.
Once at the hotel I had a few beers and come evening I had some empanadas for dinner before heading out to Buenos Aires biggest Monday night, La Bomba de Tiempo. This is a famous drumming show and it was heaving with people, taking place in some old warehouse with a big stage. After the show we followed the drums out the venue and round the streets to a nightclub venue where we partied into the night.
Tuesday was our final full day in Buenos Aires, although I took a far more relaxing approach to the day if going to the police station all morning counts. Someone basically lost their phone the night before so I kindly went with them to get a police report which helps with insurance claims. After a long time in the station we went out for lunch where I had pizza. I then had a nap in the afternoon before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant where I had lasagne. I passed a big protest en route though which was interesting! I then had an early night.
We made really good progress on Friday, stopping en route at a supermarket en route for food supplies, covering over 1000km by the end of the day, with Gus about 400km behind as we effectively drove until 9 arriving in darkness! Dinner in the evening was spaghetti bolognese, and we then had an early night in our very overgrown camp on the side of the road in long grass.
Saturday was a little bit of a later start being within 300km of Buenos Aires, and arrived in the city by lunchtime. At the mouth of the River Plate estuary (where the Uruguay and Paraná rivers flow out into the Atlantic Ocean) lies the fabulous city of Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. It's a buzzing, energetic city that often feels more European than Latin American, so much so that it's often referred to as "the Paris of the South". We are now staying 4 nights here which gave us 3 full days as well as the afternoon on Saturday. After settling into the hotel I went into the centro district and looked round the shops, buying some new shoes and some trousers. I also saw the impressive obelisk for the sign with the big BA hedge in front of it.
Come evening I somehow agreed to go for a tango lesson which was actually really fun. It's a very simple dance although the footwork is complicated as you have to synchronise with your partner. It wasn't helped either by the heavy to girl to guy ratio which meant I had to do a lot more dancing than everyone else. After the lesson we went to a steak restaurant where I had this ridiculously big steak with chips, although I demolished it. After dinner we went to a local milonga for a night of Tango with the locals which was basically like a big ball with all inclusive drinks. I got told by someone I was worst dancer ever though. After a late departure from the milonga I caught a taxi into the palermo district and went to a club and it was very late night.
Come morning I woke up late, although I was out the hotel by lunchtime and walked out to the Puerto Madero district via the famous Plaza del Mayo. Puerto Madero is the dockland area famous for its high end restaurants. It was a pleasant walk before working my way round to the San Telmo market which takes place every Sunday. Primarily selling handicrafts and antiques, it was full of the very interesting products. I then continued into the La Boca district known most commonly as the home of Boca Juniors fc, and despite being the neighbourhood with the poorest residents and crime record, has a very colourful vibrant vibe. It is also the birthplace of Tango. I didn't go alone however just to be safe, although down the brightly coloured streets it was full of colours and cafes and felt safe.
We stayed here for a drink before catching a taxi back to the San Telmo market, walking back from there to the hotel. I then relaxed before heading out in the evening to the english pub called the Gibraltar bar for dinner where I had the fish and chips. From there I found I headed into the centro district and after looking round the shopping centre went to a nice cafe down one of the streets and had a couple of beers outside before going to bed.
Monday I actually made it to breakfast which was really good, lots of sugar treats, fruit, and breads. I then headed out the opposite direction, passing the Congress building en route to the Recoleta district often described as the Mayfair of the Buenos Aires with its high end establishments. Here was also home to the Recoleta Cemetery which has many high profile Argentinians placed in these massive tombs. The site was a maze of pathways and it was almost big enough to get lost! I then headed out through the Malba district with its gardens and sculptures, eventually getting back to the Palermo district this time in daylight! I had lunch here at plaza Italia.
After lunch I caught the underground out to the Nunez district which was nightmare as I couldn't work out how to buy a ticket, and no one understood me to help me. In the end I just had to jump the barriers and leg it onto the train. When arriving in the Nunez district I headed out to see River Plates football stadium which was pretty impressive. Boca Juniors ground the day before was set in the street whereas River Plates was more of a modern stadium. From here I caught the public overground train which was very basic and graffiti covered back to the central train station. En route back to the hotel I stopped at plaza San Martin, walking back via the centro district to the hotel.
Once at the hotel I had a few beers and come evening I had some empanadas for dinner before heading out to Buenos Aires biggest Monday night, La Bomba de Tiempo. This is a famous drumming show and it was heaving with people, taking place in some old warehouse with a big stage. After the show we followed the drums out the venue and round the streets to a nightclub venue where we partied into the night.
Tuesday was our final full day in Buenos Aires, although I took a far more relaxing approach to the day if going to the police station all morning counts. Someone basically lost their phone the night before so I kindly went with them to get a police report which helps with insurance claims. After a long time in the station we went out for lunch where I had pizza. I then had a nap in the afternoon before heading out for dinner at a local restaurant where I had lasagne. I passed a big protest en route though which was interesting! I then had an early night.
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Bush Camps and Puerto Madryn
Monday was an early start to start our drive up to Buenos Aires over the next few days. The drive itself was a long day driving through flat desolate grassland which little much to see other than the occasional guanaco or rhea en route. We stopped en route in Gabernador Gregores again for lunch which was hotdogs, as well as using the supermarket to buy supplies for the next few days. We didn't arrive to our campsite near Jaramillo until about 8 in the end, where dinner was cooked by me and my team as I had put myself forward as head chef. I then had an early night after a stunning sunset.
The desolate cold plains of Patagonia surrounding the tiny town of Jaramillo are a world away from how this area was in the Jurassic era. Around that time the landscape was covered with dense evergreen confierous forests. This changed at the start of the Cretaceous era when volcanic eruptions and the birth of the Andes coincided to reduce he amount of rain and cover much of the forestry with ash and lava, petrifying large amounts of the forest. This ecological legacy has been left behind in Jaramillo, with many examples of fossilised trees and cones lying strewn about the landscape. We were however refused entry to the site so it was completely pointless driving out our way to get there.
After leaving we drove back towards the Atlantic coast and stopped on the beach for lunch which was a salad with crackers. I even went for a paddle for the first time in the Atlantic on the trip. We then continued north along the coast, stopping en route in a large town for more cooking supplies, before making one last push towards our campsite for the night in the small town of Camerones. We didn't arrive until 8 again, although the town was very nice with a little beach with a small jetty, and another great sunset. Dinner in the evening was fajitas. We then sat down the beach and had a fire before going to bed.
Wednesday was a shorter drive day and included a visit to see a Magellanic penguin colony. Camarones is home to around 25,000 of the penguins that nest here on the windy, remote and rocky coast. Between September and April, the penguins come to these sites to incubate their eggs and prepare their offspring for migration - each couple stand in front of their nests protecting the eggs from birds and other predators, and occasionally one adult goes to the sea for food. It was a pretty amazing site as we were able to walk along this walkway and be right close the penguins, of which there were loads. We could even see some sea lions in the distance.
After the penguins we drove back to Camerones and continued driving north, stopping at a service station for lunch where we had a pasta salad. After leaving we also went via the small town of Gaiman for afternoon tea which is famous for its Welsh heritage, also home to an abundance of Welsh tea houses. It was a nice little town with plenty of Welsh names and dragons dotted round the place. It was then one final push to Puerto Madryn for 2 nights camping there, arriving in good time. Dinner in the evening was jacket potatoes with mince and various toppings. We then had another campfire which went on relatively late before going to bed.
Thursday was a free day to explore Puerto Madryn, a port town on the South Atlantic coast of Argentina. The original settlers here were Welsh, founding the port and colonising the Chubut River valley - these original settlers came here in 1865 as they felt like their Welsh customs and traditions were being eroded back at home and that they should emigrate to better preserve them. A distinct Patagonian dialect of the Welsh language has been spoken in the region for over four generations, but although it is now quite rare and you are unlikely to hear anyone speaking it, there are three bilingual Welsh-Spanishs schools in Patagonia, and it is thought that 5,000-10,000 people speak Welsh as a first language and a further 25,000 as a second language.
We had the option here to take a day trip to the Valdés Peninsula, a beautiful rocky outcrop known for its incredible wildlife including Magellanic Penguins, guanaco, sea lions, and even orcas of you're lucky. I decided against this however as it also included 400km of driving, and Puerto Madryn itself had a nice sandy beach with temperatures as high as 31 degrees so it seemed like the perfect place to relax after so much hiking and time sitting in the truck. I instead had a lie in and walked into town for lunch which was about a half hour walk. It was a nice day just relaxing on the beach which was busy. There was even a massive cruise ship docked which I think was European as it had a eu flag on the side.
After exploring the town I headed back to our campsite, stopping off en route at the site of the settlement where the Welsh first migrated. I also tried to visit this ecological site famous for its dinosaur fossils although it was shut. When arriving back at camp there was a thunderstorm although it didn't come to much. Dinner in the evening was this chicken and rice dish, although a lot of people didn't turn up as they stayed in town which meant there was a lot of food leftover. I then had an early night as we had a very early start in the morning.
The desolate cold plains of Patagonia surrounding the tiny town of Jaramillo are a world away from how this area was in the Jurassic era. Around that time the landscape was covered with dense evergreen confierous forests. This changed at the start of the Cretaceous era when volcanic eruptions and the birth of the Andes coincided to reduce he amount of rain and cover much of the forestry with ash and lava, petrifying large amounts of the forest. This ecological legacy has been left behind in Jaramillo, with many examples of fossilised trees and cones lying strewn about the landscape. We were however refused entry to the site so it was completely pointless driving out our way to get there.
After leaving we drove back towards the Atlantic coast and stopped on the beach for lunch which was a salad with crackers. I even went for a paddle for the first time in the Atlantic on the trip. We then continued north along the coast, stopping en route in a large town for more cooking supplies, before making one last push towards our campsite for the night in the small town of Camerones. We didn't arrive until 8 again, although the town was very nice with a little beach with a small jetty, and another great sunset. Dinner in the evening was fajitas. We then sat down the beach and had a fire before going to bed.
Wednesday was a shorter drive day and included a visit to see a Magellanic penguin colony. Camarones is home to around 25,000 of the penguins that nest here on the windy, remote and rocky coast. Between September and April, the penguins come to these sites to incubate their eggs and prepare their offspring for migration - each couple stand in front of their nests protecting the eggs from birds and other predators, and occasionally one adult goes to the sea for food. It was a pretty amazing site as we were able to walk along this walkway and be right close the penguins, of which there were loads. We could even see some sea lions in the distance.
After the penguins we drove back to Camerones and continued driving north, stopping at a service station for lunch where we had a pasta salad. After leaving we also went via the small town of Gaiman for afternoon tea which is famous for its Welsh heritage, also home to an abundance of Welsh tea houses. It was a nice little town with plenty of Welsh names and dragons dotted round the place. It was then one final push to Puerto Madryn for 2 nights camping there, arriving in good time. Dinner in the evening was jacket potatoes with mince and various toppings. We then had another campfire which went on relatively late before going to bed.
Thursday was a free day to explore Puerto Madryn, a port town on the South Atlantic coast of Argentina. The original settlers here were Welsh, founding the port and colonising the Chubut River valley - these original settlers came here in 1865 as they felt like their Welsh customs and traditions were being eroded back at home and that they should emigrate to better preserve them. A distinct Patagonian dialect of the Welsh language has been spoken in the region for over four generations, but although it is now quite rare and you are unlikely to hear anyone speaking it, there are three bilingual Welsh-Spanishs schools in Patagonia, and it is thought that 5,000-10,000 people speak Welsh as a first language and a further 25,000 as a second language.
We had the option here to take a day trip to the Valdés Peninsula, a beautiful rocky outcrop known for its incredible wildlife including Magellanic Penguins, guanaco, sea lions, and even orcas of you're lucky. I decided against this however as it also included 400km of driving, and Puerto Madryn itself had a nice sandy beach with temperatures as high as 31 degrees so it seemed like the perfect place to relax after so much hiking and time sitting in the truck. I instead had a lie in and walked into town for lunch which was about a half hour walk. It was a nice day just relaxing on the beach which was busy. There was even a massive cruise ship docked which I think was European as it had a eu flag on the side.
After exploring the town I headed back to our campsite, stopping off en route at the site of the settlement where the Welsh first migrated. I also tried to visit this ecological site famous for its dinosaur fossils although it was shut. When arriving back at camp there was a thunderstorm although it didn't come to much. Dinner in the evening was this chicken and rice dish, although a lot of people didn't turn up as they stayed in town which meant there was a lot of food leftover. I then had an early night as we had a very early start in the morning.
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