moving around in costa rica

Kim and I took surfing lessons at our hotel on Playa Hermosa. We were going to take lessons in Jaco, but were lucky enough to find a nice instrutor with the hotel so we could practice in the hotel pool and then in the nearby beach. This was much nicer because Jaco beach is a bit crowded, sketchy and we wouldn't have had a place to put our things. On the other hand Playa Hermosa is an intermediate surfing area so the waves were a bit harder than they would have been. As for the lessons, the goal was to be able to get up from a face down position to a standing position once the waves caught the board. This is basically like doing a 'burpy' or an 'up-down' on a moving board - something that requires a lot of upperbody strength and preferably a light lower body to swing up into position. We both got up for a little bit on the board.

After that, we moved down south to Quepos and a hotel which was more in the jungle. I was hoping for an ocean view, but couldn't get that for the first night, but moved to a nicer room the second night. The main feature of the hotel, though, other than the pool/bar combo, were the 30 or so monkeys that become active in the trees at sundown. Mostly just neat to see them flying around, carrying babies and just running around in the trees. We went to the Manual Antonio park and saw tree sloths, another type of monkey, more lizards and iguanas and a few birds.

We went to La Fortuna to see Volcan Arenal. This is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. All I could see though was a bit of smoke and then occasionally rocks would spontaneously start rolling down the side of the volcano. One day I would like to look at Lava up close - so I can poke it with a stick.

We are currently in Monteverde. This morning we went on a co-op coffee plantation tour and, so visited Senor Francisco's farm. His farm is very diverse with probably an equal amount of banana, plantain, mango, orange trees interwoven with his coffee plants. He has 12 children and is one of (I think) 11 or 12. Most of his brothers have 12 children, but one only has 11.

This afternoon we are taking a jeep-boat-jeep to get back to La Fortuna and will then try and head for the carribean coast.

first day in costa rica

Met Kim at the airport and we went to go rent a car. The car rental company had an extra disclaimer warning that we knew that there was a scam involving flat tires, rental cars and petty theft. I didn't have trouble with scammers, but I did manage to get the car beached... on the beach. I thought I could do a Uey and go around to park in the shady part on the road. Kim said I would get stuck. And I did. So we spent the next couple hours with a Costa Rican family... 1. trying to push it out (front wheel drives, just keep digging deeper into the sand). 2. trying to get some escavator people to bring their big CATs to dig it out (they don't like going on the highway), 3. borrowing a chain (the chain needs to be longer than the one we borrowed to avoid beaching the helper car) 4. looking for Macho the trafico/tow truck driver (who doesn't have a cell phone) and 5. Finally finding someone who knows someone who will pull it out for $30. On the way to the hotel we saw crocodiles under a big bridge (nicknamed crocodile bridge). What was cool was there was a super big crocodile there... Maybe 1000 pounds? We also checked out Jaco beach which I think is a bit sketchy. Kim wants to try surfing lessons so we might go there or somewhere else later. All the prices are americanized-expensive, but the quality is good: We had some great sushi.

Lost my chargers and one shirt in Peru

After Machu Picchu, I noticed that the three charging devices that I brought with me: my ipod charger, my camera battery charger and my nintendo ds charger were gone. They were supposed to be in my backpack that I had left in the luggage room in the hostel in Cusco for 2 days.... But I don't even know for sure that is where went... I wish I hadn't brought them at all because they were heavy.

I also notice that a long sleeve shirt of mine has also gone missing.

I don't think that the incidents are connected.

In Costa Rica

I just got to San Jose, Costa Rica this morning. The day was quite hot, but neither too dry or too humid which is nice. I am staying in a hostel tonight and will be meeting Kim who is flying in tomorrow morning. We´ll go to the beach and the jungle from there.

Sitting at the computer I just became aware that my ankles are quite itchy. Especially my right one. First time in my trip that I´ve really encountered mosquitoes. (Except for the evening in Iguazu Falls). Not good that I´m getting bitten as I had much luck with mosquitos in the past. ... Like the Dengue ones.

Altitude Sickness again

I got it again when I returned to Cusco. Cusco is 3300 metres and I got the headaches again and could barely move. I had hoped that by having gone through that before and not having descended that much (2400 metres to Machu Picchu) that I wouldn´t have had problems.

Most people seemed to be affected less than me, some more (some people were throwing-up-sick). I´m sensitive.

So this time I tried taking the altitude sickness pills I had (Acetazolamide), and it really made me feel alot better. Of course I got every single normal side-effect (upset stomach, tingling fingers, having to pee alot). But it was a good trade.

What was funny for me is how much of a direct trade it was between one problem and a set of smaller problems. It reminds me of that Daffy Duck and Porky Pig episode where Porky has to get a cat to get rid of the mouse, then a dog to get rid of the cat, then a lion to get rid of the dog.

In Peru, they eat Guinea Pigs

You can get Guinea Pigs served to you roasted, baked or fried in most tourist restaurants. It´s called Cuy.

I didn´t have one, because Hammy Hamster´s best friend G.P. was, well, a Guinea Pig (as well as a Great Pilot).

By the way, it turns out that Tales of the River Bank or Hammy Hamster was a Canadian show. You can get blank stares or maybe disbelieving ones when you try and describe the real live guiney pig flying a plane or mole steering a boat etc. etc.

Machu Picchu itself

Was cool, the tour started super early - getting on the bus by 6. Macchu Picchu is a little city on the top of a mountain, surroundend by other super close taller, super steep mountains.

It´s the rainy season in Peru, which meant that in the morning it was very misty and we never got a fully clear view of the whole thing. Fogs of mist would come in and reveal a mountain, then the mountain would disappear. Then parts of the city would appear and disappear. It was pretty cool actually. But it would take a while to finally get the sort of picture they have at the Wikipedia site.

The big thing I learned about the Incas (also spelled with a K) was how amazing their stone work was. The have huge stones carved with multiple (sometimes greater than 12 cuts), and each cut goes into the length of the stone (some say 4 feet long). And they put these jigsaw stone pieces together without grout or mortar to build their buildings. Well more specifically the higher classes had the buildings made this way, the lower class buildings were made of rocks and mortar.

Interesting points that the guide made

• The word Inca is the word for the king, not the empire. The empire is called Tawantin Suyu
• Cusco is the capital of the Inca empire (Inca is easier to type than Tawantin Suyu).
• The Inca influence went as high as Columbia. I thought it went higher, but I think I was getting the Incas confused with the Aztecs
• Hiram Bingham rediscovered the lost city (Machu Picchu) in 1911, by asking a farmer where the lost city was. The farmer told him and his son showed him where it was...
• Machu Pichu wasn´t the lost city. Hiram also found another city called Vilcabamba which was proven in 1976 to be the actual lost city. Not sure if a farmer was involved.
• Peru wants alot of the Artifacts back that were collected by Hiram and taken to the U.S. This reminds me of Greece who wants England to send the Parthenon back to Greece.

Cheater Train

So like I was saying, I was going to take the train. Also known as the Cheater train. By the people who do the whole hike and don´t take the train (in the forward direction).

Which is fair enough, the hike is more intense and I think would really be amazing and I´d like to do it. But if pushed I might point out that they are doing a bit of a cheater hike.... Only one way, porters carry their packs for them (they only carry their day packs), porters- guides cook their meals for them, make their tents and possibly tuck them in at night. Each stop on the hike has stores and restaurants and booze... But I´m not saying this to rain on any mystical parade... it´s just a little rationalization-defence-sour-grape thing I have formulated in case I need one.

Because I took the cheater train.

Arranging to go to Macchu Picchu

Well I first tried to ´do´ the Inca trail which is a 4 day hike from Cuzco to Macchu Picchu. If I could have started the next day (sunday) I would have just had enough time to do it. However to do the trail, one needs to register with the Peruvian authorities 3 days prior to ´reserve´ a spot. The agent showed me the listing and that there were 50 open spaces the next day, but nevertheless Peru requires 3 days before you can go and I couldn´t wait around for that (there are lots of people who are, which is ok because Cusco is a fun cheap town and you need to acclimitize to the altitude - something I was bad at). The guide also said they can´t substitute people on Inca Trail trips who become sick on the day of the trek.

So instead I took a combo bus tour up the sacred valley and then a train and then a couple hours guide at Macchu Picchu. As it turned out it cost the same to take the tour and the guide as it would have cost for me to do it myself. Ok, well I had to estimate some costs, so I estimated the hostel costing about 15 dollars a night there and I could have gotten it cheaper than that estimate - so that´s where the guides may have scratched out a profit. At first I was quoted 135 dollars US from a guide I met at the airport, whom I shared a cab with, then I was quoted 148 in town, then 120 in town so I took that one. I travelled with an Australian, an Italian and a Hungarian, and also kept bumping into a few others who had arranged the trip through the same agent. Many people had paid 165. Having a student card reduces prices further because the park fees are lower if you have an ISIC card. I don´t.

But what is interesting about all this is that it isn´t really negotiating. Or at least hard negotiating. I just walked around and people gave me different, possibly lower prices, for the exact same tours. Based on what? I don´t know. Maybe my shoes. The same thing happens for restaurants, as you walk you get better and better offers. From a 3 course meal that starts at 15 dollars, eventually someone offers you one for $3.50. In the Cusco market I had a rice, egg dish with fried bananas and a coke for less than 1 dollar.

Feeling the altitude

Feeling super tired and had a headache so took a little nap. Now I just have the headache so asked the people in the bar for the altitude sickness cure.

So now I´m sipping a mug full of coca leaves soaked in hot water. To me it tastes, well a little fishy.

As I said before I really am enjoying Cusco so far as it seems much more like the real south america (Pedro was right) when compared to Argentina and Chile whose big cities feel just like European cities on a different continent.

The people here are really friendly and the staff in the hostel seem really funny and laid back. I think the hostel is owned by some Irish people, so tonight they are celebrating St. Patricks day. I know, I know. I know! It sorta sounds hypocritical to say that after saying that the city seems more non-european. But the hostels are always non-local. But I think the city itself is more genuine.

in Cuzco

Super tired as I got up at 4 am which is 2 am here. Could be the altitude though. So far it is great and is more what I expected south american cities to be like.

so tomorrow is peru

And I have to get up at 4 am to catch a taxi to get to the airport by 5 something ish. I am flying first to Lima and then to Cuzco which is where Macchu Picchu is. I only have 6 days in Peru so I plan to check out Macchu Picchu early and possibly do one of the hikes on the Inca trail. After that, I´m not sure... Depends on the time I have left and what other people recommend.

So 4 am is less than 6 hours away and I have 48 argentinian pesos left to spend. Well 46, after I pay for this internet cafe...

tomorrow is Peru

Tomorrow morning I have a flight at 710 to Lima, Peru. Apparently Paddington bear was originally from Peru. Copied from Wikipedia:

He has arrived as a stowaway coming from "Darkest Peru", sent by his Aunt Lucy (his only known relative, aside from an unnamed uncle who gave Paddington his hat), who has gone to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima. He tells them that no one can understand his Peruvian name, so the Browns decide to call him Paddington after the train station he was found in.

soccer night in Buenos Aires

Actually it isn't soccer night here, that's usually on Sundays, but there was a game tonight so I went. The game was Velez vs International (a brazilian team).

The stands were organized much like the European ones. At one end is the away team fans in their own section and on the opposing side are the hardcore standing fans. The hardcore fans have drums and several blue and white flags (the team colours). There was even a Quebec flag flying over there. We were seated in the middle... the normal home fan section. Separtating all fans from the field were barbed wire fences which I heard were discontinued in Europe. The last security measure is that the away team gets to leave the stadum first and get a 15 min head start. Not that there were actually any problems but the systems they have are interesting.

I had a super pancho which is ... guess... a hot dog. But it's popular in the hostel as I heard many people talk about going for them after having too much to drink. Anyway, it's not that exciting as the weiner was pastey and there weren't many toppings.

The people that went with me/with the tour group were from Australia, Chile, U.S., England and Canada.

The game itself was pretty exciting because the local team won 3-0. Exciting because it gets the fan stands all rocking. I have some pictures of them pulling a huge flag over themselves and a picture of some little 10 year old boys ripping paper so they could throw it in the air when their team won.

back in Buenos Aires

Don´t know what I´m going to do here. I´d like to see a football game before I leave, but I think that that runs on Sunday. The hostel is having another free walking tour today, so I´ll do that and decide later.

Last night I took a ´suite´class seat on the bus from iguazu. The foot part flipped up completely to lie flat, and the back of the chair nearly lied flat as well. Plus there was a mini curtain between me and my neighbour which was nice. As the bus left we got whisky to start and after our meals they served champagne. Anyway, I´m not feeling that zombieish today as I got a better sleep, but it was still a bouncy sleep. I´m sure you need to hear me complaining about my sleep.

Isrealies, Frenchies and Candiansies

Last night in my dorm there were 6 Isrealies, one canadian (me) and one guy from Argentina.

The hostels are full of young Isrealies. As it turns out after finishing their military service they want some freedom, so many of them are down here on one year vacations. In the south of Argentina that was the case too.

Lots of French people on tours too. Not in the hostels, but when visiting the glaciers in the south and then the waterfalls in the north I kept running into big French tour groups.

There were a few Canadians in the Buenos Aires hostel. More than usual. Usually it´s me and maybe one other, but the other night there was 4 of us.

It´s best when there is a good mix of nationalities and ages. Otherwise, people tend to splinter off. Also, you don´t travel to be surrounded in your own culture.

Anyway, I think it´s interesting to see patterns of where people are coming from and wonder why they go to the places they go to.

in puerto iguazu

got here yesterday. Coincidentally enough Martin (also ex-EA) arrived here yesterday too so I had dinner with him and his friend Steve.

I put on insect repellent for the first time last night and this morning. Technically Iguazu falls is in Malaria country, so better safe than sorry.

Today I went to the falls. which were amazing because there were so many different types. I prefered the long thin ones that traced through the moss and or fernlike plants.

The weather here is humid but tolerable. Swimming in the hostel pool helps alot.

This afternoon I´m taking a bus back to Buenos Aires and I´ll be flying out super early on Friday for Peru. For the bus ride I am going to try a ´suite´ class which might lay flat.

going to iguazu falls

I think I´m going to go to Iguazu Falls in the next day or two. I´ve seen enough of Buenos Aires for now so I´m looking into either taking a bus or a plane there. I am hoping to see a little jungle while there as well.

Mate tastes like tea

Had a mate tasting yesterday in the hostel. Mate is a popular drink in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is a mild stimulant like coffee but the buzz is not as severe and you don´t get the jitters. You see lots of people here carrying little hollow gourds (called a mate) with straws called bombillas, and thermoses full of hot water so they can keep sipping the same tea until it wears out.

What I didn´t realize before is that between friends it is or can be a shared beverage. The host makes the drink, then pours hot water into it for the first person who is to drink it until hearing the empty slurping sound from the straw and then returns the gourd to the host, who refills it and passes it to the next person. I had a turn as the host, but I¨m not hooked on it yet.

got a cold in buenos aires

Got a bit of a cold yesterday and today. Kind of ironic as I've got immunizations and drugs for fancy diseases like yellow fever, malaria and altitude sickness and then I get a boring old cold.

Today it is raining in Buenos Aires as well, so I'm not sure what I'll do today. Perhaps a museum and some errands like mailing my course notes home so I don't have to carry them around.

Yesterday I went on a free walking tour with the hostel and then later went to the recoleta semetary where Evita is buried. The big surprise for me is that the cemetery isn't made up of tombstones but rather made up of small little tombhouses which makes it look like a mini city.

bike tour of southern buenos aires

Went on a bike tour this morning with Ricardo in Buenos Aires. Was a bit apprehensive at the idea because of the nutty traffic, but turns out the nutty traffic respects bicycles very well.

I was lucky because I was the only one who signed up so it was a personal tour and Ricardo spoke spanish and occasionally I would ask for translation. Of course I didn't understand all of what he said, so take what I think he said with a grain of salt.

I had this idea that this was the italian south american country, which might sorta be true in current terms, but the history is mor spanish, french and english. Most if not all the architecture is similar to Spanish or French as they hired the same architects. There are tons of statues in the public squares and on top of buildings. The main statue is called the obelisk and looks like the Washington Monument. The president's building is pink. Coloured because the two original parties were white and red so it's a mix. He also said the paint was made from the blood of cows and bulls. Not sure if I believe that.

We went to a poor area called La Boca, which also has a touristy part which I imagine looks a bit like New Orleans, with very colourful buildings, marching music and lots of art on sale. In the back streets there was a lot of poverty as this is the poor neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. In one building, which kinda looked like a bank *with classical architecture* , I could see that there were families camping inside there. Ricardo figured there might be 30 families in there. I asked why they are poor. He suggested lots of reason... desire to work, native backgrounds, drugs, alcoholics. He said the drug of choice was called. Rats. I forget what it is called. Anyway maybe it's called Poca and its a mix of marijuana and cocaine. He said it causes death after three months if you get hooked.

Under the city are lots of tunnels. Build originally to defend against the spanish, but later used to smuggle slaves and later to smuggle alcohol in the city.

We also went through a big park/ecological reserve in the south. Was luck as an iguana crossed our trail. This was the first time I encountered a wild iguana. He was shy.

in Buenos Aires

Got here yesterday. Didn't sleep well on the bus as the seats were a bit too narrow for me to contort myself the way I like to sleep. Also I don't sleep very well in moving vehicles.

Walking from the train to the hostel, I passed by a big IBM building and a big Microsoft building... Before, I thought it would be interesting to start a company here because the peso is so low compared to the dollar.... I guess these guys think so too.

Buenos Aires is hot and humid which means you feel sticky 30 min after your shower. Walking on the street you often get drips of water dropping on you from the airconditioners above.

Most of the day I spent walking around the microcentre part of the city. It's big and dirty, but not as big and dirty as Cairo say. It's a big european city again with wide streets, but also some narrow ones.

Last night at the hostel we got a free Tango lesson, so I learned the basic 8 step routine. I didn't like it at first because I don't like the music as much, but then I started to like it more once I could actually remember all 8 steps. Goes to show I don't like what I'm not good at. You might feel the same way I expect.

I'll be here at least 4 nights as I like the hostel and the city so far.

Going to Buenos Aires

Puerto Madryn is a really nice quiet beach town, the hostel is nice and people have been staying there for longer than they imagined they would. But I want to see Buenos Aires so I am taking a super long bus there in about 45 minutes. The bus won´t arrive until 20 hours later. I couldn´t get a cama seat, so it´s a semi-cama... which means less comfy... Given the duration and seat I imagine I´ll be grumpy by the time I get there. In the meantime I bought some grapes, plums and a weird drink that I think I should mix with water. I might buy something to read... Like Condorita which is a comic book about a Condor and his friend Egg.

in Puerto Madryn

Just got here after a 17 hour bus ride. It wasnt that bad as the seats are like business class plane seats wide made of leather or fake leather. Also there is a contraption that pulls down off the back of the chair in front of you that you can use as a ramp for your legs. You aren,t laying down flat which I sorta expected because it is called a bed seat but it is more comfortable than just a regular chair.

So I'm now about mid way up Argentina on the Atlantic side. The temperatures here are much higher so I have put my winter jacket away. Patagonia, down south, was super super windy and colder. Super windy.

On the way up all I mostly saw was flat desert like plains and the occasional ostrich. Which I guess is unusual. I forgot to say that you see wild flamingos down in the southern parts. I never did see a pengin, but there are some near here too.

I haven't seen much of the city yet as I popped in to check the internet for hostel recommendations.

going to Puerto Madyrn

Argentina so far

dinner with m and m

Moreno Glacier in Argentina

Went to the Moreno Glacier in Argentina. It is a wide valley in the mountains filled with a huge ice field that slowly progresses and recedes about 2 metres a day. It looks almost looks like the icing of a cake with evenly spaced spikes. I had a look by boat and by land.

By boat we approached it by the side and then saw some pieces break off and splash into the water. What was neat and unexpected was the wake that that caused to boat to rock back and forth despues.

From land, I actually prefered it because I could go down some stairs and was away from the mobs of tourists and able to enjoy it quietly. Just sitting, viewing the mountain range and ice mountains, breathing the cool fresh air while listening for the occasional creak and then a muffled crash. Muffled crash like when stuff falls down inside a closed closet: but much more naturifically.