So much space!
Remnants of the meal, check out the crazy plates
Pretty Plaza in Mendoza
Tuesday 25 November 2008
Mendoza - finally getting some vino action
After the robbery episode we really didnt want to stay in the hostel another night, luckily a local `special man´as Jose called him (he just hung around the tourist police centre to help out and laughed a lot) offered us an apartment which his mum rented out. It was a bit like stepping back into the 1970s - see below pic - but it was a real luxury to have our own living room, kitchen, bathroom, 2nd bathroom and 2nd bedroom so we took it, especially as it was the same price as a hostel room down the road. Having so much space was AMAZING! With the money we had just got out of HSBC we went straight to the Central Mercado and brought the best slice of beef, asparagus, smoked cheese, fine reserver wines (yep we got through 3 bottles, the last was a cheapie that the local wino recommended to us, it was v good!) and had a feast!
So much space!
Remnants of the meal, check out the crazy plates
Winery a short bus ride from central Mendoza
The tasting room where we tried a wine made especially for all the tour groups they get
So much space!
Remnants of the meal, check out the crazy plates
Mendoza, and robbery number 2!!!
Mendoza is a very pretty town, whiling away a couple of days here is very easy, especially if you get robbed!
Yep it happened again, luckily this time it was just the wallet but it meant we had to cancel all our cards which took about 4 hours because the tourist police centre didnt have a phone that made international calls! We ended up having to send out a URGENT email to friends and family, hoping someone was online on a Sunday and could help by calling for us. Luckily Greg came to the rescue - thank you Mr James!
Jose, the tourist policeman was very attentive and sorted out a place we could have lunch and dinner on a tab (very strange feeling not having any money at all, very limiting!) and took us to the police station to make a report - this took about 2 hours as they were more interested in asking me about Radiohead and other english bands than the actual robbery. Jose also arranged a double police escort to HSBC the next day to ensure that we got money. A bit extreme we thought, especially as the additional officer was supposed to be heading up the traffic control at the time! Tim is a Premier customer so we were treated very well but it still took 4 hours to sort everything out, I dont think the Argentinians know how to do things quickly.
We arrived in Mendoza on Saturday afternoon and by Monday morning had only spent a couple of hours actually enjoying the place, the rest of the time we had spent sorting out stuff after the robbery (which we are still a little puzzled about...we left the wallet in the room when we went out for a run in the morning - first run since being away - when we got back the wallet was gone. There was no forced entry and the hostel said they didnt have an extra set of keys...hmmmmm ever heard of a hostel that doesnt keep a 2nd set of keys. The moral of the story - dont do exercise!)
Yep it happened again, luckily this time it was just the wallet but it meant we had to cancel all our cards which took about 4 hours because the tourist police centre didnt have a phone that made international calls! We ended up having to send out a URGENT email to friends and family, hoping someone was online on a Sunday and could help by calling for us. Luckily Greg came to the rescue - thank you Mr James!
Jose, the tourist policeman was very attentive and sorted out a place we could have lunch and dinner on a tab (very strange feeling not having any money at all, very limiting!) and took us to the police station to make a report - this took about 2 hours as they were more interested in asking me about Radiohead and other english bands than the actual robbery. Jose also arranged a double police escort to HSBC the next day to ensure that we got money. A bit extreme we thought, especially as the additional officer was supposed to be heading up the traffic control at the time! Tim is a Premier customer so we were treated very well but it still took 4 hours to sort everything out, I dont think the Argentinians know how to do things quickly.
We arrived in Mendoza on Saturday afternoon and by Monday morning had only spent a couple of hours actually enjoying the place, the rest of the time we had spent sorting out stuff after the robbery (which we are still a little puzzled about...we left the wallet in the room when we went out for a run in the morning - first run since being away - when we got back the wallet was gone. There was no forced entry and the hostel said they didnt have an extra set of keys...hmmmmm ever heard of a hostel that doesnt keep a 2nd set of keys. The moral of the story - dont do exercise!)
Friday 21 November 2008
San Juan
San Juan is a wine region so it´s was obviously on our list of places to go. We rocked up without a reservation and wandered round quite a few places which were all full before we found Triasco Hostel. The wondeful owner Franciso made our stay by inviting us to the launch of his new Cafe Thematico - basically the idea is that locals and backpackers mix and get to learn each other`s language and go to see sights together - we got loads of free wine, empanadas and got to see the locals dance and sing.
San Juan has lots to offer any tourist, but we were mainly interested in wine and... dinosaurs!
We visited Cavas Zonda and sampled and then purchased a bottle of their ´natural´fizz which was scrummy. Also went to the wine museum and sampled Graffigna wine, which is pretty big out here.
What big teeth you´ve got!
Tasty Asado - BBQ - on a street corner
A HUGE wine barrel
Champagne made in the caves
The Cave - Cavas
San Juan has lots to offer any tourist, but we were mainly interested in wine and... dinosaurs!
We visited Cavas Zonda and sampled and then purchased a bottle of their ´natural´fizz which was scrummy. Also went to the wine museum and sampled Graffigna wine, which is pretty big out here.
What big teeth you´ve got!
Tasty Asado - BBQ - on a street corner
A HUGE wine barrel
Champagne made in the caves
The Cave - Cavas
Cordoba
We didnt want to leave BA but as we were returning for Christmas it wasnt a final farewell. Next stop - Cordoba. We found a new hostel which was pretty empty so ended up with a 6 person dorm to ourselves!
Hopped on a bus to Jesus Maria to see the Jesuit Misson. Didnt see any Jesuits which was disappointing, but did see what their toilets used to look like, very interesting. Then got another bus to Alta Gracia to go to Che Guevara`s childhood home - nice little video and explanations in English made it a very insightful visit. Also saw Che´s loo.
Day 2 in Cordoba we actually spent in the city visiting the sights and sampling the food. Found a great little restaurant which sold amazing Tartas (bit like quiche) the onion and cheese one was delicious and so were the two bottles of red wine! Also discovered that sandwiches are pretty big in Argentia, or I should say small! Nearly every corner shop sells Triples - very thinly sliced bread with the crusts cut off and filled with thin slices of ham, cheese, sometimes tuna and other stuff. Not very filling but quite tasty!
Beautiful museum hosing lots of different works of art, wish i had a staircase like that!
Hopped on a bus to Jesus Maria to see the Jesuit Misson. Didnt see any Jesuits which was disappointing, but did see what their toilets used to look like, very interesting. Then got another bus to Alta Gracia to go to Che Guevara`s childhood home - nice little video and explanations in English made it a very insightful visit. Also saw Che´s loo.
Day 2 in Cordoba we actually spent in the city visiting the sights and sampling the food. Found a great little restaurant which sold amazing Tartas (bit like quiche) the onion and cheese one was delicious and so were the two bottles of red wine! Also discovered that sandwiches are pretty big in Argentia, or I should say small! Nearly every corner shop sells Triples - very thinly sliced bread with the crusts cut off and filled with thin slices of ham, cheese, sometimes tuna and other stuff. Not very filling but quite tasty!
Huge Christ. They are very religious in and around Cordoba
Jesuit Mission in Jesus Maria
Jesuit Mission in Jesus Maria
Che Guevara's childhood home
Very ornate church in Cordoba
Beautiful museum hosing lots of different works of art, wish i had a staircase like that!
BA
We again managed to get an earlier flight and made it to Buenas Aires for Saturday night. We found somewhere to stay in San Telmo and rushed out for a night of meat, red wine and more red wine - we had finally arrived in Argentina!
San Telmo is fabulous. It´s a cross between Soho and Camden with a bit of Moulin Rouge chucked in. It´s home to some of the best Parrillas (grills) in BA, no wonder Tim wanted to stay there!
We were staying pertty much on San Telmo`s Square so on Sunday morning we walked out of the hostel and straight into the bustle of the Sunday market. Everyone was dressed up in funny outfits which was quite birzarre at first but soon we, like everyone else, was into the swing of it. A great way to spend a day.
Tim just getting started
Amazed and scared at the amount of red meat Tim has consumed
Cute bar and second bottle of red wine
The Pie Man at San Telmo`s market
San Telmo is fabulous. It´s a cross between Soho and Camden with a bit of Moulin Rouge chucked in. It´s home to some of the best Parrillas (grills) in BA, no wonder Tim wanted to stay there!
We were staying pertty much on San Telmo`s Square so on Sunday morning we walked out of the hostel and straight into the bustle of the Sunday market. Everyone was dressed up in funny outfits which was quite birzarre at first but soon we, like everyone else, was into the swing of it. A great way to spend a day.
Amazed and scared at the amount of red meat Tim has consumed
The Pie Man at San Telmo`s market
Traditional music at the market
Creatures great and small at the Falls
Thought you might like to see some wildlife after all that water!
Think this is a caterpillar!
Cheeky Monkeys
Strange looking bird
Greedy Cutie
Tim getting up close and personal with a butterfly
Think this is a caterpillar!
Cheeky Monkeys
Strange looking bird
Greedy Cutie
Tim getting up close and personal with a butterfly
Iguazu Falls - Argy movie
And here`s a video, in case you were getting bored of pictures
The devils throat
The devils throat
The jungle side
Iguazu Falls - more pictures
Here`s some more photos....
wow!
Looking down on the platform you can stand to get wet!
Tim on that platform
Tim getting very wet!
Me!
wow!
Looking down on the platform you can stand to get wet!
Tim on that platform
Tim getting very wet!
Me!
Iguaza Falls - Argentina WITH pictures
After the Brazilian side, which was awesome as you could walk right beneath the Devil´s Throat, we didn`t know how the Argentinian side could top it. But it did, royally.
Not only were the falls more spectacular but there was loads of wildlife in the park too. We spent hours taking everything in, it´s definitely a ´must see´for anyone in Argentina.
We saw some of the most amazing rainbows over the falls
Lots of water!
The obligatory photo infront of the falls
More water
Here you get an idea of the scale of the falls
Not only were the falls more spectacular but there was loads of wildlife in the park too. We spent hours taking everything in, it´s definitely a ´must see´for anyone in Argentina.
We saw some of the most amazing rainbows over the falls
Lots of water!
The obligatory photo infront of the falls
More water
Here you get an idea of the scale of the falls
Igazu brazilian side
Sadly we cant get the photos for this off the camera so you`ll have to make do with the below description....
It was great.
It was great.
Last big night out
After all that lying in the sun we needed a drink so went out for a night on Rio´s finest tiles. Ended up in a three storey club with the most amazing live band made up of about 20 drums!
After quite a few caprianas food was on the agenda, after much searching (why dont they have kebab shops in Rio?) we found a pool bar which served food and more importantly the milk that Jen was craving!!!
Before the real drinking started
Us after one too many
Jen as happy as a cat after getting three glasses of milk before bed
The perfect hangover food, the world`s biggest pizza
After quite a few caprianas food was on the agenda, after much searching (why dont they have kebab shops in Rio?) we found a pool bar which served food and more importantly the milk that Jen was craving!!!
Before the real drinking started
Us after one too many
Jen as happy as a cat after getting three glasses of milk before bed
The perfect hangover food, the world`s biggest pizza
Rio
I had wanted to go to Rio for ages, so when we managed to get on an earlier flight and escape spending the night in Sao Paulo, I was estastic. We landed about 8pm on Saturday and made our way to Ipanema. Coming to Rio on a Saturday night without a reservation was not the best idea! we tried about 5 places and they were all full or too expensive. We were lugging our bags through the streets for about an hour watching dressed up, hip looking people eating and drinking and enjoying themselves in the trendy little bars and resturants. I was not enjoying myself!
Finally we found a street full of hostels and a room at Girl from Ipanema, a funky place crammed full of backpackers. Our double room, without bathroom but with mold all over the ceiling, was the most expensive we had paid for in Brazil but at 11pm at night we were just glad to finally find a bed and the owner told me they had pg tips for breakfast so was very happy!
Sunday we went to the beach and what a beach it is. Ipanema has the most amazing white sand, so deep it´s like walking in snow! There were people exercising everywhere along the beach front and on the beach-running, skating, cycling, dancing, playing volleyball - i got quite tired watching them all!
Realised i havent been talking about sandwiches much, but that`s cause in every country there is always something better than sandwiches to try for a little snack. In Ipanema i discovered mini cheese balls - a lump of cheese dipped in flour and baked so the cheese is all oozy - they are totally amazing and addictive.
Managed to bump into Jen the next day and off we went to an all you can eat for lunch. Never seen Tim eat so much meat, I got to eat loads of sushi and Jen for the first time in days didnt eat a cheese sandwich, so we were all happy. Went to Jen´s boutique hotel in the evening for drinks. Wish I had our photos of the place cause it was amazing, here´s a link if you want to check it out
http://www.chicretreats.com/Americas/Brazil/RiodeJaneiro/MamaRuisa/Hotel213.aspx
Went to see Christ the Redeemer, couldnt actually see it cause the weather was so bad so after that experience decided that sight seeing wasnt as fun as lying by Jen`s pool (the owner didnt mind cause Jen was left without a loo after a previous guest had chucked a bar of soap down it??!) so spent a couple of blissful days in total luxury, thanks Jen!
Not quite sure what I am doing, but was funny at the time...I think!
We decided to upgrade our accommodation whilst in Rio...
This is where we actually stayed, in Jen`s words " it looks like something out of The Shining¨
We had to flush the toliet to get the shower to work and the bed was so hard we had to use our sleeping bags for extra padding!
Ihla not so Bella
We were told by countless people to go to the beautiful island of Ihla Bella just a short boat trip from Sao Sabastio. So we left our lovely pad after 5 days and hopped on a bus to the port. We were all quite excited about moving and doing something different, but the island really didnt live up to our expectations....
From the way people had described it to us - "virgin beaches" "crystal clear water" "very beautiful" - we really thought we were in for a treat. But 6 hours later, having visited most of the island in search of a nice beach, we realised Ihla Bella wasnt so great after all! Basically it`s a pretty, heavily manicured island where the rich go to show off their boats. There are loads of beaches but they are all tiny and not at all impressive.
All a bit dejected and tired, we had been lugging our full backpacks around with us all day, we decided we were better off where we started, back in Maresias! However, we couldnt go back as we knew all the hostels were booked up, due to Carl Cox playing there. So we went back the way we had come and stopped off at Camburi, which was supposed to have an amazing beach divided by a small peninsula. After looking at all the accommodation we could find we realised we were in the Beverly Hills of Brazil as it was all very expensive. Ahhhhhhh! We were all losing the will to live by this point but decided to go back to a beach we had passed on the bus. A very helpful taxi man took us to hostels until we found one we liked and finally we settled for the night.
Not a very productive day - we spent 14 hours traveling only to get back to pretty much where we started!
I love bananas!
From the way people had described it to us - "virgin beaches" "crystal clear water" "very beautiful" - we really thought we were in for a treat. But 6 hours later, having visited most of the island in search of a nice beach, we realised Ihla Bella wasnt so great after all! Basically it`s a pretty, heavily manicured island where the rich go to show off their boats. There are loads of beaches but they are all tiny and not at all impressive.
All a bit dejected and tired, we had been lugging our full backpacks around with us all day, we decided we were better off where we started, back in Maresias! However, we couldnt go back as we knew all the hostels were booked up, due to Carl Cox playing there. So we went back the way we had come and stopped off at Camburi, which was supposed to have an amazing beach divided by a small peninsula. After looking at all the accommodation we could find we realised we were in the Beverly Hills of Brazil as it was all very expensive. Ahhhhhhh! We were all losing the will to live by this point but decided to go back to a beach we had passed on the bus. A very helpful taxi man took us to hostels until we found one we liked and finally we settled for the night.
Not a very productive day - we spent 14 hours traveling only to get back to pretty much where we started!
I love bananas!
Birthdy girl
Me eating banana ice cream on the beach after I had eaten it for Breakfast
Me eating my second tube of Banana ice cream and the last of the birthday cake. Well what are birthday`s for if you cant eat A LOT?!
As you have guessed from the photos my birthday presents consisted of lots of sweet things to gorge on (I did share!) and Jen brought we a beautiful bracelet from Rio. As Jen had some lovely clothes and make up that were so much more interesting than what i had been carrying around for the past four months we got dressed up, yep even more makeup, and went out for a yummy meal. We knocked back two bottles of wondeful red wine, and i have to say that drinking out of a proper wine glass for the first time since we left the UK really made the night!
Thank you Tim and Jen for making my 29th birthday so special and thank you everyone back home for all the birthday wishes x
Wednesday 19 November 2008
Beautiful beaches
From the Sao Paulo terminal we headed straight out on another bus to São Sebastião about 4 hours away. The plan was to jump off when we saw a good beach. Maresias hit the spot. Described as an " energetic, youthful resort town" we were not disappointed. The beach had amazing white, clean sand and over the weekend it was packed with beautiful people - the first i had seen in Brazil - ( it is definitely a myth that everyone out here is stunning). Sadly there wasn´t must sun - poor Jen`s search for the perfect tanning spot didnt seem to be going to well - infact it started to rain as soon as we arrived, but luckily cleared to give us a perfect sunset.
We found an awesome apartment about 5 mins walk from the beach. There was an upstairs bedroom for Jen, with bathroom, and Tim and I had our own room and bathroom downstairs, just off from the sitting area and kitchenet. It was the perfect arrangement and really nicely done and only cost about 8 pounds a day each, woo hoo! Jen was great at putting up with our budget ways, she even said she enjoyed noodles! (I think that might have been the bottle of Chacacha we knocked back talking!)
We arrived in Maresias on a saturday night and had all planned to got out to check out how beautiful Brazilians partied. A lot of Chacacha later, having an early night seemed more appealing (indeed we`re getting old!), but we dragged ourselves out of our lovely pad and walked about 2 paces before our neighbours invited us in for a drink. Alan, yes Alan, from Sao Paulo had just come back from working in London for a couple of years, he worked just down the road from Jen, small world! After a couple of strawberry alcoholic drinks (no idea what they were, but they were good) we were a little more in the party mood and went back to ours to get ready to go to the club that Alan and his mates were going to. Unfortunately the night ended there for us. We never actually made it out again. So our big Saturday night out consisted of going next door, oh dear!
(Hopefully we'll have some more photos to up up soon, in the meantime we`ve only got the below)
We found an awesome apartment about 5 mins walk from the beach. There was an upstairs bedroom for Jen, with bathroom, and Tim and I had our own room and bathroom downstairs, just off from the sitting area and kitchenet. It was the perfect arrangement and really nicely done and only cost about 8 pounds a day each, woo hoo! Jen was great at putting up with our budget ways, she even said she enjoyed noodles! (I think that might have been the bottle of Chacacha we knocked back talking!)
We arrived in Maresias on a saturday night and had all planned to got out to check out how beautiful Brazilians partied. A lot of Chacacha later, having an early night seemed more appealing (indeed we`re getting old!), but we dragged ourselves out of our lovely pad and walked about 2 paces before our neighbours invited us in for a drink. Alan, yes Alan, from Sao Paulo had just come back from working in London for a couple of years, he worked just down the road from Jen, small world! After a couple of strawberry alcoholic drinks (no idea what they were, but they were good) we were a little more in the party mood and went back to ours to get ready to go to the club that Alan and his mates were going to. Unfortunately the night ended there for us. We never actually made it out again. So our big Saturday night out consisted of going next door, oh dear!
(Hopefully we'll have some more photos to up up soon, in the meantime we`ve only got the below)
The arrival of Miss Jennifer Hills
It was pissing it down the day Jenny arrived! I met her at the airport and she put a brave face on, but straight away we went to the Tam office to see if she could change her ticket - she was booked on a flight out of Flori over a week later!
To make up for the rain we made Jen cook us dinner, see how well we treat our guests, why arent more of you coming out to see us huh??!!
Thankfully the sun did come out the next day. Jen and I even had a little paddle in the sea. I got burnt twice, legs front and back had perfect stripes, when will I learn the art of applying sun tan lotion?
Despite the sun the wind was taking its toll so we decided to get the night bus to Sao Paulo. Jen thought she might be able to get us into the Grand Prix through a mate who worked for Honda. Tim was very excited.
It was sad to leave the Papa Pires he really was a gem and made our stay. Jen was very excited about her first trip to a bus terminal and her first night bus... the novelty had definitely worn off for Tim and I, but the buses in Brazil are definitely much better than anywhere else, there was even hot water and hand towels in the bus loo!
(We are having prob with our camera and cant get our brazil pix off so all the pics from the next couple of weeks are Miss Hill´s excellent work)
Erm, not sure about the pose but you get an idea of the beach
It was pretty cold with the wind so the matching fleeces had to come out
Putting a brave face on, despite the rain
To make up for the rain we made Jen cook us dinner, see how well we treat our guests, why arent more of you coming out to see us huh??!!
Thankfully the sun did come out the next day. Jen and I even had a little paddle in the sea. I got burnt twice, legs front and back had perfect stripes, when will I learn the art of applying sun tan lotion?
Despite the sun the wind was taking its toll so we decided to get the night bus to Sao Paulo. Jen thought she might be able to get us into the Grand Prix through a mate who worked for Honda. Tim was very excited.
It was sad to leave the Papa Pires he really was a gem and made our stay. Jen was very excited about her first trip to a bus terminal and her first night bus... the novelty had definitely worn off for Tim and I, but the buses in Brazil are definitely much better than anywhere else, there was even hot water and hand towels in the bus loo!
(We are having prob with our camera and cant get our brazil pix off so all the pics from the next couple of weeks are Miss Hill´s excellent work)
Erm, not sure about the pose but you get an idea of the beach
It was pretty cold with the wind so the matching fleeces had to come out
Putting a brave face on, despite the rain
A holiday from our ´holiday´
After travelling for 4 months we decided it was about time for a little relaxation, a little time out from constantly moving about...so lying on a beach in Brazil was ideal! It´s a hard life, this travelling lark!
We headed to Florianopolis, a beautiful area with some great beaches. Jen was joining us there, we were looking forward to some company from someone back home...And some new books, toiletries and music!
We eventually got oursleves to Praia da Armacao after much strife with the local buses and then were shown to the posada we were looking for by a very helpful German guy who lived in the area (we were very obviously lost). He enthusiastically talked to us for a while in German...couldnt understand a word, then spanish....still couldnt understand a word (Spanish with a heavy German accent, we had no hope) But as usual we smiled, and smiled a bit more and everyone was happy.
Posada Pires put an even bigger smile on our face cause our room had a little kitchen dining area. We hadnt had our own kitchen for four months! We literally ran to the supermarket to pick up meat and cooked a huge spag bol. Just what we needed after a diet of hamburgers for the last few days. Pires himself was the sweetest man in the world. He told us about a fruit and vegetable place down the road that sold everything for 30p a kilo. We stocked up on the most amazing mangos, pineapple, apples, bananas and made an awesome fruit salad. We were happy, full, bunnies.
The next day we woke up to damp roads, it has been raining pretty much all night and it was still pretty windy, we were starting to wonder if we had done the right thing by coming, especially when Jenny was coming to join us from London...
We headed to Florianopolis, a beautiful area with some great beaches. Jen was joining us there, we were looking forward to some company from someone back home...And some new books, toiletries and music!
We eventually got oursleves to Praia da Armacao after much strife with the local buses and then were shown to the posada we were looking for by a very helpful German guy who lived in the area (we were very obviously lost). He enthusiastically talked to us for a while in German...couldnt understand a word, then spanish....still couldnt understand a word (Spanish with a heavy German accent, we had no hope) But as usual we smiled, and smiled a bit more and everyone was happy.
Posada Pires put an even bigger smile on our face cause our room had a little kitchen dining area. We hadnt had our own kitchen for four months! We literally ran to the supermarket to pick up meat and cooked a huge spag bol. Just what we needed after a diet of hamburgers for the last few days. Pires himself was the sweetest man in the world. He told us about a fruit and vegetable place down the road that sold everything for 30p a kilo. We stocked up on the most amazing mangos, pineapple, apples, bananas and made an awesome fruit salad. We were happy, full, bunnies.
The next day we woke up to damp roads, it has been raining pretty much all night and it was still pretty windy, we were starting to wonder if we had done the right thing by coming, especially when Jenny was coming to join us from London...
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