Mittwoch, 31. August 2011
Iguazu Falls / Bus to Buenos Aires / Ferry to Uruguay
I am not able to keep up with the pace of the last days. And I haven't been able to upload all the photos.
So, Paraguay or Asuncion didn't work out well. We, Sebastian and Bruno from France, stayed one night in Asuncion and left the next morning to Ciudad del Este. As the name says, it's east of Paraguay, actually on the border to Brazil and Argentina, on the brink to the world famous Iguazu Falls.
The busride turned out to take 6 hrs instead of the promised 4,5. We went straight to the Brazilian side and took a taxi to their side of the Falls. The difference between asking for the taxi-meter to be turned on and agreeing a price beforehand is, that the latter takes to your point of interest the fastest. In our case the right decision as we were flying and we made it 5 minutes before closing of the parque, which we actually did NOT know.
The Brazilian side of the falls was impressing. It gives you a good overview. Amazing!!
We took the last bus back to the Brazilian city Foz de Iguazu, but we wanted to go to Argentina. Luckily enough we met french people on the bus (which is actually NOT surprising as there were thousands of french around here) who knew that we had to get off and take another bus to the Argentinian side and Puerto Iguazu. "Luckily" it was, because Bruno and Sebastian just talked to them seconds before we had to get off ... WE would have stayed. Sometimes you have to be lucky: fast taxi, just in time to enter parque, last bus, right connection ... we just came to Puerto Iguazu to search for a hostel while it was raining ... luckily enough we just had the hostel when it went pouring down like hell. Hostal Residencial Los Rios. Was OK. We had a room for us three.
We then booked a bus to Buenos Aires for 5 PM the next day. I wanted to go to Uruguay but there were no straight buses, so I decided to come as well and take a ferry to Uruguay then.
The next day we wnet to the Argentinian side of the falls. Parque entrance ws cheaper than in Brazil although it is supposed to be larger.
We went straight to the map and decided to get a "train" to the Devil's Throat" which we already saw from the Brazilian side and we knew it was impressive. The train wasn't impressive. It was dead slow and full of silly old people. They were either already drinking heavily or retarded. You would have expected such behaviour from 12-year-olds but they were all over 50, ... at least.
So, the train was so slow that we could have walked. We even had to change trains.
Finally we went to the bridge over the river to the top of Devil's Throat. After walking the more than 1000 meters we had to discover that the last 40 meters were not accessible so we just saw that there was water going over an edge ... it was very disappoiting regarding all the time we spent to get there.
So we ent back. We walked!
The rest of the falls were breath-taking. Astonishing. Unbelievable. Flipping amazing!
We had enough time go go for a restaurant and take the luxury brand new bus to BA.
It was a long ride and we reached BA at 11 AM which makes it 18 hrs.
I found out that the next ferry was at 12.30 and I had to be at the dock one hour ahead of that. The next ferry would only be at 6.30PM. So I rushed to the dock but went down 2 blocks in a wrong direction. Luckily I found out myself that there were no docks to come. I wasn't there one hour ahead but 35 minutes ... they still let me go. The ferry was expensive and boring (ok, was just for 1 hour but there was no possibilidad to go outside of the boat).
I reached Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay by 1.30 PM and walked straight to one of the hostels I found: El Viajero. They even had a promotion for the 2nd night and a discount if I book with them in Montevideo, which will be my next stop.
Colonia's colonial old town is beautiful. When I come out of the hostel I can see the see the sea (or corectamente: el Rio Plata) to the left and to the right - que bonito!
I will now have to do a lot of photo-uploads!
So, Paraguay or Asuncion didn't work out well. We, Sebastian and Bruno from France, stayed one night in Asuncion and left the next morning to Ciudad del Este. As the name says, it's east of Paraguay, actually on the border to Brazil and Argentina, on the brink to the world famous Iguazu Falls.
The busride turned out to take 6 hrs instead of the promised 4,5. We went straight to the Brazilian side and took a taxi to their side of the Falls. The difference between asking for the taxi-meter to be turned on and agreeing a price beforehand is, that the latter takes to your point of interest the fastest. In our case the right decision as we were flying and we made it 5 minutes before closing of the parque, which we actually did NOT know.
The Brazilian side of the falls was impressing. It gives you a good overview. Amazing!!
We took the last bus back to the Brazilian city Foz de Iguazu, but we wanted to go to Argentina. Luckily enough we met french people on the bus (which is actually NOT surprising as there were thousands of french around here) who knew that we had to get off and take another bus to the Argentinian side and Puerto Iguazu. "Luckily" it was, because Bruno and Sebastian just talked to them seconds before we had to get off ... WE would have stayed. Sometimes you have to be lucky: fast taxi, just in time to enter parque, last bus, right connection ... we just came to Puerto Iguazu to search for a hostel while it was raining ... luckily enough we just had the hostel when it went pouring down like hell. Hostal Residencial Los Rios. Was OK. We had a room for us three.
We then booked a bus to Buenos Aires for 5 PM the next day. I wanted to go to Uruguay but there were no straight buses, so I decided to come as well and take a ferry to Uruguay then.
The next day we wnet to the Argentinian side of the falls. Parque entrance ws cheaper than in Brazil although it is supposed to be larger.
We went straight to the map and decided to get a "train" to the Devil's Throat" which we already saw from the Brazilian side and we knew it was impressive. The train wasn't impressive. It was dead slow and full of silly old people. They were either already drinking heavily or retarded. You would have expected such behaviour from 12-year-olds but they were all over 50, ... at least.
So, the train was so slow that we could have walked. We even had to change trains.
Finally we went to the bridge over the river to the top of Devil's Throat. After walking the more than 1000 meters we had to discover that the last 40 meters were not accessible so we just saw that there was water going over an edge ... it was very disappoiting regarding all the time we spent to get there.
So we ent back. We walked!
The rest of the falls were breath-taking. Astonishing. Unbelievable. Flipping amazing!
We had enough time go go for a restaurant and take the luxury brand new bus to BA.
It was a long ride and we reached BA at 11 AM which makes it 18 hrs.
I found out that the next ferry was at 12.30 and I had to be at the dock one hour ahead of that. The next ferry would only be at 6.30PM. So I rushed to the dock but went down 2 blocks in a wrong direction. Luckily I found out myself that there were no docks to come. I wasn't there one hour ahead but 35 minutes ... they still let me go. The ferry was expensive and boring (ok, was just for 1 hour but there was no possibilidad to go outside of the boat).
I reached Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay by 1.30 PM and walked straight to one of the hostels I found: El Viajero. They even had a promotion for the 2nd night and a discount if I book with them in Montevideo, which will be my next stop.
Colonia's colonial old town is beautiful. When I come out of the hostel I can see the see the sea (or corectamente: el Rio Plata) to the left and to the right - que bonito!
I will now have to do a lot of photo-uploads!
Sonntag, 28. August 2011
Paraguay
I took a bus over night to Clorinda at the border to Paraguay from where we (me and 2 french friends - Bruno and Sebastian - that were traveling with Christian - the Swiss - before) took a taxi to do the immigration (taxidriver claimed it was 12 km but it seemed very close) and a bus to Asuncion from there, which is quite close.
The bus broke down on the way but the driver was able to fix it. Great guy. :-)
Asuncion is not very much as I expected it to be. First it is Sunday and very quiet. Second ... it is not really nice. Some buildings are run down and ugly. In some places you have nice buildings with ghetto-like areas next to it, e.g. sheds next to the governmental palace. Strange! There is not much to see.
I think it was a good decision to stay only for the night, as I booked 2 nights online but decided at the bus stop to get a ticket to Ciudad del Este for tomorrow. Wise!
The bus broke down on the way but the driver was able to fix it. Great guy. :-)
Asuncion is not very much as I expected it to be. First it is Sunday and very quiet. Second ... it is not really nice. Some buildings are run down and ugly. In some places you have nice buildings with ghetto-like areas next to it, e.g. sheds next to the governmental palace. Strange! There is not much to see.
I think it was a good decision to stay only for the night, as I booked 2 nights online but decided at the bus stop to get a ticket to Ciudad del Este for tomorrow. Wise!
Donnerstag, 25. August 2011
Around Cafayate
First day in Salta I went with Christian up a little mountain with the Teleférico and walked the way down to relax with a coffee and some Pizza in the centre.
Today we went on a one-day tour to Cafayate. It is set in a beautiful landscape. Lovely day.
Tomorrow I will go on another tour, Cachi. I may hit the road to Paraguay on Saturday, but it may take more or less in total 24 hours on 2 buses. Will have to decide tomorrow!
Today we went on a one-day tour to Cafayate. It is set in a beautiful landscape. Lovely day.
Tomorrow I will go on another tour, Cachi. I may hit the road to Paraguay on Saturday, but it may take more or less in total 24 hours on 2 buses. Will have to decide tomorrow!
Mittwoch, 24. August 2011
Dienstag, 23. August 2011
Argentina
Finally, I reached the country that I dreamt of seeing: Argentina.
I took a bus (Gemini) from San Pedro de Atacam in Chile to Salta, ARG. Beautiful landscape.
I will stay a couple of days at Backpackers Salta Hostel, which includes Breakfast AND dinner!! Booked over hostelworld for quite a good price. It is a brandnew hostel. Nice!
I will see how to get to Paraguay from here before going south again.
I took a bus (Gemini) from San Pedro de Atacam in Chile to Salta, ARG. Beautiful landscape.
I will stay a couple of days at Backpackers Salta Hostel, which includes Breakfast AND dinner!! Booked over hostelworld for quite a good price. It is a brandnew hostel. Nice!
I will see how to get to Paraguay from here before going south again.
Sonntag, 21. August 2011
Salar de Uyuni (BOL) to San Pedro de Atacama (CHI)
By bye Bolivia, bye bye Coca Leaves, bye bye 80s music! :-)
I stayed one last night at the Pierdra Blanca Hostel which was very good as it was warm at night. Nights get really cold here and that was a great thing to have: heating in the rooms.
I had a wonderful 3 day trip from Uyuni in Bolivia through the Salar de Uyuni to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. The beginning and some things were (typically for South America) a bit chaotic, but in the end it was beautiful! Although the last night, or more the last morning, was really really cold at almost 5000 masl.
The Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat and you can cross it by Jeep and take loads of cool photos, once you start it's hard to stop. Now my clothes are full of salt from lying on the ground. On the 1st day our tyre burst but it was all OK, just a bit of waiting and more photo-taking.
At the moment I am in San Pedro de Atacama. Yesterday I went with Unai and Eneko from the Basque Country and Simone from Italy (3 of the guys that were on the Salar de Uyuni - Jeep with me) to stay at Hostal Rural and straight on a joint trip for sandboarding and the Moon Valley, ... but on our way to sandboarding our car got stuck in the sand and couldn't move anymore ... so we walked to the dune and went sandboarding but ... the car still stuck and the trip to see the sunset ant the Moon Valley wasn't happening. So, they offered us moneyback or a new trip, which Simone and I will do today.
Let's see what happens next :-)
I stayed one last night at the Pierdra Blanca Hostel which was very good as it was warm at night. Nights get really cold here and that was a great thing to have: heating in the rooms.
I had a wonderful 3 day trip from Uyuni in Bolivia through the Salar de Uyuni to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. The beginning and some things were (typically for South America) a bit chaotic, but in the end it was beautiful! Although the last night, or more the last morning, was really really cold at almost 5000 masl.
The Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat and you can cross it by Jeep and take loads of cool photos, once you start it's hard to stop. Now my clothes are full of salt from lying on the ground. On the 1st day our tyre burst but it was all OK, just a bit of waiting and more photo-taking.
At the moment I am in San Pedro de Atacama. Yesterday I went with Unai and Eneko from the Basque Country and Simone from Italy (3 of the guys that were on the Salar de Uyuni - Jeep with me) to stay at Hostal Rural and straight on a joint trip for sandboarding and the Moon Valley, ... but on our way to sandboarding our car got stuck in the sand and couldn't move anymore ... so we walked to the dune and went sandboarding but ... the car still stuck and the trip to see the sunset ant the Moon Valley wasn't happening. So, they offered us moneyback or a new trip, which Simone and I will do today.
Let's see what happens next :-)
Mittwoch, 17. August 2011
Potosi
I finally made it to Potosi, the highest (big) city in the world with ca. 4000 masl and it used to be one of the biggest cities in the world in the early 17th century, because of the silver in the mines.
Some claim that nearly 8 Mio died in them, mostly slaves. Just for the sake of the silver.
I went (of course) to see the mines. I went with The Real Deal as the guides are Ex-Miners.
They still work in the mines to get silver, copper and tin etc.
It was a great experience!
I stayed in a more or less nice Hostel called Casa de Huespedes. Was OK, but why to they let people in my dorm at 1 AM (!) when I am asleep, while there are many other empty dorms? ... of course the 2 girls switched on the lights and made a lot of noise. Best thing: when they finally lay in bed, the one girl asked the other to move around more slowly as the whole bed shakes. Hello?? And then, why all the fuzz when they leave again at 7AM. Why do they have to unpack almost all of their backpacks??? Sometimes I hate hostels, or people without respect. But, thank god, there are different people, like the guy from Colorado in La Paz who even was sorry about his shoes making some noise on the floor ;-)
I took a srubby bus at 10 AM to Uyuni. Nice landscape on the way!
Staying at Pierdra Blanca. Seems to be nice.
Voy a ver!
Some claim that nearly 8 Mio died in them, mostly slaves. Just for the sake of the silver.
I went (of course) to see the mines. I went with The Real Deal as the guides are Ex-Miners.
They still work in the mines to get silver, copper and tin etc.
It was a great experience!
I stayed in a more or less nice Hostel called Casa de Huespedes. Was OK, but why to they let people in my dorm at 1 AM (!) when I am asleep, while there are many other empty dorms? ... of course the 2 girls switched on the lights and made a lot of noise. Best thing: when they finally lay in bed, the one girl asked the other to move around more slowly as the whole bed shakes. Hello?? And then, why all the fuzz when they leave again at 7AM. Why do they have to unpack almost all of their backpacks??? Sometimes I hate hostels, or people without respect. But, thank god, there are different people, like the guy from Colorado in La Paz who even was sorry about his shoes making some noise on the floor ;-)
I took a srubby bus at 10 AM to Uyuni. Nice landscape on the way!
Staying at Pierdra Blanca. Seems to be nice.
Voy a ver!
Montag, 15. August 2011
Cholitas Wrestling
Yesterday I went with a huge group from the hostel (organised tour) to the Cholitas Wrestling.
That was good fun, although it was a bit long until "El Lobo" chased us out of the hall.
Today I am supposed to leave for Potosí, the old miner's town. Highest big city in the world. It used to be the biggest city in the silver mining times.
But I heard there are strikes in Bolivia. I will have to check if I can go.
----
They said it would go, but I will "bolive" it when I am ON the bus!
So, I went around La Paz today and paid a visit to the Coca Museum. Very interesting. I bought a bag for ca. €1.
Ah, I also went into the Clinica Aleman, of course, to get my Caiman-Bite checked. Looks like it's not fully OK, but I should keep putting antibiotical creme on it and it will be good. Will be a good scar. And I didn't have to pay anything. :-)
Now waiting for the bus to leave for Potosí (if there are no night-roadblocks or strikes)
That was good fun, although it was a bit long until "El Lobo" chased us out of the hall.
Today I am supposed to leave for Potosí, the old miner's town. Highest big city in the world. It used to be the biggest city in the silver mining times.
But I heard there are strikes in Bolivia. I will have to check if I can go.
----
They said it would go, but I will "bolive" it when I am ON the bus!
So, I went around La Paz today and paid a visit to the Coca Museum. Very interesting. I bought a bag for ca. €1.
Ah, I also went into the Clinica Aleman, of course, to get my Caiman-Bite checked. Looks like it's not fully OK, but I should keep putting antibiotical creme on it and it will be good. Will be a good scar. And I didn't have to pay anything. :-)
Now waiting for the bus to leave for Potosí (if there are no night-roadblocks or strikes)
Freitag, 12. August 2011
TRFKAWMDR
Today I went on a 64 km mountain bike tour along the Death Road, or Yungas Road, Ruta de la Muerte or just: the World's Most Dangerous Road!
The title was given to it before they opened a new road with the same destinations 5 years ago. Since then it's only or mainly mountain biks going down. The main traffic goes over the mostly asphatlted, more safer, new road. But before that, all traffic went down Yungas Road.
So today it's more TRFKAWMDR, The Road Formerly Known As World's Most Dangerous Road!
But still, you have to be very careful. One false move, a sudden break, going too fast ... you can end up going over the edge! Free falling!
It was a great trip. Great 4-man group, great guide, good bikes, beautiful landscape!
Excellent!
The title was given to it before they opened a new road with the same destinations 5 years ago. Since then it's only or mainly mountain biks going down. The main traffic goes over the mostly asphatlted, more safer, new road. But before that, all traffic went down Yungas Road.
So today it's more TRFKAWMDR, The Road Formerly Known As World's Most Dangerous Road!
But still, you have to be very careful. One false move, a sudden break, going too fast ... you can end up going over the edge! Free falling!
It was a great trip. Great 4-man group, great guide, good bikes, beautiful landscape!
Excellent!
Amazon Area - The Pampas
After the fabulous win of Borussia at Bayern Munich I went to the Amazonas Area.
I was a great 3-day trip I booked in La Paz. I went by plane as the bus ride should have taken a horrible 20 hours.
So I flew on a small 19-seat plane to Rurrenabaque (i recognised the size of the plane when I looked for my seat 5A at the beginning. It was quite far in the back.
Airport Rurrenabaque is now the smallest I've been to, sorry Kerry Airport!
I met some nice people in Rurre. I stayed at the hostal Los Tucanes de Rurre where I saw a Jeep with a Munich plate and a Stuttgart based motorbike. They belonged to Claus and Guido who are long-term travellers and came over (sperately) with their vehicles.
The pampas tour with Dolphins Travel. Nice guides and nice company from Zaragossa - Asun and Antonio.
Day 1: 3 hours on a Jeep to Santa Rosa de Yacuma. Lunch being served by Herbert Feuerstein
Doppelgänger. Then boat trip for 3 hours and more to the lodge. Loads of animals along Rio Yacuma: Monkeys, Crocodiles, birds, etc.
Day 2: I never slept so close to Crocos. I could hear them in the river. At 9 AM we started for a long 4 hour search for snakes in the Pampas. I saw the first. Unfortunately in the mouth of a huge bird swallowing it some 100m from us. Finally one of the guides found an Anaconda.
Afternnon: Piranha fishing (and later eating them). We were more feeding than fishing them. They don't swallow, they just bite rapidly off the hook.
Day 3: Swimming with Pink River Dolphins. Unfortunately they turned up but weren't in the mood for swimming company. I wouldn't swim anyway. My dog, ahem, sorry, caiman-bite-wound was freshly open and I didn't want to make any contact with dirty water (and the hungry piranhas which were in the river in high numbers).
Afternoon: return to Rurre and later a beer at the Moskkito Bar with Asun, Antonio, Claus and Guido.
Nice Trip!
I was a great 3-day trip I booked in La Paz. I went by plane as the bus ride should have taken a horrible 20 hours.
So I flew on a small 19-seat plane to Rurrenabaque (i recognised the size of the plane when I looked for my seat 5A at the beginning. It was quite far in the back.
Airport Rurrenabaque is now the smallest I've been to, sorry Kerry Airport!
I met some nice people in Rurre. I stayed at the hostal Los Tucanes de Rurre where I saw a Jeep with a Munich plate and a Stuttgart based motorbike. They belonged to Claus and Guido who are long-term travellers and came over (sperately) with their vehicles.
The pampas tour with Dolphins Travel. Nice guides and nice company from Zaragossa - Asun and Antonio.
Day 1: 3 hours on a Jeep to Santa Rosa de Yacuma. Lunch being served by Herbert Feuerstein
Doppelgänger. Then boat trip for 3 hours and more to the lodge. Loads of animals along Rio Yacuma: Monkeys, Crocodiles, birds, etc.
Day 2: I never slept so close to Crocos. I could hear them in the river. At 9 AM we started for a long 4 hour search for snakes in the Pampas. I saw the first. Unfortunately in the mouth of a huge bird swallowing it some 100m from us. Finally one of the guides found an Anaconda.
Afternnon: Piranha fishing (and later eating them). We were more feeding than fishing them. They don't swallow, they just bite rapidly off the hook.
Day 3: Swimming with Pink River Dolphins. Unfortunately they turned up but weren't in the mood for swimming company. I wouldn't swim anyway. My dog, ahem, sorry, caiman-bite-wound was freshly open and I didn't want to make any contact with dirty water (and the hungry piranhas which were in the river in high numbers).
Afternoon: return to Rurre and later a beer at the Moskkito Bar with Asun, Antonio, Claus and Guido.
Nice Trip!
Freitag, 5. August 2011
Donnerstag, 4. August 2011
La Paz, Bolivia
just arrived in La Paz on 3660 masl. Adventure Brew Hostel, free beer from the microbrewery each night, but I am still on Antibiotics :-(
While writing this I was just sick. Rushed to the loo to get rid of something bad I may have eaten. I hope I don't get ill as I just booked a 3-day trip to the rain forest for the day after tomorrow.
Hmm.
It was a funny bus ride from Copacabana to La Paz. We had to get off the bus to take a small, shaky boat and the bus took another boat. Amazing, the boat with the bus and a car was only powered by one little motor.
Cuy del horno - Guinea Pig - Meerschweinchen
addendumLast day in Cusco: I had the Peruvian delicacy Cuy del horno .... Guinea Pig.
Feedback: Interesting ... I mean, I had to try it. I don't think I'll have it ever again. But OK. ;-)
Lake Titicaca
The bus from Cusco, Peru to Copacabana, Bolivia was not as promised. I booked a full bed for just 10 Soles more (ca 2,50€) but the bus was broken. I had to take a half bed bus to Puno, Peru, and then a Minibus with luggage on top to the border and another to Copacabana @ Lake Titicaca.
Copacabana is nice. I took a hostel (Hostal Elenita - nice view) with 2 swissfrench girls I met on the busses.
We went to the Isla del Sol the next day where we took a beautiful 3 hour walk and met more people on the way.
VERY NICE.
Today we (Sibyllle and Annick) will take a bus to La Paz and see what's up next.
Montag, 1. August 2011
Back
from a outstanding 5-day Trek to Machu Picchu and a 1-day tour to the Sacred Valley = lotsa walking and sore feet. More to follow about it!
Got a cheap 1-hour massage today. Brilliant!
Got an abscess from the dogbite, went to doctor and I am back on antibiotics.
Leaving tonight for Copacabana in Bolivia. Overnightbus.
Then Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca.
Abonnieren
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