THE BUS

I thought I would write a blog on the bus. We have riden a lot of buses: long, short, day, night, sketchy, safe, comfortable and certainly the opposite. Needless to say they are all an experience.

Documented below is our longest bus ride to date from buenos Aires to Iguazu. It took roughly 16 hours and was probably the most comfortable all around bus ride to date.

The Bus, we took top floor front. Funny because the view is great but it also often scary. We go back and forth about this: seeing is only good if the driver is not a crazy blind passing-speed freak.

A descent meal, comprable to airplane food.

Laying back 180 degrees after some champagne and a small tart.

"our zone" after sleeping.

The bus is a very new concept in our world. For example I have never taken a greyhound bus anywhere...yet here people take the bus to go everywhere. We decided not to calculate how much time we have spent on these bad boys down here, because truly it would depress us...and we are not done here yet. Besos y abrazos.

A new view of Buenos Aires

We have finally figured out how to get around BA, and we are much happier. The city required some some time to capture our attention, well it succeeded. Here are a few cool pics that make it babarao (cool).

Catarates Iguazu

Lets just say WOW!!!! After a really long 20 hour bus ride we arrived to destination Puerta Iguazu, its in the jungle baby. Deciding to stay a bit out of town at a place we saw as we were coming in. It was very hostel eske but it had a great location and a sweet pool. Quickly unloading and jumping in the pool we plotted out our next day to the falls. We awoke early to get there when it opened and quickly walked to the first catwalk...my favorite part came at first glimpse...sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. Not to mention massive and spread out. I attached a video from the first place we stopped in awe.

The "catarates" are a series of sweeping waterfalls over a massive area.

The river above fans out and calmly trickles its way toward an ultimate downward crash. The delicate balance of serenity and violence is all displayed and acted out within a few feet and over a few seconds. The most impressive area is the Garganta del Diablo (devils throat) see video below, it was mezmerizing! Em and I just stared at it for what seemed like an eternity.

We then took a boat over to an island and were mistified below, it was quite the baptism.


It was great to get back into nature, we treated our few days in the jungle like our summer (since we unfortunately missed it this year) We enjoyed our few days in the jungle, then we returned to the concrete jungle of BA. God has a pretty sweet Imagination!

Punta del Este, Montevideo and Colonia, Uruguay

Looking back at Buenos Aires...

A swift ferry ride from Buenos Aires, we cross river Plate to Uruguay. Then traveling by bus out to the resort town of Punta Del Este (landscape similar to IOWA). Punta is like the Winter Park of Denver, mainly second homes and definately shoulder season. We had to just dream of warmer weather and hot sunshine, but the winter is in full here very windy and even rainy. We sqweeked out one nice afternoon and rented a moped, yipee.

We had a great time touring the penninsula, beaches and neighborhoods. It was also nice to see pine trees not infected with Pine beetles! Staying at the Days Inn felt 5 star. We Then back tracked into the heart of Montevideo the Capital of Uruguay. Montevideo has a more relaxing feel to an otherwise busy city. Our favorite part was the port market: we indulged in good ol Parrilla (BBQ), Provolone cheese and Medio y medio (white wine and sparkling wine in a 50-50 balance of quick drunkeness).

We then walked the ramble wall seperating us from the chocolatey water of the river. It is cold here and the wind seems to slice through our clothes.

Any city that has an exact replica of me cannot be that bad!

Onto the final town of Colonia and we rented a golf cart. It was really funny to drive in an unknown city in an otherwise inadequate vehicle.

Never mind that it was a perfect way to see Colonia. An old port-fort city, we went to the top of the lighthouse and cruised the stone streets. A hip but touristy town.

Calling Rusty fore his big 4 0 (happy BD man!), we embaked back to the crazy BA, Argentina. Arriving in the thick of friday rush hour we took the longest bus ride ever (not in time but in pure patience). We had a fun week in Uruguay! Now after a great weekend back

in BA, we are headed to Iguazu falls up north for a quick visit.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

We survived our longest bus journey to the massive and chaotic Buenos Aires, THE People watching capital of this continent. Our plans to move south were deterred due to a package we had stuck in customs. After a day of chasing and retrieving our package (just short of bending over) we found refuge at some friends house we had met in Mendoza. They moved to BA for Kori to attend chef school, while Chad works via internet. Very lively folk from Austin Texas, we have really good fun together. BA is a dizzying place and it helps to have some folks to help us.

Em and I have explored Capital Federal, Puerta Madera and Recoleta, all with the the Air (heir) of Argentine pride. Casa Rosada (arg white house that is pink) where Evita gave famous speeches of inspriation. As i had mentioned the people watching is priceless here, the style of Europe and a sense of world revolvement. I think our favorite are the dog walkers just praying their kanines get along!

Last night we went to a Puerta Cerrada (closed door) restaurant. Essential a cook whom opens his home to have a set menu dinner party. It was like being thrown into an eclectic party of folks from all around the world. Great food, paired wine and a taste of underground secret society.

Today we went to Club Hipico to watch a grand Prix horse event, Em sporting her new boots. All on green grass, high jumps with the roar of the soccer stadium erupting nearby. A great afternoon not quite warm enough to be cozy, however always great to have Em in her element.

BA is a city that will captivate and overwhelm, yet has bits of intrigue and amazing history. Using Chad and Kori's gracious second bedroom we will fan from here to Uruguay tomorrow. Just a quick 5 day visit, a ferry boat to our final new country.

SKI PORTILLO, Chile

Finally: Ski Portillo. Set high in the andes on the cross roads of 2 countries sits the acangagua valley, lago de inca and Portillo. It is home to a huge hotel housing as many employees as guests, it looked full tilt. We merely went there for the day and spent a lot of money, so a week we can only guess the cost. The skiing also held up to its name, steep and gnarly.

We had a wonderful sunny day, the snow was near new and the temperatures reached almost hot by midday. Our favorite if not craziest experience was on the Roca Jack lift. Specially designed for this steep area the lift is like nothing i have ever seen (most likely would not fly in the US) A brief description is a bar hooked to a cable and ropes like a kite.

5 people share the poma like lift side by side, as it rips up the 35 degree slope over humps and bumps like a bucking bronco.

The flat out scary ride ends at the top by just stopping, no shack, no help just icy exit strategy. Once it stops the slope is still at 35 degrees and your immediate reaction is to turn your skiis to stop from sliding backward, however that is not possible due to the fact there are 4 others trying to do the same or opposite. Needless to say it was not graceful at all! We tried many times and still no grace. An experience that brought stress, laughter, anxiety, vertical and humility. As we also found out there are 4 other like lifts around the mountain, still no grace. Apparently it is a specially designed lift to take folks to the top of very steep slopes. If you survive, the skiing terrain accessed is awesome.

The lifts also go over the highway, which was almost as sketchy as Roca Jack just mix in the massive trucks cruising by. dont drop your glove!

After the sun kissed our noses and we skied 15,500 vert we slipped into the hottub for a relaxing poach. We Bought some patches, t-shirts, hats and stickers and retreated to Los Andes. A fun day and a great place. Skiing in Chile is top notch and worth another visit!

We are back in Mendoza now and headed to Buenas Aires tomorrow, not as planned but necessary. We will update again from the Capital city of Argentina. Suerte

Santiago-Viña Del Mar-Los Andes, Chile

Our 10 day trip in Chile had so much to offer. CHILE is a very special place! We had great powder just outside of Santiago and then we went to beach! Our side trip to Valparaiso, Viña del Mar and Isle Negra was nice. Valparaiso is set on the hills that lead into a large bay-port.

It was not as pretty as one might think but very interesting. We took an äscensor¨ up to the barrios on the hill which was a maze of mixed up architecture and funky coves of houses, stairs and vistas.

We quickly escaped to Viña del Mar just north and spent a nice evening winding down in the peaceful beachside setting watching the sun disappear into the amazing Pacific.

Traveling south then t to Isla Negra where A very eclectic poet created a beachside paradise on the beautiful coast just west of Santiago. A very fun sidetrip not 2 hours from the mountains we skied just days before.

Back to our apartment living in Santaigo, we bought graceries and acted like we lived there. Taking care of the very few things we have to do and enjoying figuring out the city all while drinking lots of Starbucks and eating our new favorite Telepizza!

Escaping the city north to Los Andes a rural setting based at the crossroads of all these named places. I really would love a big ranch bearing fruit here!

1 hour from everything we set up to go to Portillo and ski our final day in Chile. Alpenglow here was spectacular.

Who else would love one of these BICI-MOTO cruisers? I DO!