Chile: coffee shop

Ran into a coffee shop in a rainy day. And, surprised to find that their coffee shop is somewhat different. Not like the chain store in Hong Kong.

Most of the customers are men. They stand by the bench, with pretty waitress serving the drink.

Chile: Easter Island

Dont know why but failed to book a flight to Easter Island at economy class, so... Flied business.

The first time paid it with my own money. And now understand why people likes it. Served with champagne right after we sat down. Flat bed, big screen, noise-cancelling headphone, relatively good food...
Anyway, flight is not the main dish.

Lucky that we ran into the other group and rented a car together. It means, more flexibility.

Stone statues, called Moai, is located beside the sea in different locations. It was used for rituals. For many reasons, they were used as building block of houses, collapsed, taken to other countries.
Was a bit surprised to know that some of them was restored just 14 years ago... Thought they have been there for ages.
And, there is a factory of Moai. Seeing how it was created from rock in a mountain. Though, how it was moved still remains a myst

Chile: Santiago

Leaving from Mendoza by bus. It climbs up the Mt. Andes. Scenery on the road is nice. Cliffs, lake, interesting landscape that result from thousands years of movement.

Chile is really a long narrow country. I can feel it right after passing border on the hill. The road on Argentina side gets up the slope slowly. While the road on Chile side goes like this.Santiago, capital of Chile, seems more tourist-friendly. Easy and clean public transport. Many stations are decorated with paintings.
Other than that, it´s not as charming as Buenos Aires. A modern city scattered with high-rise.

Argentina: mendoza

Mendoza is located on right side of Mt. Andes. Famous for its wineyard in Argentina.

Arrived there Saturday. Lucky enough to have watched a flamingo show in a park, relaxingly as other people does
Think maybe we are too busy to do this in Hong Kong.

Having no idea on which wineyard is good, joined a tour. There are English guide explaining how wine is produced, seeing the factory, laboratory-alike room for smelling 40+ kind of component odour that exists in different kind of wine, including those got staled. Finally, of course, tasting.

Argentina: Ushuaia - Hiking

The national park is recommended by guide book. We can see the Andes mountain on both Chile side and Argentina side as the backdrop of the hiking trail...

Yes, it is nice when talked about it.

It was a cold and wet morning. Sun did not rise until 9am and was behinds cloud. Took a van there and it was raining... Hiking on a rainy day...

The van driver did not speak English and we do not speak Spanish. We got off with some other tourists. Then started heading to the trail... on a road of about 1.5km, coverd with ice.

Was really slippery that many of us almost fell. (which i did later on during the hike) Luckily, the scenery worth it, especially when the sun came out of the cloud from noon.
The trail was said to be of moderate difficulty. But there are steep slope that one may need using both hands and legs. And, as the guidebook said, road sign is kind of vague sometimes. It turns out to be part of the fun. Path is not paved. Occasionally there are small yellow sticks stuck on the ground indicating it is part of the trail. So, we have to watch out every now and then to make sure we are on the right track. (We did go wrong for twice...) Though, you will be very happy when you see the yellow stick while you feel you may have got lost.

The highlight of the trail we walked is the first half, which is along the coastline. Sometimes with greenish stones and sometimes with sands as the foreground. Color of the snow mountain changes with sunlights.

There are also some wildlife you may see, like seabird, rabbits...

We were lucky that when we finished around 4pm, it rained heavily!
There are other part of the trail that takes another day...

Argentina: Ushuaia - End of the world boat trip

I know nothing about this place until preparing for the trip.


They said Wong Kar Wai´s "Happy together" was shot here as well.


After several rainy days, we were lucky that it´s a sunny day during our boat trip. Selling points: light house at the "end of the world", watching sea lion and sea bird in a close distance, in the most natural way...

The guide was quite knowledgable on sea birds. He knows when to call us to the deck for shoting photos. And, when we get close to seals, they starts...

yes, it´s not dolphin but seal. When the boat sailed in a circle, they chased us!!

And, you can also see sea lion as if you can touch them...
We were lucky that we finally saw the lighthouse on a sunny day. (The day after rained...)
The reason why it is called end of the world is, Ushuaia is the most southern city in the world. And this lighthouse kind of marks the end of where human beings reaches...

Argentina: border

for those in Hong Kong, maybe you had the same experience too.

When passing border, people asks what´s your nationality, you may pause for a second or two. Am I Chinese? Or am I Hongkong-ese?

Please dont hesitate when travelling to south america. Say ´Hong Kong´. ´cos you need a visa to travel here if you are Chinese. And because of design of our passport, which said ´Hong Kong, People Republic of China´, in many cases the official will say "It said China here"...

This is quite an annoying experience if you have to pass border several times a day. Like the road between Rio Gallegos and Ushuaia.

The road starts from Argentina, passing Chile and ends in Argentina. And worse is, the custom and immigration are separated. Meaning that we have to be checked 4 times during the journey... There was one occasion that we got the chop, got on the bus, and then was called to the office to re-confirm again...

Anyway, you can see nice view on the road.

Argentina: Food

Like travelling to European countries, other than going to pub there is not much to do at night. Also for saving money, we often cook.

For Argentina is famous for its beef, it is one of the main dishes.
3 pieces of beef cost about HK$30. Dont know if it is expensive or not but it tasted good simply by adding salt and some herbs.

And, we often have it with smashed potato, fried tomato.

Of course, what famous in Argentina is the grill... that we cannot do it ourselves. Meat or chicken was grilled by charcoal for 1 - 2 hours. and, we ran into a shop that selling them at about HK$40 for the steak and bread... very juicy with the charcoal odour and taste....
It´is a national food that can be found anywhere in Argentina.

Argentina: El Calafate

Puerto Madryn was a low time in the trip, because we did go there in right timing...

Then, what waiting for us the biggest glacier in the world(excluding those in Antartica). Seems we were a bit running out of luck. It rained.
Though, the huge glacier is still impressive. It called Moreno Glacier. And it carries a sky blue even though it was a rainy day. (later on I found out why it is blue)

We first took a close look via a boat trip. Then, had a small hike and see it from the top.
You can feel it is alive! Every 5 - 10 minutes you will see piece (as big as buses though) of ice fall into the sea, with crack sound and big wave...

argentina: puerto madryn

Another 17 hour bus ride.

Puerto Madryn is in Patagonia. While you may see whales, sea lion, penguin... if you are coming at right timing.

May is low season and the only feature we can see is so sea elephant and sea lion...

uraguay: colonia

Colonia, is a Uraguay city which is closest to Buneos Aires. It feels like Macau to Hong Kong. People has to cross the border but it only takes 1 hour boat ride to get there.

Different from Buneos Aires, it was built by Portuguese about 500 years ago. At the beginning for smuggling goods into Buneos Aires. Then, the city was once abandoned for it was no longer necessary to smuggle.

Anyway, the old city was perserved and it is beautiful.
Maybe there is not much to do there and you can easily see people painting here and there. Some are good and some are... same as what I can do.

Again, as I booked the cheapest option. Got about 12 hours there. At first thought it was too long. So we headed to a Toro stadium about 20 minutes by bus from the town center. And found the stadium is... abandoned. Because it is about to fall.

Walked to a beach nearby and again found a torn pier.

Lucky there was a bar with good view, playing English songs from the 90s. Got a good time there and head back to the town for food and night view of the old city.

This is what claimed to be traditional food in Colonia. (which i later on found available in other Argentina cities as well) Egg with beef, sausage, Fries, tom

argentina: buenos aires (2)

schedule only allows about 3 days in buenos aires.

lucky that bus arrived Sunday morning. We can see the Sunday market. It looks like the one in Paris. With people dancing, selling painting and handicraft, playing music on the street. The market is about 1 km long. And, there is antique market in between. You can find old records, photos...
In the town of tango, we followed recommendation from guidebook as every tourist does.

It was a small show from a cafe with long history. The show sounds a bit like EYT from TVB Jade. Though the dance and the music is great. Passion and skill of dancers are really different from those I saw on the street...

If so happen you are travelling to Buenos Aires, make yourself a guest there...

internet

many people may have said that, but cannot image the day without internet, especially for travelling.

when i was travelling in Europe 10 years ago, every stop we had to stop by tourist information, got hostel information or booked via them. Now, i can book accomodation for next stop via internet. Same for flight and buses. Really makes travel much easier than before.

Though, what internet cannot replace is the information exchange in hostel. Every now and then you may meet someone in the common room, talking about information about destination you are heading to. Or, you are sharing tips with people going to where you visited. Meeting people from all over the world...

Argentina: reality

Yes, scenery is nice so far. Though, you also need to face all the logistic, even as simple as getting money.

Heard that some major cities are not quite safe, we chose to take cash from ATM instead. And... here is what we got in one of the ATM in Buenos Aires
No English option. We dont know if it is cash advance or not. So we gave up. (We did found another one with English version later on)

And, south America is so huge, the places we wanna see is so far apart. Say, from Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu, the bus trip is about 24 hours. And, the only facility is a seat that can be tilted like a flight seat and a toilet.

Lucky that buses in Argentina is more luxurious. For 'long-hual´buses, they provides meals, movies, blankets and depends on the price you pay your seat can be tilted up to 180 degree (i.e. flat)

And, i have watched about 4 - 5 movies so far. And there is more to come....

argentina: buenos aires(1)

After another 20 hours bus ride, arrived in Buneos Aires, capital of Argentina.

People said it is the most beautiful city in South America. When arrived, feel like I am in Europe. To me more precise, in Paris.

Walking along Avenue 9 de Julio, feel a bit like walking in Paris. with all the European building on 2 sides... And, here you can enjoy museum, tango shows, cafe on the roadside, being lay back in park, concert and performance... of course branded good shopping. Though. at a HK rate.


Here you go the tourist spot. A graveyard of the upper class, including the Evita family. Graves are actually houses, with road in between, as if they are still alive

La Boca. An old district next to cargo pier. People adding color to their houses and these colorful houses become symbol of the district.

Argentina: iguazu fall

yes... it´s the same fall. But from the other side of the border.
it´s a much wider national park than the brazilian side. You can do white water rafting, hiking... no matter what. The famous Devil´s throat is really breath-taking... mist stirred up and sound like thundering...

What i did was, took a boat trip. Riding on the boat, running right underneath a fall (not this one) :)

brazil (2) - leaving brazil

after seeing beaches and favela in Rio, having the local fast food, we head to our next stop Iguazu, via a 24-hours-bus... YES, 24-hours.

Read from books that bus offers meals. We took nothing and found it is not the case for bus in Brazil... They have breaks every few hours. And we have to eat the not-so-good food there... even biscuit and coke costs double the price than normal... The seat can be tilted like those in plane. The trip was a bit tough but not unbearable

Especially when you see the fall... (and also the hostel that we stayed.)anyway, details gotta wait until i am back.

The fall can be seen on both Brazil side and Argentina side. And, the latter is way more impressive. Stay tuned, wait until i got another chance to upload my photos.

arriving in brazil(1)

after 30 hours flights, arriving on a sunny morning. Not able to speak a single word of Portuguese. Good that we arranged pick-up.

Rio de Janeiro is our first stop. A city of beaches, mix of poor and rich people, night life and grafitti.
Yes, you can see grafitti everywhere, even on the wall of 15 floor highrise.

Lots of tourist spots. Visited Jesus Christ statue, which is actually located on a steep cliff form by erosion.

Weather was fine while we took the tram uphill. But when we headed to the beach... it rains, heavily. Nothing we could do but stay in hostel. Enjoyed a relaxing night.