The Sleepy Island of Chiloé

In the background you can see the salmon farms

I love the Chilean holiday system. I haven't quite figured it out, but the important part that I do understand is that it allows me to travel without using my cherished days of vacation (which I have run out of at this point). The wonderful country of Chile continued dishing out long weekends and graced my calendar with November 1 and 2 holidays this year for All Saints Day and a day to celebrate the Evangelists (thanks evangelists!). Erica, my new-found-fabulous travel buddy and I jumped on the opportunity to fly down south to Patagonia to the sleepy little island of Chiloé. Though technically part of Chile, this island is as different from the rest of the country as it could possibly be - they eat different food, speak with a different accent, and have a completely different culture.



The Penguin Colony - look closely!

We began our trip in Puerto Montt where we rented a car and drove south to the ferry crossing and into the most northern town of Ancud. Not surprisingly, as it was a holiday, nearly everything in the town was closed, but we were lucky to find a place for lunch in the rain. Did I mention it rains all but 10 days a year in Chiloé? We fortunately got lucky enough to get 2 of those days! In Ancud we stayed at a really rustic guest-house built out of a converted water tower on the coast. The owners of the property were an American adventurer who owned a tour company in Patagonia and his lovely Peruvian wife, who was also a chef. We opted to stay in for the evening and enjoy the company of our hosts and great fresh seafood.


One of the UNESCO churches

The next morning we awoke for an adventure in our SUV with our Chilean guide and guide-in-training beginning at a penguin colony about 45 minutes away. Magellan Penguins are so freaking cute! They are about a foot tall, maybe 18 inches at most and just waddle around like their arms are front legs. After the penguin colony, we went to lunch at an organic farm where everything served came straight off the land. They even had fresh goat soup (which I did not eat).

Another UNESCO church

After dropping our guides back at the Tower (our guesthouse) in Ancud, we took the scenic route to Castro, the largest town on the island of Chiloé. Along the way we stopped at a number of the 14 UNESCO churches on the island. Each and every one was unique and beautiful in its own way. We arrived in Castro in the late evening with enough time to grab dinner at a restaurant in one of the famous calafitos on the water. The following day was another adventure of crossing across waterways in ferries and looking at churches. We ended the night with a bottle of Chilean wine on the balcony of our gorgeous hotel with a panoramic view of the bay in a small town called Quilquilco.

The palafitos in Castro

The next morning, we awoke and made a few more stops at the churches of Chiloé on our way back to Puerto Montt for our flight back to Santiago. I understand why Chiloé was named as one of the top 50 places to go in 2012 by New York Times. It was truly amazing!

Iguazu Falls

As if the beaches of Rio weren't enough beauty for one week, our trip progressed to even more spectacular views of God's creation - Iguazu Falls. The falls are the border between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay (though the Paraguay side is not worth visiting for anything other than the duty-free zone). Erica and I chose to focus our attention on the Argentina and Brazil sides.

Falls from the Argentine side

Our first day, we spent 8 hours in the National Park in Argentina, walking along slippery stone steps, crossing wooden bridges above the falls, and even riding a boat straight into them! Not surprisingly, we were soaked by the end of the day, which was actually quite refreshing considering the 80 degree weather. The falls were incredible - like nothing you have ever seen. Though I haven't ever been to Niagara Falls, I am convinced they cannot be anywhere near as impressive. The water just goes on for miles crashing and splashing into the river below.



On the river boat about to get soaked

To satisfy Erica's hunger for a good Brazilian rodizio dinner, we ate at a really friendly restaurant called Bufalo Branco that was all you can eat meat (yay!). The exciting thing for me was the all you can eat side-dishes, that were actually Cameron-approved. The waiters caught on pretty quickly that I was turning down every cut of steak that came around on metal sticks and asked if I was okay. I assured them that I was fine but did not eat red meat. Shockingly, they pulled out all the stops and requested the chef to make me some chicken and fish so that I too could have all that I could eat. After dinner, they invited Erica and I into the kitchen to take photos in chef's hats in front of the giant spit.



Dinner at Bufalo Branco Churrascaria 

 The following day, we ventured into the Brazilian park to get the view from above the falls. The two sides really offer completely different experiences. There is a sky elevator that you can ride up to get a panoramic view of the entire park while staying dry. The ability to remain un-soaked would have been welcome with open arms if we had not already welcomed the falls into our arms...and much more.


Drenched again!

We found ourselves drenched by both the falls and rain by 10 AM. Satisfied that we had seen the falls and our fair share of coaties, we ventured into the 5-star hotel on the property for a few final Caiparinas before heading to the airport. I've had Iguazu Falls on my South America bucket list since January, so I am glad that I can check it off. It was everything I thought it would be and more!


Tourist feeding the coaties (which is strictly forbidden)

Rio de Janiero

So...life has gotten in the way lately, and I have been really bad about blogging, but I'm baaaaaaaack! So much has happened since my last posting that I don't quite know where to begin, but I figure I will start with some amazing vacations, in my true style, and then fill you in on the other less exciting (but still exciting) bits and pieces of the history of my past 3 months.


Ipanema Beach

Let's begin with my trip to Brazil. September 18th is Chilean Independence Day, which entails a 5- day weekend of asados, fondas, and lots of chicha. To clear up any confusion about what those last three things are, an asado is a Chilean BBQ that lasts for hours and hours upon end most commonly characterized by meat, meat, mayonnaise, and some more meat. Personally, I hate mayonnaise about as much as a fruit cake on Christmas, and as you may have learned in some of my previous posts, I don't eat red meat, so an asado to me is mostly just an event where I end up starving and drinking a lot of wine. A fonda is a giant party in public spaces that is thrown solely over the weekend of September 18 (or "dieciocho" as it is called in Chile). Lastly, chicha is a fermented corn beverage that somewhat resembles moonshine and is a large part of Andean tradition for festivities. Though the excitement of 5 days of asados, fondas and chicha was enticing, I instead opted to take advantage of the long weekend for a jaunt over to not-so-nearby Brazil.



Christ the Redeemer

With only 5 days to race around Rio de Janiero and Iguazu Falls, my friend Erica and I fit in everything humanly possible, recognizing at the end of the trip that we will certainly have to return. Rio was amazing! Coming out of the Chilean winter, the hot, humid Brazilian weather was a treat. Louri, the owner of the guesthouse we stayed at in Copacabana, informed us that we were lucky to have arrived during the hottest winter in years in Rio. I couldn't believe that it was actually winter and in the 80s! We spent the first day familiarizing ourselves with the beaches in Copacabana and Ipanema, drinking coconut water straight from the coconut and watching the fit Brazilians play volleyball with their feet on the beach.


Escadaría Selaron in Lapa

Day 2 brought us to the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer where we were able to ride a long, scary funicular up to the top of the mountain and view Rio from all sides. The view was really amazing! We spent the afternoon strolling around Lapa and walking up the Escadaría Selaron. We spent the next morning lying on the beach soaking up our last rays before heading to Iguazu Falls to see one of the Natural Wonders of the World. I can't wait to return to Rio (since I spent a fortune on the visa) - hopefully for the Olympics!

Accidental wine tasting...I mean, Pomaire

Erica, Lumy and I packed into Shaniqua (Erica's car) this morning in route to Pomaire, a small village supposedly 1 hour outside of Santiago. Like anything else related to time in Chile, that estimate was a bit off. After driving for 3 hours, we made it to our destination, but for good reason.

 

The wine vats at Undurraga Winery

We decided to take the scenic route an stop through the towns Peñaflor and some town Tara...gata, Tarangaya...I don't actually know what it was called. Along the way, we got so lucky to happen upon the Undurraga Winery. Yes! That's exactly why you take the scenic route.

Empanadas bigger than your head!

After our detour, we finally made it to the little town (more like, street) of Pomaire. Pottery shops lined both sides of the road squished between empanada restaurants and cafes serving pastel de choclo (sort of like a shepherd's pie made with corn). We witnessed what I swear to God is the largest empanada in the world being made and decided we'd have to come back once we'd worked up an appropriately hungry appetite. Shopping has a way of doing that to a girl.

We started to get an understanding of the pricing and quality the various vendors' carried about the time my knee decided it needed a beer. I forgot to mention a devastating skiing accident last week that rendered my ACL useless....more on that at another date. Anyhow, in need of some Kuntsman, we located a restaurant to serve us beer and fries before moving on.


My new dishes with fresh home-made ceviche and Camwiches

Erica found a little gem off the beaten track beyond the more heavily trafficked shops that carried higher quality glazed pottery. I fell in love and bought myself a full set of 8 dishes!

Valparaiso & Viña del Mar

Day two of the Beckham adventure took us to Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. Viña is really not much more than a beach town. We toured the large amphitheater there and walked along the beach to see the sea lions perched above a large rock for a bit before heading to the historical center of Valparaiso.

Our guide, Manuel, showed us the old buildings and what makes the city a UNESCO world heritage site. We enjoyed lunch atop one of the many hills before riding up another in a funicular built in 1894. I think we're lucky we made it!

Vino!!

My parents trip to Chile got off to a great start. We spent the whole day Sunday traipsing around the San Antonio and Casa Blanca valleys wine tasting. Our first stop was Matetic where we were given a private tour of the winery and shown the Ferrari of wine tanks. The vintner taught us all about their process including how they use egg white to remove the solids from the wine as part of the filtration process. Weird.

We went to Casas del Bosque next where I ran into an old friend from High-school, Daniel Martin. The world is too small! We toured the winery there before enjoying an amazing lunch complete with chocolate fondue for desert. Mom was in heaven.

Last stop (and certainly the drunkest) was Indomita where we toured their major production facility and wine cellars before tasting their wines looking over the Chilean hillside.

The Pinot at Casas del Bosque was a winner among all three of us. I also really liked the Syrah at Matetic and the Sauvignon Blanc from both. Indomita was third among all, perhaps because we couldn't taste much by that point in the day...

Morande Wine Tasting

Chile is the fifth largest exporter of wine in the world, and I am pretty sure that I am the fifth largest consumer of wine in Chile, so it is embarrassing that it has taken me so long to venture into the Chilean wine country. The main reason for this is related to the fact that Chile recently passed a zero-tolerance drinking and driving law restricting any of my friends with cars from being able to enjoy the experience and tote me to a vineyard. (When I say zero-tolerance, I literally mean that you cannot even have an ounce of alcohol before they send you to the slammer. Intense!) Luckily, last weekend, my friend Sydni's 26th birthday was occasion enough for us to hire a van and trek into the Maipo Valley. Our stop - House of Morande.

Morande is a lovely vineyard, even in the winter time when there are no grapes on the vine. What makes it even more spectacular, aside from the obvious (WINE), is the restaurant - House. Wine tasting in Chile is a bit different than what I am used to in California. Visiting a vineyard is more than just a flight of succulent liquid touching your lips and ciao - it is a long, lingering, whole-enchilada experience. You arrive, tour the vineyard, and then sit down to enjoy lunch paired with wine grown just meters away. If you are like my friends and I, it may also involve teeter-tottering, swinging and some acrobatics in the fields outside the restaurant.

Teeter-tottering with wine in hand

We planned to visit two vineyards, but lunch took over three hours (due to heavy wine consumption) and were unable to make our reservation for tasting at the second vineyard. To me, all that means, is that I have to make plans for another day of wine tasting in the near future. My parents are coming to visit soon, so I plan to take them out and show them what all the Chilean wine hype is about.

San Pedro de Atacama

Sand boarding in Valle del Muerte

Eric, Jordan and I headed north this weekend to explore el Norte Grande. We got to San Pedro de Atacama late Friday evening just in time to get some dinner and go to bed. Yesterday morning, we woke up and wandered around the little town in the most arid desert on earth and booked some tours for our weekend of fun. After doing a bit of shopping for Andean artisan crafts, we headed out for some sand boarding in Valle de la Muerte. Sand boarding, for those of you who don't know, is snowboarding on sand dunes. Our guide offered skis too, which I switched to after one wobbly attempt down the dune on the snowboard. Eric and Jordan fared better on the snowboards since they have at least used one before.

Valle de la Luna

After a few exhausting hours of fun, we moved on to Valle de la Luna, so named for its resemblance to the landscape of the moon. We watched the sunset over the mountains before heading back into town to catch the Chile-Venezuela soccer match (which Chile won!)

Geysers del Tatio

This morning, we woke up at 4:00 to make the trek across the desert to Geysers del Tatio, the highest geothermal field in the world. The 4,400 meter elevation was easier to bare than the -8 C cold. There are over 250 spouting geysers in the area that eschew boiling hot water each day from about 5 to 10 am. After enjoying breakfast warmed in a geyser pool at sunset, we traveled on to some nearby thermal baths to warm up. We then visited the village of Machuca where we tasted local llama skewers and homemade empanadas. We returned to the hotel around 11 for a quick shower before heading out on our next adventure to Laguna Chaxa in the Flamingo National Reserve. The flamingos were almost a pretty as the sunset, but they sure do smell bad!

Flamingo on Laguna Chaxa

Steaming geysers early in the morning

Typical houses in the countryside near Machuca

Bad luck :(

I'm gonna have to do some backwards blogging given recent events. I wrote a blog each day in the Galapagos last week sharing stories about swimming with penguins and sea lions. Since our boat was charging a hefty $36/ten minutes on the Internet, the entries were saved on my iPad ready-to-publish as soon as I returned to the real world. The "real world" certainly hit me in the face when I got home. Not 24 hours after I returned to Santiago, some greedy ladron (or burglar in Spanish) broke into my apartment and stole my iPad containing said posts, along with the BRAND NEW CAMERA that I bought for our Machu Picchu trip and used to take so many amazing pictures, my computer, beloved Louis Vuitton tote and so much more.

Stuff is...just stuff. The jerks stole a little bit of my enthusiasm about Chile, all the trust I had in my concierges and my post-vacation glow. These things happen anywhere though, so all you can do is smile and be glad that worse things didn't happen. Snickers is the only one that really knows what happened, and perhaps the police can find out more, but at least my kitty is safe and I wasn't home!

Cuy - or as we know it, guinea pig

Our final day in Cusco was more of a travel day than anything else with the exception of fulfilling our goal of trying two of the local Peruvian "treats"...oh ya, and a visit to Saqsahuaman and the Cathedral.

We started at Saqsahuaman, pronounced "Sexy woman," for some more Inca ruin viewing. After that, we visited the Sun Temple that was overtaken by the Spanish in the 1500s that is part Inca/part Spanish. The contrast reminded me of the juxtaposition of the Moorish architecture seen in Morocco after the Spanish conquest of northern Africa. We ended our Peruvian tour with Felix at the Cathedral in Cusco, viewing gold flaked chapels and a very interesting painting of the Last Supper featuring a woman (presumably Mary Magdalene a la Dan Brown) and a main dish of guinea pig rather than what is typically represented in the work.

Before sending the boys off, we needed one last Cusqueño meal to end Peru properly. Trey had been dying to try the Chicha, a fermented corn beverage that quite frankly, sounds to me like Moonshine. Apparently, you cannot order this local drink at nice restaurants without a little bit of a twist to help the flavor. Even so, after two sips of his drink at a restaurant also named after the drink (Chi Cha), he had had his fill.

The other delight we were encouraged by so many Peruvians to try was cuy, which in fact is guinea pig. I know that it's the same thing we have as a pet back home because I saw their little cages in a market right before they were to be grilled a few days ago in Ollantaytambo. They served the guinea pig with purple corn crepes and a tamarind sauce, but based on the expression on my face after bravely trying this adorable creature, nothing can make you feel better about eating a guinea pig. They serve guinea pig at special occasions and on holidays typically in Peru, according to everyone we spoke to. The price tag verifies this, as 1 kg of meat costs about $80! The price tag should be more of a warnig, however, than an invitation in my opinion, in contrast to other fine meats (like yummy lobster) that ring in around the same price.

Huayna Picchu

Somehow, I convinced the rest of the Beckham troop to climb a daunting steep vertical precipice known as Huayna Picchu, which in Quechua means "old mountain." I have hiked many a mountain (see my Pucon entry in December, for example), but I might have to say that this hike was the toughest I have ever done. It was straight up a giant rock on slick rudimentary stairs built by archeologists. Huayna Picchu was a place reserved for only priests and nobility in Inca times. From the top we were able to see a birds-eye view of Machu Picchu (when the cloud cover wasn't blocking it) that was breathtaking.

After hiking back down very, very slowly, we clambered up to the Watchman's House where another phenomenal view of Machu Picchu can be seen. We dined on box lunches with the help of some llamas who were oddly very interested in our apples before another short hike to the Inca Bridge. Alas, the time had come to return to the bus to make our way back to the train station for our trip back to Cusco.

Machu Picchu

Early morning number 10,000! Thai morning we woke up and hopped in our shuttle with Felix for a short ride to the train station in Ollantaytambo to catch our PeruRail train to Aguas Calientes, the small village at the base of the mountain upon which Machu Picchu sits. The only way to access Macchi Picchu is by train or on foot via the Inca Trail. Once in Aguas Calientes, we hopped on a bus up the windy road to Machu Picchu. We spent the next few hours listening to Felix retell the story of the discovery of the city by Hiram Bingham in 1912 while tromping all over the site. After a less than satisfying buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, we headed to the Inka Terra where we would spend the evening in the jungle. Trey and I relaxed our muscles in the hot springs at the hotel while my mom and dad tried to recover from the hiking and biking of the past few days with a nap.

Mountain-biking to Moray

Thanks to Mom's efforts not to go on a "sissy tour" of Peru, we ditched the tour van today for a mountain bike. The day's sight-seeing began with a fairly strenuous 13 km bike ride across the Peruvian countryside. We rode through small towns and saw the authentic way of Andean life in the Sacred Valley. My mom decided to entertain herself (or distract herself from the pain in her thighs) by counting the different types of animal poop she rode over in her bike. By the end of the morning, she had reached 6 (& a half)! Pig, bull, goat, sheep, dog, llama, and what very well might have been human. We made our way to the Inca archeological site of Moray. There are four impressive terraced circular "greenhouses" remaining at Moray. We enjoyed a picnic lunch of salad and yogurt before hopping in the van to drive 20 minutes to Maras. Once in Maras, we hopped back on the bikes for a 6 km technical (and a bit scary) ride to the salt mines outside of Maras. The mines have been in operation since Incan times and are still fully functional today. After 19 km of riding, we were ready to call it a day and head back to Sol y Luna just before it started to rain. On the ride back, we were treated with a gorgeous double rainbow that you could see from end to end. Amazing!

We took advantage of the hotel's nightly show offering upon our return to Urabamba where we saw a strange Cirque du Soleil-esque rendition of Incan religion played out on stage. A condor representative of the heavens battled with a snake who represents the underworld. The battled ensued to convince a man portraying a puma, the Incan god of the present life, to join their side. As in any culture, the condor ultimately lured the puma away from the serpent to the forces of good.

Sacred Valley

Early mornings seem to be a theme on this trip, and the beginning of our visit to the Sacred Valley was no different. Felix, our guide for the next few days, arrived bright and early to embark on our journey into the Sacred Valley. We began the day with a stop at what I would call a llama petting zoo where we were introduced up-close and personal to llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas. We also were shown the Andean style of textile weaving by some local women.

Our trip continued on to Pisac, an ancient Inca town where we saw some of the typical agricultural terraces used to grow corn and potatoes in Inca times, as well as some ruins of storage houses, living quarters, a temple and a cemetery in the side of the mountain.

After visiting Pisac, we headed to Urabamba for lunch at a fabulous little place called El Huacatay. Felix then led us to Ollantaytambo, a formidable stone structure where massive terraces climb to the peak of a mountain. This town was the valley's main defense from neighboring enemies. Unfortunately, due to news of the arrival of the Spanish, construction was never completed. Nonetheless, the climb up the 500-something stairs to the top was well worth it (or at least I thought so, however my mom might have her own opinion).

We returned to Urabamba for the night to our private little villas at Sol y Luna. The hotel is a treasure in the middle of nowhere complete with a ranch and botanical gardens on the property. With natural beauty, of course, comes natural things - which Trey and I discovered when encountering a rather large scorpion in the bathroom!

Lima, Peru

As some of you know, this week is the Beckham family trip to South America. I flew to Lima on Monday night to meet up with my brother (Trey), and my mom and dad. We spend the next day dining at La Rosa Nautical for lunch followed by a tour of the Larco Museum and Iglesia Santo Domingo in the old city center near the plaza where the main Peruvian government buildings are found. As it was May 1, or Dia del Trabajador as they call it in Peru, many of the other sightseeing spots were closed for the day. Fortunately, we had enough to do in order to fill our day before meeting my friends Jackie and Eduardo for drinks at the hotel. It was nice for my family to get a chance to meet some of the people I have become friends with in Santiago.

After enjoying a couple of pisco sours , we went to dinner at Astrid y Gaston (see my Valentines Day entry for the love story behind the real Astrid and Gaston). The restaurateur is famous all over South America, and especially Peru, as he is Peruvian. We were offered complementary champagne with dinner in celebration of the restaurant's nomination as one of the best 35 restaurants in the world. Our food was excellent. They have my vote!

Cusco, Peru

We woke up bright and early for our flight to Cusco to start the trek to Machu Picchu. It is recommended that you take it easy for a day when arriving to Cusco because of the altitude. That wasn't hard for us, since we woke up at 5:30 to catch our flight. We all went to our rooms at the lovely Aranwa Boutique Hotel and took a nap. After napping, we dined on a fabulous lunch of causas, ají de gallina and alpaca tenderloin. Who knew that they eat alpaca anywhere in the world?

Trey wasn't feeling well, so we thought it was best to get him some drugs before his trip was ruined by a nasty cough. What an experience that was! We ended up wandering out of the touristy area of Cusco to find a clinic so that he could get on an antibiotic. I got to serve as his translator with the doctor. All was going well until the doctor asked me "¿Él ha recibido una inyección de antibióticos antes?" or in English, "Has he ever gotten a shot of antibiotics before?" Trey assumed if he said yes that he would get out of this form of treatment for some reason. Next thing we knew we were on our way downstairs to a pharmacy to collect a syringe and two little vials of medicine. Trey certainly got his taste I Peruvian medicine in Cusco!

We had a fabulous dinner at Cioccilini and turned in early for another short night before heading to the Sacred Valley the next day.

Rapa Nui

What better way could there be to spend Easter weekend than a trip to Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as the locals call it. Three friends and I took the opportunity to turn a 3 day weekend into a 5 day weekend and headed west. Thursday morning was a bit of a nightmare as a result of a mechanical problem on our flight. A 9:15 departure turned into a 6:30 PM departure ruining our first afternoon on the island. Four days on the island turned out to be enough time, however to see everything on the island.

We started off by venturing to the volcano at Orongo on Friday morning. At the top of the volcano, you can actually look down and see inside. The volcano has been dormant for a long time, so now there is just a calm lake in the crater. It was really pretty! There were also all these old boat-shaped houses where the native Rapa Nui people used to stay during their annual Birdman contest. Legend has it that they would collect all of the island's virgins at the top of the volcano and bring in a gynecologist to examine them to ensure that they were actually virgins. Once they passed the "test" they were taken to a cave for 8 months to lighten their skin so that they were fit to marry the winner of the Birdman contest.

We spent the afternoon touring the island looking at the giant heads. The heads were constructed between 800 and 1500 AD by the native Rapa Nui people, who most likely are of Polynesian decent. They were so obsessed with the construction of the statues that they exhausted all of the resources on the island to the point of near extinction. After a tiring day of hiking and sight-seeing, we bought some wine and perched atop a cliff to watch the sunset.

Saturday morning, we woke early to head out for scuba diving. The water in Easter Island, according to my Fodor's guide, is arguably the clearest water in the world. The dive shop we went through for the dive had positioned a fake Moia underwater for divers to take photographs with. It was run by some funny French men, which turned out to be in our favor, since Sole and Roxane (two of my travel-mates) speak fluent French. I don't know that they would have had a slot for us otherwise, since we didn't book until the day before!

The afternoon and following day were filled with more statue-viewing and touring around the island. We visited the quarry where the Rapa Nui people carved the statues. In the quarry, there are still 397 statues in various stages of carving. Only 288 of the 887 total statues ever actually made it to their platforms, or "ahus" to be erected. Another 92 statues have been found between the quarry and their final destination, left behind after the Rapa Nui ran out of the resources required to get them where they were meant to be. What a pity! We also visited the island's small museum to brush up on some history (including the facts detailed in this paragraph). We watched the sunset on Anakena beach on Sunday evening while enjoying more Chilean wine.