Closure, part I.

Today I (finally) washed out my backpack and the various wool scarves I accumulated on my 2010 aventura.

I also (finally) finished putting together a scrapbook of memorabilia from the aforementioned journey, and (finally) packaged up Viki's Andean trekking topo map after updating my copy to match our route from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu.

A few weeks ago I (finally) handed off a few aventura gifts lingering in my hall closet.

So...

Now where?

Last day Friday fives.

"So what was your favorite part?"

I suspect I will get this question a lot so I put some thought into it on the plane from BA-Houston. I don't have a favorite "part" or "place" or "country." There was too much! What I do have are favorite moments and favorite days.

Top five moments in the order experienced:

• kayaking around Melchior Islands on a gorgeous Antarctic day, listening to nothing but our paddles dip and the glaciers calf around us

(somewhere in there are teeny tiny kayakers)

• watching dolphins porpoise under my feet one night as we sailed under a bed of a gazillion Galapagos stars
• enjoying the last night on the Inca Trail where it was finally warm enough to sit outside, frogs were croaking, the clouds settled into the mountain but the stars and moon were still visible, and we had a great hike earlier that day

(somewhere in there are lots of clouds - the light is from the dinner tent)

• the jaguar sighting in Manu Biosphere Reserve (duh!)

(photo courtesy Tammy Palmer - I was too busy gawking to get my camera out)

• being stunned into silence by Gargantua del Diable Falls at Iguazu

Runner up: sitting at the top of Argentina, looking out across Paraguay and Brasil, wearing a shirt I bought in Ecuador and a bracelet I got in Peru, thinking about our upcoming trip to Uruguay.

(Paraguay to the left, Brasil to the right)

And the top five days in the order I experienced them:

• our first day in the Falkland Islands where the sun was shining, the penguins were totally goofy, the albatross colony was ginormous and we took a nice walk around the hills of Steeple Jason

(gentoos running madly around the beach)

(rockhopper posing angrily)

(albatross colony of about 150,000)

(Steeple Jason hike - just gorgeous)

• our third day in South Georgia where the skies were gray and the cold hurt at times, where we walked along Shackleton's last few miles of his famous trek and stood around his grave at the end of the day to drink a toast to "the Boss"

(Shackleton hike)

(cheers!)

• Bellavista Lodge and the Mindo butterfly sanctuary outside of Quito

(my first entry into the cloud forest)

(hummingbirds galore)

(Mindo butterfly sanctuary)

• hiking at Parque Nacional El Cajas near Cuenca

• the second day at Manu where we sat peacefully in the rain for hours waiting for macaws and saw everything but, then the skies clearing for a sea otter family viewing, a peaceful oxbow lake tour and a lovely sunset

(I'm sure I have the name of this bird somewhere... chances are high it's a flycatcher)

(sea otters playing and drifting by)

Runner up day would be the continental landing when we all turned into 10-year olds, having snowball fights and glissading down the hillside.

(somewhere at the top right is a teeny tiny person - great perspective on how enormous the ice is)

See? I can't even narrow it down to five of each of them. It was an amazing trip. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Chau, Buenos Aires. For the last time.

The "best pizza in Buenos Aires" turned out to be "just OK" but maybe that was just our gringo taste buds talking. (No pepperoni?? Snobs.) The place was worth seeing though - full of locals and animated waiters. A fun evening. The taxi rides to and from, not so fun for me... my knuckles were white the whole time.

Tuesday I felt a lot better so after breakfast I went to the Reserva Ecológica Costenera Sur along the shore. It was the one place I hadn't been able to visit when I was first in BA and it was probably for the best - I am so glad I went in the fall instead of the hot, humid summer. And I am so glad I went in general. Getting there involved crossing many busy intersections so it was good (although a bit nerve-wracking) to put myself back into the crazy BA streets, but once I was there I got nature's mental reset which I desperately needed.

In the reserve there is a big loop path that goes through pretty marshland and overlooks the city. After about a mile I unexpectedly came to a small beach and sat there for a while enjoying the scenery.

The reserve houses all kinds of birds and at one point I looked around and noticed that about eight different species of birds were pecking the ground around me, and a handful of other sea birds were gliding above. No cars, no other people... just me, the birds and the waves. Chevere.


Heading back to meet Kim for lunch I went through the mall and up Florida Avenue for old times' sake (and to use the mall bathroom - when in need/doubt, hit the mall or McDonalds). What a madhouse of consumerism.

We had a great last BA lunch at a San Telmo trattoria and wandered the antique shops for a bit, then headed to the airport.

(ricotta vegetable crepes with pesto sauce for me...)

(...steak and sweet potato fries for Kim)

Surreal to think the trip is over. I saw too many truly spectacular things to list, I met some very nice people (locals and travelers) and I shared some good times with good friends.

I didn't "figure it all out" but I didn't expect to... However, I did get some great perspective on myself and on the world that I hope to put to use in my next endeavor(s). One point I don't want to lose sight of: how very fortunate we are in the US, for so many reasons. None of which involve TV, flavored coffee or name brand clothing.

So. Entonces. We now return you to my regularly scheduled programming. Not sure what that means. The 2010 Adventure is to be continued... As with Part One, I don't really know what to expect from Part Two other than lots of options and exciting times ahead.

And continued roaming, of course.

Photo of the day, 6/1/2010: if only.

much to my dismay, it was merely a restaurant

Photo of the day, 5/31/2010: exactly.

ArtFactory hostel wall art

And when I say "a little run-in," I mean... literally.

Got derailed from my original plan to check out El Tigre delta this morning when I had a little run-in with a taxi.

I have successfully avoided frostbite, malaria/dengue fever, altitude sickness, decapitation by surfboard, several earthquakes, and even a common cold for four months. I've crossed ten borders without issue, safely taken many crazy taxis/twelve airplanes/four overnight buses/too many day buses and boat rides to count, and walked somewhere around 500 miles over the length of this trip without even a blister.

So why was it in my destiny to be knocked over by a Buenos Aires taxi the day before heading home?

Bad news is, I lost a day (and man, was it a gorgeous day outside). I might have some bruises. My back is a little sore from where I got slammed into the concrete and my knee is a little creaky on the side where I got hit. I am still a little head-achy and nauseous from the whole thing.

Good news is, it could've been a LOT worse. It could have happened anywhere. Nothing on me or my person was broken (even my glasses hit the ground hard and survived) and nothing was taken from me or lost by me in the mayhem. The ibuprofin is working. I'm eating what is allegedly "the best pizza in Buenos Aires" tonight for dinner. We still have most of tomorrow here. And it reinforced my opinion that South Americans are the nicest people on the planet. I've heard of numerous bikers in Portland getting hit by cars where the drivers don't slow down, let alone stop. Here I had a nice little crowd of helpful gentlemen around me holding up traffic with their stopped cars, who wouldn't leave until I absolutely insisted. The taxi driver even offered to give me a ride back to the hostel. Um, a) it's 50 feet away and b) REALLY?? YOU JUST HIT ME, THINK I WILL BE AVOIDING YOUR CAR AT ALL COSTS. BUT THANK YOU.

So today was unexpectedly my last zero day until I can't call them zero days anymore. From now on they will be called "unemployment."

Hmm. All day I've been trying to figure out what I was supposed to learn from this unique experience. I wonder if having a last zero day was all part of the Universe's greater plan...

I will never again use "I could get hit by a bus tomorrow..." as my rationale for doing adventuresome things though. Be careful out there, especially at this intersection:

(taken the next day)

Really living it up here in Buenos Aires, I tell ya.

We spent the last day in Colonia enjoying a true fall day - rainy, cold, windy. I was very glad we did the coastal walk the day before as wise Kim had suggested. It was quite a lazy day actually, we got a late start, sat outside for a while having coffee (and stretching it ouuuuuuuuuuut as long as possible), decided to skip the museums and headed to the ferry station. Actually, I don't think we even discussed the museums. It was just understood that we both wanted to skip them.

coffee shop placemats

Anyone taking the ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia/Montevideo should keep their original ticket with the entry stamp, otherwise you will be charged $75 US when exiting Uruguay to return to Argentina. It didn't happen to me personally because I have kept every bloody piece of paper from this entire trip "just in case"... I'm just saying.

It was cold and dreary in Buenos Aires too, so we grabbed some delicious pasta at a restaurant just up the street (nicest waiter too) and headed back to the ArtFactory hostel to call it a night.

ArtFactory art

I'm so glad I'm traveling with people who go to bed as the other hostel residents are gearing up for a big Saturday night on the town. I know I'm in a great city but I don't do that at home, so why would I do it here...? Besides, I'm old.

Sunday we walked all over. Through the empty and grungy financial district...

whaaa... ?

... up to ritzier Palmero and the Botanic Garden...

Oregon and California in the Buenos Aires hizzzouse!

... over to charming Recoleta for some great pizza and back to the cemetery for a little while...

... and that's when things got weird. We had two maps, two brains, and four able legs and feet, yet we still managed to get completely turned around numerous times (to the point where it really felt like we were in the Bermuda Triangle of BA).

it's not rocket science

I had been up since 4am for whatever reason but thanks to our early-to-bed habits, had gotten 7 hours sleep so I couldn't even use that as an excuse... I think we spent an hour and a half trying to get out of that little neighborhood and finally hailed a taxi out of exhaustion and desperation.

We stopped by the San Telmo market and went our separate shopping ways. In my meandering back, I found an artisan brewery where we went later for dinner - corner of Bolivar/Chile, la Poetia I believe it was called? - GO THERE. My salad of beets, walnuts, sesame seeds and green apples might have been the best salad yet. After a little while supporting the hostel bar we called it a night.

Last night we managed to stay up past 10 though. Progress! And still the days wind down... Sadness.

Photo of the day, 5/30/2010: botanical garden kitteh.

why, hello

Photo of the day, 5/29/2010: in case of emergency, business people are out of luck.

sign on the ferry back to Buenos Aires

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

Yesterday we did a large part of the old town walking tour in about an hour (we even stopped a few times and took some detours - it's a small, small town).

a lookout point along the shore

fortressing

Calle de los Suspiros ("Street of Sighs") - original Portuguese cobblestones and home fronts

modern lighthouse, ancient convent ruins

I really have no idea

In the afternoon we decided to wander along the river/beachfront.

At the end of our easterly wandering we came across the old bullfighting ring...

... then headed back west to town through side streets. The neighborhoods were fascinating - ranches next to concrete run-down structures next to colonial beauties next to architectural anomalies.

I never would have expected to see ranch homes. And in between the houses were auto shops, produce stands and frankfurter restaurants. (Why are hot dogs so big here? Inquiring minds want to know...) No neighborhood zoning requirements, apparently.

After a late lunch I headed back to my (blessedly empty!) dorm at the hostel and Kim went to her b&b (think sharing a bathroom with 14 grungy boys finally did her in).

Kim's lunch

Jen's lunch

It's been raining for about 12 hours with no end in sight. Really feels like fall and I am loving it - it will be so weird to go back to summer, sunrises before 7:30am, green trees and wildflowers blooming.

We'll try the museums this morning (which I am guessing might take all of 30 minutes) and then head to the ferry station for Jen's fifth and final take on Buenos Aires...

Photo of the day, 5/28/2010: file under "yum."

gorgeously colorful fruit stands in Colonia del Sacramento

It's like going from San Francisco to Alameda...

... only everyone is carrying mate mugs and thermoses of hot water instead of coffee mugs. That's what the transition from Montevideo to Colonia has been.

Mate. I don't get the big deal. I tried it on the Salinas Grandes trip outside of Salta. It tastes like slightly more bitter green tea. Not bad like I'd expected, but not great. It seems like a pain in the neck too - having to keep your thermos full and carry that plus a mug with no lid plus tea leaves - and heaven help you if you lose your straw. Nope, something else I won't be bringing back to the US with me.

These amazing biscuits they serve for breakfast, on the other hand... A kilo of those to go, please.

This morning I got up early (if 6:15am can be considered "early") to watch the sunrise from the hostel rooftop terrace, and ran across a full moon. A nice surprise.

I think there are still more of those nice surprises in what's left of my South American future...