The bus from San Pedro de Atacama leaves me at Purmamarca, the first village of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The bus journey has been spectacular crossing the Andes through points higher than 5000m, crossing the Salar Grande and going down through a snake road. Next to me seats Julie (South Africa) and we talk and talk.
Purmamarca is a small village with adobe houses just at the bottom of the Cerro de los Siete Colores.
I have to meet here with Anna where the buses stop. She is coming from Salvador de Jujuy.
We stay in a dorm of one camping, and we go to eat a pizza.
Walking along the village we see a bar with live musical, traditional music from the area. We drink a beer listening the local trio.
I arrive at Mendoza around 9 in the morning. At the bus station I get information on how the get to Puente del Inca and if there is an options to continue to Santiago from there. It’s possible. Around the station Mario is giving information about his hostel, I take the brochure and we chatted a bit.
I go to his hostel, and almost without unpacking the backpack, I meet Virginia (Chile) that she is going to bike around the wineries of Maipú. I join her without thinking.
We started visiting the Museo del Vino de la Bodega La Rural, a good introduction to various systems that have been using for years. Then we go to the winery Viña Cerno, where we join a tour of the facilities ...
The following is the winery Bodega Di Tomasso family, here we do a tour and tasting of 5 wines. It is the oldest winery in Maipú.
We are hungry. We stopped at a market to buy something for lunch because is already 15:30 ...
The last winery we visit is the Carinae, we do a tour and tasting. For my taste is the best we’ve been today.
After leaving BA by train to Posadas, visit Iguazu, the southern coast of Brazil and Uruguay I returned to Buenos Aires.
This time I stay in San Telmo. I like the atmosphere it breathes, the cobbled streets and bars and restaurants that fill every corner.
I had this thing that sometimes happen when you are looking for something and you cannot find it even if it’s just next to you. We went to San Telmo, and see what hostel we can find, but it seems they have removed the posters... It was imposible to find any. We stop for a coffe with Christina, and we look on internet for specifics directions. We end up at the Asterion Hostel (Peru 1043) quiet and central.
We go to see the neighborhood at night and we eat a steak of chorizo, spectacular!
We were hungry ...
I have a big breakfast at the hostel in Palermo. There are cakes with “Dulce de Leche "(factorias) It's impossible for me to resist.
When I check out I meet a Majorcan!, Mar (Palma), we chatted until I start thinking of going to the train station of Lacroze.
I take the 39 bus that leaves me at the door of the station and I wait at the platform 9 the train..
The Train "The Great Captain", that is how it is said, comes with a delay of half an hour (no problem ... I'm here to make a trip without prey). There are two categories tourists and Preferred, which differ with the comfort of the seat. The train is nearly full, mostly Argentines (say there are 10 foreigners of 200 passengers).
After an hour of traject, we have an incident, an accident with a level crossing. There are a victim and we have to wait for the forensic and taxation. Begins to heat.
After four hours, retake the path. Meadows, forests and rivers is what I got to the window with some ghost towns that only when the train appears people from under the stones to sell sandwiches, drinks, pies, ice cream, etc. ...
Conversations with people are sparse and with little content. I read and listen music (I downloaded Kevin Johansen).
The journey lasted until 21pm the day after I left ... total 34 hours! And I take a bus from Posadas to Puerto Iguazu (6 hours,). When I ask about the bus I meet Pablo and Alfonso (Santa Cruz, AR) who want to do the same. We do “Mates” waiting to leave.
Finally I arrived in Puerto Iguazu! It’s Raining ... I was recommended HI Puerto Iguazu, but first I look at what they have booked Paul and Alfonso, Hostel Park Iguazu. Simplet but cheaper, I stayed!
And the first idea was to relax and go to the falls the next day, but after a shower I decide to go there with two colleagues that I have done with their mate.
Between Mate and Mate we walk the paths and viewpoints of the falls. Many flora and fauna that leaves me mesmerized. We've been very lucky with the weather, the rain in a morning transforms in a sky with sun and some clouds. In the afternoon appears some rainbows that make a good composition with waterfalls ...
For dinner we bought some meat with salat. And as I was reading an email from Anna (my cousin) saying that she was in Puerto Iguazu, I see her in the kitchen with Laura from Valls!
We had dinner together and we chatted until we have wanted to go to bed.
I go back to the park with them. The second day I have 50% discount on entry to the park and I want to walk the Macuco path to a waterfall in which you can take a bath ...
So after the breakfast, no wings falls again!
It is rare to be many hours with someone you know and talking with your tongue. What things are in my head, right?
Returning to the town I buy the bus ticket to Curibita (Brazil). At first I had no intension to go to Brazil, but there is something inside me says that I have and go, and I'm nobody to contradict my feelings ...
At the hostel I do some swimming and relaxation. We had dinner pasta and sleep.
We wake up a little later but not too late ... I have to check it out.
After lounging a bit because the heat is oppressive, we walk to the edge of town where you can see the river that separates Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
And almost running back to the hostel to shelter us from the sun and heat.
At the afternoon I take the bus to the Bazilian, Foz do Iguaçu, I go to the bus terminal (Rodaviaria). On the bus I meet a Basque who lives in Andorra and travels 4 months every year! ... He stay with me until I take the bus ...
I Arrive at the capital Buenos Aires at lunchtime. The first night I stayed in a hostel near the center weighs exactly the neighborhood of St. Nicholas, where there are many theaters and bookstores.
The afternoon I stroll through nearby streets, entering and losing myself in some of the vast libraries and some slices of pizza for dinner "Cooked in stone oven".
I'm tired = sleep
The next morning I check out the hostel. I CouchSurfing few days at Majo and Emi (brothers) house who live in the neighborhood of Recoleta. The apartment is fantastic, they super "good wave" (Buena onda) and the location is ideal for walking or transport links.
I go with Majo to the downtown ... and we walk. She was showing the places she likes more. After arriving at the Congress, we went for a Mate at Diego’s house. From Diego’s house to Romain’s house to have dinner a few beers and pies. On this flat also lives a Catalan, Anna (Sort) who studies film.
It's Wednesday. I go to visit MALBA, the Latin American art museum. To be visited when visiting BA (Buenos Aires), and then I walk into the neighborhood of Palermo. I like the atmosphere of the area, although that is becoming very modern spirits remain calm. Cafes, clothing stores, bars and cobbled streets and tree-lined.
The day after I visit Recoleta where the Museum of Fine Arts (which just closed today for restructuring), Plaza Francia, Recoleta Cemetery and the Recoleta Cultural Center.
For dinner we roasted vegetables and an attempt to do a Spanish omelette that ends up being scratch with potatoes, eggs and cheese to accompany a sushi. With Nico (friend of the Majo).
Friday I head to the Puerto Madero area and Ecological Reserve South Coast
When I return home, I do some Mate with Majo, and people was adding at it ... the couchsurfers who had been in the house before me, a Frenchman and a girl from Ivory Coast, then Nico and Emi. We had dinner and went to a party at a local place. Celebrating the graduation of another Nico ...
In the party was Anna and also Jordi (Mataro), a friend of all this people.
I try Fernet with Coke, a classic Argentine.
On Saturday I go to Boca by bus. I visit "El Caminito" and the museum of Benito Quinquela Martin. I walk back stopping at a churrasqueria overlooking the Bombonera for lunch and a coffee at a cafe in San Telmo. In the afternoon I walk San Telmo. I love it.
When I get home, I make with Emi a cake with corn and we watch the film Black Swan.
On Sunday we do a complete breakfast. Newspaper, coffee and pastries. A good way to say goodbye to Majo and Emi. Tonight they have two Japanese.
I move to a hostel in Palermo where I meet Dave (Melbourne), and he tells me that he wants to go to a free concert on the outskirts of BA and if I want to join him. For sure!
We look how to get there... and we spend as long as 2 hours to reach the place at Moron ... When I get there I see that is a concert commemorating the 35th anniversary of the coup.
Kevin Johansen and Leon Gieco in front of 40,000 people. Amazing !!!!!
The way back to Palermo is amazing too. 4 hours to reach Palermo ... Two buses and a train ... Basically the transport failed because we wait for the 166 bus 2 hours and did not come! At 3 am we laid in bed trying not to dream of reaching the 166 bus stop!
Saturday I sleep long ... Breakfast and I went to buy the train ticket to Posadas (Iguaçu direction). It is the slowest way to make the journey takes about 32 hours, but I want to take an Argentinean train. This only runs twice a week.
I visited the botanical gardens and walk through Palermo. In the afternoon I was with Bruno (who I met in Vietnam) and he is staying for some time in BA with family. We had the typical conversation of travelers for long
... I love to meet people again that I have met along the way!
Long trip to Puerto Madryn...
Deserted landscape all the time. Inhabitant territory.
At Puerto Madryn I do Couchsurfing at Beatriz (Argentina) place. She lives near the beach with her two cats and with beach views!
I arrive very tired of the bus trip... I rest.
We go out to have a pizza for dinner, and of course, I go to sleep early.
Next morning I go to visit Península Valdés with a tour. I am lucky and the one I choose we are only 5 people and the driver. An Italian couple, an Argentinean couple and me.
The first thing we see is la Isla de los Pájaros (The bird’s island).
There isn’t an island and there don’t live any bird.... is a piece of ground at 800m of the coast, that when the tie is high the only way to get there is by boat, and any bird lives there, they simply stay some hours every day. Is the island where the French writer Antoine Saint-Exupéry was inspire to the magnificent The little Prince. From the Península Valdés he was doing flights to explore the Argentinean Patagonia.
At Punta Cantor, Caleta Valdés and Punta Norte we observe penguins, sea lions and sea elephants… we end up at Puerto Pirámides to have lunch at the beach.
We have Spanish Omelet for dinner with some beers...
Next day I sleep longer… I still tired from the bus.
After breakfast-lunch, I go for a walk around Madryn. I Visit the Museo Provincial del Hombre y el Mar at the Casa Pujol! Yes, yes, Agustí Pujol. A Catalan emigrant that made a lot of money and then he gives his house to the town hall to make the museum.
I book the bus to Buenos Aires for Sunday.
At the afternoon the weather starts to change. It goes from sun and warm to a rain and cold.
Next morning I rent a bike to go following the coast till Punta Lomo to see the colony of sea lions. I have lunch at the beach.
When I got back home, I help Beatriz to prepare meat empanadas for the dinner. And at Facebook I receive a message from Anna Canela (Family!) that she is in Puerto Madryn!
I go to catch her at the Hostel she is staying (only two streets from home) and I invite them for dinner (Anna and her friend Laura from Valls) at Beatriz place.
Empanadas, beer and Ice cream for dessert!
In the morning I go for a walk along the beach with Anna and Laura, and we tell each other what we did and some experiences... Big surprise to meet Anna! Who knows if we will meet again in Iguaçu!
I go back home, and we have a mate with some fresh biscuits!
I say goodbye and I heading to take the bus to Buenos Aires.
I get in to Argentina with a deserted landscape. No mountains. Sometime you can see some tree next to a small wood iron house, that’s all.
That’s all till 60 km to Ushuaia. The mountains, trees, and lakes appear and the road is going up and up, wining altitude very fast.
I arrive at Ushuaia at 21.30. Is dark and windy. I found a very comfortable Hostel, Hostel Haust (now as 5 hermanos hostel).
The journey to El Chalten from Esquel has been long ...
It begin 5 hours delay, at 4:30 in the morning instead of 11:30!
The route passes through some very amazing desert landscapes. It remembers me the center of Australia!
The road is paved only in some sections.
We stop for lunch in the village Perito Moreno. A village 500 km away from any other.
I arrive in El Chalten at 4 am ... We walk around the village looking for accommodation, but nothing. Xavier, I and 5 people from the bus we sleep at the bus station. We wake up when it starts to arrive some buses at the terminal and we had breakfast.
I exit Chile throught a mountain pass that crosses the Puyehue National Park, and for the first time on this trip, I have to wait on the border to get into Argentina. It's only a matter of time, but the heat is high and there is no shadows.
In Bariloche I look for accommodation with two Mexicans that I met on the bus. We finally stay at the Pudu Hostel, a hostel with spectacular views of Lake Nahuel Huapi.
I went to get information about which trips are recommended and all three go out to dinner.
The next day I walk up the Cierro Campanario (there is the option to do it with lift), and behold a panoramic view of lakes and mountains.
