Feeling at Home in Buenos Aires

For years, Buenos Aires has been loitering near the top of my travel bucket list. Everyone I know who has been to Buenos Aires has loved it and has told me I would love it. A Spanish-speaking Latin American city with a heavy European influence fueled by red wine and grilled steaks? Sign me up! For years I have had this idea of renting an apartment there and exploring everything that such an amazing capital of culture has to offer. And what do I think now that I am finally doing that?

I love it.

For me, Buenos Aires is a perfect blend of all the places I love: Italy, Chile, DC, London.

The Italian influence is very obvious here. At around the same time that there was mass immigration to the U.S. (specifically, New York) from Italy, there was a parallel flow to Argentina. BA reminds me of my beloved Florence, but on a much larger scale. Italian restaurants abound, there are cafes on every corner where you can actually find good coffee (instead of the instant variety they are serving over in Chile), and they take their ice cream pretty seriously. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve had ice cream for dinner… more than once. The Italian language even infuses the Spanish here.

Vaguely Italian looking, no?

Pastries out the ying yang

Ice Cream game is on point

Cafe culture is serious

To be honest, it reminds me of some of my less favorite things about Florence too. Both are cities of stone, and green spaces can be hard to come by (something that London definitely does much better). No one knows how to drive in a safe and ordered manner. And Portenos, like Florentines, are not particularly skilled at picking up after their pets. Between doggie droppings, litter thrown about, and dumpsters lining the streets, I realize how much I take the cleanliness of DC for granted.

While it is not similar to DC in sanitation, it does have a surprising bit in common with DC. Although I love it very much, DC is a fake city – a city that evolved not naturally but in an otherwise undesirable location with the specific purpose of being the capital. Likewise BA was a fairly small port city that became the capital of a united Argentina through much debate and struggle. It was never much of a big city until it was forced to be so. Plus, the city was practically leveled and redesigned beginning in the 1880s with the wide avenues and Beaux Artes architecture that are all-too-familiar to Washingtonians. And as I sit through a heat-wave (with humidity bringing us feels-like temps close to 100), I also can’t help but be reminded of DC’s swampy summers…

From the White House to the Pink House (Casa Rosada)

Well if that doesn’t remind you of DC, I don’t know what to say

A domed capitol building? Beaux Artes details? All too familiar

The British also left their mark here, as they were desirous of access to the port that gives Portenos (people who live in Buenos Aires) their demonym. As such, there’s an Argentinian Big Ben, you can find the classic red phone booths, and the trains on the Subte drive on the left (the whole underground in general has a very tube-vibe). And like London, a truly international city, you can find people and food from just about anywhere. Just don’t ask anyone about the Falklands/Malvinas…

Big Ben, the sequel

London calling?

Feeling super British

Not quite as catchy as “Mind The Gap” but…

Surprisingly, Buenos Aires probably least reminds me of Chile. Although they speak pretty much the same language, the Argentine accent is super distinct and I have to learn a whole new set of modismos. The food culture is also similar, featuring empanadas and wine and a diet heavy in meat (and sushi with cream cheese in it). I, however, do not feel the same warmth and welcome from most of the people here (and those in the service industry would feel right at home with the notoriously snooty waiters populating Parisian cafes, but I digress…).

International food

Drinking in the squares Eurovibe

World class art

So much color

Nothing is ever perfect, though, right? I think I will fully enjoy my month or so here, especially now that I am starting up with my Spanish classes, which I am really excited about. But more on that later.

The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway: Antarctica, Part 2

Actually the cold does bother me – I’m not Elsa. But you can’t pass up the opportunity for Frozen references, right? Maybe I can squeeze in some more for you.

Anyways…

Fortunately, it was not too cold on our trip down south. It is summer, after all. Now that I am back, I feel like I am going through withdrawal. I just can’t let it go. It has been rough coming back from the high of all the beauty we saw. But I am excited to be in Buenos Aires now, which is more my natural element. And I was REALLY happy to call my mom after not talking to her for over a week.

Now that I’ve done that, it’s time for some reflecting on the last few days of the trip to Antarctica. I was able to check off two of the three items on my wish list at the end of the last post.

Our second landing day, we did get spectacularly blue skies. It was spectacular to see the frozen fractals all around glistening in the sun. We were able to hike to the top of a little hill on Danco Island where we were treated to spectacular views of the bay and whales. Did I want to build a snowman? You bet! I made my own little Olaf  up top, although I found out later that this was against one of the many rules we were told about at the beginning. (I can’t see how it was that much different than having a snowball fight, but I have been wracked with guilt since, barely able to function.) Coming down, we opted for the bum-slide option, and got up to pretty high speeds. People had to watch out for my butt!

Sunny day in Winter Wonderland

In Antarctica

Post polar plunge

I also got to check off the polar plunge from my list. We got back on board, put on bathing suits (well, some of us – there were a handful of hardcore polar plungers who did it in their birthday suits) and jumped off the side of the ship into the frigid Antarctic waters. I was nervous. But they say “have courage” and I’m trying to. I jumped in, got out as quick as I could, and downed my free shot of vodka with rapidity. I’m proud that I did it. Some of my new friends cheered me on from a few decks above. I’m told that I was the most vocal, and the only one that audibly cursed.

Much to my dissatisfaction, I did not see my orca. Anyone who grew up watching Free Willy or the amazing Sea World shows (before they were tainted by Blackfish) knows that some whales are worth melting for. I did have a heart-crushing orca fake-out when one of the guides said he’d *thought* he’d seen an orca, but it was just another humpback (“just another humpback” – I’m the worst). I guess that old saying is true: “never trust a birdman to do a whaleman’s job.”

Could it be any more perfect?

So much ice!

We made it south of the Antarctic Circle as well

Orca or no, the whole trip was perfect. If you get the chance to go, do it. It is worth it. It’s unique. It’s an eternal winter everywhere… I didn’t know winter could be so beautiful!

Ice, Ice Baby: Antarctica, Part 1

Since we did not have  internet on board (or rather, I was too cheap to pay for internet on board – and honestly the 8 day digital detox was not so bad) I couldn’t post in real time. But I did sit down while on the ship and jot down some thoughts. Here are my reflections on the experience after we did our first day of landings.

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Guys… I made it!!

Right now, I am sitting in my cabin (which I somehow lucked into having by myself) aboard the Ocean Atlantic where we have just finished our first day of expedition landing. It is hard for me to put into words how I feel right now. Just a few days into the cruise and I feel like I have already seen so many amazing things that have made this experience beyond invaluable.

Here’s a list of five things I have seen in done on the cruise so far

1. Seen multiple whale tales – I was majorly bummed at first because I missed the first whale sighting when we were still in the Beagle Channel off the coast of Ushuaia. For me, in addition to the spectacular icy scenery and landscapes, whale watching for multiple days on end was what drew me here. But we are sailing through a veritable whale soup, and since then we have sighted many whales – both from the cruise ship and from the zodiacs, where we are able to get in much closer. These majestic giants of the oceans are somehow the most graceful creatures on earth, and seeing them swim among the ice is truly mild-blowing.
2. Been hunted by a seal – In addition to the Orca, the king predator here is a rather large seal with a very menacing toothy grin that is called the leopard seal. One got very close to our zodiac boat, and was eyeing us quite suspiciously. We got to see him very well, but I am glad we did not have a swimming with the seals experience in this case. One zodiac got a little too up close and personal with him: the seal bit the boat a few times and the resulting puncture wounds took that zodiac out of commission for the rest of the day. But this is apparently something they tend to do, so nothing to worry about!
3. Sighted an Iceberg, dead ahead – Rather disturbingly, there have been quite a few mentions of the Titanic on board. No one seems to be superstitious that this will bring bad luck, so hopefully our reinforced hull is strong enough to battle all the ice we are seeing. We have travelled through some pretty dense ice fields, and as we are headed into colder water it is only expected to get icier. Some of the icebergs are easily larger than the ship we are on, which provides a nice menacing beauty to our journey.
4. Walked through a mess of penguins – Our two landings so far have involved very close visits to penguin colonies. We are not supposed to get within five meters of wildlife, but they do not follow the same rule. Curious penguins will come up quite close to you. A mess is a perfect way to describe it, as the snow turns a sickening color of greenish yellow and brown from all the little deposits the hundreds of penguins have made. And the smell is fierce. But I think if you get tired of watching penguins awkwardly waddle about, then you are tired of life.
5. Had a snowball fight in Antarctica – for myself and many on board, setting foot on the Antarctic continent is the primary driver of this journey. We accomplished this goal at the Argentinian Brown Station. From here we got to climb up to a scenic viewpoint overlooking Paradise Bay and frolic through the snow. When a snowball flew my way, I joined in on the snowball fight, which is probably the first snowball I have made in quite a few years. The snow was less like snow and more like little granules of ice, but you could pack it into a ball alright. It was less effective for snow angels.

Whale Tales

Snowball Fight!

Seal Hunt

Iceberg Danger

Penguin Mess

And, just for balance, here are five things I have not done so far.

1. Vomited – The waves in the Drake Passage are notoriously rough, and about half the ship’s passengers were down for two days with seasickness. Fortunately, I felt totally fine. I got to walk around the ship, staggering like a drunkard with its tossing and turning, but enjoying relatively empty observation areas… and buffet lines.
2. Become a criminal mastermind – The second night at dinner, a couple organized a version of “Clue.” About twenty of us drew slips of paper out of a hat that told us who our target was, what murder weapon we had to use, and where the incident must take place. The game began at dawn, and by day’s end I had taken out a nice Danish man in the Bistro with a cookie. But I was not the game-winning assassin, as I was struck down while casually strolling by reception.
3. Kidnapped a Penguin – As both common sense and the various briefings from the expedition team will tell you, visitors should not take any ice, plants, soil, animals, pieces of buildings, or anything from Antarctica. But a lot of people don’t think the rules apply to them, of course. Horrifyingly, I heard there once was a passenger who smuggled a penguin chick onto the ship. The room cleaning staff found the chick, alerted the captain, and attempted to bring the chick home… but from what I heard a reunion was not possible. A penguin family was destroyed, and most probably the penguin chick did not survive, all because people are idiots. I’m sticking by the sage advice given to us by our expedition leader: take nothing but photos and memories.
4. Become a fan of Chinese karaoke – I am on a Chinese charter cruise, which features some nice Chinese food on board but also means we have been subjected to Chinese karaoke. We have a number of enthusiastic karaokers on board, and most are not blessed with beautiful singing voices. What they lack in skill they make up for in volume. I have to admit that hearing the loud, off-key screeching in a language that I find very harsh to begin with (although I am sure many people feel the same about English), is an experience that I have no desire to repeat again in my life. Ever. The accompanying music videos are pretty dope though.
5. Cried – Every time I get on a zodiac or even look out the window, I am so incredibly moved by the scenery, the immense beauty of it all, and the fact that I have the opportunity to be here that I feel on the verge of tears. However, they would likely freeze on my face outside so fortunately they have not fallen. But I am often left dumbstruck, speechless, and completely astounded by the experience I am having in this beautiful frozen world.

Vom prep 2019

Does this look like the face of a murdering mastermind?

Too cute to kidnap

Chinese karaoke scene

Just try not to cry

For now we are continuing further south, attempting to cross the Antarctic circle and get to areas that are colder and full of sea ice. If we sailed home today I would be completely satisfied with my journey, but there are a few things I hope we get the chance to experience in the next few days: orca viewing, a sunny day with blue skies that will throw this world into a totally different light, and perhaps a polar plunge?

Going North to Go South

I left Coyhaique on a 9-hour bus to Chaitén, to the north. Now, it may seem strange that I was heading north in order to eventually go south so let me explain my route a little bit. I am due in Ushuaia February 2 to depart for Antarctica. I wanted to use the two weeks before the cruise to explore the Carretera Austral, Chile’s famous route 7 that travels the central part of Chilean Patagonia. Flights from Chile to Argentinian Patagonia are tricky, so I will take a bus from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Ushuaia.

But of course, nothing in Patagonia is ever that easy. The road does not go all the way to Punta Arenas, so I will have to fly there, and flights to PA were cheaper from Puerto Montt (at the northern end of the Carretera) than from Balmaceda (at the southern end of the Carretera). Hence, I started further south and am making my way north to catch my flight even further south. My route has left many people looking very confused, but whatever. It seems to be working out.

So I found myself in Chaitén not having any idea what to do or where to go next. Naturally, I booked two nights in a hostel in town and set off to go figure it out. Before long, I had a transfer scheduled for the next day to a national park offering a challenging hike up a volcano with a lively international group, including a German fellow that I had met previously at my hostel in Santiago. Small world. The hike offered spectacular views of the outlying islands towards the Pacific Ocean on the way up, and at the top a nice smoking caldera. But it was straight up. With I don’t even know how many stairs. I honestly did not think I was going to make it, but am pretty proud of myself that I did (although I believe experienced hikers qualify this hike as only easy to moderate).

We begin our climb

Almost there!

Made it to the top!

Time for a nice hot soak

After that grueling experience, I took advantage of the opportunity to head to some hot springs nearby. Boy did that hot water feel good, and probably helped me avoid sore muscles the next day. I also chatted with a Chilean family that vacationed in a small town to the north last year, and loved it so much they came back this year. What was this small town, I asked: Hornopiren. Sounds good to me, so I planned to take a bus there the next day, spend a day there, and then continue on to Puerto Montt. The plan was done.

Or so I thought. When I went to buy a bus ticket, the bus was already full. That is how life goes sometimes when you are making last minute plans on the road. I quickly had to recalibrate and figure out what I was going to do, where I would sleep, etc. Fortunately I could stay at the same hostel for one more night, and I enjoyed a day of laziness: getting laundry done, organizing my stuff, and walking around the town of Chaitén for one more day.

Enjoying the sites around Chaiten

Black sand beaches

Lovely flowers and sea

Dramatic driftwood

Beer!

Everything has a way of working out, I’m learning. Hornopiren was super cute. I went to yet another hot springs, took a solo wander on a semi-path beside a river, and found some really great ice cream and chocolate. Lodging there was cheaper than in Puerto Montt, and somehow I managed to save on the bus too (Chaiten to Puerto Montt directly was 20,000 CLP, but inexplicably it was 10,000 from Chaiten to Hornopiren and then 5,000 from Hornopiren to Puerto Montt which saved about $7.50). I’m due for quick one-night stays in Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, and then Ushuaia (after a 12-hour-long bus ride that I cannot say I am really looking forward to). By the time you read this I’ll be in Antarctica!

Along my (muddy) riverside path

Hot springs again!

Seaside in Hornopiren