Concepción
19-21 September 2006
(Concepción Photos)

Concepción is a pleasant little city, located near the Pacific on the Bio Bio River, which gives its name to the region. With a population of about 220,000, it claims to be the Chile's third largest city. The countryside up the coast and inland from Concepción is beautiful and largely unspoilt. Other than this and the mine tour in Lota, there is not much to recommend it to the traveler and hence there is not much in the way of budget accommodation.


Following the recommendations in my guide, I found a little B&B right across the street from the university, opposite the "Facultad de Ingeneria" (Engineering) coincidentally. Silvia Uslar, the owner, (and the name of the B&B) charges CL$10,000 (US$18.50) a night. Pricey, yes, but it was very comfortable and quiet. I stayed two nights.


Like Valparaiso, Bio Bio too has its own shiny, new suburban railway. The Chileans appear to be reopening previously abandoned lines. Maybe, one day these isolated railway services will join together to form a proper national network.

Concepción and el Chiflón del Diablo
20 September 2006
(Concepción and Lota Photos)

Why did I go to Concepción in the first place? I had heard that there was an underground coal mine in a town just to the south that ran guided tours billed as a "safari bajo tierra". I know what my former Australian colleagues must be thinking, "Are you nuts?" My work in Australia involved spending great lengths of time in coal mines, and they were not always pleasant visits. Call me crazy, but it has been a year and a half since I last went underground and so I was curious.

This part of the Chilean coast is known as the "Costa del Carbón" as it is the main coal mining region of Chile. Lota, 40km south of Concepción, was once a big coal mining town. Despite its coastal setting, Lota is pretty grim. To get from the bus stop on Lota's main street down to the mine you walk through a particularly poor area. An area where I felt uncomfortably conspicuous. But, the walk is a quick one, down a steep hill.

La mina Chiflón del Diablo was a very small mine that was closed in the 1970's. It has two parallel tunnels which run over 500m out under the Pacific at a depth of 80m below sea level. It is naturally ventilated. The mine is now run as a museum by ex-miners, most of whom worked at much larger, neighboring mine that closed in 1997. Tours last 1 1/2 to 2 hours and cost CL$4000 (US$7.40).

The surface of the mine is fairly compact, as it is crowded from all sides by homes. There is a small accommodation block that looks like something out of a "Western" movie set. And scattered about are rusting pieces of familiar (to me) "longwall" mining equipment that came out of the neighboring mine. As I recalled the names of the pieces of equipment, all kinds of memories from my underground experiences flashed through my mind.


There were 10 of us in the group, including an Aussie from Melbourne. We donned hardhats with cap lamps, the large lamp batteries hanging from our belts. Roberto Rosas, with 23 years working in the mines, was our guide. He led us along a passage and then down some steps to another passage, which took us to the crew lifts. These cages, into which five of us crammed, took us a further 40m down to the start of the tunnel. "Only in South America," I thought as we descended.

Well walked about 500m along a tunnel that was like a stereotypical mine tunnel, supported by wooden beams. We stopped a couple of times by various drills, pick axes and shovels to pose for photos. At one point we stopped and Sr. Rosas asked us to turn our cap lamps off. He then proceeded to tell us stories of some of the colleagues he had lost while on the job. The tour was fascinating in spite of the fact that I did not understand all of Sr. Rosas' commentary.

Santiago to Concepción
19 September 2006

I felt like I could have spent longer in Santiago. I am sure I will return sometime in the future. But it is time to start my journey to the south, ultimately as far as Tierra del Fuego.

To my delight, there was another transport option available to me - the train! Like Argentina, Chile had an extensive railway network, but today has few operating long distance train services. Those that do run, start from Santiago and head south, fortunately for me. Empresa de Los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE), as its name implies, is still state owned. There is a functioning railway line from Santiago all the way down to Puerto Montt, a trip of just over 1000km. However, due to bridge repairs services only go as far as Chillán, over a third of the way. However, services do pick up again from the town of Victoria to Puerto Montt, roughly the last third of the way. I'll take any opportunity to travel by train when the option is available (not sure if I'll feel this way when I get to Bolivia).

There are two class, "Salón" (2nd) and "Preferente" (1st). Every service, from transportation to accommodation, in Chile seems to have a "tarifa alta" and a "tarifa baja" - high/low season price - depending on the day of the week, holidays etc. The Santiago metro even has a high fare for rush hour periods! I was astounded by that. Since I was traveling on the last day of the Chilean Independence holiday, I paid the "alta" price of CL$10,900 (US$20) for my "Salón" seat to Chillán.

The three car, electric train was fairly new and, of course, very clean. We pulled out of Santiago's Estación Central at 0930 exactly. Every hour a man came passed mopping the aisle floor. And when he was not mopping he was polishing the glass windows of the doors at either end of the carriage. After 15 minutes we had left the capital and were passing through the lush green countryside of the central portion of Chile. To the east, scenery was dominated by the Andean mountain range, and to the west, the slightly more diminutive coastal range. We passed countless numbers of vineyards, frequently mixed in the cherry trees just starting to blossom. This area is Chile's main wine producing region.

The train has a small buffet where you could get a cup of Nescafé for CL$600 (US$1.10). I opted for a cup of tea, which was somewhat spoiled by the bumpy ride and a tray table that was not horizontal. Though, there was a steward who brought it to my seat. Some people had breakfast brought to them. We arrived in Chillán on time, at 1415. From Chillán to Concepción, on the coast, took all of 1 1/4 hours by bus. There are frequent services between these two cities.

Valparaiso, Chile
16-17 September 2006
(Valparaiso Photos)

Well before arriving in Chile I was well aware of this port on the Pacific, less than two hours from Santiago. I have a friend who did a semester abroad at the university in Valparaiso last year (I was meant to catch up with her then, but I arrived a year too late!). So it has been very much on my "places to go in Chile" list. So I was slightly surprised to here several negative reports from those that had been to Valpo (as it is affectionately known). These were not just from travelers I had encountered, but from locals as well. Anyone in my Santiago hostel who were planning on visiting Valpo were just going for the day. Valpo is an easy day trip from Santiago. But, I felt that it deserved at least night.

I have heard charming and romantic sounding descriptions of Valparaiso. However, you need to keep in mind that it is a port city, all be it a small one. Valpo is totally different from Santiago. "Gritty" would be one way I would describe it. After the very safe, Western feel of Santiago, when I Arrived in Valpo I felt like I was back in South America. I felt less safe and was much more on my guard. I learned that Valpo has bad reputation for petty thievery. I fortunately had no bad experiences nor did I witness any. But I heard plenty of stories, for example, of mobile phone being snatched right out of people hands.

I was not going to let any of this deter me. I found a nice, simple sounding hostel on one of Valpo's 42 cerros (hills) and spent my time doing what I do best - getting out and exploring on foot. Valparaiso is known for its hills and the haphazard manner in which people have built their houses on them over the past 150 years. It is these brightly painted, tin sided houses and the little funiculars one rides to get to them that is the main attraction of Valpo. My Footprint "South American Handbook" guide puts it quite well when it says, "...the cerros have bohemian, sightly anarchic atmosphere."

Cerros Alegre and Concepción are probably the most visited and it was there were I found my hostel, the Casa Aventura. The city's tourist office offers a good, free walking tour of these two cerros, which starts from its kiosk in the Plaza Sotomayor, down in the lower part of town. And this seemed like the best way to start my exploration. From my photos you should get a feel for the hills and the tin houses (lata in Spanish). Many of the houses on Alegre and Concepión have been renovated, given a new coat of paint and turned into restaurant or little boutique hotels. But many are in a very poor state. Many are perched precariously on the sides of the hills, looking like they could slide off them at any moment.


Walking up the hill to my hostel for the first time, huffing and puffing, it occurred to me that the city's hill dwellers must be extremely fit. But they have a little help from the 15 ascensores (literally translates as elevators), which are more like very short, steep funiculars that carry them up and down. Most date of the late 19th and early 20th century. They cost either CL$100 to CL$200 (US$0.20 to US$0.40) a ride depending on which company runs the ascensor, and you usually pay at the bottom. They all have their original turnstiles, which I had the misfortune of getting caught in every time - they were tiny! The lower level entrance was often a doorway that you could easily walk passed if you were not paying attention. The station at the top was usually like another tin house. I think I managed to ride on five of the 15 ascensores. You can view a PDF with data (date constructed, height, angle etc) about the various ascensores past and present here.

I also discovered that Valpo had trolley bus line, almost as antiquated as the ascensores. I think these were perhaps more of a novelty, compared with those I found in Mendoza. Bus fleet was on odd mix of articulated (bendy) vehicles from the French part of Switzerland ("Demand d'arret le ouverature portes APPUYER" read the signs by the stop request buttons) and the US dating from the mid 20th century. You will not be surprised to hear that I did have to do a few laps on the trolleys.

Although it did not rain during my visit to Valparaiso, the weather was gray most of the time. On may second day I followed a fairly level road that runs along the crest of some cerros in hopes of finding Pablo Neruda's house, one of the cultural highlights. The day started out beautiful and clear, but as soon as I started out clouds appeared as if to spite me.

Along the way I came across the "ex-carcel", Valpo's apparently infamous prison, which closed in 1997 (or was 1999?). Anyway, it was turned into an arts or cultural complex in 2000. But, on this gray Sunday, it looked very bleak indeed. The gates were open, but the place was deserted, neglected.


I did finally make it to "La Sebastiana", Pablo Neruda's house, which is know a museum. Pablo Neruda is probably Chile's (and Latin America's) best known poets. He bought and remodeled the house towards the end of his life in the late 1960's. It is quite disjointed, with only one or two rooms on each of its five floors. It is definitely quirky, which must be a reflection of its former owner's character. Neruda clearly had a fantasy about the sea. There are paintings of ships and seascapes, maritime related books and journals, and some of the best sea views in Valparaiso. But the reality of actually going to sea was something he was never keen on fulfilling. He just watched, wrote and dreamed of it.

With my last few hours before my bus back to Santiago I decided to try out the region's relatively new, shiny metro system that connects Valparaiso, Viña del Mar (a beach resort of high rises and a casino) to some to the inland communities. In sharp contrast to the areas around the port, the train and its infrastructure is modern and spotless.

I could have stayed another night. 24 hours was just enough to skim the surface of Valparaiso. But, something was telling me to keep moving on.

Santiago, Chile

I did not really have enough time in Santiago to get a feel for it. You might be surprised to know that Argentineans do not always speak positively of their neighbors on this side of the Andes. So I arrived with a bit of bias. I have heard many travelers declare a preference for Buenos Aires over Santiago. However, since arriving in Chile I have met plenty of foreigners who have spent more than a few weeks in Santiago and love it. To be fair I need to give Santiago more time before I can comment.

My arrival in Chile coincided with annual week of Independence celebrations, known as the "Fiestas Patrias". This explained the flags on every vehicle and building. This is meant to be one of the worst times to travel in Chile. Either everyone is trying to get out of the city or come in for the long weekend. The 18th and 19th of September are the actual holidays, which fell on a Monday and Tuesday.

The heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas. The Plaza and the blocks around it make up the old part of the city, which includes the financial district and various government buildings. However, legislative branch now sits in Valparaiso, about 100km west of Santiago, on the coast. There are a number of pedestrianised streets around the centre, which always are jammed. The centre of the city is not all that big and is therefore easy to walk around in little time.

Towards the south and west are the more working class and industrial barrios. Where as the east of the centre are the more affluent middle and upper class neighborhoods. I met with a friend in an area called Las Condas. Walking around Las Condas I could have been in a prosperous suburbs of any European or US city. I even came across a Starbucks. The lure of a "Grande Chai Tea" was too great to resist, so I have to admit I did go in. I never came across a Starbucks in Argentina. Maybe this says something about how seriously Argentineans take their coffee.

Some basic observations:
1) A real cup of coffee is not easy to come by in Chile. It is all Nescafe, unless you go to a proper coffee shop, and these are not all that prevalent. SO I have been drinking a lot of tea.

2) Everything is more expensive on this side of the Andes. I did expect this, but as I mentioned before, Argentinean prices have turned me into a cheap backpacker. Prices of everyday things in Santiago are fairly close to those you would find in New York City. But it does vary. Accommodation I found to be anywhere between 50% to 100% more than what I had been paying in Argentina. Only five years ago Argentina was the most expensive country to travel around. The data in my guide book is probably 2 to 3 years old, but prices I have encountered are certainly double what are quoted.

3) Speaking of money, it appears that Chileans have much more faith in their currency than the Argentineans have in theirs. Major items are not paid for in US Dollars here, nor do people have bank accounts in Dollars as is common in Argentina. Though, going from my guide book, perhaps inflation is a problem in Chile.

4) I found Santiago to be very tidy, at least around the centre and eastern parts of the city. And it has the cleanest metro system I have ever seen. I do not think this has to do with the Chileans themselves as I have seen them drop enough rubbish to compete with the best litter bugs. It is thanks to an army of sweepers and cleaners that things are so tidy.

5) You do not find panaderias on every block, and the ones you do find do not have such a rich selection of little pastries. Perhaps the Chileans do not have such sweet tooths'. Though hot dogs are very popular. I have found chains of fast food hot dog restaurants all over. Chicken and, of course, fish take up are larger portion of the Chilean menu compared with red the meat dominated Argentinean diet.

I am sure there are more things that I have noticed, but that I cannot recall at the moment.

Crossing the Andes - Mendoza to Santiago
13 September 2006
(Photos of the crossing and Santiago)

The route between Mendoza and Santiago is probably the main Argentinean-Chilean crossing points. And so there are a number of daily departures. The trip takes about 6 to 7 hours, allowing for border formalities. This is the same route we took on the Alta Montaña trip, so I will not go into much detail except to say that you really want to sit in the front seat on the upper deck to get the most out of spectacular scenery. It can be a little hair raising, however.

The crossing point is called Los Libertadores, after General San Martin and his army of the Andes. Customs and immigration are located on the Chilean side of the frontier and can get very busy with all of the trucks and buses that pass through. Like most countries, Chile is very strict on ensuring that animal, fruit or vegetable products make the crossing with you. Therefore, they x-ray everything. However, some of the smaller Andean crossing points do not have x-ray equipment and, so I have been told, they go through everyone's baggage.

I broke with tradition and before leaving Mendoza I reserved a bed in Santiago in a hostel in the Bellavista neighborhood, just northeast of the centre. Traveling into or out of Santiago and be a little confusing for the uninitiated. There are four main bus stations, though three of them are within a few blocks of each other.

As far as getting around, Santiago has a relatively new (less than 30 years old) and excellent metro system, which I took everywhere. The metro cars themselves have rubber tyres like the Paris metro trains. Being manufactured by Alstom, the French engineering giant, they are probably the same cars as used on the Paris metro. There are of course plenty of bus, some old and battered and some brand new and articulated (bendy buses).

There is also another mode of transport known as a "colectivo". In Argentina, colectivo is the word used for a standard local bus. In Chile and other parts of South America, a colectivo is like a taxi that follows a fixed route, collecting and dropping off passengers along the way. There are also regular taxis as well.

If there is a metro available, I will usually take it over a bus, even if it means walking a little further. The bus station to "La Chimba Hostel" was an easy metro trip.

Mendoza Accommodation - checking out...

Thus far I have tried to say a word or two about my accommodation. I arrived in Mendoza with a list of hostels, but had nothing booked. I usually leave my big rucksack at the bus terminal while I reconnoiter the accommodation situation. After knocking on a few doors I came across Winca's on Av. Sarmiento, two blocks from the Plaza Independencia - very central. I had seen their web site so I had some idea what to expect.

After six nights there I would give it a mixed report. The place was relaxed and quiet, except for the weekends when things got busy. The staff were friendly and helpful when it came to problems or organising activities. They had three PCs though, I was surprised to see that two had coin boxes. This was not an issue as they were out of service. My dorm room had three very comfortable bunks, with decent mattresses. The downside was that there was one very average bathroom (shower missing shower head - shouldn't be that hard to fix?) for, potentially, 18 guests! It is as if they renovated the whole house and forgot the bathroom.

If you are an American Football fan you will be in good company. Barret, one of the owners of the hostel, runs a cozy little bar around the back where you will always find the TV tuned into a game on Sunday and Monday nights. You will usually find him trying to explain to rules to a group of very confused looking Argentineans. By the way he is an Eagles fan.

I forgot to snap a photo of the hostel, so I have borrowed the one below from Winca's web site.

Mendoza - my last day

Tuesday 12/9

After going back to the bus terminal to secure my seat to Santiago, I stopped by the Museo Pasado Cuyano, which is in of the few remaining 19th/20th Century family houses that has survived the earthquakes. I did not get a guided tour as such, but a guide would magically appear every time I entered a new room and give me some explanation of its contents. She was delightful, however. The museum shows how the wealthier Mendocinos lived, including all of their European possessions, at the end of the 19th century. It also covers the political history of the province from the time of independence to the mid 20th century.

As for the "cabalgata" (horse ride), cost also solved that dilemma. I opted for a two hour ride for A$70 (US$23). There were a pile of brochures for various tours at the hostel reception, but the girl at the desk had a friend who had some stables in the foot hills, close to the city. Two chicos collected me from the hostel in a new compact Citroën. The stables were less than 10 minutes from the centre, just next to the Parque San Martin, at the back of a newly developed gated community (all the fashion in Argentina now).

"Interesting," I thought, slightly skeptically. The stables were small and basic. But, I quickly realised that it was to be just me and my guide, Alvaro. I probably go on one ride a year, so I have very little experience. The ride was through the dry, rock strewn, wrinkled landscape that is the foothills of the pre-cordillera of the Andes. Ascending and descending the mini peaks and troughs was challenging at times as some of them were steep. My horse tended to race up the slopes and there were moments when it felt like he might slip. I have to admit that it was quite a rush. At the end of the ride, back at the stables, Alvaro and I had some mate and shot the breeze.

I have mentioned mate (pronounced "ma-tay") before in passing. It is basically a herbal infusion that is sipped through a "bombilla" (metal straw) from a cup made from a hollowed out gourd. The cup itself is called the mate. There are variations on the materials used for the mate paraphernalia - straws, cups etc. It is usually a very bitter concoction, even a little too bitter for Alvaro, it appeared, who added generous quantities sugar. It is generally taken without sugar. I think the mate tradition started with the Jesuits in the 16th and 17th centuries when they settled up in the area around Misiones. Most of the herbs are grown up in the part of Argentina. Mate is shared amongst a group. Someone will be in charge of boiling the water (ideally the water should be just about to boil) and putting the loose herbs into the mate cup. He/she then pours in the water and has the first sip or passes it on. The cup is usually quite small and packed with herbs, so there is not much more than a sip. The mate is passed back and more water is added, and so on and so on. Mate is very popular throughout Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil. Hot water dispensers are a very common sight all over, allowing mate drinks to refill their thermoses. Then you will also see the used herbs that have been knocked out of cups, a nasty looking green paste on sidewalks and by garbage cans.

Mendoza Sunday 10/9 - Monday 11/9

Sunday

The Alta Montaña trip was probably the highlight of my stay in Mendoza. My Sunday was, by comparison, very relaxing. As is to be expected for a Sunday, the city was mostly deserted. A hot, northerly wind was blowing all of the dust and pollen. The temperature peaked at just over 30 deg C with a humidity of 20% - unusual for the end of winter.

I got to one of the two museums worthwhile seeing in Mendoza, the Museo Fundacional, located on the site of the original Cabildo (town hall), which was destroyed by the 1861 earthquake. The guided tour, in Spanish, raced around the exhibits. The museum covers the history of the region from the "Big-Bang" (the first exhibit is titled "Big-Bang") to the development of the city. The centre piece are archaeological excavations of the cabildo.

Monday

Once again I was in two minds about which activities to do during my last few days in Mendoza. I was spoiled for choice and had some difficult decisions to make. Which wineries should I visit? Would a four hour horse ride leave me unable to sit or walk properly for a week?The kind of tough decisions we all face on a daily basis.

An ad in the window of a travel agency answered my second question. For A$22 (US$7) I could visit two "bodegas" (wineries) and an olive grower in an afternoon. The nearest bodegas are hardly a few kilometers from Mendoza and several have guided tours. You could take bus from the centre out to some of these places. I also saw fliers for bike tours "through the vines", which sounded like a great way to sample the local product. All of the bus tours ran with the same basic format.

- one large winery
- one boutique winery
- and either one of the following: olive oil maker, liqueur producer or chocolate factory

For are large winery we visited Bodega Lopez, which ran a very interesting tour covering the whole process from where the grapes go in to the bottling plant. At the end we tasted a 2003 Malbec from their "Casona Lopez" label. The Malbec grape is what Mendoza is best known for. I do not posses my father's highly experienced pallet, so I cannot be more articulate other than to say I enjoyed it. And for only A$16 (US$5.50) a bottle it seemed like good value to me.

We went on to a small olive oil maker called Olivicola Laur. Like wine, I know nothing about olives or olive oil (except that I enjoy eating them). The first thing I noticed was that the trees appeared to be bigger than the ones I had seen in Mediterranean countries. Apparently this has something to do with the plentiful source of water available, thanks to the Andean snow and a good system of canals. They used both old fashioned presses and more modern equipment.

Or last stop was a very small bodega called Reyter that produced sparkling wine using the "Champagne Method". I was not all that impressed by this tour or what we tasted at the end of it. Maybe I caught them on an off day.

Mendoza - Alta Montaña
Saturday 9 September 2006
(Alta Montaña Photos)

Now there is a lot more to this area than just the city of Mendoza. Mendoza is the base for doing a number of tours and activities, from going up into the Andes to numerous vineyards and bodegas (wineries). Equally there is a great number of travel agencies and tour operators ready to take your money. And they all seem to offer the very similar sounding tours for very similar prices. Generally it is easiest to go with the advice of your hostel. But, I also visited some of the various agencies.

The Alta Montaña tour is a popular day trip along Ruta 7, the main road that crosses the Andes to Chile (it actually starts in Buenos Aires). Needless to say, it is breathtakingly scenic route and the tours go up to the frontier, weather permitting. In the end I went with a company called Campo Base, which also runs one of the HI youth hostels here in the city. And for A$50 (US$16) you are collected from you hostel at 7:30am, go up and down the route and then dropped back at about 7:30pm. So it is a long day, but good value.

There were 18 of us in the Campo Base Mercedes mini-van. Chipi (Francisco), a very friendly and informative Rastafarian wannabe Argentinian was our guide and Luis, our lead footed driver. I think I must have been the oldest on the bus, aside from Luis. The average age was early 20's (we all had to introduce ourselves at the start of the trip).

The tour really started as we begin to ascend through the "pre-cordillera", making our first stop at a small stone bridge apparently used by General San Martin and his army. It is remarkable good condition considering its age and the the fact that hordes climb on it daily. It is just off Ruta 7 and I do not remember it being sign posted.

The Route 7 climbs up the valley formed by the Rio Mendoza, the same river that brings water from melted snow and ice, to the city and surrounding area. We passed a large reservoir (or dike) built to collect some of this water as reserve if ever there is a winter with little snow. A low area of the pre-cordillera was flooded to make the reservoir, displacing 40 families. Soon after it was built, some Japanese engineers with experience in construction in earthquake prone zones visited the area. When they saw one of the reservoir walls they said that if there ever was another serious earthquake the wall could fail, inundating the city of Mendoza.

We then proceeded to Uspallata, the last town of any significance before you really get up into the mountains. Here we had the option of hiring snow boots. Having faithing in my "Gore-Tex" lined Salomon sneakers, I turned down the boots. Foolish? I would find out soon enough.

For a major international road Ruta 7 is in surprisingly poor condition. It is fairly heavily traveled by trucks and buses. I was amazed that there was no toll. Every main route in Argentina seems to have a toll every 50km! I later learned that a law was passed by the provincial government of Mendoza banning tolls on roads in the province. Well, Mendoza, this road could do with some help.

We were accompanied all the way by the long since abandoned 252km trans-Andean railway, which connected Mendoza and Chile. The line was built by Juan and Mateo Clark, two Chileans of English decent at the turn of the 20th century. The single track, narrow gauge (1000mm) line appeared to be mostly intact, though rockfalls and small landslips have broken the line at various points. However, as I write there are plans afoot to re-open the line. Yesterday, the presidents of Argentina and Chile met at a winery (the Chilean president's favorite winery apparently) here in Mendoza to sign an accord regarding the re-building of the railway. This project has been talked about for some time, and the proposed budget keeps increasing (surprise, surprise). If it ever comes to fruition, it will be one of the most spectacular railway journeys on the continent.

By 11am we made it to about 2900m a.s.l., and we were surrounded by snow. This is the highest altitude that I have ever ascended to, an achievement that was very exciting for me (I know this is nothing to you serious trekkers and climbers out there). This stop on the tour, the furthest we went along Ruta 7, was supposed to offer a view of Mount Aconcagua. At 6959m, Aconcagua is the highest peak in all of the Americas (North included). Sadly, her peak was shrouded by cloud. However, I was not terribly bothered by this. I was on a serious high (no pun intended) just being up here, walking through deep, virgin snow, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the amazing views. I could just slightly feel the effects of the altitude, even at this low-ish level. I could sense a pressure on my ears and slight breathlessness as we took a short hike through the snow.

From here we commenced our descent, making a couple of stops along the way. One of the main landmarks along the route is the Puente del Inca.The Puente del Inca is a natural arch over the Rio Mendoza. Its formation may have had something to do with the nearby hot springs and ice. The sulfur from the springs give it its characteristic bright ochre colour. A hotel was built close by, but was destroyed by a rock slide.

Continuing down the route we stopped at Los Penitentes, a very small ski resort on Ruta 7, for lunch. A very generous group of young Porteños (as the residents from Buenos Aires are known) shared their lunch with me. We sat and enjoyed the warmth of the sun and pristine white vista from the patio of the proportionally (to the resort, that is) small youth hostel.


Anyone heard of the film "Seven Years in Tibet"? It was actually filmed here in this area, not far from Ruta 7. I have not seen it, but I guess I now have a reason to rent it. Another incident, aside from Brad Pitt filming in the area, occurred 1972 when a Uruguayan air force twin turboprop crashed in the mountains near the border between Chile and Argentina with a Uruguayan rugby team. Some of you may have read the book or seen the subsequent move "Alive".

This drive along Ruta 7, up to the Chilean border must be one of the most dramatic in Argentina. The Alta Montaña tour is definitely a "must do" tour when you come to Mendoza. I can also report that the sneakers kept my feet warm and dry. However, they did not stop the snow from coming in over the top!

You can find a few more photos here.

Mendoza - Parque San Martin
Friday 8 September 2006
(Mendoza Photos)

After my very educational visit to the top of Mendoza's city hall, I now felt quite orientated. I decided to head west to get a closer view of the mountains and explore the Parque San Martin, which appeared to take up a third of the city (these tourist maps are never quite to scale though). According to a museum guide, the Parque San Martin is the largest city park of its kind in South America. I think I understood that correctly. The park sits on the western side of the city and it was there that I decided to spend my Friday afternoon.

I could have walked... But, I have been fascinated by Mendoza's "troles" (trolley buses) since arriving and so it was about time I caught one. I was advised by the tourist office that "El Trole" marked "Parque" was the one that would take my by the park's main gate. The trolley routes are essentially loops, so you can climb aboard one and just go around and around to your heart's content. The buses themselves look like they have been around for a while. I think they may have been bought the fleet at a German used trolley bus sale. The stop request buttons say "HALT - Nur für den Fahrgast".


The park's main gates have an interesting story of their own. They were made in by a Scottish foundry around for Abdul Hamid II, a Turkish sultan. The sultan died before taking possession of the gates.The gates came to the attention of Emilio Civit, the then governor of Mendoza. The government then bought the gates. Originally the gates were adorned with the sultan's crown and a crescent moon. These were replaced with a condor and the shield of Mendoza.

The park covers about 307ha and is one of the most attractive city parks I have seen so far in Argentina. It is impeccably maintained and virtually spotless. The park was designed in 1896 by the landscape architect Carlos Thays, who is also responsible for various plazas and parks throughout the country. Within the park are just about every sporting club you could want - rowing, tennis, golf, equestrian, football stadium built for the 1978 World Cup, a velodrome... On the eastern side of the park is a 1km long, 100m wide gently curving lake, home to the massive Club Mendoza de Regatas. The lake also doubles as a reservoir, providing water for the park (they use a lot of water!). At the lakes southern end is the slightly out of place Mueso de Ciencias Naturales (Natural History Museum).

Further into the park is the city zoo and one of the park's main attractions, the Cerro de la Gloria (Hill of Glory) - a good little climb. At the top is a large monument to honor General José San Martin and his Army of the Andes. After San Martin helped to secure Argentina's independence from Spain (1810-1816) he set off with his army acrossed the Andes to Chile and then on to Peru to help their independence movements. There are also some good views east, across the city and west, to the foothills of the Andes.

Mendoza - Trees and Earthquakes

Here are some interesting facts about Mendoza:

Population: 130,000
Altitude: 750m a.s.l.
Trees: 390,000 (3 for every resident)
Earthquakes: 40 a day (ok, they are seismic events)
Trolly Bus Lines: 5

I do not think I have been such a forested city. Every street has a wonderful green canopy (almost green - its the very end of winter here), which is fortunate because, architecturally, the city is quite modern. There is a reason for this. Mendoza sits in a seismically active region, near to a fault between two tectonic plates (the Nazca and South American plates), responsible for the formation of the Andean mountain range. Apparently, there are 40 detectable seismic events each day here. But, on 20 March 1861 a 7.2 magnitude earthquake occurred, which destroyed much of the city and killed thousands of it residents.

The new city was rebuilt just south and west of its original location. Much thought was given to the layout of the new city and to the construction of all new buildings. Streets and avenues were made a little wider and many open spaces (plazas and parks) were incorporated. Great, I thought, open green spaces all add to the attractiveness of a place. The primary reason for all of the open space was to have somewhere where the city's residents could escape to in the event of an earthquake. There was another significant earthquake in 1927 with a magnitude of 7.1 and then 1985 to name a few. The '85 quake had a magnitude of 6.2 and caused six fatalities, with over 50,000 residents left homeless. There was a 5.7 quake on 5 August of this year.

I leaned most of the above from Christian, my guide for a visit I made to the roof top terrace of Mendoza's city hall. The first thing you need to do when you arrive in Mendoza is take this quick tour. It is the best introduction to the city and the views are pretty good to!

Mendoza, Province of Mendoza

I have started my trip south, by heading west. Why you might ask? Hopefully things will have thawed out a little by the time get get right down to the very tip of the continent. So I am taking a round about route. I took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires and traveled about 1100km (13 hours) west to Mendoza, arriving yesterday. Mendoza sits at the foot of the Andes, but is primarily known as being the premier wine growing region of Argentina. It is on the main road to Chile.

I am not a fan of long distance bus travel, but if you pay a little extra it can be relatively painless. And so for A$135 (US$45) I went "coche cama", which like traveling business class, and includes dinner (with wine), breakfast and bingo. Yes, we started the trip off with a quick round of bingo all organised by our very amiable steward, Diego. No, I did not win, but it was the first time I had played bingo on a bus - a novelty. I cannot remember the last time I actually played bingo.

The scenery change was quite drastic. The area around the capital, the Province of Buenos Aires, is lush and fertile with gently rolling landscape. Mendoza, however, is arid, with sandy soil and low scrub-like vegetation. The dryness is a welcome change from the humidity of the eastern side of the country. It is thanks to water from melting ice from the mountains that the area is habitable. They can go many months without a drop of rain.

Anyway, there a great number of activities to do in and around the city. So my mission for today is to book some tours and explore the city.

Update!

I know, ¡soy malo! August was not a good month for the blog. I hope that it (and you) has (have) not suffered too much from my neglect. So what have I been doing? I have been continuing my exploration of Buenos Aires and I have also created a little personal web site. It is fairly simple and lacking in content at the moment. It can be found at www.osney.com. The most interesting part of the web site is my trip tracking map.

Anyway, I have been meaning to write something about my brief trip to Uruguay in mid August. You will find Montevideo and Colonia postings below. I recommend that you start with Montevideo first. You can also find photos “sin comentarios” at the usual place. I will add some commentary to them soon.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay 14-15 August
(Colonia Photos)

I chose to spend my last 24 hours in Uruguay in the stunningly picturesque town of Colonia del Sacramento. Originally founded by Portuguese settlers from Brazil in the late 17^th century, Colonia’s Barrio Histórico (old town) has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.

The weather was gloomy and chilly when I arrived at the bus terminal. A lady handed me a flyer for one of the two hostels, El Español (exactly as an Aussie at the Red Hostel had told me). This happened to be my intended accommodation. El Español was also friendly, but simple. The detached and semi-detached doubles and dorm rooms were scattered around a court yard. Some rooms had en suite bathrooms, but I opted for the more economical shared bathroom option. Since there were about four guests in the hostel, competition for the bathroom was not an issue. The hostel did have Internet and cable TV (who doesn’t?), towels, sheets and hot water (most importantly). However, I would not want to stay there if the weather got really cold as the place was drafty. But the number of blankets provided kept out the chill. Breakfast was optional, but one I took up. So the grand total for one night was about UY$170 (US$7 – these prices have spoiled me, I’ll never be able to return to the ‘First World’ now).

The gate to the Barrio Histórico was only two blocks down the tranquil, charming Calle Manuel Lobo from El Español. And as I made my way along the cobbled street, the sky cleared and the sun came out. The chilly breeze persisted, however.

The town has an interesting history, basically being the centre of a tug of war between Portuguese and Spanish keepers until Uruguayan independence in 1828. This had an obvious effect on the old town. I started at the ‘Faro’ (lighthouse), which you can climb – a good place to get your bearings from. Maybe I was seeing things, but I thought I could make out some of the Buenos Aires skyline.

The old town is very small, and in two hours I had meandered my way from one side to the other. The 17:30 ferry to Buenos Aires had taken the day trippers with it and so I almost had the place to myself. There are a couple of pricey (as in US$15) restaurants in the old town with interesting menus. But, I have become rather cheap and so I treated myself to a salad, pizza and beer (US$5) at the Mercosur, a few blocks away, in the newer part town.

I took an after dinner stroll, at about 22:00, first through the town centre and then into the old town. The now dimly lit, deserted streets of the Barrio Histórico, with their symbolic street lamps (an icon used to represent Colonia), have changed character. There was something eerie, a gentle but cold breeze and the faint sound of the river washing up against the shore. One of the more photographed streets in Colonia is the Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs), whose name adds to the mystery of the place. As I walked along the river, the yellowish plume that could have only been a bustling Buenos Aires was clearly visible.

To get the full experience, you have to stay the night in Colonia. You miss half of the atmosphere by only taking a day option. There are several charming, cosy looking hotels in the Barrio Histórico. They were a little out of my budget, but, I think, very reasonable for travellers with US Dollars or UK Pounds.

The next day I got going at a respectable hour in hopes of avoiding the crowds that the late morning ferry arrival would bring. I rented a bike, from Thrifty of all places, and attempted to ride along the very rough, cobbled streets of the Barrio Histórico. The bike was not up to it (not impressed, Thrifty). Thrifty had quite a selection available for hire including golf carts, quad bikes and mopeds. The golf carts looked ridiculous buzzing around town and there was no chance they would have survived the streets of the old town. I was tempted by the quad bikes, but (1) I did not trust myself and (2) it was a beautiful day and I needed the exercise (awe, how boring! – yes, I know).

Later that morning I did the museum tour. One ticket allows you to visit all seven museums for UY$10 (less than US$0.50). Each one is pretty small and can be done in 15 minutes (30 minutes if you read all the captions etc). Note that not all museums are open every day. It seems that only four or five are open on any one day. The Museo Portugués and Museo Español cover the Portuguese and Spanish influences on the colony respectively. Though, the Museo Español could have been a little more accessible. If appeared as if they had copied a history book in full, enlarged its pages so the type size was somewhere near 28 point and mounted them throughout the museum with very few accompanying artefacts. I am sorry to say that this made for a very boring exhibit. I tried to read and understand what I could, but gave up after about 10 “pages” (there were something like 40+ pages in all).

That afternoon I had a late lunch at the very friendly El Asador, just outside of the old town. For UY$140 (US$6) I had a big, juicy entrecote steak, puré de papas (mashed potatoes) and a beer. Now you understand the need for exercise. I have to admit that I went over my food budget while in Uruguay.

I caught the 17:30 ferry back to Buenos Aires, safe in the knowledge that I had probably seen more of Colonia than any of my fellow passengers. I had also achieved one of my principal objectives, to renew my Argentinean tourist visa (Sorry Uruguay, I hope you do not feel too used!).

More photos of Colonia here.

Montevideo, Uruguay 10-14 August
(Montevideo Photos)

I have a small admission to make that shows my pitiful knowledge of geography. Until I started thinking seriously about coming to South America (about a week before arriving in Buenos Aires) I used to get Uruguay and Paraguay confused. I give my sincerest apologies to all Uruguayans and Paraguayans for this! They only way that my geography has improved at all is through my travels. I know that you all know exactly where Uruguay is. But, just in case some of you need a little refresher, Uruguay is wedged between the two giants of this continent, Argentina and Brazil. Along its southern edge is the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, it shares a border with Argentina to the west and Brazil on its north and eastern sides. The population of Uruguay is just under 3.5 million.

I could have made a day trip to Paysandú, Uruguay while I was in Colón, as it was just across the Rio Uruguay. In theory, I did set foot on Uruguayan territory while on Charlie’s river safari. However, I chose to cross the Rio de la Plata, taking the Buquebus ferry service from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento. Colonia is an hour on the fast ferry making it a popular one day excursion from Buenos Aires. It is about 50km as the crow flies. I then took the connecting bus service to Montevideo, which is about 170km east of Colonia, along the coast.

Montevideo has a population of about 1.3 million, so it is a fraction of the size of Buenos Aires (Greater BA is about 12 million). However, like BA, it also has a very European feel. Since these two capitals are physically close to each other, it is easy to make comparisons between them.

One of the first things that stuck me is that the drivers behave much more courteously towards pedestrians. When they see you standing at a pedestrian crossing, one without traffic lights, they actually stop. They are also more restrained in their use of the car horn. Basically, the citizens appear much more laid back, and hence the city has a relaxed feel.

It was also soon apparent to me that Montevideo lacks the intensity and freneticism of Buenos Aires. Someone made the observation that the city has a certain sad quality to it. On reflection, there was something just slightly melancholic about the place. On the whole I found the Uruguayans to be just as amiable and keen to chat as the Argentineans. There also seemed to be more of a connection with the United States and its culture then I had felt in Argentina. I guess I got this impression from the shops I passed and what they were selling, the brand names, certain styles etc. They have also adopted 911 as their main emergency services telephone number (often each service has its own number – confusing for a newcomer).

The central part of the city, including the Ciudad Vieja (Old City), is relatively compact and you can easily cover most of the sights in a day. The Av. 18 de Julio is the city’s ‘main drag’, running east/west. At its western end is the Plaza de la Independencia, which is surrounded by an odd collection of buildings, including the iconic Palacio Salvo (the distinctive shape of its tower is a landmark, visible from most points in the city). At the centre of the plaza is the statue of Artigas (independence fighter and national hero) and, below, his mausoleum.

The faded Ciudad Vieja begins at the western side of the Plaza de la Independencia. I spent a lot of time exploring and re-exploring its narrow streets, usually with my neck craned upwards, fascinated by the mix crumbling and restored structures. Architecturally, Montevideo and BA appear to be similar, with strong European influences. This is largely due to the work of 19th and early 20th century Spanish, Italian, French and British architects. Eclectic architectural styles – a style that is a mishmash of the classical and contemporary – seem to dominate. One of my favourite features of these buildings are their cupolas. The Old City is also the country’s financial heart and import/export hub with its small container port.

I stayed at the Red Hostel, located a block south of Av. 18 de Julio, behind the Intendencia (city hall). The hostel, an old converted mansion, was friendly and laid back, induced by the various shades of red used on the walls. They did cram an extra bunk into every room then there should have been. This is par for the course, however. My bed was comfortable, and sheets and towels were provided (towels were changed daily). There were five, aging PCs with Internet, cable TV in the lounge and kitchen and a sizable roof patio (not used much in the winter). Including breakfast, a bed cost UY$275 (about US$11.50 a night).

Some of the highlights of Montevideo for me were:

• Exploring the Ciudad Vieja

• Guided tour of the Placio Legislativo – fascinating free tour (Spanish), stunning interior

• Saturday lunch at Mercado del Puerto (vegetarian options are limited)

• Museo del Gaucho y la Moneda – interesting mix of collections in another beautiful building

• Museo de Arte Precolombiano e Indigena – interesting collection of artefacts, but this recently renovated building dominates

One useful tidbit I read in one of my guide books is that if you need to top up your stash of US$ cash you can do so at most ATMs in Uruguay. Though, I think the minimum you can withdraw is US$100. Argentinean ATM menus also show this as an option. But, don’t get too excited (as I did), you have to have an Argentinean bank account in US$ to withdraw US$ from an ATM. Since I am on the topic of money, I did note that things in Uruguay were slightly more expensive here than in Argentina – a small observation.

Another interesting note: The US$ is the trusted currency in these two countries (and probably most others South America). All high value transactions from buying kitchen appliances to houses are done in US$, and usually in ‘effectivo’ (cash) – literally in bags and suitcases. Loans, credit and mortgages are relatively recent offerings, previously available to a privileged few. It is still very much a cash economy in this part of the world. The concept of physically carrying US$100,000 to buy a property was quite a shock to me when I first learned of it. No wonder why armoured trucks are nearly as common as buses!

More photos of Montevideo can be found here.