Southeast by Northwest

To Set Off, Again

2009-10-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

"Traveling with a companion...you are too much of a self-contained world for the rest of the world to be able to penetrate. You're never going to see anything; you're never going to meet anyone. Nothing is ever going to happen to you. Whereas traveling alone, everything happens. Half the point of traveling alone is that you get so lonely, you have to talk to other people."

- Johnathan Raban

Letter to Home, February 8th, 2007

Traveling by myself is tiring: to plan everything and to be vulnerable and alone. At the same time, it can be freeing; when a place or situation is not to my liking, I can leave without much notice. And even when there are periods of loneliness or seeming invisibility, the next moment or day there will be new people to meet and companions who inspire.

The distinction between solitude and lonliness is a difficult lesson to tread while I walk around, a hemisphere away from the people and places I know. But as I sit in this hammock in an overgrown garden overlooking mountains and valleys carpeted in emerald, I find peace and I am alone -- except for all the sounds of Life. And yesterday, I sat in this same hammock -- but with a friend: we watched a thunderstorm blow in and thick clouds sweep through the valley until all was white in front of us. Now I am grateful to be alone. I sense that this is the peace that will keep me anchored when I feel small and sad or far away from those who already know my name.

How does a place become a part of us? Absorbing the memory of how it feels to sit in view of beauty or darkness, to hear the rain fall on leaves, to smell the alpine trees or the decomposing earth, feel the warm sun or the sharp rock; to be suspended in the moment:
pure mind is moment
is on and on.

Besos,

Abby

Return of the Blogger!

2007-08-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Mid-May - I boated back to tierra firma alone, whipping past flooded jungle and puttering through a sea of waterlilies, strange long-necked birds popping up every few feet. Saying goodbye to friends in Bocas del Toro was a little heart-wrenching; we had managed to get beyond the tourist facade and found inspiring friends and a tempting way of life where friends, work, sun and dance are never more than a leisurely spin away.
I bused to and then crossed the Panama-Costa Rica border, a long planked bridge, the most interesting border I've crossed. A very sweaty day.

I stopped in Puerto Viejo, remembering it from a sophomore year ecotourism trip with my school. Arriving alone in a dark and rainy place filled with old memories was unpleasant and I regretted having left Bocas del Toro. I trudged about 1/2 mile to RJ's Rockin' hostel, a mosaic palace of hammocks, tents and unfriendly groups of travelers. I rented a hammock and the next day went on a bike ride to Manzanita to go snorkeling and beaching. Visibility was pretty shabby, though I did have a shark encounter while swimming by myself it scared the pants off me. I met a friendly couple from Vancouver and we ate dinner at a basic soda (restaurant) in someone's kitchen and watched a telenovela.
A half a day in busy, concrete San Jose and I was ready to move on. After choosing the cheapest and most stressful way to get to the airport, I was bound for Guatemala City and the last month of my travels. Costa Rica was frustrating - almost everyone responded to my Spanish with English and I met gaggles of US tourists, in contrast to South America's 6 or so. I could tell I was getting closer to the US. Locals were more wary of foreigners and I sensed a mix of contempt and deference to the tourism machine.
A shuttle sped me through the miles of urban reality of Guatemala City to the tourist enclave of Antigua.
When I first went to Guatemala with Global Visionaries in 2005, Antigua was our base for 1 1/2 weeks of homestays and work projects - but I experienced a complete different city. For me Antigua was a worn Catholic town with soft colors, friendly locals and the 6 or so blocks we walked everyday; this time around it was a loud bustle of moving bodies where tourists sipped Guatemala's finest coffee from throwaway cups to cure a lingering hangover and packs of school kids in uniforms descended on the parque central or walked arm-in-arm down the cobblestones.

Over the weekend I went to Monterrico, a town on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. Guatemala's seaside gem, Monterrico boasts black sand beaches and a violent ocean bent on slamming you into said sand. At sunset and sunrise, the sunlight filters through the low, thick air to create a glowing sky of orange and pink. Sunday morning at dawn we took a small boat out into the mangroves, a unique habitat that occurs only in brackish water (combo of fresh and salt water) and is the home to many species of heron.

Stunningly alert.

We accidentally chose the hotel that turns into the discoteca on Saturday nights. Abandoning any hope of sleep while the beats shook the walls, we ventured out to the beach and the dance floor. I had some interesting and frustrating conversations in spanish and english with weekend vacationers from Guatemala City. One man denied that the indigenous people living in Guatemala are Mayan because "the Mayan were intelligent." I excused myself.

My aunt, Catherine, arrived in Antigua and we took off adventuring. One afternoon we climbed the volcano Pacaya. A sweaty and steep affair to break through the cloud layer and a step into sci fi as we picked our way over the shoe-melting volcanic rock to get up close to the still flowing lava.
From up here we could see the 3 volcanoes that ring Antigua, perfect blue cones that seemed to float in a sea of clouds.

Lago Atitlàn from the village of San Marcos.
Kaq'chik'el is the language spoken on the this side of Lago. San Marcos is right on the border of the Mayan Kaqchikel state, a rival of the K'iche Maya states. The Kaqchikel actually helped the Spanish conquer the K'iche in the early 1530s.The highlands of Guatemala stretch north from Atitlàn and the people here and in Huehuetenango experienced some of the worst of the genocide in the 1980s.
Haunting views of the volcanoes at dusk.

Catherine and I took a chicken bus (relocated US school bus) up a winding road to the town of Sololà for the Friday market. Very misty and crowded.
Large stands with shellfish, mushrooms, herbs, strange fruits and the usual vegetables from the region. Every inch of land here is cultivated, even the steep slopes around the Lago. Deforestation is a major problem in Guatemala; forests have been cleared for agriculture, firewood and cattle. These practices cause erosion, polluted water sources and a scarred landscape.

Sunday morning Catherine and I hopped a series of chicken buses from Panajachel to Chichicastenango to visit the biggest market in the highlands. The market was as I remembered; crazy big and noisy with sellers and tourists, and the hidden heart where locals eat and sell to each other. Taking crowded buses was the most memorable part - arriving at junction, squeezing past bodies to disembark and being herded to passing bus by a jumble of dusty men. Everyone wants you to get where you're going and the forced closeness of mashing 3 to a seat and 2 in the aisle is strangely comforting.

We walked around for awhile looking for deals and getting an idea of the prices and haggling techniques. Several times we stopped for an agua mineral (fizzy water) to escape the vendors. I found myself guilty of leading on potential sellers because I wanted to chat in Spanish, only to let them down when I cheerfully declined their wares. I bought a reggaeton mix with the most popular jams of the minute and a CD by Manà, a Mexican pop group.

Catherine bought a couple mantle pieces and hangings that are very beautiful and we befriended the buyers and their children. Most vendors are selling someone else's weaving, a hub of merchandise. We visited the lakeside town of San Antonio to see the weaving cooperatives where the artists can eliminate the middleman and keep more of the profit. Very friendly people, also very good charismatic salespeople.

Monday morning I left for Antigua and Catherine stayed in Panajachel for another day of the cooperatives. The ride was long and twisted and I arrived just in time to join Ruthie and some Guatemalan high school students for their construction project. They were preparing the site of a future schoolroom in a neighboring village for the Global Visionaries US and Guatemalan students to construct in June and July. I had worked with them 2 weeks prior and had a blast meeting these kids and hauling bags of sand up a hill. Knowing I was about to explore Guatemala from a more touristy position, I wanted to have another dusty bonding experience before the wonderful feeling of connecting-beyond-culture left me. Working hard and laughing with my Guatemalan peers reminded me of our place in the human family and the joy of fighting toward a common goal.
Pounding the pavement for the last 2 weeks of my travels, I began to see the end. But it wasn't over yet...

´ta cool + happy happy

2007-06-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Success! I found Teshika eating someone else's vanilla banana pancakes in a streetside restaurant in Bocas del Toro, an idyllic archipelago in northeastern Panama. Bocas felt like bliss after 8 hours in Panama City, braving torrential rain and a frighteningly large supermall attached to the bus terminal.
We were, of course, giggly and silly, see banana antics. I was surprised how normal it felt to hang out with a friend from 4 months past. I had to remind myself several times of the amazing feat of being IN PANAMA with one another, not your every day cookie.

Ruthie bopped down from her work in Guatemala for a mini-break with her cousin = more reunions!

This photo captures the essence of our Bocas experience: sunsets the gentle color of sorbet, playing, laughing and enjoying the strange and wonderful things life brings our way.

The sunkissed divas on Wizard Beach. On this day, the waves rolled gently and the water was a liquid turquoise.
Bocas town is on Colon Island, which features beaches within hikey/walkie/busing distance but they pale in comparison to the beaches only accessable by boat. Popping down to any dock, randy captains immediately try to convice you their boat is sea worthy enough to get you to a remote island destination.
Bastimentos Island has a larger local population and several gorgeous beaches, including Wizard. We also went to Blue Monday, a weekly dance discoteca, with crazy fun results.
The other side of Bocas: drug raids, questionable police behaviour and racial profiling galore. Really, I have never felt protected by the police in Latin America.
One night, Teshika, Ruthie, our local friend Olmedo and I were standing outside of Mondu Taitu, a popular hostal/bar, when a white pickup swooped up and MASKED MEN jumped out and surrounded the bar, yelling "police, police!" and scaring the pants off of everyone. A sting! Over the next 2 hours, they proceeded to strip search and arrest all of the locals, then all of the (very drunk and terrified) male tourists, and finally the women.
Their passports were held and everyone was taken to the police station, released between 4 am and some locals not until 9 the next morning. Olmedo never went into the bar but was picked up because he is a local. Teshi and I watched the whole thing from across the street and glowered at the policemen joking around as they loaded people into pickups. Local young men here are very used to being harrassed by the police; every night police come to bars to question and ask for ID from the locals, ignoring the tourists (who are much more likely to be carrying drugs anyway). Most locals have been picked up several times for questioning without being charged. Frustrating, witnessing but being powerless to change the discrimination.
Hostal Heiki, our little abode. Great balcony and streetfront seating below for watching all of Bocas town walk past. Cooked up some mean grilled cheese sammies in the kitchen.

Ahhhh

Time was spent: relaxing/sweating in hammocks, swimming in bathtub temp water, getting sore bums on bikes, sweating on the dance floor, eating, reuniting.

Lots of delicious food.

Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, yummy liquados, amazing dinner of calamari, fish and octopus in different caribbean sauces. And all my grilled cheese too.

The view from the dock at Alex and Olmedo's house after I collapsed from our bumpy, sweaty bike ride to Bluff Beach.

Oh afternoons.

Lovey Teshi: I'm so happy and honored to have spent the last week of your trip with you. You and Ruthie reminded me of so many things I'm grateful for: good friends, the strange reality of traveling, and the wonderful things that propel us in new directions. I'm glad Bocas brought you magic as a parting gift.

One week to go - love, Abby

Indecision!

2007-06-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I´m only about a month behind, anyone want to take bets on how many more I´ll post before I get home? Let´s be optimistic. My aunt Catherine has joined me in Guatemala - who knows where we´ll end up?

So I emerged from the jungle and my ears were assaulted by the modern world. Then I bought a plane ticket to Panama, sending me into a week of slight panic - a time limit? A little silly (you can get anywhere in Ecuador in less than 7 hours) but I felt very rushed and suddenly had no idea as to what I wanted to do for my last week in South America. So I got movin, albeit randomly.
I went to Baños, the adventure town nestled at the foot of an active volcano. On my first night I ran into some wonderful friends I met traveling in southern Peru and we danced the night away, scaring many locals with our crazy moves and facilitating intercultural exchange. They left the next morning.

We went canyoning, rappeling down waterfalls. Warning: Converse shoes have no friction, do not use for walking on waterfalls. Cold cold water and hot hot bodysuits. The last waterfall was a free hang - 45 m drop and pretty fun.

Stayed at Hostal Plantas y Blanco - thanks for the rec, Don. Great view of strange festivities in the plaza and glowing UFOs floating down the mountain.

The next day, I went with 3 other people on a 61 km bike ride from Baños to Puyo. Advertised as a "down hill ride," the only thing I can say is that the overall direction may be down but there were about 15 instances of coming around a corner to find a fatty uphill. It took us 6 hours and the last hour was spent talking about the kinds of food we were dreaming of: lasagna and cinnamon rolls. You may be able to cycle 61km on a Sunday morning, Dad, but you have a pretty bike.
Worth it for the view as we popped out of the mountains and looked out over the jungle.

Part 2 of running around Ecuador: Mindo cloud forest.

After some spiffy busing, I rumbled into the tiny town of Mindo, isolated in a watery cloud. I met a German girl and we went to a rustic lodge on a river. I then realized I had about $30 for the next 3.5 days and proceeded to eat the cheapest food I could find (I eventually bailed a day early so I could go to the parks/take the bus home/not die of starvation).

Spent a day hiking in the Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve, very beautiful and wet. Found some waterfalls and this fun rope swing!

The orchid garden had over 250 species, my favorite flower because they are so vain and perfect. Haha hopefully not a reflection, I just like that they are divas and individuals. The garden was also a hummingbird haven.

3 full days left! what to do?

Otavalo! Actually, this place was the last on my list of places to go in Ecuador, only because the Saturday market is such a cliché tourist destination. Otavalo is about 3 hours to the northeast of Quito. Otavaleños are the most successful indigenous group in Ecuador, famous for their weaving. They wear their traditional clothes proudly (and drive their SUVs proudly, I´m sure). Anyway, arriving on Thursday afternoon allowed me to see normal life for the people in this region.

On Friday I hiked around Lago San Pablo. The walk started off by getting bitten by a mean dog and trudging along a highway in the rain. After turning off the main road, things got better, but the mountains I wanted to see were hidden in the clouds.

I interacted with lots of different local people on the hike, I was the only foreigner the entire time. One woman asked me why I was there and I said, "Oh, just walking around the beautiful lake." She seemed to think that was okay.

Stopped in the big time town of San Pablo, the central plaza filled with school kids. From my table in a tiny restaurant, I watched the kids pack onto buses, pretty funny.

The food there was really tasty, good enough to get me really sick that night. Great.

Finally some sun! Lots of idyllic pastures with cows.

The market in the late afternoon sun. This was Friday, now imagine the streets filled with stalls and tables too, streching all the way down main street. I succumbed to the beautiful pressure of all the handicrafts - even though Bolivia already cleaned up - and bought a few things from cheerful vendors. A new hammock is my favorite - lots of shades of green to wrap myeslf in.

Met a wonderful woman named Madeline from Australia and we went back to Quito together. She went off to Colombia (ohhh I want to go there) the next day and I to Panama.

The animal market in Otavalo - buy, sell, trade yer livestock. Then see if you can drag it away.

The end of my South America adventure for the moment - but I´ll definately be back. I miss traveling in that continent already, something about the people, the mountains, the history and the frightening bus rides.

Lessons from my frantic week? Stop fighting. Traveling blindly and quickly makes appreciating where you are RIGHT NOW that much harder.

See you soon! love, Abby

Encounter. Enjoy. Repeat.

2007-05-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

My experience in the Amazon was peaceful.
Hours paddling in dugout canoes in black water lagoons and rivers, walking through the primary forest and learning about animals and medicinal plants, getting up early to search for toucans, macaws, parakeets and a million other uniquely festooned and crooning birds.
I did not find shamans nor uncontacted native peoples, exotic poison weapons nor 10 foot-long anacondas. I probably could have found those parts of the jungle and someday may return to find them - but only via culturally and environmentally sensitive tourism, a tricky catch.
When I remember the Amazon, it is a very simple feeling of happiness, of freedom from the things we carry, and the joy and curiousity that comes from being surrounded by unadulterated nature. Every sense is delighted and confused; the jungle is alive and at once deceptive and forgiving.

I spent 5 days in the Cuyabeno Reserve, a flooded rainforest and one of the most remote parts of the Ecuadorian Oriente. Cuyabeno and Yasuní are the only reserves in Ecuador that sizeable animals like the jaguar, agouti, capybara and harpy eagle have not yet abandoned because of human encroachment.
This was my introduction to the Amazon: leaving the oil town of Lago Agrio - a sprawling, muggy concrete creation - via bus took us past oil refineries and the terrible pipeline draining the jungle.

3 hours on the bus and 3 more by motor canoe brought us to the Cuyabeno Reserve. The community of Playa Cuyabeno is about 30 minutes from our lodge area. We saw pink dolphins in the wide river in front of the community.

Although we moved faster in the motor canoe, I much preferred streaming along in the dugout canoes, sitting close to the warm dark water.

One afternoon, I sat in the very front and really flew around the soft bends in the river.

Night walking = lots of strange insects and some tarantulas.

Once I entered the jungle, it was like this switch was thrown and I wanted to know everything about everything. My journal has pages of pictures and notes about plants and animals, Quichua phrases and thoughts about the Amazon. I was in a new world, completely unknown and entirely fascinating. I think I was in daze of wonder the whole time.

One day we went paddling for a few hours up a little river and kept hitting all these branches and low fallen trees. I was designated front-of-the-canoe for most of the trip, the one who hurls herself into the foliage to push the canoe to freedom. Lots of shrieks as we went under spider covered logs. Our wonderful guide Domingo had to get out of the canoe at one point to hack through all of this - below him is just water, an impressive feat that he managed to clear the path without falling in.

Walking in the jungle is crazy - it is so dense it looks 2D, like it has no depth, when it is hugely unknowable. You get the feeling that the forest is watching you. Once, in a sassy mood, I pushed some leafy branches out of my way and they immediately slapped me in the face - as if the forest laughed at me for trying to run the place.

Anyway, back to this incredible lightness of being that kind of bubbles up - it´s addictive. Dancing in the moonlight on the wood planked walkways in our campsite, drumming with my feet. Going barefoot or tromping in lovely rubber boots. Swimming under the stars off of the dock in the secretly swift Cuyabeno River. Finding real emotions coming to the surface.

Ok now for some photos.

Tiny mushrooms. So many delicate things grow in the forest.

A tiny frog.

A centipede, scared and rolled up.

I forget what this was, but it´s a medicine! haha. It´s the fiber of a plant all mushed up with water, I do believe you drip it in your ear for earaches but I might be very wrong. It´s written somewhere.

Every 5 or 10 minutes, Domingo would stop and pull a vine or a leaf and talk casually about what crazy curative properties it has. Native peoples followed hunches and ran lots of tests to discover the secrets of the forest: a treatment for nearly everything, poisons, birth control, tumors...

The forest provides in other ways as well. Domingo showed us how to make a very fashionable backpack out of palm fronds for carrying whatever fruits you may be hunting. In a downpour, he quickly built a palm frond shelter. We also made leaf crowns.

Domingo shook him up to make him dizzy and more photogenic.

a crazy spider

Lemon ants! They taste like an explosion of lemony goodness. They live in the branches of trees and their acid causes the ground to be completely clean of other vegetation. Strange. Tasty.

Also ate some tree larvae. I was not too keen to eat these squishy buggers, very much like the Lion King when Simba doesn´t want to eat the grubs. But how often do you get the chance to eat tree larvae in the Amazon? They tasted like coconut creme. Ask to see that picture.

The dock where we went swimming/bathing every night. Very much like Amazonian river sirens.
The first night I went by myself and was convinced that every current was a caiman coming to eat me. Oh the unknown can be made so much worse by an active imagination.

We did go search for caiman at night and found several: devilish orange eyes of fire glowing in the dark. Scary! We managed to startle several into thrashing around in the water. Of course we all screamed.

Domingo was really like an older brother to me. He knew I loved the jungle and was fascinated by its mysteries. He was patient in explaining the different plants and animals and stayed up late to tell us stories about the forest. Instead of disappearing after his guiding was done, he hung out with us in the hammocks, went fishing with us, really just kicked it and was very friendly. Domingo asked me, "You aren´t afraid of the jungle, are you?" I said not really, just that I knew it could be understood. I think this is why we got along so well, we respected the forest and I was a willing student.

We were supposed to have an English speaking guide as well, but only Domingo showed up = spanish the entire time. Luckily everyone spoke some.
The water in the Cuyabeno is black because of decayed foliage and fallen Wito seeds - their dye can be used for tattoos, so of course we made some.

On the last night, we stayed up late and drew tattoos by candlelight. I chose "el buho," an owl. Owls have become my favorite bird, they are so stoic and regal. I had never before seen or heard one in the wild. A very haunting and lovely memory is sitting in a canoe in the lagoon at night, listening to the erie song of the Madre Luna owl.

The tattoo lasted 10 days.

Part of this travel is to learn about myself. This is a time of new experiences, but also a chance to recognize the recurring qualities in the places, people and ideas that I am drawn to. What could be more wonderful? The idea is: find what brings you joy and then follow it.
I´m beginning to see what I need right now is peace. Inner, outer, natural, global, of mind and body, lovely peace.

I´m going to Guatemala tomorrow, very nearly my last month. A big kiss to Teshika for her final day in Central America, I loved finding you in Panama. Con amor, Abby

Galápagos: Animal BONANZA and a New Feeling

2007-05-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

Oh, the world.
In the last 3 weeks I´ve experienced so many different faces of the natural world, seemingly unspoiled by our big, messy footprints.
The islands are a place of raw beauty: jagged geological formations, open ocean and a perfect world without the noise of people. As we stuck to our marked paths on the Galápagos Islands, the wild animals observed us with indifference and sometimes curiosity. I had never before seen a human step aside so a slow-moving iguana could pass. It was interesting to see people show such reverence for animals; as if we secretly admire the natural world just as surely as we destroy it.

Blue-footed Boobies! Besides Darwin´s finches, the other representative for the Galápagos. In the middle of their mating dance, a succession of honking, whistling and plenty of blue-foot lifting that resembles flippered snorklers awkwardly maneuvering on the beach (also on display in the Galápagos). Several other species of boobies inhabit the islands. One afternoon, we watched BFBs and pelicans diving for fish among the mangroves.

The land iguana hanging out under a holly tree- these buggers really seem prehistoric, lumpy heads and spines. They sit like stones in the shade or the sun and once in a blue moon, they move with the utmost precision.
The marine iguana is darker with a smaller head and long tail to propel itself through the water. They evolved from their land brother in order to eat sea greens on the rocks. Kind of frightening to see a mini-dinosaur swimming next to me.

Yes, you all left tanner than you arrived. Even you, Reed.

Ham Toast!

Sea lions are everywhere! They make the funniest sound I´ve heard come from an animal, a cross between a loud burp and a bark. I was constantly giggling when the sea lions were around.
On land, these playful guys lumbered around on mini-legs and seemed to be trapped in a restrictive bodysuit. Once they´re in the water, they glide, jump and spin. Very flexible, doing yoga-like backbends to yap at an annoying neighbor. Sleep on the beach lined up like sardines. Little sea pups abound, curious and approached to sniff our knees.

Penguins!
Another awkward flapper on land, but perfectly graceful in the water. I swam with a few and have some underwater photos to share. They entertained my presence for awhile, but then took off like torpedos into the dark blue.

Giant Galápagos Tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center. I felt a little squirmy at this place, it felt like a zoo. There are lots of politickys around the Center, it would be interesting to learn more about what they actually do for the conservation effort besides rereleasing young tortoises. The last male of a species now resides there - unwilling to mate with another species, it looks like he´ll live out his days in captivity rather than enjoying his bachelor status in peace in the wild.

San Bartolomé - lots of different geological stuff going on here.

Spent most of boat time with my legs dangling over the bow or sleeping on the deck. Felt very free to be moving so swiftly over the water.

Dolphins! I never knew I loved you so much!

Out cruising the ocean, these lovely and powerful animals came to play in the wake of the bow. Whistling and showing off, they were perfectly coordinated and so graceful and joyful. I leaned over the bow as they flew underneath and they seemed to carry the boat on their backs. Dolphins are cool.

My thoughts about the Galápagos are still swimming around my head. Can you teach people new tricks? Connecting with animals on such a basic level might jolt people into seeing the similarity between all living things and the necessity for sharing the one planet we have. A beautiful place and a wonderful time with you, family.

Going to Panama on Sunday to meet up with Teshika. Goodbye South America - until next time! Love, Abby

Frustration

2007-04-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

I made a wonderful entry about the Galápagos. It was full of info, stories, pictures of animals. I was very proud of this entry. It erased itself.

I am now mad at the Galápagos.

Just wanted to say hello before I disappear into the Amazon for 5 days. Going to the Cuyabeno Reserve via the oil town of Lago Agrio. You will get your Galápagos fix in a week, or just talk to Mom, Pop or Bro! Love, Abby

Wandering in the north, too many buses

2007-04-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

After a sleepy and sad farewell to Chimbote, I caught a 9 am bus to Chiclayo to spend a day visiting the world-class museums. Again I was the only foreigner in sight but I thought Chiclayo was a bust - only fried chicken restaurants and loads of shopping. Everyone I talked to was convinced I'd really want to see the super modern Mall just a quick taxi ride away but all I wanted was some vegetables. I visited the impressive Tumbas Reales de Sipan, a 3 story museum with brilliantly crafted gold and bead artifacts from a royal grave of the Mochi. As well the Bruning Museum, anthropomorphic pots. Basically learned a load about pre-Incan cultures in the north of Peru, very talented artesans who figured out how to live in a desert climate.

Hooray! It took 2 buses to get to Máncora, a beach in the north of Peru. I jetted to El Pirata, a super tranquilo hostal outside the main drag, to look for my friends Seb and JM - but they had left that morning for Ecuador! Oh well. The hostal was very caribe-feeling with sand in between the rooms and hammocks everywhere. And not the net kind of hammock that digs into you, but the soft cloth hammock that envelops you and rocks you gently to sleep.

I only have 4 photos from Máncora because I spent all my time hanging out on the beach, eating loads of mangos and papaya and super integral bread, eating other incredible food at night, wearing light clothes instead of sweaters, dancing in the moonlight on the beach. One afernoon, my Spanish friend Loto and I rented surfboards and pretended to surf. Such a different feeling, to be horizontal with the water. We bobbed on the boards and watched the sun set as the real surfers coasted around us. The next night, I dove in the waves as the sun reflected itself in the sunset and was perfect.

By the way, the family has arrived (minor news flash) and we are off to the Galapagos tomorrow morning for 8 days! how lucky we are. love to all

Extreme Living, fun fun fun

2007-04-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

By "Extreme Living" I mean MOUNTAINS and LA PLAYA aka the beach. I am so overwhelmed with how much has happened since Machu Picchu, I could go on for hours and you would have to start ignoring me. It was a fabulous time.
Well, frp, Cuzco I went to Lima, which was not too fabulous although it did feel like a homecoming, returning to sea level. Walking to the ocean in the late afternoon with a wonderful new friend Avi, I could actually smell the salt of the Pacific and followed my nose to the sea. Got a little stuck in Lima, distracted by other young travelers and stellar grocery stores, but finally got myself to the mountain town of Huaraz, in time for one of the most stunning 6am arrivals: morning light illuminating the Cordillera Blanca and the peaks that rim the city. I actually exclaimed out loud when I saw these mountains.
I was thinking of going on a 3 or 4 day trek in the cordillera but it was still the end of the rainy season and not the best for trekking. I met several great people, Lea from Australia and Seb and JM from Alberta. We went on a day hike to Laguna 69 after taking 2 hours of taxi to get into the mountains. This was especially memorable because I saw my first glacier! The lake was pure blue, deeper than the sky. The clouds above us shifted so every once in awhile a new mountain would appear and we´d all shout about that.

JM and Seb are Ultimate players and actually travel with a disc, so that was fun. This lovely disc caused the next 3 days of new friends and fun; Seb and I went to throw in the plaza and met Melisa and Mey Lin, two girls from Chimbote, and Sandino from Huaraz. After 20 minutes of terrible but funny throwing Sandino gave us a late night tour of huaraz. I told the girls I´d be passing through Chimbote on my way up the coast and they invited me to stay with them. It´s amazing how quickly you can become friends with people, especially if you can simply let your guard down and let people in. And laugh a lot.

I don´t know why this picture is in the middle, it´s strange. JM SebLea and I were going to go to a magical forest of stones called Hatumachay to go climbing with a incredibly nice Argentinian guy, but we were rained out. JM and Seb jetted to the beach in the north and I took the afternoon bus through Cañon del Pato, a spectacular and narrow valley (and narrower road). Unforgettable bus ride, which is very unique as I usually would rather forget every bus ride ever in South America. I want to come back to Huaraz, it is so beautiful and one could spend months here climbing and trekking.

Spent the next 2 1/2 days with new friends in Chimbote! Such a fun group of close friends, hilarious and very caring and friendly. I am so grateful for their generosity. I stayed in Melisa´s house and we went to a local pool and got way sunburned, ate my first ceviche, rode in mototaxis, went to the discotecque 2 nights in a row?? and took over 1000 pictures between 3 cameras. So much spanish speaking too, different to be talking with young people. I have to come back!

Was going to write about the beach and the beginning of Ecuador but the internet place is closing, will do it tomorrow before the Galapagos! Love! Abby

Eternal mountains, indescribable beauty and the natural sound

2007-03-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

The Inca Trail passed like a dream, climbing endless stone steps among abrupt mountains, visiting ruins sitting high above the misty valley and always the feeling of being in a timeless place. We "sube"ed and "baja"ed thousands of meters, always more and more stairs but every time I stopped to breath, my breath was stolen by what I saw. Reaching Macchu Pichu did feel like an accomplishment, but certainly parts of the journey rivlaled the beauty of MP. Despite the exhaustion by the end, if I could´ve kept walking in the mountains, I would have.
Here is Cuzco, an endless party city with secrets of Inca culture within and all around.
The Sacred Valley runs parallel to the Urubamba River and Inca ruins lie pocket the entire region. The Inca Trail to MP is a very roundabout way of getting to the sacred city; a more direct route for messengers along the river cuts the journey by 75% but the Trail was used by noble people journeying to MP and took the pilgrams closer to the gods. Most of the various ruins along the trek are temples to the sun, moon, the rainbow, or are watchtowers and wayside inns.
These mountains graced our sight the entire time.

Very cloudy and mysterious the entire trek, as seen behind these flowers. The first two days were mostly scrub grass and flowers at the high elevations and passes, but after descending 1000m we entered the cloud forest, jungle-like with vines and orchids and humidity to boot.

The Spanish came to Cuzco in 1532, killed both Kinca kings of the period and destroyed most of the temples and buildings in the Sacred Valley. Excavations in Cuzco are unearthing the foundations of temples underneath modern buildings.

The reason MP exists today: the Spanish never found it. The first half of the orignal trail was destroyed by the Inca to protect the location of the sacred city, but it has been reconstructed for contemporary trekkers. Keep in mind there are thousands of "Inca Trails" in Peru - the Inca communicated and exported goods through an enormous empire of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and more.
Sometimes we came to passes where I felt like I was flying. A perfect feeling.

A big rock. These are often built into the Inca structures. They were damn smart. I really can´t get over how innovative these people were, astronomy, impossibly perfect walls, remote living, no wheel technology.

On the 3rd night we stayed near the ruin of Wiñawayna, the last stop before MP. If you ask, I´ll tell you lots about the Inca, I learned a bucket full.
My friend Tatum from Montreal and I stayed until dark. Out on a ledge, the jungle above and right below, full of night noises, the steep valley to our left, the air was charged with enchantment. A magical place, I cannot describe in words.

We reached the Sun Gate around 6 am Monday, panting after a steep climb. The legend of the Sun Gate is to watch the sunrise over MP, but during the rainy season it is very rare. Upon reaching it, the valley was full of clouds and many people exclaimed in disappointment of not being able to see Macchu Pichu. I found this slighty hilarious and frustrating - I was so happy and blown away by what I saw, the mountains and the valley - I knew MP lay below even if I couldn´t see it - and I couldn´t see the point in being disappointed when we´d already seen so much beauty thus far. At least it wasn´t raining. yet.

In this photo MP would be in the valley in the foreground, to the left.

We sat on a stone terrace over Macchu Pichu, mostly empty of early bird tourists. We were surrounded by a curtain of mist. From above us, a lute began a haunting song and everyone fell silent, listening to the old music and soaking in the magic of the immense city below. A very powerful impression of MP.

One part of the ruins. I have loads of photos if you really want to see, but you should just go check it our yourself if you want to get the real feeling.

Tatum and I decided to climb Huayana Pichu ("young mountain") even though there was the possibility of seeing nothing but clouds from the top. We started up, it started raining and we were without jackets. 40 minutes and 25 songs later, we reached the famous MP lookout to see a few seconds of ruins and then white. This photo should have MP in the background, but it´s okay.

Here is your general posed photo to send home - except these stones are enormous. The fortress of Sacyhuaman, the head of the puma of Cuzco.

Im currently in Huaraz in the north of Peru, incredible mountains all around. Will go to Trujillo and the north coast of Peru and then book it to Quito to meet the family on April 8. See you soon parents and bro! To all the rest, keep living with spirit and know that this time is passing so incredibly fast - make the most of it! love to all, Abby

things happen fast, okay?

2007-03-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

So Potosi was 3 weeks ago and I´ve done a few things since then. I spent a week and a half in Sucre, where I met some great people, attempted to volunteer at an orphanage, got sick and lay in bed for 3 days, and wandered the colonial streets and mercados. I knocked on the door of a parochial school and a little woman gave me the key to the roof where I climbed the bell tower - a gorgeous panoramic view of the white city. Freya left me a good group of friends: Damien, a nurse in the Outback; Mike, a wandering Dutch guy who becomes my olde"brother"; Crazy Tony, a British dentist on vacation (he gives me lots of gum); and Marion, also from Holland.
On the last day of Carnaval we go to Yolosa, a sweaty bus ride away, to see the running of the bulls. We find out when we get there - there are no bulls. Just all of the bolivians from Sucre and we are the only foreigners. In keeping with Carnaval tradition, we are incessantly attacked with water balloons, guns and foam BIG time. For some reason we go into the center of the plaza, where so much foam gets in my eyes that I can´t see and I stop and put my hands over my face in the hope that people will stop spraying me. They don´t, and my head is a mountain of foam. Finally Marion pulls me out of the war zone and some women break water balloons over my head to wash away the foam. I am crying and laughing. Cold and wet, we talk with some Bolivians about politics and end up with a ride back to Sucre in the back of a pickup, getting water dumped on us by kids by the side of the road. Way fun day, ok so memorable.

Squeezing orange juice. If I really tried I could eat every meal on the street or the market. Although my bank account would love this, my stomach might not, as I can only eat so many humintas (cheese and maiz tamales), empanadas and mangoes per day.

I went back to La Paz and actually enjoyed myself this time. I mailed a box of stuff I didn´t want to carry - I´m becoming a big believer in traveling as light as possible. I met a few interesting people but also just enjoyed walking around this busy city by myself. Shoeshine boys in La Paz where ski masks and approach you on every corner, startling at first but they are mostly young boys. The last morning in La Paz, I went to Plaza San Francisco to meet Nelson, a 12 year old shoeshine boy, for juice. I went at 7 am and saw the city at its calmest, empty except for men getting ready for work and women cooking huge pots of food for breakfast in the mercado. The morning sun coming through, the air the cleanest Ive ever seen in La Paz and none of the usual car horns and calls to buy. Beautiful.

My friend didn´t come at 7 and I had to go catch a bus at 7:30 to Copacabana, I didn´t get to see him again. But I did meet these two boys who wanted to know if I was here to interview shoeshine boys about their lives and work. Sadly no, but I did get some funny photos.

Bused to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca, small town with a beauty of a cathedral, Moorish influence and domes. Not too much going on here except trout trout trout in every way possible. I met Julian from France, Barbara from Switzerland and Jason from England during lunch of trout. Julian and I climbed a craggy hill and got a tour of a solstice rock and other formations from 6 little kids, one already a professional guide at age 7. After the history lesson we all played with the cameras and joked around. Kids are kids: no matter if they are selling you something, they´d rather be playing.

Boated to Isla del Sol, hiked around on Saturday and Sunday and boated back in the afternoon. The calmest lake I´ve ever seen, perfect and enormous like the ocean. Intense sun and 5 hours of walking on Sunday were rewarded with deliciously thick hot chocolate at a tranquilo hippie cafe/bar in Copacabana. I met 3 women traveling together and we are now all in Cuzco: Kate from Ireland, Natalia from Spain and Sarah from Vancouver Island. Did you know that really all Canadians talk very quickly. Really, all of them, except those from Quebec.

Sunset on Isla del Sol. Asleep by 10, I woke up at 7 to a crisp and silent morning. Amazing.

In Cuzco in a backpacker´s hostal, wandering streets perfectly fitted Inca stones and going to clubs....because that´s just what you do in Cuzco. And trek to Machu Picchu, which I´m going to do this Friday. Everyone think dry thoughts! All the best, Abby

Potosi and thoughts from beyond

2007-03-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

Just a thought before some stories: Most every time I hear the whirr of a computer or the vibration of some distant machine I think, "cellphone." It´s strange that our reactions we´d most like to leave behind are the ones that hang on the longest.

One sweaty overnight bus from Cochabamba lat Friday and I arrived in Sucre, a brilliantly white city which seemed to have everything - cultural events, beautiful parks, shopkeepers that call me "mamita"- but it was not to be, in that moment.

An hour after sitting down in Joy Ride Cafe, the "not just for gringos" bar, my friend Freya walked in. This was a minor miracle, as we had tried unsuccessfully to meet up in the jungle and then Sucre and she was supposed to have gone to Potosi the day before. Hooray! Amazing, like seeing an old friend. Decided on the spot to go with her and another friend to Potosi to see the mines and return to Sucre after.

This is a post-mines photo. We are completely covered in dust, including our lungs, exhausted and grateful to see the light of day.

The life of miners is very hard - they work between 5 and 10 hours a day, some as young as 8 years old. There is no protection when inside the mines other than gas lamps which indicate the presence of posionous gases. Miners wear flimsy rubber boots and helmets and only chew coca leaves during the whole day while working.

We crawled on our stomachs, hands and knees through tunnels, some lined with logs to make vertical climbing easier. Down mine shafts, the air filled with dust so thick I could only take shallow breaths without coughing. Most miners don´t use those white breathing masks because it becomes too hot to breath, especially when pounding at rock all day. Some people in our group turned back when the tunnels became too narrow and we that kept going ran out of water and were soaked in sweat and exhaustion. Since it was Carnaval week there were only around 15 miners as opposed to 200, but I think if it had been any more crowded in there I would´ve turned back as well. Definately not a Disneyland adventure. This was one of the largest parts of the mine. When we found some miners we gave them gifts of coca and soda. Miners have a few rituals and superstitions, which make sense since they are risking their lives every moment they are in the earth. Before working they offer goodies to Tio, the devil and the owner of the mines, no women are allowed, preferably, because they would tempt el Tio and make Pachamama upset and bad mining would result; and a strange one about always doing things in doubles, like two handfuls of coca leaves...

Said goodbye to Freya as Nick (another

Canadian) went back to Sucre and she on to the salt flats. The reunion with Freya and my spontaneous trip to Potosi is a reminder that things can turn out well if you just let go and stop trying to control everything... I´ve seen so far on my trip, especially in Bolivia-where-things-always-work, that plans change in an instant and you just gotta roll.
On the bus back to Sucre, another Carnaval parade in a tiny town, marching band in white and people running past the bus.
in Potosi we also met some silly English boys who embarrassed themselves by dancing wildly in a murky Bolivian bar. Then we went to a different club and had a better time. It´s funny the people you meet one day will be your buds for the night and the next day everyone leaves...

Speaking of leaves: these are coca leaves. I finally tried it with the catalyzing stone - really gross and salty. Succeeded in turning half of my tongue numb but not much else. In the mines it was nice to have something to chew on to distract from the terrible surroundings. Women sell these from huge bags. Coca is very much a part of their traditional culture, but only in the Yungas and a few other areas is it grown with the "proper respect" due such a sacred leaf. Around Cochabamba, where the majority of the coke leaves come from, respect for coca has been reduced to money money money. It´s sad to hear about, especially when the DEA and our own government has had so much to do with the degredation of coca and traditional culture of the campesinos in that area.

Still in Sucre, crazy how time flies, probably will leave on Tuesday or Wednesday. Trying to fight sickness and stuggling to clear my head from thoughts in Spanish... hasta pronto, Abby

Photos from Cochabamba

2007-02-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

After Carnaval in Oruro I wanted to go to Sucre, the judicial capital of Bolivia and it´s most beautiful city, but all of the bus tickets were sold out for the next two days. Not wanting to stay in dusty Oruro any longer, I hopped on a bus for Cochabamba. Cochabamba made the news a month ago for violent conflict between police, the campesinos and wealthy citizens. There have been road blockades and many people warned me not to go, ¨too dangerous¨and unstable. I found it calm, the people friendly. It was still Carnaval, although a more family oriented party than Oruro. I loved this, some moms and pops dancing in the street to some live music.

Every business had coals burning in the doorway, usually filling whatever internet cafe or shop with smelly smoke, an offering to Pachamama, mother earth. Most stores were closed as everyone was celebrating and drinking.

Water balloons falling from balconies on my head, kids having balloon fights in the streets.

After a couple days things returned to normal and Cbba came back to life.

Very few tourists - not sure whether it was Cbba´s bad press or just that there isn´t a lot to do here besides go to the enormous market and eat in chic cafes. Had some Japanese food, miss you Kawai family!

it´s very hard to take photos in markets, you have to be very sneaky.

A information board and shrine to the two campesinos who died in the conflict. The Cochabamba department is very divided between the campesinos (mostly coca growers) and the wealthier citizens. The departmental government is controled by the wealthy people party but the national is controled by Morales, who represents the campesinos (he was a cocalero himself not long ago). The regional government is trying to make a law to gain autonomy from the national government - they are not used to having the money but not the political power, which now theoretically belongs to the campesinos. It´s more complicated than this too, because there are both national and regional police forces loyal to different parties. Bolivia has a lot of problems and some people think Morales will not last his full 5 year term. Bolivia is used to having several presidents in one year.

Hasta luego from Sucre - Abby

2007-02-25T09:46:00.000-08:00

Hey! I´m SO far behind on my retelling of adventures because loading pictures takes a really long time. The pictures will keep coming of course but I want to be able to tell stories more often. Photos are fun though, huh?
After Sorata I had planned on trying the jungle again but I decided to go to Carnaval in Oruro - the biggest fiesta in Bolivia. Just as well because the jungle and most of Bolicia continues to be one enormous swamp, making travel very difficult, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6392847.stm . Carnaval was crazy - a good time but I hope to never go back to this one. The main street was lined with teetering wooden bleachers and parades went from 10 am to 2 am Saturday and Sunday. The costumes: Devils with huge hoods like dungeoness crabs, women in varying stages of nakedness and stylized traditional dress, masks, marching bands. Beer everywhere, people drunk in the morning, men peeing everywhere, even the dancers were offered drinks by the crowds. Guaranteed by the time they reached the stadium, everyone was drunk. Fireworks on every corner. And it never stopped. From my room blocks away I could hear the bass drums, trumpets, cheers, whistles and car horns - the ultimate block party. The other trademark of Bolivian Carnaval is water fights. After one day of walking around, I was so jumpy, my finger on the button of my spray foam waiting for someone walking past to attack first. Kids running around having a blast hitting anyone and everyone with water guns and balloons. We bought plastic ponchos but people just smash balloons on your head and it goes down your back... ahh so fun running around having foam fights with strangers. I thought of you, all my friends, and how you would have loved it. The last night we danced with the dancers in the streeet until the wee hours during a tremendous thunder storm. So exhausted and left for Cochabamba the next day, where I learned about Coca growers and the Drug War in Bolivia. More on that later. Going to meet people to see the running of the bulls and even more drunk people, if that´s possible. Ciao!

Ketchup

2007-02-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

Hey lovelies, so I tried to go to the jungle but my flight to Rurrenabaque was canceled twice and I decided to postpone that adventure and go to Sorata. I met an Argentinian woman, Veronica, at the airport and we traveled together all the way through Carnaval.

This photo is such a lie. We look chipper but really this bus ride was hot, stinky and crowded. Also my first (hopefully last?) road blockade experience, campesinos blocked it with stones but moved them after looking at some Bolivian ID cards... strange. Anyway we were lucky, I´ve met several people who´ve been delayed hours because of blockades to major cities and apparently the airport was blockaded for a few days.
Also roads are in terrible condition because it is raining SO much, landslides and just really dangerous roads. I´m missing most of Bolivia because it´s too hard to get there or it´s too rainy to explore much.

Here are some cows. Kind of related, yogurt here is very liquidy and no spoon required. Coconut is a very good flavor but hard to find.

That´s me with my pack, walking to our hostel. Don´t I look adventurous.

Also an example, although far away, of traditional altiplano dress: big skirts layered 7 times and lots of sweaters and shawls. Everyone in this outfit appears very overweight - I´m told they are not, but really most Bolivians are very unhealthy, loads of bread and meat and fats and not superb education and health care.

So veronica and I went on a hike to the San Pedro Cave. It rained the first part of the journey + humidity = very sticky. Very pretty

Also very muddy walking along the road. Several cars sliding in the mud, almost going over the edge.

The cave was cool, we were the only tourists so the guy showed us the way. Full of bats and Veronica was terrified. Really we had several hilarious encounters with bats.

On a different note our hostel had amazing food, including delicious yogurt, oatmeal, nut and fruit breakfast. And good bread.

Coming back from our hike was soooo long and hot and the road never ended. I felt like this.

But then we made it back and had Capirinas, a Brazilian drink. And I played cards and Connect Four with the little girl living in the hostel, Estefanie.

The next day we went to the river to wash our clothes because the water to Sorata was cut off.

Sorata is usually the take off point for people going on treks to the Yungas, but it´s so rainy and the off season, so not much goin on. Met a french couple, very funny.

This llama has funny eyebrows.

Whew this is a long entry. Ok this is La Paz, a giant bowl of crowded living. The poorest barrios are on the sides of the valley and up above. Downtown is in the bottom. It goes on forever.

Huyana Potosi, the highest peak in Bolivia.

Ill tell you all about Carnaval in the next installment. Thinking of you, really YOU, and hope to hear from you.

hugs, Abby

just a minute....

2007-02-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hey friends - I´m in Oruro for Carnaval! I have so much to say and no time right now, maybe tomorrow or the next day, but here are a few pics until then. I went to Sorata - mountains and hiking and we found a hostel with an amazing view. more of the adventures to come...

this was just a crazy tree. when i was taking this photo for like 5 mins these argentinians thought i was takinga photo of them and they were laughing and laughing.

love, promise ill write more soon, abby

The Mysterious Yungas and Hammock Time!

2007-02-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Wanting an escape from the crazy drivers and the urge to buy every Bolivian hat in La Paz, I hopped on a bus bound for Coroico, a small destination town in the Yungas. We took the new highway, not the World´s Most Dangerous Road (now only for bikers and suicidal drivers), and I sat next to a 20 year old Bolivian kid named Luis. We talked about teenage stuff and then read the newspaper together, very interesting times in Bolivia - a couple days ago a miner´s protest in La Paz of 20,000 and lots of explosions, apparently not uncommon - and Evo Morales is making lots of speeches. It´s a little unsettling to be here in the middle of it all, but it´s worth it.

So this kid got to experience my disbelief and WOWs as we rolled past huge craggy green cliffs shrouded in clouds. I said ¨the Inca´s lived HERE?¨ so amazing, I almost cried. It is a very powerful place, sorry I didn´t get a picture on the way in, this one´s on the road home and it was harder to see.

This is the view of the valley from the Hostal Esmerelda, a splurge at $8 a night, with a pool and hammocks, a cranky front desk lady and faltering electricity.

So I went on a hike on the wrong road in search of a nonexistent hostel. Even though all the locals along the road told me ¨No hay nada por aca¨there´s nothing down this road, I thought no no it´s gotta be here. After a long time, I was like ¨what am I doing here?¨ but in a silly way

But then I met this old wrinkly lady picking leaves, and she showed me that you can crush this leaf in water to make shampoo au natural. Cool! I don´t know the name, she mumbled.

I´ve been asking people for directions often, or having minute conversations about whether it will rain and if I have enough time for a walk. It´s wonderful. Today I asked some vendors of fine Bolivian wares about the Aymara language and they seemed delighted I was interested. Observing other travelers who are genuinely joyful is very inspiring.

My favorite hangout, under a cabana at the edge of the hostel property and the edge of the mountain. I was a little sick the second morning, a perfect excuse to lie in a hammock for hours.

I met a wonderful British artist, joyful Freya. We met in La Paz but spent the day together in Coroico and again in La Paz. So cute! we talked about our future houses in the the English countryside, traveling solo, sleeping in hammocks in Mexico, flower gardens. Lovely. We sat on the hammocks and watched this huge thunderstorm roll in. At first it was big time lightning in the valley and then the clouds swept through our cabana until all we could see was white! Compare to previous photo. The power went out, number 1 of 4.

We will hopefully meet again in Rurrenabaque, after we are each done exploring the jungle - we want to take a boat to Cochabamba.

The clouds were amazing, if you were wondering.

love, Abby

Southwestern Bolivia - but only a bit because you´ve gotta see it for yourself

2007-02-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

The Altiplano Lakes of Bolivia - not the salt flats - stole most of the airtime on the 3 day Salar de Uyuni tour. It was fine, they are beautiful. The landscape was so harsh and simple, we were definately day-trippers to this strange place. Strong wind, thin air, lots of llamas and flamingoes. A vicuna (a relative of the llama) tried to spit on me yesterday but it was unsuccessful.

these are llamas i think. there are really about 5 different animals that all look very similar: vicuna, llama, alpaca (very soft fur for hats, etc), guanaco, maybe more?

flamingoes may not have an "e" in the name afterall, but they are beautiful when they fly, if slightly awkward taking off. Their knees bend the other way, I realized. This may be another reason they look silly. They are ubiquitous.

Sunrise on the salt flats

bam

2007-01-31T16:12:00.000-08:00

this computer is fantastically slow, so these are all i can show you before i leave for bolivia. also, i have a date with a big bowl of pesto pasta in about 10 minutes. surely not as good as yours, booey.

the sunset on cuatro esquinas beach

it looks like a dinosaur trying to emerge from the earth

valle de la luna

Valparaiso - kind of like San Fran but more Chileans

2007-01-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

Valparaiso is kind of like Boggle, a very jumbled city within precisely ordered streets that run up and down the hills. I walked for hours and found tiny stairways cut into the hills, ascensores that lift you to a higher street and reveal the harbor - basically incredible views around every turn.

I stayed in a hostel with high ceilings and the sun would come in and whooosh, a dream. Some of my fav time standing at the kitchen window eating avocados... also Ive eaten ice cream every day

The view from Pablo Nerudas house, La Sebastiana. Really quirky, cool fireplace.

Afternoon i.e. 7 pm drinks with Ben, a lovable englishman. Sitting above Valparaiso, the whole city underneath this balcony - I thought, how did I come to be sitting right here... travel is amazing

Art is everywhere

Other notes -

Hana i did eat crepes too, really delish.

went to a chilean club with some norwegian girls who didnt speak a word of spanish and a Canadian who says things like ¨many many many many¨and Ï was so excited I was like äaaah yes¨¨ we were the only foreigners...

love you all

Some photos maybe?

2007-01-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

I´ve decided to post photos from the city I´ve just come from, wherever that is. You´ll all be a bit behind, but enjoy. ALso the formatting is weird, bear with me. Santiago looks kind of grim compared to the Valparaiso, but it really was a good time, just a big city.

<--- This is for Hana
I almost ate some crepes yesterday too... ooooh. instead i had a veggie burger, very south american

La Plaza de Armas, where I wandered accidentally. I naively asked a young woman to take my picture and she happily agreed and then asked if I wanted to chat while she waited for her boyfriend. We talked in spanish for so long! and she told me how stupid I was to hand her my camera because many would have stolen it. Very true and a good lesson, but I´m happy I took the chance because it allowed me to meet her.

Here I am in front of the Palace de Moneda - the national palace - with my new sunglasses I´ve already lost

A view of Santiago from Cerro Santa Lucia, a beautiful park full of chilean lovers. It seems nearly all chileans have a boy/girlfriend (pololo/a) that they spend all free time whispering to or kissing in public parks. Lovely.

that´s all for now, Valparaiso photos next, they´re fantastic. love, abby

Santiago

2007-01-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

Hola a todos - I am safe in Santiago, a whole hemisphere away from you. I am staying at La Casa Roja where I´ve met a bunch of people, most on their way around the world and most from Australia. I´ve already got a bit of an accent from spending too much time with them... Yesterday was Sunday, so streets and stores were deserted - not very welcoming for my first day. I think there were more stray dogs out than people, it kind of looked like post-apocalypse. But as lonely as the first 8 hours were, things are looking up and I´m surprised at how passable my Spanish is. Santiago is very euro and chileans are big fans of pda and driving fast. I think I´m heading to Valparaiso on the coast tommorrow and then to San Pedro - the Atacama desert - on Wed or Thurs. It´s hard to imagine this is just day 2 of 5 months... love you, hasta pronto, Abby