Argentina Rocks!

This is Argentina. 

Today , you can join me over at Women Rockin' The Road, where I am talking about being a vegetarian in Argentina, one of the beef capitals of the world.  

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Also, I have a winner to announce for the Back to The Books Giveaway Hop.

Drum roll please....

And the winner is....

Number drawn by random.org.
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TALAMPAYA NATIONAL PARK... A World heritage Landmark by UNESCO

Located some 217 km. from La Rioja city (capital of La Rioja province), Argentina, Talampaya National Park is the most visited tourist destination in La Rioja, that you can combine with a visit to neighboring Ischigualasto Provincal Park, in San Juan province.

Both Parks share a geological basin of around 5.000 km.

Talampaya is named after the Quechua "Dry riverbed of the Tala" (Tala is a tree), as it was running water from the Talampaya river that created its steep-walled sandstone canyons - 150 meters high some of them - during Permian and Triassic times...

There is also an archaeological record of caves and shelters (burial sites, habitations, etc.) as well as rock art: figures, zoomorph engravings and geometrical motifs that goes back to the years 120-1180 AD.

You can visit the remains at two sites: in la Puerta de Talampaya (entrance to Talampaya National Park) and Los Pizarrones (the blackboards).

Its mos distinctive fauna - around 250 millions years ago - were the Lagosuchus Talampayensis(dinosaur) and Palaeocheris Talampayensis(turtle).

Today, you'll find mainly a common type of grey fox, armadillos and vizcachas. Andean condors and falcons are also a frecuent sight in the area.

Please note that that Park access is by guided tour only, irrelevant if you choose to do it by foot, bicycle or a 4WD vehicle. The entrance fee is $12.00 (around U$S 3) and you can visit it all year round (preferable in the morning,to avoid the afternoon heat).

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Córdoba

Córdoba is one of the most important economic centers in the country. It has with many contrasting features— it is both a cultural and tourist-like destination, a traditional and modern city, with an industrialized as well as a home-made production.


A hilly landscape and favorable weather conditions are distinctive in Córdoba, a place where natural sceneries are mixed with colonial monuments. Little towns, historical antiques and cave paintings are found in a pleasant valley landscape, high plains and gorges. 


Cordoba’s hills rise toward the northwestern Pampas plains. They are part of the “Sierras Pampeanas” mountain range, reaching 2,790 m high in the Champaqui hill. All these hills are particularly appealing because of their fertile valleys, deserts and salt mines. 


All along the way northward, you will find many 17th and 18th century chapels and farmhouses inherited from the Jesuits.

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Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier is a must-see in Argentina. Together with twelve other glaciers it is part of one of the largest sliding masses of ice and snow in Los Glaciares National Park. This glacier, having a front wall of 5 Km long, is 60 m high above Lake Argentino and it is in the middle of its way forward. At any time during the year, chunks of ice can constantly be seen collapse and shatter into multiple floes. It can be reached from El Calafate, 80 Km away, where a lake itinerary can also be taken to 50 Km long Upsala glacier; Onelli and Agassiz glaciers can be seen after a 1.5 Km walk through forests of low deciduous beeches and ñires starting at the Onelli Bay.


The Perito Moreno Glacier can be watched from footbridges right in front of it, or from trip boats that come close to its walls. Going inside the glacier is an unforgettable experience, as well as taking walks on it and into the moraine, exploring caverns, drains and ice

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The Jesuit Block in the City of Córdoba

The Jesuit Block in the City of Córdoba includes the Church of the Compañía de Jesús, the Domestic Chapel, the Jesuits Residence and the Principal’s Office of the National University of Córdoba –former Compañía de Jesús High School— with its own administrative buildings, the Cloisters, the Conferring Room, the Library and the Monserrat National High School.


In 1599 the Jesuits settled in Córdoba, in the plot of land provided by the local City Hall, where there had been a small chapel since 1589 that soon became too small to accommodate priests, students and faithful locals. This is why the building work began in 1606, which later on would become the present Jesuit Block. Successively, more buildings were built for the High School (1610), the University (1622), the Royal School of Our Lady of Montserrat (which was founded in 1687 but set up in its present site in 1782, after the expulsion of the Compañía), and also the Novitiate (towards 1710). The Church and the Domestic Chapel were built from 1644 to 1671. The old chapel, one of the oldest ecclesiastical buildings preserved in Argentina, constitutes the Domestic Chapel Sacristy.


The Jesuit estancias (large cattle ranches) in Córdoba are a singular sample of the productive organization of the religious members of Compañía de Jesús in the country, and this is still shown in a carefully preserved architecture. Though history demonstrated that the farms were acquired for economic purposes in order to support schools and universities, the estancias were of course used “for missionary purposes, thus turning into religious centers.” 

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Mendoza Province... A paradise for outdoor living, recreation and adventure

The province of Mendoza is located in the central west of Argentina, by the Andes range (a geologically young system uplifted in the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods), and pretty close to Chile.

Its capital bears the same name and was founded in 1560 by Pedro del Castillo.

The region payed an important role in the war of independence against Spain. It was here that general Jose de San Martin recruited and trained the army that gave freedom to Chile and Peru as well.

Mendoza is synonimous of peace and welfare, excellents wines and the friendliest of people. A paradise for outdoor living, recreation and adventure.

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Iguazu Falls Is One Of The Top Destinations In South America

The Iguazu Falls is one of the largest collections of waterfalls in the world. There are about 275 waterfalls spread across 2.7 kilometres of the Iguazu River. The Iguazu Falls are located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, and can be viewed from both sides. Taller than Niagara Falls, twice as wide with 275 cascades spread in a horsehoe shape over nearly two miles of the Iguazu River, Iguazú Falls are the result of a volcanic eruption which left yet another large crack in the earth.

On the Brazilian side, the easiest way to get to the falls is from the town of Foz do Iguaçu. The falls is about 20 km from the town centre of Foz, and can easily be accessible by public bus or taxi.

Crossing over the border to Argentina, the closest town you can base yourself is the town of Puerto Iguazu. The town is roughly 40km from the Argentinean side of the falls, and is accessible by public bus or taxi as well. The Argentinean side has 2/3 of the falls, and is where you will find the most spectacular views of the falls.

Best seen from the Brazilian side is the spectacular Devil’s Throat, garganta del diablo, where fourteen falls drop 350 feet with such force that there is always a 100 foot cloud of spray overhead. Watch for the rainbow!

The Argentinean side has the top view of The Devil’s Throat, and has several walks to view the rest of the waterfalls. The national park is enormous, and one can easily spend a couple of days taking in all the breathtaking walks and activities that are on offer. Getting from the entrance to The Devil’s Throat on its own would take nearly an hour, taking both the train and walking the 1 km of walkway towards the edge of the Devil’s Throat.

The park also offers a river cruise, where you can see the exotic wildlife native to the area, and a cruise is also available to get to San Martin Island, one of the islands at the basin of the falls where a few more walking trails can be explored. Taking a cruise back to the start instead of the train from the Devil’s Throat is a great idea. One can see the exotic and varied wildlife in along the Iguazu River and experience being on the big river that feeds the falls.

Iguazú Falls, called Foz do Iguaçu in Portuguese, and Cataratas del Iguazú in Spanish, lie on the Argentina – Brazil border and are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. 

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Patagonia

The Andean Mountain Range displays all its greatness in the Patagonian provinces. Thousand-year-old silent forests with native vegetation extend to the banks of the lagoons. On mountain tops, nature overflows in granite needles and icy fields brimming with glaciers in lakes of unique beauty. The paintings on the sides of the Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands) have survived for about 10,000 years, and embody the oldest expression of the South American peoples.


Imposing mammals and sea birds go through some rough seasons on the Patagonian coasts where they spend part of their life cycle. Colonies of sea lions play and rest on small islands and sandbars. Southern elephant seals have their greatest continental station in the world on Península Valdés. Nuevo and San José gulfs, separated by Carlos Ameghino isthmus, bear witness to the arrival of the Southern Right Whale, which punctually gets there for giving birth and breeding. Creole hares, rheas and guanacos (a lowland relative of the upper-Andean llama) run through the plains, and in Punta Tombo the largest colony of Maguellanic penguins nests. The amazed look of the visitor beholds this cadence that has been repeating itself since time immemorial. 


Farther south, you should visit Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia— the latter being the southern-most city in the world. They are both an open door to the immense solitude of mysterious Antarctica.

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Gonzalo Lopez

Some new photos of the hairy Argentinian amateur bodybuilder.

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Litoral

This is a region of large rivers, humid tropics, red earth, magnificent forest, a virgin forest full of huge trees and extraordinary flora and fauna. Great Waters – “Iguazú” in the Guaraní language – overflowing into one of the world’s wonders: the Iguazú Falls.

A scenery of exuberant beauty spreading along the Iguazú National Park, Saltos del Moconá (Moconá Falls), Río Pilcomayo National Park, El Palmar National Park, Esteros del Iberá (Iberá Swamps) or the Chaco plains.

Apotheosis of Nature, where the Jesuit ruins, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO, are a vivid testimony of the Society of Jesus’ fruitful work.

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Cementerio de la Recoleta

This is arguably Buenos Aires’ number-one attraction, and a must on every tourist’s list. You can wander for hours in this amazing city of the dead, where countless ‘streets’ are lined with impressive statues and marble sarcophagi. Peek into the crypts and check out the dusty coffins – most of which hold the remains of the city’s most elite sector of society – and try to decipher the history of its inhabitants. Past presidents, military heroes, influential politicians and the just plain rich and famous have made it past the gates here. Hunt down Evita’s grave, as all visitors try to do 

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Gonzalo Hernan Lopez from Argentina

I like hairy armpits...












Country: Argentina 
Birthdate: 1978 
Height: ? 
Off season weight: 113kg/250lb 
Competition weight: ?

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Gerardo Repollo from Argentina

The handsome Gerardo Repollo, amateur bodybuilder from Argentina. Very good mass and symmetry.












Country: Argentina 
Birthdate: 1977 
Height: ?
Off season weight: 108kg/240lb 
Competition weight: 95kg/210lb

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River Plate Game!

This was absolutely crazy! We went to the River vs Arsenal game on Sunday and a huge fight broke out in the stands! Luckily it was not near where we were sitting, but it was quite a sight!

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Swollen Summer

Chris and I went to Uruguay for about a week and a half. It was a lot of fun! We took the boat over from Buenos Aires to Colonia, which takes about an hour. From there we bussed to Montevideo, where we stayed a couple of nights. It is a nice city, except it seemed to have an unusual amount of beggers. Also, Uruguay loves their Mate. Mate is a tea type thing, except instead of having it in a little bag, you put the actual leaves into a cup and add hot water and then you sip it through a straw which has a filter on it. There is also a ritual to drinking it. In a style which I assume to be similar to a peace pipe, you drink one whole cup and then fill the water back up and pass it to the next person.


After Montevideo, we headed up the coast to Punta del Este. We were there for the Easter weekend, so it was kind of busy. This weekend is kind of like our Labor Day; it signifies the end of the summer for them. So everyone was at the beach, chilling and getting some last minute sun. It really doesnt get very cold, even in the winter, but it still is kind of the end of the summer for them.
Our next stop was La Paloma, which was a very small beach town. We camped at a nice site which was about a 5 minute walk to the beach. It was great, very relaxing and just what we needed after being in the city for the last couple of weeks. We spent some time at the beach and some time just hanging out and playing cards and reading... However, it was here that a crisis was averted.

We went to the beach one day and everything was fine. The next day we got up and were preparing to leave when I started to itch. I had peed in the dark in a bush the night before and thought maybe I had squatted in some poison oak or something, but soon a rash had spread all over my body. Next the rash kind of dissapated and in its place was just swollen redness. We went to the doctor who gave me cortizone and told me to stay out of the sun. Apparently I had used a lotion or soap which in addition to the sun had given me some sort of allergic reaction. Who knew! To the right is a photo of my misfortune.


So, after that we went to a great little town called Punta del Diablo. However, I couldnt go out in the sun, and it was a beach town, so we ended up just hanging out in our little cabina playing cards with a small boy named Santiago. Which of course was fun! He taught us the name for all the shapes, but we found out later that he actually may have given us the wrong names...

Now we are back in Buenos Aires. But I will have more to say about that later....

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Rain, Rain Go Away!

We were camping in Uruguay and it rained SO hard. I thought the tent was going to get swept away. By the way, we named all of our accessories.

Backpack = Vicky (Queen Victoria)

Chris' Pack = Elvis (the King)

Tent = Selma

Sleeping Pad = Matt (and Chris' is Maxi)

So, Selma was SOAKED! And Vicky and Elvis were getting wet, so we had to bring them into Selma with us...it was a bit cramped. Then Chris had to go out into the rain and dig a trench around Selma so we would not get carried away or wet. Pictures below:

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Sunday Bloody Sunday

Haha, just when you think you are organized....

We had a very interesting Sunday last weekend. First, let me explain a little something. I want to go to a futbol (soccer) game. So, I asked about the schedule while we were at the Sheraton and the concierge told me that River and Boca both played on Sunday, River at 5, Boca at 7. In Buenos Aires. Both stadiums are easy to get to, and he had said that to get tickets we needed to go to the stadium. On Sunday, we were at Mar del Plata, which is about 5 hours from the city, so we planned on leaving early to give us enough time to settle in and then get to the stadium. On Saturday, we bought 7 am tickets for the next day.

On Sunday, we missed our alarm and woke up at 730. I was so pissed off, as I knew that if you missed your bus, you had to re-pay for your ticket. There was no such thing as a refund. So, we hustled to the bus station, becuase we still wanted to get an early bus. We arrived at the station at about 2 mintues until 8. The counter we had bought our ticket from was not open, but one of their partner companies had an open counter. We went and asked the guy what we could do and he said he thought we could get onto a later bus but we would have to enquire at the counter we had bought the tickets at. I asked what time it opened and he said 8. I looked down at my watch; it was 8:02. The counter was still not open. We sat down at a coffeeshop for a quick breakfast, while still continuing to check on the counter, which was still not opening.

Finally at 9, the counter opened. By now I was cursing the Argentines and thinking how the hell could they be an HOUR late in getting open!! We went to the counter and the man said he could get us on the 9 o'clock bus. I looked at my watch; it was 9:15. I said, ahora? (now?) and he said, no, in 45 minutes. I showed him my watch, ÿou mean at 10?" I asked. "No," he said, "in 45 minutes! We set our clocks back last night". Oh MY god! I was suprised. They had JUST set their clocks FORWARD about 2 and a half months ago! So I guess they observe "summer forward" AND "summer back"!

So, we bought another ticket and made it back to Buenos Aires. Next stop, the Boca Jr Stadium to hopefully catch that futbol game. We caught the bus to the stadium about 2 hours before the game and there was nobody there!! I went to ask a guard what time the game started and he said that there was no game today, that is was NEXT Sunday! So, we went to the local bar, which was empty, and sat down to have a beer and figure out what we were going to do. The owner of the bar, Luis, sat down with us and we ended up hanging out with him for the next three hours, just shooting the breeze and learning about Boca and slabs of meat and swords and all kinds of things! He was great! We promised to come back when we got back into town to sample his Sunday Asado (barbeque); he even said he would cook some fish for me!

So, we messed up twice in one day but got to meet Luis, which made it all worth it!

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Me Gusta El Mar!

Since my last post, CK and I spent some time in Mendoza, drinking more wine, enjoying the Mendocino life. We went on a wine tour, which is not what I was used to. We only got to taste two types of wine at each place, however, the tour was interesting. It was all in Spanish, so I only understood half of it, but I still feel like I learned something. We stayed in perhaps the worst hostel ever while there. It was so dirty and nasty; I didnt even take a shower for a couple of days because I was so disgusted by the shower. Also, they were supposed to have breakfast included, and there was none. They were supposed to have internet access and there was none. They totally falsly advertised and were so dirty to boot! The worst thing is, it was the wine festival and so we ended up having to stay there regardless. However, in spite of this, our stay was very nice.

After Mendoza, we went to Buenos Aires to apply for our visa to Brazil. S had done this earlier in the year and had had a really bad time of it. He had to stand in line for 6 hours or something. We went early on Monday, thinking we would have the same experience. However, we were in and out in about 15 minutes, leaving us a whole extra day to hang out in the city. We had even brought lunch, thinking we would be stranded in line and not able to leave to get food! It was a welcome surprise.

From Buenos Aires we came to Mar Del Plata, where we are now. It is a beach town about 5 hours south of the city, where all the city dwellers come for the summer months of January and February. However, since we are here in March, it is still warm, but not very busy, which is perfect. So, we are back at the beach again. In Argentina this time though. Yeah, I know, we just cant get enough of Argentina, really. We actually like it so much, we decided to find an apartment in Buenos Aries again. I will take a Spanish class, and we will sit at the cafes and watch all the beautiful people go by.

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Back In The Land of Earplugs

I have been spoiled for the last couple of weeks. Mr. L came to visit and he splurged on a few places that were a lot nicer than the ones I have been staying in. Also, I finally used up some of my Sheraton points and splurged for a five star treat in Santiago for a few nights.

In a nutshell, the past few weeks...

1. Valdivia, CH - College town, near a river, famous for its fish market....we only spent a day here before going back to the lake district.

2. Pucon, CH - Lake town, with many National parks, Lakes and Volcanos. We hiked Vocan Villarica, which is about 3000 Meters of steep climb, complete with dust and smoke. It was not a very difficult climb, but it was hot and I did not have enough water and it felt like I was smoking a few packs of cigarettes while hiking up a dusty mountain. We also spent some time at the lake, which was packed with Chileños and their niños and people trying to rent you quitasoles (umbrellas) but was still a refreshing treat.

3. Mendoza, AR - A little unexpected side trip - a sample of the outdoor cafe life, a little bit of wine and lots of relaxing days spent drinking coffee and chilling in the shade. Mendoza is the main wine region of Argentina, known in the US mostly for its Malbec, I believe. There are many others, of course, and try as we may, we did not have time to sample them all.

4. Viña del Mar - Beach town on the W Coast of Chile, this is actually part of the outskirts of Valparaiso, CH. It was nice, very much like Santa Cruz, a little bit foggy in the AM and then around 3, the fog blows off, leaving a very nice day behind. The beaches were packed, the seafood here was delicious, the houses on the hill were very quaint and precariously perched.

5. Easter Island, CH - Oh the heads!! I am so glad that I went here. It is very far out of the way; it was a 5 hour flight each way, but it was totally worth it. The history here is so interesting and captivating. Maybe I can summarize a little. There were two tribes, the long ears and the short ears. Both of them made these statues of the heads, called Moai. They went to war, and many of the heads were tipped over (and still are). However, some have been put back upright, so we can enjoy them. They were huge! Some of them have hats and the hats alone are as tall as me. It was great! This is a beatiful polynesian island which would be great all on its own, but with the history included it was a ten!

6. Santiago, CH - A couple relaxing days spent by the pool at the Sheraton was exactly what we needed after so much moving around. Here I met back up with Chris and we got back on the move again.

So, now I am back in the land of earplugs, cheap hostels, noise and PB&J sandwiches!!! More news later and pictures to boot!

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Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

A while ago, I read about women who were donating their hair in order to make wigs for those who needed them (ie cancer patients etc). I wanted to do that and have been considering it for some time, but have kind of been a little scared... You have to have ten inches, which is basically all my hair. So I have been dragging my feet a little bit. However, last night I finally got up the gumption to do it.

Chris volunteered (he almost peed his pants he was so excited to do it) to cut it off for me. You have to put your hair in a ponytail or braid and then chop it off, stick it in a bag and mail it in. So I put my hair in a ponytail and Chris took up the scissors and 10 seconds later I was minus a foot of hair. I knew it would be short, but I guess I didnt think about the fact that when you cut at the ponytail, the back is shorter than the front...so, I went to the hairdresser today and he fixed Chris´ hack job, but it is still pretty short!! Anyway, some photos are below:

Before:

After:


Click here to see why I did this crazy thing...

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