It was finally time for us to leave Argentina. We had booked all of our flights as a package before we left Korea. This had been working out well for us until it was time to head to Costa Rica. We had originally planned on traveling in Brazil but decided against it due to the headache of obtaining a visa. To get a Brazil visa you need your tickets in and out booked, lots of paperwork and a hotel booked for your entire stay. As you can imagine this is very hard for backpackers. As we were on a tight budget we didn't want to spend money on tickets if we were not guaranteed a visa. We decided to spend our last weeks in Argentina instead of dealing with the visa. The problem was that we had already bought our ticket to Costa Rica: leaving from Rio de Janiero, Brazil! To avoid the visa we bought a ticket into Rio the same day as our flight out. Problem solved we thought! We were wrong. In order to change airlines in the airport you still need a visa! We hurried to the embassy to sort out our problem. There were no appointments open for over three weeks! We were suppose to leave in a week! We scrambled around emailing everyone at the embassy and were finally granted an emergency appointment. We ended up getting the visa in 24 hours and had no trouble. We though that by skipping Brazil we would be saving a lot of money, instead we spent the money and experienced a major panic attack for free!
We left Buenos Aires and took a 7pm flight to Rio de Janiero. Our flight was of course delayed so we arrived in Rio around midnight. We were both stopped at immigration as we only had ten day visas which are very rare so red flags were raised. After getting through immigration we had 4 hours to wait until we could check in for our next flights. Finally we could check in. We thought we were in the clear until we were informed that our flight to Costa Rica may be delayed due to weather. This was a huge problem for us as we had flights from Rio to Lima, Peru and from Lima to San Jose, Costa Rica. Because our visa was already used, and we didn't need one for Peru, we decided to test our luck and take our flight to Lima. This flight was of course delayed. We arrived in Lima over an hour later but luckily our Lima to San Jose flight was also delayed! After a few unexpected hours in Lima we finally set off for Costa Rica. We were suppose to arrive at 2:00pm but arrived around 6:00pm. Our poor driver had waited for us the entire time! After meeting up with Mario we headed off of the three hour journey to Manuel Antonio. Because we had arrived so late we were unable to see much of the landscape. Looking back this worked out well as we were exhausted for our 30+ hours of travel and our night in the airport. We arrived at our hotel, checked in and went straight for dinner. We found this open air bar/restaurant right on the beach. After a much needed margarita and dinner we headed off to bed. We spent Friday relaxing on the beach and exploring the town. The water was so warm, clear and inviting! We spent the night at dinner and enjoying our surroundings.
On Saturday we spent the morning on the beach. We read books, walked in the sand and waited for my dad, Robin and my brother to arrive! They finally arrived around 6:00pm and we all headed off for dinner. It was so exciting to see them. I couldn't contain my excitement all day. I was literally shaking waiting for them to arrive. I hadn't seen my dad and Jordan since May of 2011 and Robin since August of 2010. It was surreal to have them in Costa Rica!
We all spent the next four days enjoying the beautiful weather. It did rain one evening but we were lucky and had great days. One day we went on a zip line tour. We climbed up this mountain and began the journey. It consisted of 10 different zip lines, 2 repels and a Tarzan swing. The entire course was in the tree tops and we didn't touch solid ground for over an hour! It was thrilling, terrifying and fantastic! We spent another day exploring Manuel Antonio National Park. It is the most visited park in Costa Rica. We saw dozens of wild monkeys, which I am not a fan of: thank you Malaysia, sloths, iguanas and other animals. However, most of our time was spent on the white sand with beers or books in hand. We spent our nights in open air restaurants enjoying fresh seafood and drinks. Thursday came all too quickly and Fred and I had to leave Costa Rica. We left our hotel at 2:00am for the three hour van ride back to San Jose. Our first flight was at 6:00am to El Salvador. From there we flew to Los Angeles, Phoenix and finally Minneapolis. We arrived around midnight and were greeted by friends and family. It was so exciting and surprising to see so many people that we had missed over our travels and years in Korea. We were truly overwhelmed with emotions and excitement for being home!
We loved our travels over the past 5+ months. As we were planning everything it seemed so surreal. We were unsure if we had made the right decision in traveling for so long after being gone for almost two and a half years. As we traveled we learned that we made the right choice. We met amazing people, saw breathtaking scenes and experienced so many cities. We would not trade this experience for anything!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Happy New Year
On Wednesday we left Buenos Aires and headed to Montevideo, Uruguay. We woke up early and taxied to the ferry terminal after checking out of the apartment in Recoleta. We checked in after a long wait in a cramped room, quickly went through immigration for both countries and boarded the ferry to Uruguay. After an hour and a half we reached the city of Colonia. From there, we took a bus for about two hours into Montevideo. The bus was a surprise, as we thought that we had booked ferry tickets for the entire journey. The bus was very nice, though, and it was pleasant to ride through the countryside of Uruguay. We were all surprised at what we saw. During some sections of the journey we passed lush evergreen forests and in other areas we passed vast, golden fields. It was a great way to see a bit more of the country! After arriving at the bus terminal, we took a taxi to our hotel, checked in and went out for dinner. We went to an excellent grill restaurant walking distance from our hotel. Fred, Kevin and Holly all enjoyed beef and I had delicious chicken. After we were stuffed with meat, wine and mashed potatoes we headed back to the hotel for an evening drink.
Thursday morning we woke up and headed to the beach. We walked along the beachfront for a while and enjoyed the warm weather. After that, we took a city bus to the 'old city' section of Montevideo. We stumbled upon a nice market there and picked up a few souvenirs. We then strolled along a pedestrian road and took in all the sites. In the afternoon we stopped for sandwiches at an outdoor cafe. We then cleaned up at the hotel and had pre-dinner drinks at a fantastic place. It was called 'The Old Man and the Sea.' We sat outside right next to the ocean. It was very relaxing and peaceful and reminded us all of Maine. For dinner we went to another wonderful restaurant, La Perdiz. Again, we feasted on steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and Uruguayan wine. The restaurant even gave us each a glass of champagne! It was a great meal that we will never forget.
The old city
'The Old Man and the Sea'
Iced tea or whiskey?
Friday came and went quickly. Fred came down with the flu unfortunately, so we spent most of the day relaxing in the hotel. Kevin and Holly explored the city and did some shopping. The three of us also relaxed on the hotel rooftop as Fred rested. For dinner, the three of us went out to a place near our hotel. Though it wasn't our favorite meal of the trip, we still had a good evening. On New Years Eve we all headed out on a tour to one of the most popular beaches in the country, Punta del Este. This area is known for its resorts and its beautiful outdoor scenery. We toured an area filled with celebrity houses, went to an overview lookout point, saw a famous artist's cliffside house and had free time near the beach. The weather was warm and sunny. It was a great way to prepare for the New Year. Unfortunately, I came down with the flu at the end of the day. Once we were back at the hotel I rested and Fred, Kevin and Holly had drinks and dinner at the hotel. Fred woke me up at 11:50pm and I joined them on the rooftop for Montevideo's firework display. We were all amazed at what we saw. There were fireworks everywhere! I had never seen anything like this. Everywhere we looked we saw the sky exploding in color. It put some of our Fourth of July celebrations to shame. The main fireworks lasted for at least a half hour, however many continued until morning. It was a great way to welcome 2012!
On Sunday we woke up and took a ferry straight from Montevideo to Buenos Aires. This ferry took around three hours. It was nice to avoid the bus leg of the journey. The ferry was huge, full of snack bars, Duty Free shopping and lots of areas to relax in. When we arrived back in Buenos Aires it was time for Kevin and Holly to head to the airport. It was very hard to part with them after eight wonderful days together. We made sure that they got a ride to Ezeiza, said our goodbyes, then headed back to San Telmo. Fred and I were so happy that we had the opportunity to spend some time with them on this trip. They were really fun travel companions and it was so nice to see some familiar faces. We enjoyed talking and experiencing everything with them. Thank you so much for visiting us!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday morning we woke up and headed to the beach. We walked along the beachfront for a while and enjoyed the warm weather. After that, we took a city bus to the 'old city' section of Montevideo. We stumbled upon a nice market there and picked up a few souvenirs. We then strolled along a pedestrian road and took in all the sites. In the afternoon we stopped for sandwiches at an outdoor cafe. We then cleaned up at the hotel and had pre-dinner drinks at a fantastic place. It was called 'The Old Man and the Sea.' We sat outside right next to the ocean. It was very relaxing and peaceful and reminded us all of Maine. For dinner we went to another wonderful restaurant, La Perdiz. Again, we feasted on steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and Uruguayan wine. The restaurant even gave us each a glass of champagne! It was a great meal that we will never forget.
The old city
'The Old Man and the Sea'
Iced tea or whiskey?
Friday came and went quickly. Fred came down with the flu unfortunately, so we spent most of the day relaxing in the hotel. Kevin and Holly explored the city and did some shopping. The three of us also relaxed on the hotel rooftop as Fred rested. For dinner, the three of us went out to a place near our hotel. Though it wasn't our favorite meal of the trip, we still had a good evening. On New Years Eve we all headed out on a tour to one of the most popular beaches in the country, Punta del Este. This area is known for its resorts and its beautiful outdoor scenery. We toured an area filled with celebrity houses, went to an overview lookout point, saw a famous artist's cliffside house and had free time near the beach. The weather was warm and sunny. It was a great way to prepare for the New Year. Unfortunately, I came down with the flu at the end of the day. Once we were back at the hotel I rested and Fred, Kevin and Holly had drinks and dinner at the hotel. Fred woke me up at 11:50pm and I joined them on the rooftop for Montevideo's firework display. We were all amazed at what we saw. There were fireworks everywhere! I had never seen anything like this. Everywhere we looked we saw the sky exploding in color. It put some of our Fourth of July celebrations to shame. The main fireworks lasted for at least a half hour, however many continued until morning. It was a great way to welcome 2012!
On Sunday we woke up and took a ferry straight from Montevideo to Buenos Aires. This ferry took around three hours. It was nice to avoid the bus leg of the journey. The ferry was huge, full of snack bars, Duty Free shopping and lots of areas to relax in. When we arrived back in Buenos Aires it was time for Kevin and Holly to head to the airport. It was very hard to part with them after eight wonderful days together. We made sure that they got a ride to Ezeiza, said our goodbyes, then headed back to San Telmo. Fred and I were so happy that we had the opportunity to spend some time with them on this trip. They were really fun travel companions and it was so nice to see some familiar faces. We enjoyed talking and experiencing everything with them. Thank you so much for visiting us!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Montevideo, Uruguay
Friday, December 30, 2011
Christmas in Buenos Aires
Happy Holidays from Buenos Aires, Argentina! Fred and I were lucky to have his father and Holly visit us in Buenos Aires over Christmas. They arrived early in the morning on the 24th. We spent the day settling into our apartment and exploring our neighborhood. We decided to head out for lunch. We found a great place with outside seating, next to the famed Recoletta Cemetery. (Evita is buried there.) After some drinks and pizza we walked around the cemetery. We wandered around for a while before asking where to find Evita's tomb. As we had read, her tomb is very non-discript, in an area for her family with black granite and her family name Peron. After a few pictures and a few minutes eavesdropping on an English tour, we headed back to the apartment. We spent a few hours chatting and relaxing before we went to our Christmas Eve dinner. We had a wonderful dinner at a closed door restaurant called Casa Saltshaker. Our meal was themed around '7 Fishes.' Each of the five courses was paired with wine and each were delicious. After a memorable meal and conversation with the other guests we walked back to our apartment and watched fireworks over the city. It was a great night and a fantastic way to spend the holiday even though we were away from home.
Evita's tomb
We woke up on Christmas Day and made a great breakfast. After our feast and some mimosas we opened presents. We spent the afternoon walking around the city. We all enjoyed seeing the sites without the usual masses of people. The streets were all deserted and we were able to walk all around the city. We saw all of the main tourist sites and enjoyed the warm weather. We spent the early evening with wine and cheese before making a great dinner. We had steaks, mashed potatoes, salad and dessert. After a few Skype calls to Minnesota we all headed to bed. It was interesting to experience Christmas in BA. We all had a hard time adjusting to the warm weather. It was a change for people from Minnesota and Maine. We don't have 90 degree weather in December! We also expected the streets to be decorated however we saw very few festive themed displays. Although it was different than what we are used to, our Christmas in Buenos Aires was very memorable!
Christmas morning breakfast
Walking around Buenos Aires
A typical flower stall
On Monday we woke up and had breakfast at a cafe. We then walked to another neighborhood in BA, Palermo. This neighborhood was very different from the others. It was trendy and full of young people. There was tons of shopping and sidewalk restaurants. We spent a few hours walking around before we headed to a wine tasting. We went to a wine tasting in a local hotel. We were able to taste five different wines and each was paired with a small food item. Each of the wines was local and delicious. After ordering a few bottles we headed back to our apartment. That evening we went to a great restaurant, Oviendo. Fred, Kevin and Holly all had steaks and I had salmon. Each of our plates were clean at the end of the night. The meal and decor were great.
The pink palace: where Eva Peron gave numerous speeches
Tuesday was our last day in Buenos Aires. We decided to take Kevin and Holly to San Telmo, the neighborhood that Fred and I stayed in before they arrived. San Telmo is famous for cobble stone streets and a lively tango scene. After walking around and browsing a few shops, we sat at on outdoor cafe for coffee and water. We were able to enjoy a small street side tango show. It was nice to see a little of this dance without having to pay for an expensive show. For our last dinner in BA we sat outside near our apartment and enjoyed pasta and steak. The evening was gorgeous and it was a wonderful way to cap off our time in Buenos Aires.
A local street side band
Our last dinner in Buenos Aires
On Wednesday we headed off to Montevideo, Uruguay!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Evita's tomb
We woke up on Christmas Day and made a great breakfast. After our feast and some mimosas we opened presents. We spent the afternoon walking around the city. We all enjoyed seeing the sites without the usual masses of people. The streets were all deserted and we were able to walk all around the city. We saw all of the main tourist sites and enjoyed the warm weather. We spent the early evening with wine and cheese before making a great dinner. We had steaks, mashed potatoes, salad and dessert. After a few Skype calls to Minnesota we all headed to bed. It was interesting to experience Christmas in BA. We all had a hard time adjusting to the warm weather. It was a change for people from Minnesota and Maine. We don't have 90 degree weather in December! We also expected the streets to be decorated however we saw very few festive themed displays. Although it was different than what we are used to, our Christmas in Buenos Aires was very memorable!
Christmas morning breakfast
Walking around Buenos Aires
A typical flower stall
On Monday we woke up and had breakfast at a cafe. We then walked to another neighborhood in BA, Palermo. This neighborhood was very different from the others. It was trendy and full of young people. There was tons of shopping and sidewalk restaurants. We spent a few hours walking around before we headed to a wine tasting. We went to a wine tasting in a local hotel. We were able to taste five different wines and each was paired with a small food item. Each of the wines was local and delicious. After ordering a few bottles we headed back to our apartment. That evening we went to a great restaurant, Oviendo. Fred, Kevin and Holly all had steaks and I had salmon. Each of our plates were clean at the end of the night. The meal and decor were great.
The pink palace: where Eva Peron gave numerous speeches
Tuesday was our last day in Buenos Aires. We decided to take Kevin and Holly to San Telmo, the neighborhood that Fred and I stayed in before they arrived. San Telmo is famous for cobble stone streets and a lively tango scene. After walking around and browsing a few shops, we sat at on outdoor cafe for coffee and water. We were able to enjoy a small street side tango show. It was nice to see a little of this dance without having to pay for an expensive show. For our last dinner in BA we sat outside near our apartment and enjoyed pasta and steak. The evening was gorgeous and it was a wonderful way to cap off our time in Buenos Aires.
A local street side band
Our last dinner in Buenos Aires
On Wednesday we headed off to Montevideo, Uruguay!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Iguazu Falls
Fred and I arrived in Buenos Aires after a very exhausting overnight bus from Cordoba. A massive storm passes over Cordoba as everyone was trying to board the bus. This caused a huge wave of chaos with wet and crabby passengers. The bus was similar to ones that we have taken in the past but there was no service. This means that we didn't get food, drinks, pillows or blankets. After a few hours we were able to fall asleep. A lady from the upper level was unhappy about how cold the bus was and decided to make a scene around 2:30am. She then came down to our level and fought with the drivers. We thought that she would settle in once she occupied the vacant seat ahead of us but she continue to cry and rush around all night. This made for a long night! The saving grace was that our bus arrived in Buenos Aires 90 minutes early! The bus was suppose to stop along the way but no passengers had bought tickets. What luck!
We arrived to a bustling city even though it was only 6:30am. We quickly jumped on the subway and went searching for our hostel. After exiting at our station, finding the main road and walking the wrong way for 20 minutes we arrived at Puerto Limon. We were not able to check in right away, as excepted due to our early arrival, so we headed out for coffee. We found a great local spot that served a nice breakfast set. For about $3.00 we each got coffee with milk and three croissants. We then walked back to the hostel and we able to check into our room. After a long nap we headed out to explore. We had just a day and a half before our flight to Puerto Iguazu. We decided that it was easiest and cheapest to take a round trip flight from Buenos Aires. We spent the next day preparing to head to the falls!
On Wednesday we woke up, left some of our luggage at the hostel and headed to the airport. We booked our tickets out of the domestic terminal so we only had a 20 minute journey from the hostel. We checked in and waited to take off! The flight went smoothly with only a few minor turbulent moments. Once we landed to bought tickets on a shuttle bus to the city. We were dropped off right at our hostel, Stop Hostel. We arrived at the hostel around 6:30pm and spent the night walking around the small city. We expected the area to have more poverty and be smaller and we were right. The streets were lined with tourist shops and clothing stores but there were children everywhere with no shoes and begging for food and money. This was something that we have not experiences since we left Thailand. It was hard to sit outside and eat a pizza with children begging for food. After our first night, we decided not to sit outside again. We then walked to a market to buy lunch supplies for our day in the nation park.
Thursday morning came quickly and we were ready to see Iguazu Falls. We shared a taxi with a girl from Japan and entered the park when it opened at 8:00am. We quickly jumped on the train that goes around the park and headed to Devil's Throat. This is the main attraction in the park. It is a huge area where numerous falls meet and plummet into the river. This is also the point where you can see Brazil. It is very common for people to travel to both the Argentina and Brazil sides of the falls but it is difficult for Americans to get a Brazil visa. We spent the day only on Argentina's side. To get to Devil's Throat you have to walk on this metal bridge structure for 1900 meters on top of the water. I am very afraid of bridges so this was a long walk for me! Once we arrived at the area it was magical! You cannot image how large the falls truly are. You could see, feel and hear the water rushing all around you! Fred took some videos so I will post them on the blog. After exploring the area we went off on the Grand Adventure. This consisted of a ride in a large jeep along a trail in the jungle. We were able to see some parrots, lizards and other small wildlife. We were hoping to see some of the wild jaguars but we knew the chances would be slim to none. After exiting the jeep we took a small trail to the edge of the river. We then boarded a large boat for our river section of the exploration. We cruised along the river and saw dozens of waterfalls. After we went over the rapids, and Fred took a HUGE wave in the face, we were told to put our cameras away. We were all provided with industrial size and strength plastic bags. Once everything was secured we headed under the falls! We went under at least three different waterfalls and we were soaked to the bone. It was so fun to be under the falls even though we couldn't see anything. The water was so powerful that you had to keep your head down or it would get pushed down. After about 20 minutes we were back on dry land. We then walked around and ate our sandwiches as we tried to dry off. We spent the afternoon walking along the tops of the waterfalls. We were able to see at least 15 different falls from above as well as Devil's Throat in the distance. We even spotted a double rainbow at one of the last falls. We then headed back to our hostel. Originally we were unsure if we wanted to spend the money to get to Iguazu Falls. We are now so thankful that we did. The falls are something that you have to see to be able to fully experience. Iguazu Falls has been a highlight of our trip!
Devil's Throat
Devils's Throat
The boat for the Grand Adventure
Rapids
After the Grand Adventure: soaking wet
Above the falls
Above the falls
We spent Friday relaxing at the hostel and buying a few gifts in the city. On Saturday we flew back to Buenos Aires. We are now patiently awaiting Christmas and our visitors!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We arrived to a bustling city even though it was only 6:30am. We quickly jumped on the subway and went searching for our hostel. After exiting at our station, finding the main road and walking the wrong way for 20 minutes we arrived at Puerto Limon. We were not able to check in right away, as excepted due to our early arrival, so we headed out for coffee. We found a great local spot that served a nice breakfast set. For about $3.00 we each got coffee with milk and three croissants. We then walked back to the hostel and we able to check into our room. After a long nap we headed out to explore. We had just a day and a half before our flight to Puerto Iguazu. We decided that it was easiest and cheapest to take a round trip flight from Buenos Aires. We spent the next day preparing to head to the falls!
On Wednesday we woke up, left some of our luggage at the hostel and headed to the airport. We booked our tickets out of the domestic terminal so we only had a 20 minute journey from the hostel. We checked in and waited to take off! The flight went smoothly with only a few minor turbulent moments. Once we landed to bought tickets on a shuttle bus to the city. We were dropped off right at our hostel, Stop Hostel. We arrived at the hostel around 6:30pm and spent the night walking around the small city. We expected the area to have more poverty and be smaller and we were right. The streets were lined with tourist shops and clothing stores but there were children everywhere with no shoes and begging for food and money. This was something that we have not experiences since we left Thailand. It was hard to sit outside and eat a pizza with children begging for food. After our first night, we decided not to sit outside again. We then walked to a market to buy lunch supplies for our day in the nation park.
Thursday morning came quickly and we were ready to see Iguazu Falls. We shared a taxi with a girl from Japan and entered the park when it opened at 8:00am. We quickly jumped on the train that goes around the park and headed to Devil's Throat. This is the main attraction in the park. It is a huge area where numerous falls meet and plummet into the river. This is also the point where you can see Brazil. It is very common for people to travel to both the Argentina and Brazil sides of the falls but it is difficult for Americans to get a Brazil visa. We spent the day only on Argentina's side. To get to Devil's Throat you have to walk on this metal bridge structure for 1900 meters on top of the water. I am very afraid of bridges so this was a long walk for me! Once we arrived at the area it was magical! You cannot image how large the falls truly are. You could see, feel and hear the water rushing all around you! Fred took some videos so I will post them on the blog. After exploring the area we went off on the Grand Adventure. This consisted of a ride in a large jeep along a trail in the jungle. We were able to see some parrots, lizards and other small wildlife. We were hoping to see some of the wild jaguars but we knew the chances would be slim to none. After exiting the jeep we took a small trail to the edge of the river. We then boarded a large boat for our river section of the exploration. We cruised along the river and saw dozens of waterfalls. After we went over the rapids, and Fred took a HUGE wave in the face, we were told to put our cameras away. We were all provided with industrial size and strength plastic bags. Once everything was secured we headed under the falls! We went under at least three different waterfalls and we were soaked to the bone. It was so fun to be under the falls even though we couldn't see anything. The water was so powerful that you had to keep your head down or it would get pushed down. After about 20 minutes we were back on dry land. We then walked around and ate our sandwiches as we tried to dry off. We spent the afternoon walking along the tops of the waterfalls. We were able to see at least 15 different falls from above as well as Devil's Throat in the distance. We even spotted a double rainbow at one of the last falls. We then headed back to our hostel. Originally we were unsure if we wanted to spend the money to get to Iguazu Falls. We are now so thankful that we did. The falls are something that you have to see to be able to fully experience. Iguazu Falls has been a highlight of our trip!
Devil's Throat
Devils's Throat
The boat for the Grand Adventure
Rapids
After the Grand Adventure: soaking wet
Above the falls
Above the falls
We spent Friday relaxing at the hostel and buying a few gifts in the city. On Saturday we flew back to Buenos Aires. We are now patiently awaiting Christmas and our visitors!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Puerto Iguazu, Argentina
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