Glenn's South American Oddssy

Monarch Mariposa

2007-01-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Monarch Butterflies arrive here in large numbers and gather to mate
before heading on their migration north.

The Butterflies gather in great clumps in the trees at night to protect
themselves from the cold. The weight at times can break the limbs of trees off!

And in the sunshine they emerge to fill the fields only to return to the
safety of the trees as the sun disappears

Pt Escondido

2006-12-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

I found my way out to the Pacific coast past some sites that seem to
just cater for the tour buses. (Just happy I am not on one!) I arrived
in Pt Escondido, planning a stop of a day or two, undecided where to
camp here. Checking my guide books, I take a walk down the beach
only to find a German couple I met in Palenque and San Cristobal
I too found a place to camp.

Being on the beach and where the fisherman come in with their boats was good,
and to get the fish from the boat in the morning was a real treat,

but the nice part is the women would clean or fillet fish for you. Part of the deal.
I stayed almost a week. In some parts in Mexico they do not look after their beaches. Here,
the community has taken an active role to keep their beach clean. Even the fishermen
do their part. Fish remains, etc are collected and reused. The waste water is disposed of well, and
the vendors on the beach keep the bottles and cups off the beach as well.
What a nice change.

San Cristobal

2006-12-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

This is the first of the Colonial towns I will cross but more important,
it is in the heart of Chiapas, a pleasant town high in the hills. This makes
a nice change from the flat land of theYucatan.

I was expecting to see some more Police and Military check points here
but it was a surprise not to be stopped or see many.

as I arrived just before Xmas, I think that Santa was attacking, but then
this is a strong Mayan area so Pagan beliefs run strong.
(It could be the army in camouflage)

Palenque

2006-12-16T12:27:00.000-08:00

One of the last big Mayan sites , I was told that it was the garden of Eden.
the site is smaller than I expected but one that is different from others ,well
all are different to each other and this show how diverse the culture was

set in a rain forest makes for an interesting site and a tough fight with forest
built in a hilly situation rather than the flat land of other sites makes it different

like all the sites here in Mexico you can not climb the Temples or access them
via other ways ,(this is to protect them )

Uxma

2006-12-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

Once again a great Mayan site here in Mexico , but
I think this one is better than other here in Mexico and
quite and yes it too has the 52 year building plan

now with a little immigration if you look at the first level you will see an entrance
this was the earlier height , it was then added to and a new temple was added
and a outside layer it is also interesting that this temple dose not have the
nine layers that is usually seen in the Mayan world

What is missing is the roof come common to all Mayan temples

what is also uncommon hear as well is the square plaza with buildings on each
side and it is common at this site
one question that I all ways wondered was how did they work out what the
city looked like , the answer is simple there was city planers in this world
and they made models of the cities to work with and were placed in graves
ect

The size of this site is just amazing and makes Chichen look small

Chichen Itsu

2006-12-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

After a short drive across to Chichen Itza I arrived early to avoid the
midday rush form the busses from Cancun , this worked well
and I returned in the afternoon for a second look as thing were
slowing down and stayed for the sound and light show

It is quite different site form the ones in Guatemala and Honduras
but the one constitant is they rebuild every 52 years or just add
a new layer

Diving Cenote Mexico

2006-12-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

After a one day drive across Belize I arrive in Mexico , funny to say
but I am happy and feel safer here than I have been for some time ,
expecting to be searched by the Mexica customs it was a pleasent
supprise to just pass with no real check , my first stop is Tulum
and a dive in a Cenote ( warm freash water in a cave like setting)

the Mayan seen these as a way to the under wourld and a sourse of water
but they are lime stone caves that have been created thousands of years ago

the dive shop said that it was not a cave dive (only in Mexico) but the warm
fresh water provides some what a change form salt water and a chance to
experance an enviroement I would not normaly dive in

Panama to Guatamala Tekal

2006-12-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

Happy to leave Panama after a difficult shipping and Police stop (3 hours)
I cut short my stay in Panama and head to Costa Rica and a beach camp
for the , thinking I would be alone for the night I was surprised by some
others that come for a fire on the beach only to have there happy hour stopped
by the park officers whom tell them it was not allowed , this was funny to me
as I was BBQing at the time with gas ? so after they had left and two hour break
had passed the fire sprang to life again and stayed burning for some time till
the morning . I then headed off for the Vulcan Arenal hopping for a clear
day/night to see the lava flow this was not to be , rain and cloud put a stop
to this , Central America was not showing its best side , so with little
to stop me it was off to Guatemala and Tekal here the rain eased some
and camping at the entrance to the ruins was possible and once again
BBQ and yes the guards came to see why there was smoke and I had to
explain it was gas BBQ not a fire ?
In the morning tired for a sunrise view form a top of one of the temple
but once again the cloud cover got me ,
lucky the rest of my day was rain free and could enjoy the site

Most of the Temples have some restoration as the building technique
,materials and rain forest (with fast growing trees ) did not produce
a situation to which this material would last like in other situations
though it is very impressive what did last and the fact that it was all done
with out the aid of steel tools and all the rock was transported on the
backs of people 30 kg at a time ,all of this is very stunning when you add
in the Mayan canner says that you must make new every 52 years ?

So for the people who started to look these sites this must have been a
real problem to understand , as you get one building that is covered by the
next and if its just a pile of rocks what are you looking at
a new one ( they just add a new layer each time )

Back in Panama

2006-12-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Back again in Panama city this time waiting for my car to arrive
the boat keeps being delayed for some reason that no one can
explain

One thing I do notice is the diffrence between Central America
and south America , now I get American football on TV
more American cars on the road and on the beach they play
American football as well as Soccer

Venezuela ?

2006-11-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

Crossed the border from Brazil to Venezuela and once again a nice
simple crossing though this one took a little more time than others.
I am heading to Porto Cabella to meet a shipping date. Not much
time to stop though I did find a nice spot for lunch.

Arrived Porto Cabella and checked the car into the port. It was not an easy
task, full of difficult situations and surprises. Do not wish this ever again

Equator crossing

2006-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Crossed the Equator today again but with less of a monument than Ecuador, but with a road side monument, not just a sign.
(One question remains: (Is it just downhill from here on ? )

Belem and Beaches

2006-10-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

The first day in Belem I decided that I would go to the Amazon theater,
which was built in the rubber boom days. The most ornate parts for this
building were imported from Europe and Englend. They had so much
rubber then that they even paved the road outside the theater with
bricks made of rubber sand and stone so as to reduce the noise from
late arriving carriages. (Some of these bricks are still in place today!)
But I was having some truble finding it and was asking directions. I
kept being sent to this building! It looked nice but did not
seem like what I was looking for

It was a theater of sorts, just not the one I was looking for.
I was in the right area and just across the road was the correct
location.

Another part of my time was spent at the resort town of Ponta Negra.
It's quite supprising, considering that it's on the river bank of the Amazon
river, but with all beaches in Brazil there is beer , ice cream and other vendors

Amazon barge ride

2006-10-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

After some looking I found a company that would take the
car (and me) from Belem to Manous. I arrived at their depot
to find I needeed to wait two hours before getting to the dock.
I was then taken to the dock, which was a very dusty yard surrounded
by brick fence. Here I was told that the barge would leave at
8pm. In fact it was not loaded till 8pm. Once loaded, it was just a
case of waiting until the tide came in to float the barge.
I went to sleep and woke in the night when the tow barges were joined together. In the morning it was just cruising up river at 11kph (I am told that the V12 caterpillar consumes 160 liters of fuel a hour) and on the trip runs 24X7.
As the barge makes it way it passes towns, villages,
and houses on the river edge. Some people come out
in canoes and try to trade fruit or wood products for
diesel to run their generators for light

Today, cruising close to the river bank, butterflies were
streaming from the jungle out across the water (at
this point the river was some 3 KM wide, I guess, via my
GPS )and continued for some hours till sunset.
The jungle is ever consuming and for the people with
river bank homes it is a never ending job it keep it back.
It even tries to enter the river ,till the river takes what it wants
back. The fight goes on.
The barge makes a stop at one town to unload some cargo
and trailers and reload trailers. The stop was a good chance
for me to restock on beer. I had come a little ill-prepared, not
knowing what to expect exactly, but the best thing was that one of
the truck drivers had a refrigerated cargo and was happy to play host
to beer! The cook traded for some fruit. One was a melon and other
was some thing else ? all was described to me as Amazon
fruit , the melon looked a little like a pumpkin and tasted
like a honeydew and rockmelon but very sweet. The
other fruit was pear-shaped with red apple skin and
inside was sweet and sponge like and no seeds.
As it takes seven days to get from Belem to Manous,
we pass many other boats and barges. One barge that
passed had some 90 trailers on it.(5X6X3=90)

Also there were just plain river boats. Some transport
people, like this one. Two decks of hammocks, lots of people.
I gave them a beer salute as they passed and just a little thought.
4 of us passengers on this big barge and all the space we need

and what does one do on a warm afternoon on the Amazon? Take a
pic or two and it feels like a Carribean cruise.

What surprised me was the fact that ocean going ships are able to
navigate the river, not just barges.

Arriving in Manous I was somewhat sad to see the ride over, but it takes
some hours to unload the barge and I was on the second one to be
unloaded so the four of us passengers headed up to a local bar and restaurant
for a few quick beers. It took 2 hours till I was unloaded.

Each barge is almost the size of a football field, and for the trip
they are lashed together. The barge I was on only took 5X5X2=50
trailers.

Ponto extremo oriental do coninente

2006-10-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

As I was heading north, not far from my path was the most eastern
point on the Americas. Here I am, as close as I, and the American continents, can get to Africa. (This was the shortest route for slave traders.)
It is marked by a monument, but not many road signs.

Radclif night beach

2006-10-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Out at the beach in the early evening, I was happy to see people
enjoying the beach into the later hours with the aid of lighting
provided by the city. Football was played with as much energy
as it was 10 am Sunday morning, joggers were out as if it were 7am,
families out for a stroll as if it were Sunday afternoon and there were
some people enjoying the water (sharks and all, or the sign says!)
The only thing was, the sun had long gone.

Salvador

2006-10-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Salvador was once a Colonial trading port. Now it's a Tourist and Industry town. Its older sections have been saved from redevelopment, including the Marcado
on the water front which was also where slaves from Africa were landed and
sold. Nowadays the Marcado has a brighter outlook ,selling Artisan work for
tourists.

There is still a turn of the century elevator that was originally used to
transport people and goods up from the waterfront to the town above.

Much of the old town still retains its old world charm. There
is a sense of pride with the past that I have not seen before.

Yes, this lady was trying not to have me take her photo as she normally sells
this service, but I got one anyway.

Rio

2006-09-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

I did not feel that Rio needed much introduction. Just a pic.

Last night it was football at Maracana stadium. It is said to be the biggest in
South America, but the real reason I came here is the fans and their passion
for the game. Even though it was a midweek game, and I think that the crowd
number was down (it was aless important game), their passion still goes on. The drum beats 15 minutes before the players come on and keeps the fans in time
with their songs and chants. All goes crazy with a goal!
(It all seems a little like a musical performance, with the drummer keesing the
band in time )
He keeps playing until the game is over. Who directs all of this, I just do not know, but if the crowd becomes a little quiet one of the players stops and looks at the fans and motions them into excitement.

The Big three

2006-09-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

It has taken 10 months to get these pics.
The one below says that here you are crossing the Tropic of Capricorn.

and the Equator--

--and Mexico for the Tropic of Cancer

Laguna

2006-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank Donna & Moti for this experience. Without their invitation I would not have come here.

Laguna is just like most other towns that have a river estuary that faces out to sea. It has its fishing boats, surf beach, and is quite busy in summer, but one thing sets this town apart from others: The coperation between the dolphins and the fishermen.

The Dolphins work like cowboys and round up the fish for the fishermen on the edge of
the water, who cast nets after the Dolphins signal. (Some nets are quite
big, 3+ meters across, I was impressed with their skill with them. )

The first thing I was thinking was, "What does the Dolphin get from all this work?"
They spend quite some time doing this , but the system works like this:
The schools of fish moving up or downstream are pushed to the side of the channel, which has steep sides. When the Dolphin sees the fish, it signals the fisherman by a quick pass in front. When the net is cast the fish hear or see the net hit the water and try to return to deaper water at which point the Dolphin is waiting for the returning fish. Easy meal!
This system has now been going on for over 100 years.

In the town of Laguna there is also a fresh water spring that has very good water
and has been running for well over 200 years . I was told by the wife of the
town historian that if a single man drinks the water he will marry soon and stay
in the town. (Yes I drank the water, and nothing happened to me. Had to test the
idea.)

(Editor to Glenn: Never say never...)

Praia da Rosa

2006-09-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

Praia da Rosa is a stunning Brazilian bay beach, which attracts surfers from all over
South America. It is also a stop for the Right Whales migration path.
The day I arrived, there was a mother and calf just beyond the surf and from the clif
above they were quite visible and stayed for an hour and half before disappearing.
The next day one whale appesred and put on a display some 150 meters off the
beach. The mother and calf returned the next day around 10 am and put on
quite a display! One fin wave (or is it one finger?), held their tails up out of the
water (I just think that it was mooning us for all the years of whaling)
Al of this happens just beyond the surf.

Itiapu

2006-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Itaipu Hydroelectric project

This project is huge! It took over twenty years to build the dam and even longer to
get the generators on line. Some of the stats: There is enough steel
to make 380 Eiffel towers, cement to make a freeway from Moscow to
Lisbon, it produces 95%of Paraguay's electric needs and 25% of Brazil's
needs, and this is with 18 units. There is two more that will come on line
soon to make total of 20.

Even the monitor screen is big here. A bit hard to read in the picture here but it
shows all the main operating functions, ie, whether or not the spillway is open, which generators are operating (the blue ones are not working) and speed, etc.

The white penstock to the left has a 10.5 meter diameter and drops about 100 meters
down to the turbine. Each one flows about the same amount of water as Iguaçu Falls.

The generator hall is just over one km long and each generator output is
700 MW X 20 = A lot!

Now the spillway. This one is about 200 meters across and there are 3 of them.
I am told that they are used every year around January. Check this link for a satellite image.
http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/worldguide/html/image_1877.html

Iguazu Falls

2006-08-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Posadas Mission

2006-08-17T04:15:00.000-07:00

Heading north, I stopped at one of the best restored/preserved missions
in Argentina. This was a functioning community from the 1600s until the
early 1700s, when the expulsion order was given to the Jesuit Missions.

I was impressed with the size of the town and the amount of stone work,
but more by the idea that Jusuits would come from Spain to this, to convert
the local nomadic indigenous people.

There were some 16 of these Jesuit Missions here in Argentina
but they also spread as far as Bolivia.

The stonework is beautiful but it was made from poor quality
sandstone that is easy to work but does not last as long as other kinds of stone.

The model of the Mission really helps bring to life the ruins.

Yacyreta Dam

2006-08-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Yacyreta hydroelectric project is said to generate enough power to satisfy 28% of Argentina's electrical needs. This room is 1km long, and the rumble from the generators and water turbines is impressive. I am told that there is another generator room some KM away just as big,

The row of floodgates on this side is 1km long, and there are more on the other side just in case to control the 1800 sq km reservoir. [Kind of like Lake Powell, thinks this Editor.]

It even has its own lock for boats. This one can handle Panama-class ships
(that is, a boat that meets certain specs and qualifies it to navigate the Panama canal.) Does this give you the idea that it is big?

Even the fish here are taken care of. This is the outlet for fish heading downstream. There is also an elevator to get them up to dam height, 80 meters
above the river here. [This Editor wonders if they push the call button with their fins, or their noses, or what...]

Mercedes Gaucho Antonio Gil

2006-08-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Gaucho Antonio Gil
Today I was a the Road Side monument to Gauechue Gil
what a site , I am quite surprised by how many people visit this
place , for a man who was a modern day Robin Hood who created
a legend and too this day most truck driver and others passing stop
to pay homage too .
After spending some time on the road in Argentina and seeing these
road side shrines it got me to wonder what it was all about and after
a few questions all is reviled ,a man who ? Amy deserter come outlaw
who stole from the rich land owner and shared his spoils with the poor
who inturn gave him shelter though the law did catch him and he was
hung by the feet and be headed and obtained sainthood
Before his death Gil told his executioner that his son was very ill
and that if he was buried that his son would recover well the
soldier who killed Gil returned to find that his son was ill and then
promptly returned and buried Gil and his son quickly recovered and
the legend was born and too this day people from allover Argentina
come to seek favor from Gil

Alta Gracia Casa de Che

2006-08-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have a few days to spare here in Cordoba. Took a side trip to Alta Gracia and the Casa de Che.

This was the home of Che Guevara, after the family moved here from Buenos Aries, Che suffered from asthma, and doctors said the dryer air here would ease his suffering. From here Che started most of his journeys, including the motercycle diaries.

The house is set up as a museum, chronicles his life and gives
you a better insight to the man we all know as Che.

Balcarce Juan Fangio

2006-07-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Heading north. Progress is slow, and strong cross winds make for an interesting
situation. I came to Balcarce, the home town for Juan Fangio.

The museum displays exploits from his racing years and also his life story, from humble start as a machanic to being an F1 champ.

Included is Juan's 300Sl roadstar that was given to him by Mercedes for his birthday the year he won the world champinship for Mercedes,

All aspects from his life are covered, from the early years when Juan ran a car repair shop repairing cars by day and at night building racers to
run on the weekends,

Heading North

2006-07-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Heading North now, no more South. It felt good to cross the mountain pass, as there was a lot of ice on the road. Flat road ahead and lots of it but there are some very good distractions to be had! Bosques Petrificases or Petrified Pines from about 100 million years ago. I was amazed how big they were and how much detail the tree/rock retains from the growth rings.

branches

The area in the national park looks more like a forest that has
been cut down but not taken to the mill.

The part that really got me was the size and quantity. Some
of the tree trunks are about fifty meters long and the width is
almost as tall as me!

What I found quite a surprise was what they had in the small
museum.

They even have pine cones and small branches.

He made it!!

2006-07-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is your editor speaking--Glenn recently emailed me that he made it to Tierra del Fuego:

"HI--well, you are the first to know, I finally got here! But I have only one question to ask. Is it uphill all the way from here or downhill ????"

Details to follow when he gets a better Internet connection!

Fin del Mundo

2006-07-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Ushuia, the end of the world--well, the end of South America--and from here it is only north. The road passes Argentina and Chile. In Argentina the section in Chile is gravel, but in Argentina there's pavement and at this time of year snow, ice
and wind (so bad that it would push me across the ice and snow and off the road )

I do not know if I was lucky or not, but it
snowed while I was there, which made for
some very beautiful conditions.

To the end of the road

2006-07-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

I am trying to leave Baraliche in the morning. It is 1500 miles to Ushire, and half of it dirt road. I am told I could be stuck, sometimes for days, because of bad road conditions etc, but I am having a go anyway. Just not sure when I will get email again.

Cueva los Manos rt 40

2006-07-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ruta 40 driving south after crossing from Chile after crossing
some areas of desert and passing many small towns
I get down Las Lenas and a day of skiing , the snow was ok
just do not like the rented equipment

then south to San Martin Los Andes , rain the days before
I arrived has washed the snow away raised the rivers and
closed the rout of 7 lakes (scenic way) I make my way to
Bariloche receive some more info on RT40 and skiing (no
good)
Head south again to Esquel still the ski season is bad,
but Tierra del fuego is getting closer and the miles are long
though a trip out to the lake here was a good day out

I continued down RT40 and spending the night at
Perito Moreno and getting a flat fixed
then south to Cueva de las Manos
to some rock painting that are said to date from
7000BC but what impressed me was the fact they
are exposed to sun light ,wind and rain though

did you notice that only the left hand is printed
I was also told that there is one hand with
six fingers but I could not find it

Chile Valpariaso

2006-06-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Took the pass across to Chile through a brilliant valley that ends in a 5 mile tunnel, then drops down on a zigzag highway below the snow line to a valley that leads out of the mountains.

Arriving at Vina del Mar I felt like I was back in California! It is good to be at the beach for a change. I am getting tired of the desert. After a day it was south to Valparaiso and a change of sights.

The town is built on seaside hills that are quite steep, and in the early 1900s the Ascenders were put in around town. They make a good way to get up and down. Most of them are around 100 years old and they run at about a 45-degree angle.

Graffiti here also takes on a new art form! This was one of the best I found. On Sundays at many of the view points on the cliffs, budding artist try selling their wares. Some are very colorful.

So are the houses! This makes for a nice change to plain white houses. This is the local style.

Because of winter conditions, I had to use the same pass I came over to to get back to Argentina. Arriving in the town of Los Andes, I stopped at the market. As I turned in I heard a strange noise, but could not see anything. The next stop was the
service station and the noise got worse, so I found a place where I could take a
closer look. The problem was a wheel bearing, so I went back to town and the noise continued to get worse. At a service station I got directions to a parts shop.

The next thing I had to do was to find a press to remove the old wheel bearing and install the new one. Directions lead me across town. This guy got the job done in one hour, but by this time it was dark, so I had to put it all back together in the dark. After this adventure it was off to Mendoza, Argentina. As a safety thing I got a spare wheel bearing, and a week later I needed it. Same problem with the other side.

Valley of the Moon

2006-06-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Continued down Route 40 to Chilecito with a stop at the old mining cableway. This is some 36 ks of cable that go up into the mountains and was used to haul men and equipment in and the ore out. I was quite amazed to find that it was a bucket on-and-off system. Considering that it was made around 1903, this was amazing technology!

Route 40 then heads off into the hills and through an amazing canyon, then on to a flat plain for some hours and the Vally of the Moon. Dinosaur fossils were found here in the 1950s.

Argentina! Salta to Cafayate

2006-06-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

The road ahead and the road behind

Argentina! I tried to cross but the road was closed because of some sort of strike. I was thinking that I might have to take some sort of detour (one day's driving) but when I returned in the morning, all was open. I crossed to Argentina and the car was checked top to bottom, had to take everything out while some guy crawled under (no drug dog here.) It took about one hour. Then I was free to wander the countryside. The first things that came to my attention were street and road signs, more than I have seen for some months! I took a day to get down to Salta. I stopped at the first supermarket. I was able to get fresh bread, ham, cheese etc, things that have been hard to get after Colombia (I am in culture shock!) I stayed at the campground in Salta for a few days. As soon as I got there I was asked if I am German. "No." I could not understand till I looked around. There were 8 German camper vans! It seems that it is quite a good deal to ship from Europe to Argentina. With Argentina comes good beefsteaks and lots of them with red wine! I am in heaven!
I left Salta and started down Route 40 to the town of Cafayate. At first the road was flat and uninteresting. Then it dropped into a river valley with the Andes Mountains to the right and red cliffs to the left.

Arrived at Cafayate in the early afternoon and set up to see some vinyards in the morning.

Potosi

2006-06-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

I left Uyuni for a dusty drive to Potosi. It took over 5 hours to do 200 Ks. Arrived at Potosi in the early afternoon and found a parking garage, then a hotel. The next day I started looking for a tour of the local mines. As it turns out, it's the end of the month and there is a party at the mine entrance, so at 10am off we go, all eight of us in two taxis. We are greeted there with a liter of beer, which when opened, the first drop must go to mother earth easy. It is some time before the main show startss and all dressed and no place to go...

These people have strong pagan beliefs. This day and these Lamas are the main event

As this was a Pagan event you just stand back and look and see

What these people want is safety in the mine, and by splashing the blood around for the sacrifice this will help (though in a town where anyone can buy Dinamyte for $3 a stick one would question whether this works.)The next part is to BBQ the beast, dance and sing (no work today or the next . To help the afternoon go by, people come around with a jug of clear liquor (home made) and shot glass and the first drop is for Mother Earth. The rest is a very interesting drink, not to be confused with anything fit for human consumption! As this was Saturday I would have to wait till Monday for a mine tour.

This is on the third level down. This guy chips away with a hammer and chisel 12 hours a day at a seam that has silver, tin and zinc. This work will go on till he has some tons of ore. It will then be taken out with help of others, and all by hand at an altitude of 4000 meters! (I have a hard enough time just walking around, let alone work like that, and here in the mine with the dust and heat ???? ) The job from Hell! I'm just happy I get to leave!

Day Six

2006-06-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

Once again awoke early, and headed out on the road. This time I took a detour to Rio Grande and a short trip onto the salt water for some early morning pics. I was not sure if this was possible but I was assured that all would be fine. [Editor points out: He survived the world's most dangerous road, didn't he?] I drove about 1 and a half Ks on the water. It was bit like being in a boat.

After a little play in the water, I came back to dry land and set off for Unyie. Just one more stop for the trains. It made me a little sad to see these steel giants just sitting rotting away slowly, but then where in the world can anyone see
som any in one place?

Day Five

2006-06-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

Once again the overnight temp went down to -10c, even when we camped near the 40c water of the hot springs! Awakened in the morning to a steady stream of land cruisers that started arriving at 7am, all stopping at the hot springs for breakfast etc before heading on to Laguna Verde. I did just about the same except waiting till they had left before heading in for a dip in the hot water then heading down to Laguna Verde

In the early afternoon, I came back past the hot springs and up to the guises and boiling mud , I was surprised how violent it is. Was just expecting a little slow boil!

Day Four

2006-06-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Awoke this morning and everything was frozen! (What's new?) We took an hour to get going. The road was very rough until it turned onto the mining road for some 20ks before turning back into the rough track again. The road continues on through small passes and on to the petrified trees.

That's me, the little guy.

We continued on for the rest of the day to the hot springs and camped for the night.

Day three on the salt flats

2006-06-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Up early to get the sunrise across the salt lake. We drove around the island and across to the small island at the east point and set up for bacon and eggs. At his time of year the sunrise is quite quick and the sun rays race across the landscape like someone at night with a flashlight.

The next part of the day I drove south across the salt lake to a bridge to land. Quite easy to see, as there are markers and it is elevated a little with rock and earth. The road then goes south before crossing another small salt lake and train line. (We collected a sleeper for fire wood.) Camped in a dry river bed. The nights are very cold, -10c and dry.

Day two--Isla Pescados

2006-06-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

The day starts with a brillant sunrise, then down the dusty road and into the next town to get a little local advice, routes or short cuts. Then it's out onto the salt. A little easier driving. At first all I think about is all the horror stories, but after a short time, looking at things like the earth ramps that cross the soft edges with markers that can be seen for a some Ks around, my mind is put to rest. Besides I have my trusty GPS.

After some help from David, whom I met in La Paz, we set out across the salt to check out some Inca mummies. They seem to have some very questionable information on them, or is just a very good effort to get the tourists in?

Next was across the salt to another town to see a salt hotel. Yes, a whole building made from salt. For the price of this hotel you would think it had the Hilton on the outside. After a stroll around there, the next part is to leave the sight
of land behind and head across the salt to a GPS way point with nothing in sight for some time. David came through here and we arrived a the correct location, the Fish Island and a camping site which looked more like a beach. The first thing I noticed was the lack of noise. No birds, no wind, just nothing. We arrived early enough to get set up and BBQ with a few beers just befor the sun set.

Salar de Uyuni day 1

2006-06-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

I left La Paz at 5am and headed south. By nine thirty I arrived at the planned refueling point only to find no diesel available. It seams that the overnight temp got down to -10c so I had to wait till noon before a delivery arrived. I took the opportunity to have the oil changed and used the last oil that I took with me from the US. Sat at the station till the fuel truck arrived and was first in line! Back on the road, the next stop was some rock painting that dates some 1500 years ago. It took a little finding but got there, few people come here and the woman who runs the site came running up the road after leaving her sheep and llamas to unlock the gate. Then a quick change of clothes to be a tour guide!

By the late afternoon the pavement ran out and the road turned a little west. Some hours later I arrived at a crater that is miles across and quite deep. Get this, there's water in the bottom and it is farmed! It just made me wonder what or how big was the metor that hit the earth that could displace so much earth and leave a scar this big.

"The World's Most Dangerous Road"

2006-05-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

This term is a little overrated, as the road through the Copper Canyon in Mexico has bigger drops off the edges and is steeper and rougher, but it lacks one thing: The volume of traffic and the amount of crashes!

I took the option of riding a bike back down the mountain rather than driving, and I got to beat up the rental bike on the trip!

After all, just because it is above 4000 meters and a little up hill and you've run out of pavement there is no reason to be in the van . . .

Did I say it gets a little narrow?

Just watch the first step; after that it gets easy.

The bottom: beer o'clock.

It took most of the day, and after we reached the bottom it was time for a quick beer. Then off to a Hotel/Restaurant for a shower and lunch. Then the drive up the 3000 meters and 130 Ks back to La Paz at 7 pm. I was really just happy that some other person was driving!

La Paz Overlook

2006-05-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is an overview of La Paz, the capitol of Bolivia.

I try hard not to drive into big cities on a weekday but this time I had a change of mind, and as I expected, it was a little difficult. I got here with a little direction from the police and crossing at the southern end of lake Titicaca, I found a hotel and parking (off the street).

Sunday comes and it's off to "The Most Dangerous Road. . . "

Working Conditions in Bolivia

2006-05-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

Well guys, I was doing my office work the other day and was thinking that I should share my working conditions here in Bolivia. Cheers!

Leaving Cuzco

2006-05-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

I left Cuzco today and crossed into the Secured Valley. Along the way I stopped to get fuel. I had to wait a few minutes for the pumps to clear and while the guy was filling up, I got another offer to buy the car. Sometimes I think not a day on the road goes by without an offer.

My first stop was Urubamba which is close to the train line to Machu Picchu, the site is the last stand for the last Inca Emperor. It also has some amazing stonework atop a ridge.

I still wonder how they moved rocks the size of a small car and got them to fit perfectly.

I then took the road south to my next stop at Pica for the ruins up on the hill and the Sunday market. This market is not as big as some I have seen, but good for the tourist things and a look. The ruins here are mostly terraces but with a temple for the Sun and Moon. You can still see most of the "sun dial" which was used to tell the season, but more important for these people was the coming of the longer summer days and the rainy season, as all this revolves around agriculture. The water source is still running and the channel that feeds the temple and farm land works right down to the bath. By the way, it's cold!

At noon I left there and headed down to Tipon. Here there is some good Inca terracing, still with the water flowing from the spring high in the hill. I cannot help but think how the Inca were the masters of the terraces and thheir knowledge of water. They knew thatwater finds its own level, and with this they could make a fountain work with underground pipes using water from high on a hill for pressure.

With all this out of the way, it's south again along the highway that follows the valley. At first the sides are steep and close, but as the miles grow, the valley widens. The peaks become less and the road climbs little by little to climax at 4300 meters with just snow capped peaks on one side and high plains on the other. Even the peaks drop from the rearview mirror and the road slowly descends to 3900 meters and flat.

In the Morning my first stop is for the funeral towers at Sicuani. As with many of these sites that date from the pre-Inca, you can clearly see the different stone work after the Inca conquest or merge. The area is also know for its Toros and on my way out I could not help but stop for a pic of the two bulls atop houses and gates (it is meant to bring good luck). When I stopped, this woman came out and did not mind getting in to the action!

I then drove down to Puno but as there was little here I wanted to see. I just keep heading south for Lago Titicaca and Bolivia, just a quick hour between the two countries back on the road and one more to Copapbana (the hottest spot north of Havana). The days here are warm but the nights are cold. Some hing to do with the altitude, but with the cold comes Trout from the lake and how tasty they are when you are sitting by the lake in the afternoon relaxing with a cold beer.

Macchu Picchu

2006-05-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

I got up early to get the 5.30am bus for Macchu Picchu. I woke at 4.45am but it was raining, so I went back to bed for an hour and got to the bus stop at 6.30am. We got to the main gate at 7.30am. It was very foggy but this is how it will be for me (the sun does not shine all the time). But I will make the best of it and just hope it gets better. I set out to the temple of the Sun

and next to this was a hut that had a seat and a view. As I arrived I met someone from the night before. We sat and talked for a while as the tour parties passed till one caught our attention. This guy was really good! We followed him to the
next place at which point he invited us to join the group. The tour took one hour and his information was really good (or else he told a good story ?)

I went to bed after this. The next morning I took the trail that goes to the
Inca Bridge.

Upon arriving the first I see is a missing piece of the trail behind a fence as I follow the trail around to a wooden bridge section. Sheer cliff except for a 50cm walking trail. You still can see the ropes attached at some points where tourists took the trail until someone fell ??????? to his death. No more fun for the tourists. There is a 500meter drop off the cliff.

The last thing for the day is the hike up to the Sun gate for a classic view
of Machu Picchu and a quick look at the most recent landslide that has closed the Inca trail into Machu Picchu till repairs can be done.

My thoughts on Macchu Picchu, I can only think that this place was for learning but also it was a place for worship for these people. The Inca had a good idea on how the sun, moon and seasons affected their lives. They too also looked to the stars as did many early cultures did and as we do today and we should respect this place as a Holy site not a Disneyland ride. Maybe Pagan ritual should have more respect
than it gets today.

[This Pagan editor responds: Ra! Ra! Ra!]

Aguas Calientes and Macchu Picchu

2006-05-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Machu Picchu starts with a 4 hour train ride, first up a zig zag then across the high plateau, then descending down to the town of Aguas Calientes. I have to stay two days here because I cannot get a return the next day. I will make a day of Macchu Picchu, and as I have a spare half day at the beginning, the guy at the hotel says that there is a short hike up Putucusi the mountain directly opposite Macchu Picchu.

I was told that it would take one hour. Off I go, following the directions I was given, down the train tracks till you find a set of stairs going to your right. Up I go and the trail curves and climbs till I come to the ladder. I was told it is about only fifty meters up a flat slippery rock face. Up I climb, feeling happy that was over. I look up, only to see another ladder. Up I go and with joy I finish that one only to find another around the corner! Up I go, this time it was the last but the trail is steep, crossing a saddle and climbing again. This time it is not jungle, just grass and rock. At one of the curves in the trail there is a crack in the rock
that houses a beehive. Some hour and a half later I arrive at the summit but just before this a Condor flies overhead, looked more like a plane than a bird!

This is my first view of Machu Picchu just across the valley. It looks so neat and tidy, like it has fine trimmed lawns on the terraces and new houses without roofs, just waiting for life, yet the only thing that moves there are the brightly colored tourists, most in groups just like cows coming home, slowly moving across the landscape. I think I sat and look for an hour before heading down.

After completing the hike I headed up the hot mineral water pools for a good long soak. The best part of this is they serve BEER POOLSIDE! You do not have to even get out. "Heaven!"

Next stop Macchu Picchu

2006-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

I have been doing quite a lot today. I got a train ticket for Machu Picchu. (The price seems more like a kings ransom and made me think about other ways.) I arranged parking for my car ,went shopping, and now the internet. I should be back in two days.

Llama Crossing

2006-05-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

The last two days the road has taken me from Arequipa to Al Alto and the back road in to the Canon del Colca. I first drive across the desert where nothing is growing. The road is flat and straight, then it drops into a dry river and it follows this for some time. It starts to close in and there are some Inca terraces. Someone has a farm there, a small dot of green in a gray desert. The road starts to climb from here on a zigzag pattern before leveling out to a high desert. The road crosses this like a ribbon before climbing again over a pass and dropping in to the village of Huambo. There's Inca terracing here, too, and it's all green, what a change from the morning. The road then climbs over another pass and down to the village of Cabanaconde. I rested the night there, my car locked up at the police station (the only safe parking in town!)

In the morning it is off early to Cruz del Condor too see these big birds fly. They have wing spans over 6ft! It's great to watch them flying overhead, catching the thermal air coming off a 1300 meter cliff. After this the road continues to drop down through more Inca terracing (still being used today) until I reach the town of Chive. This, too, is an overnight stop. In the morning I head down to the (agua thermal) hot water springs for a dip in the mineral water, then back on the road. I am trying to get to the town of Yauri, but in the process the road follows a river for some time before turning into the hills and once again in a zigzag pattern till it reaches a height of 4800 meters. There is even snow around from the last storm. It stays at this height for the next few hours before dropping a little to
Yauri, but the surprise was just before the town. There was an open cut mine run by "BHP", "the big Australian!"

On I go heading to Sicuani for the night, but before I get there I pass some great
countryside and a lake which viewed from a hilltop looked stunning with just a small town on the lakeshore. On to Sicuani to spend the night at 3600 meters. In the morning it is off to the Inca ruins at Raqchi. I arrived a little early. The guy at the gate was not there yet but arrived quickly. The ruins here have some of the Inca stone work but the best part was to see the village ruins of round houses with grass roofs. Some have been reconstructed so as you get a good idea what the place would have looked like. Then the last 100 ks to Cuzco on a good road that passes most villages, except of course the one which I have to pass through. (Pain in the ass, as there is no clear way out or sign and you have to ask directions.)

Another shot of the Monastery

2006-05-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

[Editor's Note: Apparently Blogger has a two-images-per-entry rule. How annoying. Anyway, here's the other photo.]

Peruvian High Country

2006-05-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Arequipa is the gateway to the high country of Peru and Bolivia, and a little closer the Colca Canyon (which is deeper than the Grand Canyon in the US so I am told ). Here in town there are a few things that have got my attention. Monasterio Santa Catalina and Museo Santuarios Andinos.

First I took a trip around the Monasterio which was started in 1580 just after the Spanish conquest. To be a Nun here, it was a little selective. You need to be from the best Spanish families, which in turn paid a big dowry for this. You were allowed to between one and four servants and would live the life you were accustomed to, having parties, etc. (I have to think how much church wine was used there ?) But anyway, this continued for some three hundred years till the Pope sent Sister Josefa Cadena out there to sort the situation out. Well she did. From there it was all by the book till 1970 when the Mayor got them to open their doors and the tourists came! There are some 30 nuns that are still there, living a closed life as a nun in one corner. The rest is open for all to see and enjoy and learn.

Last stop for the day was the Museo Santuarios Andinos for the Ice Princess, a young Inca girl who was sacrificed to the Mountain some 500 years ago but is perfectly preserved, frozen in time at an altitude of some 6200 meters. She was not discovered till 1995 when weather conditions and a volcanic eruption on a nearby mountain made it possible. On the same mountain there have been 3 other such discoveries since then. Sorry no pic (no camera allowed).

Colca Canyon Planning: Today I went to the Peru office for information (the national tourist office). Not much on my planned route, but when talking to the woman at the hotel she said that her boss knows the route ("just what I need ") and he will be here in the evening. When he arrives we will sit down and talk about the route and some options as well , but the part I liked was he told me where to make the turn off the Pan American HWY "50 meter before the milk factory" and yes
I know where that is as it got my attention as I drove up here. Now equipped with all the information I will set out in the morning for what is a 4WD only road, I am told, except for a stop at the market for some BBQ supplies. Well, I will need to stop for lunch some where!

Puerto Inca

2006-05-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

I arrived here in the early afternoon after driving half a day across desert that goes into the sea, or the sea that is trying to claim the desert, I am just not quite sure which one applies. The Incas used to fish at this place and then via runners sent fresh fish up to Cusco. This is no easy thing as Cusco is several hundred Ks away and 3000 meters higher than the sea. Even today it would take me a
day or two to get there, and that is on paved roads and not carting a basket of fish!

Today it is a sea side resort that offers hotel rooms and camping but best of all COLD BEER. It seams hard to find cold beer in Peru, or is it they cannot afford to run the fridge? I shared my end of the beach with a group of English guys on an adventure travel tour (to the out of the way places?) To thier surprise, a U.S. plated car (mine) pulled up...

Mystery of the Nazca lines

2006-05-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

I have continued south to the town of Nazca to see the lines that have been marked in the desert here. There are many theories of why this was done. Was it some sort of calendar? A star chart? Maybe a signal to outer space travelers. The last idea seams to make sense. The Shamans (witch doctors) at the time may have made some hallucenogenic drug, which they would, in a drug induced state, think they were some sort of animals such as a Jaguar, Fish or Condor but usually powerful animals. They would have a dream where they would go to the deep depths of the ocean, the jungle or high in the sky like a Condor. However, most animals they put in the desert are animals that did not live there. Monkey, Hummingbird and Parrot, though the condor may have. So in this state the Shaman would not be of this world, and may think he is looking down on it or say he was, and as an added fact these animals also were regard as having some medicinal purposes. The theory here was acquired from the jungles in the Amazon. How true or not is only an idea but the real truth has
been lost in time so all we can do is look at what they did and wonder. It is just lucky it only rains here once a year, and very little.

The second part of my day was spent looking for some Mummies. There is a Nazca cemetery some 27 Ks from town. This place has been torn up by grave robbers though these people did not want the mummies, just the artifacts so they just tossed the mummies too one side while looking. Their trail of destruction led the archeologists to this place. The photo is of a recreation of a real tomb from the
destruction found.

[Editor's note: Happy birthday, Glenn! Hey, everybody, Glenn just turned ___. Birthday party photos to follow soon, hopefully.]

Sand Surfing in Peru

2006-04-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I have done something that I said that I was not going to do,
and that was "not to start a new thing that had a long learning curve." Well, let me eat my words. I tried a thing here called Sand Boarding. Well, what else does one do if one has these big sand dunes at one's doorstep?

At first all I wanted was two skis and some poles in place of my two feet tied to one board. I guess that I'm not used to the idea but after one afternoon and a shoe full of sand I have come to think this Sand Boarding is not a bad idea. The best thing is it takes place at an Oasis two Ks from town, a water hole amidst a lot of sand dunes (see photos.) But it has been a welcome break from the desert that I have been driving through, and somewhere to think about the mountains I am
about to head to, ie Cusco and La Paz.

Lima, Peru

2006-04-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

It has been two great days here in Lima! I have done all the things I wanted to do; the Church of San Francisco, Museo de la Nacion, the National Museum of Peru. Its main focus is on the indigenous people and their rise and fall, up to the Spanish arrival. The Market del Indios is selling handicrafts and tourist stuff, though
I think it is geared to the busloads of people who are on a guided event. Tonight I will study the map and work a route out of the city, as the roads do not seem to run north / south /east /west. It is all crazy, like you go a little east, then southeast, then connecting with the Pan American Highway again to head south again.

On the Way to Lima: Huanchaco

2006-04-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Huanchaco is a seaside town know for its fish. I did find another local drink there that is best found in the back alleys behind partly closed doors. I am told that it is made from maize, sugar cane, and some things that I cannot remember. It is fermented down for some days before being served at room temp in a bowl made from half a coconut shell. Though quite tasty, I did find myself stopping at two. Just not quite sure how this will affect me!

A short drive from town is the pre-Inca site of Chan Chan (see photo of the well below.) It took a little finding but when you approach this from the not normal way but I got there. The site was good but I was disappointed in the fact that the site
museum was closed.

Today is the drive south from the small seaside town of Huanchaco to Lima. The Pan American Highway here comes across more desert than I have seen before. It varied from sand dunes that were trying to cross the road to very rocky areas that that look somewhat like the moon. In all of this at some small town, midmorning, I
stopped at a road side fruit stall and got a watermelon. And how tasty it was! I think it was the sweetest I have had for some years. It was nice to be cruising across a black ribbon of tar on a gray and tan landscape, sampling some great watermelon as the mile markers flash by. What a change it is after climbing pass after pass and never ending hills above 3000 meters. I know that this bliss
on the highway will end soon when I turn left to Cusco.

Car Trouble in Tucume

2006-04-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it has finally happened. The car has not stopped, but slowed a little. It started with a noise in the front-end for a day or two. It's a bad bearing. After looking at it I thought it was gone, but it came back very quickly! On another look I found the problem, but could not get the part in Ecudor. In Peru there are Nissan dealers, so I removed the axle and drove on without it till I got to Peru the next day.

In Peru I go to the dealer and am able to buy the bearing for $16 U.S. I go back to fit the part only to start to think it will not fit! The problem is the shell of the old bearing is so tight and worn it does not look like a bearing anymore. After some thinking I got it out
so it looks like this, so with the new one in place I will see how the
next few days go.

While waiting for my part I took the opportunity to see the sights. I
planned to see Chiclayo of Sipan, Ferrenafe and Tucume on my way out of town. Most of these sitese date from pre-Inca times, but were taken by the Inca then later by the Spanish. It is very impressive that the adobe brick construction is still visible today in clear shapes and even terrace layers and ramps used to access the
tall platos of the tops of pyramids. More so are the artifacts that have been saved from grave robbers and found on digs. It seems that a lot of things found are from
the pre Inca times or have been in the ground for 1500 years or more.

Anyway, on I go.

Burger King in Peru

2006-04-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have finally made it to Peru! Now I am some few hundred Ks south now at Chiclayo on the coast. Just after I crossed the border the road changed and the cost of fuel changed!!! From one dollar a gallon to $3 give or take. Just lucky I filled the main
tank and the second and the 6 gallon can as well, so this gives me
some 500 miles of driving.

Getting back to the difference between the first 3 South American countries, Colombia and Ecuador there was not much difference but coming into Peru the road conditions changed. More poor people living in villages with no paved roads, more donkeys and most of all a new beer, "Cristal."

I did not eat at Burger King.

Peru: Good Reasons Not To Drive At Night

2006-04-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

While I was driving from Cuenca to Loja, I was thinking that I would
share this with you. The road was blocked with a mud slide which took me on 40k detour, almost two hours. I feel lucky, though; there was a bus driving the same road, and to get past one hill all the passengers were out to help push the bus up hill!! The road turned to mud and it was raining.

Cotopaxi, Ecuador

2006-04-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I took a few days and did the climb on Mt. Cotopaxi. The hut is at 4800 meters, and the peak is about 5800 meters. My climbing buddy and I took the option to have an extra day at the hut before starting the climb to get used to the altitude (good move). The morning of the climb starts at midnight, and we and the guides leave the hut and follow the trail to the glacier. From there we start the real ascent with crampons on our boots, tethered together at 6 meter intervals.
On the way up you could see the lights of Quito quite clearly to the
north, and to the south Ambato. We make it to 5400 meters by the time we get the first sign of dawn, and by the first rays of light we're at 5700. At this point the air is really thin compared to the hut below. Now there is enough light to see the
landscape around us, but this only lasted for two hours til the lower clouds came in. The descent only takes two hours compared to the ascent of over 6 hours.

Today I am starting to feel the effect of the climb.

4100 Meters

2006-04-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I got up this morning with the best intention of taking the train
from Riobamba for the "Devil's Nose." I arrived there and waited till the train arrived There was me and some 70 other people waiting for the train. What turned up was what I call a yellow school bus on a track. They call it an Autoferro. Anyway,
the first 25 get on the roof. When there is no more room there the rest squish inside. The whole point of this trip is the ride on top of the train to see
the scenery, not to be a sardine, so I decided to not go. I may try again on Wednesday. So I came down here to Banos, a rather uneventful drive to a very touristy town on the Gringo trail. Well, you get to these places along the way, cannot help these things.

Check out this picture. The barricade says, "Don't run, move slowly as you are at 4100 meters above sea level."

Riobamba, Ecuador: Changing Elevations

2006-03-31T20:48:00.000-08:00

My day started like most, except that the elevation I started at in Ambato was 2500 meters and then the road rose to 4200 meters. I crossed a tundra type area for some time before dropping down to Guaranda at 2800 meters. I made a turn off the main road here to get to Riobamba. The road I turned onto quickly turned to dirt
and then climbed too 4300 meters and along the way passed some of the best scenery I have seen for some time. (Check out the llamas in the picture.) I could stand on the side of the road look down at the people working in the valley below
and they only looked like ants, and the fields looked more like a patchwork quilt before the road then dropped down to the town of Riobamba at 2800 meters. I was hoping that I could do the train trip to Nariz del Diablo but I was told that it dose not run on Saturday. But all is not lost, as there is a market here on Saturday, after which I will do my usual safety check of my car for the week.

Crator Lake

2006-03-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

Today I drove up to Crator Lake at about 4000 meters above sea level. It somewhat took my breath away. (Well, I think that it was the lack of air, at these elevations that was the real problem.) The view was something from a book, but I am happy to be back to 2800 meters tonight and even more when I can get to sea level again.

Center of the World

2006-03-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

Made it to Quito and the center of the world. Just to prove it I took a pic of the GPS with 0 north and 0 south (see attached). I will be heading south down to Banos via a market town on Thursday. I am told it is good and a little off the gringo trail.

Otavalo Market, Ecuador

2006-03-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

No more road blocks this weekend! I made it to the Otavalo market and did a little tourist shopping and a lot of looking. The only things here I really liked were the wood carvings, so I got one. The weaving was not as good as I would have liked so passed on that, but I did see some very good uses for 205 liter and 60 liter drums.
In the morning it is off to Quito.

Ibarra: Protest March

2006-03-23T17:12:00.000-08:00

Just to let you guys know that the road opened today, but I have decided that it is worth the time to stay an extra day and look at the public unrest, though very calm, and also a market day in a town called Otavalo. I am told that it is one of the biggest here in Ecuador and it is most active on Saturdays.

[Editor's note: The common border between Ecuador and Peru has been the source of conflict for the past 150 years. The most recent crisis began because of a poorly defined peace agreement between the two countries in 1942. The Rio Protocol, as it was called, took some 200,000 square kilometers of land from Ecuador and gave it to Peru. The poor description of the new frontier left come 100,000 square kilometers of the border unmarked when an unknown river appeared where the mountains were supposed to be. These rivers are the Santiago and Zamora and are located in the middle of the dense jungle between the two countries. As a result of the lack of clarity of the Rio Protocol, the two nations have been fighting on and off for the last fifty years, including two full scale wars and spasmodic frontier incidents.]

Stuck in Ibarra

2006-03-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

I am stranded here in Ibarra a few hundred Ks from the Colombia border and getting closer to Equator and Quito. I have been only stopped once after the border and this was for a police check (they made me remove the window tint from the doors)
and drug check. Yes, I had a dog go through my car.

The drive down from Colombia was a strange mix here of very fertile valleys at 1500 meters to almost high desert passes at 3500 meters. I noticed the difference in altitude between 3000 and 2500 meters but my car really does know what height it is at as I have had to adjust the diesel fuel rate to compensate. Got tired of the black smoke and hard starts.

From what I am told and see on the TV the Indians do not want the government here to agree to a free trade agreement in the Americas. (I just want to know what Simone Bolivar would say?) There also seems to be a big divide between the Indians and Ecuadorians, though no one will say much. It is just the way things are said. Seeing the news today, it is clear that the police are tired of the situation and are beginning too take down the road blocks that have been up now for a week or so. I guess that they feel that they have made their point and this is enough.

Border crossing into Ecuador

2006-03-20T11:58:00.000-08:00

Still heading south. I have had a short delay at the Colombian / Ecuador border as the guys in Ecuador on Sunday did not know what to do so I had to wait till Monday to get my car permit. I am in Tulcan, Ecuador but will leave in the morning. As usual here in Ecuador there are road blocks set up because of some thing to with an anti-government movement. Hopefully it will go away in a day or two.

Santa Fe de Antoiquia, Colombia

2006-03-16T00:44:00.000-08:00

The pic I have sent is of the bridge at Santa Fe de Antoiquia. I am also sending a video crossing this bridge. I am now in Popayan on the Pan American Highway. It is only a day's drive to the border with Ecuador though I have one more stop along the way.

Yesterday I had a most interesting sight. I was on the highway that misses Cali ( I did not want to drive in another big city.) The road here must date from the time before cars or close to it, as some of the bridges are one lane affairs. The one that got my attention was one that this guy sits on all day with his stop and go sign, directing traffic.

Public Transport, Medellin Style

2006-03-14T00:53:00.000-08:00

I took the ride too the top today, and I had to share this with you all. The thing I found surprising was the fact that this lift is used as part of the city metro. This is the first time that I have seen a ski lift used like this.

Colombia: Barclona and Santa Fe de Antioquia

2006-03-14T00:50:00.000-08:00

Well, as the name says, I am still in Colombia, the land of surprise. I am stating to think that I am in the US or something. I took the drive out here and to my surprise there is a 3 mile long tunnel to get here, and it's new, so what was a 4 hour drive is now 1 hour. Today I will head back to Medellin and south for another
tourist town.

Cartegena to Medellin

2006-03-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

Today I left Cartegena and drove west, past some very tidy farms with perfect green grass. Not just one, but mile after after mile of them! This was not what I was expecting. Eventually the road starts into the hills and climbs to 2000 meters, past some villages that cling to the sides of valleys and rivers. There are a lot of poor people living out here, and at some points they are positioned every 50 meters or so with their arms holding out a cup or plate, hoping that someone will throw a few coins as they pass. The road in the hills has more turns and blind corners but people in cars just overtake anyway. This includes buses with little regard for safety!

Arriving
In Medellin I had to ask myself, "Am I really in South America?" A bigger surprise was to find that there is a Metro train system with a Gondola! I feel like I am in Europe or something. This place keeps getting better and better by the day , though the part I do not like is trying to find an address in the big cities. It's just the chaos that comes with the situation, and the one-way street system that sometimes just does not let you drive around the block.

While I was in Medellin, I just had to see Juan Pablo Escobar [famous criminal] so I took the metro to the last stop, then asked directions. At first no one seemed to know where I was going. Then I said the magic name and the next thing I knew, I was in a taxi and down the road faster than light. I was everyone's friend!

Here's Mr Escobar. Looking good!

Cartagena

2006-03-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

Arrived Cartagena via an Areis Dash 8 airplane (cheapest around). It was night. I hopped in a taxi and headed downtown, booked a room, then on Monday I got lucky. I was able to get the car out of customs in one day, to the surprise of the shipping company and myself! After a look around the old town it was off to Santa Marta. I took the opportunity for some diving here, [Glenn is an avid scuba diver in case we didn't tell you that--Ed.] I was rewarded with warm water (a change from the California cold), but the biggest surprise was seeing a Seahorse, some six inches tall. Even the locals could not believe it.

I drove back toward Cartagena but stopped at a Mud Volcano, and yes it's classed as a volcano, so I am told. The best thing is you can take a mud bath inside. I was quite surprised how buoyant I am in the mud! While there I was treated to a short love note in the dust on the car.

In driving these miles I found that during shipping, someone moved my car with a fork lift and damaged the drive shaft. After a day of looking I was able to have it repaired (only later find it was a poor job, requiring a second repair.) No help from the shipping Company (Seaboard!!!!!) either.

[Editor's Trivia: What movie features the line, "Cartagena? Lady, you are hell and gone from Cartagena!") Hint: Kathleen Turner.

Panama City

2006-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Today I got the news that I can ship the car to Colombia on Friday. Today is
Monday, it's 4pm and most things are already closed. Tomorrow is D-day for me as I have to go to Seaboard Marine first, then on to the Customs office to get my paper work stamped. (This is an oddyssey unto itself, as one person will stamp the paper, the other you will pay, and the last will stamp all the paperwork again just to make sure everyone is doing their job and no one is ripping the system off.) The whole thing will happen twice, once in customs and then with the police. It is like this here and everywhere in central America. The answer is to just get used
to it as this is the way things happpen.

So the next few days will be somewhat of an adventure for me. It's a strange thing to ship a car such a short distance and then retrieve it on another continent. No turning back now, the real trip begins! I am hoping to fly to Cartagena on Saturday
and from there it's all South America.

Arriving in Panama City

2006-02-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

Well, I arrived in Panama City. This was a little more than I expected, but what a pleasant surprise! They have a supermarket with things that are easy to recognize, and now for the best part, two girls were handing out Bacardi and Cola samples! Or was it Rum and Pineapple? I could not believe that this would happen in a supermarket, so I went back another night just to see if I was dreaming. Nope, there they were again! "Heaven..."

I went down in the old part of town today, parked near the French
embassy and walked around for a while. I am impressed with the condition of some of the buildings, but some are not so good. I loved the area.

I also went to the Miraflores Locks the day before. It is fun to watch a container ship pass the locks. Now I'm just waiting to hear from a shipping company to see when I can send the car over to Colombia.

Panama

2006-02-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

Panama has an amazing countryside. Here it goes from cool mountains with pines to tropical jungle to flat grassland and perfect beaches. You can see all of this in a two hour drive. Most other places I have been, it takes more time and miles, with elevation changes. For now I am staying at a beach north of Panama City. Here I can camp on the beach for cheap while the cabins next door cost a few dollars more.

I go by just to listen to the salsa music and have a few beers.

It looks more like the south Pacfic. I'd love to stay, but I must keep moving.

Nicaragua inland island

2006-01-22T13:59:00.000-08:00

I made it to Nicaragua, and all is going well. I found a guy in Managua who got my AC in the truck working again. A nice change. I am now in Granada for a few days and it is quite a change from the hustle and bustle of Managua. There's also a total lack of street signs. In the 3 days I've been here I think I saw one. One thing I do notice here is that it's very humid

There is an active Volcano a few miles away from Granada, just off the main highway. I made the turn and a mile later I was there. I was lucky
that the wind was blowing away from me while I was there, so I was able to miss the sulfur smell. The fun part is you get to park right on the edge of the volcano!

The Island of Ometempe is two cone-shaped Volcanos in a fresh water lake. One is active, and on a clear day you may see some smoke. It it is quite tropical and somewhat hard to get onto, as one of the boats that run to the island has been broken for some time. I needed to make a booking five days in advance and wait at the port office for some hours, but was lucky to get there. One cool thing, there are Monkeys here. I am told that there three types but I have only seen one ( too faraway to get a digital pic). I have heard the second type, though.

They call it a "Howler." While here I was able to get around the half of the island and get into a waterfall. It took two hours to hike in from the road but was worth all the effort! Some guy here has set up his own hydrelectric station with pipe from the base of the waterfall and makes 24000 volt and 75kva

Lost City of Copan

2006-01-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

The lost city of Copan. I had a good day there. I got in with a
tour group which had a guide; it made the whole thing very
interesting, with good explanations of the site. I I was quite surprised how quickly the jungle takes over the stone buildings. It is a constant battle to keep it all back. I have driven down to the southern end of Honduras to cross into Nicaragua in the morning. The drive down was fantastic. I cannot believe how dry the
central part of the country is; very little forest just pine plantations. I also having to play the game here of dodge the pot hole, and when I say pot hole I mean 15cm deep. It's amazing how focused you can become on the road 20m in front of you!

Lake Atitlan

2006-01-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

Lake Atitlan!
It's just fantastic! The drive in offered some great views, just wish there were a few moreroad signs as navigation here gets a little confusing when taking secondary roads.

The drive out was just as good, and a lot less trouble with signage, though I did get many looks from people in the small villages I passed. It was a look of surprise; What is a US car doing here? (Driven by an Aussie no less...Ed.) It was nice to see the Mayan women doing their work in thier colorful
dress ( I have to think that they are the hardest workers here as they are always busy
and the men just seam to sit around all day )

Gutemala Quezaltenango

2006-01-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

This was my first stop after crossing into Guatemala and now seeing that it would make
life easer I took a week of Spanish lessons to help improve my situation and now only
time will tell , I am quite surprised on how the culture changes after I crossed into
Guatemala it almost seams black and white

I have come to the onion that here in Guatemala that Mayan women are the hardest
workers ,they never seam to stop all day and have some fabulous colorful dress

Now I seen some guys in the US do some things to there car but not a bus
but this could be a new trend "pimp my ride" even if it is a buss

Mexico Tapachula

2006-01-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Drivng south and getting closer the Guatamala border I keep seeing bridges wash out or
the abutments wash away and this was not just one but many and in some places every
thing was gone , this devisitation was done at the same time as New Orliens

But what realy supprised me was the town of Tapatula that once was a happy town
with a small river , was torn apart by a raging torrant that took house shops and lives
away with it , it looked more like a darstar and now just one bridge to cross the
river put in by the army

Mexico Oaxaca

2005-12-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

I have come to Ocxaua it has one of the first big Mayan ruians
I will find as I head south , it took a little effort to find not to
many road signs down here it has just got me thinking how
the rest of the trip will go ?

While leaving town I was some what interested in why there so many tour buss
parked near this building so I took a quick stop to take a look, and look what
I found ( a pot still ) yes it was a Tequila still and they give a stort tour of the
process and a little sample as well quite interesting

Bars Boats Mexico

2005-12-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

As some travel storys start there I was sitting in a bar (by the beach)
and the talk around the table turned the sail boats and the next thing
I said was yes to a 3 day trip up the cost on a Sail boat from San Blas
to Mazatlan , after a quick tour of the boat in the morning all was set
the next morning we would leave , the boat was a Cal 36 just needed
a few supplys , in the morning all was set and motered out of harbour
the wind pickup and set sail for island of Isibell , arrived in the early
evening and after haveing some truble setting the anker all was set
In the morning snorked in the quite bay where the boat was ankered
around noon some fisherman came by and we traded for fish in the
afternoon went ashore to check out the island and returned to BBQ
the fish in the evening , late the next morning set out for Mazatlan
and it was not long befor the wind pickup and set sail once again
during the day passed many turtel and a few dolfins , Mark comented
how good the local fisherman in there small boat were some time
later one came along side and asked directions to the island that
we passed some hours ago , had the sails up till around 8pm then
started the moter and motered through the night and arrived in the
morning , after the few day on the boat I was happy to be on land
though sad it was over that evening went to a restruant for a fun
meal with Marlin pate (incredible good) then in the morning took
the lonley bus back to San Blas arriving I went straight to the
San Blas social club I felt like a local returning after a long trip
hope some day to return

Copper Canyon

2005-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Hi well arrived in Mazaplan today after driving through the Copper Canyon
and some very rough moutain logging tracks but worth the effort some
realy good views the road starts in a small town of Creal near Chichuachua
after getting some information and some gps points off I go the road quickly
changes form pavement to rocks and dirt but the views also change as well
passing lakes that would not even thing were possible here

as the day progress the road gets narrower and rougher and the turns get
tighter and some very great views along the way , only made one wrong
turn (well no failed to make a turn) the road was blocked for road works
and needed to duble back , spent the night in a small village and set out
in the morning

there was some amazing ways that the Mexicans make roads here
just a box of expolosives and a tractor even there bridge construction
here takes on new ideasr there was a grupe of worker camp out and
by day sive sand and gravel from the creak and mix cement and use
large river rocks to make a bridge across a creak but if needed will
make a tunnel

I pass the village of Masa Altura here is the turn to one of the best views on
road , here the trail got very rough and very steap and in two and a half hours
drop some 1900 meters to the valley floor

driving up from the village hard but to my supprise coming down the valley
was big 4WD yellow school bus it was quite a squise to get passed each
other I had to move so close to the edge I need the bus driver to direct me
even then it was just a centermeter or two clearance between me and the
rocks of the clif for the bus . The next day the road started out the same
but as the day progressed it slowly became wide and flater befor joining
a mining road that was more like a freeway it was pleasent change in the
afternoon finaly join the pavement and Los Moches
and head south crossing the tropic line