We've been enjoying the lively little city of La Rioja. We're staying at the Hotel Plaza, with a balcony overlooking the busy Plaza 25 de Mayo. Sierra de Velasco (a mountain range) overlooks the town and would be a pretty background, if we hadn't been here on the only two cloudy days of the year.
La Rioja is a nine-hour bus ride north from Mendoza. The bus stopped for 30 minutes for lunch in Vallecito, where we stumbled across the Difunta Correa Shrine. There's hundreds of scale model houses, license plates, and other offerings. If we hadn't gone for a short walk from the bus to stretch our legs we would have missed it.
We ate at the two best restaurants on the two nights we were here, at least according to the Lonely Planet. First night we had dinner at La Viejo Casona. We got there just before 8pm and walked in the staff entrance, not realizing they didn't open till 8pm. I tried chivito (grilled goat), a local specialty, which was excellent, although hard work to get each mouthful.
The next night we ate at Stanzza. Not wanting to repeat our faux pas and show up before the restaurant opened, we went out for dinner at 8:45pm. Unfortunately Stanzza doesn't open until 9pm. So we wandered down to a nearby plaza and watched the local life for 20 minutes. Stanzza has great Italian food, I really liked their lemon sole.
At both restaurants people continued to stream in at all hours, including families with little kids and babies. We felt uncool going home to bed at 11pm when two-year-olds were just sitting down to dinner.
I managed to pick up a cold or the flu somewhere along the way, and sniffled most of the time in La Rioja. Heather now has it but hopefully it looks like she's getting better.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Mendoza, Argentina
We've covered a bit of ground since I last posted. Right now we're relaxing on our balcony overlooking Plaza Indepencia, the centre square in Mendoza. It was a beautiful sunny day, 24C, for walking around, seeing the town, having a beer in the pedestrian street while figuring out our next few steps.
After seeing Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate, we took the bus back to Puerto Natales, and then caught another bus to Punta Arenas. The crossing into Chile was much more labourious than going to Argentina. Everyone had to get their luggage from the bus, have it scanned (for prohibited items such as fruit and meat). We had a couple hard boiled eggs for a snack on the long bus ride, which they cracked to make sure they were in fact cooked.
We stayed at Hotel Ilaia in Punta Arenas, which is run by a very nice family. It also had the one of the best breakfasts so far, including home made chapatis, and steeped tea! And a rainhead shower.
We took a day trip to Isla Magdalena to see a penguin colony. We saw thousands of Magellanic penguins, although not as a big group, but rather dotted all across the island in their burrows. We took a two-hour ferry to the island through the Strait of Magellan (which was quite comfortable), then had an hour on the island before returning back to Punta Arenas. There is a roped qalking path from the docking area to a lighthouse at the centre of the island. Penguins are all around you as you walk. It was extremely windy, and we were concerned about being blown off our feet into a penguin burrow. Fortunately no penguins were killed by our walk!
It's a long way back from Punta Arenas to Santiago (almost 48 hours by bus), so we flew with Sky Airlines, $150 one-way, about half the price of LAN Chile. It was a mill run, stopping down in a couple cities along the way.
Stayed overnight in Santiago at Casa Bonita (same place as our first night), then took a bus through the Andes to Mendoza. We had the front seats on the upper level of a double decker semi-cama bus (semi-cama means 'half-bed' in spanish, and refers to the fact that the seats fold back to 140*, almost flat). This is the way to take this trip. The views of the Andes and the road, especially near the top of the Chilean side where there's about 30 switchbacks, is amazing. Near the top it tunnels through the peak, reaching an altitude of 3195m.
Unfortunately it takes forever to get through customs. We waited 2.5 hours at the crossing. Definitely not as efficient as the crossing to El Calafate. There was an excellent stall selling sandwiches which helped.
We arrived in Mendoza and checked into Hotel San Martin. We had emailed them earlier but they said they were full, but they seem to have plenty of rooms available.
We had lunch in the market this afternoon which was great, much better than the overbooked steak we had on the touristy Av Sarmiento. Tonight we are looking for a restaurant on the trendy Aristides Villanueva.
After seeing Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate, we took the bus back to Puerto Natales, and then caught another bus to Punta Arenas. The crossing into Chile was much more labourious than going to Argentina. Everyone had to get their luggage from the bus, have it scanned (for prohibited items such as fruit and meat). We had a couple hard boiled eggs for a snack on the long bus ride, which they cracked to make sure they were in fact cooked.
We stayed at Hotel Ilaia in Punta Arenas, which is run by a very nice family. It also had the one of the best breakfasts so far, including home made chapatis, and steeped tea! And a rainhead shower.
We took a day trip to Isla Magdalena to see a penguin colony. We saw thousands of Magellanic penguins, although not as a big group, but rather dotted all across the island in their burrows. We took a two-hour ferry to the island through the Strait of Magellan (which was quite comfortable), then had an hour on the island before returning back to Punta Arenas. There is a roped qalking path from the docking area to a lighthouse at the centre of the island. Penguins are all around you as you walk. It was extremely windy, and we were concerned about being blown off our feet into a penguin burrow. Fortunately no penguins were killed by our walk!
It's a long way back from Punta Arenas to Santiago (almost 48 hours by bus), so we flew with Sky Airlines, $150 one-way, about half the price of LAN Chile. It was a mill run, stopping down in a couple cities along the way.
Stayed overnight in Santiago at Casa Bonita (same place as our first night), then took a bus through the Andes to Mendoza. We had the front seats on the upper level of a double decker semi-cama bus (semi-cama means 'half-bed' in spanish, and refers to the fact that the seats fold back to 140*, almost flat). This is the way to take this trip. The views of the Andes and the road, especially near the top of the Chilean side where there's about 30 switchbacks, is amazing. Near the top it tunnels through the peak, reaching an altitude of 3195m.
Unfortunately it takes forever to get through customs. We waited 2.5 hours at the crossing. Definitely not as efficient as the crossing to El Calafate. There was an excellent stall selling sandwiches which helped.
We arrived in Mendoza and checked into Hotel San Martin. We had emailed them earlier but they said they were full, but they seem to have plenty of rooms available.
We had lunch in the market this afternoon which was great, much better than the overbooked steak we had on the touristy Av Sarmiento. Tonight we are looking for a restaurant on the trendy Aristides Villanueva.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
El Calafate, Argentina
We saw Perito Moreno Glacier yesterday! It was just as impressive as the first time I saw it ten years ago.
We booked a day trip through Hielo Adventuras ($125), which included a boat trip to the front of the glacier, and walking on the glacier.
Perito Moreno is 90 minutes west of El Calafate. We were picked up at our hotel at 9am, and then we were off.
At Perito Moreno, we first had a couple hours to wander around the observation walkways. The glacier is always calving (pieces of ice breaking off), and we were lucky to see an entire face (about 50 ft tall) calve right in front of us. I didn't get it on video but have some cool pictures with the mini tidal waves.
Next we took the boat ride near the front of the glacier. It looks more impressive looking up from water level than from the viewing platforms where you're mostly looking down.
On the other side of the lake we met our guide for the glacier trek. First we put on crampons, a 10-second lesson on use (walk with your feet apart, and with your feet flat, not on your toes or heels, and how to walk up and down inclines), and then we were walking on the glacier!
We spent almost two hours walking around. It took a few minutes to trust the crampons, which were heavy on our feet. Plus with the added height, our boots didn't get wet.
It was a very warm day (about 15C), and walking on the glacier is no colder than walking on land. We wore gloves to protect out hands in case we fell, because the surface is covered with sharp ice pebbles (sort of like crushed ice). It is deceptive in some areas, where it looks like your foot will sink into slush, but it's all ice underneath and you can walk on what looks like slush.
It is dangerous to wander off the path of the guides. The glacier melts at this time of year (although the snow build up at the top keeps the glacier size in balance), and so in places you could fall through to water flowing down inside the glacier.
Towards the end of the glacier walk, the novelty had worn off, and we were getting tired and just wanted to get back to town for dinner.
El Calafate has grown up since I was last here, taking advantage of the tourist draw of Perito Moreno. It's becoming a nice resort town, with nice restaurants and patios for a coffee.
We just wanted something simple for dinner so stopped in at a pizza place. Somehow I always forget that pizza (and most Italian food) is hit-and-miss when travelling, actually almost all misses. The beer, however, was excellent. There's only one beer in Argentina, Quilmes, and it ranks up there in my opinion as one of the best beers in the world, only behind Beerlao in Lao.
We forgot that it's Carnaval, and Monday and Tuesday are holidays in Argentina. There were more local tourists, and also the ATMs ran out of cash! Fortunately the ATMs were refilled, but there was were still line ups to get cash.
We weren't sure at the border crossing if we would be charges reciprocity fees of $70 to enter Argentina (this is what Canada charges Argentinians to enter Canada). The Lonely Planet said we would, but we weren't. I think for land crossings we'll be okay.
In El Calafate we stayed at an actual IHYF Youth Hostel. This one had part morphed into a hotel, with some double rooms with private bath. It had the best showers on the trip so far. The main reason we selected the hotel is because they have self-serve laundry facilities. After the W Trek, we needed to wash our dry-fit clothing, but didn't trust the special washing instructions (half the detergent, no dryer) to other people. So we now have packs full of clean clothes again.
Today we're on a couple buses to get us to Punta Arenas (about eight hours on buses, plus the border crossings). We plan to relax there for at least a couple days (we've been on the go since the start of the trip), and hopefully a day trip to see a penguin colony.
We booked a day trip through Hielo Adventuras ($125), which included a boat trip to the front of the glacier, and walking on the glacier.
Perito Moreno is 90 minutes west of El Calafate. We were picked up at our hotel at 9am, and then we were off.
At Perito Moreno, we first had a couple hours to wander around the observation walkways. The glacier is always calving (pieces of ice breaking off), and we were lucky to see an entire face (about 50 ft tall) calve right in front of us. I didn't get it on video but have some cool pictures with the mini tidal waves.
Next we took the boat ride near the front of the glacier. It looks more impressive looking up from water level than from the viewing platforms where you're mostly looking down.
On the other side of the lake we met our guide for the glacier trek. First we put on crampons, a 10-second lesson on use (walk with your feet apart, and with your feet flat, not on your toes or heels, and how to walk up and down inclines), and then we were walking on the glacier!
We spent almost two hours walking around. It took a few minutes to trust the crampons, which were heavy on our feet. Plus with the added height, our boots didn't get wet.
It was a very warm day (about 15C), and walking on the glacier is no colder than walking on land. We wore gloves to protect out hands in case we fell, because the surface is covered with sharp ice pebbles (sort of like crushed ice). It is deceptive in some areas, where it looks like your foot will sink into slush, but it's all ice underneath and you can walk on what looks like slush.
It is dangerous to wander off the path of the guides. The glacier melts at this time of year (although the snow build up at the top keeps the glacier size in balance), and so in places you could fall through to water flowing down inside the glacier.
Towards the end of the glacier walk, the novelty had worn off, and we were getting tired and just wanted to get back to town for dinner.
El Calafate has grown up since I was last here, taking advantage of the tourist draw of Perito Moreno. It's becoming a nice resort town, with nice restaurants and patios for a coffee.
We just wanted something simple for dinner so stopped in at a pizza place. Somehow I always forget that pizza (and most Italian food) is hit-and-miss when travelling, actually almost all misses. The beer, however, was excellent. There's only one beer in Argentina, Quilmes, and it ranks up there in my opinion as one of the best beers in the world, only behind Beerlao in Lao.
We forgot that it's Carnaval, and Monday and Tuesday are holidays in Argentina. There were more local tourists, and also the ATMs ran out of cash! Fortunately the ATMs were refilled, but there was were still line ups to get cash.
We weren't sure at the border crossing if we would be charges reciprocity fees of $70 to enter Argentina (this is what Canada charges Argentinians to enter Canada). The Lonely Planet said we would, but we weren't. I think for land crossings we'll be okay.
In El Calafate we stayed at an actual IHYF Youth Hostel. This one had part morphed into a hotel, with some double rooms with private bath. It had the best showers on the trip so far. The main reason we selected the hotel is because they have self-serve laundry facilities. After the W Trek, we needed to wash our dry-fit clothing, but didn't trust the special washing instructions (half the detergent, no dryer) to other people. So we now have packs full of clean clothes again.
Today we're on a couple buses to get us to Punta Arenas (about eight hours on buses, plus the border crossings). We plan to relax there for at least a couple days (we've been on the go since the start of the trip), and hopefully a day trip to see a penguin colony.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
W Trek - Day 5 - 11km - 5.5 hours
Woke up at 7am and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. This boded well to get good pictures. Earlier in the morning we heard the trekkers leaving at 4am to be at the lookout for sunrise.
From the refugio we watched Los Torres turn red with the sunrise. We quickly ate our breakfast, and started our ascent to the lookout shortly after 8am. I was worried that clouds would roll in at any moment, and with just a day pack, we had a very fast pace.
It was a strenuous climb, ascending from 400m to 800m, but not very technically difficult. The last few hundred metres was over rocks, but well-marked. We must have had a big adrenaline kick because the map said it should take 2:15 hours but we reached the lookout in 1:25!
Los Torres is simply amazing. We were very lucky that the weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky (we had prepared ourselves to wait for a couple hours to get a glimpse, based on blogs we read beforehand). Also, the sunrise people had descended, and we were the first post-breakfast people to arrive, so we had Los Torres to ourselves for almost an hour! We sat on a big boulder the size of a minivan and took in the views for almost 90 minutes.
We went slower on the descent, to take it easy on out knees, and also because there was no rush any more. Most people take the bus back to Puerto Natales the same day, but we had chosen to stay at Las Torres Hotel, our splurge for the trip. It's a very nice place, we were glad it was at the end of the trek and not that start (some people go east-west; I think west-east is better because you finish with the highlight (Las Torres), and there's great views of Los Cuernos along the bottom part of the W.
The weather forecast posted in the hotel showed a high of 23C for today! -- we had packed clothing for 5C :)
Over the five days we trekked 70km, almost all ups-and-downs, over uneven rocks. We had no rain on four days, and just a sprinkling on the other. As well we didn't get the high winds that we'd read about. Our gear held up pretty well, and so did our bodies. We were very impressed by both the quality and quantity of food, although with all the walking with packs we both lost weight (at least, out clothes are fitting much looser).
From the refugio we watched Los Torres turn red with the sunrise. We quickly ate our breakfast, and started our ascent to the lookout shortly after 8am. I was worried that clouds would roll in at any moment, and with just a day pack, we had a very fast pace.
It was a strenuous climb, ascending from 400m to 800m, but not very technically difficult. The last few hundred metres was over rocks, but well-marked. We must have had a big adrenaline kick because the map said it should take 2:15 hours but we reached the lookout in 1:25!
Los Torres is simply amazing. We were very lucky that the weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky (we had prepared ourselves to wait for a couple hours to get a glimpse, based on blogs we read beforehand). Also, the sunrise people had descended, and we were the first post-breakfast people to arrive, so we had Los Torres to ourselves for almost an hour! We sat on a big boulder the size of a minivan and took in the views for almost 90 minutes.
We went slower on the descent, to take it easy on out knees, and also because there was no rush any more. Most people take the bus back to Puerto Natales the same day, but we had chosen to stay at Las Torres Hotel, our splurge for the trip. It's a very nice place, we were glad it was at the end of the trek and not that start (some people go east-west; I think west-east is better because you finish with the highlight (Las Torres), and there's great views of Los Cuernos along the bottom part of the W.
The weather forecast posted in the hotel showed a high of 23C for today! -- we had packed clothing for 5C :)
Over the five days we trekked 70km, almost all ups-and-downs, over uneven rocks. We had no rain on four days, and just a sprinkling on the other. As well we didn't get the high winds that we'd read about. Our gear held up pretty well, and so did our bodies. We were very impressed by both the quality and quantity of food, although with all the walking with packs we both lost weight (at least, out clothes are fitting much looser).
Friday, March 04, 2011
W Trek - Day 4 - 16km - 5 hours
I woke with a start at 7am and ran outside in my pajamas to see how Los Cuernos looked in the dawn light. The sun was yet to rise over the foothills opposite so I had time to wash up and get my camera.
Breakfast was really good, cereal with milk, scrambled eggs and homemade bread. (The box lunch included homemade granola bars!) We were off by 8:30am, walking alongside the glacial green Lago Nordenskjöld, with beautiful views of Los Cuernos. The weather was looking to be another gorgeous day.
About three hours in we forked left for the shortcut to Refugio Chileno. The map showed a visual cue with the fork being just before a lagoon, but not to worry as there was a sign clearly marking "Shortcut to Chileno". We didn't see the lagoon for another 10 minutes so it's a good thing there was a sign.
The next hour was the hardest on the trek so far. We were under the hot sun, with no wind. It was stinking hot. About 30 minutes in we took shade under a lone tree, to eat our oranges, reapply sunscreen and cool down. When we got going again, we realized everyone else on the path had the same idea, as every few minutes we passed another tree with someone under it.
We were also running low on water. Horses use the same path, and we weren't sure of water quality (the streams flowed through more grasslands than on Day 1 and 2). Later we found out most other people ran out of water on this same stretch. It was unusual to have such a warm day!
Finally we crested the ridge, into the Windy Pass. It was windy as its name suggests, which helped to keep us cool. Plus we could see Refugio Chileno in the distance, which gave us a boost.
Refugio Chileno is yet another refugio in a perfect location. From the common room there are views of Las Torres. They rent towels ($3) (so far only Paine Grande included towels, and we hadn't packed any to save on weight) so I jumped in the shower. It wasn't hot but I didn't care.
The sun was still strong at 3pm so we sat inside for a beer while everyone else was sitting outside. Some other trekkers decided to climb to the lookout that afternoon because of the lack of clouds. The sun's in a better position for pictures in the morning so we decided to wait until tomorrow as planned.
Breakfast was really good, cereal with milk, scrambled eggs and homemade bread. (The box lunch included homemade granola bars!) We were off by 8:30am, walking alongside the glacial green Lago Nordenskjöld, with beautiful views of Los Cuernos. The weather was looking to be another gorgeous day.
About three hours in we forked left for the shortcut to Refugio Chileno. The map showed a visual cue with the fork being just before a lagoon, but not to worry as there was a sign clearly marking "Shortcut to Chileno". We didn't see the lagoon for another 10 minutes so it's a good thing there was a sign.
The next hour was the hardest on the trek so far. We were under the hot sun, with no wind. It was stinking hot. About 30 minutes in we took shade under a lone tree, to eat our oranges, reapply sunscreen and cool down. When we got going again, we realized everyone else on the path had the same idea, as every few minutes we passed another tree with someone under it.
We were also running low on water. Horses use the same path, and we weren't sure of water quality (the streams flowed through more grasslands than on Day 1 and 2). Later we found out most other people ran out of water on this same stretch. It was unusual to have such a warm day!
Finally we crested the ridge, into the Windy Pass. It was windy as its name suggests, which helped to keep us cool. Plus we could see Refugio Chileno in the distance, which gave us a boost.
Refugio Chileno is yet another refugio in a perfect location. From the common room there are views of Las Torres. They rent towels ($3) (so far only Paine Grande included towels, and we hadn't packed any to save on weight) so I jumped in the shower. It wasn't hot but I didn't care.
The sun was still strong at 3pm so we sat inside for a beer while everyone else was sitting outside. Some other trekkers decided to climb to the lookout that afternoon because of the lack of clouds. The sun's in a better position for pictures in the morning so we decided to wait until tomorrow as planned.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
W Trek - Day 3 - 13km - 4.5 hours
(I typed and lost this entry twice, and so here´s a much shorter version)
Trekked from Paine Grande, a short break at Campo Italiano, and then onto Refugio Cuernos. Great views of Los Cuernos, along the trek and from the refugio. Great food. Rained on us for the first time, but too hot under our windbreakers so just in our capilene base layers, but it wasn´t raining very hard and our clothes never really got wet. Debated going to Valley of Frances as a side trek from Campo Italiano (the middle part of the W) but decided against it because we didn´t want to push it.
Trekked from Paine Grande, a short break at Campo Italiano, and then onto Refugio Cuernos. Great views of Los Cuernos, along the trek and from the refugio. Great food. Rained on us for the first time, but too hot under our windbreakers so just in our capilene base layers, but it wasn´t raining very hard and our clothes never really got wet. Debated going to Valley of Frances as a side trek from Campo Italiano (the middle part of the W) but decided against it because we didn´t want to push it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
W Trek - Day 2 - 19km - 6.5 hours
We slept deeply until 6am when the sky started to lighten and woke us up. We wanted to get an early start, to get a side trip closer up to glacier (with just a day pack) before heading back down to Paine Grande.
It took us an hour to reach Los Guardas campsite. There was supposed to be a lookout point 30 minutes beyond the camp, but we only saw signs to a lookout about 5 minutes away. This lookout point was almost on top of the glaciers and was amazing. (Later we talked to other trekkers who found the more distant lookout, oh well).
We went back to the refugio to get our packs, and a box lunch we had ordered. The lunch was huge! I was thinking about how much it weighed :) in my pack.
The trek back to Paine Grande was enjoyable. The views in the distance were amazing, but so was the path (which we didn't notice the first day). If you paid someone to create a rock garden and landscaping it wouldn't look half has good.
We arrived at Paine Grande lodge at 4:15pm. This was more hotel-like, although still with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. We were able to get a room for just the two of us. We showered and stretched, and the headed to the bar for a celebration beer ($4) (we also had one after day 1).
Dinner was a buffet, lots of food which was good, but not as tasty as Refugio Grey.
So far we've been lucky with the weather. The wind hasn't been too strong (gusts up to 40km?) and no rain yet. We've been wearing our capilene base layer with a wind breaker, and by zipping and unzipping and taking gloves on and off we've been comfortable in the changing weather conditions.
It took us an hour to reach Los Guardas campsite. There was supposed to be a lookout point 30 minutes beyond the camp, but we only saw signs to a lookout about 5 minutes away. This lookout point was almost on top of the glaciers and was amazing. (Later we talked to other trekkers who found the more distant lookout, oh well).
We went back to the refugio to get our packs, and a box lunch we had ordered. The lunch was huge! I was thinking about how much it weighed :) in my pack.
The trek back to Paine Grande was enjoyable. The views in the distance were amazing, but so was the path (which we didn't notice the first day). If you paid someone to create a rock garden and landscaping it wouldn't look half has good.
We arrived at Paine Grande lodge at 4:15pm. This was more hotel-like, although still with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. We were able to get a room for just the two of us. We showered and stretched, and the headed to the bar for a celebration beer ($4) (we also had one after day 1).
Dinner was a buffet, lots of food which was good, but not as tasty as Refugio Grey.
So far we've been lucky with the weather. The wind hasn't been too strong (gusts up to 40km?) and no rain yet. We've been wearing our capilene base layer with a wind breaker, and by zipping and unzipping and taking gloves on and off we've been comfortable in the changing weather conditions.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
W Trek - Day 1 - 11km - 4.5 hours
We were up early yet again, this time to catch the 7:30 shuttle for the two hour drive to Torres National Park. Paid our entry fee ($30 each), and then waited for the catamaran that took us to our starting point of the trek at Paine Grane lodge on Lake Pehoe.
At the airport check in, put packs weighed 15.7kg and 13.7kg. We left non-trekking stuff at our hotel in Puerto Natales, so we had about 15kg in total between the two of us for the trek.
We started walking at 1pm. The map said the 11km should take 3.5 hours. We started with a slow ascent to just under 500m above lake level, then ups and downs, in some places over fairly difficult rock formations. The path itself was very easy to follow, with false forks marked off. After 90 minutes or so, we had our first view of Glacier Grey, around 10km on the distance, but still very impressive. As we got closer, the views improved. The challenge was to keep our eyes on the rocky path and not on the amazing views!
After 3.5 hours we were getting tired, with no refugio in sight. It took us a very long extra hour to finally get there. We were surprised, because we are usually faster than suggested walking times.
The refugio was basic, jammed with bunk beds in dorm rooms. However it was very clean and the staff were amazing. The food servings were huge and delicious, contrary to what we has read in blogs prior to the trip.
Heather and I were in bed by 10pm, the first day of the trek completed.
At the airport check in, put packs weighed 15.7kg and 13.7kg. We left non-trekking stuff at our hotel in Puerto Natales, so we had about 15kg in total between the two of us for the trek.
We started walking at 1pm. The map said the 11km should take 3.5 hours. We started with a slow ascent to just under 500m above lake level, then ups and downs, in some places over fairly difficult rock formations. The path itself was very easy to follow, with false forks marked off. After 90 minutes or so, we had our first view of Glacier Grey, around 10km on the distance, but still very impressive. As we got closer, the views improved. The challenge was to keep our eyes on the rocky path and not on the amazing views!
After 3.5 hours we were getting tired, with no refugio in sight. It took us a very long extra hour to finally get there. We were surprised, because we are usually faster than suggested walking times.
The refugio was basic, jammed with bunk beds in dorm rooms. However it was very clean and the staff were amazing. The food servings were huge and delicious, contrary to what we has read in blogs prior to the trip.
Heather and I were in bed by 10pm, the first day of the trek completed.
Puerto Natales, Chile
We're just about off for our little trek. The bus picks us up at 7am, a two-hour drive to Las Torres national park, and then a ferry to our starting point.
Yesterday was another full travel day. We spent most of the day on airplanes and in airports getting from Santiago to Puerto Natales. My biggest concern prior to the trip was that the plane schedules were rather tight, so any delay from Toronto onwards would have messed up our reservations for lodges on the W trek. JFK had been closed about once a week this winter but we made it through. Also our luggage made it all the way too!
We arrived in Puerto Natales around 5pm. A nice couple runs a shuttle to town (from one of the smallest airports I've ever flown into) for about $4 per person, dropping us at our hotel, Hotel Amerindia.
We scurried about town on errands, renting walking poles ($3 per pair per day), buying dried fruit and nuts, getting cash. Then we had to reduce our packs for the trek, leaving behind at the hotel about half our stuff. The packs are now about 8kg each.
Finally got to dinner around 9pm. Had another big steak and lamb, grilled to perfection, along with a bottle of Carmenère. There's nothing added to the meat, just a little salt and that's it. But it tastes amazing.
Puerto Natales is a jumping off spot for most tourists, and everyone is wearing their new Patagonia gear (just like us). Not too much Lululemon though :)
I don't think there will be internet access on the trek, so we'll next update on Sunday.
Yesterday was another full travel day. We spent most of the day on airplanes and in airports getting from Santiago to Puerto Natales. My biggest concern prior to the trip was that the plane schedules were rather tight, so any delay from Toronto onwards would have messed up our reservations for lodges on the W trek. JFK had been closed about once a week this winter but we made it through. Also our luggage made it all the way too!
We arrived in Puerto Natales around 5pm. A nice couple runs a shuttle to town (from one of the smallest airports I've ever flown into) for about $4 per person, dropping us at our hotel, Hotel Amerindia.
We scurried about town on errands, renting walking poles ($3 per pair per day), buying dried fruit and nuts, getting cash. Then we had to reduce our packs for the trek, leaving behind at the hotel about half our stuff. The packs are now about 8kg each.
Finally got to dinner around 9pm. Had another big steak and lamb, grilled to perfection, along with a bottle of Carmenère. There's nothing added to the meat, just a little salt and that's it. But it tastes amazing.
Puerto Natales is a jumping off spot for most tourists, and everyone is wearing their new Patagonia gear (just like us). Not too much Lululemon though :)
I don't think there will be internet access on the trek, so we'll next update on Sunday.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Santiago, Chile
We arrived safely in Santiago around 8am this morning, a little tired from the overnight flight. It was strange watching the plane's route on the in-flight map, because it's pretty much 10 hours straight south from New York.
We took a local bus ($2.80) to get downtown, and then a few minutes walk to Casa Bonita, our hotel in the Barrio Brasil neighbourhood.
We stretched and freshened up, and then headed to Las Vacas Gordas, a big steak house, for lunch. I had a big Australian wagyu steak, grilled perfectly. Heather had brochettes which were good too. It was too much food but it was really tasty so I couldn't stop eating.
Walked around Plaza de Armas. We were looking for a patio to have a beer but the 30C heat was getting to us (a 35 degree difference from Toronto), so we just went back to the hotel. Napped for a bit.
There weren't too many options for dinner on a Sunday night (lunch is the big meal). Found a cosy Peruvian restaurant opposite Ocean Pacific's (the touristy place we were originally looking for). It was excellent. We split a ceviche for two. It was a mix of shellfish and fish cooked in lime juice, very refreshing.
Tomorrow we're back to the airport to fly another five hours south to Puerto Natales, from where we start our trek on Tuesday.
We took a local bus ($2.80) to get downtown, and then a few minutes walk to Casa Bonita, our hotel in the Barrio Brasil neighbourhood.
We stretched and freshened up, and then headed to Las Vacas Gordas, a big steak house, for lunch. I had a big Australian wagyu steak, grilled perfectly. Heather had brochettes which were good too. It was too much food but it was really tasty so I couldn't stop eating.
Walked around Plaza de Armas. We were looking for a patio to have a beer but the 30C heat was getting to us (a 35 degree difference from Toronto), so we just went back to the hotel. Napped for a bit.
There weren't too many options for dinner on a Sunday night (lunch is the big meal). Found a cosy Peruvian restaurant opposite Ocean Pacific's (the touristy place we were originally looking for). It was excellent. We split a ceviche for two. It was a mix of shellfish and fish cooked in lime juice, very refreshing.
Tomorrow we're back to the airport to fly another five hours south to Puerto Natales, from where we start our trek on Tuesday.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Toronto, Canada
Portugal was a very photogenic country. Here's our favourites from the trip:
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| 2010 Portugal - favourites |
Friday, May 28, 2010
Lisbon, Portugal
The trip from Sagres to Lisbon was pretty straightforward. Took a bus to Lagos, then walked five minutes to the very modern-looking train station. There were quite a few other travellers doing the same trip back. Transferred trains at Tunes (I had pictured scurrying around in the eight minutes we had to transfer, trying to figure out the platform and going up and down stairs to get there, but it was just a three-platform station, and we just had to walk across to the other side of the platform).
Got off the train at Entrecampos (one of the four stations in Lisbon) a very clearly-marked station. We found our way to the Metro, purchased our tickets and were on the metro as fast as if we used it every day.
We checked into the Eurostar Das Letras. Heather asked for a balcony view, which was no extra charge, and so we're in a very nice room on the 7th floor with a beautiful view of Lisbon.
Armed with our 72-hour Lisboa Card (€35 for unlimited transit and free or reduced entrance fees to museums etc), spent yesterday and today touristing. For reference, we saw the following sights (listed in the order from the Lonely Planet):
Elevador de Santa Justa (an outdoor elevator to get up to Alto Barrio, looks somewhat similar to the Eiffel Tower); Rossio (just a big plaza); Convento do Carmo (an old cathedral destroyed by an earthquake, only the frame remains, you have to pay to enter the museum which is inside the cathedral, I really liked it); Museu do Chiado (we liked this museum); Castelo de São Jorge (this castle overlooking Lisbon was a highlight, and the camera obscura is really cool to see); Museu do Teatro Romano (free to enter, we both liked it); Igreja de São Vicente de Fora (we've seen too many churches to appreciate it, but there were cool views from outside); three miradouras (lookout points) Santa Luzia, Graça and Senhora do Monte (our favourite); Panteão Nacional (originally intended as a church, you can access the upper levels for really cool vantage points -- one of our favourite, and not many tourists); Sé (another cathedral); Ponte 25 de Abril (a twin of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, built by the same company); Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (we were impressed by this monastery despite having seen a lot of churches -- almost missed the doorway to the upper choir, which is a great angle for pictures); Padrão dos Descobrimentos (a 52m high limestone structure dedicated to explorers such as Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama, there's an elevator to the top for great views of the Mosteiro); Torre de Belém (an old fortress on the river, overrun by tour bus tourists).
In between we rode tram 28, as all tourists do. The trams are great subjects in pictures. Because we have the Lisboa Card, Heather took a tram for one stop so she could hang out the window while I chased her taking pictures.
Yesterday we had dinner in Barrio Alto, where there's a lot of bars and restaurants. The restaurant (called 580) had really interesting appetizers, so we just ordered six and called them tapas. The kitchen was great and actually plated each appetizer on two plates. We weren't sure if we were getting two of each until we got the bill!
We saw a lot of planes in the sky today, which bodes well that the Lisbon airport is open. We haven't seen any recent news about the volcano affecting flights (just BA strikes are on the news, which we're not on).
The weather has been great since we arrived in Lisbon. We froze up north at the start of the trip, with rain the first couple days and highs of 12C. The middle part of the trip was too hot with highs over 30C. The last couple days have been perfect, around 23C.
Now to figure out where we're going for dinner...
Got off the train at Entrecampos (one of the four stations in Lisbon) a very clearly-marked station. We found our way to the Metro, purchased our tickets and were on the metro as fast as if we used it every day.
We checked into the Eurostar Das Letras. Heather asked for a balcony view, which was no extra charge, and so we're in a very nice room on the 7th floor with a beautiful view of Lisbon.
Armed with our 72-hour Lisboa Card (€35 for unlimited transit and free or reduced entrance fees to museums etc), spent yesterday and today touristing. For reference, we saw the following sights (listed in the order from the Lonely Planet):
Elevador de Santa Justa (an outdoor elevator to get up to Alto Barrio, looks somewhat similar to the Eiffel Tower); Rossio (just a big plaza); Convento do Carmo (an old cathedral destroyed by an earthquake, only the frame remains, you have to pay to enter the museum which is inside the cathedral, I really liked it); Museu do Chiado (we liked this museum); Castelo de São Jorge (this castle overlooking Lisbon was a highlight, and the camera obscura is really cool to see); Museu do Teatro Romano (free to enter, we both liked it); Igreja de São Vicente de Fora (we've seen too many churches to appreciate it, but there were cool views from outside); three miradouras (lookout points) Santa Luzia, Graça and Senhora do Monte (our favourite); Panteão Nacional (originally intended as a church, you can access the upper levels for really cool vantage points -- one of our favourite, and not many tourists); Sé (another cathedral); Ponte 25 de Abril (a twin of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, built by the same company); Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (we were impressed by this monastery despite having seen a lot of churches -- almost missed the doorway to the upper choir, which is a great angle for pictures); Padrão dos Descobrimentos (a 52m high limestone structure dedicated to explorers such as Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama, there's an elevator to the top for great views of the Mosteiro); Torre de Belém (an old fortress on the river, overrun by tour bus tourists).
In between we rode tram 28, as all tourists do. The trams are great subjects in pictures. Because we have the Lisboa Card, Heather took a tram for one stop so she could hang out the window while I chased her taking pictures.
Yesterday we had dinner in Barrio Alto, where there's a lot of bars and restaurants. The restaurant (called 580) had really interesting appetizers, so we just ordered six and called them tapas. The kitchen was great and actually plated each appetizer on two plates. We weren't sure if we were getting two of each until we got the bill!
We saw a lot of planes in the sky today, which bodes well that the Lisbon airport is open. We haven't seen any recent news about the volcano affecting flights (just BA strikes are on the news, which we're not on).
The weather has been great since we arrived in Lisbon. We froze up north at the start of the trip, with rain the first couple days and highs of 12C. The middle part of the trip was too hot with highs over 30C. The last couple days have been perfect, around 23C.
Now to figure out where we're going for dinner...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Lisbon, Portugal
We spent most of Sunday getting from Tomar to Évora. The tracks to Évora are under a long repair job, and so there are no trains in or out of Évora right now.
From Tomar we caught the train to Oriente station in Lisbon. This itself was a bit of an adventure as the tracks were out for a couple stations near Santarém, and so everyone got off the train, onto a bus for about 40 minutes, and then back on another train.
We had a couple hours to kill in Lisbon, so checked out around Oriente station. It's the former site of Expo ??, with all the architecture you'd associate with a world fair.
The bus to Evorá went over the 17.2km Ponte Vasco da Gama, a bridge over the Rio Tejo. That was a pretty cool bonus for taking the bus.
Most restaurants are closed on Sunday so we asked our hotel in Évora for recommendations for dinner, rather than just walking around town to pick one.
The recommended restaurant had clams on the menu, which Heather had been looking forward to eating. They were great, served in a corrriander and garlic broth. Mmm good. We'd never thought to pair clams with corriander.
On Monday toured around Évora. Saw the roman ruins, the sé (cathedral), nice cobblestone streets etc etc. It's a very pretty town to wander around. Found some cool souvenirs -- cork is grown in the surrounding area, and we bought a trivet that's a cross section of a branch; and a bread basket from a knob (?) of a tree.
We had dinner at Tasquinha d'Oliveira, our restaurant splurge for the trip. The owner worked at O Fialho for 15 years, a legendary restaurant here, before opening up his own about 10 years ago.
The door was locked when we arrived (on a Monday night!). The owner only lets in people who he wants -- I guess we passed his test because he let us in. While eating, we saw him turn away a number of would-be diners, so we were lucky.
Appetizers were stuffed crab, and mushrooms with mint, garlic and a vinagrette. Very good.
For dinner, Heather ordered clams in the corriander broth (same as yesterday), and I tried the blackened pork with clams. Both were amazing. The secret I suppose is in the broths.
We had some wine remaining, and the owner brought us some extremely soft goat cheese, with a pumpkin & almond compote on the side. This was amazing, and matched the wine perfectly. I could have just eaten that all night.
We finished with a sampling of the desserts, and 20-year old tawny.
Overall it was the best meal we've had this trip, although the best course is still the duck Heather had in Guimarães.
Tuesday was another day of travel, finally getting to the Algarve for beaches and relaxing.
Took a three-hour bus south from Évora to Albufeira; another bus to Lagos, and finally a third bus to Sagres. The whole journey took about eight hours.
Our hotel (Mareta Beach) was a five minute walk to the beach of the same name. They had messed up our reservations and so we didn't get the beach view and balcony that we'd been looking forward to (had an ocean view though).
Sagres (and most of the Algarve that we passed through) turned out to be not our scene -- we found ourselves pining for cobblestone streets and medieval old towns. The beach was nice, but PEI has better.
So we packed up our stuff this morning and headed for Lisbon. We'll have four nights and three days to see it.
From Tomar we caught the train to Oriente station in Lisbon. This itself was a bit of an adventure as the tracks were out for a couple stations near Santarém, and so everyone got off the train, onto a bus for about 40 minutes, and then back on another train.
We had a couple hours to kill in Lisbon, so checked out around Oriente station. It's the former site of Expo ??, with all the architecture you'd associate with a world fair.
The bus to Evorá went over the 17.2km Ponte Vasco da Gama, a bridge over the Rio Tejo. That was a pretty cool bonus for taking the bus.
Most restaurants are closed on Sunday so we asked our hotel in Évora for recommendations for dinner, rather than just walking around town to pick one.
The recommended restaurant had clams on the menu, which Heather had been looking forward to eating. They were great, served in a corrriander and garlic broth. Mmm good. We'd never thought to pair clams with corriander.
On Monday toured around Évora. Saw the roman ruins, the sé (cathedral), nice cobblestone streets etc etc. It's a very pretty town to wander around. Found some cool souvenirs -- cork is grown in the surrounding area, and we bought a trivet that's a cross section of a branch; and a bread basket from a knob (?) of a tree.
We had dinner at Tasquinha d'Oliveira, our restaurant splurge for the trip. The owner worked at O Fialho for 15 years, a legendary restaurant here, before opening up his own about 10 years ago.
The door was locked when we arrived (on a Monday night!). The owner only lets in people who he wants -- I guess we passed his test because he let us in. While eating, we saw him turn away a number of would-be diners, so we were lucky.
Appetizers were stuffed crab, and mushrooms with mint, garlic and a vinagrette. Very good.
For dinner, Heather ordered clams in the corriander broth (same as yesterday), and I tried the blackened pork with clams. Both were amazing. The secret I suppose is in the broths.
We had some wine remaining, and the owner brought us some extremely soft goat cheese, with a pumpkin & almond compote on the side. This was amazing, and matched the wine perfectly. I could have just eaten that all night.
We finished with a sampling of the desserts, and 20-year old tawny.
Overall it was the best meal we've had this trip, although the best course is still the duck Heather had in Guimarães.
Tuesday was another day of travel, finally getting to the Algarve for beaches and relaxing.
Took a three-hour bus south from Évora to Albufeira; another bus to Lagos, and finally a third bus to Sagres. The whole journey took about eight hours.
Our hotel (Mareta Beach) was a five minute walk to the beach of the same name. They had messed up our reservations and so we didn't get the beach view and balcony that we'd been looking forward to (had an ocean view though).
Sagres (and most of the Algarve that we passed through) turned out to be not our scene -- we found ourselves pining for cobblestone streets and medieval old towns. The beach was nice, but PEI has better.
So we packed up our stuff this morning and headed for Lisbon. We'll have four nights and three days to see it.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Tomar, Portugal
We had a little day trip to Mata Nacional do Buçaco, a national park near Coimbra, to get a break from perfect medieval towns and cobblestone streets.
At the suggestion of the lady at our hotel, we bought picnic stuff for lunch at the local supermarket, Pingo Doce. Bread, cheese, cured meats and a bottle of wine from the Dão (we splurged on the wine, most of the bottles were under €2, we spent €3).
The bus took us right into the park, dropping us off at the castle (now a luxury hotel). The trails weren't as well marked as we would have liked, but we did manage to find a nice location for lunch.
Wandered through the park, under giant ferns and wild callalillies. Waited for the bus to take us back, which was a bit late (there was only one scheduled at 6:30pm so we didn't have much choice).
Between all the hills in the park and our hotel at the top of the hill in the old part of town, our leg muscles were tired out. Back down to the lower part of town for dinner, and then back up for bed. We were exhausted.
The next morning walked back down to the train station, for the train to Tomar. Checked into Residencial Cavaleiros Crystal.
Had lunch and then had a couple hours to see the sights. First checked out the matchbook museum. We thought it would be an in-and-out-quick sort of place, but it was actually quite interesting and larger than we imagined with over 40,000 matchbooks.
That left us an hour to see Convento do Cristo, the old Knights Templar headquarters. We thought that would be enough, until we started touring it. The place is amazing, the size, the age (12th century), and the access allowed to tourists. We wandered all around, up turrets, into cloisters, everywhere. The place was also relatively tourist-free, likely because it was an hour before closing time, so all the tour groups had come and gone.
If you are going to Portugal and can see only one place, I would recommend the Convento do Cristo. It's one of the top sites I've seen in the world. After, that got me thinking about what I would rate the top sites, so I created a list. Convento do Cristo comes in at 13:
Eric D'Souza's Top Sites
1 Machu Picchu (Cuzco, Peru)
2 Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia)
3 Tikal (Flores, Guatemala)
4 Moai (Easter Island, Chile)
5 Perito Moreno Glacier (El Calafate, Argentina)
6 Great Wall (Simatai, China)
7 Plains of the Serengeti (Tanzania)
8 Foz do Iguaçu (Brasil & Argentina)
9 Palenque (Mexico)
10 La Paz, Bolivia (from altiplano)
11 Mountain Gorillas (Ruhengeri, Rwanda)
12 Great Mosque (Djenné, Mali)
13 Convento de Cristo (Tomar, Portugal)
14 Swayambunath at dawn (Kathmandu, Nepal)
15 Angel Falls (Venezuela)
16 Prambanan Temples (Indonesia)
17 Lago Verde (Bolivia)
18 Drepung Monastery (Lhasa, China)
19 Nazca lines (Nazca, Peru)
20 Friendship Highway (Tibet to Nepal)
21 Hermitage Museum (St Petersburg, Russia)
22 Stonehenge (Amesbury, England)
23 Tanneries (Fez, Morocco)
24 Lake Louise (Jasper, Canada)
25 Borobudur (Indonesia).
26 Khongoryn Els sand dunes (Gobi Desert, Mongolia).
27 Kremlin (Moscow, Russia)
28 Great Pyramid (Giza, Egypt)
29 Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
(Keep in mind it's only places I've been to (for example, I've never seen Rome) and it's based on my personal preferences, and as you can probably determine from the top three, I like ruins).
...
Today we had another day trip, this one to see a castle on a island (Castelo de Almoural). It was a bit difficult to get to -- we caught a short train to Entroncamento, then a taxi to Almoural, and finally a two minute boat ride to the castle. Overall, probably not worth the effort, but it was something different. Plus after Convento do Cristo anything was likely to be a let down.
We were back in Tomar by 1:30, and so spent the rest of the day reading in a park near the hotel. We had lunch at an excellent restaurant (they bake their own bread, have the best olives we've had, and the cod was perfectly done), so we're going there for dinner too.
At the suggestion of the lady at our hotel, we bought picnic stuff for lunch at the local supermarket, Pingo Doce. Bread, cheese, cured meats and a bottle of wine from the Dão (we splurged on the wine, most of the bottles were under €2, we spent €3).
The bus took us right into the park, dropping us off at the castle (now a luxury hotel). The trails weren't as well marked as we would have liked, but we did manage to find a nice location for lunch.
Wandered through the park, under giant ferns and wild callalillies. Waited for the bus to take us back, which was a bit late (there was only one scheduled at 6:30pm so we didn't have much choice).
Between all the hills in the park and our hotel at the top of the hill in the old part of town, our leg muscles were tired out. Back down to the lower part of town for dinner, and then back up for bed. We were exhausted.
The next morning walked back down to the train station, for the train to Tomar. Checked into Residencial Cavaleiros Crystal.
Had lunch and then had a couple hours to see the sights. First checked out the matchbook museum. We thought it would be an in-and-out-quick sort of place, but it was actually quite interesting and larger than we imagined with over 40,000 matchbooks.
That left us an hour to see Convento do Cristo, the old Knights Templar headquarters. We thought that would be enough, until we started touring it. The place is amazing, the size, the age (12th century), and the access allowed to tourists. We wandered all around, up turrets, into cloisters, everywhere. The place was also relatively tourist-free, likely because it was an hour before closing time, so all the tour groups had come and gone.
If you are going to Portugal and can see only one place, I would recommend the Convento do Cristo. It's one of the top sites I've seen in the world. After, that got me thinking about what I would rate the top sites, so I created a list. Convento do Cristo comes in at 13:
Eric D'Souza's Top Sites
1 Machu Picchu (Cuzco, Peru)
2 Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia)
3 Tikal (Flores, Guatemala)
4 Moai (Easter Island, Chile)
5 Perito Moreno Glacier (El Calafate, Argentina)
6 Great Wall (Simatai, China)
7 Plains of the Serengeti (Tanzania)
8 Foz do Iguaçu (Brasil & Argentina)
9 Palenque (Mexico)
10 La Paz, Bolivia (from altiplano)
11 Mountain Gorillas (Ruhengeri, Rwanda)
12 Great Mosque (Djenné, Mali)
13 Convento de Cristo (Tomar, Portugal)
14 Swayambunath at dawn (Kathmandu, Nepal)
15 Angel Falls (Venezuela)
16 Prambanan Temples (Indonesia)
17 Lago Verde (Bolivia)
18 Drepung Monastery (Lhasa, China)
19 Nazca lines (Nazca, Peru)
20 Friendship Highway (Tibet to Nepal)
21 Hermitage Museum (St Petersburg, Russia)
22 Stonehenge (Amesbury, England)
23 Tanneries (Fez, Morocco)
24 Lake Louise (Jasper, Canada)
25 Borobudur (Indonesia).
26 Khongoryn Els sand dunes (Gobi Desert, Mongolia).
27 Kremlin (Moscow, Russia)
28 Great Pyramid (Giza, Egypt)
29 Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
(Keep in mind it's only places I've been to (for example, I've never seen Rome) and it's based on my personal preferences, and as you can probably determine from the top three, I like ruins).
...
Today we had another day trip, this one to see a castle on a island (Castelo de Almoural). It was a bit difficult to get to -- we caught a short train to Entroncamento, then a taxi to Almoural, and finally a two minute boat ride to the castle. Overall, probably not worth the effort, but it was something different. Plus after Convento do Cristo anything was likely to be a let down.
We were back in Tomar by 1:30, and so spent the rest of the day reading in a park near the hotel. We had lunch at an excellent restaurant (they bake their own bread, have the best olives we've had, and the cod was perfectly done), so we're going there for dinner too.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Coimbra, Portugal
Caught the bus from Régua to Lamego. It was a very scenic drive, through tiny little streets barely able to fit the bus. At Lamego we changed buses for Viseu, which turned put to be the same bus (except we couldn't buy the ticket to Viseu in Régua).
There was an hour wait in Lamego, which gave me enough time to go into town and take a picture of the 600+ steps up to Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.
We arrived in Viseu with just enough time to get to our hotel (Pensão Rossio Parque) and catch lunch at 2pm. We got the prime room, with a balcony overlooking the plaza.
We walked arond Viseu after lunch. It was pretty hot (30C), plus we were getting tired of nice medieval old towns and cobblestone street, so didn't spend too much time touristing.
My backpack had the stitching come undone at the straps, and we had seen a repair shop, so I unpacked all my stuff and took it over. It cost €4 and they had it ready for the next morning.
Heather was feeling a bit off so we found a simple little place for dinner. They did have a couple things I was looking to try: pig's ear appetizers (pickled, tasted okay but the texture was an acquired taste), and roasted kid (a bit of an effort to eat, sort of like rabbit, except goat taste). The house red was fr the Dão, and was excellent.
The next morning picked up my repaired backpack, and took an express bus to Coimbra. It's a pretty big city (just over 100K). We stayed at Casa Pombal Guesthouse. We were lucky to get in -- it's been fully booked this month, no doubt because it's the place of choice in both the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. This is the first time this trip we've found a fully booked hotel. Our room is in the attic, with a beautiful view in three directions. Unfornately it's books tomorrow so we have to move to a room with two single beds. The hotel is in th old city, which meant a lot of walking up to get to it.
Walked a bit around the old city this afternoon. It was really hot again, so stayed to inside things -- the old library (Biblioteca Joanina, which was well worth the €5 admission), the old cathedral (Sé Velha), and Igreja de Santa Cruz. We've noticed a lot more bus tour people here than in other places. Cooled down with a beer in Largo da Portagem.
Tomorrow we're planning a day trip to Mata Nacional do Buçaco, a national forest. Well we're off for dinner now.
There was an hour wait in Lamego, which gave me enough time to go into town and take a picture of the 600+ steps up to Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.
We arrived in Viseu with just enough time to get to our hotel (Pensão Rossio Parque) and catch lunch at 2pm. We got the prime room, with a balcony overlooking the plaza.
We walked arond Viseu after lunch. It was pretty hot (30C), plus we were getting tired of nice medieval old towns and cobblestone street, so didn't spend too much time touristing.
My backpack had the stitching come undone at the straps, and we had seen a repair shop, so I unpacked all my stuff and took it over. It cost €4 and they had it ready for the next morning.
Heather was feeling a bit off so we found a simple little place for dinner. They did have a couple things I was looking to try: pig's ear appetizers (pickled, tasted okay but the texture was an acquired taste), and roasted kid (a bit of an effort to eat, sort of like rabbit, except goat taste). The house red was fr the Dão, and was excellent.
The next morning picked up my repaired backpack, and took an express bus to Coimbra. It's a pretty big city (just over 100K). We stayed at Casa Pombal Guesthouse. We were lucky to get in -- it's been fully booked this month, no doubt because it's the place of choice in both the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. This is the first time this trip we've found a fully booked hotel. Our room is in the attic, with a beautiful view in three directions. Unfornately it's books tomorrow so we have to move to a room with two single beds. The hotel is in th old city, which meant a lot of walking up to get to it.
Walked a bit around the old city this afternoon. It was really hot again, so stayed to inside things -- the old library (Biblioteca Joanina, which was well worth the €5 admission), the old cathedral (Sé Velha), and Igreja de Santa Cruz. We've noticed a lot more bus tour people here than in other places. Cooled down with a beer in Largo da Portagem.
Tomorrow we're planning a day trip to Mata Nacional do Buçaco, a national forest. Well we're off for dinner now.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Viseu, Portugal
We had a nice breakfast overlooking the river and bridge before catching the bus from Amarante to Régua. There were five of us trying to figure out from where the bus actually departed. The bus driver must be used to people waiting on random corners because he was looking out for passengers.
It was a beautiful drive down the valley to Régua. We had thought about renting a car for this trip, but we're glad we didn't because I wouldn't be able to enjoy the view if I was driving.
Decided to stay in Régua instead of carrying on to Pinhão as most tourists do, because our next leg was easier from Régua. Régua used to be an important port town, before losing the title to the prettier Pinhão.
We booked into the Hotel Douro Régua, a 4-star hotel frequented by the bus tours (only €77 for a river-view room).
We had lunch in a churrasqueira (grill house), which was packed with locals. It was great. We've finally figured out to always order the house wine, because it's far cheaper and is always a good match for the food.
We tried to walk around town, but it was too hot in the sun. Relaxed at the hotel, with the balcony sliding door wide open to the river view. (It was perfect weather out of the sun, about 24C). The previous towns were slightly chilly, so it was great to finally have tshirt weather.
Had dinner at a cool-looking place that served tapas. Unfortunately it was just trendy and average food. After the great meals the past few days it was a bit of a letdown.
We were up early the next morning for our day trip up the Rio Douro. Took the train round trip to Pocinho and back. The best views were between Pinhão and Pocinho. I took over 100 pics. The day trip had been recommended by a couple locals in Porto, and it was well worth it.
We arrived back in Régua around 2:40, a little late for lunch (most places close at 2pm). A tourist restaurant was open, we had the set menu (another lesson we've learned -- this is far cheaper and better than ordering àbla carte). We had soup, grilled beef with rice and salad, 75cl house wine, espressos and dessert, for €16 between the two of us.
Relaxed back at the hotel again, then headed out for dinner. Found a little local restaurant in a side street (Restaurant Jéréré) which was amazing. Had appetizers of octopus, and grilled sausage. I had suckling pig for my main which was my favourite meal so far this trip. Heather had beef medallions in a cream sauce which was also delicious.
Finished with a dessert and port. The owner wouldn't let us order our first choice for dessert (non!) because it didn't go with port.
Walked down the boardwalk after dinner to help digest. There were lots of people doing the same -- it was very safe.
It was a beautiful drive down the valley to Régua. We had thought about renting a car for this trip, but we're glad we didn't because I wouldn't be able to enjoy the view if I was driving.
Decided to stay in Régua instead of carrying on to Pinhão as most tourists do, because our next leg was easier from Régua. Régua used to be an important port town, before losing the title to the prettier Pinhão.
We booked into the Hotel Douro Régua, a 4-star hotel frequented by the bus tours (only €77 for a river-view room).
We had lunch in a churrasqueira (grill house), which was packed with locals. It was great. We've finally figured out to always order the house wine, because it's far cheaper and is always a good match for the food.
We tried to walk around town, but it was too hot in the sun. Relaxed at the hotel, with the balcony sliding door wide open to the river view. (It was perfect weather out of the sun, about 24C). The previous towns were slightly chilly, so it was great to finally have tshirt weather.
Had dinner at a cool-looking place that served tapas. Unfortunately it was just trendy and average food. After the great meals the past few days it was a bit of a letdown.
We were up early the next morning for our day trip up the Rio Douro. Took the train round trip to Pocinho and back. The best views were between Pinhão and Pocinho. I took over 100 pics. The day trip had been recommended by a couple locals in Porto, and it was well worth it.
We arrived back in Régua around 2:40, a little late for lunch (most places close at 2pm). A tourist restaurant was open, we had the set menu (another lesson we've learned -- this is far cheaper and better than ordering àbla carte). We had soup, grilled beef with rice and salad, 75cl house wine, espressos and dessert, for €16 between the two of us.
Relaxed back at the hotel again, then headed out for dinner. Found a little local restaurant in a side street (Restaurant Jéréré) which was amazing. Had appetizers of octopus, and grilled sausage. I had suckling pig for my main which was my favourite meal so far this trip. Heather had beef medallions in a cream sauce which was also delicious.
Finished with a dessert and port. The owner wouldn't let us order our first choice for dessert (non!) because it didn't go with port.
Walked down the boardwalk after dinner to help digest. There were lots of people doing the same -- it was very safe.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Peso da Régua, Portugal
From Guimarães we took a 50 minute bus ride to Amarante. I wanted to go here because the town is known for its cheeses and cured meats.
We checked into Residencial Estoril, with a view of Ponte de São Gonçalo. The hotel's restaurant actually juts over the Rio Tâmega. Had a quick lunch, and then tried to find th train station for the next day. Unfortunately the narrow gauge train no longer runs (it was supposedly pretty scenic). The replacement transport wasn't clearly marked and we trekked back and forth through the town (there's only one major road in the old centre, which goes across the river, pedestrians and cars sharing the 12' wide bridge).
Found out there was a cake festival going on, so checked it out and had the free samples. Next visited the Museo de Souza-Cardoso, which was pretty impressive for a town of 11,000.
For an afternoon snack we went to a local adega, filled with old men having cheese and smoked meats and wine. It was exactly what I was looking for. The old men were very friendly, although we couldn't understand a word. With some difffliculty, ordered a couple different kinds of prosciutto, and a cured choriço (also some cheese, olives and great bread). For wine we had vino verde, a young white (!) wine which everyone was drinking. It was amazing.
We walked around town a bit more, stopping into the cafe right on the corner of the bridge for tea and sweets.
Later went for dinner in a little restaurant (we didn't want anything too fancy cause we were pretty full from the meat and cheese place). We though we were late (it was about 9pm and there was only one table of people). Turned out we were early! The restaurant filled up as the night went on.
After dinner, walked by the cathedral because we had seen posters that there was a symphony performance that night, open to the public. It was a great way to finish the night, listening to the orchestra in a beautiful cathedral.
We checked into Residencial Estoril, with a view of Ponte de São Gonçalo. The hotel's restaurant actually juts over the Rio Tâmega. Had a quick lunch, and then tried to find th train station for the next day. Unfortunately the narrow gauge train no longer runs (it was supposedly pretty scenic). The replacement transport wasn't clearly marked and we trekked back and forth through the town (there's only one major road in the old centre, which goes across the river, pedestrians and cars sharing the 12' wide bridge).
Found out there was a cake festival going on, so checked it out and had the free samples. Next visited the Museo de Souza-Cardoso, which was pretty impressive for a town of 11,000.
For an afternoon snack we went to a local adega, filled with old men having cheese and smoked meats and wine. It was exactly what I was looking for. The old men were very friendly, although we couldn't understand a word. With some difffliculty, ordered a couple different kinds of prosciutto, and a cured choriço (also some cheese, olives and great bread). For wine we had vino verde, a young white (!) wine which everyone was drinking. It was amazing.
We walked around town a bit more, stopping into the cafe right on the corner of the bridge for tea and sweets.
Later went for dinner in a little restaurant (we didn't want anything too fancy cause we were pretty full from the meat and cheese place). We though we were late (it was about 9pm and there was only one table of people). Turned out we were early! The restaurant filled up as the night went on.
After dinner, walked by the cathedral because we had seen posters that there was a symphony performance that night, open to the public. It was a great way to finish the night, listening to the orchestra in a beautiful cathedral.
Guimarães, Portugal
I think I just had one of the best meals ever! Tonight, Eric and I checked out a restaurant called "Cheers - Wine and Tapas"...and it was excellent. I ordered the leg of duck, with chestnuts and raisins - and it was divine. If someone had said "this will be your last meal, ever," I would have happily agreed :) Amazing.
(written by Heather)
(written by Heather)
Friday, May 14, 2010
Guimarães, Portugal
In Guimarães we stayed at Residencial das Trinas, located on a very narrow cobbled-stoned street in the old town. We got a room overlooking the street.
The weather wasn't too great, rainy and a bit chilly. We'd asked the hotel owner for restaurant recommendations, he thought for a bit and then circled some places on the map. We tried out a busy narrow place full of local business folk on lunch. We both had bife no pao, (steak on a bun). The steak was done perfectly, medium rare, and went really well with the glasses of wine.
After lunch, we wandered around the medieval centre of Guimarães. The rain kept most of my pictures tourist-free. Scouted out places for dinner. The sun poked through around evening, just as we went for dinner at Cheers (as the Lonely Planet says, don't judge a restaurant by its name).
It was one our favourite meals ever. Started with an appetizer of hoira (a Portuguese sausauge) on fried onions, followed by another of phyllo-wrapped sausage on with oyster mushrooms. Heather's main was duck breast with chestnuts. The duck was done perfectly, and was a surprisingly perfect match with the chestnuts. I had the cod, served with spinach and cornbread. We finished with chocate cake and port. Mmm good.
We walked back through a lively nightlife, with a number of bars and clubs open for Friday night. We were too full (plus we're no longer 20) so just went back to our hotel.
The weather wasn't too great, rainy and a bit chilly. We'd asked the hotel owner for restaurant recommendations, he thought for a bit and then circled some places on the map. We tried out a busy narrow place full of local business folk on lunch. We both had bife no pao, (steak on a bun). The steak was done perfectly, medium rare, and went really well with the glasses of wine.
After lunch, we wandered around the medieval centre of Guimarães. The rain kept most of my pictures tourist-free. Scouted out places for dinner. The sun poked through around evening, just as we went for dinner at Cheers (as the Lonely Planet says, don't judge a restaurant by its name).
It was one our favourite meals ever. Started with an appetizer of hoira (a Portuguese sausauge) on fried onions, followed by another of phyllo-wrapped sausage on with oyster mushrooms. Heather's main was duck breast with chestnuts. The duck was done perfectly, and was a surprisingly perfect match with the chestnuts. I had the cod, served with spinach and cornbread. We finished with chocate cake and port. Mmm good.
We walked back through a lively nightlife, with a number of bars and clubs open for Friday night. We were too full (plus we're no longer 20) so just went back to our hotel.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Braga, Portugal
We caught the one-hour train from Porto to Braga this morning, which cost €2.10 each (less than a ride on the TTC). It's on the suburban run (similar to a GO ride) from Porto. The scenery was okay, we both napped a bit. Every spare bit of land seems to have grape vines growing.
We checked into the Albergaria da Sé, a conveniently located hotel in the centro (and the Rough Guide's author's pick). Braga has a bustling old town, with pedestrian-only streets. (We both wish Toronto had the same.) Visited the Sé, (cathedral), which is also the reason I figured out how to type accented letters on the iPhone. The Sé in Braga is the oldest in Portugal (circa 1100s). The interior is impressive, most so the elaborately decorated pipe organ.
Had a beer at a café watching the street scene, but it was getting colder (the sun was hiding behind clouds, and the wind was picking up), so we went back to the hotel to relax before dinner.
We had dinner at Feliz Taberna, which is our favourite place so far. Split an appetizer of baked oyster mushrooms with garlic, sel de fleur and parsley. For mains I had the breaded sardines, an Heather had the grilled bass. Heather's had fish every day so far, and it's always been cooked perfectly. Mmm good.
Tomorrow we're heading to Guimarães.
We checked into the Albergaria da Sé, a conveniently located hotel in the centro (and the Rough Guide's author's pick). Braga has a bustling old town, with pedestrian-only streets. (We both wish Toronto had the same.) Visited the Sé, (cathedral), which is also the reason I figured out how to type accented letters on the iPhone. The Sé in Braga is the oldest in Portugal (circa 1100s). The interior is impressive, most so the elaborately decorated pipe organ.
Had a beer at a café watching the street scene, but it was getting colder (the sun was hiding behind clouds, and the wind was picking up), so we went back to the hotel to relax before dinner.
We had dinner at Feliz Taberna, which is our favourite place so far. Split an appetizer of baked oyster mushrooms with garlic, sel de fleur and parsley. For mains I had the breaded sardines, an Heather had the grilled bass. Heather's had fish every day so far, and it's always been cooked perfectly. Mmm good.
Tomorrow we're heading to Guimarães.
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