Mountains and more mountains

The city itself is a giant art museum. There are elaborate graffiti paintings everywhere you turn.

We figured that each resident must have very toned calf muscles in this town.

I think this picture is a great representation of Valapraiso. There is a beautiful assortment of colorful houses blanketing each mountain side.

A reflection off of a small lake along our hike in Pucón.

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Alexandra trying to ditch Mark in the woods. She is faster than she looks.

Volcano Villarrica on our hike through Parque Nacional Huerquehue. It was swell.

Paradise found in Pucón.

Bariloche hike through the Patagonia mountains.

We are in the thick of Chile. It took Mark all of two kilometers into the country to comment on how chilly Chile is. Yeah, I yawned too. I mean, you´re so funny!

Our first hike looked like it was going to be great. Sun as we left town! But we got to the trailhead and found rain, a lot of it, and about six inches of snow. As we hiked the sun started to break through and a rainbow grew out of the valley below us. A turquoise lake of snow melt was visible at the bottom of the mountain but slipped into the clouds as the weather turned and we climbed higher into a bamboo forest. It was surreal to hike surrounded by snow frosted bamboo in the Patagonian mountains. The rain started, then turned to snow and our clothing became soaked. Mark, remarkably, stayed positive even though I was cursing the heavens and trying to maintain feeling in my toes. We got back to town sans hyperthermia but not too far from it.

We made our way to a small mountain town called Pucón after spending some relaxing days in Puerto Varas. But let´s talk about Pucón. We drank with townies! They listen to Dispatch and Ben Harper! They took us to a discotec! Mark and I won a dance competition! They gave us glow sticks! And then we went on the most breathtaking hike to four mountain top lakes which also gave us the view of a not-to-distant volcano. Once again, bamboo forest mixed with mammoth trees that would give New York City skyscrapers vertigo. And then we ended the day with a nighttime visit to hot springs where we spent two hours with our heads tilted back staring at the Milky Way Galaxy and a backdrop of stars we had never seen before, in numbers we could never count to.

For some reason we left that paradise. We made a mad dash through Santiago and both agreed that we didn't like it. It was just like NYC, just with more stray dogs. We have now landed in Valparaíso. Valparaíso, we love you. This is a city of hills, and house built upon houses on the hillsides. Free wallspace is decorated in murals and spray art which makes for dangerous walking when you are looking to your sides and not in front. Mark says it's like San Fransisco´s drunken brother. He's an eloquent fellow.

So we are here now and will be so for the next couple days until we hop a bus and go 24 hours to San Pedro de Atacama.

-The Defender and Protector of Mankind (Alexandra)

and

Markus Aurilious Maximus III (Mark)

You would look like this too after being on a bus for 20 hours.
STORY:
Our horses for some reason decided that they wanted to gallop. Maybe it was because they had been schelpping our heavy bottoms for 3 hours or maybe it was because they wanted to pee. Regardless, they TOOK OFF. That means full speed gallop as if a bee stung their bottoms and they needed to get outta there FAST. Mark is snoring now. I need to spice this up. Well then...
Our horses were hip and hip, our stirrups rubbing with each step, I could not take it. This was all too much fun and too funny that I started laughing. In the silliness I lost a stirrup and leaned forward to get it back but then my horse continued in its warp speed endeavor and it took the fatal step which launched me out of my saddle and into the air. I landed on the horse's neck and I grabbed hold out of fear as the beast pushed forward. I screamed for Mark to stop galloping (amazingly he did) and I yanked back on the reins and screamed 'Espera!' at my horse. It came to a stop with my whole body wrapped around its neck in a death grip which I was not about to release anytime soon. Our guide rode up and could not stop laughing about how I looked like I was from a cartoon. "It's like from a comic," he told me in a very uncomforting voice.
Thanks, Mr. Gaucho. I guess there goes my dream of becoming a cowgirl. Turns out I have the riding skills of a certain Beettle Bailey. (as told, very unenthusiastically, by Alexandra)

In our attempt to blend in, I feel like we were led astray when they gave us this protective head gear.
I finally achieved my lifetime dream of becoming a crossing guard!
Biking through the Patagonia mountain range.

Learning Experiences Galore!

Oh boy have we learned a lot on this trip! First, I, Mark (maybe written by Alexandra), do not really know Spanish. Turns out, it is vino, not viño. Which I learned after ordering a bottle for myself. I swear it was accidental. Hanging with Alexandra does not cause me to drink heavily. She might have had her own bottle too....new topic? Okay....

My teeth are purple...oops, same topic.

Alexandra responds to stress in a very unique manner. She might respond by first, getting a fever and the shakes. Then, fainting. Afterwards, waking and vomiting into her airsickness bag without anyone noticing. She is available for birthday parties.

All good now. Especially after the second lesson. Turns out, when you see 3/4 over the price for wine, that does not mean 3/4 of a glass. Nope. That's 3/4 of a liter, or a full FREAKING bottle. Yup. We each got our own at about the fanciest restaurant we have been to on our own as adults. For the price of an Applebee's special. We got WASTED (by mistake). Mark...er...I couldn't find the bathroom.

Third, or second, or third...What's happening here? You too can have Vegas thousands of miles from Vegas. Our tango show consisted of two horses, the vanquishing of whooping Indians (very PC here), and two twin elderly women in blond wigs singing 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina' while confetti slowly fell to the floor and dancers slowly revolved around the floor waving Argentine flags and their half naked women at the crowd. Talk about a finale! Turns out, I signed up for the Argentine navy. Ahoy!

Fourth, Alexandra is an idiot. She decided to take a risk by ordering something she didn't know. What she got was a steaming plate of potatoes and a) kidney, b) gallbladders, or c) testicles. We have no idea. Should it concern us that the employees of the hostel had no idea what she ate, too?

We are shipping out now to Bariloche. Not on the coast but the Argentine navy can wait. What sounds like a better way to spend a day 20 hours on a bus? See you on the other end of the next 3/4 of wine.

-Marcus Aurilius Maximus III and Alexandra the Great I. But mainly, or only, Alexandra typing.

Futbol and Uruguay!

The barbed wire fence that surrounded us in the stands.

We decided to attend a soccer game in La Planta, which is located about a hour outside of Buenos Aires. It was the semifinals for the biggest tournament in the country. The instructions that were given to us before the game were as follows: if someone is in your seat or spot don´t argue with them because you will put yourself in grave danger, do not cheer for the other team because you will die, cheer and chant with the crowd or they will get angry, and finally, do not use your cameras outside the stadium because they do not like tourists. To sum up these words of caution...these people are crazy. To start the game people were shooting fireworks, chanting, jumping, and throwing anything they could get their hands on into the air. During the game, I extended my Spanish vocabulary with several colorful new curse words and phrases to express complete derision towards the ref. Some other random observations I had during the game include the use of the expression ¨ooo¨ instead of ¨oh¨ whenever there was a near miss and in the place of boo´s each person began to whistle. The riot police were in constant vigilance and fully armed with shields, tear gas guns, and K9´s. It was incredible to be a part of a solid mass of people that displayed such passion and excitement for their home team. I found myself getting swept up in emotions for a team I just heard about yesterday.

This is the biggest church in Argentina. It is located in La Plata.



These are pictures from our visit to Colonia, Uruguay. It was a small European influenced town built in the early 1800´s. Many of the original stone buildings and cobblestone roads have been preserved.

More pictures from the last week

This is from our visit to an Estancia north of Buenos Aires.

This is the enormous cemetery in La Recoleta. It is several blocks of beautiful mausoleums. This is where Argentina´s most famous citizens are now currently residing, in a more spiritual form, including Eva Perón.

Tango Dancing and Street Performers

My first arrest in Buenos Aires....Actually, these fine Argentine men gave us a tour of a government building and we did not understand a word they said, but we very politely smiled and nodded.
This is Tango Class. Footwork is not my specialty. There are a lot of leg kicks near and around the groin area so I was a little hesitant at first.


This is Caminita in La Boca, it is the most famous area in Buenos Aires for its colors and culture.