Lekker bikkelen in Patagonia!

Sorry for those who are not able to understand anything of our beautiful language, but we had some complains of our mothers and yes there words are the law...
Zo eindelijk weer eens een nederlands berichtje, dat leest wel zo gemakkelijk. We zijn nu in El Calafate (zuid Chili)en hebben een revalidatieperiode ingelast vanwege onze ontberingen in het nationaal park Torres del Paine. Daar hebben we 6 dagen als ware commando´s geleefd en onze krachten gemeten met een groep israelische jongens waar we de tocht mee deden. Met onze rugzak met alle benodigdheden voor de gehele tocht was dit enorm afzien maar zeer zeker de moeite waard gezien de fantastische omgeving die Moeder Natuur ons aanbood!







Verder is het erg goed vertoeven in Puerto Natales (het dorpje bij het park) waar we lekker tot onze rust kunnen komen en fatsoenlijke maaltijden (en warme douches, pff die ga je missen hoor) krijgen zodat we na El Calafate helemaal klaar zijn voor Santiago de Chile waar we de 30e naar toe vertrekken. Helaas is dit nog wel een klein tochtje van 46uur, dus nemen we onze slaapspullen ook mee in de bus...
OK we gaan er vandoor, we hebben al wat whisky gekocht om deze morgen te nuttigen met het ijs van de gletsjer dus je merkt het al, we redden het hier wel hoor!!! Ook nog gauw even wat fotoos van de prachtige, behorend tot de meest actieve gletsjers ter wereld, Glaciar Perito Moreno!!!!



Santiago de Chili is helaas nog niet gelukt en we zijn nu gestrand in het pitoreske dorpje Mendoza.. Hmmm wat gaan we daar doen, waarschijnlijk alleen maar wijnproeven, omdat zoals de betere alcoholisten onder ons wel weten. Goede Latino wijn komt uit Mendoza!!!!

Ushuaia happenings

Greetings to the world out there. A short update about our whereabouts in Ushuaia, Fin del Mundo. One thing we learned there is that we are terrible climbers and we are feeling sour to the bone. Nevertheless, we´ve recovered and are at the beginning of a new tour through another national park, cool aye. But what about Ushuaia since the title is about happenings. First thing we did to tire out our legs was mountainbiking. A very nice way to see the surroundings and in the end we were covered in dust.



We climbed a glacier there which was the second torture for our legs but the view was amazing and in the top we even tried to cross the glacier, but we discovered why people call it a glacier and had to return. For peopla who are wondering what it was, hmmm, the glacier is like a solid rock of ice covered with snow. Only at certain places the snow is not there and then we had to walk up a steep slope of ice. Which is impossible wearing sneakers and a bit cold...



The third torture came the next day. Upon the glacier, Gary had the bright insight to organize a football match between a team of Ushuaiaans and an international team. Within one day he succeeded and we got to play against a team of well trained taxi drivers. The match was supposed to be two times 30 minutes with a small break in between. However, since everybody enjoyed themselves so much the game went on and on and on and..... it lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 5 minute break in between. We of course were no match for the well trained and superb players form Ushuaia... hmmm we lost with 20-23. Ah well I had great fun........



The last torture was the last day in Ushuaia. We went with 5 people to the national park, finally and did the most difficult track which went to the top of the mountain there. Agonizing pain.... is the best description for the track. However, the views were breath taking and even pants taking. From the top we had a 360 degrees view over the park and well... something you will never find in Holland. So for the pure spoiling of the eye for all of you who have not yet been to Ushuaia a few pictures.

End point journey to the very south of America...

To make all of you happy we show a few pictures of our Caipirinha-party, with all our thanks to our prof Rossy!!! We strongly advise and suggest if any of you reading this comes to South America in the future, try to arange such a party, of course guided by the hand of a willing Brazilian!!


And for you Shannon Patrick (alias the ´Mouth´ haha!) yes there was also beer...)


The last days of BA was absolutely great, relaxed and fun as they should be! I´m sorry for those are left out, but a selection for these past days is a difficult thing, so that´s why we used the group photo (sorry for the quality, so if any of you have a better one, plse send it to us!)


OK let´s do some maths... Our journey to meet the end of the world was divided in three trips. 1. BA to Comodoro Riverdera takes 23hrs, Comodoro Riverdera to Rio Galloges takes 11hrs, 2. Rio Galloges to Rio Grande takes 9hrs and finally Rio Grande to Ushuaia 4hrs takes what makes in total 47hrs all after each other. Now that´s what we call tripping! (of wij hollanders gewoon kilometervreters). But we must say, the trip was absolutely magnificant.

This is the very first sight of Ushuaia so enjoy.......

Be robbed and travelling for 46 hours

I people, gotta keep it short this time cos I'm hungry.!! We tried to leave Buenos Aires and we thought we had it all planned to the very last detail. Only we got robbed, robarro or something, bestolen etc.. So we missed the bus, no worries people the only things that got stolen were very personal and unpricable things...

Happily we got a free ticket for the next bus on the 9th... so we did try to leave again the great city of BA. Yes this time we had succes. We travelled for 46 hours all the way down to arrive in Rio Grande.. a beautifull city in the south. Tomorrow we will set our sails for Ushuaia which is the most southern city of the world according to the Lonely Planet, however Henk just informed me that that same Lonely Planet tells that it is another city. Silly me, did not arrive to that chapter yet.

If we had pictures of the criminals that took Henk's bag we would place it on the internet. For people that worry alot, don't we are okay and still very able to travel.

Adiosios from Henk and his little side kick, Berend

Tigre and San Telmo

Because our trip to the south of Argentina was delayed we had some more time just to take some tours outside and more inside BA. First we did San Telmo again, which is the hart of Tango. We´ve got quite some pictures and movies of the dancing, cause it is so beautiful and defines how these artists can dance!



Also Tigre is a piece of nature and culture you have to see if you are in BA. In the good old days it has been known for its smuggling capabilities because of all the small narrow waterways. We did not find anything valuable, but we really did not looked for it also. It´s like Venice, because of all the water and no roads. But Tigre is in the middle of a delta district, so you´ve got a lot of nature and I would say, if you want an original place to spend your honeymoon, take a piece of paper and write in big TIGRE!



However we must warn future people going into the dangerous wildlife of Tigre. Some places look idylic, but we were chased by a pack of wild dogs, that we could only get rid of by looking harmless... for me that was very difficult, Henk succeeded in it so the went away and we managed to take a picture of one of them, which is now placed there as a warning sign.

Voor de minder engels sprekende mensen. BA is erg divers. Precies als onze bronnen (dank je Eddy en Marieke!) gezegd hebben, je kan gemakkelijk 1 tot veel maanden in BA verblijven. Elke keer zie je weer nieuwe dingen/facetten die BA een ander gezicht geven. De gebouwen, het eten, de tango, de geschiedenis en daarna kom je tussen de mensen en de gastvrijheid en de passie voor hun land en hun fiestas is hartverwarmend! Het klinkt allemaal erg idealistisch maar de stad heeft gewoon heel erg veel, iets wat je altijd bij zal blijven.

Merry Christmazzzz.... and a happy newyear!!!!

Hola everybody!
Although 2006 is already started, here´s a small update of our days of a (white?) Christmas. With a lot a super cuisine food, perfect argentino vino tinto and champagne the atmosphere was incredible!






Just to take the two big parties altogether, new years eve was also incredible! Not only because the youthhostal is amazing and making friends is as easy as ordering meat, but especially we were together, healthy and happy! (ahhhhhhh.....)

So just for all you:

!!!!!!! HAPPY NEWYEAR !!!!!!!!

And of course what is partying all about, champagne and bjoetifoel wimmen