The Carnivores Guide to Buenos Aires

Ok, we are home and have been so for a couple of days but still... We should really finish the blog in a good way, so there will be a couple of more posts.
Have I mentioned that my husband and I like meat? If not, the below diary might give a hint.

Day 1:
Restaurant: El Desnivel
Meat: 2 * Lomo (one of us ordered Bife de Chorizo but it was Lomo, we are sure)

Advised by our almost local guide, The Windler, we ordered the meat "A Punto" (medium-rare), that was a mistake, it was more to the medium side but hopefully we learnt from it... The bitter taste of disappointment was washed away by generous amounts of wine.



Day 2:
Restaurant: Cabaña Las Lilas
Meat: 1 * Baby beef, 500 g, 1 * Bife de Chorizo

Advised by our almost local guide, The Windler, we ended up in what is considered by many the best restaurant in Buenos Aires. The previous mistake was corrected and the meat was ordered "jugoso" (spelling may be erronous). The Windler rose to a top placement in our hearts, the meat as well. The fact that the bill were almost the double of the price of our hotel bill for 5 nights probably says a lot of our ways of prioritzing.

Day 3:
Restaurant: Pub Gibraltar
Meat: 1 * Hamburger, 1 * Cheese sandwich

My stomach was probably still working with the baby beef, it did not want food at all this evening. From what I understood the hamburger was absolutely ok but there was disappointment regarding missing steak for one day.

Day 4:
Restaurant: La Brigada
Meat: We don't know. It was a secret that wasn't on the menu. It looked like some kind of filé. Or it could have been leftovers. It was the best freaking leftovers anyone of us has ever had. It is hard to think how the regular meat might taste. Something that good can't be legal.

By now we were so knowledgeable in the art of Argentinian meat that we didn't even bother with any french fries on the side - a Caprese sallad was enough, save the potatoes for the bad times.

Day 5:
Restaurant: La Rosalia
Meat: 1 * Chorizo (starter), 1 * 550 g baby beef, 1 * bife de chorizo

Since there was a 40 mins waiting time for the baby beef we realized that a starter wouldn't be in the way. So simple, so tasty! My bife de chorizo was still mooing on the way over to our table, I felt butterflies in my stomach from pure excitement when I cut the first piece. Yarden's baby beef was a bit less rare but the size of this piece of meat was so impressive I could almost see tears in his eyes. Tears of joy of course! We couldn't have finished our stay in a better way.

After this week of eating we have decided to spend all our honeymoons in Buenos Aires. With a bit more tango dancing we can probably manage to have steak for lunch as well (Yarden already tried the concept once, it might work). All restaurants, except for Cabana Las Lilas, is located in San Telmo, the neighbourhood where we were staying. In Puerto Madera, where Cabana Las Lilas can be found, there are plenty of other good restaurants as well. We didn't have enough time. Next time, Siga La Vaca will be visited. And La Cabrera. And possibly some of the restaurants we already been visiting will be revisited.

Santa Cruz

Sometimes you get a bit travel weary on the road and need to take a break. A vacation from the vacation. We choose Santa Cruz as our holiday destination. There is no real sightseeing to be done, no interesting museums but it is Bolivia's largest and richest city with plenty of restaurants, cafés and shops. We found a lovely hostel with hammocks to relax in, green patios and two funny tucans to rest our eyes on.

What else could a girl need?

Beautiful tucan

Even tucans get a bit shy sometimes...

Yarden is raving about how good it is to be back in civilisation and is calculating how much money we'll need to be able to retire here. I'm focusing on what kind of food we'll have for the next meal. The first night we had an amazing steak dinner, second night pizza.I believe we are ready for another meaty dinner tonight. And in between meals, it is actually possible to get a decent cup of coffee here. Santa Cruz are scoring high points from the Cohens!

Modern city, modern art

Sloth

Well, I know I said not much happened in Trinidad but just a couple of minutes after these photos were taken a police officer came and grabbed this little fella for being in the wrong place. Brutally he was carried by the skin of his neck to another location, the northeast corner of the plaza. He did not attempt any resistance yet the police officers were still poking him with their sticks when he tried to climb over the fence...

24th of September

We've missed a lot of holidays and celebrations on this trip - Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, surstrommingspremiar, kraftskivor and a few birthdays. But we have celebrated 24th of September!

We are not really sure why, but everyone else in Santa Cruz celebrated it so we joined in. The celebrations mostly took place around the main square, cleverly named Plaza 24 de Septiembe and contained army and police marching quite haphazardly, schoolbands playing and a lot of waving of green-white flags.

Bolivian VIPs

I had no idea my husband was so interested in schoolbands, he didn't want to leave...

Some israeli participation, in form of the Rangers' guns, was seen. Nothing swedish anywhere in sight though.

Off the beaten track

Most tourists fly to Rurre and then back south to La Paz. We decided to go east instead, to Trinidad. So, the day after coming back from the Pampas-tour we got on a minibus that would take us to San Borja, half-way to Trinidad. The roads in this area is a nightmare, covered with a thick layer of fine dust, sometimes more bumps and holes than road with cows and horses walking around. You drive on the side where the road is best at the moment, which to me always seems to be the wrong side. After 5 hours of driving we had finally driven all the 150 kilometers needed and stopped in San Borja. Not much to see, a nice plaza and an ice-cream parlor was the best bet. Insteadwe decided to take a taxi to El Porvenir, another 1,5 hours to the west.

El Porvenir is a biological research station that was built by an american university during the 1980-ies but that has been more or less abandoned for the last 10 years. About twice a month they get some visitors we were told by Walter, the man who is taking care of the place. After a very simple dinner we laid in our hammocks for a while before going to sleep.

At 6 am we were woken up by a cacaphony of parrots outside our window, fell asleep again and were woken up by Walter at 7 am who told us breakfast was ready and our guide and horses were waiting for us. A 4 hour ride around the reserve was scheduled so we got up on the horses and rode off to the Pampas. We saw capybaras, birds and tons of cows. I even saw a cockroach crawl under my T-shirt and didn't scream! I also saw two austrich-like birds, but from quite a distance so I guess it could in fact have been cows as well... However, we looked like cowboys, or at least felt like it!

Two horses and some capybaras in the background

Birds waiting for death

If that isn't two cowboys I don't know what it is...

This is how happy my horse was after the ride - look carefully...

After lunch we walked down to the main road to see if we could catch a ride further west. And, after only 20 minutes a jeep with 3 men in their forties from Santa Cruz stopped. They gave us a ride all the way to Trinidad and refsed to accept our attempts to pay for us. On the other hand we had to live with the seventies disco music that they seemed to enjoy a lot.

Our main reason to go to Trinidad was to catch a boat up Rio Marmoré for about 5 days but no boats were leaving until 3 days later so we decided that would be too much for our quite tight schedule and dropped the boat idea. Other than that not much happened in Trinidad. It is not really a tourist destination so people actually came up to us on the street and in restaurants to ask where we were from and kids were fascinated by my "white" hair.

Trinidad

Welcome to the jungle

The jungle from Rio Tuichi

After lingering a couple of days extra in Rurre it was finally time to get out to the jungle. In 1981, an israeli guy named Yossi Ghinsberg lost his group in the same jungle and had to survive on his own for more than a month before he was finally found. So, let's not tell the israeli mum where we are going until we get back...

We got into a boat in Rurre - Yarden, I, a Czech couple and our non-english speaking guide. Fortunately it turned out that the czech girl spoke spanish so she translated what the guide said into czech, her boyfriend into english and we all understood most of it. Of course, being in Bolivia, the guide knew most names of animals and plants in Hebrew as well. After 3 hours on Rio Beni and Rio Tuichi we arrived at our camp - a few cabins, dining room and bath - very simple but ok.

Our cabaña

In the afternoon we went for our first walk. For 4 hours we walked through thick, green and hot jungle where you don't get one quiet moment. The sounds from cicadas, birds and any other type of animal was really loud, quite surprising. We saw birds, spiders, wild pigs, a snake and even a turtle. To quench our thirst we drank water from a liana and the guide told us about different medicinal and toxic plants.

Downing a liana

Turtle

Tarantula

Snake

Beautiful butterfly

We came back to the camp for an excellent dinner and then Yarden and I went for a night walk with tthe guide. In the pitch black night, only lit up by our torches, the stars and fire flies our guide managed to find frogs, spiders, birds, crocodiles and tracks from puma, jaguar and tapir. Walking along the river, gleaming eyes of crocodiles where everywhere, luckily they aren't very big so no worries. The bigger animals decided not to show up so footprints were all we got. 2,5 hours later we came back to the camp for some sleep.

Tiny crocodile

Dragon fly

The second day contained a 3-4 hour walk in the morning, followed by lunch, siesta and a much needed swim in the river. Then it was time for "artesania", handicraft. The guide and the czech girl where frenetically making rings and necklaces from different kinds of nuts. I made my husband a wedding ring ("it's not comfortable" - does he think that marriage is about comfort??) and the guys were sleeping and reading.

Having fun in the jungle

More fun in the jungle

The last day started early so we could walk a few hours before the temperature became unbearable. This time we walked up to a view point where we could see the jungle from above and hear the howler monkeys howl. In the afternoon we got back into the boat and went to a place to watch colorful parrots screaming loudly before heading back to Rurre.

Look carefully for parrots

Finally some really bad Rio Tuichi jokes:
- The mosquito bites I can stand but the river is Tuichi
- We swam in the river but didn't enjoy it, it was Tuichi

Trees, comes in all shapes...

Rurrenabaque

Only 40 minutes by plane from La Paz is Rurrenabaque (or Rurre as most people call it). It feels like another planet though. While La Paz is a busy, big city that gets cold as ice at night and located at such high altitude that you start to breath heavily as soon as you climb a couple of stairs, Rurre is in the middle of the rainforest, hot and humid, sleepy and easy going. From La Paz you fly in over the snowy Andean peaks that quickly changes to the lush, green Amazon basin. Sweat covers you the moment you step onto the grassy landing strip.

The Andes, so close you can almost touch them

Nice little plane

The town itself is located net to the river Beni and surrounded by two national parks it's a really popular place for tourists. Travel agencies that arranges jungle- and Pampas tours are everywhere. Of course we did both (more about that later though). Unfortunately we had to stay a bit longer because of illness but it was quickly over and now we are up and running again! Other tourists aren't as lucky as us, you can see them sitting on the streets with the orange pants and dreadlocks, trying to sell there handmade jewellery. Some people just don't know when to stop travelling...

Who needs a bridge really?

View from our balcony over Rio Beni

Only for the Swedes

Ibland blir man ju lite sugen pa nagot gott.....


Copacabana i Bolivia servas av A.J. Bergstroms Akeri, lite ovantat!

Peruvian menu

There's a lot of food in the world that you didn't know existed. Things you didn't know that you could eat. Mysteries on how to get certain food is cleared in this menu - Sweater gives trout - stop fishing, just squeeze them out of your sweater!

Colca Canyon

After a day in Arequipa we got on a tour to Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world with another Peruvian canyon on first place and Grand Canyon on third. Colca canyon is mostly visited for the possibility to see condors, but it is also filled with small towns, pre-Inca terraces and beautiful views.

On the way to the canyon we made short stops to watch vicuñas, a llama-like animal, stock up on coca tea and coca candies (good against altitude sickness and perfectly legal since in its natural form the coca leaf doesn't give you "highs" or is addictive).

We arrived in Chivay, a small town in the northeast end of the valley, in time for lunch and then checked in at our hostel. To get a room with a double bed in this country is very easy - you ask for a "matrimonial", then you say you are married and that you in fact are on your honeymoon (luna de miel) - works like a charm every time, hostelowners have even switched beds from one room to another. Also at this hostel it worked, we were given the "married room" according to our guide...

In the afternoon we went to the hot springs, just outside the town, where we soaked our tired bodies in out- and indoor pools for a couple of hours. In the evening we went to a restaurant to see a local dance show in classical turistic style. Of course, both Yarden and I were dragged on to the dancefloor to dance. Wonderful...

Yarden shows his moves on the dance floor

The following day we were up before sunrise in order to get to the Condor Cross early in the morning when the condors are most visible. But we also managed to squeeze in a couple of stops in villages on the way to look at inka terraces, churches, tombs and maybe some shopping... A bit after eight we got out of the bus to take a walk for about 30 mins to the Condor Cross. On the way we saw one condor close by and felt quite happy that we at least had gotten to see one. But when we reached the cross there were condors everywhere. For two hours we stood, together with hundreds of more tourists, with our heads lifted to the sky, our cameras snapping picture after picture and just enjoyed the performance.

Majestic condor

Going in for landing....

The condors are impressive creatures, they can be over 3 meter from one tip of the wing to the other with a weight of 10-15 kg. The young condor is brown and it's only when they are around 7 years old that they change to the characteristic black and white plumes. Since it's so big it has difficulties to take of for flying which is why they stay high up on the mountains so they can use the wind.

Condor couple

Young condor

Arequipa

After a day of rest in Huaraz after our trek we continued our trip southwards by bus. First 8 hours to Lima, where I decided that Lima is in fact a mucho depressive city with a constant cloud parked over the city. It's huge, dirty and polluted so after 2 hours in the bus station I was thrilled to get on the night bus to Arequipa. Just another 14 hours...

Peru really is a strange country when it comes to its nature. We drove on a highway that went through sand dunes that feel steeply into the ocean on one side. And then it continued with stone desert and every now and then a town with half-finished houses and garbage everywhere. It's all very boring to look at. But then you also have the amazing mountains and canyons and green valleys.

Arequipa's Cathedral with volcanoes in the background

After almost 24 hours on buses we finally arrived to Arequipa, Peru's second largest city and with its 760.000 inhabitants it only has a tenth of Lima's population. And it is so much nicer. It's a nice colonial town with beautiful buildings surrounded by high volcanoes around 6.000 m.a.s.l. One of it's bad sides though is that it's a victim of many earthquakes, the last big one in 2001. But they keep rebuilding it over and over... Tired after the bus ride we didn't do much, walked around in the picturesque city center, visited a museum and booked a tour out of the city.

Around Plaza des Armas

There are about 3 taxis for each person in Arequipa

In the evening we went on a date and had a beer on one of the balconies overlooking the magnificent Plaza des Armas. So, to sum it up, Arequipa was a very nice stop on our journey. Beautiful, friendly and you can actually breath the air without choking.

Look how happy girls become when someone takes them on a date!

Multi-religious experience

Sometimes you find yourselves in situations you really wouldn't want to be part of but there is absolutely nothing to do but trail along. Yesterday was such a time. After a 4-day trek in high altitudes getting on a bus and head back home (or to Huaraz in this case) should be a piece of cake. Well, it just wasn't. This was where the real adventure began.

Packed into a minibus, the most common public transportation in Peru, together with about 16 other, we started to climb on a serpentine gravel road. At the top I looked out of the window and saw the most amazing serpentine road going down on another mountain. I turn to Yarden and just when I'm saying "look at that crazy road" I realise that it is the road that we are going down. It is a narrow road, sharp curves, plenty of crosses as memorials over people that didn't make it and we're sitting in this minibus that has seen better days. I squeeze Yarden's hand hard at every curve and release it a bit every time we make it through. Yarden says that he definitely hope there is a God and I answer that I believe in all of them at the moment. Whoever will help us through I'm ready to pray to.

Half-way down the road the minibus stops. In front of us is another bus that also has stopped. Turns out the other bus' steering wheel stopped working. Not something you want to happen at a serpentine road. Everyone gets out of the buses, we speak a bit to a couple from the other bus, that we met on the trek earlier. They seem a bit shaken and don't look forward to get into the bus again. After an hour the drivers fixed the problem and everyone gets on the bus again. The couple joke about having us call their mother's if they don't make it, it doesn't feel completely as a joke... The rest of the way down is nerve-wrecking. I try not to look at the road.

In Yungay we switch to another minibus to Huaraz. This time it's a paved road and it feels safe. Should take about 1,5 hours to get back. After 1 hour a high noise sounds and the driver brakes fiercly. Everyone gets out of the bus, gets their bags and tries to catch another ride as fast as possible. We end up staying on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere for about 20 minutes until another minibus stops and picks us up. We finally arrive to Huaraz at 7 o'clock at night and I have rarely been so happy to be alive!

High-altitude dreams

You would think that sleeping in a tent in a national park, surrounded by snowy peaks and beautiful nature would cause you to have serene dreams filled with horses gallopping over fields, glittering mountain lakes and healthy activities. Not in my world. I woke up one morning realising that I had been dreaming about the following things:

- I was going to a Sting-concert. Everyone tried to get in without a ticket but I was cool and had tickets.

- I was playing golf with Jack Nicholson. He was mad most of the time.

- I accidentaly cut of 2-3 mm of skin from my mothers nose with a knife. She said it was ok but I knew it would hurt like hell.

- My fridge was filled with cakes. Big tasty cakes with loads of chocolate on.

I guess the fact that I was seen as cool for having tickets to a Sting-concert must have had something to do with the lack of oxygen. Playing golf with Jack Nicholson however is always cool.

Good thing I have action filled dreams at least!