Fun things in Rancagua, Chile

This lion isn't done eating.  It wants more, so it's waiting for us....

I don’t have to leave far from home (Rancagua at this time) to have a good time. There are plenty of fun things to do right here. Ahimara and I recently spent an afternoon at the Safari Park, or zoo. But it was much better than a zoo. The animals were close up behind chain link fencing, not far away behind heavy bars. They were active too. The bear went swimming and ate the leaves in the water. The only White Lion in all of South America lives here. We saw monkeys, baboons, puma, deer, turtles and little animals of all sorts. But the best thing was the lion safari!

He smells the meat by our head and is coming to get it! 

This is the truck behind us.

Ahimara and I climbed into a cage on the back of a truck. We were locked in. Meat was thrown on top of the cage. The truck was driven through a double set of locked gates and entered into the lion’s safari like home. The lion’s get excited about the smell of the meat. Next thing I know, the lion is jumping up on the hood of the truck onto the top of our cage to eat the meat that is just two inches from our head! It was so awesome! When the meat was gone from outside the cage, the lion seemed to be trying to figure out how to eat the meat inside the cage! The handler had to even throw some meat down on the ground to convince the lion to get off his truck! It was an amazing experience!

Hmmm, how do I get that meat in there?

This kind of fun stuff just happens to me. I don’t plan it. I didn’t even know about this park. I am just letting the forces of the Universe guide me to wherever they think I need to be, and on this particular day, it was with the lions.

Yeah, I'm going to take home a baby lion! 

There are lots of birds here too.

Another day we spent the day picking peaches. Cecilia’s family is in the agriculture business. We picked lots and lots of peaches! Tons of peaches! I thought carrying a real picking pouch on my chest would be a good idea so that I could collect lots of peaches; it just meant I worked harder! But oh, the experience was awesome. Just a minute, I have to go eat a peach. I will be back.

I'm still looking fresh here.  I have not begun.  These are Cecilia's siblings with me.

No one translated for me this day. I learned from my rudimentary speaking skills that this year has been a very bountiful year for peaches, apples, corn, and pears. A few days before this peach day, we picked grapes (red and green), apples (gala and granny), and pears. It was my first time to ever be under the hanging grapes. It was just so bountiful to me and I have never seen so many big, fat, juicy grapes, beautiful, sweet, soft pears, and crisp hard apples. I didn’t know I was going to pick fruit, so I didn’t have my camera along to take pictures of the grapes and apples. I usually never know where I’m going until I am actually there! I was sad for the fallen fruit on the ground, and wanted to rescue every one of them, but alas, I can’t save the entire fruit world.

I think I can see the sweat starting!

We attended a wedding one evening. Now a wedding here in Chile is a very fun event that lasts all night long. Really! It started at 9:00pm and got over at 6;30AM!! And we stayed the whole time; eating, dancing, talking, and having a great time! Yes, I even had an English speaking friend this night, so Emilia was off the hook! Did I mention I danced all night? Yeah, it was very fun. I like the weddings in Chile!

She's a lovely bride and the wedding was fabulous!

On another fun day, I toured the largest copper mine in the world! El Teniente Copper Mine is where Emilia’s father works. We also toured Sewell, the mining town where all the miners lived years ago. I actually can’t cite too many facts because, again, my tour was in Spanish. So I just took lots of pictures. I had to wear a really cool gas mask in the mine, and we were REALLY far into the mountain, and it was cold and dark in there. I saw how the copper was mined. China and Japan are the largest importers of Copper. Chile is the #1 exported of copper in the world. The copper mine tour was very cool. Enjoy my pictures of things to do in Rancagua!

Machu Picchu- One of the 7 Wonders of the World!

Machu Picchu is one of the 7 wonders of the world for a very good reason. It is absolutely “wonderful”. It is a “wonder” how they built it and how it has survived 100’s of years of forest overgrowth and earthquakes. I use to think that Rome, Italy, with all its ancient ruins and city mingled together, was my favorite place on earth, but it is now in spot #2. Machu Picchu, including Lima and Cuzco are my all time favorite. It is hard to put into words the stunning beauty, the advanced technology that was used to build the still sturdy walls, the technology used to mark the exact day of each new season, and the placement of the city itself. The history of Machu Picchu, or at least what they know of it, is so interesting.

Leaving Santiago, Chile for Peru with Emilia

I am getting ahead of myself. I traveled with Emilia to Peru for 7 days the end of Jan 2011. Two days in Lima, 2 days in Cuzco, 2 days in Machu Picchu, and 1 last day in Cuzco. Let’s start with Lima. Lima is a very beautiful city. It actually looks a lot like Rome the way the modern city is mingled with 250 ancient archeological sites. There are many Spanish and European churches, architecture, and buildings mingled with modern glass and steel ones. It was a Spanish speaking tour, so I don’t know any of the names of the places I saw, but they were beautiful, and I took lots of pictures. I couldn’t understand any of the history or stories of the place either. That was a bit frustrating for me. We descended into the catacombs of a cathedral and saw lots of human bones. I bought and ate a new fruit called mamey that looked like a potato and tasted like a cross between a peach and a melon. Emilia and I don’t like to spend much time in Cathedrals and Museums. So we shopped all morning and did the city tour thing in the afternoon!

A Monument in Lover's Park in Lima, Peru 

One of the many cathedrals we toured. I love the birds in this photo. 

There were lots of human bones down in the catacombs.

A wonderful new taste for me called "Mamey"

Cuzco is a 2 hour flight from Lima. We were now at almost 12,000 feet in altitude! At the hotel, they gave us Coca tea for altitude sickness. As it is made with the herbal leaves that are the base of cocaine, Emilia chose not to drink hers. I drank both of them  (It’s just herbal tea)! Out first afternoon was spent at the Mercado buying souvenirs for friends and family. That was FUN! We were picked up later that night and taken to a special dinner and show. The show was original Andes/Inca music and dancing. The food was OK, if you like llama, lamb, fish with heads and eyeballs, but the salads were very good; more new foods and exciting tastes. I had a medium headache this first night in Cuzco due to the altitude. Our second day in Cuzco was even busier and at a higher elevation. Now we are almost near 13,000 for the archeological tour in the morning. We visited awesome Inca ruins and fantastic archeological sites. We were given one hour for lunch, so some of us searched for a totally local joint with typical food and low prices. We hit the jack pot! I ate the local food and drank the local brew and paid with very few Soles (the Peruvian money is a Soles). The exchange rate is about 2.8 Soles/$1. 12 Soles is roughly $4. We even had live local music. It was a wonderful experience. This is what traveling is all about; experiencing the real Cuzco food, music and drink.

An ancient Inca dancer! 

What fun this night was with traditional dancing and food! 

Inca Ruins site

The afternoon City of Cuzco tour was beautiful, but boring. Again, I didn’t understand anything being said. All cathedrals start to look the same. I am tired and I had a VERY bad headache. It was alarming to me. I knew it was altitude related. The minute I got into the hotel room, I let the hot water of the shower pound on my head, neck and shoulders forever. I went straight to bed by 7:30 pm! If I even stood up, I would get dizzy! Time for more coca tea!

The doors and windows are slanted to withstand great pressure.

The stones are fit together so tight like a jigsaw puzzle. 

Another Inca Ruin Site 

This is 12,352 feet 

Please, take a picture! Are you sure? Yes! OK, thanks!  Give me money now! Run, Emy, Run! 

Typical narrow streets of Cuzco.

Our wake up call for Machu Picchu day was 4:30am! Armed with a big jug of Coca tea and no headache, I was very excited for this day to begin. We took a small van to a big bus (30 min), a big bus to the train (2 hours), the vistadome train to another bus (2 hours), and finally the last bus up the switchbacks to Machu Picchu (30 min). It’s quite the adventure to just get there!

Local soup and drink. Chicha is made from corn and yeast.

Emilia boarding the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. 

This time I was prepared for the cold with a coat!...And shoes!

Ah, the beauty. It’s breath taking. Peaceful, and full of unknown secrets. The construction of Machu Picchu is stunning. No cement was used between the stones. They were carved to fit together so perfectly that a knife can’t even fit in the crack. Oh, and I was given an ENGLISH SPEAKING guide! Yes! He was wonderful! I learned such history and heard such stories. I learned of three important animals to the Incas and their meaning: the condor represents the soul or the spirit, the Puma represents the body, strength and health, and the snake represents the intellectual mind. All three elements need to be present and in good balance for a person’s happiness. I have heard other versions of this in other cultures and it is very true; balance in soul, health, and mind. If any one of these is hurt or weak, peace is not found. My three elements are doing very well :).  I am truly blessed.

Emilia and I above Machu Picchu 

The Sun Temple where they mark the first day of each season perfectly.

My own health was great this day. The Coca tea I sipped on all day helped a lot, but poor Emilia became quite sick by nightfall. Poor baby. Emilia and I were at Machu Picchu all day while most of the group left after a few hours. First we had the guide and the tour, then we ate a great lunch, then we explored and hiked until the last bus left at 5:00. It was pouring rain and we were exhausted and very happy.

This is called the three windows. 

More beautiful Machu Picchu!!

It took most of the day to travel back to Cuzco the next day. We arrived there after dark to the same hotel and just went to bed because we had to go to the airport in the morning. They put a special stamp in your passport at Machu Picchu. My passport is getting quite stamped up: Out USA Dec 16th, In Chile Dec 16th, Out Chile Jan 25th, In Peru Jan 25th, Out Peru Jan 31st, In Chile Jan 31st, Out Chile Feb 17th, In Argentina Feb 17th, Out Argentina Feb 22nd, In Chile Feb 22nd, Out Chile Feb 25th, In USA Feb 25th, Out USA Feb 26th, In Uganda Feb 27th! Whew, that’s a lot of in and out, and this is only through March!

A curious falcon. 

When the Incas wanted no visitors, they removed the wooden bridge on the cliff path. 

No, I didnt eat the Cuy. I draw the line at eating Guinea Pig!

In summary, I feel very blessed to have seen with my own eyes this most amazing wonder of the world-Machu Picchu, Peru. It is truly a place of mystery, history, and much wisdom. The Inca people were very blessed with technology, abundant food and water, safety from attack, and such spirituality. Machu Picchu is thought to be a spiritual retreat or a place for others to come to learn the religion. You can feel it. The spirit of peace is there. This will always remain a highlight of my life!

Yes, Rotary is present everywhere, even in Lima, Peru!

Marvelous South of Chile!

Isla of Chiloe is in the South of Chile.  The Land of the Cold!

My last post was right after a trip to the North of Chile to La Serena and Coquimbo for the week after Christmas. On January 15th, Ahimara and I took a trip to the South of Chile. This was a gift given to me by Pedro and Cecilia. Emilia could not go with me because she was having an eye surgery. I had the wonderful pleasure of spending time with Emilia’s older sister, Ahimara.

Ahimara and I by the bus.

The bus left in the evening and drove all night. It was actually a comfortable bus. We arrived at Porto Varas in the morning and unpacked, settled in and had some time to rest. I took a nice long walk along the walkway of Lake Llanquihue after the long bus ride. In the afternoon, we loaded the bus and visited the City of Frutillar. It is a beautiful lakeside town. Ahimara and I walked for hours looking in the many local artisanal shops and sampling the wonderful food sold by the vendors along the lake. When we returned to the Inn, I decided to go for a jog. I went too far for too long and it was pouring down very cold rain. Needless to say, that night, my knee was very injured.

Fruitillar, Chile

One of the many delicious Restaurants 

Cloud covered Volcano Osorno

I know some Spanish by now and I can converse in simple sentences, but I cannot say, “I need to buy an Ace bandage and some analgesic crème for my knee. No, I don’t need a doctor, or crutches; just a nice strong elastic bandage!” When words fail, use motions and body language. Ahimara and our guide, Patrick figured it out and soon I was as good as new with just a bit of a limp.

He's actually a nasty little guy with a very big "!"...have to see to believe!

Ahimara and I by the Green Lagoon. 

Probably the only time I was ever warm was in these Natural Hot Springs!

Language isolation is very difficult for me. I am a person who loves to talk and tell stories. I am not able to do that here. I have been silenced. I sit and listen, smile, and nod. In this way, the trip was very difficult for me. It also forced me to learn more Spanish. Ahimara would teach me how to say the things I wanted to say in Spanish. It’s just tedious for everyone when an adult talks like a baby! I eventually put headphones on, listened to music and audio books, watched great English HBO movies on TV at night, and enjoyed the scenery. I took lots of pictures.

First stop on Isla of Chiloe....I was freezing! 

I bought a scarf and mittens, but take note of my shoes! This is Patrick the tour guide.

Instead of giving a diary of actual events, I am going to just mention the places I visited and the highlights. Day 3: I wasn’t able to hike to the Waterfalls of Petrohue due to my knee, but Ahimara took pictures for me. I was able to do the smaller hike to the Green Lagoon. I saw half of the cloud covered perfectly coned Volcano Osorno and many beautiful lakes. Day 4: We went to the National Park of Puyehue and we took a boat ride. We also went swimming at some natural hot springs. Day 5: We boarded a ferry for the Island of Chiloe, Island of Achao and the City of Castro. The highlight of my day? I SAW TWO PENGUINS: Real, live penguins in the ocean during the ferry ride! What a great thing to see because penguins don’t normally come this far north from the Antarctic! Day 6 was a day of rest for me while everyone else went to Porto Monte. I needed some time to tour the shops of Porto Varas, find an internet spot to check my email, take a walk, and relax. I ran into some American tourists! Yeah! I was so STARVED for conversation that I followed them to their departure bus in non-stop conversation! I must have been a bit of a nuisance, I am sure, but I wanted to hear them talk and I wanted someone to understand me! I even recognized my desperation as it was happening, but I didn’t care. I was so happy to be near English speakers . Day 7 was spectacular Valdivia, a boat ride to tour a Spanish Fort complete with a reenactment of a Spanish/Chilean battle. I was confused about who won the battle though because I couldn’t understand the narration. I could only surmise that Chile probably won because they have their independence! Like I said, I didn’t understand a thing that was said on the entire tour. I just enjoyed the scenery and took pictures. In Valdivia, we toured a chocolate factory and a beer processing plant before we drove all night back to Rancagua. I slept comfortably on the bus for about 8 hours! I’m getting used to this traveling business!

Preparing Oysters for us 

This is Curanto: clams, mussels, potatoes, fish, chicken.  Steamed on hot rocks.

Did I mention this trip to the South was to the very cold part of the world?! I froze my ass off the entire time; day and night! I slept cuddled up to the radiator when it worked. I was not prepared for this kind of cold. I had only my wind breaker and sandals. Others around me were wrapped in heavy duty winter coats, sweaters, gloves, and boots! I eventually had to buy a scarf and mittens and wear my jogging shoes for warmth. We were on the last edge of civilization where the Patagonia begins and the heavy duty campers prepare for their excursions toward the wilderness of the Antarctic

One of the many, many. many local shops we visited 

Entertainment the local way

Oh the food, the food, and the delicious food! I have never had so many new and wonderful things to eat! The food sold on the street is delicious. I had sopaipillas with mostaza and aji which is flat, fried bread with mustard and a red sauce. We ate the most delicious sweet milk filled churros con manjar and the same creamy filled cone called cachitos. We had fresh raw Oysters scooped right out of the ocean, with lemon and salt. I experienced the local cooking experience of Curanto. It is the steaming and cooking of clams, mussels, chicken, fish and vegetables over hot coals and covered in leaves. We ate at a place that roasted all different kinds of meat over the coals on a spit and served it family style to the table. In Valdivia, we hiked to the top of a breath taking cliff to eat dinner. I’ve eaten so much salmon here too!

A reenactment at a Fort in Valdivia

The experience was wonderful. I actually made some friends on my one week trip. I saw beautiful volcanoes and lakes and villages. I truly believe we stopped at every single local artisanal shop! They sold fine sweaters of llama and alpaca, woolen goods, and carved crafts. It could only have been better if I understood the history of the place and if I could understand the tour guides! My English improved though and I had a great time getting to know Ahimara more. She was a great travel companion and interpreter.

Its never hard to find a sign of Rotary everywhere I go!

Rotary Rocks!