Our trip of a life time 5 weeks holiday South America via LA & Vegas for our friend Trent’s 21st. We’ve had a few Spanish lessons, I’ve booked everything on line, got the lonely planet we are ready to go, we depart Melbourne Dec 5th
3 days in LA At the Andaz Hotel: great beds and location, lots of bars close by Château Mount Mont and bull riding: I have the T Shirt to prove it!
Unfortunately I lost my DG sunglasses, big day out………. to celebrate Simon’s Birthday. Lunch at the groovy back room at Laurel Hardware quite industrial with original features from the hardware store, great service vibe, followed by drinks in the afternoon at Beverly hills hotel Polo bar with the Harvey’s & friends followed by Dirty Martini’s with Simon & Trent at 1912 cocktail bar.
We did a fun 4 hour tour in an open top land drover of the Beverly Hills residential area where all the celebs live, some of the house were beautiful, I especially like the are that is flat & green with huge gardens. We checked out Rodeo drive walk of fame. A coffee at the Beverly Hills Wiltshire hotel.
4 days in Vegas – Vegas is over the top there are people everywhere walking the Bellagio floors like ants. We are waiting for our friends to arrive for Trent’s 21st Birthday celebrations.
I’m eating a fruit salad I bought at the snack bar on the Casino floor and another undrinkable coffee! Americans don’t do good coffee! The best coffee in Vegas is at The Wynn’s Casino; Parasol Up & down cafe. Wynn’s Christmas garden is also amazing with giant balls made up of different colored roses hanging off the tree’s .
As we wonder through a few Casino’s on the strip the artificial room deodoriser they use to kill the cigarette stench is head splitting disgusting it makes you feel quite ill.
I don’t gamble’, so I don’t get into the whole Vegas thing. I’m disappointed that they have not restored the original Casino’s & their signage ( which is what 1st fascinated me about Vegas after reading Learning from Las Vegas by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown; About the Las Vegas strip, “Ugly and Ordinary Architecture, or the Decorated Shed,” The Original end of the strip is now more like the ghetto! They have simply continued the strip adding mega structures, enormous hotels that take up several city blocks, housing thousands of rooms, guest, they are more like cities within themselves. I’m a person that likes a small Unique boutique hotel, so for me staying in one of these is over the top! I might add for such a huge hotel the service was very good, the Hydro night club was the largest I’ve been to, Lily bar fascinating to people watch the pool are was a quiet oasis, being December.
My favourite things were Cirque de Soleil Zarkara, fantastic, an early morning helicopter ride for Simon’s birthday to the Grand Canyon with breakfast by river and spectacular views. Trent’s 21s was a fun night starting with cocktails and speeches in Donna and Marks suite, dinner at the Venetian traditional Italian restaurant, a beautiful night spent with great friends. Aria Crystal is a beautiful new space for shopping and eating, if you need some respite to get you energy back, its very calm,
Dec 12th Onto South America our 1st stop is Santiago de Chile.
We arrive and get straight into a cab for the 2 hour 120km journey to Valparaiso. After 28 hours of travel we arrive at our beautiful Oasis Zero Hotel a boutique hotel high up in the hills over looking the beautiful buildings and Harbor. We spend a beautiful afternoon on the terrace over looking the harbor drinking Chilean Cab Sav surrounded by cyclamen bougainvillea and trees. The Zero Hotel was built in 1840 in the Viejas Valparaiso perched on the side of the mountain three storeys high, clad in corrugated iron, painted powder blue with white frames around the windows.
Our room is also blue with 5mrt high ceilings and huge openable long windows.
I’m in heaven!!! Valparaiso is an Unesco World Heritage site Considered the cultural capital of Chile it has Bohemian feel, colourful houses are stacked on top of each other high along the mountain down to the sea, the irregular pattered streets below filled with decade buildings, tangled spaghetti wires hang everywhere debris the streets that lead up to the residential hills connected by steep footpaths.
Breakfast in the dinning room over looking the ships harbour, ends our short 1 day visit.
Our driver arrives to take us to the Maipo area to Casa de Les Animas in the mountains via Maipo wine area, as we drive the mountains us on all sides, the small towns are colourful. we stop at Vina Concha y Toro Chile’s oldest vineyard established in 1861 by an aristocratic family the garden designed by an English landscape designer in the 17c there are trees from all over the world. The casa is a blend of Classical European and Chilean Architecture 18 room yellow rendered, Spanish terracotta roof, white framed windows veranda over look the gardens
The vineyard has 18,000 hectares surrounded by mountains. We visit the underground Diablo caves, taste savinyong blanc from the Carrere grape the only place in the world its still grown.
Casa de Les Animas Fri 15th Dec 2 nights
Its lunch time and we dump our gear at the lodge s they are mud brick moulded sculptural round cabins with bee wing sun shades amazing white moulded interiors with fabulous interiors that overlook the mountains. We are in the Maipo Vally with the Maipo river dividing us from the mountains. We eat lunch at the restaurant that over looks the river and rapids the place is rustic the place is a buzz with Christmas parties. After lunch we head for the Piscine through a tunnel of tree’s to a beautiful natural terraced garden that surrounds the pool beside the river with the sound of the rapids we enjoy a lazy few hours by the piscine. After breakfast at the lodge we head down to go rafting, the organised chaos’s of the activities we decide on a trek across the Maipo crossing over the long swing bridge we head for the highest pint & waterfall at Casa les Animas we see horses lizards eagles parrots and the most spectacular view looking back over the property. Simon stands under the water fall it is truly breathtaking. Later Simon zip lines across the Maipo I’m too chicken & opt for more time by the piscine the most amazing pool I’ve ever seen,. We both have killer massages which leaves my back sore for days! After dinner with Pisco Sours (a local drink made with 3pts lemon juice 2pts Pisco: a local white spirit, 1pt Sugar syrup and 1/2 an egg white, shake over ice, delicious!) We head into town to explore, the house are modest the area beautiful, our time at Cascada fades to an end?
Buenos Aires 5 nights in Palermo Hollywood
A man stands at the Airport with his sign Mandy & Simon Tori, we feel terribly important until we are bundled into a very old car with Locco (crazy)driver! He speeds through the streets like a maniac, we realise later this is the Locco way the Latin Americans drive! Our hotel Fierro in Palermo Hollywood is fantastic is groovy large rooms have a lounge our room looks over the lush green yard it has a roof top pool which we enjoy for the afternoon and meet our new friends Jo & James from Sydney they are celebrating their honeymoon so we open a bottle or two of Chandon (Yes, Aussie Chandon! great marketing campaign in Argentina the new bubbles to drink) Anyway after too many bubble we arrange to share a steak dinner the following night. We walk for hours through the streets of Hollywood and Soho filled with groovy Interior clothing shops. The buildings are a mix of classical & 60″s decaying with wires and graffiti everywhere, the foot paths are cracked filled with holes and there is rubbish on the streets, but the atmosphere is amazing. Tonight we eat a mouth watering steak at ‘Carara” Palermo’s most famous steak house, the side dishes are incredibly good and James eats the 1kg steak! Our Spanish is not really improving as most people speak English, we will have to make more effort!
We rode the Subte (Subway) from Palermo to Cathedral down town, cheap and easy We end up in Riccoletta to see the Cemetario where Eva Peron is buried, a high castellated wall surrounds the 6 hectare cemetario Its a classical Architectural master piece a feast for t the monuments are huge the detail incredible..
Eva Peron was the Wife of Argentina President Juan Domingo Peron. Born Maria Eva, she was the fourth child born to Juana Ibarguren and Juan Duarte, all illegitimate in a ramshackle house near the village of Los Toldos some 150 miles west of Buenos Aires. At 15, she arrived in Buenos Aires, and became a star of radio soap operas and then a movie. She met Juan Peron during an earthquake-relief meeting. The widowed Peron married her in 1945, and they became a team in power ruling Argentina until her death from cancer in 1952. She lived in style and had a fierce mission: to be the savior of the poor. She got the women the vote, won benefits for workers, founded schools, orphanages and hospitals. She became an icon rivaling the Virgin Mary. When she died of cancer, the 33-year old Evita was adored as a saint by working-class Argentines
The next day we venture to La Boca with Jo & James, groovy colourful buildings, Tango outside the many restaurants, full of tourists 1hour is enough! After we head to an authentic Argentina restaurant in San Telmo where there is a long street full of antique shops. I’m in my elements the lighting is particular interesting I get a glimpse of what the homes would have been like when Argentina was the richest country in the world at the turn of the century and Buenos Aires know as the Paris of South America. 5 days was perfect in Buenos Aires we needed all the time we had. Palermo Hollywood is a fantastic location, good food, close to the Interior & fashion shops in Soho Palermo Great location for getting around the food was amazing, lots of variation mouth watering steak & delicious breads Authentic Argentinean to the best Japanese at Osaka. We shopped well everything in this city is well priced We had no problems did not get ripped off by the taxi drivers. The Tango was beautiful to watch at San Thelmo is great for interior designer Argentina is full of interesting antiques we have never seen before great light fittings very unusual Riccoletta Cemetery is a must Architecturally amazing.
Iquazu Falls Dec 21-23rd
A weekend in Iguazu falls spectacular, I didn’t realise the jungle would be so beautiful, we spent the day at the falls with an English guide walking the long steel walkways over the water between small islands out to the incredible falls the force and sound was intense we enjoyed strange looking …………… very tame, lots of butterflies beautiful colours it was a really hot day so the boat ride under the falls was fun, finished with a long ride up the river to a truck with seat on the back for a ride through the jungle the protected Palm heart tree that we would eat in Rio.
Simon & I had a beautiful swim and drinks watching the sun go down over the pool looking toward the Paraguay , Brazil and Argentina river where these countries borders all meet. We later ate at a beautiful seafood restaurant ‘La Rued” in town the wine a food superb. This place is magical we drive through the green lush sub tropical rainforest towards the falls. A quick 10mins in the visitor centre to learn about the animals history and rainforest. we waste no time getting to the falls we catch a small open train and walk about 2km along metal walkway high above the water crossing through small islands e are surrounded by the most beautiful colourful butterflies. they land on us taking their time to sit and flutter their wings. The noise of the falls is soothing the bird life different on the way out. we arrive at the biggest falls I’ve ever seen its awesome to watch and listen to. I spend time thinking about Sal today she keeps popping into my head maybe she’s with me.
We visit more sections of the falls followed by a boat ride underneath the falls we all get soaking wet we are delighted with what we are experiencing the boat goes along way down stream through the rapids, we disembark walk up the mountain to a truck that takes us on a 5km drive trough the forest it is truly amazing the guide tells us about the forest its animals the falls The rain comes from Brazil 1000kms away from Iguaçu down a river going in a north South then flow East West out to the Atlantic ocean. We are shown the Palm Heart tree a vegetable lizards ……..and butterflies the day has been really hot we enjoy a swim back at the hotel what an amazing day we have had. Its our last night in Argentina we go to a restaurant on the outskirts of town Tio Querido a fantastic steak restaurant we have a rib eye with mushroom and pepper sauce washed down with a local Cab Sav we sit outside on the terrace and watch the sun go down.
Rio For Christmas
5 nights in Rio over Christmas of 40+ (I burnt my feet on the sand, through my sandals!) a free Steve Wonder concert on Coco cabana beach and our 8th Wedding anniversary at Santa Teresa where we ate fresh Palm heart with pesto, yum. We arrive in Rio to find we cannot get money Simon cancelled our Visa we are using our travel card and Amex. The city is bursting at the seems we pass very poor area’s the freeways are high above the buildings the cars speed along , at one stage we are screeching around the corner on two wheels we arrive at Ipanema beach hotel late in the afternoon head out for an early dinner at a local stuffy over priced restaurant pay with our travel card. The hotel room is small, its really hot the people on the street are ranging in skin colour from latte mocha and espresso Ipanema beach is beautiful wide white sand busy with people walking jogging setting up sun lounges for the tourist the pavement has a groovy pattern in charcoal and white. Its Christmas eve an we head for La Pacho BBQ restaurant we have a rapid taxi ride around the bay. waiters bring skewers of different meat and animal parts to the table there is a smorgus board of salads And veg to choose from we overlook the water have a beautiful afternoon followed by drinks and people watching at the bar below our hotel. The Brazilian men are so sexy, quite a few people speak angles. We phone home after too many drink and speak to everyone….. Rio Is the city of contrasts Culturally Social Topical
Cable car to Sugar Loaf mountain and tour in the back of a land rover with city fumes a heat its been 40 + every day we visit the soccer stadium where they have the Saab competition along the beach around the lagoon up through the largest urban forest passing the largest shanty town in south America 300,000, 25% of livening in Rio live in shanty’s. yesterday was our 8th anniversary we caught a up to Santa Teresa in the mountain over looking Rio to a restaurant Apraisive. We had the most amazing view looking down over Rio fresh palm hearts from the special palm trees the South American harvest for the vegetable called palm hearts It takes the tree 18 months to grow back the frong this tree is protected in the forests. Re forested for the vegetable which is often bought in cans . We ate it the traditional way steamed and served with pesto oil. Christmas in Rio has been good seeing Stevie Wonder on the beach was great we are ready for the spiritual journey in Peru. On our last night we went to Casa de la Feijoada we ate traditional Brazilian black bean dishes delicious.
Lima 10days in Peru we arrive at 9.30am Dec 28th Gustava Chris’s driver picks us up we drive through the street of Lima to a fabulous apartment for the weekend overlooking the beach and cliffs at Mira Flores. the lift opens onto the 13th floor apartment with long balcony para gliders are jumping off the cliffs and floating past the balcony you feel like you could reach out and touch them., its so nice to spread out after being in such a small hotel room in Rio. We quickly unpack our washing and head back down to Gustavo who is waiting for us he is a tall beautiful Argentinean he has been working for Chris for 3 years as his body guard and driver. I feel safe as we negotiate the Loco driver /traffic with unrushed ease. Mira ores is a beautiful affluent area on the water Lima is surrounded by arid grey mountains high rised apartment are stacked to the East and water to the West we head floor the mountains driving through more affluent suburbs the streets are clean the fences high and houses modern. There is a feeling of wealth here in Lima that we haven’t seen as yet in South America. Along the streets are dotted with small green parks perfectly manicured lawns and flower beds. The mountains are dry rock with a sprinkling of house that have back yards that climb up the mountain terraced all the way up. We chat all the way Gustavo patiently answering our questions to a small Italian restaurant that is closed. We head back to another Italian in town which has a wonderful interior huge wood fired pizza ovens dominate the back wall we are surrounded by natural timber the double height space the columns are literally lacquered trees the upstairs balcony that are eitherside the balustrades are made of rope. Beautiful lunch in a great space. We head downtown to see the beautiful Barocque buildings, smaller classicle buildings with covered in buildings hang over the small cobbel stone streets, the people look like a mix of Inca and Spanish. We head back to Mira Flores through the Friday afternoon traffic with peopl trying to sell us all kinds of things at the lights. We sit on Chris’s balcony watching the paragliders jump off the cliff the enless parade of people acars below.
Saturday night in Bacoda a Bohemian area great music beautiful young people dancing and having fun at Pica bar with Gustavo. Sunday morning we head to a beach are called ASIA on the way through the arid mountains we stop at this amazing place to buy bread filled with cheese and olives baked in four wood fired pizza ovens out the back with bakers ciontabntly taking bread inside to be sold to a stream of people. still hot when you eat it delicious.
Amazon
New Years Eve in the Amazon, we stayed at a rustic lodge reached by boat 21/2 hours from Iquitos, the timber huts were traditional palm leaf gable with flywire windows cold water and mozzie nets, lights out at 10pm the generator operated 6-10pm lots of time spent on the water exploring, Piranha fishing, walks through the jungle, an amazing experience.
Cusco We had our last 3 nights in beautiful Cusco, we ate twice at Ciccolinas’s…….. incredible food, the 1st night we sat at the bar watching the pasta man, and sampled everything.
A long day trip to Machu Picchu, I felt like I should have trekked the Inca with all the stories I heard on the train journey back! the people who had done it looked tired and satisfied they all said the first night was the hardest with the altitude feeling like they may have a heart attack!
We really enjoyed South America and both agree that Buenos Aires was our favourite city.
The three wonders of the world Iguazu falls the Amazon and Machu picchu were all well worth the visit.
People The people were beautiful, most spoke English are relaxed and pleasant to be around, not bad looking either.
Food The food was generally quite good, great in Buenos Aires its true what a few memorable meals and restaurants in each place
Planning
We used the lonely planet South America on a shoestring & Peru, this was well worth the money I booked everything myself on the internet. accept the internal LAN flights Rob from Flight centre Albert park arranged an air pass for us throughout South America.
Money on practical the ANZ travel card worked well pre loaded from Australia in US we were able to get the local currency from ATM’s. We found everything really reasonable sometimes cheap.
My favourite accomodation was at Casa de les Animas, Chili
Designed by a local artist our Lodge was surrounded by mountains a rammed earth round sculpted cabin with bee’s wing sun shades, a fabulous interior with white rendered walls a honey coloured bed head, furniture and exposed ceiling beams (wheel spoke) with a round central sky light, the windows were covered with white sheer hand designed curtains and rugs covered chairs and rustic tiled floor . We had a spectacular view of the mountain behind us
My favourite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I love her Holly Golightly character, the famous breakfast at Tiffany’s scene/images, the party in her apartment & Cat.
Audrey & Hubert de Givenchy life long friendship began in his Paris studio in 1953 when choosing clothes for Sabrina.
Audrey loved to eat, she was a beautiful cook.
Having almost starved to death during Nazi-occupied Holland during WWII, Audrey became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador for starving children. She used her fame not only to help children but also to give something back to the organisation that helped her in her direst need, the United nations came to Holland with food, blankets, clothing and medical supplies.
