 Barry - barrygahan | All Comments |
Comments | |
| 13th December 2009 mountaineer | Great Pics - a few corrections - From: La Serena: Observing the Skies 1st pic is Aconcagua, 2nd is not. Aconcagua is the highest peak outside Asia but not the highest outside the Himalaya. There are several ranges besides the Himalaya that are higher than the Andes such as Karakoram, Pamir, Tien Shan, Hindu Kush and a few more. |
| 8th December 2009 meli | - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret you didn't go to medellin??..... is the most beautiful city in colombia... is just amazing... beautiful women, the best parties ever... the most clean city, perfect weather... nicer peolple..... if you went to colombia, but you missed medellin.... you can't tell you were there |
| 2nd October 2009 Jessica & Friends | Holidays/ Celebrations - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret What are some holidays/ celebrations in the month of July, around the 6th??? I would aperrciate it if you could e-mail me back ASAP!!! Thank for all your help and services. -Jessica & Friends Gaffney, SC (USA) |
| 26th September 2009 Iain Gibson | - From: Exploring a little known country Glad to see that you speak well of Paraguay. I have been twice and looking forward to going back in January 2010. Cheap as chips and the local people are so nice. I love Paraguay, viva Paraguay. |
| 22nd September 2009 sam | bad - From: Exploring a little known country i need snakes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 22nd September 2009 sam | bad - From: Exploring a little known country i need snakes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 21st September 2009 Mark Daly | German Ambassador! - From: North by Northwest That 'german ambassador' story is hilarious - i got the same one around June/July 2007, and I've just seen a tourist mentioning it February 2009. We were told there was only 7000 bottles (maybe at 55 pesos she still has a few)...we bought one - very good wine all the same, so no complaints!!! |
| 8th September 2009 barrygahan | Hi - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries Nice to hear from you Alex, and thanks for your kind comment. It seems like so long ago we were in Honduras, it's sadly becoming like a distant memory. I would love to go back again some day. Hope you are keeping well, Barry |
| 6th September 2009 ALEX | THANKS... - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries I AM THE GUIDE WHO GAVE YOU A TOUR IN MACAW MOUNTAIN,,, THANKS FOR THOSE COMMENTS..... I HOPE YOU BE OK. |
| 25th August 2009 lora | helpful - From: The start of an adventure I'm trying to get a feel of Buenos Aires for a story.. your blog very helpful thankyou.. very good to see general views of city |
| 11th August 2009 meiarul/from india | just visit the rainy season - From: La Serena: Observing the Skies hi, i am not fluent in english. iam searching some pictures other website. but i came your page. and santiago lands. my favourite poet paplos house photo is very very important to my image bank. iam just a poet in indias tamilnadu state. i am read neruda's 100 poems in my language. thanking you meiarul |
| 4th August 2009 sp | thanks - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to write your blog. I'm planning a trip there in December but was having second thoughts but reading your blog makes me feel loads better about going. |
| 29th July 2009 Katm1987 | Great hummingbird! - From: Now I know why it's called a cloudforest Just got back from Mindo and can safely say that's a great shot - the damn things just won't stay still! |
| 27th July 2009 Belen | choquequirao trek - From: Choquequirao: Playing second fiddle to Machu Picchu but not for much longer Barry, I read your blog talking about your choquequirao trek and I was fascinated!! I'm planning on going there on January. It seemed to me you had a very good experience with the tour guide and the company who took you there. Do you remember the name by any chance? I'd love to hire to go to the choquequirao trek. Do you know with how many days in advance I would have to book it? thanks a lot!! xoxoxoxo belen. |
| 3rd June 2009 Marco | My Website of Cajas - From: The land as big as heaven Hi guys: Visit my Website: www.cajaspark.com You can find information of Cajas National Park Saludos |
| 6th January 2009 Hoppy | - From: The curious incident of the bull in the night time Looks like great fun, thanks for sharing this. |
| 11th December 2008 Robert | Inspiring - From: Cruising the Chilean Fjords Great photos. They remind me of my time in Bariloche and southern Patagonia in Argentina (I haven't made it over to Chile yet). By the way, you got the glacier name's spelling right (Burbuja = bubble) |
| 27th October 2008 Jaime | Casa De Frutas: Overpriced, Rude Service, Lousy Food - From: Back in the northern hemisphere I am writing to express my dissapointment in one of your reviewed and suggested cafes in Otavalo, Ecuador. My parter and I recently dined at Casa De Frutas for lunch. In this American run establishment, it seems to me that the owner has forgotten what the prices are everywhere else in Ecuador. The amount of food is very small and of much poorer quality than any of the many street food stands we have eaten at during our visit. It consisted of a very small quesadilla, and a bowl of watery bean soup, a hot chocalate and stale coffee - this cost us $10.45. This is what we fork out for at least 2 days food normally. For the price, I was hoping for a nice meal. Heck, even a decent one. I did mention to the owner that I found the quality poor and the prices high. She did not appologize, but rather exlaimed, ¨You´re the first person to say that in three years!¨ and proceeded to lower our change down from the balcony in a basket on the far side of the court yard rudely stating, ¨There´s your change!¨ |
| 26th October 2008 Grare Davis | Orlova Trip - From: Antarctica: The White Continent I was on the Orlova in Nov. of 07--(a week after the Explorer sunk). The experience was extrodinary. I also crossed the Arctic Circle in the summer of 00 on the Orlova. I must have glacier madness. Is there a group for people who have been on 7 continents? |
| 11th October 2008 Charles | congratulations - From: Cerro Rico: The mountain that swallowed 8 million Thanks for the info, very useful. What the Spanish empire did in Latin America was most definately shocking. However unlike British colonies, there are still natives around to tell the tale. The Brits didn´t only exploit the natives, they simply wiped them out. Genocide that carried on until the 1970´s, Aboriginal Australia. |
| 28th September 2008 jim | more! - From: Farewell to Latin America I will miss you travel tails. I am already dreaming of visting El Bolson! best of luck in the future jim |
| 19th September 2008 Kevin and Amarryn | Awesome Blog! - From: Farewell to Latin America My wife and I are in South America (Peru) and love your blog. Thanks for all the info and pictures. We hope to have as good a time as you two. |
| 18th September 2008 Ruth from Wales | agreed - From: Farewell to Latin America I agree with Stephen Paul - let's go back!! On a more serious note, thank you for being the best travel companion. I'm already looking forward to our next adventure... xx |
| 17th September 2008 Stephen Paul | So Thats it? - From: Farewell to Latin America You are done? Terminado? No More?!? I speak for others when i say we want you to keep going. Jus turn around and follow the Atlantic coast through Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and work your way down to BA again. Dont forget to stop in Chile too. |
| 17th September 2008 barrygahan | I know it's very nice! - From: Peru's Chaotic Capital What makes you think I didn't like the country? Have you not read any of my other blogs on Peru? I wasn't a huge fan of Lima, and neither are most Peruvians, judging from what people I met said. Btw, what has USA to do with anything? |
| 11th September 2008 jose | peru is very nice - From: Peru's Chaotic Capital well the next time dont come back to peru, if you do not like this country. I came to usa after 3 years and i dont like the people. well only the woman. all woman in usa are very whores. children with weapons, drugs. i never come back to usa. i like more my coutry. |
| 6th September 2008 AriTraveler | rotten core but colorful on the outside- how true - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double "There's something rotten in the heart of Guatemala" rings so true for me. I was there ...oh...almost 10 year ago the first time. Back then the all-around depressed feel of the place was blamed on the (then) recent violence of the civil war. The taste of sadness hung so heavy in the air that I couldn't stand it and cut my trip short by a few weeks to return to where I came from- joyous and cheerful Mexico. But, Guatemala did have it's memorable places. TIKAL- still one of my favorite places ever. (In fact, when I meditate I imagine myself on top of one of those glorious temples that peek through the canopy) And Antigua was lovely- much less touristy than it is now I guess. Panajachel...lovely. I enjoy hearing your stories because they bring back my memories, plus you add on more stuff that I didn't get a chance to see. So Nicaragua still wins the Central American contest, right? :-) Nica has the same violent past as Guatemala yet somehow has remained a much friendlier and peaceful place...at least from a tourist's perspective. Mine, anyway. I'm glad to hear you came out of there safely, and with some good to take away with the bad. The lava hike...whoa...you are kind of nuts! And I love the picture of the woman on the cell phone. Great one. |
| 5th September 2008 Sophie | - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double Another great blog! I'm still in Guatemala (you've overtaken me, and you were still in South America by the time I was in Costa Rica!) and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who pays double for being a gringa! I tried to argue too, but to no avail- I ended up going to less visited places, and was delighted to see I wasn't treated as a walking bank! My favourite's been Todos Santos Muchupan, I don't think I've ever seen such breathtaking scenery! Enjoy your next country! |
| 5th September 2008 Sophie | - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double Another great blog! I'm still in Guatemala (you've overtaken me, and you were still in South America by the time I was in Costa Rica!) and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who pays double for being a gringa! I tried to argue too, but to no avail- I ended up going to less visited places, and was delighted to see I wasn't treated as a walking bank! My favourite's been Todos Santos Muchupan, I don't think I've ever seen such breathtaking scenery! Enjoy your next country! |
| 5th September 2008 Steve Marks | - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double Dude - so did you miss off El Salvador after all that? Its a bit like the opposite of Guatemala in some respects - I used cabs 4 times in El Salvador, before each time I asked a local what a good local price would be, and then asked the cab driver how much - and each time the cab drivers' first quote was the same as what the local told me a good local price would be. |
| 5th September 2008 Sarah | - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double Another fascinating read, Barry. I'm going to miss these blogs now you're coming home |
| 5th September 2008 Jim | another good read - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double thanks for another good read- I just realized that Ruth has a blog too! Barry - it looks like you are getting close to the end of your trip, at some point would you tell me if you could go back to one place and live the rest of your life there - where would that be? thanks |
| 4th September 2008 cricri | - From: I'm a gringo, charge me double wonderful blog, antigua rocks, me off to Tena, EC. happy travels you really should write professionally |
| 26th August 2008 Sarah | Great stuff! - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries Love all the bird photos and the cute dog :-) The lake looks lovely too. I can't believe how many of my "wish-list" countries you are managing to visit - SOOOO jealous!! |
| 24th August 2008 around_the_world | - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries Looks like quite a trip! and amazing shoots! well done! Met my first hondurian ever last night..in Shanghai! hahaha, long way from where you are, but this country is on my wish list too! How long will it take you to go around Central America? |
| 22nd August 2008 AriTraveler | puffy birds - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries Fantastic bird photos. I love the one of the two green parrots all puffed up ("Cute Parrots"). I have yet to visit Honduras...it's on my list. Sounds like great fun. I am excited for you to see the ruins of Guatemala and MX! |
| 21st August 2008 Margaret Gahan | - From: The Chicken Bus Diaries Hi Barry - I loved the Honduran birds! |
| 14th August 2008 Trish | Fantastico! - From: Sandinista Land Still keeping up with your blogs. At least this site isn't banned in Syria unlike Facebook!! Great photos. |
| 13th August 2008 Ronald | Nicoya rules - From: Sandinista Land You captured great pics. Recently went to Nicaragua on a mission trip. Spent most of the time in the North Esteli, Nueva Segovia and Somoto. I had the best time of my life. Wonderful peple and beatiful nature. |
| 13th August 2008 AriTraveler | Nica...love it! - From: Sandinista Land Next time you must visit Jinotega too, north of Matagalpa. And stay overnight at Selva Negra ...the howler monkeys are super active in the morning and scurry right though the lodge trees if you're lucky. I was in Matagalpa on Sandinista Independence Day last year. It was quite an experience...young Sandis running all around the town on the back of trucks waving flags and such. I was a little nervous being there on my own. The locals told me not to go out because the revelers get a little out of control. Staying in was not a problem since I came down with a traveler's stomach that night! I'm so glad you enjoyed and recommended Nica. I'm so fond of it and dream of going back. Definitely my favorite country in Central America....Panama is #2. |
| 13th August 2008 Ariana | Nica! - From: Sandinista Land Your blog brought back so many wonderful memories of my trip there 2 yrs. back...lovely Granada. And Selva Negra! I stayed there alone for a few days to enjoy the nature and hike the trails. Amazing country- I can't wait to go back someday soon. And that that Flor de Cana rum...not bad at all. Enjoyed quite a bit of it! :-) |
| 12th August 2008 cricri | nicas - From: Sandinista Land nice blogging . well done. stories and photos. nicalandia is one of my faves (2003, 2004) except from Altagracia I took the ferry to San Carlos and headed down the Rio San Juan past el Castillo. When I got sick with parasites the sandanista doctora cured me in a few days with her magic pills and refused payment. From Castillo we doubled back to Rio Frio and travelled down into Costa Rica and ended up in Montezuma. I suppose you'll head north to Guatemala or Honduras. I've been in Quito exactly on week. Bought a bike and will take it to Manta by bus tomorrow. I'm older now so am more of a homebody and won't be on the go for the next month as much as you two, but I'll definitely his the "poor mans Galapagos" and Manta. Happy trails. You ought to publish a book. |
| 12th August 2008 Margaret Gahan | - From: Sandinista Land Ometepe sunset was fascinating and so sclourful |
| 28th July 2008 Sarah | Wildlife - From: Pura Vida in Costa Rica Great to see the wildlife in such proximity - love the colourful frogs! |
| 28th July 2008 Mike and Sarah | Costa Rica - From: Pura Vida in Costa Rica Hey Barry, glad you had fun in Monteverde, it was our fav too!! :-) Looks like you didn't let the 'green season' let it dampen your trip there! All good in such georgeous surroundings. Happy Travels, Sarah & Mike. |
| 28th July 2008 Mike and Sarah | Costa Rica - From: Pura Vida in Costa Rica Hey Barry, glad you had fun in Monteverde, it was our fav too!! :-) Looks like you didn't let the 'green season' let it dampen your trip there! All good in such georgeous surroundings. Happy Travels, Sarah & Mike. |
| 20th July 2008 John | Evening in Bocas del Tora - From: Panamania! A wonderfull view, you can almost see the silence. www.zoekjelastminute.nl |
| 19th July 2008 David | Enjoyed the summary - From: Panamania! Enjoyed the summary - am considering Panama as a destination this winter! |
| 16th July 2008 Sarah | Fascinating - From: A lost city deep in the Colombian Jungle I was really gripped by your account of this trek - a stand-out among all your other South American adventures! |
| 15th July 2008 Sherry | Thanks for detailed report - From: A lost city deep in the Colombian Jungle We are doing this trip in the next few weeks. Thanks for all the pics and info. |
| 13th July 2008 jim | - From: A lost city deep in the Colombian Jungle what a great adventure! I am subscribing to your blog (and living through you) from my boring suburban life in St. Louis Missouri USA. Keep up the great reports please and be safe! |
| 6th July 2008 barrygahan | Thanks for the corrections... - From: Now I know why it's called a cloudforest flower names clearly aren't my speciality! |
| 6th July 2008 Guillermo | Thanks for the posting ... - From: Now I know why it's called a cloudforest - however Mindo and surrondngs are cloud forest and not rain forest - differences are elevation, density of forest and size of trees, climate, and location - the photo labeled "Orchid" is actually a heliconia and the photo labeled "Orchid close up" is a tillandsia. |
| 6th July 2008 jim | great read - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret your blog is really a great read I hope you continue to travel and have fun - be safe! |
| 5th July 2008 Gunga | Lovely blog - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret Hi Barry, I loved reading your blog. I wanted to visit Columbia after my stay in Peru last month but it just got too complicated. The 'Botero' museum was on my list was was Cartegena. Thanks for all the info on the smaller towns. I will definitely try to get there before the hoardes. Enjoy Central America. Carolyn ( blogger name ' gunga') |
| 5th July 2008 cricri | confident in colombia - From: Colombia: South America's best kept secret So after reading of your experiences, I may now surely head north from Ecuador instead of the Peru thing. Is it possible to bus it to Bogota or would you recommend the fly? Upon leaving Bogota, I'll remember to catch Leyva, San Gil, Taganga, and most importantly--Cartagena. |
| 2nd July 2008 Sarah | Can't wait! - From: Republic of the Equator I'm especially enjoying your Ecuador blogs and can't wait to see it for myself! I'd wondered if all the equator stuff might be a bit gimmicky but I guess from what you say here it's well worth a visit. |
| 1st July 2008 El Scook Y Natalia | that´s a cracking hummingbird shot - From: Now I know why it's called a cloudforest speaking from experience, it´s nearly impossible to get them to stay still long enough! |
| 1st July 2008 cricri | izhcayluma - From: Mango Changos, Spiders and Hiking in the Valley of Longevity i'm gonna mark it on the agenda, Barry |
| 30th June 2008 rrruss | Keep them coming! - From: Republic of the Equator We are still in awe of your continuing journey. Keep on keeping us informed! Hope to see you some time after your adventure ends. |
| 28th June 2008 Stephen Paul | another great post! - From: Republic of the Equator You guys seem to be spending a lot of time in Ecuador. I can see why. I keep hearing all these highest active volcano claims... and with some research, the answer is... a different claim from every different website! However it seems Sabancaya Volcano in Peru (5,976 m) last erupted in 2003, and erupted for 8 years in the 1990's- making it the highest active Volcano. Ojos del Salado(6,893 metres) in Chile/Arg is frequently said to be the highest, but it hasnt been proven to have actually erupted anything more than fumarole activity in over 1300 years. Llullaillaco (6,739 metres) in Chile/Arg also is said to be #2 behind Ojos del Salado, but it too hasnt erupted for a long time, since 1877! Regardless, Ecuador kicks ass and comparing the volcanos of the southern andes deserts to those of Ecuador is shamefull- the ones in Ecuador are much more dramatic!! |
| 28th June 2008 Carolyn Taylor | Wonderful memories - From: Republic of the Equator Hello again, I'm glad you found the 'real equator'. The array of games there was worth the price of admission. I agree with you about the safety in Quito. I was there in 2005.There were two of us- both women in our 60's. There was a huge tourist police presence( complete with dogs) around the center and most crosswalks. We used all the normal precautions as one would in any big city in the world. We never felt unsafe or threatened. We used the public buses around town and to outlying villages. Fellow passengers were all Ecuadorians and were most friendly, helpful, and kind. Being able to speak even a little Spanish goes a long way. Thanks for your kind message. Where do you go next? If you fly to Lima or La Paz be sure and have a window seat. I remember that as the most specatcular plane ride ever! Carolyn ( blogger name 'gunga') |
| 22nd June 2008 Carolyn Taylor | Wonderful descriptions - From: Back in the northern hemisphere Having spent 6 weeks in Ecuador a few years ago, it has been wonderful to read your blogs and see the country all over again. Thanks for all the great descriptions and pictures. 'Gunga'( blogger name) |
| 13th June 2008 Gunga | Wonderful Ecuador! - From: The land as big as heaven I went to school in Cuenca for a month ( 2005) and loved that old colonial city. Your blog brought back many great memories. Thanks. Carolyn ( blogger name 'gunga' |
| 13th June 2008 Stephen Paul | wow - From: The land as big as heaven Looks like an incredible Park! So many alpine lakes... A dream come true for me. :) Those plants are members of the genus Puya- Bromeliad relatives of the Pineapple!! you probably saw similar looking plants in Peru at Huascaran? http://www.pbase.com/image/32076481 |
| 10th June 2008 El Scook Y Natalia | - From: Mango Changos, Spiders and Hiking in the Valley of Longevity looks amazing... can´t believe we raced through Ecuador in about 4 days! |
| 10th June 2008 Sarah | Mango Changos - From: Mango Changos, Spiders and Hiking in the Valley of Longevity Fantastic place to stay - I can see why you liked it so much. And I have a feeling I may just have to sample a Mango Chango or two myself ;) |
| 9th June 2008 PA Leslie | - From: The clouds and deserts of northern Peru Hi Barry...great blog you've got there...enjoy Peru, I love the place, was there something like 12 times between 2002 and 2006.....best food ever!! |
| 28th May 2008 Sarah | Not for me - From: The curious incident of the bull in the night time I admire you both for taking this on but I confess this type of travelling isn't for me - I don't mind some rain during the day but I DO like a warm bed at night ;) Fantastic mountain scenery though so I can see why you felt it was worthwhile in the end. Keep up the excellent blogging :)) |
| 21st May 2008 Sarah | Stunning photos - From: The mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu You seem to have been very lucky with the weather and the light, as well as really making the most of your time there, and the resulting images are wonderful! Thanks for reminding me of one of the most magical places I've been privileged to visit. |
| 20th May 2008 Kev Gahan | - From: Cusco & The Sacred Valley wont be opening anymore of ur blogs if there are going to be pics like that - feel like its crawling on me |
| 18th May 2008 Ruth | Olivers Travels, La Paz - From: La Paz OLIVER'S TRAVELS PUB - WARNING - DO NOT GO THERE! This had to be the WORST place I have ever been to, and I have travelled all over the world. "Oliver", the dodgy pub owner was a rude, insulting drunk. We were a group of 20 people. We all ordered 2 course meals, and drinks but after we had paid he came and told us we had given him a sh!t tip, and he asked for more (in his own words)! This was after waiting for over an hour for our meals, having the desert come out before the main course. Getting 4 of our meals wrong! He is a religious and racist bigot - just take a look at his flyers! He asked out tour leader if we were Mormons because he said we were not drinking enough alcohol, he also stated if we were Jehovah's Witnesses, we would be thrown out immediately as he couldn't stand them! The service was atrocious, and the food mediocre. DO NOT GO HERE! |
| 17th May 2008 Pete Morrissey | Perfect Composition - From: Salar de Uyuni: Into the White Mate, your photo of the Sunset on Salar de Uyuni is worth of a photo magazine cover. Noice. |
| 17th May 2008 Pete Morrissey | 3 cheers for Pisco Sours - From: La Serena: Observing the Skies Glad you got to the factory. I remember you talking about it on the NAVIMAG. I'm sure the lack of 'tastings on offer' have been made up for. |
| 15th May 2008 Pete Morrissey | You guys are amazing. - From: Cruising the Chilean Fjords Would you believe I was uploading photos to Facebook, googled "name that glacier in the Chilean Fjords" and came up with your blog, and......awwwww shucks, me too! Great blogging. You will have some great memories for a lifetime. Travel Safe PeteM |
| 14th May 2008 kevgahan@gmail.com | - From: The mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu Amazing! |
| 9th May 2008 Gustavo | Carlos Gardel - From: Mate, sunsets and hot springs Gardel was mostly a tango singer. I've never seen him dance. Good choice on the uruguayan beaches! |
| 28th April 2008 Kev | - From: Puno: A first taste of Peru PLEASE bring me home one of those guinea pigs - cuter than henry |
| 28th April 2008 Sarah | Islands - From: Puno: A first taste of Peru Another great account of your experiences Barry. I know what you mean about the Uros Islands being a bit touristy though - it's a shame you didn't make it to Tacquille which I found less so. But the farm visit sounds wonderful so you were lucky there :) |
| 14th April 2008 Margaret Gahan | Le Paz - From: La Paz Fantastic - did you buy hats? |
| 11th April 2008 Margaret Gahan | amazing places i.e art museum - From: The shoeshine boys and the chewing gum girls I loved the art museum and Marina - Ruth on the street of sucre looked lovely. Your birthday meal what did you have for the main course? |
| 10th April 2008 rrruss | Gas! - From: The shoeshine boys and the chewing gum girls The gas Argentina sell to Chile isn't the same gas they buy from Bolivia, or so they say!!! Nice to see you got to the mirador cafe, it was closed when we got there. Really enjoying your trip as ours is about to end. Keep up the good work!! |
| 10th April 2008 Ruth from Wales | Nice, but.... - From: The shoeshine boys and the chewing gum girls Nice blog Baz, but you failed to mention the amazing birthday presents I got you from Sucre markets!! (after all that hard work....) |
| 7th April 2008 Sarah | - From: Cerro Rico: The mountain that swallowed 8 million The town looks lovely but I suspect I'd struggle too at that altitude. I'm impressed by Ruth's determination to get to the top - well done :) |
| 5th April 2008 Stephen Paul | great pictures - From: Cerro Rico: The mountain that swallowed 8 million especially the first one, great job! |
| 5th April 2008 Ursula | - From: Cerro Rico: The mountain that swallowed 8 million God, these Spanish people sound horrible!! Make sure you don't ever make friends with any of them! LOL! Very nice pics in any case, and congrats to Ruth for all her will-power! |
| 4th April 2008 Margaret Gahan | - From: Cerro Rico: The mountain that swallowed 8 million Lovely photos not too sure if I would like the climbing. Glad to see you looking so well. |
| 2nd April 2008 Kev | - From: From Humahuaca to the Bolivian Badlands Cliffhanger |
| 2nd April 2008 Margaret Gahan | - From: From Humahuaca to the Bolivian Badlands Barry - I would love your pizza.!!! |
| 2nd April 2008 Sarah | Photos - From: Salar de Uyuni: Into the White Great photos here, especially the sunsets and the salt pyramids, but I confess I'm puzzled by how you made the trick ones with the Sprite bottle! |
| 28th March 2008 Sarah | Tastings - From: La Serena: Observing the Skies Another great page Barry. I agree with you about the generosity of tasting opportunities translating into sales - we had a very different experience from your pisco one at the rum factory in Jamaica ("Help yourself from any or all of 13 bottles"), and the sales following the extensive tasting were high :) |
| 25th March 2008 margaret Gahan | san pedro - From: Atacama Desert: Reaching new heights Hi Barry & Ruth Photographs brillant - main street in san pedro cute |
| 24th March 2008 Andy | Very impressed! - From: Atacama Desert: Reaching new heights Hi Guys We just wanted to say we're well impressed with the hike up to 5600m you did. In our first few days in Bolivia we were staying at 4000m and hiked up to just over 4600 and it really took it out of us. Know exactly what you mean about stopping every 20 paces. The peak sounds like an excellent find; I think we'll be checking out summitpost when we get to Peru. Not sure how long you're planning to stay in Bolivia but we really recommend Sajama national park if you get the chance. To get there you need to go to Patacamaya on the La Paz-Orouro road and find the minibus to Tambo Quemado/Sajama (Must leave around midday, 1pm). From there, well throw yourselves into the welcoming arms of the locals and enjoy the scenery. Cheers Andy and Gill |
| 23rd March 2008 Margaret | Beautiful sights - From: La Serena: Observing the Skies Well done barry I enjoyed the fabulous photos of all the sights. |
| 12th March 2008 Gill Prescott | Great photos of Easter Island - From: Easter Island: There's a moai at the bottom of the garden Hi Barry Just writing to test we got your blog address right! The photos of Easter Island are amazing, I only wish we had the time/money to go there. After just 3.5 hours sleep we managed to make the 4am pick up for the Tatio Geysers this morning - they really are worth the effort. The thermal pool was bliss too. We´re now back in Calama before heading to Iquique tomorrow. Maybe see you and Ruth in Bolivia or Peru?? Happy travelling Gill and Andy |
| 7th March 2008 Kev | - From: In Darwin's Footsteps thays a cat! |
| 3rd March 2008 Sarah | Wow - From: Easter Island: There's a moai at the bottom of the garden To visit Easter Island would be a dream come true for me - it's good to hear that it lived up to your expectations. And the festival seems a great bonus. |
| 3rd March 2008 Jen (Jenniflower) | Wow - From: In Darwin's Footsteps It looks like you are having a ball Barry and Ruth! That countryside is amazing... so formidable. |
| 2nd March 2008 Margaret Gahan | Unbelievable - From: Easter Island: There's a moai at the bottom of the garden Easter island was really worth the trip from Santiago - it it just spectuclar. |
| 27th February 2008 Margaret | - From: In Darwin's Footsteps I would like valpariaso it looks very colourful. |
| 26th February 2008 Sarah | Narrow escape - From: Ascent of Volcan Lonquimay You seem to have had a narrow escape with that lorry :) Your tales of your volcanic adventures almost (but not quite!) pale in comparison ;) Great photos as ever too. |
| 14th February 2008 trish pearce | hair!! - From: Ascent of Volcan Lonquimay your hair doesn`t seem to be growing back very quickly!!! |
| 11th February 2008 Mum | Fantastic heights - From: Ascent of Volcan Lonquimay Hi Barry - where are you getting all the enegy from to do all that wqalking. The scenery and heights are fantastic |
| 3rd February 2008 james st. james | on democracy and capitalism - From: Attack of the Tabanos wow, i really do sound like a preachy "pinochetista" in my previous comment, but those aren't my personal beliefs (and i reckoned you were joking about the churches, but as you know, when reading on line it's hard to tell sometimes ;) ). i was trying to present why some people like or love the man. weather a country can develop within a democratic framework is an interesting questions. obviously, many countries have, but others (like early japan, taiwan, s korea, early germany and others like china now) have done so with repressive governments. unfortunately (and i say this as a center-leftist) i don't belive chile could have done the same thing with a democratic government. pinochet, being "lord and master" of chile could pretty much do as he liked and didn't have to answer to a parliament or the supreme court. in the mid 70's, tens of thousands of civil servants were laid off, when the economy was opened to int'l competition hundereds of companies employing tens of thousands of workers went bust. unemployment soared, and this would have been unpalatable in a democratic system where you have to worry about elections. the "trimming of the fat" of the economy had a high human cost. the idea of the economists was that these tough changes needed to be done swiftly and immediately (i heard one economist use the analogy of a dogs tail. "if you want to cut off the dog's tail, you have to do so quickly, in one stroke. if you cut the dog's tail in pieces, you will kill the dog. so it was with the economy". the lower, working, and middle classes suffered much during the 70's and early 80's but after the mid 80's things began to turn around, to the point that when democracy was restored, the center-left governments left pinochet's economic model intact, tweaking it to better serve the poor which pinochet ignored. it's an intresting dilemma and one that is discussed much in chile. i think the economic changes could have perhaps happened under a democratic government, but they would not have been as far reaching and would have taken a long time since many vested intrests (small business owners, govt employees, unions) would have resisted. anyway, this has been an interesting exchange. i promise that if i ever comment again i will avoid touching upon political issues. while they are intresting, they can be a bit tedious as well. |
| 2nd February 2008 barrygahan | Thanks for your comment - From: Attack of the Tabanos Hi James, thanks for your comments on my blog, it was very interesting to read. I was kind of joking about Pinochet building the churches, and I had guessed it was earthquake related. (The church in Castro on Chiloe was far nicer and survived the 1960 earthquake so Osorno's could have been designed better perhaps). I find it strange the way you try to excuse a dictator. Could Chile have not become the economically strongest country in Latin America without 3200 people being killed and 27000 jailed without trial? Consider my country for example. In the 1980's, probably the poorest country in the EU, with huge immigration and unemployment. Now, probably the strongest economy in Europe. And no dictator. Coming back to Pinochet, the fact that there were "worse" dictatorships in Latin America and elsewhere doesn't really excuse him in my opinion. You can always find worse dictators. Santiago is our next stop so I look forward to seeing it. Cheers, Barry. Btw, we had 4 Chileans in our group of 9 climbing Villarrica! |
| 1st February 2008 james st. james | on churches, pinochet, germans, and pucon - From: Attack of the Tabanos i've enjoyed reading your travel logs. they are throrough and intresting. i've read sarah wheeler's book too and it's a pretty good read for someone travelling in chile. isabel allende's book "my invented country" is a good & easy read to understand chileans better. since you talk about meeting few chileans, let me, as a chilean, make a few comments. just so there's no misunderstanding, i'm not a pro-pinochet sympathyzer and consider myself a socialist. that said, you should know at least 1/3 of chileans like and admire pinochet (1/3 hate him, and 1/3 are somewhere in the middle). the "ugly" churches in osorno were not built by pinochet but were built in ugly but sturdy cement after some very strong earthquakes destroyed most of southern chile, first in the 1930's, then in 1960 (the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, at 9.5 on the richter scale, along with a tsunami, that killed hundreds of chileans, and even managed to kill over 100 people in japan across the pacific). pinochet was not the kind of messianic dictator that created monuments or called for buildings to be constructed (like churches) at the wave of a hand. the reason so many people admire him (besided just a general dislike of communists and leftists, in that he "prevented chile from becoming another cuba") is that they feel he was not out to enrich himself but was out to secure the best for the country. he is credited with establishing chile's neo-liberal economic model which, when combined with the social programs implemented by the center-left democratic governments governing chile since 1990, has helped to make chile the most economically stable and prosperous latin american country. pinochet is often associated with the worst dictatorships of the 20th century, but if you coldly look at the numbers, it was a relatively mild dictatorship. about 3,200 chileans were killed by his government in 17yrs of dictatorship. however, 30,000 argentines were killed by their junta in just 7yrs, in peru brazil or guatemala, over 250k of their citizens died at the hands of their juntas. in mexico city in 1968, thousands of students were massacred in just one day. all in all, pinochet's regime killed less people than any other dictatorship in latin america and his regime left the country economically strong (at a high human cost) unlike other dictators who fled their countries with hundreds of millions of dollars. this is why pinochet is so admired by many chileans. it later surfaced that pinochet and his family had embezzeled close to US$27million, tarnishing his image among many who thought him above such actions, but even this sum is a triffle compared to your average dictator. this is obviously one side of the coin, but i'm just trying to explain why so many chileans love and admire the man while abroad he is universally reviled. sorry to make this so long. the only other thing i'd like to add is that germans arrived in chile from the 1860's through the 1880's mostly, not so much in the early 20th century. pucon is a popular vacation destination with chileans and isn't really set up just for volcano expeditions. the intresting thing is that almost no chileans go there for the volcano climb (they go for the lake, the beach, the woods, and in winter to ski) while almost all the non-south american foriegn tourists go there just for the volcano. i was watching chilean national TV news the other day and they did a report on the summer in pucon and not once was the volcano climb even mentioned. strange how that happens. anyway, again, sorry so long. enjoy the rest of your travels in a thin country and hopefully you can strike up some conversations with chileans and learn a little more about its people. and don't listen to the european or north american backpackers when they trash santiago. the city has its charms, even if it is not buenos aires and there are no colorful indian markets. cheers! |
| 1st February 2008 Sarah | Tabanos - From: Attack of the Tabanos Wow, those critters sound fierce! More great mountain images though, especially the volcanoes :) |
| 1st February 2008 Kevo Gahan | - From: Attack of the Tabanos Jap Staam, your hair is terrible. U lose a bet with Ruth? |
| 15th January 2008 Margaret Gahan | Soup - From: Cruising the Chilean Fjords Hi Barry & Ruth,] I promise I wont serve you octupus soup! Enjoyed the scenery from the ship. |
| 4th January 2008 Sarah | I'm running out ... - From: Antarctica: The White Continent ... of superlatives! A stupendous destination and you've done it proud. Brought back wonderful memories of my own trip, but how I envy you that King Penguin sighting ;) |
| 4th January 2008 Sarah | Stunning - From: Through Wild and Windy Patagonia What fantastic mountain scenery!! The glacier is especially beautiful and you describe your impressions of it so well. And I agree about the guanaco - utterly cute :) |
| 3rd January 2008 Margaret Gahan | Tough going - From: Hiking the W Hi Barry - Well done on the hiking trip, dont think I would be able for it. |
| 30th December 2007 Sue M | Amazing! - From: Antarctica: The White Continent What an amazing experience Barry. You are obviously quite mad though for jumping in that water! |
| 19th December 2007 Sarah | "German" towns - From: The Jesuit City and a German Village Seeing Villa Belgrano reminds me of Swakopmund in Namibia. Why do Germans feel the need to recreate their home environment so accurately? Perhaps our favourite winkygrinner can tell us! |
| 19th December 2007 Sarah | Waterfalls - From: Into the Devil's Throat I absolutely loved Iguazu - a must for all waterfall lovers! We were based on the Brazilian side so made the trip in the opposite direction to you. |
| 15th December 2007 Ginger nuts | Hey! - From: Learning Spanish in the Mountains Late - but hello back! Great to see you on the road - and yes :) We met on VT :) Enjoy - I soooo want to go back! |
| 10th December 2007 kev | - From: Learning Spanish in the Mountains sylvester stallone-cliffhanger!! |
| 8th December 2007 Sarah | Still trying to catch up ;) - From: The Perfect Antidote to Buenos Aires I can see we should have made it over to Colonia when in BA, but we didn't even see the city properly - will have to go back! I love the old houses :) |
| 6th December 2007 Sarah | Better late ... - From: The start of an adventure ... than never! Just picked up on your blog via facebook and will be reading it all retrospectively as fast as possible so I can catch up with you! Seems like you're having a fabulous time, despite the unfortunate start :) |
| 30th November 2007 rrruss | !!!!!!!!!!!!! - From: Good Vibrations in El Bolsón As always, we are really enjoying reading all about your trip. Keep it up. Look forward to the next installment. |
| 30th November 2007 Margaret | Scenery - From: Good Vibrations in El Bolsón Hi Barry beginning to wish I was over there - scenery stunning. |
| 22nd November 2007 anonymous | - From: Wales & Whales Looks cold there .... did you see free willy?? |
| 18th November 2007 Margaret Gahan | Scenery fantastic - From: The Jesuit City and a German Village I am really enjoying all your blogs please keep them up so is dad - the pictures in all of them are brillant. |
| 18th November 2007 HORSCHECK | Interesting story and brilliant photos - From: The Jesuit City and a German Village Hello Barry, Wouldn't it be much easier to visit Germany to enjoy German traditions instead of flying to Argentina. *winkygrin* Fabulous page updates. Enjoy your trip HORSCHECK from the "real" Germany |
| 14th November 2007 kev gahan | - From: North by Northwest love the beard |
| 2nd November 2007 Kevster | - From: Cycling on Ruta 9 Please include my comment!!! |
| 2nd November 2007 Kevster | - From: Cycling on Ruta 9 Can't believe you were excited about the workmen giving you a wave - they still do that in Conahy.... |
| 31st October 2007 Mrgaret Gahan | - From: Cycling on Ruta 9 Barry beautiful pictures - the church was fab. |
| 23rd October 2007 Ruth from Wales | haha - From: Brazil in one day That swimming pool was so much fun!! |
| 4th October 2007 powerflip | So Unfair......... - From: Mate, sunsets and hot springs Good to hear from you guys, mixed emotions as we finally head to Santiago this evening for the last 5 days of our trip before heading home. And you´ve only just begun....... Its soooooo unfair! have a blast and keep in touch. |
| 1st October 2007 Melanie and Joshua | hola chicos! - From: The Perfect Antidote to Buenos Aires Hi! This is Melanie and Joshua still in Montevideo. How is the trip going? Things are fine here. The weather is much better (though still freezing in the hostel!), we found a fantastic English library and discovered Montevideo's humongous Sunday market. Melanie is deciphering her first Borges short stories (and really proud of it!) and Joshua is learning Spanish. Hope everything is well. Keep the entries coming! |
| 24th September 2007 HORSCHECK | Fabulous start - From: The start of an adventure Hello Barry, Fabulous start about your South America trip. I am looking forward to reading about your latest beer tips. Happy travelling and greetings from rainy Germany HORSCHECK |
| 24th September 2007 Ruth from Wales | hello - From: The start of an adventure Barry, you need to spend more time buying me drinks and less time writing these very long blogs! love Ruthx |
