Page 4 of Ann and Gordon Travel Blog Posts


South America » Chile » Valparaíso Region » Valparaíso January 29th 2009

So, we left mendoza last Thursday on a night bus after 4 fantastic days in the city. The night bus goes through the Andes, to Pass de Liberator where you cross into Chile. Needless to say trying to sleep on a bus when the driver is intent on taking every corner like Lewis Hamilton is almost mission impossible. Throw in the need to do an hour of an half worth of broder crossings and it made for a fitful and broken sleep and three (Eamo included) not very happy bunnies! Finally though we arrived at Valpariaso ("Valpo") a UNESCO protected town. We were a litttle early so we did our obligtory 3or 4 "cafe con leche´s" at the bus station and then got a taxi to our hostel (We´re really slumming it huh?). Valpo was an ... read more
Streets of Colour
Even the kids add to the colour
House of bling

South America » Argentina » Mendoza » Mendoza January 25th 2009

We were promised wine and fun in the hills......and they kept their promise! On a common theme - it´s like being in Europe. Mendoza is the main wine producing region in Argentina and it feels like it. The town is beautiful, the surrounding hills are beautiful (off into the Andes) and the wine is beautiful! The area´s people must have benefitted greatly from the wine production because the houses around the centre are fabulous. Not traditional so you have to like modern houses but there are such a variety of designs you´d have to find one you liked. In addition in 1861 the place was flattened by an earthquake so now the streets have been built very wide - giving plenty of room for pedestrians and trees to line the avenidas. We arrived on a Sunday ... read more
Manly love in the fountains
Boys on bikes (before it all ended in tears)
Time to reapply the sun screen in the shade

South America » Argentina » Córdoba » Córdoba January 20th 2009

We worked our way down to Cordoba, with a half day stopover in Resistencia, just so Ann could see the town of 300 statues. The Resistencia council set up a joint project with local artists and now the town´s streets and parks are littered with sculptures, from the classically beautiful to the intriguingly modern. It was definitely worth a half day´s wander (and in less heat I´d say a couple of days). CORDOBA - we came to this town for it´s vibrancy, night life and acitvities that you can do in the hills around. Unfortunately the summer holidays and thus lack of students & people and the excessive heat put pay to this. Shame given that it was our friend Eammon´s 30th birthday and he arrived that day. Luckily he had a stonking hangover from the ... read more
Resistencia Street Sculptures ·2
Resistencia Street Sculptures ·3
The Panderossa and Gordon

South America » Argentina » Misiones » Posadas January 20th 2009

From the ´almost´ tropical forest of Iguazu, on an EXTREMELY tropical bus, we headed for Posadas. Much earlier than anticipated (we thought we wouldn´t get this till Bolivia) we experienced our first bus breakdown. As we waited on the roadside in the sun (same temperature as the bus) we watched the many mechanics (passengers!) help out and get the bus going again. Not sure what they did but we made it the rest of the way, The only reason we picked to go to this town was to see the Jesuit Missons but it´s actually a lovely town to stay in in it´s own right. It sits on the Parana River (other side reaching Paraguay) and has a mediterranean feel (although I think we´re going to get repetitive in that phrase) to it. Night time the ... read more
Entrance to church
Orginal floor tiles
Entrance to houses

South America » Argentina » Misiones » Iguazú National Park January 15th 2009

It got off to a wonderful start.......an overnight bus - 16 hours..........with first class service and a flat bed! If only we could afford this on flights. It made the journey fly by - 2 films, tasty dinnner and a nice sleep to boot. To see the falls close up is to understand why the indigenous peoples worshipped the Water God. It really is awe inspiring. Once one gets over the frenzy of photo taking for the every improving angle shots there is so much time to just look, listen and appreciate the full view and wonder of it. As Gordon put it...so much water pouring down and it just never runs out. We didn´t get to the Brazil side because they make Australians get VISAs and this little Australian didn´t have one. To be honest ... read more
Flat beds (I love ém)
Looking lovely at the falls (hh hhm)
Coatis -  cute but cheeky

South America » Argentina » Buenos Aires » Buenos Aires January 12th 2009

A 3 hour wait in B.A. for Qantas to finally arrive gave Ann plenty of opportunity to re-acquaint with the Spanish note. Thank goodness for mobile phone and texts as it took about 6 texts to realise we were at the same position as noted but in different terminals! For Ann - from the cold of London to the blistering heat of Buenos Aires For Gordon - from the blistering heat of Melbourne to the blistering heat of Buenos Aires. A definite head start for Gordon on acclimatisation and suntan (Gordon already looking native - must be why they keep thinking he can speak Spanish). We stayed in St Palermo - the more wealthy, safer but a bit quieter, area of B.A. Our hostel was quiet but very friendly and with Aircon - perfect introduction, especially ... read more
Parliament.......and fountains
This arch is part of the original walls of the city square
Shopping centres with grandeur




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