Where the hell is JJ now

I can't load any pics of Bolivia or the Pantanal. It'll have to wait 'til next week.... read more

Met up with Jasmin in Cuzco where I promptly fell ill. We made it to Urubamba in a crowded collectivo. I was so sick I didn't even notice the town was nestled in lush mountains. Of all the places I could have gotten sick, this was the most luxurious place I could have recuperated thanks to Jasmin and her points. After a full day sleeping the next day we got out and saw the Moray archeological site and Maras salt mines. We moved on to Ollantaytambo, super cute town. We went to the south side of town and climbed all over the ruins.... read more

I was told I couldn't get to Bolivia from San Pedro because the salar was completely flooded AND strikes and protests were blocking entrance. But when I got to SP I was told that that was yesterday and its all good now. The salt desert was under a foot of water but it was still gorgeous. I could say a lot, but some things are more amazing than words can describe.... read more

Sorry so far behind on the blogs. Santiago is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Almost all the museums I wanted to see were closed but I fortunately found a lot of smaller museos and galleries. I went to visit the Virgen on the top of Cerro San Cristobal, I planned to take the funicular, but it was being repaired. I ended up climbing to the top with a nice Argentinian plant biologist. I visited a lot of Santiago mostly on foot. Its a very walkable/ bikable city. They even have bike crossing lights! About two hours by bus from Santiago is the city of Valparaiso. As soon as anyone found out I was from San Francisco, they told me to go to Valparaiso because it's so similar. I see what they were ... read more

I spent my last two hours in Chile Chico sitting on a stoop, eating the ice cold cherries my friend brought back from the cherries farm, throwing the pits into the street, petting the stray dogs, discussing our dreams (his more than mine, for he's far younger and has further to go ~ a house, a marriage, a child, to know the world), my new friend gently runs his hand along the nape of my neck and I think "I've lived my whole life for this moment."... read more