Notes on a continent

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Captains log stardate 04:17, 30th november, 2009.. Copacabana, Bolivia.

Hola folks! this is my 1st blog.. so go easy yeah. Mi chico, Judy has been doin a great job dont you think? She has persisted through all the hassles n frustrations of painfully slow South american computers.
Im writting this on a cool little sun terrace in mid Arequipa (a week ago)
Family run hostel in centre.. palm trees n ramshackled houses to my south.. the mighty El Misty (5822m) flanked by the ragged snow capped Chachani (6075m) to my north.. AWESOME! 27C clear blue blue sky with just a squaking parrot for company. Im writing this in my note pad before typing it up.. its easier for slexidics like myself.

Lets begin with the most important thing 1st.. food! What is 10 inches long 2 inches thick and is bloody in the middle? Thats right "bife de lomo Argentinian fillet steak so tender can cut it with a butter knife.. so good it melts in your mouth. Or there´s bife de choritzo.. sirloin so tasty im writing home about it.. huge cuts like this set you back a fiver! Surely the best beef on the planet.
Argentina is all about the meat.. n lot s of it! The parillada (mix grill) includes brain, stomach, blood sausage etc a meat feast is good , bad n very ugly simaltaniously. The vino tinto is pretty special though.. especially the Malbec in Mendoza..mmm. Dinner is not till at least 10 o´clock.. wee bambinos included. The people are mostly of europian n mestizo mix. Lots of good looking girls.. more than in Rio which was a surprise. Wher there´s a lot of fatties.. stuffing themselves with fryed food n sweets. We loved Buenos Aires.. fun loving folk.. cool city. Locals were friendly.. some going out of there way to help us.. boy do they love to party! Happy days. Clubs dont open till till2 or 3am.

Every country has its own version of the ubiquitous "empenada" much like a cornish pasty. These come stuffed with all sorts of Carnes(meats) quesos (chese) all sorts.. very tasty street snack. Great in Arg.. fatty in Chile.. n just weird in Brazil. The whole continent does cakes very well too.. they love there cakes here.

Ah Chile.. land of general Pinochet n union strikes. We took an amazing bus over the Andes.. two hours at the border.. n finally to Santiago. Being there made me think of Dad.. who taught art/english here as a skinny 17 year old 45 years ago. I wonder how much has changed?Short sticky people with more "mestizo" blood (european indigenous mix) A national dish here is Chorillana.. a heart stopping huge plate of chips covered in fryed meat, onions n eggs.. its really good ...once. The rest of the tuca is generally spicier n more flavourfull than Arg.. lots of hearty stews n watery broths.. some fantastic.
Valparaiso was a highlight.. noisy, messy, bustling, colourfull wee city with heaps of character. Full of happy stray dogs that sleep all day n chase taxis /trucks all night.. many have three legs. One cool mut adopted Judy n ended up followin us home three times. We also went to Pablo Nerudas house.. famously talented left wing poet.. fantastically eccentric man n house.
Pachamama mini bus tour from Santiago to San Pedro.. 3500km..13 gringos, Rodrigo(aka the lone wolf) the driver n Daniela our guide. We were dreading it..but turned out to be top crac. Barbecues n bonfires under the stars.. rugged wild coastline... funny young stoner Ozy boys.. flamingos, oasises, mountain vistas, Atacama desert, salt flats, salt caves, salt road salt n more salt! We met an old Chilian dude in the middle of the desert cycling 2500kms to Santiago with 80 kilos on his bike including a gun for hunting! He showed us his ID. Mr Swartzenberger is 72 with a leathery smily face amd is clearly hardy as hell! He said he was like Arny Swartznigger.. all mustle! There were lots of German ex-nazis and otherwise who emigrated to Chile after the war.. maybe he was one of there relatives.. anyway what a character!

As soon as we arrived in peru by colectivo taxi.. massive Lincon.. three in the front old gangster style beast of a car.. we felt like for the 1st time we were in the real South america.. the people, dress, customs all differant. 45% of Peruvians are indiginous "campesinos" speaking mostly quenchan in the Andes with some Ayamar in Titicaca region.
They are friendly n determined people who are beautifull in a unique way... With long noses n large high cheek bones. A small race with tiny wee hands n feet. Even I felt like a giant. Most people, especially the men dress in western fashion, jeans baseball cap etc.. but a lot still dress in the traditional manner. Mostly women n they look incredable! Very colourfull, huge dresses n blouses.. big woolen socks.. hair in long braided pig tails n then theres the hats.. they come in all shapes n sizes from wee tall top hats to bowler, sombrero, cowboy you name it. Some women even wear two. I love Peru!

Judy n I make a good team .. n there is NO "I" in team.. gettin on amazingly well considering we are living in eachothers pockets. Still in love n loving traveling.. Im havent missed home yet but judy did have a moment the other day when she wanted to go home.. missing the family n bacon rolls! It is strange being here this time of year.. it doesnt feel christmasy at all. Jingle bells mat play but we don´t feel it. The last couple of days have been equal stress n joy.. stress with money, overtiredness etc. joy of bein on the road. Its all good.

Im off to see what the lady is up to n get an icecream cos its scorchio! Hope all´s well back in the mother land n where ever you are. Send your news, photos, chat n tails forthwith one n all.

Muchos Love

Ricardo over

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Comments

[kim]

Buenas tardes! Great speaking to you chaps last night. Hope you got up your hill today and the skeeters haven´t totally robbed the Pude of all her powers!xx

[Rhoda]

Mmmmm, keep munchin!
At last i suspect Riccardo is being fattened up, surely all the beefyness, cakes, cheese and lovely vino will do the trick! Either that or your going to have a bad case of gout!! Sounds brilliant, like the colourful emails, keep them coming. Christmas is same old, same old, you're going to get a bit of it in NZ. Take Care love Rhoda. xx

[Ash]

Excellent Blog
Excellent, Great to see the photos and hear the tales. Get the steaks down you! Love ash

[Brian]

Hey guys. Well written young Ritchy! Sounds amazing! Time appears to be flying once again. You have one month before NZ huh!! It must be incredible, a real whistle stop tour? Um... the van, well I think DD has failed us! I did take it for a RAX and shes still got it! O YES!! However, no further interests of late. I have scaped the mould from the interior but fear it will return with a vengence!! You should have taken it with you, it could do with a wee bit o sun! Anyway, will keep up the quest, you never no what sucker will walk through the pottery door next. HOHA Cheery bubbles Brian

[ash]

Briiiaan!!
Hilarious Brian...all class!