Burst Capillaries Heal

Chile and Bolivia: desert, astronomy, pisco and chupipandi

CHI-CHI-CHI LE LE LE CHI-CHI-CHI LE LE LE!

Va'l

World World va'l, Chile World va'l

Noras, lords: come to South America. Where football is religion. "As in many other places," you will say ... but it is true that the passion for soccer knows no boundaries (sniff) here reaches another level. And we can not think of anything else to land in Santiago the day on which the selection of Chile will play the World Cup 2010: - /

Actually, up here all right. We stayed at the center, away from the stadium, which was irrelevant because Chile also played in Colombia (as we are informed and on the bus from the airport). "That if" we are told, "as we win not even think about approaching the Plaza Italia" => version chilena de Cibeles in Madrid, ie, place where, as also occurs throughout the world (sniff), the thing a mother can go very easily. We look at the map and ... UUUUYYYY! We are close but safe distance, the blast should not go. So we see a shower to shake off the "je-la" and we have to re-encounter with Anna, the first friend (and almost the only) that finally encouraged to meet us around the world. We asked at the hostel where exactly is your hotel y. .. Fooooood! Located in Plaza Italia =: -0

Anyway, we're going to do. Chile does not equal wins. Or not so bad at the celebration.

The fact is that we pick up Hannah, we give the language 2 or 3 hours if we were to be together 2 weeks and would not have time to tell us about it :-), and we will also collect Yola, our cyber-friend traveling (www.dondeestayola.com), with whom we had seen only one afternoon in Hanoi and also for Here. The four of us going to dinner, while Chile (if, say all of the country) is already playing. According dinner will sing the goals and we fear "the worst", and soon effectively Chile wins and even our local chef leaves (temporarily, thankfully) to see the crowd move to Plaza Italia singing at the beginning. Make a desktop of hours, you talk talk, but eventually the "je-la" can with us, so we must take courage.

as we move towards the theoretical epicenter of chaos, there are signs of hope: the Chileans do not seem to have both endurance and power of people is the reverse. But near Plaza Italia the picture does not look so well, hit hard enough, the sound of shattering glass bottles on the ground in the street, the odd wave of people moving away from one peligrosillo, and especially impressive array of "milk" of the Chilean Military Police. The subconscious betrays you and, of course, you come to mind images of the Pinochet coup and has spent as historically the Chilean military, unceremoniously, come on. Ana says she has had "a youth revoltosilla" and know what to do in these cases, we continue with decision until the riot police charged (in which case, get out of legs "). But I look at the horn "dairy" Chilean (three times larger than ours) and do not cross myself because I do not even know in which order is made. Finally, we crossed the square, not once but twice (Ana in his hotel, but the rest we had to back), and everything is in a simple anecdote worth mentioning in the "glob." The other three parties sure you tell that I have exaggerated three villages. And be right. But it needs a bit of color and excitement to your blog or after 10 months of follow earnest, as I desenganchais. It is also likely to tell you as I roll up the blinds. And now that's clearly false.

In summary, for those who do not know: Chile in the 2010 World Cup will be :-)

After this intense start, the rest of our tour of northern Chile (with a small incursion in Bolivia ) was in-decreccendo. As I traveled went up gradually losing sight of the cities, then towns, to reach the region of Atacama desert and its landscape so raw, so bare, so ... desert regions. Chupipandi were days, because ultimately encourage and travel Yola all four together almost 2 weeks that had Ana in these parts. We laughed together for the fun of your kind Chilean tagline (like "Al shot!" = Quickly). Together we throw your hair up with there enjoyed sensational or tabloid newspapers, and some of the owners (like "Footballer cries Pass! and die" =: -0) In chupipandi enjoy are those who say world's purest skies, ideal for astronomy as evidenced by the number of observatories that there are scientific and informative (of course we went to one), and are building what will be the most powerful to date. Eva and I enjoyed traveling in the company as many days as we had not done since the North Vietnam and Laos (another 2 weeks or so with 3 Dutch and American), and we hope that Anna and pasasen Yola as well as enduring. And what we will say, the comments section in this post have your name, guys. But remember that, as moderator of "glob", I can delete the ones I do not like :-)

And, as I said, this tour special mention deserves the Atacama Desert and surrounding areas. Counting as "environs" of the area bordering Bolivia, Chile, which we ran for 4 days, and it is so spectacular that it does not deserve to be described as "environs" of anything. In fact, it is possible that the Salar de Uyuni and lagoons and volcanoes of this region are of the most beautiful of Bolivia.

not know the rest, but in those few days have planted the seeds of a future trip, because all the good suggestions that we already had was added simplicity and authenticity of the people there, are cuddly!

But back to the beauty of the landscape that you can judge whether you animais to see the pictures, Atacama has something more, something that engages a particular energy. Upon arrival reminded us a lot to the Sinai desert, another very special place. And finally, as happens to many people, the people that are mounted in an oasis in the desert (San Pedro de Atacama) ended up spending many more days than we had initially thought. Something kept us trapped. In fact, it has been our record of consistent all year: together with the 3 nights of the tour to Bolivia, in total spent 10 nights in the area (supplanting that, however, has been our favorite place trip: the Okavango Delta). And all this despite the fact that in those days we subjected the tremendous body abruptly, with extreme temperature changes and drying brutal (like a good desert, on the other hand), with huge variations in altitude (2400 m of San Pedro within a few hours we started to over 5000 m. .. take a walk at that height, or rather a swim, then back down ... buf!). But is that so Sabi had friends "of yours" (at least the same color :-), beautiful animal that flamenco, "ein?

was worth the cane that he got the body, because the site is unique. And besides we enjoy in good company, so little more can we ask!

we eat (and drink)

After the parenthesis of Tahiti, where of course there was a lot of French wine but stratospheric prices (and, moreover, is not our preferred type of wine), we took to win the return to a country of good wine and cheap. Worthy of mention is the curious story of a grape variety that produces only according to them there, the carmera, is originally from France, but as always there late maturing rain was coming down before it was ready and annoyed the harvest. Chile Someone brought a load of this type of vine, but thought it was Merlot, and for many years were good (and very unusual) "Merlot wine", because in Chile if you get time mature. And only recently discovered that Merlot anything, and of course the marketing campaign that served to be the only producers in the world. Anyway, the point is that wine is rich carmera.

in Chile eat (and drink, as I say) quite well, and good prices. They have their version of the plate "to the poor", which is always come with chips and fried egg too. The Chilean salad carries the colors of their flag, red and white, tomato and onion. But it is fair to say that a few pearls of its cuisine, including ceviche (fish marinated in lime) and pisco (a type of brandy), shared with Peru ... in fact, how could it be otherwise, have their fight for it. A pity. Because to me all these silly fights with the neighbor for anything I feel sorry for them, see them as escape routes of inferiority complexes. Anyway, the point is that as we bring to heave who invented, we've enjoyed it, as in his day did in Peru.

What happens to us over the head

There is one aspect in which, to date, all countries that we have in the backpack we were disappointed.

In our opinion, we live accelerated. Especially in the developed world (although, unfortunately, gives us the feeling that is becoming more widespread), go through life in a hurry, with anxiety. Not only we move fast, that course itself is not bad, but we eat fast, drink fast, even in bed are fast =: -0! Finally, joke aside, that everything we want "for now." We can culture of immediacy. Something which, incidentally, has nothing to do with hyperactivity ... I say this because I am a "tad" hyper :-), but I think it is perfectly compatible fill your days with activity and perform each required pause, without acceleration, without anxiety. Not that I always get, but I am aware of the absurdity of this race continues, and I try.

But it is also a topic that the less developed societies to cabmio have the fortune of not having fallen in the desire to finish a thing to go to the next. Living at a different pace, with a different tempo. Do not go fast, and less when the acceleration does not lead to nowhere. But I fear all we have known have stopped for us is more compelling consideration for this subject: the rise and fall behavior of bus, train or, especially, airplanes. Go ahead

explicitly excluding compartments "here anything goes' of trains in India, without a reserved seat and where you play it heads or tails in the struggle to position yourself when the train arrives (and if you lose, you :-/). ceiling And also there are buses with the same system in many countries. But elsewhere, is it really that important fight for uploading as soon as possible when your seat will be waiting even upload the final and transportation will not go until they rise all? Okay, I accept that in some cases the hole for luggage is limited, and if you move up in the past you can eat. But what if it is not the case (as often happens in airplanes)? What's the rush for sticking by the position in the queue for boarding, even standing waiting looong time until they start shipping? But is that when getting worse. How many seconds, minutes if I hurry, your life has "won" by being the first out the aisle of the bus, train or plane, even before you arrive, putting his elbow in the eye to whoever needed to achieve your luggage hand? Once again, the plane is the most pathetic, because a large number of those "rush" after you meet them biting their nails in the baggage claim. If you're not you've encountered before in the autobusillo that takes you to the terminal, which of course expected to leave the plane around the world ... but not for those, to leave the autobusillo also devastate you.

And, as I say, no country that has not stopped this "unexplained acceleration test." What a disappointment :-( ---------------------------------

is everything, and from the relaxed beaches of Brazil. In short week about 3 we'll tell you that this is going on here.

Tchau!

Juan and Eva

After Pregnancy Tattoos On Hip

Oceania - French Polynesia

I have a strange feeling writing this epilogue.

one hand, one could call the "epilogue from a distance" because more than 15 days since we left that area in the world. But at this early stage in Chile have been traveling with more people (and I will tell you), and there has been no opportunity to sit a few hours ahead (essential to calmly wait for inspiration to come, or otherwise appear to "spit" the blog entry that I take it off of him ... and the last thing I want, or write it as I like or do not). And, although it seems increcible have been 15 days so intense that our 2 months in Oceania now seem a distant dream, a trip we made a long time =: -0

On the other hand, this epilogue is also special in that not many notes I have accumulated over 2 months just for this final reflection, while in the two previous epilogue had accumulated so much material had to do selection. Trying to find a reason, I can think of two different one for each type of country we've visited in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand are so Western, so similar to Spain in many aspects, and also so well known to us, that we have not many situations encountered exotic, original, culturally as special and encourages me to write them down. And in Fiji and French Polynesia have been tan inmersos en el ritmo isleño, tan relajados, tan ocupados em vivir la esencia de estos destinos de desconexion... que el blog quedaba no en segundo plano (eso siempre), sino en decimo segundo.

Pero vamos alla, hagamos un breve resumen de estos dos meses en los que hemos intercalado (cual chicha del bocata) dos paises preciosos aunque occidentales, entre otros dos exoticos y paradisiacos (que han hecho las veces del pan mas exquisito :-) Y se me ocurre una forma distinta de resumir nuestros dias por estos destinos, respondiendo a la pregunta siguiente: ¿viviriamos aqui?

En Australia y Nueva Zelanda, sin dudarlo. Tienen una mezcla perfecta de paises desarrollados (lease comodos y seguros) junto with nature in abundance. The character of the people also fits us, like to enjoy life, are open and expressive, loving sports and spending time outdoors. The climate of New Zealand, particularly the South Island, it may be too strict for our "chilly" ... but we would be willing to try. And indeed, in Australia as we did last year (we were almost half of the year in Melbourne), although in this case I offer the rigors of the project that I worked, in general I loved the experience and enjoyed a lot all the breaks we did.

But that was the simple answer, now comes the most complejilla: Would you live in Fiji or in Polynesia French? If you remember, this was one of the jokes at the beginning of the trip: that as we stayed on the road, such as renting deckchairs on a beach in Tahiti. However, as so often happens with dreams, that would be difficult to bring to reality. Without going any further because, as we learned after going through there, Tahiti and its islands are a beach destination well (there is very little natural beach and artificial large hotels are dwarfs), so that no excessive demand :-) hire loungers No, joking aside, these islands are a wonderful destination for a vacation and, once again, we found that not only are so luxurious. Before leaving, I remember reading a blog from other English travelers a tremendous critical to French Polynesia, which they considered exorbitant and unjustifiably expensive, and their supposed natural beauty had disappointed them. After passing through there, as well as for Fiji, I get the idea they could have that feeling, if someone lands on the islands of the Pacific (in any, so I have understood) with a BUDGET wearing em like Asia or South America (the most typical previous stops on the routes around the world), will barely make ends meet. Sleeping and eating only take so much money that you can do to stay limited to less attractive areas in the islands less attractive, and not being able to do or an activity that lets you really enjoy these sites. But if your economic expectations are more realistic, and you have some luck with the weather (logically, if it rains non-stop to the invention is crappy), I can not imagine why anyone would not enjoy these islands. Being more specific, and if it helps anyone considering the trip, we stayed in Fiji about 50 euros per person per day, while in French Polynesia rose to about 75 euros per person and day, nothing exorbitant, you will agree, As you will remember having read and seen in the photos we have not cut in touring various islands or to sign up for activities. In summary, it can do for less than what you spend vacationing in Europe (flight not included).

But to live there ... that's another thing. Except for 2 or 3 islands French Polynesia, the rest are too small and / or quiet (for the main island of Fiji, where 200,000 people live but all "apelotonaditos" in the capital) for our activity threshold minimum. While here should differ. Eva says she would look if not living a very long season in one of the larger islands, while in my case that would be significantly shorter season: - / Maybe with time you get used to, and may even be "reprogrammed" to avoid being so fidgety or may not need such a wide variety of activities, we've actually seen a hyperactive handful of people that live happily in these parts, now that I think. So perhaps until we test we will leave no doubts. Discarded 10 years ago to move to Gran Canaria, where Eva had offered him a scholarship to the Oceanographic Institute, although part of the reason was that it was only for one year and not much chance of extension. On the other hand, have always said that we would love to live a time in Mallorca, but I see it differently or Canary islands we visited in the South Pacific: Although size may not be much more, gives us the sensation that has a lot more "real life", not exclusively focused on tourism. And what real life is of little tourism? Nothing at all, obviously we feel like just maybe something monotonous ... like so many other occupations, on the other. So, after all this dissertation, it is obvious that our doubts are unfounded, the result of ignorance about that other life, so if there would have equal opportunity to try. And we may be surprised!

However, although we felt like starting is far less easy to stay and live in Fiji or French Polynesia. They are not newly discovered paradise, obviously, so there is much competition for the few jobs that can be aimed at foreigners. And among the local unemployment rate is high. In French Polynesia, in addition, there is much more French culture than we imagined (out of ignorance, of course), nothing against the French because, besides which there usually come by be of different stuff and not the typical Parisian arrogant ... but minus one for an exotic touch to what would live in Polynesia. Because addition, the topic of Polynesian beauty must go back to the days before fast food because it costs today to find it: - /, are what Eva and I call "traditional proportions" (which we read in a book about Botswana to describe the shapes of the African big women, big hips and ass equivalent

:-) [By the way, however, the topic of the beauty of people is VERY true in Brazil, where I finish writing this chronicle]

Finally, after all these countries realize that I've done almost no mention to eat (and drink). And the reason is that we have come across little exotic enough to share in the blog. This is not to say, much less, that we have not enjoyed the food (and drink, I insist :-)

After 7 months of traveling through countries where drinking tap water is prohibited, and fruits and vegetables you should only if you can eat them unpeeled, in this sense has been a pleasure to return to "civilization" in this part of the world. We've put a warm salad and fruit, which otherwise has been good to offset the excess heating of the Western diet ... especially in Australia, which has recently overtaken the U.S. as "the fattest countries in the world" They were so ashamed that was the subject of conversation on several occasions. The first time I heard, while in Fiji, we were surprised, but after the 10 days we spent in nearby Brisbane and fit us more, because the density is impressive shopping temptations of junk food and varied.

traveler's reflections

With nearly 10-month sabbatical at our backs, now if I fully share what someone told me long ago, even before this trip Ecuador: Eva and I are passing a test scrotumtightening coexistence. After the summer holidays, that espoca the year after that excessive friction causes the highest percentage of divorces in the "developed" societies, another friend acknowledged me with a wonderful sincerity that tensions after several days of 24 hours with his family had made him think of us, and how would take him after so many months of "Pin and Pon." He promised to write something about it, so here goes.

To begin, I must say that one of the biggest surprises pre-trip was the amount of people who, to tell our life long dream finally materialize this year, we asked whether we were not going to finish a cake. Our surprise the first times I heard (as with friends who coined the terminology "Pin and Pon") arose for two reasons: first, our vision was exactly the opposite, and just enjoy each other uninterrupted for 366 days was one of the biggest attractions of the trip. But even more than shocked us, recognizing our surprise at the question, the answer was sincere in his case would end a fixed cakes =: -0

After 10 months of travel, understand those questions now :-)

This year of intense living was different to what I thought it would go ahead. But I think (I hope) we've learned a lot about how to evolve our interaction. As once again adapt to the changes our character suffers over the years. How to avoid the superficial and irrelevant to the substance, and we continue to enjoy the company of each other a few years more ... until next sabbatical, which we will have another 366 days to return to strengthen our relationship, if necessary :-)

What was different on this trip? Above all, as already contained some time, the essence of a trip of this kind. When you organize in time your 3 or 4 weeks of vacation you take 80% of the logistics settled and only way is for 20% of the remaining details and possible contingencies. Even the few decisions to take on the go turn on some critical aspects, such as deciding where to stick his gastronomic tribute tonight. When the percentages are reversed, decide on a daily, if you link a string of "high-sync" everything goes smoothly, but when not so the constant argument about which option is best to wear. Over the months, we have learned are to take these "debates" more sports ... finally, after all, if you "lose" one does not have to wait long for the opportunity of revenge

recently ;-) I also understood another reason for me, could say, initial naivete (drawbacks of being a romantic). We traveled several days in Bolivia and Emma Scott, a Scottish couple in their early twenties, at 6-month journey across South America. I looked and could not rewind yourself to avoid nearly 20 years ago, the summers of our first Interrail through Europe. His age and the early stage of their relationship, to the trip itself was much less important than the fact of enjoying together, sharing so many days and nights, so many experiences that couple also lived radically different because you saw them through another's eyes. Apart from that they were very Majete, it was nice to see them thrive. Because it's like Eve and I have always gone (not only the world but if you press me, for life).

I can not say that we were able to maintain that mood (ZP dixit) throughout the year, as we thought at first it would be. But we recovered from some turbulence a few months, when the initial energy ceded slightly and shook on his face every day with something other than we had imagined. And since then, with ups and downs as Naturally, our level of enjoyment in the universal scale of Pin and Pon has been a crescendo. Today we are faced with the illusion of seeing more mature, more baggage, we subtracted 66 days of travel ... and all who come after

:-)