Showering After Waxing

Huay Xai and Mekong River - Laos

Sunday, November 21, 2010

With the crossing of the great Mekong River, I am finally arrived in Laos. After independence
dall'Indocica French 49, followed by many years of these lands that insatabilità ended in civil war, which ended with the seizure of power in 75, by the founder of the Communist Pathet Lao party, known as the "Red Prince". Hence the beginning of the communist dictatorship which still exists today (the red flags with hammer and sickle are in fact a constant in every street), in any case, the collapse of the Soviet bloc today, we have seen a gradual abandonment of the most brutal, freedom-of that ideology masochist. Of course that and the DNA and the remains, which in practice translates into the presence of a strong state control that has nothing to do with the concept of Liberty. The country of 92 was still very open to tourism and in his view, not flags red and curfews (the good) from 23.00 onwards, common sense and good hospitality common to all East dominates the scene and almost hides the dictatorship that is behind.

Huay Xai is just a small border village, the starting point for insight into the inner part of the country. A roads in Laos, however, is not Thailand: at best are paved and in my case, in the direction of Luang Prabang, the road is not really, but this is not a problem when are close to a river like the Mekong ... Just take two days by boat from a large crowd of tourists, good occasion to pass through landscapes so remote as charming and often immersed in the jungle.

What Happens When You Wash Faux Fur

CHILE Puerto Montt - Chiloe ', 19-22 gennaio

After seven hours of bus and crossing the border (where the sandwiches with tomatoes and salad prepared by Apple are destroyed dall'inflessibile Chilean Customs) in Puerto Montt to d expect at the bus terminal there 'Abel, a man of 63 years met through Couch Surfing, which we will host 'for a night.

E 'an avid swimmer, who still now compete at the international level, and with him there 'son Rodrigo for 24 years, home for the holidays.

Let this wonderful day with a private guide who showed us around the city', port and its fish market, and before returning home to spend in a supermarket where we shop megagalattico to cook a fantastic amatriciana.

Abel offers us his house with great generosity 'and we accept with care and respect, thanks again Abel!

dinner with Abel and Rodrigo

the port of Puerto

mega mussels to the market of Puerto Montt

now and 'January 20 in the morning and take a group to the island of Chiloe ' , the most 'big in South America, famous for its seafood giant and last outpost before the Chilean Patagonia.

We stopped to sleep in the village of Ancud in a hostel created in an old house with colorful, straight out of a fairy tale. On the bus know Louis and Sylvia, a couple of Romans with whom we decide to do first trip, conducted in off-road by the owner of the hostel (Chilean married to a Russian known in Nicaragua ...) that takes us to fantastic places: p VERVIEW enchanting sea, green valleys, cows on the street, seafood fishermen who work with changes in weight and 50 meters from the shore at 19.00 ... the Romans leave us to Puerto Mott tornre but first we rely on their guidance in Chile and we do jumping for joy, thanks again guys.

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algae ...

bho ......

great little dancers

folk group

with Silvia and Luigi

the next day we visit the island, more and more collective in the rain: first the village with its market Dalchaue of the fish, then the small island of Achao , with its wooden church of 700 UNESCO (there are 16 all over the island), I remember the missionaries who settled the territory, and finally the " city \u200b\u200b"of Castro, with its famous stilt houses.

dinner in the hostel-based ceviche of cod and salmon, purchased at the market ..

stilt-house in Castro

church Achao

the last day of Ancud on the island to witness the annual Feria Gastronomica, a sort of town fair with food, dancing, games, etc. .. that attracts many visitors from all over the island.

Part cuisine is great, because we see the preparation of the famous physician, the pride of local cuisine which consists of a mix of mussels, clams, chicken, lamb, potatoes, cheese and peas, all cooked over burning stones ..... in a hole in the ground, covered by a sheet of plastic! Hygiene is not 'included in the price, but we do not care and we face the danger, along with the vino tinto ..

curanto 1 - cooking in the ground

curanto 2 - taken right off the cover

curanto 3 - the beginning of the "harvest"

curanto 4 - all the ingredients

curanto 5 - served as

curanto 2-0 beats Apple

Next, we see a rodeo where the gauchos are to govern calves, nice show and the final medal ceremony and kiss the miss ... and we enjoyed the most 'of all!

Daje with the rodeo ....

sigue la vaca ....

winners

among the gauchos

here called Toca-Toca

Shortly we expect the bus to Santiago , 15 hours of travel by night, and the sun finally appears to greet us, we hope to also be found in the north .....

Oregon Ducks Football Helmets 2009

Regione dei Laghi, 14-18 gennaio

Miiii ...... can not believe it!!

We got all four of us and two backpacks!

The arrival in Bariloche, a town famous for its mountains, lakes and ski slopes and 'nice hostel there is the more' cool the area and, as will be 'our main base for the next few days in the region, we are really happy .. . . .

The owner and 'exquisite, the evening starts at 8 with 3 pans in the kitchen makes it miraculously' out of the fantastic crepes, which you can fill with a variety of jams, but especially with the dulce de leche, sweet Argentinian , a kind of chocolate to toffee, spectacular ...

The afternoon we stroll through the town, but not enough travel of the above, and find a nice place overlooking a lake and as 'looks great sea, there' a beautiful gothic cathedral and then we find our mascot, a puppet made of foam shaped like a flower, hand made by a hippy fifty: his name will be 'CUTE (with N the English) and will take us' in the rest of the trip.

The next day we set off for a wonderful trip: take a collective, so here you call the bus, which brings us to 25 km from the city 'to take a cable car and get on the summit of Cerro Catedral, where the landscape and '360-degree mountain forests and lakes. Time and 'fantastic and we are pleased to enjoy the view until after lunch (always packed).

On the way back, we decide to take you to the most 'famous hotel of the whole Argentina, Llao-Llao, attended by presidents, celebrities & Co: d e are looking at a beautiful hotel and admire the way for r esto panorama.

view from Cerro Catedral

Other view

amatriciana hostel ....

Hostel in Bariloche

The next morning early, but never before eight .... and I think you understand why '(see above), we take another collective and we board the famous land 'of El Bolson , about 80 km, a mythical place in the 70's have settled many of the hippies attracted by the climate that fosters the growth of any tree fruit (and not only ...:), and that after 40 years still retains much of its original atmosphere. Three times a week there is' a craft fair where they sell things made from their silver cloth or wood, homemade cakes and jams, but now also objects Indonesian and Chinese. Unfortunately it was raining 'na digit, but we still managed to buy a Sun for the beautiful shop and to me the beautiful silver earrings in the shape of a manzana.

After these large purchases, beautiful wet in the room we went more 'beautiful until now we had a cabana all in Madeira, built by the owner in the garden, which has transformed the family home into a pension.

The next day the water has left us but it has made its appearance a good wind that there has not even left for a sandwich, but we still have brave visited the park lake Puelo, very chic but held up well, with nice trails to explore, before returning to ns. legendary hostel in Bariloche.

"Purple House" in El Bolson

here is the sun ..

waffles with berries organic

Puelo Lake Park, the cinnamon trees

Lake Puelo

On 17 rent a car to do R 7-uta Lagos, about 250 km one way: book a city car and give us a price for the same species that venture into the jeep trail ...

Let for Villa La Angostura with the desire to visit a famous forest of cinnamon trees in danger of extinction but times of the boats do not match with our own, which brief visit to the country and again on the march.

The road 'for about 100 km unpaved, sometimes an indication to this or that way to the lake and back streets to see the show every time different, now you do not see the huge end now chichi, enchanted places, young backpackers who set up the tent on the shore of the lake, campers with license plates of all nationalities 'and the only rule that applies and' respect for nature.

In the evening we arrive in San Martin de los Andes, a charming village recommended by our cat-sitter, where we find the hostel dorm with the most 'crowded so far: we divide 10 people in the room, but we stayed a fairy tale. Tour of the village, also famous for its chocolate and that 's really good . Sara was right, and' all very tasteful, wooden houses and flowery gardens, all overlooking guess where ... .... the last of the 7 lakes!

The next day we arrive, always in the rain, a mirador on top of a hill, run by the few remaining descendants of the natives, the Mapuche.

walking on the children's opened the gate, we leave this place seems to be a reserve and therefore not a good place to live but they, like all children of the world, always find a reason to smile.

The way back, even if different from going, and 'always half' white road, which becomes mud thanks to rain that accompanies us on our return, and allows us to discover more fantastic landscapes, before ' Last night in Bariloche.

the dormitory at St. Martin ...

chocolate a go-go ...

mirador above the lake from St. Martin

Cute and Carina .....

.. starting tomorrow for Chile: Farewell crepes, Argentina and goodbye!