Should have done more research!!!

I am so far behind in updating this blog ..... everything we have done is starting to blur!!!!

Day 2 in BA - boat trip through the delta to Tigre.  Really should have done some research 'cos I really didn't have any idea of what to expect.  Boat trip takes about 2 hours - most of the first hour is across what appears to be a bay, but apparently is part of a massive river - can't see the other side, which is Uruguay.  Trip to Colonia in Uruguay is an option for one of our remaining days here.

 

Then we entered the delta streams - the river narrowed, and we could see houses along the river - such a range from shacks to mansions, and all manner of boats and jetties.  No surprise that Lex took LOTS of photos of .... boats!

 

 

 It seemed like we had travelled away from BA, through narrowing river, past what I imagine everglades to be like, then suddenly we came upon large impressive rowing clubs, high rise buildings etc - this is Tigre!!!  Amazing.

It's a city.... centred on this part of the river.  Again, Lex loved the boats.  Could see him dreaming of the next boat he builds - so we have LOTS of pictures of boats again.

with FREE wifi ..... how about that!!

 

and several rowing clubs - like this impressive one!!

Had a great steak lunch - mostly chicken in Peru, and Zac always said they have the best beef in Argentina.  It was good.  Took a bus tour of the city ..... and that's where we saw the commercial area - the MARKETS!!!!!  Wow - HUGE, but it was late afternoon , and we had already missed our boat, choosing to take the local train back to BA.  Have left the markets for another time - and since we know where/how to catch a train to Tigre - should be easy, right??  Train costs 1.50 pesos and takes about 1 hour!!!!!  Cheap as

After such a great lunch, we opted for light snacks on our terrace - third floor overlooking the local BA skyline.  Fabulous evening.

Still walked miles that day - an hour brisk walk down to the boat, strolled around Tigre or couple of hours, then about an hour home from the train!!!  Getting plenty of exercise!! The street-scapes are very interesting - reminds me of streets in France.

 

A Parilla restaurant - 'grill'.  Looks interesting, but would have to be amazing to beat the steaks I've already had!!!!

Grazing in BA

Our first full day in BA ... just happens to be Jill's birthday, so we made a full day of it.  Already starting to think time is slipping away here, we'll be leaving before we know it - so don't want to waste any of it.

A few of the group have previous connections to the water, so we headed for the port area - Puerto Madero - an old docks area that has modernized - very trendy area with old warehouses converted to apartments, and lots of restaurants.  But they have also maintained lots of the mechanics of previous era - looks food.

 

We took a tour on one of the 2 tall ships in the docks, and then a pit stop for a coffee, where Jill tried a 'submarino' - cup of hot milk, and a solid chocolate bar which you submerge into the milk ..... 'hot chocolate'.  Sort of ... but didn't seem to mix in all that well.  Maybe something was lost in translation.


Also had lunch along the dock area - some sort of sandwich or panini .... very tasty.  Interesting when we order - takes ages to decide, and we're not always sure what it is.  When food arrives, we've usually forgtten what we ordered anyway - but if it tastes good - Bonus!

We walk ALL DAY!!!!!  Back through Florida St - a shopping Mall, where lots of market stalls are spread out all along the middle of the mall.

So much walking for our first full day in BA, decision was to find a restaurant nearby for Jill's birthday.  Not far up to Plaza Dorrego, we found a small restaurant with a tango show - BONUS!!

Typical Argentine style, we didn't go out until after 8pm - place had loads of character, service was super slow - but were having a great time so it didn't matter, tango show started around 9pm.  What a night!!!  Really impressive dancing - sadly, our camera wasn't good enough to capture the foot flicks!!!  WOW

What a lucky find - a day of 'grazing' was completed with birthday cake around midnight!!!  An unforgettable birthday, Jill!!

Take the road less travelled.....

Fantastic weather in Cusco at the moment - beautiful sunny days for walking and exploring.  Especially since this is their wet season.  So we have been out and about.

Finally took a ride on the Tourist Tram - and really enjoyed it too.  You see things from a different perspective than walking around.

 

Also decided on a walking trek - local bus out of town 7km to Inca ruins at Tambomachay - then walk back. But, it typical style, every experience here has its own flavour.  First we walked to the bus station - about an hour, and noticed streets around the university filled with people.  Just had to see what was happening - gates t the uni were locked and barricaded.  Third time we had seen this sort of thing in the last few weeks.

Back to the bus - we caught a bus going to Pisac, and got off at Tambomachay, 7km out of Cusco.  Didn't go into the site - no Tourist Ticket, giving access to many of the sites.  Our plan was to explore the countryside, and enjoy the beautiful weather.  We stopped for our first picnic - empanadas between sites of Tombomachay and Puca Pucara.  

 

Then off to explore Puca Pucara .... no-one checking tickets there.  

  

From this point we headed down the road ... but only for a short bit - then cross country - between some houses, through some newly cultivated fields - onwards and upwards.  Approximate altitude - 3750m.  We came across other significant ruins which are not on the tourist ticket - so we were free to wander around.  It really is incredible how many rock constructions (and I'm talking BIG rocks) as well as carving/sculpting done in existing rocky outcrops there are - all within a short distance of each other.  And I'm guessing we have only seen a few of what is here.   And they are still discovering - uncovering more Inca constructions...

Going cross country....

Through this village ... then left turn..

There were even some rest shelters... appropriately placed on the top of a ridge.  

Lex surveyed the scene ... and decided on our route.

    

 See that path down there .... that's where we're going.  OK?  

I guess so

 So cross country we went....

And in the distance he had spotted some steps carved into rocks .... that was our goal..

And we made it - never doubted him!!!!

 

This was a place we'd been to before - for the first day of Spring ceremony we were privileged to be part of 2 years ago.  Only it was very early morning when we were here last time.  It is an incredible place - rock carvings, archaeological digs, really close community, farmland - and more rocks of interest further up the hill.  We left those for another day.  

 

And we weren't alone ... a group of girls had found a great place to enjoy the warm sunny day.  The other side of this rock had huge steps carved into it - and this side had a shelter.  

Finished off the day with 2 more sites  - and then to find a way down to the Plaza.  

 

 

Heading down - Lex remembered some stairs beside this restaurant .... white building.

526 stairs ..........

Even on the way down ... there were incredible sights to behold.

Kids coming up and down these stairs ... EASILY - on their way to and from school.

People carrying large loads ... on their backs.

But most intriguing was near a construction site.  Rubble (dirt, rocks etc) was being cleared away.  A small path had been made around the side of the mountain side, and workers were taking barrow loads of rubble around (and down) this steep narrow path.  The scene was more like - wheelbarrow taking off downwards, and worker holding on tightly, attempting to guide the barrow around the path.  Dust was flying!!!!

Once he arrived at his destination - rubble was offloaded and tipped into a long pipe - carrying the rubble down the side of the mountain.  But even more bizarre was the next scene.  They obviously needed to get it a significant way down the mountain - not one pipe, but 2 to do the job.  So at the end of the first pipe there was another bloke with a wheelbarrow - ready to catch the rubble and then transport it along to the second pipe.

He was wearing a hard hat and a gas mask - but I doubt he got danger money......

Great day out!!!

Many more pics uploaded to Picassa site - Enjoy!!

I bought bread .....

I bought bread!!!

Tantawawa .... bread for a special occasionI

This week there have been 2 special days - Dia de Todos Santos (All Saints Day 1 Nov, a public holiday) and Dia de Los Difuntos (Day of the Dead - 2 Nov, also a public holiday, but not for everyone - apparently).

In the weeks leading up to these 2 significant days, unusual bread started to appear in the shops, but on 2 Nov, a local market, San Pedro Market was packed with this bread - along with other sweets, meringues, biscuits etc.
Not all market stalls were open for business but the entire central corridor of the market was filled with tables and all these breads - in different shapes and sizes.

Tantawawas are often shaped like baby dolls and may be decorated with baby faces or masks as well as sweets, coins or gifts.  Other shapes include horses or ladders - for transporting the souls of the dead from Mother Earth to the above.  Families traditionally visit cemeteries taking flowers and food on this day.

I just had to try it - so I bought a small one S/4 ..... it was hard, more like biscuit than bread.  In all, it looked better than it tasted.

Bread in Cusco - from Key2Cusco website  

I was interested in the meringues since Zac has asked for a pavlova while we are here. Not surprisingly, I can't find the instant pavlova 'eggs' that we have back home so back to basics.... use a recipe.  Best advice I have is that you need caster sugar and so far I haven't found that either.  Most of the sugar here is rather coarse grained raw sugar.  Some shops stock white sugar, and I have seen what appears to be icing sugar.  

Back to the meringues I bought (for a taste test) 4 for S/1 ...  they were grainy - I could taste the larger grains of sugar.  Looks like I have to keep searching for caster sugar!!!!