The Grandiose of the Grand Teton National Park

Bob loves the mountains; and I love them too. I couldn’t get more excited when he started planning a trip to Wyoming. The last for this year he said.

Top Photo: Obligatory shot of the welcome to Grand Teton National Park Sign

Bottom: Descending at Delta Lake hike; dinner at Hatchet Resort with Christian

After the many months of waiting, we finally made it to the Tetons. We had a smooth flight from Orlando to Dallas to Jackson Hole.  Both were on time and with no out of the ordinary issues. But somehow, the weather forecast in Jackson Hole was not what I anticipated.  It was overcast, alternating with rain when we arrived. So much with arranging a window seat for that million dollar scenic view of the mountains while still at miles high. Not to mention- it was cold and dreary when we walked to the parking lot. 😂

After we retrieved the car from the rental place and picked up some hiking essentials (a bear spray that cost 50$! And a bug spray that TSA confiscated on our way home- still lucky to NOT use both though), we hit the road for our day one of five adventure.

The rain limited our sightseeing for our first day, but it allowed us to go through the sites we wanted to visit. Kind of like we’re on the track still. The first stop we went to was the Mormon Rows with the view of the John Moulton Barn. With the thick clouds that were covering the mountain, I felt a bit disappointed- still pretty, but would have been nice to see the mountains for the backdraft. After which we went to the Glacier Look Out, JP Cunningham’s Cabin, and the Chapel of Transfiguration- but all were just covered with overcast clouds and rain. By then we decided to drive to and check in and have dinner at Hatchet Resort.

different shots of Mt Moran. L sunrise at Oxbow Bend 

Top R- sunrise at Schwabacher Landing    Bottom R: sunrise at Snake River

It wasn’t until our second day that we had the glimpse of the mighty Teton; atleast briefly in the morning- before sunrise.  We went early to Oxbow Bend for the sunrise and the reflection of Mt Moran at the bend in the Snake River.  It didn’t surprise me to see a lot of serious photographers shooting when we arrived. I played one too. It’s surreal to watch the clouds and cover and uncover the mountains. And for a brief moment saw how the sunrise lit up the peak of the mountain and brought out cotton candy colors. Added bonus were the reflections of the moon and the mountains and seeing flocks of ducks enjoying their morning swim too…magical. When the clouds totally covered  the mountain, it was time for us to leave. 😉

Delta Lake 📸 Christian.

Delta Lake Trail. Part of our itinerary is to hike the Delta Lake Trail. It is a 7.4 miles trail that starts at Lupine Meadows, classified as difficult trail,  it is made of flat inclined which turn to many switchbacks.  Not to mention the wildlife (we only saw a bear cub on our way up). It has a difficult 2400ft elevation gain; up over 9,000 ft. The last half mile after more than two hours on the trail, turned to be so difficult; reminded me of the hike in the Andes- rocky. This time I decided not to proceed and Bob followed suit.  Christian did. So he got the reward of seeing the pristine water of Delta Lake.  The sky had started to clear while we were retracing our steps down; it was then when we finally appreciate the beautiful trail we’re hiking.

Instead of hiking another trail that same day (I was beat- am sure both Bob and Christian too), we just decided to go have early dinner at Dornan’s where we had the full view of the mountains. This time, all elements included:  the massive rows of the mountains, some clouds and blue sky, and the yellow colors of trees signifying that fall has begun.

I was taking in the grandiose of the Grand Tetons while enjoying my pasta. I was silently admiring this natural canvass in front of me.  The last I had this imagery was when we were in Patagonia in 2022. This experience by far, is second to that.

Everyday view of the Tetons: Top: Highway 287 our main drive through; 

Bottom: Dornan's the only grocery and restaurant accessible to the park; 

Once done eating we stayed for a few more and finally started to head back to the resort. We made one stop at the visitor center, even here the pompous presence of the Grand Teton is so visible. Next to Arches Visitor Center in Moab, Utah, this one I can say is my next favorite. 🙂

We were tired and beat so we decided to rest early on our second night as we have an early trek to YNP in the next two days (see separate blog: ).

Day 5 is when we have a full day appreciation of The Grand Tetons.  It was our date with this majestic park. Our schedule was loaded. 😂

We were up and by the road at 530AM to catch the sunrise at 628AM at John Moulton Barn by the Mormon Rows (again).  Gauging from the amount of cars at the parking lot, I knew there were many people and photographers already awaiting for the sunrise when we got there. We parked by the street safely, and I bolted right away to have the glimpse of the most iconic sunrise shot of the Grand Teton. At one point, there were two spectators that tried to ruin the perfect shot for everyone so I have to yell at them “to cover up” at the top of my lungs; luckily they didn’t look back or else, it will be a blood bath (joke)😂😂.

sunrise at the John Moulton Barn at Mormon Rows.

When I thought I got the perfect shot, we left and moved to Teton Turn Point; which gave me another perspective of a sunrise of the mighty Teton. Quick clicks then off to Swchabacher Landing.  This one change my composition too; with the sagebrush on the foreground, it gave me another beautiful landscape.

Animals we saw on our hikes.  Moose; herds of bisons; and a bear cub; 

We did  a couple of stops along Highway 287E to take photos of the wildlife.  A herd of hundred bisons on our right side and the horses on the left side. Both sceneries were beautiful. Different in their own ways. I was in awe looking and taking photos of them. the horses are by far my favorite photo.

After hundreds of shots😂, we decided to go back to the hotel resort to have breakfast.  While we waited 45 mins to be served, we were planning strategically our day. When we’re done eating, we were off to another adventure.

Taggart Lake Trailhead.  This wasn’t an original part of the itinerary. But since our attempt to do Delta Lake on Day 2 was challenging; we chose an easy to moderate trail to hike so all could enjoy. The weather was perfect- and with clear blue sky, it allowed us to really see the views. This time I was enjoying the constant presence of  one of the peaks of the Grand Tetons. When we finally reach the lake, it was such a view!  We rested on one of the rocks and eat some snacks while enjoying its beauty. When its time, we headed down.  It was a beautiful easy three hour hike.

Taggart Lake

It’s so nice to know someone that lives local. A fellow Cape Codder and landscape photo enthusiast @christinewalshandersphoto who is based in Jackson Hole for now messaged and told me to go to The Moose Ponds around 5PM to see a bull moose. I told this to both Bob and Christian and glad we all agreed to check it out.  Boy, It did not disappoint! A 20 minute trek at Lupine Meadows to the pond gave us not one, nor two, but three moose which were quietly enjoying their dinner. That was wonderful to watch!  I would like to think that it was actually a family, which was an added bonus.

We watch them for sometime until we decided to finally go back to the car.  While still inside the park, we went one more time to the Chapel of Transfiguration, enjoyed some serenity, uttered a little prayer, took photos and decided to get some dinner at Dornan’s. And for the last time, enjoyed the sun setting behind the grandiose of the mighty Tetons.

my favorite photos of the horses with the Tetons at the background

Andorra:  A Charming Principality

Facts: Andorra is a tiny, independent principality situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains.

A bird’s eyeview of the Valley of Andorra’s capital city- Andorra la Vella.

And off we go to Andorra. For four days, we had a great time with Bernard and his family. Now its our own time. We left Carcassonne, France almost 5PM and had another three hours to navigate our way to our hotel in Andorra. It was a beautiful drive at a country side. The sights of the Pyrenees Mountains were refreshing. The first fifty miles were kind of rolling hills of pasteur lands- reminded me of the highlands of Scotland and Virginia’s countryside combined. Something familiar but different.   

Main Street Andorra la Vella, the capital city of the country.

I am excited for this trip, but no expectations set as there is not so much I read about this small country. The books didn’t say anything grand except that it is one of the famous ski destinations on winter time in Europe and known for being tax haven; and the only person I knew made a trip this part of the world was my friend Grecia, who roamed this way sometime earlier this year.

It was around 730PM. The sun was hidden from the clouds that started to blanket the mighty mountains.  I remembered Bob saying, “look at the clouds.” Little that i knew, we will get a close encounter with them. our last thirty miles comprised of 180-degree switch backs driving up the mountain. At the 15-mile mark, we encountered a fork, thinking we have taken the right road, we hit a wrong turn. This time, the switch backs were becoming too sharp to turn around and for all we knew we were quickly gaining altitude in a steep incline. We are ascending. Feeling a sense of panic from Bob, I put my camera down and started talking through the road we were navigating. Bob is not a fan of heights; I have to calm him down and have him stay focus on just driving or we will both end up in the ravines we didn’t even know what they looked like🤣.  The clouds and fog were mixed, and they were thick; the driving was almost of zero visibility. When I thought we had been going down, a switchback would come and it was giving us an opposite result. Five minutes… ten minutes… the bend on the road went on and on… at fifteen minutes of driving, and I was guessing Bob was also at the peak of being tensed, then we went through a tunnel (which I thought was an old outpost for immigration boarder) that was about three minute drive. And for some reason as we exit from this- the sky was clear and the road was no longer as crazy as it was. 10 miles descend to Andorra’s capital city of Andorra la Vella.

The four churches we visited in Andorra:

Top: L-R Sant Antoni de la Grella and Sant Marti de la Cortinada;

Bottom: L-R Església de Sant Esteve and Sant Miguel d’Engolasters

We have not driven as many rotaries since our trip to Inverness in Scotland, and I could say that Andorra is also big on such. Our ten miles which usually can be driven for roughy 10 to 15 minutes, took 45 to get into our hotel. What I have observed since the time we hit the first roundabout, it wasn’t bare and boring rotaries; they were filled with different and unique art works- from local artists I assume🙂.

YOMO Centric is at the heart of the city, and driving into a busy, unfamiliar streets posted another challenge.  After two tries on how to get into the hotel parking, we finally found it and a place to park. We had a long day, and we were tired. We ended up having dinner at the hotel after we checked- our first Andorran meal was sumptuous.  After that, we called off the night.

Around Town. We only have one full day in Andorra so we made sure it was well spent.  Weather wasn’t cooperating when we woke up, it was 80% rain. After our inclusive breakfast buffet, we drove out and started our sight-seeing.

The Trip to Andorra (and Barcelona) was like a pilgrimage; we visited a handful of churches. Our first stop, at the height of a heavy rain was the Sant Marti de la Cortinada- a stone church rebuilt in the 17th century.  It wasn’t grand, but it has an interesting religious artifacts inside. As much as we wanted to explore the outside, the weather wasn’t cooperating, and we weren’t really that sure if we parked the right place so we left and off to another place.

Our trek around the trail of Lake Engolasters and our close account with Spartan challengers.

Lake Engolasters.  After we left Sant Marti, we headed southeast to Lake Engolasters. It was really raining, but Bob and I decided to proceed to at least trek around the lake even for a good two and a half mile. Along the trail we were met by Spartan challengers that dared the mud, rain and chilly weather in this event. Im sure they are used to them, they were buffs after all😂.

Once done, we retraced the road we travelled.  We had a brief stop and photographed the church of Sant Miguel d’Engolasters on its beautiful mountain back draft. The second church of the day. I walked across the church to look into the valley, and saw the panoramic view of the Andorra la Vella- this is such a beautiful bird’s eye view. Then we headed back down.

Pont de Sant Antoni de la Grella. One of the books that I bought about Andorra has a cover of this bridge, so Bob and I went to see it as well.  The bridge passes over the River Valira del Nord and brings you to the chapel of Sant Antoni de la Grella.  The bridge is medieval in construction and was remade in the mid-20th century while the chapel is built into the stone through which the Valira del Nord river passes. The chapel was restored in the 20th century. The chapel was closed; this was our third church of the day.🙂 When we left, we followed a bit of the walking trail, then back to where we parked our car.

Our one day itinerary:

Top: L-R Bob and I at Pont de Sant Antoni dela Grella Bridge; and a dessert

Bottom: Having Paella No2 at L’ Arrosseria after seeing multiple churches

Església de Sant Esteve.  About six miles north of the medieval bridge, we headed to Cathedral of Sant Esteve. The biggest among the church in Andorra we saw so far. It is Romanesque in origin, but modified in the 20th century which explains a modern touch inside; still it was nice. The location also has a mountainous backdraft and is accessible to almost everything- shop, residences, parks, and restaurants. By this time, I was getting hungry, so I asked Bob to have lunch then. While walking at the alleys nearby, we found a local restaurant, L’ Arrosseria. Among others this one was packed with diners, and I knew then what it meant- it must be good.  I ordered seafood paella and was served almost 50 minutes later- the second one from this trip- and it really didn’t disappoint; was actually worth the wait. Bob and I shared a big serving. We did some more walking then decided to head back to the hotel to recoup.

When finally rested, we walked around again and see more of the town and the shopping malls along the strip that were already closing for the day. Like the rotaries, the city is filled with so much arts, mostly of eccentric sculptures and architectural designs; and it is refreshing to see them as compare to the ads of so many ambulance-chaser lawyers in Florida.✌️ Since we still felt full and not really wanting to have another heavy meal, we decided to just sat and grabbed a dessert in a nearby restaurant.  We sat outside so we could watch people pass by.  I miss people watching.   Once our dessert plates were empty. we then headed back, the second time to our hotel and hit the sack.

When we woke up the following day, we had a repeat of our delightful buffet breakfast.  Then we walked the avenues of duty-free stores for the last time, bought some souvenirs then back to the hotel and checked out- then we took off to our next destination.  Barcelona here we come!

One of the many unique sights I will remember of Andorra.

Gallivanting in Southern France

In celebrating our yearly anniversary, Bob and I ventured to three countries this time: South France, Andorra, and Barcelona, Spain (the last two places I will write separately). We have spent more time with our friend Bernard and his family in this part of our travel but the experiences with all three places were equally unique and enjoyable.

Place de la Comédie, Montpellier, France

Before It All Happened. We have a tight flight schedule; our flight is not direct. We have a connecting flight in Philly before our final destination in Barcelona (Yes, this is the most feasible airport to go to Montpellier, France). We got to the airport with ample amount of time. While waiting at the gate to board, we noticed that plane wasn’t there yet, and the time kept on delaying.  What supposed to be a flight that leaves at 1340, didn’t take off until about 1430. Luckily, I strategically upgraded our seats so it would not be time consuming when we deplane compare to when we seat towards the back. With less than an hour as we got off in Philadelphia, we hurried. We made it to Gate A25 from B11- from one end to the other; boarding by then has started. After that, the flight to Barcelona was smooth. We sat next to a guy who is based in Barcelona; chatted with him from time to time in between watching movies and sleeping/resting and until we landed.

We arrived in Barcelona thirty minutes earlier.  Went through immigration and customs, took our luggages, and picked up our rental. Then we were on the road off to Montpellier.  Along the way, we stopped at an aire (rest area similar to big gas stations like Buccees or Wawa) we find in the freeway. 

Back home, I would get chips or Nathan’s hotdogs at any of these places, but was surprised to see how different it was here. It has a full service- like restaurants with buffet menus. From the sandwiches to the main courses, they all looked delicious. Not knowing what to expect, I ordered a Paella (one of the many I would have from this 10-day trip). It did not disappoint. It tasted good; I can say that this was better than the one I order at Los Dos Compadres back at home. It was quite a meal.

Top: Promenade de Peyrou

Bottom: L-R 1. The Arch de Triomphe de Montpellier, 2. one of the many alleys and streets of Montpellier

Montpellier. We met our friend Bernard three hours later. We were finally in Montpellier. Since he live in an old city, there was no room to park our car outside his apartment so we went to a public garage and parked our rental and headed to his apartment, unpacked our luggages and took a rest for a bit. Bernard has a very nice apartment- each room has its characters. The high ceiling is one that I liked most.

Once refreshed, we started gallivanting around town. Bob has been to Montpellier before, I have not. He was more into being re-oriented again in the area whereas myself- I was taking everything in. Such a charming town.  Busy with both locals and tourists but not like crazy as Paris.  Bernard brought us first to Place de la Comédie- a large square at the center of the town, with chairs and tables set outside the plaza, typical of French bistros. Then we walked to the alleys and old streets, where he showed us multiple old churches (that have beautiful facades. It was late in the afternoon then and most of them were close so we didn’t get the chance to see what were inside); walked by some novelty shops and local stores; and he showed some arts on the walls of the old apartments too. Then walked again. By this time we were at the Main Street and was approaching the Montpelier version of the Arch de Triomphe. According to Bernard, the Arch in Paris took inspiration from this one; but of course bigger and one of Paris’ main tourist attraction. Across the Arch we walked to Promenade du Peyru, where we saw the panoramic view of the city and the old aqueduct. Then more walking into the alleys and old streets, til we found a bistro and had a drink. I have my escargot and a pint of local beer.  After that we walked again the narrow passages I am becoming familiar with, until we reached Bernard’s apartment. Next to his apartment, is Mogador a Moroccan restaurant where we had our dinner. Vadim, his younger son joined us too. That was another great meal. We went back up after that and called it a day.

The view of the Pope’s castle across the River Rhone.

Avignon. Jet lag hit me. So I woke up at 3AM, tossed and turned- and at 530AM (European time) I decided to get up and explored the town on my own with my camera. I re-traced my steps to the places we walked the previous day; and some new streets and alleys as well. What a difference it make to shoot these beautiful places without the crowd. At one moment I was lost in my own world. The only thing was that weather was overcast. By 730AM I was back in the apartment and took a two hour power nap until Bob woke me up.

Our game plan was to go and pick up Victor (Bernard’s eldest son) at the train station then explore the city of Avignon. We left mid morning after a bread and cheese, and coffee breakfast that Bernard prepared. It took us about an hour driving, until we fetched Victor then headed to our first stop of the day. I have little to no knowledge of the different regions in France, but I am learning.  And this time,  I learned that this was the papal capital since the 14th century before it moved to Rome in the Vatican. The last pope that lived here was Pope Gregory in 1370.

Top L-R: 1. Bob infront of our glamping tent; 2. Bob and I leading the canoe (Bernard and Victor away behind us);

Bottom: 1. sumptuous dinner from the lodge; 2. the four of us at one of the stops while canoeing

The Palace was huge.  It took us approx about an hour and half to complete the tour.  What made the experience unique was that, it was interactive. We were given an iPad when we entered the palace, the goal was to scan a QR code and it will let you know what the room was about. When you focused on the walls, it will transmit a 3D hologram of what it was centuries ago. I thought that was cool.

When we’re done with the palace tour, we left Avignon and continued our journey.

Pon’t de Arc. I wasn’t really paying attention when Bob and Bernard were talking about our day’s adventure; all I know was that- since our original plan to go to Provence to see the lavender fields wasn’t gonna happen, we resorted to Plan B. Plan B was trip to the nature; and off we drove the beaten path. I forgot the name of the winding road, but before finally arriving to our final destination, we made multiple stops to appreciate France’s Gorges de l'Ardèche. Similar to Flume Gorge we once see while in New Hampshire.

It was almost 6PM when we arrived at Pon’t de Arc. Bernard booked two rooms (for us and for them) at a Prehistoric Lodge where we stayed for a night. I was in highschool or maybe college, in my “hiking the mountain days” that I last slept in a tent, It was a surprised that Bernard had booked us to one to stay over. Unexpectedly, the tent was fully equipped with king size bed, bath tub, and all modern amenities. This time and age its called “glamping.” Atleast not the one we pictured😉.

The famous Vallon Pont d’Arc.❤️

Pont d’ Arc was our off the grid surprised get away from Bernard; far from the hustle and bustle of the city. After we settled, and scouted the place for a bit, we had our dinner. Once again, the food was superb! I never had a bad meal here yet, so far. Once dinner was over, we headed back to our tent to rest; it was a long day after all.

Bob woke me up around 2AM and asked if I still want to see the stars like we planned the night before. We did. I was hoping to shoot a milky way, and attempted to do so but with no luck. I thought it might be too late since its June, and usually the milky way is at its peak around midnight during this time of the year. The clouds also started moving in. It was short but nice to once again enjoy the constellations. Bob used to watch them almost on a nightly basis when we lived in Princeton. Not long after, we headed back to our tent and sleep.

The next day we were off to our canoeing adventure. It was a two of hour of fun and just enjoying the serenity of nature and Bernard and Victor’s banters on how to paddle to make the canoe move forward🤣. Bob and I had kayaked before but we never had the experience of slides.  The water reservoir at Vallon Pont d’Arc de Ardeche has these.  Not only one but three (at least in the routes we signed up for) to add more thrills. About 3/4 of a mile before the end, we parked our canoes and rested just below the famous Vallon Pont d’Arc. This is one beautiful rock formation and quite a view. It was almost 2PM when we reached our final destination. We were wet, tired but packed with a lot of fun.   

the Arena of Nimes

Wheaded back to the lodge, paid our dues and changed. Then we off to our next destination.

Uzes, Orange and Nimes. Along the way to Bernard’s country house we stopped by three towns.  The first one was Uzes where we had a taste of French snacks.   I had my chocolate crepe and a scoop of Tiramisu ice cream. I said this before, the ice creams in France are a-lot richer in textures and more complex in flavors than what we have in the US because they use egg yolks.  When we were done, we’re back on the road.

We made a quick stop at the town of Orange because Bernard wanted to show us an old Roman coliseum. But unfortunately, there was an event that day and could not go inside- so we walked around instead and headed back to the car and drove away.

Then we stopped at Nimes. An old outpost for Roman empire, this town is known for well-preserved Roman architectures. We were lucky to see two of them- the Arena of Nimes (now used for concerts and some bullfights) and the Maison Carrée- a white limestone Roman temple which is about 2,000 years old. Bernard could not find a parking so Bob and I (and Victor) hopped off to take photos then hopped back on and drove away again.

Top: L-R: 1. Bernard and I outside the farmhouse; 2. Bea pouring some champagne

Bottom: All six of us having a nice French dinner; 2. our last lunch in Montpellier at Le Dome (Bernard’s family restaurant)

The last stop we had was at the farm stand and fromagerie along the way before we finally made to Sussargues- where the country house at.

When we entered the house Bernard gave us the grand tour since this was first for both Bob and I. I can’t help but admired the old character of this abode. Built in the 1890s, some of the house’s original features remain intact. The one that struck me most was the floor in the foyer- it brought me to my childhood as it resembled my grand mother’s flooring.

While we were settling for the day, Bernard was making dinner. When it was time, Bob and I were surprised of the simplicity yet sumptuous food he prepared. We had a Moroccan salad, cheese (that we purchased from the local fromagerie), olives, mixed nuts and saucisson charcuterie and fresh loaves of bread. Bea opened a bottle of Champagne and we had a toast. Then we enjoyed the dinner along with great conversation of what transpired during the day. We stayed up a few hours more, then decided to call the night off. We had done a lot that day and it was safe to say that we were all tired.   

The night was short. We closed our eyes and then it was daylight. This was our last day in France. When we were all set, we headed back to Montpellier one last time to collect luggages, shop for our cheese, saucissons and souvenirs to bring back home. Bernard brought us to the Dome- his family’s restaurant where we had a delicious lunch (I had the duck) for the last time.  When we’re done, we bid farewell  and headed to our next destination. This time, its just myself and Bob.

Carcassone. On the way to Andorra, Bernard told us to drive by the city of Carcassone and see the castle. Which we did. And 1.5 on the road and we were able to roam around inside this 12th century fortress.  Across the citadel there was also century old cemetery which we also explored. We didn’t stay long as it was getting late; we have almost four more hours to drive to the Pyrenees region. 

Four days are not enough; in retrospect, If only we have enough time, we would explore more of this city. But I can say, perhaps next time. Au Revoir La France!

Carcassone Castle

Cancun: Not Another New York Minute

When Bob and I planned four our 2024 Cancun Trip, we instantly have Lucia and Shayne in mind to tag along with us.  The challenge was, how are we going to coordinate with them? With their busy schedules.  When I phoned Lucia in October last year, I only asked her two questions- Have you been to Cancun? Would you and Shayne like to go? I remembered, it didn’t take long for her to answer both questions with a thousand percent of enthusiasm, and so Bob and I finalized our Westin reservation for two bedrooms for a 5days/4nights stay on March 3-7 in Lagunamar.

Down the Memory Lane: Lucia and and Shayne’s visit to our home in Cape Cod in 2017. Shayne’s celebrating his birthday. The fun that started It all..

Lucia was my room mate from when I was living in New York City in late 2000s and I know she is always fun to be with when we go out. And when she and Shayne were at the early stage of their relationship, they visited us in our home in Cape Cod. It was a weekend trip to Martha’s  Vineyard and a half day at Craigville Beach on an overcast, New England weather. Everything may be a blur, but Bob and I had a great time at the dinner celebrating Shayne’s Birthday.  That was 2017.  The last all four of us were together; so we are excited to bring that night’s laughter to a five day fun in Cancun.

Lucia and Shayne arrived earlier on Day 1.  They flew direct from Newark and was in Cancun by noon. We got there later in the afternoon from Orlando. They were able to manage to secure us the best room (yet so far) in all our stays in Cancun. Lucia was very good following our instructions- ocean view and above tree level upon check in.😉

The sun, sands, and the sea of Cancun. The view from both our balconies.

Introducing the Pina Colada Crews: all of us enjoying the pool and the beach.

Top (L-R): Day 2 enjoying the pool and the view; Shayne holding one of the many Pina Coladas we drank;

Bottom (L-R): Day 4 under the hut enjoying the beach; Lucia and I at the beach on sunrise.

After we unloaded our luggages we headed to Vento Bar and Grill and had our early dinner. While we’re enjoying our first Mexican meal of the day, we talked about the fun they had while waiting for us to arrive. Shayne must have  said Lucia already had a few of the Pina Coladas while both of them were lounging by the pool- we all had a laugh. Intrigued, Bob and I also ordered Pina Coladas after we had the frozen margaritas. Now we understood why Lucia (I’m sure Shayne too) had a “few.” 🤣

We continued the random chats and updates up at the balcony of our room.  Around 9PM we called it a night- after all it’s been a long day for all of us. It is nice to say that, even though we haven’t get together as frequent as we should be- we take up where we left off.

As always, Cancun always greet us with a beautiful sunrise. Our Day 2 was a no exception. I woke up around 6AM, went down to the ruins of the Yamil Lu’um (Scorpion Ruins) and took a better shot of sunrise with the ruins on the facade. Then I returned to our room. Shortly after, Lucia texted me and she’s already at the poolside and has saved our seat for the day.  I went down to meet with her and walked by the ocean, admired it, and shared how happy we were doing this trip together with our significant others.

Our day was mostly spent by the pool. Enjoying the view of the beach and occasionally swimming in and out while boozing with our now favorite drink- the one and only, Pina Colada! and Oh we had fun using the jacuzzi too!  Bob and I stayed by the pool probably until about 1PM when we both decided to go back to our room (Bob went to the gym, and I took my afternoon nap). Lucia and Shayne opted to stay basking under the sun.

Dinner at Elephant-Thai as we enjoy Junoon Thai. A brief break from the Pina Colada trademark.😉

We all met again at dinner time. Bob and I took Lucia and Shayne to our favorite restaurant, Elephan-Thai. This is one restaurant we never get tired going back to whenever we’re in Cancun and we were happy to share this with both of them too.  We were hoping that we get the hut that directly faces the lagoon to watch an amazing Cancun sunset, but, unfortunately all were taken.  We had the one at the middle which was equally beautiful.  We never had a bad experience with food here- and we’re so glad that Lucia and Shayne enjoyed them too. And for a change, we took a break from Pina Colada and fancied a Junoon Thai for drinks.  We strolled the mall for a bit, then headed back to the resort to get an early rest since we will be up early for our day trip.

Our call time to the lobby is at 730AM.  When all were set, we headed down and waited for our ride that will bring us to Chichen-Itza.  Not too long after our tour guide Primo, greeted and brought us to the van. It was two and a half hour drive to the temple, and we were seated at the last row. We didn’t have windows to look outside (we have to bend down in order to see outside from the seat in front of us), we could barely hear Primo as he talks to us about the Mayans; our only entertainment was the bumpy road that made our butts sore from our seats during the entire trip. LOL.

Pina Colada Crews at Chichén Itzá and Cenote Chukum.

When we got to Chichen Itza the sun was blazing hot. I can remember the first time we were here years ago, it was hot and humid too. We did the usual round about and took pictures of the temple, then Lucia and Shayne decided to find their way out. Meanwhile, Bob and I went to explore some more. The funny thing was, while minding our business, we heard a loud scream from one of the tourists- and we saw that a snake dropped from the trees and almost hit her on the head! What a shocker that was! Then we’re off to the next stop.

We’ve been going to Cancun since 2014, and each time we come we’re brought to different Cenotes- and Chukum is another one that gave us yet a different experience. We (or Bob) jumped and rappelled down in the past, and this time zipline to get into the water.  I (and Lucia) decided to not swim this time. But watching Bob and Shayne do it, almost tempted me to do it too. Ho hum, perhaps next time.

After the cenote experience, we headed for a Mexican buffet. Surprisingly, the food was good as well- specially the pulled pork along with the Mexican rice- yum.🙂 Then we’re off to the next and last stop.

The town of Vallodolid is a quaint town.  Primo said this is the real Mexico; and I kind of agreed with that. Old buildings- the old Spanish architectures all around the vicinity of the town; the quaint plaza with a fountain (I wish there was a water running)… somehow reminded me of old Luneta in Manila when I was growing up.   Lucia and I also explored the colorful building across from the park while Bob and Shayne were resting at the plaza. We looked around the stores (after using the restrooms) and of course another photo shoot! Shortly after we headed back to where the van was parked and up again to the 2.5 hour bumpy ride back.😂 When we finally back to the resort, we had dinner right away at the Duna Sports Bar then to the rooms for the night.

A one superb dinner at Ryoshi with all four of us.

After a long busy day from the previous day, our Day 4 for was exactly the opposite.  Bob and I were attending our owner’s meeting while Lucia and Shayne started their day watching the sunrise in the huts that Lucia reserved as early as 6AM?😂. When we’re done, we joined them relaxing and occasionally going to the water and chatting. Of course it is all accompanied by our favorite drink- Pina Colada! 🤣 By 4PM, we all head back to our rooms to clean up in preparation for: a. Lucia’s LinkedIn profile shoot🤣🤣 and; b. our dinner- the last time for this visit until our next time.

We’ve seen Ryoshi Restaurant when we were in Cancun the last time. Fairly new then, Bob and I never really ventured there since we always go back to the Thai place beside it. After all, we always had a great time and food there. But as we left our dinner the other night from the Thai place, we went to check out the menu at Ryoshi’s. It is a Japanese cuisine and we all thought we should try. And this night was the night.  When all the food we ordered came, this place did not disappoint.  Ryoshi just gave us an exemplary, gastronomical experience on our last night.  The food, the restaurant ambiance, the service (thumb’s up to Axel our host- who’s very attentive to us), the live shows, and the complimentary drinks! Simply put, it was top notch. After the show, we headed back to our hotel rooms and called the night. I felt a bit sad that our vacation is about to end and wished that it won’t.

The following day, we had our breakfast buffet by the resort.  We spent few more times chatting and shared some more laughters then decided to head back to our room and continue packing.  Lucia and Shayne went to the pool to swim a few more laps (that is what Shayne claimed✌️)  for the last time.  Shortly after, we said our goodbyes and then checked out and headed to the airport.

Time went by so quickly as we enjoy our 5 days/4nights get away from our busy schedules, or more of Lucia and Shayne’s busy schedules. Bob and I had a mission when we brought Lucia and Shayne with us- for them to have a relaxing time away from the stress of work and living in a busy environment. We hope they were able to decompress and recharge in this short time; after all, Cancun is not another New York Minute and I am glad that we all got time together to spend another “one for the books” memorable experience.

a stolen shot of Lucia and Shayne slowly strolling at Chichén Itzá. One moment at a time.

Iceland: Our Search For The Northern Lights

Our search for the northern lights began Monday the 25th of September.  Our original plan of spending time in Cape Cod before we fly to  Iceland had to be modified due to some changes beyond our control. We left the house (after fixing a minor mishaft with our hotel in Hella) early morning in Orlando to take our flight to Philadelphia to Boston to catch our transatlantic flight to Reykjavik. We could have taken a direct flight from Orlando, but we made arrangements to this trip attached to our original plan, and to majorly change our flight itinerary will cost us another fortune since we already spent some with the minor ones we did. None the less, I am grateful that Iceland is finally happening after years of putting it off our plans.

View of Reykjavik from Hallgrimskirkja.

The flight from Boston to Reykjavik was short and uneventful (thank God!). We boarded at night time, and took off. Next that I knew we already landed. We arrived around 530AM.  After all the standard immigration and other airport protocols, we walked outside to pick our car rental. Boy that was cold! It was only in the 50s but felt on low 40s for me.  It was raining, cold and damp and still dark as Bob started driving. The sceneries became more visible when it started to get light.

It took us close to an hour (about 30miles) from the airport to the old city of Reykjavik because of the morning rush.  Our first stop was the church of Hallgrimskirkja- a lutheran church and also an iconic landmark in Iceland.  We thought of seeking shelter inside for a while since it was raining, but it was off limits since a funeral was being held; so we just braved the rain and continued taking pictures of the outside premise.  Outside the church erects the statue of Leif Erikkson- a hero in Iceland and I am a fan. If you watch the Vikings Valhalla you will understand. Then we drove around the city trying to kill time. We found a nice path in Orfirsey and walked with the view of the harbor. Then drove again. Still in the city, we drove by Lake Tjornin. This is a quaint area in old Reykjavik; we noticed the Frikirkjan- another church with green roof that faces the lake where swans and geese were swimming and resting and being fed by tourists. Again, took some pictures and finally headed to one of our official destinations.

Bob and I enjoying the hot springs of Blue Lagoon in Grindavik.

Blue Lagoon. It was a scenic hour drive to  Grindavik- so much sceneries that our eyes could absorb. It was too bad that it was overcast.  Nonetheless, we made a couple of stops along the way to just absorb the landscape. After that hour drive, we finally arrived in Blue Lagoon. This was a new experience for us. Yes, back in the Philippines we have springs; and they are warm too; but Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is another level. The experience was totally different- from prepping to finally stepping into the water and just enjoying its hot springs while the outside temperature is cool; first class I would describe it. We stayed here for 2 hours sipping our drink and basking in the warm water in a cold weather. As we hit the road and another two hours of scenic drive to Hella, we finally got to Stracta Hotel, our home for the next three nights.

The following two days were spent into exploring south Iceland and the Golden Ring.  We concentrated between Hella and Vik.  Among the highlights of our sight-seeings were:

Water falls. It felt like we were chasing waterfalls all the time.  On our drive to Skogafoss (the official falls in our itinerary to see), we hit by chance Seljalandsfoss.  It was very visible from the road when we were driving- and since we are passing by it, we decided to check it out and glad we did. It is listed as one of the “must-see.” People are lined up to climb and walk; we didn’t realize that you could walk underneath it. It was cold, but refreshing; It was an enjoyable experience.

We drove to the second waterfalls- Skogafoss. This one is as spectacular as the first falls but different in a way.  At 60meter high you can see it from the farthest space in the parking lot. It has a viewing platform on the top that we climbed. It is about 527 steps to ascend. Bob and I took our time so we won’t get short of breath like when we climbed Nevada falls in Yosemite.  We were also careful heading down; though the steps here are wider and safer than when we climbed down the Mayan temple in Coba, Mexico.  While on top, we walked little further and saw another falls- Hestavaosfoss.  This one is small. We met a woman that told us to walk farther, and there are more falls.  Bob and I didn’t really want to push it and just decided to descend from the the view point to see the massive falls on the the ground.  Skogafoss was stunning and very strong. There was a full rainbow formed from its mists when that short glimpse of sun came out. It was a nice thing to see!

By Day 3 we have seen a couple more.  Oxararfoss which is actually inside the Tingvellir National Park; about a mile from the entrance. This one is not as grand as the previous two; more similar to Skogafoss but a smaller scale. The grandest of them all, is Gullfoss in Haukadalur Valley, still within the Golden Circle. This reminded me of Niagara Falls- a mini version. Wider than any of the water falls we’ve seen here, and Its current is so powerful. It was worth the walking and climbing up and down the stairs to see its grand.

It was fun to experience walking underneath Seljalandsfoss. Refreshing.

Reyniskirkja. The church we found by chance.

The Churches.  Iceland is also famous for its beautiful churches. On those days we were in the southwest coast, we were able to see few of the beautiful ones:

  1. Hallgrimskirkja. Probably The most iconic. Located in Reykjavik, this Lutheran church is the highest building in the old city.

  2. Frikirkjan. also in Reykjavik, a smaller one that faces Lake Tjornin.

  3. Vakurkirkja. This church in Vik is the most captivating one. It is a simple structure in its sense, but the way it is situated- on top of the hill with the scenic view of the Black Sand Beach. We climbed up the hill and there’s the birds eye view. Majestic!

  4. Reyniskirkja. This we found by chance; while we were driving to find dinner. Still in a desolate town of Vik, this one is similar to Vakurkirkja, it faces the Black Sand Beach.

  5. Pingvallakirkja. This one is found inside the Thingvellir National Park. Has multicolor paints. I enjoyed it the most from the observation deck.

  6. Selfosskirkja. Like Reyniskirkja, we found this one as we were driving in Selfoss. Most modern among the smaller churches I must say, but its structure is quite unique too.

The DC Plane Wreck.  On our drive to the Black Sand Beach, we saw a bunch of cars pulling over to a huge parking lot and people were walking away to a distance. Brought by our curiosity, we pulled into the parking lot as well. Then we found the sign about the abandoned DC Plane. It is 4 miles, about 3-4hrs walk both ways to the wreckage. Bob and I looked at each other and decided to go and see.  A little bit of information why this becomes a destination spot for travelers to iceland:  this is a US Navy DC plane that ran out of fuel and crashed on the black beach in Solheimasandur in 1973. Fortunately everyone on that plane survived. The wreckage remained in the black sand and became a famous tourist trap since.

This is the majestic rock formations at the Black Sand Beach in Vikurfjara.

The Black Sand Beach. The black sand beaches are one of a kind; the first I saw in my lifetime.  We went to two beaches: Vikurfjara and Reynisfjara; both were about 20 minutes apart from each other. Both, derived from their names black sand beaches, have black sands and tiny pebbles on the the shore.  Quite unique.  There were rock formations on both. The mountain in Reynisfjara that tourists (like us) take photos of, has a structure that resembles cylindrical/rectangular prisms connected to each other. Quite unique. I also wondered if people sunbathe and swim here in the summer as the waves and rip curls were  too strong.

Thingvellir National Park. This is a site of historical, cultural, and geological significance, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. The park lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.  This is the only place in the world where you can stand between these two continental plates.  Its geological landscape changes every year (wikipedia). If you love your geology, this is the place to be!

The view of Thingvellir National Park from the view deck.

Though Bob and I were tired from the previous walk to the DC wreckage, we braved yet again another 2 to 3 hours of walk around this one majestic national park. From the observation deck to going back to the entrance/exit area, the park offered so much natural beauty to see. Its landscape somehow remind me of the other national park we visited in Patagonia.  It was nice that the colors of some of the plants are turning to fall colors too.

Strokkur Geyser on one of its eruptions.

Strokkur Geyser. As we drove and completed our drive around the golden circle, we made our final stop at the highly active geysir, hot spring area. Among the most famous and the favorite ones is the Strokkur Geyser.  It erupts every 6 to 10 minutes at a height of 10-20 meters. If you stay long enough to watch it explode, you’ll find yourself hooked into it until the next explosion. Fun stuff. After about 30 minutes witnessing this natural phenomenon, we decided to head back to our car to start heading back to our hotel.

The fifth and last full day we drove back to Reykjavik. Strolled once again the old town.  It wasn’t raining then so we had better opportunity to see the inside of Hallgrimskirkja, went up the tower and see the 360 view of the city. We also checked out the Rainbow Street (which I think was a hype),  the Sun Voyager, and a bit of souvenir shopping and lunch. After that we headed to our hotel and rest.

Our fourth and fifth night both in Hella and Reykjavik, the sky was more promising.  They are blue and clearer than the first three.  On both nights, we thought this would be the night to see the elusive aurora, but the northern lights remained aloof. I knew at this point, I will not see her  this visit; but leaves me the hope to see her one night at another time I guess. No, we didn’t see the northern lights, but we have seen so many great places as trade offs. A trip that almost never happened, but will be happy to come back.

On our last night at Stracta Hotel in Hella, I was awarded with a beautiful Icelandic sunset.❤️

US Virgin Islands: A Tropic Paradiso

We are celebrating Bob’s birthday. It started on Thursday April 13th, when we made a short trip to St Leo Abbey in Pasco County. Bob and I attended the vespers rendered by the Benedictine monks and the regular mass the following day. We also took a short walk in River Rapids Trail at Hillsboro State Park at Zepyrhills, Florida. It was a short meaningful (and spiritual) Trip.  On the day of his actual birthday, I didn’t work and just spent the day with him opening his gift and his birthday cards with me and the fur kids with him.

This year, for our yearly birthday get away, we headed to the Caribbean’s tropical paradise. Our first trip to St. Thomas/St. John US Virgin Islands. The night before our flight we stayed in Orlando so we didn’t have to wake up super early for a 645AM departure. The flight from Orlando to Miami was smooth; at one point I thought that we will never make it as the line at TSA was long and we were crunch of time. But of course, my worries were invalidated as we were at the gate 10 minutes of the boarding time.

the view of St. John, USVI from our deck at Westin St. John Resorts

At Miami, the St Thomas flight was delayed. Bob and I kinda knew it as there was no plane at the gate when on the monitor its only 11 minutes before boarding. By the time it came, and off loaded the passengers and boarding us, and staying significant time at the runway, it was more than an hour. But after 2hr and 40mins up in the air, we landed at St Thomas. Its been a while since I experienced deplaning at the tarmac, so its kinda like cool walking to the gate. Reminds me of the local flights in small airports in the Philippines and Costa Rica.

Surprisingly, there is a Westin St John kiosk at the airport, where then we confirmed our villa reservations and our ferry ride.  A private limousine van took us to Red Hook, where the port to St John is located. It took us 45 minutes to get there. The fun part of the ride was the long winding roads and very steep switch backs! It was like being in a roller coaster ride at Disney. Oddly enough, the driver seems pretty used to it and was never bothered. Cheap thrill I may say.

The fifteen minute ferry ride to Westin St John Villas wasn’t bad. It wasn’t a bumpy ride either. The Caribbean waters amaze me- always green and pristine.  It took us a short 15 minutes until we set foot to Westin’s private dock; saves us the usual hustle of  off loading. They have free Cruzan drinks by the way.

Once we got to our room and checked in, we refreshed ourselves, rested for a bit and headed to Lemon Grass-one of the restaurants in the property for our dinner.  It was a Caribbean dinner buffet and I gorged myself with double servings of seafood paella, grilled mahi-mahi, BBQs and ceviches as Bob had some of them too. We enjoyed our dinner with white wine and with the beautiful live music of Caribbean beat. Then we headed back to our room after.

Day 2.

I have always been an early riser, so while Bob was still in his sleep with no dogs fighting on a king bed, I took the courage to jog in the steep hill. It was actually a good work out. When I returned, Bob was already having his coffee and so I joined him.

With a flexible agenda, we decided to do a bit of hiking. We chose Caneel Hill which trail starts by the town.  It was a little over an hour of a hike to the overlook.  On top you can see the south of St John. It was beautiful and panoramic. The color of the water is just magnificent, even from 700ft up view. We stayed on top for about 20minutes and began our descend. We were debating wether to complete the loop for another mile and a half to exit on the other side of the trail, or just go back to the same trail- in the end we decided to choose the same trail as we climb up.

The pristine, Turquoise water of Hawk’s Nest Beach at Caneel Bay, St. John’s, USVI.

One thing that caught me off guard here in USVI is the price of the taxi. For reference, the taxi is similar to the jeepneys we have in the Philippines, but charges an enormous dollars per person; Say a 3 mile single trip from point A to point B is averaging to about $10. I should have known when I paid $14 to a smoothie equivalent to a Slurpee from 7/11 that costs a couple of dollars. I just shook my head.😂

my favorite photo while aboard the sail boat waiting for the sunset behind us.

So we took the taxi from the town to one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen- the Hawk’s Nest Beach by Caneel Bay. Here I enjoyed swimming the most- calm, Turquoise and clear water. It was cool and refreshing. I could really get used to this. While resting, we looked into our map of where to go next and found a spot with an over look not far from the beach so we decided to walk up. The hill that overlooks Hawk’s Nest Beach was equally mesmerizing.  As we walk further, we discovered Peace Hill- another spot where you can see a 360 view of the bay and the other small islands.  Peace Hill is an old windmill site.  After sometime in this area, we headed back to Cruz bay-the main town, and ate lunch and then went back to our room to rest.

Later that afternoon, we took a sail boat to watch the sunset.  Bob has the habit of coming up with surprises, and even though this is partly a celebration of his birthday, he is the one that ends up surprising me.  That evening we sailed into the sunset while sipping unlimited champagne, drinking local beers, eating hors d’oeuvres (including caprese mozzarella cheeseballs, ceviches, corn dips and chips and sliders) aboard a 55-foot catamaran in Great Cruz Bay in the Caribbean with the best partner in the whole-wide world.  This was such an experience; we returned and ended our night  with our hearts being full.

sunset on board the 55-foot catamaran at Cruz Bay in the Caribbean islands of USVI.

Day 3.

the view of the south side of St John atop Windmill Bar. USVI.

I woke up early on our third day at the island still ecstatic with our experience the previous night.  I decided to go out and wait for the sunrise as I took pictures of the shore. Once done, I headed back to our room and joined Bob with his coffee again. Then we both prepared for our appointment.

After our meeting with ownership updates, Bob and I went to Windmill Bar in Cruz bay for lunch.  Again, the ride to the top- with all the switch backs; Bob and I would just look at each other as if we’re on a roller coaster ride. Up the Windmill Bar was equally beautiful also . With the cloudless sky, you can see a clear view of the smaller islands of the Virgin Islands.  It’s hot and we’re sweating! But there was little breeze to ease that out.  We took our time with our lunch as we enjoy our landscape. When we were finally done, we headed our way and took the taxi to Honeymoon Beach located at Caneel Bay.

Honeymoon Beach, unlike the ones we have at the Villa and Hawks’ Nest Beach, is a popular one.  It was almost 4pm when we arrived and the place was still relatively packed.  Since the last shuttle leaves at 5PM, Bob and I only stayed there for 30 minutes to enjoy the water and the sun. Then we waited for the shuttle to take us back to the entrance and hopped on another one to bring us to our resort.  That night, we decided to just eat at the resort restaurant and called the night.

Day 4.

the shopping street at Charlotte-Amali in St Thomas, USVI. The beautiful doors are the best part for me.

Oh Man!!! This was our fourth day! The day we planned to explore St Thomas. This was our last full day here at St John, and as we woke up- we just chill while drinking coffee as our Ferry to St Thomas doesn’t leave until 10AM.

From the ferry station at St Thomas, it was about 40 minutes to the shopping malls. We were dropped off around 1045 and have to be back at the same place by 3PM.  Bob and I decided to head to Glady’s Cafe- the restaurant the concierge from Westin recommended.  I had a flavorful Caribbean dish of Curry Goat 😊 and banana daiquiri. It was actually turned a great meal. Once done, we navigated the streets of Charlotte-Amali. For those who know me, I have fascinations to old doors, and this place did not disappoint.  AS we walk at the old streets, all I see are big wooden doors of European influence attached to the old buildings.  Some are painted, some maintained their rustic, original coats.  Oh I’m in heaven! We walk few more places and was hoping the church of St Peter & Paul was open (but it wasn’t) until we decided to start getting our souvenir shirts and ornaments at the different stores at the strip. The heat was also too excruciating that we decided to just find a place to kill time until our shuttle arrived.  When we finally got back to the resort, we took one more plunge at the beach… The last of our Caribbean experience until next time.

Patagonia: Insides and Insights of Traveling to the Edge of the World

September 27, 2022 at 2145PM we were still sitting at the the runway of Orlando International Airport. We were trying to catch our international flight to Santiago in Miami for our epic trip. This is a trip that took Bob and I almost a year to plan- its logistics and itineraries are all delicately tailored for a 13-day venture to Chilean Andes and Patagonia; and yet we’re still here, stuck and under the mercy of MCO airport air traffic controller to give our plane a go signal to take off.

the view of Miami before we land from our flight from Orlando.

Florida was experiencing a Category 3 hurricane and that was what holding us to depart from our original time. There were chaos every airports- Orlando was closing at 12 midnight, Tampa was at locked out, and Miami was a complete stand-still. These were the circumstances happening all at the same time. What we thought a cancelled trip because of hurricane Ian- miraculously, our plane from Orlando to Miami started flying up and up the turbulent clouds. Finally, our first plane took off two hours later from the original time we boarded in Orlando.

We had then enough time to transfer to our second plane in Miami to Santiago, Chile. Once again, it was a bit shaky after the initial take off but not quite as bad as when we took off from Orlando- then it started to get smooth. Next thing we know, we are thousands of miles away.

We made it to Chile!!!

I will divide this trip to Patagonia into 3 Parts: getting acquainted to Chile- which consists of the first days of knowing the cities (of Santiago, Valparaiso, Punta Arenas, and Puerto Natales); the hikes; and other worth-seeing tour destinations.

GETTING ACQUAINTED TO THE COUNTRY.

Our Day 1 and 3 were tours of Santiago and Valparaiso. We have a little bit of “rest” from the flights we took and our guide brought us to the main city that same day- our first day. We started our city tour at the foot of Santa Lucia Hills, climbed up to the top overlooking the high rise buildings and the panoramic view of the city. Santiago is home for the tallest building in South America- the Gran Torre Santiago. After spending sometime at the top of Sta. Lucia Hills, we went down and walked towards the art district in town. I was amazed of the talents of the people I see. It reminded me of the art district we once passed by while walking the streets of Old Quebec City.

Santiago has also unique architectures with Spanish influence- places like the Chilean national library, presidential palace, and other government establishments we passed by- similar to the old Manila in the Philippines and most latin American countries I have been. As we navigated through the inner-most avenidas (avenues) the more crowd we see. It is always nice to see the authentic soul of the new place; and this is what I like about guided tours. Of course, any visit to new places, expect that we will atleast see one catholic church 🙂.

The vibrant city of Valparaiso, Chile

On our 3rd day we explored the vibrant town of Valparaiso. This is similar to Manila’s Port Area/Manila Bay except that Valparaiso’s main attraction is up the hills and overlooking either the colorful houses situated on top of the hill or the view of the water and the aduana (port). Whichever side you look, they are equally picturesque. Our tour guide told us that this is the place to party when you are young😉. True enough, when we were out and about, there are more than enough young adults we see.

One thing I noticed was both streets of Santiago and Valparaiso are full of beautiful murals. They are everywhere. I think these two places have the most I have seen in any places I have been. I must say, Chileans must know how to channel their artsy talents.

On the same day after half day tour in Valparaiso we went to Casablanca. This is the wine valley of Chile. I must say, after the tour of the vineyard, the wines are all equally excellent like the best French wines I have tasted in the past.

But we had a setback. For some reason, our guides had a lapse in judgement during a trip to the winery. As we got into the car to go back to our hotel after the best wine tasting we ever had, Bob realized his backpack was missing; so I looked for mine immediately. Unfortunately it was gone too.😭

Villa Veramonte Vineyard in Casablanca, Chile

We were able to make it through the busy streets of Santiago and the fast paced crowds of Valparaiso with no incidences. But in a place that was supposed to be a very secure vineyard, Our guides put their guards down and left the car unattended which resulted to a break in our vehicle and our bags being stolen. 😢

What were taken: my camera bag, Bob’s back pack, my drone, two prime lenses, clothings and other small items for my camera and cash.

What was not taken: our fun to continue to explore the beautiful country of Chile.🇨🇱

We are safe and we’re OK. Bob and I were so thankful for the police station 63 in Curacavi that accommodated us in filing our police report along with Felipe our guide and Gabo our driver.

Michael Jordan once said, “Always turn a negative situation to a positive experience.” And I will leave today’s experience with the same mantra.

THE HIKES.

trekking the Andes with our guide Sebastian and a Canadian hiker Mike, and of course Bob😊

We begin our real adventure with the hike in the Andes on our Day 2. Our guide Sebastian drove us atleast two hours to the north of Santiago in San Jose de Maipo. This is a three hour trek of San Jose Volcano that eventually led us to Valle de La Engorda. When we finally found a place to settle, we had our lunch while admiring the panoramic view of both the volcano and the Andes.

This hiking experience here in the Andes was spectacular. When I thought the hike we did in Minturn, Colorado was amazing, this is waaaaay amazing. When we were in Colorado, the view of the rockies and its snow-capped mountains was such a treat from a distance, but this time it was a feast. The snow in the Andes is within reach. Its pureness is unbelievable that we even tried drinking the melting snow. This is really one unforgettable hike Bob and I ever made.

Top Photos: 1. Bob trying to drink the melting snow; 2. the descent from the mountain; Bottom Photos: 3. the welcome sign to Valle de la Engorda; 4. the Andes mountain ranges;

the Panoramic view of San Jose Volcano and the Andes ranges.

It was quarter past one when we begin our descent. I felt like that our bodies had started to adapt (atleast this was what I’d like to believe) in all the elements in this hike. Almost a year of training in the gym and mind setting- all worth it.🙂

Next stop, Patagonia!❤️

sunrise at Punta Arenas on Sunday.

Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales are the offshoots for our main visit to Torres del Paine National Park, the heart of Patagonia- Though both places are already parts of the Patagonia region. Both towns are quaint, reminded me of Puerto de Limon- a fishing town we visited in Costa Rica in 1997. They are also hilly and scenic when you climb up the highest part of town. This was what Bob and I did on the days that we didn’t have tours or after our last tour of the park. Once again, we’ve seen a lot of murals in most of the buildings; not to mention that it was windy all these times as we walk- something that reminded us of the days in the winter when we lived in Princeton, MA.


Torres del Paines National Park.

Torres del Paine National Park

After three combined nights from both Punta Arenas (one night) and Puerto Natales (two nights), we finally made at Torres del Paines National Park. We spent four days/three nights here.

Top Photos: 1. the start of the hike with eight members of our group; 2. the uphill/downhill trail; Bottom Photos: 3. the last 1km of rocky steep trail; 4. Bob and I during initial ascend.

The major hike happened on Monday. The goal was to climb the base of Torres del Paines. It is a 22km (my I-watch recorded 24km)/10hr hike. Divided into three parts- the uphill/down hill to the base camp, the hike to the forest, and the last 1km (or more) of rocky uphill trek to reach the base of Paine Massif.

There were 8 members in our group: our guide- Pablo, 3 Israelis, 1 Mexican Lady, 1 Portuguese, and Bob and I. The first hour we were all trekking at the same pace, but then somewhere on the hilly parts of the trail, the Israelis took off. We still see the Portuguese and Mexican from a distance, but then eventually, we lost sight of them too. Bob and I on the other hand, remained on our slow steady pace in the terrainous up and down hill trail. Hours later, we reached the base when all of them were waiting for us.

I couldn’t recall how much time we spent at the base. But what I remember was that not long enough, after I finished a bar of granola, we again started a trek. This was the second leg of the hike.

Bob and I kept the same slow steady pace. The trail has more vegetation and shaded but a lot of ups and switch backs. Bob was trekking ahead of me. I let it that way so I know he was not logging behind, and at the same time I could watch his steps. I liked the fact that we were doing this hike. We were on a mission. This is our bonding moment together, and again with nature- here in Patagonia.

I feel so proud of my hiking accomplishment! ❤️

From time to time we will see Pablo patiently waiting for and checking us. He did this a couple of times until we didn’t see him for long until the second stop after more than a couple of hours. At this time both Bob and I are extremely exhausted and we have a decision to make.

The next 2kms consist of rocky, very steep terrain (more or less about 60degrees inclination) that we will climb up. With the pace we have, Pablo said it could be another couple of hours for both of us to reach the base of the park. There is no doubt that Bob can definitely do it, but reconsidering the factors which include the degree of difficulty, the snow, the wind, etc. it may cost him all the energy he had and nothing remains during his descend. It was then we decided that he’ll stay and I will proceed. In all honesty, I was hesitant to leave him while I go. But he pushed me to, there’s should be atleast one of us to see the base of the Paine Massif when after all this is the main reason of this epic trip. It was a smart decision in retrospect.

After asking if Bob’s gonna be alright ( it was actually I more of assuring myself to be honest) Pablo and I proceeded. What my eyes saw next was a jaw dropping terrain. WTF was the words I uttered myself. For a second, I thought of going back and just joining Bob. I wasn’t sure what I got myself into- the steep and rocky descriptions were understatements. I took some deep breaths and I just said a little prayer and proceeded. Meanwhile, Pablo was navigating the trail like a walk in the park.

One of my wise professors said, “If you want to have an exceptional life, you have to put yourself in exceptional situations. Break outside your comfort zone and open yourself up to new opportunities through a challenge that's equal parts physical, mental, and spiritual.”

So I did it on my own pace. I stopped so many times that I could no longer count. Each time I look up, I felt my legs were about to come apart and the trail seemed to be never ending. It was a good decision that Bob didn’t proceed. I felt all my energy has been drained too. I passed by a group of hikers who were descending, and told me ten more minutes, so I pushed my self more and miraculously, Here is the base of Paine Massif.. Here is the heart of Torres del Paines right before my eyes!!!

I did it! I climbed the base of Patagonia!

the base of Paine Massif

The descent if not, was equally brutal than when I was climbing up. With little energy left, I just left my legs do whatever they want. I was a “Gumby” as Bob would always describe me whenever I come home tired and complained about standing for so long at work or doing a leg workout at the gym.

Just like when I was climbing, I was slow and always the last from my group. I wasn’t sure how long it took me to get to where we started, I didn’t track it anymore- in my mind all I want was for the day to be over so we could go back to the hotel, take a warm shower and sleep. More or less 3.5 hours and I saw the familiar trail where we began the hike. I was glad. I was happy as well that Bob emerged from the van. All I prayed when I was hiking on my own after we left him at the second leg was his safety going back. Thank God for this experience, it redefined my beliefs in myself.



WORTH-SEEING TOURS IN PATAGONIA

wild guanacos

The remaining days at Torres del Paine consist of half day tours and mini hikes to different trails within the park. Lago Grey Hotel, the hotel we stayed within the park is such a convenient lodging. The day after the epic hike at the base of Torres del Paine, we drove around the park. This activity let us see the different areas one can appreciate of Patagonia. We stopped for some minutes to appreciate the wild guanacos crossing the road, I think we did half of the loop driving; enough to see the other side of the mountain and to see Salto Grande, a thundering waterfalls in the Park.

On Sunday before our trip to Torres del Paine National Park, we had a half day tour to the Monumento Natural Los Pinguinos in Magdalena Island. These are Magellanic Penguins. The mating season happens between late September to early March when the adult male penguins begin to arrive in the colony to breed. The penguins can be as much as 120,000 count during the peak of the season. We were just so lucky that we saw some of them in their natural habitat; some were upclose too- or would walk beside you! After almost an hour of roaming around the park we boarded the boat again and navigated through Isla Marta, where all the sea lions hang out. We didn’t really get off this island but we watched the sea lions continuously honk at each other for sometime then we headed back to catamaran.

Magellanic penguin couple greeting us.

sea lions honking at Isla Marta.

Photos: 1. Bob and I infront of the massive Grey Glacier deposits; 2/3. Bob and I goofing with a piece of an iceberg floated to the shore; 4. A big chunk of iceberg separated and floating on the lake waiting to melt;

Lago Grey Glaciers. It was convenient for us that we stayed at Lago Grey Hotel. By Wednesday our Day 8, we took a three hour boat tour trip to Lake Grey Glaciers. I never seen one so this was an exciting thing to experience for both Bob and I. As we sail closer, we have spectacular views of radiant, blue ice, floating icebergs in turquoise-grey waters and was feeling the Patagonian wind on our faces. Such a delight!

The sight of the 98-foot (30 mts) walls of this impressive ice mass in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field was phenomenal! The close-up views when the boat stopped moving was absolutely breath taking; not to mention that while we mentally amass the view of the glaciers, the sights of Paine Grande Mount and Paine Massif were also virtual treats. With such a new experience, I felt like a kid in a candy store🙂.

I learned in this trip that Chile is among the top 5 countries that has the most glaciers.

glacier deposits at Grey Glaciers.

In the afternoon after our boat trip, Bob and I decided to walk to the lake. It was a two mile easy walk (yes, in the summertime the ice melts and over flows to where we were walking), but the wind was brutal- its about 60mph wind gusts in an open space and it was literally blowing both of us. The closest we experience something like this was during our vacation in Cape Cod in 2011 with Hurricane Irene. Bob had so much fun with this one as he loves the wind.

Day 9 was supposed to be watching the condors at the outlook. This one, Bob again was excited about. On our ride to where we are going to start our hike, we saw a group of three condors gliding with the strong wind. It seemed to us its a family, as the one was smaller compared to the other two. Our guide told us that the small ones must be being taught on how to fly by its parents. “School day,” she said. Makes sense🙂.

the Condor Overlook and Lago Pehoe

last hike at the Condor Outlook and Lago Pehoe.

By the time we begin our ascend, the wind started to pick up. After trekking for approximately 45 mins to an hour, we reached the peak to condor lookout. From a distant we still see the family of three until eventually they faded away. Unfortunately we couldn’t capture any of these as my telephoto lens was one of the stolen items from our bags in Casablanca; also the wind became too strong for the birds too fly and for us to stand. Our guide Claudia just surprised as with cookies and tea while enjoying the 60mph breeze and the view of the mountains. Shorlty after we began our descent. This was our last major itinerary. The rest of the day we made out (laugh out loud).

The last two remaining days were spent mostly by starting our journey back home. We left Lago Grey on Friday afternoon to Puerto Natales; spent one more night here and even explored the area briefly for the last time. The following day we flew back to Santiago where we spent another night until Sunday then off to the airport to fly back to the US.

Indeed this was an epic trip. ❤️

this was the only time that Torres del Paine clears up and the only time I was able to shoot sunrise; the wind though remains constant between 6070mph. By the time we left, locals said its going to be in a 100km/h on Saturday.