Hey,
I'm back again.
I have the very real and very sincere intention to post at least two messages a week from now on. Oh well, at least one now, shouldn't be too optimistic and dissapoint my audience of 1.
I know it might be cheating, but i'm gonna see if i can post my travel stories here, dating back to 2002-2003 and 2004. On both occasions i travelled for a bit more than 5 months, mainly in south-east asia and south america. Mark the presence of the word 'south' in both destinations. If i wanted rain i would have stayed at home. Though it's amazing how much rain you can get in the Andes, in the dry season, when an irish girl and a belgian guy go for a walk. Even an australian representative could not balance the scale back to the sunny side of life.
Today i'm in germany, in the town elected 'Sexiest-named-City' of Europe: Darmstadt. Acné-sur-mer was a close second. This is probably lost on all of you who don't speak dutch and french though. Sorry.
Anyway, attending a conference here at the Fraunhofer Institute. Was quite interesting actually, but i guess i've sat in one chair long enough for today, and it's time they wrapped things up here.
That's all for now,
n
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Being santa
I played Santa for a group of people yesterday.
Was fun. I find myself enjoying improvising in front of an audience more and more. It forces you to live in the moment like nothing else does. I tend to be a dreamer, as my first grade teacher aptly remarked in one of my very first school reports. Not that i suddenly feel ambition to embark on a career change... i'll stick to my day job. But it's good that once in a while life takes you onto unexpected roads.
Damn this sounds profound and emotional. Need...to...make...joke. Quickly.
n
Was fun. I find myself enjoying improvising in front of an audience more and more. It forces you to live in the moment like nothing else does. I tend to be a dreamer, as my first grade teacher aptly remarked in one of my very first school reports. Not that i suddenly feel ambition to embark on a career change... i'll stick to my day job. But it's good that once in a while life takes you onto unexpected roads.
Damn this sounds profound and emotional. Need...to...make...joke. Quickly.
n
Monday, December 13, 2004
Incredible
Went to see The Incredibles yesterday. Bloody funny. And uncannily similar to my own life.
I too have been banished from using my super powers in public. Supernonsense is a dangerous thing, especially when you're tired and have nothing else to talk about. First, you think of something completely idiotic and the next thing you know, people start believing it...
Famously, Bush became president when one guy bet against a friend that he could pick out a random idiot and get him elected. Also, the great pyramid was constructed after a slave started the rumour that the farao's favourite geometrical form was a triangle. Stonehenge: domino must be so much cooler if we use huge boulders. Nonsense is selffulfilling, so, I have to restrain myself. Or else...
I too have been banished from using my super powers in public. Supernonsense is a dangerous thing, especially when you're tired and have nothing else to talk about. First, you think of something completely idiotic and the next thing you know, people start believing it...
Famously, Bush became president when one guy bet against a friend that he could pick out a random idiot and get him elected. Also, the great pyramid was constructed after a slave started the rumour that the farao's favourite geometrical form was a triangle. Stonehenge: domino must be so much cooler if we use huge boulders. Nonsense is selffulfilling, so, I have to restrain myself. Or else...
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Beastieness
Truly excellent show from the Beastie Boys last night. They lack most of the 'traditional' hip hop trademarks: the gold chains, macho attitude and, well, general blackness. Basicly, they're three white NY nerds. But, great music and a fantastic show and who cares anyway. Way too much people out there who think it's all about the image. Of course Sabotage, dedicated to the President of the USA, was a kick-ass finish to the night.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Saturday morning
It's foggy and it's cold outside. I wish i had a fireplace at the moment. Or a sauna. Or a ticket to australia.
But no sense moping around. Going to see the Beastie Boys tonight and really looking forward to it. Should be excellent.
Very cool: chatting to a Japanese friend that i met in the Galapagos islands and last saw in Bolivia, and who's in Spain for the moment. The miracles of technology. Some good travel memories are starting to surface right now... Sitting in a boat in the pampas, sipping bad but free cocktails in San Pedro de Atacama, watching the full moon rise above the Illampu mountain in the freezing cold...
But no sense moping around. Going to see the Beastie Boys tonight and really looking forward to it. Should be excellent.
Very cool: chatting to a Japanese friend that i met in the Galapagos islands and last saw in Bolivia, and who's in Spain for the moment. The miracles of technology. Some good travel memories are starting to surface right now... Sitting in a boat in the pampas, sipping bad but free cocktails in San Pedro de Atacama, watching the full moon rise above the Illampu mountain in the freezing cold...
Friday, December 10, 2004
A new day, a new post
At a conference today. There aren''t many ways in which you can make cable networks sound interesting, and most of these guys aren't finding any of them.
In the news: Japan is going to export weapons again. Just what we needed, a fanged robot- dog that goes for the groin. Or the exploding tamagochi. But this is really good news for the consumer: more competition will make prices fall. Now all we need is a weapons-oriented eBay (D-day.com?), and we'll have made another giant step towards peace for all mankind.
Was checking out a little movie from a company we're working with. Very, very funny indeed. Check it out on http://www.larian.com/riftrunner/Dennis/dennis_movie.html
In the news: Japan is going to export weapons again. Just what we needed, a fanged robot- dog that goes for the groin. Or the exploding tamagochi. But this is really good news for the consumer: more competition will make prices fall. Now all we need is a weapons-oriented eBay (D-day.com?), and we'll have made another giant step towards peace for all mankind.
Was checking out a little movie from a company we're working with. Very, very funny indeed. Check it out on http://www.larian.com/riftrunner/Dennis/dennis_movie.html
My first blog - ever
Well, this is it. My first blog entry.
A small step for man, an even smaller step for mankind.
Interesting how a white textbox can look so, well, empty once you have total freedom to write whatever you want. I can talk about everything and nothing, and all in one post.
Blogging is a great thing. They're like diaries, but cool enough so that guys will actually write one. You can talk to everyone and noone at the same time. But you still get to say your bit. Even if it is about the grossely underestimated qualities of the common sparrow or 10.000 ways to use cabbage in your diet (if somebody reads this who actually knows them all... please don't bother sending me a list).
Mmm, this is enough for now. I'll talk more later. I always do.
nico
A small step for man, an even smaller step for mankind.
Interesting how a white textbox can look so, well, empty once you have total freedom to write whatever you want. I can talk about everything and nothing, and all in one post.
Blogging is a great thing. They're like diaries, but cool enough so that guys will actually write one. You can talk to everyone and noone at the same time. But you still get to say your bit. Even if it is about the grossely underestimated qualities of the common sparrow or 10.000 ways to use cabbage in your diet (if somebody reads this who actually knows them all... please don't bother sending me a list).
Mmm, this is enough for now. I'll talk more later. I always do.
nico
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Travel report from bolivia and chile
Travel report from bolivia and chile...
Hi there,
This is it, my last groupmail! Have been home for exactly one week today, but more about that later. First, let me tell you about my last 2 weeks of travelling...
When we got back to La Paz after the trekking, I realised that I didn't have too much time left. So I didn't hang around much longer and after a day of resting and eating i continued on to Oruro with the idea to catch a train to Uyuni there. A change from bussing around. But i did have to wait till the next evening to get on the train, which also ruined the idea of watching the landscape pass by. The train was fun though: two movies dubbed in spanish and a cheese and ham sandwich were included in the ticket. Eat that, Belgian railways! But honesty compels me to say that the average speed of the train was about 40 km/h. Actually, that is the average speed of ALL transport in Bolivia, and i'm even throwing in the planes just to get the number up.
So you get into Uyuni at 2:30am, a town not even worthy of the word desolate. Fortunately the local hostals are prepared and waiting for you at the station, busily waving leaflets at you. Got some sleep and checked out some of the tour agencies in the morning, and ended up leaving for a 3 day jeep ride with exit to chile at noon. And people think that travelling in these countries is hard, ha!
Seven people and a grumpy driver in the jeep, it's not gonna be a cold ride... The first stop is the Salar, an immense salt lake of about 10 000 square k
m (for the non metric people amongst you: good luck). We take a brief look at the salt factories and then drive onto the lake, a place where a driver can easily take his hands of the wheel for 10 minutes. Everything is as flat as...well, a salt lake i guess...and whiter than the north pole in winter. Isla de pescado is an island in the middle, old coral covered in 10 meter high cacti, some over 1000 years old. The contrast with the with plane around it provides a fantastic view, the bright blue sky and the mountains in the distance make it into one of the most magical and surreal places in the world.
At night, we sleep in a salt hotel. Like the eskimos make iglos out of snow, they cut blocks of salt here to build hotels for the tourists ;-)
The next day, we go and see a few lakes, mainly inhabited by flamingos. They're probably immune to the sulfer smell around the place. We also take a ride through the siluli desert. Rocks, dust and jeep tracks surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. It continues to be an impressive panorama. The arbol de piedra (the stone tree) was taken right out of a Dali painting and fits into the landscape perfectly. At the end of the day we end up at the Laguna Colorada, a lake painted red by algae and minerals.
On the last day of the trip we visit a geyser and some boiling mud pools (looks better than it sounds) and Laguna Verde. The last time i was in bolivia this lake was frozen solid (it was slightly colder then too). This time however,
it's a beautiful sight, the green make with a big volcano in the background.
The whole Salar trip was absolutely worth seeing a second time, although a lo of things had changed. Last time, in four days we maybe met 1 other jeep, this time there were constantly people around. On the isla de pescado a few buildings had been erected and you had to pay an entry fee (also to get into the 'national park'). The viscachas (a crossover between a rabbit and a squirrel) approached to within a couple of meters (to eat food scraps) while last time you needed a big telelens. All new. Even places like bolivia 'modernize'. Even more important to visit them now.
After a little wait at the border a minibus picks us up and takes us to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, 2000 meter lower (almost the whole salar trip is above 4000 meter, the border's at 4700 meter). San Pedro counts 4 streets and a square and is a generally lovely place with lots of trendy bars, a lovely church and hostals with hammocks. Oh yeah, and it's WARM. Finally!
I hang out (literally) there for 3 days, maybe because we discover a bar on the first night where the owner enjoys giving us free Pisco Sours (probably has more to do with the two lovely girls in my company than with me). But in the end i do manage to get away and fly to Santiago (do NOT feel like a 24 hour bus ride). In my last days i go snowboarding for a day (excellent!) and get to admire the president of chile on the national holiday (yes, another parade).
Then some plane and two pinches of train and i'm home. Where it starts raining the next day and doesn't stop...
So I'm home now, nursing my depression ;-) People who wan to come over and cheer me up are of course very welcome (though that might be difficult for most of you ;-) )
Anyway, it was fantastic again. You discover a lot, you get to meet great people from all over the globe, and you push your boundaries in every way. Go forth and travel!
Hope to hear and see you all later,
take care,
nico
Hi there,
This is it, my last groupmail! Have been home for exactly one week today, but more about that later. First, let me tell you about my last 2 weeks of travelling...
When we got back to La Paz after the trekking, I realised that I didn't have too much time left. So I didn't hang around much longer and after a day of resting and eating i continued on to Oruro with the idea to catch a train to Uyuni there. A change from bussing around. But i did have to wait till the next evening to get on the train, which also ruined the idea of watching the landscape pass by. The train was fun though: two movies dubbed in spanish and a cheese and ham sandwich were included in the ticket. Eat that, Belgian railways! But honesty compels me to say that the average speed of the train was about 40 km/h. Actually, that is the average speed of ALL transport in Bolivia, and i'm even throwing in the planes just to get the number up.
So you get into Uyuni at 2:30am, a town not even worthy of the word desolate. Fortunately the local hostals are prepared and waiting for you at the station, busily waving leaflets at you. Got some sleep and checked out some of the tour agencies in the morning, and ended up leaving for a 3 day jeep ride with exit to chile at noon. And people think that travelling in these countries is hard, ha!
Seven people and a grumpy driver in the jeep, it's not gonna be a cold ride... The first stop is the Salar, an immense salt lake of about 10 000 square k
m (for the non metric people amongst you: good luck). We take a brief look at the salt factories and then drive onto the lake, a place where a driver can easily take his hands of the wheel for 10 minutes. Everything is as flat as...well, a salt lake i guess...and whiter than the north pole in winter. Isla de pescado is an island in the middle, old coral covered in 10 meter high cacti, some over 1000 years old. The contrast with the with plane around it provides a fantastic view, the bright blue sky and the mountains in the distance make it into one of the most magical and surreal places in the world.At night, we sleep in a salt hotel. Like the eskimos make iglos out of snow, they cut blocks of salt here to build hotels for the tourists ;-)
The next day, we go and see a few lakes, mainly inhabited by flamingos. They're probably immune to the sulfer smell around the place. We also take a ride through the siluli desert. Rocks, dust and jeep tracks surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. It continues to be an impressive panorama. The arbol de piedra (the stone tree) was taken right out of a Dali painting and fits into the landscape perfectly. At the end of the day we end up at the Laguna Colorada, a lake painted red by algae and minerals.
On the last day of the trip we visit a geyser and some boiling mud pools (looks better than it sounds) and Laguna Verde. The last time i was in bolivia this lake was frozen solid (it was slightly colder then too). This time however,
it's a beautiful sight, the green make with a big volcano in the background.The whole Salar trip was absolutely worth seeing a second time, although a lo of things had changed. Last time, in four days we maybe met 1 other jeep, this time there were constantly people around. On the isla de pescado a few buildings had been erected and you had to pay an entry fee (also to get into the 'national park'). The viscachas (a crossover between a rabbit and a squirrel) approached to within a couple of meters (to eat food scraps) while last time you needed a big telelens. All new. Even places like bolivia 'modernize'. Even more important to visit them now.
After a little wait at the border a minibus picks us up and takes us to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, 2000 meter lower (almost the whole salar trip is above 4000 meter, the border's at 4700 meter). San Pedro counts 4 streets and a square and is a generally lovely place with lots of trendy bars, a lovely church and hostals with hammocks. Oh yeah, and it's WARM. Finally!
I hang out (literally) there for 3 days, maybe because we discover a bar on the first night where the owner enjoys giving us free Pisco Sours (probably has more to do with the two lovely girls in my company than with me). But in the end i do manage to get away and fly to Santiago (do NOT feel like a 24 hour bus ride). In my last days i go snowboarding for a day (excellent!) and get to admire the president of chile on the national holiday (yes, another parade).
Then some plane and two pinches of train and i'm home. Where it starts raining the next day and doesn't stop...
So I'm home now, nursing my depression ;-) People who wan to come over and cheer me up are of course very welcome (though that might be difficult for most of you ;-) )
Anyway, it was fantastic again. You discover a lot, you get to meet great people from all over the globe, and you push your boundaries in every way. Go forth and travel!
Hope to hear and see you all later,
take care,
nico
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Travel stories from bolivia
Travel stories from bolivia
Hi everybody,
I´m finally catching up with my english group mails. The reason: well today is the national holday in chile and there is pretty much nothing else to do in town today. Already saw the president, so i guess that´ll be the highlight of the day ;-)
Once i got to bolivia, we first spent a night on isla del sol, the birthplace of thge inca empire according to legend (excuse my for eny typing mistakes, but for the first time in my life i`ve encountered a computer that is slower than i am and insists on showing me the words minutes after i typed them). Not much to see in terms of inca remains, but it`s a little paradise with beautiful bays and a gripping sunset. A room with a viezw of the beach and lake tititcaca for 10 bolivianos (1.2 USD). You gotta love the place....
To la paz then, a few hours by bus, interrupted by a little boat ride. The bus on one boat, the passengers on another, slightly more seaworthy craft. That reminds me: the bolivians have pretty much lost every war they ever fought. So their navy retreated to Lake titicaca of all places. Which forces the peruvians of having a navy on the lake as well. South america needs a sense of humour...
La paz has two parts: the gigantic sprawling city of El Alto, the part of the city on the Altiplano, and La Paz itself in a giant pit. An impressive sight every time you descend from 4000 meter to the bottom at 3700.
Rested for a few days and tasted la paz nightlife, then flew to Sucre for a week of spanish courses. Just so i could come home and say the trip was very useful, and to be able to talk about something else than the weather with the locals for a change. Sucre is the best preserved spanish city in bolivia and generally a nice place to be. Next to spanish classes i went mountainbiking around the city and went to see fossil dinosaur tracks, preserver in a limestone wall. Pretty impressive to put your hand inside a T-rex track and imagine how big a fluffy animal it must have been...
Back in la paz it was time to face up to and celebrate my 30th birthday. In style i might say, in excellent company (thanks guys) and quite extensive (countdown the night before included). On my birthday we visited the graveyard. Yes, i see how that might sound freaky, but it was the only thing we felt up to and it does have a filosophical twang to it. Back to the nightlife of la paz after that...
Then: The road of Death (enter drum rolls and ominous music). The most dangerous road inthe world according to some sources. It is a fact that a little steering error immediatly put you a few hunderd meters deeper and that the road actually isn´t wide enough for two vehicles to pass eachother, which doesn´t stop people from trying. Of course, the gringo´s had the great idea of doinbg the whoile thing on mountain bikes. Excellent fun as well: your descend 3300 vertical meters over a distance of 60 km! Serious braking and some real adrenaline moments!
The warmth of Rurrenabaque feels good after months in relative cold. Three days of pampas: alligators, birds, river dolphins, fishing for peranhas, looking for anacondas eating termites, spotting capibaras (guinea pig the size of a small pony) and even saw a curare tree (meanest looking tree i´ve ever seen). Worth it although the guide wasn´t really a talkative guy. Flew back to la paz, again in a small 12 seat aircraft, fun !
Said my goodbyes to sharon and charmaine, my two love travel companions, the first having a little more time so travelling slower, the latter having less time so travelling faster. Immediatly found replacement in two other grils from my dorm who want to wlk to illampuy circuit just like i do. Sometimes things are ridiculously easy ;-) We want to leave on wednesday, but in the morning things are very quiet... too quiet. Transport strike! Weird to be able to walk in the middle of the main street of la paz, and not see any minibusses around. We´re stuck for two days before we can finally get a bus at 5 am. In the mean time we do manage to go to a performance of the 9th of Van Beethoven by the Bolivian National Orchestra. Quite good although i feel very underdressed in my fleece and trekking trousers ;-)
It takes no time at all to arrange the trek and the next day we leave for 8 days of hard walking. Day 1 we climb from 2700 meters to 4000 meters. Nice start. In the next few days we manage to climb a couple of passes (all inbetween 4500 and 4700 meters). We have some rain, which normally NEVER happens according to our guide (yeah, what`s new). The best day is a climb to a 5000 meter pass, followed by a descent into a valley with beautiful lakes. Then back up to 5000 meters across hilss that look like a lunar landscape (The dusty hills). Nearby is the infamous San Francisco lake, known for its regular armed robberies on hikers. Our guide lead us into a alternative valley over the dusty hills and takes 20 minutes to study the valley to see if there are no lama shepherds (robbing people is a hobby for them) around. Down then, to set up the tent again. By the way, a 2 person tent for 3 people is not really something you want to do (we were kinda surprised on the first night). YOu have to turn in a very coordinated way, but granted it was pretty warm at night despite the freezing temperatures.
The next day, we had to get up at 3:30h in the morning, to sneak by the lake in the moonlight. the rest of the day we walk in a dense fog. An omen because the next day is the heaviest day. We climb over difficult terrain (boulders and some rock climbing), again ascending from 3900m to 5000 meter, to a beautiful gaciar lake (i know, i´ve been there before). But: the whole time there´s this dense fog, about 50 meters of visibility max. no glaciar and almost no lake in sight. Then we drop down to 4000 meter again in hail and rain. 8,5 hours of walking just because we like to suffer. The next day we descend to Sorata and that`s the end of the trek. Of course, that day we have beautiful weather ;-)
Right, that´s everything up to the trek... not much left (spending my last 2 days in santiago now) so the next mail you get will be from exotic belgium, in harsh conditions surrounded by my favorite food and in my couch. Bet you i´ll wish i can be back in a hammock in San Pedro again, or even in that uncomfortable tent, sleepless for yet another night ;-)
Keep in touch, let me know how you´re doing!!
Greetings,
nico
Hi everybody,
I´m finally catching up with my english group mails. The reason: well today is the national holday in chile and there is pretty much nothing else to do in town today. Already saw the president, so i guess that´ll be the highlight of the day ;-)
Once i got to bolivia, we first spent a night on isla del sol, the birthplace of thge inca empire according to legend (excuse my for eny typing mistakes, but for the first time in my life i`ve encountered a computer that is slower than i am and insists on showing me the words minutes after i typed them). Not much to see in terms of inca remains, but it`s a little paradise with beautiful bays and a gripping sunset. A room with a viezw of the beach and lake tititcaca for 10 bolivianos (1.2 USD). You gotta love the place....
To la paz then, a few hours by bus, interrupted by a little boat ride. The bus on one boat, the passengers on another, slightly more seaworthy craft. That reminds me: the bolivians have pretty much lost every war they ever fought. So their navy retreated to Lake titicaca of all places. Which forces the peruvians of having a navy on the lake as well. South america needs a sense of humour...
La paz has two parts: the gigantic sprawling city of El Alto, the part of the city on the Altiplano, and La Paz itself in a giant pit. An impressive sight every time you descend from 4000 meter to the bottom at 3700.
Rested for a few days and tasted la paz nightlife, then flew to Sucre for a week of spanish courses. Just so i could come home and say the trip was very useful, and to be able to talk about something else than the weather with the locals for a change. Sucre is the best preserved spanish city in bolivia and generally a nice place to be. Next to spanish classes i went mountainbiking around the city and went to see fossil dinosaur tracks, preserver in a limestone wall. Pretty impressive to put your hand inside a T-rex track and imagine how big a fluffy animal it must have been...
Back in la paz it was time to face up to and celebrate my 30th birthday. In style i might say, in excellent company (thanks guys) and quite extensive (countdown the night before included). On my birthday we visited the graveyard. Yes, i see how that might sound freaky, but it was the only thing we felt up to and it does have a filosophical twang to it. Back to the nightlife of la paz after that...
Then: The road of Death (enter drum rolls and ominous music). The most dangerous road inthe world according to some sources. It is a fact that a little steering error immediatly put you a few hunderd meters deeper and that the road actually isn´t wide enough for two vehicles to pass eachother, which doesn´t stop people from trying. Of course, the gringo´s had the great idea of doinbg the whoile thing on mountain bikes. Excellent fun as well: your descend 3300 vertical meters over a distance of 60 km! Serious braking and some real adrenaline moments!
The warmth of Rurrenabaque feels good after months in relative cold. Three days of pampas: alligators, birds, river dolphins, fishing for peranhas, looking for anacondas eating termites, spotting capibaras (guinea pig the size of a small pony) and even saw a curare tree (meanest looking tree i´ve ever seen). Worth it although the guide wasn´t really a talkative guy. Flew back to la paz, again in a small 12 seat aircraft, fun !
Said my goodbyes to sharon and charmaine, my two love travel companions, the first having a little more time so travelling slower, the latter having less time so travelling faster. Immediatly found replacement in two other grils from my dorm who want to wlk to illampuy circuit just like i do. Sometimes things are ridiculously easy ;-) We want to leave on wednesday, but in the morning things are very quiet... too quiet. Transport strike! Weird to be able to walk in the middle of the main street of la paz, and not see any minibusses around. We´re stuck for two days before we can finally get a bus at 5 am. In the mean time we do manage to go to a performance of the 9th of Van Beethoven by the Bolivian National Orchestra. Quite good although i feel very underdressed in my fleece and trekking trousers ;-)
It takes no time at all to arrange the trek and the next day we leave for 8 days of hard walking. Day 1 we climb from 2700 meters to 4000 meters. Nice start. In the next few days we manage to climb a couple of passes (all inbetween 4500 and 4700 meters). We have some rain, which normally NEVER happens according to our guide (yeah, what`s new). The best day is a climb to a 5000 meter pass, followed by a descent into a valley with beautiful lakes. Then back up to 5000 meters across hilss that look like a lunar landscape (The dusty hills). Nearby is the infamous San Francisco lake, known for its regular armed robberies on hikers. Our guide lead us into a alternative valley over the dusty hills and takes 20 minutes to study the valley to see if there are no lama shepherds (robbing people is a hobby for them) around. Down then, to set up the tent again. By the way, a 2 person tent for 3 people is not really something you want to do (we were kinda surprised on the first night). YOu have to turn in a very coordinated way, but granted it was pretty warm at night despite the freezing temperatures.
The next day, we had to get up at 3:30h in the morning, to sneak by the lake in the moonlight. the rest of the day we walk in a dense fog. An omen because the next day is the heaviest day. We climb over difficult terrain (boulders and some rock climbing), again ascending from 3900m to 5000 meter, to a beautiful gaciar lake (i know, i´ve been there before). But: the whole time there´s this dense fog, about 50 meters of visibility max. no glaciar and almost no lake in sight. Then we drop down to 4000 meter again in hail and rain. 8,5 hours of walking just because we like to suffer. The next day we descend to Sorata and that`s the end of the trek. Of course, that day we have beautiful weather ;-)
Right, that´s everything up to the trek... not much left (spending my last 2 days in santiago now) so the next mail you get will be from exotic belgium, in harsh conditions surrounded by my favorite food and in my couch. Bet you i´ll wish i can be back in a hammock in San Pedro again, or even in that uncomfortable tent, sleepless for yet another night ;-)
Keep in touch, let me know how you´re doing!!
Greetings,
nico
Monday, August 02, 2004
Travel report from Peru (in dutch)
Travel report from Peru
Hallo iedereen,
Tijd voor wat nieuws van ver weg. Laatste bericht hield ergens in Lima op, denk ik, dus zullen we daar maar beginnen. Lima is op zich niet zo fantastisch. Enkele museums bezocht en een prachtig franciscaner klooster, inclusief catacomben, maar dat was het zowat. Pisco ligt wat zuidelijker langs de kust en iemand had me verteld dat het mogelijk was om daar te duiken. Niet dus, en dan maar de Islas Ballestas bezocht, een soort vogelparadijs op enkele uitgeholde rotseilanden niet ver van de kust. OK, maar nu niet om van achterover te vallen.
Next! Naar Nazca, bekend van de lijnen. Om een of andere reden vond de Nazca beschaving het leuk om de bovenlaag van de plaatselijke woestijn weg te schrapen, om zo de witte onderlaag bloot ter leggen, en wel zo dat er specifieke figuren werden gevormd van soms honderden meters groot, enkel zichtbaar uit de lucht. Natuurlijk is er de UFO theorie (landingbanen), maar de serieuzere medemens denkt aan astronomie of waterlopen. Je kunt er met een sportvliegtuigje over vliegen, wat ik dan ook met enige vertraging gedaan heb. Vanop 250 meter hoogte moet je soms goed kijken, maar de piloot werkt mee door het vliegtuig afwisselend compleet op zijn linker- en rechterkant te draaien. Geen friet met mayonaise vooraf, aub
Verder zuidwaarts dan, naar Arequipa. Huisvest het fantastische Santa Catalina klooster, zo groot dat het zelfs enkele straatjes heeft, afwisselend in azuur, rood en geel geschilderd. Ook geweldig is een museum dat door Juanita bewoond wordt. Juanita is een mummy van een 10 jarig meisje, die door de inca's op de top van de Ampato vulkaan geofferd werd. Nu is die vulkaan 6300 meter hoog, en zeulden ze offergaves, stro, tenten en zelfs zand voor het graf mee naar boven. Dit maakt van de incas de eerste echte bergbeklimmers. Juanita zelf wordt bewaard in een glazen diepvries en is perfect geconserveerd, buiten de ogen die even aan de zon zijn blootgesteld.
Arequipa is ook gastheer voor enkele matchen van de Copa America, en aangezien ik er toch was ben ik maar naar Brazilie-Paraguay gaan kijken. Wel eens de moeite, en verrassend verloren door Brazilie!
Op ongeveer 5 uur bussen afstand ligt de Colca canyon, maximaal ongeveer 1700 meter diep. Ik moet zeggen dat ik het zelf eerder een steile vallei vind dan een canyon, maar kom. De eerste dag naar beneden gewandeld, dan overnacht in een bamboe hut (van muren konden we niet echt spreken, het contact met de natuur was, ahum, optimaal) en de volgende dag naar een ander dorpje gewandeld, toepasselijk Oasis genaamd (palmbomen en zwembad). De dag erna om 3 uur 's morgens beginnen wandelen, 2-3 uur steile klim terug uit de canyon. Dit allemaal om ergens tussen 7 en 9 per bus aan te komen bij de Cruz del Condor bekend om .... yep, de condors. Soms zijn dingen net zo makkelijk als ze lijken.
Het is behoorlijk spectaculair. De beesten met enige meters spanwijdte vliegen boven en onder je door, zo dicht dat je de veren kan tellen moest iemand daar een passie voor hebben.
Nog een paar uur bussen verder voor een klassieker: hot pools. Afmeting van een zwembad deze keer, en bediening aan de rand van het bad met cocktails en vers vruchtensap. Het leven kan hard zijn.
Terug in Arequipa nog wat rondgehangen, net lang genoeg om mijn kleine rugzak te laten stelen. Ik zat te ontbijten en te lezen in een klein restaurantje op de Plaza de Armas en heb het totaal niet gemerkt, mijn rugzak stond zelf tegen mijn voeten. Gewoon meegegegritst. Nu, ze zullen telerugesteld zijn: geen camera, geen geld, enkel een boek en het doosje van mijn zonnebril. Toch vervelend.
De bus naar Cuzco was andermaal een belevenis. Cruz del Sur behandeld al haar bussen alsof het vliegtuigen zijn. Je moet je bagage inchecken, en bij het aankomen drukken ze erop dat je moet blijven zitten tot de bus volledig tot stilstand is gekomen. De stewardess duidt zelfs de nooduitgangen aan. Deze keer was er onboard entertainment. Eerst eten, daarna BINGO! Jaja, iedereen krijgt een kaartje en mag meespelen. Tenslotte nog een film om af te sluiten.
Cuzco in een prachtige koloniale stad, waar veel gebouwen zichtbaar bovenop op oude inca muren gebouwd zijn (Cuzco was de inca hoofdstad, de navel van de wereld). Per bus en per trein naar Aguas Calientes, en 's morgens om 5 uur beginnen wandelen naar de ingang van Maccu Picchu. Die eerste momenten, voor de bussen beginnen toestromen zijn geweldig. Je wandelt door de ruines en ziet de mist wegtrekken van de bergen wanneer de eerste zonnestralen de stenen muren raken. De schoonheid van de site ligt in de combinatie van ligging, architectuur, materialen en geschiedenis... Ondanks de massa toeristen een must.
Rond Cusco zijn nog een hoop Inca restanten te zien, allemaal spectaculair op hun eigen manier (de stenen van 100 ton die naadloos in elkaar passen in Sacsaywaman bijvoorbeeld, of de zonnetempel die voor de spanjaarden met goud bekleed was). Maar genoeg verteld... nog een ding: het was ook tijd voor de finale van de Copa America... Argentinie-Brazilie. We zaten in een cafe vol met brazilianen, en het leek erop dat argentinie - verdiend - ging winnen, tot brazilie in de 93ste minuut gelijk maakt. Onmiddellijk naar penalties, glansrijk verloren door Argentinie. Feest!
Van Cuzco onmiddellijk naar Bolivie, naar het vertrouwde Copacabana (het strand in Rio de Janeiro is naar dit onooglijk plaastje genoemd). Het is fijn om terug in Bolivie te zijn na ongeveer 5 jaar, al is Copacabana wel serieus gegroeid in die tijd.
De rest hou ik voor een ander keer, want het opstel is weer lang genoeg geworden. Laat eens horen hoe het ginder nog gaat, naast gasexplosies e.d.
groeten,
nico
Hallo iedereen,
Tijd voor wat nieuws van ver weg. Laatste bericht hield ergens in Lima op, denk ik, dus zullen we daar maar beginnen. Lima is op zich niet zo fantastisch. Enkele museums bezocht en een prachtig franciscaner klooster, inclusief catacomben, maar dat was het zowat. Pisco ligt wat zuidelijker langs de kust en iemand had me verteld dat het mogelijk was om daar te duiken. Niet dus, en dan maar de Islas Ballestas bezocht, een soort vogelparadijs op enkele uitgeholde rotseilanden niet ver van de kust. OK, maar nu niet om van achterover te vallen.
Next! Naar Nazca, bekend van de lijnen. Om een of andere reden vond de Nazca beschaving het leuk om de bovenlaag van de plaatselijke woestijn weg te schrapen, om zo de witte onderlaag bloot ter leggen, en wel zo dat er specifieke figuren werden gevormd van soms honderden meters groot, enkel zichtbaar uit de lucht. Natuurlijk is er de UFO theorie (landingbanen), maar de serieuzere medemens denkt aan astronomie of waterlopen. Je kunt er met een sportvliegtuigje over vliegen, wat ik dan ook met enige vertraging gedaan heb. Vanop 250 meter hoogte moet je soms goed kijken, maar de piloot werkt mee door het vliegtuig afwisselend compleet op zijn linker- en rechterkant te draaien. Geen friet met mayonaise vooraf, aub
Verder zuidwaarts dan, naar Arequipa. Huisvest het fantastische Santa Catalina klooster, zo groot dat het zelfs enkele straatjes heeft, afwisselend in azuur, rood en geel geschilderd. Ook geweldig is een museum dat door Juanita bewoond wordt. Juanita is een mummy van een 10 jarig meisje, die door de inca's op de top van de Ampato vulkaan geofferd werd. Nu is die vulkaan 6300 meter hoog, en zeulden ze offergaves, stro, tenten en zelfs zand voor het graf mee naar boven. Dit maakt van de incas de eerste echte bergbeklimmers. Juanita zelf wordt bewaard in een glazen diepvries en is perfect geconserveerd, buiten de ogen die even aan de zon zijn blootgesteld.
Arequipa is ook gastheer voor enkele matchen van de Copa America, en aangezien ik er toch was ben ik maar naar Brazilie-Paraguay gaan kijken. Wel eens de moeite, en verrassend verloren door Brazilie!
Op ongeveer 5 uur bussen afstand ligt de Colca canyon, maximaal ongeveer 1700 meter diep. Ik moet zeggen dat ik het zelf eerder een steile vallei vind dan een canyon, maar kom. De eerste dag naar beneden gewandeld, dan overnacht in een bamboe hut (van muren konden we niet echt spreken, het contact met de natuur was, ahum, optimaal) en de volgende dag naar een ander dorpje gewandeld, toepasselijk Oasis genaamd (palmbomen en zwembad). De dag erna om 3 uur 's morgens beginnen wandelen, 2-3 uur steile klim terug uit de canyon. Dit allemaal om ergens tussen 7 en 9 per bus aan te komen bij de Cruz del Condor bekend om .... yep, de condors. Soms zijn dingen net zo makkelijk als ze lijken.
Het is behoorlijk spectaculair. De beesten met enige meters spanwijdte vliegen boven en onder je door, zo dicht dat je de veren kan tellen moest iemand daar een passie voor hebben.
Nog een paar uur bussen verder voor een klassieker: hot pools. Afmeting van een zwembad deze keer, en bediening aan de rand van het bad met cocktails en vers vruchtensap. Het leven kan hard zijn.
Terug in Arequipa nog wat rondgehangen, net lang genoeg om mijn kleine rugzak te laten stelen. Ik zat te ontbijten en te lezen in een klein restaurantje op de Plaza de Armas en heb het totaal niet gemerkt, mijn rugzak stond zelf tegen mijn voeten. Gewoon meegegegritst. Nu, ze zullen telerugesteld zijn: geen camera, geen geld, enkel een boek en het doosje van mijn zonnebril. Toch vervelend.
De bus naar Cuzco was andermaal een belevenis. Cruz del Sur behandeld al haar bussen alsof het vliegtuigen zijn. Je moet je bagage inchecken, en bij het aankomen drukken ze erop dat je moet blijven zitten tot de bus volledig tot stilstand is gekomen. De stewardess duidt zelfs de nooduitgangen aan. Deze keer was er onboard entertainment. Eerst eten, daarna BINGO! Jaja, iedereen krijgt een kaartje en mag meespelen. Tenslotte nog een film om af te sluiten.
Cuzco in een prachtige koloniale stad, waar veel gebouwen zichtbaar bovenop op oude inca muren gebouwd zijn (Cuzco was de inca hoofdstad, de navel van de wereld). Per bus en per trein naar Aguas Calientes, en 's morgens om 5 uur beginnen wandelen naar de ingang van Maccu Picchu. Die eerste momenten, voor de bussen beginnen toestromen zijn geweldig. Je wandelt door de ruines en ziet de mist wegtrekken van de bergen wanneer de eerste zonnestralen de stenen muren raken. De schoonheid van de site ligt in de combinatie van ligging, architectuur, materialen en geschiedenis... Ondanks de massa toeristen een must.
Rond Cusco zijn nog een hoop Inca restanten te zien, allemaal spectaculair op hun eigen manier (de stenen van 100 ton die naadloos in elkaar passen in Sacsaywaman bijvoorbeeld, of de zonnetempel die voor de spanjaarden met goud bekleed was). Maar genoeg verteld... nog een ding: het was ook tijd voor de finale van de Copa America... Argentinie-Brazilie. We zaten in een cafe vol met brazilianen, en het leek erop dat argentinie - verdiend - ging winnen, tot brazilie in de 93ste minuut gelijk maakt. Onmiddellijk naar penalties, glansrijk verloren door Argentinie. Feest!
Van Cuzco onmiddellijk naar Bolivie, naar het vertrouwde Copacabana (het strand in Rio de Janeiro is naar dit onooglijk plaastje genoemd). Het is fijn om terug in Bolivie te zijn na ongeveer 5 jaar, al is Copacabana wel serieus gegroeid in die tijd.
De rest hou ik voor een ander keer, want het opstel is weer lang genoeg geworden. Laat eens horen hoe het ginder nog gaat, naast gasexplosies e.d.
groeten,
nico
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