6 Months, 6 Weeks, 6 Days

The journey back to Buenos Aires was definitely a much more enjoyable experience than our previous rides in Bolivia.  After spending one night in Jujuy, Juan and I boarded the last bus we would be taking on our trip…a 22-hour bus ride in executive class.  Back in Buenos Aires we got the keys to the apartment we would be renting for one week and let out a sigh of relief.  We were back and it felt good.  I had made a list of things we still wanted to see and do in the city and there was no time to lose.  

Xul Solar ~ Palacios en Bria

Kelly and I hit the ground running, checking out the markets and pedestrian malls doing last-minute shopping and visiting a couple of art galleries like Xul Solar’s, a well-known Argentine artist.  We tried to squeeze in all of our favourite foods too, like “medialunas” (i.e.croissants) and “barista” made coffees for breakfast, “milanesas “ (breaded chicken or beef) and mashed potatoes for lunch, and good old-fashioned parrilla BBQ meats for dinners, all topped off with 1 litre bottles of beer and Malbec wines.  We gave our waistlines no mercy.

Milanesa Napolitanta and Squash

A typical Argentine Breakfast

Birthday Roses & Wine!

Unfortunately, I (Kelly) came down with a chest cold within the first couple days of arriving, which definitely held us back and by my actual birthday I realized that if I didn’t just stay in and rest I wouldn’t be able to have an enjoyable birthday dinner.  In the end, I had a great birthday evening and we managed to have a lot of fun in Buenos Aires despite my coughing. 

That last week in Buenos Aires and the subsequent six weeks back in Winnipeg have really allowed Juan and I to reflect on the last six months we spent traveling through South America.  We’ve definitely had some amazing experiences and would love to share some of our top picks and pics of the trip.  So here it goes…

Valparaiso, Chile

Top 10 Cities/Towns

1.     Buenos Aires, Argentina

2.     Cafayate, Argentina

3.     Valparaiso, Chile

4.     Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

5.     Isla del Sol, Bolivia

6.     Mendoza, Argentina

7.     Salta, Argentina

8.     Samaipata, Bolivia

9.     Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

10. Montevideo, Uruguay

Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Cabana in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

Top 5 Accommodations

1.     Cabaña in Cabo Polonio

2.     La Senda Verde Animal Refuge, Bolivia

3.     The Sheraton, Iguazu Falls National Park

4.     Bellavista Hostel, Santiago, Chile

5.     Bacoo Hostel, La Paz, Bolivia

The Sheraton, Iguazu Falls

Bacoo Hostel, La Paz, Bolivia

La Senda Verde Animal Refuge

Top 5 Foods

1.     Chorizo & Grilled Red Peppers at Mercado del Puerto (Montevideo, Uruguay)

2.     Huaschalocro at Doña Salta (Salta, Argentina)

3.     Salteña Empanadas at El Hornito (Cafayate, Argentina)

4.     Cazuela de carne y zapallo at La Cholita (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

5.     Parrilla a la Pablo Garcia (Belleville, Argentina)

Huaschalocro at Dona Salta

Cazuela at La Cholita

Antares Beer Sampler

Top 5 Drinks

1.     Argentina Malbec Wine

2.     Fernet Branca & Coke

3.     Gancia with Soda Water & Lemon

4.     Antares Beer Sampler (Mendoza, Argentina)

5.     Pisco Sour

The Penguin Pitcher is a Tradition in Argentina 

Catena Zapata Winery in Lujan de Cuyo

Top 5 Wines

1.     Angélica Zapata 2008 Malbec Alta

2.     Punto Final Reserva 2008 Malbec

3.     Azul Reserva 2004 Blend

4.     Nanni 2005 Organic Tannat

5.     Vasija Secreta 2007 Lacrado Malbec

Top 5 Experiences

1.     Downhill Mountain Biking ~ Death Road

2.     Iguazu Falls, Argentina

3.     Penguins, Sea Lions, & Dolphins off the coast of Northern Chile

4.     50km Bike Ride through the Quebrada de Cafayate

5.     WWOOFing at Bodega Utama in Cafayate

Death Road

Iguazu Falls

Fact File
Number of countries visited: 4
Number of kilometers travelled: 18,463km

Number of hostels stayed in: 39

Number of apartments rented: 4

Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites Visited: 7

Number of times Juan stood up on his surfboard: 12

Number of times Kelly got sick: 3
Total cash stolen:  48,000 Chilean pesos, or $100 CAD

Quebrada de Cafayate

Wine making at Utama

Kelly and I still love each other.  Now back in Winnipeg for 6 weeks, we haven’t stopped enjoying the company of family and friends.  Interestingly enough we haven’t experienced much culture shock – I guess after half a year of travelling nothing surprises us.  But now in 6 days we embark on our next adventure to Guelph, Ontario where Kelly will commence her master’s degree in Rural Planning and Development.  Perhaps we’ll start a new blog about the trials and tribulations of finding a new engineering job, setting up our new apartment, and details about Kelly’s research…or then again, maybe not.  Two things are for sure: it’s great to be back in beautiful and peaceful Canada, and we can’t wait for another adventure somewhere in the world.  We’ll keep you posted!

Juan and Kelly