Archive for April, 2024


Segunda Vez en Machu Picchu

Filed under: Musings & Ramblings, Peru, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
April 22, 2024

The first time was in 2017 to celebrate my birthday in a country that has been in my bucket list far too long. And Machu Picchu has been listed for the longest time, waiting to be ticked off! This time around, I made sure I’m in the best of health to truly enjoy this magical Incan citadel, only to learn I unfortunately have high altitude issues. Not as bad as it was 7 years ago, but it was concerning enough to make me mindful. When our guide led the group to climb up further for a better view, I begged off and waited solo for them to climb down and fetch me — after nearly an hour in a spot with no shade but with a fantastic view of the citadel. You bet I took endless photos to a point I confused myself which images to keep. And with so many tour groups passing and pausing in my spot, I must have heard 5 versions of the Machu Picchu mystery.

Stayed the night in this hotel in Sacred Valley before the Machu Picchu visit.

The last time I was here, I was struck with altitude sickness. Guess what? I had it again. But this time, milder. The 2017 episode must have messed up my mind as I wasn’t prepared for it and honestly didn’t know what to do. This time around, I had more confidence despite the migraine, racing heartbeat and low oxygen levels. My oxymeter says oxygen dropping to 70 but I made some breathing exercises and managed to elevate it to 80+, still below the 95 level but the quick relief gave me comfort. When it dropped below 70, I thought the gadget wasn’t functioning right but knowing the brain is affected by lack of oxygen, I headed to the hotel’s reception and asked for an oxygen tank. Voila. Problem solved. And unlike before, I stayed calm so my heartbeat was better managed below 100. (It raced to 127 well past my bedtime back in 2017) All’s well!

At the start of the hike, our guide led us uphill “for a better view”. I kept nudging him to ask how much further and higher, but this excitable guide kept saying I’d get the energy from the Incan Citadel to forge ahead! Naaaaah. I put my foot down and reminded him that I have a heart condition and would not climb any higher. This is my second visit here and knew it wasn’t necessary to climb up for a better view. No way. The view I see is perfect for me. I just couldn’t have it better. Best view without the struggle! So the rest of the troop climbed higher and came back for me after an hour – in a spot that could do with some shade. I drained my tube of sunblock and must have smelled sweet enough for a swarm of bees to chase me some half hour while waiting.

We may not have solved the “mystery” of Machu Picchu but everyone in the group was very happy for the experience. Tired. Yes. Fatigued. Yes. But just the thought that we finally got here after 5 years of planning — with all the mishaps — made us all feel fulfilled. Yes, I think that’s what it felt like. For me, the fact that I realized I have altitude issues renders me mindful on how I travel. Regrettably, I had to abstain from all the pisco sour cocktails and vino. Drank myself to nearly drowning point 😂 that it disturbed my sleep. It was a struggle but I managed. I just feel bad skipping on the wine especially during happy hours. 😩

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Back in Peru (2024)

Filed under: lima, Musings & Ramblings, Peru, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
April 20, 2024

From Patagonia, we flew back to the capital of Santiago, Chile and then switched airports and took an international flight to Lima, Peru. Long drives, a domestic flight and a regional/international flight in a single day. All endured with a smile as we excitedly prepped for our way towards Machu Picchu, obviously the highlight of our Andean adventure. But first, Lima for a couple of nights. The Plaza de Armas in the Centro Hispanico, the famous “kiss” statue in the Love Park or Parque de Amor, the Parque Kennedy with its many resident cats, the Basilica Catedral de Lima and the Basilica y Convento de San Francisco (with the catacombs!), Larcomar for shopping and dining along the Pacific Ocean. If you’re booked in a hotel within or around Miraflores, you’d enjoy exploring the area with its tiny shops and sangucherias like La Lucha near Parque Kennedy — exactly as I remember them back when I first visited in 2017. I was eager to once more try the Pisco Sour, the chicha morada, lomo saltado, suspiro de lucuma, chirimoya, lechon sandwiches, chicharones and Inca Cola.

Barkada Photo at Parque de Amor
under the Beso Statue

It was hot and humid but with a slight breeze. The men donned their shorts while the ladies wore their cotton shirts and sun dresses. Walked ahead of the group and skipped half of the catacombs tour, which I’ve done in 2017 and have no interest revisiting again. The other spots within the Centro Hispanico with all its colonial architecture — this I like. The only thing I failed to visit again in Lima is the fruit market where I enjoyed the sweetest chirimoya ever! Also, I wouldn’t mind a trip to Barranco to imbibe its more bohemian vibes and to try one of the Michelin-ranked restos in the capital. (Our Chilean visa issues threw a monkey wrench on our usual travel plans.)

Lima may not require many days to cover but it has its own charm. If you’re planning ahead, do make those restaurant reservations well ahead of time. This place is pure gastronomy where meat and seafood rank supreme. We didn’t do so badly in this department despite the lack of dining itinerary. Our last dinner as a group at Punta Azul in Miraflores was all seafood, wine and rice — as in all kinds of rice! Tried chicharonnes, pulpo, ceviche, scallops, and 4 rice dishes. Man, these Asians missed their rice!!!

Yummy sandwiches here — like lechon and chicharon! And the best fries.
Dinner at Punta Azul. 👍
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Patagonia Vibes

Filed under: Patagonia, South America, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
April 17, 2024

Ice, Ice Baby. Seriously chill mornings, sunrise at 7:30am and temps bottoming at -4 C with the wind factor. We landed in Punta Arenas where we stayed a night before moving to Puerto Natales where Torres del Paine is. Every trip has its highlights but I must admit this trip had way too many. The Chilean side of Patagonia may not present the total picture but seeing those mountain peaks, glaciers and blue lakes won’t fail to soothe your nerves after a long drive. Like a balm to your soul. Typically, I blog about my travels within 24 hours of the experience. Not this time. Took a while to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) to recall these pleasant, recent memories. Not sure why — was I too tired? Or was I wont to stir these Patagonia vibes which I refuse to shake off? At day’s end, I felt compelled to hug and thank our excellent guide Gabriella for all the fabulous adventures. Patagonia gave me a natural high.

Bundled up for the magic that unfolded before us. Located way south of Chilean Patagonia, the park truly mesmerized us with insanely blue skies and lakes, majestic mountain peaks and valleys. The closest city is Puerto Natales where we stayed 3 nights. The hotel alone where we stayed was a pleasant surprise with breakfasts served with stunning views. Somehow, we felt spoiled as we coped with sceneries after sceneries of mountain ranges, aqua blue lakes and impossibly sunny skies! Everything that should be seen was enjoyed sans cloud and fog covers. What a gift!

The catamaran cruise towards the Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers was very relaxing. Part of the Bernardo O’ Higgins Park, the glaciers can be reached only by boat. We shared the boat with many other travelers just as eager as we are to see these natural wonders. The Park is the largest in Chile and one of top 4 in the world. The glaciers didn’t disappoint, nor the lunch served in Estancia Perales . Lamb and more lamb, along with the Estancia’s fine vino. Another glorious day!

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Heading South. Really South.

Filed under: Chile, Musings & Ramblings, Phlog, South America, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
April 9, 2024

Have you been to Punta Arenas? How about Puerto Natales to check out the Chilean side of Patagonia? Torre del Paine and the calving glaciers of Balmaceda y Serrano are certainly NOT to be missed. (But that segment of the trip deserves a separate blog.) And right now, I’m just too confused what to write about. Too many highlights! This trip to Chile has had its varied stressful episodes — like delayed visa issuances, many changes in itinerary, postponement from an originally-scheduled trip in 2020, 5 years in planning and all of 8 domestic, regional and international flights (including Peru) on this trip but we are not complaining. 😉

Punta Arenas. Flew from Santiago to this southern tip of the narrowest, longest country in the world.
Hi there. Or as they say here, Hola!

Snow-capped mountains, the bluest waters, glaciers, waterfalls and fields of alfalfa. Plus the wildlife. Andean condors, armadillos, sheep, Patagonian horses, fox and guanacos. And if you’re seriously into wildlife, there are whales, sea lions, penguins, pumas, and flamingoes. Frankly, we’re quite happy seeing the Andean condors. Nature at its best!

Replica of the NAO Victoria , the first ship to circumnavigate the world.

After some days resting our butts in Santiago, Chile we flew south to Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. The Chilean Patagonia. We had good luck and timed it perfectly in the weather department. While temps hovered between negatives and positive 7 Celsius, the sun was out the 5 days we were here. Every mountain peak showed up! Even the clouds parted into unique patterns, letting the sun beam for better-lighted snapshots. Slight showers, snow flurries, but only for brief moments. And those peaks and valleys showed up in all its clear glory, making photography buffs in our group grow insanely excited and happy. Same goes with the camwhores who have stacked up megabytes in their photo galleries. Our gizmo’s batteries drained and storage full. But that slight setback was ignored completely as we just couldn’t move on from the landscapes, seascapes we saw before us. Nothing can upset my dreamy Patagonia vibes here. The clouds above and the rolling waves from both the South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans cheered us up. The Strait of Magellan was a good reminder of how Magellan discovered this southern Chilean strip before navigating onwards to discover the Philippine Islands in the 1520’s. Hmmm, we share some history here. And it’s interesting how we each “turned out”.

The Barkada in Fundo San Fernando where we had a soupy beef dish that reminded us of pochero.
Hiking is always a happy adventure for this group.
At Fundo San Fernando’s Parque Keuken

For many of our meals, lamb ruled. Ranchos and estancias provided meaty dishes with portions overly generous that carnivores may choose to live here. As for seafood, I enjoyed their ceviches, pulpo, and filete de cormoran. Been searching for the “Chilean sea bass” but it appears this is pure branding since the real fish is simply referred to as corvina just like the dorado or salmon commonly available. For sure, they grow real sweet tomatoes and onions — just these 2 sprinkled with olive oil and salt enough to prep your appetite. Coffee was a disappointment though, at least those served in our hotels. I rather expected strong, quality coffee thinking Colombia is in the same region. Thus, our morning runs included trips to cafés to pick up our morning brew. This in seriously chill mornings where the sun rises at 7:30 am.

Across our lovely hotel in Puerto Natales is this park fronting the sea.

Between Punta Arenas where the airport is located and Puerto Natales where Torre del Paine can be found, is a nearly 3 hour drive. It must be lonely driving these well-paved roads in winter. But on second thought, those towers covered in snow in all its resplendent beauty can’t fail to cheer anyone up. Just lovely.

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A Neruda Kind of Day

Filed under: Chile, Musings & Ramblings, poetry, South America, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
April 8, 2024

From an urban landscape to rustic villages lining the coast of the longest and narrowest country in the world, it took nearly 2 hours driving from Santiago to Isla Negra. One of Chile’s famous citizens was Pablo Neruda, a poet and I must add, a full-blooded romantic. Makes me wonder if all poets are indeed romantics. His two-storey house in Isla Negra is one of 3 — the other two can be found in Santiago and Valparaiso. The one in Isla Negra is an oceanfront lovely house filled with curio and childhood souvenirs that give you a better appreciation of Señor Pablo.

There are 14 “stations” where the audio guide details the items found in each. Here’s one audio guide I truly enjoyed. Whoever crafted the narratives are so good that one feels the sentimental values and laugh at the humor just listening to the well-articulated descriptions. The rooms and halls are a tad tiny — as Neruda wanted a house designed like a boat — which enhanced a visitor’s personal encounter. Most rooms have large glass windows facing the Pacific Ocean where waves wildly crash the boulders. It was almost violent but still a lovely sight that must have inspired many of Neruda’s poems.

It is a pity that photography is not allowed inside the house. But someone in our group snapped some photos which I’m sharing here. If I were bold enough, I would have taken a picture of the bedroom with its crocheted bedcovers and the living room which looked more like an antique shop. Oh, there’s also the small writing room which Señor Pablo considered his “refuge” and where many of his poems were written. I can just imagine him seated behind that desk, staring at the ocean and listening to the sound of waves . As one steps outside the house, the cold wind slaps your face and perks your senses awake. Sitting still on the benches is a welcome luxury. Bathed in sunlight and lightly sprayed with ocean mist, the outdoor spots truly offer a meditative break — a pleasure.

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Touchdown, Santiago de Chile

Filed under: Food Trip, Musings & Ramblings, Phlog, South America, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
April 5, 2024

Finally joined up with my travel buddies who flew in from Manila to Sydney to catch a connecting flight into Santiago, Chile. The Qantas flight from Down Under took 12 hours where I hardly had a wink. Shouldn’t complain since my buddies endured another 8 hours plus all the waiting time at the 2 airports for a gruelling 28 hours. By the time we landed in the country’s capital, we were all wasted. But pleasant weather welcomed us in Santiago, named after one of our favorite saints. Hearing and speaking Spanish is both familiar and a struggle for many of us, but the excitement balances all sentiments and dulls the anxieties.

Our Pisco Sour and Empanada Outing on Day 1
Cool early evenings. Perfect cocktail hours.

A very manageable walking distance from our hotel is the Costanera Mall in the quiet, posh neighborhood of Providencia. That’s how we spotted La Pikada along with the laundromat we’d use before we move out of the capital on Day 6. The Mall is huge, houses over 300 stores and the Sky Tower which is touted as the highest sky deck in South America. It’s a good place for shopping and some dining. We tried a bistecca and empanadas here before walking back to our hotel. The next day, we explored the city’s Mercado Central. Lunch was seafood in Donde Blanca amid stall after stall of clams and fish varieties from Merluza to dorado to salmon to a new find, Reineta (pomfret). The Resto transformed this assortment of sea creatures to stews, soup, ceviches or simply grilled. Paired well with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a red vino. Meatless, on an Easter Week!

Donde Blanca Restaurant
A Seafood Stew. I’m all for clams, mussels and scallops.

We took it real easy the first 3 days. The hotel’s veranda is our designated spot for cocktails starting at 6pm. We exchanged notes especially on where to buy and dine at the end of each day. Dealing with jet lag is a struggle so the first 3 days took care of that. On the 4th day, we tried to cover as much of the city as possible. Still, we managed on a very leisurely pace. Well, it isn’t like we had to tick off all the boxes. We particularly enjoyed the stroll around the park. With an urban landscape as a background, it was refreshing to find ponds, gardens and kids’ playgrounds. It’s the city’s oxygen tank where nearly 40% of the nation’s population work and live.

Waiting for our seafood lunch
Fishy fishy Spot

Then there’s the Plaza Armas. A typical Latino square with the cathedral as the centrepiece. It is the heartbeat of the city from where many folks congregate, many eateries flourish and where many tourists never failed to visit as a must-destination. Buskers abound too, from singers to dancers to jugglers. And so do the resident pickpockets. Just the typical scenario in any capital. Cuidate!

Bicentario Parque
Plaza Armas

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