Bariloche in Patagonia

Would you believe that surrounded by forests and lakes, lies a quaint Swiss-like village 2 hours South of Buenos Aires? We finally hit a climate requiring more than t-shirt and shorts. Bariloche is a beautiful Patagonian ski town in the winter, and lake town in the summer. Since it's now summertime, the weather was just starting to warm up but was still about 55 degrees Farenheit when we arrived.

The town features a number of Swiss and local cuisine restuarants as well as modest hotels and B&Bs. For me, however, the most appealing part of Bariloche was the chocolate shops lining each of the streets. Think about a store the size of Rite-Aid filled with window displays of every possible kind of chocolate. I was in heaven.

We managed to pack in a little adventure as well (see photos of canopying below). We took a car up to the mountains and signed up for an afternoon in the forest, literally swinging from the treetops! It was incredible to glide across the cables that connected platforms deep in the middle of the forest.

As was the case in other parts of our Argentinian journey, we met wonderful people everywhere we went. Even with the language barrier (tourists from Brazil who speak Portuguese travel frequently to Argentina), we managed to make friends at the restaurants and exchange both emails and photos. We've already received dinner invitations in Chile and Brazil! Our taxi driver, noticing my interest in Ricki Martin's song in Spanish, gave me his copy of the CD. Truly, there is something in the water because we faced kindness with every turn.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year. We will be thinking of you as we ring in 2007!


Hugs and kisses from Buenos Aires,
Deb and Lee Essner

Argentina Wine Country: MENDOZA

We were told that Mendoza, southwest of Buenos Aires and a 2-hour flight, is a must-see for Argentina visitors and wine lovers alike. We were NOT disappointed. Though we typically drink full-bodied California Cabernets at home, we quickly learned that the wine of choice in Argentina, hands down, is the Malbec. Ironically, 'Malbec' literally means 'bad nose' in Spanish (you'd think they'd change the name at some point, no?). We found them to be rich, heavy, complicated, and delicious. In fact, we have yet to find one we didn't like. Even the less expensive varieties are very good.

We stayed at a small 12-bedroom house-turned-hotel attached to its own winery and vineyard. The weather was perfect - dry but not too hot. Our hotel organized private tours of four wineries over the course of two days and each day we had an unbelievable lunch (see Lee and spread in photo below). If you liked Napa Valley 15-20 years ago, you will LOVE Mendoza. There are vineyards on every side of the road and the background to these lush green farms is the snow-capped mountains bordering Chile. Incidentally, there is a huge rivalery between Argentina and Chile. Argentines are notorious for raising prices of their goods (particularly leather) for their Chilean neighbors. They are very protective of their wine, too, and will tell you that Chileans only have a small area of land optimal for wine.

On our first day in Mendoza, we met newlyweds from-- you guessed it -- Los Angeles (do you see a theme?)! We spent the day sharing multiple bottles of wine and dinner with them. It was a real treat and we look forward to connecting with them at home in a few months. It's truly a small world...

The wineries we visited were all different- we went to the following and highly recommend them:

• Carinae: Small boutique winery run by a French couple who decided to abandon their lives in Paris and try something different. They knew nothing about wine at the time but have managed to develop a very nice variety of wines.
  
• Cove de Cano: The lunch here was unlike anything we have ever experienced. They served us an enormous spread in the charming caves of the winery and all of the dishes had some variation of Malbec wine incorporated. We enjoyed Malbec-infused rice, grilled onions in Malbec, Malbec pears, and of course, lots of wine.
  
• Landelia: This winery has not yet opened to the public, but they walked us through the entire process of wine-making and we tasted all of their soon-to-be released varieties. It is owned by a Swiss businessman who started the project almost 10 years ago. Imagine 10 years without a profit!
  
• Familia Zuccardi: This is a the opposite end of the spectrum from Carinae. It's a very large operation. The winery is only about 60 years old (that's considered young) and all the machinery/equipment is modern and new. They are experimenting with new technologies and do very very well in terms of sales. Rather than tasting in the traditional fashion, they let us taste the wines straight from the gigantic stainless steele tanks.
  

We spent only 2 nights in Mendoza, and would love to return someday. We flew back to B.A. on Saturday night and are spending a quiet Christmas Day at our apartment. It's starting to dawn on us that we only have 2 weeks in Argentina left. Our mini-trips to Punta and Mendoza have been fantastic, and we have 2 more (Bariloche and Iguazu Falls) left before leaving the country.

We hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday at home. We miss our friends and family especially at this time, but luckily, we have Skype and email access. We wish you all a very happy and healthy 2007! Feliz fin de ano!

"Januca" in Punta del Este, Uruguay

The flight from B.A. to Punta del Este was less than 30 minutes long. We arrived just before the pandemonium which is said to begin the day after Christmas and all through January. The town was gearing up for over 300,000 visitors from all over the world - Brazil, Argentina, and Europe for the most part. As luck would have it, the first people we met were from Santa Monica, California.

We spent the first few days of Chanukkah ('Januca' in Spanish) in Punta and relaxed on the famous Bikini Beach and poolside, before dining in the small port town in the evenings. Unfortunately, the weather was not always clear and a few showers interrupted our sunbathing. It was a short two-night getaway but a worthwhile one. We returned to B.A. for a night, and returned to the airport the following morning for our next getaway...

Exploring B.A.

We are now in our third week in Buenos Aires (pronounced Buenos AY-RES). Much to my own surprise, fears of communicating in Spanish have subsided quite a bit since our arrival. That, I attribute to our 9 hr/wk of Spanish lessons and a conscious effort to listen, watch, and read everything in sight. We frequently watch TV programs in Spanish, as well as the imported movies that are subtitled in Spanish. Word of caution, the translations are not always accurate.

Though Lee has unsuccessfully located issues of his favorite magazine, The Economist, here in Buenos Aires, I managed to find a few for me in English. I was thrilled to find InStyle at a local newsstand but halfway through the issue, I realized that it was older than originally thought at the time of purchase. I assumed the November issue was for this year. But a photo of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey together clued me in (yes, that's sad)- it was from 2005. Just goes to show, much of the content you find in such lifestyle magazines can be recycled year after year. The lesson here, English-language pubs are not only more expensive, but they are always outdated.

We went to our first Tango show recently (see photos below). Tango is HUGE in Argentina. It's not uncommon to find mini-Tango shows occurring on the streets of B.A. We attended a dinner/show at one of the most beautiful hotels we've ever seen - Faena Hotel in the newest part of town called Puerto Madero. Also popular are Tango shows that are followed by dance lessons for audience members. Unfortunately, Lee has zero interest in partaking in this beautiful past time. Those of you who know Lee, can't blame him. Just kidding, honey!

Before signing off, I must speak a four-letter word: MEAT. Those of you who enjoy a nice steak with a fine bottle of red wine should stop what you're doing, buy a ticket to Argentina, and come here IMMEDIATELY. Apparently, Argentinian cows eat grass and American ones eat corn. Es una differencia muy GRANDE! The steak - whether it's rib eye, tenderloin, or fillet Mignon, is as tender as butter. And the best part, you can enjoy two very fine portions of meat AND a bottle of wine for less than $40 US. Now, I like a nice petite fillet like the next girl, but this stuff is addictive. I must remind myself to have my cholesterol checked when we return, though from what I can tell, America suffers far greater from obesity than the carnivorous Argentine folk. Is there something really to the low-carb craze??

On Sunday, we're off to Punta del Este (Uruguay) for a few days. After several weeks of hustle and bustle city life, beach time will be a nice respite. We've planned weekend excursions for the duration of our stay in Argentina (departing the country on Jan 7). After Punta, we head to the wine country, called Mendoza, and Bariloche - located in Patagonia. Hasta luego...

Espanol 101

We arrived in Buenos Aires 6 days ago and have not yet taken ONE picture. Unlike my previous entries (admittedly heavy on facts), I have nothing to say about the city's history or the major tourist attractions. We decided to soak it all in and become acclimated to our surroundings. Plus, we're tired of carrying our camera around.

Our first task: learn/brush up on Spanish. My first realization - it's all Castellano here. Despite a few years of training in Spanish, I can barely make out 50% of the conversations here. I now have some appreciation for foreigners who visit the US and struggle with all the various accents (e.g. Southern, New York, Valley Girl). We found a small school and enrolled in Spanish classes for the next several weeks. Of course, they teach THEIR own flavor (as our teacher put it, "YOU Americans wouldn't teach English in the British accent, would you?" - which is quite different than what we learned in our home state of Cali-Mexico. And, they talk really fast. We've had our first two classes already and the frustration level is at Level Orange. Ay caramba!

We love our apartment. It's gigantic, with hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. The water pressure is low, but we don't care. It's in a charming building built in 1910 and we have a nice view of the neighborhood park. The owner is an architect and has a keen eye for interior design. We have a full kitchen and went to the nearby 'supermercado' to pick up some essentials. Nobody really speaks English here and the labels are not always helpful so, we have probably purchased swiss cheese instead of provolone, and Half & Half instead of milk. The supermarket is like Kmart and VONS in one - 2 stories and just as many brands as we have.

We managed to find the jelly/jam aisle but could not find any peanut butter. Lee found the word for 'peanut butter' in his handy translator toy and we attempted to ask an employee where it might be located. He looked at us like we were nuts (pun intended) and pointed to their Dulce de Leche section. They have 15 different kinds of dulce de leche- a sweet dessert spread that looks like peanut butter but with 4 Xs the calories. Think nutella but caramel-flavored.

We were on a mission now. We went to every market in the neighborhood asking for the stuff. Finally, one store owner said that some specialty stores carry peanut butter but it's really bad. Now, we have not felt much home-sickness so far but in that moment, I could see the sadness on Lee's face. I felt a lump in my throat. We miss the good 'ole fashioned nutty, the creamy, the Skippy, and even Jiff.

If you're reading this now, take a large spoon, dip it into your peanut butter jar and savor each morsel. Though everything is dirt cheap here (the peso is about 1/3 of the dollar), we would be more than willing to pay blackmarket prices for a taste of American peanut butter...

Lima and Machupicchu

Thanksgiving in Peru

We left Belize just before Thanksgiving and arrived in Lima in time for Turkey Day. However, Peruvians don't really eat much turkey and most certainly do not celebrate the holiday. Our journey to Machupicchu was long and arduous indeed. We spent one night (roughly 3 hours of sleep at a hotel near the airport) in Lima and took the first flight to Cusco. Cusco was once known as the Inca civilization's capital (see last picture below). The altitude in Cusco is over 10,000 ft - extremely thin air. Most tourists who are unaccustomed to the altitude experience some degree of illness. We were lucky- it didn't hit us as badly. When we arrived at our hotel in Cusco, they served us a bitter drink called 'Mate Coca' - which is supposed to alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. It was quite delicious and we enjoyed it several times a day. After a brief stroll through town, we went back to get plenty of sleep before our trek to Machupicchu.

When we had first arrived at our hotel in Cusco, a woman we assumed worked for the hotel, began to check us in and discuss our tour options for Machupicchu. This is not exactly a scam but these agents conspire with the hotels so they can get to you upon arrival. She helped arrange our train and bus tickets, tour of the Inca ruins, and return to Cusco. Our time in Peru was in stark contrast to that in Belize. We were up every morning before 5 a.m. and experienced all forms of transportation almost every day we spent there. It's just par for the course and if you can look past the travel time and hassle, you will have an incredible experience.

Machupicchu

For those who may not remember the history of Machupicchu - a very brief lesson. Machupicchu is a lost city built by the Inca civilization in the early 1400s. They estimate that less than 1000 inhabitants actually lived in the now ruins, which took about 150 years to build - you can see signs that it was still a work in progress and they had not finished. Sadly, they were interupted by the Spaniards who attempted to conquer Peru in 1532. Essentially, the town was built for Incan royalty - kings mostly, not commoners.

After a 4-hour train ride and 25 minutes bus ride from the town 'Aguas Calientes,' we arrived in Machupicchu. It was spectacular and since the elevation was lower than that in Cusco (7,000 ft or so), we could finally breathe easier. When your tour guide takes you up to the ruins, you literally cannot believe what you see. There are two segments to the ruins - the agricultural section and the urban section. The agricultural section was made up on terraces where they did the farming. The urban section was where the kings resided. The steps were often steep and slippery (especially since it was damp and later rainy). They were very short people back then (and actually, the people of Peru are still shorter comparatively) so everything was lower. Felt like home to me!

We spent a few hours in the ruins, just marveling at how awesome it all was. We have vowed to return again someday - perhaps with our children. According to a man we met on the train (a UN representative from Bolivia who visited 12 years ago), the surrounding area (Aguas Calientes) is far more tourist-centric. Back when he first visited, there were less than 50 people visiting the ruins. During our visit, there were hundreds of visitors from all over the world. It was one of the most inspiring places I have ever seen and a huge highlight. We have many more countries to see, but Machupicchu is my personal favorite thus far and an absolute MUST if you ever have the opportunity to visit.

Our "concierge" (if we can call her that) screwed up our train tickets so we were forced to take a late train back to Cusco. But as it turns out, we were on the party train. The crew members were unlike any other. They played house/techno music, conducted a fashion show, and even put on a dance performance for the passengers. It made the 4-hour ride go by faster.

The next morning, we flew back to Lima for an additional night and hoped to get a better impression than the initial stay prior to our Machupicchu adventure. This time, our hotel was in Miraflores - known as the nicest neighborhood in the city. We purchased some art by an extremely talented local artist (Junin) in the surrealist form and will likely order additional works (he's already going global!). He is incredible and of course, very humble.

Our friend from the UN had recommended a restaurant called 'Astrid y Gaston' and we later learned that it was one of the world's finest restaurants. It was a gastronomical joy! The restaurant was gorgeous - walls covered with art and the service, impeccable. I expressed some interest in the country's typical beverage- Pisco Sour and within minutes, the head bartender (Hans from Germany) came to our table to give me samples of the beverage. Needless to say, our impression of Lima improved 10-fold by the time we left.

At this point, we are looking forward to staying put somewhere (we have been living out of our suitcases). Our next stop is Buenos Aires, where we are renting an apartment in the Recoleta district for about 6 weeks. I had read an article in the New York Times about short-term rentals in B.A. and found a beautiful Parisian building through a quoted resource. Vamos a ver (we shall see)!

First stop, Belize

LARIUM VS. MALARONE

One of the biggest decisions we made this week, prior to departure, was over malaria drugs. We’ll be spending 60 days in “malaria zones” throughout the next several months and our doctor suggested taking either Larium or Malarone. If you google Larium, you’ll read about the many lawsuits and horror stories involving patients who had experienced (and continue to experience) adverse side effects. Some have psychotic episodes and hallucinations for years following administration of the drug. So, we opted for Malarone, which was said to have fewer adverse side effects overall. We took our first dose the day before our departure and within the hour, Lee was feeling extreme nausea, pounding headache, and just plain loopy (his word, not mine). Luckily, we had filled both prescriptions and after consulting our doctor, my brother (also a physician), and our local pharmacist, we decided Lee should switch to Larium. We continue to cross our fingers and hope he doesn’t go psychotic! It was certainly a bumpy start but by our 3:30 a.m. wake up call, we were forced to get into gear. Lee awoke to a slightly minor headache but all in all, the side effects subsided long enough for us to board our flight to Belize City.

BELIZE

We landed in Belize City in the early evening, exhausted, and decided to get a quick bite at the hotel restaurant before retiring to bed. Belize City is less than glamorous. If not for the airport’s location and flight schedules, few tourists would stay in the city. Most stay for one night only and take a morning flight to one of the resort towns. We were set to fly to Placencia – a quiet peninsula that boasts one of the best snorkeling and diving spots in the country. On our drive to the airport, our taxi pointed out the homes that were literally sinking because Belize City is 6 feet below sea level. The swampy town did offer some local excursions – a tour of their flagship beer (Belican – which we enjoyed very much) and the citrus factory. Though the streets were unpaved and dirty, everyone was kind and generous. We found this a common thread in Belize.

Belize has two airlines: Tropic Air and Maya Air. Things are very easygoing at the airport. We barely showed our e-ticket confirmation – they just took down our names and compared them to their list of passengers. Soon, we were escorted to our very own Sessna. As it turns out, we were the only two passengers on that flight! Needless to say, we had plenty of legroom. Once aboard, our friendly pilot says, “Welcome aboard. We have a quick stop before heading to our final destination.” I didn't realize planes had unplanned stops... Lee was busy taking photos with our new camera and didn’t seem to mind the additional flights. We landed at the other airport in Belize City, boarded an even smaller Sessna (alone again) and were informed of yet ANOTHER stop! It was certainly beautiful flying over the country and the pilots managed smooth landings onto the slim airstrips.

We were greeted in Placencia by the nicest people you will ever meet. Our hotel, LaruBeya, was voted # 1 on TripAdvisor and we can see why. We are less than 25 yards away from the water’s edge in a roomy suite (kitchen included). The water is as warm as bathwater, shades of emerald and turquoise. It’s our first few days in paradise and we don’t have a telephone, cell phone, blackberry, television, or internet access (I'm typing this at the airport). You may not believe it, but even Lee has managed to forget about his technological toys for a while. Placencia is a remote peninsula, measuring roughly 21 miles long and one road- rocky and only paved near the airport and Francis Ford Copolla's gorgeous resort. It’s a little like Gilligan’s Island – but we are far more prepared for malaria! We are surrounded by bountiful beauty and peace.

We spent 7 days in Placencia and made some great new friends. It's a tiny village and the biggest controversy between various groups of locals is whether or not they should actually pave the main road. Those who argue against it claim that the town will lose its charm and become another touristy destination. We can certainly understand that arguement (compare Cabo San Lucas).

We met interesting people, including a sweet Italian woman who moved to Placencia after visiting before the hurricane hit several years ago (scars of the devastation still remain though most of the homes were rebuilt). She and her husband opened a genuine Italian gelato shop in the middle of town and feel they were destined to introduce the ice cream treat to the locals. They make their ice cream fresh daily and you'll never find a better tasting peanut butter.

Getting into travel mode was easy in Belize -- we relaxed and prepared for our next stop: Peru and hiking Machu Picchu.

Please Keep in Touch!

We're going to miss our families and friends tremendously. It goes without saying that you all have an open invitation to join us throughout our journey. If you want to get a hold of us, the best methods are:

1. Email us on our gmail accounts
2. Download Skype and call us (we're listed in the directory under LeeEssner)

Look forward to hearing from you!

Planning... so much to do

With our departure just a few short weeks away, our days are spent entirely running errands. Between immunizations, Visas, tickets, and hotel reservations, planning is really a full-time gig! While our itinerary has been largely finalized, it has been extremely difficult to decide where to go given all the fascinating places from which to choose.

Here is our current itinerary. We leave on November 14, 2006.

Los Angeles to Belize
Belize to Lima, Peru
Lima to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro to Bahia
Bahia to Cape Town, S. Africa
Cape Town to Kruger National Park (Safari)
Kruger National Park to Seychelles Islands
Seychelles to Mumbai, India
Mumbai to Delhi, India
Delhi to Goa, India
Goa to Kerala, India
Kerala to Maldives Islands
Maldives to Hong Kong
Hong Kong to Shanghai, China
Shanghai to Sydney, Australia
Sydney to Gold Coast, Australia
Gold Coast to Cairnes (Great Barrier Reef), Australia
Cairnes to Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand to Fiji
Fiji to Los Angeles

We return to Los Angeles on April 17, 2007 for two weeks, then head to Marbella, Spain until July 17, 2007