happy easter

hello from valparaiso chile.  itś easter and i guess that most things are closed here.  i probably should have moved on from here but since it was difficult for people to find transport to other cities and places to stay, i figured i would just stay in valparaiso.  itś cool here though.  a nice city with lots of street art.  awesome street art.  to call it graffiti would be a sin, i think.

im sorry that i haven been super awesome with my updates on here.  and sometimes day to day stuff is not too exciting.  and whatever.  and sometimes it is.

chile has been great really.  i didn`t even expect to come here but i did.  i found out that americans can still cross into chile via land without paying the reciprocity fee.  i will tell you that the reciprocity fee is getting in the way of my travel adventures.  i didn`t go to bolivia for that reason.  but people say that bolivia is beautiful and cheap.  and it would probably pay me back in that way, but i just wasn`t organized for it.  i get the whole point of the reciprocity fee... the united states charges people from these countries to get into the states so they charge us.  completely understand.  but i hate that us travelers are the ones who have to pay for our government`s decisions.  i wish that congress or the president was cutting me a check for this.  but until it`s done with i guess that i have to keep paying.  and i will because i don`t see myself cutting down on traveling anytime soon.

so yeah... enough of the rant.  life has been awesome.  truly awesome really.  and the thought of coming home is just... gross.  i don`t know how else to explain it.  people keep asking me when i will be returning to the states.  people i meet here and some of you from home and ugh... i don`t even want to think about it.  but it is such a common question.  i joke with everyone that you have the 5 main questions when you meet someone new and we should all just carry a fact sheet around with us.  first question is generally.... where are you from?  second is... how long have you been traveling?  third... where have you been?  fourth... where are you going to?  and fifth... which sometimes you honestly never get to... or you get to it hours or days later... what is your name?  but i don`t mind those questions because generally everyone enjoys talking about traveling.  duh.  but the question of when are you going back to the states?  um... not sure?  maybe a couple months.  maybe a couple weeks?  and people generally respond.... that`s awesome.  which it is.  i like not having an end date.  but then at the same time i feel like i`m suppose to.  i will figure it out someday.  i thought by now i would have a clue but i honestly don`t at the moment.

the thing i love really about this trip is all the people.  i have met some great people.  a lot from germany.  a lot.  to the point that i think i should be speaking german right now.  but they`ve all been cool.  i think i have liked everyone i`ve met with only a few exceptions.  and some people i`ve met and didn`t connect enough with to exchange information but have wanted to tell them something later.  that always stinks.  it is a weird thing to meet people, share something awesome, and then go about your way.  cause it is awesome in the moment then is kinda sad a day or two later.  i have been able to catch up with a couple people... so that has been awesome.  but overall it`s just an in the moment type thing.  besides germans i would say i have met a lot of brits, some americans (actually a guy from watertown and a guy from the cape... oh and two guys who lived in dorchester), some australians... but not nearly as many as i would have thought.  some people from israel.  some from the countries that i`m visiting.  it is pretty cool.  i wish i had discovered the awesomeness of hostels at a younger age.  not that i mind staying here now... but it is such a fun experience that i wish i have been aware of it years ago.  i was always so scared of hostels.  scared of sharing dorms, of people taking my stuff, of bed bugs (which apparently are quite common here), etc but it has been alright.  people are cool and most places have lockers.

after traveling here for a bit of time, i think i can say that south america gets a bad rap in the states.  yes, there are super shady parts and yes there are more pickpockets here than in the states, but overall it has been alright.  in quito and buenos aires i saw cops EVERYWHERE.  like... everywhere.  it made me feel safe.  and everyone talks about bolivia and columbia back home that it is just the scariest place in the world, but i have met so many people... some solo female travelers who have really enjoyed both of those countries.  said they felt safe and that it was incredibly beautiful.  and so i am glad to be out exploring the world.  to... understand how life is.  and to not completely feed into american media cause i think they make it sound worse than what it is.  who knows.  maybe i`m wrong.  maybe i`ll get mugged today.  it could happen.  but right now... south america is an amazing continent with amazing people... it`s beautiful here.  some parts are just absolutely stunning.  and the locals i have met have all been cool.  and not necessarily just the people working in the hostels or at the tour places.

this is quite a long blog... but i am not done.  ;)  it is interesting that the world knows about america.  everything.  they know the national anthem.  they know who sarah palin is (which, i`m sorry... that is something you just shouldn`t know).  they know the pledge of allegiance.  it is just.  i don`t know... weird.  and i am sure it is just my own ignorance... but... it stinks.  and yes america is a big country ... but we are so self centered.  most of us.  me included.  i hope to change that though as i go.  i really do. but on the flipside... people from other countries... unanimously have said that americans are the friendliest.  we are open people and easy to talk to.  and that makes me happy.  cause i think that is something pretty awesome and a wonderful compliment.

okay.  i am done.  a different blog than what i have written in the past.  ha.  in the past long ago... but... yeah.  just some thoughts on this easter sunday i guess.  :)

some photos from argentina...

obelisco en buenos aires

cerca del obelisco

la casa roja

there were lots of these activist type signs near casa roja

a statue in the botanical gardens

naked sightseers in the botanical garden

trees near palermo.  i loved this part of the city

loved these trees

a statue at the cemetery in recoeta

one of the burial sites in the cemetery

another pic of the trees

tango dancers in the park in recoleta

the fanciest bookstore i´ve ever been in.  it is an old theater

fanciest bookstore again

tango band.  loved these guys.  tangos amores

my first look at iguazu falls.  this is the point that i wanted to cry because  i couldn´t believe i was at a place so beautiful

so unbelievably amazing

so beautiful

and again on the argentinian side

another view on the argentinian side.  really couldn´t get sick of this place.

panoramic view on the brazilian side

some birds on the brazilian side

some photos of cusco and machu picchu...

sorry to skip right over argentina to post pics... esp since iguazu was a highlight of mine... but was sending my mother some pics of machu picchu... so figured i would upload them here... ;)

from sasquahuman (sp?... we just called it sexy woman)

plaza de armas from sasquahuman

SOOOOO many llamas everywhere

misty morning at machu picchu makes for a cool looking pic

another one

it´s me at machu picchu

and another one.  :)

cause i haven´t updated in a while...

i haven´t updated a thing about peru, huh??

i have been in peru for 3 weeks and i swear, yes, i am going to update, but i am just too tired right now.  just a quick check in to let you know that life is good and that i´ve made some great friends. 

yesterday marked 9 weeks of traveling for me, and honestly it feels like it´s only been two weeks sometimes... it´s been really enjoyable and i haven´t missed home at all.  although i did miss cheezits and bbq flavored things but thankfully my cousin was kind enough to bring me some in cusco when she came to visit.

just a brief update on peru... lima was blah.. good hostel... met great people.. love them.  paracas was okay.. could have skipped it... huacachina was cool for sandboarding.. and randomly bumped into friends i made in lima.  didn´t know they were going to be there.  nasca was boring! but good to chill out...  cusco was awesome and amazing.  love that city.  machu picchu was cool but i think my highlight so far is iguazu falls.  that place is just amazing... but machu picchu, of course, is pretty awesome too.  lake titicaca islands were a great experience.  i really enjoyed that actually and i didn´t have any expectations of it.  very serene and just cool.  and now i´m in arequipa for who knows how long.  friends from lima come tomorrow.  so excited to see them again!!  and probably going to colca canyon.

i will write more later about peru... but for now, use your imagination.  :)

things i know about home... wes welker is no longer a patriot!! :(  grrrrr.... and there is a new pope.  one from argentina.  i guess that is world news... but... when i went on boston.com those were the two biggest stories.  i´m gonna miss my wes, but i hope he does well in denver.  other than that, i am detached!  and i f´íng LOVE it!!

argentina... finally...

wow.... back to back day posts.  crazy.  the pariwana hostel in cusco has a bunch of computers so i don´t feel bad staying on here.  anyway.  i just got here... after a 16 hour bus ride.  yikes.  so tired.  it was suppose to be 14 hours... and leave at 915pm.  but it was 16 and left at 1115pm.  so needless to say i´m tired.  but... i´m here!!  and my cousin comes to visit tomorrow.  i´m excited for her arrival but it will be a bit weird because i´ve done this all on my own so far and to be honest with you, i quite like traveling on my own.  you´re never alone.  but anyway... argentina.

so i got into buenos aires and got to my hostel.  first night in a hostel so i eased myself into it and got a twin room by myself.  i figure i could afford it and it gave me a sense of peace.  but two days later i moved into a single ensuite room which was so nice.  no sharing toilets and showers.  not that it´s that much of a pain, but... it´s nice when you do have your own.

i think i had a mini post earlier about how i posted some messages on couchsurfing.  one for tango and wine.  and a girl from mexico, jimena, responded.  we met up later that night and went to a tango lesson.  it was fun.  things NEVER get started on time in latin america... never ever.  and bars and stuff don´t get going til at least midnight.  so not use to that.

the next night i met up with a group of couchsurfers.  or rather one guy posted that he and some of his coworkers want to improve their english.  that is so something i can help with.  it was fun to meet them.  not only did they show up... but several others from argentina, a guy from italy and then the english speakers... three from the states including me and a girl from canada.  it was a really fun night.  i enjoyed meeting them.  and if-when i go back to buenos aires i hope to meet up with them again.

the following day i headed to a part of buenos aires called palmero.  i loved this part.  it was nice.  tree lined streets and just really cute.  and i went to the fanciest ever bookshop.  i read in lonelyplanet that it was... and it definitely was because it was an old theater converted into a bookstore.  they have the stage, the curtains and everything.  it was cool.  i also strolled through an open market but didn´t buy anything.  do i ever buy anything at those thing??  i was also lucky enough to catch some tango dancers in the park.  it was  a very hot and humid day... not sure how the guy was able to dance in a full suit.

that night i went out with jimena to a bar to listen to bands play tango music.  it was a lot of fun.  again... it said music started at 9.... it wasn´t until 1130 i think that the first group went on??  i´m getting old.  but it was a cool little spot to sit and have some beers and chat.  cool art on the wall.  the last group was the best... tangos amores or amores tangos or something.  i like them on facebook so that i can remember.  they were just a lot of fun and the crowd was so into it.  not to mention the two lead guys were kinda cute.

i was suppose to meet jimena for the san telmo market the next day but i ended up sleeping til close to 11 and i needed to check out because i was flying to iguazu.  flight was good... and was so nice to not have to fill in an immigration card.  my goodness those things are a pain.  and now with peru i have a slip that i need to return when i leave in order not to pay the tax.  i just hope i don´t lose my passport.  but anyway.... iguazu.  on the minivan ride from the airport to the town, i met a girl from california who was traveling solo all around argentina... including pantagonia and an older woman named sue who was from london and also traveled around argentina.  she had already gone through patagonia.  she was a lovely lady.  i don´t usually use the word lovely, but she really was.

that night i met some people at the hostel.  ryan from australia who was on 10 months of travel, and clara from london who was doing 4 weeks of travel.  she was off to patagonia next.  they were really cool and just awesome to talk to.  i love hearing about people´s adventures.  they totally inspire me.  each one.  every story.  they talk about these places they´re going to visit like i should know where they are.  like florianopolis.  i never heard of the place.  but it´s in brazil and suppose to have dolphins, i think.  but anyway.  yeah.  they were neat.  ryan was my roommate that night.

the next day i went to the argentinian side of the falls.  it was hot and very humid that day.  you couldn´t stay cool if you tried.  even if you sat in a pool of ice cubes you´d be sweating.  but anyway.  oh my goodness... i can´t even put into words how beautiful the falls were.  and i think i really did actually shed a tear because i couldn´t believe i was so lucky to see something so beautiful in person.  it really was just breathtaking.  and i don´t usually get that way with nature but it was just an incredible site.  if you enjoyed niagara falls, then you will be blown away by iguazu.

while at the devil´s throat part of the falls, i met a girl named jessica from washington state.  she was traveling solo as well so we hung out the rest of the day at the falls.  also, she got laid off before going on the trip too.  after her trip to iguazu she was headed to africa to do some volunteer work.  the rest of the day was pretty good.  we did the short walk and the long walk... and she did the boat ride which is pretty much like the maid of the mist.  i didn´t go on it, but it didn´t matter because minutes later we were caught in a downpour.  like... crazy downpour and i didn´t have an umbrella.  not cool.  but whatever.  adds to the adventure, right?

that day i met a guy named ken from england who didn´t appreciate my british accent.  or rather, he didn´t mind, but he thought it was horrible.  ha.  he was a nice guy.  he let me borrow his cord to the nikon so i could download pics.  (btw... just uploaded some from brazil)  pretty chill night.  i went to dinner solo but i managed to see sue, the london lady, walking down the street, so i tapped on the window and she came in to say hello and chat a bit.  i had the room to myself. which was actually kinda lonely.

the next day i met up briefly with jessica.  ran into the girl from california while i was waiting for jessica.  puerto iguazu is not huge so it´s no wonder that i keep bumping into people.  i only met jessica briefly because she booked a tour for the dam.  i decided to head on over to the brazilian side of the falls.  beautiful on that side too.  you don´t get super close like you did on the argentina side, but you get  a full view.  that is where my cover photo is from on facebook.  i ended up getting stung by a bee while i was waiting for food.  i´ve never been stung by a bee.  it got me in my left thigh... luckily i didn´t have any allergic reaction to it.  add that to the adventure too.  all the mishaps just add to the story.

that night... my room was full of roommates.... a girl from holland, a girl from sweden and a girl from the states, jersey.  we were all traveling solo so that was pretty neat.  therese, the swedish girl was at the end of her travels.  mireke in the middle and audrey at the beginning.  it´s exciting to talk about all that stuff.  it´s awesome that i´m not the only solo female traveler.  can i just tell you that a group of girls traveling is probably the most annoying thing??  more on that later, but it really is annoying if there are 4 or more girls traveling together.  but anyway.....

the next day was super chill, since i already did the argentina and brazil side of the falls, i just decided to be super lazy.  and luckily therese also didn´t have anything to do so we hung out most of the day.  we strategized our next travel plans.  a lot of time is spent on the internet looking at bus routes, hostels, things to do... and since there are so many things to do in the world, it really gets difficult.  but hell, if that´s the problem that i have, then i will gladly take it.  so we walked around, dropped off some laundry, exchanged some money, i downloaded pics and then we shared a beer in the rain.  i was going to go to the spot where brazil, argentina and paraguay meet but once the rain came down i decided against it.  so we sat and had a beer instead.  chilled out again that night.  the girls went to bed, and me, social butterfly had to stay up.  i chatted with ken, the london guy again.

following day was time to leave.  boo!!  it was sad to say goodbye.  i really enjoyed my time in both buenos aires and puerto iguazu... besides the city and the falls being amazing i met some super awesome people there.  ones who inspired me... who i enjoyed talking to and who i honestly wish nothing but the best for.  i do hope to see some of the buenos aires folks again.  my stop into argentina was way too short... so i need to go back.  currently figuring out a plan... but it may involve chile as well.  hip hip hooray.  i may never come home.  i mean... i will, at some point... but my goodness... i don´t know how it would even be possible.  even the boringest of days are a heck of a lot better than looking for a job.

alright... pics from brazil and a blog on argentina... hope you´re all happy.  you all keep saying that i need to update... :)  it´s just hard to.  i do keep a writing journal though... so if need be i can look back at that to figure out what i did 2 weeks ago.

ciao!

while boston was getting 2 feet of snow... this is what i was doing in brazil

the start of one of the blocos on ihlabela island for carnaval

there were a whole bunch of these beauty pageant winner people

yay for trumpt players

one of my favorite parts... the men dressed as women.  loved this.  they were a riot.

beautiful beach on ihlabela island

reason number 1 of why i should feel better about my body

another night of parades

who needs to go to rio to see christ the redeemer

dragon!!

one of the best batarias (drum lines) we saw during carnaval

reason number two i should feel better about my body

not sure where this was, but i thought it was pretty

the pretty beach on the other side of the island

my feet after doing the climb to the waterfall.... what a mess.

the beautiful waterfall... it was worth the walk up in my barefeet

reason number 3... (am i jerk for posting these?  yes, i am)