On our way...

We were faced with more long hikes after the pass. The earth was hillier, and the trail would go up, then down, then up, then down. We came to long ladders that felt like they might fall over at any minute. Progress was slow.

The downside to the downhill...

I was in bike mode or something, thinking that the downhill would be a breeze. It was hellish, large trunks to step over, lots of rocks, and it was so steep, not to mention long. My feet were hurting, my bag felt heavier, and my trekking poles wore a hole in my hand (but saved my knees)

At the pass...

The pass was a long haul, but not as bad as I had thought...

Carolina might disagree



It was a sensational view, ice stretched out as far as I could see, it was like looking out over the ocean, the glacier and the sky sort blended into a hazy whiteness, far, far away.

Up to the pass...

The start was laden with mud, up to your knee, forcing us to jump from tree root to tree root and fight through as nasty couple of kilometers


After surviving the mud, we were on our way to the start of the ascent, which wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. (Though others came to a different conclusion.)



We past several glaciers on our way up, the wind off them was strong, and there was always a small amount of drizzle.

Along the way...

While there were sure highlights from the trek, there were a lot of smaller details that really gave the whole experience a lot of its flavor. The little details next to trail, the ones that fascinate you for a short time, and keep you strong for the remainder of the hike.

the first days were a test...

They took us through a lot of rain, well I guess it was actually considered condensation. The second day was very, very long. A 20 km hike stood in front of us, (which strangely is the same distance of the mandatory ruck marches which I endured in the army with all my gear, coincidence?) and it went up and down, past rivers and lakes, uphill, downhill, through wind, hour, after hour.

The map which I possessed indicated there was a campsite somewhere en route, but we never caught a glimpse. Instead we continued on, lost our focus and slowed down, the weight of all the food was pulling our shoulder bones a couple inches lower, distracting the mind from the beauty around us, instead it on my back, shoulder, or just the lack of progress that walking seemed to deliver.

After ten hours, when nightfall hit and we felt a sprinkle of rain, we set up a tent, a bit disorganized after having to walk back to a split in the trail. We thought we were off track, lost somewhere, somehow. That night we just passed out, no energy left to cook or enjoy the fact that it was Carolina's birthday.

The next morning we realized that at from the point where we turned around, we hadn't been more than 200km from the first glimpse of the campsite. I was a bit frustrated that I had been so close the night before, but upon seeing it in the morning, a glacier in the distance, two mountains lying in front, giving form to the turquoise lake in front of me that featured a peninsula where the campsite lay, I was quickly seduced by its beauty and declared it a paradise

Fire

A year ago a tourist accidentally knocked over his stove and started a large fire that destroyed a portion of the park including several very old forests. The effects weren't as noticeably as I anticipated. The entrance road, however, was a graveyard where a once strong and well aged forest once stood.

Critters, creatures, and livestock part 2

Critters, creatures, and livestock

The trail...

Always some more to go...the trail was well marked, didn't have too much difficulty sticking to it. It took us through many different landscapes, forests, over rivers, mountains, through valleys under tall trees past jagged branches bracing the wind, the landscape was always changing but the trail always stayed the same.

Start and Finish

We started and finished at the same place...in reality we planned to start at a different point but a little confusion with the map and an offer for a ride in the back of a pick up as the rain was coming down started us off at the Los Torres Refugio. Because of the rain and we had no sense of what the start looked like when the sun was shining, it was surprising to see it when we returned at the end...

First longer trek...

For me it was my first longer trek, I had done a couple four day adventures, Carolina had done one, but we were planning for ten days, something that was yet unexplored.

I didn't know a lot about what to bring as food, and where to get it cheaply once we arrived in Punta Arenas, a friend of ours suggested that we go to the Zona Franca, which is a tax free zone where everything is remarkably cheap. It was good for the prices, but the selection and variety was lacking. We ended up with a lot of canned meat, spam type stuff, and of course tuna, pasta, instant rice. It was all really heavy, my bag weighed a ton, but food prices within the park are ridiculously expensive.

As far as gear went, we had most of the bigger items, we ended up buying trekking poles, which were a blessing in some parts of the hike, and some smaller items like a first aid kit, a new head lamp, a compass, but now I feel that my gear for hiking is almost complete, though I always seem to be missing something....

Torres del Paine....

I first heard about this place through my grandfather, who gave it his highest level of approval and appreciation by calling it "mind boggling." It was that story that gave Chile a new place on my map. The more I learned about Chile, the more I wanted to go, and at the heart of that urge was a plan to go to the south of Chile, to the far tip of the continent and walk all around the park on the Paine Circuit, a 8-12 day hike that takes you all around the granite, glacier formed mass that gives the park its name.

When I arrived to Chile, plans changed, and I found myself heading north for my first trip, something which I don't regret, but at the time I didn't know if I would complete that goal that I had set out for myself months back from the flatlands of Iowa.

So when I finished the trek just a couple weeks ago, it meant that a major goal had been completed, and with good company as well! (doing a long hike with one good friend, or a complete stranger is one thing, trying to keep manage it with a girlfriend adds a whole other set of issues and complications, as well as joys and advantages..)

I have a fair amount of photos, so I think I'm going to be filling the blog with them over the next couple weeks, Santiago will still be here so no need to talk about it for a while....

Chileans eat watermelon with a spoon....

There are many cultural differences between Chileans and (North) Americans, the most obvious, and biggest, would probably be the language. For the most part, the differences are not huge, people go to work with ties on, the get together for a beer afterwards, many life goals are the same.

The differences that exist are mainly in details, happy hour starts around 8 or 9 pm, breakfast isn't nearly as important as in the US, dinners are served late, so on and so on.

But then there are those differences that make my jaw drop. Last weekend I was with Carolina's family, we ate a bunch of food, the main dish being humitas, which consists of a boiled corn leaf filled with corn mush, they added sugar, I added spicy Piebre, which resembles what in the US we call salsa. Then it came, the watermelon. I was all ready to dig my face into the juicy mess and spit seeds at anyone within range, as always. However when my portion arrived, IT CAME WITH A SPOON! The shock hit me like a truck. I watched as people carved away with their spoons (though all not quite as creatively as in the photo), and was resigned to spitting the seeds only at my plate in a way as not to attract much attention. I thought that the shock of hot dog lasagna would top the culinary cultural differences, but watermelon with a spoon might have topped that one....

Above Santiago....

Its a bit of a haul, but always is worth it. Parque Mahuida on the edge of the community of La Reina is a bit of portal. To get there one must ride through a spectrum of urban settings. From pothole ridden slums, busy streets, expensive barrios, quite offlets, all while dodging street dogs, microbuses, cars, other bikes, passing military bases, small airports, and a multitude of business.

The worst part of the ride is the last six blocks or so before one arrives at the gate of the park. I swear this hill is straight up and each pedal wears one down. Sweat pours down the face, as every bit of toxin that was ever inside your body is forced out. It is quite therapeutic, though tiresome. However, arriving at the park is always a good feeling.

The park itself is a gateway to a much different world. The Sendero de Chile lies there, which
is a trail that will one day connect all of Chile, north to south. At this point there are several parts completed but the whole thing has yet to be finished. Near the capital, Mahuida offers the only access, luckily it is only a short bike ride from my apartment. From there you can reach many different places along the eastern border of the city. The only problem is that to get there is a feat in itself, so I never have a lot of energy to get to far.

Bike trails aren't the only feature of the park. There are several hiking trails as well. One that will take you up to around 2800 meters (9186 Ft). This is a longer hike, probably around six hours. I still haven't made it yet, I never seem to arrive there with enough time. I made it higher than halfway, the view was spectacular. The whole entire capital looms below. You can see the smog bubble, in all of its brownness.

On my last journey to the park I met and talked to one of the workers there, the man who is responsible for rescuing lost hikers. He told me there is a trail that runs from the first mountain (or hill, as the Chileans call it, but to an Iowan such as myself it is a massive mountain) to another "hill" behind it that stands at about 3200 meters (10,500 Ft). The trails continues and tops two other peaks, before taking you back down into a different neighborhood of the city. In all, it takes about six days to complete. From the moment he told me about it, I wanted to go....mmmmmm

Back to last week...

January is a month that is full of live outdoor music in Santiago. One of the events is Providencia's jazz festival which takes place along the murky water of the Mapocho river. It is a three day even featuring musicians from all around the world. This year one of the features was Poncho Sanchez, a US born Latin Jazz musicians who gets on the congas and really fills the place up with some life. There was a Swiss group that went before him, they were really technical, something only a true jazz fanatic could enjoy, it bored me. When Poncho came on, wearing an all white outfit that glowed in the heavy stage lights, you could just feel the energy. He likes to talk, usually in a good Spanglish mix, and his beats make everyone want to move...

time?

I, like so many I know have an alarm clock. It wakes me up when I am forced to rise earlier than my body would like. Usually, I am forced to rush somewhere afterwards. I check the time every hour, at least. I couldn't tell you the last time that an entire day passed without stealing a glance at some sort of time keeping mechanism. Yes, that is the world we live in, or at least most of us do. Hurry up, don't be late, drink coffee to stay awake, don't forget to write down the things you have to do, and if you do manage to complete this daunting task, you'd better check off that list, there is lots to do you see, more than can ever be accomplished in one day, shit! I'm out of time....

It is nice to know, that there are old men and dogs in this world who don't understand the corrupted language that time speaks two seconds after you just missed something...

see you next time...

Back to the books...

That's right, I have once again become, (well actually not anymore) a student. I took a short Spanish class last week, 20 hours in total, 4 a day, to practice and "polish the diamond" a little bit.

It was interesting to be in a language class as a student after having taught several classes. It gave me some perspective into the style I use when I teach, being in the students shoes I see some of the things that work, and others that don't. It actually makes me a bit excited to think about teaching once again.

However the class is now complete, and I am just an unemployed gringo for one more week, then I'm hitting the road, heading for the southern tip of South America.

spilling into the street...

The Plaza outside of my apartment was full of people waving banners, screaming, having a good time as cars tried to squeeze past.

The crowds filled up....

Crowds of people waved Bachelet flags, there was almost more excitment than a Colo-Colo vs. U de Chile soccer game, almost.

There is no moment...

Chileans like to BBQ, and not a moment passes that can't be utilized...here a young child enjoys a stick of meat as the country celebrates the election results...

the new president....

I arrived to a new day in Chile. A women president has now been elected in a very conservative, machista culture. I came back to the capital after spending the weekend on the coast and found the place alive as people cruised down the streets honking their horns, waving flags, yelling, dancing in the street, generally having a good time. I haven't ever experienced anything like that, I have grown to associate presidential campaigns with disappointment in the end.

A dreary Iowa day

Today is a dreary day, everything is overcast, a bit tepid really. The snow has melted a little bit, leaving strange patches of dead winter grass, surrounded by mud-covered mounds of snow. The wind is strong, and very cold, it gets dark much earlier here, around four thirty, I went from extreme to extreme, solstice to solstice.... summer to winter...luckily I will go back again...

It would appear...

It seems to appear that updating my blog has become something fleeting, a goal that is just out of reach. I am at a loss to really say just why, no good excuses can be given. No maybe it is nothing more than a bout of full-blown writer's block.

That question that always lies in wait, what in the hell am I going to write?

Right now I am in the quite world of Iowa City, that is an Iowa City without its students. Lots of snow here, though some of it melted today. Doesn't seem to be a lot to do, nothing is really happening other than a few sporadic social gatherings, there is nothing.

I am waiting for more snow so that I can embark with cross country skies in hand, ready for the saddle dips and curves of Iowa "slopes" Not quite as dramatic as Chile now, but there is beauty in the plains of snow covered crops that surround Iowa City. There is serenity in the subtlety, enough to make being outside during colder weather worth it.

Christmas is a different day altogether depending on the temperature. The outside gives the phenomenon of being inside a heated house with the fam added value.

So these first few days move confusingly as I run into people I haven't seen for sometime. Tonight I am going out to a friend's place, it will be interesting to see who is there, could be fun, could not, guess I'll just have to wait and see...

One week to go...

So I have one week left of teaching at the copper mine, I have really enjoyed alot about this experience, it was something that I never envisioned when I arrived in Chile. It has opened my eyes to another world, I have met some interesting characters, people I never would have encountered if I were only working in Santiago. I got access to places that most people don't, many of the people who work for the mining company, some for more than ten years, haven't seen the mine itsself. I made better money, which allows me to do some exciting stuff over the summer, like travel to Torres del Paine and hike for days on end!

Of course, there were the downfalls, the massive amount of travel that arriving to the mine required, getting up at 5:30 am one day, arriving at 3 am to Santiago the next, my sleeping cycle hasn't been regualar since it started. There was also a bit of a culture shock going back and forth from what amounts to an isolated outpost high in the Andes to the speed, impersonlity, and noise of a city of five million people. My personal life was effected, especially my relationship with my girlfriend,we were left with little time to spend together, which is made worse by other commitments to places like the Santiago Times, and other classes in Santiago.

It was worth it, before I was feeling like I hadn't been pushed enough in Santiago, that I needed a bit more intensity, and it allowed that. Plus, it gave me time alone in a silent room that has been good for reflection, every week that I went back to Santiago felt a bit like a brand new start, every time I went back to the mine, the end of something. That cycle, as disorientating as it was, really made me think about what I am doing, and why I am doing it. I came to Chile to learn, recently teaching English has seemed like a burden, but I think that I lost perspective a bit, it was never the sole purpose for my trip, just a way of making it possible and giving me a structure, and a connection to a foreign land. It serves that purpose well, I think I need to be better at creating my own creative life outside of it, the two really go hand in hand very well.

So next week I move into a new stage of my Chile experience, and I am sooooo looking forward to the change!

Strawberries...

One of the best things about being in Chile is that there is a plentitude of cheap and fresh fruit for sale, this morning on my way to class I bought half a kilo of fresh strawberries for 500 pesos, or a little under one US dollar. Vegetables are equally as cheap, it makes for some good eatin...

I'm back...

Thats right, I know it has been a very long time since I wrote anything on the blog, I seem to do that, gain momentum, lose steam,

I have been trying to continue with my outdoor focus during the weekend in Santiago, riding the bike, going for a hike, BBQing outside. The natural wonders that Chile has to offer are second to none, it only takes 30-40 minutes and your out of the city and into a rugged mountain region.

I also got to see Infocap University, where Carolina works, it is for the poorest people in Chile, offers classes on various topics, from cooking, carpentry, plumbing, basic interview skills, art and resources like internet. The campus is beautiful, lots of trees, an observatory in the middle of a grassy field where lambs and peacocks roam. The classes are taught almost entirely by volunteers. The campus is also home to Tetcho Para Chile, whose office is filled with computers, posters and the feeling of activity.

Only two more weeks left after this week at the mine. I will be terminating my contract, so I have to leave the country and come back on a tourist visa, so I think that I am picking up some discount air tickets to Buenas Aires, Argentina, we have been talking about going for a few days, and I think that it is going to happen.

I am also excited to have some time to focus more on my writing for the Santiago Times, and on video and biking, plus, the weather is very nice now, lots of things going on outside like live music in the plaza across from my apartment.

Bring on summer!