south america: epilogue
has it been a long three months? south america may be hours over the atlantic but sometimes it feels like london, paris, europe is only a flicker away. excellent buses, comfortable transport within the cities and not a squatty toilet in sight, this has been backpacking in comfort without the rigours, the stifling heat and staring faces, of other places. a completely different animal to the visceral delights of asia or north africa, more occidental than oriental. this lack of difference has been one of the most disappointing things about this place for me, just as it was in new zealand. prices, too, have been a constant thorn in my side.the individual sights have, however, been as glee inducing as expected, and it is definitely a must visit place. it is, after all, impossible to be negative thinking back over the grandeur of macchu pichu or iguazu whilst waiting for the sun to arrive in rio.favourite country: brazil, or at least rio, push it close, but it has to be bolivia. cheap (this is key), a fun capital city, amazing high altitude scenery and an alligator filled slice of the amazon. all it needs is a little slice of coastline. and some more oxygen.
favourite city: rio. by such a long way. it is hard to think of a city with a more spectacular setting, and so totally permeated by an urgent vibrancy fostered by centuries of interracial mingling. possibly my favourite city to visit in the world.
best journey: comfy leather all reclining seats from puerto madryn to buenos aires. you get what you pay for i suppose.
hairiest journey: la paz to uyuni must get a mention for being so fantastically, ice on the inside of the windows, cold. flying through the mountains as opposed to over them in an ex military rust bucket from la paz to rurre was pretty pant moistening too. it has to be, however, the half hour sprint from copacabana to lapa on friday night, the driver a king amongst the maniacs who hurtle rio´s creaking buses along its roads.
best historical sight: macchu pichu is pretty much on its own here: christ the redeemer is beautiful but not of the same scale. to stop the incas getting too smug i should add that egypt and india´s delights blow it out of the water somewhat.
best natural sight: the otherworldly salt flats and high altitude lakes of uyuni get an honourable mention, as does standing at 5,500m on the top of chacaltaya. has to be iguazu though.
best beach: copacabana. not the most beautiful, but definitely the most compelling.
biggest disappointment: snowboarding. had to be tried, but ended up being a waste of time and money.
favourite food: a real acchiles heel, this is like judging between hannibal lecter and jeffrey dahmer in a person you would like to walk down a dark alley with contest. probably empanadas de carne in argentina, toffee coated popcorn from the streets of rio and rocklets (generic sickly sweet smarties substitutes).
best meal: perfectly cooked, tender patagonian lamb in ushuaia.
best apple crumble: bariloche, apparently
best dance: the bariloche apple crumble dance
best buy: my wooly llama hat. once i got used to looking ridiculous it was invaluable.
best vicki: vicki
best beard: my beard.
posted by bicrom @ 11:03 am
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