Sun and Fun in the big cities of Brasil

Even after an exhausting overnight of planes, there was no controlling the excitement I had upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro. For starters, its Brasil (en español)...and the beach...and I was looking forward to some relaxing fun in the sun after chilly Peru, secondly I had two amazing friends, Erika and Ashley, who had traveled from the States for vacation and to meet up with me along my journey. 


Our hotel, conveniently located on the border of copacabana and ipanema was steps from the beach and a total luxury for me after spending a lot of time most recently in hostels and tents! We started our day at the beach, of course, and enjoyed some quality time catching up in the sun amidst the constant barage of vendors selling everything from bikini tops to shrimp on a stick. Later that evening, we got changed and headed out on the town. We started the night walking around the funky, bohemian area of Lapa known for great bars and clubs. We grabbed our first of many caipiriñas at a bar with outside seating and people watched as the cachaza (local rum) slowly started to take affect. Those drinks do not mess around... After staying to hear some live music, we left to get dinner at one of the famous, and probably most eccentric, steakhouses. Although the food was beyond delicious (I stuck with seafood and the salad bar) the amount was actually quite sickening and we all felt a bit ill as we made our way out of the ornate seashell-adorned resto and back to the hotel, there was no chance anyone could drink or go out after that. Instead, we vowed that was the last churrascaria of the trip and got ourselves up early the next morning for a jam packed day of tourist sightseeing. 

Copacabana Beach

Crazy decor in the churrascaria

First on our list was Christo, probably the most famous monument in Rio, and one most people associate with the city. It really is cool that you can see it from almost any point in the city and once we got to the top and could see up close the actual size, it was truly magnficent. 

Some spectacular views of Rio

Christo up close

After taking our share of gorgeous vista pictures from the top, we headed back towards Copacabana where we were to begin a tour with a group to see some of the Favelas of Rio. This might have been my favorite part of the trip as it was most interesting to me in terms of the history and economy of Rio. Essentially, the favelas are shanty towns, and used to be solely illegal settlements, in and around Rio inhabited by about 1/3 of the population. What was especially interesting on our tour, was that in the 1980´s a luxury Sheraton hotel was built right at the edge of one of the largest favelas in Rio, which we visited. This hotel, which pictured the favela in the background of the image of the hotel it used for publicity, created a revolution of sorts as it represented a change in the way the legal citizens of Rio regarded the illegal settlements and created awareness about them. The history of the favelas is quite interesting and of course has its roots in illegal activity and poverty, you can find more detail here, however, some of the favelas have the best views in all of Rio and have created sustainable businesses, schools and a better quality of life. Our tour`s fees actually supported an NGO responsible for improving living conditions and funding a school for children in one of the favelas we visited, so although parts of the tour felt odd to essentially be staring at impoverished people and their homes, at least proceeds were helping children in the community. I would definitely recommend those visiting Rio to take a similar tour or take some time to research more about these communities as I found the whole concept and history really fascinating. 

views from the streets

A few from atop one of the Favelas

The following day we took a beautiful walk around the gigantic Jardim Botanico (botanical gardens) and later that afternoon we went to the other most famous tourist destination, Sugar Loaf, a huge mountain with possibly the best views I have ever seen of any city. We stayed for sunset to capture the best pictures and then got ourselves ready for a final night on the town. Following dinner, we went to a famous Samba bar where we listened to the live band and even tried a bit ourselves. Let me just say, Brazilians are quite passionate on the dance floor, but it was fun to get the "full experience" with some new male friends....

Jardim Botanico

Sugar Loaf from the gondola

beautiful sunset view

Samba bar

Our last day, we ventured over to Ipanema beach, which was of course beautiful and a bit more tranquilo than Copacabana. Following a day in the sun and a quick break for a delicious Acai treat, I headed to the bus station to make my way to Sao Paolo. 

Although the bus is only supposed to take 6 hours, for some reason it took 8 and I think my friend Paul, who I was staying with, might have been a bit worried when I showed up 3 hours after I said I would at his apartment in the Campo Bello area of Sao Paolo.  The following day, he took me on a typical Saturday day in the life showing me his local farmer´s market, shopping along the posh area of Jardim and riding bikes in the Ibirapuera Parque (Sao Paolo´s central park). We ate a lunch/dinner of feijoada (bean stew) and later headed out for drinks at the super swanky Sky Bar at  The Unique Hotel. A spectacular full day in one of the biggest cities in the world! 

amazing fruits at the farmer´s market

make your own havainas!

spectacular rooftop bar at Unique Hotel

I had to leave for airport basically in the middle of the night on Saturday, as I was taking yet another overnight flight to the city of Manaus which would be the jumping off point for starting my Amazon jungle tour. 

Stepping back in time in Puno

Following the adventure to Machu Picchu, we made our way back to Cusco courtesy of some new Columbian friends. After spending one last night there, and getting to share a delicious meal with Shari and Rachel, we boarded an early tourist bus to the town of Puno, which is the main city on the Peru side of Lake Titicaca. The 8 hour bus trip was broken up by stops at small historic villages along the way featuring more inca ruins, churches, museums and a Peruvian lunch. We arrived on Puno that evening, settled into our hotel, grabbed dinner on town, witnessed a pre-easter parade and prepared for the overnight trip we would take the following day to the islands in the middle of Lake Titicaca.

From the port of Puno, we traveled by boat on to Lake Titicaca with a guide and small group. Our first stop in the Puno bay area was the Floating islands. These are islands made from the collection of plants grown up through the water and the inhabitants build homes and maintain the "land" of the island with additional plants for around two years when they need to relocate to a new island due to the deterioration of the plants. The way of life was beyond rural, literally like stepping hundreds of years back in time and was truly fascinating. 

arriving at floating islands

floating islands way of life

on the boat

 We continued our native peruvian tour and arrived a few hours later on one of the natural islands (not man made) named Amantani. Here we had a chance to take a small hike and witness the serene beauty of the island as well as get assigned our family we would eat and stay with for the night. 

the hillside of Amantani

happy hikers

Sabrina and I were assigned with Lucy, a 24 year-old mother who lives with her young daughter and her parents, her husband lives in Puno city where he workes to make money for the family as the only form of income om the island comes from agriculture or selling handicrafts. We enjoyed delicious vegetarian meals at her home, all cooked in clay pots over coals, attempted to speak a bit of Spanish to get to know them (the main language of the island people is Quechua, an indigineous Peruvian language) and even got dressed up in their traditional garb for a dance hall social. That night, huddled under blankets in the frigid non-heated bedroom and using the bucket flush toilet, I thought about all the luxuries we are all used to and how amazing it is that so many people live without or lead a life we associate with another century! It was an enjoyable and educational experience to spend some time witnessing the life the only life that Lucy and her family know. 

all dressed up

After breakfast with the family the next day, we departed Amantani for the island of Taguille, just another hour by boat, where we hikes and enjoyed another traditional Peruvian lunch (can`t get enough of quinoa soup) before heading back to Puno. 

The trip to Peru with Sabrina was filled with so many amazing sites and unreal adventures. I honestly enjoyed every bit of physical discomfort, or freezing cold in the high altitude, or another meal based on soup and potatoes...it was all worth it for the awesome experience we shared and I cant think of anyone I could have done the same with. Saying goodbye is hard especially when you are a solo traveler and meeting up with friends is such a thrill, but all good things come to an end so I said goodbye to Sabs as she headed back to NYC and I hopped an (overnight) plane to Rio to meet other friends from home who had journeyed to the southern hemisphere.

Chao!

IV to Inca Trail

Cusco

Following our brief stay in Lima, Sabrina and I departed for Cusco where we would spend a day and night before beginning the 4-day Inca trail trek to Machu Picchu. Cusco, Peru is at an altitude around 3,400 meters so it is recommended to spend a few days acclamating oneself to the high altitude in preparation for the challenging Inca trail trek. Unfortunately, with our timing, we weren't able to devote more than just about 24 hours. We checked into the Loki hostel, note: do not stay here if you are not interested in partying until 4 am with masses of Israeli travelers, maybe it wasn´t the best location for a 6:30 am pickup from the tour... Regardless, the staff was great and after settling in we set out to explore the city. 

Cusco has some beautiful sites like the ornate Plaza de Armas and winding streets with tucked in restaurants and shops, but it seems to be a city created souly for tourists with every street housing either hostels, restaurants, outdoor gear for trekking, or local artisan goods. We spent some time at the main artisan market gathering our fill of the infamous Peruvian sweaters and scarfs and walked the city. I definitely began to feel the altitude right in the beginning of the day, although at that point it was nothing more than tingly hands and feet and a slight dizzying feeling. 

loading up on Peruvian gear

After an orientation for our trek, we had an awesome dinner at Jacks and headed back to the hostel. It was at this point that I started to take a bit of a turn for the worse. My head started pounding and I had a slight stomach ache, but I naturally blamed it on being tired, acclamating to the climate and perhaps over-eating. We packed up most of our things for the next morning and tried to get some rest before the next four days ahead. After a few hours of tossing and turning, my health really started to go downhill. I`ll spare the specific details, and 
I´ve never had the flu, but I imagine that this is what it would feel like; vomiting, fever you name it, I was experiencing it. I honestly still didn't know if it was solely the altitude, if I had food poisoning or something worse....after 2 hours of being sick, I woke up Sabrina as it was only getting worse. We went to talk with the staff downstairs who confirmed it was likely altitude sickness and I would need to seek medical attention at a clinic. This was now around 4 am, our tour was picking us up at 6:30, things were going to have to turn around real fast.....Sabrina flew into mom mode as I was having trouble even walking at this point, we threw together the rest of our gear and headed to the clinic. Upon arrival I tried to ignore the conditions of the facility and just prayed I wouldn't get more sick by being treated there...The 24 hour staff spoke no English so I did my best to explain what was happening, they promptly put me in a bed, confirmed I had a fever, and stuck me with needles for an IV as I tried to explain I need the baby needles, luckily they were clean! About an hour in of being hydrated and receiving medicine through the IV, I was starting to feel a little better but still super weak. Sabrina headed back to the hostel to meet the guide and explain the situation and see what was possible in terms of adjusting our trek. Unfortunately she came back with less positive news. It was not possible to start the trek at a later day because our entrance to Machu Picchu was for a specific date thatis reserved with a permit months in advance. We could either forgo the trek and take the train up to Machu Picchu to meet the group in 4 days or we could take a little more time at the hospital and take a taxi about 2 hours away to the starting point of the trek where they would be in 4 hours. After discussing back and forth we decided it wasn't an option to miss the trek so I would rest for another 2 hours, do another round of the IV bag and we would try and go. 2 hours later I was feeling much better, my fever had broke and I was able to get up from the bed and walk. The doctor met with me and of course tried to tell me I shouldn't be leaving but I promised I would return if the conditioned worsened. After loading up on Gatorade and any pills the doctor would give us, we set out to rejoin the trek. A few hours later we finally made it  via taxi, our guide Jose was not so thrilled to see us as I imagine he didn't exactly want responsibility for someone whose health wasn't 100%. Nevertheless we rejioned the rest of the group which included a couple from New York, three women friends from Spain, and a mother-daughter team (Shari and Rachel) from Philly. As soon as we met Shari and Rachel it was a huge sigh of relief, right off the bat we could tell they were not only fun women to share the next 4 days with (how could I not love a vegan sporting all lululemon gear) but it was as if someone was like, ok here is a substitute Jewish mother for the next few days so don't worry you'll be okay...even after a quick second guess of myself after lunch based on how I was feeling, I knew I needed to at least try the first day and see how it went. Sabrina, the rockstar, graciously held my day pack, and Shari kept me company at a slow and steady base. 4 hours later we made it to camp, and although, I wont lie, it was definitely difficult and I wasn't feeling great, I felt really accomplished and just wanted to get some sleep in the hopes of feeling even more back to normal the next day. 

Post-hospital, rejoining the group and beginning the trek

surviving day 1 

Day 2 is known as the hardest day as it is about 5 hours straight of uphill trekking followed by 2 hours of downhill stone stairs and the highest altitude of the 4 days. Everyone knows I love a good physical challenge but between not feeling great and the altitude, day 2 really kicked my ass. Thank God I had Shari to share the challenge with and keep me positive and entertained the entire time. You definitely get to know people while hiking for hours in the middle of nothing but mountains! We constantly joked they should make all the world leaders do this together, could solve a lot of issues....

Our entire group and porters at camp

By day 3, I was feeling almost back to normal even after sleeping through a night of thunderstorms. The trek was a mix of up and down, but it was the longest day we had in total, taking us about 9 hours until we were settled at camp that night. The next morning we were woken at 3:30 am in order to get to the waiting point to let us in to the final hike to Machu Picchu, after 2 hours of sitting in cold rain we began the 1 hour climb to the Sungate, where you typically get the first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Unfortunately our view looked like this: 

Disappointment aside we continued the 2 hour hike down to Machu Picchu where it eventually cleared and we were able to witness this wonder of the world we had exerted so much energy to reach, it was pretty astounding! What´s interesting is that much of the history of the Incas is relatively unknown in comparison to other ancient cultures as they have no written language and few artificats were ever found beyond the ruins. However, just viewing the immense structure that is Machu Picchu is quite breathtaking and the fact that human beings created it almost solely by hand...unreal. I felt even more accomplished that I had overcome the physical challenge after having to seek medical attention just days before. I really couldn't have done it without the never ending support and concern of Sabrina and the daily reinforcement and new friendship of Shari and Rachel. Love you guys!
Following the tour we departed Machu Picchu for Aguascalientes, a small tourist town at the base where we took very hot showers and went to sleep very early in preparation for out next adventure beginning the following day!

The dream team: Rachel, Sabrina, me and Shari

For those thinking about the trek, here are some must haves I would recommend packing:

- Waterproof bags, ponchos, rain coat. Even in the dry season the mountains are a microclimate so its very common to have a range of weather and temperatures all in one day, layers are key! 

- Hiking socks and good hiking boots

- Power bars/gus for snacks and quick energy

- Wicking fabric clothing for under layers

- Toilet paper (no bathrooms have)

- Face wipes if you are in the habit of washing your face daily

- Headlamp

- Sandals to rest your feet at the camp

- Altitude pills!

we did it!

Lima: city of lights and so much possibility

Wow...I can´t believe it has been nearly 4 weeks since i´ve been able to sit down at a real computer for a few minutes and update my online travel journal, but such is the life of a nomadic traveler....Luckily for me, facebook has allowed a lot of quick, real time updates so those friends and family keeping up, hopefully you know I am alive and well! Currently, I´m in Brazil making my way to Bolivia for the weekend before departing to the Salt Flats from Uyuni. However, since so many amazing things have happened in the last few weeks, I´d like to go back to the beginning of my trip to Peru and start by recounting my time experienced in Lima.

Although Peru was once a country people thought of as extremely poor and unsafe, much has changed in the past few decades and Lima, as the largest city, is certainly no exception. Upon arrival, I was graciously offered a place to stay at a friend of a friend´s apartment in the Miraflores area, a very upscale coastal neighborhood where most of the best restaurants and shops are located. The following morning, Sabrina met me all the way from New York, for her vacation and we began our Peru adventure. During our only full day in Lima, we wanted to take advantage of both the beach weather and explore the city so we signed up for a morning bike tour with Bike Tours of Lima. Our guide expertly guided us along the 4-hour coastal tour where we were able to see a glimpse into the beachside neighborhoods of Miraflores (which felt a lot like La Jolla, CA believe it or not), Barranco and Chorillos.

along the coast in Miraflores, seriously just like La Jolla Cove...

Following the tour we chilled out with some Pisco sours beachside and took a siesta before venturing out in the night. That evening, we wanted to experience some of the amazing cuisine Lima supposedly has to offer, and I am serious that the food in Peru was some of the best I had experienced in SA so far. One of the more well known and best chefs in Peru, Gaston Acurio, has a very upscale (and pricey) restaurant that sounded amazing, but a bit out of budget, but lucky for us, he now also operates a cafe-style restaurant, Tanta, which is not as pricy as the original, but serves some of his Peruvian specialties. It was definitely a success, and after a filling meal, we headed back to the apartment to prepare for our very early departure to Cusco.

What I was struck most about Lima is how cosmopolitan it seems to be coming and how much growth potential it really has. The casino industry is taking off  in a big way there which gives some flash, and I´m sure economic growth, to the community. The upscale beach properties in Miraflores are raising real estate value tremendously. The historic area of downtown, as well as the old fishing neighborhood of Chorillos, still provide a glimpse into the Peruvian history, while the newer, more upscale neighborhoods are infusing the culture with modern fashion, real estate, art and food. Of course, there are still areas riddled with crime and poverty, but the economy and politics seem to be relatively stable. In my opinion I think it has the most potential of any city I have seen so far to be the next big thing....more next from Cusco and Machu Picchu!

one of the MANY casinos all around Lima

A snapshot of Uruguay

Uruguay, one of the smaller countries in South America with just over 3 million people, is often overlooked to the traveler/backpacker, but with its proximity to Buenos Aires and beautiful coastal towns, it makes for an excellent weekend or extended trip. I set off for Colonia del Sacramento, a quaint UNESCO town just a 3 hour ferry ride from the port in Buenos Aires. I headed over earlier in the day on Friday and planned to meet two other friends, Melanie, who would be traveling on with me to Montevideo and introducing me to her family that lives there, and Paul, a new friend introduced to us by way of P&G friends back at home. Thanks to Paul, and his Starwood status, we took up a room at the nicest hotel in town, the Sheraton, for a total bargain. It was heaven to stay in a 5 star hotel complete with breakfast, pool, spa, the works...going back to the hostel is certainly going to be rough.. I spent the first day wandering the historic district of the city and enjoying the sunshine along the beach. Once the rest of the group arrived we shared an awesome weekend of great food and wine, bicycling self-tours of the city and a lot of relaxation. Colonia was picturesque, friendly, easy to get around..I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to venture to Uruguay.

view of historic colonia from the top of the lighthouse



Entrance to the historic district



Sheraton= heaven

first night dinner

From Colonia, Melanie and I made or way via bus to Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay where the majority of her mother's family lives. We stayed with her grandfather, Pedro, in his condo overlooking the beach and although the weather didn't cooperate much with us during our stay there, it was still beautiful to wake up to waves crashing below. In addition to Pedro, I met many of Melanie's cousins, aunts and uncles...a true Uruguayan family immersion. It was a great experience to meet not only someone else's family but someone's family from another culture. They were so wonderful and friendly and I wish I had more time to continue on to Punta del Este with the group for a close of summer beach vacation.

view from Pedro's apartment

Pedro drawing one of his maps

 From Uruguay, its back to BA for a night and then off to Peru to meet Sabrina and prepare for our Machu Picchu adventure...updates and internet could be limited in the next few weeks, but I'll do my best. Wish me luck on the Inca trail. Besos!



Namaste Series: Eco Yoga Park

This week I had the privilege of experiencing a truly unique and spiritual experience at Eco Yoga Park, a type of yoga monastery just 1.5 hours outside of Buenos Aires. Originally, I had read about this place and was interested in visiting for the day during my last week in BA to get a break from the city and enjoy some quiet relaxation and yoga. What I discovered was an amazing community I hadn't known existed and one that I wish I would have been able to stay at for an extended period. Eco Yoga Park is an eco-village run by members of the Hare Krishna movement, a religious community based on the principles of the Bhagavad-gita scripture. It is a movement originally from India including the practice of bhakti yoga, spiritual chanting, prayer and a life dedicated to these beliefs including, but not limited to seeking unity, peace, consciousness and truth. As a yoga enthusiast and one that has a general interest in studying religions, I have been fascinated with learning more about the Hare Krishna community, life and principles.

view of the property

At Eco Yoga Park, travelers are able to come and volunteer on the property, and with an additional small fee, in return receive room and board and participate in the yoga classes, musical thereapy/chanting sessions and other activities; a type of work/volunteer exchange. The community  that Eco Yoga Park receives truly make it such a magical place. I met fascinating people from all over the world that were living at the park for as little as a few days and as long as a month, creating a true mecca for open-minded, curious and adventurous travelers.



working in the garden

During my day I was able to join the others for breakfast (all food is home-cooked and completely vegan on the premises and of course mostly everything comes from the on-site garden, could it get any better?) After breakfast, volunteers head back to work (the first working session is before breakfast beginning at sunrise) for a couple of hours before a yoga session mid-morning. I took a tour of the property. After our mid-morning hatha yoga class (taught on this day by a teacher from Minnesota who was visiting the property) we had some relaxation time before lunch. Later in the afternoon, we could participate in a mantra-therapy session led by the Swami (monk/priest) followed by a meditation session. In the evening we had a sit-down session with the Swami who answered any and all questions about the Hare Krishna way of life and his own personal path and engaged in discussion with the group about the various spiritual beliefs. It was both a unique, eye-opening and educational experience that is hard to put into words. The most impactful words of wisdom for me  he did share were about their reasons for leading a vegetarian lifestyle and how the treatment of all living beings is really at the core of their beliefs. In addition, his thoughts on how we can only control ourselves, our bodies, our actions and our beliefs and that in and of itself is one of the most challenging things we will deal with our entire life made quite an impact. I had only come to the park for the day, but since the discussion with Swami ended so late, I opted to stay the night and depart early the next day, which gave me an opportunity to enjoy another delicious vegan meal, get to know the other travelers more deeply and participate in garden work the next morning. There is nothing quite like connecting with the earth at sunrise in the middle of beautiful farmland in Argentina, I feel truly lucky I was able to experience it, if only for the short time. 

Inside the temple where we practiced yoga

What I also learned during my visit is that Eco Yoga Park is affiliated with a network of ecological farm/yoga monasteries across the continent called Eco Yoga Villages. There are many similar communities located all around Central and South America, in an effort (according to the website) to strive to establish a synthesis of the need of mother earth and the thirst for harmony in all of us. The goal was to take the yoga lifestyle as discovered in India and spread it across South America to estabish these ecological communities; a beautiful and peaceful concept in my opinion. My small taste of the community created such a thirst for more I might try and squeeze in a visit to the village in Chile on my way back to Santiago in May. Namaste.