 | 676.Chile 2006 - Santiago & ValparaisoWe sandwiched our 2-night stay in Santiago between the Patagonian portion of our trip and our Easter Island sojourn. We left our 2-night stay in Vina del Mar/Valparaiso for the end our trip.
Santiago, the capital of Chile, was a modern city with a modest amount of older, colonial buildings. The highlight of our stay was a lunch-time trip to the central fish market and a wander through the city's marvelous pre-Columbian museum.
Valparaiso is a hillside wonder hugging the mountainous Chilean Pacific coast. Century-old “ascensores” (cable cars) deliver you to tops of many of the city’s numerous “cerros” (hills) so that you can wander among the tumble of riotously colored buildings that cling to the city’s slopes.
It is hard to imagine that this country - less than 20 years ago - was in the grips of one of the continent’s most repressive dictatorships (Pinochet). Now it seems like a country of worker bees – the most North American of the South American countries we have visited. | |
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 | 678.Easter Island 2006A visit to Easter Island is like visiting a dream.
This Polynesian island is stranded in the Pacific Ocean about 2,600 miles off the Chilean coast. Until 1968, the only way to reach this island was to hitch a ride on a Chilean warship. (The ship brought provisions once a year.) Now, a 5 1/2-hour plane ride from mainland Chile will deliver you to this otherworldy outdoor museum.
We spent four days and four nights on the island. One day we hiked, two of the days we took guided tours and one day we just hung out. The weather was partly cloudy most of the time with highs in the upper 60’s and low 70’s. Certainly not beach weather. But you do not come to this island for the beaches. You make the pilgrimage to gawk at the over 600 “moais” – gigantic carved stone heads – scattered around this island.
The denuded landscape appears ordinary but these stone monoliths make the whole experience surreal. It feels dreamlike. These photos only hint at the treasures that this island possesses. For us, they are touchstones. For others, we hope they inspire. | |
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 | 679.Argentina 2006 - El Calafate & UshuaiaAfter a brief night's rest in Buenos Aires, we headed down to Patagonia. Our first stop - El Calafate - the gateway town to Argentina's glacier region.
For our trip to Perito Moreno glacier, the weather gods smiled upon us. Blue sky provided a stunning day-long backdrop for our glacial oogling.
The next day was spent trawling the glacial waters of Lago Argentino. Our tour boat threaded the iceberg-laden lake - delivering us to the fronts of Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers.
Leaving the glaciers but not the ice, we flew down to Ushuaia - Argentina's southernmost city. A boat tour of the Beagle Channel is a must. And we couldn't pass up the chance to dog-sled our way through a Patagonian valley.
Although it was winter, it was not the frigid antarctic cold we had dreaded. We almost could have left our long underwear home. But I'm glad we didn't. | |
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 | 681.September 1Our flight to SD and our lunch at El Indio (YUM!) | |
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| 682.Washington D.C.A day trip from Fort Meade to Washington D.C. We visited the National Mall and Vietnam Memorial. | |
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 | 684.RiverFront_BatonRouge_LouisianaPictures taken during a visit on July 3, 2006. I got a few snapshots just before the pouring rain. Sky was dark. I can only go for the compositions. During the last few years, this area was greatly transformed. There are many interesting structures. | |
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 | 685.NewOrleans_20060703_MorningPictures taken July 3, 2006 morning around the French quarter. I was only able to take a few shots before the heavy rain. | |
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 | 689.Around CoronadoCoronado, California, a small town accross the Bay from San Diego. Frank L. Baum wrote the Wizard of Oz and the Prince of Wales met his Princess here.
The historic Hotel Del Coronado is the best known landmark, but you will find there are many more aspects to our island paradise. | |
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 | 690.AT IONA ABBEYOur visit to the BEAUTIFUL Iona Abbey.
What a treat this was!
CLICK HERE to read more about the Iona Abbey. | |
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