Ushuaia then ANTARCTICA - Yehaa!!!!

Ushuaia then the Antarctic

Left Buenos Aires after spending such a lovely time with a dear friend, Lyn who I met in Turkey - now travelling with a group of like minded adventurers from Australia and Sweden to Antarctica so flew by Lan Airlines to Ushuaia – the city given the name of being at the End of the World – it’s a quaint, picturesque place nestled at the foot of snow-capped mountains within walking distance (5kms) of a glacier.
It's like a skiing town, so pretty and so much to do there … we caught a taxi to the chairlift then walked up the path to the Glaciar Martial - rather than take the chairlift – beautiful crisp mountain air and solid exercise – great feeling after the busyness of Buenos Aires.  

This is great but Antarctica is the Big destination and the next day we headed off on the Akademik Sergey Vavilov with quark Expeditions  – 2 days of relatively???!!! calm seas although most passengers were either on sea sickness tablets or sea sick!!! 99 passengers on board and 50 lovely friendly staff...

Antartica is my 7^th Continent and I was so looking forward to it and it didn’t disappoint – it is amazing, magnificent, awe inspiring, pristine and almost surreal and like everything – far better in real life than on any show I’ve seen about it.  It is incredible how amazing it is – the icebergs in all shades of blue and green and white, penguins of various types,  seals and, of course, the pristine, crisp wilderness is incredible.

I went kayaking and cross-country skiing – both stunning in their own way – groups limited to 15 for kayaking and 20 for the skiing.  We visited the British outpost at Port Lockroy and saw the Argentinian Station as well.  This is a map of our journey....

A picture tells a 1000 words and I don’t have the words to describe how awe inspiring the scenery is so I’ll bore you with photos which cannot really capture the unreal feelings or incredible scenery.  I am coming back and doing South Georgia and the Falklands and also the Arctic - definitely - hopefully with my children !!!

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I took this footage after these Orcas had taken a baby seal and they were around our zodiac and diving under it .....spectacular....

AND on the last day in Antarctica after a walk around the deserted whaling station at Deception Island, I did the Antarctic Plunge - a swim in the icy waters of the Antarctic Sea......BBrrrrrrrr - the coldest waters I have ever felt but I'm so proud of myself for doing it along with a friend from Perth, Penelope and a lot of younger and not so younger people....
So much to say but don't want to be too long winded.....so far this has been my highlight.....off to Patagonia now for 23 days trekking, bussing and boating, so that will be my next adventure...I will have Christmas there so MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all........
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Rio de Janiero, Copacabana and Ipanema

22 November 2011
Time for some FUN so headed for Rio to sightsee and sunbath and have some laughs with my sister Liz.  Rio is a great city - there is a lovely old city, the many beaches including Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, the famous Cristo Redentor (the huge statue of Christ Redeemer that looks over the city) and Sugar Loaf (the hill in the bay with great views up to Cristo and the coastline).

We stayed on the beach at Copacabana - a great spot with a rooftop pool - splurged just this once!
The song "The Girl from Ipanema" was penned in a bar in Ipaema so, of course, we visited that and had a not so great lunch there - more cheese on a pizza than you could ever imagine - they love their cheese here and have profiterole cheese balls for breakfast with CAKE !!!!  I'm sure there must be a huge amount of heart disease because they are also surprised when you ask about walking anywhere - everyone goes either by bus, small van transport or taxi - they think walking for a half hour is ridiculous and way too far!!!
Just here for 2 days but saw most of the sights, the water was like ice so didn't swim - just people-watched!

Favelas next to Highrise

The Girls fom Ipanema

South America Part 1 - Sao Paulo then to Iguazu Falls

Sao Paulo is the 3rd largest city in the world - it has been described as "a monster - with 21 million people and more skyscrapers than could ever possibly be counted" and I agree.  It is huge and one has to be so careful of your gear and being watched - it doesn't make it that comfortable.....I was going to the Mercardo Municipal and was harrassed by a lady in a park and I realised it isn't a place to be on my own.....a little too dangerous. My sister Liz arrived (husbands conference) by sheer coincidence, so it was great to have her company for a few days.  This is the view taken from the Banc Edificio Altino Arantes near Sao Bento Metro - 34 stories high (3rd highest building in Sao Paulo) and free for the view (open 10 - 3pm).

 To make matter worse the Hostel I had booked into was not that great so I immediately booked to go by bus to Iguazu Falls - leaving 6pm and arriving 9am on "Leito" seats that almost fully recline - about $120 AUD each way.

Iguazu from the Argentinian side shows the expanse of the falls and the highlight of this side is the Garganta del Diablo (Devils Throat) - where the Iguazu River narrows and 1million litres a second pour out - this is spectacular, deafening and slightly dampening ;-)
From the Brazil side it is a totally different view - so much closer to the falls and a great view over to the Argentinian side.

Bilbao, The Pyrenees and Barcelona - out of order time wise

25 Sept 2011
I staggered into Bilbao - Hostel Pension Mardones a terrific place in the old town in Calle Jardines 4 (2nd and 3rd Floors) after leaving the walk of the Camino de Santiago at Logrono - 164 kms + - I was proud of my achievement but it faded into insignificance when you talk to others who have walked from Holland or Germany and are still going on to finish the 795kms of the Camino starting in St Jean Pied de Port - many of them have done 1400 - 1500 kms walking !!! So in that light 164kms is a drop in the ocean but I was proud of it neverthe less...

Bilbao was beautiful - with an old city of winding narrow streets and a new huge one which held the main attraction for my journey there - the Guggenheim Museum....if you are interested in reading about it here is a good link http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao - the building itself was just amazing - an architectural wonder and although the painting and installations inside were very interesting with some odd pieces, the building was just AMAZING.....
28 Sept 2011

After this I headed for a respite in a beautiful place in the Pyrenees where I walked to the Breche de Roland, standing there with Spanish Pyrenees on one side and French Pyrenees on the other was just spectacular. Then another day a hard bike riding to Cauterets then hired a car in Lourdes and drove to Col du Tourmalet (of Tour de France fame), a walk then a scenic ride up to the Pic du Midi

Pic du Midi

..After the Pyrenees started to cool - we headed for the warmth and art work of Barcelona...on 12 Oct 2011
Stayed at the Casa Gracia Hostel. 116 Passeig de Gracia - the best accomodation in the heart of Barcelona - short walk to everything including Metro and very lovely people running it.

Casa Batallo

Casa Mila balconies - nothing is as it seems..

La Sagrada Familia (front)

La Sagrada Familia (back)

Inside Casa Batallo

12 Oct 2011

AH..... Barcelona - a huge city famous for the amazing Gaudi buildings - went into the Casa Batallo - a sight to behold - nothing has a normal angle or shape - built around 1912 - he was a genius and I'm sure a little mad at times. He is said to have had his creations built and if he didn't like them he would demand they were pulled down and started again.....He had a rich benefactor Guell who he sent broke. One building he had built 5 times - I'm glad he wasn't using my money.

The Cathedral, La Sagrada Familia was started in 1883 and still not finished - they think 2020 but not sure - work still going on everyday...spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it.

A few days spare so headed for Spanish Island of Menorca, part of the Balearic Islands, staying in Mao (Mahon) - overnight ferry.  Once there hired bikes and attempted part of the Cami de Cavalls - the hardest ride I have ever done - rocky in a lot of parts and at times carried the bike, but a great achievement and I was so proud of myself after my days riding - even managed to fall over the top of the handle bars as I pulled on the front brakes much harder than the back in a time of rocky panic

Then to Turkey.....

Turkey - Istanbul - Stop Press

This is a stop the press statement that I have had the best Turkish bath from a grotty place for women only called but the massage, scrub, shampoo, sauna and wash again were fantastic - I feel like a new woman..

This is the Cagalogue Hamami - featured in 1000 places to go before you die - I didn't go there...read a few reports and people were disappointed so I went to an all womens one - looked grotty on the outside but did the best baths....called Nisanci for a 1/4 of the price...

 Now Istanbul - a fascinating place -Far bigger than I ever imagined - stayed before the tour at a Hostel found on Hostelbookers called Sultan Hostel - in the Sultanahmet area - so close to everything...for 40 Euros a night for a private room and 12 Euros for a 6 bunk dorm...  Visited beautiful mosques, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace which amazed me as it houses relics of:  Now get this.....The Rod of Moses (really), Turban of Abraham and Abraham's saucepan (I kid you not), the footprint in clay of the Prophet Mohammed from 7th Century and parts of the beard of Mohamed (how they authenticate these I will never know!!)

Took a On the Go Tour  Turkey Unplugged for 10days from Istanbul to Gallipoli, (so sad), Troy interesting and model of the Trojan horse recreated, Pergamum, Ruins of Ephasus, Pamukkale with CaCo3 thermal pools - looks like snow, then Cappadocia a fascinating place where the 2nd Star Wars movie was filmed, with phallic like fairy chimneys and I was fortunate to have a hot air balloon ride - so peaceful and AMAZING......returned via the capital Ankara to Istanbul....Such a great trip - I would love to come back - their crafts are just beautiful and I could have just gone crazy if I was returning to Australia soon...but I'm not, shame - have to return....another day....