Brazil – at 3.3 square miles and 217 million people, is the largest country in South America. Bordering all countries and territories in South America except Ecuador and Chile, Brazil is one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations in the world.

It is here that I would spend the next 8 days of my trip, a criminally small amount of time for the vast opportunity this country offers. Nevertheless, my time in Rio and São Paulo – coupled with the Carnival celebrations, was a great way to cap my time in South America.

Rio de Janeiro: “River of January”

Rio was founded in 1565 by the Portuguese colonizers and quickly became a central element of the Portuguese Empire’s reach in South America. In 1763, Rio became the capital of the State of Brazil under the Portuguese Empire, and would remain the capital of the country through the many subsequent transitions – from the 1822 Brazilian War of Independence to the establishment of the Republic of Brazil – until 1960, when the capital was transferred to Brasilia.

Rio is one of the most visited cities in South America, known for its natural parks, balneario beaches, samba, boss’s nova, and… of course… carnival.

Carnival is an annual Brazilian festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent for Roman Catholics. Except for some restaurants and carnival-related businesses, the country unifies in an intense week-long celebration, which goes day and night. It is the synthesis of European, indigenous, and Afro-Brazilian cultural influences, with each playing a vital role in the celebration’s history and identity.

Carnival is the most popular holiday in Brazil and has become a major, world-renowned celebration – Rio’s carnival, the country’s largest, drew 4.9 million with 400,000 foreigners pre-pandemic. After 3 years of lockdowns, there is no doubt that Brazil’s carnival is back in full-force.

The festival can mostly be split into two categories (at least from my experience):

(1) Blocos (block parties) are street bands that mobilize crowds on the streets and are the main expression of Brazilian Carnival. These street parties occur in nearly every neighborhood in Rio, with organizers composing their own music themes and singing classic “marchinhas” and samba songs.

(2) The Sambadrome – located in downtown Rio, is the exhibition place where samba schools parade competitively each year during the Rio Carnival. Samba schools are dancing, marching, and drumming clubs that are devoted to practicing samba, an Afro-Brazilian dance and drumming style. Over the course of 4 days, the schools parade one after another from 8pm until the early hours of the morning (when I went, we didn’t get out until 6:30am..). Each samba school has a preset amount of time (75 minutes) to parade from one end of the Sambadrome to the other, with its dancers, drum section, and floats. Each school has its own unique qualities according to its own traditions. Schools are graded by a jury and at the end of Carnival celebration, one school is declared the winner.

While I did not take too many photos during my time at Rio Carnival (its not wise to be a tourist with your phone out – unless you want to donate it to the greater Rio community) – here are some photos me and my friends took of the celebrations!

As someone who is not the biggest fan of large crowds, a couple days of Carnival was MORE than enough for me – and some friends and I opted to see what else Rio had to offer.

FUN FACT: Rio Carnival is one of the best times to visit the “tourist” attractions. Most parks, sites, museums, etc.. are still open but are incredibly quite since everyone is focused on the Carnival festivities!

We first hiked up Mount Corcovado to see Christ the Redeemer.

I might not subscribe to the Roman Catholic doctrine, but I have to admit, a giant statue of Jesus overlooking a massive city on the Atlantic coast is pretty cool.

And after we hiked back down, we visited Park Lage

The next day, we headed to the botanical gardens

And watched the sunset at Ipanema beach

My last day in Rio, I hiked up to Sugarloaf

And relaxed watching the planes landing at one of the Rio airports

São Paulo:

The next day I took a 6 hour bus from Rio to São Paulo in one of the most comfortable bus experiences I have ever had. About half way through we stopped at this sort of buffet diner, where it seems as though all the bus companies bring their patrons to on the drive between Rio & São Paulo.

Arriving in São Paulo, I was ready to take full advantage of the few short days I had in the city. Unfortunately, Air India and my flight to New Delhi had other plans – and this is where I can fully depict the other, less picturesque, side of traveling.

A couple months ago, I found a dirt cheap flight from São Paulo to New Delhi for February 27, which I quickly secured with points from my Chase credit card (wahoo, free flight!). I get the email confirmation, file the ticket away on my phone, and promptly forget about it (my first mistake). Over the next couple months, I do not hear anything from Chase or the airline, but since I purchased it through my credit card, I assume it is fine (mistake # 2). A couple weeks before the flight, I check the flight status on my phone and it says the carrier has changed but my flight is still on, so I think nothing of it (mistake #3). By pure chance, my first day in So Paulo I check the flight on Air India’s website to double check the status, carry-on limit, etc.. – and low and behold the flight doesn’t exist. So I go and double check my flight with Chase – the flight is still on but (duhh!) with another carrier – Ethiopian Air.

Phewff I think, and I rush over to Ethiopian Air’s website to check my flight – but when I put in my information, the system says my ticket does not exist. It is here where I begin to freak out, just a bit.

I frantically call Chase’s “help” line and spend the next 4 and a half hours not being helped by representative after representative from Chase and Air India. My flight with Air India was in fact cancelled, and the airline rebooked my flight, but only for the second leg of the journey (Ethiopia to India), not the crucial first leg from São Paulo to New Delhi. Chase blamed Air India for the mess up and Air India blamed Chase – and neither could decide who needed to put me on another flight (which I have no doubt would cost them dearly given the short turnaround). Finally, at the fifth hour, I gritted my teeth as a lovely representative, Mark, (from India!) flawlessly managed both an intransigent airline and a livid customer to secure me a new flight – the same flight, in fact, only leaving a day early on the 26th instead of the 27th.

My brain fried and my day wasted, I grabbed some beers and went to a bar across the street, listening to the bands playing Samba (its still Carnival in São Paulo). I eased my tensions and planned the last day I had in the city. At least I had my flight.

While I did not have time to see everything I wanted to to in São Paulo, I was, fortunately, able to have a great day, exploring a couple neighborhoods and Ibirapuera Park (one of the largest city parks in the world!), all while Carnival celebrations in full swing.

Batman Alley

A continuation of Carnival (because I guess I just could not escape it in Brazil)-

Photos walking Through São Paulo

Ibirapuera Park

And finally, I had a photoshoot with a goose that was a bit too trusting of my intentions – while I’d like to think the goose’s comfort with me was due to my beneficent personality, it is more likely a result of the numerous children nearby attempting to feed them.

I wrapped up my time in Brazil and South America charging my devises in the common area of my hostel, chatting with a woman from Turkey, and listening/watching to the Samba band that had taken over the hostel – people dancing, singing, and smiling – it was a proper end to my time here.

Conclusion

It didn’t quite dawn on me that I was leaving South America until I was in my uber to the airport. It is hard to imagine that I started traveling two months ago and my time in the earlier portions of my trip (Colombia, Peru, etc..) feel like a lifetime ago.

Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil – all of these countries offered me so much in my travels: exposure to Spanish & Portuguese, cultures & religious practices, wonderfully preserved landscapes, exciting food & drink, museums, music, and incredible people. I wish I had more time in these places – to explore them more thoroughly; but, I am satisfied with what I have gained from my limited time. I hope that I can come again in future trips – when I can further refine what I want in each country and see how the places I have visited in my 20’s have changed in my return to them.

If I were to do the South American loop again, there is little I would change. I hope to do Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay in a future trip so those did not feel essential for me to see now. I had to make some hard choices on where to visit given my tight timeframe and I am happy with the diverse array of environments I chose to see. I think the loop from Colombia down the continent and back up to Brazil offers a great opportunity to see the diversity and similarities among nations and people on the South American continent. The transformation of landscapes is fascinating to observe as you move down and back up the continent – going from lush forests to desert landscapes, to ice capped mountains and glaciers. The small changes in Spanish dialect and slang used in each country is interesting to experience, and a fun challenge to master. These many wonderful experiences in South America will stick with me as I continue to travels now and in my future plans.

I’ll wrap up by reiterating how thankful I feel to have the opportunity to travel – and to do it for this long. The first third of my journey has been incredible – from the new ideas and perspectives it has taught me, to the pure fun it has offered. As I leave South America, I look forward to the journey I have planned going forward.

Some things I am most looking forward to! –

– Consuming dish after dish in India (special thanks to Peter and Nihaarika for all of the great tips and recommendations) – hopefully I can avoid “Delhi belly”

– Hiking the 2 week trek to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal (thanks to my friend, Antony – from Torres del Pain-, who gave me the idea

– A 6 day trek and cave exploration through the in Vietnam

– The Cameron Highlands in Malaysia

– Thai food & Thai beaches

– Tokyo, where I have my flight home on May 22 (yes, purchased with my Chase points – and yes, I will be regularly checking its status until the day of my flight)

Finally, thank you to everyone who has written to me and supported me throughout this journey. A special thanks to Austin, Steph, Trex, & Ollie who recently took Bren, her family, and me out to dinner in Buenos Aires – virtually, of course.

See you in New Delhi – after 23 hours of travel, a hot shower, some good food, and a long nap.

Sam

Argentinian Patagonia encompasses the arid steppes, grasslands, and desserts. Argentina’s famous RN-40 highway passes the pinnacles of Monte Fitz Roy and Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. I knew I would only have about a week on this side before heading to Buenos Aires so I had to make some hard choices on what to visit – in the end I decided on spending 4 days in El Chalten and 4 days in Ushuaia, leaving El Calafate (considered the more touristy town) for a day in between flights.

Argentinian Patagonia: El Calafate & El Chalten

I took a bus 6 hours from Puerto Natales to El Calafate and then another bus 3 hours to El Chalten. Arriving in the evening, I went to my hostel and prepped for the next several days where I would hike and camp through Los Glaciares National Park.

The next day, I went to a local camping gear shop and rented a tent and sleeping bag and began my hike through the national park to a campsite by Fitz Roy, where I hoped to catch another sunrise.

Fun Fact! Yvon Chouinard’s, inspiration for the now-famous Patagonia brand logo is the silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Los Glaciares National Park.

Arriving at the camp, I set up my tent and began chatting with the other campers. We discussed our hiking plans and committed to hiking up to Fitz Roy, hopeful of capturing the sunrise despite the less-than-clear forcast. We set our meeting time at 3:00am and went to our respective tents.

The next morning, we drank coffee by our tents and began our nighttime trek up to Fitz Roy. Encouraged by the mostly clear sky, we rushed up the mountain arriving well before the 5:30am sunrise. Unfortunately, when we reached our staked position, rain clouds began to swoop in, the temperature dropped, and the little drizzle quickly turned to snow and hale. We hunkered down under the rocks, huddled together for warmth as we pleaded for the clouds to go away.

30 grueling minutes later, by the grace of >>whatever you believe in<< the clouds dispersed and we saw Fitz Roy’s peaks glow in the sunrise.

And watched the sunrise

Hiking back, we returned to camp for breakfast and another coffee. By the early afternoon, we said our goodbyes and I began my hike to the next campsite by Laguna Torre.

Unfortunately, similar to my experience in Torres del Paine, I was not destined to be dry in my post-sunrise commute – and I was challenged with rain throughout the course of my 3 hour hike to the next camp. Drenched from top to bottom, I set up my tent and began the hopeless process of attempting to dry my gear in a downpour. Laying down by my burner for warmth (thatI periodically turned on and off to heat the tent), I daydreamed of hamburgers and fries – resolved to survive the night so I could enjoy them when I got back into town.

The next morning, I awoke, again, to a lovely sunny day. Leaving all of my possessions out to dry, I explored Laguna Torre in my sandles, grateful that I splurged on a nice pair, as they were the only thing that was dry…

Damp but satisfied, I opted to return to El Chalten that evening so I could dry my pack, do laundry, and enjoy a hot meal.

I have to say, after lugging 35lbs of damp, heavy, gear through the mountains for 3 days, I have never been more happy to do laundry, east fast food, and take a hot shower.

The next day, I took a bus back to El Calafate and took an afternoon flight to my next and final destination in Patagonia, Ushuaia.

Argentinian Patagonia: Ushuaia

Ushuaia is a small city located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the southernmost tip of South America. Often nicknamed the “End of the World”, Ushuaia is perched on a steep hill surrounded by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It is the gateway to Antarctica Cruises and tours to nearby Isla Yecapasela, known as “Penguin Island” for its penguin colonies.

Arriving after an easy hour flight, I left my pack at the hostel and, given the unusually gorgeous weather, opted for yet another hike, this time to Laguna de los Tempanos and Vinciguerra Glacier.

The hike highlighted the diversity in beauty Patagonia has to offer. Vast fields of peat, dense forests, and rocky glaciers with horses roaming throughout – my body, exhausted from the past 2 weeks of hiking, rallied to enjoy yet another beautiful site.

Vinciguerra Glacier

… and another horse!

The next day, I woke up early to catch a 6:00am day tour that would take us through the Fuegiuan forest to Isla Martello where we visited the Acatushun Museum of birds and marine mammals and sailed to the Island, where we walked with the magellanic penguins and papuans.

Some close ups!

And some shots from further away!

And I have to include 2 penguins who were dancing with each other!

During the trip, I met Gloria and her husband – a lovely couple visiting from Colombia

In the afternoon, we took a boat along the Beagle Channel, where we got to see the Bird Island, Sea Lions Island, and the Lighthouse Les Eclaireurs.

My last day in Ushuaia, I spent time in the city, and gave my body a needed rest.

Conclusion

I won’t spend too much time here because I hope my 2 blog posts, photos, and stories say enough – but I will end by saying that I highly recommend visiting Patagonia to anyone who loves exploring the diversity of nature and how the harshness of an environment bends the biology of its inhabitants. And the penguins are pretty cool too 🙂

See you next week in Buenos Aires,

Sam

Patagonia, Forever Changing

Growing up, my Mother would often take me to the beach in the summers. It was one of my favorite places to visit. I remember whenever we would arrive to the coast and I got my first view of the ocean, a feeling of euphoric excitement would fill me – and when we parked and began walking on the sand, I would feel a biting urge to plunge myself into the waves.

The Patagonian region reignited this childhood excitement in a way I had not expected and had not experienced since my early childhood. I hope that in this post I can depict a bit of what this region of the world made me feel – rejuvenating at times, demanding at others, but always new, exciting, and inspiring.

Patagonia – a region encompassing the southernmost tip of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile, bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The name, Patagonia, comes from the word, Patagon, which was initially used to describe the native tribes of the region, whom explorers in the 1500’s thought to be giants. Famous for its landscapes, vast forest, national parks, glaciers, and wildlife, the massive region offers a diverse wealth of exploration for outdoors enthusiasts.

There are a lot of photos I am hoping to share from this experience so I am going to split Patagonia into 2 separate posts to ensure my ipad’s processor (which I’m writing this blog on) can handle the content’s size! Patagonia I will cover the Chilean side and Patagonia II will cover the Argentinian side.

Chilean Patagonia: Punta Arenas & Puerto Natales

My first 5 hours in Patagonia were…. uneventful. Arriving at 8am in the Punta Arenas airport, I realized that in my planning, I neglected to buy a bus ticket to my final destination of the day, Puenta Natales – a 3 hour bus drive north. After a hectic 2 hours of coordinating a ticket purchase on my phone and the frustrating security protocols of my credit card company, I was finally able to purchase my bus ticket – for 1:00pm…

But, as has become a theme throughout my travels, I took advantage of my downtime and explored the town of Punto Arenas. To my surprise, it was quite a lovely town and by far the closest I’ve ever been to the South Pole (2,546 miles to be exact – for reference, the South Pole is 9,016 miles from NYC). A lovely small seaside town – Punto Arenas couples the beauty of colonial architecture with the practicality of Alaskan-style materials. With some nice coffee shops, restaurants, and views of the ocean, it was a great place to start my time in the region.

After arriving at my hostel in Puerto Natales, I settled in and adventured 2 blocks into town – searching for a hot meal, a heavier jacket, and some cash for my trip. While I did not find the cash I wanted (my debit card was eaten by an ATM), I did acquire a large used Colombia Jacket (the only one that fit), and a hot meal with some local gin. The gin bar, Last Hope Distillery, was created in 2016 by two Australians who moved to Puerto Natales after quitting their engineering jobs, in search of a more rewarding lifestyle. They certainly found it, offering daily tours of their small-batch distillery, excitedly answering tourist’s questions. Last Hope is one of the first gin distilleries in Chile, and some of their gin uses the region’s calafate berries, which gives the drink a purple color, and a sweet jammy taste that mixes really well with other drier liquors. Surprising to me, the bar was a mix of locals and tourists – meshed together in the tight quarters of the bar.

The next day I explored a bit more of the town and prepared for the next 5 days in Torres Del Paine

Chilean Patagonia: Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers of Southern Chilean Patagonia. There are traditionally 2 routes travelers take – (1) the O-trek, an 8 day trek that takes you around the entire circumference of the park, and the W-trek, which I opted for – a 4-5 day “highlights” trek of the park shaped like…. a W! Here is a map to show you what I am talking about:

The next morning, I got the 7:00am bus from Puerto Natales to Torres Del Paine, about a 2 hour drive. After arriving at the park, I went to the first refugio to drop my heavy equipment off. Refugios are large cabins with beds, meal service, and a small shop for food and supplies dotted along the trekking routes of the park.

My first hike was to Mirador Base Las Torres, one of the most iconic in Chilean Patagonia and probably the most popular within the Torres del Paine National Park. The 13 mile out-and-back hike offers incredible views of Lake Torre and the three granite peaks that surround it, known as the “blue towers”.

While hiking, I met Beckett from the UK, and Anthony from France, who I would end up hiking the rest of the W-trek with.

The hike up to Mirador Torres was quite beautiful-

When we finally got to the top, we were rewarded with beautiful, albeit, cloudy, views of the towers and lake.

And, coincidentally, I saw my friend, Laura, who was hiking through the park with a tour group!

After hiking back, Beckett took the bus back to Puerto Natales and Anthony and I hung out at the refugio, chatting and drinking beers. Later on that night, we met two women from the Netherlands who just arrived. They asked us about our hike up to Mirador Torres and if we had any recommendations. They mentioned they were considering doing a sunrise hike but that they wanted to talk with reception about it first. We went to the reception desk and began chatting with Diego, who I befriended earlier over our shared love for video games. He told us that the next morning was supposed to be incredibly clear and encouraged us to do the sunrise hike. Excited, we asked him what time we should leave – 6am? 5am? 4am? —- and then, our hearts sunk —- to get to the sunrise, he said, which began at 5:30, we would need to leave the refugio at 1:30am….

Feeling somewhat defeated, we went back to our table to discuss our options. Would it really be worth getting 3 hours of sleep? (it was 10:00pm) – what if the weather changes? – can we really do the 3 hour hike in the dark? – and did I really want to hike another 13 miles just to see a sunrise?

Whether it was the beer or our own stubbornness, I am not sure – but by 11:00pm, we decided to do it. We bid each other goodnight and went to our rooms for a 2 hour nap.

We met at the refugio’s cafeteria at 1:00am, reggaeton music blasting from the kitchen. The night shift who was preparing breakfast for the next morning pitied us and offered some coffee which we gratefully sipped as we mentally prepared for the late night journey.

Leaving the refugio, which had the only lights for miles (aside from the hotel down the road..), we were welcomed by a bowl of stars and the brightest moon I have ever seen.

While the photos don’t do it justice, here are some from our trek

Without a doubt, this nighttime hike, which was the first I had ever done, was one of the best experiences I have had. The only people on the trail, we navigated the bush and rocks with the cool air our backs, chatting our way up the mountains.

By 5:00am, we reached the blue towers, found a comfy nook on the rocks, and ate egg sandwiches while we waited for the sun to come.

By 5:30, we began to see the light of the rising sun shine onto the rocks. By 6:00, we were welcomed with a glowing red like none I have ever seen.

As someone who has only explored a few national parks in the US, and only on the East Coast and New Mexico, this experience was otherworldly – and as I rushed down the mountain to meet Anthony for the next part of the hike – I could not stop thinking how grateful I am for the financial and physical strength that allowed me to have such a powerful experience.

By 9am, and 13 miles in, my day of trekking had just begun. Fueled by adrenaline, caffeine, and self-satisfaction – Anthony and I began the next stretch of our journey, 12 miles to our next refugio.

A saying that stuck with me from my time in Hebrew school was the phrase: “Gam Zeh Ya’avor” —> “this to shall pass”. Originating from King Solomon, who wore these words on a ring as a reminder to himself, the phrase reflects on the temporary nature of the world.

This adage could not be more well applied than for describing the erratic behavior Patagonian weather. You never know when it will change, and you need to be prepared for all four seasons. Unfortunately, the next 6 hours of our hike showed us, loud and clear, the power of Patagonian weather change.

I wish I could say my time in Torres del Paine was a dream, but that would be a lie. The next 12 miles of hiking, Anthony and I trudged through a torrent or relentless wind and rain as we dragged our bodies and gear through muddy paths, teetering bridges, and slippery rocks. How the weather that blessed me at 6am transformed into a torrential downpour only 3 hours later, I don’t know – welcome to Patagonia, I thought.

By around 2:00pm, we arrived at the two-thirds point, at Refugio Cuernos. Fortunately, the weather had cleared (temporarily), so we found some benches outside, took a nap, and played cards with some fellow travelers as our gear dried in the sun.

By 4:00pm, the rain and wind threatened its return, so Anthony, our fellow hikers, and me packed up and began the last third of our trek to Refugio Frances, which was based at the bottom of of next day hike through the Valle de Frances. We again fought through rain and wind as the glacial lake on our left thrashed waves against the rocks under our feet.

While it is hard to imagine, we were quite fortunate with our timing, as immediately after arriving at Refugio Frances, the true downpour began, continuing late into the night. After strategically placing all of our gear by the fire to dry, we went to the dining hall, a rickety skeleton of sheet metal, plastic, and wood planks. Exhausted but high-spirited, we spent the night drinking coffee and whiskey as we watched the Lago Nordernskjold express its aggressive side as its waves battered the rocks below. When I finally laid down on my bed, I checked my watch to see how far I traversed — 27.8 miles in 14 hours — the most I have ever hiked, let alone with a pack of gear and food.

*Tangent: Laying in bed, I thought about how grateful I am for the physical fitness I worked to achieve over the past 5 years. From an early age, I defined fitness as synonymous with “looking good” and being healthy. Never particularly good at sports (I blame my poor hand-eye coordination), I think failed to learn that fitness is so much more than just being “attractive” or living a long life – it is, most importantly to me, about the quality of the life you can live, both mentally and physically. I would never have been able to do all this hiking, see the wonderful sunrise at Mirador Torres, lug my gear through the rain and wind, and keep a smile on my face while doing it without the hundreds of hours I spent training my body – lifting weights at the gym, running, doing yoga (albeit not well), going to physical therapy, rock climbing, and just walking or riding my bike. This would become a reoccurring thought throughout my time in Patagonia, as I pushed my body and mind to its limits, fighting to experience as much of the region as I could in the 2 short weeks I had.

The next morning, we were greeted with a beautifully clear day – the sun beaming down on the drenched camp we slept in.

Packing up our gear, we prepped for another long day – hiking 18 miles to Mirador Britanica through the Valle de Frances and back to our next stop, Refugio Paine Grande.

The hike, out-and-back through the Valle de Frances to Mirador Britanica, was beautiful – greeting us with views of glaciers and the backward angle of Mirador Torres.

And a few more..

Around 7:00pm I arrived at Refugio Paine Grande – starving and beginning to grow sick of my daily 3 course dinner of carrot sticks, powdered soup, and canned tuna with instant mashed potatoes. The Paine Grande refugio is by far the largest of the refugios – and inside was a luxurious dining hall – with a buffet that can only be described as a fancy Golden Corral (pre-Covid of course). Quick Rant- The food and accommodation at the refugios in Torres Del Paine are absurdly priced – a result of being so far from civilization. When I secured my spot at the refugio (which you must do because they fill up very quickly in high season), I decided against the $200 room and board promo, opting for the more economical $120 bring-your-own-food dorm room option. For anyone considering this trek, I implore you, PLEASE pay the extra $$ for food at Refugio Paine Grande – while its not as worth it at the other refugios in my opinion, it is well-worth the money at Paine Grande, especially after several days of hiking with canned tuna and mashed potatoes… As my nostrils were bombarded with wafts of chicken curry and grilled fish, I begrudgingly wolfed down my canned dinner and stole a couple dinner rolls from the counter.

The last and final day, Anthony and I hiked up Largo Grey to the Grey Glacier and took a hiking tour that led us onto the glacier itself.

Afterwards, we rushed back to Refugio Paine Grande to catch the 6:00pm catamaran out of the Torres del Paine national park.

At a bar waiting for our bus to Puerto Natales, we drank beers and relived the past several days.

Arriving in Puerto Natales at 10:00pm, Anthony and I said goodbye and went to our hostels.

Over the course of 4 days, we hiked 60 miles (including 2x up and down Mirador Torres). It was a truly incredible experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience Patagonia.

Before I end, I want to give a quick shoutout to Anthony – who hiked the entirety of the W-trek in a turtle-neck, jeans, a pair of nike airs, and a heavy duty trash bag – not once complaining of the discomfort I have no doubt he experienced. He is both a cautionary tale and a shining example of what resiliency can provide.

While I wish I could say I took some time to rest, it was time to go to the Argentinian side of Patagonia – so I went straight to bed for my 8:00am bus the next morning.

See you in the next post, where I’ll describe my time on the Argentinian side of Patagonia.

Sam

Medellin! Capital of the Flowers and The Land of Eternal Spring

Colombia’s second largest city (after Bogota), Medellin is nestled in the Aburra Valley of the Andres Mountains. Founded in 1616, the city remained largely under the radar until the Colombian coffee boom in the early 1800’s. Later, Colombia became a major hub for a textile industry, which continues to be represented in the 574 ft Coltejer building in the city center.

Full of museums, cultural sites, restaurants, and bars, Medellin was a welcome change from the beautiful (but Mosquito filled…) hills of the Sierra Nevada.

Arriving early Monday morning, I spent the next two hours finding my way to the city center. Unbeknownst to me (and no one’s fault but my own) Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova international airport is 21 miles east of the city. In the past, travelers would need to traverse an hour of windy mountain roads to get between the city and the airport – but, fortunately for me, the New Tunel de Oriente opened in 2019, cutting the travel time in half. A 5 miles long road tunnel, the Tunel de Oriente connects the Aburra Valley with the adjacent San Nicolas Valley.

During my 30 minute bus ride, I sat next to Jose, a Californian who immigrated to the US from Honduras in the early 90’s. Chatting, he told me about his son, who is a plastic surgeon in San Diego. Learning of my plan to pursue medicine, he eagerly told me about his son’s career, noticeably proud of the life he created. This sense of pride would become a theme of my time in Medellin as I experienced the city.

During my time in Medellin….

I joined a walking tour of the city, where we saw Botero sculptures, ate salpicrema, and learned about Medellin’s history.

Went to the Museum of Antioquia

And reconnected with my friend, Sara, from Cartagena!

Together we explored Medellin’s Botanical Garden

And saw some great birds!

And a few iguanas…

After the Botanical Garden, we took the gondolas up to Parque Arvie!

In the park, we stumbled upon a farmers market!

And went on a hike in the park!

Towards the end of my time in Medellin, I had the chance to take a graffiti walking tour of Comuna 13.

I speak more in depth about my time in the neighborhood in my book club post (see here) but I will give a brief description her as well.

In the 1980’s-1990’s Comuna 13 had such a high murder rates it was considered the most dangerous place in the world.

Now, it is now one of the safest and most explored areas in the city. The neighborhood is famous for its powerful graffiti art and murals where people express themselves through depictions of conflict, corruption, and the power of community action which helped bring an end to the violence. On the graffiti tour, I was able to explore the neighborhood just 6 years after the peace deal between FARC and the Colombian government. It is absolutely incredible to see the transformation the neighborhood has gone through in a mere 6 years since the peace agreement, and it has a lot to do with the decades of effort from community leaders.

I had the opportunity to meet one of those leaders, Don Angel Ivan Gonzalez, on the graffiti tour. Gonzalez was pivotal in the revitalization of the Vicente de Julio area in Comuna 13, which is now one of the central art hubs of the city.

Gonzalez lived in Comuna 13 most of his life, witnessing the violence that took place in the neighborhood – gang killings, abductions, and the notorious interventions conducted by the Colombian state that resulted in the indiscriminate maiming and killing of hundreds of civilians (you can learn more about the operations HERE). Despite experiencing decades of instability, he maintained a steadfast commitment to supporting his community. Gonzalez helped establish the orange-roofed escalators that cover the neighborhood. Finished in 2011, they allow Comuna 13 residents to scale the mountainous neighborhood in six sections, with a journey taking just six minutes. He also played an integral role in cultivating the art-scene that has made the neighborhood so famous, promoting youth initiatives that encouraged expression through art.

It was incredible to see how much change someone can bear witness to in just one lifetime – and how much of an impact one individual can have on the growth of a community.

Lima & a change of plans

A valuable lesson I learned when I embarked on my first backpacking trip in 2015 was that flexibility is key – plans change and you need to be ready to roll with the punches.

Before leaving for Colombia, I had a plan to travel to Cusco in Peru to complete the 4D/3N hike to Machu Picchu. A bucket-list item, I was quite disappointed when I had to make the decision to cancel my trip due to the ongoing political crisis in Peru. Despite this, the events that disrupted my initial plans offered new opportunities and provided me a glimpse into the complicated political circumstances faced by the people of Peru.

Flying into Lima last Thursday, I found myself in the center of the political crisis. While the protests that had engulfed Peru in December and early January were mostly centered in Cusco and Puno, by the 19th of January, they had moved west to the Peruvian capital, where I would be spending the next 5 days.

I do not feel I have the knowledge or positioning to give a proper opinion of the situation – and so I will only focus on the emotions I felt through my experience, and what I heard from the locals I met.

Seeing photos like the ones above on the news, I was quite surprised to see no protests in the immediate vicinity of my hostel.

Staying in Barranco, a neighborhood 7 miles south of where most of the protests were taking place, we were sequestered from the clashes between police and demonstrators – but the solemn feeling of anger and fear could be felt throughout the city.

From the staff of the hostel and other locals I spoke to, I got a sense of deep frustration towards the protesters – for disrupting the lives Lima’s locals had created for themselves in the city. While I don’t want to give my (frankly uneducated) opinion on the situation, I will say I was surprised that I did not hear much support or sympathy for the protesters – many of whom seem to be members of indigenous groups who argue they have been left behind by Peru’s economic system. If I took anything from the conversations I had, it was that fear of instability is an incredibly powerful stimulus for animosity and division. Peru has seen five Presidents in the past five years and that, along with an attempted coup and strong public dissatisfaction for the nation’s Congress, seems to have created a deep need for stability by the folks I spoke to in Lima, leaving little appetite for systemic change. And I can’t help but consider the parallels between the political challenges in Peru and the United States – in the consequences just one person can have on the trajectory of a nation’s future.

Despite these tensions, the neighborhoods I spent the majority of my time in – Barranco & Miraflores – were quite beautiful

The neighborhoods were full of cute markets,

coffee shops,

and a diverse array of restaurants from Peruvian influenced Chinese diners (chifas) to hole-in-the-wall Indian joints.

Fun fact: Chifa is a Chinese Peruvian tradition based on Cantonese elements fused with traditional Peruvian ingredients and traditions. The first Chinese-Peruvian fusion restaurants opened in lima around the 1920’s in Lima’s Chinatown (Barrio Chino).

I stayed in a hostel converted from an abandoned mansion!

And with the hostel, we went out to some fun bars!

And saw a wonderful sunset!

While my time in Peru was quite short, I am really glad that I had an opportunity to get a taste of the country’s wonderful food, culture, and natural landscapes. I hope to come back soon and get a more comprehensive perspective of the nation and its people.

Final Thoughts

As I settle into the routines of travel, I have begun to find the things that bring me the most joy and sustainability are the fellow travels and locals I have met. Even though these relationships can feel quite transient, they form a stability and comfort that is as strong as it is difficult to articulate. Maybe its the comfort of shared experience or the excitement of finding those with similar mindsets as my own – or maybe its the challenge of exploring a life experience other than my own. Regardless, I am a bit surprised to see that what animates me about my traveling is not just the physical spaces I see but also the relationships I develop in those spaces – establishing a shared memory – even if it is in a fleeting companionship.

See you next week in Santiago, as I prepare for my 2 week trek through Patagonia

Sam