unwinding & rewinding

From Atacama to Patagonia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38328335@N00/sets/72157613127530233/

I thought of writting about the 'tavanos', stupid annoying flies that take over certain areas of central Chile for a few weeks each year, and think they're mosquitos and can suck your blood without brutal consequences. Maybe I can write some more about the mesmerizing beauty of the Atacama desert and Patagonia, and the magic of certain moments shared with wonderfully understanding and patient people. I could tell you how I lost it on a Frenchman at a dinner table in the southern fjords...

The truth is, I am still in the "in between", as I was describing to Vivian last night, and I can't seem to return fully just yet. So, in the meantime, here is a bunch of images of places and moments, if you're curious about the where's, who's, how's and wow's.

A bientot.

el fin del mundo

I will not write much tonight, for i am oh so tired as well as in another world still, after one of the most amazing experience of my life so far: 5 days on the southern seas with an incredible crew of amazing people (who basically live on a sick boat away from home for about 8 months), visiting remote fjords, glaciers, islands, all the way to Cape Horn and back, to finish at what they like to call "el fin del mundo", which is disputable between Chile and Argentina territories, but we won't go there just yet... i will try to put the puzzle back in order in my mind first, then try to speak of it all... what i can say is that i am thrilled, smiling big of course, and it was rather magical!!!

we have worked our way back to Santiago today, i'm leaving my friends and this beautiful country tomorrow to return to my beloved freezing Brooklyn by Friday.

I will then process and post photos if i can find some that are remotely interesting, write some more hopefully if i can and start catching up.

I miss you all and hope life has been as good to you as it has been to me lately.

with love,
manou

Glacier Grey, crazy boat ride, horrible roads and wonderful encounters

It is very late for me, after a long long day but this is the last opportunity i will get to write something more before i head back to Santiago the day before i return home. it's 30 minutes past midnight, i may not make much sense here, but i hope you will appreciate the effort and thought.

the weather didn t hold today as i was hoping it would, but we managed to get to the boat 5 minutes before departure, despite the stupid drivers on the way there (they shall be referred to as "assbags" as previously named this way by Sir Lang). Anyhow, lost the "assbags" on the road, arrived in a rush, got the tickets, and off we went with the leader of the pack towards our little boat... wait, one little boat was leading to another little boat, on a wild glacial lake that was going mad with the violents winds... a little scary but we can take it. Lifejackets, nice, even if the water is frigid cold, i took it with a smile. and off we went... after about an hour ride on the lake, we got to the bottom and edge of Glacier Grey, which, although it was raining mostly, was an insanely mindblowing sight. i was stunt, not dressed properly of course therefore absolutely freezing in my bones yet the adrenaline pumped enough heat and energy for me to stay out on the deck, shooting a bit, staring a lot... and i turned around and saw Armelle standing on the deck next to me in the cold and rain, shooting as many pictures as she could before her hands turned purple: i was really proud of her right there, i can tell you, she is one cool lady!... Our captain brought pisco sour up there, he is the hero of my day, it was genius! worked our way back eventually inside, and the boat started its journey back... while we got to know the crew better and drunk more pisco sour :)
reached land an hour later, walk in the rain back to the nearby hotel, ordered a sandwich (lunch and dinner), some water and hot chocolate, everybody is cold but smiling, it's 630pm. Met 2 adorable professors from California, Mark is also a nature photographer, and his wife Jana was patiently waiting by his side, in case the local eagle would show up as it does sometimes... we chat about birds, biology, travels, condors, where we live, the languages we manage to speak, life... what a perfect day.

then it's 8pm, time to hit the road to return to Puerto Natales, it's raining buckets outside, but we go anyway, the sun goes down by 10pm, we've got light until 1030pm, we should manage.

Fuck the pistas in this area! they are aweful, we probably almost died a couple of times tonight, i was furious for 2 hours, trying to save our asses, get us to destination, while preserving our little car so it can take us back tomorrow, avoiding assbags on the way... my back is killing me now, i calmed my nerves with a little nightcap, i want to return to this region for sure in the future and am hoping for either better roads, or more money in the bank to afford a 4x4 and go nuts.

But it was all worth it, i am glad we are safe and warm now, and i have images of the glacier and the land in my head, while i think of the brilliant people i was fortunate to meet these past few days, and since i have been here.

i am going to disappear now for a few days, try something new and hang on the ocean for a while... meet pinguins and seals, and hope that dolpins are on standby, just in case we need to be saved :)

thinking of you and blowing kisses in the air for whomever wants some

love, manou

Of time and lack of identity

I am not so sure of what day it is, i've been more about locations than day and time, as anyone would be in this wonderful situation.

I have finally met someone last night who would openly speak to me about this country, this society, this land, its history, its nonsenses, joys and pains and its possible tomorrows. I couldn't stop asking questions, i was so hungry for insight from someone who loves this place and has grown up in it. And beyond all the stories and details of Zahel's life in Chile, we kept on coming back to the fact that the Chilean society and people have not found again their identity as a nation after the fall of the dictatorship... or was it that they never found a new one? And one can feel that when traveling through this beautiful country... people are a bit at a loss and that could partially explain why they wouldn't speak up (that and the old habits of living in a dictatorship where what you say may get you and your family killed)... I miss the people of the altiplano because they never lost their identity, they almost don't belong to any country, they are their own world... the Mapuche nation is hard to meet, see, know... it almost feels like they're still hiding when they fought so hard to survive and remain themselves... they're here, but you can't reach them it seems... i wish i had had more time in that region to try to get to know people more and learn about their ways and stories.

In any event, i spent a couple of hours with Zahel to learn everything he was willing to share, before it was too late, and we had to go to sleep. Today, he's leading a bunch of producers and filmmakers, who are working on a documentary for the european channel Arte, so he can continue telling the stories of his people, showing them how amazingly gorgeous his land is and sharing his hopes for Chile's tomorrows.

I am now waiting for Armelle to get ready, so we can go for a little more hiking around while chasing foxes (they are called Zorro here, i love it) and guanacos (cousins of the camels and vicuñas), and hopefully be able to catch a little boat that would take us at the bottom of Glacier Grey, if the weather holds and the winds allow it. Yesterday was made of violent winds and rain, snow in higher grounds, yet the sights remained lush and breathtaking... People here say that one can go through the 4 seasons in one day, i believe them, it is not hard to imagine such a day in such a rare insane place.

Heading back to Puerto Natales late tonight, via the terribly bad pistas that one must drive to get in and out of here, then it's Pancho the condor, lunch with Justine and Rene, goodbye's and see you's, leaving the car behind in Punta Arenas and hopping on a boat for 5 crazy days in the wild southern seas, to reach el fin del mundo. If anything goes wrong, i'm counting on the dolphins, as Gregory suggested, to come and save me so i don't become sharkfood and plancton, so i can return and tell you more stories :)))

Smiles and hugs

Torres Del Paine

So far i've done 7000km on the roads. i have seen so many amazing pieces of land, met incredibly kind people and felt so small yet empowered.

I am now finding myself in the heart of Torres del Paine, which is oh so beautiful and impressive, maybe one of the most beautiful place i've discovered... then again i don't know anymore which is more stunning and interesting... it has all been unbelievably awesome.

Going hiking now, then encounter another glacier, maybe have a lil' pisco sour with Pancho the Condor and his friends Justine and Rene to finish this adventure on land, before heading to the sea in 2 days...

Hugs, thoughts and smiles de Chile

Glaciares

El calafate
Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares, Argentina
Puerto Natales
and in 2 hours, Torres del Paine

A quick one before hitting the road again, to confirm that Perito Moreno glacier in Los Glaciares Argentina is absolutely breathtaking! the experience to stand in front of a 50 meters wall of ice, breaking regularly throughout the day, changing color as the sun and clouds move... it is unlike anything i've done before, and it was definitely the most impressive glacier i've seen so far.

As each piece of ice broke, people were cheering. i don't think i will ever understand why they felt inclined to do so, as i couldn't find anything to be cheerful about in that phenomenon, in the contrary. So i kept on walking away from them all, and am still trying to understand more about these ancient giants of nature.

Returned to El Calafate for the night, before heading back to Puerto Natales yesterday, via a long way in the Argentinian deserted Patagonia and crazy pistas... Leaving now to Torres del Paine for another 3 day madening experience in the mountains, more glaciers, their lakes and icebergs, lush nature and fierce winds.

i hope my photographs will show even a small portion of how amazing Patagonia is... as well as northern Chile of course. I hope my misadventures with technology have stopped and what i've saved on my xhd will still be there when i return, so i can share some of this with you.

catch you all later, i hope life's sweet wherever this finds you.

besos

Scattered brain, condor and Argentina...

Santiago...

where then... ? right, here we go:

Temuco
Pucon
Villarica volcano
Ensenada
Petrohue
Chiloe
Aguas Calientes
Puyehue
Puerto Montt
Punta Arenas
El Calafate, Argentina

tomorrow Los Glaciares national park
then... Torres del Paine
then the sea... to Ushuaia
but anyway...

Even out of order, i cannot recount everything just yet... it's too much, honestly.

All i can say right now is that we are well and happy in Argentina after a LONG day of traveling... by car, plane, and car again for another 8 hours... arrived here around 630pm or so maybe.... since 545am, and it's now 945pm, the sun is still out, i can see the glaciers in the back scene, and El Calafate is a sweet town but too touristic for me... i am dying to be tomorrow morning when i am facing the glacier and my jaw will have dropped, my breathing ain't going to be right but will be ok in the end, and my own harddrive in my head shall record the moment for this life and the eternity to follow.

besides that, life's good and healthy, i am starting to miss you guys and to get used to the idea of coming home soon, but i am making the best of this time i'm getting out here, enjoying every second of it as if it was the last... it is a mind blowing experience. The mate shall be waiting for me tomorrow morning, i will need it, for i am plotting on capturing much of this legendary glacier, with visuals but also sounds... we shall see what happen and comes out of this day...

met a couple of brilliant people today on the road, and a condor that is 27 years old, never learned how to fly because he's been blind since birth and was left behind by his mother... cruel but that's life right there, and reality... Pancho is one cool bird if you ask me, knows his name, still has a good eye, is HUGE and has many friends. i sure am glad i was fortunate enough to meet him, and i am planning on paying him another visit on my way back to Punta Arenas in a week.

what else to say... i am dead tired right now, i may resume this recount in disorder tomorrow when i return from the glaciers... sorry i'm not so good at this, i will try some more and we can catch up on the rest in a couple of weeks when i return :)

much love de Argentina, thinking of you and i do miss U

un beso

Last day in Santiago...

Santiago
Con con
Viña del Mar
Valparaiso
Quintay
Tunquen
Isla Negra
Santo Domingo
Santiago

I hope this finds you all well, somewhat rested or still drunk maybe, definitely happy and alive :)

I have been functioning in 3 languages for the past month now, i will add one more for a 2009 cheer to all of you, thanks to my Aymara friend Alvaro: Jallalla.

Santiago reminds me a lot of L.A. but in a much better way, it s a beautiful city, spread out and huge, but surrounded by gorgeous hills and boiling of energy.

We just came back yesterday from a little roadtrip on the coast, which was lovely and refreshing, as Santiago is rather hot and stuffy. Visited Valparaiso, a very interesting city, with great little neighborhoods lodged all over the foothills overlooking the pacific ocean, narrow streets and graffiti covered walls, cafes and street artists... beautiful city, lovely people. We reached Quintay just in time to find a place to sleep and dinner, in the only restaurant open in this rather ghost like little fishing village. The location was perfect, overlooking the small beach where fishermen were coming and going, from and to the ocean with their catch or their hope for a good outing... different pace, different world, a wonderful evening in a wonderfully peculiar place.
Our ¨host¨at the cabañas where we were sleeping was rather peculiar himself, we called him Jose, and he was finding the ¨hotel¨process rather complicated... and it was indeed with him... But we got some decent sleep after some outrageous laughter, and were quickly on our way the next day to cruise down the coast some more....
Reached Isla Negra by noon, visited one of Pablo Neruda s house, in this artists community that he created in the 50s out there... stunning beach, interesting house, sweet location to write for sure... made it to Santo Domingo for a late lunch with Karla s sister and family on the beach, before heading back to Santiago for the new year s festivities... a long but wonderful day.
Spent new years eve barbequing on a terrasse in the city with a bunch of Karlas friends, it was brilliant and so kind, a great way to step into this new year.... i am usually not big on celebrating new year s more than anything else but this was really sweet and fun :) we dropped Karlita at some outrageous party full of awkward and nervous teenagers at 2.30am (awesome sight!), before heading back home.

today will be a pool and sunbathing day, tomorrow we hit the road, for Part III of this trip, heading South to Patagonia... i am oh so eager to be there... and yet also a little jealous of Christian who is on a boat in Antartica right now, argh!!! ;)

Chile has been wonderful to us. It is sometimes difficult to get people to talk about what s happening in the world, their politics, their society, their history... but we are getting a stronger feel for it the longer we hang here. This is definitely one sweet place to live in, wether you think of the northern territories, bare deserts and their oasis, rugged mountains and volcanos, or the more gentle coasts... i bet parts of the southern regions are pretty excellent too.

I think of you all and miss you too.

Cheers