Final Pictures

This is just a set of final pictures from South America that didn't quite make it in any other post.


In Puerto Iguazu, a city just outside of Iguazu Falls, some of the roads are clay dirt.


Cafe Tortoni has a tango play/show downstairs most evenings. It's a bit pricey, but is well put together.


Those who complete the trek to the Garganta del Diablo trail...


...can see this.


All the waterfalls (cataratas) in Iguazu are worth seeing.


It's not hard to find outdoor tango in Buenos Aires.


This monkey in an Ecuador zoo was, yes, petting the pig.


The admission price to this rose garden is worth it (free).


Easily the most haunting experience in Argentina is a walk in solitude through Cementario de la Recoleta.


Each tomb carries a story, a history, a life that once passed through this world.


And finally, Miami.

Quito Una Vez Mas (One More Time)

For reasons better left as another story, one more day was spent in Quito, providing an opportunity to explore Old Town. If anyone has seen pictures of Quito, it is likely somewhere in Old Town, where colonial type buildings can be found in a concentration of about 10 blocks. Unfortunately, the surrounding area is also one that gets a reputation for crime. It is recommended that one uses taxis to navigate through the different sites. As it turns out, that is easier said than done. The last moments in South America was spent in Old Town Quito, literary running through the streets drenched as a heavy rain pours furiously on the cobblestone grounds, attempting to hail a taxi, of which literary every one was full, as the sky darkens and the eyes of idle young men follow the strange foreigner searching for a hotel that was to be a transportation point to the airport. Finally, with minutes to spare, the Hilton Colon was found and the adventure ends. At the very least, few Americans will be able to claim to have run through these streets in the dark, some of which were very secluded, for over over a mile. An appropriate exit to South America.



Plaza San Franciso is a large old building that functions as an active church.




Old Town's streets are sometimes cobblestone.

La Basilica is one of the most imposting buildings in Quito.

Inside La Basilica.

These stain-glassed windows can be found inside the large statue of Mary standing on the hill of El Paneillo.

A good view of the city can be seen from El Panecillo.

Quito and Goodbye

The last day of this journey was spent in Quito, the capitol of Ecuador. Unfortunately, due to only having one day to explore with part of it spent in the rain, pictures will be limited to New Town. Old Town is the other tourist destination and is the more interesting one for picture taking as it houses many of the Colonial buildings Quito is known for. But this is what you get.


Quito is set in the backdrop of mountains.


Plaza de Quinde is a hangout place in New Town. It tends to be more crowded around dinner time and at night.


La Mariscal is an Artisan market just south of New Town.



The last view of Quito north of New Town.

An Ecuadorian Jungle

While not a large country, Ecuador possesses an array of natural diversity, from the mountainous highlands to the tropical Amazons. Go east to the Oriente ("The East" in Spanish) region and one can find the jungles of the Andes. It's hot and humid, ants are the size of American flies, plants can do strange things to your body, and monkeys try to steal your dinner, but the experience is quitesentially Ecuadorian. The following are pictures of the jungle and some of the animals found there--though some were admittedly found in a local zoo.


Whatever this plant is, it looks dangerous and is probably not appropriate to touch.


This croc can be found in the rivers of the jungle, but don't worry, they're actually small. You might lose a hand, but that's all.


This boar was found in the hotel grounds. Then again, the hotel grounds was found in the jungle.


This animal, which is not fully grown but is already half the height of a human, was running around loose at the zoo. It seems to have a diet of human pants.


This monkey or one of its friends ran down a pole in the dining building, grabbed a handful of rice and quickly flew up the pole. The monkey has good taste because the rice was pretty good.

A Thunderous Good-bye

The final day of Argentina was spent in Iguazu Falls. Getting to the falls and moving within the area was an exercise in patience. Argentina or transportation companies within Argentina tend to beless developed than in California. If you're going to Iguazu using public transportation (airplanes, buses, trains), build in extra buffer time as it will get filled up. And have patience, because it was obvious some folks at the airport didn't. But you forget about all of that, at least momentarily, as you hear the roar of the river racing down to the edge of the cliffs of Iguazu. And you remember why you came here when you see the waters hurl themselves toward the river beneath, disappearing into a cloud of mist.


The approach.


Everyone in the boat gets wet, really wet.


A closer view.

A view from land.

Garganta del Diablo. This is as close as you can get unless you want to plunge yourself down the falls to see what's at the bottom.

A butterfly.

A swarm of butterflies on the train trip back.

On the next leg of the trip, Ecuador, my Internet access is unknown so postings may be few to non-existent.

Paseo del Rosedal

In Parque Tres de Febrero in the Palermo area sits the public rose garden Paseo del Rosedal (Walk of Rosedal) and the poet's garden Jardin de los Poetas (Garden of the Poets). One may wonder how many long nights of creative anguish were required to name these respective sites.


Jardin de los Poetas consists of statues of poets such as Dante Alighieri scattered about a wooded park. The idea is to stare at the poets staring back at you.


The rose garden consists of a variety of flowers but with my limited knowledge of the subject, I can only offer rudimentry commentary.


This is a set of purple flowers.


This one is pink.


These are red.


These are also red.

LAN Strike

LAN, a major airline in South America had a strike (huelga) on Thursday, the day I was supposed to go to Igauzu Falls. So pictures of the waterfalls will have to wait. Earlier this week, the Subte also had a strike. A pattern seems to be developing here. Note to future travelers of Buenos Aires: if you hear drums and a crowd around the drums, it's not a street show--it's either a strike or demonstration. Don't do what I did and wait for it to end. Make alternative plans right away.


Passengers watching striking workers perform their musical.