First of all, to anyone who cares, sorry about the lack of posts for this blog. I just simply haven't been able to post much due to a lack of internet access on this trip and especially on this leg of the trip as we are currently on an island that doesn't even have a single ATM machine. We arrived on the island of Melinka a couple days ago. Again, I wish I could show you all (assuming plural people are reading this) pictures now, but I'll post them eventually as I've taken a lot. Digital cameras are pretty great. It's a small island (approx population of 1500) off the coast of the bigger island of Chiloe (about a 4 or 5 hour ferry ride). The island and hostel is quite beautiful, and we had a lot of fun walking around yesterday exploring. While the girls were making hostel reservations next door using their payphone, I walked around to the back of the house to take pictures of the coast. (I spotted a jellyfish with a spear in it. The spear was essentially a green broom stick and the animal torturer was the small boy whose lives in the hostel with his family. We had watched him jumping from rock to rock trying to hit it with the stick earlier.) Shortly after getting to the back of the house, I was greeted by two small and extremely cute 4 year old children (Ivana and Diego) who immediately wanted to know where I was from. Once again, I'm unable to blend in with the locals. They seemed quite curios about the fact that I had come from the United States as they had been born on this small island. They were calling me 'tio' which confused me as it means uncle in Spanish. Erin later explained to me that in Chile, 'tio' and 'tia' are used as simply a sign of respect.
We did some more exploring and later stumbled upon a group of 4 or 5 kids ranging in age from say 3 to 12 playing in a park. For God knows what reason, Carly and Steph immediately asked them about Justin Beiber. I can confirm, Beiber Fever has a stronghold on the small island of Melinka. When Erin also asked about Selena Gomez, a girl responded 'yep, Justin Beiber's girlfriend.' This is ridiculous. I'm sure these kids are pissed about the Grammy results too, but I didn't think to ask them about Arcade Fire.
Later in the day we traveled to the other side of the island. I don't know what I expected when we jumped in a van to head there, but it wasn't what I saw. It almost looks like a rain forest despite being too far South for that to be an accurate description. Either way, there were lots of trees, mountains, islands, and few signs of civilizations aside from the lone gravel road and a couple of very basic huts used by workers when they come to cut down trees for fire wood. We later stopped in an area where we picked up sticks, dug into the mud, stones, and shells on the coast line to find clams. We found a lot. Some of them we pried open with a pocket knife, scooped out and ate right there on the shore. Needless to say, freshest seafood I've ever had. Steph and iCarly were loving it. Vegetarians my ass. The rest though, we collected and cooked for dinner last night. Along with the wine we picked up, it was a sweet dinner with a sunset view over the ocean. (Really sorry to get all Nicholas Sparks on you guys.) After that, Carly and I headed down the street (some bullshit about nose goes and the tie breaker was complete crap, don't deny it Erin, you were playing favorites, again, complete bullshit) to pick up some more wine and some chocolate (for the ladies, I'm not a big chocolate eater). While we were in the store, I found a honey beer. Cerveza is bueno. iCarly loves honey, so I told her we had to get it and share it on the walk back. She tried to open it using the curb. Needless to say, not smooth as she broke out the bottom of the bottle so we had to get another one. We got the kid working there to open that one for us. It seriously tasted like someone mixed half a beer with a glass of honey. It was good, but sharing one was about my max ability to stomach this. The night then ended.
Today we're about to head to a boat for whale watching. Peace, bitches.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
sorry for the delay from chiloe
(post from a few days ago)
Things have gone smoothly so far. I met up with the ladies in Puerto Montt, and we immediately boarded a bus to the island (part of the trip was a short ferry ride) of Chiloe. Fortunately this was just a short bus ride this time. Along with Stephanie and Erin is their friend Carly who was in the same program and also went to U of I. Anyway, we got to our hostel, which is pretty great. It's not much like a lot of the hostels I've stayed at in the past. It's essentially just a house that's been converted into a hostel, and we all really like it. It's quite welcoming and the young couple, Eduardo and Dina, that own it are pretty great. The first night we were here they were having a party at the hostel to celebrate their anniversary.
We decided to pick up a bottle of tequila, and ingredients to make guacamole. At the party we grilled out, drank some sangria, cervezas, and tequila, and chatted a lot with some Chileans. Fast forward a little while, and somehow the housekeeper of the hostel (wearing a jack-o-lantern t-shirt) is challenging me to take shots of tequila. Backing down was simply not an option. Essentially I had a small glass and she had a double shot glass. She insisted that the height of tequila in my glass be equal to the height in her shot glass. As a result, obviously mine was significantly more. No big, we each took our "shots" without incident. Then she started telling me how she beat me. I had no idea we were racing, especially because racing shots just seems ridiculous anyway. So of course I suggested a rematch. At this point Eduardo stepped in and called off the rematch as the housekeeper was hammered. Good times. We later went to a little club for a while where one of the Chileans we were with pulled me aside to tell me how based on my appearance I am very clearly not Chilean (I was shocked) and he'd have my back if something happened. No worries, nothing happened.
Our first full day in Chiloe, we woke up, had a quick breakfast and Eduardo took us out for the day. First we drove around a little bit, stopped at some absolutely stunning beaches, and even met some guys who were clam divers. After that, we headed to a different beach and stopped into a little restaurant overlooking the ocean for lunch. I wish I could post pictures of the food, but just trust me, we had some amazing seafood. After that we boarded a small boat, and headed out onto the ocean. One of Eduardo's friends took us out on his boat to see sea lions and penguins on small islands a bit off the coast. I got a pretty sweet sun burn. Also, the captain of the boat had a blast going over relatively large waves and watching Stephanie freak out. It was far from a reasonable reaction, and I simply began turning and watching her face every time we approached a wave. It was very enjoyable/pathetic.
That was pretty much it for the day. We're hoping to also go whale watching and eat 'curanto.' Curanto is a a meal of shellfish and carne (mixed meat). It's cooked in a hole in the ground that has a fire in the bottom, then stones, then the food is placed on top. The hole is then covered with large leafs so that the food can essentially bake in the hole. It's obviously a new concept to me, but the girls have been dying to try it for some time.
(Haven't had too much internet access at our hostel, for some reason my computer is having trouble accessing the internet despite being able to connect to the network. Pretty lame… so fast forward and here is what was supposed to be my next post)
Anyway, we had Curanto yesterday and it was very impressive. The first plate of muscles, clams, sausages, chicken, potatoes, etc came out and we assumed it was a plate for 2 people to share. Absolutely not. We each got our own plates and as a result, were more than a little bit excited. It was amazing, and somehow only cost about $10 each. We weren't even able to finish all of it and had leftovers which Erin and I mixed with pasta for dinner. Carly and Stephanie are "vegetarians" so they gave us their non-seafood meat. Long story short, they are the sorriest excuse for vegetarians I've ever seen. We also had a drink called pisco sour, which is lemon, egg whites, sugar and an type of liquor unique to South America, pisco. It's both good and strong.
We also hit up a thrift store (essentially a $2 USD store) on our way to the grocery store to buy pasta and such. The ladies all bought leotard/shirt type outfits. I'm not exactly sure how to describe them, but clearly the word 'sexy' jumps to mind quite easily. Personally, I purchased a purple corduroy jacket, that is, needless to say, awesome. It is a jacket that will wow my friends, family, and coworkers for years to come. It is a very nice, modern 2 button jacket that is best described as 'holy shit that's awesome.'
We are about to leave for an island a bit further south for the whale watching tour that will hopefully begin at 2am Wednesday. Based on recent reports, we are very optimistic about seeing whales and particularly giant blue whales. It is not in my nature at all to be optimistic though, so I'm still holding onto the belief that I won't see shit so that I don't have to get disappointed.
Things have gone smoothly so far. I met up with the ladies in Puerto Montt, and we immediately boarded a bus to the island (part of the trip was a short ferry ride) of Chiloe. Fortunately this was just a short bus ride this time. Along with Stephanie and Erin is their friend Carly who was in the same program and also went to U of I. Anyway, we got to our hostel, which is pretty great. It's not much like a lot of the hostels I've stayed at in the past. It's essentially just a house that's been converted into a hostel, and we all really like it. It's quite welcoming and the young couple, Eduardo and Dina, that own it are pretty great. The first night we were here they were having a party at the hostel to celebrate their anniversary.
We decided to pick up a bottle of tequila, and ingredients to make guacamole. At the party we grilled out, drank some sangria, cervezas, and tequila, and chatted a lot with some Chileans. Fast forward a little while, and somehow the housekeeper of the hostel (wearing a jack-o-lantern t-shirt) is challenging me to take shots of tequila. Backing down was simply not an option. Essentially I had a small glass and she had a double shot glass. She insisted that the height of tequila in my glass be equal to the height in her shot glass. As a result, obviously mine was significantly more. No big, we each took our "shots" without incident. Then she started telling me how she beat me. I had no idea we were racing, especially because racing shots just seems ridiculous anyway. So of course I suggested a rematch. At this point Eduardo stepped in and called off the rematch as the housekeeper was hammered. Good times. We later went to a little club for a while where one of the Chileans we were with pulled me aside to tell me how based on my appearance I am very clearly not Chilean (I was shocked) and he'd have my back if something happened. No worries, nothing happened.
Our first full day in Chiloe, we woke up, had a quick breakfast and Eduardo took us out for the day. First we drove around a little bit, stopped at some absolutely stunning beaches, and even met some guys who were clam divers. After that, we headed to a different beach and stopped into a little restaurant overlooking the ocean for lunch. I wish I could post pictures of the food, but just trust me, we had some amazing seafood. After that we boarded a small boat, and headed out onto the ocean. One of Eduardo's friends took us out on his boat to see sea lions and penguins on small islands a bit off the coast. I got a pretty sweet sun burn. Also, the captain of the boat had a blast going over relatively large waves and watching Stephanie freak out. It was far from a reasonable reaction, and I simply began turning and watching her face every time we approached a wave. It was very enjoyable/pathetic.
That was pretty much it for the day. We're hoping to also go whale watching and eat 'curanto.' Curanto is a a meal of shellfish and carne (mixed meat). It's cooked in a hole in the ground that has a fire in the bottom, then stones, then the food is placed on top. The hole is then covered with large leafs so that the food can essentially bake in the hole. It's obviously a new concept to me, but the girls have been dying to try it for some time.
(Haven't had too much internet access at our hostel, for some reason my computer is having trouble accessing the internet despite being able to connect to the network. Pretty lame… so fast forward and here is what was supposed to be my next post)
Anyway, we had Curanto yesterday and it was very impressive. The first plate of muscles, clams, sausages, chicken, potatoes, etc came out and we assumed it was a plate for 2 people to share. Absolutely not. We each got our own plates and as a result, were more than a little bit excited. It was amazing, and somehow only cost about $10 each. We weren't even able to finish all of it and had leftovers which Erin and I mixed with pasta for dinner. Carly and Stephanie are "vegetarians" so they gave us their non-seafood meat. Long story short, they are the sorriest excuse for vegetarians I've ever seen. We also had a drink called pisco sour, which is lemon, egg whites, sugar and an type of liquor unique to South America, pisco. It's both good and strong.
We also hit up a thrift store (essentially a $2 USD store) on our way to the grocery store to buy pasta and such. The ladies all bought leotard/shirt type outfits. I'm not exactly sure how to describe them, but clearly the word 'sexy' jumps to mind quite easily. Personally, I purchased a purple corduroy jacket, that is, needless to say, awesome. It is a jacket that will wow my friends, family, and coworkers for years to come. It is a very nice, modern 2 button jacket that is best described as 'holy shit that's awesome.'
We are about to leave for an island a bit further south for the whale watching tour that will hopefully begin at 2am Wednesday. Based on recent reports, we are very optimistic about seeing whales and particularly giant blue whales. It is not in my nature at all to be optimistic though, so I'm still holding onto the belief that I won't see shit so that I don't have to get disappointed.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Mathilde I'm really sorry but we're locked out
This post is coming to you from Portugal but I would be remiss to not mention our adventures in Lyon. After my first night out in Lyon I needed a day to recover. Saturday was supposed to be my recoup day in order to get ready to attack the Alps on Sunday. After sleeping until about 3 on Saturday it was time to see a little bit of Lyon.
In order to ski Sunday morning we had to make a trek across town in order to rent the skis. I will do my best to insert some things that have been most interesting to me on my travels while appropriate. First of all public transportation in Lyon is amazing and makes the CTA look like it was designed by a four year old (this is especially impressive when you take into account that Lyon and its buildings have been around for five centuries or more) Any way we went to get our skis and I had my first encounter with French customer service where the customer is always wrong. Pause FREE SHOT...Elwood picked a fantastic hostel in Lisbon where you are required to take a free shot at 1130. Anyway after we got our skis we headed over to Elwood's buddy's house for Jimmer night. BYU was playing San Diego State and it was Elwood and Sebastian's first opportunity to see Fredette play. They (we) celebrated by opening a few bottles of wine (French people never stop drinking, even at work...) and streaming a game over the internet. Maybe not the best decision since the bus to take us to the Alps left at 6 the next morning. We finally left around 3 in the morning knowing full well the alarm was going to ring at 5 the next (same, i guess) day.
The bus ride to the alps was fantastic. France as I have already said is just so beautiful and the little residence secondaire (secondary residences) in the country are such a wonderful escape. Dan explained that many French people have these homes that have been in their families for centuries. After the country the Alps are upon you. I have been to Colorado to ski but they pale in comparison to the Alps. I guess the best word to describe the mountains is violent. They come from out of nowhere and the next thing you know you are 1000M above sea level. The Alps are not a place where people go to learn how to ski. We sat next to a kid on the chair lift who had been on the mountain since she was TWO. We held our own despite the limited visibility and severe cold. My personal highlight is when both Dan and I took a little detour off the trail and we both failed pretty miserably. I went first and almost made it down before a big time face plant. I could hear Dan's laugh from 100m's down the hill. His attempt was much worse. As I rolled over to watch he biffed it about 3\4 of the way down and got tangled up with his own skis and poles. I could hardly hold it together while lying on the ground. A couple French people stopped to make sure I was okay (mistaking my laughter for pain) only to see Dan STRUGGLING to right himself and then joining to take part in his humiliation.
Later that night as I sat in Dan's kitchen talking to Stojic I realized that in the food capital of France I had yet to enjoy a meal. All over the place are what are called boulangeries which are little bakery\cafes. Dan introduced me to gallette au sucre which is pure bliss. Saying that it is dough with a a sugary topping simply does not seem to do it justice even though that is what it is. They also make what I guess I can best describe as a calzone but taken to a whole other level.
Monday we slept late and made the trek up to Fourviere, the church on top of the hill. Elwood, Sebastian, and I found a little spot and just kicked on the hill while drinkin some brews. We explored the church and concluded the day with an authentic French meal. We had a little trouble with the menu but managed not to order Tripe which I count as a success. Elwood order French Onion soup which was indescribable. This we the best on earth. There was NO way that it could have been better anywhere else.
We headed back to Sebastian's for a night cap and as Dan and I returned to his place he realized he did not have his keys. After about twenty minutes of calling and ringing the doorbell we finally woke Dan's roommate who was none too pleased at being woken at 2AM having to work early the next day.
We got to Portugal today where it is 60 and sunny and again unbelievably beautiful. Elwood to no ones surprise is working the ladies at the hostel and attempting to push the music of Elton John and Billy Joel on the hostel lobby. Tomorrow we are off to the castles and beaches. Stojic...wish you were here.
Obrigado (thanks)
Liska
Elwood's Blog
In order to ski Sunday morning we had to make a trek across town in order to rent the skis. I will do my best to insert some things that have been most interesting to me on my travels while appropriate. First of all public transportation in Lyon is amazing and makes the CTA look like it was designed by a four year old (this is especially impressive when you take into account that Lyon and its buildings have been around for five centuries or more) Any way we went to get our skis and I had my first encounter with French customer service where the customer is always wrong. Pause FREE SHOT...Elwood picked a fantastic hostel in Lisbon where you are required to take a free shot at 1130. Anyway after we got our skis we headed over to Elwood's buddy's house for Jimmer night. BYU was playing San Diego State and it was Elwood and Sebastian's first opportunity to see Fredette play. They (we) celebrated by opening a few bottles of wine (French people never stop drinking, even at work...) and streaming a game over the internet. Maybe not the best decision since the bus to take us to the Alps left at 6 the next morning. We finally left around 3 in the morning knowing full well the alarm was going to ring at 5 the next (same, i guess) day.
The bus ride to the alps was fantastic. France as I have already said is just so beautiful and the little residence secondaire (secondary residences) in the country are such a wonderful escape. Dan explained that many French people have these homes that have been in their families for centuries. After the country the Alps are upon you. I have been to Colorado to ski but they pale in comparison to the Alps. I guess the best word to describe the mountains is violent. They come from out of nowhere and the next thing you know you are 1000M above sea level. The Alps are not a place where people go to learn how to ski. We sat next to a kid on the chair lift who had been on the mountain since she was TWO. We held our own despite the limited visibility and severe cold. My personal highlight is when both Dan and I took a little detour off the trail and we both failed pretty miserably. I went first and almost made it down before a big time face plant. I could hear Dan's laugh from 100m's down the hill. His attempt was much worse. As I rolled over to watch he biffed it about 3\4 of the way down and got tangled up with his own skis and poles. I could hardly hold it together while lying on the ground. A couple French people stopped to make sure I was okay (mistaking my laughter for pain) only to see Dan STRUGGLING to right himself and then joining to take part in his humiliation.
Later that night as I sat in Dan's kitchen talking to Stojic I realized that in the food capital of France I had yet to enjoy a meal. All over the place are what are called boulangeries which are little bakery\cafes. Dan introduced me to gallette au sucre which is pure bliss. Saying that it is dough with a a sugary topping simply does not seem to do it justice even though that is what it is. They also make what I guess I can best describe as a calzone but taken to a whole other level.
Monday we slept late and made the trek up to Fourviere, the church on top of the hill. Elwood, Sebastian, and I found a little spot and just kicked on the hill while drinkin some brews. We explored the church and concluded the day with an authentic French meal. We had a little trouble with the menu but managed not to order Tripe which I count as a success. Elwood order French Onion soup which was indescribable. This we the best on earth. There was NO way that it could have been better anywhere else.
We headed back to Sebastian's for a night cap and as Dan and I returned to his place he realized he did not have his keys. After about twenty minutes of calling and ringing the doorbell we finally woke Dan's roommate who was none too pleased at being woken at 2AM having to work early the next day.
We got to Portugal today where it is 60 and sunny and again unbelievably beautiful. Elwood to no ones surprise is working the ladies at the hostel and attempting to push the music of Elton John and Billy Joel on the hostel lobby. Tomorrow we are off to the castles and beaches. Stojic...wish you were here.
Obrigado (thanks)
Liska
Elwood's Blog
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