This past Sunday was Mother’s Day in Argentina, and lucky I spent it with my mother, wrapping up another amazing journey during which we shared a catamaran with Patagonian school children in the impossibly beautiful shadow of the Andes, danced the Tango in Argentina and the Samba in Brazil, and watched rainbows stretch proudly over a bank of waterfalls nearly two miles wide.
We traveled together for more than two weeks, across three countries and the continental divide, on planes, trains, buses, boats and our four happy feet. We watched condors soar and coatis scavenge; saw trees full of toucans flit and one resourceful monkey stride boldly into a new friend’s hotel room and steal a can of Pringles from the mini bar.
We ate empanadas and Brazilian stew, ceviche and dulce de leche, Chilean salmon and Argentine steak.
And we toasted to sunrises over age-old mountains, and sunsets over lapping waves, to new memories and new friends, and to the delicious perspective offered by travel: small world, big and beautiful planet.
I spent one whole afternoon chasing rainbows in Iguazu Falls, and another sipping decadent chocolate under a rubber tree in Buenos Aires. Our next several posts will take you through Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Meanwhile, enjoy these first pictures, the highlights of a trip of a lifetime.
Hasta Luego.
This was the view from our dinner table at the Llao Llao Resort in Argentina. Also, please meet our new friends Norton, Howard and Norma.This was the view from the catamaran as we crossed Lake Todos Los Santos in Chile. The Patagonian school children who live in this area take a boat to meet a catamaran that will take them to school on Monday. They return via boat and catamaran each Friday. We crossed the lake on a beautiful day, but I asked how the children got to school in bad weather and our guide shrugged cheerfully and said, “They just pull the boat a little closer to the catamaran.”I spent a quiet afternoon in Peulla taking in the beautiful view. We were surrounded by stunning vistas of active volcanoes.A little selfie of my mom and me checking out the hotel swimming pool at the Llao Llao Resort in Argentina. It was ridiculously beautiful.Here’s a view from inside the hotel pool at Llao Llao.I went zip lining with our guide and my new friend Mike, from Boston. (Photo credit: Peggy Kostelnik)We zipped over a canopy of trees and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.My mom danced the tango every chance she got. Here she is with one of the show performers in Argentina. What’s new, Buenos Aires? Grandma Peggy’s got some moves. I’m reserving a post for the Argentinian Tango. Check back on Friday.I sipped a little Mate, the national drink of Argentina, an apparently germ resistant country. See that straw I’m sipping from? Argentinians pass that baby around to share with all their friends. When in South America, right? (Grandma Peggy passed)I’m still riding a rainbow high from the two days we spent at the breath-taking Iguazu Falls. Here’s a shot from the Argentinian side of this amazing site, one of the seven modern wonders of the world. There are 275 waterfalls that stretch nearly two miles wide. Sounds like a good post for Monday.
These pics are amazing! Thank you for sharing
Thanks Robin.
Gorgeous pics! I am now craving empanadas and dulce de leche…
Beautiful pictures, I feel like I’m traveling with you!