Three countries, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, meet at one point, the “Triple Frontier”. Here the Iguazú River and Paraná River converge forming a natural border between these countries. Iguazú Falls is nearby.
We flew from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú. First we visited an indigenous, the Guarani, community in Argentina. They maintain their traditional lifestyle. Individuals demonstrated their crafts, cooking, music and they clearly have great respect for nature!
He is showing how animals were caught.Beautiful handmade woven baskets.
Our visit to Iguazú Falls was first from the Brazilian side. The falls are twice as high as Niagara Falls and 65 feet wider. We walked a couple of trails to see the falls from different viewpoints. The thunderous water was falling at 2 million gallons a second! This was an amazing sight!
El Calafate was our base for a few days. It was easy to enjoy lamb and Malbec wine, but guanaco stew was not a favorite for me. I’ll post a food blog for this trip eventually.
We drove shy of a couple of hours to Los Glacieres National Park. I was returning here after 12 years and worried whether I would see no or less glacier field than my last visit. The glacier Perito Moreno is the 4th largest glacier in the southern Patagonian ice field and the 6th largest in South America. When I last visited the glacier, I saw it from the boat-view only. We had the unique opportunity to see it calving. The newly-formed icebergs I understand now have been known to block waterways and disrupt navigation.
Timelapse photos since 2020 show the glacier is retreating. More observations will report exactly what’s happening, I’m sure.
Years ago I only saw the glacier from the boat.
This visit we had a few different trails to walk and see the glacier from different viewpoints. The glacier is named after Francisco Pascasio Moreno (1852-1919). Perito means “specialist, expert”, thus the glacier was called Perito Moreno. He helped determine the boundary between Chile and Argentina with all the ice fields and mountains. Also was an explorer and anthropologist. He collected fossils, plant and animal species, and cultural items from Patagonian tribes. It was finally in 1988 the La Plata Natural Sciences Museum was opened to the public. Moreno would refer to it as the “first museum to follow the theory of evolution”. Moreno’s scientific generation is about 40 years after Darwin being in Patagonia.
Well-built walkways to view the glacier.Many icebergs seen here.From another walkway, a different view of the glacier.
We’re flying from El Calafate’s airport to Buenos Aires, then to Puerto Iguazú. An interesting point where 3 countries meet and there is the “8th natural wonder of the world”. I’ll be back in a few days. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!
We drove from Bariloche, Argentina to Puerto Varas, Chile. We made record time because the custom line between the two countries was short. Our hyper, funny guide had us leave early enough, 20 minutes before his usual time, to beat the crowd. Yeah! If we did not take this long drive and flew instead, here would be the 3 flights: Bariloche to Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile to Puerto Varas!
Between the two countries, as we crossed the Andes Mountains from Argentina to Chile, the paved road becomes unpaved. There we entered “no man’s land” until we reached border patrol and checked in at Chile. Back on the once again paved road. Our Argentinian may be creating some of the stories versus his Chilean friends … but I do find them similar, yet different in personalities. Anyway…. Short drive to stop for lunch, sort of in the middle of nowhere, and a visit at an auto museum in Moncopulli. So many studebakers! And other vehicles and stuff!
We arrive eventually after this long day of driving at Puerto Varas, a town of 66,000 people with a fantastic view of a volcano! Look across Llanquihue Lake and see Osorno volcano. During our drive I learned: Chile is large exporter of tulips and salmon. Main industry is mining copper and lithium. Agricultural products are cherries, plums, potatoes and blueberries. The country imports gasoline and oil. There are 3,000 volcanoes with most active 14 volcanoes. They worry when the earthquake is over 8.0. Last major eruption was in 2011.
Some clouds at the volcanoWe did have clear views of the volcano.
We had a nice hike in Vincente Perez Rosales National Park. Weather was perfect for hiking as long as you dressed appropriately. Not a difficult couple of miles hike in a forested area. Loved the hike!
WaterfallOur local guide discussing the plants
We visited a music school for talented violin and other string students. The students performed for us. It was great to see these at-risk students receiving music and general education.
Our home-hosted dinner was with a lovely couple. He is a landscaper with 10 employees and she is a physical therapist. We were welcomed with a pisco sour, talked on many topics, made our own cheese empanadas and had corn stew for dinner. Delicious Carmenere wine and dessert. We were entertained with guitar playing and singing. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet local people and ask questions about any topic we wished. Always nice to hear from locals.
House constructed with freight containersHome-hosted meal with fun people!He and his wife were lovely!
Off to Chiloé Island. I’ll be back in a day or so.
Buenos Aires was a city I visited 12 years ago; however, I had new places to discover. It’s a huge city with various architectural styles and plenty of restaurants. Known here for its beef, many a meal included it for me!
Our sight-seeing included:
Barrios- neighborhoods, such as LaBoca. This is a colorful, touristy, 3 streets by 2 for a casual walk. Artists, tango-dancing poses for your photo with a dancer, musicians, places to shop and/or eat and historical plaques and murals on the building walls.
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo – political demonstrations are held at this location. Individuals wear diapers as a kerchief on their head to protest the disappearance of their birth mother, thus you see that white symbol on the concrete. We listened to a young man whose mother disappeared 15 days after he was born. He never had a chance to know her. His father, also a university student like his mother, went into hiding so he was raised by his grandparents. But the military raised pressure on them or they would take their grandson. It was a military dictatorship from 1976 – 1983 when people “disappeared”. Some executed, or thrown from a plane alive into the Atlantic Ocean, or cremated. His mother was found in a grave 40 years later. She was shot 7 times. There is so much more to history. Please research it, if you wish, since I cannot give it justice with this short note.
Years ago I visited the Opera House and the Metropolitan Cathedral. This was the church where the late Pope Francis said mass. He was elected Pope the 2013 night I was here in Buenos Aires. Quite the celebration in this city that night! We also looked upon the balcony that Eva Perón had spoken from at the Pink House. I did again on this visit. Of course, Evita, as she was known, also has plenty of history…actress, human rights advocate and short life but much loved by many in Argentina. I wish you could hear all the information our local guide shared with us about Eva Peron and her husband. Research it, if you are interested.
Changing of the Guard
Buenos Aires info will continue in my next blog post.
My visit to Rapa Nui, Easter Island, was filled with so much history! No doubt, I will research more about this island, in the middle of the Pacific, when I return home.
Stones
Moai are carved stones to honor a leader or an important ancestor. The amazing info to me was where carvers started their work and transported the stone to the burial site, an ahu. We visited the quarry on the island. Some stones are still attached to the quarry wall. Others were beginning their transport … maybe with 5-6 men using ropes or a rocking motion to move the stone…. some fell over, broke and still remain in place. Many others were successful in the move; yet I’d really love to see how they moved such huge stones since we all can only speculate! Let me share some photos from the quarry site:
Looking closely where moai were carved from and closer are moai that were being moved.A closer look.A moai looking up; unrestored, weathering away.
Volcanoes
The quarry was a huge site to walk around. So was our visit to another part of the island, the rim of the Rano Kau volcano. As we stood at the crater’s edge, we look down onto a freshwater lake with reeds. A part of the crater has collapsed and you can see the Pacific Ocean.
Rano Kau volcano
The island resulted from much volcanic action. There were 3 major volcanic sites and also smaller volcanoes adding to this island’s creation. The freshwater lake in Rano Kao is only 18 feet deep. In the 1980’s, a plant was found to be of great medicinal importance with transplant healing.
Birdman
At the crater’s edge, Orongo, is the starting location for the annual Birdman competition. You will see stone houses and carvings here. For a couple of hundred years, the tribes competed till the introduction of Catholicism in 1867.
Restored houses for teams in Birdman competition.
All 12 tribes of the island may each send their tribal leader, a young man, who will compete, and their families Hereford the start of the competition. The young man will run down the crater’s side, swim in the ocean about a mile to collect a sooty tern’s egg, place it in their headband, swim and climb back. They had to time their effort with the nesting and egg-laying time so as to be successful and not have a broken egg! The winners are three: the tribe, the leader and the young man; however, the “Birdman” for a year is the leader. Please research more, if you are interested, as it is all quite fascinating!
Human form with bird head… see petroglyph below:Each a different Birdman? Maybe.
We are off to Buenos Aires, so I will write in a week. Adios!
Do you know where Elko is? I discovered Elko, Nevada on my drive from Utah to California on Interstate 80. Quite honestly, there is not much between towns in Nevada except for wildlife bridges, mining areas, casinos and sage brush. However, we then entered Elko!
After a Mexican meal, recommended by a local, we walked some of downtown Elko. We learned the town’s name came from a guy who saw many elk in the area and then decided to add an “O”, thus Elko! The county courthouse is an obvious building along with the numerous painted murals around this town of 20k locals. One mural near the Western Folklife Center had info about the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, happening since 1985, and to be in Elko again in January 2026. Every July since 1963, Elko hosts the National Basque Festival since many people immigrated to this area since the 1890’s from the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain.
Mural in Elko, NV
We walked by Elko Railroad Park where stand a historic locomotive and caboose. Central Pacific Railroad ran through the middle of Elko in 1868. As the years went by, there were 16 railroad crossings within 5.4 miles of tracks in this town! You could imagine the congestion and safety concerns … or maybe not, as I read, “it was not unheard of to wait an hour or more for one of the 50 daily trains to pass through town”. Yikes!
Near the locomotive and caboose we saw this tower and wondered who was Chilton. We discover Mark Chilton was the guiding force with Project Lifesaver. The river and train tracks were all re-aligned, as were other Elko infrastructure projects redesigned, for great improvement to the area. The ten year plan included 5 years of construction, 1979-1984, with many positive results. Now trains do not go through the center of town!
Centennial ParkMark Chilton helped make Elko the town it now is!
Step away from the town and you’re in Ruby Valley Recreation Area for all kinds of outdoor activities. So maybe you’ll stop in Elko for a few days as you drive across Nevada and discover what’s here in this town. Did you know you can get a custom horse saddle made here too? It’s really fun to spend time in small towns; check them out when you can.
In my quest to drive roads I have not been on before, here I am in Missouri and then Kansas.
Missouri:
Oak Grove, Missouri: my Harvest Host was in this town, yet the best part was her delicious sourdough bread she made for me that evening! Lovely quiet night to sleep and visited a local cafe in the morning to catch up on my emails and blog writing. Mocha and blueberry muffin to enjoy! Then, on with my day!
Independence, Missouri: stopped at the Presidential Museum for our 33rd President Truman. I am not typically a museum or history buff, but I did find the exhibits very interesting. So much to learn from history and they bring much of it to life with the museum exhibits and movies. This place is worth a visit.
Truman: “The buck stops here.”
Kansas:
Wilson, Kansas: my Harvest Host was here and specifically at a Cold War Atlas F missile base. The owner provides a tour, for a $25 fee, to explain the engineering and construction where the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile was housed in the 176 feet deep silo. You walk own into the historic missile base and see the work being done to convert some levels into Air B’n B’s! One is done and people have stayed there. I camped at ground level with other campers, but in time the owner hopes to have more sites.
If you are in the area, stop in for a tour. I know I will return in a couple of years as I truly want to see the work the owner has completed by then as this is a huge undertaking!
Looking down into the silo where missile sat.
You can stay overnight!
Wilson, Kansas: Largest Czech egg is here! The traditional design is on this 20 foot high egg. A sign nearby explains what the different colors and symbols represent.
Czech egg
Colby, Kansas: Prairie Museum – Art & History. Wow, a variety of things to see here! Displays of the local history and a room with regional art work. I started with the Kuska Collection. This couple collected everything! And when I thought I saw it all, the staff told me there are more things in storage as they cannot display all 28,000 items at a time.
Then there was his plains information and equipment, but I found the buildings on the site most interesting. They had a sod house, a barn, a school building, a church and most impressive is the Cooper Barn This is the largest barn in Kansas and in 2008 voted one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Architecture. Now I really need to check the others out! Plus, the barn is one of the 70 don’t miss Kansas Bucket List experiences. Who knew so much was happening in Kansas? I only remember coming through Kansas, when I was young and with my family 55 years ago, and experiencing non-stop wind! It is still blowing to this day!
Springfield has rain! My leisurely start to the day was wonderful in Wisconsin’s sun with time to eat breakfast and enjoy my coffee. This is when camping is best! But alas, I must move on.
As I cut away from interstates and decide to grocery shop in Peoria, the landscape scenery was miles and miles of corn fields. (By the way, Illinois is the 3rd largest grower of popcorn in the US.) I’m not sure what the other abundant crop was; however, the town of Varna has numerous and gigantic grain bins! I think we forget what our farmers in the midwest provide us. As one drives through, there will be windmills, large solar arrays, really huge farm equipment driven on the side of the road, many intersections with 4-way-stop signs, and small towns that proudly hang their “Welcome to …” signs. America is with such variety in landscape and sizes of towns. Getting away from large cities provides moments of reflection. Time to respect what each community offers the greater good. Time to understand our differences need not tear us apart. Time to appreciate the kindness humans are capable of when we treat each other as neighbors. The miles of cornfields are a gift of time for me to think how fortunate we Americans truly are when we work together for the benefit of all.
I’ve got grocery shopping done and off to the Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Springfield campground in the rain. Unfortunately I saw a camper backing over a chair at the site next to me. I jumped out of my van and suggested they ask for a different site. They did with an upgrade and know now to reserve pull-through sites, and not back-in sites, at their next campgrounds. During one of my walks I was talking with them and they are from Minnesota and traveling to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina … KOA’a the entire way.
My sightseeing day in Springfield included the following:
Dana-Thomas House … need to reserve a free tour ticket … fascinating 1 hour long tour of this Frank Lloyd Wright 1902 “Prairie School” construction for Susan Lawrence Dana in Springfield. I love his architecture style, which is not always the most comfortable seating, but the art glass throughout the home is beautiful! No photos can be taken of the house’s interior; so tour it if you are in the area. More research is needed my me regarding the woman who commissioned this house. My understanding is that she was an early suffragette.
Must see inside of house to appreciate art glass of Frank Lloyd Wright
Next stop: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. Researchers would be interested in the library. My $12 ticket was to visit the museum which was built 20 years ago. This is a “must-see” visit! A couple of different videos, and exhibits to walk through of his cabin and early life, Civil War and White House years. It is simply remarkable how the history was brought to life! I’m not a usual museum person, but this was worth a visit!
Final stop for the day: Lincoln’s Home. I walked from the museum to the home. Easy 15 minute walk and was able to jump in a tour leaving in 20 minutes. The National Park Service ranger led us through the home … the original home and only one Lincoln lived in besides the cabin he grew up in and the White House. The ranger explains what furniture is the original in each room and focused on Lincoln as a person, family man and lover of cats! It was a nice change of pace from the earlier museum time where I spent energy understanding the American conflict at that time.
Lincoln’s Home in Illinois
I walked back to my van and stepped into the driver’s seat as a severe thunderstorm hit! Wow, lucked out as I would have been drenched. Good news… windshield is clean and no leaks in the van! Phew!
Tomorrow I leave Springfield with a breakfast stop at Charlie Parker’s Diner for a “Horseshoe”, or smaller version: a “pony” meal. We hear about Chicago-style pizza and other Illinois iconic foods. Well how about a horseshoe sandwich? Slices of toast, with ham or bacon, crispy fries and a gravy or cheese sauce on top of it all, a “horseshoe”? The 1928 original was open-faced sandwich with ham in horseshoe shape and fries representing the nails. A recipe for the original cheese sauce is available to the public. Here’s a “pony”. I ordered scrambled egg on the toast with ham and cubed American fries and small amount of each sauce. Photo below of the iconic “pony” breakfast sandwich:
White gravy like what’s often on biscuits; liked the cheese sauce, but “pony” was even too much for me to eat… but an experience!
Michigan made my list as the state I would visit on my return trip to Arizona. How is it I missed this state in my past travels; not to happen now! While driving the green and rolling hills of this state, I was reminded of my geology classes about this state’s glacial history. The glaciers truly carved out a spectacular landscape! Also are historical signs and headstones dated from the 1800’s; reminders of the people who traveled via the underground railway to this state. As I looked on, I noticed the state’s apple blossoms coming; fisherman hoping to catch brook trout; white-tailed deer running across the roadway as I drove … while some did not make it; antique shops, fudge shops, wineries, asparagus and fresh fruit stands are available and for sale with cherries hopefully in July. Plenty of open spaces, marinas and parks along the lake to occasionally stop and stretch my legs and relax my eyeballs.
My original plan was to visit Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and drive to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. However ever flexible when on the road and with amazing good luck, I tracked down a college friend! I’m off to Kalamazoo! Besides seeing my friend and her husband, their home was a birder’s paradise. So many feeders to attract the wildlife in their forested backyard! Of course, reminiscing about our college days and discovering how we are each enjoying retirement was fun too. These 2 people are each creative and talented in their area of expertise, glass and wood. Beautiful, and award-winning, pieces have been made. I was thrilled to visit them and see their work as they continue to enjoy retirement.
Heading north: Through Ludington, Manistee, a stop at the largest sequoia tree outside of California, drove past the “Largest cherry tree in Michigan”, Arcadia Marsh, then Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with an alpaca farm Harvest Host location for my night’s stay. If you have a chance, sometime look at the shape of Michigan; a mitten up and down and another mitten side to side. I don’t know the miles of coastline, but I do know there are 129 lighthouses. I stopped at many of them! The most common comment made by locals is just how low the lake’s water happens to be. With the latest major rainstorm and damage done, the interior lakes all seemed high to me.
116 foot tall, biggest Sequoia Outside of California
I stopped at Arcadia Marsh and walked with a woman new to birding. That was fun as we interacted with a group who were observing a short-billed dowitcher. That bird did its best to hide in and out of the cattails, but we all saw it! (I’m always appreciative of fellow birders spotting and sharing a bird’s location!) At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, I skipped the crowd climbing the large dune. I recalled my African Sahara dune walks where it was hard walking up a dune, but so very easy coming down! Instead, I stopped at another spot on the lakeshore to walk and circle away from a designated nesting piping plover area. Ended my day with a restful sleep at an alpaca farm after speaking with my host!
Along Sleeping Bear Lakeshore
An informative sign for a first-time visitor!
Onward. Traverse City struck me like many other places, yet I was surprised within the city limits everyone had a sidewalk! I stopped at another lighthouse: Mission Point Lighthouse and drove north to Charlevoix. While trying to locate the “mushroom houses”, I dead-ended at a great place for lunch. Near a gigantic cement place, birds congregated. I walked that lakeshore looking at mute swans and mergansers. I did eventually locate the historic district where Earl Young’s architecture is standing. In the Charlevoix area, there are 26, of the once 31, homes built by Earl Young from stones and boulders lining the shoreline of northern Michigan. Tours are provided to learn more about this man’s work, but all homes are private with no opportunity to step inside. The “mushroom house”, “Hobbit house” or “gnome house” is a term for the low ceilings, circular floor plan with rooms around a big fireplace and chimney, and curved roofs altogether resembling mushroom caps. I located 4 of the homes on my own.
Finally arrived at Mackinac (pronounced as MACK-in-awe) Island which sits in Lake Huron, another one of the Great Lakes. Taking advantage of a sunny afternoon, a fast ferry ride took me to this island where no cars are allowed. There are residents on this island, within 5 small hamlets on the island, and tons of tourists! An 8 mile road for walking or bicycling circles the island along with numerous hiking trails across the island. Horse-drawn carriages are available too. The majority of people are day visitors with the last ferry leaving at 9PM … and probably a great time to see the sun set at 9:15PM during the 16 minute ferry ride back to the mainland. There’s plenty of history on this island as people visit and learn about the 1780 Fort Mackinac, the various art museums or stay at the 1887 National Historic Landmark, the Grand Hotel. Plenty of bed and breakfasts and other lodging are available too. The easiest part of my visit: eating expensive ice cream. The most challenging: climbing the 207 steps up the Spring Trail to see Arch Rock after hiking miles to get to the trailhead!
Arch Rock on Mackinac Island
The weather remained beautiful for another “no drive” day, so out came my bicycle. I rode portions of the North Western State Trail, North Central State Trail and took a ride into downtown Mackinaw City. The two trails were gravelly for the majority of my riding time and downtown was paved roads. The town as the island welcomes tourists to spend money on all kinds of things! It was a great way to spend my day on this “lower mitten” of Michigan. Next is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Memorial Day is observed the last Monday in May. It is time to honor and remember men and women who died in military service for the United States.
At 3pm, your local time, on Monday, May 27 …. PAUSE … for one minute as an act of unity in this National Moment of Remembrance. You may even hear a bugler or musician playing taps … participating in Taps Across America.
Our freedom and continued pursuit of liberty and justice was only possible because of those individuals who protected our country in the decades prior to today. Let’s not forget their sacrifice; take a moment and reflect. We live in the greatest country in the world!
