Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

Rach Writes...: Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

Another journey into the unknown...but I'm game! Rachel has hosted three of these so far, and is doing a fourth, beginning now.

If you are interested in developing your writer's platform, so others can find you, and desire to share your journey with others, join us!

From what I have seen, participants in the past have really benefitted from this encouraging group...and learn to build their platform together with others on the same road.

Check the link above to learn more...but, beware...the signup ends Wednesday the 15th!

A Free Morning, Lunch with the Gomez Family, and Church Ministries

While the guys had an early men's meeting at the church, the ladies had a leisurely morning. A little past noon, we headed for the south section of Bogota, the poorer part of town, and one that is known for its gang activity. Mike's good friend, and former elder of Noroccidente, Sergio Gomez, has moved to this location with his family to begin a church. This has been a vision of Sergio's for many years, but it is only in the last couple of years, that the dream has materialized.
Sergio and his wife Olga, warmly welcomed our families, who, with his own, filled the small living/dining room. They prepared a favorite meal, called arripas, which are small, thick corn tortillas, that are split and filled with ground beef, shredded chicken, chihuahua cheese, and a type of 1,000 island dressing. Muy delicioso! We also had our choice of sweet iced tea, water, Tinto (hot black coffee with sugar) or fresh peppermint tea from their garden!
Sergio shared how he came to know and serve Christ, and then his sons talked about their schooling and future. Later on, I chatted with Elaine and Olga, mostly with hand motions, a few Spanish words, and lots of translated sentences, thanks to Elaine! We were treated royally, and felt extremely welcomed and loved.
Then, it was on to the church for kid's clubs, youth group and couple's class. It's an outreach to the community, and, since it's all held in one afternoon, families can participate together. A slide show of the 3 day children's camp that was held the weekend before, was enjoyed by all.
We took a short trip to a shop in the downtown area that sells only hand made items from Colombia..three floors worth! One small clay sculpture of a bus had a sign on it assuring the buyer that it was NOT made in China! We found that humerous... I was able to find quite a number of souvenirs for others at this "market".
We picked up the kids, and headed home for a simple meal, and a relaxing evening. More mañana...

An Appointment with the President...

Our flight was a non-event, thankfully, from Buenos Aires to Bogota. We arrived a little after noon, and met Mike outside the terminal. After the 20 minute ride to their home, we had a delicious and most welcome home cooked meal, thanks to Elaine's hard work. It was good to see everyone...hugs all around!
Mike had previously arranged a tour of the Presidential Palace in downtown Bogota, the place where Miguel Santos works and lives. The security was tight, and we needed our passports for IDs. No cameras were allowed, so I decided not to bring it, nor my bag or any other item. We were met at the gate by a tall, smartly dressed woman in national police attire, who checked us in. There were military personnel flocking around the palace, and one became our guide for the tour.
We were soon ushered in, and taken first to the cabinet room, where members sat with the president for meetings. Our guide pointed out that Santos sat among the cabinet members, instead of at the head, to show that all were 'equal.' during the remainder of the tour, we visited various rooms where dignitaries met, and one where marriages of government official's children were arranged. This room was very similar in style to those found in the palace of Versailles, but on a smaller scale. We were shown various articles (vases, sculptures, paintings), that were given as gifts to former presidents from Spain, England, Germany and France. The building itself was over 500 years old, and the architectural style looked Parisian.
At one point in our tour, a number of security guards were bustling about with intercoms. One requested that our guide keep his voice down. He told us that the President was having a televised press conference at that very minute in a room just a few yards from us. The media and reporters were everywhere. At that point, we were curiously admiring a painting of a pudgy 'flying nun' by an Colombian artist named Fernando Botero. There was a group passing quickly behind us, and we soon discovered that Santos was being ushered out of the area with our backs turned, so we never saw him! I was so disappointed!

The tour finished, so we headed towards our car. The rain began to pour, so we ducked into a gold coin minting museum, a favorite of Mike's, for about an hour or so. Gold has been mined in Colombia for hundreds of years, so it made sense that the government would dedicate a museum to it.
We also had an eyeful of Botero's works which were rather amusing. Somehow, he painted with a magnifying glass, so every figure looked bloated, in a creative sort of way. Each person had similar facial features of the artist himself. They made us giggle as we moved from room to room viewing his works of art.
We arrive home tired, had a bite to eat, and retired for the night. The four of us had been up since 3:45am, so the pillow looked extremely inviting!

The photo above reflects the typical university protest graffiti, which sometimes seemed socialist, and, at other times, Marxist and anti-American, even though the government is pro-American. We saw it all over Bogota, mostly on buildings, overhead bridges and the main cemetery wall.

Another Day of Travel...and Farewell to our Life of Adventure!

Everything went fairly smoothly through security and customs, so we had time to relax at the gate for an hour before boarding our 6 hour flight Avianca flight to
Bogota. Other than a few minutes of turbulence, it was an uneventful flight, and we arrived on schedule.
We were so relieved to see Mike waiting for us at the gate. His was a friendly face, instead of a foreign one holding a sign that read, 'Del Boccio Family.'
Although we have been pleased with our drivers and guides in Argentina, there is nothing like a familiar face when one is weary at the end of the trail!
It was good to see the Dubberlys again, but, after a bite to eat, we hit the sack, totally exhausted but scenes from our fabulous trip dancing in our heads.
I must end with a note about the Adventure Life travel agency with whom we booked our fabulous expedition. Although the Argentine agency, 'Kallpa' (with whom Adventure Life worked in tandem) skipped a few beats with our diet details, on the whole, the tour was seamless. Our favorite guide was Marta in Puerto Madryn, who was extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. We hated to see her go! Norbie, in Ushuaia, was our second favorite. His jokes along the trail kept us going when the going got tough.

But, the ultimate kudos go to the Adventure Life team in Montana. Monica was the first contact we had with the company. She was very friendly and helpful in the process of putting together our Patagonian package to suit our needs, always willing to tweak things where she could.
Lucas with Exito travel, helped us to find just the right flights to fit our pocketbook, and quickly took us through the process of purchasing the tickets, after waiting for the prices to lower a bit.
Jenny J was assigned to us next, and answered question after question about our trip details, from the type of boots we should bring, to which hotels carried shampoo and hair dryers. And then, while we were overseas, she continued to be so patient with my many questions about hotel transfers and diet requirements. Jenny always returned my emails the same day, when possible. I always knew things were under control back at the office, which reflected on our trip within Argentina.
Lastly, but certainly not least, was my hero, Lynessa, who painstakingly added all my photos to our journal each day, since my iPad did not support that feature. Some days, I downloaded and sent over 30 photos, which would pop into our online album the very next day, thanks to Lynessa! Even during the Missoula snowstorm, it took her only 36 hours to get back on track at the office...amazing!
All in all, Adventure Life did a fantastic job of keeping us informed, answering our plethora of questions, and communicating with the Argentine agency. Never once did I sense impatience or frustration with our constant barrage of emails! I know God lead us to them for a reason...thank you, each and every one who played a part in making this one of our most incredible family journeys!

Paradise Left and Homeward Bound!

Traveling is becoming a chore for us. It occurred to me last night, that by the end of our journey, we will have taken 10 flights in a little over two weeks, two of which are red-eye, overnight specials. Ugh! As we were complaining, I reminded the others that many years ago, it would have taken weeks, or maybe months to reach our destination via boat or horseback, had we not had the benefit of the modern airplane. This was certainly the better choice. But, it's a small price to pay for the beauty we have seen and the things we have experienced!
This morning, we took a quick trip to El Calafate (15 minute taxi ride) to do last minute souvenir shopping. The town was quaint, with lots of shops. There was one, called, 'La Casa del Gaucho' or the House of the Cowboy, which had many hand make items and western style Estancia clothing. I found a nice pair of comfortable slipper made from porcupine skin!
Another surprise part of our package deal was a 1 1/2 hour trail ride through the estancia. We were thrilled...especially Olivia, who like I, enjoy horses. So, we saddled up with our specially chosen animals, and waited for instruction. Although the method of riding was western, the saddle was similar to an English variety; smaller and more compact. It was covered with a thin wool pillow, which made the ride more comfortable. As we were waiting on our horses, we noticed a small reddish brown hound-like dog the guide called a celty. He was nervous and on the move, and couldn't stand still for the anticipation of following us on the trail. He would sit, he would get up and run under the fence, into the barn, near the horses and back. Then sit for thirty seconds, get up and bark, and follow the same routine, over and over until the four of us were out of the corral and on the road. 'Kalla' was a scamp. He would run ahead of us, and chase the birds, sometimes the sheep, and towards the end, a horse grazing in the field. This dog is great fodder for a picture book!
With great difficulty I depart from the El Galpon Estancia. I will miss the serenity of this windswept property...an unexpected stay in an earthly paradise!
It was soon time to leave for the airport, so we did some last minute packing, said our goodbyes to Carolina and Cecilia, and took the taxi towards town. The kids were so exhausted they fell asleep on my shoulder. We arrived in good time, but faced numerous lines for checking, paying airport tax, and going through security. As usual, Aerolinas Argentinas was late again, so we arrived in Buenos Aires 45 minutes late. By the time we checked into our hotel, it was close to 10:30 pm, but Olivia and I could not sleep on an empty stomach. So, we found a restaurant at the corner that offered a satisfying beef and chicken shish-ke-bob for two, with a side salad. For an Argentine, eating at 11 pm was no big deal, but for us, it was a novelty as well as a necessity!
It was midnight before we turned in. Our wakeup call came at 3:45 am, and the taxi at 4:45 am, to escort us to yet another flight, so our rest was brief. I am finally weary of travel, and look forward to our few days with the Dubberlys in Bogota. Over and out!

Paradise Redefined...a Gift from God.

Well, this estancia is breathtaking...and the air, fresh and invigorating. The girls (most from Buenos Aires), who spend 7 months a year running the place for the owners, are so polite and helpful! Two young ladies named Carolina, and one, Cecilia, arranged all our transport, made sure our dietary needs were met, and kept us well informed as to the day's happenings.
Remember when I said that it couldn't get any better? Well, it did! Last night, we were informed by a couple staying at the estancia about the stunning sunsets that occur in this area. So, cameras in hand, about 10pm, we began to study the sky. Sure enough, an awesome display began. First colors, then artistic patterns appeared above us. I couldn't take enough photos...I hope you can appreciate them!
The second exciting event was being told that our package included a tour, sheep shearing demonstration, and Argeninian barbecue and tango dance that evening...would we wish to participate? It was a unanimous, 'Si!'

We prepared ourselves for the glacier excursion, since the bus would arrive around 9:15am. An enormous tour bus (which we have not ridden on this entire trip) arrived to take us to the Perito Moreno State Park. The drive was scenic, but long, and included a banõs stop and payment of the $20 park fee (the kids were free). We then rode to the place where a small craft would take us to the other side of the lake, where the glacier trek awaited us. Before we arrived, as we were curving around the mountains, we could only see a small part of the mountain full of snow, where we would find the ice formation. At one point, a beautiful Argentine song was heard over the loud speaker. The woman sang with pathosfilled with pathos, and tho' I didn't understand the words, it was powerful. Just then, the glacier came into view. It was so magnificent and stunning, that my eyes filled with tears. I could barely contain myself!
We boarded the vessel, and snapped photos all the way across. When we arrived, we were told where to put our backpacks and lunches, and reminded to wear gloves, in case we fell on the ice. Our guide pointed out various things of interest on the map of the glacier, then we sat while the staff attached our crampons, metal attachments with teeth, similar to a bear trap, which would give us stability and adherence on the ice. Keep your feet apart (otherwise we might stab ourselves in the foot), stomp as you walk, and keep your shoulders over your hips. This last instruction proved to be difficult, since one has the tendency to lean forward going up the glacier, and back, going down. I felt like an angry, bowlegged gaucho or cowboy as I walked!
We saw folks many hundreds of feet above us on the trail, but when I asked our guide if we would trek that high, his answer was non-committal. I wasn't sure if he needed to know the conditions of the trail first, or if he thought I would be frightened of the altitude. Amazingly, I was not intimidated. Normally, I am afraid of heights, but my spirit was calm.

Occasionally, on the way up, the guide would 'blaze the trail' by widening the path with his mountain climbing pick axe. The other guide would help those who were more timid (which included me at first), or those (like me) who would lag behind taking photos. I think he was so fed up with having to remind me to keep close to the group so he could help if needed, that he put me at the front of the line! We stopped every so often to snap a photo, or to wait for others to catch up. Occasionally, we heard a gunshot-like sound coming from the glaciers, which warned us of an impending calving (breaking off) of a portion of the glacier wall closest to the water. It was my dream to catch it on video, but, it was not to be.

As we trekked, digging in with our feet, grabbing hold of the icy surface for stability, and keeping our backs straight, I thought of a spiritual analogy. If we dig into God's Word, and grab hold of the truths we find there, we can lean back on His promises, and find stability in our lives. We can't go through life on our own...we need His help!

At the end of our journey, we were offered Whiskey on ice, or pure glacier spring water, with Alfajores. It was a no-brainer for us, but it was curious how others chose something manmade and potentially dangerous in exchange for the refreshing and healthful gift of pure water.
We soon had lunch, and took the ride back to the bus, which took us to the lookout point to view north end of the glaciers...wow! Spectacular! Still no sign of calving glaciers, but I was more than content with the outstanding experience we had throughout the day. This has been the nicest string of clear days for a long time, we were told, and it almost always rains at the glaciers, so, we were truly blessed!
Tired, but content, we were taken back to the estancia two hours later than expected. I was disappointed that we had missed the tea, tour of the estancia, and the sheep herding demonstration, but we were able to hook up with the group and witness the sheep shearing, now done on the estancia with electric shearers.
If an estancia is to make money raising sheep for wool, they need over 10,000 sheep, and more than 2.5 acres per sheep for the business (and sheep) to survive. They need to be sheared, no matter what, twice a year. Once in spring, so they don't get too heavy and fall, and in the winter, especially around the eyes, so they can find their food in the harsh weather. The gauchos, whom the owners of the estancia hire to do the work, come from the NE of Argentina, near Iguassu Falls, and migrate south, arriving in Patagonia in December, which is the latest a sheep's wool needs to be cut.

The group watched in amazement, as the gaucho sheared the sheep with the electric clippers in about three minutes. That alone is worthy of comment, but, what was more notable was the fact that the wool was shorn and removed all in one piece!
It was time for our scrumptious barbecue, which included all the lamb and salad you could eat, along with roasted potatoes, squash, and onions. They served empanadas filled with beef and green pepper. Olivia and I split one, and discovered it was worth every bite!
Flan or egg custard with burnt sugar sauce was served for dessert, and then the cultural dancing began, which included, of course, a tame version of the Tango. We left very satisfied, and headed off to catch up on emails and journaling before the power (and thus, WiFi) went out in the lobby.

One last night in the solitude of the estancia. We were the only lodgers left in a 20 room hostel...the environment, air and fresh water has revived our souls!

A Day of Travel, a Day to Celebrate!

Today we had downtime to do a little souvenir shopping, and have a bite to eat. This is a special day to celebrate...it's Mario's 16th birthday! Although there is not much going on today, other than travel, we enjoyed a relaxing day. Mario was promised a special gift of his choice from a souvenir shop in honor of his birthday.

We took the long cement stairs down to the main shopping avenue, San Martin (it seems every city has a street named after the hero of the revolution). It's easier to descend than to ascend! First to look for a penguin statue made of pink stone native to Argentina, then to look for an ibis clip (all the ladies wear them to keep their long hair in place), and last to the supermarket for Yerba matè and Alfajores, a dessert made with two butter cookies filled with dulce de leche, or sweet carmel filling, then dipped in chocolate. Success! It was then time to have a bite to eat, which has been a challenge of Olivia and me. Normally, we try to order a salad, telling the waitress which veggies we would like, which oil to use, etc. Today, using my few Spanish words, and lots of hand motions and pointing, I described (so I thought) what we wanted. A few minutes later, out came some of the veggies, and many more that I did not ask for, nor could we eat! So, Dan and Mario enjoyed some canned corn, peas and palm hearts with their pizza.
The hotels were not notified by the Argentine agency of our special diet request. The last three mornings, we had to eat nuts and apples that we purchase, because the breakfast was all bakery goods, canned meat and cheeses. They did have a great selection of teas, and were very happy to oblige when I asked them for a thermos of hot water for our Yerba! The nationals carry their matè cups, Yerba, and thermos of water in a specially designed backpack wherever they travel...a redefinition of 'to go' beverages! By the way, you would assume there would be Yerba cafès everywhere. Not a chance...they either carry it with them, or, drink it socially at home. Go figure! They can't imagine anyone but their own people would drink the bitter but healthful drink anyway.
We were finally packed and transported to the Ushuaia airport at 2pm. The flight to El Calafate was delayed, which is a common occurrence on Aerolineas Argentinas, we were told, because of the wind patterns bringing in ash from the Chilean volcano eruption a couple of years ago. There is a possibility that the ash could clog the engines during the flight. Funny, or driver said, that it never seems to delay the other airlines, such as LAN. Ours, evidently has a reputation for being late, and sure enough, all four of our flights were delayed from 30 minutes to almost an hour!
The plane took off, even on this cloudy and rainy day. As we ascended, the plane made a complete circle, wing down, in order to climb out of the valley surrounded by jagged mountains. We had a perfect view of the little peninsula that held our airstrip...reminded me of the crazy locations of our tiny airstrips in New Guinea. The mountains, forests, wind, rugged coasts and waterways at the 'Fin del Mundo' were left behind.
The short, one and a half hour flight was smooth, and soon we were landing in El Calafate. This is the land of the glaciers, which we will climb tomorrow. Looking out our plane window, we saw miles of flat plains, similar to Texas, with mountains surrounding the plains, most without snow, but two to the west were covered with it. Odd... It reminded me of the surface of a planet in some respects.

Backpedalling with a bit of info: The first tour we took to see the penguins on Penninsula Valdez, was taken on a cloudy day. Being warned ahead of time, but forgetting to apply sunscreen, I was badly sunburned to the point that my skin began to develop small bumps. Thankfully, I had my lavender oil, which seemed to help. Hopefully, I will remember the sunscreen tomorrow, since the glare from the glaciers will be intense.
Our taxi driver took us for miles and miles it seemed, to our destination...El Galpon (shed) de Glaciars. He passed through the town, passed the shops, until there was nothing but land and sky. I wondered where he was taking us, and was a little disappointed that it was so far from town. Finally, a group of buildings came into view. Yes! It was another estancia...and this time, the view was more spectacular than Rincon Chico. We had the mountains surrounding us, Lake Argentina below us, and miles of stunning landscape. Thank you, Lord! Can it get any better???
Until tomorrow!

A Truly Awesome View AT Every Turn...

I don't like to use the word 'awesome' unless it is talking about God's creation, because, truthfully, only His works can be described as such. In this case, and many times on this trip, the word fit perfectly.
Today, like yesterday, we walked up, we walked down, we walked over and around and through. Actually, trekking is a better word. The weather changed so quickly and so often during our excursion, that our routine went like this: zip up, button up, hood up, face the wind. Sun out, unzip, unbutton, off come the earmuffs, take off fleece. This scenario played out at least once every 20 minutes to keep us on our toes.
Norbie, our guide, met us at the Linaris Hostel where we have been staying the last two nights. It reminds us of a Swiss chalet...very charming with antiques of all kinds throughout the facility. I had decided to take my Yerba Matè cup and a thermos with me, so when I ascended the motorbus steps, the two guides and driver all commented at once about an American drinking matè, how amazing that was, and maybe I should sit at the front of the bus to share. It was a hoot!

We rode for about 30 minutes, and then gained entrance to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. After a restroom break, we gathered at the map so Norbie could give us the instructions for the days events. He was a real joker all throughout the trip, suggesting we needed a helicopter to pick us up, and oh, by the way, order a pizza, too! He encouraged us to work as a team or family, and keep together. At one point, he described the three types of hikers. The Japanese (and we had a couple with us), walk a few short steps, take a photo, few more steps, another photo, etc. The Italian, he said, strolls along looking at the birds, taking his time, enjoying the sun, etc. the American, on the other hand, asks what time we were to be at the end point, and proceeds to look at his watch and take off at a quick pace, not looking at anything, keeping his eye on goal! I assured him we would be somewhere in between.
By the way, we learned a few facts on our way that are unique to the area. If one stands with the sun at his back, he will always be facing south in this part of the world. The Pan-American highway goes from Ushuaia the southernmost city in the world, all the way to Alaska. Many have done it by car, motorbike, and even bicycle. Evidently the latter took four years!

The scenery was truly awesome, and we had quite a few breaks to enjoy it. The fresh air was almost too much for my lungs...it's the first time I can remember being able to take a full breath of air without effort, even at this altitude. The path was quite challenging, as we walked over tree roots, rocks and gravel surfaces. We came across wayward horses from nearby estancias (ranches) that left their piles of dung all over the trail. We had to watch our step! I was so thankful to find a good strong stick to help me along the trail, which definitely helped me navigate the uneven trail.
The inlets and bays were breathtaking, and at each bend there seemed to be a more awesome view that the one before. Finally, when we thought we could walk no more, the trail ended at a campground, were we had a few appetizers, and grilled chicken with salad for the main meal. Everyone was famished, so we all ate with gusto. It was good to talk with our Argentinean, Italian and Portuguese fellow hikers. They knew more English that we knees Spanish!
As we took a bathroom break before venturing out on a canoe ride, we walked among the Sunday campers in the park. It was humorous to hear various types of music blaring from the car radios at the campsites...each one was different. I heard rock and roll, salsa, love songs, etc within my 3 minute walk to the banõs!
It was time for our canoe trip, so we gathered at the river for instruction, then donned our rubber boots and waterproof pants. We divided into groups, got into the three canoes, and set off for our adventure. We were in the Beagle Channel, the river and a lake, all within an hour and a half. We saw little wildlife, but there were many people in the park fascinated with our journey. I felt like a celebrity as folks waved and took photos from the shore. At one point, the water level was too low, so we got out, and carried our canoe, or portaged, just as the Indians would have done. We had to duck under a bridge, and when we entered a larger body of water, the winds were fierce, so we paddled for dear life, and arrived at the shore first. Team America (the Del Boccios, our guide, and an Italian couple) had won the race!

Tired but happy, we arrived back at the bus, and rested on our way back to the hostel. We said our goodbyes, and after freshening up, went out on the town for dinner. The shops were still open at 9:30pm, and it was still light, so again, we fell asleep after midnight. It will be good to be home where our internal clocks will be reset. Chau for now!