The Silent "I"

Argentina: Star Quality in Buenos Aires

       

Casa Rosada or The Pink Palace, in Buenos Aires, Argentina

February 3, 2004

After our amazing stay in Iguazu Falls, it was time to explore another part of Argentina.  After an early morning flight from Puerto Iguazu, we checked into the Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires was a short stop on our itinerary, but we decided to make the most of it.

Buenos Aires is a mix of old-world European charm and Latin intensity. I was struck by how ridiculously good-looking the people were, from the hotel desk clerk who looked like she just stepped off a runway in Milan, to the average Joes (or Juans) reading the newspaper in the park who could have been Antonio Banderas' long lost sibling.  We've been all over the world, and I don't think I've seen this many gorgeous people per capita anywhere else, even Beverly Hills (where the looks tend to be generated by surgeons rather than genetics).  There was something unique and interesting about all of the faces we encountered.

After checking in, we walked to Plaza General San Martin, a nearby park with some ancient metal play structures that Alexander could play on while I nervously looked on.  The equipment looked like the kind of metal structures I remember from when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, with chipping paint (probably lead), and hard, unforgiving concrete underneath.  This equipment made me appreciate litigious American parents who have pretty much made sure that playground equipment is as safe as possible. 

Luckily, Alexander had fun without managing to kill himself or give his mom a heart attack.  Alexander had a great time playing on the slides, monkey bars, and running around, after spending the morning in airports, planes and taxis.  Sometimes, a boy just needs to run free.

Iguazu Falls: 5 Fun Things to Do with Kids

If you're fortunate enough to visit Iguazu Falls with your kids like we were, there are some things that are not-to-be missed.  Here's my list of five things to do with kids at Iguazu Falls:

1. Hike the trails in Iguazu National Park, Argentina: Most of the main trails on the Argentina side are well marked and paved. There are three main trails, or Circuits to walk. The Upper Circuit offers panoramic views of the falls, and takes about 30-35 minutes. It is easily accessed by people with mobility impairments, and kids should have no trouble keeping up.  The Lower Circuit takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete, and includes stairs and catwalks.  The Green Trail is a quick 10-15 minute walk to the beginning of the Upper and Lower Circuits.  Be sure to stay on the trails, since there are snakes lurking, and you don't want to come face to face with an anaconda without being prepared!  Many of the trails have brick pavement that you could push a rugged stroller over.  Be sure to bring water, sunscreen, and insect repellent along for the journey.

Argentina: Iguazu Falls, The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo)

After a refreshing swim in the circular pool at the Sheraton, we decided to take a walk down to the see Iguazu Falls up close.  Iguazu Falls National Park is on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.  The falls are part of the Iguazu River originating in Brazil.  There are 275 waterfalls, spanning a little over a mile and a half, that make up the system of waterfalls that separate the upper Iguazu from the lower Iguazu River.  In 2006, the falls dried up for a time due to drought, but I have read that they are back at full force again, as they were in 2004 when we visited.

Behind the hotel, there was a well-marked, paved path down to the entrance to the falls. Along the way, there were signs showing a stick figure of a man on the path, with snakes on either side of him, threatening to strike at any second.  From what I could gather, the signs said something like "Stay on the path or you will be eaten by snakes!"  I wouldn't let Alexander put even a baby toe off the path, and we hurried on to the entrance to the park.

Along the path to the falls, we encounter a giant iguana and a coati, a mammal that looks like a cross between a raccoon, a monkey and an aardvark. I suppose it was the product of some weird jungle hybridization or an evolutionary joke. 

The walk was about a kilometer, but it seemed like it took forever, particularly for Frank. Alexander would be happily walking along, then suddenly decide he'd had enough of this walking thing and go on strike.  Frank would be the dutiful dad, and pick him up and carry him on his shoulders.  I was the dutiful sherpa, carrying our various backpacks, camera gear and accoutrements.

We walked down the path and past an abandoned building that had been part of the old hotel.  In a circular clearing, a few craftspeople had set out blankets with beautifully woven bags, little jaguars and toucans carved out of wood, flutes, and other native crafts.  Before he end of our stay, we bought several bags and wallets for Christmas gifts for family members, and a couple of carving for Alexander. A woman was sitting with the bags and weaving new ones as we browsed. It wasn't the typical "Made in China" souvenir stand we were used to, and I think we bought more than we should have because everything seemed so original and unique.

Seeing Polar Bears in Churchill: Tips for Families with Kids

If you're interested in seeing the famous polar bears of Churchill yourself, there are a number of ways to get there.  You can do what we did, and arrive by train, which takes about two days from Winnipeg, or fly into the tiny Churchill airport. The flight takes about 2 1/2 hours from Winnipeg, but you don't get the excitement of being pitched onto the floor from your train berth in the middle of the night, or late night poker games in the dining car with native Canadians.  Polar Bears International has a list of eco-tour companies that operate tours and give a portion of their proceeds to polar bear conservation efforts.  One of our favorite eco-tour companies, Lindblad Expeditions, does not go to Churchill, but has cruises to Svalbard, Norway, another known stomping ground of polar bears.

Most hotel rooms are booked up by tour groups from October through the end of November, which is the season for the bears to start heading out to sea to hunt for ringed seals.  The timing of the bay freeze varies from  year to year, so it's hard to predict exactly how many you might encounter. When we were there, the bay froze early, so most of the bears had already headed out to sea during the second week of November. 

Be sure to book your tour in advance; they often sell out and there are limited hotel rooms in Churchill.  Be sure that your tour can accommodate kids, and find out what is available for different aged children.  A nine-hour tour on a Tundra Buggy might be fine for teens, but your 2 year old might not find it quite so charming.  Inquire about babysitting services if you might need them, or plan the trip when the kids are older.

We never felt that we were in any danger, but polar bears are wild animals and can be somewhat unpredictable.  Be sure that your kids understand that they are visiting the bears in their home turf, and need to be respectful of them and their environment. 

Great Northern Adventure: Tundra Buggy Tour in Churchill

This is part of a series on our trip to Churchill, Manitoba in Canada to see the polar bear migration in 2002.

Tuesday, November 12, 2002

On our last day in Churchill, we had to get up really early for the culmination of the trip: the famous tundra buggy tour out onto the frozen tundra to look for polar bears. We had been intrigued by the giant school buses from the beginning, and hoped to get a closer look at the bears.

We had discussed with our tour leader, John, whether or not Alexander would be able to enjoy the Tundra Buggy Tour, and decided that it was probably a bad idea.  We would be out all day, with no chance to return early if he couldn't take it.  He spoke to the owner of the motel for us, who mentioned that his daughter was available to babysit.  She was a stay-at-home mom with a baby who didn't mind babysitting one more to make a little extra cash.  Again, we decided to leave our kid with a total stranger.

A Tundra Buggy is an odd sort of vehicle,  a mash-up of a school bus, a double-wide trailer and a monster truck.  The giant wheels can maneuver on the roughest, snowiest terrain, and make it tall enough that the bears can't jump on for a ride.  On the back of the buggy is a small deck where people can go outside to take pictures.  In pictures we had seen of the tundra buggies, bears went right up to the windows to try to beg for snacks from tourists.  We hoped we'd get such an up-close and personal look at one of the polar bears.

Great Northern Adventure: On the Train to Churchill

This is part of a retrospective series on our trip to see migrating polar bears in Canada in 2002. 

November 7-9, 2002

At the Winnipeg Train Station, we hopped on the Via Rail Canada train with our group from John Steel Rail Tours with our regulation one-per-customer carry-on bags.  We walked down the long, narrow corridor in search of Deluxe Sleeper Car E.  Ruth and Ralph had booked the Regular Sleeper Car, and Chris had a Roomette.  We were curious to see the difference.  Frank and I had taken an overnight trip from Paris to Florence on our honeymoon, so my expectations for the Deluxe Sleeper Car were pretty low.  This was good, because the Canadian VIA Rail met my low expectations.

Our Deluxe Sleeper Car was the size of a walk-in closet and consisted of two bunk beds that folded into a seat in the daytime. The bathroom that was the size of a rather cramped telephone booth. Superman would have a hard time changing in that one, I thought to myself.  The bathroom gave a new meaning to the term term “water closet.”  The sink folded down over the toilet, which was actually a pretty clever space-saving innovation, since you don’t normally use both at the same time. 

We were next door to Ruth and Ralph, whose place looked amazingly similar to ours.  The only difference we could discern was that we had a tiny, narrow metal closet by the bed that was about half the width of a high school gym locker.  It was big enough to hang a shirt or two, but none of our bags would fit in there.  Ruth looked in our room and said, “Hey, we don’t have a locker!”

I replied, “That’s what makes this room de-luxe!  We paid extra for that locker! Worth every penny.”

Great Northern Adventure: Winnipeg, Manitoba

 

This is part 4 of a series on our vacation to Canada and Minnesota in 2002, before I had a blog. Eventually, we see polar bears. Honest.

November 6-7, 2002

After leaving the Land of 10,000 Mennonites, we drove back to Winnipeg.  Frank insisted that we stop at the Canadian Mint, for some unknown reason.  I stayed in the car because mints (other than the chocolate kind) just don’t do a thing for me.  Frank went in and was the only visitor.  He bought an ounce of gold, some coins and a stuffed polar bear for Alexander.  He said there was no one inside, and it was “quiet as a tomb.”  I started to sense a pattern developing on this vacation. I decided to rename it the "Quiet as a Tomb Tour."

After our brief stop at the Mint, we drove into Winnipeg to find the posh Fairmont Hotel.  On the outside, it was a tall, gray, nondescript building, but the inside was nicely furnished and the staff was helpful and friendly.  They were not ready for us when we arrived, so we drove to the Forks Shopping Mall, not far from the Hotel, right across from the train station. 

I bought a big red fleece jacket that said “CANADA” across the chest, like the wildly popular ones the Canadians wore in the 2002 Winter Olympics. I'm pretty sure now that actual Canadians didn't wear these jackets, but I felt a sort of solidarity with them. Plus, red is my color, so it was as much a fashion statement as political a political one. 

There was a small Manitoba Museum outside the mall, so we checked that out as well.  It had a stuffed polar bear, a buffalo, and some exhibits on Manitoba agriculture.  This was our first polar bear sighting on the trip, albeit a stuffed on.

When we got back to the hotel, they were ready for us, so we checked into our room on the 19th Floor.  We were on a Gold Level floor that had a special lounge for tea and evening drinks, along with coffee and pastries in the morning.  The floor also had its own concierge desk.  The people who worked at the desk took a shine to Alexander immediately and lavished him with attention.