The Snowlady Chronicles

The Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries

June 20, 2021

Yesterday on a somewhat nice summer day in New York City, my friend Keiko and I uber’ed our way to the tip of Manhattan to go the the MET Cloisters museum. It was our first time for both of us although Keiko has been to the monastery. Located near Fort Tryon Park , on top of a steep hill, the building evokes a sense of medieval European life. As Keiko said, its like we stepped into Medieval France.

I have wanted to go as thanks to a donation by John Rockefeller, it is home to the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries. I got hooked on the Unicorn tapestries from the Medieval times ever since I visited the Musee Cluny in Paris and saw the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries which was one of the most beautiful set of artwork I’ve ever seen.

The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries did not disappoint although depicted more violent scenes than the Lady and the Unicorn series. But oh, the workmanship! All done by hand in intricate detail with silk and metallic thread dyed using natural material. The origination is debated and no one quite knows who commissioned it but one thing is for sure – it was done in the 1400s and we are so fortunate it has survived to be seen by millions of people worldwide. Below are some of the photos I took. There are 7 tapestries depicting the hunt.

Start of the Hunt
Unicorn at the Fountain
Unicorn Attacked
Unicorn Defending her/his self
Unicorn Captured by the Virgin
Unicorn Killed and Brought to the Castle
Unicorn Captured

After thoroughly enjoying the tapestries, we walked around the spectacular garden where medieval herbs, flowers, and vegetables were planted in what was thought the same way it was done during medieval times. It was beautiful and very interesting.

We ended the day in Greenwich Village for a casual Japanese meal at one of our favorite places – Ootoya. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Costa Rica – April 2019

Back in April of 2019, my very generous BFF Nicky invited me to join her on a trip to Costa Rica as she won a bid to stay a the beautiful GAIA hotel near the Manuel Antonio National Park. Costa Rica has always been on my bucket list. We only had 6 days so just got a taste but its definitely a country a want to visit again.

Since I was coming off NAB in Las Vegas, we met up at the airport. We had a wonderful drive through the mountains to get to our hotel which is located in the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica. The views from the hotel were magnificent! We really enjoyed the sunset ever night.

For the first day of activities, we woke up early as we had a tour of the Manuel Antonio National Reserve and had to be there when it opened to see the wildlife. Our guide was fabulous and knew exactly where to find the animals. Our first sighting —- the SLOTH. Of course, it was sleeping. Can you see it in the photo below? Our guide had a telescope which allowed me to take a close up photo! We found sloths to be quite common in the neighborhood but always sleeping in the trees.

Next, we went looking for the monkeys that live in the reserve. The reserve is home to 3 types of monkeys: The white faced capuchin (which if very common), the elusive howler and the endangered squirrel monkey which only weigh about 1.5 pounds. We were told by our guide that we will have to be very lucky to see the howler and the squirrel monkey but we saw all three! We heard the howlers while doing the walk but didn’t see one until the end of the walk. We saw the squirrel monkeys but they are so small and fast that it was very hard to take a photo!

If you look closely, you will see the squirrel monkey

What makes Manuel Antonio Park special as the trail leads to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Of course, its a hike but wow the beach was gorgeous.

On the walk back we saw some birds and also saw a white faced capuchin mom and baby

For the next few days at the hotel, we went to the local beach a few times which is on the pacific ocean so the water was cold, went on a snorkeling trip where I got a bad case of sunburn and took a boat ride through the mangroves. There is so much to do in Costa Rica and the people are just wonderful.

The Hotel is also a sanctuary to the Macaws – very colorful and very loud!

We took a walking tour of the grounds of the hotel (it was so hot and humid!) and found a bat sleeping in a plant

The boat ride through the mangroves was fun especially since the guide brought his kids

And of course, the infamous and huge iguanas of Costa Rica. Our first sighting was during the mangrove tour

For our snorkeling trip, after each snorkeling tour, the boat took us to an island for lunch and snacks. The first island we visited was home to a ranch with horses and a great swimming beach. The second island had black sand beach. Since we were on the pacific side, the snorkeling was OK. I’ve heard snorkeling on the Caribbean side is amazing!

For our last couple of days in Costa Rica, we stayed at the capital of San Jose and took a coffee farm tour. The weather in Costa Rica was much cooler and pleasant. We went to the Britt Coffee plant which is a famous coffee bean maker in Costa Rica. Given we didn’t have a lot of time, we did not visit the farm deep in the mountains but where their processing center where they taught us the process of making coffee from a bean to brewed cup of coffee! I learned to never use boiling water to make coffee. Who knew?

The trip was fabulous and way to short. I am very thankful and lucky to have friends like Nicky who love to travel and share the experience. Can’t wait to travel again once this pandemic subsides.

Dublin!

2019 was a great travel year. Not only did I see my BFF Sandra compete in the grueling Paris – Brest – Paris bike race I also got to go to Dublin for the first time with my good friends Kris and Michael who I met in 2016 when I moved to New York from Tokyo. Kris has worked in the past on broadway shows but also worked extensively with Philip Glass – one of the world’s most innovator composers – so invited me to join her and her husband Michael to a trip to Dublin to attend Philip Glass’ masterpiece Koyaanisqatsi. There was no way I was going to miss this opportunity!

I left for Dublin on October 24 on a flight that was delayed 3 hours. But a coincidence! On the plane was Philip Glass and his partner Saori who I met once before. Anyhow, after a short hello, I was so tired so ended up sleeping all the way to Dublin.

Once I arrived, it was a beautiful day with blue skies, so after checking in the hotel, took a walk around the neighborhood, did some work emails, calls and then headed for dinner to meet Kris and Michael at a restaurant called Catch 22. To get there, I took the tram for the first time, and of course, took the tram that was going the wrong way, got off , got on the right tram and got off at the right station. Thought I could find the restaurant easily but NO! not even with google maps. Fortunately, while wandering around where the restaurant was supposed to be, Kris found me and showed me the way to the hidden restaurant. I had an excellent mackerel which I love and then a fish pie. But all of a sudden got hit hard by jet lag so could not finish it although fish pie is one of my favorite comfort foods. Anyhow, we headed back to our respective hotels for a good nights sleep as an adventure waits us the next day.

Next morning, I got up around 6am as had to meet Kris and Michael at the Ulster Bank Bus Stop to get our bus which will take us on tour to quaint farm towns outside Dublin. We were to meet at the bus stop at 820am. I got there around 750am (took the tram – by now I’m an expert) and thank god I arrived early as there were so many Ulster Bank Bus stops! So walked around but got a text Kris who was across the street with Michael at Starbucks so was able to find each other quickly and also the right bus stop which of course happened to be in front of Ulster Bank.

The tour bus left on time and true to what they say about Irish weather, it started to pouring. But we did have our umbrellas so were ready for an authentic Irish experience.

The first stop was Kilkenny – one of the oldest medieval towns in Ireland where many of the streets are the same roads from medieval times. Given it was pouring rain, we first took a tour of the Kilkenny castle, where the highlight was the hallway with beautiful wood carvings. The grounds though were beautiful too. Then we went for a snack at a hole in the wall sandwich place that got great reviews in yelp and trip advisor. i had a very nice grilled goat cheese sandwich, packaged so that it reminded me of my elementary school days of getting a sandwich in a bag for lunch. We then took a walk and visited the Medieval museum which was fascinating. We were going to go to St Mary’s Cathedral but although google maps said we were 3 min away, we couldn’t find it so headed back to catch the bus to our next destination. I did buy though a very cute trivet from the most adorable store I’ve been to in a long time. If I lived in Ireland, I would have decorated my Irish home with decor from their store – unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the place… Next stop on our bus tour -Wicklow mountains to get a picture and view. Its actually where a lot of Hollywood movies like Braveheart have been filmed. On the way passed Hollywood (Mr Hollywood who found Hollywood came from here). Our next stop was the highlight of our trip where we learned about and saw sheepdog herding. These border collies were amazing and tough as the sheep will kick them. But I was impressed most of all with their intelligence. The dog we saw herd sheep was named Maggie. Leave it to the female dog to be the star and best herder! After watching the dogs and learning about sheepdog herding, we then took the bus to our final stop – Glendalough, a beautiful area of Ireland. What a beautiful place! We took a nice walk through the area including a very old grave yard as a monastery used to be there I believe from the medieval times. I have to say the gloomy/rainy skies added to the ambience.

The Grand Hallway – Loved the wood carvings

The Medieval Museum of Kilkenny – very well done

Learning about sheepherding – apparently its been a rough life as prices of mutton and lamb have dropped

Kris and Michael with a future Sheepherder

My first fish and chips at a place in the Temple Bar district

By the time we got back to Dublin the skies were dark but the rain eased. We found a place for fish and chips so had that for dinner. Since our hotels were located at different locations, we said our good nights. I headed down the main drag of the Temple Bar area and then found the infamous bar! Walked in to see if I could buy the famous whiskey (place was FILLED with Japanese tourist) but the bartender was very nice and told me that I should buy it at the airport as it was cheaper. And I did! It was a present for Billy, my nephew, who said it was one of the best whiskies he has had. Got back on the tram and crashed at the hotel, but really liked the ambience of the Temple Bar district.

The next day we were going to explore Dublin. I started the day with a hearty Irish breakfast, then walked to Kris and Michael’s hotel to meet up. First thing we did was to have lunch at this fabulous restaurant called The Pig’s Ear. Best meal I’ve had so far in Dublin. We then went to the Library of Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells which was on my bucket list. The Book of Kells is a literary masterpiece created around 800 AD. Amazing that we were able to see it and it was in amazing condition!

After thoroughly enjoying the Library we walked to the National Museum of Archeology which was located in a beautiful building! After learning about history and archaeology of Ireland, we then went back to our hotels for a rest before we met up for dinner at Wilde – a fab restaurant located in the Westbury hotel. It was pretty chi-chi with a NYC crowd vibe.

Beautiful walk through St Stephen’s Green Park on the way to meet Kris and Micheal

Love the outdoor flower markets dotted through Dublin

Trinity Library! – amazing. Photos were not allowed of the Book of Kells unfortunately

A beautiful door at the Museum of Archaeology

St Lachlan’s arm… supposedly his bone is in there

Next day, before the main event, we decided to meet early and take the train to see the Irish Sea. At least that was the idea. BUT what we did not know was that the Dublin marathon was happening on that day so it seems the entire population of Ireland descended on Dublin. So the trains weren’t running and it seems neither were the buses. After trying to figure out what other options we had, I decided to call an uber which was the best thing ever! Our driver was very nice and dropped us off at Bray which is a town on the Irish Sea. We walked along the coast and touched the sea. Fortunately, it was sunny although cold. To get back, fortunately, we found a bus that can take us to Dublin so took that and headed back.

Once back in Dublin, we dropped Michael off to the hotel and then Kris and I did some shopping and had a Guinness. We then headed back to the hotel and agreed to meet for an early dinner before head to what we came to Ireland for which was the Philip Glass concert.

The concert hall was beautiful and had a beautiful chandelier. BUT unfortunately Philip was feeling well so had to cancel. However the orchestra still played and for the first time I heard

Koyaanisqatsi live. And it was wonderful despite some anomalies – like a person in the audience having a seizure!

Beautiful day for the Marathon and for a trip to the sea if you can get there!

Got a first hand look of the marathon from the bus going back to Dublin

The famous Waterford Chandelier in the concert hall

And just like that, the long weekend in Ireland ended. I’m very fortunate to have very generous friends who allowed me to join them for this special long weekend in Dublin.

Paris!

Sunday August 25,2019

Charles De Gaulle Airport, France

Another Beautiful Morning

After Sandra took off on her 1200km challenge, I took an uber to Paris to spend 2.5 days there monitoring Sandra's progress while in Paris. Debated whether to stay in Clairfountaine or not, and decided after talking to Parisians, it would be better for me to be in Paris because a) don't have a car b) more trains to the control points that I can get to if need be and c) its Paris!. And who said Paris in August is boring?? I thoroughly enjoyed staying in the middle of Paris in August because there were not many crowds. Yes, many restaurants and small boutiques were closed and Louvre is still impossible to get a ticket at the same day, but there were still many things to do. Unfortunately, one of the museums I really wanted to go to – Carnavalet- which was highly recommended by my friends who know Paris very well, was closed for renovation.

I arrived Sunday evening, so ended up getting room services and checking work email, and started tracking Sandra the first night. The next day, woke up early and met a work colleague for a breakfast meeting near Sacre Couer. It was a beautiful and slightly chilly morning. Unfortunately, I could not get my French Omelet as the chef of the brasserie was on vacation so just had a typical French breakfast of a baguette with cafe au last. After the breakfast, I walked the 3 km or so to Musee Cluny, which was on my list to see the infamous Lady and the Unicorn tapestry. I am so glad I saw it, it was beautiful and whimsical. I don't know how long it took to make the tapestries but it is considered one of the greatest works of art in the Middle Ages in Europe. It is definitely worth seeing.

Sacre Couer

Signts from the walk I took from Sacre Couer to Musee Cluny on the left bank. Meat being delivered

The architecture in Paris is AMAZING!! I've been here many times and never get tired of it

Musee de Cluny is housed where the old Roman baths were. The baths were surprising in good shape when discovered so they built a museum around it. I'm always amazed how sophisticated the culture was during those times.

Some wall stone carvings that are well preserved in the baths

Arguably the most famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestry. There are six that depict taste, hearing, sight, smell and touch. This one is about touch and love. I loved this one

Details of the tapestry. the main of the unicorn looked so pillowy, soft and real. All this was done by hand!

After spending obout 2.5 hours in the museum, I went to the famous Duex Magots Brasserie where Hemmingway used to hand out. Had their special chicken for lunch which did not disappoint. I then stopped at Le Grand Epicerie which is one of my favorite places in Paris to shop for food and wine and then walked back to the hotel. I did over 20000 steps and about 10 miles that day. Paris is definitely a city to be explored by foot.

Walking back from the Le Grand Epicerie, I walked by Place de la Concorde

and Madeleine where my hotel is located

Ended the day with Chateau Beycheville St Julien which was my Dad's favorite

Day 2 started with a nice breakfast at the hotel with delicious coffee. As the Carnavalet was closed decided to go to the Picasso Museum which was just renovated and recommended by Sandra. In the meantime, Sandra was making good time with bike race. She just did about 300 km through the night. They had a special exhibit with Alexander Calder – the American sculptor – known for his kinetic mobiles. The Picasso- Calder exhibit got rave reviews and is a must see exhibit if you are in Paris this month and next. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit very much. Apparently both Calder and Picasso were good friends and had tremendous respect for each other.

Calder's whimsical mobile of Josephine Baker

Picasso's portrait of Francoise Gilot – I had the fortune of meeting her in the late 90s. Very nice and charming lady

And of Dora Maar

I liked this painting of the South of France. Liked the blue hues

The Garden at Musee Picasso. I sat here for about 30 minutes. Very relaxing

Then I did the long walk back to the hotel, but stopped at Brasserie Vivienne located on Rue Petit Champs Elysees, where I had a delicious and fresh green bean salad and pasta with truffles in a creme source (so rich!).

Chateau Beycheville from 120 euros to 2000 euros!

French Oysters at Le Grand Epicerie

The next day, before heading out to Clairfountaine, I walk along the Champs Elysees and with the goal of going to Le Grand Epicerie again to buy a gourmet prepared food to celebrate Sandra's accomplishment. By now she completed over 600km and is in good shape. Had major challenges the first 1/3 of the ride due to strong headwinds but she persevered!

Walking the Champs Elysees

Crossing to the bridge to the left bank

Got a great view of the Eiffel tower

While looking for a place to have a late lunch, I found an alleyway where Michelin star chefs have an outposts. I went to Allenotheque

and had a fabulous lunch of steak and a strawberry melba for dessert, with a niche glass of bordeaux.

Headed back to the hotel, got organized and then took an uber to Clairfountaine. Sandra is on track to finish the race tomorrow morning, so looking forward to celebrating her accomplishment!!

Paris-Brest-Paris – a 1200km (750miles) Endurance Event for Cyclists

August 22, 2019

Clairfountaine-en-Yvelines

Beautiful Summer Day

My BFF and travel buddy Sandra decided to the the infamous Paris-Brest-Paris 1200km endurance event for cyclists. It's the oldest long distance cycling event (first one in 1891) in the world and takes place every 4 years. Sandra spent 2+years preparing where she had to qualify to be in the event. It meant doing a 200km, 400km and 600km race within a year. I'm hear in the outskirts of Paris to cheer here on. And I'm happy to say she got it done in 86 hours and 30 minutes and because she completed it before the allocated 90 hours, she got a medal! What a feat!! I'm in such awe of her especially her determination. She truly is a role model for many.

So I arrived on a Saturday before the race. Took a bus to Gare Montparnasse and then the train to Rambouillet where the race starts. Had trouble at the beginning to find the "right" train tracks but then saw a lot (like 100 or so ) cyclists so just followed them. The 35 minute train ride ended up taking about an hour because along the way , we picked up more, more to the point where I thought no more can fit in the train. Getting off the train was also difficult as there was a traffic jam of cyclists all getting off the train. I can't imagine what the residents of Rambouillet were thinking given its the first time the race will start in their town.

Sandra picked me up, we stopped at the grocery store to do some shopping and then got to her B&B in Clairfountaine de Yvelines which is a converted nunnery that is now an "apartment" for artists but just for this week, the rooms are rented to cyclists participating in the race. It was a cold and rainy day, but first thing we had to do was get her bike checked and then get her registered. The whole process unfortunately, took longer than expected, but at least we got it done in 3 hours. We were both freezing when we got back, so we dried our clothes, relaxed a bit and then decided to go to a very nice wine bar in a small town called Dourdan, where we had wonderful wine and a great dinner. We then had an early night as Sandra needed to get as much rest as possible before her start which was at 630pm on Sunday.

The next day, we basically relaxed and Sandra did last minute preparation for the ride. A lot of nervous energy was in the air. We got to the starting sight 3 hours early, as we got a ride from Sandra's friend which worked out so I could drop off my bags and a nearby hotel and catch an uber to Paris. I was planning on spending a few days in Paris playing tourist while Sandra was on the road. Thought it would work better given there were more trains to the main towns she was going to cycle through in the case of emergency, and more convenient for me given I don't have a car.

Then very quickly, on a sunny warm evening , it was time for Sandra to take off. She did very well the first 1/3, then had a bit of tough going due to very strong headwinds, but after a rest, recovered mentally and physically, and then there was no stopping of her and she made it well within the 90 hour limit. And on first try! I got back from Paris to Clairfontaine Wednesday afternoon with food from the infamous Le Grande Epicerie in Paris so that there will be plenty to eat when she got back on Thursday morning. What an accomplishment! We celebrated with Champagne, wine and food when she got back. Today is going to be a super relaxing day with lots of sleep and eating. Sandra is so amazing and inspirational.

The line to get the bikes checked

Bike check and registration done

And a guy photobombs!

Excellent dinner at the wine bar in Dourdan. We had quite a few glasses :))

The tuna mouse appetizer

Baked ham (made an exception) main course. They only have one appetizer and one main course on the menu that changes daily

Getting ready for the ride. Sandra ran into her friend Stacy

Me and Sandra before the race.

And there she goes!

Finished at 86 hours and 30 minutes!!

Recovery food for the day

Valparaiso and Vina del Mar – Last Day of the Chile, Bolivia vacation

August20, 2019

Paris, France

Glorious Summer Day

Note: This Post is about our last day of our Chile and Bolivia summer vacation which took place in July of 2018.

We decided to spend that last 2 nites and 3 days in Santiago Chile. Both Sandra and I have been here before so the objective was to eat, buy souvenirs and do a day trip to Valparaiso as neither of us have been there. Since we got to our hotel late at night, we just went to the hotel bar and shared a pizza and a bottle of Chilean wine and had an early night. The next day we slept in and got our subway passes so we can explore some artisan shops to do some souvenir hunting. First place we went was like a flea market in the middle of the city. We both did not like the vibe or quality. The second place we went was a small store owned by a woman near the universities. We loved her shop! But instead of buying up the store, we decided to go to lunch first and then explore an artisan village outside the town and then decide if we should go back to the small shop. For lunch, we went to the Central Market in town which is basically the fish market. We went there years ago and really enjoyed the fish there. The concierge warned us that she is not a fan but we did not listen to her and went to Donde Augusto which is where we went before and ranked highest. Disappointing!! Overcooked and salty fish. We were ready to drink a gallon of water after the lunch as it was so salty!

From there we tried to find the subway station but got lost. Fortunately, a lady offered to help and showed us the way to the subway station. Once there we knew where to go – the artisan village – so we were set. I have to say the subways in Santiago are clean and efficient. Once we got to the village , we found many things we liked. I bought a beautiful Lapiz Lazuli necklace as a Xmas gift for my BFF Nicky. Lapiz Lazuli is a local blue stone from Chile and the store I went to was highly recommended for the quality. Once we got what we wanted, it was off to the little shop owned by a lady we liked. There we bought ALOT!! LoL! She truly had great stuff. We then had a light dinner by the hotel and called it a day as we had a busy next day.

For the next day – the day we leave to go home – we booked a private tour of Valparaiso and what a tour!!! Our guide was FABULOUS! Not only did we go to Valparaiso but also Vina del Mar for wine tasting and a lunch at a winery, saw the ocean and a chi-chi neighborhood where the wealthy have weekend homes and he fit in a wine tour at a winery where the wines we made in traditional ceramic pots. They got us to the airport with 3 hours to spare to catch our flight1 What a great way to end a great vacation.

Home in Valparaiso

Valparaiso is a prat city and was home to the famous writer Pablo Neruda. Its known as Little San Francisco and is a World Heritage Site. The opening of the Panama Canal saw the demise of Valparaiso but now, its a mecca for artists.

Its the original city that started the "graffiti" wave

Look at this! These are steps

After going up and down the alleys of Valparaiso and buying artwork – yes we continued shopping even though our suitcases were full, we were off to the coast, where the rich have their summer homes. I have to tell you the beaches were immaculate, and the water was sea through. If it were summer, I would have gone in the water for a swim

Next stop was a fancy winery for lunch, planned by our tour guide. It was fabulous

He also squeezed a wine tasting at a unique winery where wines we're made in traditional clay pots. And the wines were pretty good!

We then rushed back to the airport with full stomachs and a bit of a buzz given we had copious amounts of wine for lunch and during the unexpected stop at another winery for wine tasting. Great way to end a great vacation with BFF Sandra. Can't wait for the next one.

Last Day in Bolivia

Sunday August 11, 2019

New York, NY

Beautiful Sunny Day

July 29,2018: Last day exploring the Andes in Bolivia. Now that we are at about 8000 ft, I recovered from altitude sickness and felt great! On our last day, we explored some stone sculptures created by winds, went to another lake and a hidden one which required a short hike and a scary hike (which I did not do) to see a gorge. We then got to the border of Chile again, found our Chilean driver, who drove us to the airport so we can catch our flight to Santiago. What a great time we had in Bolivia. And what a beautiful country. Would love to go back again and this time explore Lake Titicaca.

One of the many rock sculptures we explored

And of course, llama's

Another beautiful lake

We then took a hike to discover a hidden lake

And had our last lunch at this beautiful and isolated place

Our last stop was to see a gorge. It was so windy that I decided not to do the hike. Sandra went part of the way. Way too scary for me.

Bolivia Day 2, 3: Salar de Uyuni

Sunday August 4, 2019

UES New York, NY

Hot!

The second day in Bolivia was basically driving to get to Salar De Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world and at 12000 ft. It was a pretty smooth but long drive. On the way we stopped at another gorgeous lake at about 3000meters. Amazing how many lakes there are at the Bolivian Andes.

We stopped at a little town to have lunch but the altitude started getting to me that I could barely eat. So started popping aspirin and drinking copious amounts of coca tea.

And alas, we enter the salt flats – Salarying de Uyuni. Since we were there in winter, did not get to see much water on the salt flat. But massive!

First stop was a cactus island in the middle of the salt flat. Sandra walked to the top, I did not as it was steep and still was feeling off due to the altitude

Amazes me how our driver knows which way to go as there are no roads/signs on the salt flats

Finally, we arrived at our hotel and as it was lower than 4000 meters, I started feeling better. We also had a chance to see the full moon from our hotel!

And our neighbors the llamas, including a baby one with the mother

Before heading back out to the salt flats. we visited the local church which was nice.

Sandra with our driver and guide

Miles and miles of salt

Although we could not see the infamous reflection because we were there at dry season, we were able to take the infamous photos "perspective" photos!

Then we further went down in altitude to the town of Uyuni where we shopped for some beautiful knitwear and woolen gifts and also visited the train cemetery. Trains were used during the peak of the mining era. Sadly, mining declined due to the supply of minerals disappearing due to over mining, thus the trains were left at Uyuni and became a "graveyard"

On our way to our next hotel, we stopped at a small town and happened upon a parade and celebration. Not sure what is was for but it was colorful and the town was all out dancing.

We made it in time for dinner at our hotel embedded in a rock. By now, I'm feeling much better so was able to eat. Local kids entertained us and Sandra and I were able to try a bottle of Bolivian wine. We agreed we weren't going to bring one home. LoL! I finally had a good nights sleep ready for our last day in Bolivia

Bolivia Day One: July 26, 2018

January 5, 2019

New York NY

Rainy and Damp

After a fabulous time in Atacama, it was time for us to move to our next destination – the Bolivian Andes. It was quite an adventure getting there as the usual pass was closed due to snow so we had to go the "long way". It was a beautiful ride though through the Chilean side of the Andes into Bolivia. And quite a change. Once we got through (immigration – took about an hour), we got to the Bolivian side. And transferred to a new 4 wheel drive SUV with a Bolivian driver and guide. Both are fabulous but we quickly went from paved roads to off roading. For the next few days, we will not see a single paved road while driving through the Andes. Bolivia is beautiful but is landlocked so has many economic disadvantages. However, the discovery of natural gas has raised optimism within the country. Our guide speaks fluent English, French and Spanish and was educated in Switzerland. Both our guide and driver were terrific.

Our first day in the country was learning about the terrain and visiting the most famous lakes. I have to say it was a very special and unforgettable experience – mostly in a good way but also a bad way in that I had a bout of altitude sickness given we were hovering around 4800 meters the whole day and night. Sleeping at our hotel was tough in that I had major dehydration, nightmares, headaches and it was cold!!But I would do it again as it was really spectacular.

On our way to Bolivia. we took a photo with our Chiliean driver as arrived at the highest point of the pass. (Still in Chile)

Entering Bolivia. We will not see a paved road for the next 3 days

First impression of Bolivia – beautiful!

Everywhere you can find a moss like growth but it is as hard as a rock. Its a plant and grows on rocks in the Andes. Apparently its a cousin to the parsley.

Lakes of the Andes was our theme for our first day in Bolivia. Our first lake was the "no name" lake. It was beautiful so found it weird it had no name but them more lakes were to come

The second lake was one of the most majestic sceneries I've ever scene in my life. Its a Glacial Lake where many of the flamingos of the Andes hang out. I was mesmerized. The pictures do not do it justice.

After a nice picnic lunch, it was time for us to visit our next lake which was Laguna Verde. And it was green! But below is a photo of the "roads" we took to get to our location.

And there were more flamingos!

Our next stop was to the Laguna Colorado which is the red lake. But on the way we stopped by to enjoy rock sculptures created by nature

We posed next to it to show how tall it is

I have no idea how our driver figured out where we were going as there are no signs and no roads

And here is the Laguna Colorado

After our last lake it was time to go to our hotel at 4800 meters. I was feeling fine until it was time to go to bed…

Here we are at 4800 meters. We were all smiles and happy until the altitude hit us. Really looked forward the next day to go down in altitude. And our next stop – Uyuni! Another place from my bucket list

Day 4: San Pedro de Atacama

January 1, 2019

New York NY

Happy New Year!

Our last full day(July 25) in Atacama was spent at 4500 meters. We tried to go to the geysers (El Tatio) but the pass was still closed. We did see some steam from afar thought. Our guide did a great job getting us acclimated as 4500 meters is pretty high. We did walk slower and even getting into our 4 wheel drive SUV made us huff and puff. But we were comfortable enough to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Although it would have been nice to see the geysers, it was wonderful to have the whole place to ourselves.

The Andes