24 December 2005
The eleven-hour bus travel from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia led us with
the ferry across the Magellan route on the island Tierra del Fuego and
afterwards across the border to Argentina to the end of the world. We
consequently reached the most southern point of our journey. In this
impressive surrounding, we spend the Christmas-days in the Hostal
Posadas del Duende and plan the continuation of our journey. |
20 December 2005
After a travel by way of the patagonien desert of El Calafate, we
drove over the chilean
border to Puerto Natales and reached Punta Arenas, the largest
city of south Chile. In the family and cosy home, Hostal Elys
House, we remain four nights. From here we want to undertake a trip to
the penguins and to a protected nature-area. Punta Arenas is a
city, in which not only the tourism counts, we like this.
The people here are very friendly and helpful and radiate an enormous
contentedness. |
16 December 2005
After a two-and-a-half-day bus-journey through the Pampa and Patagonia we
arrived at the 14.12. healthy and lively in El Calafate in the province
Santa Cruz. For the next four days, we find in the Hostel Calafate a cosy
room with
a balcony of wood. The weather is quite stable, with unexpectedly pleasant temperatures.
The most noticeable are the long times of a day. After 4 o'clock in the
morning it will bright up the day, and at 22:30 o'clock begins the gloaming. Today we visited the
incredible glacier Perito Moreno on the Lago Argentino, tomorrow we plan a travel to El
Chalten at the Lago Viedma. |
11 December 2005
Marco and I definitely decided to travel to the south soon. First we drove across the Pampas
of Mendoza to Mar del Plata. Here we
spend three days in the Hotel Edelweiss. The city is very big and
almost a little unclear. In the night there is very much traffic in this
tourist center. Except the sea this city offers too little for our
taste to want to spend a longer time here. On Monday we travel
over Bahia Blanca and Comodoro Rivadavia to Rio Gallegos. From there we
continue to Tierra del Fuego to Ushuaia, called the end
of the world. |
3 December 2005
Yesterday we decided to spend four more days in the city
Mendoza. In the Hostel Huellas Andinas we find a more favorable and
calmer accommodation than in the hotel Mayo. In the next
days we want to know the environment of Mendoza somewhat better, before we
continue to travel. The past highlight in Argentina was the trip into
the region Alta Montaña with the view of
that breath-robbing high and impressive Aconcagua, the highest mountain in America. |
28 November 2005
The weather forecasts for the south did not improve. Therefore we
decided
to drive to the west to San Carlos de Bariloche. A icy cold wind an
wintry temperatures receives us here. Because the
environment with the mountains, lakes and forests pleases us so well, we
will stay anyway for three nights here. How ever, the continuation of
our journey will lead us into
warmer areas. We are not yet completely conclusive if we should drive over
the Anden to Puerto Montt in Chile or to the north from Argentina. |
18 November 2005
In the meantime we traveled from Buenos Aires over Bahia Blanca to the
tourist city Puerto Madryn. Because the weather forecast announces rain for the south
of Patagonia, we will stay here for one week. In the hotel Vaskonia we
found a beautiful room with satellite TV. For Wednesday we booked an
organized trip to the protected area of the Unesco on the peninsula
Valdés. From there we have the possibility to observe whales, dolphins and penguins. |
14 November 2005
Two days ago we arrived with the Calaparana at the port of Buenos Aires.
In the city center, in the district San Telmo, we find a simple,
favorable room in the hotel Bolivar. The city with their 12 millions
inhabitants is enormous. Marco and I we must restrict to getting to know the
city center a little. But the center offers us definitely enough sights for the three days,
that we will stay here. Tomorrow, Tuesday we
will travel with the night bus to Bahia Blanca. |
7 November 2005
Slowly we navigate with the Calaparana to Rio de Janeiro. According the information of the captain we run today around
midnight or tomorrow morning to the port of Rio. We hope much that we
arrive tomorrow morning that we can visit the city. If it's possible,
we would like to go with the rack railway on the hill Corcovado, where
the symbol of Rio, the statue of Jesus, stands. From there we should have a wonderful view of the
whole city. |
29 October 2005
We did it! Since yesterday 07.30 o'clock we are on the container ship Calaparana. We meet here
with a very nice crew, with them we feel well and secure.
Also our cabine with living room, bedroom and bath with WC and shower
is very roomy and luxury furnished. Already now, we feel like at home
here and we don't have any misgivings for the next weeks, which we will
spend on the ship. |
27 October 2005
Since yesterday we are stuck in Barcelona. The fishers strike and block
the harbor. No ships can leave the port and no ship can come in the
port. Meanwhile, the strike of the fishers grasped the whole country,
and it is completely unclear, when this blockade will be canceled again. We remain
in contact with the agent for our trip with the container ship and will
wait of the things, that hopefully will finally come.
Very last report (17.30 o'clock): In accordance with information
from the regional press the strike is terminated in Barcelona. Also our
agent confirms that Calaparana, our ship, will run in around midnight. We
also stay another night in Barcelona and plan tomorrow morning at
7 o'clock to be at the port for our embarkation. |
18 October 2005
The bad weather pushes us to go to Andalusia. The night bus brings us
from Alicante to Fuengirola in the region of Malaga. After two nights in
the well-known Hostal Agur we book in the 2nd floor of the Apparthotel Stella Maris a simple
studio for one week directly at the
sea. We plan to stay until the 26 of October, until than we probably
start at the 27 October in Barcelona with our cargo ship journey. |
13 October 2005
After a night in the train and a following night in the bus, we
arrived Denia yesterday. Here we found until Sunday a bed in the Hostal L'Anfora
directly at the port. We enjoy the time in the for us well-known small town
Denia at the Costa Blanca. For the moment the weather here is the
most beautiful and warmest of whole Spain. On Sunday we plan to
drive with the ferry from here to the Baleares islands. |
3 September 2005
Today Marco and I booked a double cabin on the container ship MS Calaparana.
At the 27 of October it starts from Barcelona through the
Mediterranean sea and crosswise over the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro and
further to Buenos Aires. The expected trip-duration amounts about 16
days. We decided to leave Switzerland at the 10 of October.
Therefore we booked today already the Spanish hotel-train Talgo from
Zurich directly to Barcelona. We know this comfortable train-travel
from other journeys to Spain. We look forward very happy to the
adventurous trip with a cargo ship and we are now in the middle of our preparations. |
2 September 2005
Marco is healthy again! He got the information today. He must have only
a few
patience that all the discomforts will be completely away. |
19 August 2005
Marco was today to the control with the rheumatism-specialist in Bad Ragaz.
He don't have to take the medicines anymore. at the 2. September Marco
have to call
with the doctor for the definitiv information about his health. |
25 July 2005
Meanwhile Marco recovered very well from his illness and only perceived
low
pain in the knee, back and jaws. Today also he found a temporary job as a computer service technician. |
13 June 2005
Since today Isabella works as a temporary help in her former working
place Götschihof
in Aeugstertal. She can work here until September and can make
some money for the journey to South
America and the Caribbean. |
12 June 2005
During the next 3 months we will live with friends of Isabella in Hausen
am Albis. Maya and Andy live in a beautiful, old, reconditioned
house. Here Marco and I have in the basement some like a small
apartement with an own entrance, a WC and a small kitchen. Tomcat Ugo and cat Lisa
have accustomed at us very fast. They sleep, play and cudddle from time to
time with us in the cellar dwelling. Till the autumn we also find again
enough time, to plan our next journey for the next October. |
10 June 2005
Today Marco was for the second time with the rheumatism specialist Dr.Laubscher
in Bad Ragaz. Finally he found out, which suffering Marco has. It is an
acute Arthritis and is called Reiter Syndrome (look
Reiter-Syndrom). That means that this illness can be healed with the
correct medicines. Over that we both are very happy. We decide
definitely, starting a new to travel from October 2005 for 6 - 7 months. Our
destination is to discover the Caribbean and South
America. |
21 May 2005
Interested we watch in the television the Eurovision Song Contest 2005
in Kiev. Interpreters from 24 countries are represented in the final,
also Switzerland. We hear and see some beautiful
songs, that us very pleases. We evaluate each song and
provide a rank list, in order to compare our taste with the
total European judgement. There are interesting realizations. On one
hand our general impression shows about the same evaluation as the
official valuation in Switzerland, which suggests that our evaluation
ability is on a good level. On the other hand the maximum points are
given to songs from other
countries,They are found in the rearest part of our list what a neutral,
objective judgement is jeopardized
|
|
1 May 2005
The sad message reaches us that a good friend of us died completely
unexpectedly. Ed was a Englishman and lived for some time in Las Palmas.
We are shocked and very sad that a young friend went so
unexpectedly from us. We send all our empathy to his family and
his friends and wish them in this heavy time much strength. |
20 April 2005
Departure from Las Palmas to Zurich via Madrid. We land at 22.00
o'clock at the airport in Kloten and are received from Marco's parents. We may
stay with them for some time in their home in Mels and
can arrange us domestically in the blue room. Also in Eschenbach
with Isabella's parents we are very welcome any time. On this way we
want to thank heartly for this very nice
hospitality. |
19 April 2005
We say good-bye to our new friends, Miriam, Sanna, Natalia,
Patricia, Ed, Dorothea and Margarita. Also from our very helpful and
warm-hearted neighbours Luis and Kati, their two dogs and the pigeon
Merlin we have to good-bye. For us the parting is not easy and we
all feel a little sad because our ways now separates. We exchange
our E-Mail addresses to remain in this way in contact. |
12 - 15 April 2005
Marco lies with kidney colics in the hospital in Las Palmas. Furthermore
he has problems with the back, the knee and the right foot. We must
cancel the planned journey from the 15. April 2005 to Teneriffa. During
Marcos hospital stay, we decide to interrupt our journey and
turn back to Switzerland. |
2 April 2005
The death of Pope Johannes Paul II releases world-wide big
consternation and mourning. Also here in Las Palmas, where normally
at this time the life pulsates, is this evening a depressed mood noticeable.
The world-wide solidarity of all
people with most different religions and cultures, that regret the
death of this big man, impresses us. Impressing are also the many young
people,
that pray and grieve.
«Our loved holy father Johannes Paul returned to
the house of the father», said archbishop
Leonardo Sandri at the publication of the death on the Peter-place.
His successor will receive a difficult task to reform the church
further liberalize and to announce the faith in Jesus Christ
in a way up-to-date. Also the approach to the youth will remain
an important component, to announce the messages of freedom,
justice and peace reliably. At this place we would like to express here also a
thought on the further opening of the church: Can the Pope in future be
regarded as terrestrial representatives of Christ as head of the Christians and not as before only as head of the
catholics?
|
1 April 2005
The first revised version of our travel letter is on-line! |
30 March 2005
We visit a classical piano concert in the auditory Alfredo Kraus in Las Palmas.
The pianist Dezsö Ránki played, he is considered as one of
the best pianists from Hungary. The concert took about 2,5 hours with a short
break. The following program was played by this artist in absolutely
professional way (and without note sheets):
- Franz Joseph Haydn, Andante con espressione, Rondo, Presto
- Franz Schubert, Sonate en D mayor op. 53 D.850, Allegro vivace, Con moto,
Scherzo, Rondo
- Bela Bartok, Mikrokosmos Vol. 6, extractos, Variaciones libres, Arpegios
divididos, Del diario de una mosca, Segundas menores - Septimas mayores,
Ostinato
- Claude Debussy, Estampas, Pagodas, Atardecer en Granada, Jardines bajo
la lluvia
- Bela Bartok, Out of Doors - Suite, Con tambores y gaitas, Barcarolla,
Musettes, La musica de la noche, La persecucion
|
