By luck I had cloudless skies and the French Base Camp (4200m) to myself.
Aconcagua has a notoriously unfriendly micro climate.
On my return to Mendoza I met a guy from South Africa who was forced off the other side of the mountain at 6600m by weather. The climbers had been slogging through a metre of snow and it finally got too dangerous to continue.
To celebrate I had a big chunk of Argentinian barbecue beef. And fresh baguette.
I consistently enjoy the “free” tours offered around the world.
This time I took the TOURS 4 TIPS itinerary in Santiago, Chile billed as “SANTIAGO OFFBEAT“.
We met in front of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Guides successful at working for tips are superb. Camillo has a degree in Sociology and excellent insight into the politics of his nation.
I called this tour EAT YOURSELF TO DEATH as you first tour some of the biggest and best food markets in South America … then finish at the largest cemetery in South America. (2.5 million souls)
We walked 3 different markets: fish & sea food, meat and then fruits & vegetables.
Some of the best inexpensive restaurants in Santiago are to be found here.
Our guide had 21 english speaking tourists in his group. I gave him US $15. Do the math.
Free tours are very profitable for a quality guide.
FOR COFFEE.
Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.
A new personal best. Yesterday I consumed 5 XL Double Double Dark Roasts over a 12.5 hour work day.
Tim Hortons Anonymous.
Is that a thing?
Egyptian Gymnastics Federation President ‘Bebo’ took some of the foreigners out to Khan el-Khalili (Arabic: خان الخليلي), a major souk in the Islamic district of Cairo.
We sipped mint tea and bubbled shisha at the same table where Putin and Saddam Hussein once sat.
Before I traveled to Egypt in 1994 all I knew about the nation was Naguib Mahfouz‘s novel Midaq Alley (1947) set in an alley in Khan el-Khalili.
Dinner was exactly my style. A tiny side street local joint with paper table cloths and feral cats waiting for leftovers.
First course was rice stuffed pigeon!
Ron and I had lunch at Realm.
Kate was in town on a media junket. They treated me to join them on her tour of Horne Lake Caves.
Though it’s #1 of 29 things to do in Qualicum Beach I hadn’t been there since my Dad brought the family on a camping holiday 50 years earlier. (Closed that day for renovations, he tells me.)
There are some short sections you can explore yourself for free. Or sign up for one of the award winning tours. (From $27 / person.) An expert guide like Myles Fullmer makes for a far richer experience. Myles is a passionate caver. Seven years guiding here. He met his wife at Horne Lake Caves.
Though I’d been to a few wheelchair accessible caverns over the years, I’d never caved for real before.
It’s adventurous. Physically challenging.
Myles showed us dozens of things we’d never have noticed on our own. Best was a stone Buddha formation protected by a perfectly clear reflecting pool.
Fantastic. I’d recommend this attraction for anyone physically mobile enough to scramble. I’m already planning to return for the 5 hour advanced version.
Surprisingly, Myles likes winter even better than summer as there is more water. The caves are open every day of the year aside from Christmas.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
details – Horne Lake Caves
By the way, Myles explained the difference between caving and spelunking. Caving means to explore, survey and document the caves, main purpose is the accumulation of knowledge. Spelunking is the visit of caves without any kind of justification, the touristic visit of caves.
My Dad has this fishing guide Josh who’s got the magic touch. Every time they go out with him they come back with freezer loads of halibut and salmon.
“… aspartame has been approved for human consumption by regulatory agencies in more than 100 countries and received wide consumer acceptance with consumption by hundreds of millions of people over the past 20 years, representing billions of man-years of safe exposure.”
This in response to a study out of University of Manitoba – Artificial sweeteners are tied to long-term weight gain, diabetes risk, Canadian docs say
When it comes to nutrition, there’s more crap written than eaten.
Thanks Dave.
Have you been watching This is Us?
It’s excellent.
One of the story lines is the charming romance of two obese characters.
That’s Chrissy Metz as Kate Pearson. And Chris Sullivan as Toby, her boyfriend.
37% of Americans are currently obese (50% obese by 2020).
34% more are currently overweight.
Fad diets and reality TV doctors don’t seem to be helping. Overweight in the 1st world is here to stay, I think.
Ron and Kate visited Calgary. Great food, too much booze, uncomfortable nudity and much hilarity ensued.
We had some new Canadians (I assume) learning about the Canada Day drinking traditions.
Rick McCharles 