I literally haven't blogged since I was traveling back in 2008. I'm ready to offer little bits of hope each Monday.

Introducing...Mindful Monday Moments
with Linnea Bjorkman

This one is coming on a Tuesday...but the rest will be Mondays :)

Song:

Put Down What You Are Carrying

Trevor Hall and Brett Dennen

Things that help (a section inspired by my teacher, Buffy Barefoot)

Find a healthy morning ritual, such as spending 5-10 minutes drinking a hot beverage out of a special mug. Really take the time to savor it and make it a special time in your day.

·         Some options:

o    Hot lemon water

o    Coffee

o    Tea

o    Cacao (this one is my favorite for heart-opening, inspired by Gisela -- you can make a big batch and drink a few ounces each morning)

§  Recipe:

·         Sprinkle a little salt into 32 ounces of water, bring that to a boil

·         Reduce the heat to low and add 6 ounces of cacao paste (the heart opener)

·         Mix/whisk until the cacao dissolves completely

·         Add cinnamon (for stability and nourishment), cayenne (to "keep the fires burning"), and sweetener (maple, honey, or mix of both - for appreciating the sweetness of life) to taste.

·         Once it's where you like it, turn off heat and pour into a glass container with a lid.

·         Each morning heat up 2-3 ounces, pour it into a special cup/mug - sit and enjoy with a smile

Practice:

Mindful Breathing - an exercise inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh

This exercise is simply to identify the in-breath as in-breath and the out-breath as the out-breath. When you breathe in, you know that this is your in-breath. When you breathe out, you are mindful that this is your out-breath.

Close your eyes if it feels comfortable

Recognize: this is an in-breath, this is an out-breath.

In order to recognize your in-breath as in-breath, you have to bring your mind home to yourself. What is recognizing your in-breath is your mind, and the object of your mind—the object of your mindfulness—is the in-breath. Mindfulness is always mindful of something. When you drink your tea mindfully, it’s called mindfulness of drinking. When you walk mindfully, it’s called mindfulness of walking. And when you breathe mindfully, that is mindfulness of breathing.

In this moment, the object of your mindfulness is your breath. Focus your attention on it. Breathing in, this is my in-breath. Breathing out, this is my out-breath.

The mental discourse slows, and maybe even stops. You don’t have to make an effort to stop your thinking; you just redirect your attention to your in-breath. Your full attention is on your breath. The in-breath can be a celebration of the fact that you are alive, so it can be very joyful. Bringing a smile to your face increases the sensation of joy. An in-breath may take three, four, five seconds, it depends. That’s time to be alive, time to enjoy your breath.

You don’t have to interfere with your breathing. If your in-breath is short, allow it to be short. If your out-breath is long, let it to be long. Don’t force it. The practice is simple recognition of the in-breath and the out-breath. That is good enough.

Enjoy your in-breath. You are breathing in, and while breathing in, you know that you are alive. Your in-breath is a celebration of the fact that you are alive, so it can be very joyful. When you are joyful and happy, you don’t feel that you have to make any effort at all. I am alive; I am breathing in.

The greatest of all miracles is to be alive, and when you breathe in, you touch that miracle. Therefore, your breathing can be a celebration of life.

Kick-That-Cold-Goodbye-Soup

So, a little over a week ago... that fun little germ that is spreading its way across our season-changing country made its way into my body and attacked my poor little immune system. However, with the help of Wild Oats/Whole Foods I was able to buy the ingredients necessary in order to make a soup which I am now convinced saved me from a sinus infection (which I ALWAYS get after a cold). OK...the soup plus Netty Pot, grapefruit seed extract, 10 glasses of water a day, hot showers, Sambu Guard, and a humidifier.

I researched every home remedy for colds, and these are the main cold-fighting foods all in one delicious spicy soup! The following recipe can be modified to your little heart's desire, but the effects must always be attributed to yours truly.

RECIPE:

Kick-That-Cold-Goodbye-Soup ...from the kitchen of Linnea Bjorkman

Ingredients:

1 box "Pacific Natural Foods" Organic Cashew Carrots and Ginger Soup
1 1/4 finely chopped onion
10 cloves minced garlic (your partner doesn't want to kiss you right now anyway)
1/2'' to 1'' finely chopped ginger root
12 oz can "Seeds of Change" Red Hot Curry Simmer Sauce
3 to 4 cups almond milk
2 chopped carrots
1 minced jalapeno pepper
1 chopped green pepper
1 1/2 chopped zucchini
1 chopped turmeric root
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Pour the box of soup in a large pot, on low heat. Just let it simmer, covered, while you do the rest.

Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat 1 Tbs or so olive oil in a fry pan, and cook the onion and garlic until they are transparent. Add about 1/3 can of the curry sauce, and let simmer, covered, for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the carrots, jalapeno pepper, green pepper, zucchini, and turmeric. Poor the onions, garlic, and curry mixture into the pot with the simmering soup. Give it a stir and cover. Add more olive oil to the fry pan. If your pan is big enough, do the following with all the veggies together (if not, you can separate them and do the same thing twice, dividing the remainder of the curry sauce for each batch). Put the veggies into the pan and cook them for 5-10 minutes. When they are almost the consistency that you enjoy (I like a little crunch), add the remaining 2/3 can of curry sauce. Let this cook, covered, for about 5 minutes so that the veggies catch some of the flavors. Poor this mixture, also, into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Leave it to simmer until you think it seems ready!

Seriously, your sinuses will thank you.

With love to all immune systems,
Linnea

In Love with Traveling (or) Whiskey on Ice

Pictures:

*Me with Fitz Roy in El Chalten
*Seal happily swimming
*Cormorants and Sea Lions on an island in the Beagle Channel
*Me with Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate


What made me fall in love with traveling:

The following paragraphs are about the adventures through the southern Argentine Patagonia (Rio Gallegos, El Calafate, El Chalten, and a bus/ferry ride across the Strait of Magellan to Ushuaia... El Fin Del Mundo... the southern most city in the world).

Packed my bag on the 4th of March, 2008 and left Puerto Madryn (also leaving behind my familiar friends who I knew from El Bolson). The ride to Rio Gallegos was mostly flat dry land, but a different kind of beauty with herds of sheep, llamas, and the occasional ostrich. What you have to understand about Argentina, is that the central and eastern portions are all flat desert land. A stark comparison to the area I spent the other half of my trip (Mendoza Provence, and the provinces of the Lakes District). I passed through Comodora Rivadavia, which is the largest oil drilling area in the country. Contradictory enough, I also saw my first Argentine windmill here! Apparently in 1907 the town struck it rich when they were drilling for water, and struck oil.

I stopped in Rio Gallegos only to transfer to a bus to go to El Calafate. In Rio Gallegos the wool industry used to be the main success in this area, and now the economy revolves around oilfields. There is a large military base there, and RG played an active role in the Falkland/Malvinas War.

A few lines of my journal from the bus ride to El Calafate: "I just put on my headphones (The Night by Edie Carey). I turned to the side and put my feet on the seat next to me, looking out the window -- the land passing me -- horses on the hills. Life that I've never seen before, but that existed all along -- the world revealing itself to me. I'm falling in love with this planet. My insides are smiling."

In El Calafate I stayed the Hostal de Los Manos. This is a small town of 8,000 that only exists because of one attraction: Perito Moreno Glacier. I went to a church service at a catholic church in town, had a late night dinner in a park with a couple I knew from El Bolson (random reunion in a grocery store). Took some amazing walks along "Lago Argentino" and went to the lagoon which is home to many different types of birds that all feed in a small piece of land by the lake. El Calafate was the first time in my trip when I actually spent the majority of my few days there by myself. It was a refreshing experience.

My third day there I did a mini-trek on the Perito Moreno Glacier. I can still ever-so-vividly see the image of my first view of the glacier. I actually had a tear fall from my eye. I couldn't believe that what I was seeing was real!

I met a couple from St. Paul on the bus! Peter and Nancy. They were nice enough to record this experience with camera since I didn't have one. We got out of our bus, and hopped on a boat which brought us past the glacier to the other side of the lake. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Our guide explained to us how this massive piece of ice forms. It is located at 185 meters above sea level. Usually glaciers form in much higher areas. However, because of the high rainfall in Chile, and the winds from the Pacific, the snow compacts into glaciers. Most glaciers in the world are reseeding right now, Perito Moreno is growing! The glacier is 200 meters high (from the water to the top). Thats 600 feet. The height of the Seers tower! The blue color in the glacier is because the ice compacts so much that light reflects darker colors.

The Southern Patagonian Ice Field covers 13,000 square kilometers and feeds several large glaciers which feed into Lago Argentino, and eventually into the Atlantic via the Santa Cruz River. The Perito Moreno Glacier covers 257 sq. km.

After getting the run down on the facts, we geared up with crampons and started our trek. We dug our feet into the ice, peered down deep blue crevasses filled with crystal clear glacier water. At the end we had "Whiskey on Ice" and alfahores. What more can you ask for?

We got some amazing views of this massive thing from the other side... realizing it is actually about twice the size as it appears viewing it from only one side. Incredible!

What followed this experience was three days in El Chalten. A pueblito of 300... existing to run the national park which includes the famous Fitz Roy. I spent a night in my one person tent in the free camping, only to becoming frozen to the bone. The first thing i did when i shook out of my frozen dream world was book a hostel and sleep for half the day. Luckily I woke to a packed hostel with plenty of interesting people to pass the hours with as I recuperated from my unfortunate night of numb toes. Not sure how many cups of Nescafe I had... but I thought of my daddy who is only now discovering the world of real coffee beans (In the words of Lilly, an El Bolson friend, "We are so damn close to Columbia, why is there no good coffee?). The following day I met a fun chick named Leah who joined me for a day of amazing sites on a day hike which lead us to our ultimate destination... an amazing view of Fitz Roy, a glacier, and Cerro Torre (slightly covered with clouds). My journal is full from hours of thinking thinking thinking... and also complaining about the painfully itchy bug bites I had... and the cold which would soon turn into a sinus infection which I blame on my decision to sleep outside with a bad sleeping bag in southern Patagonia (stay tuned).

After my hunker-down/hiking days in El Chalten I caught myself a bus to Ushuaia. Met Kat and Ed by offering them my veggies which were about to be confiscated before crossing into Chile. These amazing people ended up being my traveling companions for the 3 days following. We took a ferry across the Strait of Magellan, became best friends with immigration staff going in and out of Chile. Arrived in Ushuaia... El Fin Del Mundo (The End of The World). Got the stamp that proves it and everything. It is the southern-most city in the world, but in my eyes can boast more about its beautiful views of the Chilean and Argentine mountains, the Beagle Channel which is the waterfront that Ushuaia sits on, and its beautiful, and giggle-producing animals. The three of us (me, kat and ed) had a blast eating a chocolate beaver (didn't get a chance to see the real beavers), drinking Cape Horn beer (I had a stout, of course), ate at a ""Tendador Libre" (all-you-can eat)... serving asado and Asian cuisine. We took a boat ride in the Beagle Channel and saw cormorants, seals, and sea lions. The seals were so much fun dancing in the water next to us... I just couldn't stop giggling!

Those were happy days, an I would have stayed in Ushuaia longer, but had a plane ticket booked for Buenos Aires on March 15th. Bused to Rosario that same day (I laugh now remembering that I held my pee while waiting in the terminal so as to save 1 peso... yes, they charge you.)

Rosario was great. Beautiful architecture, fun beaches on islands that are just a 10 minute boat ride away, and amazingly beautiful monuments. Saw the birthplace of Che Guevara and walked around the Parque Independencia. And YES... what I'm about to say is true. On March 18th, 2008... I sat in the Hyprodromo in Rosario, Argentina... row 5... with a perfect view of "La Layenda del Rock" (The Legend of Rock). Bob Dylan. Oh, words can't describe. The show was sublime... and I met a porteno (a guy from Buenos Aires) who was a hardcore fan... and enjoyed some beers with myself and others in my hostel who also attended this south american Dylan show. I have to tell you this detail that still makes me laugh to recall. Dylan left the stage and the crowd started cheering... and the "encore cheer" consisted of rhythmed clapping and, "Oh le oh le oh le oh le... Dylan, Dylan."

Rosario was also my first out of two experiences with Argentinean doctors. All I had to do was tell the hostel staff that my ears were hurting and they called a doctor, he showed up in 15 minutes, we had a consultation in Spanish for about 5 minutes, he gave me medicine with four things in it (one of which I recognized as being a decongestant), charged me 12 pesos ($4 USD), and left. Wow... any government that takes care of a FOREIGNER in this way is as close to paradise in my book.

I got better, but still had to take antibiotics while in Buenos Aires, which was the last dot on the map of this crazy trip. Ate at two Mexican restaurants, went to a TON of ferrias (fairs), saw the obelisk, and the bridge on the river thats suppose to be shaped like a tango dancer. Oddly enough, watched some NCAA at an American Bar called Shoeless Joe's the Alamo.

Found a bookstore/music shop/cafe that I loved, and spent time letting my mind roll and adjust to the fact that I was going home (on a flight via Chicago on March 26th).

The word "home" now means something else to me. I think "home" should have the definition, "the place where your being feels alive and at rest at the same time." Home was/is every place I've ever been. I can no longer say that my soul finds rest in only one place. I've seen something new... and know that there is more out there. This world is enormous... and I want to see it all. I sit here, on the porch of my current home of which I am Inkeeper for the LeBlanc House Bed and Breakfast in Minneapolis MN. It has taken me nearly a month to get myself to write this blog. I guess somehow it meant that my trip is really over. That Argentina is really actually thousands of kilometers away, and I am here. To be completely honest with you, who are reading this... I'm depressed. Depressed in a way I've never been depressed before. Culture shock that I can't believe... nightmares... the works. I guess its a sign that what I have experienced truly meant something. It meant something for me... and I believe it means something for the world. I am one more person who has had their eyes opened to the beauties and tragedies of the world. Opened my heart to a different way of living. A way of living the honestly feels more natural to me. Sure, it could be that I will become re-accustomed to the way we live here. But should I? Do I want to? Can I live the way I want to live in a culture that I don't agree with any more? These are the questions that run through my head daily. AND I'm 25 now. Young, but as close to 30 as I am to 20... and that seems to mean something to me. I guess it slaps time in my face. Makes me wish I could rip myself out of this depression to use my time in more positive and productive ways. I've got one remedy in mind, which is a trip to Central America in July with Maisie. I figure I can remedy travel-sick blues with traveling!


So as not to end on this rather dour note... My trip was marvelous. I allowed myself to be challenged, and to lay back and relax. I met amazing people from all over the world who I know I will remain friends with forever. I saw mountains, rivers, lakes, glaciers, islands, etc etc etc..........


This quote is likely the only explanation for my post-travel blues:

"Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe." ~Anatole France

Video: Lunch Before a Hitch

So, I promise I'm going to blog about the last few weeks of my trip soon... but I'm home in Minnesota now and reminiscing about the whole thing, going through pictures and my journal... etc.

I just remembered this video that Lauren and I made sitting in the bus station in Neuquen, Argentina... eating lunch before going out to the highway to hitch hike. Lauren is this amazing chick I lived on the farm with for 3 weeks, and traveled with for one month.

The following is a pretty typical chilled-out moment on our journey. I thought I would share it.

I SAW PENGUINS

This is a picture of me with the first Magellanic Penguin I saw. I was really excited, as you can see.

Since my last blogged I've left El Bolson and travled all the way down to The End Of The World -- the southern-most city of Ushuaia!! After spending a couple days reflecting on my time in El Bolson, and making plans for the rest of my time in SA, I decided I would make the trek down south. Before leaving El Bolson: I went to a mass at one of the Catholic churches in town. I found tahini and treated myself to tasty sandwiches. Had a memorable night in the couchsurfing house I've been staying at. 17 of us there, singing and have a good time into the night. One of my last El Bolson dairy entries included the following, "Like a vaccum, El Bolson sucks us all in. We just stay, not really knowing why -- the days pass and we are still here. Its peaceful, its tranquila. It has everything we need -- and so we stay."

Lauren and I spent a couple of days living closer to the center with a lady named Milka who I met at a yoga class. She invited us to stay with her, and fed us breakfast... the works. The great part about it is that she is the owner of one of the health food stores. So we were basically living above every bean, grain, and herb your heart could desire.

On Feb 27th I sat in an office of a bus company for about 30 minutes chatting with the guy that works there. I was trying to figure out the best plan to see everything down south and make it to Ushuaia by the 15th. In walks in Peter, who soon becomes a travel partner after realizing we are both headed to Puerto Madryn. After a final asado, and some long goodbyes, I left El Bolson the following day. Lauren and I split up for the first time in about a month and a half. My time with her will forever be fondly treasured.

Over night I went from mountainous, hippie, El Bolson... to the white sand beaches of Puerto Madryn. The town itself seems a bit unfinished. Buildings half built. Hotels with cement walls along the beach. (Not as charming as Valparaiso). Trash in various parts of the ocean, and views of coal mines from the beach. And yet, still, and nice place to spend a few days. Familes out at the beach, and a nice plaza with a feria.

Peter and I hooked up with Lilly and Athen (who I knew from the couchsurfing house). We visited EcoCentro, a really amazing museum with lots of info on the animals and plants of the area. On the 1st of March, we rented a car and drove out to the Valdes Peninsula. Desert, hardly any vegetation and very flat. At one point on the drive we could see the Golf of San Jose on one side, and Golfo Nuevo on the other. Saw a replica of the San Jose Fortress (rebuilt in 1980 because original we burnt fown by the Indians of the area) was built by the Spanish who were trying to settle here. We saw sheep and llamas. Upon arrival to Punta Norte, we saw grey foxes and armadillos!! On the coast were sea lions. These things are facinating to watch. So fun the way they walk around and rub against eachother. Now and then hopping in the water to grab food. These were the Southern Sealions. We also saw one giant Elephant Seal! I couldn't believe how big it was. They are grey and pull themselves around with there front fins. They dont move around as much as the sealions on land because they only have the front fins for movement. We waited for a couple of hours with a 3% chance of seeing an Orca (the dolfin, or killer whale that feeds on the sealions)... but nope, all I saw was a bunch of seaweed! We hopped on the road to Catela Valdes were WE SAW PENGUINS! Yeah, you read that right... i saw Magellenic Penguins. They were so cute the way they walk around, and they make this squaking noise as they lift their heads in the air. They look at you and tilt their heads from one side to another. I later learned this is because they can't see out of both eyes at once, so they are gathering all the information by turning their heads.

On the road to our campsite on the beach at Paramides (on the peninsula) we saw two ostriches running across the field! It happened there was a bikers gathering at the campsite, and there was a concert... so the evening was great fun, good people, and memorable songs being sung (like what we are pretty sure was a spanish version of Jail House Rock). The following day we returned to Puerto Madryn and relaxed a lot and recovered from our party night. Peter and I went snorkeling the next day. Didn't see any fish... haha... but lots of cool seaweed and creatures on the sea floor. We promptly enjoyed some fried squid and gelato.

Lots has happened that I could write about right now... but time and energy are not currently available. I'll so some writing when I can about my journey from Puerto Madryn to El Calafate (perito moreno glacier!), El Chalten (Fitz Roy!), and The End of the World!!! Until then, just know I'm having a good time.

El Bolson and Trek to Hielo Azul

Pictures from Villa La Angostura: waffle with dulce de leche, me with the town and the mountains, and me and Lauren with the Arrayanes trees!

Last night was the lunar eclipse, and I couldn´t help but think of all of those all over the world who I love. It reminded me that we are all under the same sky, and that I was seeing the same moon you all see. A comfort being so far away from home!

So, my last blog ended when I was trekking through the forest of Arrayanes in Villa La Angostura. Both Lauren and I spent a day resting, and I attempted to start reading Brida by Paulo Coelho in spanish. Its going... slowly =). We hitch hiked on Feb 12th from Villa to Bariloche (RN 231) with an amazing view of Nahuel Huapi Lake. The mountains here are spactacular. The crystal blue lakes meet up with the massive rocky mountains which are the craziest colors! Grays and browns meet reds and even blueish colors. I would say in comparison to CO moutains, there is less vegetation... but all in all, i feel at home. We didn´t stay in Bariloche... but I got an awesome view of Cathedral Mountain. The summit is a line of sharp points that reach for the heavens. We couldn´t believe it! Beautiful. (Anyone from CO would know what I mean when I say it looks like the church on the airforce base).

We hitched from Bariloche to El Bolson, the place we´ve been waiting to settle down in. Villa was in the province of Neuquen, and now we lie in the border between Río Negro and Chubut provinces. El Bolson is the hippie capital of Argentina. The place everyone flees to if they are sick of the city life of Buenos Aires (where the greatest percetage of Argentines live). Vegetarian food, artisanal beer, yoga (finally!), and Lauren is excited to get some ´green´. We settled down in the house of this guy named Federico (who we found on couch surfers), which is 4 km from town. He lives there with his daughter Mika, and mother Sally. It is located in Subida Piltriquitron... at the base of Cerro Piltriquitron (a mountain of incredible beauty that seems to rest on top of the whole town of El Bolson... the name means something like, ´peak in the clouds´). There is a great health food store we´ve been buying all of our food. Its so relaxed here, and we spend some days just talking to the locals selling crafts at the ´ferria´(an outdoor market every tues, thurs, and sat), and eating dulce de leche helado (ice cream). We share alot of meals with all the people staying with Federico. Its silly because he is basically running a hostel that is free. One night there were 19 people in total staying there! They are incredibly generous. One morning i woke up and realized that both Mika and Federico had given up their beds and were sleeping in the livingroom!

On the 15th, a group of five of us (Cate from Canada, Zoe from Maine, Gerard from Spain, Lauren from South Africa, and me) woke up early to start a 4 day trek in the mountians. We crossed Rio Azul on a really sketchy bridge that only one person can walk across at a time... yes, i´m still alive to be typing this. The water is incredibly clear, and drinkable.... strait from the glacier which we were going to see the next day. Beautiful vegetation and trees (in spanish: ñire, rodal, cepres, lauda). We reached Mirador Mallin, and Mirador Raquel. From both, we could see for kilometers upon kilometers around to all the surrounding peaks (many of which still have snow on the peaks). We stayed at Refugio Azul for the night, and made the trek the next day to Hielo Azul. It is basically bouldering the whole time... so we left our big packs at the refuge. It was tiring... but worth the view of a giant glacier that lies inbetween two peaks. Below the glacier are two different lakes... one is a greenish tint (kindof pastel, and the other is an amazing bright blue). We didn´t have to bring waterbottles because all along the path you can drink the water that is falling from the glacier. The following day we didn´t walk to much... just hiked to another Refugio and drank Tedere... which is mate with juice instead of hot water. We found a place in the middle of the woods to sleep for the night. Right next to the river, and a silent retreat! The following day was a hike to Refugio Natacion where we played in a Lake (well, bathed for the first time in 3 days). AND... we saw what was probably my favorite view of the trek... a water fall that fell into, and ran through a giant space of snow that is in a sun-shadow. The water drains into two different small streams that run through a section of pampa... an area of grass (almost marsh). At first sight of this, I thought surely I had fallen into heaven. We walked on the wet grass, and watched a family of ducks walk on the snow.

That night we found another great place in the woods to camp, and saw a beautiful sunset over the mountains that hugged us in the middle of Patagonia. It was amazing to go from 5 strangers, to 5 people attached at the hip by the end of the trip. We made our journey down on Feb. 18th. from Natacion to Warton. It was steep and tiring... but the entire time was a spactacular view of Piltriqutron and the surrounding mountains. We hiked through a section of forest that had a ton of pine trees... and one breath in, I smelled the sun-warmed pine, and was transported back to CO. It was nice =)

So, i´ve had a couple of ¨días tranquilas¨. Yoga, doing laundry, studying spanish, and eating food from Verde Menta (the healthfood store). I decided to take a couple days to myself.... to be in my own head... so i´m at Refugio Patagonica staying in the hostel (thus i´m able to write a really long blog!). El Bolson is treating me well... am i´m in my 10th day here.

Life is.... fabulous.

Sending my love,
Linnea

San Rafael, San Martin, Villa La Angostura

1. Me and Lauren at a wine vineyard called Lavaque in San Rafael, Argentina.
2. Me at the Alfajores place in SR... very excited!
3. Me at the clearest lake I think Ive ever seen, Lake Lacer in SR
4. The view I had from our campsite at Lake Falkner while writing in my journal.




Since my last blog I have done so much! Lauren and I left the farm together on Feb. 1st. We ¨hacimos dedo¨ (hitch hiked) from the farm (Vista Flores, Arg) to San Rafael, Arg. The majority of the time we were with Leo, who was on his way to the vineyard ¨Lavaque ,¨ just outside San Rafael. When we arrived we got a personal tour of the vineyard. We decided to save some money on paying for a hostel that night and just take a bus to Neuquen. We bought our tickets and had 5 hours to wait for it. We ate in a park, and a woman randomly came up to us and asked us, in english, where we were from. She ended up inviting us to her house for a shower. What was an invitation for a shower turned into a shower, dinner, and great conversation with the whole family (Stewert, Maria, Mark, and Andy). They really wanted us to stay the night, and paid for our bus tickets to be changed to the following day! We felt like were, what Lauren and I call... Karmically Blessed. Such hospitality and love from strangers! Stewert took us on a ride to see some of the town. We saw all the sycamore trees that line the streets (which are watered by a series of channels that run by gravity). We also went to an art show at the vineyard ¨Bianche¨were we drank champagne and listened to live piano music. I felt like I was scooped out of the farm, and spit into an alternate universe! We ended up falling in love with San Rafael the next day (Feb. 2). Biking in the large park downtown, eating dulce de leche icecream, eating alfahors, and just walking the town. We took an overnight bus to Neuquen, and then hopped on the highway to hitch through Zapala to the Lakes District. We ended up getting a ride from Javier, who was travling to the lake district to take pictures for BMW. This made for an awesome trip stopping for breaks to take in the amazing views. Those of you from CO can have an idea of what this was like to be driving from dry, flat Neuquen... to mountainous Zapala and Junin de los Andes. And those of you from MN, could appreciate the glorious lakes!! This area (Lakes District) is such an amazing combo of my two US states. Mountains and giant lakes in the same place! We saw, from a distance, Lanín volcano... very impressive! We drove all the way to San Martin de los Andes, were we remained for 3 nights. San Martin was beautiful. We hung out a lot at Lake Lacer. Stayed at this guy Ruben´s house who we found on couch surfers. Our days were filled with eating alfahors and rice and beans, going to the ferria to awe at all the crafts and eating ice cream at Abuela Goya. Our favorite experience was going to Lake Lacer and hiking a bit away from the crowds. We found a spot on a cliff to picnic and read and journal. We kept seeing the same guy going back and forth in his boat giving people tours of the lake. When we were ready to go we decided to see if we could hitch a ride on the boat. We stuck out our thumbs... and sure enough he turned the boat around. First time hitching for a boat ride!
On Feb. 6th, we hitched with a guy named Junio through the Siete Lagos Rute (7 lakes route), stopping in Lago Falkner for a night of camping. We found a really nice place on the river, surrounded on three sides with water... and gorgious views of the mountians. I´m pretty sure I slipped into heaven for a day.
We tried to hitch a ride the next day, but ended up on a bus to Villa La Angostura (7 de Feb). We saw the rest of the lakes, and amazing mountain views on our way. Hey Maisie... upon arrival I bought the brand of alfahor you told me to try ¨Terrabusi¨... mmmm, it had lots of dulce de leche! We have loved it so much that we are still here (10 de Feb.) We found this amazing hostel with a backyard that has hammocks and a garden with herbs and veggies to eat! It is my favorite hostel so far on this trip. We´ve treated ourselves to amazing meals which we prepare ourselves... and have tried 6 different Argentine wines. We happen to be here during the Festival de los Jardines. Each night there has been great music, and I saw ¨Miss Villa¨in the parade yesterday =). Yesterday we walked 24 kilometers (round trip) to see the Bosque de Arrayanes on the Quitrihue peninsula. It is a forest of the most indescribable trees! Please google for pictures... these things are AMAZING! The bark is the most beautiful carmel color, with white streaks. The Arrayanes are at the end of the hike, but the whole hike was gorgious. The vegitation was constantly changing on our way there... with great views of the mountians surrounding us (Cerro Bayo, Inacayal, Belvadere, and Filo Belvedere), and also the lakes (the largest is the lake the surrounds the peninsula which is Nahuel Huapi). We also saw Carpenteras Patagonicas (Patagonian Woodpeckers)... which i guess is rare to see! So we were lucky!

SO... as you can see, it has been a really laid back 10 days. It is really crazy to be doing whatever I want, whenever I want... and in a BEAUTIUL country!... Some days spent trecking around seeing new things... and some days spent in the quiet of a hammock reading in Spanish. For the first time in my life I have a tan (well, freckles) in February! =) Lauren is a great travel partner. We always seem to be on the same page when it comes to deciding what to do next (like... should we go buy another alfahor?... some how we always agree we should!)

So, yeah, my life is paradise right now. So much so that i forgot my dad´s birthday.... SO, I take this sentence to publically apologize for being the worst daughter ever! (love you daddy)

Entonces... I don´t know when I´m going to leave this beautiful little mountian town... but it will be on to El Bolson when I finally do. As far as pictures... still dont have a camera... but Lauren is taking pics. You can visit my facebook page for a few that travel friends have shared.

Peace.