I just watched your Uraguay video and five seconds in got a great belly laugh from the comment about " looking for the malaka" - priceless! The video was great. Really skilled editing, great composition and eye for detail, fast moving, educational, funny, entertaining and you have a great style of delivery. Thanks for the great production.

Thanks for the invitation! It's always nice to meet people along the way I'm always ready to share some highlights

I bet the Greek language didn't make your life easy while watching the video and that's why I tried to improve the editing a bit
I'm glad you liked it!

Cheers,
Stergios

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

This is just so good, you both work really well together and have a fantastic sense of humour.
No one could fail to be entertained by this

Love from Scotland.

I really love the hubb,

came here for a coffee break to check for new posts and then I found this gem of travel documentary made by Stergios & Alexandra with a lot of love, humor, knownledge, an outstanding sensitive mind and with awesome eyes.

I have only watched 2 of your videos yet but wow, your way of traveling and seeing the world is really inspiring and thrilling!

Thanks for the laugher and wisdom! I definitely needed it today!
(I am now completely out of my schedule but I won`t regret... )

Safe rides,

Cheers R.

__________________

you guys look great

Thank you
Sending our love from Argentina.

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

Very well said
Wish you to make this kind of trip again!

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

You made us blush
Safe rides and a happy 2022!

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

Buenos Aires – A city that has everything (we want)


Here's the video for BsAs.
It might be all Greek to you but fortunately there are English subtitles available.
Don't forget to turn them on!





Buenos Aires is definitely our favorite city! It's a city that has everything we want. And during our second visit there, we had enough time to discover more of its amazing life!

We said goodbye to Uruguay with mixed feelings and crossed the border to Argentina. From there, we went directly to a familiar place: it was the campsite of Gualeguaychú (or better, one of the campsites) where we had stayed exactly 4 years ago. It was back in 2015 when we spent the first night of the previous leg of our trip in that campsite, leaving from Buenos Aires headed north towards Iguazú. The place was exactly as we had left it. After two quiet days, we rode the approximately 300kms to Buenos Aires and we were finally there! The city we loved was waiting for us to discover it again.

Buenos Aires is our favorite city! Many people who visit it say that it's “too European” and that it lacks the “exotic” Latin American atmosphere they were looking for. Well, I have to disagree with them for many reasons. Mainly because I believe that whoever says this, hasn't scratched beneath the surface to discover the heart of this unique city. Sure, Buenos Aires' architecture is characterized by its eclectic nature, with elements resembling Paris and Madrid and this is the interesting result of the European immigration. Above all, Buenos Aires is a metropolis, a multicultural city that is home to multiple ethnic and religious groups. And this is because it has been a major recipient of millions of immigrants from all over the world. Buenos Aires is a melting pot, where several ethnic groups live together and what's more, it's being considered one of the most diverse cities of the Americas.

Oh, and for those who say that the Porteños – the people of Buenos Aires (derives from the word puerto, which means port) – are a bit cocky... Well, they live in one of the best cities in the world, give them a break!
If you're not convinced yet, maybe I need to add two or three more facts about this wonderful city:

• It has the highest percentage of pets per capita in the world! (with many people adopting dogs from shelters)
  
• It has the highest number of bookshops per capita in the world! (ideal, not only for Argentinian book rats)
  
• It is known as an inclusive city (in 2010, Argentina became the tenth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage and it has one of the world's most comprehensive transgender rights laws, passing the Gender Identity Law in 2012, which allows people to change their legal gender without facing barriers – hormone therapy etc)

There are many more interesting facts about life in Buenos Aires, but those were the first ones to grab our attention.

The first time in Buenos Aires (back in 2015) we stayed in San Telmo, but this time we found a place in one of the less touristic neighborhoods, Colegiales. We preferred to get to know other parts of this amazing city than staying somewhere we already knew. And guess what? It was a great idea! According to a 2009 study by the University of La Plata, Colegiales is the neighborhood with the best quality of life in the city of Buenos Aires. It has numerous restaurants and bars, it's safe, peaceful and there are numerous parks and plazas to fulfill the people's “outdoorsy” lifestyle). But, in our case, our extraordinary luck was to spend a whole month hosted by a wonderful person, Gabriela, with whom we had endless conversations about life in Buenos Aires, its history, its culture etc. Gabriela also took us to a peña – a gathering with folkloric music and dances from the inland as well as traditional recipes – where we even tried to dance the traditional chacarera and zamba. She also introduced us to Río Abiierto, an expressive movement / dance therapy (check out rioabiierto.org.ar) invented in Argentina years ago. Nope, tango is not the only Argentinian dance...


Feria de San Telmo


Kitsos poses in Puerto Madero


Puente de la mujer (Spanish for "Woman's Bridge") in Puerto Madero


Torre Monumental


The Obelisk


Villa 31

This time in Buenos Aires, our cultural “wanderings” went far more deeply into the history of the city and they were far more interesting than the last time there. The aforementioned peña took place in a historic building, important in the people's collective memory: the Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada (Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy) which was originally an educational facility. However, during the military dictatorship it was used as an illegal detention center, where about 5,000 abducted people were held between 1976-1983; all except 150 were killed during or after interrogation and torture... Nowadays, part of the place has become a cultural center, that manages to keep the memories alive but at the same time, it transforms the nightmare into a lesson for the next generations.

And this was only the beginning! The two months we stayed in the area of Buenos Aires, we attended various events and as the day of the national elections was approaching, it was a great opportunity to be around Porteños, who passionately discuss about politics.

Buenos Aires also has a deep love for what is “classic”. The old restaurants, pizzerias, bars etc remain until today exactly as they used to be in the 20th century. This love for “classic” though, has managed to embrace the modern, with new bars in every neighborhood, selling cerveza artesanal – from microbreweries.

What else? I can write endless pages about that Thursday, when we walked with the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the women who are a living part of the Argentine History. The mothers who never stopped looking for their disappeared children, those children who were tortured during the cruel military dictatorship. We saw them and most importantly we heard them talking about human rights, about persistence and the endless fight for justice. I can also fill pages with the colors of the rainbow, writing about the day when we danced with the LGBTIQ+ community at Buenos Aires' Marcha del Orgullo (Pride). As we learned later, the first march in Argentina took place in 1992 and it is usually held at the start of November to commemorate the founding of Nuestro Mundo, Argentina's first gay association, which was founded in 1967. The space is not enough to describe our feelings and our gratefulness for being there. Both experiences were unique, each one for what it is and for what it brings to the people who have the luck to attend them.


Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo


Madres de Plaza de Mayo


Marcha del Orgullo (Pride)


Marcha del Orgullo (Pride)


Marcha del Orgullo (Pride)

I've already written a lot, but I couldn't leave outside our visit(s) to the Feria de Mataderos. The famous open-air market takes place every Sunday opposite the old Mercado Nacional de Hacienda (National Livestock Market, where cattle arrived from the Pampas to be checked and sold for consumption), and attracts thousands of people who come not only for shopping, but also for the folkloric music and dances. And of course, for the tasty traditional dishes, such as the locro (a meat and corn stew), the tamales (corn and meat steamed in a corn husk) and the empanadas (baked or fried pasties). Until today, it remains far less touristic and far more original than the Feria de San Telmo.

I think I already mentioned that we spent two months in Buenos Aires. This happened for two main reasons. First, because we had to take Kitsos to the garage for some engine repairs (which proved to be a really bad idea, as you can see in this video) and second, because...who wants to leave from Buenos Aires?!

So, after one month at Gabriela's peaceful home in Colegiales, we went downtown and stayed at the famous neighborhood “Once” for 10 days. The apartment this time was in a big building on the noisy Pueyrredón av., just one block from the even noisier Corrientes av. that leads directly to the famous 9 de Julio av. and the even more famous Obelisk. Everyday we had to thrust our way through street vendors, pickpockets and literally thousands of people from all around the world going up and down the main avenues. Maybe it wasn't the most relaxing time we could have in Buenos Aires, but it was a new experience which we didn't regret at all.


In Plaza de Mayo


Dinner with our friends Silvina & Cefe

And while we were thinking which could be our next destination (always around our favorite city), an invitation came from our friends Silvina and Cefe, whom we had first met in 2015. They live in Quilmes, a city in Greater Buenos Aires (Gran Buenos Aires), about 20 kilometers away from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA). Quilmes is a place that has everything, including its own beeer (Cerveza Quilmes). It has its own center, cultural activity, social and political life, but at the same time it still has neighborhoods with unpaved roads, gardens and a semiurban lifestyle. Silvina, Cefe and Sofia (Silvina's mother) showed us once more the true, warm and unforgettable hospitality of the Argentinians.

Around mid-November, we realized that it was time for us to go. Summer was just around the corner and we didn't want to be “trapped” in Patagonia during the high season, when everything is packed with tourists and the prices are high.

To be continued...

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

Argentina, Ruta 40: Going south again



From Buenos Aires we rode across the pampa towards Mendoza and from there, we took the famous Ruta 40 with the intention to go south and see the parts of Argentina that we had missed the first time there.


Argentina is big! We know it, but we need to keep it in mind every time we hit the road, because distance is relative. What do I mean? We are from Greece, a country that is about 21 times smaller than Argentina. To make it even more precise: the cumulative area of Greece is 131,957 km2 (50,949 sq mi) while that of Argentina is 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi). So, now you can imagine how an Argentinian's short trip for the weekend looks like to two poor Greeks on a small scooter!

From Buenos Aires, we took the RN7 and at that same day we rode for almost 300 boring kilometers (186mi) to the town of Junin (Buenos Aires Province). The monotonous infinity from one place to another, crossing the endless Argentinian pampas was not new to us. We knew it well, so we were prepared for straight lines and plain fields. The second day was as dull as the first one: 260kms (161mi) to Bernardo Larroudé (La Pampa Province), a very small town with a very big municipal campsite, where we spent two days resting. Then, 220 more kilometers (136mi) to Unión (San Luis Province), a small village and a rather creepy night at the backyard of a fuel station. The place was on a dusty field outside the village, next to a small swampy lake – hotspot for all the mosquitoes of the area – with no protection from the wind. And apparently, it was not only the mosquitoes that frequented it, but also some youngsters from the village, with a noisy clunker that had a surprisingly loud stereo!

Happy that we survived the mosquito attacks but exhausted from our sleepless night, the next day we rode the last 250kms (155 mi) to San Rafael (Mendoza Province). We arrived relatively late at what seemed like a decent campsite in the dark, some 25km (15 mi) south of San Rafael, on the RP173. From what we could see on the map and from what we could hear around us, we knew that we were in the heart of the Atuel Canyon, just next to the Atuel River. Only when we woke up the next morning did we realize that the place was in fact amazing! We had pitched our tent in the shade of a tree and the river was only some meters away. Our neighbors Jo and Susie, a lovely couple from the UK, were waiting to have breakfast together and we couldn't be happier that after some absolutely boring days on the road, we were at such a beautiful place.

The Atuel Canyon is a famous tourist destination within Valle Grande. It's a popular location for adventure sports such as rafting, hiking, climbing etc. For us, it was the ideal destination for relaxation and of course, a short ride to the nearby reservoir, where the view was breathtaking! The high season hadn't arrived yet, so there were only a few people around and the place was really quiet. After two days there, we said goodbye to the condors (yes, we saw a couple of them!) and continued southwards to Malargüe.

























At last, the route had become more interesting and in about 90kms (55 mi) on the RN144, exactly after passing the “Salinas del Diamante”, we reached the famous RN40. RN40 is the longest route in Argentina and one of the longest in the world. It's famous for its amazing views and at the same it's notorious for its endless straight lines of nothingness and the unbelievably strong gusty winds. Before we reached our destination, the town of Malargüe, we passed from El Sosneado, a very small village with a story known all around the world: the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 plane crash in 1972, that happened in the mountains of the area.

Malargüe was another small town with a big municipal campsite. We spent 3-4 days there for two reasons: first, because we could feel a tremble coming from our scooter's front wheel and we needed to see what was going on and, second, because shortly after we got to the campsite, Jo and Susie, the couple we had met earlier in San Rafael, also arrived. What I didn't mention earlier is that they were traveling by bicycle all the way south from Peru! We admired their strength, their courage, their resilience and their great sense of humor. And, since spending time with travelers who combine all the above with an appetite for good food and wine (or beeer) is something that doesn't happen very often, we decided to make the most of this rare opportunity. We shared countless stories about our travels, our lives and most importantly, we laughed a lot!

Almost three months had passed from the day we crossed the border and entered Argentina and our tourist visas (90 days) were about to expire. The easiest way to renew them was to cross the border, go to Chile for some hours (or a day) and re-enter Argentina with 90 more days' permit stamped on our passports. So, from Malargüe we followed the RN40 and in Bardas Blancas we turned west on the RN145. Our initial concern when we realized that the fuel station in Bardas Blancas was closed, faded away soon. The feeling of remoteness and helplessness at these vast areas is often exaggerated and in cases like that, we try to keep in mind that since there are vehicles, then there is fuel! So, we enjoyed the ride to Las Loicas (to the border checkpoint of the Argentinian side) and filled our tank – and jerrycan – at the nearby despensa (convenience store).









The Chilean checkpoint is about 65kms (40 mi) away and it's strictly forbidden to spent the night in the “no man's land” between the two checkpoints. So, we went on climbing the steep mountains towards the Pehuenche Pass which, as we were climbing higher and higher, became covered with frozen snow. The headwind became stronger and small rocks and gravel kept sliding from the hillsides next to the road, hitting us. The ascend proved to be way steeper than we had calculated and we couldn't wait to get to the immigration office! Fortunately, the building was at the highest point (2,500m – 8,200ft) and from there we started descending towards the place we were planning to spend the night. The procedure at the border checkpoints of Chile was something we had done many times in the past. The rules for importing goods are very strict and no one gets away with their luggage intact. So, when we were finally ready to go, the sun had almost set.

We spent that night wild camping by the Maule River, not far from the thermal springs of the Campanario River. The view was amazing, but as we were resting next to the tent looking the scenery around us, we realized that the climb back to the border checkpoint, was a really steep one and we weren't at all sure about the quantity of fuel left in our tank. We opened the map and found out that the next pass (Pichachén Pass) was only a few kilometers south and the elevation was only 2,000m (6,560ft) – that means 500m (1,640ft) less than the Pehuenche Pass we had just crossed. It was a good idea and this way we would see regions we hadn't seen before. Improvisation is our thing, so we seized the opportunity for a short trip in Chile. What could go wrong?

To be continued...

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

Awesome photos, thank you for posting them up!

__________________
FreeBSD fan since before it was cool ...

Thank you!

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

Brilliant RR! Gracias

Gracias a vos

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter

The most surreal day of our journey! (Chile)



The day we started our short trip to Chile, we could not imagine that we'd soon climb a volcano and that we'd accidentally live the most surreal adventure of our journey!


We woke up early the next morning, packed our stuff and started our short trip in Chile! The distance from where we were to the Pichachén Pass was about 311mi (500km) and we were planning to do them in 2-3 days, depending on what we'd find ahead of us. The weather as we were moving away from the mountains was warmer and the spring had done its miracle: everything around was unbelievably green and colorful flowers were in absolute blossom. The traditional wooden cabins, typical in Chile's southern parts, were painted in various colors making the scenery even more pleasant. It felt as if we were on holiday, a short holiday away from the vastness of Argentina's arid landscape.

The road that was parallel to Maule river, led us to Linares and from there, we followed the RN5 (the Panamerican highway), riding south towards Los Angeles. We had forgotten how much we dislike riding on highways and Chile's highways are fast, noisy and with expensive tolls – the style we really hate! So, after buying some of the most delicious strawberries in the world(!) from a roadside stall (If you ever find yourselves in Chile during strawberry season, eat as many as you can because they are the best!) we decided to abandon the highway. From Chillán, we took N59Q, a significantly quieter road and continued southwards. This route was way better and fortunately, from the moment we took it we felt relaxed again, riding across the green Chilean landscape.

That night we slept by the lake of Trupán, next to the tiny village that we chose randomly, just by calculating the distance we had ridden that day and the time of the sunset. It was a calm night and as always happens when we camp at random places, two stray dogs kept us company throughout the night, sleeping in our tent's porch. We were confident about the next day. There were only 87mi (140km) left until the border, so the only thing we had to do was to stop at the next fuel station we had spotted on the map, fill our tank and continue towards the Pichachén Pass.







To our surprise, when we reached Antuco, the last village in Chile, we found out that the fuel station was closed and that we had to wait one week for it to reopen – under a new name. The “one week” soon became “10 minutes” because one of the two guys working at the fuel station was selling petrol at his backyard. Diego and Carlos were happy to have a chat with us, asking about our trip and soon after having filled up Kitsos' tank in Carlos' yard, the invitation came from Diego: he had a house available for us in case we wanted to rest for one day and have the opportunity to see Antuco – which by the way, was a very beautiful village. In fact, when he asked we described it as a “little paradise” which happens to be Antuco's nickname! Not only did they offer us a house to spend the night, but they also took us to the nearby river (Río Rucue), a place of serene beauty with such transparent water! We couldn't believe that we had found this hidden treasure by chance. That night, we slept in a proper bed, had a proper shower and ate a properly cooked meal, so the next morning we were ready to go.













The sun was already shining when we loaded our stuff on the scooter. One last thing to do was to give an interview to the local radio, which – as it proved later on that day – was only the beginning to what we now call “the most surreal day of our lives”! The interview was a great experience, but the time was passing and we were now anxious to go. It was almost noon and we had about 62mi (100km) off road to Argentina's border. When our new friend from the local radio warned us about the condition of the road to the mountain pass that had recently opened, we reassured ourselves telling each other that it was the usual exaggerations.

We left Antuco and for the first few kilometers the scenery was beautiful and serene: green trees, colorful flowers and in the background the snowy peaks and the volcano... However, when we entered the Laguna del Laja National Park things changed a bit. The scenery was equally amazing but now it was pure wilderness. All the trees and flowers disappeared and the road was as if it would lead us to Mordor: black volcanic sand, rocks and the turquoise water of the lake Laja. We had to stop for a moment just to give ourselves the time to realize where we were. We were about to climb a volcano!

























As we were climbing towards the Pichachén Pass, it became clear why the people of Antuco tried to warn us. The altitude was not that high, but the sandy road and the steep incline soon made our engine overheat... The icing on the cake was the strong wind that started blowing! In cases like this, the first thing to do is to get rid of some weight. And the easiest way to do it is to get rid of one passenger. Long story short, I did what I always do: got off the scooter and started pushing until it had enough power to continue the climb. I can only imagine the surprise of the two passengers of the passing by truck, when they saw me walking with my helmet still on. They agreed to take me to the top of the pass. When we met again with Stergios, we couldn't stop laughing: what started as a short trip to Chile had now become an unbelievable adventure!

The officers at the Chilean border checkpoint (after several questions about how we had climbed all the way up on “that thing”) were clear: we needed to reach the Argentinian checkpoint before 19:00 and stamp our entry that same day. Luckily, we had finished with the climb, so we already were at the highest point, but the 18.6mi (30km) to the checkpoint weren't that easy either. When we arrived (at 18:30!), the Argentinian officer told us that they were about to close the office and go look for us – the two checkpoints are in contact about the number of vehicles and people crossing the border, in case of an emergency. Until we were told, we hadn't realized that it had taken us more than 6 hours to ride the 62mi (100km) to Argentina!

We were in a hurry. We needed to find a place to pitch our tent for the night, but the man who came running towards us, made us stop. What did he want? Almost in panic, he explained that he was all alone, unable to put his approximately 300 goats into the pen. He was afraid of the predators lurking around. He needed our help, but we had no idea how to do it. Following his instructions (and admiring his stamina) we started running around the goats – trying to do what a shepherd dog does. I don't know how, but we made it! We managed to help the poor guy, who would now use his lasso to catch the last few goats, and went on to find a place to sleep before it went completely dark.

When we put the last peg of our tent in the ground, we looked towards the starry sky and realized we had found a small piece of heaven on earth. We had camped next to a stream, a tributary of Neuquén river and we were all alone. I'm not sure, but that day we just ate some lentil soup and went to bed exhausted, but just moments before we slept we remembered what day it was: it was the 20th of November, our anniversary!

To be continued...

__________________
RTW 2-up on a Vespa scooter