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Posts from the road

A very brief stay in Bariloche

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(Bariloche, Argentina)

Travel is a series of trade-offs. You can’t do everything…and sometimes the unplanned and chaotic can be just as rewarding as a carefully curated itinerary.

The loneliest Chilean police station - somewhere between Peulla, Chile and Puerto Frias, Argentina
The loneliest Chilean police station – somewhere between Peulla, Chile and Puerto Frias, Argentina

As you can tell from my past two posts, we had a sensational day of travel from Peulla to Bariloche. Our friends in the group tour did not have quite the same experience when they made that trip a day earlier in windy and rainy conditions. However, while we were catching up to them under the brilliant Andean sun, they were able to enjoy the resort of Bariloche in that same great weather.  You win some, you lose some.

Waiting for the boat at Puerto Frias, Argentina
Waiting for the boat at Puerto Frias, Argentina

I had hoped to go skiing in Bariloche: it’s been a long-shot dream of mine to ski on every continent and South America would have been the 4th.  Alas, we had to move on to Buenos Aires the very next morning and it was logistically impossible for me to do any skiing in Bariloche.  Well, this now gives me an even better excuse for a future trip to Argentina and/or Chile. There is so much to see and do in these two countries; we could not hope to get more than just a small sample in less than two weeks.

A winter rose in front of the customs office in Puerto Frias, Argentina
A winter rose in front of the federal buildings in Puerto Frias, Argentina

We did at least have a chance to visit downtown Bariloche for a group dinner at the Familia Weiss restaurant.   As you can tell from the name of the restaurant, there is a very strong German-speaking history in this part of Argentina.

Feeding the seagulls en route from Puerto Blest to Puerto Pañuelo, Argentina
Feeding the seagulls en route from Puerto Blest to Puerto Pañuelo, Argentina

Starting in the mid-1800s, immigrants from the various German-speaking nations in Europe found their way to this part of South America.   Their influence lives on in the Germanic cuisine, the alpine architecture, and the many chocolate makers who continue to compete for the tourist dollar.  I hadn’t expected to eat Gulasch mit Spätzle in the shadow of the Andes…but why not?

Time for selfies at La Cascada Los Cántaros near Puerto Blest, Argentina
Time for selfies at La Cascada Los Cántaros near Puerto Blest, Argentina

While we would have liked to spend more time in the mountains around Bariloche, we were assured that we would love our next stop:  the legendary city of Buenos Aires.  It’s a huge place with about 14 million people…and, at the end of the 19th century, it was one of the richest cities in the world.  While the city and the country alike have faced many challenges since then, those long-ago glory days are still very much apparent today.

One does not go home hungry from Argentinian restaurants: a typical dessert in Bariloche
One does not go home hungry from Argentinian restaurants: a typical dessert in Bariloche

Upon arrival at the Jorge Newbery airport, we were whisked to our hotel in the southern part of the Recoleta barrio.  Over the next few days, we would visit various barrios and get a feel for the different characteristics of each one.   Stay tuned for lots of coverage of this fascinating, if atypical, South American metropolis!

Posts from the road

On to Bariloche!

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(Bariloche, Argentina)

What a difference 24 hours can make!  After gaining entry to Argentina, the sun shone even brighter and we felt like we were truly on holiday again.  The picture at the top of this post shows the view from the back of our boat as we sailed on Lago Frias from Puerto Frias to Puerto Alegre.

Our boat docked in the glacial waters at Puerto Alegre, Argentina
Our boat docked in the glacial waters at Puerto Alegre, Argentina

Arriving in Puerto Alegre, the glacial nature of the lake became even more apparent.  I’ve been to mountain lakes before but I don’t think I’ve ever sailed on any that looked as pure as this one.  There really wasn’t anything but a dock in Puerto Alegre…but what else do you need with a setting like that?   Truly spectacular.

View of Puerto Blest, Chile, from across the lake
View of Puerto Blest, Chile, from across the lake

From Puerto Alegre, we took a bus to Puerto Blest on Lago Nahuel Huapi .  Puerto Blest had a hotel but little else:  once again, the natural setting was the highlight.  Here, we had the option of going for a hike at a nearby waterfall.  I instantly accepted – it would be great to stretch my legs after a half-day of traveling.  It was another pristine location…and we actually went there by boat too!

A tree that lives for millennia
A tree that lives for millennia

The hike up beside the Cascada de Los Cántaros was quite easy…it was a wooden boardwalk all the way to the top!   It seems to be a very popular activity for day tours, so I suppose that it makes sense for the trail to be so accessible.  There are numerous viewpoints along the way where you can take pictures of the waterfalls.  While I’m not going to include any of those in this post, they will likely appear later.

This tree will not live for further millennia
This tree will not live for further millennia

At the top of the trail is a 1500-year-old tree as well as a mountain lake shimmering almost-too-brightly in the midday sun.   Struggling with the glare, I did the best I could with my camera.   Still, after the rain and worry of the previous day, I was hardly in a position to complain about the sunshine.

Blinded by the light! Summit of the trail at Lago Los Cantaros
Blinded by the light! Summit of the trail at Lago Los Cantaros

As I had some extra time before the boat returned to Puerto Blest, I wandered off on a more natural trail through the woods.  It wasn’t part of the itinerary but it was fun to explore the terrain with my hiking boots fully on the ground.  I found a picturesque hanging bridge passing over the famous waterfalls after only a few minutes of walking.  Even though I was the only person on it, it was rather shaky and I have no reason to doubt the sign’s warning about its limited capacity.

A hanging bridge, off the beaten path
A hanging bridge, off the beaten path

From Puerto Blest, we sailed across Lago Nahuel Huapi onward to Puerto Pañuelo and finally finished our epic odyssey across the Andes with a short bus ride to Bariloche.  The boat trip was rather cool (some would say bracing) but, of course, it was the middle of the Argentinian winter and the sun was beginning to set.  We were grateful for the clear skies and the great scenery, although this was a bigger lake and it wasn’t quite as dramatic as what we saw around Puerto Alegre.

We finally arrived in Bariloche just before dinner and happily reunited with our group.  Stay tuned:  we’re only just getting started in Argentina!

Posts from the road

Trying to Enter Argentina – Day Two

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(Puerto Blest, Argentina)

We awoke to unexpectedly sunny skies and beautiful views in Peulla, Chile. However, the brightest part of our day was the news we received during breakfast: we finally had the missing bar code! We could finally cross the border!

Waterfall on the road between the Chilean and Argentinian border posts
Waterfall on the road between the Chilean and Argentinian border posts

The day got better and better. Shortly after passing Chilean customs (located at the edge of Peulla, rather than at the border itself), we saw a pair of condors! At first I only saw the female but then I also saw the male a short distance away. These birds are huge! The wingspan can be more than 3 metres (10 feet) and the male looked to be that size when he eventually flew away.  It is difficult to describe how thrilling it is to see such a large, wild creature in its natural habitat.

Condors! The female is in the centre of the picture
Condors! The female is in the centre of the picture

While it was hard to top our condor sighting, we still saw plenty of vertiginous waterfalls and snow-capped mountains as we continued our lonely journey in the no-man’s-land between the Chilean and Argentinian border posts. We didn’t see any pumas, but you can’t have it all!

Mount Tronador, as seen from just a few km inside the Chilean border
Mount Tronador, as seen from just a few km inside the Chilean border

The bus climbed higher and higher to the Argentinian border:  high enough, in fact, that there was a significant amount of snow at the point where Chile becomes Argentina.  We had found snow in July!  Even if there was an unexpected snag at the upcoming border control at Puerto Frias, at least we could say that we had set foot in Argentina.

Looking back to where we had just been - right on the Chilean/Argentinian border
Looking back to where we had just been – right on the Chilean/Argentinian border

Thankfully, the only hassle at Puerto Frias was the glare of the sun on the pristine mountain lake (see photo at the top of this post).  While it was challenging for photography, it was a blissful to bask in the sun and to finally leave our border crossing problems behind us.  A short, refreshing boat ride to Puerto Alegre and then an even shorter bus ride to Puerto Blest followed.

We finally made it to the Argentinian border!
We finally made it to the Argentinian border!

Stay tuned for a refreshing excursion from Puerto Blest and the reunion with our group in Bariloche!

Posts from the road

Trying to cross the Andes to Argentina

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(Peulla, Chile)

The plan was clearly laid out: using 4 different buses and 3 different boats, we would travel from Puerto Varas, Chile to Bariloche, Argentina. The various modes of transportation are required for a good reason: in addition to crossing various lakes, we would also be crossing the Andes.

The mellow end of the waterfalls at Petrohue, Chile
The mellow end of the waterfalls at Petrohue, Chile

There was one small problem, however.  If you are travelling on a Canadian passport, you must pay a “reciprocity fee” to enter Argentina because Canada charges Argentinians a visa fee to enter Canada.  My wife duly paid the fee online in advance, as required, and obtained an invoice proving payment.  However, the border officials also apparently required all of this in a bar code format, which my wife did not have.  In addition, her e-mail account was locked because her e-mail provider was apparently not used to her accessing the account from South America.

A huge waterfall hidden in the rainforest above Peulla, Chile
A huge waterfall hidden in the rainforest above Peulla, Chile

To make a long story short, we could not progress beyond the Chilean border town of Peulla until she had that magic bar code.  We reluctantly said goodbye to our tour group and booked a room at the Hotel Natura Patagonia in Peulla.  It was situated nicely (I took the photo at the top of this post from our room), near the shore of Lago dos Todos Santos and in the shadow of the Andes.  However, there was nothing else in the “town” and it was very definitely out of season.  How long would it take until this was straightened out?  Would it *ever* be straightened out?

Bar made out of a tree, at the Hotel Natura Patagonia in Peulla, Chile
Bar made out of a tree, at the Hotel Natura Patagonia in Peulla, Chile

We did not know the answers to our questions.  Our group had moved on to Bariloche, Argentina and would then be flying on to Buenos Aires.  The rain was pouring in Peulla and, to be honest, we were getting quite frustrated with our situation.   We wouldn’t know anything else until the next morning, when the Argentinian immigration office in Buenos Aires opened again.

The Hotel Natura Patagonia in Peulla, Chile
The Hotel Natura Patagonia in Peulla, Chile

I went for a hike to the only accessible local attraction:  a huge waterfall hidden in the rainforest.  I got soaked, even with an umbrella, but it was awe-inspiring to see the waterfall suddenly appear at the end of an overgrown trail.   The picture above shows part of it; the waterfall went on and on.

Condor sign at the national park in Peulla, Chile. Could it mean something?
Condor sign at the national park in Peulla, Chile. Could it mean something?

Near the dock in Peulla, I saw a signs with information about condors, pumas and pudús.  The pudú is the world’s smallest deer and I thought I might see one while we were in the area.  I held out no hope for the others.

Darkness arrived early.  We had a very quiet dinner in the oversized hotel dining room.  There were perhaps 6 other occupied rooms in the hotel; there would ordinarily be hundreds of guests.   Being in immigration limbo in a nearly deserted hamlet in the middle of the dark, cold and wet Andean winter…it doesn’t get much more desolate than that!

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Hiking at Volcán Osorno

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(Puerto Varas, Chile)

While there is more than one volcano visible from Puerto Varas, Volcán Osorno is the most dominant. Right now, it is reminiscent of Mount Fuji as only the top half of the volcano is covered in snow. When the opportunity arose to hike here, we took full advantage of it…despite the high risk of rain. The lake district receives an exceptionally high amount of rain and very slippery hiking conditions were a real possibility.

The start of our hike at Volcan Osorno
The start of our hike at Volcan Osorno

After driving by numerous roadside businesses selling Kuchen, we finally arrived at Petrohue and the departure point for our hike.  We would be walking for about 4 hours:  a gradual ascent on the side of Volcán Osorno followed by a descent to the shores of Lago Todos los Santos (see photo at the top of this post) and then hopefully a boatride back to our mid-afternoon lunch in a Petrohue fisherman’s house.

On the shore of Lago dos Todos Santos, Chile
On the shore of Lago Todos los Santos, Chile

We spent most of the first half of the walk looking up at Volcán Osorno.  It is not even 3000m high but it looks much taller because there are no peaks nearby and the base is essentially at sea level.   Once again, I took a lot of photographs.  This was a good thing:  the light was tricky and the glare made it hard to see the volcano in most of the pictures.  It felt good to be walking in the clean air and we weren’t slowed by the sand-like trail that felt a bit like walking in snow.

Crossing a somewhat incomplete bridge in the rainforest near Petrohue, Chile
Crossing a somewhat incomplete bridge in the rainforest near Petrohue, Chile

The last part of our walk was through a rainforest close to the lake.  This was reminiscent of Costa Rica, but without tarantulas and large mammals.  There is little that can harm you in Chilean rainforests!  We were also very happy that it did not actually rain during our hike:  it is rare to have consecutive days without rain at this time of year.

The challenges of boarding a boat without a dock
The challenges of boarding a boat without a dock

When we finally arrived at the beach, there was a boat waiting for us.  While boarding was made very difficult by the lack of a dock, we eventually made it on and travelled a short distance down Lago Todos los Santos to our captain’s house:  as a reward for our long trek, we were being treated to a home-made lunch. We each had the choice of freshly caught lake trout or wild boar.  We both went for the trout and it was very good.

The bus ride back to Puerto Varas was very quiet.  I think people were both tired from the hike and aware that we would be attending a traditional Chilean barbeque that evening.

A Chilean dog helping out with the raking (Petrohue, Chile)
A Chilean dog helping out with the raking (Petrohue, Chile)

It was a real adventure to reach Marcelo’s house on spooky gravel roads and through almost total darkness.   However, once we arrived, it felt like having a big family dinner in Swiss alpine hut.  My favourite part was the “choripan“:  this consists of a sausage (chorizo) on a bun (pan), topped with a honey mustard sauce and huge bean sprouts.  I had more than one:  when it came time for the main course of barbequed pork and grilled vegetables, I stuck mainly to the vegetables.

Marcelo at the grill, preparing a Chilean barbeque
Marcelo at the grill, preparing a Chilean barbeque

While we’re loving the natural beauty of the Puerto Varas area, our time in Chile is limited and we’ll soon be moving on to another country…or will we?

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Arrival in Chile’s Lake District

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(Puerto Varas, Chile)

After a couple of days in the Santiago area, we flew down to Puerto Montt, the “capital” of the Chilean lake district.  Our first stop was the market in the Angelmó district:  while originally a fish market, it has grown to include cheese, meat, vegetables, and various other edible sea products such as barnacles and seaweed.  Now that cruise ships occasionally call at Puerto Montt, it also has more tourist-oriented items such as wood carvings, ponchos, and wool gloves, socks and toques.

We bought cheese from this vendor at the Angelmo Market in Puerto Montt
We bought cheese from this vendor at the Angelmo Market in Puerto Montt

While Puerto Montt is one of the fastest-growing cities in South America, nature is still very prominent here.  We were entertained by sea lions in the harbour; we suspect that they were asking for food.  They seemed quite playful until one suddenly lunged forward and barked at us:  it was quite loud and we all took a few steps back from the shore. We also saw lots of pelicans:  if you haven’t seen one fly before, it is very odd to see an airborne bird with such a large beak.

Sea lions at the harbour in Puerto Montt
Sea lions at the harbour in Puerto Montt

From Puerto Montt, we drove to our home for the next two nights:  the resort town of Puerto Varas, on the shores of Lago Llanquihue (pronounced somewhat like “Yon-Kee-Way”).  This town has a rich German-speaking history that is reflected in the family names, the architecture, and the “Kuchen” (cakes) for sale everywhere.  Most of the original European settlers here were from Germany, Switzerland or Austria:  they were attracted here in the 1800s by offers of free land.  Our Spanish-speaking bus driver was named Helmut.

One of the outdoor stalls at the Angelmó market in Puerto Montt, Chile
One of the outdoor stalls at the Angelmó market in Puerto Montt, Chile

While the Andean lakeside setting is beautiful, Puerto Varas is probably best known for its (weather-permitting) stunning views of Volcán Osorno…the Osorno volcano that last erupted in 1869.  It is seen from the Puerto Varas harbour, in the photo at the top of this post.  I’ll be writing more about this volcano later!

Our curanto!
Our curanto!

For lunch, we went to a private home for a very typical dinner from this part of Chile:  curanto.  While it was originally cooked underground, it is now more frequently prepared in a large conventional pot.   It is a collection of many ingredients, most notably a huge amount of mussels and clams.  However, it also contains potato dumplings and regular (albeit colourful) potatoes.  While it also used to contain sea lion and seagull, these are now generally replaced by pork and chicken.

The harbour in Puerto Varas, Chile
The harbour in Puerto Varas, Chile

After taking so many photos of Volcán Osorno, it would be a shame not to pay it a closer visit.  Stay tuned for the details!

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Trip to a Chilean Winery…and eating Santiago street food

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(Santiago, Chile)

We travelled to the nearby Maipo Valley today in order to visit a local winery.  We went to the Pérez Cruz winery: I was not previously familiar with it…but it turns out that Canada is its second biggest export market, after the U.K.

We stopped at this roadside cafe on the way to the winery
We stopped at this roadside cafe on the way to the winery

This was a very modern facility:  all wood and curving walls.  We went into the cellars to taste some not-yet-aged wine (French oak barrels are generally preferred) before seeing some of the production facilities and finally doing a taste test.  I was very curious about this, as I am not much of a red wine drinker and Pérez Cruz only makes red wine.

The Perez Cruz Winery, in Chile's Maipo Valley
The Perez Cruz Winery, in Chile’s Maipo Valley

We were given samples of three limited-edition/premium red wines:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (Shiraz) and Carménère.  We were also given a plate of various cheeses and crackers.   The idea is that you have a small piece of cheese with each wine.  If either the cheese or the wine is overpowered by the other, it is not a good pairing.  However, if they both retain their flavour, they are complementary.  It was fascinating to eat a strong cheese but not taste it at all because it was overpowered by the wine.  Similarly, some of the cheeses made an objectively bold-tasting wine taste like water.

Tasting new wine directly from the barrel
Tasting new wine directly from the barrel

Much to my surprise, the taste testing confirmed that I enjoyed the Shiraz the most.  It was a little sweeter than the others; we found out later that Shiraz is often chosen by those who actually prefer white wine.  We are learning a lot of unexpected things here in Chile!

Time for the taste test!
Time for the taste test!

After returning to Santiago, we were on our own for the rest of the day.  We decided to find our own lunch at the Mercado Central (“Central Market”).  While this was a little touristy and focused on seafood (see photo at the top of this post), we found another market a few blocks north that catered slightly more to locals.  However, if we wanted to eat, we would have to speak Spanish!  We kept it simple and had a couple of very cheesy empanadas (one with shrimp, one without).  Success!

A local market in Santiago
A local market in Santiago

We then explored Bellavista:  this is known as the “Bohemian and cultural barrio” of Santiago   It was probably more Bohemian than cultural, as our local guide had indeed suggested earlier.   Santiago is much like Toronto in some respects:  although it is a very large city, it is also a collection of neighbourhoods that have their own very strong identities.

This was where we had some Mexican-style empanadas in downtown Santiago
This was where we had some Mexican-style empanadas in downtown Santiago

While we have enjoyed acclimatizing to Chile in Santiago, the real reasons for our trip to this part of the world still lie ahead.  Our language training continues and we are ready for some exciting outdoor adventures!

Posts from the road

On the road again…in Chile!

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(Santiago, Chile)

For many, many years, I have wanted to visit Chile.  After a few false starts, including a 2014 trip to Patagonia that *nearly* happened (I went to Costa Rica instead), it has finally become a reality. It’s winter here – quite a shock as Kingston temperatures have been hovering around 30’C for the past couple of weeks.  Fortunately, the daytime temperatures in Santiago still get up to about 15’C.  It will get much colder later in our trip!

A collection of food trucks on Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins in Santiago, Chile
A collection of food trucks on Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins in Santiago, Chile

As English-speaking tourists are not as common here as they are in Costa Rica, it really was essential for us to learn some Spanish before we got here…hence, the Duolingo crash course that my wife and I have been taking over the past week.  In fact, we are still working on it, even though we have already arrived!

Avenida Londres, near our hotel in Santiago,Chile
Avenida Londres, near our hotel in Santiago,Chile

After a long overnight flight from Canada, we just wandered around downtown Santiago today. Nothing too adventurous yet.  We climbed to the top of Cerro Santa Lucía, a huge downtown park that is only a few blocks from our hotel and offers views (see photo at the top of this post) of the entire city.   This is where the city was first founded.  They really try to  provide a safe family atmosphere: even though the park is free, they still ask people to sign in and indicate where there are from.

View from our hotel of Avenida Paris (Santiago, Chile)
View from our hotel of Avenida Paris (Santiago, Chile)

We also did some grocery shopping – this is always a fun way to immerse yourself in a new place.  Our main mission today was to buy some bottled water: the local water is drinkable but heavily mineralized and can be troublesome if you are not used to it. We also picked up some interesting local snacks.

Near the bottom of Serro Santa Lucia (Santiago, Chile)
Near the bottom of Serro Santa Lucia (Santiago, Chile)

Finally, we wandered through the Plaza de Armas:  this is the “heart of the city” and is festooned with palm trees.  It was especially busy as this was a religious festival day; we took the opportunity to visit the huge Santiago Cathedral and explore the pedestrianized Paseo Ahumada before returning to our hotel.  Our hotel is in the Barrio Paris/Londres:  a very small and elegant cobblestoned neighbourhood that, as the name suggests, looks like it has been transplanted from northern Europe.

Plaza de Armas - the heart of downtown Santiago
Plaza de Armas – the heart of downtown Santiago

We’re joining a small tour group for the next little while before striking out on our own at the end of our trip.  We met our group for the first time tonight and it seems like a good combination of people with diverse backgrounds yet shared interests.  We enjoyed dinner together outside on a rooftop in the Barrio Lastarria and will be heading out for our first group expedition in the morning.  Stay tuned for our South American adventure!

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Ottawa and the Chair of Horns

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(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

We just spent a  weekend in Ottawa – as we went by car this time, we decided to focus on places that are a little harder to visit using public transportation.

I’ll start with the strangest part:  we stopped at a flea market in Stittsville on Sunday.  There was a lot of used furniture and the usual knick-knacks that are typically found at flea markets.  But then we saw “it”!  As you can see from the picture, “it” is a chair made out of animal horns.  This raises all kinds of questions.  Was the chair builder somehow inspired to build a Chair of Horns and subsequently went looking for the perfect horns?  Or did the chair builder already have the horns…and then arrive at the unavoidable conclusion that they must be used to build a chair?

The startling chair of horns in Stittsville, Ontario
The startling Chair of Horns in Stittsville, Ontario

It would be interesting to know the answer.  From my perspective, when I see horns, I don’t immediately think that “I must build a chair out of these”.   Anyway, it’s quite unusual and, if you’re lucky, this Chair of Horns might even still be available for purchase!

Although we didn’t realize it was happening until we arrived in Ottawa, we also managed to attend part of the annual Tulip Festival.   This festival has its roots in the gift of more than 100,000 tulip bulbs by the Netherlands to Canada, as thanks for Canada’s role in World War II (you can read the details here).  The big event this year was the unveiling of the new “Canada 150”:  a tulip that resembles the Canadian flag (see photo at the top of this post).  It has been developed in anticipation of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017 and will apparently be available commercially later this year.

Part of the Tulip Festival near Dow's Lake
Part of the Tulip Festival near Dow’s Lake

Many of our destinations were food-related.  In addition to various ethnic grocery stores, we went to a Malaysian restaurant on Friday and a South Indian restaurant on Saturday.  We learned that the food from the Kerala region of southern India is very spicy…even the mild dishes would be considered at least “medium hot” elsewhere.  Fortunately, we were able to balance it with gelato from Little Italy  on Preston Street.

World of Maps in the Hintonburg district of Ottawa
World of Maps in the Hintonburg district of Ottawa

However, I think our best food experience  was in the Hintonburg neighbourhood.  We found a lot of great little shops here:  my wife enjoyed a Christmas store, I enjoyed visiting a record shop, and we both spent a lot of time in “World of Maps”!  As this is a travel blog, I have to mention this as a travel store worth visiting in Ottawa.  Lots of maps and travel guides, of course, but also lots of other travel literature and supplies.   If you need a New Zealand sticker for your car, or a flag from Barbados, this is your place!

My Capricciosa pizza at "Tennessy Willems" restaurant in Hintonburg
My Capricciosa pizza at “Tennessy Willems” restaurant in Hintonburg

Anyway, we had a great lunch at a Hintonburg restaurant called “Tennessy Willems” (spelling apparently intentional).  It focused on Italian food and was extremely committed to local ingredients.  The Capricciosa pizza (usually my favourite kind) was one of the best I’ve ever had; I’m glad that I remembered to take a picture before eating.  The sauce was particularly good – the restaurant even sells jars of it!

Stay tuned for a few more flashbacks, as the Southern Hemisphere countdown continues!

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Showtime in Toronto

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(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

We recently made a quick visit to Toronto for a concert. Los Lobos have been on my musical bucket list for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to see them.  Before showtime, however, we had a couple of stops to make.

Toronto has a great transit pass offer on weekends: 2 adults (and up to 4 children) can ride all day for a total of $12.00.  With single rides costing $3.25 cash, the pass pays for itself if 2 adults take one return trip.   We did that…and much more.

The Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto
The Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto

Our first stop was a neighbourhood that used to be known as “Little India”.  Somehow, I had never visited this part of Gerrard Avenue East (between Greenwood and Coxwell) despite living in Toronto for 3 years.  It’s now known as the “Gerrard India Bazaar” but it still has several blocks of restaurants and shops featuring food and clothing from the Indian subcontinent.

We were hungry and slightly overwhelmed by the number of restaurants, so we went to the first one that looked a little different from Kingston’s Indian restaurants.  Karma’s Kitchen featured Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan cuisine; I settled on a sizzling plate called Chicken Tangra.

Chicken Tangra at Karma's Kitchen in Toronto
Chicken Tangra at Karma’s Kitchen in Toronto

After picking up some unusual food items (including a delicious Punjabi peanut brittle!) for home and dropping them off at our hotel, we did some music shopping in the Queen West/Spadina neighbourhood and then headed to The Annex.

I lived on the edge of The Annex many years ago and often visited this part of town for dinner and/or entertainment….and so it was on this night, as we visited the venerable Country Style Hungarian Restaurant on Bloor Street West.   As you can see from the photo, the size of the schnitzel did not disappoint!  There was lots of spätzle underneath and a cucumber salad besides.   It’s not fancy but you cannot possibly leave hungry.

Chicken Schnitzel at Country Style Hungarian Restaurant
Chicken Schnitzel at Country Style Hungarian Restaurant

We sauntered slowly from the restaurant to the concert venue.  It was all quite promising:  an acclaimed band, an acoustically renowned concert hall, a supposedly “unplugged” concert theme, and seats in the first row of the side balcony, right by the stage.  We looked forward to seeing and hearing with astonishing clarity.

Well, we did *see* Los Lobos up close.  Unfortunately, the concert was marred by unbalanced and muddy sound.  It was strange to be only a short distance from the saxophone player and yet not hear any of the notes he was obviously playing.  Same with the vocals; in fact, even the announcements (without music) at the start of the concert were unintelligible.  However, we did hear plenty of the wall of guitars.   Our ears rang for quite some time afterwards; this was certainly not an unplugged or acoustic performance.

Los Lobos at Koerner Hall in Toronto: this band has been together for more than 40 years!
Los Lobos in Toronto: this band has been together for more than 40 years!

I walked the length of the balcony, to see if we were in a sonic “dead zone”, but things didn’t seem to be any better.  Los Lobos finished their concert with a seamless medley of “La Bamba” and the Rascals’ “Good Lovin'”.  They clearly are accomplished and adventurous musicians – other songs wandered into portions of “Not Fade Away” and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” before returning to the original Los Lobos song.

Despite the disappointing sound at the concert, our trip was still a success…particularly with some great finds the next morning at the antique market and spectacular gelato (as always) at “G is for Gelato” on Jarvis Street.   And we can listen to brilliant albums like “Kiko” at home anytime!