Returned from Peru, we had a decision to make about our next trip. Tanzania and Antarctica were soon shortlisted. At last, we decided to go to Antarctica because after that we would have officially been to all the continents in the world.
Antarctica, often called the bottom of the world, the last place on earth, is the coldest, driest, windiest and highest place on our planet. A trip to Antarctica is often considered to be a once in a lifetime journey. The trip has to be carefully planned. Luckily, we soon found several reviews that cover not only tour companies and itineraries, but also clothing and camera gears. Since we would have to travel this far, we also included several attractions in Chile and Argentina in our trip.
In this 16-day journey, we traveled from the frozen continent to Buenos Aires in the height of summer; we experienced the places that only existed as geography terms previously, such as Drake Passage and Strait of Magellen; we were in awe observing thousands of penguins and breathtaking landscapes; and we were inspired again by Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton and their heroic expeditions. I hope I can record our excitements in the following posts.
2011.9.26Maroon Bells is one of the most photographed places in the world. It is the very reason that we came to Colorado at this time.
It took about half an hour to drive from Aspen to Maroon Lake. It’s 6:30am when I parked the car. There were already 40 to 50 photographers at the lake side. It was a clear day, a day to produce good pictures but hardly extraordinary. There was no cloud at all to make the sky more interesting; and the wind made it very difficult to get a perfect reflection. I probably should have come much earlier, when the sun just reached the tip of the mountain, the color would have been a little warmer. One big challenge to shoot Maroon Bells is how to handle the dark shadow at the left side, which won’t disappear until noon. At the beginning, the shadow covered quite a large area. After 8am, I moved to the left side of the lake so the shadow area in the frame could be minimized.
Maroon Bells
Maroon Bells
In the summer, you can only drive your car to Maroon Lake before 9:00am. The same rule applied to weekends after September, but on weekday, there is no such control. I finished shooting on 9:30am, went back to hotel and took my wife to Maroon Bells. It is a place where the real thing is more beautiful than in the pictures.
We took a different way coming back to Denver. We continued on Hwy. 82 and turned to Interstate Hwy. 70 at Glenwood Springs. The highway cut through the Rocky Mountains and run along the Colorado River. Before reaching the Great Plains, there are several high passed and tunnels, including the famous Eisenhower Tunnel. The construction of Highway 70 in West Colorado is considered to be one of engineering marvels. It was a thrilling driving experience we didn’t expect that an Interstate Highway can offer. Especially at the Glenwood canyon section, the view was breathtaking.
The highway also passes several ski resorts with beautify green valleys and European style hotels. 70 miles west of Denver at Silverthorne, there is an outlet. We had some spare time to do some shopping.
Silverthorne outlets
The evening flight took us home. The 3-day trip is only a short excursion to us. We were prepared for the big trip to come.
2011.9.2510-minute drive to the west of Colorado Spring, Garden of the Gods Park is the most popular public park in the region. It is worth spending half a day walking the trails and admire the nature’s magic creation. I had a early morning walk right after sunrise, but for only an hour. There was not enough time to cover the park and capture the dramatic rock formations with my camera.
Garden of the Gods Park, Entrance
Garden of the Gods Park
We had several choices going from Colorado Spring to Aspen. We could take Hwy. 24 to Buena Vista, go north on Hwy. 24 then turn west on Hwy. 82. This is the shortest path that takes only 4 hours. Another option was to take Hwy. 50 to Gunnison, then turn to Hwy. 135 through Crested Butte. It’s one of the most scenic drives in Colorado but will take at least 7 hours to get to Aspen. To keep the option open, we took Hwy. 50 first because we could still go back to Hwy. 24 at Salida.
Two hours later, we sit in a McDonald restaurant at Salida. It’s almost noon time, we decided to take the shorter route. It was a good decision, we stopped countless times for photos on Hwy. 24 and 82. If we had gone to Crested Butte, I am not sure if we could reach Aspen by night.
Salida
As we turned north on Hwy 285, the sunshine was very bright, but when we got closer to Hwy. 82, the sky turned cloudy and it’s almost like raining.
A Road-Side Ranch close to Buena Vista
Clear Creek Reservoir
Twin Lakes
Hwy. 82 is narrow and winding but the photo opportunities were abundant.
A Creek along Hwy. 82
A Farm on Hwy.82
At 12,095 ft (3,687 m), Independence Pass is the highest place we have been visited, surpassing Cusco in the Andes Mountains. It is also a continental divide. In September, vegetation has all lost its green color.
The Road Leading to the Independence Pass
Independence Pass
Driving for another half an hour, we finally reached Aspen. It’s already 5pm. Aspen is named because of the abundance of aspen trees in the area. These trees decorate the surrounding mountains with bright yellow color in the fall and make them dream settings for landscape photographers. Aspen itself is a lovely small town with exquisite shops and upscale restaurants.
2011.9.24We didn’t plan to go to Rocky Mountain National Park because we knew we wouldn’t have time to reach the west side of the park with more majestic views, but after spending the morning at Denver, we found that we still had several hours left for the day. Boulder is only 30 miles north to Denver. Except its main street, which is a typical suburban shopping area, there was not much to see, so we didn’t make any stop. After another 50 miles, we were at Estes Park, a small town next to the park.
Estes Park is crowded place because a lot of people stay there for the night while visiting the park. Entering the national park, we stopped at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. It’s almost 3pm. The ranger told us we’d have enough time to see the park’s east side and walk several trails. We first took Bear Lake Rd. to its end. It’s very cloudy at the time. The sky was featureless. We turned back almost right away and only took a couple of pictures along the way.
Bear Lake Rd., Rocky Mountain National Park
Bear Lake Rd., Rocky Mountain National Park
Moose Family, Bear Lake Rd., Rocky Mountain National Park
Long Lens on Moose, Bear Lake Rd., Rocky Mountain National Park
The road was winding up after we tuned to Fall River Road. We stopped at one place that overlooks Moraine Park mountain range. There was a very professional-looking photographer who had taken the best spot and was patiently waiting for the sunset. We didn’t have that luxury so I took several shots and kept on driving.
Moraine Park Mountain Range, Rocky Mountain National Park
We left the loop and turned to the Old Fall River Road. After about 1 mile, a short walk on Alluvial Fan trail led us to a waterfall. The waterfall was not very impressive, but on the trail, we saw several tiny chipmunks standing on tree twigs and eating fruits from the tree. They were the cutest animals we’ve ever seen.
Water Fall at Alluvial Fan, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Cutest Chipmunk, Rocky Mountain National Park
We returned to the loop but soon found the road was jammed. The park had an event at that night called “Elk bugling”. We felt that we had seen enough Elks in Banff, so we turned back and left the park through the way we came.
Just after we passed Estes Park, when the sun dropped below the horizon, the sky suddenly turned clear and the color became very sublet. I believe that photographer could make some good pictures. It’s something we as tourists cannot afford, waiting on the best location for the best moment. We booked the hotel at Colorado Spring, which was still 3 hours away.
2011.9.24We arrived at Denver in a late flight the day earlier. The next morning, our trip started with a city tour of Denver downtown. 16th street mall was still quiet at 10am in the morning. We went to see the State Capitol first.
View from Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol
The 16th Street Mall is an 1.5-mile long shopping area opened in 1982. Besides all kinds of restaurants and shops, the tree-lined street also hosts various live performance and exquisite squares.
Double Daughter\'s Salotto, 16th Street Mall
Writer\'s Square, 16th Street Mall
Tree-Lined Street, 16th Street Mall
Overlook the State Capitor from the 16th Street Mall
After walking 2 hours, it’s nice to take the free MallRide bus back to where we started. We then went to Larimer Square. This short street is a historical downtown district. While the 16th Street Mall has mostly chain stores and restaurants, Larimer Square offers some authenticity of city’s past.
Before Thanksgiving, we had a short excursion to L.A. We stopped at Bakersfield for the night and came back by 101 the next day. Driving in fog at night was no fun. Luckily, we only got some fog around Bakersfield this time.
2011.7.10We got up early and took the boat back to Puerto Maldonado to catch our flight to Juliaca via Cusco. After the boat was docked, we were transferred to Inotawa’s car. Before we could leave, we had to go to the town center to get some cash – we had not paid our trip yet because we couldn’t make money transfer in Lima during weekend. We were in a bit of hurry, but as luck had it, not far from the port, when the car were climbing a slope, the engine stopped working. Luckily, we found another tour group that was going to the town as well. They dropped us near the town center. Our guide called a motocarro. It is the most popular transportation in the city. Riding one is a travel experience, but we couldn’t think of that at the time. ATM machine could be found at one side of the main plaza. There seemed to be a martial festival and soldiers in different uniforms marched around the plaza – I didn’t feel like taking picture either.
Motocarroes outside of Puerto Maldonado Airport
In fact, we still had 40 minutes when we got to the airport. We got both flight confirmed and seats assigned. After half an hour, we arrived Cusco without any delay. But while we were waiting for the transit flight to Juliaca, as boarding time approaching, we realized the gate was actually for a flight to Lima. Checking with LAN’s personnel, we learnt our flight had been cancelled. There was a strike in Juliaca and some part of airport facility had been damaged. The planes were only allowed to come in and out Juliaca in the morning. We were so surprised because no one informed us earlier. At Puerto Maldonado, LAN’s counter must have known the connection flight wouldn’t exist. We considered to take bus to Juliaca because we really didn’t want to miss the Lake Titicaca tour the next day, but thinking of that we could be grounded in Juliaca and missed our international flight back home, we decided to spend another day at Cusco.
We went back to El Dorado San Augustin Hotel. One restaurant I noted before the trip was closed for renovation. To make sure not to make mistakes on selecting restaurants, we went to Chicha again for dinner.
Cuy Pequinés
Adobo
After dinner, I had the opportunity to take some night shots around Plaza de Armas. Temperature drops fast after sunset at this altitude. In July, it is barely above freezing point at night.
Night Scene of Plaza de Armas
Night Scene of Plaza de Armas
Missing the Lake Titicaca trip allowed us to explore more in Cusco, which we didn’t have enough time before we went to the jungle. In the next morning, we first walked to the Church of San Cristobal. It’s built on the hill of Colcampata, about half way to Sacsayhuamán. The church has a modest design but offers a wonderful location to overlook the city. The stone-paved narrow alleys leading to the church, presenting various vivid colors in doors, balconies and tiles, were fascinating too.
A Cat at Cusco
Cusco
Cusco
Plaza Regocijo is next to the Plaza de Armas. The hotels, restaurants and cafes around the plaza have a modern touch compared with other places in the city. We had some snacks in a cafe and had our final lunch at Inka Grill.
Plaza Regocijo
La Merced Church and Convent
A University on Plaza de Armas
We left Cusco in the afternoon. Coincidently, during our 7-hours wait at Lima airport, we met those two Americans who shared the boat with us on Tres Chimbadas Lake in Amazon. They went to Lake Titicaca earlier without even aware there was a strike, because their flights were all in the morning. They comforted us by saying that it’s the least favorable place in their trip because it’s too commercialized.
We didn’t plan to go to Nazca Line or the Northern Peru because they are too out of the way, but the places we visited were culture-rich and diversified enough to keep us dream on for the next trip in the future.
2011.7.9Clay-eating behavior by macaws is unique in western Amazon region. Traditionally, it is believed that macaw’s diet contains toxic elements so they eat clay from exposed river banks to neutralize the toxins; but new research showed that macaws prefer clay with higher levels of sodium, which indicate the reason of clay lick is to obtain this vital element that is scarce in environments far from the sea.
We got up at 4:30 in the morning. Wind knocked the dew off leaves and it sounded like rain. It’s our biggest concern because Macaws wouldn’t come if it’s raining. After a little breakfast, we set off at 5:00am. For 5-minute boat ride, we arrived at the spot. The river makes a big detour here. The water level is low, the land in the middle is like an island and the river bank is like a cliff in 180 degree arc-shape. There are enough space for Macaws to lick.
River Bank at Chuncho
Panorama of River Bank at Chuncho
Around 5:30am, parrots started coming in large groups. Soon the number reached several hundreds. They circled around the area and stood on the tree branch for no more than15 minutes, several at first, then suddenly all of them came down from the tree at the same time and started licking. Our guide showed us a brochure called “Tambopata Field Guide of Parrots”, which illustrates about 20 species of Macaws and Parrots. Most parrots we saw on the cliff were of blue feather on their head, they might be Blue-Headed Parrot. The rest were in total green, I don’t know what they are.
Parrots on the Cliff
Macaws usually came as families, either a pair or a parents with their chick. Compared with their hasty relatives, macaws were more prudent. They stood on top of the trees and watching parrots busy licking disdainfully. In 10 minutes, in the same manner as they came down to the cliff, parrots left the river bank all together simultaneously. Lingering for another 5 minutes, they all disappeared.
Macaws are big birds and certainly took themselves more seriously, anything abnormal made them suspicious. We wanted to move closer to the river to see the birds more clearly, but the guide of another tour group told us that our cloth color was too bright, so we had to retreat further back and hid ourselves in the bush. This started our standoff with macaws for the next 3 hours. More macaws were coming. We saw all three kinds of large-size macaws in the reserve, Scarlet, Red-and-Green and Blue-and-Yellow Macaw. They were at least twenty macaws of each type. They gathered on their own trees and never mingled with others. Sometime, they seemed feeling safe and gradually moved to lower branches – macaws never go to the river bank directly, they always do it step by step – but all of sudden, maybe because they heard something or saw something, they flew back to the top of the trees again. Sometimes, they just moved to another tree 100 yards away.
Scarlet Macaws on top of the Tree
Blue-and-Yellow Macaws
Red-and-Green Macaws
The other group had left and we also went back to the boat to take a rest. We then decided to let the boat go back to the camping site to wrap up our staff and we stayed here and kept waiting. In the next hour or so, we sit among the bushes, put large leaves on our heads to cover us from the raising sun. For some reason, Blue-and-Yellow Macaws left one family after another, but Scarlet and Red-and-Green Macaws were still here.
Unknown Bird
Blue-and-Yellow Macaws are Leaving
The remaining macaws kept playing tricks with us. Finally at about 9:40am, one of Macaws came down to the cliff, then others followed in minutes. There were about twenty macaws on the cliff at the same time. This lasted less than 10 minutes. Our boat came back, the sound of motor broke the serenity. Macaws went back to the tree. The guide said it might take them an hour to come down again. From what I read before we left to Peru, beginning of July is not a good time to watch macaw’s clay click. At least we saw all of them and we waited long enough for them to be on the cliff. The only regret I had was that I should have taken more pictures.
Macaws\' Clay Lick
Frightened by Boat Motor, Macaws Went Back to the Tree
The returning trip took only 3 hours. When we walked into the lodge, a group of American middle school students meeting at the open patio. They are the new guests of the lodge. We had the lunch of fishes that the captain caught in our trip.
Fried Fish
At the afternoon we had our last activities of the Amazon trip – we went to Tres Chimbadas Lake to fish piranhas. It was only a short boat ride away downstream, after that we walked about one mile to across the jungle. Together with another guide and his tour group, we paddled around the lake watching birds at lake side. The lake was quite and water was dark, maybe because it doesn’t connect to the river. We docked our boat and tried to fish piranhas. Most popular piranhas are golden one in the lake. They don’t really eat human, but they were quite aggressive at the baits we threw in. One guy from another group caught one fish, I almost got one too but as I pulled the pole out of the water, the fish got loose and gone.
Massive Tree Trunk
Our Guide Paddling the Boat
A Piranha
Tres Chimbadas Lake
The night already fell as we left the lake. On our way back to the lodge, the guide used searchlight to scan the river shores looking for caimans. Caiman’s eyes reflect the light and will be seen as two red gleams. We didn’t have much luck and only saw a small caiman. I caught it on the video.
2011.7.8In the morning, I had a walk around the lodge and took some more pictures. Parrots sang and frogs croaked, I was immersed in the sounds of nature.
An Insect on a Leaf
Trees in Rainforest
Root of the Tree
Our plan for the day was to take boat upstream for 4 hours to Chuncho. We would camp there over night and watch Macaw’s clay lick the next day morning. Most visitors to the lodge take 3 days and 2 nights tour, so they only go to see Macaws in a place near the lodge. We certainly wished that we could see more for the extra day and money we spent.
Tour Schedule
Unlike our White Desert trip in Egypt, which we went with only a driver and a guide, we had a large team of 5-person here, our guide, a captain (driver), his assistant, a cook and the lodge owner’s daughter-in-law. I guess visitors rarely take trips like this, so the owner’s daughter-in-law was interested in seeing those Macaws too.
After one hour, we arrived at the first check point of Tambopata National Reserve. We signed our names on their huge signature book and they stamped a puma mark on our passports.
First Check Point to Enter Tambopata National Reserve
The captain had sharp eyes. He often spotted something unusual on the bank and he stopped the boat and pointed them to us.
A Sloth on the Tree Top
A Turtle Family
A Capybara Family
It was the dry season – sometimes the water level was too low and captain’s assistant had to use a long pole to move the boat.
The Captain\'s Assistant had to watch the Depth of the Water and Obstacles.
He also had to watch the river for torrents and obstacles. The river was smooth most of the time, but it was turbulent with floating logs and underwater reefs at some places. I heard the assistant talked with our guide about one incident he had, although I don’t understand Spanish, but from their moves, I knew the assistant was saying that he was on a boat that hit the reefs, shot up and threw him into the water.
Torrents with Reefs
After another two and a half hours, we reached the second check point. The Tambopata River and the Malinowski River merged here. Their color difference is quite distinctive – the Tambopata River is clean and the Malinowski River is in brown color.
The Confluence of the Tambopata and Malinowski Rivers
The Monkey Steals Bananas
We kept on sailing upstream in Tambopata River. The water became clear and tranquil.
A Tranquil River
Waterfowls
It took us some time to locate a small island to dock the boat. Our guide said, the last time he came here was several years ago, the water and land looked very different now. The river changes route every year. An experience driver is necessary to sail in the river like this.
Our Boat
While others were setting up camps, our guide took us to a short hike on the island. The island is covered by the secondary forest. The plant species is not very diversified.
The Guide is Making a Walking Stick for Us.
Vine grows attaching to the tree trunk
A Colorful Bug
We came back without walking very far. Four tents have been setup. The captain and his assistant would sleep on the boat. We had some free time playing around the island, while others swimming in the river and preparing the dinner. It was warm during the night and surprisingly there were not many mosquitoes. It was much more comfortable than we imagined.
