The movement plan worked! I arrived in P. Rico via Washington (a lovely spring day) and came to Tortola with Paul, Raquel, Ed and Maribel on Sunday to find Magda waiting in the hotel.
We picked up the boat - a 43' catamaran - and went out for a sail that afternoon, then back to Roadtown. Yesterday we sailed up to Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda (4 hrs). The weather was a bit cloudy with occasional light showers and 12-15 kts of wind, so the sailing was great but the tanning opportunities limited! Will try to upload some photos next time. We got in at 2 p.m., had lunch and walked down the coast half an hour to The Baths - extraordinary formations of rounded granite boulders. We crawled and climbed along a trail among the rocks, and swam at Devil's Beach.
It is raining now - but the forecast is as for yesterday so we plan to sail round to the Bitter End later.
El programa de viaje funciono! Llegue a Puerto Rico via Washington (un bonito dia de primavera) y el domingo vinimos - con Paul, Raquel, Ed y Maribel - a Tortola y encontramos a la Magda esperando en su hotel.
Fuimos a buscar la embarcacion - un catamaran de 43' - y salimos a navegar por la tarde, volviendo a Roadtown por la noche. Ayer vinimos a Spanish Town en Virgin Gorda (4 hrs). El clima un poco nublado con chubascos, y vientos de 12-15 kts, fantastico para navegar, no tanto para broncear! Tratare de subir unas fotos luego. Llegamos a las 2 p.m., almorzamos y fuimos caminando por la costa una media hora a un lugar llamado The Baths - unas formaciones extraordinarias de rocas redondas de granito. Fuimos por un sendero - habia que agacharse, subir escalas, vadear, y llegamos a la Playa del Diablo para banarnos en el mar. Precioso!
Ahora esta lloviendo, pero mas rato vamos a salir a navegar nuevamente, el prognostico es el mismo que ayer.
martes, 24 de abril de 2007
jueves, 19 de abril de 2007
D DAY
I am in Santiago airport with 20 minutes until boarding.
Our farewell last night was another concert, Gorgias and his wind trio playing in a medical centre, a programme including renaissance, baroque and classical composers. We loved it! Ian and Beti came, as well as Silvia, and of course(!) Gorgias. Afterwards we went to a Pizza hut(!) where the only wine was an indifferent white in half-bottles - but it was a great send-off.
This was the culmination of a day which included my last Russian class with Tatiana, collecting our visas from the Russian embassy, and then a trip to the travel agents to pick up the tickets. What should have been a simple operation took two agonizing hours - the machine refused to print either ticket as they were too long and had too many taxes! The Ultramar girls solved it eventually (at 18.45!), but I must have lost 2 lbs...
Magda has just dropped me off here. She flies tomorrow night and we meet again in Tortola on Sunday morning DV...
Greetings to all and thanks for all the good wishes
Willie and Magda
Del aeropuerto de Santiago, con 20 minutos antes de subir al avion.
La despedida de anoche era otro concierto, Gorgias con su trio de vientos tocando en un centro médico; el programa incluía compositores del renacimiento, del baroco, y clásicos. Soberbio! Nos acompañaron Ian y Beti, además de Silvia, y por supuesto(!) Gorgias. Después fuimos al Pizza hut(!) donde el único vino era un blanco indiferente en botellas chicas - pero lo pasamos bien.
Esto al final de un día cuando hice mi última clase de ruso con Tatiana, fuimos a la embajada Rusa para las visas, y luego a la agencia de viajes para buscar los pasajes. Lo que debía ser un tramite simple demoró dos sufridas horas - la máquina no quiso imprimir ninguno de los pasajes, por tener muchos sectores y/o impuestos! Las chicas de Ultramar lo solucionaron al final (a las 1845!) pero yo perdí por lo menos un kilo...
Magda me dejó recién en el aeropuerto. Ella vuela mañana en la tarde y nos encontraremos - si todo va bien - en Tortola, el domingo en la mañana...
Abrazos para todos y gracias por todos los saludos y deseos
Willie y Magda
Our farewell last night was another concert, Gorgias and his wind trio playing in a medical centre, a programme including renaissance, baroque and classical composers. We loved it! Ian and Beti came, as well as Silvia, and of course(!) Gorgias. Afterwards we went to a Pizza hut(!) where the only wine was an indifferent white in half-bottles - but it was a great send-off.
This was the culmination of a day which included my last Russian class with Tatiana, collecting our visas from the Russian embassy, and then a trip to the travel agents to pick up the tickets. What should have been a simple operation took two agonizing hours - the machine refused to print either ticket as they were too long and had too many taxes! The Ultramar girls solved it eventually (at 18.45!), but I must have lost 2 lbs...
Magda has just dropped me off here. She flies tomorrow night and we meet again in Tortola on Sunday morning DV...
Greetings to all and thanks for all the good wishes
Willie and Magda
Del aeropuerto de Santiago, con 20 minutos antes de subir al avion.
La despedida de anoche era otro concierto, Gorgias con su trio de vientos tocando en un centro médico; el programa incluía compositores del renacimiento, del baroco, y clásicos. Soberbio! Nos acompañaron Ian y Beti, además de Silvia, y por supuesto(!) Gorgias. Después fuimos al Pizza hut(!) donde el único vino era un blanco indiferente en botellas chicas - pero lo pasamos bien.
Esto al final de un día cuando hice mi última clase de ruso con Tatiana, fuimos a la embajada Rusa para las visas, y luego a la agencia de viajes para buscar los pasajes. Lo que debía ser un tramite simple demoró dos sufridas horas - la máquina no quiso imprimir ninguno de los pasajes, por tener muchos sectores y/o impuestos! Las chicas de Ultramar lo solucionaron al final (a las 1845!) pero yo perdí por lo menos un kilo...
Magda me dejó recién en el aeropuerto. Ella vuela mañana en la tarde y nos encontraremos - si todo va bien - en Tortola, el domingo en la mañana...
Abrazos para todos y gracias por todos los saludos y deseos
Willie y Magda
martes, 17 de abril de 2007
D -2
The last 10 days have been fairly intense, with a number of bureaucratic hurdles to leap and changes to flights. We are now about square, but with the answer on our Russian visas expected tomorrow it is a nail-biting finish! There have been a few changes in our plans, as will become apparent in the coming days. The first is that while I leave on Thursday for Washington and Puerto Rico, Magda leaves on Friday via Toronto, and we meet in Tortola BVI on Sunday morning!
In the meantime we continue under the hospitable roof of Magda, my long-suffering mother-in-law, to whom we are most grateful! I have been taking Russian lessons and Magda (my wife) has been buying a dressing-gown.
Last Saturday we drove down to Santa Cruz, two and a half hours south of Santiago in the Colchagua valley (wine!) to visit a really excellent museum, strongly recommended to any visitor to Chile. It has been created by a wealthy businessman and is open year-round. Among other objects it contains a letter signed by Pedro de Valdivia, the 'conquistador' who really created Chile, and the piano belonging to Bernardo O'Higgins, the key leader in the Chilean Liberation movement of 1810-1818 and first Supremo of the newly independent republic.
On Sunday we spent a most congenial day in the 'Cajon de Maipo' valley, just outside Santiago, where we lived for three years when I first came to Chile. We were at the house in Melocoton of our friend Silvia, together with Gorgias and a group of delightful and interesting people. We took a short walk up into the mountains, then had a long lunch with a couple of good bottles and ended up dancing the Cueca, Chile's national dance. The conversation ranged from modern dance through mediaeval music to early civilizations - something for everyone!
All being well, this will be the last bulletin from Chile, at least until December...
Magda and Willie
Los últimos 10 días han sido bastante intensos, con varios trámites burocráticos y cambios en los vuelos. Estamos casi listos, pero con los dedos cruzados todavía, ya que recién mañana saldrán (o no) las visas para Rusia! Los planes han sufrido algunas modificaciones, como se apreciara en los próximos días. La primera es que yo saldré el jueves para Washington y Puerto Rico, mientras que Magda parte el viernes vía Toronto - y nos encontraremos el domingo en la mañana en Tortola, en las Islas Vírgenes!
Mientras tanto, seguimos alojados donde mi suegra, Magda; estamos muy agradecidos por su generosidad y paciencia! Yo estoy tomando clases de Ruso y Magda (mi esposa) se está comprando una bata.
El sábado fuimos a Santa Cruz, al Museo de Cardoens en Colchagua. Lo recomiendo a cualquiera, Chileno o extranjero - es realmente excelente. Entre otras cosa contiene una carta firmada por Pedro de Valdivia y el piano de Bernardo O'Higgins.
El domingo pasamos un día muy agradable en la casa de nuestra amiga Silvia en el Melocotón, Cajón de Maipo. El Cajón es un lugar especial para nosotros, ya que vivimos tres años en Las Vertientes, cuando yo recién había llegado a Chile. Tambien estuvo Gorgias y otra gente simpática e interesante. Caminamos un poco por el cerro, almorzamos - empanadas y vino chileno - y treminamos bailando la 'cueca urbana' . La conversación abarcó desde la danza moderna a la música medieval, pasando por las civilizaciones antiguas - algo para todos!
Si todo va bien, este será el último boletín desde Chile, por lo menos hasta Diciembre... Un abrazo para todos.
Magda y Willie
In the meantime we continue under the hospitable roof of Magda, my long-suffering mother-in-law, to whom we are most grateful! I have been taking Russian lessons and Magda (my wife) has been buying a dressing-gown.
Last Saturday we drove down to Santa Cruz, two and a half hours south of Santiago in the Colchagua valley (wine!) to visit a really excellent museum, strongly recommended to any visitor to Chile. It has been created by a wealthy businessman and is open year-round. Among other objects it contains a letter signed by Pedro de Valdivia, the 'conquistador' who really created Chile, and the piano belonging to Bernardo O'Higgins, the key leader in the Chilean Liberation movement of 1810-1818 and first Supremo of the newly independent republic.
On Sunday we spent a most congenial day in the 'Cajon de Maipo' valley, just outside Santiago, where we lived for three years when I first came to Chile. We were at the house in Melocoton of our friend Silvia, together with Gorgias and a group of delightful and interesting people. We took a short walk up into the mountains, then had a long lunch with a couple of good bottles and ended up dancing the Cueca, Chile's national dance. The conversation ranged from modern dance through mediaeval music to early civilizations - something for everyone!
All being well, this will be the last bulletin from Chile, at least until December...
Magda and Willie
Los últimos 10 días han sido bastante intensos, con varios trámites burocráticos y cambios en los vuelos. Estamos casi listos, pero con los dedos cruzados todavía, ya que recién mañana saldrán (o no) las visas para Rusia! Los planes han sufrido algunas modificaciones, como se apreciara en los próximos días. La primera es que yo saldré el jueves para Washington y Puerto Rico, mientras que Magda parte el viernes vía Toronto - y nos encontraremos el domingo en la mañana en Tortola, en las Islas Vírgenes!
Mientras tanto, seguimos alojados donde mi suegra, Magda; estamos muy agradecidos por su generosidad y paciencia! Yo estoy tomando clases de Ruso y Magda (mi esposa) se está comprando una bata.
El sábado fuimos a Santa Cruz, al Museo de Cardoens en Colchagua. Lo recomiendo a cualquiera, Chileno o extranjero - es realmente excelente. Entre otras cosa contiene una carta firmada por Pedro de Valdivia y el piano de Bernardo O'Higgins.
El domingo pasamos un día muy agradable en la casa de nuestra amiga Silvia en el Melocotón, Cajón de Maipo. El Cajón es un lugar especial para nosotros, ya que vivimos tres años en Las Vertientes, cuando yo recién había llegado a Chile. Tambien estuvo Gorgias y otra gente simpática e interesante. Caminamos un poco por el cerro, almorzamos - empanadas y vino chileno - y treminamos bailando la 'cueca urbana' . La conversación abarcó desde la danza moderna a la música medieval, pasando por las civilizaciones antiguas - algo para todos!
Si todo va bien, este será el último boletín desde Chile, por lo menos hasta Diciembre... Un abrazo para todos.
Magda y Willie
lunes, 9 de abril de 2007
D -10
Well, we are counting down... We have our invitations for Russia and visit the embassy on Wednesday (they only function on two half-days per week...)
In the meantime we have just spent the long weekend at the coast in Viña del Mar with Alejandro (Magda's brother) and Laura. We took advantage of the visit to do a bit of sight-seeing. Valparaiso is the old port town, crawling over the narrow coastal plain and up innumerable hillsides. It has been declared an international heritage site by UNESCO. When I first visited over 15 years ago it looked a bit seedy and down-at-heel, but in the last few years there has been a tremendous investment in saving the "typical" old houses. They are built on steep hillsides, usually of corrugated iron and oregon pine (douglas fir) which were brought in (along with the cobble-stones) by ships in ballast during the nitrates boom. From outside they often look insignificant, but when you go in you find yourself in a spacious mansion on two or three floors, with magnificent views over the port. There is a splendid Victorian Anglican church, St Paul's, complete with organ - everything down to the bricks was imported from England, and it could easily be a C19th parish church at home.
Viña is a pleasant residential city, more spacious and orderly, with a host of restaurants, but less character.
We also spent a day motoring up the coast to see the various resorts. These range from the frankly plebeian (Quinteros) to the offensively wealthy (Zapallar)! In the latter we got mixed up in a traffic-jam of huge 4x4 jeeps now fashionable in Chile at the entrance to the restaurant, I am prepared to bet that over half of them had not driven more than 800 m.
We preferred Papudo, last in the line going north, for a more democratic mix; however it has suffered cultural vandalism in the form of two tower-blocks overshadowing a pretty little classical style church built in the first half of the last century.
Sigue la cuenta regresiva... Las invitaciones para Rusia llegaron hoy, y el miércoles iremos a la embajada (sólo funcionan dos media-jornadas por semana...)
Mientras tanto, pasamos el fin de semana largo en Viña del Mar con Alejandro (hermano de la Magda) y Laura. Si quieren leer lo que escribí sobre Valparaiso y la costa de la V Región, tendrán que leer en inglés - no creo que tenga mucho interés para chilenos!!
In the meantime we have just spent the long weekend at the coast in Viña del Mar with Alejandro (Magda's brother) and Laura. We took advantage of the visit to do a bit of sight-seeing. Valparaiso is the old port town, crawling over the narrow coastal plain and up innumerable hillsides. It has been declared an international heritage site by UNESCO. When I first visited over 15 years ago it looked a bit seedy and down-at-heel, but in the last few years there has been a tremendous investment in saving the "typical" old houses. They are built on steep hillsides, usually of corrugated iron and oregon pine (douglas fir) which were brought in (along with the cobble-stones) by ships in ballast during the nitrates boom. From outside they often look insignificant, but when you go in you find yourself in a spacious mansion on two or three floors, with magnificent views over the port. There is a splendid Victorian Anglican church, St Paul's, complete with organ - everything down to the bricks was imported from England, and it could easily be a C19th parish church at home.
Viña is a pleasant residential city, more spacious and orderly, with a host of restaurants, but less character.
We also spent a day motoring up the coast to see the various resorts. These range from the frankly plebeian (Quinteros) to the offensively wealthy (Zapallar)! In the latter we got mixed up in a traffic-jam of huge 4x4 jeeps now fashionable in Chile at the entrance to the restaurant, I am prepared to bet that over half of them had not driven more than 800 m.
We preferred Papudo, last in the line going north, for a more democratic mix; however it has suffered cultural vandalism in the form of two tower-blocks overshadowing a pretty little classical style church built in the first half of the last century.
Sigue la cuenta regresiva... Las invitaciones para Rusia llegaron hoy, y el miércoles iremos a la embajada (sólo funcionan dos media-jornadas por semana...)
Mientras tanto, pasamos el fin de semana largo en Viña del Mar con Alejandro (hermano de la Magda) y Laura. Si quieren leer lo que escribí sobre Valparaiso y la costa de la V Región, tendrán que leer en inglés - no creo que tenga mucho interés para chilenos!!
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