So I've been lacking on the posts lately...
Soon I'll post the rest of the Chile story and photos from the last-minute trip to Peru and Machu Picchu (that's right... Machu Picchu! And let me tell you: it is everything it is cracked up to be!).
About two days after returning, I started work again at the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Virginia as Multimedia Editor. It has been a process transitioning into the new role, and the work-load has been heavy! It won't lighten up any time soon, but things are growing and changing. Here are some recent projects from the photo staff:
Bob Martin's piece on a wheelchair racer
Splash & Dash
Historic Find at Ferry Farm
Fair Colors
August 27, 2008
June 18, 2008
back North... Chile up by 5.
So we´ve been away from internet for awhile, and are now back in Santiago, Chile. I have lots of pictures to post, which will be coming soon.
Chilean Patagonia was fantastic. I spent 2 and a half weeks there, and definitely feel like I could have spent more time.
About a week and a half ago we grabbed a bus to Cochrane, about a 9 hour ride into Patagonia. There is one road that goes the whole way, and is a beautiful ride.
Cochrane was cold and wet, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. I´ve never seen weather change like it does there. We climbed a hill overlooking the town (where there is a big COCHRANE sign that resembles the HOLLYWOOD sign), and when we looked one way, turned our heads, and then about 8 seconds later turned our heads back and could no longer see 30 feet in front of ourselves as a fog had settled in over the whole town.
The next day we grabbed a bus to La Confluenza to surprise the friend of a contact I had made and were greeted by 6 dogs and Juan Pablo. Spent the day there getting a really good look at the Baker, doing an interview, and grabbing the bus back to Cochrane from the side of the road.
From there it was on to Caleta Tortel, one of the coolest places we've been ever. It is a small city of 500 residents on the side of a mountain with no roads, only wooden boardwalks and stairs and walkways connecting everything. Needless to say, we got a workout! Met some really cool people, did a lot of walking and hiking (including a bog at the top of the mountain where when I would step, Phil (15 feet away) would move on the jello-like surface.
A few days later and back to Cochrane, then a bus to the small town of Puerto Bertrand which was next to empty, but beautiful, staying with a sweet woman in her hospedaje who picked us up when we seems stranded with no room. A lot of fly-fishermen visit here in the right season. Grabbed a bus from the side of the road back to Coyhaique from there, made travel arrangements for the rest of our trip, and flew back yesterday to Santiago.
As Phil would say, while I have loved Chile and Patagonia, it has definitely kicked my butt! A few good slips on falls on the winter ground and down a flight of stairs in, a solid dog-bite, and right through a plank in Tortel. Nothing but grace, that's for sure!
From here I have a bit more work to do in Santiago, visiting some fruit production factories, seeing the city and region, and hopefully getting an interview with the company working on the dams, HidroAysen. They have not been willing to go on video yet for an interview, or even just audio, at the places that I have tried in Patagonia. So I'm going to try again here, though my hopes are not high. You never know.
Saturday we fly to Cusco and Sunday it's on up to Machu Picchu, taking a detour the last few days for another stamp in the Passport.
Chilean Patagonia was fantastic. I spent 2 and a half weeks there, and definitely feel like I could have spent more time.
About a week and a half ago we grabbed a bus to Cochrane, about a 9 hour ride into Patagonia. There is one road that goes the whole way, and is a beautiful ride.
Cochrane was cold and wet, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. I´ve never seen weather change like it does there. We climbed a hill overlooking the town (where there is a big COCHRANE sign that resembles the HOLLYWOOD sign), and when we looked one way, turned our heads, and then about 8 seconds later turned our heads back and could no longer see 30 feet in front of ourselves as a fog had settled in over the whole town.
The next day we grabbed a bus to La Confluenza to surprise the friend of a contact I had made and were greeted by 6 dogs and Juan Pablo. Spent the day there getting a really good look at the Baker, doing an interview, and grabbing the bus back to Cochrane from the side of the road.
From there it was on to Caleta Tortel, one of the coolest places we've been ever. It is a small city of 500 residents on the side of a mountain with no roads, only wooden boardwalks and stairs and walkways connecting everything. Needless to say, we got a workout! Met some really cool people, did a lot of walking and hiking (including a bog at the top of the mountain where when I would step, Phil (15 feet away) would move on the jello-like surface.
A few days later and back to Cochrane, then a bus to the small town of Puerto Bertrand which was next to empty, but beautiful, staying with a sweet woman in her hospedaje who picked us up when we seems stranded with no room. A lot of fly-fishermen visit here in the right season. Grabbed a bus from the side of the road back to Coyhaique from there, made travel arrangements for the rest of our trip, and flew back yesterday to Santiago.
As Phil would say, while I have loved Chile and Patagonia, it has definitely kicked my butt! A few good slips on falls on the winter ground and down a flight of stairs in, a solid dog-bite, and right through a plank in Tortel. Nothing but grace, that's for sure!
From here I have a bit more work to do in Santiago, visiting some fruit production factories, seeing the city and region, and hopefully getting an interview with the company working on the dams, HidroAysen. They have not been willing to go on video yet for an interview, or even just audio, at the places that I have tried in Patagonia. So I'm going to try again here, though my hopes are not high. You never know.
Saturday we fly to Cusco and Sunday it's on up to Machu Picchu, taking a detour the last few days for another stamp in the Passport.
June 5, 2008
more photos
I'm staying in Coyhaique for the week, continuing to study Spanish and take lessons, reach contacts, see the area and plan for the next week! there is currently a trucker strike in the country, and this region may run out of diesel, so there is a chance that my travel plans could be stalled for the long run... such is life, I guess. Hopefully it does not shut down the country.
Regardless, some more photos:
The view from the hospedaje's backyard I'm not in.
bus terminal
gotta love wires mixed with la vista.
she and i bonded on the ice in the street.
not a lot of daylight these days.
tonight: film about the dams and patagonia. tomorrow: hopefully the weather will be nice and i'll go for a hike. saturday: last spanish lesson and phil arrives. sunday: hopefully to cochrane by bus.
Regardless, some more photos:
The view from the hospedaje's backyard I'm not in.
bus terminal
gotta love wires mixed with la vista.
she and i bonded on the ice in the street.
not a lot of daylight these days.
tonight: film about the dams and patagonia. tomorrow: hopefully the weather will be nice and i'll go for a hike. saturday: last spanish lesson and phil arrives. sunday: hopefully to cochrane by bus.
May 31, 2008
Coyhaique
Now I´m in Coyhaique, the center of the defense of the land in Patagonia. I´ll be spending the next week or two seeing what I can of the land and the people here (it is Winter, so not the height of outdoor season to say the least, but a good chance to get to know the people). Hopefully I´ll be able to get what I can of the outdoors.
Most people use the wood stove for heat, cooking, etc. since gas and electricity are increasing in price.
A teen juggles in the street to earn some extra money.
Signs and graffiti opposing the construction of the dams and power lines can be seen throughout the city.
Most people use the wood stove for heat, cooking, etc. since gas and electricity are increasing in price.
A teen juggles in the street to earn some extra money.
Signs and graffiti opposing the construction of the dams and power lines can be seen throughout the city.
Puerto Montt to Coyhaique
First I traveled to Puerto Montt before making it to Coyhaique, the center of the defense of Patagonia.
Puerto Montt bus terminal.
My current bed in Coyhaique... right next to the wood stove... yes!
Puerto Montt bus terminal.
My current bed in Coyhaique... right next to the wood stove... yes!
A day with scientists
I took a day to spend some time with scientists from New Mexico Tech studying the volcano in Chaiten, a huge volcano that erupted in early May. No one is allowed within 50 km close, but the group was using instruments set up on farms to gather information.
Based in the town of Castro.
Farmland where the instruments were set up.
Collecting pumice on the shoreline.
Checking the gear at another site.
Landowners are reimbursed for their time and power.
Rosa, one of the owners.
The volcano plume.
Another landowner.
Heading home.
Based in the town of Castro.
Farmland where the instruments were set up.
Collecting pumice on the shoreline.
Checking the gear at another site.
Landowners are reimbursed for their time and power.
Rosa, one of the owners.
The volcano plume.
Another landowner.
Heading home.
So the project that I am starting on is regarding the energy crisis in Chile and the proposed building of 5 dams in Patagonia, which would change the ecological landscape as well as the lifestyle, creating a "highway" of wires.
I´m currently in Patagonia, meeting people and seeing the region. It is a project that I hope to get what I can now, as the region is in winter and is much more active some the spring months. Maybe I´ll have the chance to return. But it is a good time to work on it at the same time because it is a current and forefront issue at the moment.
I started off in Santiago, which was just a chance to get my feet underneath me as well as think about the use of energy. The energy supply the dams would produce would be shipped North to the Central region, including Santiago. I´ll be returning there to really focus on this portion.
I´m currently in Patagonia, meeting people and seeing the region. It is a project that I hope to get what I can now, as the region is in winter and is much more active some the spring months. Maybe I´ll have the chance to return. But it is a good time to work on it at the same time because it is a current and forefront issue at the moment.
I started off in Santiago, which was just a chance to get my feet underneath me as well as think about the use of energy. The energy supply the dams would produce would be shipped North to the Central region, including Santiago. I´ll be returning there to really focus on this portion.
May 29, 2008
Chile Travel
So I'm currently sitting in the airport at Puerto Montt, Chile. My flight to Coyhaique was canceled due to the Chaiten volcano. Hopefully it will go tomorrow, but maybe not even then. But it's given me the chance to catch up on some things.
Yesterday with the scientists studying the volcano was fun. Got to see the countryside that I normally wouldn't see. People are only allowed 50km close to the volcano, so there is not much to view there, but it was still interesting nonetheless.
Here is a photo from flying over the mountains and into Chile. For now I'm back to the hostel I stayed in, Case Perla, which is more of a home-stay than a hostel. Down the hall is the parent's and daughter's bedroom, and the bathroom is shared with the family. But it is cozy and warm with a good breakfast, so it's all good with me.
My plans coming up are to make it to Coyhaique and settle in there, then try to meet with different people fro NGOs that are involved with the proposed dam building projects. From there I head even more South to get a good look at the Baker River, one of the two potential homes to the dams, and possibly the Pascua, as well as the towns that will be affected by the project.
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