Trivia question for you. Where can you find replicas of the ships of Magellan and Darwin, the ship used to claim this area for Chile, and the lifeboat that Shackleton used to get to the mainland to get help for his crew stranded in Antarctica? I’ll give you a hint. It’s the title of this post.
Magellan’s ship, Victoria
Darwin’s ship, The Beagle.
The small boat in the foreground was the one Shackleton used after The Endurance sank. The bigger one got the Chileans to this area so they could claim it for Chile.
Other notable images from Punta Arenas follow:
The huge monument to Magellan in the main square across from our hotel has carvings on all four sides, with a rather arrogant Magellan atop.
Punta Arenas was a very wealthy area at one time, and the cemetery reflects that abundance.
This mural honoring Gabriela Mistral is on the side of the school she founded (more about her later)
Sara Braun’s mansion faces the main square. This is ANOTHER good story that has to wait till I get home.
This morning, we are heading to remote areas where Wi-Fi could be nonexistent.
Although the distances don’t appear to be great, this appearance definitely IS deceiving. We will spend most of today traveling to Torres del Paine, stopping along the way for a hike, weather permitting.
Two days later, we will be on a longer drive, to El Calafate. From there we fly to Buenos Aires.
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” according to Laura, our wonderful guide.
Were we prepared for our walk in the rain forest? Thanks to Laura’s excellent instructions, we most certainly were.
We are wearing our waterproof pants, boots, ponchos and parkas.
Puerto Montt is usually very rainy, and today was no exception. That means we had an authentic experience, which got even MORE authentic as the day wore on.
First, we had an interpretive walk through Chile’s first National Park, Vicente Perez Rosales. The water is normally a clear blue, but rain and wind has carried volcanic ash into the water resulting in this brown color.
My new partner in crime, Janis, is another Massachusetts gal.
In other parts of the park, however, the water was a beautiful clear greenish blue.
While we were sauntering through the park, a light rain was falling. That changed to a torrential downpour while we were at lunch. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Lunch was quite a novel experience. First, it was a short boat ride away.
Second, lunch was in a private home in the middle of the National Park. How a private home ended up in the middle of a private part, I could probably remember if I hadn’t had that second glass of wine. But the “how” is not essential to the rest of our story.
What started as an Overseas Adventure Travel home hosted meal became so successful, the host built this addition on to his home, and transformed the addition into a restaurant, now open to other travelers.
Third, the menu consisted of whatever our host caught. For us, today it was rainbow trout.
And yes, it was every bit as good as it looked.
By the time lunch was over, the rain had let up a bit, but our adventure was far from over. You see, there is only ONE road into and out of the park, and when there are torrential rains, THIS is what could (and did) happen.
The guys in the foreground are on OUR side of the street. The ones in the background are where we need to be. And in between? Well take a good look.
Remember our motto “expect the unexpected”? Well, once again, we weren’t disappointed.
My new friend Janis, also known as my “partner in crime” and I were first off the bus to size up the situation. Braving rain and wind, we returned with this video.
Fortunately, heavy equipment magically appeared to do whatever heavy equipment does,
and within two hours we were on our way. I’m thinking Janis and I have a future in cable news. Whadda ya think?
What a great group to travel with! No one complained. Here are some of fellow travelers’ comments: “How lucky are we to be in such a warm, comfortable bus”, ” Good thing we used the baño before we left the restaurant”,”It’s an adventure!”
I LOVE this group!
Here’s how our day ended.
The lake across the street from the Radisson Hotel.
Tomorrow we hit the road again, so I will hit “publish” and hope for the best!
We were forewarned: this OAT trip would include several long travel days, some by plane, some by bus. Today’s transfer from Bariloche to Puerto Varas was expected to take from 8 AM to 4 PM, including the border crossings. We need to pass thru security for BOTH Chile AND Argentina, and depending on the mood of the guards, that could be brief or it could take hours.
Our route. Laura thoughtfully marked it with yellow “stickies” We started in the lower right hand corner and ended in the left lower corner, going up and around.
But that’s okay. Days in transit allow us to see the country and decompress. Our time in Bariloche was so jam packed, a day to chill was most welcome. The beautiful pool, spa and terrace at our hotel? I had no opportunity (and no energy) to try them
During our stay, we were treated to two very interesting lectures. The first, a talk by Hans Schultz about Nazis in Patagonia, was fascinating. The second took place the next morning. We learned about the “people of the land” from a member of the Mapuche tribe.
I can’t do either speaker justice blogging from my iPhone, so those stories will have to wait till I get home. I’ll also be sure to include the stories our local guide, Fernando, told us during our bus ride. Coming attractions include highlights of those two lectures plus stories about a Texas cowboy (Jarod Jones) the famous bandits, (Butch and Sundance)and a local boy(Ernesto Che Guevara).
But let’s get back to our second day in Bariloche . After the Mapuche talk, we ALL decided to take the optional trip: a float down the Limay (Crystal) River. Our group of 12 is very cohesive and very active. We all are opting to do EVERYTHING together!
Could that be a Moai atop that mountain?
Mike and I went in different rafts so we could photograph each other and our friends.
In addition to gorgeous scenery and crystal clear water, we also saw beautiful birds, like this kingfisher that Mike photographed.
I was never fast enough. My bird photos are mainly empty branches!
We were told that at the end of the trip, we would have a “snack”. Well, that “snack” turned out to be delicious quiche, the very best empanadas we’ve had (so far), delicious fried dough pastries, breads and jams, AND a wine tasting.
Next stop, horseback riding at a family owned ranch.
Mike’s horse allergy meant that we had a skilled photographer taking shots of our group.
By the end of our ride, we were all pretty hungry. What could be better than authentic Argentinian barbecue of beef, lamb and chorizo.
What is Mike doing? He’s throwing meat on the roof of the barbecue.
Why? To get this bird to come out of the tree so we could photograph it.
Fortunately, he stayed still long enough so that even I could photograph him!
By the time we returned to the hotel, I was as too tired to take advantage of the two for one drinks at the hotel bar!
What about that long ride to Puerto Varas? It wasn’t boring at all. The scenery was beautiful, plus Laura had a few surprises for us.
First was our celebratory drink when we crossed the border into Chile. Their Dulce de Leche is their equivalent to our Bailey’s Irish Creme.
Then, our lunch stop provided more than just great food. It was also the site of a self described car museum.
But it was so much more! There was also a model train village and ancient household tools that made out grandmothers’ lives “easier”
An old fashioned wringer washing machine
My favorite part, however, was hanging with this sweet little guy who wanted me to admire his hot wheels collection.
Can you figure out why I decided to end this post?
We started our second day in Santiago by congratulating ourselves on our wise decision to take it easy on day one. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for a pair of weary travelers.
First on our list was La Chascona, one of the three homes of Pablo Neruda. Don’t feel bad if you don’t know who he is. I certainly didn’t, and this is the second time I’ve been in Santiago. Not only was he a Nobel prize winning poet, but he was also a politician, and a very quirky collector. What did he collect, you ask? Well, clearly houses, given that he had three of them, all kinds of art, books, knickknacks and women. I’ll let you read about the women and all the steamy stuff on your own. I’m doing this post on an iPhone so have to stick with the essentials, because I am so high minded.
La Chascona is now a very well run museum, complete with a short, but very informative video about Neruda’s life. You also get one of those “press the button” audio guides, which explains what you are seeing as you move from room to room. What makes this house so fascinating is it was built according to Neruda’s specifications and it is multi level.. Big deal, you might be thinking. LOTS of houses are multi level. Yes, but do you have to go outside to get from one level to the next?
No ranch style living for THIS aging Chilean!
We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the house, but I was able to get this shot of the dining room from outside. The table is very narrow, to facilitate conversation and extends almost the entire length of the room.
What I loved most about the dining room is something I unfortunately couldn’t photograph—the back wall. The left side was occupied by a hutch containing china and crystal. what looked like paneling on the right was actually a door to a secret passageway, with a spiral staircase leading to Neruda’s bedroom. The treads on the staircase were so small, I was afraid by very tall, very big footed husband wouldn’t be able to climb it, but he did. For him, the outside staircases were far easier to navigate.
See, I wasn’t kidding about multiple levels!
La Chascona is close to Cerra San Cristóbal, so even though we fully expected it to be a tourist trap (thank you, Esther, for the warning)it made sense for it to be our next stop. We rode the funicular to a viewing area for a look at the HUGE metropolitan area of Santiago. I knew the city was big, but didn’t know HOW big till then.
At the summit is an enormous statue of Mary. It appeared some sort of religious service was taking place there, so we climbed the 6o steps (yes, I counted) to ride the cable car. Although you get even more views of the city, to me it wasn’t worth waiting in line. And yes, the hill IS a bit of a tourist trap, although most of the tourists appeared to be South American.
On our return trip, I noticed a couple of clearly North American ladies in our funicular car. What are the odds, that among all the thousands of visitors to Cerra San Cristóbal, those two random strangers we encountered would be two of the other five travelers on our OAT trip? A quick question got us the answer. It was 100%. They too had come in a day early, and had been touring via the Hop on Hop Off bus.
Returning to the hotel, we met the remaining three OAT travelers who had arrived at the normal start date. Our guide took us on a short walking tour, which ended at Chile’s “ground zero”, the Plaza de Armas, where the Spaniards initially settled. At one corner of the square is a statue of the Moche’s leader, Caupolicán,
and diagonally across is Pedro de Valdivia, the Spanish conquistador.
Isabel Allende’s wonderful book “Inés of My Soul”, gives a historically accurate, but fictionalized account of the founding of Chile, as told by Inés Suárez, the only known female conquistador, and mistress of de Valdivia. It is well worth reading.
Our day ended with a fabulous welcome dinner at Casa Lastarria. We were the only patrons because we were dining at the ridiculously early hour of 7 PM, to make it easy to get up for our 6:45 AM departure for Easter Island.
Expect to find these words carved on my tombstone: “She never passed up the opportunity to use a clean bathroom”. Good thing, because it took us two and a half hours to get our butts off the plane, thru Santiago airport and into a taxi. The airport’s long lines would have been even more of a challenge with a full bladder.
One reason it took so long was the computers at passport control went down for 30 minutes. Can you imagine what the crowd would be like if that happened in a NY airport? But here, everyone chilled. No groans, cursing or eye rolls. Free Wi-Fi helped. It gave everyone an opportunity to check in with friends and family.
Was this a regular occurrence? We will soon find out, because over the next six days we will be experiencing Santiago airport three more times: back and forth to Easter Island and to Buenos Aires.
Another reason for the long lines is Chile seriousness about not allowing agricultural products into the country. If the dogs don’t get you, the scanning equipment will, so there were no nuts or granola bars in OUR luggage.
We followed our tour guide’s instructions, paying for our taxi inside the airport. 20,000 pesos sounds like a lot, but it is only about $30, and they accept credit cards, so I didn’t need to stop at the ATM to the right of immigration, but I did anyway.
Although we don’t usually stay at Crowne Plaza Hotels, I signed up for their loyalty program when I made our on line reservation. Not only do loyalty members get free Wi-Fi, they also can request early check in. By the time we arrived at 10 AM, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our room was ready.
A less pleasant surprise was how very tired we were. Or maybe we are just having to acknowledge that we no longer have the stamina that we did in our younger days. Back in “the day”, we would have ignored our weariness and started checking things off our (actually MY) list. Instead, our goals for day 1 are: eat, walk a bit, rest, get acclimated to the new time zone. That was ONE To-Do list we completely accomplished!
By 1 PM, we were so hungry that we ended up having pizza and beer at La Junta, a bar with outside tables. I tell you the name so that if you are ever in Santiago, you will avoid it. The only problem with outside dining—that’s where all the smokers hang out. We ate inside.
Yeah, it was every bit as bad as it looks.
Thanks to the OAT Forum and Trip Advisor, we fared MUCH better for dinner. Both recommended Boca Nariz, a wine bar offering tapas and entrees.
If you don’t have the time or the energy to tour a Chilean vineyard, this is a great alternative. Here, you can choose from a wide variety of wine flights. We opted for wines from the Pacific coast and were pleased with our choice.
Although it looks empty, that appearance is deceiving. Those empty tables are reserved. If you plan to visit, it is wise to make a reservation. We lucked out. Initially the hostess seated us at the only available table, one designed for munchkins. Poor Mike looked like he was at an elementary school parents’ night, sitting at his kid’s desk. The hostess took note and moved us to the big kid’s table as soon as one opened up.
Once again, my blogging is lagging behind our experiences. More about Santiago next time we encounter cooperative Wi-Fi
We’ve all been told you have to dress appropriately if you want to tour the Duomo. That isn’t entirely true. If you happen to be wearing something a bit too revealing, no worries. The Duomo staff will give you a lovely, suitable outfit to wear. Best of all, you get to keep it when you leave. Take a look.
If you have been following this blog, you’ll recall that I toured the Duomo a few days ago, while in Milan on my own. I am now on the OAT trip, which started with a walking tour of Milan, including a guided tour of the Duomo. I’m glad I did both, because different tour guides emphasize different things, so YOU, dear reader, get the benefit of both, without having to endure an overnight flight.
Both guides cited identical facts and figures: when construction started (1386), how long it was under construction (centuries), and on and on. The main fact I retained was the Duomo has 52 columns. Bet you can figure out why.
As you can see, each column is topped with statues of saints, but I have no idea who is who, and neither guide (quite wisely) bothered to tell us.
Only one called our attention to the beautiful marble floor’s embedded sun dial, with figures of the zodiac appropriately placed. Check out Aries the Ram.
As usual, the Duomo showcases art representing saints that died horrific deaths. Catholics seem to have a deep appreciation for pain and suffering.
I missed the portrait of St Agatha on the first tour. We had seen many portraits of her in Sicily, in the process of having her breasts chopped off. In Milan, the painting isn’t quite so graphic. St Agatha is shown being healed by St. Peter, who visited her in prison. As you can see from her bloody garment, he is just starting to work his miracle.
BOTH guides made sure we saw the statue of St. Bartholomew. HE was skinned alive and HIS statue leaves little to the imagination.
In case you’re wondering, that’s his skin draped over his shoulder. Look to the right of his elbow. His face managed to stay intact, and every hair on his head and beard is still in place. Pretty terrifying for young Catholic children, wouldn’t you say. No wonder we grew up so twisted.
Those Romans certainly dreamed up creative ways to launch Christians into the afterlife!
While touring the Duomo terraces a few days ago, I noticed what looked like a rooftop restaurant. I figured it was probably super expensive and rather exclusive.
What a nice surprise when our OAT guide brought us over there for a drink and cookies. We enjoyed yet another view of the Duomo, while sipping our cappuccinos. Here’s Elisa, our guide, explaining where we are going next. Check out the chocolate shoes for sale at gourmet chocolate shop inside.
Time to stop blogging and start experiencing…so I leave you with some Milan highlights.
Growing up, I remember watching an old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie entitled “The Road to Morocco”. It may have been the first “buddy” road trip movie ever made. It was a comedy that got its laughs from the strange costumes and mishaps that the two “buddies”encountered during their travel.
You’re probably thinking “yeah, so what’s the point? Well, unlike my usual digressions, there actually IS a point, that point being that at times I FEEL like I’m in a buddy movie. Perhaps that’s what happens when you travel with 14 of your friends.
We haven’t had as many mishaps as Bing and Bob, but we HAVE had our share of comedic moments.
Those of us who didn’t feast on fermented shark were greatly entertained by the facial expressions of Sam and Nancy. Believe me, they definitely weren’t acting.
SOME of us hiked to a nature reserve in a volcanic crater, on the coast. The hard part was SUPPOSED to be the climb down to the “flat”area, except the FLAT area was actually a bed of mud with rocks poking up haphazardly.
At times, it felt like elves were hiding below the surface, trying to suck the boots off our feet.
We, however, were undaunted. A bit muddy, a bit wet, but definitely undaunted.
Look, we are still smiling . Helen is using Sam as a wind shield. It is difficult to get a good group photo while standing in mud, being buffeted by wind.
Odd costumes? Yep, we had a few of those.
The Galapagos have blue footed Boobies; WE have blue footed buddies.
If YOU had been experiencing misty, windy weather, would you want to get on a boat to go chasing after whales? Neither did 10 of us. Instead, we elected to have a leisurely breakfast, a stroll through the botanical garden, and lunch in town. No mishaps and no funny costumes for us.
The whale watchers, on the other hand, had both. Sorry. No photos of them in their bright blue jump suits. All we got were very vivid descriptions of the experience from our participants. Sharmon reported sighting “two whales and nineteen puking passengers”. Fortunately none of our five were in her head count. Even more fortunate, the sea sick whale watchers had the foresight to come equipped with plastic bags. That presents another question. If you thought you were going to need them, would YOU get on the boat?
In the afternoon, eleven of us (including four from the morning adventure) decided to try our luck riding Icelandic horses. I’m happy to say that there was not a single incidence of motion sickness. We DID manage to model some pretty funky outfits.
Karen, Diane, Sam, Kathy, Carol, John, Helen, Sue, me. (Sharmon and Luis were still getting suited up).
Is it my imagination, or do some of us look like we are on our way to fight a fire?
Our ride took us through magnificent scenery. The air was clear and fresh smelling, unless you happened to be riding behind Diane. HER horse was desperately in need of the equine version of bean-o, emitting noises that would have had most third graders in hysterics. (Okay, so WE laughed too. )
But he looks so innocent!
Because we took so long getting fitted with helmets, choosing our trusty steeds, mounting and dismounting, we were running late for our dinner reservation. Modern technology came to the rescue. A google search for the restaurant phone number and a quick call via cell phone, and voila, problem solved.
We ended our “buddy movie” on a high note, having a great dinner at Strikiò Restaurant.
We were on a mission, leaving rainy Reykjavík in search of sunshine. Would we need to squander one of our three wishes on a request for some respite from the rain? Read on, if you want to find out.
First up on our way to Stykkishólmur was a stop at a wool studio.
When I had initially learned that the itinerary would exchange a visit to a waterfall for a wool demonstration, I was a bit distressed. Was I ever wrong! The presentation was quite wonderful. The explanation of the chemistry involved in dyeing wool was fascinating. In the OLD days, cow’s urine was a key ingredient; it has since been replaced with ammonia, and not just because of the smell, although that alone was a good enough reason for me. The problem is today it is too difficult to collect. The cows are allowed to roam free and don’t take too kindly to someone following them around with a bucket. The urine of old women also had characteristics that produced a particular color. I don’t remember the color or the age requirement, I DO remember several of us volunteered to donate.
Our next stop was at the Settlement Center in Borgarnes, where we were treated to a very interesting Norse history, including an opportunity to stand on the bow of a moving Viking ship.
Lunch in the second floor restaurant was delicious: a choice of tomato or lamb soup and a salad bar chock full of my favorite items. A nice surprise was that this lunch was now included, where at one time it wasn’t. Given the high price of food in Iceland, this was a welcome change.
Today’s drive was a long one, blessedly broken up by several stops. Here we are viewing vertical lava flows. Our guide explained the geology behind this particular effect. I promptly forgot it.
Luis is posing for all of the photography enthusiasts. By now, I can identify everyone from the back. From left: Karen, Kathy and Nancy ( and the fuscia arm in the far left corner is either Helen or Debby)
Finally, we arrived at Mount Helgafell, where, if you climb to the top without speaking and don’t look back, you can face the east and make three wishes. They have to be of positive intent, and you can’t tell anyone what they are.
I’m facing the east, have made my wishes, and am now allowed to look behind me.
Being a generous soul, I gave one of my wishes for the good of our entire planet, (excluding Russia), one for Mike and me and one for a family member in need of a wish. We’ll see if the Viking version of prayer works. (At least none of us got turned into a pillar of salt!)
Mt Helgafell deserves a few more photos, so here goes:
The ascent was rather easy, because the path was well maintained, and the view was worth every step. Although we hadn’t really found the sun, at least it wasn’t raining, and there were some patches of blue in the sky.
The two Canadians: My blogging buddy Nancy (in red) and my newest friend, Sue.
Our second day on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was also quite full, starting with a visit to a waterfall. This short video, done by Mike, captures the beauty of the waterfall better than any of my photos, but if you don’t want to hop over to YouTube, this is for you.
There’s one in every crowd. OURS is called Luis.
Kathy expressed an interest in bird life, so Hlynur took her for a little walk in a nesting area. Wonder what happened? Mike managed to get this action shot of Kathy being dive bombed by an angry mama bird.
It looked like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie. You know which one.
Some people collect stamps or coins or shoes. Me, I collect people. Once I decide I like someone, it is hard to get me to let go. So what do you do when people you really like are scattered all over North America? Why, you plan a trip with that assortment of very interesting souls.
Are you curious about what happens when you put 15 friends together for 12 days on an island, coming within 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle? Me too. For all you inquiring minds out there, I have good news. One of my traveling buddies is also a blogging buddy, so for THIS trip, you will have two, yes TWO blogs to peruse–this one, and the Canadian version of our Iceland Adventure. Nancy is a fantastic photographer who always provides excellent information about the places she visits. Another plus: her blog keeps pace with the trip, while I usually lag far behind. (Translated: Nancy will likely be doing MOST of the blogging). If you sign up to follow her posts, they will be delivered automatically to your in-basket, just click on that blue link above to be transferred over.
Some demographics: Our group is composed of 5 men and 10 women: 4 from Boston, 4 from New Jersey, 2 from Ohio, 2 from California, 1 from Oregon and 2 from British Columbia. 6 have never been on a group trip before, and 8 have never been on an OAT trip before. 11 of us are retired. 2 of the husbands were foreign-born: (Argentina and Jordan). I’ve known some members of the group for decades (the longest friendship is 53 years,) but others are newer relationships, including 1 traveler who I’ll be meeting for the first time when we arrive in Iceland.
Where will we be going, you ask? After exploring Reykjavik, we will be traveling west and north to places with unpronounceable names. Akureyri, I am told, is located just 40 miles off the Arctic Circle, in case you were wondering. We then are flying back to Reykjavik, for a visit to the Golden Circle, before heading home.
For all you visual people out there, I have included a map, of sorts.
I’m excited about seeing the wonders of Iceland–the land of fire and ice. But I’m equally excited about spending time with this great group.
Several of us decided to fly in a day early, arriving at Keflavik airport around (groan) 6 AM. It takes about an hour to get luggage and emerge from customs, then roughly another hour to get to our hotel. I think it is a pretty safe bet that our rooms won’t be available at 8 AM, or for at LEAST several hours, so I have loaded up on suggestions from the OAT Forum of what to do in Reykjavik till we can crash in our hotel rooms.
Hope you join us for what we expect to be a very fun party!
Okay, so you’ve decided to visit Yellowstone and the Tetons. Now what?
Hint #1: Jackson Hole and the Tetons
If you are flying in, it’s a good idea to spend your first night (or more) in Jackson Hole. By the time you arrive and pick up your car, you will probably be tired. Jackson Hole is great place to catch your breath, rest up and enjoy the scenery. It is also much easier to get lodging, and because we were visiting outside of ski season, the hotel rates were quite reasonable.
So, what does Jackson Hole have to offer? Museums, scenery, shopping, and great restaurants! We particularly liked Gather, which was only a couple of blocks from our hotel. The food was delicious, creatively presented and reasonably priced. Chicken with pancakes and berries plus flourless chocolate cake were just two of our choices.
chicken with pancakes
flourless chocolate cake
If you have a sweet tooth (and as you can tell from the photo above, I do), then you will definitely want to stop at Moo. In addition to great ice cream, they also offer truffle animals that are almost too good to eat.
Did I mention shopping? Every man needs at least one of these hanging in his closet.
Nature lovers can’t miss with a hike in the Rockefeller Preserve. Follow this linkfor trail maps, hours and rules for visiting.
Be forewarned. To get there, you have to travel on some unpaved roads. And some of the trails are a bit rocky, but the scenery is magnificent and oh so peaceful.
We spent our first two nights in Teton Village, then headed for Yellowstone early in the morning, stopping for breakfast in Jackson Hole. If you follow my advice from my last post and stay in Jackson Hole at Springhill Suites, you would be able to enjoy a free breakfast (they start serving EARLY) and would get to Yellowstone even earlier than we did. If, however, you choose to experience the Teton Village, check out the Mangy Moose for breakfast, and Osteria or Spur for lunch or dinner.
Hint #2 Take a Tour Be sure to reserve your tours WELL in advance, especially if you are visiting during peak season! If you visit Yellowstone during non-peak season, some activities might not be offered. For example, none of the boating activities were available on Yellowstone Lake, but there was still more than enough to do. The Event Plannerwill tell you what is available, when.
We booked two tours–the “Circle of Fire, and “Wake Up to Wildlife”. The Circle of Fire tour lasted all day, and was a very good value at $86 per adult. Every seat on this large tour bus is a good seat, with excellent views wherever you sit.
We paid $100 per adult for Wake Up to Wildlife. We did NOT book in advance, so we ended up taking this tour on the day we were checking out of our hotel–not ideal, but it was all that was available.
The “historic” yellow buses used for Wake Up to Wildlife can only seat 13 people, ( three rows of 4, plus 1 beside the driver.) The tour is supposed to start at 6:15 AM and last until around 11:30.
Both tours charge half price for children under the age of 11; both tours pick up and drop off at several park hotels, and for both tours, the bus driver is also your tour guide. Both of ours were retirees who thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. Their love for the park, its history, animals and lore was obvious. While driving, they kept us entertained with stories, jokes and oh so much valuable information.
Hint #3 The Wildlife You don’t need to take a tour to see wildlife. It didn’t take long for us to encounter our first of MANY bison and elk. These animals are very comfortable strutting their stuff along the roads, in the roads, pretty much where ever they want. That does have an impact on travel time and traffic, so keep that in mind, relax and enjoy the show.
The park literature does a great job reminding visitors that these are wild and potentially dangerous animals, so we kept a safe distance, but we DID observe others who got dangerously close.
We didn’t see any bears, and although we theoretically DID spot some wolves, an osprey, pronghorns, some mountain goats and a badger community, most were way too distant to see without binoculars.
Can you spot the mountain goat in this photo? Neither could I, but I was TOLD there was one to the left of that snowy patch, near the bottom.
On the Wake Up to Wildlife tour, our guide supplied the scope, and some of “wolf watchers” we encountered along the way were kind enough to share their equipment with us. But even with powerful scopes, I never was able to see the wolves.
Even with the very good zoom on my camera, this photo of badger butts was as good as I could get–so you can imagine what the deleted ones looked like!I had better luck outside of our hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs, where several of these little guys were cavorting across the street.
My opinion, based on my ONE experience, was that we would have been better served to skip “Wake Up to Wildlife” and explore on our own. (Others who have experienced the tour are encouraged to weigh in). Here’s why: on our own, we could have stopped when we wanted, for as long as we wanted. The bus was unable to stop when animals were sighted along the way, so, for example, we SAW many “red dogs” (the locals’ name for baby bison) during our tour, we weren’t able to stop and watch them, or get a good shot.
photo taken from the yellow bus on Wake Up to Wildlife
Because of its size, the bus was limited to parking in specific areas.
On our own, we could have left when we wanted and returned when we chose. Despite being in the lobby on time (at 6:15 AM!!!), the tour bus didn’t leave the parking lot till 6:40 AM. If you think that made me grumpy, you’d be right. Oh yeah, one more thing: There is no coffee making paraphernalia at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and nothing is open at 6:15. You DO get a bottle of cranberry juice and a muffin, but that’s it until your return at around 11:30. We knew that, so stocked up at the nearby General Store the day before.
There WERE positives: The bus driver’s stories and his telescope for viewing animals.
Hint #4 Yellowstone is MUCH more than Old Faithful I was completely blown away by the incredible geological features of this amazing park. The Circle of Fire Tour takes you to the main highlights, such as Geyser Basin at West Thumb. This area, bordering Yellowstone Lake is fascinating. Check out the colors from the mineral deposits!
When the Park first opened, visitor were able to board a ferry in West Thumb that would take them across the lake to our hotel. While we were there, no boats were sailing or chugging across the lake, probably because the ice wasn’t completely gone until May 21 (according to our guide). Even though the ice was about 30 inches thick, it is hard to understand how the lake can remain frozen with all the smokin’ hot activity close by. Okay, I am going to TRY to insert a video of the boiling mud. Hope it works.
We stopped at a couple of waterfalls as we made our way to Old Faithful, arriving at the complex with about an hour and a half before the geyser was expected to erupt, just enough time to get lunch, before the show.
I decided to avoid the crowd, take a seat under the trees, and watch from the distance.
The only place where we encountered crowds during our tour was at Old Faithful.
If I had to choose a favorite spot, it would be very difficult, but I guess I’d choose the Fountain Paint Pots. I just loved the stark landscape.
The male bisons travel solo. I’m wondering how he manages to saunter over this hot area?
I could keep going with photos from the Circle of Fire Tour, but you get the idea. The geological features are jaw dropping! And it is great to have the guide explain what is going on.
Hint #6 Getting hungry? The choices pretty much boil down to amusement park quality food, fine dining or “do it yourself” from purchases at the General Stores. We tried all three and for us, it was easy to determine that fine dining was the way to go. Because we are used to New Jersey and New York restaurant prices, the food did not seem all that expensive to us.
I would NOT recommend eating in the Yellowstone cafeteria! The food resembles airplane food, except at least airplane food is not served and consumed in the midst of chaos. To be fair, it WAS fast. In retrospect, I wish we gone with the slower, but probably better, restaurant at Old Faithful Inn.
The entryway of the Old Faithful Inn
If you want to have dinner at the Lake Hotel, (and I hope you do), you will need to make reservations well in advance. I made reservations for both nights we stayed there, figuring we could cancel if we didn’t like the food. We liked it so much, we ended up having all our meal there.
At Mammoth Hot Springs, you can’t make a reservation; it is first come, so beware if you see a bus loads of tourists pulling into the parking lot.
An unexpected bonus? All of the waitstaff were knowledgeable about the park and were happy to share information with us. Their tips led us to some wonderful spots we might not have found on our own.
Our waiter told us where to go to catch the perfect sunset on the lake. We had the place all to ourselves.
Tip #7 Don’t miss theTravertine Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs The view from the top of the terraces is pretty spectacular.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
We celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary at the Mural Room, Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons. Where else could your butter be shaped like a moose?
Although I could go on and on about the glories of Yellowstone, I think you just have to experience it for yourself.
We are wearing our waterproof pants, boots, ponchos and parkas.
My new partner in crime, Janis, is another Massachusetts gal.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
Destination NOW 