London's Burning

We were at the end of our trip when the riot in England broke out.  We were actually in London just 10 days before all hell broke loose and were thankful we had moved on in time and that all our family and friends were safe.

It was chilling to watch the news and see the streets we had recently been to, being filled with looters and shops set on fire.

I don't understand why people say Cameron is too harsh on the looters.  I agree with Cameron, if you are old enough to commit the crime, you are old enough to be held responsible for your own actions.

If the punishment is not hard enough and these looters only get a slap on the wrist, none of them would ever learn.  So many people get stabbed and the offenders get like a few months to a few years!!!  Try sentencing them to 20 years for stabbing and see if people dare to break the law again.

I don't agree with China on everything but I do agree with her that you must be able to control your people and you must be tough on law breakers.  And unfortunately, it has to be done by fear.  At the end of the day, results count. 

So I don't think Cameron or the government or the police are harsh at all.  As for evicting people from their council homes if any member within the household is found guilty, yes, it's a complicated matter; However, if your teens were running around during such time, or had participated in the riots, you as a parent or parents or family SHOULD be held liable.  If my dog bites someone, I am held liable, regardless!!!

Sitting aside and letting it all happened was no difference from joining the looters yourself.

It's one thing to attack the police or break windows, it's a total different thing when innocent people were being beaten up, homes were broken into or burnt down and the famous furniture shop which survived two World Wars was burnt to the ground!!! I mean, what the fuck is wrong with these people?

People's livelihood, childhood and families were ruined because of these dipshits who have absolutely no respect for the society, the law or human lives.

I was surprised when I heard this woman on the news saying that they didn't want to use water cannon because they didn't want to hurt the relationship between the police and community.  I was like...come again?  

What about everyone who had had their house burnt down, their shops ransacked, their family member killed and so on?  

SHOOT THE FUCKING BASTARDS!! 

Thank God, Cameron ordered the police to come down hard on the looters.

Many people, such as myself, applaud the police for their great work, countless overtime, their sacrifices and their bravery.  My heart goes out to the police and people who had sacrificed their lives in order to protect others from these looters.

It is chilling to learn that these looters included not only teenagers but also an Olympics Ambassador, ex-soldiers, college students, a primary school worker, postman, a young dad and so on.

It's a cultural and social problem and it can't be fixed overnight.  But maybe at the expense of many victims affected during the riots, the people are beginning to turn their attention onto what England has become today. 

I am glad as the day goes by, more and more looters are being captured and charged. Put them were they belong and no matter how they excuse themselves (such as how little the government was giving them..hello???), serving their time is no where near as bad as what they have put innocent people through.

Brazil - Sun, Sand, Sea and Sexy People

We saw the Iguazu Falls from both the Argentina and Brazil sides and they were absolutely amazing.  Pictures just don't do it justice, you have to see it with your own eyes!!! The majestic water falls along with the roaring sounds they make were just unreal.  I heard that the Angel Fall is great but it's one big fall, whereas the Iguazu Falls are made of a number of falls and it's massive!!!

The next day, we headed off to Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil.  We were there for 2 days and frankly speaking, it was disappointing.  I guess it's a monstrous city, more for living instead of visiting. The so called landmarks looked like buildings that have been bombed!

One good thing though, there is an area called Liberdade, it has the largest Japanese community outside of Japan in the world!  That is, where you will find RAMEN!!!  Both nights we just hung around Liberdade and ate double our body weights. 

Further, we had a rather interesting experience the first night.  We booked into a sex hotel accidentally (we found it on hotels.com and someone had actually rated on it so we thought it was a legit place); we weren't in a very good area and it was getting late. So we decided to stay for one night. Our bed was octagon with full length mirrors on each wall.  There was no duvet or blankets on the bed, everything looked disgusting and the only English chanel they had was hardcore porn.  Later that night, we heard someone getting spanked.  It was an interesting experience.

We were in Sao Paulo for 2 nights before heading off to Fernando de Noronha, the Hawaii of Brazil. 

It houses some of the world's best beaches such as Praia do Sancho and it is where many Brazilians go to for their honeymoon.  Fernando is also a turtle sanctary so it was nice to see baby turtles being dug out of their birth ditches and watched them race to the sea.  Fernando is bloody expensive.  The longer you stay, the more tax you have to pay.  The accommodations and food were really expensive but it was totally worth it.

We were in Fernando for 2 weeks and were lucky enough to stay at a really nice place with air-con, hot water and cable TV.  Soft sand, crystal clear water, beautiful beaches but most importantly, there were NO RUBBISH on the beach.  And basically NO ONE with you.  Most of the time, you go to beaches with like a zillion people around you and tons of rubbish and crap all over the place.  But you don't get that in Fernando which made it worth it.  We felt like we had had the beaches exclusively to ourselves for 2 weeks.

After 2 weeks of doing absolutely nothing but sunbathe and swim, we headed off to Rio for 4 days.

Rio de Janeiro - January River - the marvellous city.  It houses one of the New Seven Wonders of the World i.e. Christ the Redeemer, a massive statue overlooking the city.  It was great but why that's on the New Seven Wonders of the World list but Angkor Wat isn't is beyond me.

Anyhow, Rio was lovely.  We visited some of the famous beaches such as Ipanema and Copacabana, Sugar Loaf and Santa Teresa (colonial area, cobblestone streets).  Rio's setting reminds me of Hong Kong.  A magnificient city among hills and mountains with river/sea surroundings.  It's funny how sometimes, the things that you want have always been there, you just don't notice it.

Anyway, you haven't been to Brazil if you haven't had the Brazilian BBQ where you eat till you die.  Before your drinks come, you would find meat whacked onto your plate and I shit you not, the meat is incredible. The lamb, beef, pork, you name it.  There were so many different types of meat, different cuts and different ways of cooking them. We had a great time but we nearly died from eating so much.

We didn't see any Gisele walking around but we saw a lot of butt cheeks hahahaa...Brazil was the most expensive city we have visited in South America but all in all, we had had a fantastic time in Brazil.  If anything, we will definitely go back for the Brazilian BBQ!!!

Don't Cry for Me Argentina...

June 2nd, we took a bus from Santiago to Mendoza but we only stayed there for 2 nights, our aim was to hit as many winery in a day as possible.  We hit managed to hit four which wasn't bad, considering we woke up late and didn't start until 1pm!  We visited the Carinae, Di Tommaso, Vina el Cerno and another new one which I can't remember the name.

As most of you know, I don't drink, so the highlight of the day was when a lovely girl we met during our wine tour got so hammered, she fell off her bike and the police had to escort her back to the bike store.  It was seriously hilarious!  The funniest thing I have seen in a while.  It was priceless!

My hubby had a great time and I did too, to see the winery and learn about wine making.  You haven't been to Mendoza if you haven't done a wine tour.

On June 4th, we headed off to Buenos Aires via a pimp bus with 180° seats and individual entertainment system, which made the 13-hour bus journey much more enjoyable.

We were in BA for 5 nights and I tell you, this city NEVER SLEEPS.  We went to a restaurant at 7:30pm and were told we were too early and that we should return after 8pm!  Our restaurant started filling up at 11pm.  Argentines party HARD.  They drink at 8pm, dine at 10pm, then hit the clubs at 2am!!!

We felt like complete douche bags and were ready to rot in an old folks home! However, we did manage to kill the meat there BIG TIME.  The amount of food we had had was simply offensive.  By the last day, I couldn't eat anything the following morning because we had eaten so much.

The meat there was outstanding, the night life was crazy, the cities were pretty and although on the surface, the people in BA seemed rather stuck up, once you get to chat with them, you would learn that they are really friendly and helpful!

Apart from the food, the Recoleta Cemetery was the highlight of my trip in Argentina.  It's like a mini town inside the thick walls which surround the cemetery.  The stonework, the marble, the statues were absolutely fascinating.  It's for the elite of Argentina such as doctors, judges, politicians and of course, Evita. I loved it so much I had to go back and visit it again before we left BA.

Is it wrong to say that I have fallen in love with a cemetery? But seriously, if you ever go to BA, you will know what I mean, the Recoleta Cemetery is really unique and I have never ever seen anything like it before.

Apart from that, we did the usual touristy stuff and visited all the places like City Center, Recoleta, Palermo etc...the second highlight was the Zoo in BA.  Within such small area, you could find white lions and tiger, hippos, monkeys, elephants, lions, polar bear, bears, rhino and so on.  We planned to roam around it but ended up staying there for about 3 hours!!!

During our stay in BA, we took a day trip to Colonia in Uruguay.  I am not sure why anyone would say that you should stay there for a week, I mean it was a lovely little town (the historical town anyways) but half a day was enough for us!  The town was peaceful, colonial and very pretty but I would recommend doing a day trip only.

June 10th came and we were really excited about flying off to Iguazu until we were told by our hotel that the BA airport had closed because of the ash cloud from the Chile volcano eruption and most flights were cancelled.  We were gutted because we have already booked the hostals and the following flights to and within Brazil which we couldn't change, everything was back to back.

If you have experienced the London ash cloud incident a year ago, you would know how we felt.

Anyhow, we were still told to go to the airport and there, we wait, wait and wait. 11am came and we were told to wait another hour.  12pm came and we were told to continue to wait until I went up and told the staff we had to make other arrangements and we couldn't wait any longer.  I know no one can predict the weather but seriously, go or no go, you are talking about a plane taking off, of course people knew.

Long story short, we were finally told our flight was canceled, so we took a taxi to the bus station and hopped onto the next available bus to Iguazu.  So an hour and a half flight journey turned out to be an 18-hour bus ride.  By the time we got to Iguazu, it was 8am and luckily, our hostal was willing to change the booking dates and our room was ready!!! By the time we crossed the Brazilian boarder and finally arrived to see the falls, it was a good 24 hour from when the time we arrived at the BA airport!

Having said that, the Iguazu Falls were magnificent.  The roaring of the water, the wind in your face and the grandness of the view, the experience was nothing but majestic.  No wonder why it's one of the 50 places you should see before you die.

We have really enjoyed our trip in Argentina, with double our belly volume and many fantastic memories, we will be heading off to Brazil tomorrow and I can't wait to kill the beaches while my hubby takes down the Brazilian barbecues!

BREAKING NEWS: There is no egg or bunny on Easter Island, Chile

REPORTING (not exactly live but maybe a week later..) BREAKING NEWS that there is no egg or bunny on Easter Island!!!

Yes, you heard me.

However, there are fascinating myths, legends, archaeological sites, friendly locals, surf and dive sites and most importantly, the man-like statues known as Moai.

You can probably visit all the sites on Easter Island in two days by car, in which you don't have to rush from one place to another.  However, to make the most out of our 5-hour plane journey from Chile, we decided to stay for 5 days which was totally worth it.

The main sites are as follows: Ahu Akivi (7 Moai), Ahu Tongariki (15 Moai), Ahu Hanga Kio'e (1 Moai), Ahu Vai Uri (4 Moai), Ahu Tahai (1 Moai), Ahu Ko Te Riku (1 Moai with a hat), Ahu Nau Nau (at Anakena Beach, the most well preserved Moai on the island, all with hats), Orongo Village, Rano Kau Crater and Rano Raraku (the nusery of Moai, where all Moai are made).

We got a gentleman named Paul, to tour us and he is an archaeologist and hotel owner on Easter Island, he probably knows more about anything and everything of Easter Island than the locals do.

Anyhow, the mystery of Easter Island has always been about the Moai:

- Who built them?

- What are they?

- Why are they all knocked over?

- Why do they stop making them...etc?

Well, they were built by the locals according to the reflection of the local men. They believed the souls of the dead would come back and stay in the Moai and would protect the village or field the Moai looked upon.

In the 18th Century, most of the Moai were standing but by mid 19th Century, not one was standing.

Legend has it that a man went to Tongariki and wanted chicken heads, he didn't get any and he tapped his feet against the stone foundation and all statues fell.  Another famous one is about an old woman who was a cook and could move the huge stone statues with super power!  One day, she came back and found that the workers had eaten a lobster and didn't leave any for her.  She was so angry that she told all the statues to fall down and all subsequent production halted.

However, there are more reasonable and modern explanations for the fall and desertion of work - tribal warfare, earthquake, the ocean washing them away and even the modern day requirements for the stones from the statues!

The statues are STUNNING, some sites have one or two, while another is a massive nusery. Like the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu, pictures and words do not do it justice, you have to see it with your own eyes.

They are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G...they are M.A.R.V.E.L.L.O.U.S!!!

You could be walking along the coast and suddenly, there is this massive stone statue shaped like a human right in front of you.  There is so much history behind them and it's heart-breaking to see so many of them with their faces down, broken, damaged or even 1,000ft below the water. Recently, a tourist tried to cut off an earlope of one of the statues just so he could bring it home!!!

When we were at Rano Raraku (the nusery), we could not believe our eyes, there were just statue heads everywhere, taller than us, staring at different directions, like they were posing for photos. 

With beautiful blue sky, crispy air and the mystery of the Moai, Easter Island was truly worth visiting. 

We missed the star-gazing in San Pedro but let me tell you this, NO WHERE can you see more stars and clearly than on Easter Island.  If the desert is nowhere in Chile, then Easter Island is in the middle of nowhere on earth!!!

Although I am not a kid, I must admit I was still slightly disappointed when I learnt that there was no chocolate egg or a single bunny on Easter Island.  The name came from the day it was discovered, an Easter Sunday.

If you have a list of 50-Places-To-Go-Before-You-Die, Easter Island should definitely be on your list.

Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile - Have I Dreamt of You?

Santiago, the capital of Chile, has so much to offer. 

Great tourist attractions such as the Cathedral, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, Museo Historical Nacional, Cerro Santa Lucía, Cerro San Cristobal, Bellavista area, nearby vineyards such as Viña Concha y Toro and many others for wine tasting and learning the process of wine making. 

There is great food and a huge central market with fresh seafood, extremely friendly and helpful people...Santiago is a great place for travellers to stay for a few days longer than usual and just sit back and chill. 

We have been in Santiago for about 6 days, just chilling in the city, sightseeing and taking day trips here and there.  After traveling for a while, it's nice to have a long hot shower without worrying about the electricity going off or getting freezing cold water with foam in your hair.  Plus, a clean flushing loo and a nice cable TV are such luxury, especially after coming from Bolivia.  It's also nice to be able to cook (not me, my hubby does the cooking) instead of going out every night.

We also took a day trip to the nearby city, Valparaiso, which is also known as the Jewel of the Pacific and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It was highly recommended to us by a number of travellers but I must admit when we first got there, we were really disappointed.  It was a port with bloody wires everywhere and old but not colonial buildings.  It looked like a complete shit hole but when we went up to Cerro Concepción, we understood why people like it so much. 

It's hard to describe Cerro Concepción, it's an area with gorgeous old and colorful houses, like the ones you see in a puzzle or a Disney movie, then there is graffiti everywhere but not like some back alleys in New York.  It's really safe to walk around, it's almost unreal to see with your eyes.  I have never seen anything like it.  It's a really unique place...like somewhere you would see in your dreams, that it's weird but normal at the same time. 

There isn't much to do in Valparaiso but I think Cerro Concepción alone is worth the trip there.  I mean, how often do you get to visit your dreams in real life?