Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2021-11-28

As we are approaching the small village of EL Chalten the landscape is breathtaking. Right in front of us we see the famous FitzRoy mountain, one of the most difficult climbs in the world. El Chalten is a tourist destination primarily for hikers and climbers. Despite the increase in visitors, El Chatlten remains a small village with a simple structure, full of backpackers, climbers and trail lovers. Even for those who don't like to walk, El Chalten offers beautiful landscapes that you can visit by car. One of the examples is the road that connects El Chalten to Lago del Desierto, the whole route is beautiful to see and that's what I did as I'm not a lover of walking or climbing hills. There are also several options for tours in El Chaltén that you can do by boat on the great lakes visiting glaciers and more spectacular landscapes. Mount FitzRoy, known to locals as Cerro Chaltén, is what gave the town its name. The current name of the hill is a tribute to Robert FitzRoy, captain of the HMS Beagle, the ship that took Charles Darwin on his famous voyage around the world. In El Chaltén there are trails for all tastes and with different levels of difficulty. Most of the trails are not difficult and all are well signposted and in high season you will find a lot of people along the way. Without a doubt, one of the places I most enjoyed visiting was El Chalten. I visited by car, to visit El Chalten, it has the closest airport in El Calafate and the best is to rent a car. To visit el Chalten and see the main points you need at least 4 days, ideally a week.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2021-11-28

I visited the Perito Moreno Glacier at the end of January, the best months to do this tour are really the months of January, February and March. The Perito Moreno glacier is considered one of the most important freshwater reserves in the world and the wall of ice is 60 meters high and almost 5 kilometers long. Visiting the Glacier is exciting, all that ice and almost at a certain rate the ice wall is collapsing generating a roar. When I visited the Glacier, I stayed in El Calafate, it is the closest place to the Glacier. The distance between El Calafate and the Glacier is 75Km, but the route is worth it, from my point of view the best way to visit the Glacier is to rent a car which allows you to stop wherever and whenever you want because along the road there are each landscape, one more beautiful than the other. On the hill right in front there are walkways from where you can appreciate all the beauty of the Glacier. There is a restaurant next to the parking lot, but with prices a little expensive, so if you want you can take something to eat to have more free time to visit the whole space.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2021-11-28

This is what we can call the trip of a lifetime. I had this dream, the dream of one day being able to visit Ushuaia but visiting by car. I made my dream come true, I went all over Brazil, Argentina and I arrived in Ushuaia without having gone through adventures before arriving. When we crossed the Strait of Magellan, the Troller's fuel tank was already showing half a tank, on the Chilean side I didn't see any gas station (but I didn't ask either) I believed that maybe along the way I would find... Nothing, not even a sign of a gas station . I was controlling consumption towards the south towards the Chile/Argentina border, using the GPS I could see that there was a village and I thought that I had put it there, it was already the end of the day when we passed the strait, so we were already walking through the night, land, and nobody could see any houses or other cars. Arriving at this village at around 23:20, the reservation signal had already lit up many kilometers ago. To my disappointment.. no fuel, at a local cafe they informed me that there was a gas station at the border and that it was about 10 km away, but that the station closed at midnight. I went to the border hoping that the fuel would run out at all times but luckily we arrived. As it was almost midnight I asked the guard to let me go for gas before the gas station closed. (authorized). With the border formalities done, it was time to continue the trip to Ushuaia, but I had seen some pictures of the landscapes arriving in Ushuaia, and I didn't even think I was going to continue my trip at night. We stopped at a pueblo just after the border and slept inside the Troller so we could make the day trip. Imagine the cold we went through, but it was worth it. We arrived in Ushuaia, looked for a hotel to rest a little and started the visits on the same day. We went to the end of Carretera nº3 to visit Bahía Lapataia where it is known as the end of the world. The next day we went for a ride on the Tren del fin del Mundo, an old-fashioned train that tries to show what it was like when it transported prisoners who were going to cut wood. The round trip on the Tren del fin del Mundo is about 2 hours, it is well worth making the trip as it has very beautiful landscapes of the valleys and mountains that surround Ushuaia. The next day we took the tour of the Beagle channel aboard a catamaran along the channel where we can observe the sea lions and other marine animals, the tour took us to visit the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, the Island of the Birds, the Island of the Lions marine. The rest of the time we spent in Ushuaia (3 days) we took the opportunity to get to know the surroundings with beautiful landscapes and of course try the local cuisine. Although we were in Ushuaia in the month of January, it was quite cold, so much so that we had to buy appropriate clothes. It really was the realization of a dream, not just Ushuaia but the entire journey to and from there.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2022-02-14

As I am Portuguese, I had to come and discover this little corner of Portugal. The feeling is that we are in a farm in the North of Portugal, (despite referring to the space as a landscape of Madeira Island) with vineyards, wine cellar and above all with a very Portuguese cuisine. Quinta do Olivardo is located in São Roque, about 60 km from São Paulo. I was pleasantly surprised, dishes very well prepared following the original and real recipes with no changes in flavors, the codfish pastries just like my mother used to make, the freshly made custard tarts with a flavor equal to the best you can eat in Portugal and the variety of cod dishes are mouthwatering. They also serve grilled sardines, but then I leave it to those who don't know because frozen sardines, despite being imported, have nothing to do with the ones you eat in the country. It also serves the famous Madeiran kebabs on laurel wood. Regarding the wines produced in the winery of the farm, well, for those who don't know wine I believe they can drink it but I honestly don't suit my taste, the sun is lacking in abundance and it rains a lot which makes the grapes not able to give the right aroma to the wine, but otherwise it is a very pleasant place, a very good space for families with children to spend the day, it has several equipments to enjoy the space. What I found interesting was when I asked the owner what region of Portugal he was from and in which he replied that he had never been to Portugal, apparently his wife is the descendant. WINE ROAD KM4- SÃO ROQUE -SP SERVICE HOURS monday to friday, 10am to 5pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 6 pm (11) 4711-1100 | 4711.1923 Whatsapp : (11) 97088-5401

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2021-11-28

On my trip through South America in 4x4 one of the goals was to visit the Marble Chapels. To get to Puerto Rio Tranquilo, I entered Chile from Los Antiguos in Argentina, crossed the border with Chile in Chile Chico and then went 177 km along the shores of Lake General Carrera. Although the road was not good at all, as it was made of rúpio (small stones and dirt), it was worth it for the landscapes. During the 177Km, I didn't see a house, not a bar, nothing, but I saw stunning landscapes. I know that today the road is already paved, but when I went there it was more exciting, barriers, precipices and a lot of adrenaline, which ended up increasing the pleasure of the adventure. It was worth it and I recommend this trip

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2021-11-30

One day, I don't remember when or where, I read about rock formations and caves that they called Marble Chapels. The name, and the location were retained in my memory and so was my curiosity. When I planned the trip through South America in 4x4, the famous chapels certainly came to mind and were immediately on the program to visit. We take Ruta 40 towards Los Antiguos (Argentina). In Los Antiguos I bought a 2Kg bag of cherries because it was their season and I went to the border with Chile, which was just over 5Km away. I took care of the border formalities and I don't know how, the police saw my bag of cherries (Can't pass). And I didn't understand the reason why I couldn't go there, I complained, but they wanted it because they wanted the cherries.. (no way, I'm not in a hurry, so I'll eat them all before going on my trip) and so I did. After the formalities of devouring the cherries, we continued our journey towards Puerto Rio Tranquilo (177km) on a gravel road (small stones and earth), along the way not a house, not a bar, nothing, just breathtaking landscapes. Along the way I met some adventurers, an American who was making the trip across the American continent on a pedal bike with a trailer carrying a German Shepherd Dog and two Americans who were making the same trip but on foot. As I had crossed the border in the morning, I ended up arriving in Puerto Rio Tranquilo at the end of the day. I easily found accommodation (no luxuries, but clean and cozy) and we spent the night to find out how we could visit the famous chapels the next day. Early in the morning, during breakfast, the owner informed us that there were boats on the pier that made this tour, so we did, we went to the pier, took one of the boats and went to visit the chapels. The boats take other people, if any, are not exclusive tours (unless they hire you). The visit including travel time (about half an hour) lasts in total about 2 hours. The question I'm always asked (is it worth it?) Yes, it's worth it, not only for the visit to the chapels, but also for the entire landscape along the road that borders Lake General Carrera.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2022-02-25

I had been to Guarujá a few years ago but I didn't know this beach. Beautiful, quiet and without waves especially in the corner where the viewpoint is. Perhaps that is why it is one of the most famous and favorite beaches. Asturias beach, in addition to being very clean and with very good support structures, is very central. It is a very lively beach both during the day and at night. For those who like to fish, next to the viewpoint there is a place for fishing lovers with rod supports and benches to sit on. Perhaps because of all these conditions, it is a very popular beach all year round. Due to its calm and shallow waters, it is a recommended beach for those with children. Along the edge, there is a boardwalk for those who like to walk and plenty of support kiosks.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2022-02-25

Today I decided to come and revisit Santos. It had been more than 10 years since I had come to visit this beautiful city, which is located about 70 km from São Paulo. Despite being a very busy city, Santos has a lot to offer, the beaches are good, the seafront offers a very pleasant boardwalk for those who like to walk or ride a bike and it has good restaurants. Between São Vicente and Guarujá is a good option for weekends or holidays, especially for the population of greater São Paulo. One of the points of interest is its historic center with good restaurants and a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Santos is a beach town, privileged by the sun and the sea of ​​calm waters, but with metropolis infrastructure and full of beauties and attractions for all ages, all year round. Santos is still one of the main cruise routes, with many of them starting or ending in this city. For diving lovers, did you know that one of the best places is off Santos? 45 km from the coast of Santos, is Laje de Santos with crystal clear water where visibility reaches 40 meters deep and which is home to an impressive fauna with colorful schools, manta rays, turtles, groupers, dolphins and, depending on the season ( and luck), you can see sharks and even whales! Santos offers you a great diversity of tourist entertainment: Schooner tours, the Santos Aquarium is the oldest in Brazil and since 1995 it has been on the Guinness World Record, among others. Santos also has the largest commercial port in Latin America.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2022-02-25

Visiting São Paulo and not visiting Avenida Paulista is worse than going to the Vatican and not seeing the Pope. Avenida Paulista is one of the most important symbols of the City of São Paulo. On Avenida Paulista you can find almost everything, stores of all kinds and products (I bought some glasses), museums, theaters, etc. But one of my hobbies is going up on one side and down the avenue on the other, it's practically all day admiring everything, the buildings are very beautiful. The Avenida Paulista presents itself as one of the main cultural exponents of São Paulo. Theaters, cinemas, museums and cultural and shopping centers are always busy, as are craft fairs and performances by street artists. Also noteworthy are the São Paulo Museum of Arts - MASP, Casa das Rosas, Parque Trianon, a remnant of the city's native Atlantic Forest, and Parque Prefeito Mário Covas. On Sundays, Avenida Paulista is open to pedestrians and brings together cultural and leisure activities. Another thing you can do is go up to Mirante do SESC (free) to see Avenida Paulista from above, you don't even need a drone.

Publicado por: Toni Martins em 2022-02-25

Personally, I really like São Vicente, the beaches, the atmosphere of everything. Today I went back to visit São Vicente where I hadn't been for over 10 years and it's always nice to go back to places we like. São Vicente is practically next to Santos, the seafront is very pleasant, many bars and also a city full of history or it was not the first village founded by the Portuguese in Portuguese America in 1532. Whoever visits São Vicente cannot miss Porchat Island, where it has one of the best views in the region. São Vicente is the perfect destination for those who enjoy a good beach, sports and historical sites. Be sure to visit the 500 Years Memorial which is located at the top of Porchat Island and the São Vicente Suspension Bridge. The best time to visit São Vicente is outside the high season (end of December, January, Carnival and Easter), usually the weather is always mild. Despite being a very beautiful city, you have to be careful because it has some dangers, especially robberies, avoid walking around showing something valuable.