Enriqueta Ulloa - Bolivian superstar delivers awesome performance

Two posters in contrast. She's so
famous her image is all the
advertising needed.

I just posted this on my professional blog - about one of the most amazing performing arts experiences I've ever had. Check it out :)

Northwest Territories guide

Spectacular NWT. That's what they call it. I ordered the travel guide because their online PDF was sluggish. Now I have a 164-page Explorers Guide featuring all kinds of hiking, trekking, paddling, etc, etc, and guiding information to look at in my leisure time :)

Exciting to think about spending a bit of time Up North.

Never been there and am looking forward to the opportunity.

Trekking in Canada

The view over Cochamo valley, Chile. We are planning a
return visit there in January 2012 to more fully explore
the mountains.

Trekking has fast become my favourite way to experience new places. From the Grand Canyon to mountain ranges across South America I've been loving getting out there with a tent, kitchen and all the things I need in my backpack. Indeed, we are planning on heading back to Cochamo next year.

Yet, I've not seen Canada's wilder places from that perspective. Sure, I've skied out West, and in the East, I've lived on PEI and explored all the Island has to offer, done the drive around the Cabot Trail, day-hiked around Ottawa, navigated the wilds of Toronto :). But when we go 'backcountry', we head to the Adirondack Mountains wilderness in New York State - which is a fantastic place and only 3 hours from Ottawa.

This year, we will discover some of Canada's wilder fringes doning backpacks and hiking boots (and all the other stuff one needs out there).

So here's my question: What are your favourite trekking destinations across the country?What are the off-the-beaten trekking spots in the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland? The ruminating is just beginning and any random hints will be taken into consideration.

Professional hazard ...

I'm putting up a short series of tidbits on random observations on South American advertising, marketing, brands (with pictoral support of course!) on my professional blog at www.strategicmoves.blogspot.com over the next few days; from Santa and Coca-Cola to signage to restaurants, you'll hopefully enjoy ...

Which way does it go?

With Navimag from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt

One part of our trip that we hadn't had a chance to post pics about was our 3 day, 4 night ferry trip from Puerto Natales (south of Torres del Paine in southern Patagonia) to Puerto Montt (the main city in the Lake District in Northern Patagonia). But with this post, we are sharing some of those pics.

View of Puerto Natales, a surprising gem of a town,
from Navimag ferry.

Ready to play cards in the bar.

Sunny day brought everyone out on the deck.

The trip takes that long because it covers about 800+ km. Chile is a very long country with about 4,000 km in total. The route mostly navigates the many fjords of Patagonia and in one part also goes out into the open Pacific. That can be a bit choppy, but Jan and I were just fine with the waves and rolls.

Being on a boat that long was interesting because of the people on the boat. There were a few truckers transporting livestock and other goods. But to the most part there were about 100 backpackers of all ages and from a few countries, mostly European, who had all trekked or hiked in Torres del Paine. There was even one Chilean family on board.

We had a lovely cabin mate from Zurich and met some other Swiss, German and French people who we chatted with, hang out with and played some cards with. All around very pleasant, really and a real break from being physical. Even though it was a bit of a shock to the system not to have a great deal of exercise.

There was a little bit of traffic.
Also saw some big fishing huts
being moved by sea.

Waves. Wooohoooo!

Sun and navigating through some narrow channels.

A couple of our travel companions
playing chess. That and the bar was it
for "entertainment." Backpackers are
pretty self-sufficient on that count though.