Author: Renata

The world is my oyster: I 'm Renata, founder and editor of this travelblog. bye:myself - no, that's not a typo, it's referring to me saying bye to my comfort zone and heading for new shores solo. Having been a solo traveller, flashpacker, and poverty jet setter for ages made me an avid and savvy planner and organizer of worldwide travel. Since I've been an author and journalist practically all my life, I love to put my travel experience in writing to encourage, inspire, and assist you. Looking forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!

ARGENTINA – from sweltering heat to eternal ice.

Posted on2020-04-052020-04-05AuthorRenataLeave a comment

How do you choose your travel destination? Do you have a list of dream countries? A bucket list that you are working off?

As for me, my list consists of every country on planet earth. I don’t have dream destinations. There are a couple of countries that I think of visiting. But mostly, I decide on where to go rather spontaneously. It can be really silly things that lead my steps.

What was it that brought me to Argentina then?

Well, I was standing on the Brazilian side of the powerful waterfalls of Iguazu. Looking across the border, I thought to myself “Argentina – why not making Argentina one of my next trips?!”

A couple of week later, there was a photo of those impressive walls of eternal ice in Patagonia on the facebook-timeline of a friend. That moment, I knew where to next: Argentina.

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PUERTO MADRYN – all about whales and wales

Posted on2020-03-282020-04-05AuthorRenata6 Comments

As much as I enjoy road trips, getting off the bus at yet another terminal, looking for accommodation, exploring new surroundings – it gets tiresome. Therefore, towards the end of a road trip, I’m looking forward to spending a couple of days in a beach destination. Somewhere I can lay on the beach, reading a nice book – or just napping.

Patagonian sea lion on the Valdes Peninsula close to Puerto Madryn — Between beach days, you get to see fascinating creatures in the surroundings of Puerto Madryn.

In Argentina, I’d chosen Puerto Madryn for this purpose. A beach town on the northern coast of Patagonia, famous for whales in the waters and migrants from Wales on the shores.

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PUERTO SANTA CRUZ – the forgotten capital

Posted on2020-03-242020-04-05AuthorRenataLeave a comment

Travelling along the endless Argentine Atlantic coast, Puerto Santa Cruz is a perfect spot for a stopover.

Monument at the easternmost Punta Reparo, remembers the landing of Commodore Luis Py's Naval Squadron in defense Argentina against Chile in 1878. — Santa Cruz’ glory might be a bit forgotten, however, but it’s still very far from sinking.
This monument, located at the easternmost Punta Reparo, remembers the landing of Commodore Luis Py’s Naval Squadron in defense of Argentina against Chile in 1878.

Actually, Patagonia’s former capital is so serene and pleasant that, for a while, you might forget travelling on.

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EL CALAFATE & EL CHALTEN – Argentina’s Winter Wonderland

Posted on2020-03-202020-04-05AuthorRenataLeave a comment

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine posted a photo on her facebook-timeline: A small boat floating on a light turquoise lake in front of a high wall of ice.

Couple taking pictures of the Perito Moreno Glacier close to El Calafate in Patagonia, Argentina — …and this is only a fraction of the gigantic glacier Perito Moreno!

What a mesmerizing sight!
It just sucked me in.
Just looking at this picture, I felt the cold crawling up my spine. I was convinced I could see my breath if I exhaled.
This place must be a mysterious place, a world of its own, governed by some beautiful, chilled ice-queen.

It was the National Park Los Glaciares in southern Patagonia.

I had to see this place for myself. As soon as possible.

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LOS ANTIGUOS – borderline serenity

Posted on2020-03-182020-04-05AuthorRenata6 Comments

Argentina is Latin America’s second-largest country and shares with Chile one of the world’s longest international borders. From North to South, those two countries snuggle on about 5,300 kilometers!

Lago Buenos Aires at sunset in Los Antiguos — The sun is tenderly setting over Lago Buenos Aires.

Unless you are flying, these dimensions can make travelling a bit challenging. Routes can be very long, trips of about 15 hours are not unusual.

An invitation to include some stops – for instance in the border-town of Los Antiguos.

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BARILOCHE – a Swiss Vacation on the Opposite Side of the Globe

Posted on2020-03-132020-04-05AuthorRenata1 Comment

Dramatically jagged mountains, covered by a picturesque layer of eternal snow overtowering fir-covered hills.
Trouts jumping in ice-cold turquoise waters of glacier lakes, rivers, and creeks.

Renata Green standing on the shore of Lago Puelo close to El Bolson — Embracing Beauty!

Not Swiss enough?
Well, the town of San Carlos de Bariloche cranks it up a notch by manufacturing some of the world’s best artisan chocolate and making you pose with a Saint Bernard dog – including the small barrel of rum around the neck; his neck, not yours.

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BUENOS AIRES – from the must-sees to the hidden gems

Posted on2020-03-082020-04-05AuthorRenata5 Comments

Buenos Aires and me – it was love at first sight. The stately baroque architecture like in Madrid, the elegant cafés – even a bit more charming than those in Paris. Old fashioned gelato parlors like in Rome. The powerful street art of Bogotá next to the picturesque decay of old Havana.

This city simply has it all.

Couple dancing Tango at the Cafe Tortoni in Buenos Aires, Argentina — Tango – that’s what Buenos Aires stands for. But it’s only a fraction of what Argentina’s capital has to offer.

The beauty and energy of Buenos Aires took me by storm – and was definitely the highlight of my first trip to Argentina.

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Rocking it in METEORA

Posted on2020-02-152020-02-29AuthorRenataLeave a comment

I must admit that till the moment I began to plan my trip to Greece, to me, Meteora was the name of my favorite CD by one of my favorite bands – Linkin Park.

Holy Trinity Monastery at Meteora, Greece — The Holy Trinity Monastery is not the largest of the six remaining cloisters, however, the most picturesquely positioned one.

Since last Christmas, I know better; much better: Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece, about 350 kilometers north of Athens. It is famous for one of the largest complexes of monasteries.

So my initial rock-band reference was not that mistaken, after all: Meteora is rocking – big time!

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ATHENS for First-Timers – Beyond the Acropolis

Posted on2020-02-072020-02-29AuthorRenata2 Comments

Yes, I’ve travelled the seven seas – at least metaphorically – yet never made it to Greece. Which is ironic since basically all of Greece is located on the seaside: with 13,676 kilometers of coastline – that’s roughly the little something of 8,498 miles – and 3054 islands and islets, Poseidon definitely is boss.

Not the only amazing facts: Next to Golgota and the Capitol, the Acropolis in Athens is one of the hills on which Europe was founded. Therefore, there is no excuse for having not yet visited the cradle of our civilization.

Although Greece is basically sea-girt, besides lots of water, there are many rocks. As well as cats.

So as we got nearer to Christmas and the holy days became holidays, the question of where to spend them was quickly answered: Athens – for the first time.

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