Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.
Glacier National Park on Lake Argentino outside of El Calafate.Hola amigos. So it has been a while since I last wrote in my blog, and I have quite a lot of make up work to do. First I want to apologize for my inconsistent communication. However, I have been traveling in the southern parts of Patagonia, very distant from electronic communication.
I was sitting at the computer in Buenos Aires checking the old emails, when I read a message from my friend Alda, of whom I met during the New Year's celebration. She was asking me to come meet her and her friend Andrea (both from Bogota) in Puerto Madryn on their way south to El Calafate. So randomly one day, I left everything behind in the Capital and took off south by bus to meet up with them. It ended up being a 40 hour bus trip to El Calafate. However, the bus system in Argentina, much like many of the South American countries, have very comfortable liners...many steps ahead of the chicken buses we saw in Honduras.
Meeting Alda and Andrea again was fantastic. We connected very well, as if we had known each other for quite some time. The fact that they speak perfect English did play a major factor in our social interaction. Colombians have this amazing presence about them, controversy to all of the terrible publicity received in the US. Colombia remains one of my favorite countries on this trip, and definitely is made of some of the finest people in the world. It is terribly wicked what the US press contributes to the misinterpretation of this beautiful country.
We arrived in El Calafate in the afternoon and only found camping available. It is now high season in Argentina, and everywhere seems to be booked full. However, the campsite was perfect besides me forgetting my water proof cover for my tent in Buenos Aires. I tried to cover my tent with zip lock sized garbage bags, ending up to be a disaster, nonetheless, very amusing. The following morning, we went on a day long boat tour in the National Glacier Park just off of Lake Argentino. The day was cloudy and cool, however the glaciers continued to melt and break off into the cold lakes. We must have visited seven glaciers stuck between mountain sides falling into the lake. The blue colours of the ice reflecting off the water was mesmerizing, and created an ambiance of purity and perfection. It filled me with joy and sorrow at the same time...knowing that they are all being destroyed at an unbelievable rate. That evening, I went on to prepare the BBQ of wurst, beef shoulders, shish kabobs and salad. As the successful meal wound down and the clock turned over to midnight, the sweet Colombians pulled one out on me and surprised me with a chocolate torte and candles. A wonderful Feliz Cupliaños song sung loud for the entire campsite to endure ended with me smiling immensely and making a wish.
The day following the glacier expedition, we traveled north to El Chalten, north of Lake Viedma off of Ruta 40. El Chalten is known for its majestic peaks and glaciers, also being part of the National Glacier Park in Argentina. After arriving and finding a hostel for the night, we went on a short hike to the overlook of Mount Fitz Roy, a peak created by the gods and for the gods, it soared into the clouds with white peaks and praise. To its sides lay glaciers, frozen for thousands of years, keeping the rocky soil cool and uninhabited. It was the perfect birthday present. Un vista muy linda.
Waking up early the next morning, we took a day hike to another part of the park where glaciers and mountains surrounded a pale blue lake, bringing unbelievable gusts of wind. I thought Kansas was windy, until I came down to Patagonia, where they could produce the energy for the world with wind turbans alone. The site was amazing, and the journey there and back was even more amazing; filled with birds (including parrots) and waterfalls amidst the mountain scape was a site that brought tears in the inter-mix of the sweat dripping from the forehead. El Chalten is a place incredibly special.
I was sitting at the computer in Buenos Aires checking the old emails, when I read a message from my friend Alda, of whom I met during the New Year's celebration. She was asking me to come meet her and her friend Andrea (both from Bogota) in Puerto Madryn on their way south to El Calafate. So randomly one day, I left everything behind in the Capital and took off south by bus to meet up with them. It ended up being a 40 hour bus trip to El Calafate. However, the bus system in Argentina, much like many of the South American countries, have very comfortable liners...many steps ahead of the chicken buses we saw in Honduras.
Meeting Alda and Andrea again was fantastic. We connected very well, as if we had known each other for quite some time. The fact that they speak perfect English did play a major factor in our social interaction. Colombians have this amazing presence about them, controversy to all of the terrible publicity received in the US. Colombia remains one of my favorite countries on this trip, and definitely is made of some of the finest people in the world. It is terribly wicked what the US press contributes to the misinterpretation of this beautiful country.
We arrived in El Calafate in the afternoon and only found camping available. It is now high season in Argentina, and everywhere seems to be booked full. However, the campsite was perfect besides me forgetting my water proof cover for my tent in Buenos Aires. I tried to cover my tent with zip lock sized garbage bags, ending up to be a disaster, nonetheless, very amusing. The following morning, we went on a day long boat tour in the National Glacier Park just off of Lake Argentino. The day was cloudy and cool, however the glaciers continued to melt and break off into the cold lakes. We must have visited seven glaciers stuck between mountain sides falling into the lake. The blue colours of the ice reflecting off the water was mesmerizing, and created an ambiance of purity and perfection. It filled me with joy and sorrow at the same time...knowing that they are all being destroyed at an unbelievable rate. That evening, I went on to prepare the BBQ of wurst, beef shoulders, shish kabobs and salad. As the successful meal wound down and the clock turned over to midnight, the sweet Colombians pulled one out on me and surprised me with a chocolate torte and candles. A wonderful Feliz Cupliaños song sung loud for the entire campsite to endure ended with me smiling immensely and making a wish.
The day following the glacier expedition, we traveled north to El Chalten, north of Lake Viedma off of Ruta 40. El Chalten is known for its majestic peaks and glaciers, also being part of the National Glacier Park in Argentina. After arriving and finding a hostel for the night, we went on a short hike to the overlook of Mount Fitz Roy, a peak created by the gods and for the gods, it soared into the clouds with white peaks and praise. To its sides lay glaciers, frozen for thousands of years, keeping the rocky soil cool and uninhabited. It was the perfect birthday present. Un vista muy linda.
Waking up early the next morning, we took a day hike to another part of the park where glaciers and mountains surrounded a pale blue lake, bringing unbelievable gusts of wind. I thought Kansas was windy, until I came down to Patagonia, where they could produce the energy for the world with wind turbans alone. The site was amazing, and the journey there and back was even more amazing; filled with birds (including parrots) and waterfalls amidst the mountain scape was a site that brought tears in the inter-mix of the sweat dripping from the forehead. El Chalten is a place incredibly special.
Foggy Birthday view of Mount Fitz Roy at the Ntl. Glacier Park in El Chalten.
Nice view from the hike to Glacier Grande outside of El Chalten.
Glacier Grande and lake Torre, five hour hike from El Chalten.
