Chapter Five: El Calafate

El Calafate is, without a doubt, a tourist town.  An adorable main street is lined with cute shops, the aroma of chocolate, and small cafes where people are sitting and drinking mate. I am lucky to be leaving this town with money still in my pocket--the artisan crafts in this town are impeccable. The colors of the fabric are so bright, the silver well made, and each gourd was better then the next.  Oh, and the chocolate--best I have ever eaten. Right now I am eating a lamb shaped, vanilla-chocolate, Dulce de Leche filled, piece of heaven.  All over Patagonia they sell lamb products.  I know they have a big wool industry here, but these people are obsessed with lambs. And gnomes. Every town I have been in has gnome statues all over the place.

When we first arrived in El Calafate, a festival was occurring. It was honoring Fransico Moreno, the founder of the famous Perito Moreno glacier. The town was alive, and bustling with people at 1am.  There was a huge, free concert happening-- a really fun way to be welcomed into this charming place.

I spent three full days in El Calafate.  The main attraction here is Parque Nacional de Los Glaciares.  In my last post, I said I had never seen glaciers so huge.  I take that back. The glaciers I have been lucky enough to see in this park seem to stretch into infinity.  All along Lago Argentina are glaciers that shoot up to sixty meters in the air.  And only 10-15% of the glacier is situated outside of the water. These chunks of ice are incredible.  Saying that these glaciers are BIG is a huge understatement.

On the first day, I did an "All Glaciers" tour.  I took a nice bus ride into the national park, where I then got onto a "boat"--more like a cruise ship. I was on the boat all day, and saw some amazing things. For some reason, I couldn't help but feel worn out.  I have been hoping from place to place constantly for three weeks. Don't get me wrong- I am in LOVE with traveling, but all the go go go action finally caught up with me.  I left the boat feeling nauseous and tired--went back to the hostel and crashed. Here are some pictures of the All Glaciers tour.  I wish I had more information to provide, but I was a bit out of it.  However, even in my daze I still appreciated the beauty I was surrounded by.

My second day in El Calafate was spent in town, wandering the streets.  Oh, and spending money like a good American is trained to do. I couldn't help myself! I splurged and got a couple of shirts, and a silver (of course) ring. Deciding to take the day off was a good choice.  Laughing, sun bathing, and drinking mate --I couldn't have been any happier.

The happiness poured over onto the third day I spent in El Calafate.  Feeling rejuvenated, I was ready to take on the day. I returned to El Parque Nacional de Los Glaciares, but this time to trek on Perito Moreno.  That's right--I walked on glaciers! Strapped on some crampons, grabbed an ice pick and took on the world!  Not actually, but being atop of a glacier sent a weird feeling through my body.  Before I actually stepped onto the ice, I sat for a couple of hours just watching the ice.  That probably sounds boring to some, like watching grass grow, but I could not have been more enthralled.  The noise of the glacier was so eerie, I was hooked.  It sounded like gun shots firing, thunder clouds banging together, and Niagara falls.  All at once. Yet, there was zero movement.  Until, if you were lucky, (which I was), you would see a huge chunk of glacier separate itself, and fall into the lake.

I felt so utterly insignificant. Standing across from something so foreign to me was a scary feeling.  Mother Nature is so powerful.  I couldn't stop thinking about how we, as humans, continuously try to fight her, disarm her, and lay her to rest. But it won't happen. We will never reign power over her. This has always been obvious to me, but after seen how immense these glaciers were, it became solidified in my mind.

Here are some of my pictures that tried to capture the essence of what I observed today.

We did some Frosting!  Even though it is summer in Patagonia it was very cold on the glaciers! Really windy--Here's me sending some Missoula loving!

Well, with less then a week left in Patagonia, it's time to live it up!  Hope everything is great state side!

Ciao,
J.

Chapter Four: El Chalten

I feel extremely fortunate to have traveled to El Chalten this past weekend.  Give this town another five years and it will be booming. I spent some time with a guide from Lewiston, MT (crazy!) who was in El Chalten for the third time, attempting to climb Fitz Roy.  He was telling me that nine years ago, there were hardly any places to stay and two years ago there was only one place that offered WiFi--now the main street is bustling with hip hostels, vegetarian restaurants, breweries, and beautifully crafted artisan shops. Though there are only 600 true locals living in this town year round, a whopping 1,800 fill the town in the summer. Sooner, rather than later, this place is going to be overrun with vacation homes.

Not only am I glad that I was able to see the town as a young fledgeling, but also the glaciers.  Who knows what will be left in another ten years?  I have never been so close to a glacier so massive. There is no way to put in perspective how incredibly HUGE these chunks of ice were.

Cerro Torre was the first stop on my trip.  With three peaks shooting up into the sky, this mountain is a work of art.  It looks as if someone delicately painted each ridge.  With lines so vertical, it is hard to believe that these massive pieces of rock are exploding out of the ground. Lago Torre is the lake located at the base of the mountain.  With the water coming directly from the glacier, then feeding the flow of the river--it was remarkable to see the works of Mother Nature in one quick glance.

As I said earlier, I officially declared teal the color of Patagonia.  Without fail, a different version of teal leaked its way into El Chalten.  The color of the glacial water was one I have never seen before.  So blue it was almost green. Translucent, but opaque. The lure to venture into the icy cold water was strong. I wanted so badly to be immersed into natures purest of compounds, however I was only able to make it to my toes.

The second day led me to the unbelievable Fitz Roy.  A mountain well known among the climbing population.  As we ascended our way up the trail, climbers were scattered about.  Each practicing on their own separate route, but moving together in one fluid motion. As we walked along the pathway, sweat dripping off our foreheads, we were greeted.  I heard over fifteen versions of the word "hello."  Besides the incredible views, my favorite part about the trek was the one word exchanges I had with people from all over the world.  The word hello was not soley a greeting, but a motivation.  There was so much meaning behind the word "Hi"--Keep going! You got it! It's amazing up there!  We all shared one common goal, and the nod of the head, or the quick smile that flashed across the many faces I passed proved that we were all conquering the same task--to see Fitz Roy.

Chapter Three: Perito Moreno

To begin the journey to Perito Moreno, we endured what was supposed to be a nine hour bus ride.  Thankfully, our driver was a younger guy, maybe twenty years old.  We made it in seven hours. Flooring it through the heart of Patagonia in a top heavy van was an adventure in itself.  We had to stop four times to re-arrange the luggage, which was loosely strapped to the top. At one point, a bag was hanging from the roof, dangling by a thin piece of rope, banging against the window.  I made a motion to mention this issue to the driver, he said "oh, thats normal." The drive, however sketchy it happened to be, was beautiful.  The sky was clouding over, and the ground looked as if it was glowing--the world looked alive, colors bursting out of invisible seams.

I rolled into town around five, and made my way to the cabanas.  An adorable little apartment was awaiting the five of us. It was a fairly relaxing night, just wandering the small streets.  On my way to do laundry, I became distracted with two little black puppies.  They were playing with each other in their yard, so obviously I walked over to try to get their attention.  Instead of getting the puppies' attention, two little boys came out of their house wanting to play.  They invited me in not only to play with the puppies, but also a rabbit!  I spent almost an hour talking with these little kids, it made my day to see how welcoming they were to an apparent foreigner. 

The main reason for stopping in Perito Moreno was to see Las Cuevas de Los Manos.  Over nine thousand years old, the red rock walls are imprinted with thousands of hands. A truly remarkable sight. Only 31 are right handed, and there is one hand with six fingers.  We had to do a bit of a trek to get up to the caves.  I have never spent time hiking through red rocks--amazing. The rock walls were towering over us as we made our way closer to the caves.  

Another piece of the adventure--we took a 35 year old Russian imported van to the caves.  It's name was Mr. Wes. And he provided us with one hell of journey. 

Off to El Chalten tomorrow--the trekking capital of Patagonia!

Ciao,

J.

Chapter Two: Esquel

After a quick four and a half hour bus ride from Bariloche, we arrived in Esquel.  At first, this town of 36,000 people looks pretty barren.  Little shops, mainly carnecarias (stores that only sell meat), line the street.  Compared to Bariloche, this place is quiet.  However, once I began to wander off of the main streets, I realized the charm this little town emits. Most houses have little gardens in their front lawns; many of them accompanied by dogs.  Dogs run this town. They have owners, however, they roam the streets freely greeting every person that comes their way.  The dogs also assist in controlling the traffic, since there are no streetlights here.  When a dog decides to cross the road, the cars stop.  One would think that without streetlights, there would be accidents.  Yet, somehow the people of Esquel have learned to drive in a manner that would normally be chaotic, and then make it look easy.

Though the town itself is more subdued then other places,  Esquel is a port for adventure.  Skiing, hiking, biking, climbing and running are some of the major activities that Esquel offers.  Fishing, rafting, and kayaking are also a strong point since the Futaleufu is just a bus ride away.

The first day I was here, I took a train ride to an indigenous village that was previously inhabited by the Mapuches.  The train ride was beautiful, giving us amazing views of the landscape.  It looked pretty similar to Missoula! However, a pretty intense discussion followed the trip to the Mapuche village.  With indigenous cultures beginning to disappear, how should we be reacting to activities like the "tourist train?" Does this actually benefit the Mapuche directly, or is it creating a dependence on the tourism industry?  To give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. To teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

Argentine Forestry: what appeared to be tree farms were scattered all over the outskirts of Esquel.

On Sunday, we ventured to Trevelin. This is a small town, with about 6,000 inhabitants. It is known for its Welsh influence. Esquel was founded by Welsh immigrants, and was created as an extension of Trevelin. For a Sunday, this town was happening.  There was music being played in the town center, along with different activities going on around the park. I joined in on a volleyball game, which went surprisingly well.  Those of you who have played volleyball with me know that I am not the best volleyball player.

Today, I went to Los Alerces National Park. I was surprised to see how organized the park was.  All the trails were well marked, and the guides were very helpful.  The grounds around the park were extremely well kept--overall a very beautiful place to spend the day.  We hiked up to a beautiful point, then spent some time swimming in el Lago Futalaufquen.

El Lago Futalaufquen

This is the beginnings of what is going to be a really good Chaco tan

My time in Esquel was well spent.  I felt as though I really learned the reasoning behind the immense European influence this country seems to have. And of course, the scenery was breathtaking! So far, any expectations I had about Patagonia have been blown out of proportions.  This place is more incredible then I could have ever imagined, and as always, I am excited to continue on Ruta 40!

Ciao,
J.

Teal, the Ultimate Soul Food

Today is my last day in Bariloche.  A full four days were spent here.  We went on numerous hikes, rafted down the Rio Monso, and went on an incredible boat ride. 


First off, the hostel I'm staying at seems to be the local hangout. With a bar right down the stairs, and the beach right past that, Barilocheñas (the people who are actually fortunate enough to live here) are constantly coming in and out.  Speaking with an Argentine accent, having the bluest eyes, the tan skin, dark hair--most amazing people I have ever spoken with.  And I'm not just talking about the men, the women as well.  They are equally beautiful. Every Wednesday, the hostel hosts a party.  With live music, and great people, there is no better place to be.  Something strange I noticed, only American music was coming out of the speakers.  When the DJ was playing, it was electronic music, and a lot of Coldplay.  When the band came on, Motown and Tracy Chapman were the big hits. Everyone was up and dancing, under the full moon, with the lake in the background--it is going to take a lot for me to leave this city, not knowing the next time I will be back. 

Rafting el Rio Monso made me realize how small this world truly is.  Our guide new some people that guide in Missoula. These two places are very similar, so it's not to big of a shock that people living half way across the world know each other. The same vibe flows through the streets of this town, that flow through every mountain town.  The raft guides in the summer turn into ski guides in the winter. 


Speaking of skiing, I made a mistake in my last entry, I didn't go to the main ski resort, but a smaller one. Comparable to snow king.  El Catedral is the real deal.  I made it up there on Wednesday. This resort is one I will ski this July.  There is no way I am not returning.

I also ventured into a little store, where I was lucky enough to talk with the owners.  It was a wool co-op, which made the most spectacular items. The story behind this co-op was one that contained some tribulations, but in the overall scheme of things, they are highly successful. Some of the most beautiful shawls were draped across the tiny store--most taking up to three months to make. 

Today, we took a boat ride. A surprise boat ride in fact. A very classy boat, stocked with delicious food, and a great tour guide led us down el Brazo Tristeza.  We then got off the boat and went for a beautiful hike along multiple water falls, ending up at Lago Frey. The guide spent most of his time talking about the flora and fauna of Bariloche, a very interesting topic to discuss. 

Teal. I never thought a color would affect me so much. Teal. One syllable, four letters, and has the ability seep into ones body, and change their life. Not a drastic life change, but damn, I am feeling great! Teal is the designated color of Patagonia...well maybe not, but I am officially declaring it so.  The water, the sky, the locals eyes; they all emit the deepest, most invigorating teal color. When I see this color, I get giddy.  A cheesy smile appears on my face, and I let out a school girl giggle.  Remember in 6th grade, when you would see your crush across the hall, and let out a little laugh?  That same laugh comes out of my mouth when I see teal. And teal is everywhere here--so i'm walking around, blatantly looking like an American (the pasty white skin, which is now peeling, and the camera around my neck), laughing like a 10 year old girl.  But I just cant help it, I am so happy.  There is no other way to explain how I feel.  "I'm so happy"--it's almost a cliche; used so much, not intricately written, it doesn't even roll of the tongue smoothly.  But it's true.  Teal has made me fall in love.  With this place, with these people, with  the adventure that is continuing to unfold in the most beautiful of ways.