So here are some pictures that I took. It's only 60 and is by no means the total of 807 that I took but should still give you a good idea of what an incredible country Argentina is. Enjoy!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024698&l=bdf40&id=4500948
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
"Two F***ing Seconds!"
I thought my adventure was behind me. Resigned to a trip home from El Calafate I thought that the exhilarating part of my trip took place on catamarans and Andean glaciers. Boy was I wrong...
I showed up to the airport in El Calafate at 11 to catch my 11:54 plane to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego only to find out that the flight had been pushed back two and a half hours to a 2:30 take off. By my calculations this would have put me in Buenos Aires at 8:00 pm, giving me more than enough time to catch my 9:30 flight back to JFK. I willed away the hours by exploring some of the lesser played sections of my iPod and spent an inordinate amount of time in the gift shop perusing mass produced indigenous crafts that were supposed to look unique. I was bored, frustrated and couldn't wait to get on the plane and get back home.
The boarding finally came and with my iPod plugged in, head nodding to Lil' Wayne, I made my way on to the Boeing 737 bound for Ushuaia and then continuing to Buenos Aires International Airpot. The flight took off normally and headed south to the "Southernmost City in The World." Things were going along fine until we hit a little turbulence during our descent. The rule of thumb when flying into TdF is that the flight path has to follow the contours of the low lying valleys. If the pilot tries to fly over the mountains the plane may get violently tossed around by the intense winds that are commonplace in that part of the world. I held on and waited for the bumpiness to pass but the turbulence then turned into a full fledged drop as the plane fell a few hundred feet in a matter of seconds. Passengers began to scream and gasp as the plane was thrown around like a rag doll in the ocean. Then things took a turn...literally. The turbulence became so angry that the right jet engine let out an awful and cranky mechanical groan. The engine then stalled and the plane began a sharp nosedive to the left. Sitting on the right side of the plane, I could see the mountains become nearly parallel with the window-sill. The screams of the passengers were quite audible and some even began crying. I gripped the seat as hard as I could and began breathing infrequently. We were losing altitude very quickly and thoughts of my demise became a serious reality in my own mind.
The pilot managed to regain control of the craft and pull up a few hundred feet but just as things began to get better the left side engine gave out and the plane entered the same death roll it had done just seconds ago, except this time at a much lower altitude. The cabin was now in mass hysteria and people began screaming en masse. I began to think what it would be like to die in a plane crash in this part of the world: Could I possibly survive and if not how long would it take to find my body? How long would this last? Would the pictures that I took of my glacier hikes be preserved? Would it hurt? I began to take on an eerie calmness, almost resignation. I didn't barter with God or pray for help. I merely told myself that this was beyond my control and whatever the outcome was, I'd have to accept it. Much to my surprise, the pilot managed again to take control of the plane as the left engine fired back up and the plane shot skyward at a very sharp angle.
After circling around the airport to get our coordinates, the pilot came on the air and apologized for "the little bumpiness back there" and promised we'd be on the ground soon. The second approach, while still choppy, wasn't nearly as intense as the initial attempt and we managed to get all wheels on the tarmac as the passengers cheered with glee and relief.
Because it was a stopover we weren't allowed to get off the plane so I made way to the restroom. As I was waiting and watching the faces of the panicked passengers, the man behind me started making smalltalk. This was the essence of our conversation:
"What'd you think of that landing back there?"
"That was about the hairiest moment of my life but at least we made it," I replied.
"Well I'm a flight engineer for Boeing down here on vacation and can tell you a few things. First, I fly a few hundred thousand miles a year and that was as close a call as I can remember. You see, when the plane loses power like that, the direction the nose is heading in changes and as a result the plane becomes increasingly harder and unstable for the pilot control. I reckon that if we were in that roll for two more seconds we would have crashed."
Seriously...
That is what the guy said to me. Point blank. No bullshit. I was two seconds from having my body being fished out of the Beagle Channel by the Argentine Coast Guard. Two fucking seconds. I just started laughing.
I could tell you what happened to me afterwards. That my plane got rerouted to the domestic airport because of the fires the farmers have been setting outside Buenos Aires closed the international airport. That the kid sitting next to me on the flight to Buenos Aires stole my iPod. That the police at the domestic airport got my iPod back from the kid after I pleaded with them to listen to me and just check him after a woman said she saw him pocket it. That I got a private taxi, along with another kid (Sam), that got us to the International Airport. That the taxi dropped us off at the wrong terminal. That it was too late for me to check in and had to go through a makeshift border patrol, customs and security clearance. That Sam, my newfound brother in arms, had a hard time getting through security with an ice axe in the bag that he was originally planning on checking. That I sprinted to the gate and made the plane at 9:58 knowing full well that the doors were going to close at 10. I could tell you all of that but the reality is that I can always get another iPod or another flight to New York. But even through all of that, I couldn't get the thought of "two seconds" out of my head.
Think about that...
1...
2...
(fill in the blank)
I'm happy to say that I'm here and that I'm safe but whatever luck or karma I may have had 24 hours ago certainly is a little more depleted today.
I showed up to the airport in El Calafate at 11 to catch my 11:54 plane to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego only to find out that the flight had been pushed back two and a half hours to a 2:30 take off. By my calculations this would have put me in Buenos Aires at 8:00 pm, giving me more than enough time to catch my 9:30 flight back to JFK. I willed away the hours by exploring some of the lesser played sections of my iPod and spent an inordinate amount of time in the gift shop perusing mass produced indigenous crafts that were supposed to look unique. I was bored, frustrated and couldn't wait to get on the plane and get back home.
The boarding finally came and with my iPod plugged in, head nodding to Lil' Wayne, I made my way on to the Boeing 737 bound for Ushuaia and then continuing to Buenos Aires International Airpot. The flight took off normally and headed south to the "Southernmost City in The World." Things were going along fine until we hit a little turbulence during our descent. The rule of thumb when flying into TdF is that the flight path has to follow the contours of the low lying valleys. If the pilot tries to fly over the mountains the plane may get violently tossed around by the intense winds that are commonplace in that part of the world. I held on and waited for the bumpiness to pass but the turbulence then turned into a full fledged drop as the plane fell a few hundred feet in a matter of seconds. Passengers began to scream and gasp as the plane was thrown around like a rag doll in the ocean. Then things took a turn...literally. The turbulence became so angry that the right jet engine let out an awful and cranky mechanical groan. The engine then stalled and the plane began a sharp nosedive to the left. Sitting on the right side of the plane, I could see the mountains become nearly parallel with the window-sill. The screams of the passengers were quite audible and some even began crying. I gripped the seat as hard as I could and began breathing infrequently. We were losing altitude very quickly and thoughts of my demise became a serious reality in my own mind.
The pilot managed to regain control of the craft and pull up a few hundred feet but just as things began to get better the left side engine gave out and the plane entered the same death roll it had done just seconds ago, except this time at a much lower altitude. The cabin was now in mass hysteria and people began screaming en masse. I began to think what it would be like to die in a plane crash in this part of the world: Could I possibly survive and if not how long would it take to find my body? How long would this last? Would the pictures that I took of my glacier hikes be preserved? Would it hurt? I began to take on an eerie calmness, almost resignation. I didn't barter with God or pray for help. I merely told myself that this was beyond my control and whatever the outcome was, I'd have to accept it. Much to my surprise, the pilot managed again to take control of the plane as the left engine fired back up and the plane shot skyward at a very sharp angle.
After circling around the airport to get our coordinates, the pilot came on the air and apologized for "the little bumpiness back there" and promised we'd be on the ground soon. The second approach, while still choppy, wasn't nearly as intense as the initial attempt and we managed to get all wheels on the tarmac as the passengers cheered with glee and relief.
Because it was a stopover we weren't allowed to get off the plane so I made way to the restroom. As I was waiting and watching the faces of the panicked passengers, the man behind me started making smalltalk. This was the essence of our conversation:
"What'd you think of that landing back there?"
"That was about the hairiest moment of my life but at least we made it," I replied.
"Well I'm a flight engineer for Boeing down here on vacation and can tell you a few things. First, I fly a few hundred thousand miles a year and that was as close a call as I can remember. You see, when the plane loses power like that, the direction the nose is heading in changes and as a result the plane becomes increasingly harder and unstable for the pilot control. I reckon that if we were in that roll for two more seconds we would have crashed."
Seriously...
That is what the guy said to me. Point blank. No bullshit. I was two seconds from having my body being fished out of the Beagle Channel by the Argentine Coast Guard. Two fucking seconds. I just started laughing.
I could tell you what happened to me afterwards. That my plane got rerouted to the domestic airport because of the fires the farmers have been setting outside Buenos Aires closed the international airport. That the kid sitting next to me on the flight to Buenos Aires stole my iPod. That the police at the domestic airport got my iPod back from the kid after I pleaded with them to listen to me and just check him after a woman said she saw him pocket it. That I got a private taxi, along with another kid (Sam), that got us to the International Airport. That the taxi dropped us off at the wrong terminal. That it was too late for me to check in and had to go through a makeshift border patrol, customs and security clearance. That Sam, my newfound brother in arms, had a hard time getting through security with an ice axe in the bag that he was originally planning on checking. That I sprinted to the gate and made the plane at 9:58 knowing full well that the doors were going to close at 10. I could tell you all of that but the reality is that I can always get another iPod or another flight to New York. But even through all of that, I couldn't get the thought of "two seconds" out of my head.
Think about that...
1...
2...
(fill in the blank)
I'm happy to say that I'm here and that I'm safe but whatever luck or karma I may have had 24 hours ago certainly is a little more depleted today.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Adios Patagonia
Wow...
Incredible...
Fantastic...
(insert adjective that conotes amazement here)...
A great trip that has given me so much more that what I´ve written here.
Back to NYC to get the damn photos uploaded on the interwebs.
Dad: I´m on flight AR1300 (Aerolineas Argentinas) that´s supposed to get into JFK at 7:15. I have my cell so I´ll call you when I land.
Peace!
Incredible...
Fantastic...
(insert adjective that conotes amazement here)...
A great trip that has given me so much more that what I´ve written here.
Back to NYC to get the damn photos uploaded on the interwebs.
Dad: I´m on flight AR1300 (Aerolineas Argentinas) that´s supposed to get into JFK at 7:15. I have my cell so I´ll call you when I land.
Peace!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Day Deis: You May Be Flashing Your Ice, But I´m Walking On It Son
So the final day of the trip. The culmination of all things Argentina. It is...The Big Ice Adventure!
What is Big Ice? Very simple, it´s a tour of a glacier while you´re on the actual glacier. Just like Dr. Evil would say ask about "real freaking lasers?", this is a "real freaking glaicer." And the name of this glaicer is the Perito Moreno, one of the very few advancing glaciers in the world. 5k wide, 100 meters tall and 60k long, the Perito Moreno is the jewel of Los Glaciers National Parc. Here´s what went down.
The standard 5:30 wake up call was in full effect. Got my day going with some really old and crappy coffee and a few trips to el baño (I´ll spare you the deets). The pick up was for 7am and unlike yesterday the bus was actually on time for a change. One thing about being in Patagonia during this time of year is that the sun doesn´t rise until 8am so I conked out and slept for the 50km trip out to the glacier.
I was waken up by the lovely Roxanna who made us fill out the standard issue health form when we got inside the park. It was nothing major aside from lying about having any previous ankle injuries. We then made our way to the main lookout point where you can view the glacier in all its glory. It was 8:30 in the morning as we pulled into the lookout point and my initial reaction was (hide the women an children) "Holy Shit!" I had seen the Spegazzini and Upsalla glaicers yesterday from the boat but that was from a few hundred meters away. It was a totally different experience seeing the glacier from just over a hundred yards away. It´s a sheer wall of jagged and angry ice that moves a few meters a day into the Lago Argentino. The face of the glacier is a milky white with ice blue striations that line across the view point. In the summer time the glacier calves on a very regular basis (calving is when giant chunks of the glaciar fall into the lake resulting the icebergs and various glaciar related detritus). Lucky for me, I managed to catch a rather sizeable piece fall into the water and caught it on film. The sound is eerie, picture a lightning bolt hitting a phone pole with the resulting sound of giant waves crashing against a pier. It was complete nature: unbridled, fierce and awesome.
We left the lookout point and I remembered thinking to myself "I´m going to actually walk on that thing?" The answer: yes. We were taken by boat across the lake where many pictures were taken of the sun rising above the mountains and made our way to the hut that would serve as our jumping off point for the hike. Both groups were there: Big Ice (my group and the decididly more advanced undertaking) and the Minitrekking group which seemed to be made of invalids, old people and pussies. I was in the right place allthough I sense some of you would disagree. Paula introduced herself as our guide and told us that we could take everything out of our backpacks besides lunch. We were also told to empty our water bottles, a curious comment that I at first thought I´d misinterpreted through her broken English but I´ll get to that a little later.
After a very brisk 10 minute hike up some forest we stopped at a little clearing and were given our crampons for the hike. For those who may not know, crampons are spiked, metal attachments that are bound to the bottom of your boots/shoes with nylon straps and provide grip on the glacial surface. We were then guided through a rather strenous 30 minute hike on the side of the glacier where we would then attach our crampons and take on the Perito Moreno for ourselves. The whole hike up there was filled with total anticipation: the weather appeared to be agreeable and everyone in the group moved quickly and eagerly through the stones and rocks that had been deposited along the side of the glaciar over the past thousands of years. Even a waterfall with a dropoff point hundreds of meters in the air failed to grab anyones attention. The mission was as clear as the ice we were to walk on.
We reached our point of glacial entry, a clearing filled with dead trees and branches where we all sat and placed our crampons on with the help of the guides. The hike up had given me the chance to connect with a few other travelers, notably Javier (from Buenos Aires), Mike (a Kiwi) and Iza (Polish-born but Pennsylvania-bred). The four of us served as each others photographers during the 4 hour trek but I have to admit that I probably had them take more pictures with my camera than the three of them did combined.
The first stop on the glacier was a chasm the cracked and bubbled with deep blue glacial water. It was at this point that Paula told us that all the water on the Perito Moreno was safe to drink. An intrepid Colombian couple were the first to take a sip and after a resounding affirmation of their actions, the rest of us joined it. The water was cold (duh!) but delicious. Much crisper than anything Deer Park or Poland Spring could claim, this was water straight from the source with no BS to boot.
The group was then taken to a rock pit, or at least I think that´s what it was called. Its a giant hole, 6 feet by 10 feet wide that is filled with mountain water and descends 70 meters into midnight blue darkness. I tested this out by dropping a nearby stone into the abyss and after a few seconds it was gone. For anyone thinking of taking a dip in a glaciar at any point in their lives, may I suggest you refrain from dipping nary a toe in one of these rock pits. Standing on the cusp of one of these things elicits a chilling fear, literally and figuratively. Which brings me to my next subject: The Weather.
The guides had told us that if the weather stays nice, which it was at the time, then we would be able to have lunch in the middle of the glacier. But if things started to act up we would have to cut short our hike and take refuge in a nearby tent setup for just this type of occasion. One thing was for sure, if I had to step into that tent I would have been pissed. We were told that the hikers yesterday were met with the same glorious early morning conditions but just as they got out on the glaciar the rain began to start and the hike quickly turned into a death march. I can think of few places on earth I´d rather be during a downpour than a glaciar. Not only is there no shelter but you move with the speed and agility of drunk turtle and everything around you is cold and wet already with things setting up to only get worse. Lucky for us the weather was simply magnficent. So fantastic that we started shedding layers en masse. I was decked out in a long sleeved poly-pro undershirt, a microfleece, a regular fleece and my rain jacket and by the end of the day I was wearing half the layers I had on in the begining of the day. I can´t even begin to tell you what this meant in both group morale and the resulting photographs that I had taken: I managed an arthritc index finger inducing 312 photos and movies by the end of the day.
Hiking around the glaciar for a few hours, Paula directed us to a lagoon that sat on the surface of the ice where we would take lunch. You know when you buy a computer and it comes pre-equipped with photos of beautiful places that you can use as either a screensaver or a desktop backgroud? This was one of those places. Blue water flowed into the lagoon through a makeshift waterfall and the surface of the snow was pocked with marks that resembled acne in their appearance. This almost lunar landscape was the setting for easily the most incredible lunch location I´d ever had. And what did I have? A PowerBar and a turkey sandwich that Iza was kind enough to share with me. Yeah, classy, I know, thanks.
We then headed back to the jump in point where my energy levels started to dip. All that walking in the bright sunshine (that reflects off the snow and makes things a little dicey at times) had made me somewhat weary. That said, I was still trucking along and just taking everything in. Fantastic.
We reached the point, took off our crampons and made our way back to the boats. Photos and videos were taken on the hike back and I just had an ear to ear smile the entire way down. This is what I had come down here for. To explore the wilds and ruggedness of Patagonia. To test myself, albeit not that much. And to have an adventure that would be more than just the run of the mill ski trip or beach vacation. I left the Perito Moreno knowing that I had acheived my goal. The boat ride back was met with celebratory whiskey on the rocks (legitamate rocks as they were ice chunks taken from the glacier itself). Photos of the group were taken and I exchanged information with Mike, Javier and Iza. It was a momentous day and truly the cherry atop a trip that has made me a new person perhaps.
My flight takes off tomorrow at 11:54am where I start the 21 hour journey back to NYC. I´ll let this experience marinate a bit before I choose some closing thoughts but let me make one thing clear: Do yourself a favor and go on a trip. It can be a day or it can be for a year. It doesn´t have to be to Argentina but go somewhere different. Somewhere you haven´t been before. You´ll be amazed how clear your mind will be when you return.
Hasta La Vista,
Zooooooooooooooooooooooooooooob
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Day Nueve: I See You Flashing That Ice
Despite the fact that it´s 40 degrees with vertical rain I am proud to tell you that today was one of the most incredible days I´ve had traveling. Let´s relive the past 24 hours shall we.
After a brief post yesterday I took to the sheets at around 10:15 to get some rest before my 5:30 wake up to head out on the boats and see the surrounding glaciers on Lago Argentino. Why am I waking up at 5:30 you ask? Well the buses for the glaciers pick you up at the hotel at 7am and I´m not the kind of person that can just get out of bed and make moves. I need to marinate: have a coffee, read some news and get the overall job done. It wasn´t so bad actually as I had some time to chill out in the living room area by myself as other guests started to trickle in. By 6:45 the place was hopping and I began to anticipate my pickup. Things started to die out after the buses started picking up guests for their respective trips yet I remained. 7:30 rolls around an Jimena (previously and mistakenly named Justina in this blog) asks me if I was sure I made a reservation. Seeing as she made it for me I said "Si." A few more minutes go by and I receive news that the bus has left without me because of a mistake on their end. Great. But not to worry, a private taxi would come pick me up to take me the 40k to the boat launch.
Sure enough, 5 minutes later the taxi picks me up and we start hauling ass topping out at 120 kph (about 100 mph). His lead foot made seeing the desolate landscape a bit of a blur but I managed to discern some shapes of sheep and mountains and not much else. There is really nothing here besides shrubs, it´s a little jarring at first. After a little snafu on my part (apparently your chances of getting on the boat are significantly diminished if you don´t have a ticket) led to me sprinting around the port, I made my way onto the vessel and prepared for what one guest the night before said was "One of the most incredible things I´ve ever done." He was 70 so his words carried some serious weight.
The catamaran was state-of-the-art with two tiers of seating and 360 degree viewing angles. Step outside and you can circumnavigate the entire ship for optimal glacier and iceberg photo ops. My first thought wasn´t a good one as I saw a number of elderly faces, leading me to believe that I got on the wrong boat as I was told by the woman at the hostel that there was a hike at some point of the voyage. The only hiking many of the patrons looked capable of us up to the Pearly Gates so I questioned the motives of ticket window operator back at port who may have been playing a cruel trick on me. My thoughts were quickly laid to rest as the boat pulled out of the harbor and headed up the Brazo Norte section of the pristine lake. The sun had barely risen above the surrounding mountains but my eyes were transfixed on the world around me. Huge peaks towering jutting out from seemingly nowhere to fix themselves thousands of meters above the lake. Waterfalls crashing down from hundreds of feet. And not a single trace of humanity besides the incredibly loud Puerto Rican contingent sitting behind me who all started doing shots of Jameson whiskey which left them incapable of keeping quiet.
The boat sped through the uper regions of the lake and the faces of the guests would routinely droop every time another breathtaking sight made its way into focus. The first glacier we would be visiting is called Glaciar Spegazzini and is known for the height of its ice wall. After an hour trip across the lake the Spegazzini came into view and I was at the front of the hull, mouth agape, madly taking pictures and videos. The closer we got the more glacial garbage began floating around the boat and as we pulled up to the 300 meter viewing point of the glacier, a few of the crew fished a toddler sized iceberg from the water which, after being chopped up, found it´s fragments into the vodka filled glasses of the aforementoined Puerto Rican contingent who had since been relegated to some corner of the bottom level much to my delight.
The glaciar did not disappoint. With a wall reaching over 200 feet in height, the Spegazzini is simply awe inspiring. Jagged peaks of ice jut from the top of the wall and electric blue sections tumble from the mountains around the river of ice and fall into the lake with a resounding splash, much to the delight of onlookers. The boat spent a solid 30 minutes in front of the glaciar, quietly trolling the waters and doing slow 360´s that allowed everyone on board to get more than enough photos. I was lucky enough to connect with a very young Swiss couple who acted as my personal photographers. When I attempted to exchange the favor I was met with a stern "No, vee don´t like pictures of us viss zee glay-shers." Ah yes, those lovely Swiss.
Our next stop was to do continue on the northward arm of the Brazo Norte (a redundant sentence for the Spanish speakers in the house) with the Glaciar Upsalla as the destination. Much wider but far less imposing than the Spegazzini, the Upsalla is the largest glaciar in the Andean ice cap with a width of 2km and an overall length of more than 60km. Lines of winding dirt and gravel were visible within the glacier itself as we approached but the most incredible aspect of the Upsalla were the apartment building sized icebergs that had recently calved from it. These massive chunks of ice break away from the main glacier on a seasonal level, usually around springtime when the temperature begins to heat up. The float with no real direction but their mere presence is more than ominous. Catamaran vs. Iceberg, I´m taking iceberg every single time. After a few Titanic jokes, the group began the photo circus again, after which me made our way towards landfall at Puerto B. Onelli.
Puerto Onelli is an escarpment on the western portion of the park where these boats dock and allow the guests to either sit down at a restaurant for lunch or make a 1km trek through the woods to the other side of the penninsula to witness a section of the lake where three glaciers distribute their ices at the same point. I was all PowerBar´d up so I made the trek despite the now steady rain that was coming from the west. A brief hike through the indigenous beech trees that were just begining to turn to their autumnal reds and oranges led us to the lookout point where we were free to roam the beach for about an hour. My first impulse was to hop ontop of one of the many icebergs that had made their way on to shore and an Australian man was kind enough to take a few shots of me. The view was now totally fogged up so we could only see one of the three nearby glaciers but I don´t think any one was disappointed. The sheer isolation, the meandering jagged icebergs and the roar of a faraway avalanche was a deeply spiritual experience for me. I stood at the banks of the lake, looking at the surrounding scenery and closed my eyes for a few minutes. This was the moment that I had come down to Argentina for. To see what else was out there. My curiousity regarding this part of the world had paid off and I stood there, completely and totally content. It was marvelous (or mahvelous depending on what shore of Long Island you´re froom). We made our way back to the boat and even though I was freezing from the wind and the rain I left Puerto Onelli with a huge smile on my face.
The trip back to the harbor was uneventful as I slept with the sounds of Santana´s Abraxas on my iPod. Tomorrow I head out to do the Big Ice climb on the Perito Moreno glacier. This happened to be the one thing that I really wanted to do on this trip so it´s fitting that I´ve saved it for last. My only hope is that the weather clears up as it is still raining and quite windy but I´m fleeced up so it shouldn´t be much of a problem.
Back to the hostel I go. I may get a late night post in but if not I look forward to giving you final Argentina post tomorrow.
Observations
1) I have a goal and that is to leave the United States at least once every calendar year. Seeing Argentina in all of its glory has made me realized that there is so, so, so much more than what lies within my home borders. While I love living in the US I would like to get a few more stamps in my passport as well. Let´s see if I can make good on this one.
2) Old people are funny and fart at weird times.
3) The meat down here is just incredible. A barbecue (called an asado) is treated with almost spiritual reverence. I asked the cook at the hostel what makes the food so much better down here seeing as they only use salt to season the meat. He believes that what´s considered great meat in the US is only of marginal quality down here. He doesn´t need any spices or sauces for his dishes as the meat speaks for itself. I think he´s right.
4) Lots of Israelis down here. In fact, one of the desk guys here is a Jew from Buenos Aires. Amen brotha!
5) I love introducing new people to new music. Thievery Corporation has been getting a lot of rotation in the hostel, courtesy of me, and much to the delight of the guests.
Uno Mundo!
Farmbinial
After a brief post yesterday I took to the sheets at around 10:15 to get some rest before my 5:30 wake up to head out on the boats and see the surrounding glaciers on Lago Argentino. Why am I waking up at 5:30 you ask? Well the buses for the glaciers pick you up at the hotel at 7am and I´m not the kind of person that can just get out of bed and make moves. I need to marinate: have a coffee, read some news and get the overall job done. It wasn´t so bad actually as I had some time to chill out in the living room area by myself as other guests started to trickle in. By 6:45 the place was hopping and I began to anticipate my pickup. Things started to die out after the buses started picking up guests for their respective trips yet I remained. 7:30 rolls around an Jimena (previously and mistakenly named Justina in this blog) asks me if I was sure I made a reservation. Seeing as she made it for me I said "Si." A few more minutes go by and I receive news that the bus has left without me because of a mistake on their end. Great. But not to worry, a private taxi would come pick me up to take me the 40k to the boat launch.
Sure enough, 5 minutes later the taxi picks me up and we start hauling ass topping out at 120 kph (about 100 mph). His lead foot made seeing the desolate landscape a bit of a blur but I managed to discern some shapes of sheep and mountains and not much else. There is really nothing here besides shrubs, it´s a little jarring at first. After a little snafu on my part (apparently your chances of getting on the boat are significantly diminished if you don´t have a ticket) led to me sprinting around the port, I made my way onto the vessel and prepared for what one guest the night before said was "One of the most incredible things I´ve ever done." He was 70 so his words carried some serious weight.
The catamaran was state-of-the-art with two tiers of seating and 360 degree viewing angles. Step outside and you can circumnavigate the entire ship for optimal glacier and iceberg photo ops. My first thought wasn´t a good one as I saw a number of elderly faces, leading me to believe that I got on the wrong boat as I was told by the woman at the hostel that there was a hike at some point of the voyage. The only hiking many of the patrons looked capable of us up to the Pearly Gates so I questioned the motives of ticket window operator back at port who may have been playing a cruel trick on me. My thoughts were quickly laid to rest as the boat pulled out of the harbor and headed up the Brazo Norte section of the pristine lake. The sun had barely risen above the surrounding mountains but my eyes were transfixed on the world around me. Huge peaks towering jutting out from seemingly nowhere to fix themselves thousands of meters above the lake. Waterfalls crashing down from hundreds of feet. And not a single trace of humanity besides the incredibly loud Puerto Rican contingent sitting behind me who all started doing shots of Jameson whiskey which left them incapable of keeping quiet.
The boat sped through the uper regions of the lake and the faces of the guests would routinely droop every time another breathtaking sight made its way into focus. The first glacier we would be visiting is called Glaciar Spegazzini and is known for the height of its ice wall. After an hour trip across the lake the Spegazzini came into view and I was at the front of the hull, mouth agape, madly taking pictures and videos. The closer we got the more glacial garbage began floating around the boat and as we pulled up to the 300 meter viewing point of the glacier, a few of the crew fished a toddler sized iceberg from the water which, after being chopped up, found it´s fragments into the vodka filled glasses of the aforementoined Puerto Rican contingent who had since been relegated to some corner of the bottom level much to my delight.
The glaciar did not disappoint. With a wall reaching over 200 feet in height, the Spegazzini is simply awe inspiring. Jagged peaks of ice jut from the top of the wall and electric blue sections tumble from the mountains around the river of ice and fall into the lake with a resounding splash, much to the delight of onlookers. The boat spent a solid 30 minutes in front of the glaciar, quietly trolling the waters and doing slow 360´s that allowed everyone on board to get more than enough photos. I was lucky enough to connect with a very young Swiss couple who acted as my personal photographers. When I attempted to exchange the favor I was met with a stern "No, vee don´t like pictures of us viss zee glay-shers." Ah yes, those lovely Swiss.
Our next stop was to do continue on the northward arm of the Brazo Norte (a redundant sentence for the Spanish speakers in the house) with the Glaciar Upsalla as the destination. Much wider but far less imposing than the Spegazzini, the Upsalla is the largest glaciar in the Andean ice cap with a width of 2km and an overall length of more than 60km. Lines of winding dirt and gravel were visible within the glacier itself as we approached but the most incredible aspect of the Upsalla were the apartment building sized icebergs that had recently calved from it. These massive chunks of ice break away from the main glacier on a seasonal level, usually around springtime when the temperature begins to heat up. The float with no real direction but their mere presence is more than ominous. Catamaran vs. Iceberg, I´m taking iceberg every single time. After a few Titanic jokes, the group began the photo circus again, after which me made our way towards landfall at Puerto B. Onelli.
Puerto Onelli is an escarpment on the western portion of the park where these boats dock and allow the guests to either sit down at a restaurant for lunch or make a 1km trek through the woods to the other side of the penninsula to witness a section of the lake where three glaciers distribute their ices at the same point. I was all PowerBar´d up so I made the trek despite the now steady rain that was coming from the west. A brief hike through the indigenous beech trees that were just begining to turn to their autumnal reds and oranges led us to the lookout point where we were free to roam the beach for about an hour. My first impulse was to hop ontop of one of the many icebergs that had made their way on to shore and an Australian man was kind enough to take a few shots of me. The view was now totally fogged up so we could only see one of the three nearby glaciers but I don´t think any one was disappointed. The sheer isolation, the meandering jagged icebergs and the roar of a faraway avalanche was a deeply spiritual experience for me. I stood at the banks of the lake, looking at the surrounding scenery and closed my eyes for a few minutes. This was the moment that I had come down to Argentina for. To see what else was out there. My curiousity regarding this part of the world had paid off and I stood there, completely and totally content. It was marvelous (or mahvelous depending on what shore of Long Island you´re froom). We made our way back to the boat and even though I was freezing from the wind and the rain I left Puerto Onelli with a huge smile on my face.
The trip back to the harbor was uneventful as I slept with the sounds of Santana´s Abraxas on my iPod. Tomorrow I head out to do the Big Ice climb on the Perito Moreno glacier. This happened to be the one thing that I really wanted to do on this trip so it´s fitting that I´ve saved it for last. My only hope is that the weather clears up as it is still raining and quite windy but I´m fleeced up so it shouldn´t be much of a problem.
Back to the hostel I go. I may get a late night post in but if not I look forward to giving you final Argentina post tomorrow.
Observations
1) I have a goal and that is to leave the United States at least once every calendar year. Seeing Argentina in all of its glory has made me realized that there is so, so, so much more than what lies within my home borders. While I love living in the US I would like to get a few more stamps in my passport as well. Let´s see if I can make good on this one.
2) Old people are funny and fart at weird times.
3) The meat down here is just incredible. A barbecue (called an asado) is treated with almost spiritual reverence. I asked the cook at the hostel what makes the food so much better down here seeing as they only use salt to season the meat. He believes that what´s considered great meat in the US is only of marginal quality down here. He doesn´t need any spices or sauces for his dishes as the meat speaks for itself. I think he´s right.
4) Lots of Israelis down here. In fact, one of the desk guys here is a Jew from Buenos Aires. Amen brotha!
5) I love introducing new people to new music. Thievery Corporation has been getting a lot of rotation in the hostel, courtesy of me, and much to the delight of the guests.
Uno Mundo!
Farmbinial
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Good Times at The America del Sur Hostel
Had a chance for a brief update. I´m sitting here in the decked out lounge completely content. Not only have I introduced the staff here to some really great music but they´ve let me DJ here. Got Thievery Corporation spinning around and everyone is asking me who is playing, it´s a great feeling.
Hitting the sack soon. Have to be up at 5:15 to get ready for the glaciers.
Hitting the sack soon. Have to be up at 5:15 to get ready for the glaciers.
An Idea of What I´m Looking At
Because I have no real way of uploading any of my pictures, I´m resorting to images from the Internet to give you all a sense of what I´m looking at. While I guess I will have to wait to upload the pics when I get back, in the meantime, enjoy.
(Ed note: Bandwith issue are bad so if you are keen on seeing where I am, just search for pictures of Lago Argentino, Perito Moreno and Upsalla Glacier. If you would like to see where I´m staying just go to www.americanhostel.com.ar)
(Ed note: Bandwith issue are bad so if you are keen on seeing where I am, just search for pictures of Lago Argentino, Perito Moreno and Upsalla Glacier. If you would like to see where I´m staying just go to www.americanhostel.com.ar)
Horse Back Riding in Patagonia
Wow...
Seriously, wow...
I´m in the Patagonian outpost named El Calafate right now and I just can´t explain how incredible this place is but I will do my best.
I may have mentioned this already but I woke up this morning at 7am and headed to the reception desk where Justina, the very sweet and somewhat attractive desk lady began yelling at me having never even met me before.¨"You are in room Maracaibo yes? Your bus leaves in 10 minutes for the glaciers! You must get dressed immediately!" Not knowing that I had made reservations, I ran back to my room and began packing as if there were a nuclear explosion. I had no idea what was going on seeing as I had made no arrangements whatsoever yet but thought that perhaps I was at a hostel that planned everything for you. I sprinted around my room and made it back to the reception area having not showered or brushed my teeth which I´m sure made everyone with clear nasal passages really happy. After sitting there for 20 minutes, Justina came over to me and informed me that she had made a mistake, that it was the room next to me who was supposed to be at the bus and that I should just relax and enjoy myself. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I like to take my time in the morning. I like to have my coffee, I like to read and I like to spend an inordinate amount of time on the throne. Not having been afforded any of those opportunties put me in a grumpy mood but I managed to organize the day regardless.
Justina set me up with a causal 2-hour horseback ride that would take me to the top of some hills that overlook Lago Argentino and some of the surrounding mountains. After napping for a few hours in the living room I was picked up by my cab at 11:15 for the 10 minute drive to the stable.
The stable itself is a bit rundown but it exudes gauchoness. There are horses, dogs and cats everywhere and everyone that works there has the air of someone whose body was forged not from a womb but from stainless steel. The men were hard but kind. After exchanging pleasantries with our gaucho, the very funny and charming Fernando, me and 4 others set off on our trip. Joining me were Mario and Hillary, a newly wedded couple from West Hartford (who we´ll get to a bit later) and an Itallian mother daughter combination.
I hadn´t ridden a horse in years but much like a bicycle, it didn´t take me long to get well aquainted with my steed, I think it´s name was Paquao. We started off heading towards one of the shrubby hills that blanket this landscape and were met with head swivelling views of epic mountains and crystal blue lakes. The omniprescent and sometimes violent wind kept my hands alternating for spots under the saddle while my idle hand held the reigns. Upon reaching one of the many vistas that overlook the town and the mountains we stopped for pictures. It was a remarkable spot that was somewhat compromised by Fernando´s horse rather potent and audible flatulence. We continued onward for another 45 minutes until we reached our intended destination: a bluff that sits about 200 feet about Lago Argentino, resulting in a steep drop into the lake. Many, many pictures were taken and we made our return back. The landscape here is almost martian and no plant grows higher than a few feet. My guess is that the constant wind coupled with apparent nutrient deficient soil makes for poor agricultural conditions. The only economy this place has going for it is tourism which is both a blessing and a curse.
Up until a few years ago, El Calafate was a dusty outpost where Argentines could come to covalesce on the banks of Largo Argentino and perhaps visit the nearby glacier, Perito Moreno. That all changed in 2000 when the municipal government completed the new airport that was meant to service daily flights from Buenos Aires, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Ushuaia. With this increase in available capacity comes a need to improve the current conditions of lodging and hotels. The result is a major construction boon that, while bringing plenty of dollars to the region, could ultimately have an irreperable effect on the natural surroundings. One of the joys of coming to Patagonia is experiencing the untamed landscape and harsh conditions that make up the climate in this part of the world. That may all disappear if the government doesn´t take steps to stem construction and cap the number of visitors that come into this town. I don´t have much hope but it´s not too late to make a change.
Mario and I had been chatting for the duration of the ride. He´s from Puerto Rico and his new wife hails from Ireland and having just been married 10 days ago, they were spending their honeymoon here in Argentina. We began talking about the respective places we have been and as the ride wound down Mario was kind enough to invite me for lunch and we took almuerzo in a regional restaurant in town. After a portion of blood sausage, I took my main course of a delicious local trout while Mario and Hillary split a portion of lamb. The serving style here is certainly unique as they don´t spend much time on presentation and instead, focus on the quality of the mean which is sublime. We downed a bottle of local Malbec and parted ways but not before exchanging email addresses and the like. A wonderful couple and one of the many people I hope to keep in touch with when I return home.
I was planning on renting a car and exploring the surrounding landscape but lunch lasted longer than expected so I made my way to the Internet cafe where I type right now.
Observations:
1) The Internet connection at every place down here is extremely slow. So slow that I think their version of email involves an Andean Condor transporting your message from El Calafate to Buenos Aires, only to then have the message put into the computer and sent to its intended destination. It´s somewhat frustrating but I didn´t come down here to play video games and write Javascript so I´ll deal, even if it costs me $2.50 pesos every 15 minutes.
2) This town is obviously a toursit orriented kind of place but still retains some regional charm. I like it and there is a prevailing odor of baby powder that emenates throughout the entire resort. It´s kind of weird but it´s better than having the whole place smell like burnt rubber (ehem...Buenos Aires. are you listening?)
3)Driving from the airport last night was kind of an interesting experience. It´s 14 miles away from tomn and we didn´t see a light until I pulled into the hostel parking lot. If you need any confirmation that you are at the end of the earth, just fly into the airport and drive around for a while. You´ll see nothing more than asphalt, dirt and shrubs. That´s it.
4) Uncle Lammie: I didn´t have time to get your bag, I´m sorry but I´ll make it up to you by having a great time while thinking about you. That´s fair, no?
If you think I took a lot of pictures today the I suggest you hold onto your 1GB memory sticks because tomorrow is glacier time and the Canon SD1000 will be put to the test.
I´m heading back to the hostel and plan on chilling out for the rest of the day. I may do a night post after dinner but I have to be up so damn early tomorrow that I may just wait ´till tomorrow afternoon to get everything out.
One World!
Das Uber Coog
Seriously, wow...
I´m in the Patagonian outpost named El Calafate right now and I just can´t explain how incredible this place is but I will do my best.
I may have mentioned this already but I woke up this morning at 7am and headed to the reception desk where Justina, the very sweet and somewhat attractive desk lady began yelling at me having never even met me before.¨"You are in room Maracaibo yes? Your bus leaves in 10 minutes for the glaciers! You must get dressed immediately!" Not knowing that I had made reservations, I ran back to my room and began packing as if there were a nuclear explosion. I had no idea what was going on seeing as I had made no arrangements whatsoever yet but thought that perhaps I was at a hostel that planned everything for you. I sprinted around my room and made it back to the reception area having not showered or brushed my teeth which I´m sure made everyone with clear nasal passages really happy. After sitting there for 20 minutes, Justina came over to me and informed me that she had made a mistake, that it was the room next to me who was supposed to be at the bus and that I should just relax and enjoy myself. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I like to take my time in the morning. I like to have my coffee, I like to read and I like to spend an inordinate amount of time on the throne. Not having been afforded any of those opportunties put me in a grumpy mood but I managed to organize the day regardless.
Justina set me up with a causal 2-hour horseback ride that would take me to the top of some hills that overlook Lago Argentino and some of the surrounding mountains. After napping for a few hours in the living room I was picked up by my cab at 11:15 for the 10 minute drive to the stable.
The stable itself is a bit rundown but it exudes gauchoness. There are horses, dogs and cats everywhere and everyone that works there has the air of someone whose body was forged not from a womb but from stainless steel. The men were hard but kind. After exchanging pleasantries with our gaucho, the very funny and charming Fernando, me and 4 others set off on our trip. Joining me were Mario and Hillary, a newly wedded couple from West Hartford (who we´ll get to a bit later) and an Itallian mother daughter combination.
I hadn´t ridden a horse in years but much like a bicycle, it didn´t take me long to get well aquainted with my steed, I think it´s name was Paquao. We started off heading towards one of the shrubby hills that blanket this landscape and were met with head swivelling views of epic mountains and crystal blue lakes. The omniprescent and sometimes violent wind kept my hands alternating for spots under the saddle while my idle hand held the reigns. Upon reaching one of the many vistas that overlook the town and the mountains we stopped for pictures. It was a remarkable spot that was somewhat compromised by Fernando´s horse rather potent and audible flatulence. We continued onward for another 45 minutes until we reached our intended destination: a bluff that sits about 200 feet about Lago Argentino, resulting in a steep drop into the lake. Many, many pictures were taken and we made our return back. The landscape here is almost martian and no plant grows higher than a few feet. My guess is that the constant wind coupled with apparent nutrient deficient soil makes for poor agricultural conditions. The only economy this place has going for it is tourism which is both a blessing and a curse.
Up until a few years ago, El Calafate was a dusty outpost where Argentines could come to covalesce on the banks of Largo Argentino and perhaps visit the nearby glacier, Perito Moreno. That all changed in 2000 when the municipal government completed the new airport that was meant to service daily flights from Buenos Aires, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Ushuaia. With this increase in available capacity comes a need to improve the current conditions of lodging and hotels. The result is a major construction boon that, while bringing plenty of dollars to the region, could ultimately have an irreperable effect on the natural surroundings. One of the joys of coming to Patagonia is experiencing the untamed landscape and harsh conditions that make up the climate in this part of the world. That may all disappear if the government doesn´t take steps to stem construction and cap the number of visitors that come into this town. I don´t have much hope but it´s not too late to make a change.
Mario and I had been chatting for the duration of the ride. He´s from Puerto Rico and his new wife hails from Ireland and having just been married 10 days ago, they were spending their honeymoon here in Argentina. We began talking about the respective places we have been and as the ride wound down Mario was kind enough to invite me for lunch and we took almuerzo in a regional restaurant in town. After a portion of blood sausage, I took my main course of a delicious local trout while Mario and Hillary split a portion of lamb. The serving style here is certainly unique as they don´t spend much time on presentation and instead, focus on the quality of the mean which is sublime. We downed a bottle of local Malbec and parted ways but not before exchanging email addresses and the like. A wonderful couple and one of the many people I hope to keep in touch with when I return home.
I was planning on renting a car and exploring the surrounding landscape but lunch lasted longer than expected so I made my way to the Internet cafe where I type right now.
Observations:
1) The Internet connection at every place down here is extremely slow. So slow that I think their version of email involves an Andean Condor transporting your message from El Calafate to Buenos Aires, only to then have the message put into the computer and sent to its intended destination. It´s somewhat frustrating but I didn´t come down here to play video games and write Javascript so I´ll deal, even if it costs me $2.50 pesos every 15 minutes.
2) This town is obviously a toursit orriented kind of place but still retains some regional charm. I like it and there is a prevailing odor of baby powder that emenates throughout the entire resort. It´s kind of weird but it´s better than having the whole place smell like burnt rubber (ehem...Buenos Aires. are you listening?)
3)Driving from the airport last night was kind of an interesting experience. It´s 14 miles away from tomn and we didn´t see a light until I pulled into the hostel parking lot. If you need any confirmation that you are at the end of the earth, just fly into the airport and drive around for a while. You´ll see nothing more than asphalt, dirt and shrubs. That´s it.
4) Uncle Lammie: I didn´t have time to get your bag, I´m sorry but I´ll make it up to you by having a great time while thinking about you. That´s fair, no?
If you think I took a lot of pictures today the I suggest you hold onto your 1GB memory sticks because tomorrow is glacier time and the Canon SD1000 will be put to the test.
I´m heading back to the hostel and plan on chilling out for the rest of the day. I may do a night post after dinner but I have to be up so damn early tomorrow that I may just wait ´till tomorrow afternoon to get everything out.
One World!
Das Uber Coog
Good Morning from Patagonia and All Things Desolate Landscape
I checked into the America del Sur Hostel here in Calafate last night and was greeted very warmly by the staff. So warmly that when I walked in, bedraggled and spent after a full day of travelling, Marcos and David (the two desk guys) opened there arms as I walked through the door and shouted, "Eh-Satch. Hola!" It was heart warming and certainly a unique entrance. I asked Marcos how he knew I was "Eh-Satch" and his reply was "American name, American face." Great.
So I settled down in my room, a sparse one bed living space with a private bath and toilet, showered and got some dinner here in the hostel. They have a nightly barbecue with a terrific salad bar and gaucho meat (basically super-salted chicken or beef that is the epitome of tender and juicy). Apparently preparing it is quite easy and the difference lies not in the meat that is used but the barbecue which is unique to Argentina. It was phenomenal and I want to eat like that in New York every day. Chickens...run in fear!
I started chatting with a Sveeeedish couple during dinner who are 7 months into a 10-month world tour. They´ve done Asia, Australia, Europe and South America and when I asked them what the highlight has been so far they told me that they spent a month in the Bolivian Amazon teaching village kids English. In return for their services, they were required to pick their own rice and lentils for their food. It instantly reminded me of a kibbutz in Israel and they agreed, saying that the experience was very similar.
The hostel that I´m in right now differs greatly from the one I was at in Buenos Aires. First off the average age her is much higher. I expect that´s because it requires a few more pesos to make his trip which would prevent most of the people in Hostel Estoril from even considering this trip. The other reason is that El Calafate has seen a major boom in tourism over the past 5 years and a lot of families who may normally stay in more posh quarters are relegated to biding their time in a hostel. But make no mistake, while rustic this place is well run, clean and extremely fun to be at. It was ranked the Number 3 hostel in all of South America in 2006 and when it dies, it will acheive complete and total consciousness, so it´s got that going for it, which is nice.
I woke up this morning at 7am thinking that I would have some time to get the day started, have a coffee, read some information about this place. I went to the front desk and spoke to the woman there who started franticaly telling me that my bus would be here any minute to take me to the glacier. I had no idea what she was talking about as I hadn´t made a reservation for any trip to the glacier yet. I ran back to my room, threw on anything I could find and raced out to the waiting area. Sitting there for 20 minutes I decided to ask where this reservation came from when Justina realized that it wasn´t my room that had the bus trip at 7 but the room next to me. Sweet. All that hustle and bustle was for nothing but at least it gave me a chance to set up the tours that I´ll be doing for the 3 days that I´m here. So here´s what I´ve got, and if jealousy sets in, just remember that anyone else reading this will be feeling the same way you are.
Today I head out at 9:30 for a horse back riding trip that takes you around Lago Argentino. It´s supposed to give you magnificent views of the Perito Moreno glacier and the surrounding mountains. You get lunch and about 4 hours of riding before you´re taken back to the hostel.
Thursday I hop on a boat which takes you on the lake. It starts by putting you less than 200 yards away from Perito Moreno and then makes it´s way around to the Upsala glacier which is even bigger and more striking.
The final day is the true cherry on the top of this whole trip: Big Ice Minitrekking. A trip back to Perito Moreno, you and 14 other people get a brief intorduction to ice hiking when you are then given crampons (spikes that attach to the bottom of your shoes) where you hike on the actual glacier for 7 miles. It requires you to be in good shape but I don´t think I´ll have a problem, but if I do, dying on a glacier would certainly be a way to go.
So there you have it. Like I said yesterday, there´s only one computer in the hostel so I´ll see what I can do in terms of getting some updates out there. The hostel does have free WiFi so perhaps I can strike a deal with one of the Brits here who is always on his iMac.
Todo Mundo!
Eh-Satch
So I settled down in my room, a sparse one bed living space with a private bath and toilet, showered and got some dinner here in the hostel. They have a nightly barbecue with a terrific salad bar and gaucho meat (basically super-salted chicken or beef that is the epitome of tender and juicy). Apparently preparing it is quite easy and the difference lies not in the meat that is used but the barbecue which is unique to Argentina. It was phenomenal and I want to eat like that in New York every day. Chickens...run in fear!
I started chatting with a Sveeeedish couple during dinner who are 7 months into a 10-month world tour. They´ve done Asia, Australia, Europe and South America and when I asked them what the highlight has been so far they told me that they spent a month in the Bolivian Amazon teaching village kids English. In return for their services, they were required to pick their own rice and lentils for their food. It instantly reminded me of a kibbutz in Israel and they agreed, saying that the experience was very similar.
The hostel that I´m in right now differs greatly from the one I was at in Buenos Aires. First off the average age her is much higher. I expect that´s because it requires a few more pesos to make his trip which would prevent most of the people in Hostel Estoril from even considering this trip. The other reason is that El Calafate has seen a major boom in tourism over the past 5 years and a lot of families who may normally stay in more posh quarters are relegated to biding their time in a hostel. But make no mistake, while rustic this place is well run, clean and extremely fun to be at. It was ranked the Number 3 hostel in all of South America in 2006 and when it dies, it will acheive complete and total consciousness, so it´s got that going for it, which is nice.
I woke up this morning at 7am thinking that I would have some time to get the day started, have a coffee, read some information about this place. I went to the front desk and spoke to the woman there who started franticaly telling me that my bus would be here any minute to take me to the glacier. I had no idea what she was talking about as I hadn´t made a reservation for any trip to the glacier yet. I ran back to my room, threw on anything I could find and raced out to the waiting area. Sitting there for 20 minutes I decided to ask where this reservation came from when Justina realized that it wasn´t my room that had the bus trip at 7 but the room next to me. Sweet. All that hustle and bustle was for nothing but at least it gave me a chance to set up the tours that I´ll be doing for the 3 days that I´m here. So here´s what I´ve got, and if jealousy sets in, just remember that anyone else reading this will be feeling the same way you are.
Today I head out at 9:30 for a horse back riding trip that takes you around Lago Argentino. It´s supposed to give you magnificent views of the Perito Moreno glacier and the surrounding mountains. You get lunch and about 4 hours of riding before you´re taken back to the hostel.
Thursday I hop on a boat which takes you on the lake. It starts by putting you less than 200 yards away from Perito Moreno and then makes it´s way around to the Upsala glacier which is even bigger and more striking.
The final day is the true cherry on the top of this whole trip: Big Ice Minitrekking. A trip back to Perito Moreno, you and 14 other people get a brief intorduction to ice hiking when you are then given crampons (spikes that attach to the bottom of your shoes) where you hike on the actual glacier for 7 miles. It requires you to be in good shape but I don´t think I´ll have a problem, but if I do, dying on a glacier would certainly be a way to go.
So there you have it. Like I said yesterday, there´s only one computer in the hostel so I´ll see what I can do in terms of getting some updates out there. The hostel does have free WiFi so perhaps I can strike a deal with one of the Brits here who is always on his iMac.
Todo Mundo!
Eh-Satch
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Day Six: Further South Than Any Kubin In History
Hola from the legitamate bottom of the Earth. I´m strapped for time but here´s what´s happend in the past few days:
I spent yesterday with Vivian Holz in Mendoza. She was kind enough to act as my personal tour guide which was very gracious of her. We started off at the Norton winery bodega which afforded the opportunity of some breathtaking scenery and wine tasting. The vineyards overlook 20,000 foot Andean peaks. Safe to say that if I had to work there I´d spend the entire day just staring west and probably be fired within 48 hours for being that drunk naked guy screaming at the mountains. A wonderful place: rustic, charming and rather sophisticated.
After sampling some wines at the tasting bar Vivan took me back to her place for a little lunch and then we headed into the mountains for a brief tour of the Argentine side of the second tallest range in the world. I´ve been to the Chilean side which is decidely more lush. The Argentine side of the Andes, while striking, is barren. There is virtually no vegetation besides the ocassional displaced brush. Given the majestic landscape it makes for some pretty arid scenery. We made our way up to Potrerillos, a huge dam constructed by the Argentines to harness the water that comes from the mountains. Mendoza gets less than 5 inches of rain per year so they need pretty much every drop of the wet stuff. The lake side of the dam is incredible. The water is a florescent shade of Carolina blue and just pops out of the red mountains in an incredible chromatic juxtaposition. I have plenty of pictures of me standing awkwardly with the lake behind me as Vivian snapped away.
Dinner was also a delight. Luis was kind enough to take us all out to one of the best restaurants in town and seeing as Mendoza is known for it´s wine and food, the restaurant, where the name eludes me at the moment, did not disappoint. I go the roasted corn which was baked within the husk, followed by a gaucho-style barbeque chicken breast. Succulent and juicy, it was grilled with just salt but was an all time great meal for me.
I spent the entire day today traveling all over the country. Left Mendoza, headed to Buenos Aires, then flew all the way down to Uiashia which is on Tierra del Fuego. The flight in was a highlight. I was secretly listening to my iPod as Eric Clapton´s ´The Endge of Darkness´ came on. Few things can prepare you for a dusk descent into Tierra del Fuego but the song just seemed so damn fitting. It was perfect. Surveying the barren and rugged landscape, I couldn´t help think what awaits me here in El Calafate. I plan on visiting the glaciers as well as El Chalten, the reknowned hiking town about 2 hours to the north.
The hostel I´m at right know has a wonderful energy. People young and old just mingling in the pine furnished living room, listening to tango and sipping on cervezas. There´s only one computer for the whole hostel which is why I´m pressed for time but the adventure begins tomorrow and I can´t wait.
Until then,
Zee Man
I spent yesterday with Vivian Holz in Mendoza. She was kind enough to act as my personal tour guide which was very gracious of her. We started off at the Norton winery bodega which afforded the opportunity of some breathtaking scenery and wine tasting. The vineyards overlook 20,000 foot Andean peaks. Safe to say that if I had to work there I´d spend the entire day just staring west and probably be fired within 48 hours for being that drunk naked guy screaming at the mountains. A wonderful place: rustic, charming and rather sophisticated.
After sampling some wines at the tasting bar Vivan took me back to her place for a little lunch and then we headed into the mountains for a brief tour of the Argentine side of the second tallest range in the world. I´ve been to the Chilean side which is decidely more lush. The Argentine side of the Andes, while striking, is barren. There is virtually no vegetation besides the ocassional displaced brush. Given the majestic landscape it makes for some pretty arid scenery. We made our way up to Potrerillos, a huge dam constructed by the Argentines to harness the water that comes from the mountains. Mendoza gets less than 5 inches of rain per year so they need pretty much every drop of the wet stuff. The lake side of the dam is incredible. The water is a florescent shade of Carolina blue and just pops out of the red mountains in an incredible chromatic juxtaposition. I have plenty of pictures of me standing awkwardly with the lake behind me as Vivian snapped away.
Dinner was also a delight. Luis was kind enough to take us all out to one of the best restaurants in town and seeing as Mendoza is known for it´s wine and food, the restaurant, where the name eludes me at the moment, did not disappoint. I go the roasted corn which was baked within the husk, followed by a gaucho-style barbeque chicken breast. Succulent and juicy, it was grilled with just salt but was an all time great meal for me.
I spent the entire day today traveling all over the country. Left Mendoza, headed to Buenos Aires, then flew all the way down to Uiashia which is on Tierra del Fuego. The flight in was a highlight. I was secretly listening to my iPod as Eric Clapton´s ´The Endge of Darkness´ came on. Few things can prepare you for a dusk descent into Tierra del Fuego but the song just seemed so damn fitting. It was perfect. Surveying the barren and rugged landscape, I couldn´t help think what awaits me here in El Calafate. I plan on visiting the glaciers as well as El Chalten, the reknowned hiking town about 2 hours to the north.
The hostel I´m at right know has a wonderful energy. People young and old just mingling in the pine furnished living room, listening to tango and sipping on cervezas. There´s only one computer for the whole hostel which is why I´m pressed for time but the adventure begins tomorrow and I can´t wait.
Until then,
Zee Man
Update on Lack of Posting
So I haven´t really had the time to get stuff down on digital paper because I´ve been running around with Vivian since I´ve gotten to Mendoza. I´m heading to the airport in a half hour where I´ll have a four hour layover. The plan is for me to hit up an Internet Locutoria and get some serious words out as I´ve had quite a time here in wine country.
PZ.
Z.
PZ.
Z.
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