In the morning we had breakfast but I wasn’t very hungry. We got into our gear and off we went in the zodiacs for our hike.
Our local guide was wonderful and he talked about all of the flora that was all around Ainsworth Bay. It was very interesting and so beautiful. He said nothing is poisonous on the island and he showed us Indian bread which are mushrooms that are edible. They make a delicious salad.
There was a lot of mud but we managed pretty well with our hiking poles. The scenery was breathtaking.
And then, we went back in a zodiac, had our feet hosed off, and we were given a nice hot toddy.
Then off for lunch. All the meals will be on the ship. I didn’t want anything on the menu and neither did Allan, so we both ordered a salad which was delicious.
Around 4:15 we boarded the zodiacs again and went to Tuckers Islets to view the Magellanic penguins and the cormorants.
We had a port lecture on glaciers which was very interesting and then it was off to dinner.
After dinner we went to the top deck to watch as we cruised through the narrowest part of the Magellan Strait. Some folks went out to see the southern cross, but Allan and I had seen that in the Outback in Australia so we didn’t go out.
We sat with friends at the bar for awhile and then it was to bed. We had to put everything in our room on the floor because they said the water would get rough during the night.
It was a great day and we welcomed the night for a good night’s sleep.
We walked around Punta Natales this morning which is a quaint little fishing town. Then we boarded the bus and arrived in Punta Arenas, a port overlooking the Strait of Magellan. Our local guide took us on a brief walk around the town. I went to a drugstore and found the face suntan stick that our guide in Easter Island showed us. We had seen it in Argentina, but they wanted $42 for it. Today in Chile, it was only $18 so I picked up a few sticks for friends who had wanted them and also for myself.
We boarded the ship and immediately went to deck 5 for a welcome drink and appetizers, then watched a safety film, followed by a port talk telling us what to expect for the next day.
The ship is really very nice with places to sit with friends and a well stocked bar. We can’t drink the water that comes out of the tap in the bathroom, but they gave us beautiful metal water bottles and on each floor there is a filtered water dispenser. They also gave us wet landing bags that we can keep our phone etc in while on the zodiac so the items don’t get wet.
We found out what to expect on each of the landings tomorrow and Allan and I opted for the easier one. The harder hike involved very steep inclines, a rapid hiking pace, lots of mud, and no information would be imparted about the surrounding area where you would be hiking. Didn’t sound like fun. The easier hike would be at a slower pace and time would be taken to talk about the flora and fauna.
The afternoon would involve seeing penquins from the zodiac, but we would not be going ashore.
We went to dinner, and our OAT group will be sitting together at four tables for six. They served cerviche octopus for an appetizer which I wasn’t excited about, but the main course of hake was delicious.
At the end of dinner, one of the staff announced that someone was celebrating a birthday and the lights dimmed and she told everyone to sing happy birthday as a big cake came out with candles, and was presented to Allan for his special day. Our guide Jon had arranged the whole thing and everyone enjoyed a piece of birthday cake and shook Allan’s hand.
About eight of us went to the bar and had a lot of laughs as we had a few drinks and continued to celebrate Allan’s bday. Lots of fun.
Accommodations: Ventus Austral Had a great night’s sleep and slept in for a change. The hotel is really lovely.
We had to sign a disclaimer before boarding the ship because we won’t be around any medical facilities for a few days.
Walked all along the water this morning. It’s a really lovely day. We had a delicious fish lunch at the hotel and then we boarded the bus for the four hour drive to the ship.
We arrived at the port and will be boarding soon. I have internet now so I’m posting and if I still have on the ship I’ll add more photos then.
Where’s a lawyer when you need one??
The Hotel
Me on the horse yesterday
Allan on his horse yesterday
Our ship is the blue and white one next to the big ship.
After breakfast we had our very last hike in beautiful Patagonia. The day dawned sunny and I was able to catch the sunrise as it swept across the mountain tops, painting then a gorgeous shade of pink.
We went on a pretty amazing hike with the mountains in the background. It was up steep inclines over rocks buried in the narrow path, thick roots and thorny bushes, and then we hiked down again. When we got to the top, the wind was howling and once again, I could hardly keep myself from blowing over. Those Patagonia winds are fierce.
But the views were spectacular and it was an invigorating morning and worth the effort.
We had a box lunch on the bus as we made our way to a ranch, to horseback ride and enjoy a lamb BBQ dinner.
En route, we watched a gaucho and his dogs round up his sheep to get them into another grazing field. It was really cool to see a real live gaucho doing what they do best.
We arrived at the Pingo Salvaje Ranch, which reminded everyone of the show Yellowstone! The gauchos and gauchas greeted us on horseback waving welcome flags and we immediately went with them to be fitted for our riding helmets.
We were divided into groups… Those who could ride a horse and those who were newbies. Even though Allan and I have been on horses before, we decided to go with the newbie group.
My horse was called Chapteen and he was a tad headstrong. I told him I was the mother of four boys and I wasn’t going to take any crap from him… But alas, he didn’t give a flying fig.
We were given a few instructions…how to get the horse moving by making kissing sounds and whacking the house in the flank with the stirrup, how to get him to go left or right, and most importantly…how to stop!
Off we all went in a line and we had to keep our horses at least 4 feet from the back of the horse in front of us. My horse did pretty well with that, but he insisted on occasionally plunging his head into the grass to pull out a tuft to munch on. He almost dislocated my shoulder as I tried to keep him from doing that. To no avail!
One of the horses in front of me actually kicked his back legs out to keep the horse behind him away. He also tried to kick one of the gaucho’s horse as the gaucho went along side of him. Yikes!!!
And then… We were riding our horses along side the water, when one of the horses decided to just lie down…with one of the riders on him. Just like a camel! Holy cow! I’m so glad it wasn’t my horse. (Although I did say to my horse in a menacing voice…”Don’t even THINK about trying that stunt!!” Whether he heard? I’ll never know.) The gauchos had to ride over to the horse who was down and finally, they were able to get him up and back on the trail.
The ride was beautiful. The scenery stunning. At one point we had to ride down a steep hill, cross over water and rocks, and then clamber up the other side. When I saw that… I was like… You’ve got to be freaking kidding me!!!!! But my horse did it with a little urging from me and all was fine.
When we returned to the corral and got off our horses, one of the ladies in our group who didn’t ride a horse asked me how it was. I said “It ranked right up there with root canal!” She burst out laughing hysterically and said “That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all trip!” (I’ll be here all week folks!!)
So even though my horse was a little headstrong, at least I can say…I rode a horse in the countryside of Patagonia in Chile. What an amazing experience!
We watched a gaucho demonstrate his prowess with his dogs as they rounded up sheep and then we walked to where the lamb was cooking. We watched the gaucho carve up the meat and it smelled delicious!
We went back to the house and the manager of the ranch told us how the ranch is run. She said the owners of the ranch have 500 cattle that are used for beef and right now, the cattle were about 3 miles away grazing. The cattle stay there until May when they are then brought back to the valley for the winter until August.
The horses stay at the ranch but during the slow season they are allowed to run free… No bridles, saddles, or horseshoes. When they come back after a few months, they know they have to settle down and get back to work – either herding the sheep with the dogs or giving trail rides for the guests of the ranch.
Then it was time to enjoy dinner and what a feast it was. The lamb was tender and meaty and we all enjoyed the entire meal.
We bid our goodbyes to the ranch-hands and drove to Puerto Natales to spend the night. The hotel is beautiful and our view is stunning.
Tomorrow we can sleep late and then we will have lunch at the hotel. Afterwards, we drive the four hours to Punta Arenas to embark on our ship. Punta Arenas is a port overlooking the Strait of Magellan.
So this may be the last post for awhile since there is no Wifi on the ship and I don’t think I will get cellular service. I will continue to write each day, and I will post whenever I get WiFi again.
Sunrise this morning
Along the hiking trail
Our last day in Torres del Paine… Hiking the beautiful countryside.
This morning after breakfast, we boarded the bus for an hour and a 1/2 ride to hike in the national park. We were all dressed warmly as we embarked on the hike and it was a perfect day, beautifully sunny with no wind. The hike was about 2.5 miles on a narrow path with some steep inclines.
Our local guide said that you can only see the tops of the mountains maybe 25 days out of the year. We are so lucky that today…not a cloud was nearby and we could see the mountains in their entirety.
I told Jon… that’s because of Allan and me. When we were in Alaska, Denali became visible and the guide had said it never happens. In Africa, we saw Mt Kilimanjaro… Again, a rare occurrence. And once again in Japan…Mt Fugi was cloud free. I said to Jon… So we have brought the cloudless mountains to you. You’re welcome! 😂
The mountains are beautiful and the photos don’t do them justice. You feel so insignificant standing and gazing up at the snow covered peaks. At one point, Our guide Jon had us find a private spot and we had some moments of silence as we let the magnificence of the mountains surround us as well as our thoughts.
We learned that the Patagonian ice field is the largest mass of ice in the Southern Hemisphere outside Antarctica. The ice is locked up in the spine of the Andes, with glaciers flowing into Chile’s jagged fjords on its western side and into a network of gigantic lakes on its eastern Argentinian side.
We enjoyed a box lunch, sitting outside right by a lake. The lakes are different shades of blue and gray and so very peaceful.
We had a quick stop back at the hotel and then it was off for a three mile hike. Everything started out okay, as we tramped through foliage on a narrow path, but then we had to cross a sandy pebble beach. The wind was horrific although Jon our guide said, “Today was nothing! It can get much worse!” I’m not sure how, since the wind was kicking up the pebbles and giving me an exfoliant facial. Allan and I got about 3/4’s of the way across the sand to the island and I decided… enough is enough. We turned back and the wind was now right in our faces. Sometimes we could hardly keep walking the wind was so strong.
Some of the others in our group had turned around before they even started across the sand. Walking in sand is not easy and with the wind… It wasn’t fun.
We had dinner and then a few of us went for after-dinner drinks. It was a fun evening.
Tomorrow is another busy day.
Our hotel.
On the way to our morning hike.
Hiking along the narrow path
What a gorgeous day!!!
Made it to the end
Picnic lunch at the lake.
We crossed this sandy beach. The wind was whipping and it wasn’t great fun.
We were up early again and after breakfast we boarded the bus at 7:30 so we would be able to cross the Argentinian/Chilean border, getting there before other buses, so we wouldn’t have to wait hours to cross. Jon asked Allan and I how our room was at the hotel, and we said it was lovely. Apparently, he had upgraded our room, so that was very nice of him to do.
Our bus journey will take us to Torres del Paine, in Chile, a national park that was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. The park is unspoiled, remote, and the landscape is dramatic with the rock formations of the Andes and the grasses of the plains.
We drove through Patagonia with our guide from yesterday. The scenery was beautiful along the way and our guide made the bus ride enjoyable. She spoke about the economy in Argentina and how she will be opening a bank account in the US to keep her family’s money safe from the extremely fluctuating economy of Argentina.
On the way, we enjoyed mate, (pronounced ma tay) a drink made from steeped dried yerba mate leaves. It is served in a calabash gourd with a metal straw called a bombilla. The drink is served hot and it has an earthy, grassy taste. It has many health benefits like lowering cholesterol and boosting the immune system.
Apparently Argentinians enjoy drinking it all day…adding hot water to the leaves to be able to keep drinking it. The temperature of the water is crucial. Too hot and it will burn the leaves, too cold and you won’t get the robust taste. It is a drink you share with friends as you enjoy each other’s company.
At the border, we said goodbye to our guide from yesterday and welcomed a new local guide who will be with us for the next few days. We also changed buses at the border and our bus driver transferred all of our luggage. We were not allowed to bring unpackaged nuts, raw fruit, raw vegetables, or honey into the country. We thought the luggage would be scanned, but it wasn’t. Only our personal items were. Allan said he thought he saw a dog that walked around the luggage, smelling for contraband.
After having our passports stamped, we entered Chile. It was interesting to realize that the road in Argentina was a rugged dirt road, but we knew the minute we entered Chile as the road was paved.
We had a delicious chicken soup for lunch at a local restaurant. Very tasty with tender chicken, corn, squash, and vegetables.
The mountains and scenery were spectacular as well as breathtaking, and I don’t say that lightly. At one point, Jon invited us to get out of the bus to climb an incline to see the view. It was extremely windy. The local guide said probably 40 mph winds, but we all felt it was much more. We literally were being blown around as we attempted to climb, losing our footing as the wind pushed into our bodies. I reached the top and the wind was howling and the guide literally had to grab me so I didn’t get blown away. The wind took my breath away…not only by seeing the beautiful vista, but by literally taking my breath away as I could barely breathe, as the gusts of wind plunged down into my lungs.
We took our pictures and Allan and I clung to each other as we made our way back down. We could just about keep ourselves from going over the edge as we fought to stay on the path.
When I got back in the bus, I started coughing since my throat was so dry. I put on a mask which helped, as I rebreathed the warm air from my lungs. It was quite an experience!
After many hours, we arrived at our hotel. We are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the ice covered mountains and the amazing scenery. The different blues of the sky and the lakes, the bright whites of the snow covered mountains, and the many colors of green in the foliage make for a truly stunning experience.
Our entire group was upgraded to the new section of the hotel and Allan’s and my room overlooks the lake with the mountains in the distance.
We all sat together to enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel, replete with wine. Allan and I had an after-dinner drink in the bar and then it was off to bed as we have a lot of hiking to do tomorrow.
Delicious soup for lunch
We were very lucky that there was no cloud cover on the mountain and we were able to clearly see the three towers. The Towers of Paine are the distinctive three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range or Paine Massif. From left to right they are known as Torre d’Agostini, Torre Central and Torre Monzino.
After breakfast we started on a journey to the National Park in Patagonia.
Along the way, out local guide pointed out many birds that she was able to spot. We saw the chimango caracara, the southern crested caracara, the lesser rhea, and the Andean condor whose wings span can be 12 feet.
We also saw the calafate plant and many beautiful shrubs. The leaves are changing and the colors were spectacular.
We passed by a gaucho ranch nestled in the countryside. So bucolic.
We then stopped at a roadside shrine to pay our respects to Gauchito Gil a popular and legendary character, deeply embedded in Argentina history. He is the subject of worship and devotion throughout the country. Our guide brought two cans of beer since, when you pay your respects and ask for something, you must first offer the saint something as well. Most people pour either beer or wine in front of the shrine. Our guide said it is very serious and we were told to be respectful. We each took a turn pouring the beer and silently asking for our request. The shrines are all over and easily identified by the color red.
We finally arrived at the National Park and the heavens opened up. It was a bit windy, but the rain took center stage. We were all bundled up with long-johns and winter and rain gear, and thankfully it helped while the rain poured down.
We walked all along the ramps to view the glacier. We must have climbed 1,000 steps…up and down and up and down. It was quite something. You really had to be fit in order to walk along.
The walkways can be traveled in several directions and have different routes, viewpoints, and balconies to get the best views of the glacier. Undoubtedly, it is an excellent way to enjoy the glacier from different perspectives.
After we arrived back at the hotel, some of our group went to a wine tasting. The wines were very good and it was a fun time.
Then we met our friend Barbara and we went out to dinner where we thought the rest of the group had gone. We were seated, but didn’t see anyone we knew. We decided to leave and I said to the waiter “Mi amigos no estan aqui!” He understood (even though I’m not sure if what I said was correct) and off we went in search of the other BBQ restaurant.
We found it and we had a great dinner of lamb, beef, sweetbreads, intestines, and a few other meats we had no clue what they were. We had a veggie platter and all in all it was a great meal.
We were up bright and early to catch our flight to El Calafate. El Calafate is named for the calafate bush and the local myth is that if you eat the berries of this plant, it will ensure that you will return one day to this beautiful place.
And what a beautiful place it is. The town is lively with a young vibe and restaurants, bars, ice cream, and chocolate shops abound. Young people are all over toting backpacks, sleeping bags, and fishing poles, as they make their way to the glacier park to camp.
There is lavender growing all over and there are roses blooming all over as well. Just gorgeous. When you walk by, you can smell the lavender since the plants are huge. Stray dogs are roaming the streets and they are being fed by the shop owners.
Allan and I walked up and down the town and popped into the ice cream shop to enjoy a treat. I had a scoop of dulce de leche and Allan had an almond scoop as well as a pistachio one.
We found a store that was selling everything including jewelry and Allan bought me a lovely sterling silver slide with my birthstone of turquoise.
We all met at 5:30 and bussed over for dinner at a local’s home. Gabriel our host prepared a delicious repast for us. Vegetable soup, lamb stew, and of course the traditional dessert of crepes with dulce de leche. The wine flowed and we all enjoyed sitting at the table and chatting with Gabriel as well as each other.
Gabriel loves to cook and he has written a cookbook which features not only his recipes, but also his mom’s. He also loves dogs. He has eight of them. His home is very eclectic and everywhere you looked was something special to see. He said the dogs that roam the streets in town sadly are not spayed or neutered and the population of dogs is getting out of control.
He does many dinners for friends as well as for tourists, especially Overseas Adventure Travel tourists. He is busy during the season, but the winters are cold and he doesn’t have that many guests to cook for. His dogs keep him company.
We had a wonderful evening and then it was back to the hotel (which is beautiful) to get ready for our day tomorrow at Los Glaciares National Park.
By the way, I have neglected to list the hotels we’ve been staying in… so I’m listing the ones we’ve been in so far. Each one has been excellent. Intercontinental Santiago – Santiago Taha Tai Hotel – Easter Island. Holiday Inn Aeropuerto – Santiago. Arc Recoleta Hotel – Buenos Aires
Allan bought me a sterling silver slide with my birthstone in El Calafate
We started the day with breakfast at the hotel and then we went around Buenos Aires on a bus tour of the city.
Buenos Aires is sometimes referred to as “The Paris of the South” because of its culture, which was strongly influenced by the Europeans. The city is vibrant and since today is Saturday, there was music and people walking about enjoying the weather. The city has many theaters and is by far the largest cultural city in Latin America.
It is the home of Teatro Colon, a famous opera house. One famous opera singer once said that there is good news and bad news about the opera house. The good news is…the opera house has the best acoustics ever in any opera house. The bad news is, I will have to perform my very best because if I sing badly, it will be highlighted by those acoustics.
We stopped at the Obelisk of Buenos Aires located in the Plaza of the Republic. It was erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the first foundation of the city. In 1975, during the government of Isabel Peron, (who became Juan Peron’s wife after the death of Eva, and eventually President of Argentina), a sign was hung around the obelisk with the motto “El Silencio es salud “ meaning “silence is health”. It allegedly meant for motorists not to honk their horns, but many felt it really meant for Argentinians to refrain from discussing politics.
Not far from the obelisk is Plaza de Mayo, the oldest square in Buenos Aires and the focal point for politics since Argentina declared its independence. Eva Peron as First Lady, often would address the people from the balcony of Casa Rosada, or Pink Building, which was the seat of the Argentine National government and housed the president’s office. Eva was very popular, but she did not want to accept any position in her husband’s government, and maintained her idea of dedicating herself fully to developing social activity in the foundation that bore her name. In this way, and with financing from public funds, she distributed monies to those who needed it most. She also knew that she had cancer and would not be around for very much longer. She died at the age of 33.
We visited the Metropolitan Cathedral where the remains of Jose de San Martin are entombed. A changing of the guard event takes place here every two hours on Saturdays, as guards march from Casa Rosada into the cathedral. Two guards remain guarding the tomb and then five guards march back to the Casa Rosada. Considered the father of the nation, San Martin fought for the independence of Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
Overseas Adventure Travel is unique in the fact that often, the tourists have an opportunity to discuss a controversial topic with someone who was directly involved in the controversy. Today we had the opportunity to meet with a man who lived through and was impacted by a very dark time in Argentina – The Dirty War.
It is estimated that between 22,000 and 30,000 people were killed or just disappeared between 1974 to 1983. The primary targets were communist guerrillas and sympathizers, but also included students, writers, journalists, artists and any citizens suspected of being left-wing activists. They were thought to be a threat to the junta. According to the dictionary, a junta is “a group of persons controlling a government especially after a revolutionary seizure of power.”
By the 1980s, economic collapse as well as public discontent, resulted in the end of the junta and the restoration of democracy in Argentina, effectively ending the Dirty War. Many members of the junta are currently in prison for the crimes against humanity that they committed.
The man who spoke with us said that when he was only a few weeks old, his mother was taken and never heard from again. His father went into hiding and he was raised by his grandmother, whom he thought of as his mother. His father would visit on occasion, but had to be very careful since the junta was always watching and he could have been arrested if caught visiting.
Some women that were activists and happened to also be pregnant, were taken and after the child was born, the Catholic Church would baptize the child and then give the child to another family, since the mother would be tortured or killed. The man who spoke with us said he was fortunate that he was taken in by his grandmother. Eventually, after the Dirty War, his father remarried, and took the whole family to Patagonia.
People are still looking for members of their family who were taken and presumably tortured and killed during the Dirty War. Interestingly, since 9/11 and America’s efforts to identify those who perished in 9/11 by using DNA analysis, America has shared that technology, and some Argentinians were finally able to locate their loved ones remains through DNA. This man said that his mother’s bones were finally released to him and he had closure.
The Dirty War left a profound impact on Argentine culture, which is still felt to this day.
We thanked the man for sharing his poignant story with us and then went off to Choripoint, a BBQ place in Boca Lacura, where we enjoyed Argentinian chorizo – pork and/or beef sausage, that is served between two slices of bread in a choripan sandwich. It is a dish enjoyed throughout Argentina.
Jonatan said that when he was a boy, his father was an avid soccer fan. He and his dad would go to the games on a Saturday, and they would always buy chorizo to enjoy before they entered the stadium to cheer for their team. Cheering for the team meant jumping up and down and yelling while sitting in the stadium, as well as eating the food, and then…they would go home and watch the tape of the game at home since they were always too busy cheering to pay attention to the actual game.
There was a game today, and the streets were filled with futbol fans wearing the team jerseys of blue and yellow, and many were “tailgating” and enjoying choripans. I must say, the sandwich was delicious!
Before we boarded the bus back to the hotel, I bought a lovely handmade collage that was a lovely momento of Buenos Aires as well as our tango lesson.
We wanted to tour the famous opera house on the way back to the hotel, but they were sold out, so we just relaxed until it was time to go to our home hosted dinner.
Our hostess was lovely and spoke English very well. She spoke about how expensive everything is in Argentina and she looks forward to going to the United States to purchase clothing and other things that she can get much cheaper there.
She said the medical system in Argentina is very poor and the hospitals do not have the proper equipment for medical care.
We enjoyed salad, shepherd’s pie, and a crepe with a dulce de leche sauce inside. We also made our own sandwich cookies with the caramel inside and we rolled them in coconut.
It was a very enjoyable evening.
The Obelisk
Face of Eva Peron on the building
Changing of the guard
Evita would address the crowds from the second floor balcony where the brown columns are.
Metropolitan Cathedral
The colorful buildings along the streets
Our sandwich
My collage
Allan enjoying the choripan sandwich
Wine our hostess served. It was a very nice Malbec
