Beth Hits it Big on the Polish Blogging Circuit

So a few weeks back in El Calafate, Argentina, Beth is shopping for food in La Anonima. It is more or less the Walmart of Argentina, but they take siesta from 100pm - 400pm. This seemingly inconsequential shopping event makes it on a Polish couples blog. The entire blog is in Polish, except for the post with Beth in it. Scroll down a ways to find it.

The link is http://www.basiaimateuszwdublinie.blogspot.com/

Enjoy, and yes this is really random.

The "Q" at Torres del Paine

Today is a recuperation day in Puerto Natales, Chile. We returned to our hospedaje, Alma Gaucha, last night in time to get pizza with some friends in town. We finished a 96-mile circuit in one of Chile´s most beautiful and busy national parks. After trekking in the park, we can easily see why. Never before have we experienced so many fantastic views in one setting. We hiked in and around glaciers, climbed mountains, stomped through mud, sat beside gorgeous azure rivers and lakes, and watched magnificent Andean Condors fly below us.

On the first day of hiking we saw our first gaucho. He was running a group of horses across the windy patagonian steppe. The gauchos take pride in their culture by wearing brightly colored scarves and chaps unlike the cowboys of the American West. In the park, the gauchos supply the refugios with food and other things as well as some tourists with transportation.

Along this trek and many others all over the continent there are what they call refugios. These refugios offer a myriad of services to trekkers and visitors. Sometimes, miles away from everything, you can buy your dinner. You can also buy wine, beer, all kinds of food, rent a tent if you don´t want to carry one, and even rent a room for the night. It really democratizes trekking by allowing more people to access beautiful places. Some are really crazy in terms of people and others are a little more low key. Here is a picture of one of the crazy ones.

We woke up early a few mornings to catch the sunrise on the mountains, which was well worth it. Here are a few pictures.

Our favorite part of this adventure was exploring some ice caves in Glacier Grey. We took a rest day to make time to explore around the glacier. A river running into it allowed us access into a glacier blue room complete with waterfall. It was spectacular, and easily one the the most amazing natural wonders we have ever seen. I was taking all kinds of pictures and forgot that the camera was in incandescent setting so we call the picture with Beth and I in it a part of my Blue Period.

All in all, this was our most favorite trek that we have ever done. Tomorrow we will head further south to Ushuaia, Argentina to prepare for another trek called the Dientes Circuit which is the southernmost trek in the world. It will be cold and windy. After that, I suppose we will head north. Mostly because there will be no more south to explore. We hope everyone is well, please feel free to send us emails and comment if you want.

And finally, a disfunctional self portrait.

El Chalten & El Calafate

This last week found us spending most of our time in the mountains. The Andes in Southern Patagonia are spectacular. The weather is more or less inhospitable, the vistas are out of this world, and the deep blues of the glacial lakes are mesmerizing. We spent four days backpacking in Los Glaciares National Park hiking from glacier to glacier and huge granite spire to huge granite spire. We had a great time!

Yesterday, for Valentine´s Day we went to Perito Moreno Glacier. It is one of the few advancing glaciers in the world. We watched huge house sized pieces of ice calve off the front of the glacier into Lago Argentino. (How romantic!) Beth was as giddy as a school girl. Here are some pictures of the last week or so. We are heading into Chile today to Puerto Natales to hike in Torres del Paine.

Latest Bus Tally: 74 hours

This Feels Like Patagonia

We arrived this morning in El Chalten, Argentina after about 2 nights and 28 hours on the bus. El Chalten is in the heart of Patagonia, and it's starting to feel like Patagonia. Until Chalten, the images of Patagonia that I had been keeping in my brain all these years were a little off base. I must admit we were both a little disappointed. It feels like Patagonia now. The combination of the relentless wind and the huge granite spires of Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre that tower over the tiny mountain village of Chalten are unmistakably Patagonia.

Before Chalten, we were in the town of El Bolson where the artistian markets and the micro-breweries reign supreme. Mountains tower over the busy tourist town while people from all over browse the jewelry, the rugs, metalwork, and endless woodwork. Some of the intricacy of the silver jewelry was really amazing, and the beer was good, too.

El Bolson has the reputation of being a hippie town, and it is. In the center of the main plaza, there was a welded contraption that you were supposed to get in and put your head under this bucket. After you did that, the giant quartz crystal was supposed to channel good energy to you or something. It was in spanish, so that is our best guess. We have a picture of Beth being channeled. She didn't seem any different when she was done. Picture to come later.

On the day we left El Bolson, we visited an organic farm outside of town. The farm is implementing the bio-intensive strategies that Beth is interested in learning. Currently living there is a Californian woman who was able to give us an interesting tour. After the tour we stayed to pick bugs off the lettuce and weed the greenhouse and a few other beds.

Again, sorry for the lack of picture. I went to plug in my camera to this computer and the lady said something in spanish and wagged her finger at me. We all know what that means. That is all for now.

Bus Travel Tally

37 Hours