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Hanging out in El Calafate

2/11/2018

We enjoy our last few days in El Calafete just hanging out. We walk into the city center late mornings for a coffee, often sitting outside to do some people watching. On our walk we pass one of the two gas stations in town. It is common for there to be a line of 12-15 cars waiting to pull into the pumps. It's clear that there aren't a lot of gas stations out in the Patagonian steppe!

Like other South American cities we have visited, El Calafete has a good number of dogs roaming or just sleeping the streets. Unlike many of the other cities these dogs don't seem to bark a lot and very rarely are fighting. In general they look pretty well fed and are happy. However, we literally abide by the adage to let sleeping dogs lie and don't disturb them.

One afternoon we take a few minutes to visit the local cemetery. Many of the grave markers are simple wooden crosses with the name of the deceased painted on them. There are some bricked graves, a few marble graves and perhaps 15 plain family mausoleums. We note that many of the people died in their 50's. What a stark difference from the Ricolletta Cemetery!

The lamb in Patagonia is incredibly mild and tender, and the chefs are skilled in different preparations. The first night in El Calafete I order the lamb goulash at Esquina Varela, just down the street from our apartment. It is a wonderful mixture of lamb, cheese and spätzle with just the right amount of gravy. For a treat one evening we dine at Parrilla Don Pichon, one of the nicer restaurants in the area with a great view, and I order the lamb from the parrilla while William chooses a ribeye. My meat wins hands down. On our last evening in El Calafate we go to one of the restaurants on Avenida San Martín with the intent to share an appetizer and one portion of the lamb. To our delight Monday evenings they have a 2x1 special. We are served a large plate from the parrilla and roll out of the restaurant an hour and a half later with very full bellies.

Esquina Varela has become our neighborhood restaurant. On the days when we eat our main meal at home we often want to get out of the apartment for bit in the evening. The 10 minute walk down the street to Esquina Varela for a beverage and maybe an empanada works well. It's a cute place with old singer sewing machines used as part of their beer taps. If we arrive when they open at 7pm we may be the only people in the place for 30-45 minutes, but by 8:30pm it's very busy.

We have enjoyed our time in El Calafate but we both feel it is time to move on and we are excited to see what Argentina's Patagonia Northern Lakes region has to offer.

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El Chaltén

2/9/2018

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By 11am we are at the local Los Glaciares National Park ranger station being briefed on the various trails in the park. According to the presenter the hikes range from 45 minutes to seven hours each way. We will need to be on the bus at 5:45pm for our return trip. Before then we want to catch a quick breakfast, hike a little and have a good lunch. We opt for the approximately one hour (3km) one way hike to the waterfall.

After a slowly served quick breakfast we walk the 1.3 km through town to the trail head. The first part of the trail seems to be along the gravel road, and yet there is a warning not to hike on the road. We can't see another trail and are joined by other hikers, so we press on. About 1km down the road we find a path for the waterfall that crosses the road. Yeah! There are birds and landscape as well as fellow hikers to view along the way.

The weather seems to change every 15 minutes, from sunny with little wind to cloudy and 18 mph winds. With an air temperature of 10C (50F) this causes us to literally go from hot to cold, unzipping or taking off jackets to hastily putting them back on. It is manageable but not optimum. Thinking positively I consider that Mother Nature has been kind to us - the forecast was for 10C, cloudy, and 23mph winds. We are told by people in town that the last two days Mount Fitz Roy was not visible at all due to clouds.

Shortly before we reach 2km into the trail we have been walking for about an hour. Yet we know that we still have a third of the distance to go. Oy! William declares he is never going to hike to a waterfall again - they sucker him in, are always a longer walk than he expects and rarely are worth the effort. (William acknowledges that walking much less hiking is one of his least favorite activities).

We continue on. The trail is relatively flat and in the distance we can hear the sound of rushing water. Eventually we arrive at a parking lot then walk another 0.5km to find the waterfall. It's 40-50 foot tall with a good rush of water. Pleasant, but not awesome.

We return to the town by basically the same route and quickly find a restaurant for the needed bathroom break and replenishment with food and drink. We have good meals - Milanese for William, trout-stuffed sorrentino's for me washed down with craft beer and Patagonian wine at Don Guerra.

We observe the people walking through El Chaltén, which we're told is the newest town in Argentina. It was established after a 1985 border dispute with Chile. Since the main thing to do is to hike, climb and camp it definitely attracts a younger more athletic group of visitors. There are also some folks like us who come here for photography and perhaps short hikes. Tourism and all of it's supporting businesses is the only industry in town, and it is known as Argentina's trekking capital. Only approximately 350 people live here year-round.

There's still an hour and twenty minutes until we need to catch the return bus. William opts for a coffee and internet access at a local cafe and I choose to tackle a bit of the trail Mirrador de los Cóndores. I am not sure that condors are visible from the end of the trail, but I can say that the trail seems to go up to an altitude where you might be eye level with the birds. I made it about half way and the turned around to catch my breath and the return bus. The hike was worth it - the clouds have moved from Cerro Fitzroy as well as Cerro Torre and there is a great view.

We board the bus and the driver stops outside of El Chaltan for some last photos then he puts the pedal to the metal all the way back to El Calafate. With no stops he makes it in 2 hours 30 minutes. We are tired. According to my walking app William walked ~8.5km (5.3miles) with 15,000 steps and I did ~12.5km and 17,500 steps. Not bad for two couch potatoes. We agree we are very happy to have made the journey and that tomorrow we will take it easy.

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Journey to El Chaltén

2/9/2018

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When we were in Antartica we discussed our upcoming travel plans with some of the staff.  We were having lunch with Alyssa (the cold water diver and one of our favorite zodiac drivers) one day when she suggested El Chaltén.  It is a three hour drive from El Calafate and located on the northern edge of Los Glaciares National Park.

I checked out the options which include: a) big bus from the main bus terminal at 1,200 pesos per person round trip  (~$60 USD), b) sightseeing tour with guide (~$120), c) 20 person bus which picks up/returns at the apartment and the driver stops at scenic spots along the way for photos (~$60 USD).   We choose option c.

We start our journey at 7:45am with five other passengers.  Near the airport 28 km outside of the city the driver makes a left and takes us north on the famous Ruta 40 which we will take for 100km, after which we will make another left onto Ruta 23 for 95 km into El Chaltan.

The driver pulls over for a photo opportunity over Lago Argentino. The familiar mountain peaks we see near El Calafete are in the background. Then it is back in the bus.

The scenery is stunning. It is easy to lose perspective in the vast steppe lands. At times I feel like I should be able to just reach up and touch the clouds. Occasionally there is a large boulder out in the middle of hectors of land. I assume they have been left by the glaciers which shaped this land hundreds of thousand of years ago. William, on the other hand, proposes that aliens may have been involved. :-)

An hour and a half into the ride the driver pulls into Parador La Leóna along the river of the same name. Rio La Leóna flows between Lago Viedma and Lago Argentino and we notice an extreme strong current. Until the completion of the bridge in 1974 the way to cross the river was via a raft that was sized to carry 200 sheep - yikes!

In the late 1800's some Danish immigrants built the first roadhouse on this spot naming it La Leóna. It is told that in 1905 three gringo's stopped at La Leóna and stayed for several days. Afterward the gringo's were identified as Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid and his wife Helen Page. They had robbed the bank in Rio Gallegos and had stopped at Le Leóna before continuing their flee from authorities.

The Parador has a good business serving as a wayside along Ruta 40 for modern travelers and tour groups. There's a coffee shop, gift store small museum and the necessary clean toilets within the main building. There's even some cabins to rent.

Continuing our journey now northwest on Ruta 23 we skim alongside Lago Viedma with mountains and glaciers in the distance. The driver courteously makes a short stop for photographs, both along the lake and also stops when we arrive just outside of El Chaltén. Beautiful.

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Chef William

2/9/2018

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We are in the grocery store in El Calafete picking up provisions when I ask William if he's okay with us having chicken again. He says yes, but he would prepare it differently. He then goes on to describe a dish. I smile and he volunteers to make dinner and I'll assist/do cleanup.

I have the first task - to debone the chicken thighs. They aren't pretty, but they will do especially since they are just going to be cubed. William boils some noodles al dente and sets them aside. Sausages are fried enough to cut them into circles. Half of a red pepper is cut-up as is some fresh garlic.

The chicken starts to fry in a skillet in some olive oil and the sausages, garlic, some Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper added. While the meat sautéed in a saucepan William melts butter, adds heavy cream, mild white cheese, a dash of pepper, and stirs until it thickens. When the components are all ready William mixes the dish together. Some carrots are served alongside. Fresh green beans would have been preferred, but they are not to be found in Patagonia. A glass of Patagonian wine rounds out the meal.

For dessert we have purchased alfajores from the Koonek bakery here in El Calafate. These treats rival kringles for sweetness and irresistibly. There's two shortbread-like cookies stuffed with dulce de leche or other flavors. Then the whole thing is covered in either white or chocolate frosting. Wow - a diabetic's nightmare! We share one, which is more than enough.

William has prepared a delicious meal. :-)

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A Safari

2/9/2018

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We have booked a photo safari for Tuesday afternoon. Pablo (Paul) picks us up at 4pm and William and I join two women from Germany in the 4x4 pickup truck. We drive 15 minutes south of town toward the bluffs framing El Calafate's backdrop onto the private ranch Estancia 25 de Mayo. The Estancia was settled in the early 1900's when the Argentine government was encouraging homesteading in the area. The Estancia is huge, comprising 7 km of coastline on Lago Argentino by 30 km deep. It is steppe land with valleys shaped by the glaciers.

We drive up dirt roads and stop for a view back at the city. Paul explains some of the history of the ranch then points out three of the common plants in the area: calafate, conradina (called false rosemary) and paramela.

Back in the 4x4 we bounce our way along the trail catching up to the rest of our Safari caravan, a tour group of 12 from Germany who have crammed into two Land Rovers. We soon catch our first sighting of guanaco. We photograph for a while then continue on. We spot a peacock off in the distance then come upon small groups of guanaco.

The Safari continues up in elevation to a Chenque, a pre-Columbian tomb found in Patagonia. It is believed the body was placed on a hill and a pile of stones placed upon it. A circle of stones was then set around the pile, the wider the circle the more importance is believed of the deceased. It is interesting that this particular Chenque was found by examining the terrain with Google. The wind whips around the hill and the warmer puffy jacket that I am wearing is very welcome.

The scenery on the Estancia is incredible. The colors in the hills and valleys changes with each passing cloud and the setting sun.

The Safari retraces our route observing the plants, animals and landscape along the way. During the drive we have a chance to learn about Paul. He is originally from Buenos Aires, but fell in love with El Calafate. During the Argentine economic crisis he moved to Miami and worked at a newspaper for three years. He has lived in El Calafate for five years and has three jobs. He grins as he says none are full time and all are fun. He owns a home and rents out units in it via Airbnb. He drives as a guide with the Estancia two days a week. And lastly he does freelance graphics design. In the winter it is very quiet in El Calafate and it gives him a chance to visit his brother and nephews in the U.S. He seems to be a happy, balanced guy.

We pull up to a house on a hillside. This was the Estancia owner's home until they moved into town a few years ago. It is now used to serve lunch or dinner to small groups such as ours. Paul and the other drivers lay out appetizers and wine. Then dinner is served - a delicious lamb stew in a bread bowl. It is followed by a rich chocolate mousse. We are all happy and full.

Dinner gives us a chance to talk with the two German women who are our companions. They are visiting Argentina because one woman's daughter is living in Buenos Aires. They appear to be happy to practice their English, which is good because the few phrases of High School German that I remember will not go very far. Sometimes we find common ground using basic Spanish to convey ideas back and forth. Fun!

Following dinner the Safari turns back toward El Calafate . We stop at one last lookout along the way for a view of the city and a view of the hills of the Estancia.

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Reserva Laguna Nimez

2/8/2018

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Reserva Laguna Nimez is a Patagonian wetland on the edge of El Calafate and only a mile walk from our apartment. We start off at 4pm on Saturday hoping to see a variety of the near 100 species of birds that occupy the reserve, but understanding that 70% of the species are migratory.

It feels like a longer walk than expected just to reach the Reserva - we have picked the hottest time of day on the warmest day of our visit in El Calafate. Oy! But after paying the modest admission fee we are soon rewarded with sights of Flamingo Austral's and Coscoroba Swan's in the closest lagoon. It feels a little cooler due to the stiff breeze coming off Lago Argentino which abuts the backside of the Reserva.

During our very slow stroll through the Reserva we capture photos of 12+ bird species including Upland Goose, Cattle Egret, Andean Ruddy Duck, Black-Crested Buzzard Eagle, Chimango Caracara Southern Lapwing and Black-Faced Ibis. We do not even try to photograph the smaller birds who seem to dart about at 100 kilometers an hour. It turns out to be a fun Saturday afternoon.

After a light dinner in the downtown area we return to the apartment toward sunset. As we are watching TV we hear some strange sounds. We look out our door to see two Black-faced Ibis staring down at us from the roof next door. They continue their vocalizing until they decide to go to sleep, tucking their heads under a wing.

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Glaciar Perito Moreno

2/8/2018

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The 20 person tour van picks us up at 7:45am for our trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier. There are 13 people on our tour, citizens of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Spain, and the U.S.

The views along the ninety-minute drive to Los Glaciares National Park start with beautiful snow-capped pre-Andean peaks in the distance and evolves into Argentine steppe lands. Our tour guide Flor shares her knowledge of El Calafate, the regions of Patagonia, the ranching in the countryside and Los Glaciers National Park. Along the way we also learn that many families from El Calafate drive to Rio Gallegos about once a month for their major shopping and to take care of any government-related activities as it is the capital of the region. The shopping trip is 3 1/3 hours one way, and part of normal life in sparsely populated Patagonia.

We arrive at the park and a ranger comes on the bus to collect the 600 peso's per person admission fee. Soon we are driving through a forest with glimpses of Perito Moreno (the mountain). After another 15 minutes we have our first good look at the glacier.

We board a boat for a close-up view of the north face of the glacier. Flor explained that the glacier is stable; it grows a meter but also loses about a meter to calving each day. We are alongside the glacier for forty minutes and it calves three times, once creating a good sized bergie and wave which gently rocks us. From the boat we have a view of groups of people trekking up the glacier, I'm sure it's a very memorable experience!

After the boat ride the bus takes us to the visitor center and the start of the trails. They are well constructed and provide a close-up of the glacier. We hear the groaning of the ice as the glacier grows and occasionally calves off a bergie or iceberg,

There are a pair of Andean Condors playing near the mountain and glacier which are fun to watch and attempt to photograph. The condors have a three meter wing span. There are also other birds in the area, but none as intriguing to watch.

After a few hours on the trails and having lunch in the visitor center we reboard the bus for our trip back to El Calafate. Flor provides everyone with a chocolate, flavored with calafete, the berry of the region. She then offers shots of calafete cordial. It is a little sweet and has a berry (similar to combination blackberry-blueberry) flavor. The local legend is that if you eat calafete you will return to Patagonia, and Flor has assured it in a sweet way. After hours in the outdoors including modest walking, and fortified by a small amount of the 24% alcohol cordial, most people fall asleep to the gently rocking of the bus.

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El Calafate: 50 degrees 20 minutes South

2/7/2018

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We leave Ushuaia for El Calafate on Tuesday morning. Our Aerolineas Argentina flight is 40 minutes late, so "on time" by South American standards.

As we approach El Calafate I am surprised by the landscape. I know that the city is on the southern edge of Lago Argentino, Argentina's largest fresh water lake, and that it is a gateway city to Los Glaciers National Park. What I wasn't expecting is the dry desert landscape that ends very close to the shoreline. The city is 18 degrees latitude north of our furthest south Antarctica landing and the landscape is worlds away.

We taxi to our apartment where we are greeted by Fernando. Between his kindergarten English, our pre-kindergarten Spanish and with the aid of Google Translate we learn about the apartment and the city. It is a clean, comfortable one bedroom apartment which looks like a nice place to stay for two weeks. A bonus is a cleaning service that comes twice a week.

It's less than a mile walk to the laundry and to the supermarket, our primary needs for today. We have a late lunch of a Ceasar salad and empanadas at one of the many restaurants lining Ave. del Libertador General San Martìn who seem to cater to the adventurists and tourists who visit the city. Then we return to the apartment to unpack and settle in.

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Starting to Know El Calafete

2/7/2018

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El Calafate has a population of 20,000.  I am guessing there are 3,000-5,000 visitors per day during the summer.  They range from students traveling with backpack and tent to the well-appointed staying in upscale accommodations.  But all seem to have come to experience the wild, beautiful scenery of Patagonia.

The new airport (which was built in 2000) and paving the road to the nearby Los Glaciares National Park a few years ago have helped the increase in tourism .  The old airport is the area where we are staying and the terminal is now the bus station.  We think that Puerto San Julian (our street) is a former taxiway for airplanes.  I don't know if it is true or just local legend, but it is said that Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the author of The Little Prince and a pioneering aviator) used the old airport.

Most visitors use El Calafate as a base for exploring the nearby glaciers and mountain trails. As we walk about town the tourism footprint is clear.  There are many small hotels, B&B's, hostels and rental apartments.  100% of the streets in the center of town are paved, while in the newer growth areas 50% are dirt roads, many with recently built tourist accommodations dotted along the way.  The main route through town, Avenida del Libertador Gral. San Martìn, has restaurants, sandwich shops, tour agencies and stores catering to outdoor enthusiasts.   But luckily the city has a charm and "real people" feel - it is not a tacky tourist town.

El Calafate is located on Lago Argentino, so I anticipated a restaurant and/or tourism area along the shore. That is not the case, however the map shows a rambala along the lake. Thursday is a sunny 24C (75F) day and we set off to explore. It always seems to be windy at our apartment, less so in the center of town which is in a small valley. Often the weather application on my phone forecasts 15-16 mph. As we approach the rambala the winds pick up. By the time we are walking next to the lake it is so windy it is impossible to keep our hats on. Talking with some locals we learn this is normal during the summer but not the winter. No wonder the area has not developed commercially and that there are no boats to be seen on the lake!

However the walk along and near the lake provides some interesting scenes.

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Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego

2/6/2018

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It's Sunday and we have booked a half day tour of Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. It's sunny and the temperature is 10C (50F) so we opt to go with our lighter coats. Claudio picks us up at 8:30am and we join a couple from Italy and a couple from Buenos Aires in the nine passenger van.

Claudio easily switches between Spanish and English in his explanations as he drives us through the city. We learn that the government of Argentina wants to increase the population in Tierra del Fuego and has provided incentives to companies and individuals including reduced taxes and fuel subsidies for relocating here. Ushuaia has grown from 20,000 people to 80,000 people as a result, with an average age of 20. There are now approximately 100 electronics assembly companies in the area. We ask about the seasons and learn that the sun typically rises at 10am and sets at 5pm in the winter, while there are 17.5 hours of daylight in summer. The temperatures range from 2C (36F) in winter to 13C (55F) in summer. Some winters there is six feet of snow in the park, others just a foot.

We pay a 350 peso (~ $18 USD) per person admission fee at the park entrance. Claudio drives us through the park explaining the animals and birds who inhabit the park. He stops at Lake Roca where we get out to view the scenery and to take an hour long hike. We learn more about the trees (three species in the beech family) and the plants (including wild mushrooms which grow on trees and calafate berries). At a small bay we stop and watch a family of flightless Steamer Ducks. During our hike the wind picks up, it clouds over and it begins to lightly rain. We longingly think of the warm puffy jackets we left back at the apartment.

Back in the van we warm up and Claudio drives us through other areas of the park. We have a chance to see a Crested Caracara bird. He discusses the damage created by the introduction of Canadian beavers years ago. The 50 beavers which were released after an unsuccessful attempt at the fur trade have grown to an estimated 200,000 as there are no natural predators. Now the government pays a bounty to hunters who shoot the animals, but it is not enough. It reminds us for the issues we saw in New Zealand with rodents unwittingly introduced to the islands who have caused issues with the kiwi population.

Claudio starts us on another hike. The sun is back out and it is warm - now we are happy with our choice of jackets. The hike takes us through the brush and trees to the Beagle Channel and the end of Argentina's Route 3 - part of the Pan American Highway. There are a number of motorcyclists there celebrating their journey. The gear they have brought along is indicative of the journey, including spare tires and extra gas tanks.

The tour includes lunch, which is served in a large geodesic tent setup in the park. After lunch Claudio drives us back to the apartment. We take a siesta then walk to the downtown. It is almost deserted. All of the stores are closed. Sunday was a good choice to enjoy the park!

For dinner we walk to the harbor and have to wait a few minutes for the restaurants which open early. We choose Volver and walk through their doors promptly at 7pm. It was established in 1896 and has an array of antiques inside. Very interesting. We enjoy excellent sea bass with crab for our entrees.

On our last evening in Ushuaia we dine at Lola's, a wonderful restaurant with a great view. Later a full moon looms over the mountains. A perfect night.