it was an enjoyable enough town with an amazing hostel, the owners were a great example of the generosity of the argentine people, however it was just a good base for me to head out into the wilds. now in el bolson, a town a couple of hours down the road, i will have to be careful not to get stuck here. in our own little house/cabaña with everything you need. walks, market, woods and nothing much else in the daytime. feasting and cider into to the starbright nights. cockerals to wake you, dogs to greet you and the brilliant old hippy couple that own the farm type place with their 6 varying children and extroadinarily and naturally generous grow anything you may desire.
the "town" is a centre of people that make and is dotted with amaxing crafts and dogs own the streets, there even seems to be an irish setter that has been spreading his seed around.
the whole town is surrounded by mountains and a beautiful river runs accross, yesterday had waterfuls in the woods, will i ever leave here i wonder.
Monday, April 17, 2006
laguna negra
the enchanted black lake surrounded by grey shadowy figures looming high and dissapearing into the clouds. at times the clouds dance upon the lagunas skin , creating ripples and shooting upwards then dissapearing.
that valley that brought us here was an autumn dream, evergreens woven into burnt orange, golden ocre and we began to climb the awe inpiring rocks to look down it was an impressionist sea of orange in the shape of valleys surrounding the river streams and to glance upwards, beautiful thin waterfuls falling for miles and one crashing dowm through the rocks.
the water so clear and pre tasted incredible while freezing the back of your throat. it was cloudy mostly but occasionally the sun graced us and illuminated all the land.
the black lake is crystal clear up close and is so inviting, were my breath not as visible as the clouds i would have dived in. all surrounding was like a giant playground. clambering through thoe snow over sparkling rocks watching the valleys light up and the lake turn to oil.
thats what patagonia seems to screm opf at every juncture...unexplored, you could step out for months and not see a single person. over a 3rd of the popultion live in the capital city and the whole country is 3/10ths of the US. the figures dont show it i know but it is phenominal.
that valley that brought us here was an autumn dream, evergreens woven into burnt orange, golden ocre and we began to climb the awe inpiring rocks to look down it was an impressionist sea of orange in the shape of valleys surrounding the river streams and to glance upwards, beautiful thin waterfuls falling for miles and one crashing dowm through the rocks.
the water so clear and pre tasted incredible while freezing the back of your throat. it was cloudy mostly but occasionally the sun graced us and illuminated all the land.
the black lake is crystal clear up close and is so inviting, were my breath not as visible as the clouds i would have dived in. all surrounding was like a giant playground. clambering through thoe snow over sparkling rocks watching the valleys light up and the lake turn to oil.
thats what patagonia seems to screm opf at every juncture...unexplored, you could step out for months and not see a single person. over a 3rd of the popultion live in the capital city and the whole country is 3/10ths of the US. the figures dont show it i know but it is phenominal.
extreme biking
having found the most perfect hostel to base ourselves we met ace people and hi the town with mexican food filling our tummies and wine our heads. through various stages my night ended in WOREST an old ladies casino at 5am with a nottingham lass drinking the racid argentinian licor fernett.
a day of recupperation and i was determined to do some "extreme biking" so representing spain, germany and england us 3 ladies took off around the 60km circumference of the lake, the roads were hilly, the views were lovely and we managed to hit siesta so no food or coffee. we adopted a beautiful dog, respect to tejoncita (little badger) who ran with us for 40km with a badf leg!
we took to the off roads and diverted round a beautiful lake surrounded by red mountains and not a person or car in sight. it was totally exhillerating and really beautiful. feeling refreshed and a bit more healthy i´m now enjoying the novelty of todays suprise rains and heading for the mountains tommorrow.
a day of recupperation and i was determined to do some "extreme biking" so representing spain, germany and england us 3 ladies took off around the 60km circumference of the lake, the roads were hilly, the views were lovely and we managed to hit siesta so no food or coffee. we adopted a beautiful dog, respect to tejoncita (little badger) who ran with us for 40km with a badf leg!
we took to the off roads and diverted round a beautiful lake surrounded by red mountains and not a person or car in sight. it was totally exhillerating and really beautiful. feeling refreshed and a bit more healthy i´m now enjoying the novelty of todays suprise rains and heading for the mountains tommorrow.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
titanic train
a new method of transport thrown into my world of bus trips and the ever attrctive word 'cheaper' meant the next leg could be done by train claimed to be only used by locals and to have a bar and cinema on board.
classically the train shuddered onto the platform at 22.30 and a glimpse of what was to come.... several dark, crammed carriages with faces peering through the steamed windows and a visible smell, suddenly transforms into tables with candles and wine and then cabins with beds and lastly a few carriages much like the ones i know from home. these were ours, having been told tourists werent allowed the cheapest seats, some relief passes over me along with other feelings. all the same we fought for our seats, space and sleep half thenight. the restaurant was amazing and we met an argentinian santa/fisherman desperate to practise his english and he turned out to be one of those extroadinary and generous people you can talk to for hours, with plenty of adventures to tell and sad things too. this was continued over mat´e in the morning, 2hours after we were supposed to arrive.
the mountains surrounding barriloche (the next destination) began to appear, beautiful lakes, horses and the train experience was complete.
classically the train shuddered onto the platform at 22.30 and a glimpse of what was to come.... several dark, crammed carriages with faces peering through the steamed windows and a visible smell, suddenly transforms into tables with candles and wine and then cabins with beds and lastly a few carriages much like the ones i know from home. these were ours, having been told tourists werent allowed the cheapest seats, some relief passes over me along with other feelings. all the same we fought for our seats, space and sleep half thenight. the restaurant was amazing and we met an argentinian santa/fisherman desperate to practise his english and he turned out to be one of those extroadinary and generous people you can talk to for hours, with plenty of adventures to tell and sad things too. this was continued over mat´e in the morning, 2hours after we were supposed to arrive.
the mountains surrounding barriloche (the next destination) began to appear, beautiful lakes, horses and the train experience was complete.
pinguinfest '06'
well no orca action was made up for by the pinguin fest, as we drove into the park they looked like plastic knome penguins for miles all standing bolt upright looking in random directions.
it was the largest single colony of peguins on the continent, 50000+, they didnt react to us wandering amongst them at all, if you bent down and looked at them directly they bend their heads to one side then the other, much like george the setter used to.
it was the largest single colony of peguins on the continent, 50000+, they didnt react to us wandering amongst them at all, if you bent down and looked at them directly they bend their heads to one side then the other, much like george the setter used to.
whale watch
after a long drive through classic patagonian barren land spotted with the occasional guanaco(a type of lama) and ostich like animal i will find out the name for, we arrive at the famed beach, where the best wildlife photographers come to catch the moment the orcas lunge up onto the beach and grab a lunch of sealion.
it feels quite strange getting excited about witnessing a murder and i find myself hoping to see the orcas but for the sealions to get away. in the end i guess this is just as cruel a hope.
so far lots of sea lions but no whale (officially dolphin) action.just a very curious armidillo that keeps snuffling at my feet which is a little unnerving.
glacier
my sadness at having left my good friend and the pangs of home sickness begin to dissapate as i meet an incredible french girl and guy, the kind of people you long to meet.
it fades further still as the beautiful moreno glacier swings into view. shades and scales of green and earth red cover the mountains, deep blue skies, the milky blue lake and everything illuminated by the brilliance of the white peaks and jagged glacier between shining agua blue.
eagles fly around and occasionally pieces of the 50metre high wall of ice fall off into the water with a roar and create incredible slow motion circular waves in the still tranquil lake.
it fades further still as the beautiful moreno glacier swings into view. shades and scales of green and earth red cover the mountains, deep blue skies, the milky blue lake and everything illuminated by the brilliance of the white peaks and jagged glacier between shining agua blue.
eagles fly around and occasionally pieces of the 50metre high wall of ice fall off into the water with a roar and create incredible slow motion circular waves in the still tranquil lake.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
i love buses
the 1st 12hrs of the 40hr ride passed pretty painlessly, terrible argentinian film, who´s meaning seemed to be "men are cheaters but bless em they cant help it". food and drink was included too on this bus! and last nights dinner was... beef and bread! luckily i`d already eaten and wasnt very hungry,
however... it felt so strange leaving the 'meat' to be thrown away as it has so often felt recently, i hate it, the waste and being such a complicated eater and i really dont want vegetarianism to be an identity, i think sometimes the 'why' gets underplayed when something is a habit. so i tried it, it tasted strange and bloody but not bad but my curiosity is satisfied and although the waste issue is unresolved, i think in most situations i can avoid it. i dont feel guilty for having eaten it but i feel refreshed in my thoughts and beliefs, knowing for certain again why i chose this.
40 hours on and snow capped mountains appear on the horizon, the scenery for the majority of the trip has been pretty non-existant, meaning a beautiful sunset, brilliant stars and a sunrise breakfast but now in the distance i get a glimpse of whats in store.
however... it felt so strange leaving the 'meat' to be thrown away as it has so often felt recently, i hate it, the waste and being such a complicated eater and i really dont want vegetarianism to be an identity, i think sometimes the 'why' gets underplayed when something is a habit. so i tried it, it tasted strange and bloody but not bad but my curiosity is satisfied and although the waste issue is unresolved, i think in most situations i can avoid it. i dont feel guilty for having eaten it but i feel refreshed in my thoughts and beliefs, knowing for certain again why i chose this.
40 hours on and snow capped mountains appear on the horizon, the scenery for the majority of the trip has been pretty non-existant, meaning a beautiful sunset, brilliant stars and a sunrise breakfast but now in the distance i get a glimpse of whats in store.
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