Yeah, the title to this post is somewhat misleading, because there are no previous posts entitled "Patagonia Part 1" or "Patagonia Part 2". This was, however, my third time in Patagonia this school year: the first time was for our first EFT (educational field trip) to Ushuaia as a school, the second time was for a mission trip to Cabo Blanco, and I just returned from our latest EFT to Calafate and El Chaltén.
(And yes, I am taking another break from the Blue Backpack Break series. I promise the Machu Picchu post is coming next!)
Here are some things that I managed to do during my 6-day adventure in Patagonia.
Went to a museum about glaciers
In the El Calafate Glacier Museum, we learned all about how glaciers are formed and the globe's glacier history. Specifically, the museum focused on the Patagonian ice fields, which are shared between Chile and Argentina. Over the next few days in El Calafate and El Chaltén, I managed to see 3 separate glaciers of the Patagonian ice field. (For an idea of how huge this ice field is, read about my adventure walking on a glacier below!)
This was the view right outside of the Glacier Museum. The bluest water that you've ever seen!
Zip-lined across some Patagonian flatland
Zip-lining over Patagonian flatland is unlike anything else. Most of Patagonia (about 90%) is steppe flatland and 10% is comprised of the famous mountains. Seeing the expanse of land that is, well, flat... with twisting rivers that are many shades of blue, surrounded by snow-covered mountains that seem so close yet are miles away, is simply inexplicable (although it appears that I just tried...) I even zip-lined upside-down one time!
The middle of summer, snow on mountains. No big deal.
Celebratory victory pose because I didn't die on the zip-line!
Saw some incredible views after going on a janky 4x4 through some Patagonian mountains
Let me be clear: I don't get car sick. Ever. I can read, sleep, do whatever and not get car sick. But this bumpy, un-seatbelted 4x4 ride was rough. Probably the closest I've ever been to getting car sick. So it's a good thing that we got out twice for photo ops (which I took as a break from the chaotic drive, as well). Here are some photos of our incredible views of the Lago Argentino and the Patagonian mountains.
The wind was so strong that it took me several tries to take a panoramic photo. My camera wouldn't let me take one because I wasn't still enough- the wind was pushing my hand too much!
Rode a horse named Bill, who was a total jerk
I mean, you can't get mad at a horse named Bill. It just doesn't sound mean. Especially since all of the other horses had names in Spanish (Pájaro, Marcos, Estrella), Bill really should have been named Guillermo, but that's okay. Anyways, Bill wanted to stay in the front even though I am a very beginning-level rider. And several other students wanted to trot and gallop, while I was satisfied with a nice, slow walk. So I basically spent the whole ride pulling back on the reins (Bill didn't listen) or yelling at Bill to slow down (Bill didn't listen) or just yelling "Ahhhhh! I don't like this!" (the horse handlers laughed at me the whole ride). Did I mention that I am a beginner?! Plus, my booty was super sore the next day because I kept bouncing up and down courtesy of Bill's speedster tendencies.
Freaking Bill. Ugh.
Of course the Patagonian sunset was incredible- I would have expected nothing less!
We watched lamb empanadas be fresh-fried over a fire pit and drank wine before dinner, which was a delicious asado.
Hiked a glacier that is older than human civilization
Yep- I strapped on crampons and walked around the Perito Moreno glacier. Later, I was able to see it from farther away for some big-picture perspective, but having it be up-close and personal was insane!
As water melts and drips along the glacier, it creates cool caves which, when filled with water, make some spectacularly blue scars along the surface.
I got to drink some pure glacier water!
The Perito Moreno glacier moves forward about two meters per day (huge forward progress) and loses about the same amount (regrettably large losses). Because of how much it loses, we were able to see chunks of ice fall off several times during our time there.
I'm pretty sure we only saw one-fourth of the Perito Moreno glacier which, at the size of the city of Buenos Aires, isn't even the biggest glacier in the lower Patagonian ice field! (Did I mention? There are TWO of these large Patagonian ice fields: the lower is larger than the upper.)
Yep, those little black dots in the middle of the photo are people hiking on the glacier!
After our hike, we drank some whiskey on the rocks: the only time the ice is older than the drink.
Went on a pleasant, small hike to a cool view
The little town of El Chaltén.
Yep- another glacier!
Isn't nature so incredibly creative?
Went on a long, miserable hike to nothing
This hike was actually miserable. A friend described it as "blissful misery", which is probably pretty accurate. You know, that point where you are soaked (both inside and outside of your waterproof jacket) and your shoes are super wet and the headwind is so strong that your ears hurt and you can't hear what your hiking buddy is yelling at you and you can't feel your fingers or toes. And yet, you can't get any more miserable and it isn't getting any better, so you might as well appreciate the nature. Well, that was what this 5-hour hike comprised of. And we didn't even get to see what we were going for (a killer view of Mount Fitz Roy from a lake) because the weather was too dangerous past a certain point.
When I got back to my hotel, I couldn't feel my fingers or toes or face, and my clothes and backpack were completely soaked through. My body was red from cold, and even hours later my fingers were still stiff! Even though I struggled through a 10-mile "swim" up a mountain, I look back on that day with fondness. I don't even know why. It's official, I'm crazy.
We did, in fact see the end of a rainbow. Unfortunately, no gold. But still a rare view!
This is a video of our hiking conditions- 5 hours of this rain and wind non-stop.
Went on a short, miserable hike to a waterfall
Not as miserable as yesterday, but still too cold and windy for my tastes. The waterfall, however, was incredible!
This "educational" field trip was fun, and I did tons of stuff that I normally wouldn't even dream of (and that I will probably never do again)! (Hiking on glaciers? Lasting for 5 hours on a hike in terrible conditions?) I ate a special berry in this area of Patagonia called "calafate" (after which the city is named). If a visitor eats this berry, it means that they will be back to Patagonia sometime in the future. Even though I don't plan on returning anytime soon, there are a few more things that would be cool to do in Patagonia- I might actually be back someday!
Besos,
Christina Seideman
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