In Patagonia Day 31
In Patagonia Day 31 Castro—Puerto Varas The bus to Puerto Varas was long but uneventful, except a marker buoy mid-channel on the ferry ride covered with seals sunning themselves. I am glad I visited Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Puerto Montt, and Castro before coming here as I would have gotten a completely different sense of […]
In Patagonia Day 28
In Patagonia Day 28 Castro—Nercón—Castro Castro has real charm but only after some wandering. Yesterday, while hurrying down a sidewalk in the rain while the street venders pulled their wares under the buildings’ overhangs, I passed a round, pudgy boy no more than two, perched on a ledge eating sushi with clear gusto. Later, when […]
In Patagonia Day 19
In Patagonia Day 19 D’Agostini Campground to El Chaltén Woke to the sound of light rain on the tent and a distinct chill in the air. Dozed a bit, looked out at the other tents where no one was stirring. My cold, wet-weather New Zealand training kicked in, and methodically I gathered my things, filled […]
In Patagonia Day 18
In Patagonia Day 18 Poincenot Campground—D’Agostini Campground Woke to a cloudy windy morning but the rain had stopped. Took my time leaving as the wind soon dried my wet hiking clothes (which meant I still have dry clothes in my bag—always a good idea). Today I walked the trail that connects the Fitzroy loop with […]
In Patagonia Day 16
In Patagonia Day 16 El Chaltén Thoreau called Katadhin a “cloud machine,” a well-deserved appellation though the day Bennett, Tom, and I summited to finish the Appalachian Trail, it was perfectly clear. We could see what seemed the entire state of Maine. Mount Fitzroy is also a cloud (and wind) machine. Today was one to […]
In Patagonia Day 14
In Patagonia Day 14 El Calafate—Perito Moreno Glacier—El Calafate Yesterday evening I had a good IPA Esquél at the Wanaco bar looking out the window onto the main street of the old section of El Calatafe. It is lined with tour agencies, souvenir shops, restaurants, and hiking equipment stores. Divided by a green median with […]
In Patagonia Day 13
In Patagonia Day 13 Puerto Natales—El Calafate Today was uneventful except for a border crossing—actually two as leaving Chile required an exit queuing in a dusty gravel wide spot in a narrow dusty gravel road. Then a couple clicks further, entrance queue to Argentina. Such processes remind me of many border crossings, always with a […]
In Patagonia Day 12
In Patagonia Day 12 Puerto Natales—Mylodon Cave—Puerto Natales In a glass case at the Salesian Museum in Punta Arenas are two pieces of mylodon hide. Although extinct for at least 10,000 years, the fur looks fresh as if the animal were killed this year. Bruce Chatwin begins his book In Patagonia describing a piece of […]
In Patagonia Day 11
In Patagonia Day 11 Grande Paine—Puerto Natales This morning the sun came up over the ridge as brutally strong winds whipped up Lago Grey, dragging aloft a fine mist which made rainbows. One of the most common words in The Voyage of the Beagle is “wind,” but of course that’s to be expected in a […]
In Patagonian Day 10
In Patagonia Day 10 Lago Grey—Grande Paine Slept in a bunk room at the Lago Grey Refugio and in the morning snagged coffee from the dining hall while the sound system played Bob Marley—odd breakfast music, but all part of the experience. The park is truly magnificent, but the tourist experience is overwhelming. Last evening, […]