Being from Southern California, and having spent most of the
past two years between South East Asia and Cuba, it is challenging to describe
the natural beauty of Argentina’s Patagonian glaciers. I decided I wanted to
see the Perito Moreno glacier after stumbling on some stunning photos I saw
online, and was thrilled to make my new dream a reality when I paid a visit in
November 2014. After the near-silent two-hour bus ride from my hostel, I still
remember hearing the collective audible gasp!
from my fellow tourists after first laying eyes on the main attraction of the
Los Glaciares National Park:
While geography disconnects South America from Antarctica,
the extreme south of Argentina still seemed to be an extension of the South
Pole, even though I never saw any penguins. And honestly, when first seeing the
200+ foot tall ice wall, stretched over three miles wide between towering
mountain peaks, it is hard to imagine a clearer example of where the Earth’s ice
caps meet the rest of the inhabited world. And keep in mind, this was taken
during what the southern hemisphere calls “summer”:
Our twelve-hour excursion from El Calafate included a quick
stop at the traditional façade of Parque
Nacional Los Glaciares (first photo), trekking in the surrounding
snow-capped mountains, and a six-plus-hour trek along the glacier itself. Even
after spending my entire adult life in the Marines, and hiking in the
unforgiving hills of Camp Pendleton, this was a delightfully unique experience.
We wore spikes on the bottom of our boots, like soccer cleats, to get a stable
grip on the slippery ice. We were told to walk like penguins, bow-legged and
goofy, to balance ourselves on the inclines and declines that defined the frozen
surface. Mid-way through, we sat on rocks organized in a semi-circle and
enjoyed our store-bought sandwiches and empanadas for a late lunch, as our
insulated feet enjoyed the temporary relief. And at the end of the day, my face
was red not from the sun, but rather from the burn of the underestimated – and
relentlessly unforgiving – gusts of wind, that seemed to have shaped the
surface of the ice over generations, much like the rivers that once formed the
Grand Canyon.
Looks can be deceiving: it was incredibly challenging to
stand here without getting blown over from the strong winds!
Time can be a confusing topic when you are near the “end of
the world.” For one, the sun doesn’t set until almost 10 o’clock at night – that’s
30 minutes before I’m supposed to be all settled in for a bed time story. When
we finished our hike and trek over loose rocks, semi-dangerous foot paths, natural
streams, and blue ice, I thought it might have been 4:30 p.m., judging from the
strong light that was coming from the sun, still high in the sky. You can
imagine my surprise when my watch told me it was 7:30 p.m., which, in Argentine
culture, is still two hours before dinner even starts getting served at most
restaurants. I guess it kind of makes sense to eat dinner at the end of the day
when the sun sets. But if you’re stuck on North American time like I was, you’ll
be able to sit, order, eat, and finish dinner at even the most popular
restaurant before the rush hour peaks at 11 p.m.
Is this real life?
The folks at Hielo y Aventura have their organized tours
perfected and down to a science, undoubtedly refined over years of practice and
countless visitors from every corner of the globe. A glass of wine or whisky
with dinner and conversation can be a great way to wrap up a tough week on a
Friday night. But while sitting down on a cushioned seat inside on a heated
tour boat after a day-long hiking adventure abroad, it was extra special to
enjoy a glass of whisky on the rocks – the rocks being the ice from glaciers we
had just “conquered.” I think it brought everyone a smile to their faces as our
boat departed the ice, and we could all look back at the glacier that seemed to
stretch out forever beyond the observation windows. We finally felt
comfortable, safe, and accomplished after an exciting day, all symbolized by
the shot of Scotch and piece of glacier in our old fashioned glasses.
No blog entry of mine would be complete without a flag.
The best part about any adventure is meeting people and making friends
along the way. On this trip, I met a great travel partner from Colombia.
She was also a much-needed Spanish teacher and translator!
That night, I slept like a baby.
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