USA Today Logo New York Times Logo Outside Magazine Logo Conde Nast Traveler Logo National Geographic Traveler
Create your Trip Journal [click here]

Tres Amigos en Patagonia

By : Kenneth Nelson
Trip Begins February 28, 2009
Trip Ends March 10, 2009

We did "Awesome Argentina" and experienced an invigorating mix of outdoor trekking/glacier hiking combined with an active tour of fascinating Buenos Aires. The guides were super great, and we found many interesting sights on our own as well.
See my photos : Tres Amigos en Patagonia

Want to go? Awesome Argentina

I went to: Argentina, Patagonia, Ushuaia, El Calafate, Buenos Aires
[enlarge map]
[reduce map]
February 28, 2009
Top

Big Day in B.A.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

We hit the ground running at 10 am after about 36 hours of travel for my wife, Kathy, myself (Ken), and our friend, Alberta. We arrive a day ahead for our Adventure Life tour of Buenos Aires, and easily find our hotel, the Reino Del Plata. Since it is still early, we grab a city map and start off down Florida street to the San Martin Plaza to enjoy the blossoming trees and a rest on a parkbench. Guards in colorful uniforms parade periodically through the walkways and enjoy the sunny 75 degree day right along with us. After awhile we walk to Puerto Madero, a shipping and warehouse area for the city until 1940. A new port replaces the function of the four old docks, and the area is now a rejuvenated upscale residential neighborhood with a private yacht basin along the canal. We eat lunch at an outdoor restaurant and watch sailboats pass in and out to the Rio Plata. Afterwards we walk along the waterfront and view the modernistic "Womens' Bridge", as well as two late 19th century sailing ships moored there as museums. One is the Fragata Sarmiento, named after an Argentine President; it was actively involved in early Antarctic exploration and naval training until 1961, and the polished brass fittings still gleam brightly. From there we walk to the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, which houses the President's offices and is similar to our White House. We arrive just in time for a guided tour of Casa Rosada, where Eva Peron made her famous speeches to the "shirtless ones" (workers) of Argentina. At the other end of the Plaza is the city's main Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana), and we are impressed with it's beauty. After walking back to our hotel we go to the Cafe Cabilda for a late evening dinner and then to bed for a much needed rest!

March 1, 2009
Top

Pablo Tells All

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The next morning when we enter, sleepy-eyed, into the breakfast room of the Reino del Plata, we encounter what will soon become a pattern: Bert, breakfast finished, smiling, and adventure-ready! After our own good breakfast and much needed coffee, we meet two of our other Adventure Life Tour members, Amanda and Jennine. At 8:30 am our guide, Pablo, arrives with a van to take us on our Adventure Life City Tour of Buenos Aires. Pablo is a wealth of local knowledge and first takes us to the awe inspiring stainless steel flower ("Floralis Generica") in the municipal park, next to the law school ("Facultad de Derechio"). The huge petals of this statue open automatically every morning and close every evening. From here we drive through the Palermo District, where we see the large and architecturally impressive embassy buildings, and then to the famous Recoleta Cemetery. We walk among the old mausoleums as Pablo explains the burial customs and some of the politics of BA along with a brief story of former President Juan Peron and his wife Eva. Eva, or "Evita", was a very controversial person: she was loved by many of the poor and hated by many of the wealthy at the time of her death in 1952. Her body was secretly removed and buried in Italy under a false name until years later when she was finally brought back and interred in Recoleta. Pablo also discussed the brief history of the "Disappeared", from 1976-1983 when the Military Junta ruled, and of events leading to the Falklands War with England in 1983, when the Junta was displaced from power. (We had earlier viewed the tall "English Tower" given to BA as a gift from England. After the Falklands War it was renamed the "Monumental Tower", however, for obvious reasons!) Driving on to the La Boca District with its colorfully painted corrugated tin houses, we learn that it is here that the original Italian and German immigrants settled. Today, the streets are alive with musicians, street entertainers, and tango dancers in a very festive atmosphere. The city's earliest shipping took place in La Boca's port in the mid 1800's, until the harbor became too shallow for the increasing size of ships. The surrounding area has many poor and homeless people; while safe during the day, it is not recommended for walking at night. Then we travel back to the Plaza de Mayo where Pablo shows us where the mothers' of the "disappeared" children still march every Thursday afternoon in silent protest to the government. At tour's end he points us in the direction of the San Telmo district, and we wander along its open air "flea market" for the rest of the afternoon. Kathy and Bert see many interesting things, but they are not ready to buy yet. That will come later. By now pretty tired, off we go for refreshments at Cafe Tortoni, which has been in service for over 150 years. Back at the hotel, a quick late afternoon siesta leaves us ready for Pablo's pick-up at 8:30 pm, and we're on our way to the famous Esquina Carlos Gardel Restaurant for a steak dinner and Tango show. A film during dinner depicts the history of the Tango, and is followed by a live Tango show. We are home by midnight for another good night's sleep.

March 2, 2009
Top

Ushered In To Ushuaia

Ushuaia, Argentina

Guide Pablo picks us up at Hotel Reino del Plata and drives us to the EZE Aeropuerto to catch our domestic airplane, and we fly 1800 miles south to the "end of the world" (El Fin del Mundo) in Ushuaia. There is a weight limit on domestic airplanes of 33 lbs. (15 kilos) per bag which we just sneak under and luckily avoid paying a surcharge. In the late 1800's Ushuaia was settled as a penal colony for Argentina's worst criminals. It was in operation up until 1947, when President Juan Peron closed the prison for good. We are picked up at the airport by our guide, Atu, and we meet our 6th tour member, Geraldine. Atu drives our completed friendly group of six to the Hosteria Linares, which is a lovely small hotel in the middle of town. Atu suggests we could climb to the Martial Glaciar just outside of town, and so, after a quick unpack, we spend the afternoon doing just that. It's a lot of work, (a mountain climber would love this challenge) and the three of us achieve different levels of success. Kathy peters out first, and waits for the others while sitting on a large, flat, cold rock. I decide to call it quits next, but Bert, our fit friend, keeps climbing. She stops just short of the glacier and could have made it all the way (she says), except for the fact that it was already getting late. But wherever we find ourselves, we marvel at the breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and the city and the Beagle Channel below. On the way down we stop for a well deserved snack at the Casa de Te (teahouse) at the base of the chairlift that serves the mountain for skiing in the winter. Today there are many sport equipment shops and clothing shops lining the main street of Ushuaia for trekkers and other outdoor enthusiasts. At the docks, cruise ships come and go carrying those tourists who are going even further on to Antarctica. Perhaps on our next trip we can go there too, to see the Emperor penguins and whales amidst the ice floes and pack ice. But for now, we eat dinner in Ushuaia at El Turco Pizzeria, thoroughly enjoying the food, the ambience and the realization that we are here!

March 3, 2009
Top

Augustino Augments Our Trip

Ushuaia, Argentina

At 8:30, after a lesiurely breakfast in the eating area of our hosteria, our trekking guide Augustino arrives to take us to the Harberton Estancia, a former sheep and cattle ranch that is now home to a Pinguino (Penguin) colony. We take a Zodiak raft over to Martillo Island and walk as near as 6 feet from the penguins to observe them close up. Most are Magellanic Pinguinos who make nests in the ground for their young, along with a few Gentoo Pinguinos mixed among them. Again our guide, Augustino, explains the habits of the animals to us, along with the main predators of their chicks, the Skua birds. The owner of the island allows groups of only 20 persons at a time on the island to avoid upsetting the penguins, who appear to be milling around like a group of relaxed folks wearing tuxedos at a cocktail party. After hiking around the colony, we raft over to Gable Island nearby for a vigorous 6 km. trek with Augustino. He leads us at a good pace, but still manages to do a great job of explaining the various animal, plant and tree life of the land along the way. It is a sunny clear day with no rain, which Augustino says doesn't always occur at this time of year. (Lucky us!) Temps which normally run 40-50 degrees F. are up to 60 degrees today. The views through varied forest and prairie terrain are spectacular. At the end of our trek we are renewed with a lunch of olives, cheese, chips, bread, sausage, and steak, cooked on a grill by our guides at an abandoned sheep herder's hut. Good Argentinian Malbec wine plus water or soda ("gaseosa") is plentiful, and the meal is topped off by brownies which Augustino swears repeatedly that he baked himself at 4:30 am that morning. I notice his fingers are crossed behind his back, though, and I believe I can see his nose grow just a half-centimeter longer! After rafting back to the mainland, we stop at the Cetean Whale Museum on the grounds of the Estancia. A very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide shows us through the exhibits and describes the different whales, porpoises, sea lions and other mammals of the area. The museum does research with the University in BA, where our guide is finishing her degree. She is volunteering at the museum in the summer. "Muy interesante", and well worth the visit and a donation, so I dig deeper for some dollars for the collection jar. Then Augustino drives us all back to Ushuaia in a small bus as he plays Jonny Lang and other American blues CD's on the radio. After our huge lunch we decide that ice cream ("helado") and cappuchino are all we need for dinner, and we end the day, satisfied and tired.

March 4, 2009
Top

Valiant Valentine Arrives

Ushuaia, Argentina

This day's trip was to be lead by Augustino, but we find guide Valentine arriving instead to lead us to the Tierra del Fuego National Park for some forest trekking. Valentine is every bit as knowledgeable as our prior guides, and he takes the time to lead us to some beautiful mountain overlooks for pictures of this awesome countryside. He points out many beaver lodges which have caused a loss of about 30% of the trees due to the flooding that occurs behind their dams. 25 couples of beaver were imported years ago with hopes of starting a fur trade. It was unsuccessful, (nobody knew how to turn beaver pelts into hats) but not so the beavers; they now number about 400,000 and have become a problem for the land management (goes to show you shouldn't mess with Mother Nature!). We eat another outdoor lunch grilled by our guides-olives, bread, cheese, chips, sausage, chicken shish-kabobs, and brownies, all washed down with water and more Argentinian wine. Following this we board rubber rafts to travel down the Rio Lapataia (river) to the Bahia Lapataia (bay) for a 45 minute water trip. I (the former Boy Scout) paddle and steer the canoe, and Kathy and Bert help a little. Valentine points out the "steamer" ducks who literally walk on the water like paddle wheel steamers, and do not fly. We also see Comorants, Skuas, and evidence of more beavers. After a full day's adventure we are brought back to Ushuaia with still enough time to tour the old prison building. Here there are many exhibits discussing famous prisoners, including our old tango friend Carlos Gardel, who spent some brief time here behind bars, perhaps practicing his tango steps, in about 1903. We see exhibits on the Yamana Indians who were the original indigenous people of this land, but who are now extinct. The old prison also includes a maritime museum and an art gallery displaying the works of Argentine artists. Of course we also hit the well-stocked gift shop and leave with some nice purchases that will provide us with fond memories of our time in Ushuaia. Pocketbooks now loosened up, we shop for awhile on the main street of Ushuaia, and Bert becomes the owner of a beautiful handmade vest.

March 5, 2009
Top

Exit to El Calafate

El Calafate, Argentina

This morning Augustino is back in action to take us to the airport for our flight to El Calafate and El Gapon, a working sheep ranch. We arrive easily and a guide picks us up at the airport to drive us the 30 minutes outside of the city to Estancia El Gapon where we will stay for two days. Arriving at 5:30 pm we are given a very nice room with a separate sitting area, and are just in time to sign up for the sheep handling and shearing demonstration at 6:30. Other tourists arrive just for the dinner and show alone, so we all wait expectantly as the Gaucho arrives, complete with jaunty beret, to herd 15 or so sheep around the pasture in front of us. He looks like a ballet master as he signals his two dogs, a kelpie and a border collie, to drive the sheep wherever he wants them to go. Occasionally a sheep breaks free only to quickly be brought back to the herd by his hard working dogs who are enjoying every minute of the chase. After a guided walk through the pastures to the edge of Lago (lake) Argentino we find Calafate bushes with edible berries. They taste similar to our blueberries, and eating one guarantees a return to Patagonia. We all eat a handful. Then we go back to the shed for a sheep shearing demonstration and discussion of the various breeds of sheep and some more history of Patagonia. We've worked up quite an appetite watching those dogs work so hard, and now we head into the banquet hall for a BBQ dinner with lamb, chicken, sausage, and beef with the Argentinian Malbec wine we have learned to enjoy. A local folkdance and tango show ends the evening, and we all roll off to bed.

March 6, 2009
Top

The Big Day Arrives

El Calafate, Argentina

Kathy and I arise this morning to meet Bert, already at breakfast, and to prepare for the highlight of our trip. This is the day we get to hike on the Perito Moreno Glaciar and we have long been awaiting this excursion. We get picked up at 9 am by a surprisingly big tour bus that takes a load of about 30 or so people into the Glaciar National Park. We pay our 60 pesos (about $18) per person entrance fee, and make a stop at the servicios (bathrooms) before heading to the edge of the Rico Arm waterway where we board sturdy ships holding perhaps 30-50 persons. We travel across the waterway, with floating ice chunks all around us, to the edge of the forest in the mountains alongside the Glaciar. After disembarking, we are led along a wooded trail to a spot where we can walk right up to and on the Glaciar. But first, our guide Carlos has us all fitted with sturdy crampons for walking on the ice without slipping. He tells us how to walk correctly to avoid going down a crevasse or breaking an ankle, and we are off. It takes a little practice, but soon our group of about 12 people is walking single file on the Glaciar as Carlos explains the formation and action of this incredible beauty. It is one of the few Glaciars in the world which has been stable for over 100 years or so, and it is awe inspiring to be walking on ice so many thousands of years old. We contemplate that this is truly an experience to cherish and remember, as every so often we hear the roar and crash of the ice as a section "calves" itself off into the frozen water below. We are led around the Glaciar for about 1 1/2 hours as we see other similar groups off in the distance looking like little penguins. The day is sunny once again and the majesty of this glacier is worth the price of admission. When our time comes to an end, Carlos leads us to a little wooden table sitting in the open with a dozen small glasses and a bottle of Scotch whiskey for all who wish to give a toast to the end of this fantastic experience. Carlos chips off some authentic Perito Moreno ice with his pickaxe and it tastes "delicioso". What a day!

March 7, 2009
Top

Bert Says Bye

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is the day that amiga Alberta flies back home. We have said our goodbyes the night before, and Bert is gone before Kathy and I arise at 8 am to enjoy yet another day of sunlight and cool breezes. Kathy and I will fly back to Buenos Aires for an extended 3-day stay to relax and tour BA further on our own. Lucky us! For now we stroll the grounds of the Estancia and come across a hidden vegetable garden and an old horse stall. We have breakfast and lunch in the restaurant at the ranch, where the food is very good. While the evening before at dinner we had listened to CD's of Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and American jazz of the 40's, now today we hear Nora Jones and Eric Clapton as we enjoy our meals. At 1:15 pm our taxi arrives to drive us to the airport in El Calafate and we make limited conversation with our Spanish speaking Bolivian driver. He describes seeing an eagle eating a hare, and some 9,000 year old hand paintings on the rocks nearby. In turn we teach him the "ingles" for "alto y baja" (high and low) and he seems pleased. Our flight goes well and we cab to our hotel in the Recoleta district to get ready for more city trekking starting tomorrow.

March 8, 2009
Top

Cunningly Creative and Colorful Crafts

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Today, Sunday, we start by visiting the Recoleta church (Basilica del Pilar) and then strolling through the adjoining park where vendors sell gorgeous leathergoods, woolen & cotton textiles, and beautiful jewelry, as well as other handmade goods. The prices are quite reasonable and we require two separate trips to the Banelco for money! We then walk to the Jardin Japones (Japanese Garden) and spend the afternoon walking in the park and listening to a lecture in Spanish on how to grow Japanese Bonzai trees. (We're tired and enjoy the chance to sit and rest.) On the way back we discover the Museo de Popular Art and explore inside this interesting old building with its collection of historical folk art. They are showing a pelicula (movie) about crafts in Northern Argentina, and we watch what looks interesting, but we don't understand much. Walking back to the hotel we eat dinner at a local streetside cafe for about US $15 for two, including vino and agua. Buenos Aires seems to come alive at 9:00 at night, and we entertain ourselves with people watching.

March 9, 2009
Top

Paseo in the Park

Buenos Aires, Argentina

After breakfast at the hotel, Kathy and I head out for more walking through the city parks, and this time we head for the Jardin Botanica. On the way we stop for a "cafe solo" at the Plaza del Carmen restaurant, and while there we hear surf music legend Dick Dale's recording of the American hit, "Miserlou", on the music system. Small world! We reach the Botanical Garden and it is a pleasantly shaded and cool park; we spend some time strolling through. After that we go to the Rose Garden Park (Rosedal). Bummer, because it is closed for maintenance today, but walking around the outside we decide it is the prettiest of the parks that we have seen so far. We put it on the list for next time. From here we walk to the MALBA, a new Latin American art museum. Before touring the museum we eat lunch in their outdoor cafe. It's a bit pricey, but the food is good, and we split a sandwich and salad plate with wine and beer. I note that the two main local beers seem to be Quilmes and Primitiva, and both are excellent. Kathy notes that the Malbec vino tinto is wonderful wherever we go and reasonably priced, too. Back at the hotel we catch up on emails, and then have a pleasant dinner at Cafe Arenales, which is just around the corner. We have an excellent full course meal, with drinks, desert, and cafe, and after dinner the owner salutes us with two glasses of Champagne, just to make the night perfect! Does he know he is helping us celebrate our last night in Buenos Aires?

March 10, 2009
Top

Don't Cry For Us, Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Well, the end of the trip is coming at last. We fly out of Buenos Aires at 9:40 pm tonight, but we still have several hours to enjoy in the city. Kathy is interested in knitting, so we take a cab to an area of many yarn shops on Avenida Scalabrini Ortiz. The yarn is beautiful, and the price is quite low, so Kathy buys enough for sweaters and mittens for the family. I can hardly wait for Christmas. Then we go by taxi to the Evita Museo at Gutierrez and Lafinir streets. We view video footage of her massive funeral celebration in 1952, as well as displays of the history of her life and many of her dresses and gowns. We walk back toward our hotel for our last leisurely meal outdoors in Buenos Aires and treat ourselves to ice cream (helado) before heading to the airport for our evening flight back to Miami, Chicago, and then Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will miss you Argentina; Adventure Life has made our tours effortless, and we have had enough free time to make the trip our own. Thank you to them and to every one of our wonderful tour guides. And don't cry for us, Argentina, for we will return!

1-5 of 49 imagesMy Travel Photo Album


Share