Journey to The End of The Earth

Today we head to the famous Tierra Del Fuego national park which gets its name from when discoverers from Europe saw the llamanas people creating fires on the shores of Tierra Del Fuego. We were picked up from our hotel and rode in the back Jump seats of the jeep there we joined our 3 other Portuguese adventurers who would spend the day hiking with us (Lucky Them)! After a short drive we finally reached the Southernmost park in the world (they are pretty proud of the southernmost designation of everything). When we arrived at the trailhead we were sure to use the southernmost bathroom before embarking on our 7km hike.  As we trekked along the path our guide, Norbi, pointed out the "Old Mans Beard" a fungus that grows on trees only in the pure absence of pollution and assured us the crisp cool air we were now breathing was some of the freshest in the world. Quite a change from the daily life of NYC. We stopped a few times along the route for rest and for a bit of education about the indigenous llamanas people. We learned that they were sea lion hunters who spent most of their time naked due to the wet climate. When they were lucky they would have a special treat to eat of "Indian Bread" or "Darwins Mushrooms" named for the great scientists early explorations and discoveries in Tierra Del Fuego. 

Halfway into our trek we stopped for a cup of matte (a traditional South American hot drink equivalent to green tea) and rest. Coincidentally, my friends from the glacier passed by us along the route. As we continued along the hike we dodged piles of manure which we attributed to what must have been a horses by its sheer size. Dads complaints about the dog poo in BA Pericles in comparison to what we were dealing with here. All of our suspicions about that were confirmed as we passed a pack of horses grazing along the route.

As the day dragged on the hike began to wear on my Dad yet he soldiered on as we approached the Bay of Good Wood which was riddled with Winter Spark trees that the Llamana  used to create spears. We didn't need quite need spears, but a slippery trail led to a tumble by Dad and from there on out a walking stick was his new companion. Thanks Portuguese friends!  We reached the end of the trail to enjoy a meal and some argetine wine on the campsite. After a bit of rest we suited up in waterproof boots and canoeing pants and launched our canoes into the bay. Norbi,noticing that our group may be in need of an extra paddler joined our boat of jolly Rosens. 

Despite the name, land of fire, we endured a constant rain throughout the day. Despite this Norbi repeatedly told us today was absolutely perfect because there was no west wind which often ripped across the Beagle Channel between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. We paddled for a couple of hours through the rivers, bays, and the channel between Argentina and Chile enjoying the beautiful scenery of the mountains and Patagonians birds. Our canoeing ended as we beached the vessels on shore where we had finally reached the end of the Pan-America Highway. A route the extends 18,000km from the top Alaska to our spot here at the End of the World. Many people attempt to do the entire route by motorhome, motorcycle, or by bike alone. I was content with a few flights, a car ride, a hike, and a few hours paddling to reach the point just 600 treacherous miles from Antartica. Despite the rain the day was absolutely incredible. As they say here "You can't judge a day by the weather" because in the Land of Fire it often rains.

Patagonia Here We Come!

Today we say goodbye to Buenos Aires until we return after our Patagonian adventure. Mauro picked us up and transferred us to the airport a bit earlier than needed as the flight was delayed twice for about 2.5 hours. Mom and I passed the time by working on our step count for the day since we weren't sure my originally planned glacier trek would still be a viable option given our arrival time. We finally arrived in Ushuaia and were taken to our hotel in the tiny town. Our local operator suggested that we should stay in town for that evening instead of the hike. We obliged and checked out the Panoramic point, the Prison museum, and then grabbed dinner on the main road.  Ushuaia was originally a penal colony before becoming a tax free zone in order to grow the population of the area. As the clock struck 9:30pm and we enjoyed some Quilmes beers and the sun has still yet to set on the tiny town. 

The next morning we woke up early to take a bus to Estancia Haberton. As we made our way down Route No. 3 our guide Santi explained to us about the region, the Estancia, as well as some traditional Argentinian customs such as sharing a cup of matte. As we approached the Estancia, the views were breathtaking and we stopped for pictures of the wind trees. Once we arrived on the ranch our group loaded up a Zodiac boat and headed off to Isla Martillo to walk with the Penguins! The boat ride was a bit bumpy (Mom's head may have hit the ceiling).  As our Zodiac approached the beach, the thousands of penguins parted way for our arrival. Three species of Penguins covered the island as far as one could see. The Magellanic penguins use the island to lay their eggs and then depart when the cold weather comes. The Gintoo penguins, however, remain on the island as they can withstand colder temperatures since they are a breed of Antarctic penguins. The third type of penguin that inhabits the island are the King penguins which were absolutely beautiful! We walked around the home of the near 20,000 penguins and got up close and personal with them. 

Ushuaia is known to have strong wings ripping across the beagle channel which made the day quite cold for a mid-summer day! We made our way back to the boat and returned to Estancia Haberton where we grabbed a cup of Hot Chocolate to warm ourselves up from the trip before taking a tour of the marine biology museum. The tour was quite fascinating as they explained the differences in marine life that can be found in the region. 

We returned to Ushuaia for a quick and relaxing bite on the Main Street of San Martin. After lunch I ventured off on my own to tackle the Martial Glacier hike. The ascent which could be reached by taxi was not too far from the center of town. It was an absolutely breathtaking view of the city and between the intermittent sun a rainbow emerged as I looked back upon the city from the mountain. 

Along the route i exchanged many pleasantries in Spanish until halfway up I encountered a few english speakers. Having been walking for nearly 45 minutes I was relieved to have found a few new friends to converse with. They were a couple from London/Germany Connie and Sebastian. We chatted the rest of the way up until finally reaching the glacier. 

Sebastian a bit more prepared and adventures took to the glacier like a penguin sliding down in reckless abandon. I opted out as my attire didn't seem suited for the penguinnery. I left my new friends and headed back down the glacier to meet my parents for dinner. After a few hours trekking  it was nice to relax before the next day of adventure!

Tonight We Tango

We began the second day of our trip by exploring the famous Sunday Fererai (market) in San Telmo a few blocks from our hotel. We spent hours walking around but ended up with few worthwhile gifts to bring home. We left San Telmo to walk along Puerto Madero, a newer high end area that has recently become one of the more popular destinations in town. The port lay empty for nearly 100 years after Eduardo Madero failed to build a functioning port due to the shallow waters thus adding him to the list of people who get paid to be wrong along with meteorologists. Our next stop was at Casa Rosada (pink house) the office of the president. As we began to head over to Casa Rosada a friendly bird decided to interfere with our plan targeting Mom and Dad with a bit of his droppings. A few locals witnessed the events and offered up their assistance with a few spit soaked napkins to clean their clothes. We eventually made it to Casa Rosada for the hour long tour of the estate before heading back to the hotel for a bit of rest before our Tango dinner!  Argentine culture is influenced by the Spanish and Italians and therefore it is common to not start dinners until 9-10pm. We arrived at Esquina Carlos Grendal and had a delicious meal at around 9:00. Wine flowed nearly the entire dinner and the show began close to 10:30pm. I've never been much of a dancer but I can surely appreciate the art. I've never seen anything quite like what occurred on stage over the next couple hours. 

After the show we retired for the night back at the hotel with an early morning pick up scheduled as we head south to End of The a World- Ushuaia in Patagonia. 

Beinvenudo a Buenos Aires

Today I find it hard to believe that I'm boarding an Aerolineas Argentinas flight bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina. A full week has yet to pass since confetti rained down on Super Bowl XLIX and yet a new adventure awaits below the equator.  Its been nearly a full turn of the calendar since my last intercontinental excursion but it's incredible what changes a year can bring. This year I'm fortunate to travel with just my parents, something I haven't done in years. Our 11 hour journey freed us from the icy grip of NYC and transplanted us into the Middle of a hot Argentine summer day.  We arrived around 4:30am local time and were driven to Hotel Scala by our tour operator, Mauro. Exhausted from lack of sleep on the plane we were eager to secure any 2 rooms that were available in order to get a couple hours rest before heading out on the town. After our nap we clearly needed a bit of fuel in our bodies. We headed out to find an organic restaurant that was recommended to us. After walking aimlessly for 20 minutes we realized that my Dad had held the map upside down and had been walking the wrong direction. We eventually found our destination and a delightful meal provided us the much needed energy to head back to the hotel. When we returned back to Hotel Scala we met Sabrina, a friendly Argentinian woman, who would be our guide for our city tour. As we hopped in the back of the minivan and sped off we were a bit fearful if we'd return safely to our hotel since our driver found common rules for driving merely suggestions as curbs became negotiable terrain and lanes were rendered obsolete. Sabrina educated us on the history of Argentina riddled with political corruption and architectural miscues as we passed historic landmarks in the city. We stopped and walked around La Boca, an area in the southern part of the city with colorful houses. However, we were advised to avoid the southern areas at night for our safety. 

Our next destination was in Recoleta where the tomb of the beloved Eva Peron remains. Prior to entering, Mom of course needed her gelato fix to keep her going. We toured the grounds before heading off to see the wealthy area of Palermo. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and said goodbye to Sabrina before resting up for dinner. Despite the long day we were thrilled to have done the city tour the first day so we knew what to explore on day 2.