Dragging my sluggish feet across the argentian border was somewhat of a feat and I had in mind that those mooney steps would only carry me to the closest town across the border, Bariloche, when I happened upon a charitable argentinian engineer named Victor who had thrown me a bone saying he would take me up until San Julian which is the first region of the Patagonia. We traveled roughly 15 hours or so casually stopping at some of the preffered tourist spot... Bariloche, Bolsón, Esquel right up until Comodoro Rivadavia where he had decided to help pay my way to Calafate, Argentina so that I could feast my eyes on the most admired glacier in all of Argentina. I was a bit reluctant to accept the offer seeing that he had already been exceedingly altruistic but it was an opportunity that I would not have had otherwise.
Suddenly instead of being in roughly the waist of Argentina I had past right through to practically its ankle sitting kitty corner to Punta Arena which had been my original design after Bariloche. I arrive in Calafate after three days in Argentina and was experiencing the fine culture substantially unparallel to what I had seen in the other countries. Argentina is a bit more egotistical than those of Chile and at times I felt it hard to bear. Calafate is one of the most expensive cities in all of Argentina maybe due to the fact that both the ex-president and his wife, who just so happens to be the current one, own the majority of the town. I had spent the remaining pesos on a hostal hoping that the following day I would be able to find a couchsurfing host to put me up for the night which turned out to be just my luck and I was put up by Matias and Pitu. I was able to make the last bit of money to make it to the Perito Moreno Glacier and on to the next destination. I arrived just before 8 o´clock with a chatty youth from Singapore named Jessica. I
had spent 8 hours taking in every glorious moment that the enormous, blue-spliting glacier had to offer. Aside from several sophomoric questions from my young day-companion I had felt like I was on another planet, in another time staring at an aged beast that had spent its passé existence creaping through the silent valleys. Loud cracking blocks of ice thundered through the valley leaving my heart leaping like a lily frog. I could see the ancient pieces fall like landslides splashing into the bluest waters that I had ever seen. I arrive back to Calafate around 4 or so and we cooked a steamy plate of lamb accompanied by carmelized onion, mushrooms and cooked yellow potatoes... a nice finish to the day aside from a slight allergic reaction that left my eyes like puffy marshmellows. I took off two days later from Calafate leaving a little message thanking Matias and Pitu for all their hospitality and continuing on my journey to Punta Arenas. I am now in Puerto Natales which is roughly 120 km from the Torres del Paine but sadly my body could not keep up with the high velocity of my travels not to mention the sudden change in climate and altitude and it left me fighting a nasty chest cold. I have been thinking that it would be possible to arrive in Puntas Arenas before I make it to Los Torres del Paine so that I have time to get better and then maybe pass Christmas in the national park taking in every natural wonder that Los Torres has to offer. Being so far away from my family in such a familiar holiday, it may be a better arrangement considering that in nature I never feel so alone and these are one of the most notable natural spectaculars in all of the Patagonia.
Dragging my sluggish feet across the argentian border was somewhat of a feat and I had in mind that those mooney steps would only carry me to the closest town across the border, Bariloche, when I happened upon a charitable argentinian engineer named Victor who had thrown me a bone saying he would take me up until San Julian which is the first region of the Patagonia. We traveled roughly 15 hours or so casually stopping at some of the preffered tourist spot... Bariloche, Bolsón, Esquel right up until Comodoro Rivadavia where he had decided to help pay my way to Calafate, Argentina so that I could feast my eyes on the most admired glacier in all of Argentina. I was a bit reluctant to accept the offer seeing that he had already been exceedingly altruistic but it was an opportunity that I would not have had otherwise. 
Suddenly instead of being in roughly the waist of Argentina I had past right through to practically its ankle sitting kitty corner to Punta Arena which had been my original design after Bariloche. I arrive in Calafate after three days in Argentina and was experiencing the fine culture substantially unparallel to what I had seen in the other countries. Argentina is a bit more egotistical than those of Chile and at times I felt it hard to bear. Calafate is one of the most expensive cities in all of Argentina maybe due to the fact that both the ex-president and his wife, who just so happens to be the current one, own the majority of the town. I had spent the remaining pesos on a hostal hoping that the following day I would be able to find a couchsurfing host to put me up for the night which turned out to be just my luck and I was put up by Matias and Pitu. I was able to make the last bit of money to make it to the Perito Moreno Glacier and on to the next destination. I arrived just before 8 o´clock with a chatty youth from Singapore named Jessica. I
had spent 8 hours taking in every glorious moment that the enormous, blue-spliting glacier had to offer. Aside from several sophomoric questions from my young day-companion I had felt like I was on another planet, in another time staring at an aged beast that had spent its passé existence creaping through the silent valleys. Loud cracking blocks of ice thundered through the valley leaving my heart leaping like a lily frog. I could see the ancient pieces fall like landslides splashing into the bluest waters that I had ever seen. I arrive back to Calafate around 4 or so and we cooked a steamy plate of lamb accompanied by carmelized onion, mushrooms and cooked yellow potatoes... a nice finish to the day aside from a slight allergic reaction that left my eyes like puffy marshmellows. I took off two days later from Calafate leaving a little message thanking Matias and Pitu for all their hospitality and continuing on my journey to Punta Arenas. I am now in Puerto Natales which is roughly 120 km from the Torres del Paine but sadly my body could not keep up with the high velocity of my travels not to mention the sudden change in climate and altitude and it left me fighting a nasty chest cold. I have been thinking that it would be possible to arrive in Puntas Arenas before I make it to Los Torres del Paine so that I have time to get better and then maybe pass Christmas in the national park taking in every natural wonder that Los Torres has to offer. Being so far away from my family in such a familiar holiday, it may be a better arrangement considering that in nature I never feel so alone and these are one of the most notable natural spectaculars in all of the Patagonia.
The blessed Patagonia.... you finally arrived! However, My friend, I must say, and I think you will agree with me, that given the journey that you took to get there... rather than, shall we say just "arriving" was a far more beautiful, enjoyable, worthwhile endeavor than skipping the "road less traveled" to "where you are", wouldn't you say? When you take the time to arrive somewhere you think you want to be, you find that you entertain angels along the way, and enjoy the generousity of strangers, vistas of places unseen by most, and the most magical moments... ones that could never be bought... because they are gifts... you receive them, then in their height of beauty you realize that you want to one day be...that stranger... that person who blesses another, for no other reason than you were once blessed by One, such spirit. Godspeed, my friend. We are all thinking of you this holiday, knowing you are where you should be, but wishing you where here, to feel your radiance.
ReplyDeleteI think you nailed it!
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