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Published: March 17th 2007
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We are now settled in Ushuaia, every place we come to is the best and have trouble thinking of moving on. An update of what we've been up to for the last wee while. We had a good time in Bariloche, didn't do much but try to learn the language, rest, window shop and visit the occasional chocolate shop. We had a steak at "Alberto's", the place to have a steak in Bariloche. It lived up to everything you could imagine and a bit more. I tried to get the photo of the meal, but my battery ran flat right there. A bit of a nark, but never mind. When you order steak here you have to order the salad and fries as side dishes. The steak comes on its own. Paul was most impressed and we both only managed to have the half portion.
Another food we have really enjoyed is Deluche de leche, a sweet caramel thing that is eaten on bread, pastries, in deserts, in chocolate and whenever else its wanted. It is used like marmite, for breakfast. We've fallen in love with "submarines" - this is hot milk with chocolate to melt in it, to make
a hot chocolate drink. I've also taken to the pastries, they are to die for. All sorts of shapes and sweet, some with things on it or in it.
We left Bariloche on our biggest bus trip yet, about 30 hours, arriving in El Calefate at about 2 am. The trip nearly did us both in. We stayed at a really nice Hostel up on the hill and was full of lively people. About the most exciting thing we did there was visit the Moreno Glacier in the rain and sleet. This is the most huge glacier in the world. 60 meters high and 5 km wide. That is from the beginning of Kopu Road to the end of Whakamahia Road. It was something that you just looked at with huge cracking sounds and banging and crashing with big bits falling off. We went by bus to the park and looked from the viewing platforms. Others in the Hostel paid a bit more and went for a walk on it. One of the men bought back some ice and we all had Gin and Tonic on 10,000 year old ice. It was full of air holes. I think the
ice made it extra strong. We went out with a fellow Hosteler - Hayley and had a parrilla at a very nice restaurant overlooking the town at night. The parrilla included steak, lamb, sausages and innards. Again you need to order the salad and fries as extras. We had a nice wine and Paul a beer and really enjoyed the meal. One meal was enough for 3 of us. On the walk back to the hostel we were joined by 14 dogs. One would join us and then more kept coming, they were very friendly and just out for an evening stroll, they just wanted to accompany us.
We left Calafate at 3 am and walked down to the bus station to catch another bus. This one was a much shorter journey. We again changed buses at Rio Gallegos. I learnt later that Butch Cassidy robbed the bank here in 1905 and bought ammunition at Barioloche from a building that is now a restaurant. What he was doing right down here, I don't know, he must have changed horses a few times.
The bus trip to Ushuaia took 18 hours and we went through 4 boarder crossings
and a ferry crossing to get over onto the island. We have found Argentina to be flat, dry and empty for miles on end very few animals but lots of pumping oil wells and gas fields. Paul calls it the nothingness. The closer we got to Ushuaia the more trees and more familiar type of territory that is really beautiful. The trees here are beech, but different to our beech trees. They are alot smaller and the leaves are crinkly and they loose their leaves every winter because of the heavy snowfalls. The trees are changing to autumn colours now.
While here we have visited the Museum that is in the old prison. It is a great place to spend a day, if you remember your glasses. I found it interesting because they called Francis Drake a pirate. They had models of all sorts of old boats that have sailed in these waters. They have maps of all the ships that have sunk in area - there are hundreds of them. We have also been on a penguin visit. We went by bus and had the most interesting guide who explained about the history and the problems of the
beavers. We saw a beaver dam. The penguin island is owned by a big station that has moved from farming to tourism. All the penguin chicks had left home and the parents were moulting before going out to sea. There were 2 types of penguin, the Magellan which swims north to warmer waters and the other one with an orange beak that goes south. We stopped off at a Yammina Indian historic site. This was a pile of shells that was as high as a house. They threw the shells out the kitchen and the pile just got bigger. (They all died out with measles and other diseases).
We are trying to buy some King Crabs to cook for tea tonight. They are really big things.
We have been waiting for snow, and cold but it has not really happened. We have given up waiting for the cold and are moving on Monday to Rio Grande. We want to stay here a day or so to see the tide go out. It apparently goes out 5 km and we thought that would be interesting to see. After there we slowly go to Puerto Natales, in Chile, where we
are catching the Navimag ferry to Puerto Montt. This is a 4 day journey and I hope it is smooth sailing.
I hope every one is well and things going smoothly for everyone. We are closer to New Zealand than the top of Argentina. This is a big country.
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Melissa, Lisa And Cherish
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Great to hear your enjoying yourselves
Hi there From NZ, It's great to hear and catch up on you wonderful and interesting travelling stories, Sounds like some fun has been had by all, and some great sightseeing also. I think it sounds wonderful with the art lessons Aunty something i'd really enjoy, And as for chocolate yummy... Uncle it also sounds like you too are enjoying your big adventure in South America... We can just imagine you tracking the little bugger down too!!! We all send our love from NZ Look forward to reading more .... Take care of yourselves and last but not least ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURE!!!! :-)