Penguinos!

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Hooked up with the same tour group -- and all the same travelers -- from yesterday for the 3 hour drive to Punta Tombo to see the Magellenic penguins. This colony lives at sea most of the year, migrating to Brazilian waters in the austral winter following anchovies and squid (who wouldn't?!?!), then return here to breed. The males arrive first and find nests, which are burrows near the beach, and the females follow (not many have arrived yet) and choose not a mate but a home! Which male resides there is beside the point.

Humans walk right next to the penguins on the way to the bluff overlooking the beach -- and today's weather was like a beautful, hot California day. There is none of the wind that Patagonia is famous for, sometimes 100 km/hour. It's very odd being so close to the penguins, which at least for now, have no fear of humans. Add the dozens of wild guanacos (llamas) walking amongst them and a few sheep, and it's surreal.

I was fortunate to hook up today with Jorge and Francine. He was born in Bariloche, east of here in the mountains, and now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he is an architect. She is a dermatologist originally from Belgium now living with him in the U.S. Jorge provided lots of background about the area, a great help in understanding the land.

The ride home included a stop in Gaiman, one of several towns near here colonized by Welsh immigrants in the late 19th century. Argentina threw its doors open, hoping to attract English, French and Germans who would populate and build the country (and, in at least some cases, would do the dirty work of "taming" the native or aboriginal people). What they got was, as Jorge put it, "Spanish, Italians, Jews and Welches." Welsh is spoken as a second language in these towns and every year, teachers arrive from Wales to keep the language alive (though it's no longer spoken in Wales!).

We had a traditional tea, which included the Argentine touch of pastries made with dulce du leche, which is everywhere. (I'm hoping for pancakes with dulce du leche before I leave).

Jorge and Francine told me about a great restaurant run by the fisherman's association, non-touristy and very out of the way ("we'll tell you, but you won't find it, it's off the main street, in the back and upstairs.") Sure enough, it was magnificent: an appetizer of cold, marinated seafood, followed by Jorge's recommendation, a warm seafood stew in a tomato sauce. Delicious, and wonderful to be in a local hideaway.

Thursday, I head to Iguazu Falls in the northeast, on the border with Brazil and Paraguay. It's óften described as Niagara's big brother. Woo hoo!

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Photos

Penguins in the Surf
Penguins come ashore from feeding in the Atlantic

The Penguin Fields
Some of the 1 million Magellenic Penguins at Punto Tombo

On Guard
Sunning

Guanaco and Penguins
Llama and penguins co-exist, uneasily. As the llamas graze, they inadvertently crush penguin eggs.

Dan and the Penguins
Overlooking the Atlantic in Patagonia, Argentina

Penguin and Dan
Close, but not too close

Guanaco
A llama separates from the herd of 20

Welsh Tea in Argentina
Jorge, Francine and Dan have tea in Gaiman, a town in Atlantic Patagonia founded by the Welsh.

Welsh Tea
Te Gales, which is Spanish for Ty Gwyn, which is Welsh for Welsh Tea

Comments

[Michael]

Welsh in Argentina?
Interesting to see derivatives of Welsh in Argentina. This is similar to language seen all over Brittany, France, where names written in "Breton" are largely unpronounceable to the non-native.