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Published: February 7th 2006
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Even though it was a last minute decision and I knew nothing of the trekking involved, the tour I embarqued on went very well with the 32 truck passangers all getting along. We left the Tierra del Fuego on the 16th of January making our 1st leg of our 16 days trip together accross Patagonia.
We left behind the ghosts of the Selk'nam, who, can't you believe it, in their days, had a vocabulary larger then our English (!!!). Isn't complex language a sign an advanced civilization?
Did the natives of the mountains of Torres del Paine go 'Waow' like me everytime they looked up? Did they camp where our tour truck took us, and washed in its cold blue lake? (We had welcomed hot showers at our already set campsite). They must have fished trouts and eat the Calafate berries, unless that was before the time of the legend...
Calafate legend from the song "Legenda del Calafate" N.M.Mladinic, M.Palma
The legend tells that Calafate, the great Tehuelche chief'daughter, fell in ove with a young warrior from another race. It was against the blood rule´'love can't exists between races'. When the great Tehuelche chief heard about the two lovers, he told the Chaman to turn Calafate into a beautiful shrub from which a black little fruit with a bitter sweet taste grows in spring. It is renowned for giving the spell of longing to return to those who taste it.
I tasted my first Calafate berry on my 1st walk along one of the Lago. I slowly warmed up the machine aware of my sensitive back and cranky knee. I found plenty to photograph on the way as an excuse to slow
down. Yes you'll see plenty of flowers cause I love playing with the macro function of my camera (and it's not that adequate for wide angle landscapes. Sorry).
The weather blessed us all the way with views of the famous top towers visible at all times during our 3 days camp. We had thick air mattresses and with the free flowing wine, I must say I slept well under the tent.
I did another walk the next day to the top of the mirador near our camp (while the others went for a day long hike) and boy! it is all magnificient!. With tears in my eyes I feel the connection with nature finding its place in my heart again. I missed the simplicity (although deep) it brings to one's life. The bit of Zen we all need. It was absolutly howling up there but I found the whole experience quite fun not being able to stand up when at the top.
Time does not seem to have affected this ex-ranch turned Biospheric UNESCO Reserve Park as its Grey Glacier (actually quite blue) is still breaking bits of ice on its 'lagos'. However, the Ona tribes who
are said to have roamed at least 6000 years ago are now all gone.
I found this picture of these nomadic people in a restaurant in Puerto Natales, the Chilian access to the Torres del Paine (currently a disputed border). The commentary underneath the photo read how the women carried their load 'like beasts'whilst the men contented with bows and arrows. Nervetheless, a woman is now in charge of the country as a president elected during our stay at the Park (Youhoo!).
Back on the truck and hostel for the rest of the trip, we made our way to different national parks with my body somehow getting to enjoy the hikes (and the views!):
*Perino Moreno Glacier / El Calafate.
Evidently we visited El Calafate and the famous Glacier Moreno before getting to El Chalten, but being a town with betumen access, it makes the whole difference you see. El Calafate got popular by being the closest town to the famous Glacier Moreno. Sitting on a lake, the main long street full of modern shops and fine restaurants is located a good hour from the glacier as the rest of the land before
the smaller glacier's National Park is privately owned by the biggest Argentinian family, the Mendenes (?). Photos tell the rest.
*Fitzroy/ El Chalten. This town is sooo cute! Preferred by world class mountain climbers (and us, commons hikers), El Chalten has one main small dusty road with a few good pizzerias and supermarkets, handy to the camping sites (we stayed in a nice hotel).
Some of us went horse riding, others choose to climb some more, all this to enjoy the beautiful Fitzroy mountain (all named after plane pilots including my favorite Saint-Exupery). And somehow, cute gnoms and fairies make their appearance in souvenirs shops, all to tempt me to buy something I can´t fit in my bag!.
Not far is the famous 'Cave of the hands' with handprints showing on walls of a cave, which we didn't visit probably due to the state of the road there. We haven´t driven on much bitumen so far and I kept a close (and dreaded) observation for when I come back this way on the motorbike with Ted. I keep on saying to myself 'You just got to do it'.
*Next comes the betumen
road and another world with it ...(see next blog when it comes out)
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Bill
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Now I see what people have to do to add a comment!
Hi Sandy, looks like Ted will be out of a job if you continue with these fabulous photos!...been doing a few myself, you know, close-ups of flowers, animals, cute kids etc etc ....I still need my tip-of-the-days tho'. Stuck in Cordoba while the bikes are serviced and today its pissing down so quite happy just to hang out in the local cyber cafe and then get some writing done back at the hotel...Cheers Bill