Puerto Natales & Torres del Paine

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Puerto Natales is a touristy town, much smaller than Punta Arenas. I quite liked it. It had the same colourful buildings. Actually, most of them looked like shacks. It also has a micro brewery that serves delicious pale ale.

From Puerto Natales, you can go to the Torres del Paine national park and also catch the Navimag. I stayed at a great hostel called Erratic Rock, and first of all felt quite intimidated by all the hardcore trekkers there. Actually, I was just jealous that I didn´t have time to do a walk myself. I´ve promised myself I´ll do one in Peru. I did manage to go to the park for one day on an expensive trip, but it was well worth it. The scenery is STUNNING. We were very lucky with the weather too. The people on my trip were all Spanish speakers, except for one Japanese girl, so it was good practice for me. I met a lovely mother and daughter from Santiago and lent them my camera because their battery had died. The trip involved a fair bit of bus but also quite a bit of walking so I didn´t feel like I completely wasted my opportunity to walk in the park. On the way back we visited a giant cave which had been formed when the valley had been filled with lake and in which in later years a giant sloth (mylodon) had lived. You can see my picture of the three señoras from my trip with the sloth below.

We boarded the Navimag late in the day on Monday so during the day, I hung out at the hostel trying to finish my book (The Motorcycle Diaries) so I could swap it (I did), chatting to Neilian who used to work at BBC Scotland and checking out the fun-era-ria with Mark who was also going on the boat (and kept singing a SNL rap about being on a boat). It turns out the fun-era-ria, as it appeared in a shop window, is not a fun shop but a funeral parlour. Mark took a picture of it and the owner (a very very tiny man) came out to pose! He didn´t question why we wanted a picture of a funeral parlour.

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Photos

Pablo, our guide
His name is Pablo Paredes, which translates as Paul Walls.

Comments

[Dad & Hazel]

Thanks!
Thanks for the continuing interesting information and great photos! Do take care...! With our love.

[Ailsa Steinert]

Wow! Three at one sitting!
Your entries are wonderful Emma - and the pictures enough to make us want to pack our bags and run for South America! Keep it up. Glad you are having such a great time. love, Ailsa

[Mum]

brill bloggs
Got three bloggs all in a row - lovely. Am printing them off to send to the olds. lolxxxx

[Ailsa Steinert]

Are You OK?
Hi Emma Am not sure where you are right now, but please let us know ...and if you were safe from the earthquake. love, Ailsa

[emskibub]

Earthquake
I´m fine! We felt it here in Mendoza but it was not too bad at all here. xxx

[Jess]

i like the giant sloth....
...he looks like fun! i wonder who would win in a fight between him and a statue of a polar bear. interesting thoughts... xxx