El Calafate / Argentina


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South America » Argentina » Santa Cruz » El Calafate
October 19th 2014
Published: October 19th 2014
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OK, here I sit in El Calafate in Argentina and it is now 6 days since I have written something. Now one might think that a lot happened, so to find out just read on.

After my last blog entry in Chile Chico, which was a really nice town and worth a stop, I hit the road early morning, making my way to the Argentinian border. Sine I couldn’t find a bus company I just planted myself on the edge of the town on the side of the road and put my thumb up; international language for “Hey, I need a lift as far as possible to where I am going”. And it was a funny feeling as I haven’t done something like this since I was a teenager. But it worked and soon I was on my way,

Crossing the border into Argentina was no problem, but as usual they went through all mu stuff. I don’t know but I must have this look that I am a super nice person that has something to hide. Anyway they didn’t find anything including all the fruit I had in my bag, which was illegal….

After a short walk into the next town I decided that it was worthwhile to continue hitchhiking to Puerto Moreno, a town 57 km from the border. There was a bus station there that I needed to go to get my further connections. And lucky me I made it in superfast time and no hassles at all. The only problem was that my Spanish is still up the shit and the Argentinians speak as much Spanish as the Chileans; nada……… So the lift was a rather silent affair.

Arriving in Puerto Moreno I checked into one of the few hotels in town, which was pretty expensive and spares. But what can one do if the weather is windy as hell and cold to top it off. The town was a pretty miserable affair with nothing to do and no sights at all. The landscape was bare and boring. Anyway I booked my ticket to Caleta Olivia to get the bus further south on my way back into Chile.

The bus left the next afternoon and for 4 hours it rode through absolute flat country; flat and bare…. Not a tree, not a hill; just stones and dust… What a contrast to the area I was just coming from.

Arriving in Caleta Olivia I just grabbed a bite to eat and hit the sack early as my connecting bus was leaving early. No big deal as there was nothing to see here anyway. Caleta Olivia is a booming town that services the oilfield in the area. So pretty rough, grey and expensive.

Puerto San Julian was another 6 hour ride away and I was lucky that I had the front seats on the top floor in the bus for myself. But again all what I saw was a landscape that was bare and didn’t change for all that time.

Arriving in Puerto San Julian I checked in and did a bit of house cleaning, like the laundry. And again the town was dead. The brochure said that the area is well known for their penguins and sea lions; well somebody must have told them that I was in town and to hide.

After two night in the town I moved on into Rio Gallegos. And I have to say that I enjoyed my two days there. OK, again nothing spectacular to see and all the museums where closed for one reason or the other, but it had a nice feel to it and the main plaza was amazing. And on Saturday night they played a movie at the plaza on a huge white wall. Of course the movie was in Spanish and I didn’t understand a word. But I watched the whole lot and pretended that I understood every word. Well, sometimes even I want to fit in.

So this morning I set off to El Calafate and how glad was I to see the Andes again. I could have hugged them. Arriving in El Calafate I soon found a hotel and walked around town. Well, pretty much a tourist trap that looks like every resort in the world, heaps of designer shops, tour operators, bars and restaurants….. Bloody hell I could have been in Australia or America, except they all speak Spanish here….

Anyway, here I am now. As you can see I had a pretty boring six days and can’t wait to get back into Chile. So far I have to say that I am pretty disappointed with Argentina. There is not really much to see don here in the south. And if there is they must have hidden it from me because we beat them in the football world cup…. Well that is my excuse anyway.

So overall a pretty flat 6 days but hey, you can’t have it all. The Andes are a pretty spectacular sight and it is pretty hard to match that. On a personal note I am pretty stoked what happened the last week so that makes up for it. More to that later when I can get into more detail.

I am spending tomorrow the whole day here and might do a tour. Not sure if it will be horse riding or the sip line. Well, we will see.

OK, that’s it for me. I would like to thank all the people that have commended here on the blog and with private messages as well. It is good to see that so many of you follow my travels and even better if I inspire some of you to pack your bags and do something like I do right now. I promise you it is worthwhile. Even when it gets boring for a while.



Take care and have a fantastic week wherever you are. And please don’t do what I wouldn’t do….


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20th October 2014

Neinnn, Argentina is beautiful. Go to Buenos Aires - as I said, one of my favorite cities ever. And what's that Recoletta cemetery? It is also worth a visit Bariloche and that Welsh city ;) to say the least, I bet there is much more to see there... ;)
20th October 2014

Hi Carla. I am not saying that it is not beautiful but after the Andes a bit flat. That is all. Ands yes I am looking forward to Buenos Aires. Thank you for all the tips and I will certainly visit them all.
20th October 2014

Save me a steak!
Great blog, Bear! Thanks for keeping in touch via FB as you have been, it's been good encouragement! Man, I wish I was there though - the steaks in Switzerland are rubbish 8-).
20th October 2014

No thank you for following my blog. It is very much appreciated and good to see that people actually read it. Sometimes when I write the entries I wonder if I just do this for myself of if other people get some joy out of it as well. Didn't had any memorable steaks in restaurants as yet, but some awesome food with people that invited me to their private BBQ's. And a bonus was that it was for free; only conversations, swapping of stories and life experiences and laughter was the price for it. And who isn't happy to give that in return? Have fun in Switzerland and who knows, maybe one day our paths will cross.....

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