Well we spent four days in Fitz Roy. Got there bought food and whiskey for our trek. We decided to hike about 1.5 hours to see a sunrise the second day we were there, but the night before had a lot of whiskey and threw a stone around (improvised shot put). Four a.m. cam early but the hike was beautiful in the light casted by the moon and Fitz Roy in the morning was amazing. Check out the other Fitz Roy pictures on my Flickr account.
Well. We got stuck in El Bolson for a few days something that occurs down here frequentlym, but I ran into a head of Jesus. I am currently spending a day too long in Punto Arenas in route to Ushuaia. But this head of Jesus is made out of masking tape. Crazy Argentinian post modern sculptural tooltalitarianism.
After a 3o hour bus ride we arrived in El Calafate at 1:00 in the morning. WE decided to ask the firefighters if we could stay in their yard and they let us set up camp. I felt something grab my leg at about 4:00 and I jumped awake qucikly, but just some dogs trying to sleep next to me. We are heading to Fitz Roy for a 2 day trek then back here to check out the Moreno Glacier. Its been a bit tiring, but I am looking forward to heading into the woods, hopefully some quite time. Lots of Israelis here traveling, apparently they all get lots of money when they leave thier mandatory military service and travel the Americas for a year or so. Interesting. I am glad we don´t have a mandatory military service, these kids seem to think its relal yinteresting that Carmen and I finished school before we were 23 they don´t even consider going to college until they are 24. Anyway must go catch another bus.
Its strange how often we get stuck in a town. We thought we would be out of El Bolson yesterday but are stuck here until Friday and have to go far out of our way to get to El Calafate (Fitz Roy area). This town is pretty cool lots of crafts and music, very ecletic. We have been camping out with about 200 Argentinians in this large field, drinking wine every night, singing songs, and eating lots of beef and lamb. All this in a beautiful setting, although its been raining and snowing a bit. Snow in the summer, crazy. I threw up some pictures of Bariloche and my birthday dinner. I would write more but this keyboard sucks.
Well this drink was to celebrate my 24th birthday. And what a better way to celebrate than with a beer with the name Liberty. There were however two problems, or maybe the same problem. It tasted horrible and was sin alcohol, that is with out alcohol. A lesson in Spanish and insight into what the South Americans think of Liberty.
After about 36 hours of traveling we have reached Bariloche, one of the most beaoutiful places I have ever seen. Siting over a large lake and surronded by knife edge peaks covered with snow, this place is amazing. Although the tripo here was a bit strange. We took the long route 36 hours over the possible one bus 6 hour ride. We left Pucon on a bus to Villarica, from there another bus to Licon Ray. And from Licon ray to Pangipuie (spelling is off but pronounce Pang-e-pooh-e). One more bus to the ferry at Puerto feuy. That put us at four bus trips. Then a ferry across the same lake crossed by Che in Motorcycle Diaries (at least we all think it was not possitive) A long day but absolutely amazing beauty. After reaching the other side and being there on thursday (buses only run from there on Saturday) we tried to hitch a ride, didn´t happen. This place was two houses a few kids and strange stories about where the next town was and what was down the oroad. Strange in the sense that no one told us the same thing, all different accounts of the surrounding areas. And only sandwhiches for dinner made by an old lady. Slept on the beach and caught a ride the next morning to the border. Walked a few kilometers across no man´s land (the border disputes has created no man´s lands between the two borders) and then a taxi to San Martin to a bus that got us to Bariloche. Here we are set up outside this old ladies house with about 20 Argentinians. We ate dinner late and got a free bottle of Champagne in celebration of my birthday. They like to sing the birthday song here, a lot. Today we are just getting some things done finding some steaks and heading out for dancing tonight. I will post pictures soon.
We took an over night bus to Pucon, Chile two nights ago and arrived at this beautiful small town in the andes, with a Volcanoe next door. Apparently one that errupted in 1973. the plan was to hike to the top, but the weather was really bad yesterday and some lady told us it would be bad until Saturday. Although, its beautiful today and I think I might have my days of the week confused. Walked along the lake’s beach yesterday for a few hours before the weather turned. An awesome sight. The mountains are this strange combination between green hills of Appalachia and Vietnman, or something. Ate tons of pasta last night at the Hostel with other Americans and are heading out today. the plan is to take a few short buses and a ferry acrtoss the border again and arrive in San Martin de Los Andes, another hot spot of fishing and trekking. This place kind of reminds me of Jackson Hole, or some small Colorado town, a bit toursity but beautiful. Lots of gringos, and they seem to knwo each otehr from mutal freinds or past adventrues together. I suppose the gringo world of travelers in S.A. is a pretty small world. I am now traveling with three guys from Colorado a guy from NY and Carmin. I hope all is well in the U.S.
We went to the beach and played soccer with some kids, pretty good but I think we won. The riptide was crazy and the waves were huge, but lots of fun. We sat around watched the sunset and talked to some locals, they all seem to like to joke around with the gringos. I am eating Empanadas twice a day and lots of fruit. Its nice to be able to pick up so much food from street vendors, highly convenient. We are heading out this afternoon but this town has been beautiful.
