Ushuaia - The End of the World

Quite literally the last and furthest place that humans migrated to from our origins in Africa, southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, are imbued with unique romance, myth and mystique. The Islas Malvinas (Falklands) are deemed to be part of the region by Argentina so that the place can sometimes feel like a monument to the follie of men fighting each other as well as the most vicious teeth of nature for a toe hold in one of the most remote and hostile places on the earth.

And it is beautiful. Utterly compelling. The Prison Museum (one of the best regional museums I’ve been to) tells the story of indigenous people, unlikely immigrants, mariners, convicts, missionaries, and Antarctic explorers all of whom faced unimaginable challenges of survival.

All in all we find ourselves a little hypnotised by Patagonia and the far south. (Like countless others before us). I am writing this two weeks after our stay in Ushuaia and we have since been to Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and trekked the O route in Torres del Paine (many pics to come) and it feels like we could stay down here the whole trip. I don't imagine that will be the case, but the remoteness of the south does have a weird kind of pull. On current plans we will be in El Chalten at Xmas and maybe Jeinemeni after that, for at least the first week of Jan. Still deep in Patagonia…

So anyway, bellow are pics from climbs up local peaks, a boat trip in the Beagle Channel and a couple of shots from the museum. After we scrambled up Cerro Guanaco (960m) through snow fields, bogs and scree, we found out it had actually been closed that day as being too dangerous. Oops. : )

Rawson and Trelew

Rawson and Trelew are outposts of Patagonia's eclectic waves of settlement and were originally home to Welsh farmers and fishermen. We had a great time watching Commerson’s Dolphins from a boat. More Sea Lions (naturally) and an afternoon in Trelew's Dinosaur Museum, the whole region being a renowned bonanza of palaeontology.

Valdes Peninsula

The Valdes Peninsula is a World Heritage Site because of its significance for marine mammals and sea birds. The place is very big. Staying for any length of time and observing over long periods would require resources we don't have, but careful choice of a tour company for a day trip meant we managed to see quite a lot, including Southern Right Whale and calf, Sea Lions, Elephant Seals, and many other species.

Punta Tombo

Punta Tombo is a Magellanic Penguin colony on the Atlantic coast of Chubut province. The Penguines are tame; being protected they have no need to fear humans. Hence the abundance of closeup shots.

Things are spread out a lot in Patagonia. The other-worldly landscape of basalt pebbles and Jura bushes goes on for ever. We drive in a minibus on gravel roads for up to three hours at a time to reach particular wildlife reserves.

On this occasion, one of our rewards is a visit to a lesser known and technically not protected Elephant Seal colony, which allows us to get pretty close to the animals.

Something that is worth noting about wildlife observation and nature in general is, of course, that it involves all of your senses. Seal colonies stink. And in the middle of the afternoon, sleeping in the sun, they are covered in flies. Usually, for me at any rate, such issues are cancelled by the sheer wonder of being in the presence of these amazing beasts. But every now and then you check yourself and wonder why you have gone to such trouble for what is, in practical terms, quite an unpleasant experience!

Oh and on the way we pass a life-size brontosaurus which Ann quite likes.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls are a naked expression of nature's power and an ultimate metaphor for South America's struggles and contradictions. I'm gonna put it right up there with Cintra and Glencoe as one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

Used an excellent article by Along Dusty Roads to plan this trip: https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/2016/1/27/how-to-plan-a-day-trip-to-iguazu-falls-argentina-guide-cost-transport. Enjoyable writing and photos with accurate, up to date info.

Only thing we didn't manage to do was the boat trip below the Devil's Throat, but only because we spent so much time on the platforms and trails which were pretty awesome. Plus, we did a brief trip to the Brazilian side which gives a different perspective.

Anyway, slide show below and, below that, a grid with some fast shutter detail shots I did.

We've been in Puerto Madryn most of the rest of this week. Murderous numbers of wildlife shots to edit down!

Buenos Aires

We have a couple of days in BA at the start of our trip. You need two weeks to see a major city, I'd say, but it’s spring here and we want to get south as soon as we can.

So… two days of sleeping (Ann), lying awake at odd times (Nick), double check bookings for the comming weeks (Nick), reading about places we are going in detail (Ann), figuring out workflows for the tech we are using for this site (Nick), and finally getting out and about in Central BA.

We're staying a couple of blocks from Plaza de Mayo and from there we walk south through San Telmo. A bohemian quarter, somewhat subdued this Tuesday afternoon, it matches our travel-weary mood. We linger a little in Parque Lezama before making our way over to Puerto Madero as the sun goes down.

On our second day we follow a more conventional tourist pattern, making our way up through slightly more affluent neighbourhoods to the cemetery at Ricoleta, resting place of Eva Peron. It is worth reading her story again, even if just the Wikipedia article. It is a remarkable real-life fairytale of political hope.

What did we miss? If we had those two days again we'd probably spend more time exploring San Telmo and maybe La Boca nearby.