Alex in motion

El Calafate

With just over 20,000 inhabitants, El Calafate is a small but growing town, mainly thanks to tourism. It’s largest attraction is the Perito Moreno Glacier, which is one of the most accessible glaciers in Patagonia.

I elected to use a guided tour operator, that included a boat cruise to get up close and personal with the glacier, followed by a 4 hour stroll through the nearby park. The magnitude and scope of the glacier is hard to appreciate with pictures, but the edge is 60 meters (200 feet) above the water.

On a funny note, I met a wonderful Quebecer named Danielle, who joined me for the stroll. No one is allowed to laugh at the irony here.

There isn’t much to say about this town, since the pictures already say so much.

El Chalten

An even smaller town, El Chalten has about 1,000 residents.

The first day was mostly spent at a cafe, resting in a hammock while reading my next book, Pragmatic Thinking and Learning. This allowed me to really slow… down… and feel the sun on my face as it slowly inched across the sky, feel the cool breeze gently rock the hammock, listen to fellow patrons plan their next trekking excursion, and lazily watch the wild dogs unsuccessfully chase cars up and down the street.

The following day was 8 hours of trekking to the base of Fitz Roy, with another 3 hours of pausing to enjoy the stunning views. It was another wonderful sunny day, with refreshing winds and shade when needed. About 2 hours into the walk, after passing over mountains and through valleys, deserts and streams, I had a zen moment and truly felt at peace. My mind shifted aimlessly as I walked the path alone, occasionally passing other hikers but thoroughly being present in the moment.

The last 200 meters to the base of the mountain were particularly challenging, but over the last summit were some of the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen. Pictures and videos don’t do the place justice, you need to be there to fully cherish the multi-sensual orgy.

Patagonia is the highlight of the trip so far, and my thanks to Manny for highly recommending it.

Located in the western region of Argentina, the town of Mendoza is primarily known for producing wine from the Malbec grape. This grape originated in France, and although it doesn’t result in a very good wine there, it strives in Argentina.

Wine Tour

With approximately 2,000 vineyards in and around Mendoza, it comes to no surprise the principle tourist attraction is wine tours. One of the best-rated tour operator is Ampora Wine Tours, and along with 4 fellow Canadians, I visited 4 vineyards.

The 1st was a lovely family vineyard, where the owner himself gave a tour of his grounds. His most prized wine was named after his mother, with a flower on the label because his mom loves flowers. We sampled 4 wines, each other better than the last.

The 2nd was quite upscale, with wonderful views of the Andes in the distance. As part of the production process, the wine rested for several months in a cool cellar, while Gregorian chants were played. The owners believed the chants added vibration energy to the wine, and although I’m not sure how that works, the wine was certainly delicious. To point, all of us purchased at least one bottle, with one girl buying 6.

All of us were inebriated by the end of the 2nd vineyard, so we barely savoured anything from the 3rd. Not to mention the serving lady was curt and dismissive. It was the least memorable experience.

The last was not much of a tour per se, but we had wine pairing with a delicious four course meal. The main course was, unsurprisingly, beef, and it came from a very happy cow. The elegant dining room had floor to ceiling windows on 3 sides, which opened to the grape vines.

Paragliding

Aside from wine tours, another popular activity is paragliding. With a small agency, and me as the only guest, we drove to the top of a small Andes mountain. It was a tandem jump, so after being strapped to a huge fellow, the guide told me to run off the mountain and try not to throw up on the way down. Not concerned about guiding the parachute allowed me to enjoy the tundra-like peaks of the Andes and the desert-like flats of Mendoza. About 20 minutes of airtime on a picture perfect day.

Mendoza in general

In the city, garbage is placed in elevated bins. The reason is to prevent the wild dogs attacking and scattering it across the neighbourhood. Do you know what wild dogs mean? That’s right: wild dog poop! When meandering around the city, not only did you need take care of the uneven sidewalks and payments, you also had to dodge wild dog poop.

The place I stayed was close to the city park, and lovely greenery circling a small man-made lake. I spent many hours on a park bench, watching people run or paddle by, listening to the birds chirping, or the musician playing, and reading my book about rabbits.

Wider than Niagara Falls, Iguazu Falls is consistently rated among the top 5 most beautiful waterfalls in the world.

I stayed in the cozy town a few kilometers from the falls, and met a kind doctor named Ash from Calgary on the bus ride from the airport to the hostel. We spent the next couple of days together, starting with the falls.

You can visit the falls from two countries: the Brazilian side and the Argentinian side.  The former is physically further from the falls, but offers panoramic views found in most postcards, while the latter is  up close and personal. Logistically, it was easier to stay in Argentina and most people recommended the Argentinian side.

A soft rain welcomed the afternoon, which discouraged many people from visiting, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. No lines, no waiting.  Booyah.

There are four walking trails to view the falls from different angles, and Ash and I decided to visit the top two. The first path, which was definitely the best, had dramatic views of the falls. The second path was a longer walk, with near-equally breathtaking views. At this point, the rain tapered and the sun poked through the clouds, resulting in a perfect late afternoon.

In the evening, Ash and I met V at the hostel, a cool and laid-back guy from outside Los Angeles. The three of us feasted on steak and homemade pasta that night, looking up at the stars and listening to an acoustical guitarist singing in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Tough life 🙂

Iguazu is a small sleepy town, so the time spent here allowed me to slow down life’s pace. I’m still getting used to walking slower, eating slower and talking slower, but years of bad habits are hard to let go of.