Wildlife in the Peninsula

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We were lucky enough to find a cheap flight from El Calafate to Comodoro Rivadavia on the date we needed so didn´t hesitate to book it. We basically left Chile for El Calafate at 8.30am (5 hours bus, crossed the boarder) to catch a plane there at 7pm (2 hours flight) to then jump on a bus at 1.15am for Puerto Madyn (7 hours). What a day!! We met 2 lovely people from German Switzerland somewhere along the journey: Stefan and Regina. They happen to share the same last name, come from the same location, were both born in 1979! A bit freaky actually!! They met only a few days before we met them. We got on well with them and decided to hire a car together in Puerto Madryn and go to the Peninsula and admire the beautiful wildlife.

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Puerto Madryn is the gateway to the whales, penguins, seals and Welsh tradition would you believe! We got to see all the wildlife except from the whales and we had missed the high tide by the time we reached the north point. We had a great day in the car stopping at key locations as and when we pleased. It was amazing to see so many animals minding their own business and not trapped in a zoo!! Such places are so rare nowadays that we felt really privileged. Hiring a car also meant we were not stuck in a tourist bus with people we wouldn´t normally talk to, stopping where we are told to and paying the high price for it too!

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The next day we went to the small village of Gaiman which is the symbol of Welsh colonization in Patagonia. The first settlers arrived in 1865, escaping from the English invading their country and with the idea of imposing their own culture and tradition in South America. At the time the Welsh were looking for a virgin territory to be able to found the "New Wales" and follow their own rules and customs without being molested. The Welsh language is still taught in the schools today. Needless to say we went to a museum there which explains my extenvive knowledge of the village!

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We found a typical tea house and enjoyed ´tea´and cake (too many of them in fact!). We were a little shocked when we got the bill though... but I guess we had picked the most touristy and traditional tea house of the whole town.

We left that evening for Bahia Blanca (making our way up north again) and enjoyed yet another spectacular sunset!