El Calafate

Much needed beer.
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    El Calafate is situated 80km away from Perito Moreno glacier, which is 300km long, 60km wide and as high as a 20 storey building.  The top of the glacier, amazingly is in Chile and for 300 days a year 70% of the glacier is being snowed upon, hence the glacier´s stable state.  It is neither advancing as it is land-locked nor retreating as it is constantly being replenished with compacted ice.  Our trip took us initially to the tree top walks and vantage points where we witnessed several large chunks of ice falling from the front of the glacier into Lake Argentina.  It was so exhilerating as the noise of the ice cracking and falling off was so loud!  There was a real sense of anticipation and excitement just watching and waiting for something to drop!       We then went on a boat trip to see the galcier from ground level where you get a real sense of its enormity.  On the other side of the lake we were met by the trekking guides who fitted on our crampons and led us to the part of the glacier where we´d commence our trek.  Unfortunately it began to rain rather hard as opposed to the glorious sunshine we´d had all morning and since Stephen and I had organised a trip filled with sunshine, neither of us had waterproofs and got absolutely soaked and rather cold as you can imagine!  The trek lasted a good couple of hours (in the rain) and then was rounded off nicely as we walked down into a crevice and saw a wooden table, 8 glasses, a bottle of Whisky (Famous Grouse oddly enough, and not an Argentinian Whisky) and lots and lots of fresh ice as far as the eye could see!  Great day out.

On one of the nicer days in El Calafate we once again hired out some bicycles to cycle around some of the edge of Lake Argentina in a nature reserve.  Any stray dogs we´ve encountered so far seem to have been missing a sense of belonging and are keen to be adopted for as long as you´re around.  On this particular cycle ride we were actually followed for a short while by one dog and then accrued another couple and then another.  We eventually had a small pack of canines following us which was a little dicey after I nearly ran over some of them at different points.  It was amusing for us but not so much for the twitchers and photographers who´d set up camp to take pictures and spy on some rare species of birds, when our small pack of dogs charged into the bit of scrub land chasing all the birds away!  You should have seen the looks we got when all the twitchers assumed they were our dogs!      Well from here we embark upon our longest bus ride so far, 30 hours on the bus and 4 hours waiting for a connection in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere at 3am tomorrow morning.  Can´t wait!