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Glaciars Galore!
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The following morning we decided to move to another hostel that some Irish girls had raved about called America del Sur just out of town and we weren't disappointed! Especially me as it had underfloor heating...happy days! We instantly relaxed and spent the day reading on v comfy chairs...had a funky split level open plan thing going on which I might nick for my dream house one day! The hostel had amazing views over Lago Argentino with its floor to celing windows! V Nice! Met a very amusing Argentinian when we went to get some photos burnt onto CD...started speaking to him in Spanish and then said one word in English and he told me that if I started in Spanish, I had to finish in Spanish! Hee Hee! Made him giggle with our photo of a particular sign in El Calafate as well...will get Pauk to upload it!!! Hee Hee!
The next day we treated ourselves to a trek on the Moreno Glaciar! Very exciting! The day started off with a bizarre sunrise in that it was really cloudy but the sun had managed to light up a certain part of the hillside and it was glowing bright red! Very mad! As we got closer to the glaciar, we started to see big pieces of ice floating in the lake and finally turned the corner to see the amazing Moreno Glaciar right infront of us! WOW! And then it was onto the boat for an even closer look! The most surprising thing about it is the blueness of the glaciar itself as the light refracts on it and through it! Not what we were expecting and it wasn't long before we heard our first big bit of ice fall from the front causing huge waves to hit the shore! And the noise! WOW! And then it was time to don the crampons and let the stomping begin!!!!! It was quite nifty as we were the only English speakers on the tour so we had a guide all to ourselves who spent lots of time explaining lots about the glaciar!!! It was amazing trekking on the ice and gave us a unique chance to see the different formations on the glaciar itself...the cracks, the drains, ice caves and the colours! Ooooo its gets me all excited just thinking back to it! Some of the cracks seemed to reach endlessly into the glaciar and the water in the pools is just ridiculously clear! Divers have actually gone inside the glaciar as well but rather them than me!!!
Our stomping experience ended with a glass of Famous Grouse on the rocks (glaciar ice of course!) and some chocolate! Well go on then! We headed back to the shore and had a picnic sat watching the glaciar creek & crack! Not a bad place for lunch and then it was back on the boat (this time even closer to the glaciar wall) to head for the viewing platforms on the North side! The platforms really give you a better view of the whole ice field and the glaciar in its full majesty! Don't think we'll ever forget that view and there's actually more activity on the North side at the mo so just listening to all the noises was very cool along with the annoying little boys shouting and the Japanese tour group talking at the top of their voices while you're trying to listen!!! Grrrrrr! From the platforms you also get a view of the area where the glaciar has met the peninsula and where the famous rupture takes place...when the glaciar reaches the peninsula, it blocks the flow of water and saw the mini lake formed by this dam causes the water to rise on the South side until eventually the pressure becomes too much and the water forces a tunnel through the ice and consequently an ice bridge! The noise when the ice bridge collapses is what everyone really wants to see and the noise must be phenomenal! They reckon something might happen in the next few weeks!!! We saw a video showing it happen in 2004 and it just looks amazing!!!!!!!!!
So yes, a bloody good day out and finished off with our first power cut in S America and a romantic candle lit dinner!!! Awwwww! More thumbnails ...
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