Moreno Glaciar
Trip Start
Jan 09, 2005
1
9
21
Trip End
??? ??, 2005
El Calafate,
Argentina
Friday, March 11, 2005
Calafate is a bit up from Puerto Natles across the border and in Argentina. It is infinitely more scenic and is Disney world to Puerto Natales Thorpe Park. What have we been doing, well we have shacked up in a Jewish hostel, I could make some bad joke but I wonīt. The place is cheap though, at only 6 whole pounds for the two of us, although the blokes shower/toilet has a pooh basket that hasnīt been changed for 2 days (you donīt flush toliet roll here)....nice.
Yeaterday we went to the Moreno Glacier and that is one big river of ice - 5km wide and 30 long and 60ft high. Its an absolute monster and every 30 seconds or so you hear a rifle crack as another giant ice cube crashes into the glacial lake. Its amazing to think that this ice fell tens of thousands of years ago miles above in the Andean mountains
Moreno Glaciar with flag
. The whole area is a giant ice sheet and is the third largest after Green land and antartica and whatīs so wierd is to be sitting in 24 degrees while a refreshing glacial breeze keeps you cool. Anyway check out the photoīs.We went for dinner the other night and i had the most beautiful wine I have ever tasted and at only 8 pounds a bottle it tasted like heaven and smelled like honey and of course the obligotory 600g stake...hmmm. Iīm definitely going to miss Argentina. We also meet a film producer from LA called Felix who had us in stitches with his stories of passing gall stones.
Today is Sunday and were doing all the boring stuff like washing (to kill time before our marathon 33 hour bus journey to the Lake district) and writing Diaries etc ...or so I thought.
Our bus doesnīt leave until three in the morning so me and Jod decide we should get some wine and pass the hours in the common room and hopefully strike up some conversation with the hard to chat to Isralies. Well when we get back with the wine all the Isralie girls and boys have left and are replaced with some swiss and canadian and french dudes and would you believe it Asif. Asif is this Jewish guy we met in Puerto Iguazu and let me tell you he could make a monk mad and probably start an argument in an empty room; we argued about politics of course and it was probably a good thing he got too drunk that night in Iguazu and had to be carried home.
So the wine is flowing and we all start chatting (were only an hour into this wine fest and Asif has already been given a yellow card for starting an argument about Indian shop owners) meanwhile I am having a fascinating conversation with a Canadian guy about philosophy and slavery (I told you the wine was flowing)
Moreno Glaciar with mountains in background
. Anyway Asif who incidently is called ASAF and has only taken 3 weeks to pull me up (I continue to call him As-if because I{m like that and it makes me laugh), has been given a red card for comparing the Israli army to that of the british empire etc. I swear he does it on purpose but we canīt help liking the guy and feel a little sorry for him as he was conscripted at 17 and has been a tank commander. At this point I decide to get a breath of fresh air and listen to a couple of Swiss guys outside who have found a mandalin (from where god only knows) and are trying to play while completely pissed of course. Meanwhile across the road the 3 french guys are climbing on top of a huge truck and are then promptly arrested by the local police who donīt aprecciate the climing gesture. Its now 2.30 and so we grab our bags and head off into the night ready for our next adventure!!
