Perito Moreno Glacier!!
Trip Start
Jun 01, 2009
1
24
84
Trip End
Dec 10, 2009
El Calafate,
Patagonia,
Argentina
Monday, June 29, 2009
We were told it was defo worth the trip down as the glacier was supposedly meant to be unreal.
We stopped on route to take pics of Lago Argentina which is in El Calefate and a lake you can skate on. Once we reached the park we paid the usual park entrance fee of about 10 euro which believe us is well worth it for what you see.(its alot better value than that park in Millstreet we joked where you see nothing but deserted land and shrubs). Perito Moreno glacier is only 1 of 2 advancing glaciers in Argentina and the best known. Our guide was brilliant - full of info. At one point we were only 10km away from Chile. Years ago Argentina wanted to open a road through the mountains which would lead to Chile but Chile did not want this as they were cheaper than Argentina. Now the tides have turned and Chile is more expensive than Argentina and Argentina do not want to open the road - apparently relations are not the best between the two sides
Ror enjoying the glacier
. So instead of what should be a 100K journey it is now 300 odd kilometers - why I don't know. The mountains were covered in snow on route and we got pics of the mountain-sides with their reflection glistening in the lake beside it which was pretty class. We made it to the first look out of the glacier from 2 km back and it was a class sight to see from this far back-the most amazing thing about the glacier we taught was the colour of it-apparently alot of the colour is due to the colour of the sky and it hitting off the glacier but it was such a vivid blue in the misty grey skies that morning-it was stunning. From here we went in closer and decided to pay 7 euros to get the boat ride up to the glacier which was then followed by the balcony viewing(which i taught was the best view of it).
First the boat ride, we headed out for an hour ride to the glacier and ventured out on board as we approcahed it. This without doubt has been the best thing we both have ever seen and we were delighted to have made the flight down. Its hard to describe really but its so peaceful out there. Its in the middle of nowhere with mountains covered with snow all around and then on the water is this enormous glacier that travels well into the mountians-the colour of it was mesmorizing and its one of those things that pictures cant do justice to. It was BITTER up on board but well well worth it. It is amazing to think that much of the world was covered in ice and glaciers as we were looking upon now during the ice age and how they have carved so much scenery in the world - its fascinating
Perito Moreno
!Off we went then to the balcony where we were above the glacier and able to look down on it. Here for me was the best views. It was just incredible seeing the overall size and scale of it and we got some class pictures. We headed further down the trail to get closer to the glacier and we met up with a couple who we had met in Bariloche-they had been to New Zeland and the glaciers there and said that this one just blew them away (they also told us, as many others have, that New Zeland was their favourite place and it blows everywhere else aside in terms of beauty and things to do). Anyway as we headed down wards to a lower view of glaicer we started to hear bits of it crack-it was deafening but so cool as it was so peaceful there and then you would hear this deafing noise of glacier cracking and if lucky might see a bit on the side crash off down into the water. Luckily we did see one but it happened so quick- one second the roar came from the crack and the next it was like an avalanche of ice crashing down to the water with a roar. It was bubbling in the water for a few seconds and then there was quiet again. It was one place we really didnt want to leave and could have stayed watching all day but shar and myself had to leg it come ten past 3 for the bus which was leaving-everyone on bus felt the same as us-that it really was mind blowing. Hopefully the pics will do it justice but i doubt it.
Lago Argentina
Back we got that night and went to the town to eat out in a trendy bookstore type bar and we booked our next days excursion to Chalten which was to be a very very tiring long day!!!!!Brief update on swine flu here; Apparently Argentina has the 3rd most deaths in the world and the government of Brazil has even told Brazilains not to enter here but Argentina is a huge country (7th biggest in world) and has so many people living here that it may be abit exagerated. We are seeing alot of peolppe though wearing masks to protect themselves-loads of taxi drivers and at airports and places like that. But so far so good for us on the swine flu!!!
