Two Fathoms Deep

It’s 0330. Do you know where your children are? This one is about to go to bed. I’m at a nice, yet noisy hostel in El Chalten. They actually have a full-service kitchen and breakfast options that include more than bread. I decided to forego the trekking on Fitz Roy in lieu of attempting to do a homework assignment, which I just finished. I spent a lot of time talking to a Scotsman who lives in Ecuador instead of doing homework, but it was worth it. While we were talking, some Israelis asked us to move off of the (West Bank of the) couch so they could have a place to sit. I let the Scotsman deal with them. There is absolutely nothing to blog about today.

Speaking of no bread, my breakfast was taken off of the table by the owner of the hostel while I was still eating this morning. I sincerely believe that it was secondary to the language barrier instead of meanness. However, that’s just one more thing to add to my bad review. I think she was afraid that we would try to leave without paying because we were unhappy with her, because when we got back to the hostel tonight the front desk clerk insisted that we pay the bill before we were allowed to return to our room.

Glaciar Perito Moreno is one of the few advancing glaciers in the world. Somehow, it feels wrong to be walking on what is already supposed to be threatened by my actions thousands of miles away. The trekking wasn’t nearly as difficult nor as cold as I expected.













I’m amazed at how little Argentine music we’ve heard on this trip. It’s mostly American with some British thrown in occasionally. We were lucky enough to have one of the guides play an original song for us after the climb, but we had to specifically request that he sing in Spanish.

The most interesting thing I saw today was the old rusted out car resting on its side at the bottom of the Cliff. Hopefully it was just the scene of an action movie, although I did have flashbacks to Toonces the Driving Cat.

Today we explored the Torres del Paine national park. We were encouraged to go view the “enormous” waterfall, which ended up looking a bit like a runny nose after having seen the falls at Foz do Iguaçu. The trekking was nice though, and the mountains did not disappoint. Once again, rain on the journey and sunshine for the return. I’m not sure that I’ll ever dry out.


 



















There was a caravan of RVs that were on a six-month journey that took them from the southern tip of South America to the northernmost part of Alaska. Some of them seem to take similar journeys every year. Some people marvel at how I’m able to take off work for six weeks, but I have encountered many people taking months or even over a year to travel here. Clearly, our investment portfolios do not closely resemble one another.





















I also saw my first glacier an impressive glacier, albeit from a distance… not to be confused with the iceberg in the foreground.




















We’re staying in a roadside motel that’s intended for truckers in an Argentinean town deceptively called Esperanza. Again, the concern for women is voiced. We elected not to drive into El Calafate so late on a Saturday night without a reservation, so it will be a short drive tomorrow. I feel fortunate that we’re the only ones staying in a room with six bunks. I feel that if someone were above me, the bed would collapse. The associated restaurant appears better, as it caters to tour busses as well as truck drivers.