End of Ushuaia, El Calafate (Perito Moreno Glacier) and El Chalten (March 20-24, 2011)

We left Ushuaia under the sun. Another nice view,

some more mountains and then Patagonia, the same way we saw it on our way down, flat with guanacos with some curves, and some hills. After 9 hours of travelling, we arrive in El Calafate and once again we get acquainted with dormitories (4 in a room). In fact, for us, the most difficult is to climb on the top of the bunk beds. Whenever we can, we try to get the bottom beds, but we don't always have that luck ! The funny thing in this hostel was the guy, Guido, who welcomed us. Just try to imagine him, hair in a rasta style, just blond hair instead of dark, young.... Alain was already thinking : ''Great, Peace and Love again... Just young people here... Noise for us tonight...'' but in the end, it worked well, we stayed 2 nights there and it was quiet.

El Calafate is not extraordinary and we are anxious to go see the Perito Moreno Glacier. We will spend a full day at the Glacier. Located about 75 kms of El Calafate, Perito Moreno is a Must See ! We had never seen such a living glacier. The nature is the boss here. The colours of the glacier are amazing too ! white, bluish and blue ! This glacier does not stop cracking, almost like gun shots and with some patience you can also see some huge chunks of ice tumbling down in the ocean.

3 hours away from El Calafate, we arrive in El Chalten. El Chalten is surrounded by mountains. After driving from El Calafate, finding our hotel for the night, we decide to start a hike to go see Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre....The hike takes us 5 hours, but despite the cold and foremost the wind, the hike was worth it... We go back to our cell, (again, I end up in the top bunk bed, although at least we have a private room this time)


exhausted but happy from our day. The following day, we put our running shoes on again (no hiking shoes, no room) and we start the hike called : Lago de Los Tres. A sportive hike, 4 hours one way, very steep at the beginning and mainly at the end. This leads us to the foot of the Fitz Roy with a lake on the right with two glaciers on its sides. Unfortunately, it's very cloudy, cold (it's snowing) and again, the wind is terrible. At different times, we have to stop walking to hang on to the rocks or just kneel down. It's really dangerous. The wind is probably around 150-180 kilometers per hour.

We have wind and rain all the way down. We arrive extremely exhausted at our hotel and to reward us of this strenuous hike, we eat in a restaurant. Food and service are this time excellent. Oh yes,  by the way, we haven't always been happy with the service in the Argentinian Restaurants, therefore we have tried a new approach ! I go now every time with my journal and when the waiter arrives, I start writing the name of the Restaurant. Maybe a coincidence, but since I have started this, no issues anymore with service or bills....Very good day, altogether !

First picture is a quinoa cake with got cheese and the second pasta filled with chicken in a cream sauce... yummy!

It's already time to leave El Chalten and tomorrow it's On The Road Again to El Bolson...