December 12
El Chalten

Ahhhh! Finally...!Such a cute little town! They call it the "Argentina's trekking capital". A gnome like town, hotels- cabins style and coffee shops and a few houses all framed by the magnificent mountains. The Fitz Roy track was our first trek; 12 km, hard. We saw the glacier, lucky that the sky was blue! The snowy mountains, the river- emerald colour- running down....Day 2: our second trek; 10 km, even harder! took us to Lake Capri. And after 2 months of doing no activity at all; today I can't barely move! Very happy!!!! Day 3: just walking around the town- 10 blocks only- the weather is bad again...Day 4: rain and rain and rain...I didn't even put my head outside my home! It is cold, these kind of days really threw us off. These days are when we start talking about the children and how much we miss them and we question for how long we could keep doing this life and what we will do when we get home....We decided to engage in a new series marathon, welcome "The Leftovers" season 1!...Day 5: a spectacular day! sunny, warm...took the bike...27 km on a gravel road! I was feeling really good, very proud of such a hard day of physical activity, but....on our way back we took a detour, just an easy 500 mts walk to a waterfall; as we were contemplating the beautiful landscape a group of young Israelies (20ish) lazing around come over us and said: "can we take a photo with you"? we couldn't understand why, so we asked " we want to send the picture to our parents back home, so they can see that there are also older people here "! End of the day:(

We then spent a few days in El Calafate but inside our home as I got really sick....

December 5

And so after again another big day driving....kilometres and kilometres and nothing at all, a gravel road that lets to nowhere...Bahia Bustamante. A seaweed farm! On a beach!. Three houses, three sheds and that is all! Looks like a perfect place for a big night sleep






Rada Tilly:

It is a really nice town, the "beach" town just off Comodoro Rivadavia. I was surprised to see so many new houses, the promenade totally upmarket and the beach that goes forever. A really good place for a rest and a run on the beach. The wind though was too much and made us to decide to cross to the cordillera side.



Sarmiento

They told us to visit the "Bosques Petrificados" and even though the road was rough I have to said that it was worthy. This "lunar" landscape- so similar in many ways to Cappadocia- put a smile on my face. A very enjoyable walk along rocks...a very peaceful view!

The next 3 days was much of the same, stopping just to sleep. The gravel road is really impossible to take. At 20 km per hour we feel it every bit, and we are upset for SalSolcito who is not used to this!!

They don't lie when they said that Patagonia is huge. At this stage it looks like we are driving safari style- plenty of Guanacos, aveztruces, lambs, cows, mulitas....all running alongside us! But the land is so arid, and the winds are crazy...up to 60 km!! All of us, including of course our home, is buried under so much dust.

I have to admit that I am getting a bit cranky and bored...all we do is drive and eat; can't do any exercise - the winds, the cold- I said to Hector: "I want to go back to my life"! meant back to Europe, the run and the bike, the fresh markets, the little charming towns, the warm (mostly!) weather...

November 28

Las grutas

So emotional to finally be in Patagonia land. It is quite surreal, talking about this trip since years and years ago and we are finally here! The enormity of all! Land forever, as long as you can see there is land. Arid, rocky, some bushes here and there...We got into this little village, well, I said little but over the season there are more than 150,000 people! I can understand the charm. The tides that goes so far away, 200 m leaving behind cracks and holes on the ground that make this funny shapes....the water is so clean and fresh and after a day of 36 degrees very welcoming!

1 December

Next stop, Chubut and Peninsula Valdez, people come all over the world just to be in this place. It is quite unique, the sea lions, the whales, penguins, seals...they are all here. After kilometres and kilometres of driving we spend a whole day in Puerto Piramides. And then two nights in paradise: Punta Pardelas; rugged, private, desolated... with the most impressive sunset ever! It was a NGM (national geographic moment: :)

We continue our trip with some reticence. Next stop Puerto Madryn. I am not sure what I expected of this place, but it has been in our mind for so long that when we got there....it wasn't that much. A small town, a bit touristy, and a beach that we didn't get to enjoy as the winds were absolutely furious!

Coincidence? Luck? Destiny? Wherever the reason for us to meet it was just marvellous! What started as "is it safe to sleep here"? quickly evolved into "let's pick up our son from his friend's home and come and sleep in our place! From then, helped by empanadas and mate we did not leave a theme untouched. Life turns, family, politics, the "shoulds" and "wants". "You are living the life of all the people, of all of us" she said. It was a moving statement. A big hug in the morning, croissants, a power point presentation for uni and a promise (desire) to see each other again. What a way to start our South American journey!

Necochea, November 25

I crossed the suspension bridge with the excitement and happiness of old times. Signing- like I did with my dad "this is the rio Quequen, repeat with me" Arriving to my childhood beach, emotions rush all at once. But almost immediately the sadness hit home.


This is the place where my mum was truly happy. She and I lived a whole year for those 2 weeks in January where I stayed in the freezing sea for hours and hours; played "paleta"; made ourselves like schnitzel (after a dip in the freezing ocean, we roll over the warm sand!); did Rollerblade in the casino skate park, played "tunasistesastorranteypelandru" (a very silly thongs game); drank mate for hours; eat white bite at the harbour; and so many more memories.... today, I could see her in every corner, at the beach, in the sea, on the 83 street. Too difficult to be here; we enjoyed a day of sand and sun and decided to leave. 

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