(apologies for the late post, it was a long day and we got distracted with a post-glacier-viewing-nap and dinner)
It seems we have been very very fortunate with the weather, having the first sunny day in a while yesterday to explore the Los Glaciares park yesterday. However, as I know well from living in Joburg, a clear sunny day means an icy cold night. It was -10degrees when we left this morning to go on our cruise on the Lago Argentina.
We snoozed on the way across because it was only 7:30am and still dark (sunrise is at 9:30am here). Once there we took our tickets and boarded and snagged some reasonable seats. As we taxied out of the dock area we got to see the early fingers of sunrise.
First stop was the Uppsala Glacier and we took lots of photos of the icebergs seen on the way. I have a new appreciation for the multi hued spectrum that is all known as the colour blue. After some sailing, they allowed us onto the deck outside. Again, the wind coming off the ice was bitterly cold and soon we were wrapping up all exposed sections of skin. The Uppsala glacier is enormous. It is difficult to take in the whole thing from 600m away where we stopped. As the ferry was inching closer to the glacier face, we were able to see the nose of the boat cutting through the ice. As the ferry was gathering speed, the cutting ice was being flicked up on board where Eben and I were standing.
After we promenaded the length of the Uppsala glacier, we left and turned towards the next finger of the lake to look at the Spegazzinni glacier which was my favourite of the day. It is a much smaller glacier but the cascading slope of the glacier above the slope is a really awesome sight to behold. Eben and I stood at the front of the boat as it was moving towards this glacier and the wind chill factor at that speed was brutally cold. So cold as to give you brain freeze from the outside. We took our pictures and hurried back inside to regain feeling in our eyebrows and noses.
Finally we went to the Perito Moreno Glacier and were able to get close to the (longer) south face of the ice. Again, a breathtaking sight to behold with tall blue spires of ice 60m into the sky. (the brochures call the Glaciers "Gods Chisels")
Unfortunately we did not get to see any of the glaciers carving today :(
We finally turned back to the docks after 7 hours out on the water and took the tour bus back to the hotel. Tonight we indulged in another regional delicacy of Patagonian Lamb which lived up to its reputation :) delicious and flavourful. (and understandably high in fat for a creature that nibbles plants in the snow all day)
Unfortunately, this being a tourism economy town, everything seems to be inescapably priced for milking tourists. Having a taxi driver drive an extra 500m around the block to the restaurant so that the price of the cab is 20 pesos and 40 cents leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. (driver scores a bigger tip because you cant easily make change for that) Similarly, the restaurants all seem to charge a tourism fee on your bill but make sure the specify that a tip is still required (this tourism charge may just be the rules)
Tomorrow we have our final day free to enjoy the town before flying out much later in the day. Might find time to visit a chocolate factory! Right now we are repacking our bags in preparation for tomorrows flight and watching Jurassic Park on tv (with Spanish subtitles).
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