The End of the World

Today we took an organised tour to the Tierra del Fuego National Park. We started the day on a ride on the Tren del Fin del Mundo (End of the World), which was a narrow gauge railway built by the prisoners in Ushuaia to take them to the forest to cut wood. The original tracks were laid around 1910 in wood at a gauge of 60cm. These were replaced with iron rails 10 years later at a gauge of 50cm, and it is a part of this track that is still used today as a tourist attraction. The steam engine pulling our carriages was built in 2006 in Buenos Aires, the first steam train ever to have been completely built in Argentina. There was also another steam engine running that had been imported from Daventry, England in 1999. The journey to the terminus took about 45 minutes including a stop for photographs and a rather atmospheric stretch through the tree cemetery where the prisoners had cut down trees for wood and only the stumps remained.

We were met at the terminus by our driver and guide to go further in to the park. We made some stops for photos and enjoyed several walks along the shore of the Beagle Channel and in to the forest. We saw Kelp geese, white swans with black necks, and at one stop, a young Fuegian red fox. We were also taken to see a beaver dam. Beavers were introduced here in 1946 and have colonised very successfully, having no natural predators in the water. The Park marks the southern end of the PanAmerican highway No.3 which stretches 17848km to Alaska.

The temperature today was closer to the summer seasonal average of 9 degrees and we needed to layer up. We were spoiled yesterday when, in windless conditions, temperatures soared to 17 degrees and we were able to peel off the layers. Winters here are milder than elsewhere in the South and, due to the proximity of both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, only average a balmy minus 10 degrees!

From the Coast to the Clouds

Tierra del Fuego

In 1520 the explorer Hernando de Magallenes became the first man to discover that the Pacific and Atlantic were linked when he navigated a 350 mile channel between the two oceans. It came to be known as the Magellan Straits. He observed that the natives of the land to the south kept fires constantly burning and so he named the land Tierra del Fuego (Fireland). it was not until 1826 that the Englishman, Fitz Roy, discovered a second channel to the South. On his second voyage here aboard the Beagle, Fitz Roy was accompanied by the naturalist Charles Darwin, and so the Beagle channel was named. Tierra del Fuego was thus confirmed as an island.

We flew here from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, a distance of 3040km. LAN had rescheduled our flight to 4.45am and so we managed only 3 hours sleep, rather than the more leisurely day I had planned following our late return from Uruguay. However this proved to be a blessing in disguise as we were able to enjoy a full extra day in this stunning location.

After checking in to our hotel we took a taxi to the chairlift at the base of the Martial Glacier. From the top chairlift station there is a choice of 5 walks, one easy, one moderate and three difficult. We chose the difficult walk... no, rephrase that.... climb... to the base of the glacier,a height gain of 900ft. The weather was perfect and we were rewarded with amazing views of the glacier in one direction, and back down the valley to the Beagle Channel in the other.

We retraced our steps and then tackled the moderate walk, a mere 200ft height gain, to the panoramic viewpoint over the Beagle Channel. Once again the views were stunning. In all we spent over 4 hours on the mountain. The advice to layer up and be prepared for the constant biting wind seemed utterly superfluous as conditions could not have been more perfect.

The incredible beauty of the landscape seemed to have completely dispelled all feelings of tiredness, and so, affixed with a burning desire to see more, we took a taxi to the Ushuaia prison museum.

Ushuaia was first settled by the Argentines in 1902 as a penal colony with the building of the octopus-shaped prison. Security was minimal as if prisoners escaped they had nowhere to go, and after a few days on the run they were usually very pleased to be recaptured. Prisoners built the first roads, houses and bridges in Ushuaia, and in their workshops they provided all the basic services and supplies for the colony. The prison is now a museum. All 5 wings, which radiate from a central hub like the spokes of a wheel, can be explored. Some have been restored and furnished with interesting exhibitions; others have been left as they were - row upon row of crumbling cell blocks and austere walls. We could understand why prisoners volunteered for hard labour outside of the prison walls.

We needed a quick sugar boost in the prison cafeteria, and then we walked for an hour along the bay and past the cruise ships back to our hotel.

It's hard to believe that not much more than 24 hours ago we were sunbathing in Uruguay, and now, with our walk to the glacier, we truly have journeyed from the coast to the clouds!

Colonia de Sacremento

Today is our last day in Uruguay. So far we have completed two sides of a triangular road tour: 225k NE from Colonia to Florida, then 225k SE to Jose Ignacia, and now, to complete the long side of the triangle, 350k West back to Colonia. The drive is uneventful, and with stops for petrol and refreshments, is completed in 5 hours. It has been a pleasure to drive on roads with only 5% of the volume of the traffic in the UK. We arrive in Colonia at 4pm giving us 3 hours to explore the town before checking in at the ferry terminal.

Colonia de Sacramento was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and for years operated as a contraband port evading the trade restrictions imposed by the Spanish crown. The historic quarter, Barrio Historico, lies on a small peninsula jutting out into the River Plate, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is built in the Portuguese style of houses and cobblestoned streets reminiscent of the older parts of Lisbon.

As we have travelled in Uruguay we have been struck by the number of old cars on the road, some in good condition, but mainly in a poor state of repair. Colonia seems to be a Mecca for the original VW Beetle with its air cooled engine, and other cars of a similar vintage. Flat Emil cannot resist being photographed alongside one old model, which rather incongruously is being driven by two fish!

We enjoy pottering around the quiet streets lined with plane trees through which the dappled sunlight filters on to the attractively painted walls of the old houses. We spend the last of our Uruguayan pesos; I climb to the top of the lighthouse and we both eat two scoops of ice cream. We board the ferry arriving back in Buenos Aires at 10pm.

Jose Ignacio - Eating and Sleeping

Eating and Sleeping


We are staying in Laguna Garzon, a unique cultural and natural paradise located in a pristine natural environment. The area is surrounded by almost undiscovered beaches and lagoons where local fishermen provide the catch of the day. The area has a natural slow life charm that many artists have made their home. Our hotel is the Miradores De La Laguna Garzon, a small boutique hotel designed and built in the style of a traditional ranch house. There are only 5 bedrooms and we are the only guests so we have exclusive use of the pool and all the facilities. There are uninterrupted views across the countryside and to the sea in all directions. It's luxurious, it's expensive, but then this is the area where Shakira and Martin Amis have made their homes, and Naomi Campbell vacations here in a rented home for $100,000 a week.

In all honesty it is too expensive for us. Last night we dined at La Olada, a small restaurant set back from the beach in Jose Ignacio in the forest. Two main courses plus beer, a coke and a coffee set us back $100US, and that was meant to be one of the cheaper establishments. Tonight we bought sandwiches, biscuits and coke from the supermarket. Oh well, you only live once!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Gone is the storm of yesterday.  We awake this morning to a fine bright day.

After breakfast we decide to cross the estuary by the ferry.  It's a small chain ferry, large enough for only 2 cars at a time and is powered by a dinghy and outboard tethered alongside.  On the far side the road is a dirt track.  There is a lagoon to our left, and the sea to the right.  A handful of fishermen's huts are clustered around the lagoon and not much else.  we bump along the unmade road for 10k and then turn off down a narrow track through the forest.  We emerge on to sand dunes where we leave the car and walk down to the beach. 

The dunes are covered with beautiful pink flowers.  We can see for miles along the beach in each direction.  There is not a soul in sight.  We stay here enjoying the sun for 2 hours and see  nobody.  Back at the estuary the kite surfers are skimming across the waves, but here in our own private paradise we make our own entertainment.

We return to our hotel intending to enjoy a swim in 

the pool, but instead we both fall asleep. It is late afternoon when we set out again heading back to the lighthouse at Jose Ignatio.  The wind has strengthened considerably and the sea is crashing on to the rocks.  The view is in complete contrast to yesterday.  What a difference a day makes.

 

We end the day watching the sun set as it dips behind the clouds and paints the sky with shafts of gold.

Notes from a Small Country

Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America, after Surinam.
Uruguay is 35% larger than England.
It's population of 3.5m people consists mainly of second and third generation Europeans, mostly of Spanish or Italian origin. Nearly half the population live in the capital, Montevideo.
There are more than 10m cows in Uruguay. The former meat processing plant at Fray Bentos is now a museum.
Uruguay was ruled by a military dictatorship between 1971 to 1984 but is now a constitutional republic.
The country suffered badly after the Argentinian economy collapsed in 2001 and Argentina made huge withdrawals of US$ stashed in Uruguayan banks. The economy contracted 20% between 2002 to 2006. The economy is now strong, but so is the pesos, making it expensive for overseas tourists to visit. Moreover high taxes imposed principally to fund the welfare state also suppress domestic tourism.
At $2.20 per litre petrol is more expensive than in Europe.
Uruguay won the football World Cup in 1950, 2-1 against Brazil, after trailing 1-0. Pele remembers the day as the saddest in his life, whilst Uruguayans still celebrate the victory, naming it Maracanazo, as the greatest feat in the history of football.

Spider Grief

Last night over dinner Josello tells us there will be a storm tomorrow and it will be "drammatique". Dinner, as you can see from the photo, was a feast: a sumptuous barbecue of beef, chorizo, and lamb steaks and ribs. The lamb is fresh, so fresh in fact, it was running around in the field earlier in the day. We learn more about Carmen. She is third generation immigrant Italian, and as she proudly tells us her blood is 100% Italian through and through. She amuses us with her tales of how her extended family always give their opinion on everything she does, whether or not it is requested. Usually this is done in animated conversation at shouting pitch.

In the morning the storm announces its arrival with a thunderclap and the sound of the rain on the corrugated iron roof like rapid gun fire.  In the event it is not drammatique, but it rains all morning and washes away any prospect of a final horse ride. We admit defeat, bid our hosts goodbye, and set out to drive the 200k to our next destination.  On the journey we see three big spiders - and I mean big! They are the size of dinner plates and the hairs on their legs are longer than cats whiskers.  Anni is terrified of spiders and berates me for having brought her to such a terrible place.  the spider grief only relents when she accepts that 3 spiders in 400k of travel is perhaps not an epidemic.
           

The rain finally stops as we reach the coast and drive through Punta Del Este.  It is the Uruguayan equivalent of Marbella, full of high rise hotels, and not our cup of tea. Fortunately we are heading on another 20k beyond Jose Ignacio to Laguna Garzon.  We arrive about 5pm and decide to save serious exploration of the area until tomorrow.  For tonight we content ourselves with a walk along the beach.  As we retrace our steps I notice that Anni has been blatantly advertising the brand of her sandals.  With every footprint in the sand the pattern on the sole of the shoe clearly spells out the word "fit flop"!  We round off our day by enjoying the catch of the day at a local restaurant.

Flat Emil goes horse riding!

Another day horse riding, eating great home prepared food, and drinking fine local wine.

We have good friends, Alison and Bartek, who live in Bristol, England and who home educate their two boys, Emil and Lucien.  There is a worldwide network where home educated children make puppets of themselves, called flat children, and then send them around the world to other children to take photos of them on vacation.  They share the photos over the Internet - a sort of modern day pen pal letter.  We have brought flat Emil on holiday with us.  If you look closely you may find him in one of the photos below.  He'll be popping up from time to time.

            

Ranching in Uruguay

6.30am wake up call. The hotel staff, good as their word, make us an early breakfast, then we are off to the Buquebus ferry terminal. Here we pass through an efficient airport style check-in, clearing Argentina and Uruguay customs in rapid succession. After a short wait we board the Rapido Ferry to Colonia Del Sacremento on the opposite side of the Rio de la Plate. The journey takes exactly one hour and costs about $60 US each.

I have pre-booked a car hire for the next 5 days, and we easily find the office a short walk from the ferry terminal. Formalities over, the Avis rep helps us load the suitcases into the car, and exclaims at the weight of the larger case. Upon learning it belongs to Anni, he sighs, and says it is a universal truth that the wife always has the heavy case!

Driving in Uruguay is extremely easy. There is very little traffic and the roads are generally well signed. The siting of the occasional toll plaza appears to follow no logic, one is at the end of a stretch of dual carriageway, the next in the middle of nowhere on a back country road. There are few towns, mainly the land is used for grazing for cows or for growing fodder crops for the cattle. The landscape is never flat, never hilly, but constantly gently undulating, and except for the eucalyptus trees strangely reminiscent of some rural parts of England on a fine summer's day.

 After a little over 3 hours  steady driving we turn  on to a dirt track road and 16k later reach our destination. Anni has no idea where we are staying and has been speculating for the last hour, the latest thought being that I have booked us into a spa hotel. That notion is soon dispelled as we pass between two white gates and over a cattle grid into the dusty yard of Estancia El Ceibo. Three dogs surround the car and a smiling gaucho and his wife come to greet us. They speak not a word of English, we speak not a word of Spanish! We don't let these minor difficulties defeat us and a little later 

we are eating home made cake and tea, nodding vigorously whilst not understanding a word that is spoken. At this point I remind Anni that she once said she wanted to go horse riding in South America and now her wish has been fulfilled. Neither of us can ride but we are staying on a ranch for the next two days!

I'm wondering at this point whether I have made a dreadful faux pas. But things start to improve when, Josello, the owner arrives and speaks a little English. There is no time for second thoughts. Twenty minutes later we are both saddled up and astride our horses and we set off to explore the estate. We ride Latin American style; the reins are tied together to leave a long trailing single strand that is used as a whip. The reins are held only in the right hand whilst the left hand can gently encourage the horse with the whip when required. Our horses quickly sense our inexperience and use every opportunity to stop and eat the grass. Our challenge for tomorrow is to show the horses that we are the masters.




Dinner is taken en famille. We are joined by Josello's wife, Carmen, and their son Martin, both of whom speak perfect English. Dinner is served by the farmer's wife, also Carla, with a local red wine from a nearby Estancia. We retire to bed very happy!

Buenos Aires

Arguably the most cosmopolitan city in all South America, Argentina's historic capital has breathtaking energy, spacious grandeur, and self-confident style.

So says my Insight Guide.

The brightly painted houses of La Boca

La Boca

There is certainly plenty here to keep the tourist occupied for several days, and undeniably the city is a vibrant, exciting place.  However, Buenos Aires is the only place on this trip that we have  been to before and we covered the major tourist sites on our last visit here.  So today we are content to pick up a map from the hotel reception, step,out the door, and see where our feet take us.

We are staying in the fashionable barrios (district) of Palermo Soho. It's a bohemian suburb, teeming with great restaurants, bars, and trendy shops.  Apparently it is also the most favoured place of many of Argentina's most famous fashion designers, so Anni is feeling very much at home here.  Our first stop is the botanical gardens, unfortunately closed, so we amble on to, where else, but the zoo!  The Muscovy ducks and some unidentifiable species of small deer roam freely here.  There are flamingos, monkeys, a tiger, a lion, penguins and a reptile house.  We are amused by two bears who have apparently learned to beg for food.

We cross over the Avenida del Libertador admiring the grand sculpture at the intersection with Avenida Sarimiento, and go in search of the rose garden. We can't find it! Instead we cross the park and head for the Japanese garden.  It's a beautiful, tranquil retreat from the bustle of the city streets and we spend some time here enjoying the views.  We enjoy an ice cream in the shape of a fish, which rejuvenates us, and soak up the warm afternoon sun for a while.  When we left England it was cold, and the wind had set in from the East, bringing the probability of snow from Central Europe. What a difference here!

Everyone goes to La Recoleta Cemetary, the burial ground for the rich and famous. It is like a city in miniature with streets lined with huge mausoleums in conflicting architectural styles.  Many have glass doors allowing a view of the coffins inside.  Evita is buried here with other members of the Duarte family, allegedly 9 metres underground to keep her enemies from stealing her body.  The authorities don't publicise this as they don't regard her as being important enough to justify a plot.  They neglect to tell you that Peron wasn't buried here, but in a lesser cemetary elsewhere in the city.

We work our way back to the hotel for a rest and time to freshen up before dinner.  Last time we were here we did the obligatory Tango dinner, (photos from that occasion attached), and I know the hotel would make us a reservation.  But we can't visit Buenos Aires without eating a steak so we take up the hotel's recommendation of a nearby steakhouse.

Eating and Sleeping

 I wanted to stay somewhere special whilst in BA and chose the small  boutique Hotel Duque some months ago whilst researching accommodation on TripAdvisor.  I am delighted to see that in the intervening months it has risen to be ranked #4 of 437 hotels in BA, and it certainly deserves it's reputation.  We arrived at 11am, well before the designated check-in time of 3pm, feeling in need of some rest.  The reception staff made us extremely welcome, took care of our bags, and showed us to a small lounge and garden area where we able to enjoy a selection of free pastries, tea and coffee.    They also dealt with our questions concerning our onwards travel arrangements and 

Lift Off

 

 We're off.

 BA flight BA0245 to Buenos Aires departs LHR 21.45 arrives BA 08.30

6 years ago when we travelled to South America with my sister and her husband we flew with Iberia via Madrid.  The experience was unpleasant.  Unknown to us Iberia allowed pets to travel in the cabin on longhaul flights and we had to suffer two yappy dogs for the best part of 12 hours.  One owner made more trips to the washroom with her dog than the rest of the economy cabin combined!  A few weeks before our departure, in an idle moment, I had signed up to Iberia's frequent flyer programme, and I had my shiny new card to prove it.  This proved a massive and fortunate compensation as the return flight was overbooked and we got upgraded to first class, much to the consternation of my brother-in-law who nearly got thrown off the flight for the persistence of his complaints.

BA may not be the cheapest, but I am only paying the taxes on this flight as I put all my credit card expenditure on an American Express affinity card.  I'm travelling on BA miles whilst Anni has taken my free companion ticket.   It's a great reward scheme and most of our longhaul flights have been funded this way. 

All being well, and if the technology works, my next report will be from Buenos Aires!!!

 

T-5 and counting

t-5 and counting

The Itinerary

For me the adventure begins long before the holiday starts.I love the challenge of putting together a trip, researching the places to visit, the places to avoid, deciding where to stay, where not to stay, where to go next, and then making all the connections work.This itinerary has been no exception: six months in the planning and more than 100 hours dedicated to the research.I have trawled the internet for inspiration, read numerous articles and reviews and thumbed the pages of several travel guides.

At last the schedule is complete. All the destinations have been decided; flights booked, hotels arranged, tours planned, and car hire finalised.Here's a summary….

Date	Destination	Details
20 February	London	Overnight flight to Buenos Aires
21 February	Buenos Aires	Sightseeing and bed!
22 February	Uruguay	By ferry to Colonia de Sacramento - a UNESCO world heritage sight - and onwards by car to Florida
23 February	Uruguay - Florida	To be revealed - a surprise for Anni
24,25 February	Uruguay - Jose Ignacio	To be revealed - a surprise for Anni
26 February	Argentina: Buenos Aires	Back to Colonia then ferry back to BA
27 February	Travelling	Flight to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego - at the southern tip of the South American continent
28 Feb, 1 March	Ushuaia	Tierra del Fuego National Park Beagle Channel
2,3,4 March	El Calafate	Los Glaciares National Park Estancia Cristina boat trip
5 March	Travelling	By bus across the border to Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia
6,7 March	Chile: Puerto Natales	Torres del Paine Balmaceda Glacier boat trip
8 March	Travelling	By bus to Punta Arenas (about 3 hours) and flight to Puerto Montt
9,10,11 March	Puerto Montt	The Chilean Lake District - touring by car
12,13 March	Pucon	Huerquehue National Park in the heart of the Lake District; evening flight to Santiago
14 March	Santiago	City tour
15 March	Easter Island	Flight to one of the most remote places in the world - a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific 2360 miles West of the South American mainland
16,17 March	Easter Island	Touring
18 March	Travelling	Flight back to Santiago
19 March	Argentina: Mendoza	Short flight back into Argentina and onwards touring by car
20-24 March	Northwest Argentina Mendoza - San Augustin - San Fernando - Cafayate - Salta	Touring by car visiting The Andes, Ischigualasto and Talampaya National Parks, The Atacama Desert, and wine growing regions
24 March	travelling	Flight: Salta to Buenos Aires International flight: London
25 March	London	Home to bed!

Let's hope it all goes according to plan!