Patagonia comes from Patagon, a very popular giant that appeared in novels of that time when Spanish sailors plied the South Atlantic waters. More detailed reports on Patagonia, Antarctica and Latin America in www.vagamundos.com
Ready to dive in the cold waters of Peninsula Valdes
I visited, in Argentinian Patagonia, Peninsula Valdés, Rio Gallegos and finally, “The End of the World ”, that is, Ushuaia. In Puerto Madryn I visited an ecocentre where I spent many hours learning about the whales, which migrate here between June and December, on quantities bigger than one thousand, and the other animals that inhabitate the area. In Patagonia, extraordinary phenomena happen, most of them narrated by Luis Sepúlveda in his book “The World of the End of the World”. I’ ve been able to watch some of them, such as the strange-shaped clouds modelled by the persistent Patagonian wind, which draws whatever your imagination wants to see. This same wind forces trees to a leaning rise, in spite of their effort to keep straight, showing their dignity. They express their dissatisfaction through crooked branches which give a peculiar personality to them. Another phenomenon I’ve seen in Patagonia is landscapes that move to the rythm of your car speed. When one travels along the endless Patagonian plains, with the infinite horizon looking like a straight line in front of you, all of a sudden, the appearance of a mountain or a forest adds a touch of movement to that quietness. They seem to move to the rythm of your car speed, in your same direction, as if they felt so happy to see you that they wanted to embrace you...though never reaching...leaving you in an “interruptus abrazus”. Patagonia is full of extravagant characters that live in “the land of free men”. Interesting to know that this region was inhabited by people coming from different parts of the world: Wales, Croatia, Scotland, Ireland, Ukraine,Germany, Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, etc; and there was even an Emperor in 1860, the French Orelie Antoine I, who proclaimed himself Emperor of Araucania and Patagonia. He also minted a coin of its own. He was later arrested and taken back to France.
Favourite spots:
A dolphin opening a way in an emerald green sea
Doubtless, the place I most enjoyed in the South was Peninsula Valdés, a sanctuary of the sea fauna, 100 km away form Puerto Madryn. This is one of the best places from where you can sight more than a thousand whales that arrive here to bring up their babies between June and December. Although I couldn’t see them for it was off-season, I was greatly gratified with the colonies of penguins, elephant seals, sea dogs, killer whales, and the hundreds of dolphins that accompanied us in our sailing, as well as multiple sea birds, cormorants, albatrosses,skuas, cook seagulls, southern seagullsand herons.
What's really great:
The Ecocentre in Puerto Madryn, a place for learning about the sea and its fauna
Argentinian atlantica Patagonia, Peninsula Valdés, Rio Gallegos and finally, “The End of the World ”, that is, Ushuaia. Andean Patagonia: Calafate, Perito Moreno, El Chaltén. Bariloche, El Bolsón (Argentina) and Punta Arenas, Torres del Paine, Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales, Chiloé island (Chile)
Sights:
A sea lions colony
Perito Moreno Glacier (Calafate), Tierra del Fuego National Park (Ushuaia), Torres del Paine (Puerto Natales), Fiord navigation between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt, Chiloé Island (Puerto Montt), Great Lakes crossing form Puerto Montt to Bariloche
Accommodations:
Magellan pinguin
Best backpacker options are residenciales, familly houses, and hostels from www.hihostels.com
More detailed reports on Patagonia, Antarctica and Latin America in www.vagamundos.com
Por favor, escribe sobre URUGUAY un report!! Que es mi tierra!
Se que estuviste cuando los cibercafes a media vuelta al mundo!
Lo espero, por favor, gracias
Carlos, BEAUTIFUL REPORT!!!
I am so glad that you came back to GLOBO!
Por favor, no vuelvas a desaparecer tanto tiempo. Como ves, apreciamos tus reports todos. Sigue deleitandonos, por favor.
Carlos, I love the photo of the dolphin. You did some diving - there are a couple of us divers on Globo - it would be great to hear more about that part of your trip!
Eire
I am really impressed with your English skills, Carlos. This report is interesting with its etymology of the term "Patagonia" and your descriptions. Mucho gusto y bien hecho, hombre. Ojala que pueda compartir mas repotajes con nosotros.
Russ
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