Iguazu Falls, Argentina

OK so there are water falls and there are WATER FALLS....

Need another example...

Well most people should have the point by now. This was a painful excursion costing us close to 40hrs of bus time to get to Puerto Iguazu from Cordoba and back to Buenos Aires...and yet, at the end of it, we were both extactic about the experience and would sacrifice the time again in an instant.

Over the course of our 23 hr bus trip from Cordoba to Iguazu, we passed through the arid wine country and miles of farmland into the subtropical rainforest that begins in Northern Argentina and continues up through Brazil. The change was gradual through the windows of our bus, but when we stepped off the bus (thanking God for surviving the epic journey), we immediately noticed the muggy weather and our rain forest surroundings...and all the fun wildlife that comes with the jungle.

We promptly found our hostel and had a quiet night in prep for our all-day adventure in the national park the following day.

The next day felt like we were kids again and going to Disneyland. It is important to note that the actual Iguazu Falls are divided between the Argentina/Brazilian border and most people go to both sides to see the falls from all angles. However, due to the high visa cost for Americans, it made more sense for us to cover the Argentina side in detail and take nice photos of the the Brazilian side without crossing the border. All in all, we had a full day of trekking on the "Lower Path," the "Upper Path," and on the island situated in front and center of the falls. The ultimate experience though was taking the train and foot path to the ¨Devil´s Throat¨ waterfall. This is the highlight of any trip to Iguazu. You literally feel like an early explorer ignoring the rumors of the ¨end of the earth¨and then finding yourself on the edge of the abyss waiting on the other side of the ocean (if of course the world was flat). Another way to describe the experience is exactly as the falls are named...like you are getting ready to be swallowed down a giant esophagus.

As it typically does in rain forests, it dumped rain for about the last hour of our trip, so our time at the ¨Devil´s Throat¨was a little extra wet which only added the the experience!

Click on video below to see the¨Devil´s Throat¨

We are now converts to the fact that no trip to Argentina or Brazil is complete without the side trip to see this amazing feat of nature and would highly recommend the experience to all crowds. It is now time to head back down to Buenos Aires to do some final shopping and enjoy our last weekend in the city that never sleeps before we head to our last stops in the Caribbean and Mexico...

Central Argentina: Mendoza and Cordoba

Since the weather wasn´t getting any warmer in Patagonia, we figured it was time to head north and follow the sun, so we boarded the bus for a 19 hour ride to central Argentina. Finally, we were in a region populated enough to get one of the more luxury buses that have almost fully reclining seats, food, wine, etc...so the long trip was at least bearable and we were able to sleep.

Mendoza - Wine Country
Once we arrived in Mendoza, we found ourselves a cozy little hostel owned by a very friendly local named Javier (and his cute little dog called Tronco). We enjoyed chatting with Javier over the course of our 3 day stay about the local area, his background and Argentian current events. It was MUCH warmer in Mendoza and reminded us a lot of home in California. The city has many nice plazas and pedestrian areas for shopping, sipping coffee and people watching, and there are a plethora of restaurants with good steak and wine. We spent 2 days roaming the city and just hanging out - enjoying a Sunday picnic at the huge local park and watching all the kids run around crushing Autumn leaves, book shopping for a couple new good novels to read, and then reading our books in the main plaza to soak up the mid-day sun and get a feel for the city. It was very relaxing.

Since Mendoza is the country´s wine capital, we of course also spent a day wine tasting. The area most accessible to tourists is called Maipu and is about 30 mins from Mendoza. We took the local bus there and rented bikes for the day to tour around at our own pace.

We began our tour at the wine museum housed in the La Rural bodega (winery). They had some cool wine making artifacts from centuries past and we got to try a taste of their "Museum" label, which is only for visitors (i.e., the bottom of the barrel free stuff). We spent over an hour here exploring other parts of the winery on our own and having a picnic lunch in their back garden. Our second stop was a liquor and chocolate factory where for 5 pesos you got to taste several types of chocolate, some jam preserves and a shot of your choice of sweet liquor (we had Irish Cream and Chocolate). Then on to the next two wineries Tempus Alba and Viña El Cerno - the first had a nice wine bar and patio overlooking the vineyard, and the other was a family run place with simple facilities but a very authentic feel (there were family members in the back of the tasting room hand labeling bottles). Our final stop of the day was at the bodega Familia Di Tommaso, a very nice winery with a social ambiance - they had a group wine tasting where they sat you down with others and explained each wine before pouring you a sip. At this winery, we met two fun Irish guys who we met for dinner and drinks later that evening in Mendoza.

In general, the Maipu wine country was not exactly what we were expecting from our wine tasting experiences in Napa and New Zealand...the vineyards and bodegas are in an area that is fairly developed in a "dusty-small-town" kind of way. The main road we pedaled along was quite busy with passing trucks and cars and was a mix of pavement, dirt and construction areas. The bodegas were usually a short ride from the main road so thankfully were in slightly more peaceful settings. Each bodega had its own style of "tasting" - for example, at some places you had to buy the wine by the glass, at other places it was more like Napa where you paid one fee and tasted several wines. A couple of the wineries were more formal and fancy and others were more "mom and pop" style and very informal. Unlike in the US, pretty much all the wineries would let you wander around the vineyards and facilities. It was neat to roam amongst the gigantic cedar barrels and to see the wine making process live right in front of your eyes as people hand-labeled bottles, used machines to crush the grapes and worked in the rooms with huge metals containers used for fermentation. In the entire Maipu area, there are only about 5 or 6 wineries you can visit, in addition to the liquor and chocolate factory and an olive oil place. And despite the bike maps making everything seem very close, the area is deceivingly spaced out...as we learned pedaling between 4-8 kms between bodegas (not complaining, it was good exercise!). However, while it wasn´t necessarily what we expected (we should know better than to presume), it was a wonderful day and we certainly recommend the experience.

Cordoba - The Heart of Argentina
We took a 10-hour night bus from Mendoza to Cordoba, Argentina´s most thriving university town and both a cultural and historical center of the country. It´s also said that the people in this part of the country are some of the most welcoming, which we found to be true in both Cordoba and Mendoza...the people were SO friendly. We spent 3 days in Cordoba...

The first two days we explored the city on foot and checked out the city´s numerous churches, old architecture, universities and the Jesuit Crypt (which was a bit anti-climatic because it was never actually in use). We also spent time again in the plazas reading and people watching as we did in Mendoza to get a feel for the place. It was quite cute to watch one little girl with angel wings on buy bird seed and feed the pigeons...that is, until two other little mischievous little girls stormed the flock and sent the angel off crying to daddy. Kids are the same everywhere. :)

Again, a highlight of our time in Cordoba was an outing to some attractions about an hour outside the city in the small town of Alta Garcia. We booked the tour through our hostel and due to a misunderstanding were not able to go the first day. So, being the overly nice and accommodating people they are, they arranged for us to take a private tour the next day. Our guides were Herman (the hostel´s owner) and Diego (a local student and musician who works at the hostel). On the drive, we learned a ton of local and national history...Herman took time to explain about the country´s financial crash in early 2000´s, told some local stories and also answered our many questions about politics, religion, history and the current farmer´s strike due to outrageous tax increases on the part of the government. He spoke in Spanish (very clearly and slowly for us) and anything we didn´t understand, Diego helped to translate in English. We were quite proud, however, because we understood about 90% of what he told us. Having Herman and Diego as our guides was truly the highlight of the outing.

While out and about, we visited the former Jesuit Estancia in Alta Garcia, which was a major source of food for the city of Cordoba around the time the university was getting up and running. I failed to mention that it was in Cordoba that South America´s first university was founded by the Jesuits and is one reason why the city is still a major place of learning and culture. We also visited the Che Guevara museum housed in his childhood home on a quiet street in Alta Garcia. After seeing the movie "Motorcycle Diaries" and Eric having read the original book, it was incredibly interesting to see where he grew up, learn about his childhood, formative years and transformation into a revolutionary, and see photos and the motorbike he used on his first South American adventure.

Next...
We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the center of the country and think we will want to return here again one day to explore more. For now, time is ticking so we head North-East towards the famous Igauzu Falls that are a "must see" on any trip to Argentina...

Patagonia Part 7: Bariloche

From El Bolson, we headed 2 hours north to San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina´s Lake District. Bariloche is both a popular national and international destination, known for its pristine lakes, great hiking in summer, excellent skiing in winter and, most famously, for its chocolate. We were skeptical at first about the rave reviews of the chocolate, but once we tried it we were converted and bought ourselves a sizable assorted bag - which of course didn´t last as long as we hoped.

Thanks to a tip from our friends Yaron and Dorit (who we met in Torres Del Paine), we secured a nice little studio apartment in the heart of the old town with perfect views of the massive Nahuel Huapi Lake. We also ran into our Swiss friends from El Bolson (Chris and Sabine) and convinced them to stay in the same building so we could hang out. We arrived on the weekend, so spent a couple leisure days exploring the city, checking out the numerous chocolate and souvenir shops, seeing the terrible Hollywood flop "10,000 BC", and going to a Mexican restaurant where the margaritas were tasty, but the food only semi-authentic. We also spent time preparing for our last big hike in Patagonia in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. The weather was beginning to turn, so we were hopeful it would hold a few more days to allow us a good trek.

After visiting Club Andino (the supposed trek experts who actually weren´t that helpful) first thing Monday morning, we decided on our route. Chris and Sabine chose the same so we set off together on the bus to the start of the trek. The full circuit was supposed to take 5 days, but there were a number of alternative routes from the main trail in case of weather or other challenges. While we wanted to attempt the full track, we were strongly advised against it due to probable snow on the highest pass. Eric was game to attempt it if possible, I was a bit more leery.

Day one was fairly leisurely, skirting along the mountainside for some nice views of another of the national park´s lakes and then following above a river into a valley set in between a couple steep rocky mountains. Above the tree/shrub line were some very impressive rock formations - a few of them quite popular for rock climbers. The Refugio Frey sits at the edge of a small alpine lake (partly covered in ice this time of year) with excellent views of the spiring rock peaks. The hut keeper has a gigantic cat (we nicknamed him "little puma") that is quite the outdoor-kitty by day, but spends his evenings indoors on the laps of guests, most favorably men...he loved Eric and Chris and paid little attention to Sabine and I (both cat lovers).

Day two was another day of excellent weather - clear sky and sun, with just a slight bite of cold from the approaching winter. It was by far our most difficult day of the trek, and in my opinion, one of the most difficult days of trekking we´ve done in Patagonia. We began the day climbing out of the rock valley, up to the top of the mountain. This meant a lot of rock scrambling and a bit of climbing made more complicated by the patches of ice that had not melted in the shade. But teamwork and careful foot placement got us to the top...and we were rewarded with an incredible panoramic view of all the surrounding lakes and mountains. I was hoping our major climbing was finished...but I was not so lucky. We descended the very steep (and I´m not exaggerating when I say VERY steep) mountainside into the next valley, navigating once again the rocky terrain and eventually able to almost ski down the last bit of gravelly dirt. We had lunch on the edge of the forest in a sunny spot overlooking the boggy valley beyond. Then, we did it all again...climbed another rocky mountain, got to the top for more stunning views, and then descended a very steep mountainside to the next valley which had a lovely lake and rushing river. It was in this second valley that the Refugio San Martin sat, again next to the lovely alpine lake. The hut keeper here didn´t have a cat, but he did have a dog, a wife and a cute baby (just as good!). We spent the evening with Chris and Sabine and another fellow trekker from Utah cooking, playing cards and enjoying chocolate mousse for dessert (Chris and Sabine had discovered my weakness for sweets and were extremely gracious to share their chocolates and desserts!).

Day three...It rained (and snowed on the main pass) overnight, which meant the decision of whether to continue over the pass or follow the valley to an alternative end was easy. Though from what the hut keeper told us about the snow already accumulated on the pass, in addition to seeing a guy arrive the previous evening who had tried the pass and fallen injuring himself and losing or damaging a lot of his stuff, we had already pretty much decided that it would be safer to head back. We were happy that Chris and Sabine decided to join us and we made our way down the gorgeous valley. The hike was relatively easy compared to the day before, but it was still 4 hours and provided some great views of the mountains and river from a lower elevation.

When we got to the main road, we decided to walk another 5 kms to the small settlement of Colonia Suiza (Swiss Colony). We had heard great things about this little holiday village and since we were with two Swiss, we had to go there and try the Fondue (which was excellent). We found some nice cabañas (cabins) that had a rec room with TV and DVD player...after a few days of hiking, a bottle of wine and a good portion of Fondue, we were all quite happy to settle in and watch "James Bond: Casino Royale." And I also must mention our close encounter with a pet guanaco (he thought he was a dog) who followed us around while we explored the village.

The following day, we began hiking back towards Bariloche and were lucky (for the first time on this trip) to hitch a ride with little effort along the way. We took the bus the second half the way, admiring the many lakes and cute cabins (think Lake Tahoe) along the route back. The two couples separated to shower and run a few errands before we reunited for a last dinner together. We decided to cook in since we had an apartment...we provided the main dish of pasta and Chris and Sabine made a Couscous salad and brought a mouth watering (literally) apple strudel from the bakery. Strudel is a favorite in Switzerland and after the Fondue we had to round off our Swiss experience! We were quite sad to say goodbye to Chris and Sabine...they had been wonderful companions for 2 hikes and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. We are hoping they will decide to visit us this summer in California during their travels in the US. ;)

The following day we left Bariloche and Patagonia on a 19 hour bus bound for Mendoza - Argentina's wine country...

Patagonia Part 6: El Bolson

After our adventures in Southern Chile, we were ready to get back to Argentina where transport is a bit easier and prices are a bit cheaper. From the border we took a bus to El Bolson, an artsy community bordering yet another beautiful Patagonian National Park.

Our first day in El Bolson was all about recovery...after so many buses, trucks, etc. along the Austral Road, we were a bit travel weary and in need of a day of R&R. We found ourselves a cute little studio apartment and treated ourselves to a nice dinner, wine and dessert (ice cream and homemade chocolate). After we were refreshed, we began preparations for another 3-day hike around Cerro (Mt.) Heilo Azul we had scoped out in our Patagonian Trekking Guide.

Day one of the trek took us alongside a crystal clear river and over a VERY rickety bridge hanging almost sideways with numerous slats missing (we later found out the park service considers this bridge "closed," but we hadn´t checked with them and there was no sign). However, we made it safely across the river to begin the 1,000 meter ascent to the refugio Hielo Azul (Blue Ice), set in a lovely valley with a stream, bordered by pine forest and enclosed by high mountain walls. It´s autumn in South America so the fall colors are spectacular and make the hikes even more enjoyable...it also helps me feel the huffing and puffing uphill is worthwhile. :)

The refugio was a cool log cabin completely furnished with natural wood carved chairs, tables, and benches. It had the standard old-fashioned wood stove for cooking and also a small stove for heating the living area. Upstairs there was a loft with pads for sleeping, which was a nice change from our tent. And in addition to the hut to himself...and his girlfriend) who lived in a skeeper (who mostly keptmall enclosed area at the back, there was an adorable resident cat who fell in love with Eric. Another couple from Spain was also staying at the hut and the cabin felt cozy and warm with the fire, a hot meal, and good company.

The next day, we experienced the downside of the change in season...we had an entire day of pouring rain. Initially, we hoped the rain would subside so we could leave for the next refugio by early afternoon. No luck. Then we debated putting on our rain gear and roughing it, but after another couple from Argentina arrived completely soaked and miserably cold, we decided to wait it out at least until the next morning. So we spent the day reading, journaling, chatting, and relaxing...and did our best to combat the boredom of being stuck indoors. Later that evening, the rain stopped and the clouds cleared to reveal a perfect starry sky.

On day three of our hike, we got back to hiking and began the day with a 3-hour sidetrip up to the Hielo Azul Glacier. It was a perfectly clear and sunny day and we had incredible views down into the valley and also of the glacier. The trek included a bit of rock climbing (which I typically am not too fond of), but Eric provided good encouragement as we climbed, singing "spider girl, spider girl..." (Simpsons anyone?)

When we got back down the mountain, we began the walk to the next refugio Cajon De Azul, about 4 hours away. As we came to the next river crossing and found that the log "bridge" was a sheet of ice, we decided to choose another log upriver and had to eventually straddle and slide over it - just a little cold on the inner thighs! Not to worry though, we had a cheering squad on the other side...a couple from Switzerland (Chris and Sabine) had arrived on the opposite side of the bank...and after seeing us cross, decided not to attempt the log crawl and instead joined us. We climbed up a steep hill and arrived at Lago Natacion where we had lunch and they picked up their bags...then we continued on together around the lake and down the mountainside into the next valley where the refugio sits.

The refugio Cajon De Azul was really more of an estancia (ranch)...it had fenced in fields for the horses and livestock, a small orchard and gardens, and even a group of local gauchos (cowboys) enjoying a beer in the dining area when we arrived. Like the previous cabin, it also had plenty of carved wooden furniture, a wood stove, and a sleeping loft. We were joined by the Spanish couple again and another 2 girls from Argentina and Turkey who had come from the other direction. We all sat around drinking tea and mate (the typical Argentian herbal drink) and watched as the local owners brought in a huge slab of beef and prepared a traditional meal of Milanesa and potatoes for dinner. This place felt culturally authentic and incredibly comfortable - we could have easily stayed here several more days.

On day four, we sadly left the estancia after breakfast, waving goodbye to t gates and headed down the valley to the end of the trek. As we followed the general course of the rihe gauchos saddling their horses as we walked out thever out of the valley, we were afforded some more excellent views of the area...and some more great exercise as we climbed up and down the path. Chris and Sabine joined us today too and we enjoyed a nice lunch by the river before finishing the hike and catching the local bus back into town.

We checked back into our little studio apartment and decided to head to the grocery store to see what we could make ourselves for dinner. You should never go to the grocery store when you are hungry...we ended up cooking a feast of Milanesa, potatoes, veges, and cake for way more than 2 people. We certainly went to bed fat and happy, and ready to continue on our journey the next day to Bariloche...

Patagonia Part 5: The Carretera Austral Road (Chile)

After our extended stay in Villa O´Higgins we were ready to hit the road and head north on the beautiful Carretera Austral Road in Chile. During our rapid climb through the south of Chile we traveled by boat, bus and hitched to get through this sparsely populated region. It didn´t help that we were traveling on the cusp of winter during low season. In terms of landscapes, both Mariah and I were impressed with the many micro climates and ranging scenery from temperate rain forest to barren deserts, rolling hills to glacier topped mountains.

Due to low season and lack of traffic, many public buses were not in frequent operation during our journey north. We also knew with the onset of winter that we needed to quickly move north to get to El Bolson and Bariloche in Argentina to finish our trekking goals (Note: looking back we should have spent more time traveling this beautiful area... more on this in a moment). Due to these reasons, we found ourselves stuck a few times and had (were given the opportunity) to hitch in order to save precious time. In one such instance we found ourselves traveling with 6 Israelis and 1 driver (9 in total) in a small early 90s pick-up truck to the border town of Futulefu. At the time, riding in the back of the truck in the rain for close to two hours seemed reasonable (and like bit of an adventure) to save us 3 days of waiting time for the next bus to the same location.

The experience in the rear of the truck was shared with a new friend Roy (and more than 10 bags) as we fought the rain and dust on the dirt road and tried to avoid the many injections of water into the cab through the holes in the bed of the truck. We wound up in Futulefu half frozen and looking like we had crawled the whole way, but in the end it was worth it for the story and the views were certainly nothing to complain about.

While we didn´t get to spend as much time as we wanted exploring the towns and regions along the Carretera Austral, our journey did include some memorable moments. On the way Mariah and I stopped in Coyhaique - one of the larger towns along the route - and had a great experience staying at a hospedaje run by a kind older lady by the name of Yolanda. We found the place by suggestion of a guy we met and became friends with at the tourist info center (Tal from Israel) who raved about the hospitality of this little place and led us there himself. Also staying was a Chilean guy (Aldo) taking a year to bike around his country. The 4 of us were spoiled by Yolanda who acted as our grandmother, forcing food down our throats and trying to get us to use our Spanish to describe our families and travel plans. Now I know Mariah has been modest lately, but her Spanish improved exponentially during our trip on the Carretera Austral due to lack of English speakers. She had a great time communicating with Yolanda and other members of the family and formed a nice bond with her. This was an amazing experience in terms of getting immersed in the culture and a fabulous few days of TLC (the breakfasts she cooked us were amazing!).

Some Advice for Future Travelers to the Region: Now as many people have responded to us recently and said that traveling to Patagonia is a dream they have held for many years, let me take a few moments to highlight an amazing trip opportunity:

When to go: Dec-March
For how long: 10+ days

1. Fly into San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
2. Rent a car from a reputable company like Avis/Hertz (usually they have less problems crossing the Argentina/Chile border)
3. Spend a few days in the national park in Bariloche, Nahul Huapi, and in El Bolson (just 2 hours south)
4. Head south on Routa 40 in Argentina down to Los Antigues and cross into Chile via the town of Chile Chico. Take the well marked dirt road north in Chile through the many micro climates, snow capped mountains, temperate rain forests, estancias (farms) and lake districts. During this trip take the time to stop in a couple of the many estancias for local accommodation or stay at hospedajes (local homes open to guests, similar to bed a breakfast). And be sure to take time to do a few short hikes (or even some horseback riding) along the way.
5. If you want more info or suggestions, let us know!

Looking back on our time on the Carretera Austral Road, we wish we had been traveling by car so we had the time and flexibility to explore this beautiful region more completely - but, you can´t do it all (not in one trip anyhow). The people in this region are full of character and open to sharing their lives and culture with you, especially if you are able to get off the beaten track a bit.

Well on to El Bolson...and putting our packs back on to head for the mountains!

Patagonia Part 4: Lago Desierto to Villa O´Higgins

After our first few weeks in Patagonia, we were feeling an urge to get a bit off the beaten tourist track and into more rural parts. We had heard of a route where we could walk over the Argentina/Chile border to a remote lake and begin to gradually make our way north in Chile through lush and mountainous landscapes on the western side of the Andes. We thought this would be more interesting than taking the long and dusty Routa 40 on the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina through the vast and barren Patagonian Steppe.


After our several days of hiking in Glacier National Park (see previous blog), we took a bus about 50 km north to Lago Desierto where our adventure begins...

We were surprised that all our fellow passengers (about 15 in total) on the bus and boat were 60 plus years in age. There was one particularly boisterous fellow who got the conversation going when he saw the huge bags we lugged out of the minibus and onto our backs to board the boat. When we told him and the others (in our broken Spanish) that we were planning to hike 6 hours over the border, they were thoroughly impressed and immediately adopted us for the next 2 hours. As we rode the boat across the lake, they had us point out on the map our exact route. Enjoying the attention, we decided to ham it up a bit and went on to tell them about our year-long trip and island wedding. They LOVED it and got all excited and began sharing stories about their children and grandchildren getting married.

When we got to the far shore of the lake where we would camp for the night before beginning the trek, they were delighted when we suggested a photo in front of the border guard station. They grouped around us and happily posed as the guards took numerous photos with ours and all of their cameras. Before we set off to make camp, each and every one of them showered us with hugs and kisses to say goodbye (some of the grandmas hugging and kissing us at least twice!). They called out over and over again as they walked back to the boat, "Suerte! Suerte!" ("Good luck!"). I think we made their day...and they certainly made ours!

We set up camp on the edge of the forest alongside the grassy paddock where horses were grazing near the shore of the lake - it was picturesque. We made dinner on our little gas stove and then treated ourselves to some mulled wine...we had brought box wine, an orange, and cinnamon sticks to enjoy before our big day of trekking. Near dark, a group of about 10 Argentine guys showed up after having completed the trek around the lake and set up camp beside us. We shared some of our cooking gas with them and they gave us a quality dark chocolate bar as thanks. They were friends on an annual camping and hiking trip and were planning to stay to enjoy the lake for a day or two before heading back.

Fairly early the next morning, we packed up camp and headed to the guard post to get our passports stamped before setting out on the dirt path up the mountain side. I was carrying about 45-50 lbs in my bag and Eric was shouldering 60-65 lbs on his back (he was of course a gentleman and took some of my weight!). After about 2 hours, we reached the official border line with the signs showing the boundaries for Argentina and Chile. We thought there would be a guard post here for Chile, but learned later it wasn´t until the end of the trek where we would officially check into the new country.

Luckily, after the first major climb out of the valley, the terrain was relatively flat and easy until the descent at the other side down to Lago O´Higgins in Chile. I say flat and easy, but that would be without bags of bricks! We both weathered the walking quite well considering the weight and actually made really great time...I think we just wanted to get there and get it over with! We did make a few short stops for lunch and quick 5 min breaks to give our backs and legs a rest, but otherwise it was onward march! The scenery on the hike was nice...some lovely lakes, wooded areas, valleys and a great lookout to Mt. Fitzroy miles beyond where we had been a day before. When we finally descended down to Lago O´Higgins we were VERY happy to hand the guard our passports and walk the last 15 minutes to the small estancia (ranch) along the lake.

The family who owns the estancia were the original homesteaders years before. The daughter of the founder (a kindly woman named Justa) is now around 70ish and still keeps the place going with her husband Geranimo and one of their sons Ricardo. They provide camping and lodging to weary travelers for a reasonable price and also sell home-cooked meals and bread. I was extremely happy when Eric decided our strenuous efforts should allow us to splurge and stay in the house for a bit extra. It never felt so good to take off our shoes and socks and enjoy a hot shower. After we relaxed a bit, we spent the evening in the dining room and kitchen area where the large wood fire kitchen stove provided warmth, a place to cook and bake, and even heated the hot water heater. The only other place I´ve used a stove like this is at our cabins in Wyoming´s mountains...but we were soon to discover that many people still have and use these stoves in Southern Chile.

Justa spent her time doing household chores, cooking, making fresh bread (she taught me how), and tending to the needs of the several other guests as they arrived. Geranimo is not quite as mobile and seemed a bit grouchy at having all these tourists in his kitchen, so he mostly sat and observed or scowled from his chair by the stove. I made some attempts at conversation with him and Eric gave him cookies and chocolate, so he warmed up to us after a bit. Ricardo, the single son around 40ish, takes care of the horses and livestock and also rents out their horses and his services to tourists who don´t want to carry their packs over the border. He arrived just after dark with a young couple from Norway and brought in a fresh cut of beef from outside for dinner. We learned that the other siblings in the family all live in the general area - one of Ricardo´s brothers runs another part of the ranch further away and the sisters are married and live in the tiny settlements nearby. They are a lovely family and their way of life is rustic and simple - we personally found it refreshing and wonderful. With the exception of a few modern amenities (e.g., a TV, a radio for communication, a washing machine), it felt like we were back in the Wild West 80 years ago.

The next day, the once-a-week boat showed up at 1PM to take us across Lago O´Higgins to the tiny village of Villa O´Higgins (population: 500). The village is at the very end of the Carretera Austral - a long, winding, dirt road that connects the sparsely populated southern part of the country with the more populated north. Most of the people in the village were relocated here after Chile and Argentina shifted the borders a number of years back. The inhabitants receive generous government subsidies and, as a result, are not the most motivated people you´ve ever met.

We stayed at the El Mosco hostel´s camping ground, owned by a Spanish guy named Gorge who moved to Patagonia about 4 years ago and since has become the town´s local entrepreneur. He is quite the character - a bit narcissistic and money-oriented, but overall friendly and helpful. Gorge informed us on our arrival that we had four options to get out of town to travel north: 1. wait 4 days and take the weekly bus to the next "sizable" town 6 hours north, 2. hitchhike, 3. charter him and his van for an ungodly price to take us to a small town 3 hours north where there are more frequent buses, 4. wait 2 days and take the small, questionably safe plane. Since we couldn´t gather enough people to make chartering the van financially feasible, and the plane seemed a bit risky (plus, 4 fellow travelers gobbled up the remaining seats within a couple hours), we decided to try option 2 and hitchhike.

We got up early the next morning, packed up our tent, and went to post up by the only road out of town for our first Patagonian hitchhiking experience. Gorge had informed us the evening before that all vehicles leaving Villa O´Higgins must take a car ferry (that leaves twice daily) across a channel, so it´s really only worthwhile to hitch between 8-10AM and 2-4PM. We sat down by the side of the road, made ourselves bread and honey for breakfast and waited. As we sat patiently (with a tinge of boredom), we were entertained by a variety of local stray dogs (and a few horses) roaming about looking for food and testing territorial boundaries. But it was Sunday...and cars were scarce. We saw only a military truck, which refused to take us, and the neighbor whose truck was filled to the brim and packed with people. So we returned to the hostel to sit and read until the 2-4PM shift. But again, no luck...only a guy in a blue truck who passed us about 10 times, but never went more than 5 blocks from his house before returning, going inside, coming out and doing it all over again in a different direction. Very odd. So our hitchhiking adventure wasn´t much of an adventure at all and we went back to set up our tent for a second night.

Feeling a bit discouraged about hitchhiking, we decided the next day to join a few others on a couple day hike up to a refugio (i.e., hut) several hours into the nearby national park. This was a much better decision. The hike provided great views of the local area with lovely lakes, river valleys, forest and glaciers. The refugio was a simple log cabin with a make-shift wood stove made from a barrel, wooden table and benches, and enough floor space to sleep 6. We spent the evening enjoying the company of a Norwegian couple (Espen and Magni) and an Australian guy (Ralph) while cooking, reading, conversing, and huddling around the fire as it got dark and cold. The next morning, we opted not to do the several hour side trip to the El Mosco Glacier and instead headed back to town. I forgot to mention that I had taken my turn twisting my ankle after our border crossing when running from the estancia down to catch the boat. I´m not quite as tough (or motivated) to walk through pain as Eric did in Torres Del Paine...though I think he´ll agree that I was a trooper to do even the shorter trek to the hut.

When we got back to the hostel, the five of us had the place to ourselves for our last evening. Gorge had left with the plane to go out of town for a few days and just asked his girlfriend to stop by and check on us and collect payment. So we all enjoyed long hot showers, cooked nice meals, did our laundry, and used the computer to check our email for free. Before bed, we stoked the wood fire in the living room, played Gorge´s eclectic mix of CDs and chatted as we sipped glasses of red wine and beer.

The next morning, we headed to the bus to begin our journey up the Carretera Austral...