Buenos Aires, Argentina

Iguazu Falls - Argentina and Brazil

 

I had about ten great pictures of Iguazu Falls to choose from. I couldn’t decide which one to post. All of them were good, but none great. It was difficult to get the full view of the falls within one picture.

After viewing the falls, however, I couldn’t decide on which water falls I was most impressed by: Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or this falls, Iguazu Falls. My memory of Victoria Falls from 1995 still sticks in my memory as being more impressive. However, I spoke to a number of people, who seen both falls and thought Iguazu Falls was more impressive, but the same people also said they saw Victoria Falls during the dry season when there was virtually no water flowing over the falls. I saw it in April at the end of the raining season and it was gushing. Maybe that explains some of the difference in opinions. Iguazu Falls was at its peak when we visited. Nevertheless, both falls are impressive, and both falls (Victoria and Iguazu) make Niagara Falls look tiny in comparison.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

I'm in Buenos Aires by myself waiting for a Brazilian Visa. The truck and group are headed for Brazil. Once I get my Visa, which only Americans, not British citizens, are required to have, I'll fly north and meet up with the truck and group.

Twice now on this trip, entering into Bolivia and now Brazil, being an American Citizen has been a disadvantage. It seems like a number of countries are retaliating against US citizens in very subtle ways because of how the US has treated the world after 9/11. It’s not a great time to be traveling as a US citizen.

Eva Peron's Tomb - Buenos Aires, Argentina

 I wasn’t that impressed. Maybe if I knew more about her, I’d been more impressed. But then again after seeing Chairman’s Mao’s tomb in Tiananmen Square and the Ayatollah Khomeini tomb in Iran, every final resting place will pale by comparison.

Tango Show - Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

As a personal rule I usually don’t attend any cultural dance programs. I don’t enjoy them. They’re not for me. But since everyone else was attending this dance program and the program included dinner with unlimited wine and it was Tango and it was Buenos Aires, I decide to attend. The dinner was better than expected, and the dancers were excellent, no regrets here.

"Party Time" - Puerto Madryn, Argentina

A bottle of mixer for every bottle of alcohol.

John's best attempt at a pole dance.

Steph's birthday.

Penguin Colony - Punta Tambo, Argentina

 

This place was absolutely amazing. I could have spent the whole day hanging out watching their quirky personalities, totally fascinating.

Moreno Glacier - El Calafate, Argentina

 

 

This was another tourist attraction that I wasn’t really that impressed with. I mean it was okay, but really all it was, was a large piece of ice and pieces, on the most outer edge, fell off into the lake (unfrozen water) every once in a while.

As you can probably tell, about this point in the trip, I was starting to experience a camping-wilderness-nature overload. Other than ice climbing on the glacier in El Chalten, I wasn’t that impressed with any of the glaciers. A lots of people come from great distances to view the Moreno Glacier , but I’m clueless as to why. I didn’t understand the big attraction, plus the weather was cold and windy.

Glacier Trekking - El Chalten, Argentina

  

Glacier Climbing - El Chalten, Argentina

 

This was a first for me. The most difficult part was trying to hold on while removing the ice picks from the glacier. The key was to get the ice picks in deep enough to hold your weight, but not too deep that they couldn't be removed without loosing balance.

Afterwards, I had a better understanding as to why mountain climbers do what they do and become addicted to it. While we only climbed a small wall of the glacier with major assistance from the guides, but after returning to the bottom, I must admit, I wanted to do it again, possibly a little higher with a little more difficulty.

River Crossing - El Chalten, Argentina

 

In order to get to the glacier we had to hang by a harness and propel ourself across the river.

Windy Camping – La Chalten, Argentina

 

 

The Fritz Roy Mountain Range located near Le Chalten - one of Patagonia’s premier traveler magnets - home to some of the world’s most dramatic mountain range. This small but fast-growing village is set in a pretty river valley. And pretty it is, but it is also windy - very WINDY. I’ve never camped in as much wind. At times during the night, the gusts would sometimes appear to be settling down, but then without warning pick-up again snapping the sides of the tent. It was impossible to sleep. I’d wake up every couple of hours and just listen to the wind blow and tent snap. Finally, round 3 am, I remembered I had my iPod ear plugs in my backpack. I put them in just to block out the noise.