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Back In Argentina – Traveling To Ushuaia

 

The wind was so strong on the Magellan Strait that day that the ferry could not dock. We had thus to wait for almost three hours for the wind to get down - Beagel Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

The wind was so strong on the Magellan Strait that day that the ferry could not dock. We had thus to wait for almost three hours for the wind to get down – Beagel Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

After 16 days in Chile we are back in Argentina, in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, as it likes to pride itself. Obviously it has marketed itself much better than Puerto Williams, in Chile, on the other side of the Beagle Channel. This is the TRUE southernmost settlement in the world, but not more than a couple of houses. Being almost at the 55th parallel south, it is further south than any other city on any other continent.So Ushuaia mercilessly sells its unique location claiming the title: “El ciudad en el fin del mundo”, attracting more and more tourists every year. So we considered it as the best place to meet Gilles’ family for Christmas! Continue Reading →

Argentina: South America Or Europe?

 

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a baroque Colonial church built in 1732, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a baroque Colonial church built in 1732, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentina is the fifth country we are visiting in South America. As already mentioned in previous reports, even though these countries are on the same continent, they are worlds apart! But after 7 weeks in Bolivia, arriving in Argentina was a shock to us in many respects. Continue Reading →

Gaiman & Dolavon

The best about Gaiman and Dolavon: the Welch afternoon tea!

The best about Gaiman and Dolavon: the Welch afternoon tea!

These two places found their way into a traveler’s itinerary because of their incredible history. In 1885, a group of Welsh settlers, frustrated by English domination, arrived near Golfo Nuevo, today Puerto Pirámides. Looking for a place to retain their language and cultural identity, they asked the Argentine government for land and eventually were allotted the lower valley of Rio Chubut. These “Gales” had learned about this area through the reports of Captain Robert Fitz Roy, who had explored the region in 1833. Continue Reading →

Punta Tombo

The Biggest Penguin Colony Outside Of Antarctica

Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), Punta Tombo, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

About 120 km south of Trelew is the other main attraction of this region: the biggest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. An estimated 175.000 couples (some say 200.000 couples) of Magellanic Penguins arrive here in August / September to build nests and lay eggs. Continue Reading →

Península Valdéz

 Home of sea lions and sea elephants

A male sea elephant can weight up to 4 tons and has a harem of up to 200 females, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

A male sea elephant can weight up to 4 tons and has a harem of up to 200 females, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

On the second day, starting from Puerto Piramides, we drove around and across Peninsula Valdéz, a very long drive of about 220 kilometers on gravel roads. There are mainly three places to go. Continue Reading →

Puerto Madryn

Gateway To Peninsula Valdéz

Punta Delgada, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

Punta Delgada, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

At the airport in Trelew, we rented a car and went straight north to Puerto Madryn, the small town at the entrance of the Peninsula, a 65 kilometers ride on a perfectly straight road crossing northern Patagonia. Here we got a first taste of what the landscape in this area of Patagonia is like: flat like a pancake with low growing bushes, extremely monotonous no matter which direction you go. Well, nobody comes here for the flora but for the whales, guanacos, sea lions, sea elephants, penguins and lots of other wildlife! Continue Reading →

A Very Long Trip To Argentina!

 

Crossing the Border from Bolivia to Argentina...

Crossing the Border from Bolivia to Argentina…

What a trip! Going from Potosí / Bolivia to our next destination, Trelew (pronounce it “Tre-le-o”) in northern Patagonia, was a long journey of almost 4.000 kilometer. It took us no less than 5 days! Continue Reading →