Monday, May 12, 2025

Wednesday April 16th, first to Thursday April 17th, 2025 - El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier - Saving the Best for Last?

 

Geraldo Povazsan, Gaucho, Enjoys His Maté

Our first day in El Calafate began with a visit to a small ranch, Estanza Bon Accord, not far from the outskirts of the small town. There, we were greeted by gaucho, Geraldo Povazsan, who had inherited the property from his family. Rather than being the beneficiary of a flourishing windfall, Geraldo was now owner of a broken ranch, old equipment, and dismantled houses. Wool prices were low, so it was not feasible to run it profitably in the traditional manner. But Geraldo valued the heritage of the property, and was committed to keeping it intact.

Following the 'Conquest of the Desert' (removal and extermination of the indigenous people) the government wanted to populate and develop the land that was now 'uninhabited'. They granted settlers 20 hectares (49 acres of land). Geraldo's ancestor, William Dickie, had come to the Falkland Islands from Aberdeen, Scotland, where he had successfully raised sheep and then came to Buenos Aries. William took advantage of the government's offer with a business partner and arrived here in 1905 to establish his sheep ranch. 

In the beginning farmers paid rent with the option to buy. That sounded easy enough, but in order to execute the paperwork, the farmers had to go to Buenos Aries - they were not able to leave the farms for as long as that took, so many had difficulty getting the right papers.

Remains of an Old Caretta and Original Homestead

Geraldo's family came here at time when it took three months for people to use this type of cart to travel from Buenos Aries, Pulled by oxen, it was a hard ride. Towns like El Calafate were watering holes for these journeys. 

This first dwelling was built from adobe and willow. It looked like a palace to the family after they had camped out for two years! 

Sheep Pens

In order to raise sheep, one needed 50,000 acres for a herd of 8,000. With climate change, the plants are tougher than they were and the number of sheep one can graze per acre is lower. 70% of the vegetation is yellow bunchy grass, but the sheep will not eat it - they find whatever green vegetation grows around it. The farmer also needs both winter and summer grazing areas - here the plateau offered summer grounds and this area in the valley was used in winter. 

Somehow, this family was able to succeed enough to provide a living for many years. William and his partner were able to buy additional acreage and the ranch is now 30,000 acres, and runs 3,000 sheep and 70 cattle.

Herding Sheep

In addition to Geraldo's sheep herding dog, he also keeps two guard dogs with the flock at all times. These are special dogs who have been raised with sheep and think they are one of them. Pumas regard sheep as slow moving guanacos, and the guard dogs confuse predators by moving around rapidly - the puma, red foxes and wild dogs thinks there are many dogs in the flock and retreat. The town dogs come in packs, kill more sheep than pumas and maim the animals. Condors finish up scavenging the injured animals. You can see that raising sheep here is a hazardous process! The use of guard dogs reduces the need to shoot, trap or poison wildlife.

Shearing Pens

The sheep were herded into pens in the shearing shed, which seemed unchanged from the day it was built! It had that lovely earthy smell of lanolin and wet wool, mixed with a little poop. The smell made me feel warmer....just the thought of another layer softness was enveloping. However, this fleece will not end up on people's backs - it is not fine merino, and is shipped overseas for making carpets. 

Cutting Fleece off the Face

The electric clippers were lined up along one wall, but covered in cobwebs. These days, teams of shearers arrive in the spring and bring their own clippers to use. However, Geraldo occasionally has to clear the wool off the sheep's faces, as their vision becomes blocked. I found it alarming to see those big hand clippers so close to the eyes - but sheep become completely passive when put on their backs, so the face clearing proceeded without harm!

A Lovely, Wooly Nest

The cat agreed with me, that the wool made a lovely earthy place to stop a while!

Bale Stencils and Bolos

The light in the shearing shed was delicious, luminated by the dull sky outside filtering through to lift the dimness of the shed. These old stencils, hanging on the wall, were probably used for marking bales of wool as they were sent off to market. The long hanging objects are bolos, or boleadora, which are thrown by the gauchos to catch horses and cattle by tangling their legs. They were adapted from the hunting weapon of the indigenous people of the area, who used stones instead of leather for the balls.

Bolo Throwing Demonstration

Geraldo demonstrated how these tools are used. The pole he was aiming for represents the legs of the livestock he is trying to bring down. It looked like a tough way to do it, for both gaucho and animal - but perhaps better than chasing them all over the plains!

Argentine BBQ

We were here for an authentic Argentine BBQ - with the diagonal 'cross' that had been set up over the fire for this special occasion. The sheep had been slaughtered and butchered for us yesterday. 

The Main House  - The 'New' Homestead

In addition to his Scottish ancestry, Geraldo's grandmother had married a Hungarian man, which is where he got his very 'non-Scottish' name of Povazsan. The main house was where we had our BBQ meal.  It was the winter quarters for the complete family - after the ranch had been broken up. 

It is somewhat of a museum, including a room with radio equipment. Geraldo's Hungarian grandfather, Jose Povazsan had worked in radio transmissions before he came here from Buenos Aries. A customer had come asked him to come to Patagonia to set up a radio shop and this is where he met Geraldo's grandmother. Jose also set up a radio station on the farm, which became a way for the pre-airport visitors to arrange lodging at Estancia Cristina - the last lodge before the glacier. The service helped El Calafate become a tourist town.

Scraggly Fall Beauty

I loved the spare beauty of the property and appreciated that Geraldo has found a way to keep it going as a living museum, cobwebs and all. I hope he succeeds in keeping the 'old' ways alive for future visitors.
 
Quince

There were still apples and pears still hanging on the yellowing trees, along with this furry quince. I had not seen a quince since I was a child - my mother used to serve them stewed.

Main Street, El Calafate

When I Googled El Calafate, it said it is not a picturesque town, and looking at this photo of the main street, one might see why they say that. The downtown is about the size of Fernandina Beach, with lots of touristy shops. Following our visit to the ranch, we had a chance to wander here.

Craft Arcade

There was a little arcade for local artisans, but it was not due to open until later in the day. However, I spotted one of the booths that looked as if it was open.

Lots of Wool!

The vendor was delightful! She went to great lengths to help me find a hat, which had been spun and woven by her.

What a Smile!

She graciously posed for me!

Street Art at the Top of the Steps

I love wandering through places like this and was drawn up the steps at the end of the arcade by this face painted on the wall at the top of the steps.

Mural - A Gaucho and his Maté

This led me to a large barn, where I was delighted to find this mural of a gaucho brewing his maté. It felt just like the ranch we had just left, with the pile of wool and broom to the left of the gaucho. I thought it was fabulous!

Childhood Dreams

At the end of the same building, there was a another mural of a child, gazing out of a window at the beauty before him/her. With the sky above, it created in me a feeling of wonderful integration of humans and nature.

Gnome Arcade and Route 40 Sign

Back down on the main street, (Avenue del Libertador) was a little 'village' with a gnome theme. Its sign was a reminder that we are still on Route 40.

The Village of the Gnomes

The little outdoor arcade was cute, but very touristy, with many gift shops.

Face to Face With a Gnome

There were lots of papier mache gnomes of various sizes hanging from the eaves, on roofs and a few 'full size?' gnomes sitting on benches in the arcade. It was all quite charming. Yet again, the presence of the maté gourd tells you how omnipresent this drink is in Argentinian life.

More Gnomes

Gnomes must have been a 'thing' here, even beyond the special village, as they were for sale in other shops, too. I found this collection a little scary, with ones laying on heir side back there!

BBQ Ahead

There were many restaurants along the main street, setting up their barbeques ready for dinner customers. These looked like sides of beef! I was glad that I had enjoyed a lovely meal of lamb earlier in the day.

The Poplars Were Glorious

Throughout the town, the yellow poplars were magnificent.

Locks of Love

A bridge across a small stream had 'locks of love' secured through its grating.

Plazoleta Perito F. P Moreno

There was a little plaza honoring Perito Moreno. We had first heard about him in Bariloche......you may recall his role in establishing borders with Chile, donating land and establishing the first national park in Argentina. His full name was Francisco Pascaio Moreno and he was born in Buenos Aries in 1852.  When Moreno was 11 years old, his family was among the wealthy who moved out of the city, due to the yellow fever epidemic.  They lived on a ranch where there were no other children for him to play with, so he picked up and collected artifacts, fossils and bones and learned about nature from direct experience. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, to follow in the family footsteps, but instead, Francisco set out for his own adventures at the age of 21. He started in Southern Patagonia because he knew that the activities of the glaciers were known to reveal fossils in their movements. His travels brought him to El Calafate, where he named Lago Argentino, but he never did see the glacier that was later named in his honor.

  The name 'Perito', actually means 'expert' and was given to him to signify and honor the knowledge he had about nature and the wilderness. He had not developed that expertise through schooling, but was self-taught from his explorations throughout the country.

He was inspired to put his knowledge to use for the public good. In addition to all his other services to the community he donated his collection to establish the Museo de la Plata in Buenos Aries, which he directed for 20 years. It is now the 11th most important Natural History Museum in the world.

Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve - Chilean Flamingos

Lago Argentino, which borders the town, moderates temperatures and good soil has formed an 'oasis' of trees, which provide shelter from the strong winds. A nature reserve has been established, where we were able to see many Chilean flamingos as we headed for the Perito Moreno Glacier on the Thursday.

Back to the Ice Field

 As we headed west, it was reassuring to see the ice field ahead as we travelled. When we get to the glacier, we will be a scant 33 miles NNE of Torres del Paine. It is the edge of the same Southern Patagonian Ice Field that we had been visiting before. 

First Glimpse of Perito Moreno Glacier From the 'Curve of Sighs'

We followed the south shore of Lago Argentino for the 50 mile drive. Once again we had a glorious day, with blue skies. When the bus stopped at the 'Curve of Sighs', we were able to vocalize our amazement at the sight before us! 

I usually think of glaciers being perched high in mountains, so I expect that there needs to be much huffing and puffing to see one up close and personal - or helicopters. Not so here, where we are only 600 feet above sea level! The glacier itself is a mass of ice the size of Paris, originating 19 miles away at an elevation of 6,890 feet. It moves at a little over six feet per day, so there is frequent 'calving' as chunks of ice drop into the lake. It has been one of the few glaciers in the world, which is still advancing but there are recent indications that there is lateral slowing.

Observation Platforms & Corrals

As you might imagine, this spectacular place draws many visitors. In the past there were fatal accidents with people slipping as they attempted to get photos and videos. To allow more, and safer access to fabulous views, a multilayered and elaborate system of observation platforms has been built. The site attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors per year. Happily, there was plenty of space for all on the day we visited.

A Magnificent View

Ooh! I was thrilled! How wonderful for nature to provide an arena like this for one to look over this wonderful expanse. It felt as if I was sitting in a theatre, having the processes of nature unfold before my eyes.

Calving

Within minutes of arriving at the top of the platforms, we heard a loud rumble and realized that the glacier was calving. I managed to switch to video mode (not an easy accomplishment for me) and managed to capture it in action. Our guide told us that often after the first bit drops, there is more to follow, which you see here. I kept watching out for others, but this was the only one I saw while there.

Ice Floes

This ice most likely originated in Chile. The Pacific Ocean is only 130 miles to the west. The Pacific winds blow from the west and drop the moisture they carry as they climb the mountains. This can result in a annual snowfall of up to 166 feet, making it one of the snowiest regions on earth! A lot of the of the snow sublimates due to low temperatures and strong winds, leaving a snow pack of around 24 feet. The snow builds up and is compressed to form the ice we see in front of us. While Argentina lies on the rain shadow side of the mountains, the ice that is formed slides down to drop into this Argentine lake.

200 Foot Cliff of Ice

The understanding of glaciation emerged as a science in the 1840's through he work of a Swiss scientist, Louis Agassiz. He established the recognition that climates have fluctuated greatly through the eons, sometimes creating ice sheets in other parts of the world similar to the one we see here. The landscape of this area reveals that history, from the huge rocks that get dumped on the land during glacial retreat, to the shape of valleys showing successive periods of glaciation.

It makes sense that the people here understand glaciation better than we sub-tropical flatlanders and our guide introduced us to a theory that had been developed early in the 1900's by Serbian scientist and mathematician, Mulitin Milankovich. He had been arrested by Austro Hungarian forces during WWI for being Serbian and was held on house arrest where he developed a model explaining the correlation of climate cycles with variations due to the tilt of the earth's axis and 'wobbles' in rotation. This theory helps scientists understand the long history of climate variation, but according to both our guide and Google, are not a full explanation for the current, rapid climate change that we are experiencing today. In other words humans ARE contributing to changes that would normally be much slower.

Crevasses?

Seeing the columns of ice that collapsed in the water, reminded me of the hazards posed by crevasses for any intrepid explorers who attempt to navigate  terrain such as this. Many (many) years ago I had been required to learn crevasse rescue in preparation for a backpacking trip onto the Olivine Ice Plateau, a glacier in New Zealand. I'm happy to report it was not as rough as this terrain looks and we never had to rescue anyone in the party.

Ice River

I suffered the same dilemma that I did in Torres del Paine - 'How do I stop clicking my shutter?'

Oh well, all good things must come to an end, and eventually the time came when we had to tear ourselves away and head back into town for our final dinner at the home of a local resident. The next day we flew back to Buenos Aries, then an overnight flight to Miami had me home on Saturday morning. 

Yes, I was there! (Wearing My New Hat)


This had been a marvelous journey for me and I appreciate that you have taken the time to follow along.

Thank you.















 

Friday, May 9, 2025

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025 - Return to Argentina - Remote Living

 

Monte Balmaceda

It seems fitting to share this image of Monte Balmaceda now, as we leave it behind to head back to the Patagonian steppes. It was the mountain I saw from the plane - the gateway to the ice cap. I've loved sniffing around the edges of this Southern Ice Field this last couple of days, wishing I had discovered it years ago when perhaps I could have done more than just this brief glimpse.

As we turned our backs to the mountains, we were headed for El Calafate, in Argentina. If we were condors, it would have been a short, 37 mile journey. Instead, for us it is a 133 mile road trip, as we have to loop around to the south and east to get there.

Guanacos Keep Watch

Chilean efforts to improve the protection of Torres de Paine and similar natural resources has resulted in the establishing of a new National Service of Biodiversity and Protected Areas project. One goal of this endeavor, is to incorporate privately owned lands into the parks, creating a legal framework to keep domesticated animals out. This will allow guanacos to have sole access to grazing, without sheep and cattle to compete with them. 

Mother and Baby - A Nursing Guanaco

The likely increase in guanaco population will, of course, also allow the pumas to continue to thrive. Our Chilean guide said 'Chile loves paperwork', so although the project is already 2.5 years old, they expect it to take at least as much time again to be put in place. Nationally, the system of parks and the protections that Chile has already developed covers 20% of the nation and is providing/preserving wildlife corridors for animals to move between parks. 

Andes Condors Have Found a Carcass

We were fortunate to pass some condors that were enjoying a carcass. It was a still day, with little wind.

Flap, but No Flight

 These birds are so heavy, they need the assistance of updrifts to fly, so the feasting birds did not fly off when our bus stopped to observe. This one looks as if it has a damaged wing - even with uplifts, it may be not be able to fly.

Magnificent Bird

It was amazing to see them within range of my 250mm zoom lens and with the help of Lightroom and Topaz sharpening, you can see some of the details of these magnificent birds.

Could it be a Barrister?

They did look rather like lawyers in my opinion, with white collars around their necks and looking almost as if they had a flat headdress. 

The Andes condor has also been a beneficiary of Chile's biodiversity and protection efforts. There is an excellent Netflix program called Our Great National Parks. Episode Two is about Patagonia and has superb wildlife videography that talks about guanacos, pumas and condors in some detail.

Transitioning to the Steppes

Although we were leaving the dramatic peaks, there was still unspoiled beauty all around.

When we had crossed the border into Chile, we had been warned that our bags would be scanned for fruit (and possibly other contraband they didn't tell us about), and that the bus would also be inspected. If we didn't declare any possibly offending items, we were told there were stiff fines. The fundamental message had been that the Chileans adhere strictly to rules. As we approached the border, there was concern about whether we had our Tourist Card that had to be turned in as we leave Chile. We were not told much about the 'rules' for returning to Argentina

Igneous Intrusion Through Sedimentary Layers

I loved travelling through this land where the geological structures were exposed. One could see folding and faulting in the sedimentary layers. This spot showed where molten rock had pushed across sedimentary layers in a very obvious way - the pink granite pushing aside the other rock. This is a small scale version of the intrusion that happened to create the horns of Torres del Paine.

It's a bit of a stretch to compare this geological event, that's frozen in time, to intrusions that have happened in human history, but I did want to be sure that I mention some of the turmoil the Chileans experienced in my lifetime, during the dictatorship of the Pinochet government from 1973 to 1990. It was a bloody coup and during that time, thousands 'disappeared' and tens of thousands were imprisoned and tortured. His rule was ended through a referendum, but we were told that one of the legacies, has been a desire in Chilean society for more freedom of expression and less unquestioning adherence to authority. We were told that exercising their democratic rights through peaceful protests is new behavior for Chileans, unlike their Argentinian neighbors, who have a longer history of expressing grievances through public protest. 

Black Necked Swan

Again, it's a bit of a stretch to link this bird photo to recent Chilean history, but the black and white coloring of the swan brings to mind a 'Penguin Revolution' that took place in 2019. The term 'penguin' came from the black and white unforms of the students in Santiago who sparked these protests, following a 30 peso increase in bus fares. The demonstrations spread beyond the capital and extended the range of issues to include dissatisfaction with the education system and wider issues of inequality. The protests continued for six months and sparked a push for a new constitution and focus on social justice. (There had been earlier student protests in 2006, which were rooted in some of the same issues.)

Our Lunch Waiter

We had lunch close to the border. There is a 'No Man's Land' between the two border posts, as there is still disagreement between the two nations over the exact line of the border, especially in the region of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. 

(I just put our waiter's face here, as I liked his hat and crimson checked vest!)

Chile/Argentina Border Crossings

Our border crossing will be the blue marker at the top of this map, the Don Guillermo River Pass, but I include this here, because I find myself wondering who put the pencil on the map to draw the straight line down in Tierra del Fuego. This agreement was made in 1881 and is said to reflect the division that would have been in place when the area became independent from Spain.

 Much of the border was defined by Perito Moreno with a Chilean counterpart in the 1890's. (Moreno is the person who had established the first Argentine national park in Bariloche in the 1920's)

 When you consider that this is the third longest international border in the world, at 3,298 miles, there has to be a great potential for jostling! In spite of the 1881 Treaty and Moreno's early efforts, border disagreements have taken place through the years, sometimes spurred by the generals/politicians who hoped to divert their constituents' attention from problems closer to home.  There have been times of 'almost wars', but our guides wanted us to know there is good feeling between the people of the two countries and if there are any shared threats from outsiders, Chile and Argentina stand together.

Landscape Near the Border Posts

After we'd turned in our tourist cards to the Chilean border post, we switched buses, drove the few miles to the Argentinian post, walked up to the customs window and got our passports stamped. There was little fuss and we didn't get warnings about fines. Mind you the unfortunate Argentinian workers at this very remote border crossing have very poor living conditions. It is far away from anywhere and can be very cold and windy. They live in a fairly ramshackle building with no running water, and work in shifts of days or weeks at a time before rotating to have a break in their home town, possibly Rio Gallegos, the provincial capital, which is 1.5 hours away. 

We were encouraged to smile and be gracious to brighten their tough days!

La Esperanza - From the Bus

Esperanza is a desperate little town we drove through. It has 135 inhabitants, although only 34 are registered, and none are children. It has a hotel, a health post and a gas station. It's name means 'hope' - which doesn't look as if it was realized here! The reason it's noteworthy, according to our guide, is that it is the coldest continental place in Argentina. Temperatures of minus 48 degrees Fahrenheit have been recorded here. When strong winds are blowing, your cheeks will freeze instantly.

 Wealth is beneath the feet here. The majority of the population in Esperanza are seasonal/temporary workers in the mining industry. The area has oil, open pit gold and silver mines, as well as natural gas which is piped to Buenos Aries.

Santa Cuz Province, Route 40

We are now in Santa Cruz Province, which is the size of California, home to 300,000 humans and three million guanacos! The road is Route 40, the same one we traveled on when we went through Villa La Angostura when crossing the Andes, 1,000 miles north. This road spans the entire length of South America from the Strait of Magellan to Bolivia, zig zagging 3,246 miles. Our guide called it 'the highway of the crazy people!' This iconic highway showcases a great variety of landscapes. Here, as you see, we are truly in the steppes - the mountains to our west have taken all the moisture from the air.  It is difficult to survive here - it's windswept, lonely, cold, dry in the summers. Any soil that might form gets blown away by the winds. In the winter when weather conditions are severe - gusts of 100 mph winds for example - the police will close the highway down, as it is too dangerous to be out in it.

Nearby sheep ranches produce high quality merino, and this area was a significant supplier of wool for the European troops during the First World War. The introduction of synthetics fibers in the mid 1900's greatly impacted the economic viability of sheep ranching, resulting in economic downturn for the region.

 I could have been in the Australian Outback!

Shrine to Gauchito Gil

As we turned on to Route 40, we saw a small red structure by the side of the road, with people sitting on blankets, having a picnic. We learned later that this is a shrine to an Argentine folk hero, Antonio Hill, known as Gauchito Gil. He was a soldier in the mid-1800's, who fled to Uruguay to avoid capture, and became a Robin Hood type character, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He was eventually captured and hanged. However, prior to his execution, he found out that the hangman had a son who was ill. Antonio told the executioner that he would heal the son from the other side, after his death. Of course, that's what happened - the son got better and word got around. People started coming to his grave with petitions. For those who couldn't travel the distance, these shrines became created all over Argentina, People came to leave a gift (often beer) for Gauchito Gil, and to ask for help. He is regarded as a saint by many Argentinians, but the church does not recognize him as such. 

Back to the Ice Field

Happily, the barren land was not the final destination for our day. Having traversed our loop, we were headed back to the west, to be greeted by the same ice field we had just left. The body of water you see, is Lago Argentino, the largest body of fresh water in Argentina. The waters are fed by 13 glaciers, resulting in icebergs and water temperatures of 40 degree Fahrenheit.

Our destination, El Calafate, is the gateway to the Perito Merino Glacier and Mount Fitz Roy, both very popular tourist destinations. In the 1990's the Governor of Santa Cruz  had a summer home here and he became tired of driving, so he pushed for an airport to be built. The town flourished after it was built in 2001, growing from a population of around 6,000 to 30,000.

Mount Fitz Roy in the Distance

Before we came down off the plateau, I was teased by the sight of Mount Fitz Roy off in the distance. I had read about it before I came and regretted that our journey would not include a closer look at this famous landmark. Unlike Torres del Paine, it is a single peak, with a scenic lake at its base, and its infrastructure for visitors is probably not as well developed. I will keep it on my list if I ever manage to get back this way.

Hills Again - Looking Back Toward the Patagonian Plateau

We have ben travelling on a plateau that ranges from two to three thousand feet above sea level. At one time, it was just like the ice fields to our west. El Calafate is in a valley carved out by  glaciers, and is only 650 feet above sea level. As a result, it does get some shelter from the wind and has somewhat warmer temperatures due to the moderation of the large lake.  

El Calafate

The fall colors of the poplar trees greeted us as we arrived in El Calafate. The name has nothing to do with the word 'caliphate'. It is the name of a blue berry which is slightly smaller than our blueberry and with more of a sweet sour flavor profile. It is made into syrups and jams. We were introduced to it in a drink called 'Calafate Sour', which was a cocktail made with calafate and pisco. 

Hotel Driveway - An Old Ranch

It had been a full day of travel, so it was lovely to arrive in this colorful, frontier-feeling town. Our next blog will share a visit to a small estanza nearby, a wander through El Calafate, then, leaving the best to last, we'll visit the Perito Moreno Glacier. One of the highlights of the trip for me.


We're almost done!