Patagonia
Nov 2016
Santiago
Cooking Class - Mercado central - explored markets, fish market, meat market (pigs!), flower market, fruit market —> cherries, yum!
Pan bread and salsa paired with Cabernet from Maipa Valley
Fried fish and mote risotto with goat cheese and pesto (made w/mortar and pestle) paired with Pinot Noir
Quinoa (washed 7 times) in milk mixture with cinnamon and citrus for dessert
6 day kayak through Pumalín park
Day 1 - rough paddle into the wind, ended in an ocean swim + hot spring pool
Day 2 - paddled across channel. Afternoon waterfall hike and swim. Crab spotting.
Day 3 - 4am wake up for tidal timing. Sea lion colony, surprisingly loud! Long paddle to the end of the fjord into camp. HUGE tidal differential. Outhouse overlooking the fjord. Hot hot hot springs in a series of rectangle pools.
Day 4 - tide was very far out (long kayak carry). Rough water, a few close calls with capsizing. Camped with sheep in a clearing. Explored Huinay - research station
Day 5 - woke up wet, another low tide morning, rainy. Camped on another farm. Hike to hot springs. LEECHES!
Day 6 - short paddle past some salmon farms
Puerto Varas
Walked along the shore for a beautiful sunset over the lake with a snow covered volcano in the background
Pablo Fierro house - strange, eccentric house filled with art and odds and ends
Ate at cafés overlooking the volcano, learned it’s like a German town in Chile
El Calfate
Stayed a short walk from Laguna Nimez, for birdwatching and plenty of flamingos
Perito Moreno Glacier
Big Ice tour, glacier hiking with crampons
OMG - we saw a huge chunk of glacier calve (video)
Middle of the glacier was spectacular, rivers, waterfalls and the bluest ice
El Chalten
Backpacking started out windy and turned snowy.
Hiked up to Laguna de los Tres, had obligatory handstand photoshoot before heading down to the glacial lake where Jonas went for a swim
I chose a different (glacially cold) lake to swim in and we camped by a huge river
Watched sunrise over Laguna Torre, a bit overcast, but still impressive
Hiking trails led right back into town
