One of the countries that appears distant to visitors from India is, in reality, easily accessible and makes a great travel destination. The origin of its name goes back to the first voyages made by Spanish conquerors. The survivors of a shipwrecked expedition found native people in the region who gave them silver objects as presents. The news about a legendary Sierra del Plata—a mountain rich in silver—reached Spain around 1524 and since that date, the Spanish named the river as Río de la Plata or River of Silver and the area as Argentina from the Latin word argentum or silver.

From the sub-tropical forests of the north to the spectacular mountains and glaciers of the southern tip, Argentina has them all. An ethnically diverse country built with the hard work of thousands of immigrants who came from 1895 to 1915 mainly from Spain and Italy, Argentina is the second largest country in South America, after Brazil. Further waves of money and immigration from Europe before and after that period led to Argentina becoming one of the 10 richest countries in the world. Immigrants from other parts of Europe and from Syria and Lebanon came to Argentina during the first half of the 20th century to settle in this vast country that has become one of the G-20 world economies. The Argentine wine industry, amongst the largest outside Europe, is now the fifth most important in the world.

Argentina is about 3,900km long from north to south and has the fertile central plains, called the Pampas, the source of Argentina’s great agricultural wealth. The rugged Andes range forms the western border with Chile and includes Mount Aconcagua, which, at 22,841ft (6,962 metres) is also the highest summit in the southern and western hemispheres.

After landing at the Ezeiza International Airport located 27km southwest of Buenos Aires, it is convenient to go to one of the taxi booths at the airport and get a private taxi or to the Manuel Tienda Leon Company counter in the arrivals area to get a shuttle bus ride to the city centre. The fare to the city is
50 pesos ($12) with a travel time of 45 minutes.

The following morning, I took a short taxi ride to Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery domestic airport located not far from the city centre for the two-hour flight to Iguazu Falls. One of world’s ‘must see’ sights, Iguazu Falls is located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau. The United Nations has declared Iguazu Falls a ‘World Heritage Site’. Several islands along the 2.7-km long edge divide the Falls into about 275 separate waterfalls and cataracts varying between 200ft and 270ft high. About half of the River’s flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the ‘Devil’s Throat’ and the border between Argentina and Brazil runs through the Devil’s Throat. A boat ride to the base of the falls cost me 200 pesos ($55) and, later, I took the local bus to Iguazu town where one can visit the place known as ‘Hito de las Tres Fronteras’, a point where the borders of three countries, namely, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, converge.

After an overnight trip to Iguazu, I was back to Buenos Aires the following afternoon. There are many historic and cultural attractions in dazzling Buenos Aires where nearly 40% of the country’s 41 million people live. Gran Buenos Aires (Greater Buenos Aires), in terms of population, is a city almost as large as New York or London. However, after a brief orientation, you will find that the compact city centre is accessible and easily explored on foot, by bus, taxi and underground.

In the historic Plaza de Mayo or May Square, the place where Buenos Aires was founded, is located the Pink House (Casa Rosada) which houses the historic balcony from where Evita Peron, made famous by the song ‘Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina’, used to address people. Within easy walking distance is the Cabildo, the colonial city-hall, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the spectacular mausoleum of General San Martin, Argentina’s independence hero.

The older parts of Buenos Aires are most colourful. The area of San Telmo is a neighbourhood of bohemians, artists, antiques shops and cobbled streets and includes Dorrego Square, popular for its weekly antiques market. In the ‘Bar of the Imaginary Characters’, you can see a traditional café much frequented by intellectuals and artists. The neighbourhood of La Boca, with its colourful painted houses, is where a lot of artists open their studios and workshops. Walking along the charming street of Caminito, one can breathe the typical atmosphere of the area with its love for tango and soccer. Tango dancers performing live at street corners in La Boca is a common sight. Tango originated at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires and quickly grew in popularity. Buenos Aires and sensual tango dancing go together and tango’s lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments similar to the accordion-like bandoneón.

The provinces of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) on the southern tip of Argentina, a region also known as Patagonia, have magnificent glacier vistas, some of the finest national parks in South America with photo-worthy opportunities including shimmering turquoise lakes, snow-capped mountain peaks, roaring waterfalls and pristine forests.

I took the two-and-a-half-hours long flight to Calafate, a small town located on the shores of Lake Argentino. From Calafate, there are several conducted day-tours that can easily be arranged. I booked a tour to the Glacier National Park with the Fernandez Campbell Company. After an early morning pickup from the hotel, we drove through sub-Antarctic forest which marks the gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, a World Heritage Site. The park’s centrepiece is the Perito Moreno Glacier which, because of unusually favourable local conditions, is one of the world’s few advancing glaciers. The huge icebergs on the glacier’s 180-ft high face calve and collapse into the Canal de los Témpanos as they advance about 300ft a year. The roar of the gigantic ice wall as it crashes into the surrounding channel is an unforgettable experience. It is possible to stand on a hill with spectacular viewpoints directly opposite the huge imposing wall of ice. Generally the nose of Perito Moreno is characterised by cold wind and highly changeable conditions and you should be prepared with layered warm clothing and a warm hat.

A three-hour (220-km) drive north of Calafate is the village of Chalten built in 1985 to help secure the disputed border with Chile. Also located within the boundaries of Los Glaciares (Glaciers) National Park, Chalten village is well-visited by trekkers and climbers who hike to the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitzroy mountains, both spectacular granite towers.

An hour-long flight south of Calafate is Ushuaia, considered the world’s southernmost city and the take-off point for all tours to the Antarctica. Ushuaia has one of the world’s most dramatic settings—surrounding jagged glacial peaks rise from sea level to nearly 4,500ft. Ushuaia lies on the north shore of the Beagle Channel, just east of the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Since 1950, the town has played host to an important naval base, supporting Argentine claims in Antarctica.

I took a short but scenic steam train ride from Ushuaia to Lapataia Bay in the National Park where you can see the southern end of the Pan-American Highway which starts in Alaska and runs 17,848km all the way through Canada, the USA, Central and South America down to the southern-most tip of the continent. A boat cruise on the Beagle Channel is highly recommended as, in addition to spectacular scenery, you see many species of marine mammals and birds. The Channel is named after the ship on which Charles Darwin sailed here in 1832. The Beagle Channel forms a part of the border between Argentina and Chile.

A country the size of Argentina requires several weeks to tour and, on this first visit, I was able to see only a small part of its attractions. On the three-hour flight back from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, I made plans to come back and visit Bariloche, Mendoza and Trelew, places that my fellow travellers said were some of the most interesting cities in Argentina.

Why Go There:

Occupying the southern half of South America, Argentina is a large country with a huge diversity of natural and cultural attractions. Home of tango, spectacular natural scenery, the western hemisphere’s highest mountain and eight World Heritage Sites, Argentina will not disappoint.

Getting There:

The US as well as European airlines offer connections to Buenos Aires either via US or via Frankfurt, Madrid or London. From almost everywhere, South America is a relatively costly destination, but discount fares can reduce the bite considerably. Contacting a travel agency that specialises in the USA and South America often offers the cheapest fares.

Visas:

Tourist visas are easily available from the Embassy of Argentina in New Delhi. Please visit www.indembarg.org.ar

Where To Stay:

It is strongly recommended that you go through a reputed Argentinian tour operator who will be able to provide you with guides, transportation and hotel bookings in a country where language can be a problem. I made my travel arrangements through a well-established company, Troelsen Travel—
www.troelsentravel.com.ar
___________________________________
SOURCE:
“Argentina: The heart of Latin America”
May 21, 2011
http://moneylife.in
http://moneylife.in/article/argentina-the-heart-of-latin-america/16614.html

1: Machu Picchu, Peru

It’s no wonder Machu Picchu is Peru’s most-visited site. Dating to the mid-1400s, it’s a marvel of mortar-free limestone architecture perched on a high plateau deep in the Amazonian jungle. Get there via train from Cusco or, if you’re not faint-hearted, make the trip on foot via a multi-day hiking trail—you’ll travel through deep Andean gullies and enjoy stunning views.

2: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Whether your curiosity is piqued by the International Olympic Committee’s selection for the 2016 Games, or you’re heeding the call of the famous twin beaches Copacabana and Ipanema, Rio offers more than you can imagine, and offers it at all hours. With breathtaking views from Corcovado Mountain and breathtaking deals in the city’s endless malls and markets, Rio de Janeiro is a vacation paradise, whatever it is you travel for.

3: Buenos Aires, Argentina

The birthplace of the tango is, like the dance itself, captivating, seductive and bustling with excited energy. Atmospheric old neighborhoods are rife with romantic restaurants and thumping nightlife, and Buenos Aires’ European heritage is evident in its architecture, boulevards and parks. Cafe Tortoni, the city’s oldest bar, will transport you back to 1858, and the spectacular Teatro Colon impresses just as it did in 1908. Latin America’s shopping capital offers the promise of premium retail therapy along its grand, wide boulevards.

4: Cusco, Peru

Incan majesty and Andean baroque exist side-by-side in Cusco’s stone streets, epitomized by the Qoriacancha palace and the church of Santo Domingo flanking the Plaza de Armas. In this high-altitude melting pot of Amerindian and mestizo culture, you’ll find extraordinary textiles, lively summer festivals and archeological wonders.

5: Florianopolis, Brazil

Florianopolis was dubbed by Brazilian weekly Veja as “the best place to live in Brazil”, so it’s only natural that tourists would want to check it out, too. And do they ever. Florianopolis is a thriving destination for its perfect beaches, excellent surfing, amazing seafood, and juxtaposition of a modern megacity with 16th-century colonial fortresses and relaxed markets and parks.

6: Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Antigua Guatamala is known as the best-preserved Spanish colonial city in South America. Stroll the cobblestone streets, lounge with the locals in Central Park on sunny afternoons or hike up one of the volcanoes overlooking the city for amazing views.

7: Jericoacoara, Brazil

If you want to step off a plane and be at a mega resort 15 minutes later, Jericoacoara probably isn’t for you. But if you want an unspoiled beach town, and don’t mind bouncing along rough dirt roads for an hour to get there, you might just think it’s paradise. Kitesurfing, windsurfing, Capoeira, and, of course, just lying on the beach are popular activities.

8: Buzios, Brazil

If there’s a “beach economy,” Buzios is its Wall Street. Its more than 20 beaches, world-class galleries, clubs and boutiques draw an elite set of travelers. Surfers love Geriba Beach, snorkelers enjoy Ferruda, hip Ossos Beach offers upscale beachside cafes and laid-back Ilhabela Beach offers a more down-to-earth Buzios experience.

9: Ushuaia, Argentina

The world’s southernmost city is located on the Beagle Channel, between the Martial Range and the end of the world. It is a key access point to skiing at Cerro Castor and Glaciar Martial, wildlife adventures with penguins and orcas in the Beagle Channel, and Tierra del Fuego National Park. Of course, it’s also the port of call nearest Antarctica, and a unique destination for kayaking, sailing or having a drink in a warm hotel bar.

10: Torres del Paine, Chile

Hike the trails of Torres del Paine National Park and see spectacular views of forests, lakes, and glaciers. Whether you choose to stay in a hotel or to rough it at one of the park’s many campsites, you’ll surely have a vacation to remember here

11: Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena, a gorgeous fishing village on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, has excellent beaches, a historic old town (that’s entirely walkable) and beautiful colonial architecture. It’s also one of the safest places in the country, so it’s no wonder it’s a popular port of call for cruise ships. Need a break from exploring the cobblestone streets? Stop at an outdoor cafe for excellent pastries and people-watching.

12: El Calafate, Argentina

Building on its must-visit location, the once-tiny El Calafate has grown quickly to cater to and profit from the visitors to nearby Los Glaciares National Park. Many visit to see such natural wonders as Perito Moreno Glacier, a massive glacier that’s actually composed of many other pieces of shifting ice. Yet travelers will find that El Calafate is much more than merely a gateway to the Patagonian wild—it’s a fun town offering all sorts of outdoor adventures.

13: San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Nipping at the ankles of the Andes, San Carlos, the largest ski area in South America, also offers thrilling boating, trekking, paragliding and climbing. The truly brave at heart can take the plunge into icy Lake Nahuel Huapi, which, even in summer, never rises above a chilling average temperature of 57°F. Beaches like Playa Bonita and Villa Tacul are stunning, but try to avoid the city in July, when the town is inundated by high-school students.

14: Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil

Part of Morro de Sao Paulo’s charm is its mix of upscale, new hotels and restaurants with older, shabbier pousadas and taverns. This car-free and carefree island has just one road and a handful of beaches… it’s a wonderful place to get away from it all.

15: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Looking for an unusual and beautiful landscape? Sandstone canyons, flamingo-dotted salt flats, steaming geysers, hot springs, volcanic peaks and alien-looking rock formations are on offer all around San Pedro de Atacama. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are the preferred means of exploration. Death Valley here is surprisingly great for picnics.

16: Foz do Iguacu, Brazil

Giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, endangered jaguars and clouds of butterflies are among the attractions at this World Heritage-designated park that marks the border between Brazil and Argentina. By foot or by raft, explorers can view one of the world’s most stunning waterfalls, Iguazu Falls. Among the park’s 270 waterfalls, spectacular Devil’s Throat combines 14 falls and generates a “perpetual rainbow” in good weather

17: Salvador, Brazil

Brazil’s former capital is renowned for its African-influenced cuisine, music and architecture. Known as “the Capital of Joy,” because of its exuberant week-long Carnaval celebrations, Salvador brims with contemporary music and art amid architecture that has gone untouched since the 17th century.

18: Punta del Este, Uruguay

Punta del Este is known as the St. Tropez of Uruguay, thanks to its beautiful beaches, upscale resorts and swanky nightclubs. The Vegas-style Conrad Casino adds to the lively entertainment scene. For a break from surf and sand, saddle up with a local gaucho and ride horseback through the wild plains surrounding the city.

19: Porto de Galinhas, Brazil

An hour or two south of Recife, Porto de Galinhas was made for the not-so-extreme tourist. Raves one traveler, “It’s what it doesn’t have that makes it great:” no heavy traffic, no nightlife to speak of. Explore the natural tidal pools that form in the reef, feeding fish that swim all around you; or ride a dune buggy to romantic Muro Alto beach. Or skip all that and doze in a hammock by the warm, green, clear Atlantic.

20: Sao Paulo, Brazil

The largest city in South America, Sao Paulo’s cuisine and art is as multinational as its diverse population of 10 million. With the restaurants of the Jardins district serving every food imaginable to diners from around the world, you wouldn’t be out of place going to Sao Paulo just for the dining. But you’d be missing out on world-class museums, diverse and vibrant neighborhood tours, and crazy-good shopping.

21: Bogota, Colombia

Ten million people call vibrant, passionate, sprawling Bogota home. The energy of this metropolitan heart of Colombia is in part fueled by its hundreds of eclectic and authentic dining hot spots, fantastic wines, and frequent foodie festivals. Ask the locals where they like to eat, then walk off your empanadas and aji with a stroll through the historic district of La Candelaria or during an indulgent shopping adventure on the North Side.

22: Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Tamarindo is a prime spot for surfing and sportfishing, diving and sunning. Nesting leatherback turtles do their thing along the beaches from October to May and, for some nesting of your own, gorgeous beach houses, B&Bs and luxury hotels line the sunny sands. Shopping and dining options are superb and plentiful, perfect for sampling the true flavors of Costa Rica.

23: Santiago, Chile

Santiago is one of those metropolitan joys where the more you look, the more you find. Funky cafes and dance clubs dot Bellavista, Forest Park art collections range from pre-Columbian to contemporary, and architecture runs the gamut from the 16th-century San Francisco Church to mirrored office towers. Shop with the locals at Mall Panora¡mico and give your palate meals to remember with hearty Chilean fare.

24: Uyuni, Bolivia

Most travelers come to Uyuni to visit some of the world’s most unusual terrain—the Salar de Uyuni. This is the world’s largest salt flat, and you’ll want to bring a camera for surreal photos of salt-encrusted ground, geysers, and multicolored lakes.

25: San Pedro, Belize

San Pedro is “La Isla Bonita” that Madonna made famous. Now it’s a tourist mecca, but still boasts great beaches and plenty of dive shops so you can enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. Plan a side trip to Caye Caulker while you’re here; it is less developed and more laid back, and has its own splendid swimming areas.
________________________________
SOURCE:
“Top 25 Destinations in Central & South America”
http://www.tripadvisor.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations-g291958-cTop25-Central_America.html

You won’t find this information front and center in your Antarctic tour company’s brochure: Even if perfect weather enables all of the scheduled shore excursions, you will still spend 90 percent of your trip on board the ship in a confined space with a bunch of complete strangers.

It’s got the makings of a season of “The Real World.” Fortunately, your fellow humans can be a highlight of your Antarctic adventure. I traveled on the first sailing of the 2010-11 Antarctic travel season (which runs from early November through May) aboard the M/V Antarctic Dream and was surprised to discover that my shipmates were not the well-heeled-but-dull older travelers I’d expected based on the fact that these trips are pricey and sometimes involve the word “cruise.”

Stacey Richman brought a snow cone machine to Antarctica.
Eric Mohl, Special to the Star Tribune

Views like this compel people to travel to Antarctica.
Eric Mohl, Special to the Star Tribune

I shouldn’t have been surprised. Antarctic tour companies are reporting a trend toward younger passengers. Nadia Antetomaso, a guide with GAP Adventures, says the company has noticed the shift over the past few years. Some of that is driven by price — GAP Adventures and Antarctic Dream trips tend toward the more economical end of the Antarctic travel spectrum, which typically ranges from $3,500 to $16,000 per person for 11- to 35-day trips.

Whatever the reason, many of the passengers on my sailing were in their mid-40s or younger and most of them were hilarious companions. First, we survived the Drake Passage together. Then the real fun began.

Drake Passage drama

“We could lose the ship in seconds.”

That was our distractingly dapper captain’s totally honest answer when asked what the worst-case scenario is when sailing among icebergs and crossing the Drake Passage.

Things do go wrong in the Drake Passage — which must be crossed in the first and last few days of all Antarctica tours to and from Ushuaia, Argentina (the main port). That’s because the Drake Passage is the spot where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans literally crash into each other, resulting in some of the roughest seas on the planet.

In early December 2010 the Clelia II lost an engine in the Drake with 165 people aboard and spent days being tossed around by 30-foot waves before the ship was repaired and able to continue on to Ushuaia.

Thankfully, the most dangerous things passengers on the M/V Antarctic Dream encountered during my journey through the Drake were the increasingly askew hairdos of passengers who had been confined to bed either by seasickness or by the drowsy side effects of seasickness medication. Trying to determine how many hours fellow passengers had spent in bed based on the state of their hair served as a great icebreaker, so to speak.

The penguin chicks

Two 30-something women, Hannele Luukkainen from Finland and Helen Joannidi from the United Kingdom, were riding along only as far as Port Lockroy. The British-run former research station has a small museum, gift shop and one of the most remote post offices in the world, and it serves as a shore excursion that most Antarctic tour operators make.

We would leave Hannele and Helen at Port Lockroy to begin their five-month volunteer stint during which, they explained with equal measures of excitement and trepidation, they would live in a dorm with two other volunteers, use an outhouse (no shower), help run the gift shop and count penguins as part of ongoing research into the effect of tourism on the animals’ behavior.

My emerging clique of passengers immediately dubbed them “the penguin chicks.”

Handing out nicknames became something of a ritual on board but one passenger came pre-nicknamed. “The Glen,” a 28-year-old long-term traveler from Australia, may have had a short name but he was full of big surprises during our shore excursion to Deception Island.

The island was formed when a caldera flooded and heat from the still-active volcano, we were told, now warms the waters around the island, making a quick dip possible.

We all optimistically packed our swimsuits before we scrambled into Zodiac boats and headed for Deception Island to explore its abandoned whaling station and small cemetery. In the end, though, the Glen was one of only four brave souls who took the plunge — and the only one who did it without a swimsuit.

Before we knew it, the Glen was naked and bounding into the not even vaguely warm water. A huge tattoo of the Antarctic continent was plainly visible in the middle of his bare back as he sprinted gingerly into the water.

Snow-cone treats

At first glance Stacey Richman, a defense attorney from New York City, might seem like the kind of traveler I was expecting to find on an Antarctic cruise. Then she opened her luggage and revealed an unexpected traveling companion. On a whim she’d brought a hand-cranked Snoopy snow cone machine featuring America’s favorite cartoon dog snowboarding across a plastic mini-Matterhorn. She planned to use it to turn some of that 1,000-year-old glacial ice into delicious frozen treats.
_______________________________________________
SOURCE:
“Icebreakers in Antarctica”
By KAREN CATCHPOLE, Special to the Star Tribune
Last update: January 30, 2011
http://www.startribune.com
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/travel/114740509.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvDEhiaE3miUsZ

Sunita Puri, a doctor at the MedCare clinic on Madison Boulevard, visited the Earth’s southern most continent in December 2010.

It was incredible,” Puri said. “I’m planning to go again.”

Puri took a 12-day cruise to Antarctica that departed from Ushuaia, Argentina.

She said visiting Antarctica was something she had always wanted to do.

“It was something different, something adventurous,” Puri said.

There were only 89 other passengers onboard because Antarctica only allows small ships, according to Puri.

“That’s how it stays so pristine,” Puri said.

Puri experienced the landscape firsthand through land excursions. The cruise ship anchored twice a day for three to four hours so passengers could travel on land via smaller motorized boats called zodiacs.

She said her favorite part of these excursions was seeing the wildlife, especially the penguins.

While onboard the ship, Puri attended lectures on the environment, glaciers, whales, climate change and birds.

She said her favorite thing she saw while in Antarctica was the glaciers.

“Standing by a glacier was an incredible experience,” Puri said.

She said she was joined on her adventure by people of all nationalities and ages, as passengers on the cruise ranged from 14 to 85.

“Age has nothing to do with it,” Puri said.

Puri described the continent as “paradise on Earth.”

“I’m planning to go back,” Puri said.

Scroll down to read Puri’s first-hand account of her trip.

PARADISE ON EARTH, BY DR. SUNITA PURI

There is something very special, almost spiritual about Antarctica. I could not escape the “little voice.” The world’s largest ice mass can be found in Antarctica. Ice covers 99 percent of the landmass except some rocky coastal area and tallest mountain peaks. It is quite magical to get close to the icebergs, especially when the sun is shining and glistening on the ice water like millions of sparkling diamonds.

I was standing on the deck of the ship at 1 a.m., gazing at the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula in the golden glow of the midnight sun. The scenery was so impressive that I stared with stunned silence. There was nothing to say. Is it not amazing what God can do with his color palate? God started painting the sky again with different shades of color at 3 a.m. sunrise. Yes, there were 22 hours of sunshine in Antarctica. It was summer in Antarctica. The weather is very unpredictable. It is very windy at times.

Antarctica is not as difficult to reach as it sounds. The incredible journey begins and ends in the southernmost city at the bottom of the world, Ushuaia, Argentina. Ushuaia nestles between the dramatic summits of the Andres and the Beagle channel. The Drake Passage is a filter of 600 miles of famously rough water called “Drake shakes.” It separates South America from Argentina. It is one of the reasons Antarctica remains such a pristine place. Ten to 30 feet water waves are common in the Drake Passage, but when I saw the glaciers I forgot about the rough water!

Antarctica is the fifth largest of the seven continents. It is a land of snow-capped mountains, dramatic rock formations, ice fjords and floating giant icebergs. Ice cliffs, ice shelves, ice sheets, glaciers, pancake ice and packed ice dominate the scenery. Pancake ice looks like lily pads, which become curled at the edge as they collide with each other. Extensive brash ice and growlers reflect their amazing colors on the water.

In the winter, sea ice freezes. When the temperature warms in the spring, ice breaks off and the pieces begin to move with wind. Most of an iceberg is under the water. There exist cathedrals of ice that are charged with mystical blue lights, which seem like an “out of earth” experience. There is an international agreement that protects the entire continent of Antarctica. Antarctica is a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. It is politically neutral.

Every cruise ship to Antarctica carries a fleet of zodiac crafts, which are sturdy and inflatable. They are hulled, and are used to reach inaccessible wildlife and scientific sites. Initially, getting in and out of a zodiac with cameras becomes an often hilarious attempt at stepping ashore. Then it becomes second nature.

The most famous inhabitant of Antarctica is the penguin. These birds do not fly; however, they are superb swimmers that move with ease and grace. They breed on the land or ice surface along the coast and islands. Penguins incubate eggs in a nest of pebbles, just out of pecking range of each other. During spring, baby chicks are born and thousands of them are seen everywhere. I was sitting on a rock at Neko Harbor Island and three seals were sleeping peacefully on the ice. Beyond them across the impressive blue water was a colossal glacier cracking and caving in the sunshine. Two whales cruised by in the open water; their distinctive blows clearly visible to the naked eye. Behind me was a vertical mountain of weakened rocks, which provided a home and nesting place for countless birds. Hundreds of penguins on the nearby beach and rocks were enjoying playing in the water; they are not afraid of human presence. Seals were floating on ice slabs. They were watching us with their brown eyes as curiously as we were watching then. It was breathtaking.

In Antarctica there are so many places like this. It is the wildlife and scenery that explain the white continent’s allure. A penguin tried to clamber up my snow boots. I cruised among the icebergs bluer than sky. I watched humpback whales so close that I could identify them by the shape and color of the tail. I photographed a seal sliding off a chunk of ice, swimming menacingly towards a zodiac before disappearing in the blue water behind us. Three whales surfaced and put on a good show for more than 30 minutes.

I truly experienced a “paradise on earth.” Traveling to Antarctica is something that “grabs” you. It is a spiritual adventure. You can barely comprehend the power and beauty of nature that makes Antarctica so addictive.
__________________________________________
SOURCE:
“Local resident visits Antarctica”
January 26, 2011
By Laura Vaughn
http://www.madisoncountyrecord.com
http://www.madisoncountyrecord.com/2011/01/26/local-resident-visits-antartica/

What began as a endurance challenge, soon became a mission challenge. Why? Because we believe significant causes deserve significant efforts. And one way to raise awareness for great causes is through our actions. So we have decided to accept the challenge; six riders, six motorcycles, through 15 countries covering over 10,000 miles.

Our mission is to gather sponsors who agree that we can all make a difference in the lives of people around the world who are served by the great causes listed below. By making a contribution you are providing motivation to the riders to accomplish this goal. (All six riders are paying their own expenses as well as making individual contributions, in addition to to raising additional funds.)

Your gift is tax deductible. Will you join us in making a difference? For further information contact info@mileswithamission.org.

The Gresham Leadership Grant

The Gresham Leadership Grant is a scholarship program available for students with the objective and purpose of encouraging outstanding young leaders to excel in education and spiritual development.

The scholarship program is named for Dr. Loren and Linda Gresham, for their lifetime of selfless commitment in service to Christian education. Nothing could be closer to the hearts of the Gresham’s or to the mission of the university they served, Southern Nazarene University, located just outside of Oklahoma City in Bethany, Oklahoma.

This grant is highly selective and initially awarded in amounts from $2,500-$5,000, to high school seniors who have clearly demonstrated leadership in their community, church, and school – plus exemplary character in all aspects of their lives. Although academic performance is considered, it is not the sole selection criterion for awarding the grant.

For further information regarding the Gresham Leadership Grant contact Tony Griffin at tgriffin@snu.edu.

Brazil Nazarene College

Brazil Nazarene University is a liberal arts college serving students in Brazil and much of South America. By providing leadership development in a Christian environment, BNC is investing in the future of Christian leaders serving worldwide.

BNC enjoys a partnership with 56 other colleges, universities, and seminaries in over 40 countries, across six continents offering an exchange of students and studies worldwide. Over 75% of BNC’s faculty carry the distinction of doctorate and/or masters degrees.

BNC provides undergraduate courses that aim to provide expertise in scientific, technical, social and economic fields including its management as a whole. The leadership tract includes observed levels of incremental decision-making, and the development of senior management adaptability in dealing with contextualized situations either present or emerging in the various segments of the administration.

For further information regarding Brazil Nazarene College contact Steve at shofferbert@fnb.com.br.

Heart to Heart International

Heart to Heart International is recognized as one of the leading humanitarian organization in America. In recent months, national key industry groups like Chronicle of Philanthropy, Cone Report, and Forbes Magazines’ “Effective charities in America” have heaped praise on their efficiencies and charitable commitment.

From it’s core missional objectives flow professional volunteers who fulfill the organizational mission of improving health, helping people in crisis, distributing medical aid, and strengthening communities.

Heart to Heart believes in a world in which every person has access to a healthy life and every community has the capacity to make that access a reality.

For further information regarding Heart to Heart International please contact info@hearttoheart.org or visit www.hearttoheart.org/contact.

The Cause & Calling Initiative

The Cause & Calling Initiative partners with other not-for-profits and missional organizations in creating global partnerships for developing digital publishing resources. The initiative focuses primarily on leadership development and materials for pastors worldwide.

Many non-proft organizations face significant challenges in harnessing the power of online and digital technology for distributing much needed resources globally. The Cause & Calling Initiative seeks to identify specific needs and respond accordingly by putting materials in the hands of those who need it most and whereby they may do the most good.

For further information regarding the Cause & Calling Initiative contact info@causeandcalling.org.
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SOURCE:
http://www.mileswithamission.org

The vehicle, dubbed the SRZero, is the result of a project of 10 engineering students at London’s Imperial College, though only five of them took part in the adventure that took them on a 26,000-kilometer (16,000-mile) drive, Briton Andy Hadland told Efe Tuesday after the expedition was over.

The five adventurers – Hadland, three Germans and a Dutchman – covered an average of 290 kilometers (180 miles) a day on the journey from Fairbanks, Alaska, where they set out on July 4, all the way to the southern Argentine city of Ushuaia, where they arrived on Nov. 16.

The SRZero in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The university students turned a gasoline-fueled convertible sports car into an electric model with more than 400 horsepower, capable of speeds up to 200 kph (124 mph) with a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) a day.

The vehicle is fitted with two electric motors driven by the electric energy generated by lithium iron phosphate batteries.

The batteries take some eight hours to charge and have 97 percent efficiency, much greater than that of ordinary cars, which is around 20 percent, Hadland said.

“Our goal was to change the perception that people have of electric cars and show that they’re not slow and boring but can be more efficient than gasoline-driven cars,” Hadland said, standing by the car that is being exhibited Tuesday in downtown Buenos Aires, and which in the next few days will be on a boat back to Britain.

The project also sought to whet young people’s appetites for studying science and the practical applications of engineering, the Briton said, going on to tell what a “fantastic experience” the trip was.

The adventurers experienced all kinds of contretemps on the long drive including blocked highways, big storms, traffic accidents and technical problems.

“The going was pretty easy through Fairbanks, Vancouver, San Francisco and Austin, until we got to Mexico City, where we had all kinds of problems on the highways and were pretty scared,” the Dutchman Alex Scheui said.

In Central America they “met the challenge” of driving through torrential rains and began to think “seriously” that they would never accomplish their goal.

After crossing Colombia without incident, bad luck pounced again in Ecuador, where they had a bad accident that forced them off the road for a week to fix the electric car’s front end and suspension.

From there they continued on through Peru and Chile and entered Argentina through Bariloche, from where they headed down to Ushuaia, some 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) south of Buenos Aires.

The members of the expedition took turns driving the two-seater during the 11 hours a day they were on the road, and at all times were accompanied by an assistance vehicle in which the other travelers rode along with a substitute driver, Colombia racer Cristian Moreno.

From the remotest places they “sent the world the message that alternative energy and dreams are both possible,” a euphoric Moreno said.
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FUENTE:
“Alaska-Argentina trip shows “green” cars’ efficiency”
November 23, 2010
http://latino.foxnews.com
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2010/11/23/alaska-argentina-trip-shows-green-cars-efficiency

Those who wish to observe the tuxedo-feathered creatures collecting stones must travel a great distance themselves. From Europe it is tens of thousands of kilometres to Antarctica, the planet’s coldest and least-developed continent, one whose surface is covered up to 98 per cent by ice. In contrast to the Arctic region, Antarctica does have firm ground beneath the ice – and tiny stones.

From Europe, the journey means a roughly 14-hour flight to Buenos Aires, and from there, another four hours to Tierra del Fuego. Ushuaia is the main port of departure for ship expeditions and cruise ships. About 35 ships travel during the southern hemisphere’s summer from Ushuaia to Antarctica.

The voyages usually range between 13 and 22 days. But this hardly means that the tourists must spend so much time among the eternal ice. After the departure from Ushuaia, the Beagle Canal and then Drake Passage, must be navigated.

The latter, even in the most comfortable of the modern ships, is not the easiest route. Even with the use of anti-sea sickness medications, the dining room of the ship is only half-filled at mealtime. Outside, gale-force winds are whipping up the waves.

The shaky voyage through the heaving seas takes nearly three days. Then the waters are calmer and the first icebergs come into view.

In majestic grandeur, the huge slabs of ice are floating in the deep blue waters. And the closer one approaches these floating islands, more and more tiny black dots appear: penguins.

Those who asked themselves why they bothered during the difficult ride through Drake Passage, now see why they made this journey after all, especially when they spot their first colony of penguins.

One might just smell the odour of the nesting grounds from miles away. The birds themselves often are dirty. But they are also charming to their mates, industrious in building their nests of stones, comical in the way they move about, and elegant once they are swimming in the water.

The first chance to meet the penguins comes on the South Shetland Islands. Half Moon Island is inhabited by a large colony of penguins. From far away one can see the ‘penguin highways’ – the paths which they have tramped in the snow between their nests and the sea.

Visitors land on the island via inflatable boats. And then, standing and facing the birds, they learn something right away: penguins are not fearful creatures. Unperturbed, they waddle along their paths and sit in their nests – no matter how close the humans may approach.

Every visitor has been instructed to keep a distance of at least five metres. But many forget this, so charmed they are by the penguins. ‘Here are two chicks in the nest!’ exclaims a visitor, forgetting the rules and edging closer and closer.

The accompanying crew members don’t think this is funny and quickly command the overzealous visitors to back a distance away from the nests.

Many vessels which offer expedition trips in the Antarctic region have scientists on board, and they adhere to the regulations of IAATO, the association of Antarctic travel organizations. Among the rules is that a bay can only be visited for a maximum of four hours and that no more than 100 people at a time may go on land. Smoking and eating is prohibited. And nothing may be left behind on the ice.

At Port Lockroy, one stops worrying about whether the penguins feel disturbed. In fact, they build their nests virtually right up to the steps leading to the old British naval station. During World War II the British had set up the station together with another one on Deception Island in order to keep tabs on shipping movements.

In 1996 the British Antarctic Heritage Trust renovated Port Lockroy. Since then there has been a museum, a post office and a souvenir shop. Visitors can even have a penguin seal stamped in their passports.

A further highlight of the trip is the passage through the Lemaire channel. At points narrowing down to 1.6 kilometres, the channel was first sighted in 1873, with the first passage through in 1898. When the sun is shining the slopes of the Antarctic peninsula and of Booth Island are reflected in the 11-kilometre-long channel, in which countless icebergs are drifting.

At the end of the cruise visitors have become something of an expert on penguins. They have learned that penguins do not need to fear any animals of prey on land, but certainly must watch out for leopard seals, toothed whales, skuas and petrels. And that most of the penguins have a passion for stones. So it is a good rule that visitors may take nothing back with them. Not even pebbles.
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SOURCE:
“Penguins are the stars of any cruise to Antarctica”
By Hilke Segbers Sep 16, 2010
Travel Features
http://www.monstersandcritics.com
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/travel/features/article_1584927.php/Penguins-are-the-stars-of-any-cruise-to-Antarctica

Crown Cruise Collection highly recommends this sailing for Oceania Cruises aficionados and is offering spectacular savings along with complimentary travel insurance and $250 per cabin shipboard credit. With air included from the major gateways, a category B2 balcony stateroom is $8099, which includes all port charges and taxes. Regular price would be $40,396, so it is well over 75% savings for a cruise that is inclusive of all dining, including specialty restaurants, and soft drinks. Canyon Ranch Spa services are available onboard at additional costs. Brazilian visa is required.

This 22-day cruise departs Rio de Janeiro on January 14, 2011, and touches on Antarctica in addition to a collection of mesmerizing cities and unpopulated lands where nature reigns in all its glory. Bright lights and big cities capture the imagination initially, as you venture into enterprising São Paulo and bountifully beautiful Buenos Aires, where you might tour the pink Presidential Palace or the colorful La Boca neighborhood. Then Insignia eases south into the Falkland Islands, a remote British territory that is a sanctuary for endangered wildlife.

The landscape becomes even more stunning as you cruise past the unspoiled South Shetland Islands and into starkly majestic Antarctica, a rare opportunity to gaze upon ancient glaciers and perhaps see Gentoo penguins. Rounding the tip of South America, the equally gorgeous Chilean Fjords take center stage for two awe-inspiring days. The beauty inland is easily accessible from destinations such as Puerto Montt in Chile’s southern Lake District.

All of this and more can be found on Oceania Cruises Insignia

22-day South America voyage, departing from Rio de Janeiro to Valparaiso onboard the ship Insignia.

Ports of call include:
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Santos (Sao Paulo), Brazil
- Montevideo, Uruguay
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Punta del Este, Uruguay
- Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
- Ushuaia, Argentina
- Punta Arenas, Chile
- Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
- Puerto Montt, Chile
- Valparaiso (Santiago), Chile

Oceania Cruises appeals to discerning sophisticated travelers in search of world-class cuisine, unparalleled personal service, and an enriching, in-depth, destination-oriented experience. Elegant and mid-size, you’ll find the onboard atmosphere is extremely convivial, and with more than 400 staff members at your disposal, you will experience a level of personalized service that is unrivaled. Dining is open, with country club casual ambience. No formal wear or suits required.

About Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, underlying the South Pole. It is situated in the Antarctic region of the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.0 million km2 (5.4 million sq mi), it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mi) in thickness.

Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Antarctica is considered a desert, with annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland. There are no permanent human residents but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, seals, nematodes, Tardigrades, mites, many types of algae and other microorganisms, and tundra vegetation.

Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis (“Southern Land”) date back to antiquity, the first confirmed sighting of the continent is commonly accepted to have occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Mikhail Lazarev and Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen. The continent, however, remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of resources, and isolation. The first formal use of the name “Antarctica” as a continental name in the 1890s is attributed to the Scottish cartographer John George Bartholomew. The name Antarctica is the romanized version of the Greek compound word “antarktiké”, feminine of “antarktikos”, meaning “opposite to the north”.

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by twelve countries; to date, forty-six countries have signed the treaty. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, supports scientific research, and protects the continent’s ecozone. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities and with various research interests.

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SOURCES:

“Destination Antarctica: A Rare Combination for Oceania Cruises Aficionados”
Friday, 4 June 2010
Travel Blackboard
http://www.etravelblackboard.com
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=105224&nav=5

“Antarctica”
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica

Travelling across Patagonia takes approximately 4,500km from Cordo­ba to Ushuaia. The whole Patagonia journey took the 14-member team around two weeks to complete.

The journey was full of sights and sounds, colour, flavour, texture, taste and excitement. There is really too much to describe, but here is a rough sketch of the journey the team un­dertook as part of a quest to find the ultimate adventure.

Patagonia is a region on the south­ern most part of South America. Some named Patagonia as “Home of the Gods” and “Foot of the Gods”. It is

comprised of the southernmost part of the Andes mountains that is located in Argentina and Chile.

The team started their journey from Buenos Aires, the Argentinian capital, to Cordoba, the second largest city of

Argentina. From Cordoba, we headed south to the best wine-producing area in the region – Mendoza.

Mendoza is famous for producing Malbec wine, using a variety of purple grapes in the process. Malbec wine is

very popular in Argentina and Chile. One notable change in scenery in the Mendoza region was the hazy condi­tion of the landscape. We were told that it was due to the natural moisture from the ground. Perhaps the same moisture needed to grow the excellent purple grapes.

Then, we experienced a view of the famous pampas on the way to Malar­gue. The journey continued through Neuquen and Rio Grande before we camped at the beautiful Lake Alumine. Though it was summer (this is the Southern Hemisphere), it was freezing after sunset. The nights were as cold as 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. In the morning, a thin layer of frost melted with beautiful sunrise overlooking the lake.

From there, we started to enter the re­gion with many famous lakes. One town in particular with a great lake view is San Martin. As we passed that, we reached another beautiful town with a gorgeous lake view – Bariloche. There, we went to the Bariloche mountain to enjoy the full view of Bariloche town. Unexpect­edly, it snowed during our visit.

After staying for two nights at Bariloche, we went to Los Antiguos through Esquel. In Los Antiguos, we had our second camp near the lake. Much can be said about camping in the Argen­tinian countryside. The excellent pan­oramic view itself is better than staying at any hotel.

In Gregores, we had a stay over at a private ranch, to experience living like the Argentine in the Patagonia regions. We had traditional roast lamb and also marvelous sausages with bread and ol­ive oil. In the ranch, some of us took a horse ride overseeing the wild ducks and also the sheep in the farm. The ex­perience was spectacular.

We thought the best was over, but we were wrong. We reached El Calafate next, a town named after the famous Ar­gentine black berry.

El Calafate is the home of the famous Perito Moreno glacier. Named after the 19th century explorer Francisco Moreno, Perito Moreno spans 250 square km.

It is the largest glacier in the region and one of the most important tourist attractions in Patagonia. We spent a full day admiring the Perito Moreno Gla­cier at the Perito Moreno National Park by cruise and also by driving up to the mountain. Many tourists from around the world gathered here to see the natu­ral wonder.

After enjoying that, we travelled fur­ther south to Rio Gallegos. The first im­pression of Rio Gallegos was that the town was very windy! It was really quite

hard to walk around, and dust was flying everywhere.

We then went to the Tierra Del Fuego region of Argentina. Our destination point will be the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. However, in order to reach Ushuaia, we must enter Chile and take a ferry across the Strait of Magallen and exit Chile to re-enter Argentina.

As we were travelling on our Ma­laysian cars, entering Chile was quite troublesome with the paperwork and other hassles. Most of them don’t really speak English but thankfully our guide Booby translated nicely for us. If you’re travelling in Argentina, a good guide is a must.

Upon arriving at the Strait of Magal­len, we could see the long queue of trucks and trailers waiting to board the ferry. Surprisingly, we spotted a group of Commerson’s dolphins in the straits.

Next, we reached Paso Garibaldi, lo­cated near the sharp peaks of the Sierra Valdivieso and Sierra Alvear. Some say this is the end of the Andes mountains and the Patagonia.

Lastly, we reached our final destina­tion of the Patagonia adventure, Ushua­ia. Ushuaia has a population of 100,000 residents and it is also the nearest port to Antarctica. Ushuaia is also famous for its fresh king crabs.

Many restaurants pro­vide dishes serving king crabs or dishes using the seafood as an ingredient. Not forgetting the dolphin island near El Ha­berton, the infamous light house and also “the end of the world” train ride.

Even though it’s summer, the weather in Ushuaia was very cold. The temperature averaged 10 to 15 degrees Celsius daily, with the warmest days

reaching 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.

The whole Patagonia adventure took us around two weeks. Driving along Route 40 was the biggest challenge and we always kept extra petrol in our spare tanks. We helped stranded motorists

along the way as well. We passed plains with dirt, mountains with snow (they have snow all year long), vine­yards, volcanic dust, amazing lakes and breathtaking landscapes. Not forget­ting the many friendly Argentines and also Chileans who helped us along the way. We attracted the immediate at­tention of the locals as we were driving cars from Malaysia in their country.

I stayed in Ushuaia for nine days be­fore going back to Buenos Aires. After celebrating my Chinese New Year and spending a good 29 days in Argentina, I came back home. It was truly an amaz­ing experience. However, the team is not done yet with South America.

4×4 World Explorer are veterans in organising long distance 4×4 expedition-styled

adventure vacations. Since 1992 they have covered the continents of Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas. The spirit of adventure is their driving force. Do check out their website at 4x4WorldExlorer.com for their latest South America expedition.

The group might be planning to re­turn to South America in June for a full trip. They left their cars there, so they are definitely going back!
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SOURCE:
“Stepping into the Home of the Gods”
By Wilson Ng
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Wilson Ng is a part time blogger who loves to travel, looking for good food and spending time with his family. Do check out his adventures as well as food reviews at his website
www.Plac­esAndFoods.com
Malay Mail Online
http://www.mmail.com.my
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/35418-stepping-home-gods

What a welcome to Southern Patagonia and what a sublime moment. And you birders, listen up. The second day, our small group of adventures saw a flock of condors on the ground, more than 10 of them, while more swooped down for the condor caucus. Even our guide went mad over the rarity of it.

Southern Patagonia is a magical place at the far tip of South America. If you place your thumbnail on a map at the very southern end of South America, that’s Southern Patagonia — a region so remote that the next stop south is Antarctica across the Drake Passage. The countries of Chile and Argentina split the region: Chile to the west and Argentina to the east. And that’s another story.

Guanaco, a deer-like animal with large, beautiful eyes, in Chile.

I was on my way south from the small town of Calafate (pop. 8,000, 46° F) on Lago (lake) Argentino to the Parque Nacional de Glaciares, a World Heritage site of about 1.8 million acres that includes its monster glacier, the Perito Merino. Further north is Mount Fitz Roy, famous among climbers.

The drive through the Argentine pampas, or steppes, was so desolate it made the landscape between Mandan and Richardton look like the Garden of Eden, but all bets were off entering the park.

Andean mountains, lush with Lenga forests, framed the almost-impossible-to-describe enormous glacier. You get a sense of its size and power when you climb the 600 steps to see a small part of the top.

The Southern Patagonia Ice Field is the third largest in the world after Antarctica and Greenland. Glaciers are formed only by snow that loses its bubbles and compacts into a solid mass. No seawater. The luminous blue one sees in the ice is created when light passes through many ice layers, shedding the colors red and yellow on its journey.

Southern Patagonia glaciers have a great importance to global climate change: Of its multitude of glaciers, only three are not retreating: the Perito Merino, Spegazzini and Pio XL. The most important glaciers are: Upsala, Agassiz, Onelli, Spegazzini, Perito Merino and the Grey. You may be hearing more about them in the future.

In the Tierra del Fuego, the huge Pia glacier seriously retreated between 2000 and 2007, forming a larger lake, and the Marinelli glacier in Ainsworth Bay in the midst of the Darwin Range receded more than 8 miles since about 1945. In 1928, it was an immense ice field; in 2004, a lake.

A 2003 study by the U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory found that Chilean and Argentine glaciers were melting so fast they contributed to a sea level rise around .04 mm/year between 1975 and 2000. Data from the 2000 space shuttle along with data from 63 studied Patagonia glaciers found an accelerated ice loss of about .2 mm/year between 1995 and 2000.

On a less serious note, what would the pampas be without gauchos? They’re here and real and work hard — their version of our cowboys. In Chile, gauchos are called shepherds and that’s where we met Hector with his dogs herding flocks of sheep and cattle on a 17,000-acre estancia (ranch) after we crossed from Argentina into Chile. Nothing is small here.

You also might encounter wild animals: the Patagonian puma — the major predator, larger than America’s but less aggressive — still can kill nightly 15-20 sheep, guanaco (deer-like with large beautiful eyes), rheas (a kind of ostrich), red fox, Chilean huemul (the rare endangered animal that looks something like a cross between a deer and a horse with horns) and too many birds.

Dogs (the most dangerous), pigs, horses and cows also run wild. Cows? Wildlife just got infinitely richer as we entered Torres del Paine and the Paine Massif, an eastern spur of the Andes, a virtual cathedral of frosted spires.

In Torres del Paine, the paved road gave way to gravel but also to spectacular glacial waterfalls, forests, lakes and the Grey, Dickson and Tyndall glaciers.

Overnighting at Lago Grey and its imposing glacier, I crossed a narrow suspension bridge over the Rio Pingo (love the name) to walk the lake’s beach and wallow in its beauty — and sun! But what fisherpeople might love most in the park is the Serrano River. The average salmon caught in the Serrano is 35 pounds; the record is 70.

It took forever to get out of the park over rough roads but what a reward — mouth watering, perfectly grilled salmon from the river at a Ma and Pa Kettle kind of restaurant and store with a master chef.

Later on the Chilean steppes, we collapsed at Rio Reubens (another great name) for beer and tea before getting to the Estancia Rio Verde for the night.

You can have your Four Seasons and Ritz Carltons, but I’ll take this rustic estancia any day. El Patron, who presides over its 49,000 acres, greeted us with buoyant charm, great food and great Chilean wines.

Although it’s on an open Pacific bay with icy wind blasting away, the huge stone fireplaces ablaze and ready to grill meat made everything perfect.

Although Punta Arenas (pop. 133,000), cold wind included, is a dream come true, more so is a small ship voyage south of there to the wild Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn.

I can hardly say the words without visceral joy. Punta Arenas on the Last Hope Sound, with its bright yellow port buildings and blue roofs overlooking the Straits of Magellan, was a strategic port before the Panama Canal was built. To avoid rounding Cape Horn, ships used the Magellan Straits, though not easy, to get from one ocean to the other.

Tierra del Fuego is where the real wilderness and my excitement begins. The names of Darwin, Beagle, Fitz Roy (Captain of the HMS Beagle) and Magellan are everywhere. Ferdinand Magellan — now there’s a brave man — in 1520 sailed his ship, the Santiago, 373 miles through the straits that bear his name, ending in a new sea he called the Mar Pacifico.

The Magellanic Forest at Ainsworth Bay is truly enchanted — a tapestry of unearthly greens, shapes, waterfalls, rock faces, lush mosses and happy flowers — so pristine you wanted to keep it in a genie’s bottle forever, the wet, mud and all. Back at the beach, the other reality wasn’t too bad. We were served hot chocolate and Johnny Walker scotch before lurching into our zodiacs. Bliss.

Nearing Cape Horn, dawn broke through a thick blackness. Feeling the swells at night, I thought there was no way we could land. About 6:30 a.m., the captain announced the wind and water were too treacherous to get ashore safely. So we had to forego the 160 vertical steps to the top of the Cape. Wind was blowing 40 knots, gusting to 60. We did get close enough to see the home, lighthouse (southernmost in the world), red helicopter, radio tower and albatross monument.

A couple with their two children live at the top for a two-year term. There’s even a small shop. Steps or not, it was a disappointment not to land. I’m sure the couple was disappointed as well. You don’t just drop in.

From Cape Horn, we sailed up the Murray Channel to Wulaia Bay on Navarino Island, site of a long-ago-abandoned tiny naval station and a sacred island to the Yamana aborigines.

A word about the aborigines south of the Magellan Straits: there are few survivors of the Yamana, less than 100. Among the earliest inhabitants were the Aonikenk people, now extinct. They were nomads, hunters and gatherers, and called the giants. Large footprints, bones and fossils give evidence of this. I asked, what does giant mean for height? I was told 6 feet. But imagine — extinct, like an animal.

We left for Ushuaia, one of my favorite cities, the world’s most southern city (pop. 50,000), and into Argentina.

Time to explore, meet some locals, shop and fall asleep over my king crab dinner and Cape Horn Pale Ale at Cantina de Freddy. A glorious end.
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SOURCE:
“Southern Patagonia: A magical place”
By CAROL M. RUSSELL
Citizen Travel Writer
Sunday, April 11
http://www.bismarcktribune.com
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/article_a584cfc4-4421-11df-b264-001cc4c002e0.html