Windswept El Calafate
ARGENTINA | Thursday, 3 January 2008 | Views [1986]
The town of El Calafate lies on the banks of icy blue glacial fed Lago Argentino. As we've headed south in Argentina, the conditions get more and ore windy, and the landscape more rugged and desolate. The simmering, brilliant blue/aqua marine rivers and lakes are stunning, amidst the arid land. Snow capped mountains surround the town, which is a frosty winter destination and built around adventure sports and ice trekking, the town fully equipped to support the tourist with it's main street shops. The shops are loaded with sporting goods, artesian handicrafts, leather products, mate mugs and cafes/restaurants. We're staying up on a very windy hill at a hostal we were reassigned to because our first choice, America del Sur, had no more double rooms. The staff at America del Sur are very cool. While they sent us to another hostel across the road, they still let us use their kitchen, fridge, huge lounge, and wireless access to boot. The hostel is well set up to meet fellow travelers and every night they have a fabulous all you can eat BBQ for about $15 uSD per person, including a large beer and pengüino (ceramic penguin shaped pitcher) of wine. We swap travel stories over bottles of red wine wit other travelers, gathering endless trips and advise for our onward Patagonian destinations. We will end up here in El Calafate two days longer than planned, as all the "big ice" trekking adventure trips are booked out, and after all, big ice and glaciers are why we're here!
