Perito Moreno

South of El Calafate is the famous Perito Moreno glacier. It is 30 km long and 74 meters high! Times to times chunks of ice drop in the lake with loud noises.

The main view of the glacier, with 7 km of catwalk we could see it from very close.

We took a boat tour near the glacier.

The boat looked tiny compared to the wall of ice!

Fitz Roy

We kept heading south and stopped in El Calafate. There we went to El Chalten and had a great day hiking near the Fitz Roy mountain, its lakes and glaciers. Thanks to Jose Millet for his tips in organizing this trip!

On the way to the Fitz Roy a couple of wood-pickers came close to us, one with a black and other with red head. Both quite big and unimpressed by our presence. 

We had a great weather and could see the Fitz Roy with its glacier, impressive!

All the way up to the Laguna de los 3 was this turquoise lake and its glacier.

Bariloche

We crossed the frontier to pass to Argentina and Bariloche. The city has strong Swiss influence and is famous for its chocolates, for Pili's greatest pleasures!
The region is full of beautiful lakes and they seem more like seas for us Europeans.
We had a daily trip to El Tronador, a glacier which drops chunks of ice making thunder like noises! This ice forms a black glacier below, quite an exceptional place!

The Tronador, with its white glacier on top and the black one diving in the lake.

The lake area, next to Bariloche, there are more than 7 in this area and each one has a different color.

Puerto Varas

After a year and half in Chile we finally decided to leave our jobs and the many great friends we made here to go back to travel. It wasn't an easy decision, Chile and Latin America will forever be a special place for us.
We first decided to head back south to Puerto Varas, we went there in August during the winter but wanted to see the volcano Osorno in summer time!

We intended the trekking to the base of the volcano where we could see the lake de todos los santos and the snowed top of the perfectly shaped volcano.

The walk was worth it even if we were constantly under horseflies attacks!

La Serena

During the long weekend of the 1st of November we went north to La Serena with David and Nora our Spanish friends. The city of La Serena kept its colonial architecture and is surrounded of natural wonders.
Such as the valley del Elqui, where the Pisco - traditional Chilean/Peruan alcohol - is made. We also went up mountain for a night of star observations.

The valley del Equi has its own micro climate, quite warm, even in winter. There grows wine and the traditional Pisco is made.

We enjoyed some pastel de choclo (gratin de mais) in the central market of the city.

Buenos Aires

For the long holidays of the "Fiestas Patrias" we decided to cross the border and go to visit the Argentinian capital.

The contrast between Santiago with its American influence and Buenos Aires which looks like Europe was surprising. Buenos Aires is quite big with 17 millions inhabitants and is filled with museums, parks and beautiful avenues, culture was everywhere in the city.

Puerto Madero is a modern port with a lot of charms, quite similar to the docklands in Dublin.

Caminito is located in La Boca, a colorful bohemian neighbourhood with italian influences.

Tigre is the little venise of Argentina. Made of hundreds of canals, it hosts the antique summer houses of the Buenos Aires bourgeoisie

We couldn't miss the famous Tango.

The delicous "Asado Argentino" we could enjoy in our hostel

The pink house is residence of the president.

Puerto Varas - Frutillar

We went south for a long weekend with friends. It was the occasion to visit the Saltos del Petrohue, impresisve waterfalls in a big river. We also visited the area, with Puerto Varas and its huge lake and surrounding volcanoes. We had a quick visit of the island of Chileo, where we tried the famous Curanto, it is traditionaly served as sea food and meat cooked together in a hole in the ground.

Los Saltos del Petrohue

Frutillar is a nice village with German influences next to a quiet lake. The speciality of the place is the German cake, the Kuchen.

Frutillar