Shawn Davis Photography - Blog

Today was the last day of the trip. After wandering around Palermo one last time, we stopped to get some lunch. It was blazing hot (about 38C) and we were happy to find a place with air conditioning. Today’s lunch consisted of a tray of deli meats and cheeses. On the way back to the apartment we stopped in to a wine shop to check out the Argentinian wines and found a bottle of Syrah to take home. The owner of the apartment came over to return our security deposit and pick up the keys.

After that, we were off in a taxi to the international airport. We had been advised to leave for the airport well in advance of our flight time and when we got there we found out why. The check-in area consisted of one very long line for each departing flight (Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York). Our line to Dallas ended up taking 3 hours for us to get to the counter to check in. The airline attendant advised us that the customs line could be a lengthy process as well and that we should get there as quickly as possible. We took her advice but then found out that the only restaurant after security was already closed and there was no food for us. Then, after boarding the plane, the captain informed everyone that we would be delayed. The cause of the delay - no fuel. The company that fuels the planes had decided to go out of business only 2 hours previously. So, we ushered in the new year sitting in the plane on the ground in Buenos Aires.

Today we headed to San Telmo to check out the street fair. Apparently this is the tourist thing to do. The street was packed with people walking.

There were lots of vendors set up along the street and in the square selling handcrafted goods, antiques, and all sorts of other stuff.

The main event was the tango dancers in the square.

Today we went back to Recoleta to check out the weekend street fair that is set up right outside the cemetery. We met photographer Pablo Maino and purchased one of his photos.

Then we headed over to Avenue 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world, 18 lanes.

We also checked out the Congress building that had been modeled after the US congress building.

As we walked over to the modern art museum, we encountered more dog walker. These guys definitely knew what they were doing as they had a huge pack and were taking up a good part of the street.

We arrived a few minutes before the modern art museum opened and watched one of the maintenance men mopping the sidewalk. It looked as though he was painting with a huge brush.

From Plaza de San Martin, you can see the English clock tower.

Again today we started things off with a subte ride to Plaza de Mayo. Then we walked over to Puerto Madero, a part of the city that has undergone a lot of development recently. It was the original port of the city, but was quickly outgrown. Now it has been renovated and contains lots of restaurants and apartments.

Womens Bridge

We took a tour of an Argentinian naval training ship that has been around the world 40 times.

It definitely didn’t feel like Christmas day today. We took a taxi from the hotel to the El Calafate airport to catch the flight back to Buenos Aires. For the remainder of the trip we arranged for an apartment rental in Palermo. The building looked like it had recently been renovated and the apartment was great. It was like actually living in the city instead of just visiting.

Today we signed up for the Big Ice Glacier Tour with Hielo y Aventura. Their bus picked us up at our hotel and drove us about an hour to see the glacier. The first stop was at an overlook at the front of the glacier.

Then we took the bus down to the edge of the glacial lake and boarded a boat.

Once on the other side, we met up with our guides, got fitted for crampons, and began the hike to the glacier. The Mini Treking groups had only a few minutes walk before getting to the glacier, but since we were on the Big Ice tour we hiked for about an hour along the side of the glacier before stepping onto the ice.

Mid way through the glacier hike, we stopped for lunch next to this beautiful blue pool of glacial melt water.

After we hiked back, turned in our crampons, rode the boat, rode an hour in the bus, we were exhausted. Definitely nap time. At 9:30 our hotel had arranged a Christmas Eve dinner for all the guests. We had lots of food and wine and then champagne at midnight. There were lots of interesting people staying at the hotel - Jorge, the Spanish police officer from Zaragosa, a guy headed to Iraq with the national guard when he got home, Lisa, an Irish girl teaching in Colombia.

Breakfast at El Pilar - ham and cheese.

Augustino from El Pilar gave us a ride back to the Hostel where we caught the bus back to El Calafate.

From the bus station, we walked around a little on the main street of El Calafate before heading to the taxi stand to get a ride to the hotel. We ate dinner at all you can eat meat place.

Just as the sun was setting, the full moon started to rise.

Breakfast at El Pilar was again ham and cheese. This must be the national food.

After the hike yesterday, our legs were feeling a little tired but being in such an amazing place we couldn’t just sit around. From El Pilar, a short hike up the road will put you on the trail to Laguna de los Tres. If you make it all the way to the end, the owner will ask you to pay a fee of 20 pesos per person. We turned around before that point because it started raining.

Another delicious dinner and bottle of wine at El Pilar.

Breakfast at El Pilar was typical Argentinian - bread and butter with rolls of ham and cheese. The hotel packed box lunches for us to take on our hike - more ham and cheese.

At 9:30am we started off on the hike to Fitz Roy. The wind was whipping along the river and we were wearing winter hats and windbreakers. The first part of the hike is along the shore of the river through forest and over rolling hills. The trees provide shelter from the wind and made for a comfortable and much warmer hike. Then the trail crosses a flat plain in the central valley between mountains. Between the plain and the river lies a campground. After crossing the river via a small bridge, we the trail turned up. At the top, we were treated to an amazing view of Fitz Roy, the glacier, and a beautiful glacial lake.

We were very happy when dinner time came at El Pilar. We had a great 3 course meal and bottle of wine.