Journey to the Bottom of the World

On Tuesday I returned to Rosario from my trip to Patagonia. This was our biggest trip with the entire program and also the best. We first flew into Urshuaia, which is the southernmost city in the world. As we began to descend to the city, we were able fly right in bewteen and over the giant Andes mountains. The city is located right where the mountains meet the ocean. It is a beautiful small town with great views of the Andes all around. From the city you are able to see the Chilean side of the Andes across the sea and the water leading to the Arctic Ocean.

The first day we took a group tour of the cities prison. The city was litterally built by the prisoners who were stationed there. It was Argentina´s maximum security prison and all the worst criminals were sent there to build roads and buildings throughout the year and even in the coldest of winter temperatures. It is no longer used and is now only for tours and art exhibits.

The next day we went to the Urshuaia National Park. This park was incredibly beautiful and full of streams and mountains with small hiking trails to take visitors to different viewpoints. The water was incredibly blue and the weather was perfect.  It was cold but the sun was out and there was little wind. On Sunday I was able to walk through the city in only a long sleeve shirt.

After the park we went back for lunch and then took an amazing boat tour through the sea to get close up views of all the mountains. There was some large rocks in the middle of the water that were full of sea lions and some type of bird that looked a lot like flying penguins. As it got later in the day the sun began to go down and really gave the mountains and water a beautiful color. It was really relaxing and fun experience.

The next day we all boarded a plane and headed to the town called Calafate, named after a berry that grows in the area and makes an incredibly good jam. Calafte is an upper scale town with tree lined streets and pretty buildings. The town was located more north and had a lot more open landscape with great views of a giant lake and the mountains in behind. I guess the hotel screwed up our reservations and they moved us all to a different hotel which was way too fancy for 50 college kids. It was a hotel perched on a hill overlooking the entire town and then mountains. The food was incredible and I really enjoyed sitting by the pool in my robe and slippers watching the sunset. The next morning we took a bus to visit the main tourist stop for the town, Perito Moreno Glacier. This glacier is located in the Glacier National Park is noted to be the 4th largest icefield behind the two poles and Greenland and the 3rd largest fresh water reserve. It was an incredible sight and the ice mass went on beyond the eyes could see. The clouds gave the glacier a really cool icy blue look that made it seem even more amazing. We took a boat right up to the front of the glacier and then  the main tourist paths that took us right up front to the other side. 

On Tuesday we headed back to Rosario. I stayed at a bar until 1 to try to watch the Blazer game on satellite and by the time it came on we had to leave because they were closing. We only saw the first quarter but from what I read I am somewhat glad I missed it. Other than Oden being out, everything is going good for me down here. I just had a massage today that costed only $8 US dollars so I feel amazing. Hope everyone has a happy halloween!