Monday, February 1, 2010

Walking on Water!!!

  • How I loooooooove to travel!
  • There are SO MANY beautiful things in this world to see, and experience, and discover, and enjoy!
  • I often get so lost in meeting people, and in how incredible an experience it is to make friends and share special times with beautiful people from all over the world, that I sometimes forget about all the other wonders there are in this world!
  • But yesterday I was reminded again. And how!
  • I am in El Calafate now, faaaaaaaaaaar down in Southern Argentina, almost at the tip of the world.
  • Yesterday I went to see the Perito Moreno glacier, by far the most spectacular natural phenomenon I have ever seen in my whole life.
  • It's a 257 square kilometre ice-formation (!!!) and stands 74 metres above the surface of the water - the water in question being a milky turquise lake, surrounded on all sides by snow-capped mountains, as far as the eye can see. AMAZING!!!
  • I can't even put into words just how beautiful and mind-blowing this all is. You arrive at the National Park by bus, then get to walk along a constructed path which has viewing points all along, and just stare and marvel at this giant, turquoise-blue ice wonder.
  • And the best part is, that it's ALIVE! As you stand there watching it, from time to time you hear a LOUD crack - like a rifle shot - and chunks of ice fall of the edge, splashing into the water and creating giant waves in the lake! It's heart-stoppingly beautiful.
  • After this, we got on a boat, and sailed right up to the northern face of the glacier. Our boat was TINY in comparison.
  • Then we get off the boat along the side, at the foot of a mountain, had special clampons (ice spikes) attached to our shoes, and went WALKING ON THE GLACIER!!!
  • SO MUCH FUN!!!
  • We went up a slope, down the other side, drank from the fresh water in some of the crevaces, marvelled at the spectacular turquiose colours and formations and ridges and valleys...
  • And then at the end, after 2 and a half hours of sheer magic - just to make it even MORE awesome - we got over a ridge and came to a wooden table, waiting for us on the glacier, laden with glasses. Our guide proceeded to to use his ice-pick to get chunks of ice from the glacier, and presented us each with a glass of whiskey on the rocks to top off the perfect experience! Too divine.
  • Just before this, I was in a place called Bariloche, which is in the Lake District of Argentina. Here there are deep blue lakes everywhere you look, more majestic mountains, and a a tranquility like no other. There's nothing quite like seeing a full moon over a giant lake, turning the water to silver, clear and beautiful.
  • I promise to put all my pics up as soon as I can. You will NOT be disappointed!
Icy-cold kisses and warm embraces to you all. xoxox