Once we left Buenos Aires (and more big city disinterest) behind (11.00am Tuesday) we found the people much happier and friendlier. This might be in part because of having siestas for half the day. Stuff it, why not¿ The journey from BA to Puerto Madryn lacked any kind of visual stimulus. Vast flat plains converted to rich cattle fields exhibited a colonial attitude toward the environment that surpasses English standards. Poplars and eucalypts were the trees of choice - I think the eucalypt was Blue Gum (E.globulus). Also present in varying degrees were Artichoke Thistle, Fennel, Spear Thistle and big roadside billboards advertising Roundup. Ü . The next morning the landscape had changed completely to Patagonian steppe, a dry desert with low shrubs and minimal ground cover. In this sparse landscape we saw Rheas and Guanacos and possibly some native hares. Also some rather large raptors.
So we pretty much gunned it down with a day stop in Puerto Madryn, then straight through to Rio Gallegos. In RG we explored town a little. The Grim Reaper was painted on the side of a primary school. The march was a protest for equal rights by a group of people from a certain part of town, wanting basic services such as gas, light and running water. I left my excellent book, ´In Trouble Again´on the bus, Dieter. Bugger. Anyway from there we travelled another 5hrs to Rio Turbio, a coal mining town with its coal deposit and transfer operations right next to the river, within easy leaching access. So we stopped there for a few hours - the posse in the photo reluctantly let us pass after I described what I had done with the baseball bat and showed them my tattoo from the joint. Then to the border with Chile, formalities and to Puerto Natales (10.00pm Thursday). As soon as we came through the pass to Chile the scene was spectacular. Awesome snow clad mountains, deep valleys and bays surround this great little town. I would have had a photo from the esplanade where I jogged this morning but the weather has come over (edit: there is one now). But nonetheless the next part of the trip to Torres del Paine will more than make up for this, I think. A warning to anyone considering coming here, it´s very expensive, even by Australian standards. Anyway, take care, see you after a week the in Torres. ¡Pray for no rain!
Spanish word of the day: garabateaba : unintelligible sribbling
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