Catching Up: January, Part I

Just like last month's update, we're going with mostly pictures on this one. Also just like last month's update, Brad and Natalia were along for all the rides, but luckily Belu was able to escape the city with us, too. We sent ourselves down south to The Patagonia. Today's photos are all from El Calafate, where one can find various glaciers well worth one's time. Once again, click on any picture to embiggen. Check it on out!

The view from outside our hotel. This is Lago Argentino, the largest lake in the country. It may not look big, but it's got fingers and inlets all over the place.

The glacier Perito Moreno. It is 94 square miles of ice. Photos cannot display how impressive this was. Look at how small the people on the balcony are.

More Moreno. Note that the boat you see is pretty darn big.

The fearsome foursome! That may be a whole lot of ice, but it's summertime and we're not cold.

This one deserves a click

Belu is excited to get her crampon on...

...while I'm apparently nervous.

Since we were wearing crampons, we figured we would follow these people and hike on top of the ice.

Brad and Natalia, ready for the climb.

The crampons help keep your footing, but it's good to hang on to someone special, too.

Brad crossing a small mound of ice.

It was white everywhere, except for the blue patches where water was movin', and the black specks of earth that are trapped within the ice.

We had ganas to climb this sucker, but they told us to stick with the guides.

And after the hike was over? Some Famous Grouse with the world's freshest ice.

A few last moments to take it all in before we got back in the boat to head back to the hotel.

The next day was a boat tour of the glaciers. Brad and I found some time to clown it up a bit.

First up was a tour of small icebergs strewn all about Lago Argentino. this was one of the biggest we saw. That hole on the left? You could drive a golf cart through it.

We had gorgeous weather to match the gorgeous gente!

Pieces of the glaciers periodically fall into the lake. This is accompanied by a tremendous crash that breaks the serene silence. When this happens it is not uncommon for the chunky, drunken Brazillian guy on board to shout and point. That was also not so serene.

Belu waves goodbye as we leave Perito Moreno behind.

This is a picture of the sun setting behind a small hill. Time of photo: 11:15 PM.

And that finishes up our first stop on the trip south. Will be back with an update as soon as I can about with the rest. I promise you penguins!

Other writing from January:
A to B Back and Forth Review: (500) Days of Summer
Top 50 Albums #37: Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
Top 50 Albums #36: Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
Top 50 Albums #35: Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Top 50 Albums - #34: Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand