Back to work now - my 12 day Argentina trip is over. We started out in BA for 4 days. We met up with our son who we hadn't seen in 2 years!! The reunion was all that I had hoped for. We had dinner at a local neighborhood restaurant near our hotel in San Isidro.

Visited some friends of Johnathans, shopped, ate, saw some of the cities highlights.
We walked out early one morning onto Florida street, about 8 am, the streets were quiet and calm. Most of the city not out and about yet. We wandered down to San Martin square and had the square to ourselves, except the guard. This is one of my favorite memories of BA, possibly because it was so early and quiet for BA.

We visited Campana for a day and Jose C Pas one evening. I can't sing the praises of Santiago Pezet enough!! AVRooster(?) tipped me to Santiago as a Remis driver. I would very highly recommend Santiago to anyone visiting BA who needs to hire a driver. He was wonderful!!

From BA we flew down to Tierra del Fuego. We arrived the day after a beautiful snow storm had put a few inches of snow on the ground. The view from the plane on the white capped mountains and the town was picturesque! We walked around town that evening - cold and brisk! - and was amused to see that even in Ushuaia the local crowds "dragged" the main street on a Saturday night.

We toured the Tierra del Fuego National Park the next day - it snowed!! With the snow the landscape was freshly frosted and beautiful. We also took the Train at the End of the World. Then later in the afternoon we took a cruise out onto Beagle Channel. The weather had cleared by about 4 pm and the view looking back on Ushuaia from the bay was gorgeous! We saw the sea lions and our guide even pointed out a small group of penguins swimming. Very unusual for the time of year. On our way back to port we encountered a large pod of dolphins and the captain stayed with them for about 40 minutes, letting all the passangers get their fill of watching and photographing them.

From Ushuaia we flew to El Calafate and Glacier National Park. The flight was short and sweet. I was surprised the airport was so far from the town - any town for that matter. Not that it was a problem - just surprised. We wandered around town that evening and ate dinner at the Hotel Mirador - the service and the food was incredible!All of the service we recived throughout our trip was simply wonderful and extraordinary!! I can't thank enough all those who took care of us!

The 2nd day in El Calafate we toured the Upsala and another glacier that I can't remember or pronounce the name of (starts with an "S&quot. We cruised up Lake Argentina very early in the morning. Because it is winter there are tons (literally) of icebergs - huge, magnificent icebergs!! We didn't actually make it to Upsala glacier due to the icebergs, but no one seemed to mind as the view if these was stunning enough. We finally headed further up the lake to the other "S" glacier and were able to get close to this and watch as pieces would break off. The colors of these glaciers runs the entire gammit of hues of blue and purple. It was snowing again this day and with the clouds, the snow, and peaks of sunshine, made for some very dramatic lighting. My husband who is a photographer by trade, thought he had died and gone to heaven. I don't think the grin left his face all day!

Day 3 at Calafate we visited the Perito Moreno glacier. Day 3 dawned with lots of snow!! Huge storm lasted all day - I"m not complaining, the snow and clouds made for beautiful conditions. We were unable to take the lake cruise in the am due to the snow, so we walked the cat walks around the glacier in 6-8 inches of freshly falling snow!! It was a blast!! We had snowball fights and just had fun. We spent about an hour and a half on the catwalks - maybe longer. When you travel with a photographer you learn to be patient. We ate some lunch at the cafeteria and just as we were finishing the clouds lifted, the sun came out, and suddenly the whole panaorama of the Perito Moreno glacier was there before our eyes. Oh - my - gosh..........what a scene. The glacier stretches back in to the mountains to the horizon. What a sight with the brilliant sunlight of the afternoon and the blue hues of the glacier.

Our guide suggested that since the storm had broken we would be able to go to the docks and do the cruise of the bay, so we hopped in our van and headed down the mountain. The roads were sheer ice and snow. And even though the van was using chains, the road down was perilous. Another tour bus had slid off. Thanks to our excellent driver and his skills, we crept down and made it safely to the dock. We sailed out on the bay for about an hour - photographing and watching the incredible glacier.

We left El Calafate the next day and flew to BA and then on to Iguazu. Straight from deep winter to the sub-tropical rain forest - it was great!! We wandered the town of Iguazu that evening. A very bustling tourist town, we grabbed a taxi out front of our hotel and had him drop us off at an ice cream shop in town. One thing I noticed in Iguazu as compated to the rest of the places we had visited - newer cars.

We toured the falls the next day, spent the entire day exploring every nook and cranny that we could. Absolutely awesome!! The catwalks take you out right over the Devils Throat where you can look directly (almost) over the huge falls and down into the abyss! It was truly amazing and wonderful. We took the zodiac boat tour/ride out on the river below in and amongst some of the other smaller falls - getting completely soaked and loving every minute of it!! We only had one day there - wish we had another day or 2 to explore the ruins near there. Ah well - next time.

This was our whirlwind tour of Argentina! We had 9 flights and 7 different airports in 12 days. We were tired but so extremely happy and satisfied with our trip that all the flying and airports didn't matter. I would love to go back again, spend more time at these places and explore new ones. Next time.

Cheryl

Thank you for a great report, Cheryl!

Yes, it was AVRooster (yours truly) who suggested using Mr. Pezet as a driver. He had been highly recommended to me.

Come back soon, with photographer hubby and the kids!

464 Train - We are doing a similar trip in March. Working right now on picking places in El Calafate and Iguazu. Wondering where you stayed there and what you thought about them.

Dear jgg -

We stayed at the El Mirador hotel in Calafate. Very nice hotel overlooking Argentina Lake. The rooms were wonderful. The restaurant even better!! It's a small restaurant with a small staff who waited on us tirelessly for 2 nights, brought us lots and lots of Coke Light (I have a soda addiction). The only drawback and it's one I didn't mind - town is about 6 blocks away. So for the shopping we walked into town and back, a couple of miles. But that's ok, we needed to work off what we were eating! LOL!

In Iguazu we stayed at the Esturion. The rooms there were also very nice but not as nice as Calafate. No complaints though!! Again, this hotel is a bit off the beaten track, town was about 6-7 blocks away. There are taxis right outside the property and for 6 pesos they will drop you in town. Flag down another one and they bring you back. A plus fo this hotel is that it is 3 blocks from the tri-border junction! Kind of cool to walk down to a little park (complete with street vendors) and look out across the Iguzau river and see Brazil and Paraguay. And this hotel has a swimming pool. The restaurant at this hotel is also extremely good!

Thanks 464! I will add those to my list to look into.

AVRooster, do you have contact information for Sr Pezet? Thanks.

gardngrl: Mr. Pezet's contact info was provided by 464train in the "Private Driver/Car Service for Buenos Aires" thread.

However, you should know that I understand Mr. Pezet drives a van and 464train's party was a 5-person group. What I am trying to say is that what was good for them is not necessarily as good for just you and your husband.

Thanks for posting. I really enjoyed your report, sounds like a wonderful trip.

bookmark

464train, Was the second glacier "Spagazzini"? Your trip sounds fabulous, and in snow!

jgg, we went in March 10 years ago, just before El Calafate airport opened - you had to bus in from Rio Galagos, about 3 hours as I remember. It was fun too. The best part of going in March, was that the blue ice was highlighted by the deep Autumn reds and russets of the bushes - on the Uppsala trip, we also walked through a wonderful forest to Lake Onelli, where three small glaciers calve into a small lake, and the contrasting colours here were fabulous. I will always remember it. At Perito Moreno too.

From El Calafate, we walked to the lake one afternoon to see the flamingos - a big surprise.
Going back to Iguazu next year, and this time to the Amazon as well, instead of Patagonia. Can't wait!

bookmarking. Thanks for the report.

bookmarking. Thanks for taking the time to write a report