Winged beauty
by TheWanderingCamel
Everyone who comes to South America wants to see a condor, so symbolic of the the Andes. We saw them every day whilst we were in Patagonia, soaring and sailing overhead, but didn't get a single decent photo. Out on the steppe we saw large groups of dun-feathered choique (small flightless birds, cousins to the emu-like rhea of the pampas) and buzzard eagles and we were fortunate enough to see, and hear a Magellanic woodpecker whilst we were having lunch at the Perito Moreno glacier where a whole flock of Patagonian sierra finch were hopping about and perching on branches all around the picnic ground.
A walk out to Laguna de los Pajaros at El Galpon estancia led us to black-necked swans, a splendid heron and other waterfowl - grebes, geese and ducks and such, more of which we saw when we walked along to the Laguna Nimez about 1 km north of El Calafate's town centre. We didn't see any, but Chilean flamingoes migrate to these waters later in the summer each year. More than 40 different species of migrating birds make the lake their home at some time during the year, so even if you're not a twitcher, you'll find a pair of binoculars tucked into your bag will certainly get used.
Layer
by kyoub
Bring clothes that you can layer because by afternoon it may be quite warm.
We thought it would be cold out by the glacier but it wasn't. There are shops all along the main street and you can find most anything that you might need.
Chenque
by andal13
What is this? A chenque is a Tehuelches tomb; the dead person was buried in fetal position, with guanaco skins and arrowheads (they believed in reincarnation); after the ceremony, all his/her belongings were burned, and people did not pronounce his/her name again (if they did so, his/her soul was held back). As an offering, they give the dead one a stone, so after a while, the tomb was surrounded by a ring of stones.
The chenques never were made close to a lake or a river (to avoid contamination); the picture shows a replica, not a real chenque, at Punta Walichu.
¿Qué es esto? un chenque es un enterramiento tehuelche; el muerto era enterrado en posición fetal, con pieles de guanaco y puntas de flecha (creían en la reencarnación); luego de la ceremonia, todas sus pertenencias eran quemadas y no se lo volvía a mencionar jamás (si lo hacían, el alma era retenida). Como ofrendas, le llevaban una piedra, por lo que luego de un tiempo, la tumba era rodeada por un anillo de piedras.
Los chenques nunca se hacían junto a un lago o un río (para evitar la contaminación); la foto muestra una réplica, no un chenque verdadero, en Punta Walichu.
Glaciar - Upsala - Glacier
by elpariente
El glaciar Upsala recibe el nombre de la ciudad Sueca , ya que su Universidad realizó en el siglo XX el primer estudio glaciológico de la región . Este glaciar ha sufrido en los últimos diez años un gran retroceso , pero a pesar de ello , con una dimensiones de 60 Kms de largo por 5 a 7 Kms de ancho y con 60 a 80 m de altura es el glaciar más grande del Parque de los Glaciares y el más largo de America del sur
The Upsala Glacier has the name of the Swedish town , because their university did on the XX century the first glaciological study of the region . This Glacier has retreated significantly , during the last decade but in spite of , with a dimensions of 60 kms long by 5 to 7 kms width and wit 60 t0 80 m high is the biggest glacier in The Glaciers Park and the longest in South America
Lago Argentino
by perfectly_zen
That?s just a tip....when you re arriving in El calafate, by bus, sit on the right side because minutes before arriving in the town, the wonderful blue lake called Lago Argentino will appear by the window...It?s a very nice view from the lake.
....
This lake is huge, with turquoise blue waters. You feel tempted to swim...but then take a look at the ice....hehehe!
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on the ice
Flamingoes in El Calafate
A long way down
Unrestored paintings
