Apologies for delay in writing to you - we know our audience awaits with baited breath for the next instalment
We all have 270 degree views of the mountains and the surrounding steppe - the small rounded hills as follows:(I'm sorry but my photos are not uploading - this is not the place for photos NOT to upload! However if you check in to the blog after we return to aust or when we get reception please do)
I had no idea all the classics are very close to each other - you can see them here ( see the web for an idea - www.tierrapatagonia.com) on the left is the Paine Grande - rising about 4,700 metres above the lake to 5000 metres. Then the famous Horns of Paine and then one I can't remember on the far right the Torres or towers - the south tower is obscured from the hotel but you can see the central and north towers. In the 1950s a British mountaineering group were in a race to the top of the central tower with an Italian group. The Brits out manoeuvred the Italians and claimed the victory of climbing the highest of the towers. However.....the Italians were not daunted and decided to stay on and tackle the south tower, presumably while the Brits sat back on their laurels over a G and T. It turned out that unbeknownst to anyone the south tower was in fact 50 metres taller than the central tower and so the Italians had a last laugh over a Campari!
In the morning mum stayed at the hotel to have a relaxing poodle in the pool and a spa whilst cath and I forwent the horse riding for the excursion along the steppe to the base of the Horns. Wow - those massive structures rose wonderfully above us.
We were treated to a flock of 10 condors circling as well as guanacos in small quite tame flocks by the roadside.
We left the car for our 2 hour hike to the horns lookout or mirador Cuernos . We were buffeted by winds that Kate thought were 80-90 km per hour.
We passed tough scrub and burnt out trees - Sadly there was a terrible brushfire here accidentally caused by an Israeli camper - 18000 hectares were burnt out of 224000 for the park. It burnt in the park for 1 month and in the surrounding area for 3 months. It's effects were everywhere we went. We noticed that on the front door of the information centre there was a sign in Hebrew explaining camper responsibilities so there is no excuses though we think it should have been in all languages. As the
trees are not used to fire it will take 50 years to regenerate.
We passed Lago Nordenskjold with its black sands beaches and the winds whipped up a spray that even Kate with her years of sailing experience had never seen.
The horns as you know them (and if you don't google image Cuernos del Paine or horns of Paine )have looked like that for 12 million years - they were formed by Glacial action like everything here but originally were below the surface whilst now they are 5 km high! The lighter rock of the horns are granite that is hardened lava and the dark is another stone that was baked that way by the lava.The geology is fascinating.
At this stage I was decidedly grateful to Anne for suggesting a second battery- thanks Anne - You warned I could run out at a crucial sunset - here I ran ran out at midday so I was very glad to have my backup.
In the afternoon we went with mum to the blue lagoon where we saw some fantastic wildlife including a native grey fox, groups of emu like birds called rias and flamingos!!hard to imagine a
bird you associate with the tropics or African savanna here but there they were minding their own business.
As the sun doesn't set until 10pm it's a pleasure to watch the ever changing light though very disruptive to dinner as we have to record the changes.
Today we took a lovely drive under the mountains and along some gorgeous lakes- luminescent green and blue because of the lime in the rocks. We saw a skunk- completely oblivious to the 5 photographers with massive (read World Cup type cameras)approaching it from all sides.more about the talents of skunks later.
We then drove along the edge of Lago Pehoe and made our way to the info centre where mum got to pat a puma - well a photo of one) and we had a delightful picnic by the lake in a manner to which we could become accustomed- ie rich folk on holidays. Our guide Martin was fantastic - a mine of information and he was very nice to mum - which made him extra handsome!
From the picnic we went to Lago grey where a glacier sits at the head - we saw a brief and distant view of the glacier and Kate and I saw our first iceberg. I meant to ask how old it was as. I remember Laura saying the blue ice in the icebergs of Iceland were 10,000 years old. We also saw the Paine Massif from a different angle and it glowed.
Tonight it was off to the entrancia (ranch) for a typical Chilean BBQ- ie if you are a very rich Chilean I think! We were eating in the dining area and saw a skunk outside.i decided to get a closer look and as I came closer the guide and the owner were anxiously knocking on the window to stay back. The skunk decided to waddle up to me which I thought was terribly cute and a photo opportunity when I heard yelling and frantic knocking on the window just as the skunk picked up his pace and ran at me. I turned around to see about 8 people madly waving me in! I got the idea to run for it and launched myself into the dining room in the nick of time! Pepe le peu went back to grazing
whilst I was informed that the skunk can spray a blinding (not to mention stinking) concoction from several metres away- close shave!
Must away and prepare to depart this wonderful place as we head south to Tierra del Fuego- land of fire!
Very sorry for lack of photos.
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