Date of Entry: April 10th 2016

Date of Writing:  June 1st 2016,  My Sao Paulo Air BNB,  Sao Paulo, Brazil

After an exhausting but truly amazing trek to Laguna de Los Tres yesterday ‘ve decided I need a down day, especially since manchester united are playing in the early afternoon.  But I also don’t want to throw away my second last day in el Chalten and so with this in mind i book myself onto a boat ride package to Glacier Viedma called Viedma Light, which lies across from a massive lake I passed on the way in from Chalten.  The trip is perfect leaving around 2:30 pm just after manchester united should be finished and costs 770 ARS with transfer (70 CAD).

I watch the game which is somehow a delayed kickoff in the bakery next to El Viajeros hostel, but united have already lost when I hurry around the corner and climb onto the transfer bus to where the catamaran ferry will set off from.  It’s maybe a half hour ride and once we’re there myself and a small group of late middle aged Argentineans are led out to a dock, but not before I get to play with an awesome cat who tries to sneak onto the boat with us after catching a mouse and playing with it to no end.

I say a sad goodbye to my new feline friend and board the luxurious catamaran which is clearly intended for more than the handful of us, but this makes the tour much nicer and informal, though I’ll admit I head outside to the front of the boat almost right away, eager to be immersed in the patagonian wilderness around me, despite the significant cold.

We set off across the murky turquoise waters of this massive glacial lake I snap some photos of the mountains looming ahead of us.  I’m not expecting today to match the past few days, but it should be fun anyway.Though on reflection it is far from a must do in Chalten and quite expensive for what you get. There is also ice walking tours but I found this glacier much less impressive than Perito Moreno so would recommend spending the money there.

After maybe an hour zipping across the still surfaces of Laguna Viedma the glacier comes into sight in the distance ahead, some lone icebergs greeting up before we reach the tongue of the glacier.

Now I’m going to be honest, I’ve seen so many glaciers these past months in Antarctica as well as other parts of Patagonia, that this one doesn’t hit me like they first did. It’s impressive, still very beautiful and I’m still happy I came, but I’d been told by some folks that this glacier was particularly impressive and for me it certainly does not come close to rivaling Perito Moreno in Calafate.

Still, as the photos will show this place is beautiful, and the others on board who are perhaps less glacially experienced than I seem amazed by the incredible blue colour of the ice.

As the boat drifts through the water as close to the giant field of ice as it’s allowed some condors appear in the sky above us. Chalten has been a paradise for condors for me, with sightings most days and some chances at some decent photos which can be tough to get of this giant bird.

Eventually our time at the glacier is running out and the boat slowly turns around and starts coasting away from the glacier. I stay alone outside, up on the top deck this time, and watch the glacier fade into oblivion with the Argentinean flag proudly blowing in the foreground.  Argentina like the rest of South American countries, is beautiful, and while today has not been a highlight I think Chalten has become my favourite place in all of Argentina.

As the high speed catamaran carries us away from the glacier we pass the last of the icebergs which were once attached to the glacier.  They are beautiful but again not quite up to the Antarctic standard.  but that doesn’t really matter does it, and as the cold wind cuts through my clothes I feel a smile blooming on my face.

As we keep going the sinking sun hits the blue green water just right creating a stunning light show of sparkling glimmers, pink and purple in hue, dancing in my vision.  A nice way to end the trip before the short bus ride back to el Chalten and a quiet night at the hostel figuring out what I might do on my last full day in El Chalten. Just a heads up, I make an amazing choice :).