Glacier Watching...Boy Watching

In Argentina, the men are beautiful.

Oops, I mean the country is beautiful. But also, seriously, there are some really good looking men. Many creepy ones as well, but I'm focusing on the positive here.

I arrived in Calafate Friday afternoon more hungry than I have ever been in my life. Having spent the last of my Chilean pesos on scissors to butcher my hair I had no food or money for the 5-hour bus ride. As we pulled into town I could feel myself getting crankier. Then I remembered the left-over instant oatmeal in my bag from Torres del Paine. Picture it. Rolling into a new town excited about all that Argentina has to offer, shoving handfuls of dry oatmeal in my face like eating is going out of style. Nothing but class, and a sure way to get handsome men to notice you.

Not only did I fall in love with my hostel, a big farmhouse situated on a hill overlooking Calafate and Lake Argentino, but also with the boys who work there, the hostel pets, and their varied music collection. That's a lot of love at first sight. I felt immediately at home and decided to stay a few days longer than originally planned.  Moving around so much over the past 5 weeks has left me craving some form of normalcy. Packing and unpacking every day or two is stressful, and this trip should be the opposite of stress. I just can't do and see everything and keep my sanity. Woe is me, huh?

Since dry oatmeal isn't that satiating, I went to the store in a hungry stupor and bought a pointless mix of groceries. I just can't always have it all together. And someday I will learn to make lists before grocery shopping because this happens more often than not. Friday night I got my first taste of Argentine Asado, eating so much meat I could hardly breathe. These people know what they're doing. I spent all day Saturday exploring the city, chillaxing, reading and listening to really good music. I'm actually making progress reading 100 Anos de Soledad even if it takes me an entire day to read each chapter.

Sunday afternoon I took the bus to Parque Nacional Los Glaciers to check out Perito Moreno. I have never seen something so magnificent. It felt like I was looking at a diarama in a museum. It just didn't seem real. We took the boat ride to get closer to the glacier, but found the views from the passageways above much more enticing. We sat for hours in different areas listening to the loud thunder-esque cracking sounds as pieces of the glacier broke off. We watched in excitement and anticipation, as huge chunks separated, crashing into the water below, entertained by the cheering crowd.

Saturday night despite extreme exhaustion I headed out to a local bohemian bar for some live music, a hand-drumming band led by a guy from Senegal. Took me back to my Central Park drum circle days. It was amazing, and I felt like we discovered a secret being that my two companions and I were the only gringos in attendance. Glaciers, secrets, and drums. Sunday was a good day.

I fear the South American nightlife will kill me. Going out at 2 in the morning is considered to be on the early side, and the party doesn't end until at least 7 or 8. I don't know how they do it, or if I can hack it. I managed to stay out until 5 and 6 respectively the last two nights, but I'm destroyed today.

Overstaying in Calafate was just what I needed to recharge my travel battery, though I forgot to sleep because I was enjoying it so much. Not a bad thing, but I'm Looking forward to my 28-hour bus ride to Bariloche to catch up.

view from the bus from Chile to Argentina

pimped-out compact cars on display in Calafate

pet sheep who got lucky that they didn't eat him as originally planned

first views of Perito Moreno

from above

the dark blue spot in the middle is where a huge piece had just fallen

Juliet and I taking it all in