Friday 8th February Bariloche, Argentina
The Cascada Hotel was great, gave us both a real rest and was just what we needed we could not believe how Cumbrian it was mind you it was 30 degrees so there was a little difference..
I got my first opportunity to bird watch red headed blackbird, sorry havent found out what they are yet and stupidly forgot to bring a bird book but the Brown Backed Hawks were great and are half tame not at all concerned about people one even perched on the balcony railings for us while we eat dinner some 2 meters away. There are also huge Plovers, herring gull sized along the fore shore, but for me my first sighting of a white ruffed Ibis made my day. As we have said we just relaxed in the glorious grounds.
Saturday 9th February Trip to Chile by Lake Crossings
I got my first opportunity to bird watch red headed blackbird, sorry havent found out what they are yet and stupidly forgot to bring a bird book but the Brown Backed Hawks were great and are half tame not at all concerned about people one even perched on the balcony railings for us while we eat dinner some 2 meters away. There are also huge Plovers, herring gull sized along the fore shore, but for me my first sighting of a white ruffed Ibis made my day. As we have said we just relaxed in the glorious grounds.
Saturday 9th February Trip to Chile by Lake Crossings
It was lucky we had rested because it was a long day not helped by the crew of our first boat str
iking however once we were off there was a great sense of adventure. The weather which had started off with heavy cloud broke during lunch into a very fine day the first passage lasted about 2 hours then in the heart of the Andes we stopped for lunch, whilst the luggage all piled up on the bow was unloaded onto bus, luckily here you can get a meal before contuing and we were thankful we did.
iking however once we were off there was a great sense of adventure. The weather which had started off with heavy cloud broke during lunch into a very fine day the first passage lasted about 2 hours then in the heart of the Andes we stopped for lunch, whilst the luggage all piled up on the bow was unloaded onto bus, luckily here you can get a meal before contuing and we were thankful we did.After a bus ride and another short 20 minute boat ride we approached the first border control then for about 20klms we drove though the rain forest which was far drier than I had anticipated, I later found out its been a very dry summer and things are suffering from drought condions throughout Argentina and Chile but it was still full of flowers, wild fusias, lillies and bushes of flowering mock orange, philidalphis the scents were strong from the flowers and resin off the trees. High up on the hill side we crossed under a wooden arch and suddenly we were in Chile, after dropping down into a green verdant valley we approached another customs post.
After this we had to set off on our final boat ride of 2 hours plus running under a range of volcanoes all very maginifcient. It was now 8pm and still light and at this point I nearly jumped over board as we spotted a couple of Condors circling high above one of the volcanoes. By 9pm we were being unloaded and darkness fell as we did the hour drive to the lakeside resort of Puerto Vega, luckily at 11030 as we arrived the resturant was still serving, its amazing what a nice glass of Sauvigon Blanc and a good salad with some searded scallops, can do, or was it the very strong liquor coffee..
