El Calafate

Good bus ride into El Calafate. This town is named after a thorny bush that cut John all up when he tried leaving the boardwalk to relieve his bladder in the woods. It's berries are pretty good. Not only that, but it is said that the person who eats the Calafate berry will stay in Patagonia forever, or if they do leave, will return to spend the rest of their days here. The version of this legend I read said that eating the berry will magically inspire the consumer to  fall for one of the dark-haired native beauties, get married, and never go back home. I'm trying to eat as many of these berries as I can get :)

El Calafate plant

The hostel here is a fantastically rustic little place called 'I Keu ken'. It looks like a little hiker's log cabin trail stop. There's a duct tape guitar for the playing, a dart board inside, and right next to them, a large fire where Fredrico makes his famous Argentine barbeque several times a week. Met a lot of great people there as always. More than ever, I am coming away from this trip with a lot of friends from all over the world. It's quite phenomenal how tight these groups can get after so short a time of knowing each other. Just as much as the fantastic places I've seen, I know the people I've encountered (including but not limited to Argentines) will be part of my memories of Patagonia.

Enough with the sentimental drab stuff and onto some pictures...



Flamingos at sunset near the edge of Calafate and Lago Argentino

 

 

Met some great people down here. Went on a picnic with an awesome family. Sipped some mate, went on a hike, got rained on a little.

 

I think this was from El Chalten, but I am too lazy to get back into that post and put it there.

The town cemetery is beautiful at night

Calafate is close to the southern end of the Glacier National Park where one can see the incredible Perito Moreno. This is a BIG glacier.