Tag Archives: grief

Argentinian Food

Post #36

I enjoy trying out new food… especially when it is a specialty for an area.

Being in Argentina, I had to try the steak, even though I rarely eat any. It was good.

Adriana Bertola introduced me to a “Submarino,” which is hot milk served with a chocolate bar to melt in it. A delicious twist on hot chocolate!

And she encouraged Perito and me to try Alfajor (cookie) Maicena (cornstarch), a cookie containing Dulce de Leche (caramel sauce). As Adriana would say, “It’s super delicious.”

Wow! Roll me out the door with an impending sugar coma.

   

Marine Biology Area

Post #35

Afterward we toured a marine biology area and museum where they explained how they broke down the bodies of marine animals and studied them.

Nesting Magellan Penguins

Post #32

We rounded a corner and then went up to the Magellan Penguin nesting area. We walked so close to them that we could have touched them if we had wanted to. The males use their beaks to dig out one nest during their lifetime. What a lot of work!  And they mate for life.

What an amazing privilege to walk among these beautiful creatures with Tristan’s penguin!

Tristan added a rainbow for our return trip.

Gentoo Penguin Walk

Post #30

In the afternoon I was able to take a walk among the penguins on Penguin Island. What a heart-expanding hour!

First we walked near the Gentoo penguins that had migrated from Antarctica. It is believed they followed a ship for the 36-hour crossing. There are about 80 of this type on the island. They construct their nests out of pebbles.

Then we walked past a large colony of sea lions, all crammed together, nipping and bellowing and flopping around. We stayed safely on the trail.

 

 

 

 

Beagle Channel Cruise Part 1

Post #28

The Beagle Channel cruise involved boating around a few small islands crammed with wildlife. The first island had piles of squawking imperial cormorants. The second had bellowing South American sea lions.

Yesterday there was a 7.4 mag earthquake a little south of the channel. Adriana contacted one of our guides, who said all was well. We are relieved!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Hike in Ushuaia

Post #27

Adriana, Perito, and I took our first hike up toward 2 glaciers. It had a gorgeous lookout so we could see down on Ushuaia a nd the Beagle Channel.

 

Sunrises at the Bottom of the World

Post #26

Having a compass app on my phone comes in handy sometimes. I checked it at sunrise and the sun appeared on my compass to be rising in the northeast. Yet I did not find it disorienting, as I expected it to be, because I was not in familiar places with familiar landmarks. But shadows did sometimes throw me off a little.

At breakfast, Adriana encouraged me to try the Argentinian biscuits. Since I generally can’t tolerate American wheat (I can eat sprouted or sourdough) or dairy (I can eat A2 only), I thought I would give them a try. Wow, they were good! I have always loved biscuits, so this was a real treat.

Flight to the Bottom of the World

Post #25

Perito and I flew to Ushuaia, the largest city at the bottom of the world. We got a window seat with lovely views of the Andes.

I went farther south than anyone in my family had ever been. My grandfather had traveled around the world as a coal shoveler on the yacht Eleanor before the turn of the 19th century. He went around southern India, but never went around the Americas because he got off the boat in California.

My sister visited my niece in Bolivia a few years ago because my niece was working there for a year.

There I was, at the gateway to Antarctica, which was a 36-hour ship ride away. But that was not my destination.

I soon met up with my friend Adriana Bertola.