Babsi & Conrad

Only about one week to go and we'll be back in Europe - so before we are getting busy back home we like to share a few more pictures of our time in Chile and Argentina with you:

We spent a few more days in Ushuaia, Argentina's main tourist destination in Tierra del Fuego, before we had a fabulous journey on a Belgian sailboat across the Beagle Channel to Puerto Williams (Chile).

End-Of-The-World feeling in Ushuaia

Ushuaia

Ushuaia

Very happy to finally be on our way to Puerto Willams

Sailing across the Beagle Channel

Colony of Condors

Curious Condors

We arrived in Puerto Willams in the evening, but had to stay on the boat for another three hours or so - waiting for the coast guard, food inspector, navy and immigration officers to do their job.
The next morning we started the multi-day "Los Dientes Circuit" on Isla Navarino - a trek we were long looking forward to.
Due to our onward travel plans (and our delayed arrival in Puerto Williams) we had to 'compress' this five day hike into three days. We spent long days trekking through sub-antarcitc terrain and were finally exposed to what so many people refer to as the unpredictable 'Patagonian Weather: four seasons in one day', or even in little more than half and hour. It was cold, rainy, sunny (with no clouds), stormy AND it snowed. But - we had a wonderful time!

One of the highlights on the circuit: view of the islands of Cape Horn in the far background

Peacefull campspot at the foot of 'Los Dientes' - and just south of 55° southern latitude

It wouldn't be Easter without the traditonal egg hunt for kids

Isla Navarino: most lakes being created by beavers!

Animals at work: beavers cut down vast areas of forest

Beagle Channel - the land on the other (northern) side is Argentina

Snowstorm on our last day

Along the shore of Isla Navarino on our way back to Puerto Williams

Exhausted and happy we returned to Puerto Williams and did a bit of sightseeing around this tiny settlement.

Puerto Williams - Chilean naval base patrolling the territory (including Antarctica)

Puerto Williams

We only had a few more days to spend in Patagonia before we wanted to be in Buenos Aires, but it was just about enough time to pay tribute to a few more Patagonian highlights in Argentina: Mount Fitzroy, Cerro Torre and Perito Moreno glacier.
From Puerto Williams we returned to the mainland on board a 20-seater Twin Otter aircraft with fantastic views of the glacier-covered Darwin Range. From Punta Arenas we continued travelling by bus towards El Calafate and El Chalten in Argentina, where we did our last hike on this trip: getting close-up views of Mount Fitzroy and Cerro Torre, two of the world's most difficult summits.

Fantastic flight along the remote Darwin Range back to Punta Arenas

Clear message (on a not so clear issue) as you enter Argentina: 'The Falklands are Argentinian' (?!)

Mount Fitzroy at sunrise

Mount Fitzroy

Mount Fitzroy

Cerro Torre

Cerro Torre and Mount Fitzroy just after sunset

Travelling across Patagonia

Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate

Instead of flying from Patagonia to Buenos Aries, we decided to experience the vast distances a bit better by taking the long-distance bus along the Atlantic coast and across 'La Pampa'. Not much there (as the name may suggest) but not as bad and painful as one might think: we took the front seats on the first floor and had panoramic views of this sheer endless and flat terrain.

Halfway on our 38 hrs (or 2570km) bus trip to Buenos Aires: 'La Pampa' nonstop

Arriving in Buenos Aires we soon figured out that three days would not be enough to capture everything this fascinating city has to offer. We tried our best and walked across a few very diverse neighbourhoods, visited a tango show and even did a trip to the near delta of the Rio Plata, with its network of islands and interconnecting canals.

View from our hostel in Buenos Aires

That's how happy birthdays begin!

La Boca neighbourhood in Buenos Aires

Obelisk in central Buenos Aires

Floating supermarket on the Rio Plata delta near Tigre just outside Buenos Aires

Calatrava's footbridge, Buenos Aires

Casa Rosada - seat of government, Buenos Aires

From Buenos Aires we flew to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where we were welcomed by Bruno, who we met several years ago in Canada.
Although our first days here were rainy, with Bruno's help we managed to get a good overview of this impressive city.

Lagoa and Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro

Copacabana and Sugarloaf

Party with Bruno (and a Caipirinha) overlooking Rio

We now left Rio for a few days on Illha Grande, a gorgeous tropical island not far away - trying to refresh our tan to impress people when we get home ;-)
On Friday, 11 April, we will return to - hopefully sunny - Rio and are looking forward to watching the local semi-finals at Maracanã football stadium.
It's not easy for us to realise that we'll be back in Europe in less than a week but we are also looking forward to what is ahead of us there.

Stay tuned!