Week 20 – Here we are! I’ve been dreaming about this part of the world for years and here it is, here I am, I am in Patagonia!
At the beginning of the week we were in El Bolson which is technically in Patagonia but doesn’t really look like it, or at least like I was imagining it. El Bolson is a little mountain-like town with a lot of buildings made of wood reminding the chalets of the Alpes. There are many cozy cafes and restaurants, as well as breweries offering local beers, and a large artisanal market where artists present jewellery, wood work, mate cups, leather objects and paintings. This is a nice hippie town with a very good atmosphere but it was not quite what I expected. So after some beautiful hikes, we went back on the road to reach the real Patagonia!
We drove 4 days in completely isolated areas on the famous Ruta 40. No signal, no towns, no soul, no cars for kilometers! We couldn’t find gas stations for 150 or even 350 km so we didn’t miss our chance to refill every time we could! The Ruta 40 was amazing, crossing deserts tormented by violent winds offering breathtaking skies. We followed winding roads in valleys, strait ones on plateaus that seemed endless and, suddenly, a beautiful mountain range and a milky blue lake appeared on the horizon. The Fitz Roy was in front of us in a dramatic scenery! I can’t wait for the journey back in January when we will stop there.
Finally, we reached these end-of-the-world cities, El Calafate and Puerto Natales, where life has surprisingly been organised where nature seems too hostile for Human. We can again take refuge in small cafes and cozy restaurants watching the weather change in an eye blink and enjoying the invigorating specialities of the region.
Patagonia is beautiful!
