¡Hola Chicos!
¿Cómo están todos?
This past week I was able to leave the city to explore Patagonia. Patagonia is the southern region of Argentina and sometimes referred to as “the end of the world.” Patagonia is a vast area with long, cold winters. Here is a map of South America that shows the Patagonia region of Argentina.
To the west, Patagonia shares the Andean Mountains with Chile. I was able to visit Bariloche, a ski town that sits in the mountains in the northwest part of Patagonia. Spring is just beginning here (the seasons are opposite of the U.S. because it is in the Southern hemisphere, when it is summer in the states, it is winter here) and so it was a cold trip! The mountains were still covered in snow and it even snowed some while we were there zip-lining and horseback riding. We also saw a lot of volcanic ash that was still covering the ground from the Chilean volcano that erupted earlier this year.
Las montañas en Bariloche!
Una foto de la ceniza del volcán de Chile.
The southern part of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, is covered in ice during this time of the year, so while it is possible to visit, it is not recommended and although I did not get to experience the glaciers, it is on my to-do list for the future. Here is a picture of the Perito Moreno glacier in the south of Patagonia.
The central part of Patagonia is the least known region of Patagonia and receives the fewest visitors. It is a terrain of mostly small shrubs and bushes and no trees.
Lastly, there is the Atlantic region of Patagonia. After leaving Bariloche, we took a bus across the region to Puerto Madryn and the Valdes Peninsula on the coast. This area is rich in wildlife and this contributes a lot to the tourism industry in the region. During my time there, I was able to visit Punta Loma and sea kayak with the sea lions that live there year round. Alpacas, penguins, dolphins, orcas, southern right whales, and elephant seals are also abundant in the area at different times throughout the year. I was able to see the southern right whales during a whale watching tour and also the elephant seals. If you love wildlife, this area would be a perfect place to visit!
Los lobos marinos en Punta Loma, Puerto Madryn
Una ballena!
Una elefante del mar!
It was also nice just to get outside of the city for a week! I was able to experience more of the “small town” life of Argentina and, as can be expected, I found it much more relaxing and the people a bit more approachable than here in the big city. However, because we were in touristy areas it was actually more difficult to practice my Spanish since so many people would recognize that our native language was English and try to speak to us in English. If you continue to study Spanish, you too may find yourself in similar situations. For me, it’s frustrating at times because I am here to perfect my Spanish but yet it is so easy to speak English when it is spoken to me! Take my advice: if you are ever in a similar situation speak the language you are trying to learn in order to fully benefit from your experience!
Nos hablamos pronto! Chau!
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