Feb 29, 2020
Off to Patagonia at last and after breakfast & a short cab ride caught a very comfortable Aerolineas Argentinas flight taking 3 hours and 15 minutes to get to El Calafate in Southern Argentina.
The thing that really impressed me during the flight was dry and arid landscape of the Atlantic coastline and inland countryside; there is a vast grassy and shrubby steppe that covers most of Patagonia due to the cold, dry and windy climate.
El Calafate is a great base (and rapidly growing tourist hub) to see the main attractions in this part of Patagonia. I had planned 4 nights and stayed at the old but very clean & comfortable Rincon del Calafate. A little out of town but the walk was most enjoyable and safe. The staff, layout and catering was like old guest-house and nothing was ever a chore like the service in more elaborate places.
That night I walked along the main street of the town and was presented with a great number of clothing shops, chocolate and speciality food shops, souvenir shops, tour booking shops, restaurants and cafes. Tourism and accommodation are the major drivers of the economy.
I enjoyed a great dinner and Argentinian dance show before walking back to the hotel.
Off to Patagonia at last and after breakfast & a short cab ride caught a very comfortable Aerolineas Argentinas flight taking 3 hours and 15 minutes to get to El Calafate in Southern Argentina.
The thing that really impressed me during the flight was dry and arid landscape of the Atlantic coastline and inland countryside; there is a vast grassy and shrubby steppe that covers most of Patagonia due to the cold, dry and windy climate.
El Calafate is a great base (and rapidly growing tourist hub) to see the main attractions in this part of Patagonia. I had planned 4 nights and stayed at the old but very clean & comfortable Rincon del Calafate. A little out of town but the walk was most enjoyable and safe. The staff, layout and catering was like old guest-house and nothing was ever a chore like the service in more elaborate places.
That night I walked along the main street of the town and was presented with a great number of clothing shops, chocolate and speciality food shops, souvenir shops, tour booking shops, restaurants and cafes. Tourism and accommodation are the major drivers of the economy.
I enjoyed a great dinner and Argentinian dance show before walking back to the hotel.
