After Antarctica, we flew from Ushuaia to Calafate, which served as our base to visit the fantastic Perito Merino glacier
Though we had seen plenty of glaciers during our previous 3 weeks, Perito Moreno is unique for its accessibility and activity
You can stand directly in front of the glacier face, and listen to it creak, crack, and groan as the ice moves inexorably down
Antarctic glaciers are not nearly as active
The lucky folks get to witness large chunks of ice calve into the lake water
Perito Moreno glacier calving
That calving leads to icebergs floating in the waters made green by "glacial milk"
The details of the ice are abstract and captivating
The forms call to mind castles or monuments from mythology
After ice joins the glacial flow, it is compressed under the weight of the whole mass, turning clear
This ice likely traps bubbles thousands of years old
As this iceberg dissolves, we depart Argentina for Chile
The lenticular clouds on the border between Argentina and Chile evoke flying saucers
View of Cerro Paine Grande (left) and Los Cuernos del Paine (just right of center) from Lago Pehoé
Los Cuernos del Paine. Las Torres del Paine lie behind.
Chilean firebush grows prominently in the region, being one of the first plants to establish itself after a forest fire, which has deeply touched the park
Dead branches and lake
Los Cuernos del Paine reflected in a lake
