Idiots at the End of the Earth Ep 20 What do you do when...

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jgh
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Idiots at the End of the Earth Ep 20 What do you do when...

Post by jgh »

Idiots at the End of the Earth Ep 20 What do you do when the pavement ends???

Parque Nacional Los Glaciars is so huge that there are two towns that serve as jumping off points for exploration. El Calafate has proximity to one of the park's two iconic wonders – Perito Moreno Glacier. El Chalten is a cute little village tucked up in the mountains at the end of the pavement and provides access to Mount Fitz Roy.


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The Idiots got settled into their apartment at Anita's House and then went in search of “comfort food” as the gray weather settled in. They didn't realize at the time that the little restaurant they chose has a name that makes a political statement.

La Senyera is the name of the Catalan flag. Catalan has been in the news frequently as its separatist movement seeks a divorce from Spain. Catalonia tried unsuccessfully to secede from Spain in 2017 and some of the leaders of that movement are on trial in Madrid for the attempt. To the Catalonians – they have their own language and culture and are not really Spanish. To the rest of Spain, the kingdom of Aragon was a central partner in the formation of a unified Spain over 500 years ago.

Whatever the politics, the food is home-style cooking... the Idiots had stew and empanadas and, of course, a very nice bottle of Argentinian malbec. They had to get a picture of the popular brand of bottled water – Poppy and Edward, take note! The flan is homemade – and they do it right!


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The next day dawned gray and wet. The Idiots were already at the end of the pavement. What would a couple of Idiots do under those circumstances? Why... find the gravel and drive until one can't drive any more, of course!


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An easy walk through an ancient forest leads to Chorrillo del Salto – which sounds so cool in Spanish but translates to something like “the jumping trickle.” Despite its diminutive name, the water plunges over 65 feet in a series of drops and was a restful place for the Idiots to contemplate yet again what lucky fish they are! Forgive all the pictures of the trees... they had such intriguing shapes and textures the Idiots couldn't pare it down to just a couple. Extra points for readers who spot The Green Man...


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The road that ends at Lago Desierto passes through habitat rich in wildlife. The Idiots did not spot any of the protected Huemule, the reclusive south Andean deer. They puttered along the gravel, stopping often for photos. The weather made it difficult to see the high Andes, so they concentrated on the little things and the beauty nearby.


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Attentive readers will notice that these episodes have a lot of pictures and talk about food. The Idiots were astounded by how good the food was in Chile and Argentina. Interesting specialties... great seafood... great meat... even small restaurants take pains to provide excellent food and service. Looking for dinner on another damp and gray evening, the Idiots stumbled across the obvious choice for them – Parilla La Oveja Negra... The Black Sheep Grill. The setting is informal, which is in tune with the nature of a remote little tourist town populated by trekkers and world travelers.

In spite of the name, the Idiots didn't have mutton. They had beef. Argentinian beef is legendary, and when a parilla is good, the steak can be extraordinary. This was one of those times – great meat, perfectly prepared. Since the steak is served ala carte, the Idiots ordered ravioli as well... and it was great... but that was gilding the lily. The steak was... ahhhh... (readers will have to provide their own salivation...)


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Sometimes lodging is just a place to lay one's head... sometimes it is a delightful part of the travel experience. The Idiots stayed at Anita's House. Anita is a young mother who, along with her husband, is building charming little apartments and renting them to tourists. They build the units and make the furniture themselves. The Idiots didn't get to stay in the unit they originally rented – the varnish on the furniture was drying slowly in the damp weather.

Anita is charming. Her husband is charming. The kids are cute. Everything about this family said “these people would be our friends if we lived in El Chalten.

They also operate a small store, Chaltenos, on the grounds. They have a lot of regional and imported delicacies, but the Idiots never got beyond the espresso – and the extraordinary handmade alfejores. The Idiots had never heard of these sweets before, but one taste and they were hooked. The basic recipe is two cookies with a layer of dulce de leche, but Anita's husband has developed a variety of fillings and covers the sweet sandwich with fine chocolate.

The Idiots were actually a bit miffed. Throughout the rest of the trip, they tried alfajores all over southern Patagonia. But apparently they had stumbled on possibly the best alfajores in all of South America on their first experience, so all that followed were doomed to be disappointments!

To give a sense of their experience... they stayed 3 nights and their last morning they were having espressos and alfajores in the store with Anita and her husband... and buying some for the road... and having such a delightful chat that they forgot to give Anita the apartment key. That night, Idiot He discovered the key in his pocket and wrote an embarrassed email asking how they might return it. Unfortunately, it was Saturday night and Sunday morning they crossed into Chile, so they couldn't make connections with a bus line to return the key. Eventually Anita insisted they keep it as a souvenir... and if they like, they can return it the next time they visit! Today the key hangs in their home along with an art mask designed to resemble the masks used by the native peoples of the region for rituals.


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kHT
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Re: Idiots at the End of the Earth Ep 20 What do you do when

Post by kHT »

I think this adventure is the best of the whole trip. Thank you for sharing!
karma 'Happy Toes' (kHT)
The Goddess is Alive and Magic is Afoot!!!!
I'm just a simple housewife.
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