Well it was a really cool feeling landing in Punta Arenas. Punta Arenas is a town right on the boarder of Chile and Argentina. We got in to PA in the afternoon and set up camp in a hostel called Danicar (it would prove to be our least favorite hostel). We walked around the center of town and booked a tour of a penguin colony the next day.
Our room at the hostel smelled like very old cheese and the blankets provided were accurately described by Kristin as "undercarpet". The showers seemed to have been purposely chilled through a refrigeration system to a refreshing drinking temperature that was not so refreshing to the naked body. When all the various living challenges were passed that night/morning, we went off to see the penguin colony. We had a really nice tour guide and I sat in the front seat so I could talk to him the whole time. On the way over to the penguin colony we found some other wild birds and a lot of sheep. The sheep are separated (male/female) throughout the summer because if they are allowed to mate now, their babies will be born in the winter and most likely not survive.
When we arrived at the colony I was very discouraged. There were 50mph winds gusting almost knocking us over, and for the first 15 minutes we did not see even one penguin. But as you probably already guessed from the pictures that changed quickly. We made our way over to the shore and found the motherload. Penguins stick together a lot of the time and they like to travel in groups. They were very friendly and they were not shy of the camera. It almost seemed like they were trying to show off. They would waddle right over our path and give a loud penguin cry to the heavens with their mighty wings fully spread ready for flight (at least they thought). Check out the video down below they were really cool to watch.
We walked around and checked out all the various penguins. They live in burrows in the ground in individual cubbies, so sometimes you could see a penguin inside one enjoying a midday siesta. Their feathers were very cool and unlike any other bird feather I have ever seen. It is almost a mix of a regular bird feather and a fish scale, pretty cool.
After the penguins we hopped back in our little bus for the return trip. About half way home the driver slammed on the brakes to show us something. He hopped out of the car went around to the passenger side, and picked up an armadillo...a very dead armadillo. He slid the van door open so the passengers could enjoy the beautiful carcass. I asked him it it was dead and he replied in spanish "yes it's dead....but its fresh" as he squeezed its belly. He asked each of us to touch it before we went on our way.
It was a fun day and we went back for another night in the cheese room with the undercarpet blankets.
More tomorrow
buenas noches!
No comments:
Post a Comment