Trip to Puerto Blest

Last weekend I went on a trip to Puerto Blest which is a port also in the national park of Nahuel Huapi. The trip involved two boat journeys on the lakes and through the Andes, very close to the border with Chile. It also included some hikes through forests and a stop at the border patrol to Chile. But before I begin with those photos, one more of Bariloche mountains with a bit more snow, from the lake... View of Bariloche on my walk home one evening... We woke up at the crack of dawn to catch the first boat out of Puerto Pañuelo. Sunrise over the mountains: Sun slowly rising over the pine trees at Puerto Pañuelo. Boat trip number one, to Puerto Blest. It was so cold and windy, but too amazing to stay inside boat. Felt amazing to be the only tiny boat in such a vast space.

Not quite the only thing in this space.. the seagulls follow the boat eargerly trying to keep up.

Big thick snow clouds.

We arrive at our first stop... a snow beach!

We start walking thorugh an unsually green forest considering everything else is covered in snow. It looked more like a jungle with snow...

A pretty waterfall in the backgorund.

Boat trip number two, and the Andes are a lot closer... very impressive sights as we sail through them.

Next stop, Lago Frias. Striking contrast between the snow covered mountains and the green forests.

The colour of the water is so intense because of the volcano El Tronador (which I showed you in a photo a while ago)

Tops of the Andes.

We are in Argentina, not Chile. We mustn't forget that. Chile is on the other side of the mountains.

If only snow was hot.... it looks so inviting for a lie down and a swim.

We found some friends at the border with Chile. Let's play in the snow!

Weeeeeeeeee ...

Cat in the snow.

Kira gets a bit too excited and belly flops onto the snow.

This was the most amazing part of the day. We were told to keep a close eye on the rock race because this is where the condors have their caves, and if we were lucky we would see a condor, the largest creature that flies.

...and then I saw one flying above. It was incredible, they are absolutely enormous. I didn't get a good picture when it was nearer because I couldnt keep my eyes of it, but here it is in the distance above its home, in the Andes. We watched it fly around for a bit, then go into its cave.

Then back to Baroliche, after a beautiful experience.