Tag: Chile

Journey to the end of the World- 53 degrees south

The journey to the edge of the world sure sounds ominous but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. The journey that took me right to the southern most region of the world was fairly uneventful but the sheer excitement of touching a southern latitude was sufficient fodder for the travel bug within me. Hard to say if I am bitten by that travel bug or contaminated with it. The past few months would seem to suggest the latter.

Anyway, for those geographically inclined, given the North and south poles are at 90 degree latitude and as far as the northern hemisphere goes, you could go almost upto 85 degree on land . South is different, vastly different and by the time you are around 55 degrees there is no land between that latitude (southern tip of the American continent) and the Antarctica peninsula. And imagine my delight to know the Hotel I stayed in Punta Arenas (one of the three most southern cities in the world) was right next door to the old post office. This is the place where Robert Falco Scott, the British Naval officer sent off 400 letters to several people announcing he was back safe after discovering the Antarctic peninsula. That was in 1904. Several years later in 1911 he lost the race to the South Pole to the Norwegian, Roald Amundsen and the journey ended with his death. I am told they were not all that prepared and even their sled dogs couldn’t take it.

What am I doing here? Punta Arenas is the city right by the Magellan Strait. He was Ferdinand Magellan almost the first person to circumvent the globe and its been 500 years since he found that route that connects the Atlantic to the Pacific. The town is all his for sure; and when you consider the intrepid explorers that chose this path to go to lands unknown, traversing the angry seas and this one did prove that the earth was not flat; contrary to popular belief at that time. That must have been quite a voyage. Originally from Portugal, he managed to upset his masters so much so that they pressed criminal charges against him. He somehow managed to get to Spain where the King was magnanimous enough to sponsor his trip to discover the elusive passage to Asia. The year is 1518- After a route starting from Lisbon and heading south along the west coast of Africa the ships head west towards Brazil and Argentina. Between countless spells of intrigue, treachery, betrayal and other such shenanigans they find the strait. What a momentous occasion it must been and hardly did he know he’d have towns, streets, GPS and even the small penguins named after him. I know a few people that we can have weasels named after them. So after he crosses over to the pacific side him and his entourage get to Philippines to their way to Malacca which was supposed to be their eventual destination. Magellan gets into a scuffle with one of the local tribes and gets killed and with him his ambition of being the first person to circumnavigate ethe globe lies 50 feet deep in the Pacific. His second in command, Juan Sebastian Elcano manages to reach Spain three years after they set sail. The year is 1521.

The gateway to the Torres del Paine national park is on a route that heads north from Punta Arenas towards the city of Puerto Natales. The trip to the Torres del Paine is just over 90 mins from there and once you’re in that region, you could be on the moon. Secluded and majestic in its appearance its all about the blues. Blue skies, blue waters, blue hued glaciers and Paine actually means blue. Chile and Argentina are so co-joined here and you could literally be on the Argentine side in less than an hour.

Its home to the largest count of the Puma. Puma- What a cat – sits on top of the food chain here and he’s got plenty of Guanacos to feed on. Guanacos, part of the camel family are wild and love being in a herd. The Puma is a loner, he is more of a cat than a lion. He doesn’t roar, he meows and loves to eat, sleep , rest and repeat (Some of you may be able to relate to him and it certainly sounds like me on a weekend!)

I was fortunate enough to get sightings of the Puma and a herd of Guanacos and the picture perfect landscapes of the region are as close as you’d get to see unpolluted , virgin surroundings untouched by civilization. Sight of a broken piece of an iceberg made the day even better.

Missed seeing the Magellanic penguins- The penguins migrate to the Isla Magdalena , close to Punta Arenas starting in Sep. They usually hang out around the Atlantic and make the two month journey to get to the place for breeding. Interestingly they do this journey every year and create quite a ruckus on the island. Perhaps later this year, these penguins get the opportunity to see me. Much like the gorillas in Rwanda.

Some fun facts & FAQs-

  1. Penguins may walk funny they are monogamous and stay loyal to their partner their entire life
  2. No- They don’t serve Penguin soup at restaurants there
  3. You cannot adopt a Puma. They bite and they are highly carnivorous
  4. Pumas are not considered an emotional support animal and the airlines do not allow them to travel on your flight.
  5. Guanacos are fast runners but usually end up on the Puma’s dinner plate because simply put, Pumas run faster.
  6. The entire Patagonia has less Spanish speakers than Miami
  7. The wind velocity at the Magellan Strait is enough to carry you away to unknown destinations

Travel tips-

Fly to Puerto Natales directly from Santiago, Chile if you are in for the Torres. If you want to be part of Magellan’s city, you’d better fly into Punta Arenas. You could always do a multi city trip. And the Bus Sur that run between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales on the Ruta de final de mundo (Route to the end of the world) are absolutely the best way to get around.

Chile -A glimpse from 2012

Having spent the last few weeks traversing South America, I consider it as a great opportunity. Not just being able to see the continent from the mighty majestic Andes to the Pacific Ocean, from Rio Del Plata to the arid regions, but the chance to live the local life is indeed a windfall. Chile is a country which reflects an unending optimism, the urge to be among the best in the region. And the evidence all points to this. The mineral market has been capitalized by the Government and the ease with which mining giants, BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Barrick can operate in this stable economy makes it a win- win situation for everyone. Never did I sense that unemployment is an issue, never did I sense people desiring to leave Chilean shores for better opportunities. It’s all there and prosperity obvious. And this is Santiago. Valparaiso, the significant harbor on the pacific did lose its economy at the turn of the previous century with the opening of the Panama Canal but has picked herself up and is looks well in tune with any port city in the world; turning herself not only into a la Gold Coast, but being a key contributor to the Chilean economy. I have to yet to explore the north and that’s exactly where the reddish tinges of Copper are all pervading.

Contrast to Chile is that large country across the border; Argentina. Flying into Buenos Aires and getting away from the airport is nothing short of my own experiences in Bombay (I will not call it Mumbai). The dirt, the chaos, the ugly buildings lining the main freeway and the obvious lack of new construction is something you cannot miss. The version of Argentina is at least two fold, the cab driver version is one of rosy optimism and while there are problems, the country is in a growth mode nonetheless. And then a few days later I ran into a Professor of Oceanography and the version from the erudite folks is diametrically opposite. The country, sitting on some of the best natural reserves will not make it any easier for companies to operate and the mindset and the policy of not expending the USD will continue to hurt them. If the seller of real estate keeps waiting on getting paid in USD and the buyer will not pay in any currency other than the Argentine Peso, it doesn’t take a lot to figure out that there is a development and growth impasse. The people have not been helped by the fact that the regimes they are under swing from one of extreme privatization to one that is socialist. When someone says they cannot buy even a decent bread toaster in Argentina, it certainly gives you a lot to ponder.

One thing is, like my earlier sojourns in South Africa, the people here come off as very friendly and the kind you will not mind having a beer with.