Peninsula Valdés
Blimey, blog I have neglected you terribly. It’s been a whirlwind of a summer so far, and suddenly we have just four days left in Argentina. I type the words and it still doesn’t sink in. We are upping sticks to England. Poles apart. I haven’t been back in almost two years, so there are new waves of emotions rippling about my ears. In a very basic sense, there’s happiness and sadness combined. But that’s not for pouring out here. Cue the tortoise!
We sped down to Trelew to ring in the new year with JP’s family, and the tortoise. Despite having visited the last two years, the Castellino tortoise and I had never met.
So we spent a half hour on the patio. She attacked a lettuce and I admired her flexible papery neck and impressive bite.
We spent a bright and hot day on Peninsula Valdés. I hadn’t been since solo travels in November 2005 and had only seen it on a greyish May day. It is a deserted, peaceful and glorious place. Extremely well-cared for. I also got to pay the far cheaper entrance fee for Argentine citizens, a silly detail which still makes me puff up slightly with pride like a pillock each time. First we drove north to see the sea lions.
The coastline is refreshing and gorgeous, with or without these blubbery beasts dotted along it.
There they are. Some having an invigorating dip.
We stood staring at about five minutes of grunting, neck-swinging, fast waddling and ferocious sharp biting as the machos got worked up and fought each other. I imagine it gets a lot worse but this was exciting enough from the sidelines. As we hopped back in the car to visit the penguins, JP spotted this chap sauntering around the car park. A piche, going about his business. I like his wispy cape.
There are different animal colonies across the peninsula, but the penguins we visited live alongside the most exquisite lagoon, Caleta Valdés.
No need for words really. We drank it in silently.
We ploughed on in the hot car to visit the immobile elephant seals. They sunbathed and slept, looking like vast smooth lumps of grey blubber. A glam Hollywood siren requested more silence here.
Quite alarming information provided. I wish I could have seen the trunk up close. But not too close.
We also passed guanacos and horses along the dusty gravel roads. Just beautiful to admire. We swapped silent exchanges.
Until the next time, whenever that may be.
How wonderful a read that was, puts the cold morning commute to London into perspective
I’m glad 🙂
Blimey! A wonderful blog, really well-written, captured and with some melancholy… I love signs translated into English abroad. Why do they never check it with an English person first? Where was el piche going then? Busy little armoured sausage!
Very busy armoured sausage, scuttling around with no doubt a busy list of stuff to get done. Quite bizarre they don’t check the English… Menus are always the worst