A spectacular day. I’m not sure how we’re avoiding the rain, but we’re not complaining. Torres del Paine is over 900 square miles and it took us, with time for a few photo stops, about 2 hours to get there by bus. Almost everyone signed up for the Los Cuernos Hike which also took about 2 hours. I’d have classified it as an easy hike but the wind definitely knocked it up to a moderate. One of the guides estimated, based on looking at the waves on one of the lakes, gusts of 100 km. I did get knocked over by a gust at one point, and I know of one other woman who did so as well. Other than ending up with a dozen or so little spines in my hand when I fell on a bush, most of which I got out with the help of a good Samaritan who came to my rescue, it was a splendid hike. We had lunch at a lovely hotel that was clearly set up for all of us hungry tourists – a great buffet. Once again, the hotel director, who had joined the group, made sure we had enough to eat.
I hoped to see guanaco (Patagonian llamas), Andean condors, and rheas (look like smaller ostriches). Success! Captured the first two in photos and was happy to at least see a few rheas as we drove to the park.
A view from the bus of the hotel complex, which is located across a river, and hence, not in the park itself.
Ron gets into wine maker role pretty easily.
