(December 18 – written by “Just Dave”)
We already posted a blog today but then we had a photogenic afternoon that merited a quick second post. This afternoon’s photo excitement involved going to the local laguna here in El Calafate. It’s a short stroll from our apartment to the laguna. I went down there to see if there were any pink flamingos and boy did I get a treat. See below for more fun photos.
I also snapped a photo of calafate – the bush. It is sometimes called a blueberry but it is not what we know as a blueberry. When ripe, the berries look like blueberries and they are also used much the same way as blueberries. Nancy’s new favourite ice cream is none other than calafate flavour. I think we’ll be beyond the end of the trip before the berries ripen in the wild, which is a shame as they’d be a nice supplement to our morning oatmeal and they are certainly everywhere in the Patagonian Steppe.
Tomorrow we head out to make our way to Puerto Natales. The current plan is a 5 day ride that takes us through Torres del Paine but we have some options for alternative routes if the weather is not cooperating. We will likely be out of mobile signal so it may be a few days before any blog entries are posted.
This is just a short post to get the photos out, so I’ll stop there… Enjoy and wish us luck with the wind!
Green calafate
Longtail meadowlark
Flamingo overdose starts
And keeps going…
And going….
Hard to get them not eating
Gotcha…
Again…
Fake or real?
And more….
And my favourite
Leave Without Pay 
I’m overdosing on your photos of the glaciers and birds! Love seeing all these views. Safe travels on the way to your next destination.
My pleasure, thanks for reading.
I enjoy looking at the pictures of glaciers and flamingoes. The Calafate bush looks like a huckleberry bush to me. Hope you have favorable weather for the next stage.
Think tailwinds, tailwinds, tailwinds – Patagonia is fun (we hope)
Great photos once again. I wonder if those Calafate berries would grow here in Southern California. They would look great in my yard, and of course in a jar of jam. How large are the berries? From the looks of the photo, I’m guessing an inch in diameter.
I think that they are just about the same size and colour as a blueberry. Some of them are starting to turn blue but I’m not sure if they would also keep growing as they ripen.
Looked up the berries also known as Berberis microphylla.
Here in South America, blueberries, calafate berries, huckleberries and cranberries are called arándano. I’m not sure where they get huckleberries. I’m guessing that all four are related species.
Love, Love, Love the flamingos. May the wind be at your back this week! Wishing you happy and safe travels!
Thanks Inge – but we need bigger wishes on the winds. They have been far from on our backs… Oh well, we push onward.