Where I´ve been recently...

I grew up reading books about fairies, gnomes, hobbits and witches. I truly believed in fairytales.....believed there were little creatures that lived among the trees and lakes in far off places. Then I realized it was all make believe. I learned that stories such as these were created to entertain and captivate us, to get our imaginations rolling. Well, having been in Patagonia, or shall I say 'Pandora' these past few days, I´ve started wondering if these creatures really do exist.

Argentina never ceases to impress, enthrall and infect me with its mystery and beauty. I think it should be the 8th world wonder; every new place I visit captivates me more than the one before. No photos, words or even feelings can make sense of the beauty of Patagonia. I once read that 'no place on the planet is fully at rest. Only time-unimaginable stretches of time that conceal from human eyes the dynamic natural forces shaping the Earth- creates the illusion of stasis. But sometimes, if you´re lucky, you come upon a place where time seems compressed, where you can feel in your bones how kinetic even geology really is´´(National Geographic). I think this is the closest anyone has ever come in describing how mind-blowing Patagonia really is.

Bariloche is the cutest town I have ever seen. It is VERY Swiss inspired; it's chilly, cozy and there are TONS of chocolate stores everywhere. All the gift stores carry hand-made pottery. They have mugs, salt and pepper shakers and wooden spoons. I feel like I've been thrown back in time or something and it definitally gives the impression that these mystical creatures exist. You can buy a gnome or fairy in almost any gift shop around town. There is so much about this vacation that I want to capture, but I will save it til later.

I just wanted to give you some sense of how beautiful Patagonia is. There will be more to follow, don't worry! My next post will feature Byron (the stong, masculine and protective male on our trip) and Natasha, (the organized, energetic, English girl who planned the entire vacation). Both of these people have made my experience down south extraordinary and I can't wait to go into more detail about all this.

Stay tuned for kayak rides, 20 mile bike excursions, making pizza with 50 year old men, renting a car and driving it for 4 hours in complete darkness through the mountains. This was quite an adventure!