A Wandering Botanist: Patagonia

Showing posts with label Patagonia. Show all posts

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Visiting Patagonia--A Glipse of Torres del Paine, Chile

Patagonia refers to the southern part of South America, but it is a big area including about half (the southern half) of Argentina and Chile. I have only seen the southern tip, Tierra del Fuego, the Beagle Channel and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.

Visiting Tierra del Fuego--A Walk on Cape Horn

beach at Cape Horn

In November of 2009 I boarded the Via Australis as part of National Geographic trip to sail the Beagle Channel from Argentine Patagonia to Chilean Patagonia, not around Cape Horn but through the safer (though not especially safe) interior waterways. Before sailing westward, however, we were offered the opportunity to walk on the island at the tip of South America, Cape Horn. (Take Google Maps to the tip of South America link then zoom out).

Visiting Tierra del Fuego -- the end of the Pan American Highway

spring wildflower, perhaps
Caltha sagittata
buttercup family, Ranunculaceae

On a sunny day in November, 2008, I visited Tierra del Fuego National Park, near Ushuaia in southernmost Argentina. Although we arrived in Ushuaia to cold snowy conditions, it was spring and in the open areas weeds and spring wildflowers were flowering.

spring flowers, Tierra del Fuego

dandelions, Taraxacum officinale in Tierra del Fuego

dandelions, Taraxacum officinale
Tierra del Fuego

Visiting Tierra del Fuego - forests at the end of the Americas

Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Everyone has different places on their “must see” lists. One of mine was the Southern Hemisphere. I wanted to see strange constellations in the night sky and have the water in the toilet turn clockwise. So one of my first trips in retirement was a National Geographic trip to southernmost Argentina and Chile.

My husband and I left snow in Colorado and flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos Aires was sunny and hot. After two days we flew to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. (We pronounced it oo schy a, which is not too far off.) November is spring in Tierra del Fuego, but when we arrived it was just above freezing and a mix of rain and snow was falling. Shivering, I dug in my hand luggage for every layer I could put on.

A Wandering Botanist

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Visiting Patagonia--A Glipse of Torres del Paine, Chile

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Visiting Tierra del Fuego--A Walk on Cape Horn

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Visiting Tierra del Fuego -- the end of the Pan American Highway

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Visiting Tierra del Fuego - forests at the end of the Americas