El Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Glaciers National Park), Argentina

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At the "Parque Nacional los Glaciares" all of us we expect to see a sort of "Antarctica" in miniature, a landscape of impressive glaciers and large iceberg. Although the size of each other are much smaller than dell'Antartide, the similarity will be palpable el'appellativo of "small Antarctica" is quite guessed, especially for those who decide to make the crossing of the Hielo Sur Patagonico. We are satisfied to admire the Glacier Park tourist, able, in any case, to please even the most demanding travelers.

El Calafate is the starting point for all excursions to the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares.
The overcast sky and a fine rain, but insistent, affects the conduct of movement on foot to the glacier most famous and known throughout Patagonia, the Perito Moreno. The reputation of Moreno is because that is the only glacier in progress on land and at the height of its front that reaches eighty meters above the water of the lake. We give, therefore, a day of relaxation, back and forth along Avenida del Libertador General José de San Martín, the main artery of El Calafate. We enter and exit from the shops lining the street. Batik, shirts, fleece, but especially liquor calafate and marmalade, the fruit similar to blueberries which takes its name from the city. In our stroll, up and down, we are constantly company aromas of delicious asado. The flavor of the meat on the grill makes us' come and despite the water is only 18.00 in the afternoon already foretaste flavor dinner.

We have, as usual, counted the days, we can no longer afford to change the program. Tomorrow indifferent weather make excursions planned. We are lucky! The sun shines high in the sky when we leave at 07.00 from El Calafate to Puerto Bandera where we board for sailing on Lake Argentino.
Most hikers will accommodate within the catamaran. We remain on deck indifferent to the strong and cold wind that makes us' to understand that if we are not in Antarctica, outside the boundaries of the world, we are still, in Patagonia, on the border of the world. A head-wrap on my jacket, with hat pulled well on el'inesorabile ear drops that drip from the nose, scanning the horizon, the immense lake. I want to be the first to spot the iceberg. When I am now about to give up and sit beside Mavi and Ila, crouching to protect from the wind under the walls of the cabin of command, there floated a white dot in the distance, at the end of brazo norte del lago. Five minutes after that point becomes a well-defined iceberg. The captain announces the sighting to the microphone of a témpanos, known here as the iceberg, and the bridge is invaded by the other tourists. While photographer near the gigantic block of ice the top ten meters wide and many wonder if I ever come to settle on the opposite coast as sometimes happens when the icebergs are so large. As we get closer to the fronts of the glaciers we shall see many témpanos for most small and only a few large. During the visit of movement front of three glaciers in the Spegazzini, the Onelli el'Upsala, the first and last, in particular, are real stream of ice that descend into the lake from the mountain valleys. Seco Glacier, the first aimed at, is different because in spite of others does not reach the water.
After an hour of browsing the glacier appears Spegazzini. From a distance, resembles a huge white snake winding down from the mountains plunge into the waters of the lake. During the patrol we witness the spectacular posting a pinnacle of ice. Noise is catastrophic consequences fortunately not, but the craft will fluctuate for a few minutes.
We reach the glacier Onelli after a brief excursion of twenty minutes in the middle of a forest of plants lenga. Here most of the front of the glacier is the lagoon to attract attention. The small lagoon is defrosting. In front of the bahia Onelli, away from towns and villages, isolated, sitting on a rock, I spend a good conscious hours of uniqueness of the situation. In this place where life seems to roll the same as in the past I love this wild beauty. There is a great silence. They are attracted by the landscape that is only now able to enjoy fully in its grandeur. Space and silence are special, almost unreal.
Finally we come to the Upsala Glacier, an area of floating ice made up of many icebergs, large and small. What we are seeing is a grandeur, the beauty and magnificence that my pen is unable to describe. I think they really know what polar sea. The catamaran to continually beat against small obstacles of the frozen, with less deafening noise that at times afraid. Some seem to sail témpanos pushed by the wind and currents, while others are completely immovable. All forms are equally bizarre and cool colors. The presence of massive blocks of ice c'impedisce reaching the front of the glacier, despite the vain attempts to make the craft. The Upsala is the largest of the glaciers of the Hielo Patagonico peripheral. Measuring 60 km long and 12 km wide, while the front is 4 km.
The beautiful day began to damaged, so we will enjoy the cloud very common in Patagonia so-called "Countess of winds" that is a superposition of lenticular clouds

Returned to Puerto Bandiera, fully exploiting the light as the sun sets at 21:40, just go up on self to achieve, after 70 kilometers of the unpaved road Rico brazo del lago Argentino is located where the Perito Moreno. There we come dusk, and given the late hour the walkways, on which the visit takes place, are completely empty and devoid of the presence of tourists. In this context, the glacier maintains the intrinsic charm of the wilderness. The glacier muttering continuously, seems alive. The effect is due to the continual collapse, internal and external blocks of ice which fell, causing the spectacular thud. The sounds combine perfectly with dreams, hopes and adventures, which transmit the pinnacles of the glacier, only apparently harsh and desolate, but when compared to the harmonious and the surrounding landscape that exude magic. Paramount in this space, I feel for the first time a truly free spirit.

Climbed in the car on the way back, I have reflected on the window. My face is neglected, the bushy beard, his eyes tired, for the long day, but light on the natural beauties covered. Fixed the Alambrado, the fence of wire present everywhere on land Patagonian and for once I do not see yellow tufts on either sheep huddled miserable bushes. The eyes are still full of blinding white of the long day spent among the ice of the "Parque Nacional los Glaciares" place where the spirit is nourished by the grandeur of the landscape, the freedom is immense ice and the wind shakes the soul ...