Gualjaina and the Valley Chubut

After 12 or 13 days of working on Trey and Shelby's Lago Rosario property, the four of us decided to splurge on a trip out to Gualijaina with some local Trevelin friends. Around 6 pm we started our caravan out into the dessert where guanacos roam and the mara mara hops. The landscape was rugged and uninviting if you planned to walk, but a beautiful drive along a bumpy gravel road. The town was celebreating its birthday (we can't recall how many years...), and it was a veritable rural shindig, with loud music, stands selling choripanchos, and the people were walking around in something better than their Sunday's best.

Cacique - our mascot(a)

We stayed at the only hotel/motel in town, which fortunately was very nice and had very personable owners who took good care of us. After we checked in and cleaned the road dust off, we walked into town and explored the happening town square. Kristin looked at artesania, Ivan was mesmerized by the many cook tents, Trey was asking questions on a hand-crank well pump, and Shelby was rocking to the music. After 20 minutes in the square, we waded past the ruby-cheeked giggling adolescents and smiling parents and made our way to the towns only parilla, which fortunately also, was very very good.


The parilla was a fun experience because Jeremy, a Patagonia historian and writer, was not only great fun and entertainment, but also had brought a trunk-full of wonderful wine. Also joining the 4 of us at the table was Jeremy's wife Christina and their beautiful 7-month old son Tomas, David (el Padrino), and Nadine (a local poet and filmwriter). The owner of the parilla fit the part beautifully with his inviting personality, but also his immense authority next to his asado fire. While the dinner and conversation was amazing (salchichas, cordero, and ensalada!), the dinner didn't really start happening until Jeremy started singing a many different songs ranging from hilarious, bawdy, patriotic, and historical. Some of us were able to join in - like Charlotte the Harlotte, sung beautifully by Jeremy and Shelby - and The Star Spangled Banner belted by Trey and Kristin. However some of Jeremy's Scottish drinking songs were the favorite of the night. Throughout our vast display of vocal talent, the other local patrons were looking at our table as though we all had 'two heads.' I think in the end, though, they were grateful for the profusion of international talent that floated through the small 5 table parilla.

Rockin Out

After the coffee dispelled the horrible headaches the 'lamb' gave us, we hopped into an awesome diesel Mercedes camper-tank. The 12.25 members of our expedition started off with Daniel our professional guide and driver and headed into the upper Chubut river valley. Not only was the scenery completely pristine and stunning, but we had it all to ourselves -- Jeremy proudly noted that their likely wasn't another tourist within 100km. Our first stop was to admire the flow of the river valley, which has been formed by destructive/constructive volcanoes, tectonic plate movement, and the erosive forces of water. The bright blue sky was held in incredible contrast against the dark reddish-brown volcanic cliff faces that jutted from both sides of the valley. We'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

Our Fearless Employers Trey and Shelby

Petrified Wood!


Rio Chubut

Our next stop was the piedra parada, or the standing stone, which is a huge 250+ meter stone that survived the angry volcanoes surrounding it. Trey was just about drooling during our walk around it, since it is one of many climbing destinations in Argentina (he plans to do it before their season is over here). The massive rock was bright, sunny, and hot on one side, and chilly, shaded, and very windy on the other. It was an amazing landmark in the rugged terrain. After our walk around the behemoth rock we stopped for a yummy lunch, courtesy of David (our Padrino).












After lunch we crossed the river and hiked into a stunning valley that Daniel told us had been split apart after the lava started to cool. The valley had a cave with Tehuelche paintings, petrified forests as well as preserved petrified animals and animal pellets and a cave belonging to a puma (fortunatley not inside). Also in the valley were some aussie rock climbers who were trying their hands at the steep faces. It was one of the most memorable walks thus far in our SA journey because it was filled with history, geology and many facts, and took our breathes away many, many times.

"La Piedra para la Suegra"

Once we returned to town we showered off and seated ourselves back in the parilla for some more wine, and a delicious lechon (suckling pig). It also had delicious fried empanadas and a potato salad. YuM! Throughout the meal we were reminiscing our stunning tour through the extinct volcanoes, petrified forests, unexplored canyons and the cave paintings of the Tehuelche natives (about 3000 years old!).

The world's largest owl!!

Peregrine Falcon

Petrified Wood

The following morning we caught a ride back with David to Trevelin and then back to camp with Trey and Shelby. After a long weekend away it was great to get back to camp, especially since the weather changed to sunny and hot! On December 26th, the 2 of us are heading off to Bariloche and beyond for a 7 day camping trip through the Lake District of Patagonia. Que Lindo!!

A note to our vast and varying fan club (:-), we have been working a lot recently, which is why the blogs aren't as frequent as before. We should have a great blog up soon on our trip to Barilocheex, as well as our experiences at Lago Rosario (where we have no electricity!), where we will work until the middle of March. Too Much Good Stuff!