BUENOS AIRES, Argentina

Buenos Aires was a starting point, from where we flew to El Calafate, and we spent only 2 days in the city, so there was not really a chance to see it properly. We were expecting something more South American, whatever that might mean, what we saw was a mix of London, Paris and Barcelona. The city center shows its modern side, with few beautifuly preserved historical buildings that seem to be brought from Paris directly. San Telmo on the other side shows more local character with children playing on the streets, smell of fresh fish and garbage, wonderful Sunday flea market selling grandmother's cutlery and old Coca Cola bottles. Not to mention tango dancers and singers showing their skills on the cobblestone streets.

And of course there were protesters, Peronists, Socialists, Communists, Liberators of the South and many others, demanding justice, better life. Maybe we should have made more inquiries into it, but so many people marching down Avenida de Mayo was irresistible, we had to join them, whatever reason they had. And they had rather good reasons.

Then we headed for a capuccino to Caffe Tortoni.

FITZ ROY, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, Argentina

Driving from El Calafate to El Chalten (the base for climbing and trekking around Fitz Roy) shows vividly what Patagonia is really about. Arid, broad plains that contains a lot of nothing on the eastern side, while on the western side Earth abruptly rises and forms granite peaks like Cerro Torre, Poincenot, Egger and Fitz Roy. At the foot of the peaks are beautiful, blue-gray glacier lakes, intensly placid, nothing really around them, half the size of our home country, set amid nothingness and fullness of a fairytale mountains. It is nothing there really to come for, but if you miss to see it, you miss an important part of Patagonia.

PERITO MORENO GLACIER, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, Argentina

Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is not shrinking. It is one of the most accesible as well, as there are bus lines that take to its face, just some 100 meters away. Being so accesible and turisty destination might distract you, but to see this natural wonder face to face is an overwhelming experience. Its huge size, magical blue hues of ice, wild shapes of seracs makes you forget all the stupid turists and their behaviour around you. The most surprizing feature were cracks filled with water that turn deep blue indigo color. These small ponds of water and ice around them are mesmerizing, almost hypnotic.

TORRES DEL PAINE, Chile

TIERRA DEL FUEGO, Argentina & Chile

At the southern part of Patagonia and at the very end of the world lies an island of Land of Fire, Tierra del Fuego. The last remaining wilderness, virgin mountains, remote fjords and islets, old sheep farms and inhospitable weather. The beauty of these pristine nature can be described as rough gentleness, as if trying to play Debussy's Images the Appassionata way. Actually, Tierra del Fuego is a true gem of Patagonia. Though the area does not have that interesting natural or human history that would date centuries or millenia back, its rather unspoiled character, huge unmanned places and its remotness make it so special. As if discovering the land for the first time, as if you are one of those pioneers of 19th century.

Despite its remotness and very inhospitable climate, earliest human settlements in Tierra del Fuego date 10.000 years back. One of earliest people in this part of Patagonia were Yaghan or Yamanas (not the most numerous) and they inhabitated Isla Navarino - largest of archipelago and area around Beagle channel. First Europeans saw Tierra del Fuego as early as 1520, when Magellan sailed through the channel that bears his name. But due to extremly bad weather and sea and consequent maritime disasters indeigenous people were left undisturbed till 19th century. Charles Darwin also visited the area around 1833. After many attempts to convert indigenous people, Thomas Bridges established a mission at Ushuaia. He learned Yamana language and compiled Yamana-English dictionary, which later became his life work. Interestingly, Darwin mentioned back in 1833 of Yamana language that it barely deserves to be called articulate, but in fact it turned out it contains more than 32.000 words. Thomas Bridges built in 1886 also Estancia Harberton, that still exists today as the oldest one in Tierra del Fuego (unfortunately not as a sheep ranch, but a turist attraction).

The best account on Tierra del Fuego, its history and its people, was written by Lucas Bridges, son of Thomas Bridges. He also devoted big part of his life to Yamanas and Onas people. His early life was spent with indigenous people, living and hunting as one of them, learning their language. Later on, he became a fierce defender of their life and culture. His book, Uttermost part of the Earth depicts rather tragic story of native people with whom he grew up.

It must me noted that all native people of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia as whole are extinct. In Puerto Williams (town on Isla Navarino) there lives last woman, who belongs to Yamana. With her, everything of what was indigenous will be gone.