Perito Moreno Glacier

[captainmcd]

Back in February 1982 I visited the glacier after reading about it in Smithsonian Magazine. I was hoping to see it break during my visit. I had to fly to Rio Gallegos, then a LADE plane to El Califate. There were a few hotels there, and one confiteria. Prices were high during the military government so I stayed in a rooming house (bed but no breakfast ) There was a combi van that offered trips to the glacier once per day. I signed up for the trip. There were no more than 10 people on the tour. The road was gravel, and on arrival at the glacier we were all impressed, and watched the bergs calve off the glacier front, but of course nothing broke through from above. We sat in the grass and had a picnic lunch. There were no walking trails, no park rangers, and no other tourists. I met a nice young woman on the tour, a pediatrician from Buenos Aires. We exchanged addresses, wrote, visited, and a year and a half later married. We have had a great life together. She now has her own private practice in Houston. We have had three great kids, now all grown, and two grandchildren. We decided to return to the place where we met.

WOW, what a change. After a non-stop flight on Aerolinas Argentina we arrived at the new airport in El Califate in only three hours. We did not recognize anything in the town. Dozens of hotels of all catagories, and restaurants galore. Micros, combis, taxis all over the place and souvenir shops up and down main street. The next day a large crowded tour bus took us to the glacier. Now there is a ticket office when you enter the park on a paved road. They are building a new hotel at the glacier. There is a cafeteria and gift shop there, and parking for dozens of tour buses. There are thousands of tourists. There are boat cruises on the lake and catwalks built around the glacier view points, and even an elevator for those with mobility problems. We got a photo taken there for our kids, so now we have before and after shots. After 34 years the park has changed for the better, we have changed (sadly not for the better), but the glacier is just the same! After all the talk of glaciers disappearing I was glad to see that Perito Moreno is still just the same.

Congratulations to Argentines for a good job in tourist development. It was sadly lacking in 1982, we could not even get to see Fitzroy peak. But somehow what was once a special personal experience is now just not as special anymore. Travel is like that. You can never have the same experience in the same place at different times.

 

[AmigoArtistico]

Micros, combis, taxis all over the place and souvenir shops up and down main street. The next day a large crowded tour bus took us to the glacier. Now there is a ticket office when you enter the park on a paved road. They are building a new hotel at the glacier. There is a cafeteria and gift shop there, and parking for dozens of tour buses. There are thousands of tourists.

This hardly sounds like a change for the better to me. It sounds like my very disappointing visits to Old Faithful and Mount Rushmore.

But to each his own. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

[mmoon]

Agreed. It is technically "well developed," but all of that rampant accessibility takes something away from the journey.

 

[captainmcd]

It's a difficult trade-off to develop a natural wonder and not destroy its unique character. In 1982 it was difficult and expensive to visit, and impossible to rent a car or take a taxi (at great expense) to see other attractions in the area. Now it is convenient and easy, and not so expensive. Therefore there are a lot more people and a lot more of the things that make a special place just another amusement park like the crowds and souvenir stands.