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Started by mongers, November 07, 2012, 08:35:17 PM

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mongers

Quote from: Malthus on December 17, 2015, 09:21:02 AM
Hippie-henge.  :D

I went to see it last time I was in England. They had the henge roped off, but they allowed a bunch of self-styled "Druids" in to cavort right around the stones. I guess the word hasn't gone out that Stonehenge historically had nothing to do with the Druids or their religion.  :P

I was briefly tempted to claim I was a 'Beaker People' Nobleman-Priest so that I, too, could cavort right up to the stones - away with these Druidical newcomers! Off to an Oak Tree Grove with the lot of you! - but restrained myself.  ;) (Plus, I lacked a neat costume, and it was too chilly to go nude).

Yes it is rather silly, though I guess harmless and people get a laugh out of the silly costumes.

What annoys me is the free-for-all at the stones on the solstices, were tens of thousand of people get to trample over the site and stand-on or otherwise damage the stones. By all means let the silly druids in, who'll respect the stones, but don't let yahoos overwhelm the place.
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

Zanza

As requested a brief Patagonia AAR.

I spent some days in Buenos Aires before I flew to El Calafate. Took a bus to El Chalten and shot this picture on the way.



The next day I took a 18 km hike to Laguna Torre, which is located under the imposing Cerro Torre. Sadly, I never saw that mountain.

Started very early the next day, went up to Laguna de los Tres, from which I got a perfect view at Cerro Fitzroy.





As I had time, I hiked over to Torre again. While I did again not see it, the hike there was worth it. Probably 28 km or so that day.



Went back to El Calafate that evening and took a tour to Glaciar Perito Moreno the next day. Awesome weather and the ice hike was simply stunning. It's a world of its own. The front of the glacier is also extremely impressive.





Next day was a long dull bus ride to Puerto Natales in Chile, which is also nondescript.

Started out my Torres del Paine trek the next day, although I just drove to the park and didn't go hiking yet. I spent a total of five nights in the park. All in Refugios with three meals. That meant I didn't have to carry a tent, was not cold at night and got real food. That probably vastly enhanced my experience, but it's not cheap.

The park itself is really beautiful and I understand why it is considered to be among the best hiking areas in the world. Turquoise lakes, imposing, very steep mountains with snow caps, glaciers, raging creeks and rivers, diverse vegetation. I hiked about 95 km in five days across good paths. At Glaciar Grey I also kayaked to the glacier front and did another ice hike, both of which were beautiful.













After this I had another bus ride to Punta Arenas on the Magellan Strait. My twelve days in Patagonia ended with a flight to Santiago.

I met a lot of interesting people along the way, mostly Americans, and spent up to several days with them. It's actually rather social even if you start your trip on your own.

katmai

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son

Admiral Yi

Which backside is yours, if any?

Zanza

It is me drinking the water from the glacier.

Admiral Yi


Tonitrus


Zanza

Atacama and Uyuni AAR

After Patagonia I went to Northern Chile, namely the tourist village of San Pedro de Atacama. After some Sandboarding I visited the Geysirs of Tatio and the Valle de la Luna, both beautiful.




The next days were spent in Bolivia along the Andes and finally the Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt flat in the world. This tourist drive becomes ever more popular and it's easy to see why. The landscape was spectacular.



My final day in Chile was spent climbing the active volcano Lascar.


mongers

 :cool:

Zanza, very cool expedition and photos. 
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

alfred russel

That sucks about the Cerro Torre. I did the Laguna de los Tres trek about three years ago, and I think I know the vantage point you posted that picture from, but on that day everything was fogged in and I couldnt' see a thing. Still was a memorable day.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014

Razgovory

What a godaweful place to live.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Eddie Teach

Quote from: Razgovory on January 02, 2016, 08:16:27 PM
What a godaweful place to live.

Like a colder New Mexico with llamas.

Probably not a bad place to visit though, in the early summer.
To sleep, perchance to dream. But in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

Zanza

Quote from: Razgovory on January 02, 2016, 08:16:27 PM
What a godaweful place to live.
Very few people do. Unsurprisingly.

MadImmortalMan

I certainly can't beat Zanza, but here's some more stuff from the ordinance museum in Hawthorne, NV.


















"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

MadImmortalMan

Death Valley borax works.


"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers