Treking in Helsingfors

It is my final night at Helsingfors and will be sad to say goodbye tomorrow. Firstly, if you are going to be even slightly sick you want to be warm and comfortable and a little extra attention doesn't hurt. Second, I have been the only guest for the past two days - which could be horrible but has been nothing less than staying with family.

This morning after a heartier breakfast of bacon and eggs we it our packed lunches and headed out on our trek - seven hours up and along the lake to it's head and another glacial lagoon. It was completely still when we left and the lake barely had a ripple. The trek is not particularly difficult but this is not a groomed trail. It is about like a cow path and there are lots of loose rocks and shear drops. (oh and I was told to bring a small towel for after we cross the river) Between the exercise and perhaps a bit of dehydration from the past days I can't believe how much water I am drinking. Thankfully the little streams we cross and even the "river" are great opportunities for crystal clear and cold pure glacial water. After about three hours we make our destination - and it is spectacular! We are on the high part of the trail with the milky blue lake to our right, ahead a huge mountain, below two small deep green lagoons that several hundred meters above the lake and then to the left the glacier and the snow capped rocky cliffs. Apparently the cliffs are on just the other side of the blue lagoon from Monday. Besides the views the other striking point is the silence. We enjoy our sandwiches and I have a nice chat with my knowledgeable but unassuming guide Willie. And the we decide to head back. We are about a half along when the winds return with a vengance. Thankfully they are to our backs but it puts to balance to a test and is tough on the legs (in some parts it is comparable to standing at the end of the boardwalk at Surfside in a nor'easter). As the wind now howls the lake begins to build up decent waves that crest and occassionally form little "dust bowls" of lake water.

So we are back and Willie says that a hot shower and a walk about will help wirh any soreness in the morning - except that when we return the turbine is off and there is no power and no hot water. After a brief respite I take an adult beverage to the lake side to watch the sunset. It is not brilliant and it has turned much colder with the wind.

I have a quick hot shower and enjoy another lovely meal of Patagonian salmon with creme fraiche on toast and some very tasty pork loin followed by warm apple compote with ice cream. I know that is a group checking in for the whole eight rooms tomorrow so I planned to have a quiet day before leaving but I am just informed by the "hotel manager" Pablo that we will go for a morning horseback ride and then there will be an asado lunch.

On to El Calafate for one night and hope to do an actual glacier walk on Friday.

(up to 1000 photos so far - need editing)