Misc. Info

Odds and ends

Several species of birds that we saw migrate from Alaska and northern Canada to Patagonia every when winter arrives in N. America.

Patagonia is the name used by both Argentina and Chile for their southern region.  It has a very different geopolitical history, but a shared geology and animals.

The great age for exploration of Magellan and Drake in the 1500 looking for a way around South America, and later day explorers like Scott and Amundsen race to the South Pole fill many books.  The story of Shakelton and his crew’s survival are truly unbelievable and heroic stories that make us look like wimps!

Our current Pope, Frances, lived in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires and is loved by all Argentinians!  There is a papal visit to Chile coming up January 15-19.

The exchange rate for Argentina pesos is 17.50 for 1 US dollar.  In Chile the US dollare is worth 650 pesos.

Public education is completely free from kindergarten through the university. 

The mothers of “Los Desporados” (the disappeared ones) still march in front of the Casa Rosada Presential palace on Thurs. afternoon

Best burger in Buenos Aires is at the Four Seasons.

There is a large Jewish population and several synagogues in Buenos Aires.

There are still bullet holes in the building around the presidential palace from a 1955 revolution to overthrow Juan Peron.  He fled to the Dominican Republic but later returned for another stint as President.

La Boca, a very fun, colorful neighborhood has a soccer team whose colors are blue and yellow after the Swedish flag.  The soccer matches are only for locals, no outsiders.  There apparently were riots, brawls and people were killed in the matches.

The tango became popular in Argentina after WWII.

Many of the glacier lakes are devoid of minerals, fish

Native of Patagonia were completely gone by 1960.  Mapoches, Selk’nam, Daca, Yahanas, Canoers, Ionokenk, Human Zoos in NYC and London.   Documentary Human Zoos.   Jimmy Button

There appears to be 2 major migrations of ancient people to Patagonia—one 10K years ago and one 20K.

Along the road are small houses with crosses in places where people have died.  It is a mix of native and Christmas beliefs—they want the spirit of the dead person to have a house to encourage them to stay.

It is complulsory to vote or show why you can’t and there is a fine of 50 pesos if you don’t.  The Kirschner’s changed the voting age to 16 and promised young people free this and that—obviously it worked!  First he was elected President, then Cristina was President and now Cristina avoids going to jail for corruption by being a seated senator from Santa Cruz state in Patagonia­­­ 

Condors fly overhead!

Over the last 20 years a 40-60% decrease in the number and size of glaciers has taken place, and it’s a much warmer place. 

A prehistoric bear called a Miladon was discovered in a cave in Patagonia.  Its skin was almost intact and DNA showed it was a new species of animal.