Not only was the scenery spectacular, but the wildlife was
magical!!
Magellanic penguins auditioning for Mary Poppins.
They're just as cute in person! (or in penguin).
They come to Patagonia to have their babies in little burrows then
swim thousands of miles through the Straits of Magellan and up the
Atlantic Coast to winter in Brazil -- amazing!
An Andean condor soaring over the hills. Can you see it?
It's that black speck with wings! In person they have a
remarkable seven-foot wing span and are beautiful to watch soaring over
the mountains on the Patagonia wind.
A Darwin's rhea (nandu in Patagonian) posing by the road.
A curious guanaco. Once the ears go back, watch out! We
saw one spew about a quart of spit at another guanaco, but our guide
said too-close hikers are fair game as well. The envy of every kid
spit-baller around!
Patagonian grey fox posing for a shot. Unfortunately they've
grown accustomed to handouts, so we saw several hanging out close to the
road.
OH MY GOSH! LOOK! IT'S A PUMA!!!!!!!
No REALLY it's a puma!
See I TOLD you it's a puma!! (We watched it chase down an unlucky
hare and drag it off across the field. A true National Geographic
moment!) One guide had been in the park for 6 years and had never
seen a puma. We felt very lucky.
A mountain rat found only in the Valle Frances.
I have no idea what this is -- but look at the reflection in those
sunglasses!
