Shoutout to Jacada Travel.

I just did a quick debrief call with the travel company that helped us plan and book our honeymoon, Jacada. They told me they were happily following this blog every day during the trip, which made me smile.

Melanie, Delfina, and everyone on the Jacada team were excellent at what they do. The local guides made the trip special; we got to meet and spend the days with some of the most lovely people in Argentina and Chile.

We had the trip of a lifetime, thank you again Jacada.

Honeymoon Day 18: Torres del Paine to Santiago

The view from the restaurant at Tierra Patagonia hotel.

The stars over our final night in Patagonia.

Chilean wine tasting and beet tartare at Bocanáriz in Santiago.

We are at the airport in Santiago, waiting to board our flight home. It’s sad, but it’s time. Today we had an early wake up, flew from Puerto Natales to Santiago, and had just a few hours to explore the city before returning to the airport.

In the next few days I’ll hopefully post some reflections and more pictures from the trip. For now, I’m too tired. See you stateside.

Honeymoon Day 17: Tierra Patagonia Recovery and Relaxation Day

The hotel is made mostly of Lenga (southern beech), one of only three species of tree growing in the park.

Back in the saddle. Again I had the horse with the attitude. We rode in a line, and he HATED being in the rear. When behind any horse other than our gaucho’s in the lead, he would push right up to the next horse’s rear, and nudge it onward with his nose! His name, Aguardiente, is apropos.

The “Jack Sparrow,” today’s cocktail-of-the-day by bar director Shlomith. Rum, homemade banana liqueur, pineapple juice, coconut bitters. (aka Just when I thought our trip couldn’t get better, they gave me a tiki drink.)

After yesterday’s big hike (similar distance, but 1,000 vertical feet more than our big one in El Chalten), we needed a less strenuous day. We went horseback riding in the morning, and spent the rest of the day relaxing in the hotel and spa. In the lobby we found a coffee table book of Chile’s fanciest hotels, where we learned a little more about this place:

Its architects, Cazú Zegers, Rodrigo Ferrer, and Roberto Benavente, sought to create a structure with a sense of place, a geo-poetic work in which the key element was beech wood worked to resemble the texture of the old-time sheep barns on the ranches where they once dried the wool and leather.”
Destinos de Lujo by Ana María Lopez & Marí Paúl

Tomorrow, we have to start the journey home! Unless we are hired by Kine, the hotel’s cheery Excursion Director. (We have inquired.)

It will be hard to leave this place. It is so special here—both the park and the hotel. But we’ll have a full day in Santiago before our overnight flight, so there will be some time to transition and enjoy a bit more adventure before getting back to Chicago.

Honeymoon Day 16: Base of the Towers /// French Press above the French Valley

Tierra Patagonia Hotel in Chile, our last stop. It’s like nothing we’ve ever experienced.

Base of the Towers in Torres del Paine National Park.

Our guide surprised us with hot French press after lunch; fuel for the descent as the weather turned.

Cold, wet, happy. Before the rain, I had on my NU bucket hat, and Kelly said I looked like this guy.

Today was the big trek in Torres del Paine. After a ~3.5-hour climb, the clouds opened just enough to see the towers (las torres) for a few minutes while at the lookout. As we finished lunch, the clouds returned and the rain, cold, and wind picked up, making the descent a bit treacherous. But we made it safely, and the day was amazing. Yet another wonderful guide, Diego, made our trip extra special with lots of info about the terrain, flora, and fauna—he’s an avid birder. And also with surprises: delicious fresh coffee at the top, and champagne at the bottom. We learned that paine is native Tehuelche for “sky blue,” so the park’s name is a mix of Spanish and native language meaning something like “Towers of the Blue Sky.” We also learned that another feature, the French Valley, is named for the former landowner, a Frenchman. Apparently this was private land (!) before being donated to the park.

Our hotel, Tierra Patagonia, is mind-bogglingly beautiful, and in perfect harmony with the landscape. This hotel was the inspiration for our whole trip, and it has exceeded our hopes. I’ll post more photos tomorrow, and hopefully learn and share more about its history and architecture. For now, we are recovering with some tub time, sauna, pool, and then off to dinner.