Cuernos del Paine at Dusk
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Cuernos del Paine at Dusk |
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Another 30 mins'walk or so from here is Refugio Los Cuernos where I would call the day. Valle Badder apparently is up here sandwiched between the other-worldy Cuernos del Paine and the lesser Cerro Pico Paine accrding to the map. Right in front is Lago Nordenskjold.
One of the many streams running down from Monte Almirante Nieto that feeds the turquoise Lago Nordens...
Rich in rock powder, Lago Nordenskjöld is an opaque aquamarine lake that one could not miss on the fa...
If trees were like humans, the scene here would fit the description of a carnage - charred remains on...
The trail to Valle del Frances, or the French valley climbs mostly below the tree line for most of th...
The Paine Massif is made up on its right side by the massive Monte Almirante Nieto (seen here) which ...
As soon as I emerge from the trees and onto this shoulder part of the trail I know my luck was out. ...
One feature that most visitors to Patagonia would certainly agree upon is how fickle the weather ther...
Further along the narrow trail that meanders through the beech forest, the rapidly flowing Rio Francé...
South America makes up the southern half of the Americas and a large part of Latin America. It's home to the world's longest mountain range, biggest waterfall and largest river -- even these mammoths pale in comparison to the stunning variety of life forms thriving in the rainforest.
To the northwest, off the coast of Ecuador, lie the Galapagos Islands, which are unique for hosting species not found anywhere else on earth. These were the subject of study for Charles Darwin in his theory of evolution, which he himself said will require proof in every single case.
The main languages in South America are Spanish and Portugese, which basically tells you which European countries colonized the place. The South American wars of independence took place over two decades in the early 19th century, led by Simon Bolivar of Venezuela and Jose san Martin of Argentina.
Following liberation from Portugal and Spain, South America took off into its own development, capitalizing on the rich deposits of oil, gold, copper, silver and tango musicians.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and home to one of the world's best parties, Carnaval. Have you heard of samba music? How about bossa nova? Maybe dancing for three days straight?
I can't say enough good things about South America. All the world's continents have amazing secrets and treasures laying in wait for your discovery, but in South America... just have a look at our pictures while you're waiting for online confirmation of your plane tickets to hit your inbox.
Text by Steve Smith.
