Patagonia, Land of Extremes

Patagonia...it's practically the end of the world; intense weather conditions can shift through all four seasons in the course of a day; it has one of the world's lowest population densities, and gaping whole in the o-zone hovering above; It's virtually uninhabitable. The wind whips with tremendous force across a desolate plain while jagged mountains dominate the horizon with rugged, resplendent beauty. The force of the wind has been known to rip car doors from their hinges and any trees able to survive the elements grow at a severe slant. Names like Seno Última Esperanza (Last Hope Bay) give you an idea of what early explorers and settlers must have endured here. Famous personalities from Charles Darwin to Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid to Ted Turner have all found something fascinating about this place, but what was once the region's most daunting obstacle has now become it's greatest asset - the landscape. Along with the first wave of the summer's travelers and adventure seekers, I arrived on December 2nd excited to experience a region largely untouched and unlike any other in the world.

Punta Arenas: Located on the Straight of Magellan, this was once an important port city for seal hunters, whalers, and the like. But with the changes the Panama Canal had on shipping routes, the city's economy plummeted. Now, the region prospers more from tourism, sheep herding, and (interestingly) one of the world´s largest reserves of hydrocarbon.Time spent in Punta Arenas was essentially just to stock up on food and supplies before heading for our real destination in the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. We did have a chance to do a little sight seeing - a cementary full of old names from all over the world , visited a penguin colony, and gazed across the Straight of Magellan at Isla Tierra del Fuego on the other side.

Puerto Natales: There's even less to really say about this town. Just a couple hours north of Punta Arenas, Natales is really nothing more than a launching point for travelers headed to Torres del Paine. What was once a lazy fishing port is now a town heavily reliant on tourism. Hostels were on almost every corner and outdoor equipment and rental shops fill the spaces inbetween. However, the most obvious indication that tourism is the crux of this town's economy came from the number of locals who spoke English. I encountered more Chileans speaking English here than anywhere else in the country, even while I was speaking Spanish to them. If there's no obvious reason to learn a foreign language, most young students just don't care to learn it. To them, the second language is not an immediate necessity. However, if your ability to pay the bills relies on your English speaking skills with travelers flocking to your small town between the months of November to April, then the power of a second language is suddenly tremendously important. Among Germans, Chileans, Argentinians, Spaniards, French, Canadians, Americans, Chinese, Italians, Israelis, Dutch, and Brazilians the use of English as THE premier world language has never been so obvious to me as it was in tiny Puerto Natales.