A Dream Revisited

Sometimes, when you have had an exceptional experience, the bar had been set to that exceptional level. Anything else will bound to fall short. And so it is with my trek to Laguna de los Tres.

Almost six years ago, when I did the trek in El Chalten, it was with 2 friends, and the weather was really quite good. An early morning alpenglow, followed by a pleasant day of trekking, and when it mattered, at the the Laguna itself with Mt Fitz Roy as backdrop, there was times of blue skies and serene reflections on the lake.

I had pretty much trekked the past 3+ hours in super windy and cloudy conditions. Never mind that, but as I reached the final part of the trek, the final 1km of rocky gravelly ascent, it started to drizzle. Things are looking wet and bleak. Somehow though, I was still very much anticipating the view when I would summit the ridge and gaze upon the sight I missed so much.

Perhaps it was age, but I didn't remember it was this exhausting. And the wind! It wasn't this strong back in March then. This is prime summer season, but it didn't looked or felt like it. I trudged on, water droplets drenching my face, and angry wind slapping it at whim.

Grey cloudy skies on the ascent

And drizzling as well!

And when I finally reached the top, it was ..... underwhelming, truth be told. Laguna de los Tres was unsettled, as waves of ripples washed across its surface, dancing in sync with the wind. Dark clouds churned around Mt Fitz Roy, with the sun valiantly trying to shine through. It was a tumultuous scene completely different from my first encounter. But still, memories come flashing back.

Very windy day!

Making the best of the situation

I had wrongly chose to come for sunset. The sun is setting behind the mountains and if it had been a good sunny day, there possibly still would have been phenomenal light. But the day was characterized by grey cloudy skies, and the poor sun had been just a pale shadow (ha!) of its glorious self.

I made my way down to the lagoon, and up to the other crest that will overlook another lagoon, Laguna Sucia, as well as Laguna de los Tres. And it was here at this elevated point that I encountered the windiest experience of my life. I have encountered 3 times in my travels where I was literally blown off-balance by the wind, staggering a few steps by the force. Once in Chilean Patagonia (near Glacier Grey), once in Iceland, and once in Antarctica. It seemed Argentine Patagonia would not be outdone.

I was bracing myself for some photos when it started. Gale force winds that buffeted me in all directions, quite literally. I tried to seek refuge behind a rock half my size, but to no avail. But I must looked a comical figure leaning and circling a rock in a half squatting position. But every position is the same! In the end, I just leaned on the rock for support, and waited.

I withstood more than 5 minutes of pummeling by the wind before there was some reprieve. I thought I would use the chance to try to take some more photos. I "ventured" to a position away from the rock that allowed a good shot of both lagunas, but before I could really compose anything, the wild winds came on again, screaming like a mad banshee. It was so strong and relentless that I was immobile, literally fighting against the wind to stay upright; a mere lifting of a leg to make a step would surely topple my stance. And it would seem I was losing the fight! I resorted to crouching on all fours. For the briefest of moments, I had some horrifying thoughts. But all I had to do was wait, and it was a good 3-4 minutes before it died down. I contemplated going back to my "rock" to review my situation, but decided to go back down. After all, the images I take would be similar to the ones I took during my last trip, and in worse lighting conditions.

It was only 8pm, and "sunset" was supposed to be 10.30pm. There were but 2 persons left on site and looking at the clouds and the insane winds, I didn't think it would be sane nor fruitful to wait. It was mission aborted, but as I descended down the rocky slope, there wasn't any real disappointment. I think I had been lucky on my first visit, and even on this trip, I had a day of glorious weather. Today, I was just being presented with the real and realistic Patagonia.

And I am back in Patagonia after 5 1/2 years! A dream destination revisited. How can one be disappointed?!

Nature's Light

I enjoy landscape photography, and capturing phenomenal lighting is one of the pleasures of the craft. Rainbows, god-rays, irridescent clouds etc etc, these are not only awesome to see, but immensely satisfying to capture for me.

I was conveniently in my hotel, looking out of my balcony during the sunset hours, when something strange caught my eye. The hotel sits right at the edge of Pelister National Park in southern Macedonia, and the views of the mountains and villages were just fantastic. There were loads of clouds, and typically, with the sun behind them, occasionally you do get "god-rays". Technically known as crepuscular rays, these are rays of light radiating from some point (usually the sun). However, what I saw was something different.

The light seemed to be radiating from the fields in the valley! The patches of light on the ground are obviously lit from sunlight through breaks in the clouds. But somehow,  it seems to be radiating light!

Nature's light is just amazing!

PS.
Anyone who can explain this phenomenon please share. Thanks! :)

Spring Snow

The snow swirled and flurried onto my face. It was a good feeling when it was gentle and while walking in town. But now, trudging to Curovac viewpoint, it was an annoyance. It was a 9km walk to the viewpoint.

The previous day was a little better. There were dark angry clouds threatening most of the time, but it only started snowing in the evening. So I had the opportunity to hike around Black Lake, which of course, isn't black. The Black Lake is the easiest excursion in Durmitor National Park, biggest of Montenegro's national parks. Famed for its hiking opportunities, Black Lake is just a whiff of its potential. However, the season had not started yet, and well, the reasons are obvious. The weather is still very much unpredictable. It is already close to mid April, and as my host said, the heavy snow was "not normal".

Hiking around the perimeter of Black Lake

Black Lake under the Durmitor mountains

Unpreditable wintry spring scene

Well, the upside is I get to stay in a private apartment with kitchenette, ensuite toilet, Wifi etc etc for 13 euros a night. But the snow is getting worrisome. Walking in snow is fine - it's just that I wouldn't be getting a view at the viewpoint after walking 9km!! And this was for one of the the biggest attraction in Durmitor National Park - the Tara River Canyon.

I had a glimpse of the canyon, and the green Tara river, when crossing the border from Bosnia & Hercegovina into Montenegro, and I was impressed! Stuck in a bumpy mini-bus ride with curvy roads, there just wasn't any way to capture the scenes. And like I said, it was just a glimpse. It is Europe's longest and deepest gorge at 80km long and 1300m deep. And it was enough for me to do this 18km round-trip walk.

The snow had let up when I reached the trailhead to the viewpoint. Most of the 9km walk was on an asphalt cum dirt road until the trailhead. However, the trail, which was just a jumble of rocks, now covered in snow, was precariously close to the edge of the cliff. Slowly but surely (not really), I clamoured laborously forward. And there and behold! A bench! Facing a wall of swirling misty white!

The snow-covered rocky trail

Rest stop with a view

I paint a forlorn figure, shivering within a grey-white mist. It was like those depicted in the movies, where one got lost in a dream. And like a dream, the mists lifted like a curtain  revealing the stage behind. A valley of green encrouched by this whitening storm. And while the snow and mists had a field day up in the mountains, they could not penetrate into the valley below. And then I saw the sliver of green in the distant. The Tara river!

And I realised this was just a rest point.

View when the mists cleared!!

The Tara River Canyon

I looked around and realized that indeed, there was a continuing trail obscured by even more snow. I cursed the weather gods for dumping this amount of snow onto the ground. This was beyond my comfort zone as the snow literally mined the rocks on the trail, and a mis-step could easily spell disaster. In the end, I had to settle for just the views at the rest point. The 9km walk back did not brighten my mood, though back in town, I comforted myself with one of Durmitor's local specialty - jagnjetina, a lamb dish.

Smoked lamb, boiled potatoes and cabbage

The 3 days in Zabljak/Durmitor was supposed to be a spring mountain experience, but turned out to be a winter excursion. I enjoyed myself no doubt, but would have been exponentially more satisfied if I had managed to reach the proper Curavac viewpoint.

I had a late morning bus the next day. And well, you might have guess the inevitable. The morning arrived with a brilliant shining sun and a stunning blue sky. Ah, why is it always me?

Beautiful day at Zabljak & Durmitor National Park

Into Plitvice Lakes National Park

Staying in/near national parks certainly has its advantages, especially for photography. You could stay till the later hours, catch better light, avoid the crowds etc etc. So I made it a point to find accommodation near Plitvice Lakes National Park.

There are hotels within the park, but prices were out of my budget. So I stayed in a family-run guesthouse in a village 800 metres from the entrance of the park. As I lumbered into the tiny village of Rastovaca, I counted like a total of 11 house, all sitting pretty with Zimmer(Rooms)/Coffee/CableTV signs outside. But as I went knocking, I found most were not in operations (yet)! Apparently, official visiting season starts 1 April, and many prefer to enjoy their own leisure time before they get busy with the tourists! In fact, the park fees double from 55 kunas to 110 kunas on 1 Apr and I'm 3 days short of paying twice the amount.

I did find a family who accepted my business. But found out that they don't prepare meals (outside of season). Neither did the whole village. And not a supermarket or restaurant in sight.

The family did sent me 3 pieces of freshly baked bread and homemade jam though. And happily enlightened me that the park entrance has a cafe and a mart. Great!

The mart was tiny. They stocked bread, and some canned food. The cafe's food variety consists all of apple strudel and cheese/ham sandwich. It was already 4pm and I did some simple hike outside the park. At 6pm, the ticketing guys called it a day and I wandered into the park for an hour of photography.

So dinner was that wonderful 3 pieces of bread. Luckily, I had bought a big loaf of pumpkin bread and a big slab of smoked cheese in Zagreb for breakfast and there were quite abit left. So my breakfast next day consisted of pumpkin bread with smoked cheese.

Plitvice Lakes National Park was an absolute pleasure. The only unfortunate thing was, it's too early spring and the trees were still brown and bare. Nothing like the lush green or winter white in the postcards. Still the turquoise lakes were just mersmerising! The trails and boardwalks and signs were simple to follow. I took my time and the whole excursion was a whole 9 hours in the park. There were 2 cafes in the circuit I took, and well, they served only apple strudels and cheese sandwiches. I just ate my muesli bars which I brought from Singapore.

It was almost 7pm when I exited the park. The closest restaurant was in the hotel in the park that was in another entrance several kilometers away. I was too tired and went back to my room for a sumptuous meal of pumpkin bread with smoked cheese.

Next day I woke up to a breakfast of good old pumpkin bread and smoked cheese. The very last of it. I thought I had ample time to catch my bus to Split, until I noticed my mobile phone's time and my watch was different. Damn Daylight Savings (again)! Luckily my phone's time auto adjusted! And that I realized it in time!

The bus took 6 hours to Split, and the lunch stop places doesn't look particularly appetising. When I reached Split, it was 4pm. It was not too long when I found myself sitting in a restaurant. There was a look of absolute glee when my order of grilled sea-bass came in two mouth-watering pieces. The grilled vegetables was just sweet, and washed down with simple white wine, it was pure pleasure!