Imagine the southernmost point of South America back in the 1500s. Explorers such as Portuguese adventurer Ferdinand Magellan were eager to find a way through the continent linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He started his 2 1/2 journey in 1519 with three ships and 242 hearty souls. The sailing was hard
and dangerous work and ultimately many of the crew succumbed to hunger. By the time they had traversed the "Straits of Magellan" (hey, you find it, you name it) and crossed the Pacific, only one ship, the Victoria, and 18 crew members survived.
The region still requires a hearty soul to call Patagonia home. This frigid region has only 150,000 residents sprinkled across its 150,000 acres. Brisk winds hammer endless plains of pampas grass while snow capped mountains dot the horizon. Here in the summer, we haven't seen a temperature above 45 degrees although sunlight lazily stretches toward 10pm. On the only major 2-lane road, you'll travel miles and miles before encountering a modest bodega for a toilet and simple but hearty meal.
What you will encounter are estancias. These massive sheep farms are the heart and soul of the region. Most stretch over 10,000 acres with an owner's hacienda, worker quarters and the core of the operation- the shearing shed. Lonely outposts are placed at the desolate corners of each ranch. Here, puesteros, the caretakers, live year round charged with mending fences and guarding the sheep from predators like pumas and foxes. This solitary existence has been known to drive puesteros mad and erodes their social skills to the point that they barely communicate with those who visit to drop off supplies.
The region still requires a hearty soul to call Patagonia home. This frigid region has only 150,000 residents sprinkled across its 150,000 acres. Brisk winds hammer endless plains of pampas grass while snow capped mountains dot the horizon. Here in the summer, we haven't seen a temperature above 45 degrees although sunlight lazily stretches toward 10pm. On the only major 2-lane road, you'll travel miles and miles before encountering a modest bodega for a toilet and simple but hearty meal.
What you will encounter are estancias. These massive sheep farms are the heart and soul of the region. Most stretch over 10,000 acres with an owner's hacienda, worker quarters and the core of the operation- the shearing shed. Lonely outposts are placed at the desolate corners of each ranch. Here, puesteros, the caretakers, live year round charged with mending fences and guarding the sheep from predators like pumas and foxes. This solitary existence has been known to drive puesteros mad and erodes their social skills to the point that they barely communicate with those who visit to drop off supplies.
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