El Calafate Day 1 part 2

We then hiked to the lake and a boat took us to the glacier. While gazing up at the seventy-meter-high ice cliffs, (2,100 feet) I enjoyed a glass of 12-yr-old scotch chilled by 400-yr-old ice. Yes, we got close enough to an iceberg to chip off some ice for our drinks. 

Luckily the sun came out and the temps rose for our tour of the glaciers. What can I say about that amazing wall of ice? Magnificent. Stunning. Awe inspiring. All that and more. We were up close and saw ice chunks much bigger than our house break off. The calving was spectacular. Each one sounded like a cannon going off. 

This picture was taken from several miles away. To give some perspective, that little speck of a boat down there holds two to three hundred people. 

One of the most striking features of the ice fields is the lovely blue color of the ice. Apparently the ice sheets absorb the sun’s rays and only refract the blue light waves. It’s amazingly beautiful.