WHALES & THE WELSH

Argentina is a wonderful country to visit with its vast countryside and a huge selection of attractions and activities. The Argentines are great people as well, despite the history the British has had with them regarding Islas Malvinas (the Falklands) and the hand of God with Maradona! Both topics were frequently discussed quite lightheartedly. As we crossed the border from Bolivia the Customs officer said to us once he had seen our passports, “ah Margaret Thatcher.” With a pang of anxiety we grinned and it turned out to be one of the nicest welcomes to a country from the border guards ever.

I spent two months travelling around the country with my Welsh boyfriend. So obviously a we wanted to visit the unique villages of Trelew and Gaiman with their Welsh settlers, keeping up the Welsh traditions of ‘Te Gales’ (Welsh tea) and even hosting the annual cultural event of the Eisteddfod in early September; celebrating Welsh traditions.

We had ‘Te Gales’ a wide selection of homemade cakes, a slice of each type of cake of which there were about eight and of course all had to be eaten!. Our host, a Welsh/Argentinean lady was more Welsh than Michael was. As soon as he said he was Welsh she started speaking Welsh. Michael shamefully had to interrupt her and say he only spoke Spanish or English, which she found rather odd. Most of the community speaks Welsh and flies the Welsh flag.

Gaiman and Trelew are great places to visit in a day trip from Puerto Madryn. There are daily flights from Buenos Aires and it only takes two hours to travel the 695 miles south to Puerto Madryn. This is a sheltered desert port which was founded by the Welsh settlers in 1886. The town’s street names are still in Welsh and the town is now a bustling coastal tourist town.

Another great destination to visit in a day trip from here is the Peninsula Valdes, 18km north of Puerto Madryn. The Peninsula Valdes Reserve is home to a large number of sea lions and elephant seals. A variety of bird life inhabits this area as well including the Rhea (an ostrich like bird) and the magellanic penguins along with a variety of other bird life.

August is the best month for whales but there have been sightings as late as December. From July to December in the town of Puerto Piramide on Peninsula Valdes boat launches run every hour or so and can approach the endangered, massive Southern Right Whales in the harbour. The whales come here to give birth in the calm warm waters of the Golfo Nuevo. A boat trip can be included with a 4x4-wheel drive to other points of interest on the peninsula, including the resident elephant seals.

This is an amazing experience as the whales and their calves come close up to the small boats. The gasps of excitement fill the air as the whales carry on their daily business without a care in the world. Everyone came away completely happy with the trip and in awe at the sheer size of this majestic mammal, fully-grown they weigh eight times that of an elephant.

Also from here you can visit the large Punto Tombo penguin reserve, more than 250,000 pairs gather here between mid-September and late –January