Thursday, March 14, 2013

#858 Glaciarium, El Calafate, Argentina

I'm not sure if there is anything like it in the world, but the Glaciarium in El Calafate is an incredible museum of ice movements across the world. It is a popular tourist attraction, vastly overpriced, but but gets many visitors because it is so near to the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier (#872). Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take photos inside the museum, but I think if you had told me I could spend hours learning about ice and glaciers, I wouldn't have believed you. We even ran out of time!


The other cool thing they have is an ice bar --
the "GlacioBar", which is really just a giant freezer in the basement of the museum with strictly controlled times and an exorbitant entry fee -- however, your 20 minute time slot includes unlimited free drinks from ice cups -- we imbibed the traditional Fernet Branca -- mint flavor was our favorite!
Here are some cool things I learned in the Glaciarium:

  • Every continent has glaciers, including Africa (on Kilimanjaro), although Australia has none
  • There are glaciers in the highlands of Papua New Guinea!
  • The two Patagonian ice sheilds are two of the biggest areas of ice outside Antarctica, and others include Glacier Bay National Park (#989)
  • Crossing the glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park has only been a very recent phenomena (in living memory).

View from outside the Ice Museum

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