Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.
So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Marble Caves


Day 781,
86 396 km since the beginning of the journey,
Puerto Rio Tranquilo, Chile.

Marble Cave is one of the places that could be classified as "this kind of place cannot exist", it is computer-generated or something similar. But it exists. And that`s what it looks like.

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Frankly, I do not remember exactly when and from whom I received the first information about this fantastical place. It is possible that while searching in the net I happened to come across of the information about the caves and pointed out the place on the map - "must see" . As usual. So you mark the interesting spots on the map and then try somehow to adjust them with the route so that not to miss anything worth seeing. Marble Caves is located in Chile, in the region of Aiseni, about 5 kilometres from the town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo. The lake is on the border of Chile and Argentina. On the side of Chile the name of the lake is Lake General Carrera and on Argentina`s side it is called - Lake Buenos Aires.

The caves are accessible only by boat and to visit them there are two options possible: A) to book a boat tour (about 45 minutes to the caves ) from the town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo, B) to drive near the caves next to a small quay and then find out whether there is someone interested in taking the boat-trip.
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By the main road there was even a signboard showing the right direction

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The reason of the blue water of the lake was said to be the glacier water and the closer to the period of autumn the more water from the glaciers flowing into the lake.

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Here it is. A boatman was also here and ready to go.

Marble_Caves_DSC00995Catedral de Marmol.

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That`s what it looks like. At first made just speechless. The caves are formed by the influence of waves and are believed to be about 6,000 years old. Of course a better view should be on sunny and calm weather, when the water is smooth but can`t conjure up this kind of a weather.

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On the way back.

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It is autumn here now - April 9 - comparable to the month of October in northern hemisphere.

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Border city of Chile Chico in the morning.

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Lake Buenos Aires.

The following 3 pictures are made in the morning of the same day while crossing The Andes.

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Anyway, I'm trying to look around some more time until the weather is fine. As to the weather forecast – can`t always believe in it.

ilm

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