King Penguins: Falklands' Royalty

We've now seen 4 different kinds of penguins, and we love them all.  Shelly and Elena each have all their finger- and toenails painted with penguins.  Last year in the Galapagos, we saw Galapagos penguins, and then this week we saw tens of thousands of Magellanic penguins in the Argentine national park called Punto Tombo.  A day later in the Falkland Islands we were treated  to close-up visits with Magellanic, Gentoo, and King penguins. For more information on the various kinds of penguins in the world, check out THIS LINK.   Here are some photos of the King penguins in the Falkland Islands.  What a royal treat!

Penguin fingernails!

Las cuñadas observing a royal procession

Los hermanos pinguinos

Happy Shelly

Baby King

Baby Kings protected by the adults

Elena Feliz!

Portrait of the King

Shelly and royal friends

Chillin'

They have the right of way!

Magellanic Penguins at the End of the World

We rode to Punto Tombo in Argentina's Patagonia region, the largest known rookery of Magellanic Penguins in the world . . . these 1.5-2.5 foot high cuties are here from September to April each year.  There are upwards of 300,000 of them in one site, and they are about one week away from departing to live in the ocean for the next six months.  Here's more information about their homes in Patagonia and the penguins themselves at THIS LINK. A wonderful up-close encounter with some of nature's finest creatures.  Many of them are moulting and shedding their light feathers in preparation for a winter in the cold waters of the southern Atlantic. These marvellous animals are not yet on any threatened or endangered species lists, but their numbers are declining over the years.  As you can see below, with hillsides awash in their burrows and bodies, they don't seem to be in short supply here in Patagonia!

Tenderness and cleanliness

Moulting Magellanic

Tens of thousands of them and the 4 of us!

Selfies

Ouch-o Gaucho

A great start

The Uruguayan gauchos we watched riding wild horses at the Montevideo rodeo were certainly brave.  But after watching a couple rides where the bronco clearly won the match, we had to wonder about their sanity and how their bodies survive.  See these images. Ouch-o Gaucho . . .

Horse takes a tumble

Rider tumbles next--see the leg under the horse--ouch!

Out of the gate riding high

So far, so good

Starting to lose it

Look ma, no hands!

Breaking  the fall

Starting the sprawl

Gaucho friend to the rescue!

Uruguayo Rodeo

 

Stylin' gauchos

Easter Sunday in Montevideo happens to be the biggest day of the national rodeo fair for Uruguayan gauchos.  Cowboys and rodeo riders from all over the country descend on the capital to show  their buckin' bronco skills.  We were right there taking it all in and snapping photos.  It reminded us of the State Fair, with tasty food options, handicraft displays, and showing off the agricultural products and animals.  The most excitement, though, was generated by the brave young gauchos on wild horses, trying to survive for 7 seconds while a very angry steed did everything to buck them off.  On a drizzly gray day, the rodeo shone some intense light on our quick stay in the capital of Uruguay!                 

Beer and beef---both in massive portions.
What's not to like?

Bucking broncos!

Man and beast in the air!

Wild horses did not like this at all

Really don't like this!

Our trusty steed on a rainy day---the Norwegian Sun!

 

Don't Cry for Me, Argentina

Evita is in lights on the side of
this downtown building

It would be difficult to visit Argentina and not see signs of Eva Peron "Evita" everywhere.  Rather than "evitar" (avoid) Evita, we sought her out . . . heading to the Evita Museum, the Casa Rosada the Presidential Palace where she lived with her husband Juan Peron, and ultimately to Recoleta Cemetery, her final resting place.  Most are probably familiar with Evita from the eponymous play and movie, but if you need more background on Evita, check out THIS LINK.  Her impact on Buenos Aires and the Argentine people cannot be overstated . . . she was, (and some say is still) the spiritual leader of the country, even though she died at the age of 33 in 1952.  "Don't cry for me, Argentina.  The truth is I never left you . . . "

Shelly as Evita at the Casa Rosada
Presidential Palace Where Evita Inspired a Nation

Evita was most proud of having two things:
the love of the poor and the hatred of the oligarchy

We visited the museum on the 40th anniversary of the
military dictatorship's overthrow of the government

Inside Evita Museum

Recoleta Cemetery 

Evita's Tomb at Recoleta

Shelly and Elena at Evita's tomb

The truth is I never left you