After breakfast, packing up, and checking out of our hotel, we walk about one mile to the Güirá Oga.  Güirá Oga, which means “House of Birds” in the Guaraní language, is a rehabilitation center for birds and other animals.  They have a 1.5 hour guided walk through part of their facility to look at the animals in their care.  They have many birds and also monkeys, deer, and other indigenous animals.  The stop was interesting and it’s good to see some environmental care in this part of the world.

argentina0445We walk back to our hotel for lunch, retrieve our luggage, and go to the airport.  We had requested a 2pm pickup, were told it would be 1:30-2pm, and then, of course, they showed up at 2:15pm.  An example of “hurry up and wait”.  We had plenty of time at the Iguazú airport.  In fact, it was too much time since three flights to Buenos Aires depart fifteen minutes apart, all from the same gate and security checkpoint.  Unfortunately, this would turn out to be the least of the travel frustrations today.

We were flying to Trelew and connecting in Buenos Aires.  After arriving in Buenos Aires and going through security (again), our flight to Trelew took off late.  About a half hour or so after takeoff, the captain informs us that there is a “minor mechanical” problem, we are returning to Buenos Aires, and we’d be provided with more information later.  At least we now understood why the sun was setting on the wrong side of a supposedly southbound pane.

Turns out there are no further announcements, but we land safe and sound in Buenos Aires.  We final start boarding the plane again around 12:30am (after several hours in the airport and my consumption of the world’s worst Cesar salad for dinner).  As we are walking up the stairs to the plane (there is no jet way), we are alerted by the people in front of us to blood on the steps.   The trail of blood continues just beyond our row of seats.  The old woman who we saw really struggling to go up and down the stairs earlier, severely cut her leg.  She was sitting in her seat trying unsuccessfully to stop the bleeding.  We, along with others, flag down a member of the flight crew who cringes at the site of the woman’s leg.  L’ asks me what they should do.  Since I could tolerate no further delays of our flight, with all compassion, I replied “I don’t know, take her out back and shoot her?”.  Eventually, an ambulance arrives and takes the injured woman and her clueless companion off the plane.  By around 1:30am we take off and land without incident in Trelew about 6 hours after our scheduled arrival.  We take the airport shuttle from Trelew Airport to Puerto Madryn around 4am (and we are thrilled they are there at this time as I’m sure the other folks were).  After the hour ride to Puerto Madryn  we arrive at our hotel following about 23 hours of travel.  We get to sleep by 6am and sleep to 11am.  So much for getting a good night’s sleep.

View the photos from Güirá Oga:

http://www.sanjoseabrams.com/photos/ArgentinaDec2011/Day%206,%20G%C3%BCir%C3%A1%20Oga/index.html