Sea Elephants of Patagonia

You might think elephant seals ( aka sea elephants ) get their name because of their enormous size,
but in fact it's because of their elongated trunk-like nose.

There are 2 species of elephant seals, northern and southern, which look very similar,
although northern elephant seal is smaller in size, while has a noticeably bigger spout.

The habitats of northern and southern elephant seals do not overlap:
Southern elephant seals live in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters,
northern elephant seals are native to the eastern Pacific.

Both northern and southern elephant seals spend months at sea,
only coming ashore to breed, give birth and molt.
Males arrive first to claim their territory, females return to a rookery later
already pregnant from the previous mating season. They give birth shortly after.

During the breeding season males face tough physical challenges.
First of all, being very elegant in the water, those giants are really clumsy while on land.Imagine them hauling their bodies weighing several tons  out of water onto the land. 

Secondly, a male elephant seal must stay on the land all the time protecting his harem.
Females, as always, come at a cost: males do not feed for months solely relying on their thick layer of blubber.

The images below feature a small colony of southern elephant seals, 
living on Atlantic coast near Dos Pozos ( Argentina ).
A private tour to the colony is offered for the guest of  
La Antonieta Estancia de Mar, which is run by a local family.
Guido, the owner of the estancia, will take you in his car to the shore,
where you can walk among the sea giants and enjoy the views of Atlantic Ocean.

Where you can see southern elephant seals
The only continental breeding area is on Peninsula Valdes ( Argentina )
and the adjacent coast. To see the animals book a guided tour in  
Punta Delgada or Punta Ninfas.

Georgia Island and Falkland Islands ( Malvinas ), which can be visited as a part of Antarctica cruises, are home to the biggest breeding colonies of southern elephant seals.

When to come
The mating season starts late August and ends early November.
A colony reaches highest numbers during the first decade of October.
The molting period lasts several weeks in January-February.

Personal experience
- Flight from Buenos Aires ( Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery ) to Trelew ( Almirante Marcos A. Zar Airport )
with Aerolineas Argentinas ( US $100 +  / per person one way ) ;
- 4 days car rental from Rentar ( US $208 for SUV with an automatic gear  )  ;
- One night at La Antonieta Estancia del Mar  ( US $150 / per night excluding meals and $ 30+ excursion to the private beach with the sea elephants ).

 

To see more images follow the link to the Sea Elephants of Patagonia album

Penguins of Punta Tombo

Punta Tombo is the biggest penguin colony on the continental Patagonia.
Every Spring, - which in Southern Hemisphere starts in September, - thousands of Magellanic Penguins are coming ashore to mate.
The same couples return to Punta Tombo peninsula year after year to claim the nests they've built together some time before.
In Punta Tombo you can see the penguins up-close in their natural habitat.
They walk, nap, call for their mate,clean their feathers within a foot from you.
Penguins are not scared of people, however, do not chase or try to pet them: since they are unable to interpret your intent, birds will defend themselves, if feel threatened.
Strong beak and sharp teeth will fit the purpose.
You are inside a natural reserve: you are their guest, not the other way around.
Walk carefully and watch for the bird's burrows: they can be right on the walking trails.

When to visit Punta Tombo
Late September: Penguins start arriving ashore.
October: The best time to observe the courtship.
November: The first eggs begin to hatch.
December through February: Fluffy-feathered chicks are running the place.
April: Done and ready for migration.

How to get there
Punta Tombo is pretty much a remote place.
It will take over 2 hours drive from Trelew and almost 3 hours drive from Puerto Madryn to get the park entrance.
The last stretch is a gravel road, so drive slowly.
Make sure the tank is full, there are NO gas stations on the route past Trelew.

Punta Tombo hours & entrance fee
Visiting hours are between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. with the last entrance at 6 p.m
Entrance fee is $17 USD, cash only.
The restrooms and a restaurant ) are next to the ranger booth.
Spacious parking lot.

Personal experience
- Flight from Buenos Aires ( Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery ) to Trelew ( Almirante Marcos A. Zar Airport )
with Aerolineas Argentinas ( US $100 +  / per person one way ) ;
- 4 days car rental from Rentar ( US $208 for SUV with an automatic gear  )  ;
- One night at the nearest to Punta Tombo lodging La Antonieta Estancia del Mar  ( US $150 / per night excluding meals and $ 30+ excursion to the private beach with the sea elephants ).

Visit or not
Going to Punta Tombo is both time & money consuming.
If renting a car is out of your budget, you can book an organized day trip from Puerto Madryn, Trelew or Rawson.
Another option is to book a day trip to Valdes Peninsula
and visit a much smaller penguin colony in Caleta Valdes
or walk with the penguins on a private beach of Estancia San Lorenzo.

To see more images follow the link Magellanic Pinguins photo album

Memorable images of the Dutch Golden Age

Netherlands accumulated a remarkable wealth and power by the 17th century, the time rightfully known as the Dutch Golden Age.
Skilled seamen and outstanding navigators, the Dutch were dominating maritime international trade. Outlandish bizarre goods were introduced into the life of the Europeans.

The economy was booming, the strong Dutch merchant class was on the rise, promoting luxurious lifestyle. Once strait-laced Dutch interior transformed into the vanity showcase. Decorative art and paintings were not the least on that fair.   
Trickle-down economics enabled scores to join collector’s ranks. In addition to well-off merchants skilled laborers  became the devoted art collectors.

The growing wealth some what muted the word of God : religious motifs took a back seat, Church was no longer the only and the primary art benefactor. A piece of art, featuring  their own family, home, town and country became a primary choice of the art collectors.

Over the course of a century, more than a thousand artists were practicing in the Netherlands, authoring countless artworks. Who were they? Some, as it used to be for centuries, were the sons of painters, continuing the family trade. But as demand for pictures grew, others were attracted to the craft, that provided a living.

Prices for paintings varied in a big way:
While some paintings could be sold for a few guilders, a small scene of everyday life by Gerrit Dou - for 1,000. Pictures were bartered for goods or even mortgage payments. Some painters, like Vermeer might sell just several works per year to a single domestic art collector. Others sold from stock directly out of their studios. Paintings could also be bought from private collectors and art dealers, or more cheaply at auctions or fairs.

The competition encouraged artists to specialize in a certain type of painting, to create their own style, and master their brushwork. Art lovers knew, whom they could buy the best still life, seascape, or genre paintings from.

A striking number of artworks of exceptional quality were produced during the Dutch Golden Age.

The NGA exhibition "Vermeer and the Masters of Genre Painting: Inspiration and Rivalry" features works by Johannes Vermeer, Gerard Ter Borch, Jan Steen, Gerrit Dou, and other painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Nearly 70 artworks, among which 10 paintings by Vermeer, are still on view at the National Gallery of Art.

Hurry up, if you're in town for another 2 weeks!
This publication is for those art lovers, who's not able to visit Washington DC any time soon.

For viewing original images please follow the link

The Lacemaker by Johannes Vermeer

Woman at the Clavichord by Gerrit Dou

A Woman with a Lute by Johannes Vermeer

Woman Writing a Letter by Candlelight by Franz van Mieris

Lady Writing by Johannes Vermeer

Young Woman with a Letter by Jan Steen

Woman with a Pearl Necklace by Johannes Vermeer

Woman at her Toilette by Caspar Netscher

Brothel Scene by Frans Van Mieris

Young Woman with a Soldier and an Onlooker by Gerard Ter Borch

Merry Company by Jacob Ochtervelt

The Geographer by Johannes Vermeer

Astronomer by Candlelight by Gerrit Dou

Woman Asleep by Gerrit Dou

The Dropsical Woman by Gerrit Dou

Woman Sealing a Letter by Gerard Ter Borch

Woman Writing a Letter by Johannes Vermeer

Man Writing a Letter by Gabriel Metsu

Woman Washing her Hands by Eglon Van Der Neer

Woman Scraping Parsnips by Nicolaes Maes

Woman Peeling Apples by Gerard Ter Borch

Woman feeding a parrot by Frans Van Mieris

Woman Weighing Coins by  Pieter de Hooch

Woman Drinking with Two Men by Pieter de Hooch

View of an Interior by Samuel Van Hoogstraten 

A Woman Holding a Balance by Johannes Vermeer