A late Merry Christmas to everyone! I am still in El Chalten. It is starting to feel like a second hometown. It's good though. I hiked in the park all day on Christmas Eve, went to church, and then had a wonderful dinner at the hostel. There were more than twenty people at the dinner, (Germans, Brits, Argentines, Italians, and me) all seated at an enormously long table, and it actually kind of felt like we were all family. The food was incredible. Then on Christmas Day and yesterday I hiked in the park again with a German girl named Christina and an Argentine fellow named Sergio. It was nice to be with them because we are all traveling alone, and by fortunate coincidence none of us are the kind of people who like to fill silence with unnecessary discussion. Communication was no problem, as we each had at least two common languages between us, but for the most part the three of us hiked together for twelve hours a day both days and spoke very little. At the stops we shared food and water and just sat, taking in the incredible beauty of our surroundings. Que Bueno. On the hikes we saw almost every inch of trail in this end of Los Glaciares National Park. I have covered over 70 miles of trail in three days. The park is incredible, and I have taken hundreds of pictures of glaciers, mountains, flowers, fossils, and birds. I am getting so used to spending my nights in El Chalten it is starting to feel like a second home.But alas, tomorrow I hit the road again. I will be headed cross-country to Lago Cardiel, then on to Lago Strobel, and then up towards Coyhaique by some route or another. Not sure when I will have email again as most of the country I am about to cross is very remote. I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas though and will be having a wonderful New Year as well.