Argentina 2009

Friday20November

11 am in the province of Rio Negro. We arrived at the bus station of San Carlos de Bariloche.
The night went well, I had a good sleep!

However, we are back in the mountains, so we have to get the sweaters out!

We take a bus with all our luggage to reach the city center. It is noon, and on the way, school children board.
There is not much room left and everyone squeezes! Shy at first, but very quickly people pose in front of my camera!  

On the Centro Civico, the Argentine flag flies above the statue of the controversial General Julio Argentino Roca (President of Argentina from 1880 to 1886, then from 1898 to 1904).

The wind unleashes Lake Nahuel Huapi.

An Argentine entertains on the central square to attract onlookers, and gives us a magnificent demonstration of backflip over a wire.

Bariloche is a very touristy city. In winter, it is one of the most popular ski resorts in Argentina

Bariloche is also famous for its chocolates like Switzerland in Europe.
In a bar, I take a "submarino" (a submarine): a chocolate bar that is allowed to melt in hot milk.

The cathedral "Nuestra Señora del Nahuel Huapi".

This "doll-statue" is the replica of The Virgin of Luján, Patron Saint of Argentina.

In 1630, a notable sent two statuettes of the virgin to the city of Sumampa. A stop was made near the Luján river, and the next morning, the cart transporting the statuettes was unable to move. But, when one of the two statuettes was taken down, the cart was able to move forward again. Thus was told the story of the miracle of the virgin of Luján. A basilica was built and it is possible to see the statuette there. Luján is located 1500 km away, west of

No connection with the above..... But I can't help showing you this "lomo con papas fritas" succulent !!!  

Saturday21November

For this second day in Bariloche, we choose to do the "circuito chico" by "mountain bike"!

According to the girl at the tourist office, it's completely flat!!! 
It's so flat that I'll spend half my time walking next to my bike.... 

FLAT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE MOUNTAINS, MADAM!!! 

The GPS recordings of our trip (ahem, we were supposed to do the full loop...);

Colonia Suiza, set of chalets set up by Swiss emigrants.

Cementerio del Montañes
This cemetery is located at the end of a small path that goes up into the mountain. Only climbers who died in the mountains of the Andes mountain range are found there.

An araucaria or monkey puzzle tree, also called "monkey's despair" because its branches are covered with thorns to the despair of monkeys who wanted to hang on to them...

HAAAAAAAAAAA The drama! Christophe broke the derailleur! Fortunately, the bike rental guy who was passing by exchanged it for us... shoot, and here I was thinking of going back by car.... 

Yum yum. Beef again!

Sunday22November

Start of the day with the "cerro campanario", viewpoint overlooking Lake Nahuel Huapi and the whole valley

360° Panorama.

After this little merry-go-round ride, we leave Bariloche to join the town of San Martin de Los Andes via the tourist route of the seven lakes

Oh yes I forgot! I present to you our fourth rental car!!!

A fly fisherman in the rain

Here we are in San Martin de los Andes in the province of Neuquén

No comment.....  

Monday23November

Yesterday was cloudy and rainy. Today we are leaving for Bariloche and the weather is beautiful! The landscape too!

The rio Chimehuin where Chilean flamingos made a stop...

Come on! Final stretch to Bariloche airport where we will leave for Salta located 1800 km further north!

Destination Salta??? Yes, that's the flight we had booked... Except there is a big storm over there, which forced our plane to be diverted to Tucuman, 300 km from Salta...

Finally, after several hours of waiting, the airline gave us the freedom to take a flight back to Salta or stay in Tucuman. After thorough study of our itinerary  , we opt for the second solution!