Out of the city
Trip Start
Mar 15, 2006
1
3
42
Trip End
May 30, 2007
Bariloche,
Argentina
Thursday, March 23, 2006
It is on the opposite side of Argentina in their Lake District. The place is really beautiful: where I felt like Buenos Aires was a lot like Spain, this seems a lot like Switzerland.
Check the out the setting above for a golf course Jon - fancy playing that?!
The bus ride actually wasnīt all that bad, for 24 pounds (they donīt have a pound key) I travelled in Coche-Cama - though not the top level, it is essentially like first class on a plane, with almost fully retracting seats, 3 meals and 2 movies, you also travel threw the night too, saving on accomodation. I fear I may have been spoiled too early on though, as I reckon things are gonna be quite different once I get round to India!
The hostel I have got here is really great, so much more homely than the place in BA. I kind of feel like the trip starts here in one way, as this is more the sort of experience I was looking for, getting out into the country and seeing what it was founded on.
Having said that, Bariloche is classed as the party capital of Patagonia, where all the kids descend when they graduate. Itīs quite a touristy place because of this, and there seems to be some obsession with chocolate too. Have been out to see some live music in one of the many Irish bars - donīt know what it is with them, but you can go anyway in the world and there will always be an Irish bar of some sort.
Yesterday I visited an island in the middle of the lake we are next to. I got chatting, I say chatting - more like si, no, you understand? No! with some Argentinians on the boat. I had seen a lot of people whilst being here drinking this strange looking stuff from a wooden pot, called Mate (Mar-tay), it is like their national drink. To be honest I thought it was probably something dodgy that the law turned a blind eye to, but they gave me some and its kind of like tea! They drink it as a sociable thing to pass around.
Though I hadnīt initially planned to, I am now heading over into Chile to work my way down into deeper Patagonia. And it seems my faith in human nature may be restored too. The guy who I thought ran off with my money wants to give me it back!! Iīll let you know what happens...
