Bariloche, Argentina, 10/12/26

 

It was only a couple of hours in the air flying above the clouds south to Bariloche, and as we neared the airport, the plane descended below the gray overcast ... and suddenly this vista appeared before us!  Imagine!  We'd heard Bariloche called, "Little Switzerland," but OMG, we were not prepared for this stunning sight.

We'd spend the next three nights at the wonderful Cacique Inacayal Hotel, our room overlooking 40-mile-long Lake Nahuel Huapi, below.  The lake and the snow-capped Andes.  Wow, lucky us!

After settling in, the group went on a Bariloche walkabout.  The city of roughly 140,000 is the gateway to Patagonia's Lake District.  The day being very fine, Bariloche was full of people Out and About.  Also it might have been a day off for people celebrating Indigenous People's Day; otherwise known in the US as Columbus Day. We found and joined a protest parade ... the majority of those participating were Mapuche.  They are the largest indigenous people of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. Their name means "people of the land" (mapu for land, che for people) in their native language.  We walked in their protest parade for several blocks, below.

A giant Monkey Puzzle Tree outside our fourth-story window.

Zoom in on the treetop.

Check out these two sunrise photos the following morning!

Above and below.

 

On Tuesday, the 13th, we began our morning driving to Campanario Hill, and a chairlift ride up a steep peak, climbing high above the tree line for a panoramic view of Patagonia's scenery.  After photo-ops, we descended, which was a bit scarier than the ride up!

WOW!

This short video shows a little more of the overall picture.

It was pretty chilly up here, though the elevation was only about 3400'.

Stupendous views.

A few of the bird species we saw today:  Clockwise from top left:  Black-faced Ibis, Ashy-headed Goose, Southern Lapwing, Chimango Caracara, and another shot of a Lapwing.  We encountered lots of those Ibis and Lapwings.

We made our way to the municipal park (above) where we embarked on a learning hike with our local guide, Marta, who made it even better with her extensive knowledge of the park and its flora/fauna. 

Argentine mistletoe (Ligaria cuneifolia) bloomed all along our hike.

A forest within a forest.  Here we started a short walk winding through a dense Andean forest that is home to the most famous concentration of arrayanes (Luma apiculata) or Andean Myrtles.

Certainly two different types of trees here!

As the hike progressed along the dirt trail and wooden walkways, the landscape was surrounded by twisted, cinnamon-colored tree trunks that are smooth to the touch and always cool (true, I touched). The area has been protected as a national park since the 1930s to safeguard this unique ecosystem. The more twisted the trunks, the older the trees. Very different. These trees need to have their feet wet.

We ended our two-mile-plus-loop here at (oh heck, which lake was this?).  What a terrific hike, especially with Marta as our guide.

 

Next was lunch (and beer) at Gilbert's.  While the group learned about making beer, Jimmy and I wandered the grounds, so very green and alive with birds.  I enjoyed a lentil stew, while Jimmy gobbled up his wild boar stew.

Truly, a most wondrous spot on earth.

As we returned to the hotel in our little bus, we stopped for a final photo-op which was teeming with kids, above.  They were so excited to see Americans and each of us was surrounded by a gaggle of kids who were trying out their English.  "What is your name?"  "Where are you from?"  (oooh, California!) And one asked me, "How old are you?"  I replied, "One-hundred and seventeen."  OOOOOH, they howled.  I don't think it would've mattered what I answered.  It was great good fun. Above, Ed and Debbie are questioned (and another photo-op) by these Spanish-speaking young people.

Ahhh, we were back in time for a dip in the heated indoor pool, followed by a soak in the hot tub.  Hi Jimmy! Nothing better!

All-in-all, a terrific day.  Dinner was at our hotel, but I couldn't tell you what we ate.  We were tired from all our activity, but pleasantly so.  Bedtime came early.

Don't cry for me ... 10/11/26

 

... Argentina! 🎶 -- I had that tune in my head the whole durned day.  We did not see the play "Evita," (but I'm sure it was great).  We did, however, visit Eva Perón's final resting place.  As in, really, final.  Our main objective this morning was a visit to Recoleta Cemetery, 14 acres containing the graves of notable people, including the above Eva, presidents of Argentina, Nobel Prize winners, the founder of the Argentine Navy, and military commanders such as Julio Argentino Roca (not a good guy).

This cemetery is rated one of the "most beautiful" in the world, but I thought the cemetery Jimmy and I went to in Punta Arenas in 2013 was much more, uh, beautiful.  Recoleta cemetery is full of elaborate marble mausoleums, decorated with statues, in an amazingly wide variety of architectural styles.  You just have to wonder sometimes.

Eva Duarte "Evita" Perón, was an Argentine actress (early on), politician, and activist who served as First Lady of Argentina from June 1946 until her death from cancer in July 1952, as the wife of Argentine President Juan Perón.  She was a (mostly) beloved figure and an outspoken advocate for workers' rights.

Sol, our local Buenos Aires guide, leads us on another of the "boulevards."

We didn't want to get lost!!

The Roca family mausoleum, fenced so it wouldn't be defaced.

The former president is not liked.

Ooof!

Next up was a total change of pace:  A boat ride on the Paraná Delta, a half hour's bus ride from the city.  This is a massive freshwater wetland and a sort of exotic landscape compared to the city, with traditional houses on stilts like you might see along the US Gulf Coast, only this is surrounded by lush subtropical vegetation.  The delta has many islands separated by a twisting maze of waterways, some narrow, others wide.  I spent my time standing on the back deck, though everyone else sat comfortably inside.  We really enjoyed this outing.

Boats of every description plying the waterways.

The water was a tannic brown.

What's SUP?

From grandiose mansions to ...

falling apart shacks,

we saw it all.

We spotted two "supermarket" boats, this is one.

Left is a chalk-browed mockingbird prior to boarding, and a Cocoi heron, right.

Lots of folks enjoying a fine Sunday.

Tomorrow was trash day,

so this family had their bags ready to be picked up.

Though it's not Monday, here's the laundry-on-the-line photo!

These fine-looking boats are water taxis, taking island people where they needed to go.  Water is the only way to get around on the delta.

And, after an hour, we were back to Tigre and a huge amusement park.

We walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Choosing from three options, Jimmy and I picked the fish (Hake).  We're seated near the window, raising our drinks to you!

Energizer bunnies keep on going.  We were dropped off at the biggest flea market I've ever seen.  San Telmo's feria went on for many, many MANY streets.  We looked, but didn't buy.

And finally, we walked back to our hotel, Jimmy, Robyn and Liz.  We had a very full day, with lots to see, do, and explore.  I can tell you that we were glad to see the hotel and get off our feet.  But we weren't done, we still had packing to do.  Tomorrow we move (fly) south.

Let the adventure begin: 10/10/26

 

Getting a good deal on an international trip is something we can't resist, so when the flyer came to us in August from Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT):  "Chile & Argentina: The Andes to Patagonia," we looked at each other and said, "I'm not doing anything in October, let's sign up!"  Those two months flew by, and we are now in Buenos Aires, Argentina, our first time here.

Getting to Argentina was fairly easy:  Delta Airlines from Sacramento to Atlanta to Miami and overnight on Latam to Buenos Aires, arriving the next morning.  I even managed a couple of hours of shuteye on Latam.  Wow.

When we left Nevada City on Thurs, Oct 8th, though the calendar said Autumn, the temp would be hoving around 90°, it being "second summer."  In Buenos Aires, spring has barely begun and with it comes the "drippy" season -- overcast and occasional rain and cool temps.  No matter, we won't dissolve.  But it is kind of gray overall.

We met up with Javi, our group leader, plus the other 12 in our group on Friday evening.  After a short meet-and-greet meeting, we walked to historic Broccolino for a most yummy dinner.  The group will be together for the next two-plus weeks.  A few, like us, will continue on to Iguassu Falls for the post-trip extension.  Jimmy and I will be home on October 30th!

Looks as though we'll be moving around a bit!

Arriving mid-morning to the Argenta Tower Hotel just a few blocks from downtown Buenos Aires left us plenty of time for a real cuppa coffee and a shower, a neighborhood recon followed by a nap, and finally dinner!

From our room on the 8th Floor, we look down on the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (known locally as Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Socorro), so this was our first stop on the recon.  It's small/ish but beautifully ornate with painted ceilings, above and below.

Peaceful and stunning.

I know the sky was gray,

but a tinted bus window makes the cityscape even darker. 

On Saturday, we were Out and About on da bus.  First stop was the Plaza del Mayo, with the Metropolitan Cathedral across the way -- where Pope Francis used to perform Mass as Archbishop before assuming office in the Vatican in 2013.  My pics of the cathedral and its interior didn't turn out, so sorry.

The mausoleum of General José de San Martín in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral is guarded by the Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo (Horse Grenadier Regiment).  We managed to be in the right place, right time to watch a detachment of seven grenadiers marching to the cathedral, which happens every two hours.

Two of the soldiers from the Grenadier Regiment stand on active duty at the tomb 24 hours a day.  I stand beside one young man.  The ritual is kind of impressive.

Ah, following this was a "lecture" at London City Cafe about Argentina's "Dirty War."

Not an easy topic, but relevant nevertheless.

And then the bus took us to La Boca neighborhood,

where we had an hour to explore the area.

Colorful, to say the least,

with artwork everywhere..

Lots of these types of open grills on street corners.

Jimmy met up with the locals.

La Boca is a working-class area with a cluster of attractions near the Riachuelo River. Steakhouses and street artists surround Caminito, a narrow alley flanked by brightly painted zinc shacks that evoke the district’s early immigrant days. This is the home ground of Boca Juniors soccer team.  The balcony, above, held some sort of significance, and people waited in line to have their picture taken up there.

I dunno.

At the end of the hour, Javi appeared with this tray full of  iconic street foot -- "Choripan" -- grilled sausage served inside crusty bread.  Not something I normally eat, but it was pretty good.  Jimmy "accidentally" dropped a piece of bread, and those ubiquitous pigeons IMMEDIATELY flocked to the ground, along with a pair of Monk parakeets.

Speaking of iconic, this is Buenos Aires' obelisk, the most prominent symbol of the City of Buenos Aires, inaugurated in 1936 to commemorate the founding of the city in 1536!  Really and truly, the sky was not that dark -- the pic is through the bus window!