We left Bariloche yesterday and have moved on to Mendoza. We originally booked a direct flight from Bariloche to Mendoza but Aerolineas Argentinas cancelled the direct flight so we had to detour all the way across the country to Buenos Aires and then fly all the way back across the country again to get to Mendoza. WHEW! are now on our way back west to Mendoza. Our flight left Bariloche late so we only had 30 minutes between the 2 flights. Literally, we got off of the plane, walked into the terminal, went up the stairs and got into the boarding line for Flight #2.
Anyway, we made it to Mendoza as scheduled but our bags did not. There were 3 more flights from B.A. to Mendoza so, no worries, we figured that the bags would show up in a few hours. But when they didn't arrive by 9, we decided to go and buy toiletries before the stores closed at 10. So, off we went to get toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotions., deodorant, sunscreen, etc. There must be a Murphy's Law for lost baggage because, as luck would have it, when we returned to the hotel with our bag of loot, there were our wayward bags. So now we have enough toiletries to stay down for a couple of extra months. HUMMMM.......
Bariloche was our last destination in Patagonia. We were blessed with fantastic weather for the entire time (22 days) that we were in Patagonia. It rained for 1 day in Torres del Paine but the rest of the time, we had clear skies and warm temperatures. Of course, it was cooler down south, but it was warmer than usual for down there and it has gotten warmer as we travelled north. In Bariloche and San Martin, it was like our weather is in June or September. Mendoza is hot but it rained before we arrived yesterday and overnight. I guess it has to rain for a few days over the 7 weeks that we're down here.
Bariloche was very nice. The city itself is a bit run down and sprawling. It seems as though they have no city plan. It's also an actual city so there are lots of people around and it's a very popular destination for Argentinians. Most of the tourists there were from other places in Argentina. The traffic issues and large numbers of people weren't a concern for us because the condo that we rented was in a perfect location to get out to the lakes, mountains and outdoor activities. Our condo was also only a 10 minute walk from the tourist area of the city, where many of the shops and restaurants are. So we weren't affected by the traffic issues. And the area around Bariloche was gorgeous!
San Martin de Los Andes was also very nice. The town is smaller and prettier than Bariloche and there are also many outdoor activities nearby. In both places, we did some hiking and drove some sightseeing routes. We didn't have a fixed schedule but we made good use of our time.
The trekking portion of the trip was in Patagonia so, we may have hiked our last trail - at least the last trail of any duration. On one hand, I'd like to do more, but I think that my back has had enough for now and I'm looking forward to the things that we've planned for in the rest of our destinations. I would definitely consider returning to the Bariloche area in the future. As far as outdoor activities go, there are loads of things to do.
On Friday, we walked to the town centre to buy some groceries and so that Gord could get his haircut. We were just planning to run a few errands and do some people watching so we left our cameras at home. We have had them with us constantly for the whole trip and just left them behind for a hour or 2.....Little did we know that there would be a parade and a festival in the town centre. So we have no photos to share but, I can tell you that the parade was very entertaining. The festival is the Bariloche version of Rio's Carnival. There were no floats or vehicles of any sort. Just "bands" and "dancers". With one exception, the bands are nothing more than a bunch of guys with drums but rather than to march down the street, they stomp, sway, and slide from side to side. Each band is accompanied by "dancers", some of whom do samba-ish moves and most of whom do some type of simultaneous, back-wrenching stomp-kick-jump-twist move that is exhausting to watch. And they don't just march up the street. They stop and perform several times in each block so one band and dancer group takes about 20 minutes to get through 1 block! And then there are the costumes! There was enough lamé, sequins, feathers, fringes and G-strings for any of the finest Gay Pride parades but without any apparent gay pride. Coming across local celebrations like this is such a treat and so much fun to experience and I regret not having my camera on hand to record it. C'est la vie.
Before I wind this post up, I want to make a Rice Report. Gord finally got his rice yesterday. we had a great dinner in a nearby Parilla and Gord had curry chicken with rice. That should end the whining about rice. There has actually been rice all along. Risotto, paella and some (admittedly not a lot) of meat dishes with rice as a side. The problem is more with the palette of a 9 year old boy than with the reported rice shortage. Anyway, the crisis has ended.
That's all from me for now.
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