February 28 - Around Bariloche

First, a couple of items to clean up.  On Feb. 25 I asked about a plant we saw that had huge leaves.  Sister JD suggested it was Gennera,  which is correct.  The Chileans call it Nalca, or Chilean Rhubarb.  Its botanical name is Gunnera Tintoria.

Another plant I talked about looked like bamboo.  Its not Chinese bamboo but is apparently a species of bamboo.  One distinctive feature is that it has a solid core.    The botanical name is Chusquea quila.  I was told it grows for about 15 years, dies and re-sprouts.

We got a lot of information from our Chilean tour guide on the trip from Puerto Varas to Puella.

Back to today.  The brekky in this hostel isn't stellar, so we decided to go out for breakfast.  We thought it should be no problem to find a place but it was near impossible at 9 a.m.  Here's a shot of a busy Bariloche street where we ended up.  

We had ham 'n egg bagels (bagels aren't our style).  They serve their pancakes with "Dulce de Leche" sauce on them.  Dolce de Leche is made by caramelizing sweet milk and is a big favourite in Chile & Argentina.
We bought some yogurt for tomorrow's breakfast.

 A not quote so busy Bariloche street with a beautiful mountain backdrop.

These Argentinians seem to be much more aggressive than Chilean drivers.  So much so it prompted me to ask our hostel host if the drivers were aiming for pedestrians.  He replied that you have to keep all 4 of your eyes open.  Part of the problem is a lack of signals.  Cars on side streets have to sneak out into any opening as they cross and block traffic until they can get across.

Laura and I timidly wait at corners and follow a local pedestrian.

The local cathedral, completed in the mid forties.

Inside.  If you look closely, you can see that the main columns and beams are poured concrete.  The concrete work looks a bit suspicious to me, which is typical of a lot of the work I see.  Otherwise, it is a pretty building.

Our big chore today was to go to the bus depot and purchase the tickets for our next trip to Mendoza.  Laura decided we should walk.  After walking about 5 km there, she relented and we took the local bus back (cost 70 cents apiece).







This guy drove by, proving that this is a tourist town.  We passed on a ride.












A shot of the lake front.   They were swimming just before the breakwater.

Maybe one of you knows something ab out the "H" shaped chimney in this photo.  They are all over down here in Chile & Argentina.  Do they work better than our chimneys?










Something else we noticed is a plethora of Chocolate Factories.  There must be a half dozen in our neighbourhood.   One even had an operating chocolate fountain in its front window.  

I haven't sampled any artisan chocolate yet, but I have had a few ice cream cones.  They make good ice cream down here.




A couple of shots of the main square in town.  This one is different in that it is open and ringed by these stone and wooden buildings.  Some were local government and one was a museum.

Lots of people in the square and they were setting up a stage.  I asked our hostel host what the festival was about - he told me nothing special, it was just Friday.  We are far enough away so we shouldn't hear the noise.

Instead of street hockey they play street football.  They almost nailed a car with a goal at the far end.

I took a quick tour of the museum.  It had some natural history, a display on Pietro Mareno (of the glacier fame), and some early native history.

This shot of a condor is about as close as I can get to one for you.  He's not a pretty fellow, being a vulture.

We talked to a hiker who saw a para-glider in the National Park (near Tronador).  The para-glider was soaring with a bunch of condors.  That would make sense, to go to where they soar.

Tonight's meal was Natchos and a salad and beer at one of the local artisan brew pubs.  It was happy hour and not expensive.  The food and 3 pints of beer came to just over $20.

Last photo.  Another advantage of hostels.  They aren't so upset when you turn their rooms into a laundry.

Tomorrow is another hike.  See you then.