Once out of the hotel I take a couple of short hikes out of town - the sort you take if you only have a day in town (some people come in on the morning bus and go out on the late bus same day).
The mountains are clouded in, so no joy with mountain photos. Here's the view the other way out over the lake. The lake is Lago Viedma, one of 3 large lakes in this area.
After the hikes its wandering around town time. This is the restaurant I was in last night, one of the oldest buildings in town, dating back to when there was a ranch in the area.
There is a huge variety of housing here - most are concrete structural frames with clay brick or stone infill. There are a few wooden structures, I saw a couple of travel trailers being used as homes and one converted semi-trailer. A common feature seems to be that many buildings are only partially constructed - there is a partially finished addition to the home. And I saw very few construction workers about (holiday season?).
Check this one out - a finished and occupied lower story but the upper story roof is not rainproof (open windows and roof peak). Interesting.
I see some things that scare me from a structural point of view (what little I know), but nothing is falling over, so that's a good thing.
I dropped into a travel agent and made one of my bus reservations. Memo to self - get better at your Spanish, so you don't mess up again (I chose the 530 ayem bus!). In my defense they sure talk fast down here.
Grabbed my pack from the hotel and had a late lunch at the Wafelaria. Pizza was so-so but the beer is great. Local brewery and you can see the sediment in the bottom of the bottles.
Lunch is done - time to poke about some more, then head across town for my bus (this one is at 6 pm, it's the next one that is 0530).
The sun did come out so I can bore you with more mountain shots. Here's Fitz Roy from the bus station (why then did I drag my but all the way up there, just to get closer, especially when this camera has a good telephoto lens?).
I did NOT take these photos! You can see the photographer's name in the corner. This is Cerro Torre and it is a picture of a large poster at the bus station.
I see some things that scare me from a structural point of view (what little I know), but nothing is falling over, so that's a good thing.
I dropped into a travel agent and made one of my bus reservations. Memo to self - get better at your Spanish, so you don't mess up again (I chose the 530 ayem bus!). In my defense they sure talk fast down here.
Grabbed my pack from the hotel and had a late lunch at the Wafelaria. Pizza was so-so but the beer is great. Local brewery and you can see the sediment in the bottom of the bottles.
Lunch is done - time to poke about some more, then head across town for my bus (this one is at 6 pm, it's the next one that is 0530).
The sun did come out so I can bore you with more mountain shots. Here's Fitz Roy from the bus station (why then did I drag my but all the way up there, just to get closer, especially when this camera has a good telephoto lens?).
I did NOT take these photos! You can see the photographer's name in the corner. This is Cerro Torre and it is a picture of a large poster at the bus station.
Same disclaimer - this is Fitz Roy.
Last photo. This a European (German, Swiss?) cyclist who unloaded his bike at El Chalten. He is cycling from Ushuaia to Santiago via the Catererra Austral, mostly in Argentina. He admits he is going in the wrong direction and should have been going north to south. Laura, his tires are thinner than mine! He hadn't loaded his big bag on the back yet, so he looked as loaded as I do when I tour.
(For my own notes, here are some things we talked about:
-All gravel, no sand yet
-One size wider tires are all you need
-Front disk, rear rim brakes
-Hydraulic disk
-Dynamo hub on front
-Switchable battery pack
-2 L water bottles on front
-Rear internal geared hub)
I love the water bottles on the front end!! I think he'll have fun going up through the ruts on the far end of Lago del Deserito. He'll have to take everything off the bike and do multiple trips up and down that hill. Of course there is a possibility that he'll be able to get the bike on the upper side of the ruts and push the bike up the hill. Laura
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