Last Stop: Bariloche, Argentina

It´s almost too easy here. The food is delicious and reasonably priced, we´re camping in a nice lady´s backyard, the weather is wonderful, and the trekking is gorgeous. Sadly, we hop a bus this afternoon to Buenos Aires, then head back home to SF. On the plus side, we´ve heard great things about the buses here. We opted for the one with a super reclining chair (almost bedlike), since it´s a 20+ hour trip. Apparently, it´s like being in first class on an airplane. They bring around drinks (including alcohol), food, and of course there will be movies.

Eat Bariloche

Bariloche is a lot like Lake Tahoe, a ski town right next to a big blue lake, surrounded by snow capped peaks. The shopping is probably a little more touristy than you´ll find in Tahoe, but it´s not too obnoxious.

The city has lived up to its reputation for great food, which we´ve been sampling liberally since we don´t have access to a stove (in Argentina we´ve typically been buying groceries and cooking ourselves). In the photo I´m about to dig into a plate of wild boar with a brown mushroom sauce, potato puffs, and carmelized carrots. Boar is a local specialty, and as a big Asterix fan, I had to try it. One of the best meals of the trip thus far. (You´ll also see my hair at the longest it´s been in years.)

Prices are decent which made dining out more reasonable. The boar cost $9 at a fancy restaurant, and you can get a whole roast chicken with fries for $6. Big plate of spaghetti with bolognesa sauce - $2. Quarter kilo of the best ice cream ever, with three flavors - $2.15 (dark chocolate with orange bits, passion fruit, and chocolate chip was my Dream Team combo after eating there almost every night). A dozen beef empanadas - $2.30.

Trek Bariloche

We did a couple of overnights to huts in the local national park. The first involved a hellish slog on a hot, steep, blood-sucking fly infested, dusty trail. The flies there were the size of nickels, buzz in your ears, and hurt like hell when they bite. You couldn´t stop to rest or appreciate any views (which were limited) because you´d instantly be swarmed. It was all worth it once we got above treeline, though. The hut, an impeccably maintained cabin with a wood stove, beautiful kitchen, and spectacular 360 degree vista, was perched at the edge of an enormous glacier. Giant Andean condors circled overhead. Seriously. See photo at sunrise.

The second trek took took us along a ridge with awesome views of the valley below, jagged volcanic spires above, and some surprisingly impressive exposure. At some points we had to do minor hand clambering over big drops. Super fun.

I would definitely come back here to do some longer treks. I could imagine one month in Patagonia spent backpacking in parks around Bariloche, Fitz Roy, and Torres del Paine in Chile (which we skipped in favor of Antarctica).

Asia Next, Specifically Laos

It´ll be weird shifting gears in Asia. I expect language problems, more weather extremes, bad stomachs, and dirtier hostels and bathrooms. But at least the food will be exciting and cheap. Like I said, Argentina was just too easy. We´ve gone all soft.