Bariloche - The Sequel 

Recently you read about my breathtaking adventures in Argentina’s Tourism Hotspot numero uno: Bariloche (click here!), where there’s simply too much to do. So I did the only logical thing after a memorable Chilean visa run: I came back, checking off Villa La Angostura and El Bolsón while I was at it. 

Villa La Angostura

First I made my way to the charming little border town of Villa La Angostura where Mercedes and Mario (Mercy & Marito) where awaiting my arrival. As the rain didn’t show any MERCY - hahahahahah, Mercy, Mercedes, get it? ok not funny – I spent the first day hanging out with my chatty hosts, the female side of the couple being a pale pretty ginger and the grand-grand-daughter of the German settlers of the village (not Nazi in this exceptional case, red.).

The second day could be considered a tad more productive, as the hike to the Bosque Los Arrayanes was on the program. The entrance price of Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes is a shocking 150 pesos for foreigners… but my loyal readers will probably know already that paying such outrageous admission prices is not my style.

Instead, I walked over the alluring Bahia Brava to the left backside of the beginning of the park and climbed up in the bushes. The beaten paths showed I wasn’t the first one to come up with this idea, it’s really too easy to not do it. The hike started with a small ascend to Mirador Bahia Mansa rewarding every visitor with a satisfying view of Lago Nahuel Napi, Ruta 7 Lagos, Cerro Falso Belvedere, Valle Cajon Negro, Cerro Inacayal and ski resort Cerro Bayo.  

From there it’s another 12km to the Bosque… 1 way. Oops, that was new info. I looked at my watch (joking, it’s 2016, who has a watch nowadays, I looked at my iPhone of course): 3pm… 24km + the extra 6km back to Villa La Angostura. This was a failed mission. Still in my denial phase I did walk until half of the track, where I spent an hour helping a wounded street dog. There however I realized that there was no other option but returning to civilization, as the park strangely enough isn’t equipped with street lights (that was sarcasm). If any reader did do a better job and can send some photos, that’d be great.

New day, new chances: Mirador Belvedere. I studied Latin for 6 years to understand that that name refers to its Latin roots and is freely translated as ‘beautiful views’. Woohoo, I didn’t waste 6 years of my life! The name obviously couldn’t be more correct and the road zigzagging through some local Mapuche communities is a sweet bonus. To top it off you could check out Cascada Inacayal (waterfall), although I won’t guarantee it will blow you away.

The day that followed I was treated on yet another rainy day again. Argentineans melt when it rains (why else the street are deserted after the first insignificant rain drops?), but I just wrapped myself in goretex and plastic to walk to the Cerro Bayo (basho), a now off-season ski resort.

I cheated a bit by getting a ride the last 5km from 7 seasonal construction workers out on a mild exploration. Once there we discovered the ski lift up cost a scandalous 350 pesos. Luckily I’m in the glorious situation of having a pair of good-functioning legs, so I proposed to simply walk up. This triggered a cynic burst of laughter from the 7 fit, grown up men accompanying me, stating that this is physically impossible. It would be way too steep and if they can’t do it, I for sure couldn’t.

You understand, from that moment on I didn’t give a flying f*ck about that mountain anymore, I was going to proof that I can do wherever the hell I set my mind on.

To add a bit to the drama I decided to ignore the circling mountain path and climb straight up the steep slope, without stopping as I had an audience now.

I almost died of a heart attack, CO2-shortage or both, but I made it. Like a middle finger on legs.

Pfff, impossible, speak for yourself please. To celebrate my victory a stunning full rainbow appeared in between the mountain range, providing a thrilling contrast with the view over Lago Nahuapi on the other side of the mountain. I went down with the ski-lift, as there no one checks the tickets (they assume that no one is as crazy to walk up a black slope apparently).

Figuring this was an appropriate grand finale from my time in Villa La Angostura I hitch-hiked back to Bariloche, as I had some unfinished business in this tourist hotspot.

Bariloche 

After Couchsurfer Nahuel and his young son Mirco welcomed me in their spacious home (Paul was ‘outta town´), I went for a solid night rest to at last discover the well-blogged, -tweeted and –instagrammed Cerro Tronador with all my energy. I read the only way to reach this roaring mountain is with your own vehicle or by tour, but I was glad to proof them wrong. With 2 different hitch-hikes I made it to the park entrance, where I entered without paying. How? Oh, I was smuggled in by a Jesuit missionary running some religious hostel in the park… how else?

Once in it’s another 40km to the Tronador though, which meant I needed some more altruistic help from friendly strangers. It took a bit, but it worked. A lovely couple, Ana and Lanislao, adopted me for the day and took me to all the in-park highlights including Cascada Los Alerces and back to my temporary home again.

Just to see the faces of the tourbus-people who laughed at me in the morning it was worth the try. Oh and Cerro Tronador? Almost forgot to mention it: but YES, definitely the highlight of Bariloche, as far as I can judge.

It’s the entrance of a natural holiness, the majestic mountain showing his scary and attractive side at the same time while growling at its visitors (literally, that’s where the name ‘tronador’ comes from). Don’t skip the black glacier floating in the celeste lake forming the red (no blue) carpet to the hillside… it’s mesmerizing.

El Bolsón

As a final chord I concluded my time in this northern part of Patagonia with a hitch-hike daytrip to El Bolson. That morning I accidentally exchanged my contact lenses liquid with the disenfecting gel (that hurt) and I wondered if that made the colors look so clear and bright, or if El Bolson is simply a magical place. Maybe you should go there for yourself and document your findings for me…

Patagonia. I want more.  

Until we meet.  

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