12/27: Adios Argentina

Buenos Aires, 20km (total of 10,400 km driven)

On our last day in Argentina, in Buenos Aires and on our holiday we need to make sure the main must-sees are covered.
The obelisk is well lit. Takes us a while to get the orientation. Somehow, the hotel is on the other side of the street in our mental map of town...

Then as the weather gets hotter and sunnier we head to the Cementerio de Recoleta. A lively place that attracts street musicians as well as tourists in masses. Under a tree we enjoy some empanadas and watch the fight for the best place to play the harmonica, play the harp and dance a lonesome tango.

We have reached our peace of mind as we have found the mercado to buy meat (Disco) just before. We get into the cemetery. Its splendor strikes us and we probably spend the afternoon there cruising the alley along the monuments and graves. It gets so hot that we just need some water and juice and not far beyond a beer and a Coke. In between we buy 1.25kg of bife de lomo, have it wrapped the best we can and walk off in search of the hotel that we miss and we need to backtrack...

Overheated we change cloths from summer to winter and hit the road to the airport - all easy. The hand off to Sixt is very easy, too: we know the windshield was damaged by rocks on the gravel roads of Chile - so no big deal.

At the airport I already feel sorry for not having had yet another last steak in town... I'll miss the lomos dearly.

12/26: Pièce de réstistance

Mendoza to Buenos Aires, 1100 km

Claudio's turn to drive, of course. We get up at 6, are surprised that the breakfast buffet in the hotel is already ready and the gas station around the block. With one gas stop, several other necessary stops we make it in good time to Bs. As.

After being back at our old hotel (different room), we hit the streets again. We go to the highly recommended parillada place in town - and are not disappointed at all. Great service, good feel (dead animals staring down at us), and greatest meat. What a perfect last meal.

12/25: Four chairs and a table in the car

Mendoza, 200km

Today we explore deserted Mendoza. The streets are empty!
We're going to Valle de Uzo to visit a winery, like the one from Salentein.
On the highway we see all these old cars that share one thing: They are tightly packed with family, chairs and a table. We assume since traditionally Christmas lunch is with the parents that the parents do not have enough seating, so the guests bring it along...

Well, Salentein is closed for visitors today - it's only open 364 days a year. We drive on to find the posada del jamón and we end up in front of another San Martin monument. And lift the secret of the chairs and table.
All along the road nicely setup, the families have gather under trees in the shade and where possible close to a creek. And I mean they are cramped not like here where everyone tries to maintain his distance when grilling at the river. Furthermore it's like a car museum: heaps of crap cars held together by strings and wires. Quite amazing.
Now we know all the people from Mendoza went.

Back in town we discover where the others (probably without car or a even less reliable car) went: they are in the parque San Martin and hugh green lung. Some policemen warn us about carrying the cameras too visible - we've been lucky so far so we pack them up...

We get an early dinner - could be like 4 o'clock snack. What we didn't realize before, is plain here: all the tourist that cannot adapt to the Argentinian eating schedule. Soon after we're seated the restaurant is full of tourists. Dinner is mediocre. Mendoza is probably the place for wine but less so for meat or we relied too much on the guidance of the hotel staff.

12/24: Touristy Christmas Eve

Bardas Blancas to Mendoza, 500km

If we had more time Sr. Martinez would have shown us his 120 year old gramophone (bitrola) RCA Victor (the the dog insignia) complete with needles (pua) and disks (how did you call them black things?
It's time to say good-bye to Don Lorenzo that suggests a little side-trip where there are no tabanos. We do it, while his distances are precise like a Swiss clock, there are still quite some horseflies buzzing around.

We get to Mendoza and find our reserved hotel. It is quite elegant and the owner is very helpful by giving us several tips for tomorrow and making a reservation for tonight.

Not that we don't feel comfortable being away from family and Christmas frenzy in Europe, but tonight at the restaurant in Mendoza we are for the first time surrounded by tourist only. It's an odd feeling. Locals are all with their family. Unfortunately the meet is only of Chorizo as it is a set menu but still good enough.

12/23: The story of Don Martine'

Junín de los Andes to Bardas Blancas, 700km

A good long drive. A highlight is La Pasarela (simply the footbridge). Well, imagine the river Limmat or Aare is squeezed through a tight black lava bed. For the ones who know the Aar Gorge, forget it, this here is not soft limestone. As the river carries a lot of sand it has not only carved the hard lava but also polished it soft and glossy. Just a few steps away from this place you can experience how rough and sharp the stones actually are. This is truly amazing.

We make it to Bardas Blancas. A village of 5 houses. There is just this one place to stay Hosteria Ruca Mahuida* (actually it was the first building some decades ago). It belongs to Mr. Martinez (but the locals swallow the last letter). If you want to call (to reserve) you need to use the semi-public telephone (02627-480 220). Now this is the way it works: you call and tell the person to get Lorenzo Martinez on the phone in let's say an hour and then you call back at the agreed time and L.M. will be answering...

While the cueva de la bruja can only be done with a local guide from Malargüe, we are going to see the petrified forest. It's 6 km from the South entrance to the village, indicated with "Bosque". You drive through a tree-lined corral with some indigenous farmers (could hardly understand what they were saying) and get to a gate. If it is closed you are lucky because it's closed and you get to save the entrance money. But you have to walk 1 km (instead of driving). Then you need to look hard and you'll see a petrified log. And that's it. Probably the locals have more petrified trees in the yards than is on display here. Indeed Don Lorenzo has several pieces decorating this center yard... it should be called THE petrified log.

As for the story of Don Lorenzo: Back in 1963 at the age of 22 he went to work as a miner in the Mina Uhemul some 16km away from here. An uranium mine that is. The tunnels at 130 m under ground where just high enough you could kneel (nothing for tall people as he points out). Then he was transferred to Mendoza from 1964 to 79 where he was concentrating the uranium with chemicals that didn't help his health. Till 1990 he then worked in San Rafael, when he retiered early and bought the Hosteria as a ruine. He rebuilt it and opened the hotel. His health problems gone, he is as lively as ever today, although his wife died some years ago.

* Ruca = house; Mahuida = cerro, mountain

12/22: Attack of the Tábanos

Bariloche to Junín de los Andes, 250 km

Today we make of the nicest day drive, definitively the most diverse. From Bariloche we take the 7-like-drive (ruta de los 7 lagos) which takes us along greatest and densest forsts and offers views to seven (?) lakes and some water falls. Unfortunately the weather is not at its best.

Then it gets sunnier as we get closer to Junín. The vulcano Lanín can be seen from far away as almost perfrectly triangular. At the tourist information we get a quick update about places to sleep and eat. We head for the first listing of hotels as we gather that eventhough its employees try hard not to recommend anything they may still omit some things and put the best on first position (just a thought). Indeed the Nuevo Hotel San Jorge is perferct and again we seem to be the only ones, as we can look at every room available. Very nice (and it's a big place, www.hotelsanjorge.com.ar).

If I wondered why I was carrying insect repellent around all the time and why I didn't today - I don't know. But on our little hike to a lava field at the foot of the vulcano we get a first impression of the next days challenges - horseflies and its smaller species. If it makes it easier for you to take: only the females suck blood, the males feed on nectar (in case you didnt' know).

As it turns out Junín is again a perfect place for outdoor activities. Or how the hotel puts it: "Dicen que es un paraíso. No les hagas caso... es mucho mejor." (They say it is a paradise. Don't listen to them... it's much better.) There are even some termal baths at Epulafquen.

12/21: Little Switzerland

San Carlos de Bariloche, 50km

This morning I put on my “Swiss” T-shirt with a flag on it and everything, determined to find some Argentinian Swiss in the Swiss colony. My plan was deteriorated with the first step in the street: I was right, the weather does change daily – there is no rain, but a stiff and cold wind that forces me to go up to the room again (3rd or 6th floor depending on how you count) to get a cap and to through on the fleece pullover. The Swiss T-shirt has disappeared under 3 layers of protection. Back in the street we have a glance at the lake Nahuel Huapi that looks like an ocean with its waves hitting the shore.
Did you know they can make chocolate outside of Switzerland, too? Well, one of the few of such places is Bariloche. Coincidently we walk by an chocolate factory that coincidently is open on Sunday and they happen to have some chocolates that we happen to like. Within 20 minutes we have consumed almost 300g of sweets...
Tata Chango (Fischer) the guitarist at the El Campestre yesterday evening recommended to go to the restaurant Victor Goye at the Swiss colony and have a Curanto (stone and sun). Basically you cook your food by piling it up on hot stones and covering it with soil for two hours. Supposedly good. We find the place no problem, but our chocolate ration earlier on has killed our appetite. The Swiss colony consists of some chalet-style houses (never seen any like those in Switzerland) arranged like in Disneyland.
We make some serious picture stops (no one would like to travel with us) and end up in the famous Hotel Llao Llao having a club sandwich and a coke in the second row. I guess we do not look according to their standards (that we carry photo equipments equivalent to a car does not count here). The place is gorgeous. Inside all of wood, chalet-style of a different world. A place for a honey moon where a bottle of water costs as much as a bottle of wine in any other restaurant.
Well, my swissness T-shirt is going to stay in Argentina for good.