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.