(13 – 17 Feb)
We landed in Buenos Aires quite late on the 13th so we checked into a hostel in the Palermo area for the night.
Meridiano Hostel is in a beautiful old building, oozing vintage charm. Unfortunately sound proofing was not part of its charm, nor was hot water, as we found out in the morning.
Luckily we managed to get some sleep and had enough time in the morning to squeeze in breakfast before heading catching out flight to Bariloche, in the northern part of Patagonia.
Our breakfast spot was a cute restaurant that is one of a series underneath a bridge. The curving, brick architecture makes for a great interior backdrop.
Buenos Aires was just an entry point to Argentina on this stop, before heading off to other areas. So we really didn’t get to spend much time here, but we liked the little bit that we had seen so far.
At the airport we managed to organize a sim card and then we were off.
It was a short flight and once we were getting closer, the view out the window was disturbing – it looked so dry! We had expected lakes, endless forests and possibly some snow. That is what you envision when you think of Patagonia.
Thankfully, the reality is that Bariloche is a little oasis of green with numerous gorgeous lakes. Many of the descriptions we’d read, likened it to tiny Swiss alpine towns and we could immediately see the resemblance.
The greenery, lakes and Swiss style buildings immediately make you think you’re up a mountain in Europe.
We had booked an AirBnB in San Carlos de Bariloche as we’d heard that public transport was easily accessible and there seemed to be a lot to see and do within walking distance.
First up was an excellent hot shower and then time to explore and stock up at a supermarket. We got some cold meat and cheese, and happily took advantage of the affordable wine and beer!
It was nice to have our own space again to chill out a bit, and we lazily did some research about good restaurants close by.
This is how we came across Alto El Fuego, well known for their excellent parilla – basically an indoor braai. As Saffas, we were super keen to test and judge their finest!
Realizing that it was valentine’s day, we tried to make a reservation and upon no answer, held thumbs and decided to walk there anyway.
We arrived behind a group of four who were almost immediately turned away because the restaurant was full. We waited anyway, and once they’d left, tried our luck.
The server asked if we minded to wait at their bar, we said of course not, and head downstairs into their wine cellar!
Hardly 10min later a table opened up and we could be seated. We looked through the fairly basic menu and settled for the fillet/tenderloin and rib eye to test their skills. We paired them with a local Malbec.
Well. Once the meat arrived, and even while watching the preparation, we realized that these guys know their stuff. It was cooked to perfection! Honestly, it was probably the best steak that we have ordered at a restaurant. The rib eye was 600g and only cost about R180/BD5. Bargain! We paired the meat with a nice, local Malbec wine.
During the course of the meal we found ourselves discussing the necessity for an international ultimate braai master, SA vs Argentina. The competition would be tough and we can’t honestly say who would win (this being perhaps the ultimate compliment coming from South Africans). But we would be happy to help judge!
The next morning we decided to book a kayaking trip for the afternoon on one of the lakes – the weather was perfect and as we were unsure about the water temperature, this seemed like a good way to get close to it, if not all the way in.
We spent the morning walking around town, admiring the cute chocolate shops and even managed to find waterproof bags for our phones.
The kayak company picked us up from our apartment and there was only one other couple which meant a nice, small group.
The lake was incredibly beautiful, as were the general surroundings. But the colour of the water was the most amazing – turquoise blue and very clear! The water is actually drinkable straight from the lake.
Apparently the lake is on average 70m deep and goes down to 120m in some parts. And at about 15 degrees, it wasn’t warm.
We had a lovely paddle to one of the banks of the lake where we took a break to enjoy some coffee/tea and alfajores (a local treat of 2 biscuits with a dulce de leche/caramel filling dipped in chocolate).
Dylan was brave enough to go for a quick dip, while I opted to rather play photographer and enjoy the sweet treat on the side lines.
The sun was pretty hot though, so once we got back, I decided that it would be silly to pass up swimming in such beautiful water and took the plunge! It actually wasn’t too bad.
That night we went to a bar that we’d passed the previous night on our way to the steakhouse.
It was Friday night and the road had been closed to cars and there were a few stages set up for live performances. The vibe was pretty cool and it was fun to watch the bands perform. The nachos were average but Dylan had the chance to sample a few craft beers and I tried the famous Fernet & coke. Fernet is a bitter, but aromatic, spirit and nearly a staple of Argentines. The taste is a bit like perfume… So definitely an acquired one!
For our last full day in Bariloche, we decided to hire a car in order to explore the Circuito Chico, a popular route for tourists who want to see some of the sights. It is o ly a 65km round trip, but you could easily stretch it out to a full day.
We could not make it to see all 7 lakes unfortunately, this would only have been achievable if we had a few extra days.
It’s a very scenic route along the lakes with numerous stops along the way. Our stops included the ski lift up to Cerro Campanario, lunch at Llao Llao Hotel, two mini hikes to two view points at Villa Tacul and a stop at the Patagonia Brewery.
We stopped at the Patagonia Brewery for a quick pint (Dylan was driving). The brewery had a restaurant and beer garden, and is on top of a hill overlooking a big lake. And with the beautiful weather, we could easily have spent a couple of hours here.
It is difficult to explain the natural, unspoilt beauty of the area. We could have happily driven around for a few more days just exploring the different lakes, walking some trails and stopping at viewpoints.
For our final meal, we couldn’t resist the meat at Alto, but this time we tried the sirloin along with the rib eye, and stuck to one side to share (their portions are generous!)
In the morning, we had enough time to sleep in a bit before packing up and going to the airport to fly to the southern part of Patagonia – El Calafate, to see a glacier.
Wandering Watsons 