Bariloche

Tuesday 14th December

Arrived in Bariloche ... got dropped off somewhere in the middle of town but then realised I had another 8 or 9 blocks to walk before getting to San Martin Street where my hostel was. I was recommended ¨Hostel 1004¨ by an Irish couple (Ger and Jane) I met about a month ago in Torres del Paine, Chile.

http://www.penthouse1004.com.ar/1004_english.php

Other people had also recommended it to me at various places along the way as I travelled north. I have to say .. its the best hostel Ive stayed in throughout all my travels .. not just the staff, but the amazing panoramic view, the hostel itself and the people I met here. All amazing . and it will take alot to beat my Bariloche experience. In fact if I had of arrived here about a week later, I would have stayed for both Christmas and New Years easily. Heres a few pictures from the hostel .. its located on the top floor of apartment building.

The views from the balcony:

My room:

The view from my room:

Me and the staff from Hostel 1004:

After checking in, I met up with Victoria (who had arrived in the morning) and also Antonio and Rafa (from Spain) and Chris (from Canada). They all had lunch that afternoon but Victoria told them I was arriving later so as soon as I arrived, there was dinner waiting for me! Spent the evening chatting with the guys and we all decided to rent a car the next day and take a drive around the lakes which surround Bariloche. There is a very scenic drive around the ´7 lakes´ which is supposed to be really nice.

Wednesday 15th

After breakfast and picking up our rental car, we all headed off for a our day drive around the lakes. Good fun and the weather was super. Probably not the best to be stuck in a car all day but it was really nice to see the lakes around Bariloche.

Some of the scenery around the lakes was amazing. Was great to have the car for the day as we could make loads of stops to take pictures. We also made a packed lunch and had a picnic by the lake in the afternoon.

That evening, the hostel had organised a wine party. Everyone had to bring a bottle of wine and some finger food. I think practically everyone in the hostel took part .. was a great way to meet everyone. Loads of food and lots and lots of red wine ... so it turned into a good session.

Brian and Rikki from Australia ... very nice couple I met in the hostel:

We finished up in the hostel about 2am and then headed on to the local Irish bar ´Wilkenny´. The place was packed .. and we stayed there till about 4am. Lots of dancing and a great night out. First good session Ive had in South America so far.

Thursday was a relaxing day .. I spent it walking around the centre of Bariloche. Really nice town but quite touristy. I wanted to go to see ´Cerro Otto´ in the afternoon which is a mountain outside Bariloche with great views, but the cable car up to the summit was closed due to strong winds. I wasnt too pushed ... and didnt mind havng a lazy day walking about the town, looking at all the chocolate shops. That evening, a few of us from the hostel went out for a nice meal to a place called ´El Boliche deAlberto´. Definitely the best steak dinner I have ever had in my life! Amazing. Pricey but it was really worth it. (I actually ended up here a 2nd time before I left Bariloche, it was that good!)

http://www.elbolichedealberto.com/

Later that evening, I said goodbye to Victoria who was heading off early next morning to Temuco, Chile as she was meeting a family there to stay with them for the next 3 months to work and learn Spanish.

I decided to spent the next day (Friday 17th December) going to 2 mountains (Cerro Catedral and Cerro Otto) as I heard both of these were really nice and the views of Bariloche and the surounding lakes was supposed to be amazing. I left early in the morning for Cerro Catedral. Patricia from the Netherlands came out with me but she was leaving Bariloche so was stuck for time, so when we got out to Cerro Catedral we trekked up some of it but didnt go all the way up to the top (which I believe takes a good few hours).

After getting back into Bariloche that afternoon, I said goodbye to Patricia who was heading off to Puerto Madryn and I hopped on a bus out to Cerro Otto. Took a cable car up the top (Arg 70$) ... great views from the summit:

Back at the hostel that evening, I said my goodbyes to loads of people I had met over the past few days .. Antonio and Rafa from Spain, Chris from Canada, Rikki and Brian from Austraia, Katerine from England and Ann from South Africa. Although had only met them all briefly, they were great craic and made my stay in Bariloche really good.

Next day (Saturday 18th), I got up early and took a bus out to a viewpoint called ´Cerro Campanario´. Walked up to the summit which only took about half an hour. Views from the top were really nice.

Afterwards I rented a mountain bike and cycled the Short circuit around Llao Llao park outside Bariloche. Its a 25 km cycle with various places along the way with great miradors (viewpoints). Seems to be a very popular route among tourists. Was wrecked in some parts ... the 25km is not much but its very very hilly. Fantastic having the bike as I could stop at different places to take pictures or go for a walk. Much better than a bus tour. I was lucky with the weather too as it was a really hot day. Brought a packed lunch so stopped along the way for food.

Another relaxing evening back at the hostel ... by the time I got back after my day out, everyone who I ghad met over the past few days had gone their own ways, so I new very little people in the hostel that evening. I was leaving next morning so it was ok. I went out for dinner and had an early night.

Sunday 19th  ... Checked out of Hostel 1004. Very sad to leave this place and the great staff. I even got a box of chocolate from them before I left. Will miss this place and would love to come back again depending on how the rest of my trip goes.

I took a 14:30 bus out of Bariloche to San Martin de Los Andes (184km, 46Arg$) ... arriving at 18:30. Not much to see or do in San Martin at this time of the evening and I kind of regretted not spending a little longer here to see San Martin and the surrounding countryside (which looked fantastic from the bus journey). I took a trip to the tourist office (which were surprisingly quite good compared to others I have been to) and they rang a few hostels for me and I checked into one near the bus station for Arg53$. As it turns out the dorm was closed so they gave me a private room with private bathroom and a tv (Wow!) for the same price as the dorm. My stay here was only short however as I had a very very early start (05:15 on Monday morning) to catch a bus across the border to Pucon, Chile where I plan to spend Christmas .. lets hope the hostel is nice. if its half as good as Hostel 1004 in Barioche, Id be very lucky.