Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Argentina/Chile Part III: Lago Land

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Beautiful green peaks, crystalline lakes, and chocolate shops on every corner. What more could two weary travelers ask for?

24 hours on any bus is too much, and we are numb and perplexed as we look out the windows in the final hours of our endless bus ride to see…. Switzerland? The Argentine Lake District welcomes us with glistening lakes and furry green peaks, dotted with chalet-style luxury hotels and lakeside mansions. It is dramatically beautiful scenery that could not look less like the jagged remoteness of El Chalten. Night falls as we approach the capital of the Argentine Lake District – Bariloche. All is dark as we enter the city during what must be a power outage and make our way with packs and flashlights up the steep streets to find our hostel. Not only does the area look like the Alps, but it is filled with descendents of Northern European immigrants (mainly Germans who arrived during and after WWII) who have populated the area with chocolate shops and restaurants specializing in Germanesque food. We spend four days in Bariloche, enjoying the glorious scenery, exploring the historic lodges, going on the legendarily-beautiful Siete Lagos road trip, and eating a lot of chocolate.

Next, we cross back over the Andes into Chile (our third time!) and head to Valdivia – a river port only a dozen miles or so from the Pacific coast. Although parts of Valdivia are a bit down and out and Chile is shockingly expensive, we relish the untouristed feel of this University and port town. Valdivia was once quite remote – one of the most Southern outposts of the Spanish colonial empire and the last stronghold of the Spanish before Chile gained independence in the early 1800s. The city was basically abandoned after independence and ruins of Spanish forts are dotted among the tiny fishing villages that cling to the foggy Pacific coast. The empty city was refilled with German immigrants at the turn of the 20th century, giving the area a more pronounced German feel, complete with an award-winning German brewery and beautifully preserved German-style homes throughout the city.

We end our tour of the Lake District in Pucon – a small lakeside village with easy access to some of the most beautiful national parks in Chile. Pucon has only recently developed into a hub for all things adventure, with ample opportunities to spend tons of money on overpriced hikes and rafting adventures. Regardless, the city has a wonderful small town feel in the off-season, while also having great restaurants and a sophisticated air. We spend three days in Pucon, going on long hikes, talking for hours over hot chocolate, and sitting by the lakeside, enjoying perfect weather and views of the nearby volcano. Our time in Pucon is topped off with a visit to an incredible modern architectural gem – the Antumalal hotel (www.antumalal.com). This Bauhaus luxury hotel from the 40’s has hosted every notable figure who has come to this far-flung mountain town. If this place was in the US, it would have been gutted and updated, but thank goodness it has been preserved! It is a stylistic time capsule that instantly draws you in with retro spaces and incredible views of the lake languidly lapping at the hotel’s small lake beach. This is where we will stay on our next visit.

Life is good in the Lake District, and we are sorry to leave behind the small town life and striking beauty of the region. But Santiago calls and we board a coche-cama night bus to the capital. We will definitely be back to this gleaming corner of the world.

Best moment: 1) Peering across the mountains, lakes, and luxury chalets from the top of Cerro Campanario in Bariloche.

2) Hanging out with the giant sea lions at Valdivia´s fluvial market. Valdivia has a farmers market right on the edge of the port, where fishermen gut fish while eager sea lions scale the sea wall and beg for fish heads. These sea lions are about three times the size of our SF variety, and are the indisputable stars of this morning market, as they bark, dive, and sun themselves alongside the cacophony of the market.

3) Wandering through the beautiful fall foliage of Parque Nacional Huerquehue to small alpine lakes and views of nearby volcano Villarica. One of our favorite hikes of the trip.

Best meal: Nothing beats your own cooking, especially in pricey Chile. Our best home-cooked meal of the trip must be this one: fresh roast salmon, spicy chard with chilote (a variety of elephant garlic), and crisp Chilean white wine, cooked up in our hostel kitchen whilst tango plays in the background.

Best edible thing: KUCHEN – of German origin, this fruit and cream tart is ubiquitous throughout the region – and tasty in all its incarnations. Our favorite was the framboise version, bought from a preteen boy in a kiosk at the side of the trail in Parque Nacional Huerquehue.

Favorite people: Andrea and John – our new Colombian friends. We had a great adventure with these Bogota, Colombia natives as we explored the Argentine lake district in a shared rental car. They gave our Spanish a workout as we discussed everything from the effects of the US Drug War on Colombia to daily life in the big city. We hope that some day the US visa policy will let families like Andrea and John’s visit the US, but until then, we will have to plan a return trip to Colombia in order to visit them. If only we had met them before Christmas time!

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