Bariloche and the lakes

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Trip start
February 26, 2016
Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
City day
February 26, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
(By Lisa) Bariloche is a funny place. We were expecting an Argentine version of Kendal and were very wrong. It is a big, busy town. On the plus side it has banks with functioning ATMs and 21st century wifi.

We spent the morning in the centre but soon decided to head out and took the 1950's cable car up to Cerro Otto. We had lunch in their Swiss style revolving restaurant at the top while enjoying spectacular views over Lago Nahuel Huapi. The thing moves pretty fast. The other surprise was a Michaelangelo exhibition in the little complex at the summit. It also has a club and a 'microcinema'.

Our current lake district plan is to go on a guided bike tour tomorrow morning and then explore the lakeshore here. Then on Sunday we saddle up with our gear in panniers for a 4-6 day bike trip around the seven lakes route (ruta de los siete lagos) to San Martin de los Andes and most of the way back. Not going to camp but stay in hostels and little hotels. There will be no wifi or mobile signal, including on my birthday 😢 - but I did take a photo of the cards I received before I left which I can look at.Read more
Kay DyasLooks amazing! Hope you have a v happy birthday on Tuesday Lisa! Happy cycling!
2/28/16Reply
What is the story with Swiss like chalets all over. Make it simple and drop bye sometime soon maybe will stumble on a patagonian hostel. Miss you Mitch
3/2/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
Bike tour and Circuito Chico
February 27, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Bike test day. Started out on a 20 km guided mountain bike tour on some very bumpy gravel and sandy paths ending at a Swiss style village. Met a lovely San Franciscan, Lauren, who the joined us on the slightly gruelling Chico circuit. About 45 km in all but very undulating. Spectacular lakes and more to come tomorrow.

Spent the night in a very basic hostel but we had the place to ourselves. Tomorrow we start our bike tour with a boat across the lake to Bosque de Arrayanes.Read more
Sheila StevensonLove both super photos! xxxx Mum
2/28/16Reply
TravelerSheila we are always trying to take the perfect photo of the two of us for your bookshelf!
2/28/16Reply
U and I PBThinking about you on your adventures today. Happy Birthday to you Lisa, I hope you have an amazing day. Big love, U&I PB x x x
3/1/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
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Ruta de los Siete Lagos (RLSL) Day 1
February 28, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
First day of our bonkers bicycle tour of the Seven Lakes Road. It started with a boat trip to a peninsula, where we biked through lovely old forest - lovely except for the very steep sandy sections and the steps we had to push the bikes up, some of which were unnecessary as we missed the path... Ho hum. Eventually arrived at town called Villa la Angostura for lunch. Then the final 26km turned into over 30k as we thought we'd missed the turning, hadn't, but added several km in the looking... Ho hum again. Altogether 60 km later, with sore butts and in need of food we arrived at our hostel by the lake. It's more like a homestay, with sheep & pigs roaming the garden and a gorgously ancient wooden house. Mama of the house, whose 70th birthday it was that day and who is 4 foot tall, 4 foot wide and charming, made us steak, tomatos & wine for dinner, bless her. There was nowhere else for us to go for miles around before you ask... Hot shower & bed by 9!Read more
Lovin the photo of you in Lilliput !! x U&I x
3/3/16Reply
Traveler I'm looking particularly gorgeous there in my XL high viz vest (Clare)
3/3/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
RLSL day 2
February 29, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Well, we thought today was going to be an easy day... We left out gear at the hostel and rode off to find a gravel road to "Villa Traful" - apparently a nice easy ride. Uh huh. Up & down & up again & our lunch stop option was closed. However, with lots of snacks, water refills in crystal clean mountain streams & a paddle in the gorgeous turquoise water of the lake, we made it back, to see the gaucho son of the house riding his horse on the beach. Our information may not quite correct ... but the bikes are great, we're meeting some charming people and Clare is in love with her gel saddle.Read more
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
RLSL day 3 - Lisa's birthday
March 1, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
We woke up in our little house on the farm and headed out for our favourite day of cycling. Beautiful scenery, lovely sunshine and lunch at Lago Faulkner - the first place selling food for 75km! Met a South African long distance cyclist who had already cycled 1700km and was into medicinal fungus. After a quite tricky (for Clare) ride in the afternoon sun & wind we found our next stop - a campsite cabin in the woods overlooking Lago Hermoso.

The closest restaurant was shut (again!) and the campsite shop had run out of burgers and pizza to cook. It only sold bread and huge bottles of beer. So, bread, beer and homemade cheese we'd brought with us from mini Mama's place made up Lisa's birthday dinner! Best of all we got to see the stunning Milky Way from an unpolluted view in the southern hemisphere.Read more
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
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RLSL day 4 - we did it!
March 2, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C
Left our chip board cabin on the lake and cycled the final 45km to complete our 240km trip (over 5 days altogether). The last 15km to San Martin de los Andes was all downhill and triumphant! Checked into a lovely airbnb, ate a huge salad (very happy to have vegetables) followed by an enormous ice cream. Plan to stay here for a few days as it's very pretty and doesn't involve any cycling.Read more
Traveler See if you can spot me puffing up the hill... (Clare)
3/3/16Reply
Kay DyasLooks v beautiful!...and hilly xxx
3/3/16Reply
Kay DyasI spotted you in the picture!! :-D
3/5/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
Chilling in San Martín
March 4, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
We've given the bikes back and decided to spend four days here at a lovely 2 bedroom chalet with a heated communal pool. Yesterday I had a two hour nap (after getting a nasty wasp sting) and we both slept ten hours last night. Today Clare is nursing a bit of a cold so we had coffee by the lake and an afternoon reading by the pool. We have left our swimsuits with the majority of our gear in Bariloche so Clare went swimming in a black bra and pants combo! Off now to have Mexican food.Read more
Kay DyasHappy chillin! xx
3/5/16Reply
Your weather looks to be set good for the next few days so just take it easy and enjoy the peace. It sleeting, cold and very chilly here. From Mum/Mary
3/5/16Reply
Sheila StevensonWe're enjoying your warmth vicariously (in other words enviously!), the pool looks lovely. Hope wasp sting not too nasty and that Clare's cold is cured by warm pool swimming. You've earned a rest. Enjoy! xxx Mum/Sheila.
3/5/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
From glaciers to volcanos
March 5, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Took a trip to see Volcan Lanin today. The volcano rises up like a perfect cone with snow topping. On one edge of the lake below called Lake Huechulafquen, there is a solidified volcanic larva 'river' complete with its own unique forest growing on it. Weird and lovely, in a Lord of the Rings sort of way. The day was slightly marred by neverending loud Spanish commentary, many hours on a minibus & an extra hour or so getting towed home as said minibus blew its fan belt.
But we finished the evening on a high by joining the birthday party for the wife of our host, Diego, and having a very fine steak and wine dining experience.Read more
Sheila StevensonMore wows about the scenery! Fab. xxxx
3/7/16Reply
Kay DyasIs Volcan Lanin a friend of Gandalfs? :)
3/9/16Reply
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Bariloche and the lakes Traveler
Goodbye Patagonia
March 6, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
In a bus we drove back the Ruta de los Siete Lagos from San Martín and got to revisit the road we had cycled. We came back to Bariloche for one more night at our B&B with a newly improved view of the lake. Plus we had another lovely dinner with happy hour pints of honey beer at the marvellous Manush.

Up early to catch a morning flight to Córdoba for four days in Argentina's second city.Read more
We have view envy. Hope you never tire of pronouncing the word.... Patagonia
3/8/16Reply
Sheila StevensonHappy travels! xxx
3/8/16Reply
Kay DyasHoney beer sounds good! Have fun in Cordoba!
3/9/16Reply
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Trip end
March 7, 2016