13 February 2011
And we are back to Argentina, and, I am sorry to say, much less Diversified diets. I kept complaining about this is Agnes, especially the lack of vegetables but mostly about lack of choice in restaurants and bars. Oh well, I guess I am just a little tired and start missing home.
We drove from Chile to Argentina through Lanin National Park, beautiful and large park carrying the name of the volcano Lanin towering above surrounding mountains. It is kind of fun to cross borders almost at the volcano base.
We arrived in a small town called Junin de Los Andes, hot and dusty village which might be somewhat boring if not for the fact that just these few days there was a festival in honour of 128 years since town establishment. The festival meant a gathering of local cowboys or gauchos, festively dressed, often on horses, and a market of all goods, from saddles and lassos to t-shirts and yerbamate cups. We walked and walked and could not resist spending a little money on some of the local products.
The very next day, as if we have not driven enough, we decided to visit Laguna Blanca National Park, some 200 km away from Junin. Beats me why it is called Blanca, it has nothing white about it. But it is a pretty lake with lots of water birds, incl. flamigos and black-necked swans. We were all alone there which added to its charm. After walking down the beach, watching the birds, we decided to walk back to the car along the road in hope of spotting an armadillo. Of course there was none but just as we gave up and turned towards the car, there it was, simply crossing the road we had previously walked. Much smaller than I had thought and gray, not brown as I´d expected (but that could be the fault of ever-present dust). A funny little fellow in its armour, wailing tail.
We spent a few days in Junin and then moved to San Martin de Los Andes. The purpose was to visit the Lanin NP. We took a winding road by the Curruhue Lakes and down to Laguna Verde. As we drove, the road just got worse and worse, full of holes, stones and generally not very suitable for a small car like ours. But our Blondie, as we’d called it, made it just fine (thanks to Agnieszka’s driving, let’s face it). Just as we got to a little camping place by Laguna Verde, the weather turned worse so we took very fast a few pictures and started a run against the coming storm. We made it safe, only Blondie was no longer blondie, covered with thick layer of dust both outside and inside. The storm turned to be not very hard so it did not wash it very well and, when in San Martin, Agnieszka spent over an hour trying to clean it inside (especially the trunk) with wet tissues.
We tried to make another attempt at Lanin NP but the road to lake Huechulafquen we chose was unpassable after that storm and we had to turn back. Today we went into the park to another mirador (viewpoint) with quite a view over the lake by which San Martin de Loas Andes lies (and the weather was perfect). Next we went to really beautiful Chachin waterfalls and after that we wanted to go to yet another viewpoint. The road turned to be very bad so at some point we decided we could use some exercise. We left the car by the road and decided to walk (do I need to mention these are the forest roads, unpaved of course). Just as we walked a few hundred meters we saw a few bulls and cows blocking the path. Fortunately a moment later they hid in the forest. On we went and there was a white cow waiting for us in the middle of our way. We tried to scare it, talked to it, I even begged, to which she started to walk towards us. This was no fun for city girls like us and we started to “calmly” retreat. The cow continued after us for a while, making us forget the whole notion of walking anywhere that day.
Tomorrow we will drive the famous Seven Lakes Road back to Bariloche and then return the car. Hopefully no wild cows on the road.
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