We wake to a beautiful clear, calm day. Unseasonably warm, they say. The ski season normally starts in June, but it may be late this year. The weird weather patterns and volcano ash have taken a toll on Bariloche's economy.
Our hotel has only 18 rooms, and there are two other American couples here. But otherwise we're not noticing many gringos--mostly Argentine and Chilean tourists. The Argentines are just lovely people. We have not en countered any abrasiveness or rudeness; in fact, people just seem cheerful and kind by nature. Richard's rudimentary Spanish has helped us, but we havent lacked for help in English if we need it.
We did just hear that Ted Turner is fly-fishing at his ranch 70 miles from here, and his pilots have just checked in to our hotel. There are 42 lake in the 2 million acres of national parks here, and fly-fishing is a big draw, like skiing these Andes mountains.
Today was fantastic--a six-hour horseback ride, just the two of us and a guide. Can you believe this was Richard's idea? The outfit was Tom Wesley, started after WWII. The family has connections to Argentina going back generations, but was originally British. We met Wesley's son, who is now running the place. The ride took us through woods, across streams,
by another pristine lake--Lake Moreno--across a river, and then to the top of the mountain
above, Mt. Campanario We had taken a cable car up that same mountain two days ago--horseback
was certainly more fun. What views! For lunch we had the traditional asados, or barbecue, of
chorizo, beef, and chicken with chimichurri sauce and a salad--the best meat yet!
Richard napped, and I tried out the lake and the hot and cold sauna, before we took our first dinner out of our Charming hotel at the restaurant Cassis. Cassis was utterly elegant and creative and delicious--a husband and wife operation--and its location on yet another lake supremely romantic.
We leave tomorrow for El Calafate and the glaciers!
No comments:
Post a Comment