Clear blue skies, sunny days with a cool breeze, bright crystal clear water surround by snow-capped rocky peaks, and a comfortable place to cook & sleep...does it get much better?! May I add, we are still loving each other's company!
For the past five days we have slept in, had a nice egg sandwich and strong coffee for breakfast and then hit the trail to visit beautiful spots around Bariloche. The public transit system is perfect for touring around a fifteen mile radius from town in various directions. Each road takes you along the lakeside with most incredible 360 degree views.
One delight here in Bariloche that contrasts to our visit to Chile is the creativity in architecture! The buildings are not colonial or even old, but they are unique. Mostly constructed from rough timbers the structures do not follow the same set of plans. We have oohed & awed our way through our daily bus rides. This area is full of inns for tourists, tea houses and undoubtedly, many rich people's second homes on the lakeshore. Beautiful structures surround by manicured and wooded lots, lovely to look at!
Yesterday we visited Colonial Suiza, a small village on a dusty dirt road where the first modern inhabitants in the area set up camp. A group of 10 year old students loaded on the bus, they were noisy and excited about going to an overnight camp with their class. Every bus fills up past capacity, in our opinion, with many people standing in the aisles on the winding paths. We have been lucky to have a seat on nearly every trip.
After walking around the town Keith enjoyed an ice cream cone and we headed to the waterfront where I found a family of birds. I tried not to interrupt their routine on land but when I got too close they jumped in the water, little one and all.
Who can identify this beautiful bird?
This morning we boarded a bus for Cerro Catedral. Keith's first response was 'not another church!' but that's the name of the very important ski resort here in South America. It's huge with MANY groomed trails, eating establishments and lodges for winter visitors.
It was a very scenic setting.
Today there was a little red MG event and we thought of brother Dan!
Our bus dropped us off at the Chocolate Museum, ohhh, it smelled so good in there! After tasting some yummy bon-bons and downing a couple small hot chocolates we were treated to a private tour of the factory by a very knowledgeable bilingual guide. The history of chocolate is interesting and very delicious!
Here's the only snow we encountered up close today!
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ReplyDeleteThe Cauquén Real, Ashy-Headed Goose, or Chloephaga poliocephala in Latin, is one of Patagonia’s unique feathered-friends.
ReplyDeleteThis lover of southern South America is seen in both Chile and Argentina. It especially enjoys nesting, rooting for yummy treats and mating in the swampy and water-filled areas of the Lakes District. When scavenging for food, it favors clearings in the forest and is not known to use the lakes as a feeding ground. In fact, it tends to not like swimming at all.
A relatively large bird, it reaches around 20 inches in height at full maturity. The females tend to be a little smaller. Its coloring is distinctive, with a rust-colored neck and chest, dark-charcoal rear-end, white and black stripping to the wings, a white under-belly and a light grey head. The young are similar in looks but are less colorful and sport a brown head. When in flight the birds show a black and green aspect to their wings that can not be seen at rest. Another special part of their look is the impressive color variation to their legs; half is in black, the other side in orange. Their call is distinct yet different for the males and females; the male is whispered whitle and the female has a naggy, throaty holler.
It makes its nests in the tall grasses surrounding bodies of water, creating a home for four to six eggs. The males and females are both important aspects to raising the young.
As winter approaches the flocks of Cauquén Reals set forth to the north, searching out grasslands. Each spring brings them back to Patagonia
The Swiss village was established in the late nineteenth century, when it settled the brothers Felix and Maria Camilo Goye. Natives of the canton of Valais, the Swiss-French, crossed the mountain range after passing through Chile.
ReplyDeleteFrom 1902 with the enactment of the Law Home, "which favored the establishment of immigrants, other Swiss families settled at the foot of Mount Lee, the Cretton, the Mermoud and Neu. Tireless workers in agriculture, grinding grain by hand and built themselves ships carrying goods to and from southern Chile and the Andean lakes. Also cultivated cherries, plums, peaches, apples and pears, which produced homemade jams and preserves gained popularity in the region. With wood from the area built their houses, the first school and the chapel.
Today the descendants of those pioneers preserve family traditions oriented agricultural activities are complemented by tourism. In the colony can find a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, homemade cheese, sweet berries.
The tradition of wood construction is maintained in most buildings. In some cafes, pub can be seen from their windows the beautiful mountain scenery with Lopez in the background while you test the culinary delights and enjoy musical performances for a visit to be unforgettable.
Curanto cooked in a shallow pit. The fire is lit and heated stones placed on them for food. Leaves are covered with nalca or machinery, stock and land alpillera. After two hours steaming food discovered at a unique ceremony and is ready to eat. Indeed, no hurry or stretch the time of cooking is one of the secret key to achieving the 10 ingredients that go on point: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas and squash with melted cheese, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, offal and apple. During his trip to Chile, Chiloe curanto Goye met with seafood, which then began to prepare meat and vegetables here. Today is one of the main attractions, to the point of having to "double the number of servings, since it is a lot of people who go to eat," said Victor Goye.
Also, From here, 4x4 trucks amounting to the shelter of Mount Lee with daily departures and a night hike.
Hiking and homemade desserts
Several tea houses offer a variety of everyday household products, fruit and vegetable farm, delicious strudel and cakes with berries, raspberries, the natural and goat cheeses, which are just some of the delicacies.
To spend the night you can choose campsites as Goye Meli Ruca Hue and huenei or inns or hotels that are there.
Elena Goye, a descendant of pioneers, personally attends the museum site, where you can see old farm items and farm tools, kitchen utensils, clothing, or vehicle until the beginning of the century.
It is also very interesting to visit the nursery Meli Hue, where lavender is grown and produced perfumes and soaps, the fish devoted to raising trout, and craft fair nearby school.