On Feb 14 I took the bus from Puerto Montt to Bariloche. The road is wonderful but unfortunately full with ash after a strong volcano eruption some months ago. You see the white landscape including mountain,s trees and rivers and you think it is snow, but it is volcano ash.
Bariloche is the city of the chocolate. There are hundreds of chocolate shops in the city but nobody could explain me why. Apparently Bariloche is called “Argentinian Switzerland” and that’s why they need chocolate. There are a lot of chocolate shops downtown where you can buy chocolate in thousands of forms and tastes. It is not cheap and sometimes very toristic, but very tasty.
In Bariloche I’ve rented a car and drove on the Circuito Chico. I’ve attended a trip by motor boat to Island Victoria and to forest of arrayanes (mirthle tree). The skin of the arrayanes has a light brown colour and the forest is wonderful. Apparently Walt Disney was inspired for the forest in the movie “Bambi” by this forest. The Victoria island is not the visit worth. The trip to Victoria island and to the arrayanes forest costs 220 ars. However the Arrayanes forest is on a peninsula and can be reached by car from villa Agostura.
Along the Circuito Chico there is the municipal park of Llau Llau below the famous Llau Llau hotel. There is a trail through the forrest and there are some arrayanes trees too but not so many and not so nice as in the forrest of arrayanes. But it was a nice one hour walk free of charge.
On Feb 16 I’ve started to the Ruta de los siete lagos (seven lakes road). There are a lot of lakes in wonderful colours and sizes. Actually there are much more then seven lakes (I assume ca. 20) the road is most of the time unpaved some times in a very bad condition and I was happy that the car hold. The view on the the lakes and the landscape is amazing. The route is: San Martin de los Andes, Lago Villarino Lago Correntoso, Lago Espejo and then back to n65 to Lago Traful up to Confluencia village and then on N63 to San Martin de los Andes. Especially the roads n65 and n63 are in a bad status but the landscape is wonderful.Sometimes I had the feeling that the worse the road condition was, the nicer the landscape. I’ve started from Bariloche and decided to sleep one night in San Martin de los Andes. Everything can be done in one day but the you have to drive ca 12 hours (including the foto stops).
My hotel in Bariloche: Hotel Tirol
My initial reservation in hotel La Barraca Suites has been canceled 20 hours before my arrival BY THE HOTEL. I had a lot of trouble to get my money back! Do not go there!
My favorite restaurant in Bariloche: El Boliche de Alberto in Bariloche.
Excellent „bife de lomo“ (sirloin steak). It was one of the best steaks I ever ate. And this for just 13 euro!! Me gusto muchissimo (excellent)!.
Very good restaurant for a quick meal: La Esquina, Urquiza & Perito Moreno
On feb 20 I’ve flew from Bariloche to Iguazu, the last station of my wonderful trip.
