Moving on in Bariloche

After spending several days basking in the sun of the desert, it was quite a shock to our systems to roll off the bus in Bariloche at 6 am and be met with chilly gusts of wind and ominous clouds. During the six hour bus ride, the landscape had changed drastically, and we were now surrounded (from what we could see through the clouds) by green-blue mountains, a wintery lake, and emerald forests. We hurried to our hostel, and Becca rested while I ran some errands. In the afternoon, we did our best to fight through our exhaustion and see the sights of Bariloche. Bariloche is a cute city on the shores of a huge lake, and it has a lot of European influences. More than one person has said it reminds them of Switzerland. The Plaza de Armas is all stone and log buildings. We went to a museum that had all sorts of displays on local flora and fauna, and detailed the history of the region. It was interesting, but we were tired, so we took a nap, then ate dinner and basically went to bed, because we had planned to do some hiking the next day.

Bariloche on a blustery day.

Becca found a pal!
We spent our second day in Bariloche out in the hills. Thanks to the detailed advice of a girl at our hostel, we decided to take on two hikes. The first, up Cerro Campanaria, was only a 40-minute hike, but it was steep and dusty. However, the views from the top made the struggle worth it. Once we reached the top, we relaxed for awhile and simply enjoyed the magnificent scenery. We were able to see the Andes and lakes that surrounded us, as well as the city of Bariloche. Coming down was a pain in the ass, however, as the dusty trails provided no traction. At one point, I totally ate it and rolled down the hill in a cloud of dust, following my water bottle. I still have an owie on my knee.

The veiw from halfway up.
We are almost to the top!

The views from Cerro Companaria are spectacular!

The second hike was much easier. We hiked for about 3 kilometers through a bamboo forest out to a little cove on the lake, where we found a secluded rock to soak up some rays and enjoy the sounds of the lake crashing on the shore. I also enjoyed a package of Mana cookies, my new favorite treat! After enjoying as much of the beach as possible, we retreated back to Bariloche, exhausted and pleased with ourselves.

Becca hiking through a bamboo forest.
We finally made it to the beach!
The view from our sunbathing rock.
As you can see, Bariloche and its surrounding areas are beautiful. Again, in many ways, it reminded me of the Pacific Northwest, except that the mountains of Patagonia are so distinct. I am inspired to do more hiking when I return to Washington.