South American travelogue, winter 2008
Displaying one entry (click here to see all):
- Week 2 (Feb. 1-7): Buenos Aires, western Argentina, southern Chile
- Friday, February 1
Moving and shopping day. Checked out of Recoleta apartment and went across to Moreno hotel in San Telmo near Plaza de Mayo--in an old building but very recently converted to a strikingly stylish,
small, modern hotel. Internet connection finally worked; Tom greatly relieved that connection problem at apartment appears to have been specific to apartment rather than general. Out for lunch at
nice restaurant on one corner of Plaza de Mayo, then much shopping including buying cell phone along Calle Florida. Buying a cell phone turns out to be complicated with much waiting in lines. We
ended up with a Motorola Razr that we paid 60 pesos to unblock so that we can change SIM chips to use it outside Argentina--maybe even in Croatia this June.. We also found a power strip that takes
American, Chilean, and Argentine-style plugs--it nicely solves the problem of not enough outlets in hotel rooms as well as needing adapters for the various countries.
Back to the hotel with just enough time for a welcome soak in the Jacuzzi in our beautiful, large room with Domaine Chandon brut rosé, then out for dinner at Morena restaurant near domestic airport
and marina in Puerto Norte with former student Luis Sprovieri and his fiancée Carolina. Luis is now a Baker McKenzie partner; he seems to have carved out an excellent niche representing mostly
foreign and multinational companies in domestic products-liability litigation. His Duke training has been crucial for his being credible to foreign lawyers and to his confidence in dealing with them.
He’s also a competitive sailor, having a racing boat built, and is interested in the American Law Institute--he may come as a guest to the May annual meeting in Washington and then probably would
like to be proposed for membership. Only two Argentines, one a practitioner and one a professor, are now members. Back very late after long, good, enjoyable dinner. Particularly good starter with
sautéed calamari and endive.
Saturday, February 2
After breakfast on very pretty, stylish hotel rooftop, packed and got cab to pick up Hertz car. Long line, slow process, but hit the road at 12:30 in Chevrolet Meriva mini-van that seems in good
shape. Just enough covered space in back to keep our luggage out of sight. Drives fine with some noise on accelerating at low speed. Autopista runs out not too far outside Buenos Aires; still many
tolls. Two-lane main road in very good shape, and passing slow trucks and old cars not too hard in flat pampas. Stopped for good comfort-food lunch at roadside restaurant in small town of San Miguel
del Monte; reassuring that food outside city seemed OK. Continued through extremely flat, fertile, heavily farmed pampas country--reminded Tom of American Great Plains and Susan of California’s
Central Valley without the Sierras in view. Until slightly hillier country at end, all trees looked as if they’d been planted; many bunches of eucalypts. Branched off main road about half way to take
more direct route to estancia short of Bahía Blanca; road in very good shape with little traffic. Couldn’t avoid hitting good-sized bird flying up from road with windshield because oncoming truck
left no room to swerve; no damage to us, fortunately.
Covered just under 600 km. and arrived at Estancia la Luisina, eight km. on dirt road off paved side road, around 7:40. Rustic casa de campo (country house), simple and unimaginative but adequate
room in 1960s successor to original turn-of-century house. Host Oscar, former builder from nearby port city of Bahía Blanca, who took over abandoned farm property within last two years to turn it
into guest place as well as working farm, loved showing us around core of 1,100-hectare (2,700 acres) property which he bought for about $US 1 million and is doing much to fix up. Great
variety--cows, horses, sheep, pigs, llamas; rabbits, chickens, geese, guinea fowl; various vegetables, nuts, berries, field crops. Pool (water and table), foosball, Jacuzzi, sauna, exercise machines,
outdoor chess (nobody playing) with large figures on walk-around board. Late barbecue dinner under lights outside with two Argentine couples also staying there plus Oscar and a couple of staff. Good
practice for our Spanish. The barbecue (asado) was really good with excellent chorizo and pork ribs. We skipped the morcilla (blood sausage) and thought the beef ribs weren’t as good as the pork. The
asadero, Martín, was really nice and talented. He also washed our windshield the next morning and helped with the luggage.
The Argentine couples were a pair of doctors from Comodoro Rivadavia, quite far south, and the owner of a a large (60-seat) beauty parlor and her husband who sells ingredients to brewers. Marcelo,
one of the doctors from Mendoza, was particularly outgoing, telling jokes through dinner and offering us his e-mail in case we need any help while we’re in Argentina.
Sunday, February 3
Simple breakfast in nice weather outside on lawn. More enjoyable conversations with Oscar and fellow guests. Off to Bahía Blanca and pleasant lunch in downtown hotel. Argentine cuisine so far tends
not to be elaborate, even in upscale restaurants, perhaps because their meat is so good. Basketball team at lunch with some American players; one spotted my Durham Bulls cap, made common mistake of
thinking it was Denver Broncos, but as usual that led to enjoyable conversation. Older-looking city, with something of a 1950s feel, but not generally poor. Shopping at ultramodern center on north
side of town. Late-afternoon departure for drive to Neuquén across mostly flat land changing from pampas-style crops and cattle, to uncultivated brush (still quite green), and finally to extensive
area heavily planted with tall windbreak trees around orchards and a few vineyards. Several inspections to keep tainted meat out of southern Argentina to protect export status of local meat. Susan
reading aloud from books about Spanish language to refresh us on points of grammar. People here somewhat harder for both of us to understand. Fairly heavy traffic near end, all on two-lane road; late
arrival after drive totaling between 600 and 700 kilometers at decent downtown hotel in provincial capital, followed by midnight pizza and beer at still-lively restaurant a few blocks away. Many more
people here with darker skins than in Buenos Aires, perhaps mestizos. Dusty town with little to offer the tourist. On very good hotel-lobby wireless after dinner.
Monday, February 4
After good, late breakfast in hotel dining room and more Internet, our usual 12:30 departure. Through thinning cultivation into increasingly dry area with some hills and interesting formations,
reminiscent of driving in west Texas and New Mexico. Close call in small town when we slowed for left turn off two-lane main road, with left-turn signal going; crazy driver ignored flasher and tried
to pass on left at fairly high speed just as we started to make our turn. Other car swerved sharply and just avoided hitting us, fortunately not losing control. Pleasant, simple lunch of roast beef
and tomato salad (single serving often suffices for the two of us). Interesting practice here in some towns of having warning signs for speed bumps to get you to slow down, but often (not always)
without having any bump. Generally light traffic, but much of it is luxurious-looking double-decker long-distance buses--a popular means of travel in some parts of South America. On through
increasingly hilly area with beautiful glassy/shimmering crystal-blue lakes and rivers looking like Montana trout streams, into San Carlos de Bariloche and to brand-new Villa Sofía hotel about 6:30.
Out to dinner at 10:00 in full daylight; with whole country on double-daylight time it stays light in the west until about 10:20 this time of year, an hour later than Buenos Aires. (Time advance is
temporary measure by new President Fernandez to try to reduce power outages; her predecessor/husband had capped electricity rates, increasing demand and leading to reduced investment for power
generation. Economist says many in western part of country are unhappy because it stays light so very late in evenings and dark so late in mornings.) Excellent dinner at Kandahar restaurant, with
mushroom tartaletta being the single best dish we’ve had among many good ones so far in Argentina. Some restaurants in Bariloche don’t take credit cards, which can mean frequent trips to ATMs since
withdrawal limit is usually low (anti-robbery measure?), around 300 pesos or $100 per day.
Tuesday, February 5
After good hotel breakfast in lovely restaurant beside stream on multi-building hotel property, drove through incredibly congested town to find daily ATM. On the way citizens collared a young thief
in foot chase on street just in front of us; he threw a woman down badly as he was trying to escape. Out along lovely, large Nahuel Huipi lake and through pretty woods to spectacular Llao Llao Hotel
for lunch overlooking lakes and snow-flecked peaks including snow-covered Troneador on Chilean border in distance. Much use of dark, beautiful rough-hewn local wood in building. Most Spanish-speakers
pronounce “ll” more or less as “y”; books tell us Argentinians say “j” (in usage of English-speakers); we hear them universally rendering it as “sh”. So it’s not “yao yao” or “jao jao” but “shao
shao”. Around Circuito Chico (little loop) looking at more small lakes, mountain vistas, and forests; back near city to take lift up Cerro Otto for 360̊ view to dry hills in east, some plains, very
green hills and forests in other directions, several lakes, and peaks to west and north. Full-scale Michelangelo replicas (David, Pietà, Moses) in hall of building at top of teleférico; at least
Michelangelo is out of copyright. Back to Villa Sofía (that’s “visha sofia”) for work before late dinner at excellent Naan restaurant a few blocks’ walk away in residential neighborhood; nice lake
view, a mom-and-pop (plus young son--child-labor laws may not apply to family business during summer vacation) operation with sophisticated cuisine, extensive wine list.
Wednesday, February 6
Off through Bariloche; brief stop to find that the likes of the Economist seem unavailable anywhere in country outside Buenos Aires, even in international tourist mecca like this. Short drive to
Villa la Angostura and extraordinary Correntoso resort with views of mountains, lakes, river from lovely room. Healthy hike out to municipal beach on lake for picnic lunch off delicious leftovers. On
walk back, constant crackling of tree seed pods in warm afternoon sun. Refreshing swims in indoor-outdoor infinity pool. Many Chileans here, presumably taking advantage of favorable exchange rates.
Work in room before dinner in hotel’s lakeside restaurant; fine food, and portions for once not too huge.
Thursday, February 7
Shopping for fine local chocolates to give Chilean friends on arrival, then on to border crossings. Process of leaving Argentina is surprisingly complicated--long lines to check out with gendarmería,
on to customs, finally past barrier. Border posts on both sides at considerable distance from actual boundary, presumably so employees don’t have to go way up mountains to work. Drive through
spectacular mountain scenery. At border, about 1,300 meters elevation, Susan got out to take pictures; big deer flies decided they wanted to be in car. Tom got most of them out but killed one in back
seat, and rather than give others a chance to get in slithered between two front seats to get back to driver’s seat. At least no such flies at lower-elevation border posts, where we had to do much
waiting. Wolfed down leftover lamb and cheese for lunch (agricultural restrictions) at Chilean border crossing, which seemed a little more efficient than Argentine exit but still time-consuming; no
problems with car, insurance, etc., given papers from Hertz in Buenos Aires. Drug-sniffing dog inspecting many cars, but they didn’t have it check ours. Through rolling farm land and many fruit
stands, with view of snow-capped Osorno peak, to ramshackle city of Osorno where we got Chilean cash and chip for mobile phone, then up excellent, lightly traveled north-south toll superhighway to
turnoff for Panguipulli. Arrived about 8:15 local time, one hour behind Argentina, and enjoyed Chandon rosé champagne we’d brought from Villa la Angostura with Chilean friends Andrés Young and
Carolina Coppo from Santiago (UCLA LL.M. grads and former Marina del Rey tenants), vacationing with Maximiliano, 4, and Helena, 1½. Barbecue dinner on cabin porch with family; kids doing fine
including Helena after months in hip harness as baby to treat possible dysplasia. As seems to happen too often when we travel, Tom broke a tooth during dinner, but fortunately no discomfort.
