Perito Moreno & Las Cuevas de las Manos

From my bus, I was the only one stopping in Perito Moreno (city), and even the driver asked if I was sure about it. I wasn't, but I stayed. On the bus station I asked about how could I go to Las Cuevas, and I was lucky, there was a guide there that was going to do the tour that afternoon with 3 other turists that were waiting in a camping park close by.

It was Saturday, and the next bus to go to El Calafate, where I wanted to go after Perito Moreno, was only leaving on Tuesday. So, I bought a ticket to go to Río Gallegos, leaving at 4.30am, so I just had to wait until then somewhere and I wouldn't have a problem with the lack of hostels (and lack of money, that is starting to feel...).

Don Ugo, the guide, took me to the camping park so that I had a place to stay while waiting. After like 20 minutes of being there, just drinking a mate, 2 guys came in. One came to me asking if I had been in Iguazu, in the Stop Hostel, like 1 month ago. I was kind of "wtf, how do you know?!"... it was the italian guy from Perugia that I met there, now with a beard so I didn't recognise him, and he was also going to Las Cuevas. The other guy that was with him, from USA, had booked the same trip I was going in. However, when Don Ugo arrived sayed there was no place for the italian, all the 4 places in the car were taken, a spanish couple was also coming with us, so he had to stay there.

Don Ugo revealed to be the best guide ever. He really knows the region and told us about the gold and silver mines that are starting to destroy the Cuevas. He even has a website (www.noalamina.org) and is a very fierce activist against the mines that treat to destroy 10.000 year-old paintings.

But moving on, the Cuevas are located in a Canyon, very similar to the Grand Canyon in Colorado. We had to walk down, cross the river and then back up. Fantastic view though, the colors are amazing, and once you get up there, Las Cuevas! 600m of wall paintings, with colors so vivid it looks like it was paited yesterday, showing hands, guanacos, little people hunting, lizards and even a full moon. It is really beautifull, and more amazing if one thinks it has been there for almost 10.000 years.

On the way back, we met with the italian guy again. He took 2 rides (all payed, of course) to get there, and sayed that he would probably take the same bus as me.

Don Ugo took us to the Lake Buenos Aires, the 2nd biggest in South America, that with all the wind seemed more like the sea, with big waves.

After the day trip, Don Ugo left me in the bus station. It was 8pm, the bus was leaving only at 4.30am, and the bar was only open untill 11pm. So I would have to wait in the street (and it was really cold!!!). But again I was lucky, and the kid from the gas station invited me to stay inside with him, and all the friends he had coming and going. A weird kid.. 5 hours listening to Cumbia and Reggaeton, but at least instead of being freezing outside I was next to the heater drinking mate again.

Later, the italian guy arrived. He was having problems withdrawling money, so I bought his ticket. And so, not only I won company to travel (and we were together for 1 week), I also won a big brother, el tano (as they call italians arround here, from napoliTANO).

Bariloche

Set on the shores of a cobalt-blue surfaced lake, and framed by snow-capped Andean peaks, Bariloche really has a breathtaking setting. The bus ride from El Bolsón to Bariloche, passing by the mountains with bright yellow and purple flowers, waterfalls and, finally, the lake, is astonishing.

On the 1st day I just walked arround the city center, full of garish souvenir stores and chocolate shops & factories where they give all kinds of samples of gourmet chocolate for people to taste. The city is really pretty, with small buildings, almost all with a wood facade. Also the Museo de la Patagonia is so worth it to visit, very well made, tracing the area's Mapuche and European history.

The next day I took the bus to San Martin de los Andes. The city itself is kind of boring... however, the landscape on the way there makes the whole trip absolutely worth it. And it is possible to take the East route to get there, passing by Valle Encantado (like the movie with the dinosaurs!) and go back to Bariloche by the Ruta de los siete lagos (route of the seven lakes), that traverses dense alpine forests, mountains and brilliant blue lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Part of that route is just a bumpy dirt track, that with the rain (and it was raining) just becames a muddy mess. I was also on the front seat of the bus, listening to the conversation between the driver and his assistent (and also sharing a mate with them, I just love mate :D) about car and bus accidents. Really funny, the road was a mess, and they were there talking "oh, in this turn a car jumped off the hill", "here a bus fell to the water last week", and so on, and the panic on the face of some people.

In my last day, a bit of treaking in Circuito Chico, a circuit with forest trails to hidden beaches and lakes, very pleasent for a day excursion (and the easiest one). On the way back, I met 2 ladies (german and italian) and went back to Bariloche with them, ending up going together for a hot chocolate in Mamushcka, perfect to warm up after the whole day walking.

At night I took a bus to Perito Moreno (city). Only after buying the ticket I found out there are no hostels, no hotels, no nothing in there, and as it is in the middle of Ruta 40, there are only buses every 3/4 days, so I really didn't know what to do once I got there. Bueno, I decided to trust in luck, so far it never failed on me and I believe in taking chances (and really wanted to visit Las Cuevas de las Manos), and I went anyway.

Puerto Madryn - The Whales!!

And so it is, after 6 weeks travelling, I finally arrived in Patagonia. Instead of taking the guided tours to Peninsula Valdés and see the whales (the main point about coming to Puerto Madryn), I got together with 7 more people that I met in the bus station and we rented 2 cars. The price diference is not that much, but like this we could go where we wanted, when we wanted, and I really feel like a lemming in those tours for turists, all in the bus following the guide.

So there we go: me, an american guy, two french guys, a german and a spanish girls and a couple (he was from France, she from Japan). As strange as it may seem (at least for me), the one I liked the most was the guy from the USA... He was driving and I was co-pilot (modesty apart, I am good with maps, and this other people almost could not distinguish left from right, so we were"leading" the trip).

We rented the car the night before going to Peninsula Valdés, and the 1st thing the guy did was to turn on a one-way street, the wrong way, we just started to see all the cars coming in our direction, the spanish girl started to scream and I just couldn't stop laughing... I mean, not even 1 minute after we left the car rental place and he does that... c'mon!!! However, that was the only thing that went wrong (and nothing happend really), we was actually a very good driver.

So that was it, next morning, 7am we were leaving the hostel, trying to be in Puerto Piramides before 9am to get the 1st boat to go and see the whales. We were quite lucky and saw 8 of them, all moms and babies - one of them white, just like Moby Dick. The boats are not so big and get really close to the whales (one of them like half a meter away), that also swim under the boats and everything.

After the whales, we continued our trip going South. On the way, we saw a road that was not on the map (and actually can't really be called a road, but wtv) and lead us to the Salinas. To those who have been in Bolivia or in the North of Argentina, it was not a big deal. For me, yes!! Gourgeous, amazing, a pink lagoon surrounded by a white field!! And stepping the grass, impregnated with salt, feels like stepping popcorn. The german girl and the french guys took their clothes off and went to the water..

After their bath, there we went to a bay where the sea lions sleep. It is a big beach, on a bay with turquoise/esmerald sea, where you can see the sea lions sleeping.. and that's pretty much it. Following North, there's a peninsula with more sea lions, again the same. They are very sweet, lying in there peacefully, but... I was expecting some action, an orca jumping off the water and grabbing one of them!! Nothing, no orcas, no BBC documentary live for me.

A bit more to the North, penguins. Those yes, are the best! And are really used to people, so are like half a meter away, posing to the camera or just sleeping quietly. After the penguins, it was time to go, my bus to Bariloche was that night and we still needed to give the cars back.

They all went with me to the bus station, still with time to grab a beer and watch the River vs. Boca game, and off I go, all Patagonia is still waiting...

Buenos Aires, part III

On Friday, following Juan's advices, we went to the zoo of Luján. Almost 2 and a half hours for like 60 km of distance, but anyway.. Right on the entrance there is a place where they have most of the animals, all together, just like Noe's arch: horses, guanacos, a pig, goats, camels, ducks, you name it. Baby lions, f course, were the best, so adorable little Simbas. It is also possible to go inside the place where teenage lions and tigers are, and end the visit with a small ride in a camel.
But the perfect end for this day was the dinner in 'La Cabrera', and here comes the food again :D that has the best 'chorizo beef'. So so true.. We ate way too much, so delicious everything, really eating untill we felt sick and still ordered a dessert. All with a great wine to go with.

The next day, Saturday fair in Palermo. The fairs in BsAs are very good, and I didn't even went to the supposely best one, in San Telmo. Anything you may be looking for can be found here. In the afternoon I went to a museum, that, shame shaaaame on me, was the only one I visited. One week in BsAs and I know more restaurants and ice-cream shops than museums or theatres... And I kind of regret it, this one was increadible, specially the pre-colombian art colection.

As it was the night of the museums, we went to a show of 'Air Tango', meaning people dancing tango hanging on wires. And that was it, no more museums, again the shame, we just went to a hostel to sit talking and drinking beer for the rest of the night.
The next day my bus to Puerto Madryn was only at 8 pm, and still I did nothing all day. I guess being with portuguese people felt too good, I was for the whole week just feeling more like hanging out with them, do nothing and eat all the best things BsAs has to offer. Oh yes, almost forgot, I also tried the best empanadas and juices, the things I has mentioned before were not enough :D

More Buenos Aires

On the next day, waking up early to go to El Tigre, a small town hour away from BsAs. It is a lovelly place in the delta of the Paraná river, has many islands only accessible by boat. It is a cool place for a kind of cruise, seeing the riverfront restaurants and houses, all with their own wooden-port with small benches to wait for the 'public boat' or just to sit there fishing and enjoying the view.
In one of the islands I met a guy from Guatemala and we ended up walking arround together. Also worked for an information exchange: Juan was going to Floripa in week, so I gave him the name and contacts of Portunhol Hostel and other tips about the place, my paradise... and he told me about this zoo close to BsAs were people can touch baby lions and tigers. It was perfect and changed my plans for the day after, I wasn't going to La Plata anymore, baby lions are more important :P
Then back to BsAs it was time to go to the best ice-cream place in town, I couldn't skip it, obviously. Dulce de leche ice-cream is just the best thing ever.

Mi Buenos Aires I

In Buenos Aires I had, once again, a friend of a friend to welcome (and acomodate) me. A portuguese guy this time, that lives with other 3 portuguese guys and that were the 1st portuguese people I was with since I arrived. They were all super nice from the beggining, eventhough I didn't knew them at all.

On the 1st day, the weather was really shitty, raining and very cold, so after a small walk in the center I just gave up and went home. Also, I don't know if from being with portuguese people for the 1st time in 6 weeks or just for being tired, I just wanted to stay home and do nothing, that this of doing intensive turism ends up being a bit exausting.

The day after, Andrè went with me to the center. 1st stop: milka store. You can't skip it if you come to BsAs, I mean, it's not that big, but a whole store just for milka chocolates (with many varieties that don't exist in Pt) it's really amazing! For lunch, the best choripan in town, in San Telmo. Really delicious, and yes, so far I'm only telling about food, but this is just the beggining and actually my staying in BsAs was more a gastronomic experience than anything else.
But anyway, we visited the center, la Casa Rosada, San Telmo and El Caminito in La Boca, we went to the Boca stadium (outside) and to the cemetery in La Recoleta, where Evita's tumb is, and endes up in a comercial center where an India's Festival was taking place. With a small market, a photography exhibition (really good one!) and a dance & music performance from a group from Goa, very similar to the portuguese "corridinho".
On the way home, we stoped watching a tango performance on the street, with some really good dancers, not only from the group itself but also some people from the audience that joined them.

On the 3rd day, I went to the biggest and most beautiful bookshop in BsAs, Ateneo. It is indeed an amazing place, and not only I got lost in there for hours but also ended up spending way more than I had planned... At night we went to a Tango show in one of the oldest cafes in town, Cafe Tortoni. The musicians were amazing, the dancers not so much, but it was totally worth it, and they played "Alfonsina y el Mar" and "Volver", my favorites :)

Crossing the border

From Colonia del Sacramento to Buenos Aires, I took a boat, 3 hours and thats it. Or should be... as I sayed, I was illegal in Uruguay, and after giving my passport hoping the lady wouldn't notice, she asked me for the entrance stamp. And I, all inocent, 'whaaaat? I don't have it, why?'. And then I had to pay, not pretty to see, despite all my Bambi eyes and saying I was a poor turist with no money, in Portugal there is a crisis right now, nothing worked, 600 pesos uruguayos just like that, snif..
The boat trip was really pretty though, to compensate a bit. Its the best to see the sunset, the stars and the lights of Buenos Aires getting closer and closer, looking so much like New York.