Hello Family and Followers!

Sorry for not writing on the blog for the past week, but we were having way too much fun in Bariloche. However, we are doing great and are now safely in Santiago...so parents don't worry.

So we when we last wrote we were Puerto Madryn and about to leave for Bariloche. That afternoon before taking off we had an amazing meal for dirt cheap. It consisted of our first helping of fired provolone, a delicious corn (in grits like form) casserole, and a chorizo sandwich. We had to add this to the blog only because it was probably one of our favorite meals thus far and the presentation was so good that we had to take some pictures for you viewing pleasure. So check those out.

As for Bariloche, the two of us absolutely loved this town. It is often described as a Swiss Village and upon entering the town that is instantly what you think of. The little town is set on a hill side that leads down to a large lake called Nahuel Huapi. Then off in the distance in all directions are these beautiful snow capped mountains that really make you feel like you are in the Alps. Really my words do no justice for describing the views so I will leave to look at the pictures.

The hostel we stayed at (Hostel Pudu) was equally as great as the town and it is run by a very nice young couple from Ireland. We really liked the hostel not only for the way that it was run, but because it was filled with some great people that we had a great time getting to know. Really for the first time we were staying with people similar to our age, which was a great change of pace. We found that many of the other hostels we had stayed in leading up to Bariloche were all older couples and groups that really did not provide any entertainment. However, Pudu had a downstairs bar/dining area/hangout that was consistently filled with people. It was here that Sarah and I would often find ourselves talking with other groups and comparing stories of where we had traveled. It was for these reasons and many more (including the Halloween party) that we decided to extend our stay in Bariloche for another day. (Also the reason we are late writing the blog)

Our first day in Bariloche (Oct. 28th) we quickly showered after our long bus ride and set out to explore the town. We did our usual tour of the main streets and stopped to grab a variety of snacks, which included dulce de leche filled churros and delicious Swiss chocolate (there are huge elaborate chocolate stores all over the place). Besides that we were pretty quick to head back to the hostel in order to get out of cold wet weather and plan our next day. Upon returning, we signed up for the chicken curry dinner (which was recommended by all) and I quickly fell asleep for a nap. I woke up several hours later (Sarah tried to wake me up) to find Sarah downstairs having finished dinner and playing poker with a big group. I managed to taste one of the local beers and watch her finish in second place before we both decided to call it quits for the night.

The following day we woke up early to eat the hostels free breakfast of homemade scones and coffee before setting off for our first hike. I must mention that these scones were very good and a nice change from the typical bread served at all other hostels. For the hike, we decided to do an easy 2.5 hour trip up a mountain called Cerro Otto. Since it was raining yet again, we thought that this hike would be best due to the fact that it was within walking distance from the hostel. So we set out expecting light rain the whole trip, but ended up getting poured on the entire time! The two of us got soaked and the hike up the mountain ended being a lot steeper than we expected. Nonetheless, we toughed it out for as long as we could and nearly made it to the refuge at the top before having to turn back. The fog and poor markings on the trails (Yes Mom, the Rocky Mountain National Park is better) made it somewhat difficult to know where to go and instead of freezing to death on top of a mountain we thought it best to head back to the hostel for a warm lunch and a beer. All in all though we had a great time exploring and seeing the beautiful nature that the land surrounding Bariloche had to offer. Not to mention that our extra effort made the lunch and beer we had that much sweeter.

On Friday October 30th, we finally had a beautiful day. The night before we stayed up talking with a few others in the hostel (cough, cough...and made a trip to the casino...cough) and heard about a quick hike that leads to one of National Geographics top 10 favorite views in the world. So we decided that we had to go check it out. The Mountain is called Cerro Campania and in order to get there we had to take a bus a few miles out of town. The 30 minute hike up the mountain was very steep and provided quite a challenge to the both of us as we were feeling a little rough from the night before. (I must mention that our few trips to the Casino were all in fun and we actually broke even while enjoying a few hands of Black Jack i.e. we did not turn into gambling degenerates) However, each stop we were forced to make was better than the next as the view from this mountain is like nothing I have ever seen before in my life. When we finally reached the top we were shocked at what we saw. Not only were we at eye level with all the mountain peaks that could be seen from town, but the view gave you a great understanding of why the area is referred to as the "Lake Region". Tucked around and behind each of these mountains was one beautiful lake after another. Not only did we find the view of nature impressive, but some of the real estate that was settled down around the shores and hills over looking the lakes was nothing short of spectacular. After about 30 minutes on top we quickly realized how this could be rated as one of the top 10 views of the World. After hiking down we still had the whole afternoon in front of us and we decided to go check out a sight that we read about in our trusty travel book. In the middle of Lake Nahuel Huapi, there is a huge island named Isla de Victoria. The main attraction of the island is the fact that the only other grove of California Redwoods exists on it. So Sarah and I took a bus further out of town to the port and hoped on a tour boat that took us to the national forest on the other side of the island and goes to Isla Victoria on the way back. The Nahuel Huapi National Park was an important stop because its shores are home to a rare type of tree that is only found in the Andes Mountains in Chile and Argentina. The Arrayan, as the are called, are beautiful trees that require large amounts of water and are known for their contorted method of growth, which leaves their trunks looking very odd. They were definitely beautiful trees and our quick walk through this large grove (I believe the largest that remains) was very impressive, but I think both of us were more excited for the Redwoods. From a distance Isla Victoria looks to be like any other forest, but the Isla actually has an interesting history that learned once we landed on the island. After decades of logging on the island, it was decided in the early 20th century that the island needed to be rescued. What developed from the replanting was not a plan to reforest the area with local trees, but to use the island as a sight for growing all types of tree species from around the World. Sarah and I were both very surprised to find this out and found the idea to be interesting. Due to the ideal climate in the area, trees of all types are able to flourish and the Argentine government essentially established a "tree zoo". We only had an hour to explore the 20 kilometer long island, but what we saw was very cool and definitely turned out to be a unique experience. I must say though, the Redwoods and Sequoias from the States were most impressive. Just check a few of the pics we took...just incredible how big these things are and also hard to believe that these guys were babies compared to those in California. After our trip, we returned to the hostel to make dinner (save money!!) and ended up having a great meal...Sarah made her delicious Beef Strogganhoff or should I say Robyne's famous Strogganhoff. The meal hit spot and we ended up staying up late again enjoying the company of the other guests and the delicious local beer that the hostel served.

Halloween day turned out to be another nasty day. It was rather cold and overcast all day long. In some ways this was alright as we did not feel as bad taking it easy for the day and forgoing our bike trip around the 7 Lakes area. Just was too cold and windy to enjoy. Instead, we went to the bus stop to book our tickets for Santiago and prepared for the festivities of the night. We ate a big meal at a local "fast food" place (Morfy's) that served these delicious sandwiches. The are known for their lomo (a beef tenderloin cut of meat) and it turned to be much better than American fast food. For costumes (required for the party), we managed to create some simple outfits out of what we brought. Sarah was a hippy/gipsy and I was an American Football player...aka Clinton Portis the best running back in the league (Thanks Mike and Lars). The party was real blast and of course ended up staying late and having too much fun. South Americans and Europeans can really stay up late. Anyways, the party was fun and ended up being a perfect ending to a great time in Bariloche. This probably was the best stop of the trip so far and I guess that can partly be contributed to the partying we ended up doing. But in all seriousness, Bariloche was beautiful and honestly like nothing else the two of us have ever seen.

Once again, I hope that everyone enjoys reading our recent posting. Sorry for the long break in between, but be on the lookout for another one soon as we begin heading up the coast of Chile.

Love to all the family!

Hasta Luego,

Chris and Sarah