Poste Restante Bariloche, Dec. 12-16, 2012

San Carlos de Bariloche is a resort town on the shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi in the Argentine Andes. An international tourist destination in both summer and winter, we chose it as a reasonable spot to receive mail general delivery. Our bank cards had expired and our angels in Eugene, Jayne and Mary, were forwarding the new cards to us express mail. Unbeknown to us, a transportation strike in Buenos Aires was holding up the delivery. The frustration and uncertainty of waiting, as well as the variable weather, definitely colored our impressions of this picturesque place.

Briefly, Bariloche is famous for its timbered architecture and chocolate. There were crowds of tourists: organized tour groups of Argentines in matching sweat shirts and loud, informal groups of young Israelis on their year paid sabbatical after three years in the army. Our first hostel was in the tourist neighborhood. We only discovered residential, and hip, Bariloche on our last day.

Outside of daily visits to the Correo Argentino (post office), we did manage to find some fun. One nice day we rode the municipal bus along the lake shore to the national park. Just outside the entrance was a grand hotel, the Llao Llao, very reminiscent of Timberline Lodge. Huge log pillars and woodlined walls in the lobby, with two great stone fireplaces at each end. We had a coffe and hot chocolate and people watched for an hour, and the bill came to $20 American! Afterwards we took a hike in the park which ended in views across the lake.