Bariloche the Beautiful

With only a few weeks left in Argentina (I really can’t wrap my head around this fact), I decided to take advantage of a long weekend with my roommate Hanna and head to Bariloche. Known for chocolate, ice cream, and beautiful views I knew that Bariloche and I would get along well. After continuously being in a city for 3 months, I was ready to get some much-needed fresh air and time away from the hustle and bustle.  

After a short two-hour plane, Hanna and I landed in Bariloche and we immediately set off for the nearest ice cream store. The following day, we took full advantage of the wonderful landscape and outdoor beauty by hiking up Cerro Catedral. The total lack of exercise for the past 3 months did not serve me well when hiking up a literal mountain for 5 hours but eventually we made it to Refugio Frey. Tucked away in a valley in the Andes, we were surrounded by nothing but beautiful snow-covered mountains for miles. The altitude made for some very chilly nights and we slept in three sleeping bags each but it was nothing that a good cup of hot chocolate couldn’t fix. The next day, we trekked (read: slid because there was so much snow and ice) down the mountain and proceeded to eat more ice cream and chocolate by Lake Nahuel Haupi.

For the third day in a row, we had some wonderful sunny weather and we decided to take our vacation seaside. We hopped on a boat, passing through the lakes and islands of National Park Nahuel Huapi. We stopped off at Arrayanes National Park and Isla Victoria, with the guides allowing us to wonder about and enjoy the scenery. Even though the trees, mountains, and wildlife were spectacular, it was the water that really captured my attention. Getting off the boat and looking at the water from the dock, it was the clearest water I had ever seen.

Our last day was spent in a quaint little town two hours south of Bariloche called El Bolson. The timing was a little unfortunate on our part as we arrived on a Sunday—a day for rest and family. However, we were able to make our way to Lago Puelo and have our own day of rest and relaxation. The weather in El Bolson was much more brisk and chillier but a late-blooming sun rescued us from freezing. While waiting for our bus back to Bariloche, we holed up in a cute little café where I enjoyed a submarino---a great drink that should be adopted by the States immediately.

All in all, Bariloche was fantastic. The views, the food, and the people made it a wonderful last trip of the semester.