BARILOCHE - Christmas in Argentina

Accommodation

Our accommodation was a budget apartment. We had everything we brought and there was even soap, conditioner and shampoo. Just like a hotel. Also a (admittedly slightly dirty) mate cup with Bombilla (the associated drinking straw) was ready. Welcome to Argentina! :D

SIM card

We had to get a new SIM card for Argentina - we chose CLARO Argentina. We bought two cards for 200 Argentine pesos and each loaded 2000 pesos to get us Internet for 15 days. In contrast to Chile, you have to register at the Claro branch with your passport so that they can activate the card. PERSONAL, the competition from Claro does not offer any SIM cards for tourists at sight. We had to throw away the SIM card we bought for 300 pesos accordingly.

Sightseeing

There was a lot to see in Bariloche. Above all the delicious chocolate shops. You can see a ranking of the shops in the "Food and Drink" category. Actually, I was mostly on the road again without Pascal. I saw the diocese and the associated Plaza Catedral, the Totems del Nahuel Huapi, Puerto San Carlos with the Centro Municipal de Arte, Ciencia y Tecnología, the Centro Cívico with city hall, library and museum and the Museo del Chocolate Havanna. In the latter we got hot chocolate during the tour and could redeem the value of our entrance ticket in the associated shop. Awesome!

On Christmas, I was with Pascal on Cerro Viejo (the local mountain of Bariloche) and without him, I was on Cerro Otto (unfortunately by train and not on foot due to a route error in Komoot - link to the incorrect tour, which features a 360° rotating restaurant.

Unfortunately, we had to miss Cerro Catedral for financial reasons. I was alone on Cerro Companario (link to the route), which is quite a way away from Bariloche. With Guille (I met at the pier) I was also at Cerro Llao Llao - simply wonderful. I have rarely had such a great view. Completely impressive and not even particularly difficult (Link to the tour on Komoot). At last I also saw the Sendero de los Arrayanes, also quite nice.

In the Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción, we attended the Christmas Mass. A beautiful chapel with a very sweet choir and great acoustics. On the first Christmas holiday, we were in the Diocese of San Carlos de Bariloche. This mass was also very beautiful and very interactive. For example, the priest asked the churchgoers questions about peace and cohesion and stimulated an exchange.
In addition, on Boxing Day we were in Villa La Angostura. There we visited the Mirador Lago Correntoso and the associated beach. We also went to the Mirador de madera and Fisherman's Beach. At this point, several trout records were broken by the fly fishermen.

Transportation

Here you simply have to travel by bus. You need a SUBE card (which allows you to move all over Argentina) and you have to top it up. It costs 1800 pesos and all trips inside and outside Bariloches 220 pesos. No matter how long you drive! We also drove to Villa La Angostura (in the north of the lake). For two people there and back we paid 14400 pesos.

Food and drink

We ate at the Linguini restaurant twice, and both times it was heavenly. The first time we had goulash with spaetzle and Pascal had lasagna. For dessert, there was homemade chocolate mousse. The second time we were there on Christmas. We ate sirloin and rib-eye steak with spaetzle. As an appetizer, we had a regional plate with ham and cheese and for dessert, we had tiramisu. A poem.

Our favorites among the chocolates were Delicias de la Patagonia (great selection and you got something to try, plus the Alfajores were incredibly delicious) and Benroth Chocolates. These also had a very large selection of pralines (but no Alfajores). Bambi (the cheapest branch) also had very delicious Alfajores, but the pralines were not so great and you couldn't pick them out yourself. In addition, the saleswoman was loudly on the phone with her friend during the sale;) Chocolate Patagónico was okay, but the saleswoman was quite bad-tempered. And at Rapinui, I had one of the BEST ices of my life. Sugar-free and mega delicious (Vaso mediano with two scoops 2000 pesos). The Chocolate Caliente Patagónico (Hot Chocolate, 2800 pesos) was also mega delicious and garnished with raspberries. All in all, you can say: the more expensive the chocolate, the better the taste. The price per kilogram varied between 18780 (Bambi) and 38000 (Benroth). On the city hall square and on the beach you could buy loads of Churros. Oh yes, what are Alfajores then? Cookies with a filling of Dulce de Leche, which are covered with chocolate. Sometimes there is also mousse au chocolat inside. The price for these fresh calorie bombs was between 1300 and 1400 pesos. If you buy them in plastic packaging, they are a bit cheaper.

Cafes and Restaurants

Linguini restaurant Confitería Giratoria Cerro Otto (turns 360° and sells sugary pie, a bit more expensive) Confitería del Cerro Companario (sells tasty sandwiches with tomato and cheese, a bit more expensive) Aunt Frida in Villa La Angostura (sells delicious ice cream) Rapinui (sells SUPER tasty ice cream) Various chocolate shops

Plants and Animals

There was a lot to see in Nahuel Huapi National Park. The name means "Island of the Jaguar" - but this has unfortunately been extinct for quite some time. Only pumas can still be observed occasionally. We saw many Bandurrias, huge birds that like to look for food in the grass around the mate-drinking locals. There was also the protected Arrayan tree, which we had seen before in Huilo Huilo National Park. And many bamboo plants were also visible.

Number of Germans in town

An older couple at Cerro Otto and a motorcyclist with a German license plate.

Contact with locals

Our host Matthias also spoke German.

Notable People

On-site I was able to do some excursions with Guille. He comes from Buenos Aires and was visiting his friend in Bariloche, who he also celebrated Christmas with. He told me that they make the typical Asado (roast) for Christmas and that this is not his first time in Bariloche.

Expenditures

4500 pesos for a mate cup including Bombilla and loads of chocolate <3 We also bought a few stickers and an art print with the motif (Totems del Nahuel Huapi).

Standard stands offer

Churros, braided bracelets for the wrist, precious stone jewelry, and mate cups.

Laundry

For 1800 pesos (OMG!), we were able to wash all our laundry. So-so-so cheap.

Unsolved Mysteries

Why are there so many chocolate shops although there is no cocoa-growing area there???

Currency

• 1 Euro = 820 Argentine Pesos (official exchange rate)
• 1 Euro = 1039 Argentine Pesos (Western Union) 27/12/2023
• 1 Euro = 1023 Argentine Pesos (Western Union) 28/12/2023

Pascal and I exchanged money for dollars in Chile. Something so stupid, stupid, stupid. On-site you can then (depending on the current daily rate and weekend surcharge) exchange the money for Argentine pesos - with a loss. A lot of loss! For a nice hundred-dollar bill, you get about 87,000 Argentine pesos on the street (during the week). For five twenties, we only got about 72,000 pesos. Such crap. And you can only pay with dollars in stores, for example, that sell expensive outdoor stuff. So the solution: Western Union. You first need to download an app and then you can send money from your credit card or Google Pay to a person abroad (i.e. yourself). The fee varies depending on the amount of money transferred (6.90 euros for 100 euros); however, the first transfer is free. So don't waste it on a test transfer! Nowadays (status: mid-January) these people on the street are not allowed to exchange money anymore. The punishment if you get caught: you are expelled from the country. Really great. Thanks, new President Milei!

Bus to El Calafate:

With the bus company Marga Taqusa we drove in 32 h initially through lake areas and forests and then only through steppe and desolation. We paid 118,000 pesos per person and saw Guanacos, Nandus, and the legendary Fitz-Roy Massif. Unfortunately, I missed most of the GoodGirlsGoneBad meeting - only briefly in El Chaltén did I have enough time to start a call. Between the towns, which are hours apart, there is neither internet nor network coverage. Just fences, which are built on the street and on which one or the other animal dies painfully. Why is that? Why these fences? No idea, maybe to demarcate one's property to others. In itself, this long bus journey was really okay. We were neither given drinks nor food from the bus company, but we were able to write a few blogs and relax - if it weren't for the drug raid at 1:30 a.m. It was dark and cold while the dog searched, or rather sniffed, our luggage. Well, at some point, it was over again and we were able to continue. And above all: sleep on :D