We planned our time in Bariloche considerably well, if I may say so myself. One day of organised tours, followed by our own free day to explore, another full-day tour and then more free time. After checking the weather report for the week, we decided that our free day on Wednesday had to be spent on an outing to Villa la Angostura, the town on the other side of Nahuel Huapi Lake that everyone has told me is one of the most stunning places in the Lake District.
So on considerably the warmest day of our time in Patagonia, we set off for the bus station to catch a bus to Villa la Angostura, roughly an hour away. I was amazed during the drive how quickly the landscapes here changes, as when you move away from the lakes the green changes to stark, desert-like vegetation, and the dusty roads wind along the mountainous area. Yet every now and then you get a glimpse of the deep blue waters of the lakes shimmering in the distance, between mountains and sparse landscapes. Finally we reached Villa la Angostura and immediately I understood the hype. A small little town, concentrated on one main road, every building is wooden, rustic and charming. It seems a little unreal, almost like it should be in a Disney movie, with Heidi skipping along the street (except in Spanish, obviously). After stopping at the Tourist Information Centre to get hold of a map and the route to the lakeside, we decided that no more adventuring could take place before a coffee stop. We found a lovely little coffee shop and settled in a sunny spot for a bit of a caffeine fix. This turned out to be a good idea because we had a walk ahead of us. As its a small town, the local buses aren’t regular, so rather than waiting for a bus, we decided to walk the 3km down to the lake front. We didn’t factor in the heat. Dressed for cold, given that we’d been in snow the previous day, the walk in the sun saw us shedding layers at a very quick rate and by the time we reached our destination, with a stray dog in tow, I was more than a little sweaty and a little hungry.
But the view that awaited us made it all worth while. As we reached the small harbour – and entry point to the famous Arrayanes Forest, which we hadn’t left ourselves enough time for – we wandered between two buildings down to the beach and were literally gobsmacked. Stretching immediately before us was the most glorious, azure water, absolutely pristine, glittering in the sunlight. Stretched out from there was a wooden jetty leading into the deeper blue waters, surround by impressive rugged mountains. It’s not a sight my words can do justice to, nor my camera.
We took our time taking in the sight and wandering to the next little bay, until we could ignore our hunger no more. This little jut of a peninsula was quiet given low season had just started, but there was one bustling Italian restaurant, manned by the chef/owner. He was a wonderfully friendly and funny guy, who could sense not only our hunger but also our urgency since we had only an hour before we had to catch the bus back, in order to catch the other bus back to Bariloche. So he served us our scrumptious neapolitan pizza with enough time for me to demolish most of it and for mom to tick it off her list of foods to try in Argentina, and for us both to rest up a little from the first bit of exercise we’d done on the trip. After reluctantly leaving this slice of heaven, we managed to catch the local bus in time, leaving us with enough of a window for a last wander around the gorgeous Villa la Angostura before heading back to Bariloche, for a peaceful evening spent in our favourite cabin.
Nix Travels 