A Weekend In Wales Beyond Wales!

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I had a very early start for my 7.00 am bus to Esquel. I am not so much of an early morning person especially on my travels! After a four and half hour bus journey from Bariloche, I arrived in Esquel and then half an hour later, I got a local bus to Trevelin. The scenery around Trevelin is beautiful and Parque Nacional Los Alcerces is nearby. On a future trip to Argentina, I would like to check out the National Park but, on this occasion, time did not permit and the purpose of visiting Trevelin was to experience the Welsh culture!

I spent two nights in a wonderful hostel, Casa Verde, which is perched yet on another hill! It is not far from the main square. My room was lovely with its ensuite bathroom, a nice constrast to the dorm at the Hostel Inn! After settling in my hostel, I went out for Welsh Tea at Nain Maggie´s. It was wonderful and I was given so much tea and a variety of cakes, scone and bread with jams. Worth the 60 ARP (around 12 GBP). It was interesting to hearing Welsh music and seeing the artefacts and old memorablia in Spanish and Welsh! Not a word of English was seen or heard! I felt very full after my tea and glad to have this experience. This is why I was in Trevelin!

On my second day, I visited the Museo Regional Trevelin. It cost 5 ARP (around 1 GBP) to look around. I found it interesting to learn about the Welsh colony in the Chubut province and how they were able to speak Welsh and continue their traditions during the 19th Century along with successful business such as the Collective Co-operatives they ran including the ´John Daniel Evans and Company Andes Mill Society´- I was able to see some of the artefacts from the Welsh Colony´s first settlers.

I had a wander to the Capilla Bethel, a Welsh Chapel, built in 1910 and visited El Tumba de Caballo Malara with the intention of visiting John Evan´s House. Unfortuately, I could not find anyone who could take me round so I just took some photos of the house. A shame really as I would loved to have seen inside the house of one of the early Welsh settlers. Never mind.

Other than sampling the Welsh culture, I just chilled out and enjoyed the stunning scenery of the surrounding valley and mountains. I met some travellers including Theresa and Stella (from the UK) who are travelling around South America for a few months and it was great swapping travel stories one evening at the hostel over drinks!

This sums up my weekend in Trevelin and it is a wonderful town. It was nice and calm and not so busy - a perfect respite from a busy Bariloche! I do not consider Trevelin very touristy but has an adequate infrastructure for a visitor to access the town´s culture and to visit the nearby National Park. I do recommend Trevelin despite the town not feeling too Welsh these days, to learn more about the Welsh culture beyond Wales in Patagonia and the tranquility that the town offers.

Tomorrow, I am going back to Bariloche, for my 2nd leg of my stay there!

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