The Autobus to Patagonia

It has been awhile since I have been writing to you all but we have been in Patagonia for the past 10 days. Argentina is defiantly big and one way to get a feel for the bigness is take a bus ride. We hopped on the Bariloche bus at about 2:30 pm and dragged ourselves off at about 10 am the next day. Fortunately there was a potty on board along with an Antonio Banderas type as a bus attendant. He made sure we were fed, watered, and kept the TV going with mostly American flicks so we wouldn’t get bored with watching the pampas grass grow. Not that the scenery wasn’t beautiful…but you can only take so much of that flat middle American topography. We lived upstairs fortunately as the folks below had to deal with the potty door opening and closing all night. We upgraded to the luxury class bus which came close to what I dreamt first class seating would be like on airplanes. The nice touch of a glass of champaign ended the evening of movies.

Some of us awoke to a completely different landscape than we experienced when the sun went down. (others just never slept) Neuquen province reminds me of the high desert I used to live in during my younger years. They call this the Patagonian steppe. I hear there are a lot of dinosaur fossils around but couldn’t convince our single minded bus driver for a quick dino-stop. Before long though we are along side the biggest parque in Argentina. The John Muir of Argentina, Francisco Moreno, convinced the government to protect this area. With the Andes looming over the landscape I am reminded of a Wyoming experience. I am now distracted by the beauty outside and miss most of the ongoing video experience inside. Meanwhile Senor Bandaras is busy providing us with a plastic breakfast and yukky sweetened coffee. I bet Argentinian men have no hair on their chest.

Not sure why but we are stopped for a passport check as we pull into Bariloche. At first I thought the driver made a wrong turn and we were headed into Chile but he knew where he was going and probably as happy as the rest of us that this journey was over.

We have just enough time to grab a quick shower before we are shuttled off to the lake for a boat ride. No pampa growing under our feet. We get out on this island for a stop and the locals are all interested in the Ponderosa pine trees that are growing there. I guess they were imported for their quick growth and they sure took over but I got some of these guys in my backyard. Next door there is an isle with the world’s best stand of myrtle woodland. Called the Arrayan down here, its cinnamon-colored bark gives a feel of impressionism with the afternoon light. Less Ponderosas more Arrayans please.

Now we are starved. Ate a bite on the boat but now am ready for some real chow. Found a place a couple blocks away from the hotel that specialized in smoked whatever. Trout, deer, salmon, etc. Since I was starving I ate too much too fast and party pooped out to a good nights sleep.

danny

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