A piece of Switzerland in Patagonia!

Hola from Switzerland!
No, not really.
But close!
We just left Bariloche, which is the Patagonia region of Argentina. We were so looking forward to this part of our trip...and it did not disappoint! Bariloche is everything we hoped it would be - rainy and chilly and snowy and our apartment had a stunning view of the Nahuel Huapi lake. Every morning the sun rose (at 9am! still can't get over this...!) and presented us with amazing pinks, purples, yellows, and blues that you can't dream up. The sunrise was reflected with the snow-capped mountains of the Andes on the crystal-green lake. I was even greeted one morning with husband-made hot coffee and huge snowflakes falling from the blue-grey skies. The boys were thrilled that it was snowing! in South America! in June!

bus ride to Bariloche

The city itself is rather large at over 100,000 but our place was right on the main street downtown and the quaint nature of the city centre creates a small-town feel. And even though we were in the most ideal location, the street noise is minimal and at night, it's extremely quiet and tranquil. We felt very safe at all times and more than once strolled around after dark with the boys, all bundled up and enjoying the smells from the local bakeries and chocolate shops.

this little man turned 10 months in Bariloche! Got a tooth and started taking steps!

Bariloche is known for it's German chalet-style architecture, Swiss chocolate shops, and authentic Argentine steak houses. So, mostly, we spent our week here just enjoying the scenery at every turn and eating as much chocolate and beef as we could! We treated ourselves to a massive milanesa, a traditional dish here in this region of Argentina, which is a piece of steak, pounded thin, breaded and fried, then covered with homemade marinara sauce and cheese. It might be a heart attack waiting to happen but we at least had to try it and it was well worth it! 

pate and fresh bread for appetizer!

And as for the chocolate? We applauded our efforts to brave the 30- and 40-degree weather (which we thoroughly enjoyed!) with steaming cups of melted chocolate, piles of artisan chocolate bon bons, and the traditional chocolate "bark", which is a method of scraping the freshly tempered chocolate into shavings and then rolling carefully into logs. It's a local delicacy and was absolutely delicious! We especially enjoyed the Rapa Nui Chocolate shop which, I swear, is how I imagine Willy Wonka's! You could literally smell the melted chocolate from the street and when you walked in, ladies in bright purple and gold caps showered the boys with free chocolate candies and ooohed and ahhhed over how adorable they were! We indulged in even more chocolate at their little cafe (they serve carbonated water with it so you don't get a tummy ache!) and on our way out, snapped a picture next to the molten chocolate waterfall! 

Bariloche has wonderful artisan shops as well. I spent several hours shopping for the local handicrafts like the hand-carved and hand-etched wood, gourd, and silver mate (a special tea) cups, complete with silver straws that feature an individual tea leaf strainer on the bottom. There are woolen goods and leather craftsmanship and handmade knives in the park behind the town's beautiful civic center that is open everyday except Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11am until dark, keeping in mind that the entire town shuts down in the afternoons for the traditional siestas.

This region is also home to lots of dinosaur fossils and paleontology digs so there is an amazing and interactive dinosaur park called Parque Nahuelito. It's located about 30 minutes outside of Bariloche and you can either take a $30 taxi to get there or a $5 bus, but keep in mind that the bus will take about an hour. It is worth it whichever way you go! The boys had an amazing time seeing the huge dinosaurs and the guide will arrange for an English tour if you need it. There is also a paleontology museum depicting the actual Patagonian dinosaurs that existed here so long ago. Highly recommend it!

And of course we attended Sunday mass at the beautiful cathedral in central Bariloche. Close to the shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi and surrounded by a line of tall pine trees, it does not go unnoticed.
This house of prayer features a Neo-gothic style with simple lines, very high walls and a dome crowned with a significant crucifix and a globe. Inside, its classical construction in the shape of a Latin cross combines perfectly with the simplicity outside. The cathedral is devoted to Our Lady of the Nahuel Huapi, Patron Saint of Bariloche. We enjoyed mass and then braved the wind outside to snap a few pictures!

The remainder of our free time was spent wandering around the picturesque streets of the town, exploring the shoreline of the lake (and throwing rocks in, of course!), and spending the freezing mornings working on our homeschooling. I haven't updated too often about our homeschool journey but the boys are doing beautifully! Michael is reading, writing, and spelling! And Jack is learning/reviewing his letters and numbers!

this is his interpretation of the Bariloche sunrises!

this is Michael's list for Nanny and Paw Paw to bring when they come next month! we can't wait!
"car, snacks, books, dinosaurs" :)

We had an absolutely amazing time in Bariloche and will be back as soon as we can. It was a wonderful week and now we are back to Chile to stay at a friend's vacation cabin on the lake in the Lake Region of Chile's Patagonia! We won't have any internet so we'll see you next week when we arrive in Buenos Aires!