Cycling Argentina’s Lake District in 2016

When my husband told me that he had arranged a four-day trip to Argentina’s Lake District over Christmas, I thought brilliant, sunbathing on the lakey shores. Erm not quite, we would be cycling the Road of the Seven Lakes… on Christmas Day and to top it off with a tent, sleeping bags and all our clothes.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cycling. Generally, when it involves a light bike, no add-ons and time on bike limited to a few hours, plus a compulsory coffee break. My keen-cyclist husband, on the other hand, had been itching to go on a cycling holiday since we first moved to Buenos Aires almost a year ago. 

Mirror this... Lake Espejo, Route of the Seven Lake

Oh well, this was not quite how I’d imagined our first Christmas in Argentina. Still, I’d rise to the challenge. The cycling was tough at times but not impossible, even for an amateur like me. Four days later, hand on heart, I can say this was one of the best holidays I have been on.

Argentina’s Lake District is simply breathtaking, a real gem in terms of natural beauty. So much so that the New York Times has put The Road of the Seven Lake sat Number 15 of its 52 places to visit in 2016. 

The route, 66 miles (106km) of stunning scenery, takes you into the heartland of the Patagonian Andes foothills. With view upon view of aquamarine lakes, waterfalls and snow-capped mountains, you can easily become a bit too blasé.

It goes from Villa La Angostura, an hour away from Bariloche – Argentina’s mini Switzerland - to San Martín de los Andes, or of course vice-versa. Now that the road is fully paved, there are several options for visiting the lakes – from a day trip by bus or car, a more leisurely affair, or as we chose, by bike.   

On your bike

The route has traditionally been done on mountain bikes, which is what we hired, but road bikes are becoming more popular as there is tarmac throughout.

Although the route starts from Villa de la Angostura, we hired our bikes and paniers from just outside the town of Bariloche which meant we started a day earlier to get to Villa La Angostura. We also chose to go from Bariloche/Villa La Agostura rather than from San Martín as the latter starts with a 15km ascent.

• Day 1: Bariloche to Villa La Angostura; total cycling: About 23km

Starting from Bariloche was worth it just for the boat trip across the immensely spectacular Lake Nahuel Huapí alone. In Mapuche, the name means isle of the tigers, in reference to the jaguars that once lived in this area.

We started from Av. Bustillo Km.18 from Bariloche and cycled 7km to Puerto Pañuelo where we embarked with our wheels and possessions.

About 50 minutes later we arrived at Los Arrayanes National Park, one of the main forests of the Chilean myrtle native to the central Andes between Chile and Argentina. This involved 12km of cycling, including a lot of dismounting and dragging the bike on foot through the forest. Be warned, the last couple of kilometres includes a sharp steep, followed by an even steeper downhill plus some steps to contend with.

The forest is a bit of a bit of a slog, but once you come out at the other end in Villa la Angostura, you are greeted with further magnificent views of Nahuel Huapí. Villa la Angostura consists of one main central road, which is pleasant, but it is quite expensive.

• Day 2: Villa La Angostura to Lago Correntoso; total cycling: 26km*

This is where the luxury ended and our immersion into nature began. On Christmas Day, after a hearty breakfast (just as well), we set off from Villa La Angostura along Ruta 40, the longest road in Argentina and one of the longest in the world. The first 10km from Villa La Angostura is normally a busy road shared with trucks and general traffic. Given the time of the year, we were fortunate to have it almost to ourselves.

This section of Ruta 40 is pretty much flat, with some wonderful viewpoints dotted along the way, with views of Lake Correntoso. At the end of the 10km, we took a 300m detour heading towards Chile to see an incredible sight of Espejo Lake. 

We were then back on to Ruta 40, where the cycle lane widens but the road is more up and down. We continued until the campsite of Correntoso, where we spent our first night. The campsite, however, was busier and had more facilities than we had anticipated.

Accommodation: AR$120 per person (~USD9); loos, hot showers from 6pm, benches, fire areas and a couple of kiosks. Take toilet roll, toiletries, including soap etc. The only issue was that the so-called restaurant was low in stock so our dinner consisted off a loaf of bread, boiled eggs and a bottle of cider.

Leaving Lake Espejo, back on to Ruta 40

• Day 3: Correntoso Lake to Falkner Lake; total cycling: 33km* 

After a pleasant 18km or so on Ruta 40, there is a steep incline for about 5km, but then followed by a glorious flat and downhill section past a picture-perfect river. We cycled past the lakes Escondido and Villarino before reaching the campsite at Lake Falkner.

The campsite is a thin strip on the Western shore, with views all along the lake. This was a heavenly, tranquil spot and had more facilities than Correntoso.

Accommodation: AR120 per person; loos, hot showers from 6pm, benches, fire areas and a shop with more provisions/restaurant also serving a limited selection of hot meals. However, do take toilet roll, toiletries, including soap etc. 

• Day 4: Lago Falkner to San Martin do los Andes: 45km*

The day started with a gentle climb past Hermoso Lake (not one of the seven), an Armenian church, a viewpoint from where you could see waterfalls and Machonico Lake.

About half-way through the cycle, brace yourself for a more prolonged, and for us at least a windy climb. It seemed worse at the time, but once through it, it’s a blissful 15km downhill to Lake Lácar, on the edge of San Martin de los Andes.

* Just short of the exact distance

Additional information:

Cycling level: Manageable if you’ve got some experience

Bike hire from Bariloche: We used Cordillera Bike Rental – They helped us to advance our bike in advance. Good English and good knowledge of the route. Bikes and equipment were fine but could do with updating their helmets

USD400 for two people for bikes, racks, paniers, helmets, bike compute, dropping off our bags to San Martin de los Andes and bike pick up

Best time to go: We went between Christmas and New Year, which was perfect as the temperature was in the mid-20s during the day and the roads were quiet

    

Top reasons to visit Cordoba… Or not?

If you had considered going on holiday to Cordoba, the second largest province in Argentina, then maybe you shouldn’t. Or then again maybe you should.

Good or bad, Cordoba Province’s tourist board must be delighted with all the recent publicity the province has received following the Presidential run-off last Sunday, 22 November. As one of the country’s oldest settlements, it is not short of attractions, not least the beautiful Sierras.

Even before our move to Buenos Aires, we had already planned a trip to the surrounding countryside of La Cumbre as our first holiday outside the metropolis. Yet, in the past few days the province has become the centre of a political battleground for reasons other than travel. 

This is after Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s ruling party, Front for Victory (FPV), lost power to Mauricio Macri, leader of opposition party Cambiemos (Let’s Change).   

Militant Kirchneristas were so affronted by their heaviest defeat in Cordoba Province - 71.51% votes for Macri, compared with 28.49% for FPV’s Daniel Scioli - that they launched a campaign urging people NOT to travel to Cordoba. 

Unbelievable. Not surprisingly, a counter-campaign was quick off the mark to promote the benefits of the province, notably as “the first province free of kirchneristas”.

Despite all the propaganda, hype and blatant incidents of fraud, while both in and soon-to-be out of power, what CFK has shown is that being a semi dictator does not work. Either be a dictator (which I do not advocate, just to clarify) or be a democracy – thankfully just over half of the electorate voted for the latter.

In just under 10 months, Argentina’s political landscape looks very different to when we first arrived in February 2015. And in fewer than 10 days times, Macri will assume power. What a great moment for Argentina, and most likely for Cordoba too.

Argentina’s elections 2015: The beginning of the end?

Sunday, 25 October 2015, was a decisive moment in Argentina. The Pumas, Argentina’s national rugby team, lost in the semis of the 2015 World Cup. Yet, at the voting stations and ballot boxes, something far greater was taking place. Argentines were voting for a new President. The results between the first and second forerunner were so unpredictably close that for the first time in Argentina’s history, voting has gone to a second-round run-off, or balotaje.

This has been one of the most fiercely contested presidential races in a country where politics have become so polarised. The country has become divided by the leftist Peronist movement, Front for Victory (FPV), with incumbent Cristina de Fernández Kirchner at the helm, and the opposition. What Peronism actually is and represents may be a subject for another post.  

Presidential elections Argentina 2015

The opposition

The opposition is most commonly represented by Mauricio Macri, a businessman, and leader of Republican Proposal, PRO. In other words, Macri's party would be the equivalent of the UK Conservative party. Sergio Massa, a former FPV member, formed his own party, Renewal Front, and came a respectable third but is out of the run-off. He would be most like the Liberals in the UK.       

So what's at stake? In a nutshell, from what I understand from friends and what we've seen and heard in the media, several people are desperate for change. After 12 years in power, life under the Kirchners has become hard for ordinary, middle-class people. 

- Inflation is high and estimated to reach about 25% this year (unofficially), although down from unofficial estimates of 40% in 2014 

- Only people who earn above a certain amount are able to convert a certain proportion of their salary into dollars, although they are charged a 20% tax for the privilege

- High export taxes on commodities like soya, one of Argentina's most successful products

- 35% tax on international purchases - we've been stung by this as we soon discovered when we bought an international flight on an Argentine credit card  

I speak as someone who has been in the country for only nine months, so I am no gospel on the matter. Yet, my husband and I have been just as caught up in the ensuing drama as Argentines. 

To win in the first round, the front-runner needed to gain 45% of the vote outright or by 40% and to beat the second-place candidate by at least 10%. In the August primaries, Scioli gained 38.4%, with Macri in second place with just over 30%. Therefore, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Scioli would win outright on Sunday. 

So close

Although many had hoped, few had expected that the results would have been so close, let alone going to a run-off. And this was not just between Scioli and Macri. FPV suffered heavy losses in key provincial posts, especially in Buenos Aires province. To many people's surprise and joy, PRO's María Eugenia Vidal, currently Deputy Mayor of Buenos Aires City, was announced governor. 

Shock, jubilation, tears - the whole spectrum of emotions were felt when it became clear that there would indeed be a run-off. Of course, a run-off seemed so inconceivable that it was scheduled during the bank holiday weekend on Sunday 22 November. So in true Argentine fashion, the current bank holiday has been cancelled, with less than a month's notice, and moved to the following weekend.      

While I have no say in the final outcome, I'm delighted for my friends and for the country overall as change is on its way, irrespective of who wins. The people have spoken and may they do so again on 22 November - with conviction, courage and do what’s right for the country.   

Blur in Buenos Aires: Brilliant show girls & boys

Blur’s performance in Buenos Aires last night was still Britpop at its best, 27 years after their formation and despite an interlude of going their separate ways. With a mix of classic hits and new songs, and a great instrumental set, Blur had all the elements that a rock band should have, according to one newspaper review.

Blur in Buenos Aires 11.10.15

We were originally due to see Foals, another British band, on the Saturday night. However, Foals cancelled. On a whim, never having seen Blur in my youth, my husband and I not only wanted to see this legendary band, but also how Blur would be received by the Porteños.

Playing at Tecnópolis, the venue was almost full, with 10-12,000 Blur fans eagerly anticipating the opening number. And there is was, “Go On”, from the group’s new album The Magic Whip. For a band making a comeback, I think the new album is very good. But what do I know... 

At one point, Damon Albarn claimed he had hurt his knee the previous night (maybe at the gig in the city of Cordoba). Still, he moved pretty energetically across the stage, spraying the crowd with water and even sang happy birthday to one very pleased fan.

I felt like a teenager again, jumping up and down to Park Life and swaying to Tender. The highlight was probably Song 2 and Girls & Boys. Unfortunately, Country House did not make the cut, but The Universal was a satisfactory finale.

Ultimately, Blur did what it does best, belting out powerful rhythmic beats uhhhhh uh uhhhhhh uh uh uh uhhhh uhhhh uhhhhh. Woooooooohoooooooo. 

Upstream BA: Tigre and the Paraná Delta

Tigre and the Paraná Delta, one of The Rough Guide to Argentina's top 28 things not to miss, was high on my itinerary. It has attained celebrity status, with the likes of Madonna visiting the area. After eight months of being in BA, the journey was beckoning. 

Just one hour north of Buenos Aires, Tigre is a quaint city that is the gateway to the River Paraná. While the city is a draw in itself, we wanted to explore the waterways further afield. For my husband, who is an ecologist and biologist, this was a place we simply had to visit.

Relaxing in the Parana Delta

For just AR$3 (equivalent to roughly 20p; there is also a more expensive, though scenic, costal train) we were able to get the train from Retiro train station in BA, to Tigre. While many things in Buenos Aires are stupidly expensive, like electronics, crockery and towels (of all things) public transport is ridiculously cheap.

Mississippi eat your heart out

     

I have never been to the Mississippi delta, but I imagine the Paraná Delta, with its crisscross of water trails, would give it a run for its money. It was as if time had stood still, with a once glorious era intertwined with the present day. British and European influences were still evident with several signs in English, such as the one for the local Rowing Club.

At Tigre we boarded a lancha (river boat - AR$310 return for two people) to take us to our B&B, Hosteria Los Pecanes. We seemed to be the only holiday makers on board; most of the passengers were locals going about their business. We picked up a boy who was going to school during the afternoon shift and dropped him further down the river, while a few other folk got on and off.

Unfortunately, despite being in the midst of a vast nature reserve, several locals saw it fit to simply chuck beer cans and food wrappers into the waters.

Los Pecanes 

  

As we cruised along the river, we saw some impressive mansions on stilts, others which had seen better days, some built up on soil brought to the region and others which appeared to be floating on the river. It took an hour and a half to get to Los Pecanes, which is on River Estudiantes.

Los Pecanes is run by Richard and his wife, Ana-Maria, who both speak excellent English, and their three dogs: Hercules, Chiquita and Kinny. Admittedly, there is not a huge amount to do, but if you’re looking for a few days of rest and tranquility not far from BA, this is a perfect spot. Even better if you’re a bird lover.

Picaflor feeding time

A real highlight for both me and my husband was seeing picaflores (humming birds) sweeping down in their droves to feed on the sugar water that Richard and Ana-Maria regularly restocked. If I had seen humming birds before, it was certainly never like this. There were dozens of them from day break to night fall. In the evenings, the boat supermarket made its stops along the river. 

The Sudestada effect

The recent floods that had caused serious damage in some parts of BA province seem to have left the delta unscathed. Richard told us that flooding was not really a problem; it was the Sudestada, strong persistent winds that batter the River Plate, that could cause trouble for them.

On our last day, the river level had risen practically overnight to flood the grounds. Hence, why houses are built on stilts. In just a few hours the temperature had dropped by 10 degrees and conversely the water level had surged. Nonetheless, it was perfect for going out on a canoe and exploring some of the other nearby waterways.

 

To complete our riverine experience, Richard and Ana Maria took us back to Tigre in their speedboat. Before coming to the delta, I had never considered a riverine holiday. I don’t think I would want to do it for more than a few days, but being away from cars and being forced to relax was quite heavenly.

For more information:

• Hosteria Los Pecanes: http://www.hosterialospecanes.com
• Rates: AR$1700 for 2 nights mid-week, including breakfast
• Other meals: AR$180 per person for 3 courses, wine and tea of coffee. Great value and they were amazing with our veggie and celiac dietary requests
• How to get there: Lancha from Tigre – only three a day: 11.30, 14.15 and 15.00
• Wifi: In the dining area, which is perfect for a restful break 

The BA half marathon: a beautiful airy race

It’s official! I have finally achieved stardom. Mine and my husband Alistair’s name appeared in Tuesday’s Clarín, a national Argentine newspaper, for completing the Buenos Aires half marathon 2015. Hah! My name is almost certainly unlikely to appear in the papers in England, particularly in association with a race.

This was our first race abroad, and the first one in the southern hemisphere. Despite having to get up at 5am, it was worth the effort, not only in terms of taking part but experiencing a part of Argentine culture.

Buenos Aires 21k, 2015

Buenos Aires, or Argentina rather, is no different to England, in the sense that running is “una moda, un boom,” as was reported in Clarin’s half marathon supplement. At 6.30am parking spots near the Palermo parks were becoming far and few between. Queues for the porta loos were steadily building as the participants came streaming in. This was business, there was even a mini practice running track.

A record 22,586 people had registered for the race from 57 different countries. 7.30am, the sun was coming out and we were off. It was perfect running weather. I was worried it might have been a bit of a bottleneck in the beginning with the amount of people but we soon found our stride. It helped that the streets of BA are wide.

Clarin supplement

The route through some of the major streets, including Avenida del Libertador and Avenida 9 de Julio, and plazas of BA was pretty spectacular. It was quite a different sight, seeing these roads free of traffic. Running on the motorway (closed off, I’m glad to say) was quite a feat, with police manning the areas looking down on the shanty towns in Retiro.

There were rumours of a few hills (not sure where in a city as flat as a pancake), but apart from a couple of minor inclines, it was probably the flattest race I had run. Not that it was obvious from my time.

From start to finish, the whole event was very well organised, with several drinks stations along the way, as well as fruit. The atmosphere was great, with plenty of volunteers keeping our spirits up and the odd blast of music along the way.

Results are in

However, there were two things that struck me. Firstly. There was a noticeable lack of charities. In England, there would be charity stands at the start line and several people wearing charity vests or in fancy dress. Here, I did see a few people running along pushing wheelchairs but there was a visible absence of running for a cause, other than for a personal challenge of course.

Secondly, it was an early start but there were far fewer members of the public out on the side lines to motivate the runners. Nonetheless, during and after, I’m very glad to have been part of such a great day, least of all the added bonus of mine and Alistair’s name appearing in the paper. Roll on 2016…

Top five tango shoe shops in Buenos Aires

The 2015 Tango BA and Festival and Dance World Cup is over for another year. Sob. While my tango dancing has yet to take off, my passion for tango shoes has certainly been ignited.

Ladies (sorry varones), whether you’re into tango or not, tango shoe shopping should definitely be on your itinerary when in Buenos Aires. You don’t have to love the dance to love the shoes. 

An array of tango shoes

As you can imagine, BA has no shortage of tango shoes. With so many to choose from, and that’s just the colour, where does one begin? My tango teacher friend whirled me from shop to shop but I appreciate you might not have the the time or patience, so I’ve whittled it down to my top five.     

1. Comme Il Faut, Arenales 1239 door 3 apt. M

Price: AR$1,500

Opening hours: Monday - Friday 11.00-19.00, Saturday 11.00-15.00

Comme Il Faut is like entering a boudoir rather than a shoe shop. The décor is very Sex and the City, kitted out in plush sofas to rest tired soles and mirrors panelling the walls.

On almost every occasion the staff have been less than welcoming, but the shoes make up for the frosty reception.

I was in awe - shimmery gold, soft mint, silver, multi-coloured, black and white polka dots, red and white stripes, leopard and zebra prints, Dalmatian black and white… and so many more.

They have every model and combination possible – peep toes, diagonal straps, ankle straps, T-strap, crossing straps, closed heels, open heels and ruffles. The material also varies from leather to patent, satin to suede, woven leather, or a mix of them all.

Verdict: Whether you’re looking for a classical shoe, an outrageous number or something dainty and pretty, Comme Il Faut caters for all occasions, tango or no tango. There are limited numbers of each design, so if you like what you see be decisive.

2. Angelina, Viamonte 1662 1F

Price: AR$2,100-AR$2,600

Opening hours: Email info@angelinashoes.com to make an appointment, although we just turned up in the afternoon

I thought I had seen it all with Comme Il Faut. However, Angelina turned out to be a really pleasant surprise. The show room is welcoming, with a big sign in the reception, marble floors and a soft beige carpet in the shoe area.

Pretty much every single shoe was stunning - royal blues mixed with silver or gold, encrusted diamantes, floral designs or double straps.

My favourite was a simple tomato-red, open-toe, closed-heel model made of crocodile-printed leather, with a single black ankle strap. With names like Animal chocolate, jeans and gold, diamante and champagne, I almost wanted to eat them.

Verdict: They are on the pricier end, but they fit like a glove and were comfortable as I paraded across the marble floor.

3. Greta Flora, Uruguay 1295, Palermo

Price: Around AR$2,900

Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11.00-19.00

I went to the sister shop which specialises in bridal shoes. However, the tango shoes that I saw had unusual, pretty designs with many models sporting the signature flower. The stiletto heel was slightly thicker than Comme Il Faut and Angelina but the overall shoe still looked elegant.

Verdict: I’m not sure I could justify the extra spend but am tempted by the names of some of the models: either Rosaura or Prudencia.

4. Neo Tango, Sarmiento 1938 CABA

Price: AR$1,500

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10.30-19.00, Saturday 11.00-16.00

It has a decent range of models and colours, and the shoes come in two heel lengths. They are well finished, but you are walking into a shoe shop so the whole affair is slightly underwhelming compared with Comme Il Faut and Angelina.

A shoe that fits

Verdict: A good choice if you are looking for a more classical shoe. The staff are also friendly and leave you to browse in peace.

5. Souple, Juan D Peron 1757, 5º 21 CABA

Price: AR$2,100

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 14.00-18.00

The shoes are classical and comfortable. However, the stiletto tip seemed a bit too small which could be an issue if you plan to dance the night away. Besides rich blues and shocking reds, the rest of the collection is rather less eye-catching than the styles I have become accustomed to. For that price, I had expected to be blown away.

Verdict: Nice, classical shoes but more expensive than Comme Il Faut and Neo Tango. 

No woman’s wardrobe is complete without some showstopper sandals. If you want something slightly more unusual, as well as an enduring souvenir from Buenos Aires, tango shoes could be right up your street.