Yep, here I go again, more photos of disgusting views. Last week with my Spanish school we did an afternoon trip out to the famous Llao Llao hotel, 21 km out of Bariloche (Its just a big hotel that people that look like me aren’t really welcome). Haha, here’s the photos of the lake behind the hotel. You’re probably wondering why we are leaving such a mountainous paradise. By the way it’s started snowing, yahoo, some snowboarding is on the cards!
National Geographic voted the view from Cerro Campanario as one of the top 10 views in the world. I’m sure there’s some amazing views in the world, for example the view from Everest must be pretty good. But hey if you spent 10′s of thousands of dollars to get there, trained for a year, endured physical hell and risked your life, then obviously you’re going to love the view from Everest, even if it’s storming with only 2 metres visibility!
The beauty of Cerro Campanario is that you don’t have to endure a physical hell to be rewarded with a heavenly view. Cerro Campanario is located only 15 mins by public bus out of Bariloche. You can either get a little chair lift to the 1050 metre summit, or if you’re a frugal backpacker, you can navigate the maze of tracks up through the bush. And if you’re real thrifty you can even take up your own lunch and coffee in a flask and sit at the café on top of the world.
The photos don’t really do the 360 degree view any justice, although I must say the good looking fella in the red t-shirt enhances the view.
Hello people,
Finally I have got my photos from Buenos Aires posted, click here to see them
You know the song by Johnie Cash? Well I´m pretty sure I found out last weekend how he came about the title. Maybe it was from eating too much Mexican food or maybe it was from his time in prison, or maybe he had the same experience I had.
Last weekend we did a weekend trip to El Bolson, a picturesque little town nestled in a valley between towering mountains, 2 hours from Bariloche. It´s known for its artistic community, weekend market and micro-brewed beers. Anyway, read the guide book if you want to learn more about El Bolson, back to my story.
We got a hotel room for the night with just another amazing view over the mountains, and a bathroom with a bidet (one of those french toilet looking things that you sit on it squirts water and cleans you).
After living in Thailand, I got use to use to squirting with water instead of wiping with paper after doing number 2´s. I actually grew to prefer the squirting. So I didn´t need encouraging to try out the bidet, and I swear I chose the room because of the view and not because it had a bidet.
My maiden bidet voyage started off well. I sat down and turned on both the hot and cold taps, sending a gravity defying canon of cleansing water into my not so clean regions. The water slowly warmed up and I must say it was quite satisfying, I felt like a king on his throne, I felt like I had made it in life. I was thinking that when or if I ever build a house I will get a bidet, or maybe I´ll just pack one in back pack.
My bidet dreams were short lived as Mandy shouted from the room ¨what are you doing in there, hurry up”. In my haste I turned off the cold tap first, not really thinking anything of it. Next thing I know it feels like a city of fire ants have crawled up my bum and lit a fire because the sun isn´t shining. Oh my god!
So Hap´s travel tip #102, when using a bidet, to avoid 3rd degree anal burns, turn off the hot tap first.
It´s not a matter of if I was dropped on my head as a baby, it´s a matter of how many times I was dropped on my head! (Social services don´t worry, I´m only kidding).
Today is my last day of Spanish classes. During my 3 weeks of Spanish classes I have asked myself the above question. Sometimes it seems that I have to hear a word 50 times before it actually sinks in. Oooohhhh to be a kid again where you are surrounded by a language and naturally learn it.
It´s not as bad as I´m making out, I´ve actually really enjoyed it and can now hold a conversation. Although sometimes I may mix my words up like when I was in Colombia a couple of years ago and went up to a bunch of girls taking a photo on the beach and instead of saying ¨do you want me to take a photo for you¨ I said ¨Do you want me to touch myself?¨ haha
All in all it´s been really rewarding and I have improved heaps. Even Agustina the little 6 year of the family I live with has noticed my improvement. She walked into the kitchen where I was talking with Carolina (my Argentinian mum) and Mandy and with all the innocence of a 6 year old, looks at me talking and then turns her mum and says ¨He´s finally learnt to speak¨. It was classic, we all just lost it laughing.
If you read my last post you will know that I have only 2 weeks left in beautiful Bariloche, Argentina’s ski resort town. The setting for the next chapter will be Paraguay.
Most people, South Americans and backpackers, ask “why Paraguay?” They ask this question because Paraguay is not a big tourist destination, compared to it´s neighbouring countries, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina. It does not have the ski resorts of Argentina, the beaches and jungles of Brazil, the mountians and backpacker attractions of Bolivia.
It wasn´t that I chose Paraguay, Paraguay chose me. Mandy lived and worked in Paraguay teaching english in 2003. She will be able to work back at her old english institute. She also has many good friends in Asuncion (the capital city of Paraguay), that have offered for us to stay.
I´m quite excited about the coming chapter, it may not have the physical beuaty of Bariloche, but this chapter will be all about the people. I´m excited to meet the people the Mandy has talked so fondly about.
So Hap will be working the world in Paraguay, but not just yet. I have 1 week left of Spanish school, then the last week here in Bariloche is going to be dedicated to snowboarding and exploring the sights.
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