Villa Pehuenia to St Martin de Los Andes
A view from our apartment window in Villa Pehuenia.
And another.
We had heard that it might be possible to go horseback riding in the area. It wasn't and absent anything else to do we decided to check out and see about leaving town.
We walked about for a while and discovered that the next bus out was at 23:30.
There was a rail service here at some point.
Curious trees.
Lago Aluminé.
Roadside map.
Lago Aluminé.
In the event we started walking out of town then got a lift 4 km to a road junction where Gilles suggested we hitch hike. Having not done this for 40 years I was unsure but it was a good call.
We came in on this route yesterday.
We plan to leave by this route.
Waiting for a lift.
Gilles was right. A little later Marcus, from Switzerland, arrived in a Chevrolet Corsa and gave us a lift. He had been forced to divert due to protest road blocks by indigenous Mapuche residents.
We followed the Aluminé river south through wild and spectacular country.
Gravel roads...
Giving way to good quality asphalt.
Our plan had been simply to get a lift to Aluminé some 20km down the road. Marcus was bound for Bariloche and was happy for us to ride with him. We gratefully accepted.
Aluminé river.
Back on the gravel.
Along the way we had a few rain showers. Then, about 20k north of Junin de los Andes, we ran into another Mapuche roadblock.
Or rather a bridge block. Travellers could walk across the bridge but vehicles were stopped.
This chap tested the capability of his 4x4 trying to bypass the bridge. Not a good plan but the police later hauled him out.
Travellers walking across to a waiting coach.
Local press reporting events.
Our bridge featured.
After two hours the blockade was lifted and we continued on to Junin de los Andes where we had a coffee and decided to press on to San Martin de los Andes.
San Martin was a lovely spot. We stayed at Hosteria Cumelen. A nice enough place where we paid Arg$165 for a 3 bed suite to a very grumpy owner.
We dined well at a nearby restaurant.
And another.
We had heard that it might be possible to go horseback riding in the area. It wasn't and absent anything else to do we decided to check out and see about leaving town.
We walked about for a while and discovered that the next bus out was at 23:30.
There was a rail service here at some point.
Curious trees.
Lago Aluminé.
Roadside map.
Lago Aluminé.
In the event we started walking out of town then got a lift 4 km to a road junction where Gilles suggested we hitch hike. Having not done this for 40 years I was unsure but it was a good call.
We came in on this route yesterday.
We plan to leave by this route.
Waiting for a lift.
Gilles was right. A little later Marcus, from Switzerland, arrived in a Chevrolet Corsa and gave us a lift. He had been forced to divert due to protest road blocks by indigenous Mapuche residents.
We followed the Aluminé river south through wild and spectacular country.
Gravel roads...
Giving way to good quality asphalt.
Our plan had been simply to get a lift to Aluminé some 20km down the road. Marcus was bound for Bariloche and was happy for us to ride with him. We gratefully accepted.
Aluminé river.
Back on the gravel.
Along the way we had a few rain showers. Then, about 20k north of Junin de los Andes, we ran into another Mapuche roadblock.
Or rather a bridge block. Travellers could walk across the bridge but vehicles were stopped.
This chap tested the capability of his 4x4 trying to bypass the bridge. Not a good plan but the police later hauled him out.
Travellers walking across to a waiting coach.
Local press reporting events.
Our bridge featured.
After two hours the blockade was lifted and we continued on to Junin de los Andes where we had a coffee and decided to press on to San Martin de los Andes.
San Martin was a lovely spot. We stayed at Hosteria Cumelen. A nice enough place where we paid Arg$165 for a 3 bed suite to a very grumpy owner.
We dined well at a nearby restaurant.