February 2001
We were late to learn about South America. Brian had done a World Bank project in Peru and loved it just after Georgetown. After that we did not include that part of the world in our plans until relatively late in our travels.
Europeans have the Alps for skiing and those in the know go to exclusive resorts in Switzerland, Austria, or Italy for winter fun. South America has the towering Andes, yet no one ever thinks of skiing upon mention of Latin America. All those rich people from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and especially Argentina have a right to ski - and they do! We just never knew about it.
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina was every bit as glamorous as Cortina in Italy or San Moritz in Switzerland. A mountain lake, exclusive hotels, and lovely ski pistes in a remote setting. Even if it wasn't in Europe, it could have been. We had reached Bariloche after our marathon boat to the bus to the boat adventure across the Andes from Chile. The town appeared to us as some Austrian ski resort that had somehow floated down into Argentina like Dorothy's house into Oz. I bought my favorite sheepskin jacket there. The shopping was fashionable and very high end - but all luxury Latin American brands. People might have said Bariloche was just a European ski resort wannabe (like Vail or Whistler), but I would counter with it being a native grown phenomenon that created its own brand.
We were staying at the venerable resort, Llao-llao on the other end of Lake Nahuel Hapi. We reached Bariloche by ferry, crossing its pristine mountain lake with the towering Andes behind us. Even reaching Bariloche was glamorous and exotic - not via car - we arrived by boat. With the few hours given to explore we walked around the small, yet chic downtown. It was our second entry into Argentina (the first having been to Buenos Aires a month before). Bariloche, however, was not experiencing the splendid decay of the capital. The town was up-to-date and well-maintained. Even in perennially failing Argentina, one place was kept up. Rich people needed something to be working correctly, after all.
We caught a plane out of Bariloche and headed to BA for our flight back to New York. We were now in the know - San Carlos de Bariloche. Been there, done that. We were cool.
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