20120110-20120119, 20120127-20120202, 20120208-20120221 (31days) ArgentinaIn between I traveled to Chile also as Patagonia region is on both of the countries. You need to travel like Z path in order to travel through Patagonia. In Argentina, I got money from ATM for five times. Every time the processing fee was HKD$30. As the bus tickets are expensive, as soon as I get my money out from ATM, I spent almost all of it to buy the bus ticket...But there are some must go places here, I think they are the most beautiful places in South America that I have traveled - El Chaltén and Iguazu.
Argentina:
Curreny: 1US: 4.3Peso (2012)
Hostel average: 12US per night
Eat average: 7.5US per meal
Schedule:
Salta->Cafayate->Cordoba->Mendoza->Santiago (Chile) Bariloche->Calafate->Puerto Natales (Chile) El Chaltén ->Puerto Madryn->Bahia Blanca->Bueno Airs->Iguazu->Ciudad del Este (Paraguay)
I went to the border of Villazon, Bolivia to Argentina. Don't buy the bus ticket at the border, you don't need to be hurry to buy any ticket before reaching the bus station at Argentina's side (15 minutes walk after passing the immigration). I bought and it was expensive, a good punishment for me to remember. If you are going to Salta you shall not buy the direct bus ticket. You shall bought two, from here to Jujuy then change another bus to Salta. The guy sat next to me was going to capital Bueno Aires. He also changed bus at Jujuy and said it was much cheaper to do that.
Arrived in Salta. There was not much to see, just a city. Saw some mounted police and understood more about this place.
Parque San Martín, Salta, Argentina
The things inside the museum were quite worth seeing. Went to the lake side San Martin and wanted to get something to eat. But the price just astonished me. Marte at Artensania, Salta, Argentina Marte at Artensania, Salta, Argentina Artensania, Salta, Argentina
Argentina people like to drink Yerba (A kind of tea leaves) very much. They will fill Yerba in a Mate (Cup), fully and add hot water into it. It is very bitter. But they like the taste. There are different kinds of Mate, from expensive to cheap. The cheapest I saw was 2.5US
Cerro San Bernardo, Salta, Argentina
Unexpectedly, there were some gym machines at a public space along the trail reaching the top of the mountain.
Cerro San Bernardo, Salta, Argentina
View of Salta at the top, 1021 stairs reaching there.
Alfajore
0.25US for one. As the meals in Argentina are expensive. I usually just cooked pasta or ate bread, and also these little pastries.
While waiting bus, I was too hungry and bought a hotdog to fill up my stomach. Quite good in fact, may be it was because the crispy things on the top.1.4US
Quebrada del Colorado, Cafayate, Argentina:
A route with different shapes of rocks/mountains along the way. From the patterns of the rocks, their color and their structure, they were amazing. You can go to these separate spots along Route 68 by following local tour. You can also rent a bike and cycle along the route. But what I did was, I ran to the spots. I believed that no one would like me. With hot and dry weather, I ran for 16 km with water bag and some snacks. After the 16 km I started to walk. It was already amazing for running such a long way. Lastly I reached 28 km, with the spot los Estratos. The spots before this one were los Medanos, los Colorados, los Castillos, las Ventanas, el Obelisco. Some crazy things are needed to be done when you are young, isn't it? Then originally my plan was to catch a bus and went back to the town. However, there was none. So I summoned up my courage and tried my first hitchhiking. At first all cars ignored me as here is a tourist area. Then some passengers got out from one car and that car stopped by my side and took me back to the town. Lucky me~
Bandera, Cafayate, Argentina Bandera, Cafayate, Argentina:
Went to the winery nearby. Explaining things in Spanish, I understood nothing. But I could still try the wine, and all these were free! Museo del Vino, Cafayate, Argentina Museo del Vino, Cafayate, Argentina
Museo del Vino, Cafayate, Argentina
Museum, telling us the process of wine making, categories of the wine, how weather and time affect the grapes. Torrente and Cabernet Ice Cream at Cafayate, Argentina Cafayate, Argentina
Cafayate, Argentina
A must try flavor of wine ice cream. It is like sobert more than ice cream. The heavy taste of the wine made me feel dizzy after eating it. 3.5US flavour of torrente and cabernet.
Museo Superior de Bellas Artes Evita Palacio Ferreyra, Córdoba, Argentina
Arriving at another city on Sunday. It wast just like a dead city. No one was in the main plaza. Nothing was opened. It was sunny and so hot. Compared to Hong Kong, the Sunday was utterly different from here. We have all shops opened. I need to pay tribute to people who work in Hong Kong on Sunday in customer services industry! Ice Cream at Cordoba, Argentina Córdoba, Argentina
Eating ice cream again, I treated this as a meal
1.2US
Tai Chi poster in Argentina?
Museo Emilio Caraffa, Córdoba, Argentina
Another Museum
Mendoza, Argentina
Super sweet
Parque San Martín, Mendoza, Argentina
This was another boring city. The main reason backpackers coming here are to climb the snow mountain Aconcagua. It is the highest mountain in America (6960.8meters). I saw some people planning their schedule for climbing the mountain. It took around 20 days. At here, I lived in a 8 people dormitory and only me was girl. At night we barbecued together and went out to have some drink. Here the alcohol is cheap, I like mojito.
Dulce de Leche Alfajore at Mendoza, Argentina
Argentina people like to eat alfajor. The stuffing they like most is dulce de leche (sweet milk), which means caramel. Tasty but sweet. While you take some long journey bus they will give alfajor to you for snacks.
San Martin, Argentina San Martin, Argentina
While going to Bariloche we needed to change bus. San Martin, obviously, is a touristic town. Eating ice cream again, 2.5US!
Bariloche, Argentina
Bariloche is the place where chocolate is famous.There are many shops, in which the most popular are Momuschka and Turista. They even opened at the opposite of each other.
Cute Mamuschka Display Chocolate of Momuschka, Bariloche
Different flavors of chocolate all displaying at the window with different packages. If you want to select yourself it will be $40US/1kg
Took a photo at the door front. This one is cheaper than the one in Bueno Aires. So if you want to buy chocolate from Mamuschka, you shall buy here.
Turista, Bariloche, Argentina
I also bought chocolate form this shop.
There are two Turista in Bariloche, so less people in each one compared to Mmouschka which has only one shop
Catedral de San Carlos, Bariloche, Argentina
The first day in Bariloche was sunny day. I decided to have bike tour the day after. However, the next consecutive three days it rained all day. Nothing can be seen. And at the day I left it was sunny again.... This is a regret for me. It is a big lake next to Bariloche and it was windy around there. This was a special church. The crucifixion of Jesus was demonstrated using white pottery and it went around the back of the church.
Cerro Otto, Bariloche, Argentina
The weather was not good, but I still went up the hill. Of course I could see nothing at the top, but I could see the cable car.
Bariloche, Argentina
All people slept overnight at the bus stop to save money, including me. There were free toilet and hot water there, good place to stay.
Ruta 40 Logo, Argentina
Route 40 is a very famous route in Argentina. It extends from north to south, it also is the longest road in Argentina. There was touristic bus which traveled this road, but expensive.
El Calafate, Argentina
Calafate is the name of this town, which is also the name of a fruit. Here exports Calafate and there are a lot of jam selling.
Perito Moreno Glacier, El Calafate, Argentina
Feeding picuna with milk
Perito Moreno Glacier, El Calafate, Argentina
An astonished Glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of only three Patagonian glaciers that is growing
Taking a cruise to get closer with the glacier
Lookout Perito Moreno Glacier
Rhodochrosite
Is the natural mineral from Argentina, I also bought a necklace
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Chaltén, Argentina
Actually I did not have time to go here. But I heard somebody saying here is really beautiful for hikers. Lastly I came and stayed for 3 days, really a Must go area.
Laguna Torre, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Chaltén, Argentina
Weather was not that good but it was already beautiful. There was a little glacier in the middle.
Laguna de los Tres, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Chaltén, Argentina
This route is hard compared to others. You need to walk on some rugged road for a period of time. You can enjoy the view of Fitz Roy and the blue lake.
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Chaltén, Argentina
It took a while to wait for the clouds to go away and see the whole set of mountain form.
El Calafate, Argentina
Ice cream again
El Calafate, Argentina
Chocolate again
Puerto Madryn, Argentina Puerto Madryn, Argentina
A place to see penguin, whale, sea lion. Travelling here by a 20 hours long bus, which costed 118US.......A lot of sea lion and seal at the beach
Kayaking at Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Millions of sea lion and seal in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. The second day I joined a kayak tour to get out to the sea and had a closer look at the animals. Initially I wanted to go snorkeling or diving, but they were far more expensive, the cheapest was 138US. Thus I went for kayaking instead, this also gave me chance in getting closer with them.
Lastly I arrived at the capital Bueno Aires. It was cheaper to travel by train from Bahia Blanca, In the capital I met the guys who pour me some sauce twice. Even in lonely planet, it mentioned there are people in capital using this way to try to rob your things. They will pour sauce on you suddenly. Then you will just stop and put down your things even valuables to clean yourself up. At the same time they will snatch your things very quickly and run away. So if you meet some of these guys, remember not to stop, keep going and to some place which is safe. After ensuring the situation is safe you then clean yourself up. Someone will try to help you in wiping the sauce away after you are attacked, those may be also the people of those guys, be aware and just leave that scene.
Teatro Colón, expensive entrance fee for visitors, 25US. What you can see are the marble, pillar, decoration, etc.
Bueno Aires, Argentina
Tango Show on the street
You must go to watch tango show in Bueno Aires. I went to the old one called San Juan y Boedo. It was awesome. Three pairs of dancers, slow and fast steps with good beats and live music.
La Boca, Bueno Aires, Argentina
So beautiful and artistic, though touristic. But the color combination was so good!
My last station in Argentina, it was also my favourite one– Iguazú National Park. I really felt that I am blessed, I could stand there and enjoy the giant nature. Luckily I was reminded by a person in hostel to bring swim suit. There is a place that you can swim with good view for San Martin, really awesome! It is really good to be here as my last stop.
The chocolate and alfajor are famous for Havanna. You can see many Havanna shops in the cities. I lastly bought one to try. 6.5US
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