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We arrived in Bariloche greeted by architecture more at home in a Swiss alpine resort than the middle of Argentina. We stayed in a hostel called Penthouse 1004, which as the name suggests is a penthouse in a flat block converted into a hostel. It had without doubt the best view from a hostel or even hotel we've ever seen. From the 10th floor (no sky scrapers here) you could see the lakes in all their glory. There was a large terrace where backpackers took in the sights day and night, both eating and drinking. If you're in Bariloche it's a must stay place and more than justifies being ranked number 1 hostel in all of Argentina.
We took a bus out to Cerro Camponario, a viewpoint with panoramic views over the lakes. You can take a ski lift up to the top but being hiking specialists with all the gear, we decided to tackle the climb. I'm not blaming the heat but even though it was only 30 minutes we did struggle a little, perhaps bringing us back down to earth. Once at the top however, the views more than made up for the fact that I was covered in sweat and out of breath.
The following day we headed to Lago Gutierrez, one of the smaller lakes to the south of Bariloche. We were joined by Tikki, an American guy who had managed to get 4 weeks off for travelling (pretty rare for the US!) The lake surrounded by the forest had beautiful stoney beaches with crystal clear waters. Definitely postcard worthy. We managed to hire kayaks by the hour (we avoided doing a kayak tour as it was too expensive - Argentina prices are on par with home) and spent an hour paddling, taking the odd selfie and enjoying the scenery. It was definitely one of those days where we took a second to appreciate travelling.
In the evening, with a group of friends from the hostel we went to a steak restaurant called Alto el Fuego. Renowned as the best steaks in Bariloche, it didn't disappoint in taste, only size. We were recommended to share, hardly man vs food and won't be doing that again.
On our last day we took in the chocolate shops the region is famous for. Alongside the typical variety they also had ones with dulce de leche, the creamy caramel sauce I and Argentina adores. After a diabetes inducing hot chocolate it was time to pack ready another overnight bus, this time to Santiago.
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