Swiss Colony
Isn’t it just the best when you have plans for a day, and then the weather sweeps in, and decides to disagree with you…well this was how today went.
Routine morning start, so I will basically skip it. My intention this morning was to have a lazy day by one of the beaches around. Bariloche was surrounded by a lot of beautiful lakes, and although usually too cold for me, the weather today was calling for sunny and high temperatures (mid-twenties), so it was the perfect time to cool off in the lake.
Unfortunately, early on in the day, everyone at the hostel realized that the weather was not what it was predicted to be. It was a great way to meet everyone in the hostel, since it got us all talking and introducing ourselves, and also discussing ideas for the day. It seemed that everyone’s plans were affected by the weather.
I soon made it up my mind to check Colonia Suiza. Colonia Suiza is a tiny village about an hour outside of Bariloche, which you can get to by a limited number of buses. The village is shaped even more like Switzerland than Bariloche, and was full of artisan shops - the only catch was that it’s only open two or three times a week, and today happened to be one of those days.
The way I lucked out, I would be on the last outgoing bus in the early afternoon, and would get 3 hours in the village before the bus returning to Bariloche was scheduled. I was lucky to have this, but would also have to find a way to spend my 3 hours. Should be an easy challenge.
Since it was about lunch time, the first thing I did was grab a bite. I had been told to try Curanto, which is basically a collection meats that were cooked in the Earth for a few hours. This was somewhat reminiscent of Zirb, a way of cooking meats in the Arab world in the Earth. The meats were tender and flavourful, with different cuts and different sausages. I ensured that I wouldn’t be served pork, but otherwise, wasn’t sure what was beef and what was lamb. The meats were also served with a side of roasted vegetables, and a mash of sorts, which I think was either sweet potato, pumpkin, or squash.
After lunch, which I tried to prolong, I strolled through the village, which was basically a collection of restaurants and shops along a single street. I probably walked through it multiple times, checking out the different artisanal shops and what they offered. I saw some beautiful sets of cutlery, made with antlers and wood, but did not pick up anything in the end - it would be logistically challenging to carry them through a few other cities with my carry-on and lack of space.
After spending a few hours, I stopped by Casa Abuela Goye, a chocolaterie I had found while walking around which looked really nice. I ordered a few chocolate bonbons, with different fillings, such as Yerba Mate and Maracuja (passion fruit). They were all different and delicious, and I enjoyed the diversity of flavours. I also ordered a spiced hot chocolate to warm up, which was also very rich and creamy. I have to give it to the Argentinians, they can make a proper hot chocolate despite how much they sweeten everything else.
After my dessert, it was soon time for the bus so I made my way to the bus stop to take the 1 hour ride that would take me back to Bariloche.
I got back and enjoyed a quick rest before meeting up with Nahiir for an Argentinian steak dinner. We went to Alta El Fuego Parilla, a highly rated steakhouse in Bariloche. I had a beef empanada to start, which I found out I could have with chimichurri as per my Argentinian friend. We then shared a Provoleta, a traditional Argentinian appetizer of a pan baked disc of provolone cheese that is spiced. It was heavy, especially since we were only two sharing it, but it was as delicious as I thought.
For meat, we shared an Entraña, which is the most traditional cut of steak in Argentina. The Entraña is the skirt steak, and is difficult to find outside of Argentina. It is also a delicious cut of steak, which is flaky and tender, and full of flavour. I have to also say that the chimichurri here was very memorable, with a strong kick to it and that elevated the beef to the highest level. Truly one of the best steaks I have had.
Nahiir gave me recommendations about what to do in Mendoza, and some places I should visit since that would be my next stop.
After dinner, we headed back to the hostel where it seemed everyone was sat chilling. I spent some time with some of the other people where we all played Yahtzee. I learned how to play and ended up beating everyone, which didn’t sit well with everyone. The second game didn’t go as well, where I came last. Nevertheless, it was a fun way to have a quieter evening and meet everyone, and exchange travel tips and suggestions.
After a few games, I went to bed, to catch some rest in preparation for my planned hike the next morning.
All in all, it was a nice day well spent, despite the change of plans due to the weather. However, that is why I stress the importance of being flexible while travelling, and factoring in lots of time and less plans in each place, to ensure a stress-free trip. How do you sty flexible while travelling? Do you enjoy visits to little touristy villages? What is your favourite cut of steak and where did you have it? Let me know in the comments below, but till then, stay positive!
