Neuquen, Argentina

Dec 27, 2005

Leaving El Bolson, I headed back toward Bariloche, and was suddenly under dark, menacing clouds. There was a definite chill in the air, and I actually had to put on a jacket. I went through Bariloche, heading for Neuquen, which was an interesting looking dot on the map I broke down and bought at a gas station.

Neuquen province is famous for jagged rock formations that look like fingers, and the vegetation can best be described as dense high desert. On the way to Neuquen, which is a palindrome, I saw a sign for San Martin De Los Andes, so I realized what the name of the mountains I was riding in is, and also remembered someone telling me San Martin was worth seeing. I got a bit down the road and the Patagonian wind kicked up, buffeting me from side to side, and sending long streamers of dust across theroad.

San Martin is a ski resort that instantly makes one think of Europe. Most of the buildings are Heidi style, made of wood with pitched roofs. The streets are clean and well maintained, and this is definitely the Aspen of Argentina. Not one to be distracted, and despite the fact that I had gone about140 miles out of my way, I set back out for Neuquen. The landscape changed again, and I was crossing the Pampa, miles and miles of pampa, flat, endless miles, with even more wind and dust, and no more jagged rock formations that look like fingers.

All along the way, I passed hotels on the side of the road, and kept going. I had decided to go to Neuquen. Dust was burning my eyes, and I couldn´t focus close up, but I pressed on. I got to Neuquen, and it is a dirty broken down industrial city full of graffiti. The people speak the most indecipherable dialect I have ever heard. And the drugstores sell brylcreem by the half kilo (1.1 lbs.)

I drove around and around looking for a hotel, and finally found one. The price was 50 pesos. I was beat up, exhausted, and thought about looking around some more, because I had decided I was going to pay about half that. Then I thought, wait, 50 pesos is about $13, I´m here, I´m exhausted, my eyes are crusting shut with dust....,

Pay the lady and take the room.