La Rioja

From the plane over the lakes, with the Lanin Volcano (3747m), Bariloche

From Esquel, we left the south and headed for the still somewhat warmer climate of northern Argentina. We took a bus back to Bariloche, stayed the night there, then flew from Bariloche to Cordoba, wit some great views of the lakes area, got on an overnight bus from Cordoba to San Juan, where we were due to take another bus on to La Rioja.

From the plane over the lakes, Bariloche

We started to get concerned about the lack of a bus when it was about half an hour late and there was still no sign of it. But we weren't too worried, because there were some local people waiting for it too, so we knew that we had the right place, and hadn't missed it leaving.

Coming up to an hour overdue, Nic tootled off to try to find someone from the company to ask - but no joy there.

Minor Basilica San Nicolas de Bari, La Rioja

At this point, I was watching the other people waiting, speak to the conductor of another bus, from a different company to the one we were supposed to be on, which had the name of a place that I didn't recognise on the front. I figured they were just asking him if he knew anything about our bus. Then these other people started getting on the bus.

Concerned that they knew something we didn't, we spoke to the conductor, and he said we could get on his bus to La Rioja. I have no idea why he would let us on his bus. I don't know whether it was actually our bus (but with no clue to suggest it), whether they are the same parent company, whether they have an arrangement where they can recharge the company that we paid, or if they just aren't that bothered. Whatever the truth of the situation, we didn't really care too much, as long as we were finally going to get to La Rioja!

La Rioja

The journey had been a long one, and we hadn't got much sleep on the overnight bus, so we were quite tired, and couldn't be bothered to go and do a grocery shop, so we just went out for a meal. Having had to make do with the limited and non diet compliant options available while travelling, we had intended to be good, but ended up sharing a couple of empanadas and having a glass of wine. Not too terrible, but it meant that we'd not really had a good week at all, so we were not looking good for the weigh in on Monday!

La Rioja

Over the weekend, we had a pootle around the city and tried our best to be better behaved food wise. We mostly did OK with that, except for one cheeky dessert. We had gone to a restaurant called Avellaneda, which turned out to be really rather good. Our mains weren't too badly behaved, but we were tempted by the sound of a dessert of carrot gnocchi, cooked in a saffron jus, with a white chocolate and mint sauce. We compromised and shared a portion, and it was delicious.

La Rioja is another place that has a long siesta in the afternoon, which is rather a nuisance, especially as we were staying a reasonable walk from town, so you don't really want to have to walk in in the morning, back out again, and then do the same again later in the afternoon.

We had a look around a little folk museum, which turned out to be really small, and had very little in the way of information or explanations, and what was there, was only in Spanish.

Main Square, La Rioja

The city is known for its wine, which we resisted investigating further, and for its silver work and weaving, which we would have liked to have seen more of, but it wasn't really in evidence anywhere we looked.

There was a small artisan shop near the folk museum, which had a few things, but not very much.

Convento de Santo Domingo, La Rioja

The city is a major devotional centre, with the San Nicolas de Bari cathedral on the main square being a minor basilica, so we thought we'd take a look around them. In the event, we only saw the outsides, as they always seem to be closed whenever we passed. At the second attempt, we did manage to have a look inside the Santo Domingo Convent. This Dominican building, which was hand built from stone, is one of the oldest in Argentina, dating back to 1623.

Convento de Santo Domingo, La Rioja

The outside is simple but attractive, and the inside is equally unelaborate. It has a lovely courtyard inside, but that was closed off, so we could only peer through the gate. I was able to do so without issue, but when Nic tried, the dog in the courtyard came up and barked at him. Apparently he wasn't allowed to look!

Overall, the city is pleasant enough, with a few nice places to eat, but there really isn't much going on. However, it isn't really the city that people come here for, it is the parks that can be reached from here. And on the Monday, we took a tour out to two of them, which will be the next post.

Convento de Santo Domingo, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Wine making equipment, exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

Exhibits at the Folk Museum, La Rioja

From the plane over the lakes, Bariloche

From the plane over the lakes, Bariloche

From the plane over the lakes, Bariloche

From the plane over the lakes, with the Lanin Volcano (3747m), Bariloche