Argentina: La Cumbrecita & Villa General Belgrano
Hola! I am updating my blog sooner than I first thought I would since I had a wonderful time while my sister and mom came to visit me. It was amazing having them here to show them some of my favorite haunts, restaurants, after-school activities, and my university. Getting to experience it all over again through their eyes was awesome, because they observed things that I never really thought of before. They stayed at a hotel close to where I am living. The hotel is super nice and comfortable. The breakfasts are also super good. I slept over at their room for a few of the nights, and there weren’t any mosquitoes!!! The hotel is very modern and features an open pool on top of the building. It is amazing seeing Cordoba from the top of it. Seeing the buildings that I normally just walked by, streets I crossed in a hurry, and parks that I had passed. The view was amazing. I will try to keep this blog post brief and highlight some of the adventures that I went on while my family was here.
On April 2, my mom, sister, and I were picked up from the hotel by a tourist bus. I had previously booked the tour the night before so that we could explore some places outside of Cordoba. We planned to visit La Cumbrecita and Villa General Belgrano. These two places come highly recommended as a must-see for those who want to see more of the area close by Argentina. On the way, the bus stopped at a few sites so that we could browse the craft shops bursting with mate cups (mate is a common herbal drink served whenever and wherever), traditional instruments, and other typical Argentine wares. All the bright colors of the products combined with the warm, welcoming smiles of the shop owners was sure to persuade a suspecting tourist to buy something. It was hard to resist. At one of the stops, people were offering free samples of wine, in hopes that people would be persuaded to buy a bottle or two. The wine was from Mendoza (a city known for its wine; just like California’s Napa Valley), and was very mellow and sweet to the taste. At the stop, there was a stunning view of an artificial lake. It was a beautiful deep blue color. The sun shining off the water, the goats grazing nearby, and the beautiful flora and fauna made for a very picturesque scene. Despite all the delays on the way over, we finally headed to our destination; La Cumbrecita.
La Cumbrecita
This small town has shops, restaurants, and trails for the avid hiker galore. It has an otherworldly charm uniquely its own. The creek winding through the town with the quaint buildings filled with knick-knacks was a sight worth seeing. It is a pedestrian-only town which was awesome since I could focus on the architecture and nature, and not on dodging vehicles. If you so desired, there were horses for rent to explore the surrounding trails. I was very tempted, however, we were there to peruse other aspects of the town. We sat down for a delicious German meal which was so filling that I immediately wanted to take a siesta. After we were finished, we wandered through the town admiring the shops and the charming houses. There were houses that resembled hobbit houses from the Lord of the Rings. Many flowers were in bloom allowing for their fragrance to permeate the air around us. Numerous wooden carvings of houses and elves were scattered around adding to the delightful atmosphere. If you are familiar with Leavenworth, Washington, La Cumbrecita totally reminded me of it. We made our way up the trails in the lush forest to La Olla; a deep “pot” of water which flowed in by way of a waterfall. The calming scenery was a nice break from all the hustle and bustle of the city life. Sadly, we had to leave all too soon and head to our next stop; Villa General Belgrano.
Villa General Belgrano
We arrived at Villa General Belgrano after a short drive. After seeing La Cumbrecita, it was practically the same without the pedestrians only limits and nature sections. It was definitely more touristy than the previous town. Wandering around the streets, again, reminded me of Leavenworth. There was an interesting woodcarving contest going on while we walked around the town. There was a huge piece of wood that some man was cutting up and shaping into something with his chainsaw. It was very neat to see it taking form in front of us. We continued on through the town window shopping, stopping for some gelato, and then continuing on, only stopping briefly once or twice, to glance into a shop. It was a very relaxing end to a long day. Seeing these two places felt like a mini-vacation since I got to get away from the busy city life for just a brief moment. It was also pleasant to experience it while my family was in town. I definitely hope to explore more of Argentina while I’m here.
Although this was only a day-trip to other places in Argentina, it was enjoyable to get out of Cordoba for a day and explore other parts. This trip showed me that there are, indeed, many more places that I need and wish to see while here on my study abroad. Although it might seem acceptable to just generalize and declare that the country might look the same wherever you go, it would be doing that country a disservice. Any country is amazingly diverse; in its people, landscapes, cuisine, culture, etc. I hope that you will also go out and explore more. I intend on making the most of my precious time here, and seeing as much of Argentina as humanly possible. I wish you luck on your own adventures and discoveries. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. Chau!