When we arrive at San Carlos de Bariloche we find on the right of the street an enormous rubbish dump and on the left a cemetery for cars… This was not what we imagined for our arrival at Bariloche…

Bariloche is touristic and without real interest for us.

 

But Bariloche's National park is superb. After nearly 2 hours of track in an imposing landscape along the lake Mascardi, we reach the black glacier which offers a marvellous spectacle. We join then the Mount Tronador and its cascade “Garganta del diablo”.

The children throw themselves in the snow, Luka cannot resist and starts to eat it...

As usual, the children ask to go on the roof rack of the car… they have fun particularly when a stream is crossed!

A little later, a tree falls above us but fortunately Lisa, Sacha & Emma manage to retain it… Euh, that's a joke !

In the evening, the preparations for Emma's birthday start. Emma and her Daddy visit an immense chocolate factory. There are many of them in Bariloche. Emma is just happy. During this time the rest of the family is looking for the gifts for tomorrow… They will be distributed throughout the day, a part at breakfast, then at midday and finally with the evening meal…

Back to the camping, the children are going to bed and while we are alone a car is joining us… amazing but true … Marc and Tilly are Belgians, living in Antwerp. They rented a 4X4 to cross Argentina during nearly one month. They travelled already a lot… Australia, Chile, India, Namibia, South Africa. The following day, we will have the breakfast together before they continue their trip up to the north of the country.

 

Emma gets her first birthday gifts in the morning !

Before leaving San Carlos de Bariloche, we use a wifi connection. Emma discovers the messages of her Godmother, her Godfather and the birthday e-cards of Nanny and Papy… She is radiant with joy…

On our way towards San Martin de los Andes we see one lake after the other. We drive in fabulous landscapes in the middle of immense trees… Then we see a “small beach” just in front of a splendid lake. We do not resist and we decide to make a bivouac at the shore of the lake… Emma is happy, we decide to rename this lake, “the lake Emma”.
Before offering “the true” gift to her, Sacha and Lisa had a surprise: a gift made of branches, stones and sheets… Emma is not happy…
 

Finally, it's one day that she will not forget …

The bivouac is exceptional… during the night only the cries of the birds are perceptible… In the early morning, the lake, the trees, the ground are covered with a veil… and then the mountain which faces us appears gradually before being reflected on the water as in a mirror.