An afternoon at San Martin de los Andes

After crossing half the country, the welcoming in San Martín de los Andes was not exactly promising.

Eager for a typical Patagonian tea with cakes and snacks, the kind served on a three-story tray, we visited Casa de Té Arrayán. We had been cautious and booked in advance, so we avoided the long wait announced by the receptionist, who acted as maître d'.

To begin this chronicle of high season, the first thing that must be emphasized is the imperative requirement to make reservations several weeks in advance, whether they are the most select and expensive destinations, or the most popular and massive ones that summon waves of hungry tourists.

Casa de Té Arrayán offered a panoramic view of the huge Lake Lácar and its green mountains. The photos from the previous search were mind-blowing. Upon arrival, the table was promptly indicated to us... but the service took exactly one hour and ten minutes, and to top it off, the cakes were not at all memorable. 

The history of the place is charming, as well as its ambience, so if you go, more than anything else for the panoramic view it offers, we suggest ordering a quick infusion and some snacks, which will be enough.

We then checked into our accommodation, the Hostal del Esquiador, where we received another disappointment. When we booked the suite we had been informed that parking was available, without clarifying that it was limited, so later it was a hassle to find a space on the street for the truck (the Toyota 4x4 that takes @tripticity_). there and back). The response the owners relayed to the concierge were absurd. And to top it off that night there was hail.

Beyond the vicissitudes, we left for Colección Georg to live an extraordinary evening of art and sensitivity to the fullest. Click here to read the full chronicle.

In the morning, we set off along the road of the Seven Lakes, beautiful mirrors of water in the most subtle turquoise tones, among the impressive mountains, towards Villa La Angostura. Although full of tourists, the route invites you to stop not only to take the obligatory photographs but also to appreciate the perfection of the Patagonian landscape.