Bariloche and San Martin de Los Andes

Brrrr Bariloche. It got cold. It got down to -4 overnight and a heap of snow was dumped on the top half of the peaks that surround the town. People who went on hikes the next day got to build snowmen and have snowball fights. In the town we just gotta a whole lotta rain and movie going weather (Dejavu, not bad). We completed Circuito Chico which was a 45km bike ride around a few mountains and penninsulas. Very pretty but I didn't catch much as I was head down, bum up trying to avoid cars and potholes. The highlight of the trip was definitly Colonia Suiza. A small swiss settlement 1hour out of Bariloche that was filled with great food. We had THE best fillet steak roll with fresh salsa (=$2.50AUS) with raspberry and meringue pie and apple and rhubarb strudel. I went horseriding to the top of Cerro Otto that had patches of snow surrounding wild flowers. In argi you only horseride with the reins in one hand and no helmet so I shat myself when we galloped/cantered/went very fast. It was a great way to see the views. Meanwhile Glen was doing downhill chairlift runs on the next mountain Cerro Catedral with a group of 5 guys. Plenty of people stacked it as the brakes were arse about but it was a solid 7 hours of riding. The next day we hiked up Cerro Lopez for more amazing views of the lakes and islands. We ended up going out for some drinking action that night with some English friends and I am still amazed at the Argi's fascination with 80's music, especially Phil Collins. We caught a bus via the 7 lakes to San Martin de Los Andes, 4 hours north of Bariloche. Glen is in paradise doing 2 cross country and 1 downhill run in 2 days. We also made it up the mountains to the miradors (viewpoints). I have eaten enough chocolate to satiate me until London and am seriously thinking about going for a run in Mendoza. We leave tomorrow on an overnight luxury bus and will be booking for Machu Pichu early April. Please leave a comment if you can reccomend any good tour groups as we're told they sell out fast.