San Martin "Gem" in the Andes
ARGENTINA | Thursday, 27 December 2007 | Views [1368]
San Martin is imbedded in the beautiful region which people here fondly term the region of seven lakes. It's like a tiny lakeside mountain town in the US, a bit smaller and more charming than Mammoth, CA. There's just one main street with off-shooting residential streets, with picture perfect alpine homes, perfectly manicured lawns, and multicolored rose bushes specking each lawn. I don't think we've ever seen such beautiful roses, the town is blanked with them. Every other store shop is a hand made chocolate factory that we over indulge in sampling from. San Martin sits at the end of Laguna Lácar, surrounded by lush mountain country side and kilometers of wilderness trekking and camping.
One big difference we notice between Argentina and Chile is that pedestrians have no right of way here in Argentina. Where in Chile, even taxis stop to allow us to cross, even in the middle of roads where there are no cross walks, here in Argentina they practically run you off the curbside when making a corner turn, let along consider stopping for a cross walk, think again! Let the pedestrian beware here, eyes in the back and side of your head are needed to survive walking and crossing the streets here.
After getting no sleep in our hostel "La Lucarnas Hostería last night, and the Inn Keeper, so rude, she laughed at us when we told here we had decided to check out one night early because we couldn't handle all the construction noise from the workers she's contracted with to work on the hostel (during peak season none the less). We settled for the bare bones hostel, Albergue Rukalhue by the lake, with a rather industrial feel, and no fan or AC... it's going to be a hot night, but better than giving the witch at the other hostel our money. We waste away the day walking around the beach and beautiful scenic pathways of this tiny gem of a town.
