March 9, 2014 - Sun., San Martin, Argentina

MARCH 9, 2014 - SUNDAY

BOTTOM LINE:
Local sight seeing, San Martin

NOTEWORTHY:
HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY TO OUR DAUGHTER, LESLIE MARIE KAO!!!

BACK STORY:
Today was a day of local sight seeing.  Shops in town were closed until about 4:30pm.
I packed some sandwiches and we drove to the second largest ski resort in Argentina, Cerro Chapelco.

Bob sled run

 This area is considered the "Seven Lakes" region of Argentina.  From the top of the ski ridge we could see the beautiful Lake Lacar that San Martin sits at the northern edge of.  To the far side of the lake, foothills rose from the beach, joining in elevation to the peaks of the Andes beyond.

A cold wind whipped around the closed chair lifts and abandoned buildings.  Kids were sliding down an empty bob sled run, pretending to be Olympic hopefuls...or just having fun!

Bruce pointed out a Beech tree that was clearly changing color...a reminder that we were in the Southern Hemisphere and that Autumn was on its way!

Wooly bent horned goats were grazing freely around the ski resort grounds helping to keep the summer grasses clipped.  The goats were odd looking and seemed to almost have an Alpaca like fleece.  They weren't bothered in the least by the cold air.

A man, his son and wife were walking their horse and colt through the grounds.  Gouchos are the well known horse riders of the Andes region.  A typical riding outfit would include baggy black pants that are cinched at the ankles and stuffed into boots.  A baggy shirt, tucked at the waist with a natural dyed wool poncho.  Either a black wool beret or a leather hat having a flat bill and neck lanyard are worn on the head. We have seen many in the rural areas.

Making it back into the city we saw a tour bus go up a steep road.  We followed thinking that there must be a good vista.  Indeed there was a good vista but beyond it was a huge abandoned building.  It was curious to see windows and doors only on the ground level.  Everything else looked in demolition phase.  When we returned to our resort, Bruce inquired about what we had seen.  We were told that the building had been a booming and very popular five star hotel.  One day employees found the doors locked and the place seemingly abandoned.  No one could be reached at corporate offices.  People went without pay.  The place was closed with no reason.  Apparently people from the city began dismantling the structure and all of it's interior belongings...towels, bedding, tables, bars, lighting, plumbing etc.  What we saw was what remains.

There are all kinds of stories about the Maffia, money laundering, drug cartel, etc., but no one really knows what happened.  The ground floor is used as office space for city employees.

We were able to get a short call into our precious daughter, Leslie to wish her a happy birthday.  She was at Santa Monica beach with her husband and with the surrounding mountains, our reception was poor.

In the evening we were invited to the resorts weekly orientation and free welcome drink activity.  It was an hour of "blah, blah, blah."  No one spoke English and there was no attempt at interpretation.  We knew by the slide show that they were having sign ups for outings and excursions.