El Bolson: a long weekend at La Casona de Odile

If only it could be a triple trouble love fest forever!

At the end of our Bariloche stay and an incredible month of travel together, Jenna bid us farewell back to Calfornia to make it just two of us nomads again. To mend our broken fresbian hearts, Karin and I hopped on a two hour bus and rode towards the small, quirky town of El Bolson for the weekend. 

The city center itself is quite small and unremarkable, but thankfully we found our way to the hostel, La Casona de Odile, just a 5 minute drive outside of town. This place made our time in El Bolson; without it I'm not sure I'd have much to report about the area. A plot of two hectares set riverside, in a lavender field, with hammocks and a yoga platform amidst the flowers, La Casona de Odile is like stepping into a dream you're sure you've had once before. The people welcome you like family and are from all over the world: Argentina, Germany, Switzerland, America. Days were spent lounging outside under the trees or inside next to the fireplace when the weather turned, while nights were shared with new friends and a bottle of wine or homemade beer (Irish Red Ale, Pale Ale, Double Ipa), hot empanadas and communal Sunday meals. 

Feels like home at La Casona

Salud! One of La Casona's homebrewed Irish Red Ales

Lavender in every shade

Our El Bolson hours not at La Casona were  consumed by walks to the local dairy farm, hikes up into the forest and taste tests of the town's famous ice cream joint, Jauja.

Cheese samples? Fine, twist my arm

Ice cream samples? Sure!

Spring flowers on Río Azul