La Pampa !

The Pampa : Done !

3 days on the road where we had lots of differents cities and landscapes ! When you think about Pampa, you imagine pampas grasses, arids lands as far as you can see… Well it is that… and even more !

We left the big cosmopolitan life of Buenos Aires throught Roadway n°1 (not that easy to find, thanks to Guia T and turns around quadras) in direction of « La Plata », capitale of Buenos Aires provincia.
Little note about Argentina : the country is divided in provincias for which each has a capital (Buenos Aires is Capital federal).

After 2 hours of argentian way of driving we arrived at La Plata. With about 800 000 peoples we already felt far away from Buenos Aires in this dynamic but simple city ! We first enjoyed the beautiful gothic Cathedral (I hope you’ll like pictures for which we had to fight badly against mousquitos !) but also nices green places and parcs ! Even if this city have been totally drawned before building it is not easier to find his way !

Early afternoon we took direction of Pinamar : only 300 kms from here but we choose the coste’s road… bad choice. First point : we left from La Plata without any Road Map. Second point : In Argentina it happens often that a great and beautiful asphalted road becomes a dirty trail in a few kilometers with no previous mention… This is how, looking for a nice road along the ocean, we had to drive 50 kms on a stony trail in the middle of a national parc (no ocean to see!). We were almost alone there (except gauchos) and I think that once we find back civilisation, people were as surprised as us to find french tourists asking for their way ! Well, from then we experienced other « road » here, this one was not that bad, just quite a chock when you don’t know where you’re going to sleep and when you just left Buenos Aires !

We finally get to Pinamar at night… again quite a chock ! The main street of this balnear city was just a jungle of 4x4 and luxious cars exhibitions, with night clubs and bars… We tried to get out of this north american atmosphere to find ocean ! The strong wind and enormous waves were great !
Impossible to find hostels or camping in the middle of all luxurious hotel, complex and private properties so we parked the car and slept there. But apparently it wasn’t fine for our neightbours which called police. A policeman came to wake us up at 2 am asking to move… so we end on an old parking next to the sea…

After a breakfast well deserved we left happily this place to an other balnear city : Mar del Plata !
Here we could quitely walk allong the ocean even if buildings takes a lot of place in the landscape !
The place is full of argentian in holidays but we find Manolo ‘s churros and the cathedral in reconstruction.

We took the road to Necochea and arrived there throught Quequen : fantomas’city ! Everything seems abandonned from a long time in this ancient militar city ! But Necochea is more active and receive lots or tourists for its beach and parcs ! We find a nice hotel (ok the cheapest) to rest in a real bed !

For the last day in Pampa, we drove a lot ! 600 kms ! We almost tested the limit of our fuel tank ! We made a stop at Bahia Blanca with its nice buildings and parcs, crazy dogs and always straight streets ! We end the day at Carmen de Patagones, very nice little village on the Rio Negro, doors to Patagonia. Small but colonial architecture and sweet view on Viedma !

To sum up the Pampa crossing : It is a lots landscapes to perte de vue : tournesols, herbes folles, dunes de sables, greens parts and desertics ones, estancias, cows and sheeps, horses and so many dogs in cities !

Next to come : Pingouins, Sea’s leons and welsh cities !