This is what I really came here for ...

Two types of steak and a grilled chorizo and delicious wine ...... Cow skin menus... not sure about these A real Argentinian

Local cake, mil ojas. mmmmmmmm

Photo of the month

The original cowboy A snowman made with rubbish outside school, poor effort really considering how much snow there is

Trip to Puerto Blest

Last weekend I went on a trip to Puerto Blest which is a port also in the national park of Nahuel Huapi. The trip involved two boat journeys on the lakes and through the Andes, very close to the border with Chile. It also included some hikes through forests and a stop at the border patrol to Chile. But before I begin with those photos, one more of Bariloche mountains with a bit more snow, from the lake... View of Bariloche on my walk home one evening... We woke up at the crack of dawn to catch the first boat out of Puerto Pañuelo. Sunrise over the mountains: Sun slowly rising over the pine trees at Puerto Pañuelo. Boat trip number one, to Puerto Blest. It was so cold and windy, but too amazing to stay inside boat. Felt amazing to be the only tiny boat in such a vast space.

Not quite the only thing in this space.. the seagulls follow the boat eargerly trying to keep up.

Big thick snow clouds.

We arrive at our first stop... a snow beach!

We start walking thorugh an unsually green forest considering everything else is covered in snow. It looked more like a jungle with snow...

A pretty waterfall in the backgorund.

Boat trip number two, and the Andes are a lot closer... very impressive sights as we sail through them.

Next stop, Lago Frias. Striking contrast between the snow covered mountains and the green forests.

The colour of the water is so intense because of the volcano El Tronador (which I showed you in a photo a while ago)

Tops of the Andes.

We are in Argentina, not Chile. We mustn't forget that. Chile is on the other side of the mountains.

If only snow was hot.... it looks so inviting for a lie down and a swim.

We found some friends at the border with Chile. Let's play in the snow!

Weeeeeeeeee ...

Cat in the snow.

Kira gets a bit too excited and belly flops onto the snow.

This was the most amazing part of the day. We were told to keep a close eye on the rock race because this is where the condors have their caves, and if we were lucky we would see a condor, the largest creature that flies.

...and then I saw one flying above. It was incredible, they are absolutely enormous. I didn't get a good picture when it was nearer because I couldnt keep my eyes of it, but here it is in the distance above its home, in the Andes. We watched it fly around for a bit, then go into its cave.

Then back to Baroliche, after a beautiful experience.

Me and the official first day of winter

The 21st of June.. and winter kicks in in style No electricity anywhere...

Snow flakes in my eyes ...

Warming up in restaurant when the electricity comes back. When will I have my first steak in Argentina.....

Keeping myself busy

Bariloche is the capital of arts and crafts in Argentina. I thought I would get involved and I have been doing pottery. The potter has a magical house not far from the city, up a mountain.the house is full of cats, dogs, pot, pans, not an empty space anywhere. To get to the sessions I have to leave my house very early when it's pitch black. The plus point of this is that I get to watch the intense colours of the sunrise whilst I mix colours to paint my pots. Kira is an excellent potter and has been showing me the ropes. Another dog... watches the clay going round and round.

One of the cats likes to watch the activity from high up.

This black cat has found a convenient place to nap!

The locals here call these birds little eagles.

Where's the bus!? This photo is after one of the English classes in a mountain village. The head teacher was laughing from the school door with the kids at the thought of the 'gringas' being stranded in the village to freeze to death because we missed the bus...

Another day doing a 'kind of' English class, more just stimulating the kids whose families are struggling and have little time for them. This time I had many foreign helpers from UK and New Zealand. I let the kids play with my camera and these are the results.

Ok, we've lost their attention. Let's play in the snow.

During my first few days in Bariloche I went to a talk by a spiritual leader. One of the things he said that stuck in my mind was, 'Most of us find it very easy to know what we want and need but not so easy to see what we can give' It's great to see these kids laugh like this when you play with them!

Volunteers.