El Bolsón belongs to an unusual, and unusually charming region of Argentina and for years has beckoned and enchanted many the lucky traveler.
Nestled amidst the mountains in mid-southern province of Río Negro, it is a few hours drive from the main city of the region, Bariloche. The southern limit of the city is at the 42nd Parallel, which means the population of El Bolsón is from two Argentine provinces: Río Negro and Chubut.
A short distance to the north lays one of two its access points, between the mountain chains Piltriquitrón and Serrucho—the ancient inhabitants calling this area "Door to the Heavens"—and to the south lays the other access point, along the Cerro Pirque, also known to the natives as, you might have guessed, "Door to Hell".
El Bolsón also forms part of the famous natural area called Corridor of the Lakes. Since in 1984 it was proclaimed by Municipal order to be a Non-Nuclear Zone, and later in 1991 to be an Ecological Municipality. It is now, well and truly, formally oriented towards nurturing and favoring the natural environment.
Bolsón is located amidst the broadest of the numerous and beautiful mountain valleys that run parallel to the Andes mountain range.
Its isolation in the mountains and its particular geography gives it a special feature, and truly bestows upon the region a rare honour—as it is, situated scarcely meters above sea-level, Bolsón and the neighbouring area is treated with a most moderate and benign climate—its very own microclimate.
This special microclimate allows this area to produce a variety of otherwise rare (in Argentina at least) agricultural delights, with cultivation of the fine fruits being the most characteristic: among others some favorites are the raspberries, strawberries, the several different kinds of cherries, European black elderberries, and also hops.
The Hop Festival and Other Quaint Charms
El Bolsón's famous hops are a particular favorite, and for the people of this region are the cause for no small amount of celebration. Bolsón is home to the very traditional National Festival of Hops, which is celebrated annually in the month of February, and includes a variety of activities and spectacles. Perhaps the most colourful, remarkable, and characteristic of these is the awarding of the Queen of Hops prize.
There are festivals like this throughout Argentina, in regions that have their own specialty food; for example there is the Festival of the Harvest in Mendóza, the Festival of Beer in Santa Fé, or Festival of the Fish in Corrientes to name a few, each of which hold a ceremony where a beautiful female is named the "Queen" of the hops, harvest, beer or fish.
This Queen, throughout the year, acts as a representative for the region. So it is in the village of El Bolsón during the Festival of the Hops, that the accolade of "Queen" is bequeathed on one lucky young lady.
Another famous feature of El Bolsón's produce is the humble Rose Hip, too a product of Bolsón's special microclimate. Known locally as Rosa Mosqueta, it is very much favored by locals and travelers for its delicious jam, as well as by the pharmaceutical industry for its oil.
Among the other noteworthy delights of El Bolsón are its production of cheeses, smoked trout, home-made beer as well as excellent quality hand-crafts, which are made with a variety of local materials.
Simplicity and Quality
Nowadays, El Bolsón is a melting pot of both histories, myths and legends of the first indigenous inhabitants of the area together with the cultural movements of the 1970s, often known broadly as the hippy movement.
A strong culture of production, honest labour, and of the simple life has thus spread—characteristics which prevail in every corner of this land of Patagonian Cordillerana. (Cordillerana is Spanish for mountain chain or mountain range)
El Bolsón offers its visitors a variety of accommodation, including comfortable and picturesque cabins located in the mountains or on the shores of rivers and lakes, fully equipped camping facilities, clean and presentable hotels, as well as many hostels ranging from large to small.
Travel agencies in Argentina provide information and specials on all the tourist and adventure activities available to see and experience in this marvelous natural wonderland, as well as all the places to eat, farms to visit, artist workshops to admire, and more.
The original article can be found in Spanish here.
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