Lewis heads for the Argentine Lake District – Bariloche

The Neuquen Countryside

Lewis the Lion left Neuquén in Argentina on a bright, autumnal afternoon. As the weather seemed so much warmer where he was in South America, he’d forgotten about the changing seasons, but changing it was as he looked out from the coach window on thin, tall, yellowing trees and reddening scrubland.

The yellowing, autumn trees

Of course even though it was mid-April in South America, unlike in Europe, it was autumn time.

The yellow scrubland of Neuquen

Patagonia was so vast, the coach seemed to drive on for miles passing farm after farm, all set against the purple line of some distant hills. Pylon lines were strung up across the landscape. Signs cropped up sporadically offering ‘Huevos frescos’ – ‘fresh eggs’ and from time to time, abandoned, old cars too.

Lewis spies abandoned cars

Even in the middle of nowhere, billboards appeared every now and again advertising candidates in the next political election. Occasionally, strange little hutches appeared along the roadside, marked with a red cross and red flags on short poles. Lewis wondered if it was some kind of memorial? He would try to find out why they were there.

Roadside memorials

He was headed this time to San Carlos de Bariloche or Bariloche as it was more commonly called. It was said that Walt Disney had come up with his Bambi creation after the Bariloche landscape had inspired him. Lewis only knew that this was a place of extreme beauty, where there was lots of opportunities for adventure sports and a place to taste exquisite chocolate. He wondered what the next few days would have in store for him?

He met a friend on the bus, Marcus, who worked for the bus company who told him more about Bariloche as they journeyed along and he felt a wave of excitement sweep over him.

Lewis meets a friend, Marcus, who works on the bus

Lewis looks onto the motorway from the top of the coach

As he drew closer, the landscape changed with steep, yellowing mountains, with dark navy coloured lakes: simply beautiful!

Lewis spies the Bariloche Lakes

Lewis the Lion didn’t know about Bambi but as he looked out of the coach window, he thought this place was the stuff of fairytales. He could almost see the dragons wrapping their tails around the mountaintops!

Lewis admires the view from the coach window

 

Lewis and Helen draw close to Bariloche

Do you know of any places which have inspired a film or a story?

Have you visited any particular place which has inspired you to write a story or a cartoon like Walt Disney?

What place in the world would you most like to visit to write your special story?

About Helen Molloy

Helen Molloy has been a Primary Learning and Teaching Consultant, leading on the introduction of Primary Languages in the City of Stoke-on-Trent for the past 5 and a half years. She is passionate about language learning and inspiring children into developing a curiosity and awareness of other people's languages and cultures.
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2 Responses to Lewis heads for the Argentine Lake District – Bariloche

  1. Linda Alliband says:

    Hi- your adventures look amazing. So good to see the photos. Travelling by coach must be amazing as you watch the country roll by. You look fab too! We are well. Steve loves Cloverley. I am hoping to move over at Easter.Gob Bless and take care. Linda A

    • Helen Molloy says:

      Hola Linda,
      Gracias por tu mesaje! Yes, am having an incredible time and long coach journeys are part and parcel of travelling across Argentina: I’ve got a coach later today which will take 18 hours and 20 minutes! Can you imagine where that would take you from England – probably across the whole of Europe!
      Really happy that Steve loves Cloverley and good luck with the move too.
      Love and best wishes,
      Helen (and Lewis the Lion naturally!) xxx

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