Thursday 13th November 2014
From the bus window we watch the sun rising over the Patagonian steppe along the Ruta 3.
Someone enjoying the early warmth
I think until now Johannes didn’t quite believe me when I said that we wouldn’t miss much if we travelled by night…
We arrive at the ‘Town of Lewis’ with a delay of just 20 minutes – not bad over a distance of 1,167 kilometres!
After looking at a few other places we go to the Hotel ‘Touring Club’ where I stayed in 2010.
I like its faded elegance
… and the 1920’s bar
As time goes by
We have a room with a view
The hotel is one of Trelew’s tourist attractions of which there are quite a few –
Welsh Tabernacl Chapel
Kiosco del Centenario – commemorating the centenary of Argentinean independence in 1910
On the Plaza Independencia
Tools and machinery of the Welsh settlers
We go even further back in time and visit the excellent palaeontological museum MEF.
Welcome!
Until 2010 I never realised how many dinosaur bones have been (and still are) found in Patagonia.
A specialty of the MEF is to arrange the skeletons in ‘real life’ situations – here fighting marsupials
As recent as May 2014 a farm worker discovered bones of the largest animal that ever walked the earth on an estancia 260 kilometres west of Trelew – the still unnamed Titanosaurus was 42 metres long and weighed 76 tons!
So that you get an idea of the size
Life under water
Once again we are very impressed by the history of Patagonia and digest the day’s lessons while enjoying a more contemporary cuisine.
Friday 14th November 2014
Before we have breakfast we explore a bit more of our own hotel’s past – it had some famous guests in its time.
The dining hall – still used today for groups and school classes who come here on field days
Spot Johannes!
We take the bus to follow the path of the Welsh settlers in the Chubut valley.
Vista panorámica de Gaiman (click on the photo)
Abandoned railway tunnel
Hope the track is really disused…
Johannes Cassidy…
… and the Sunburnt Kid taking pictures
Back in town
The first house in Gaiman built the Robert-Jones family in 1874
Today it’s a museum – where I get a guided tour from a very knowledgeable young woman
Johannes thinks he has done his cultural duties for the time being… 😉
Bridges over the Río Chubut
Obligatory pedestrian bridge
Capilla Bethel – 1913
It’s hot in the Chubut Province…
Another ‘Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Luján’
There are six Welsh tea houses in Gaiman…
… serving – who would have thought? – Welsh Tea
Welsh School – they still speak the language in Gaiman today
Johannes unleashes the dragon…
I could tell you a lot more about the Welsh settlements in Patagonia but I still have a blog to bring up-to-date… 😉 If you are interested in the history and want to read more click here and here.
We return to Trelew
We’ve just finished the leftovers from our Welsh Afternoon Tea in our hotel room when we hear some music from the square. Johannes is downstairs in less than a second.
A local theatre promotes their next show
We think that’s a great conclusion of another wonderful day!
¡Buenas noches!
Pumpernickel on Tour 
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