Argentina Guide
Neuquén and the Lake District
El Bolsón
Set in the bowl of a wide, fertile valley and hemmed in by parallel ranges of mountains, straggly EL BOLSÓN was Latin America's first non-nuclear town and the first to declare itself an "ecological municipality". The claim that the jagged peak of the nearby Cerro Piltriquitrón is one of the earth's "energy centres" led to it become a popular hippy hangout in the 1960s, and while it's a bit more commercial these days, the laid-back atmosphere persists. In summer it's particularly popular with young Argentine backpackers, since it's far easier on the wallet than nearby Bariloche. Spiritual life in El Bolsón is cosmopolitan, and you'll find Buddhist temples as well as a variety of practitioners of alternative paths. Unsurprisingly, UFOs and spirits (duendes) are also said to stop off regularly, being guaranteed an especially sympathetic reception on the last Saturday of February, when the town's main party, the Fiesta del Lúpulo (Hops Festival) is held. It celebrates the harvest of an important local crop, with music in the main square and an enjoyable, well-lubricated atmosphere. The Olimpiadas Agrarias (Farm Olympics) is another offbeat festival worth checking out, occurring over four days in mid-February, with ox races and other oddities. More refined, the town's Jazz Festival ( 
www.elbolsonjazz.com.ar ) is held over a long weekend in early December. Also worth visiting is the crafts market (Tues, Thurs & Sat) on the Plaza Pagano, famous throughout the Lake District for the quality of its merchandise, including locally brewed beers. A small ornithological museum (daily 8am–3pm; $3; www.avespatagonicas.com.ar ) two blocks east of the plaza, on Saavedra and Feliciano, features over one hundred exhibits of stuffed Patagonian birds.