San Carlos de Bariloche Stencils

I have always enjoyed counter cultural protest/punk graffiti/stencils and have amassed a fairly extensive collection on this trip. Typically, college towns offer the best selection ostensibly because the enlightened atmosphere of academia.
However, Bariloche does not have an overwhelming university presence . . . but it did have a number of wanted Nazi's including Erich Priebke who headed a German School and Adolph Eichmann who lived openly in Bariloche for years. Anyhow, let us not forget the influence of money. Ironically, nothing raises consciousness like a little conspicuous consumption. Punk can be a privileged perspective - especially if you going shopping at Hot Topic, the Goth Gap (same corporation owns both), but that is not punk - simply fashion. To be a punk requires some discipline of perspective that you seldom have the leisure for if you are trying to find your next meal.Bariloche is an international tourist destination in a beautiful setting with year around attractions including one of South America's largest ski areas so money and consumption abounds - from the sidewalk cafes



to the alpine slide
















with lift accessto an overlook of Lago Nahuel Huapi where we watched the world's slowest regatta. Initially we could not tell if they were moving in the light wind until a beer later we noticed that their positions had changed.The presence of money can make for some creative expression regardless of functionalityPart of the protest is in response to the nature of development that favors economies of scale - in contrast to San Martin with strict zoning ordinances preserving vernacular architecture - you see lots of little houses next to big hotels waiting for the right offer.Walking neighborhoods you can catch a glimpse of the original architecture of the German/Swiss settlers but the homes are falling to pale imitation to satisfy the increasing demands of tourists . . . looking for authenticity.
However, despite the commonality of the English language and lots of savvy marketing mistakes are made. . . (thank you Matt for the photo!)this is a store for children "up to age 8".I took advantage of Bariloche's abundant services to take care of much needed business like: put on new tires, reattach things falling off the bike, find a bike shop for a new cassette and chain, buy decent chain lube, dry my tent, sleeping bag, pad etc, buy more zip ties (got enough 'til the end now), repair the disintegrating webbing harness that holds my Jandd bags on, wash clothes, buy thread to repair clothes, clean my stove again, sort through gear to lighten my load, including boxes and boxes of flies, repair my shoes again - the list was long and Bariloche was the perfect place to get everything done.Susan, Matt, and I walked around the city and grilled while they got their feet under them after traveling (including a 20 hour drive from Buenos Aires). Also Matt and Natt came into town to say hello. And Bariloche was one of the few places where we were guaranteed to catch the Super BowlSitting in a bar with other English speakers drinking good microbrews, and some even watched the game - but most just chatted until the ads came on.