Friday the 21st: Dinosaurs, ho!

[kelpercomehome]

Apart from the wine and the transport connections, the main attraction in Neuquén for a tourist is paleontology. There have been some remarkable finds in the region, of extraordinary dinosaurs that are unknown elsewhere. These finds are on display in two museums: the Ernesto Bachmann Museum, which is in Villa El Chocón, to the southwest of the city

Comments

[dine]

your subject line made me laugh, but the photos are fantastic! and your lunch sounds delicious too. still enjoying being a tourist at second hand; you're sharing experiences I'll never have, and I love the bits I learn from your posts

[kelpercomehome]

I am delighted to have made you laugh, and to have kept you happily reading all this time!

[crazycrone]

The spiky thing, golly!

[kelpercomehome]

"Golly" is an *excellent* response to it!

[shewhomust]

That's a lot to visit two small museums, but they're unique museums and will I ever have another chance? I will not and that's what it costs, so just put it in your budget, Fiona.

That's the spirit!

And they are very splendid dinosaurs. I'm sorry about the random closure - I hate it when museums do that.

[kelpercomehome]

It's not *impossible* that I will be back in the area (maybe with a friend who drives), but in that case I will phone both museums beforehand. When I was in discussion with the taxi company back in October, the boss called the museums to check opening times, but he probably didn't think to check if they would be open on the 21st of December. And maybe the closure wasn't planned back then. (I'm trying to console myself. )

[byslantedlight]

I've been reading about your holiday but not commenting much I'm afraid - enjoying it though! This sounds like a wonderful day, despite the closed museum - and those dinosaurs! How amazing! For some reason South America has never been high on my want-to-visit list (apart from wanting to visit everywhere, of course), but you're making me re-think that!

[kelpercomehome]

The previous edition of LP mentioned an active paleontological dig site where tourists could join in the excavations (Lago Barreales), but unfortunately I think that's been closed for some time. That must have been amazing.

There's a lot to see in this part of the world. It helps to have decent Spanish, but in a lot of places that's not essential.

[gilda_elise]

Another amazing day! I especially love the dinosaur bones (who wouldn't?,) and their footprints. But the entire area sounds really interesting.

[kelpercomehome]

After so many weeks in areas that are defined by their tourism, I think it felt exotic to be in a place with a completely different set of priorities. I don't know how Neuquén in regarded elsewhere in Argentina - I should ask Carlos.