December 24: Merry Memories in Puerto Madryn

I hadn’t planned on staying in Puerto Madryn a second night and was looking at my Windy App during dinner trying to convince myself it was safe to ride the next day. But after discovering a travel advisory warning motorists to stay off the road, I decided to hunker down. It turned out to be a magical, merry night.

This coastal city in the Chubut province of Patagonia, Argentina is beautifully situated on the Golfo Nuevo, a sheltered bay that opens into the South Atlantic Ocean. With a several hundred-meter-long jetty reaching out into the vast blue waters and plenty of shops and restaurants on the shoreline, it is ideally located for strolling, shopping, and eating any time of day.

With extra time on my hands in the afternoon, I relaxed in the central square, walked along the water’s edge, picked up some fresh fruit at the market, took in the sea view from my well-appointed and reasonably priced room, and enjoyed flavorful, buttery, and perfectly spiced homemade beef empanadas at the Lizard Café.

Once the sun went down, though, the city really came to life. Festive light twinkled from strands hung on trees and buildings, a Christmas market offered wares from local craftsmen, an entrepreneur in a colorfully painted bus hawked decorative signs, children jumped on a lit-up large trampoline, and people from all walks of life enthusiastically danced to loud music piped out at the central square.

As a night person myself, I find a special joy in seeing families enjoying each other’s company so enthusiastically late into the evening. At 10:15 pm, toddlers were still sitting on their parents’ shoulders watching the festivities, youngsters were running on the grass, and everyone was moving to the beat. I’m so glad I got to experience this delightful slice of South American culture.