EscapetoPatagonia.com

Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
Reality sure has a damn way of rhyming in violent and unpleasant epithets!
Back in April 2012, I wrote a similar article titled “Escape to Argentina”, and during one
weekend, more than 10,000 people downloaded that PDF article. Since that article was
published, things have gone exponentially worse economically, financially and geopolitically,
especially in Europe like Ukraine and in the English-speaking countries like the United States.
Today, I want to share with you a real possibility for the good life, maybe even a fantastic one,
that borders on living in paradise on earth.
Hola!, my name is David Chu and I live in Paradise. Northern Patagonia, Argentina to be
precise. Learn why many Ukrainians have relocated to this enchanting region.
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What is it like living in Paradise?
The only way that I can describe the wonderful feelings that I have for living where I live now
is to tell you about my childhood. I was born in Shanghai, China in the mid-1960s and lived
on a small piece of land that my late grandfather had purchased. Growing up in the thenShanghai was truly heavenly for me. Today, Shanghai is completely modernized and totally
changed, probably for a lot better in terms of modern conveniences and for a little worse in
some other things like pollution. By the way, that plot of land, taken over by the local
government, is now a semi-public park and is purportedly worth some $10 million USD!
I still fondly remember the beautiful clouds in the sky. For our yankee readers (I use that word
endearingly when I am in a charitable mood), have you seen any real clouds in the sky lately?
I am not talking about those disgusting and ubiquitous chemtrails that desecrate the heavens
when you look up. In Shanghai in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the sky was unpolluted
and its color was blue. I clearly and affectionately remember those magical clouds that
resembled gods and goddesses to a young child who looked up into the beautiful blue sky
and daydreamed the day away. The air we breathed was clean and pure back then. And the
water too.
Life was carefree and free from harassment. Although China was going through tumultuous
upheavals back then, the Cultural Revolution and other internal power struggles were in full
bloom, life was idyllic for me as a child. Our family was relatively well off, thanks again to my
late grandfather who owned a small ship painting company in Hong Kong. We had a woman
servant in our household and I had a wet nurse as a baby. I did personally witness one
traumatic incident involving the false arrest of my uncle during one night in 1972, but that was
the only bad memory (besides getting my tonsils removed without any anesthetic!)
Shanghai did not have kindergarden back then. So my first encounter with the public school
system was grade one. Being the smartest one in my classroom, the teacher granted me the
honor of teaching my first class in grade one. I also had the honor of carrying and marching
home with the Chinese flag and wearing that red scarf. Both of these honors were bestowed
upon the model and honor students of which I was one.
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
So what is it like living in Northern Patagonia, Argentina?
All of the above wonderful feelings plus a whole lot more. I will describe the life here in more
details below. But first I want to talk about whatʼs happening in this crazy world of ours,
especially in the United States of America where I had lived and worked for some 20 years.
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The most quoted saying about history is George Santayanaʼs “Those who cannot remember
the past are condemned to repeat it”. A less well-known one is purportedly quipped by Mark
Twain: “History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme”.
Well I say, “Reality sure has a damn way of rhyming in violent and unpleasant epithets!”
The following three financial charts just about say it all . . . for those who have eyes to see:
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
The first chart above (left) is a comparison between the Total Private Debt (TPD) held in U.S.
versus its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As you can see, the data stopped in 2010 and the
ratio of TPD to GDP peaked approximately in 1932 and in 2010. A lot higher in 2010. Is this
history rhyming with dire and foreboding consequences to follow?
The second chart above (right) shows the total amount of bonuses, not salary, for 165,200
Wall Street employees versus total yearly earnings of ALL full-time minimum wage earners in
the U.S. for 2013. Bonuses on Wall Street are almost twice the total earnings on Main Street!
The third chart above is the most interesting. It shows the total U.S. National Debt (USND)
rising like a rocket ship and taking off for the moon! Again, the data stopped in 2010. As of
March 2014, the United States has a National Debt of $17.5 Trillion USD. For the morbidly
curious readers out there or you Quentin Tarantino fans, here are the gruesome details up to
the minute and to the very U.S. dollar (USD): U.S. National Debt Clock.
Also in the third chart above, I have taken the liberty to label where the U.S. National Debt is
at currently. The Red Star and the Purple Line show the USND at $17.5 Trillion as of March
2014. Literally, off the charts! In engineering and in the sciences, we call that an “exponential
curve”. And most importantly to note, nothing in the real or natural world survives when it
takes on an exponential trajectory.
Nothing.
Here is something else to help remind our readers that “there is nothing new under the sun”.
The Ponzi schemes from time immemorial through current times are pretty much the same.
They always involve debt and the creation of money from nothing. And they always end very
badly for the 99%. Only the duplicit characters hocking their schemes have changed their
names from time to time and from embodiment to embodiment to hide their crimes, and they
have changed their Ponzi schemes to better sounding names to suit the times.
Schemes like the Federal Reserve System (neither a Federal agency, itʼs a privately owed
banking cartel; nor a Reserve as it creates money and credit from nothing; but itʼs definitely a
System, a Con System), and characters like Jamie “I don't mind paying higher taxes!”
Dimon (JPMorgan Chase CEO) or Lloyd “I am doing God's work!” Blankfein (Goldman
Sachs CEO). Bernie Madoff and Charles Ponzi are chump changes compared to those two.
Names like Wall Street and The Dow.
The cartoon on the next page tried to warn the 99% back in 1921, some 8 years before the
Great Crash of 1929, but to no avail. The text below the cartoon says the following: A 1921
cartoon entitled “The Anglers” shows shady operators fishing for victims in the stock
exchange—a graphic warning widely ignored. [emphasis is mine]
Is history about to repeat itself or rhyme once again? Is Reality about to intrude suddenly?
Are you and your family prepared and safe from harmʼs way?
What will it be? Great Depression 2 (GD2) or World War 3 (WW3) . . . or both (GD2/WW3)?
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
Now that I have your undivided attention, hopefully, I will tell you a little bit more about
Argentina ~ the good, the bad and the beautiful ~ and specifically, the Northern Patagonia
region ~ mostly good and very beautiful.
Why this region of Northern Patagonia is so special as a refuge and a safe haven for people
to escape to, and why the rest of the world is not. Letʼs begin with the latter.
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What About South America and the Rest of the World?
As many commentators have alluded to, South America is probably one of the only places on
planet Earth that is relatively safe. It is geographically the only continent that will not be
directly impacted if there is a global nuclear war. This fact is extremely important because
radioactive fallout from a nuclear war is a short term problem. Most radioactive fallout is
rendered harmless to human beings after about 2 weeks, as opposed to nuclear power plant
disasters involving plutonium like at Fukushima (plutonium has a half-life of 24,000 years). If
and when WW3 occurs, the Middle East, Europe, Russia, China, and North America will all be
directly impacted by weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical and biological WMDs.
Africa is already destroyed by AIDS and centuries of colonialism. Australia and New Zealand,
while relatively safe looking on the surface, employ the same police-state tactics as in the
other English-speaking countries: U.S., U.K. and Canada. Corruption in South America
permits a certain amount of play and negotiation when dealing with the local police and the
local authorities. Central America and Mexico are just too close to the U.S., both physically
and geopolitically.
In South America, Venezuela, Colombia
and Brazil are three nations with a lot
poverty, corruption and violent crimes.
Colombia is very dangerous because of
drugs and civil wars that have been going
on for many decades. Colombia is also the
U.S. military foothold for all of South
America. Brazil is the only South American
country that speaks Portuguese and not
Spanish.
Ecuador and Peru are nice
countries, but they are too close to
Colombia. I am not familiar with Bolivia,
Paraguay and Uruguay, except that
Uruguay is very flat, mostly farmlands, and
is coastal. Paraguay is supposedly where
the War Criminal Bushes have their
hideaway estancia and they are still killing
campesino leaders like itʼs the Wild West.
Because of the lasting influences of the late dictator and the mass murderer Pinochet, and the
economic policies of the “Chicago Boys”, Chile has a lot of U.S. mentality and mannerisms in
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
terms of how they do things, such as their border guards, trucking system, businesses, etc.
That may or may not be a good thing depending on your perspective and preferences.
Although with the very recent election of Michelle Bachelet for her second time as president,
things may improve. Chile is also mostly coastal, faces the Pacific Ocean. And there are just
too many earthquakes and active volcanoes, especially in their Patagonia region in the south.
Myths and Misinformation About Argentina
There are quite a few myths and really bad generalizations, bordering on misinformation,
spoken about Argentina in the lamestream media including the alternative media such as
Zerohedge.com (I suspect that one of the reasons why Zerohedge is so virulent antiArgentina is because of its possible financial connections with Paul Singer who owns one of
the “vulture funds” that is attempting to collect on outstanding Argentinaʼs debts). Most of the
presstitutes, armchair commentators and palace pundits do not know the “real facts on the
ground” as I do from living here. I have lived in Argentina for more than 5 years now.
The late Bob Chapman once said that Argentina is communist which is completely untrue. I
was born in Communist China as stated previously and I know what communism is.
Argentina is socialistic. Since the days of Juan Domingo Peron and probably before,
Argentina has embarked on a socialist path that has almost, but not quite, destroyed this
amazingly abundant nation blessed with clean natural resources almost without end.
Widespread corruption factors a lot into this. But our corruption is the vanilla variety found in
almost all countries, not the genocidal version of our norteamericanos . . . more historic facts.
Argentina was a first world nation 100 years ago. That is one of the reasons why both the
Jews (mainly to the city of Buenos Aires) and the Germans (mainly to Northern Patagonia)
escaped to Argentina before, during and after WW2. After GD2 and WW3, Argentina will reemerge as a first world nation once again.
On a side note, the greatest communist, socialist and fascist nation on planet Earth is the
United States. What TARP 1 and TARP 2, QE 1, QE2 and QE3, the Patriot Acts, NDAA, MCA,
etc. all demonstrate and prove without any doubts whatsoever is that the U.S.A. is the greatest
communist [central command and control via the Fed, DHS, FDA, CIA, FBI, TSA, etc.], socialist
[trillions of dollars spent on corporate bailouts and welfare], and fascist [the complete merger
between Washington, Wall Street and the lamestream media] country in the world. After 9/11, it
has become a totalitarian police state to boot, far more deadlier and a lot more effective than
any Hollywood version of Nazi Germany ever was. It is the cancer on planet Earth.
There are two major problems in Argentina right now. The first one is the high rate of inflation
(purposefully misreported by the lamestream media as an economic problem) and the second
is the GMO plight happening in the northern parts of Argentina. Both problems can be
avoided or completely negated by wise financial planning and strategic relocation, respectively.
Since the introduction of restriction on purchasing USD by the Argentina government in late
2011, the 1% and the business owners of Argentina which are synonymous, mainly centered
in the city Buenos Aires, have been on a rampage in buying up all available dollars inside and
outside of Argentina. These Argentineans hold one of the largest amount of physical USD in
the world, not necessary all of this cash is in Argentina. They have created a black market,
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
the so-called “Blue Dollar”, mainly centered in the financial street district in Buenos Aries, and
they have induced the rest of the people here to do the same, i.e., hoard USD by buying them
any way possible. They are about to get a very rude and catastrophic awakening when the
USD finally crashes due to the collective realization that the USD is manufactured from nada.
The official government-sanctioned conversion or purchase rate of the USD with the peso is
approximately $8 pesos per $1 USD currently. The “Blue Dollar” is currently trading at
approximately $11 pesos per $1 USD. This is a differential of some 37.5%. Remember this
number.
This somewhat artificially created financial phenomenal is what is causing the high inflation
rate in Argentina. For the very least, it is one of the key causes as to why Argentina has such
a high inflation rate. The business owners, those who produce real goods and services in
Argentina, look at the “Blue Dollar” and ask themselves this question: “If the peso is losing
37.5% against the USD, shouldnʼt I as a business owner increase the prices of my goods (or
services) by about the same amount, as my goods (or services) are priced in pesos?” And
that is exactly what they are doing.
Argentina has a very strong union presence throughout the public sector, i.e., public teachers,
bus drivers, police, etc. The unions and their workers, like all Argentineans, feel these price
increases and ask themselves this question: “If prices at the local supermarkets, with our
housing rentals, and with everything else have gone up by 30+% last year, shouldnʼt we
demand that our wages be increased by the same rate?” And that is exactly what they are
doing and getting. Our teachersʼ strike around early March of each year is almost a ritual.
Like the snake chasing its tail in the tai-chi symbol, inflation in Argentina is mainly caused by
the 1% and the business owners chasing the USD and increasing the prices of their goods
and services, and this is then followed by the rest of the people demanding higher wages to
match the price inflation. And so forth and so on. Last year, the inflation rate was around
30-35%. This year it will probably be the same.
The other major problem in Argentina is the infestation of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)
or transgenic crops like soybeans, corn and cotton, and the heavy and ubiquitous use of
glyphosate and other GMO-related chemicals throughout the northern half of the country.
Argentina has always been the guinea pig of the New World Order since the early 1990s.
They test it here first and then implement it elsewhere. For details of how Argentina became
the first guinea pig for this GMO holocaust that is now happening throughout the world,
please get hold of a copy of F. William Engdahlʼs seminal book, Seeds of Destruction. Here
are some very graphic evidence of the effects of the GMO plight in Argentina: GMO fotos.
As I said previously, these two problems can be mitigated if not eliminated entirely by wise
financial planning and strategic relocation, respectively. Owning and running a “mom and
pop” business which is still possible in Argentina is one way to mitigate the inflation problem.
Living far away from the GMO infestation affecting northern Argentina like in Northern
Patagonia is a perfect solution to the GMO problem.
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
Argentina ~ The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful
First of all, Argentina (and Chile) is the most southern country in South America. Protected by
the towering Andes mountain ranges on the west and by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, it is
the eighth-largest nation in the world.
According to Wikipedia, “The generally
temperate climate ranges from subtropical in
the north to subpolar in the far south. The
north is characterized by very hot, humid
summers with mild drier winters, and is
subject to periodic droughts. Central
Argentina has hot summers with
thunderstorms (western Argentina produces
some of the world's largest hail), and cool
winters. The southern regions have warm
summers and cold winters with heavy
snowfall, especially in mountainous zones.”
Remember that the seasons here are
opposite of the northern hemisphere.
Argentina is a land of immigrants like the
U.S., but more European, especially in the
capital city of Buenos Aires. It is a Catholic
nation with mostly non-practicing Catholics.
There are many Italians, Germans, Jews,
Spaniards, Chinese, French, and many other
ethnicities. The official spoken language is
Spanish, but luckily many Argentineans also
speak or understand English.
With a low population of only 40 million
people, this country is truly blessed with an
abundance of natural resources. The crystal
clear fresh waters and lakes of the so-called
“Lake Districts” which are located in
Patagonia (southwestern tips of Neuquén and Río Negro provinces and the western portions
of Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces) are going to be extremely valuable in the near future.
The air quality in the major cities is like any other metropolis in the developing world. But
away from the major cities which is the majority of the country, the air is clean and fresh.
There are no chemtrails in the sky. The sky is blue and the clouds look like clouds.
Argentina is one of the major breadbaskets of South America and the world. However, due to
Rockefellerʼs influence, this country is also one of the major producers and exporters of GMO
soybeans and corn as stated previously. But there are local regions where organic, non-GMO
crops, produce and fruits are grown. Brown rice and wheat are locally grown in Argentina.
Almost all fruits except for bananas and kiwi fruits are also grown here.
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
If you like to eat beef, Argentina is the place. Local asados or barbecues is practically a
national religion after football (or soccer), of course. Factory farming is rearing its ugly head
in the urbanized regions. But some cows are grass-fed and they roam freely. And you can
still buy and drink fresh milk from local dairy farmers without the local police arresting you.
Because Argentina is an export-driven country like BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
and in order to devalue the local peso against an ever falling USD to make it competitive,
Argentinaʼs central bank buys excess USD from its trade surpluses by printing pesos which
then get injected into the local economy. This is the other major cause of our high inflation.
However, for expats and those who have access to foreign currencies and outside incomes,
inflation is not so much a big problem. The current official exchange rate is approximately $8
pesos per $1 USD. Because of favorable foreign exchange rates that keep increasing even
at the official rate, the cost of living is still very inexpensive for foreigners and those with
access to foreign currencies like the USD or the euro.
For example, I am renting a small house on a farm. I spend ~$2,000 pesos ($250 USD) for
rent and about another $2,000 pesos ($250 USD) for everything else which includes utilities
and Internet. My monthly natural gas and electricity bills are $100 pesos ($13 USD) and $50
pesos ($6 USD), respectively. My Internet bill is a bit high, $320 pesos ($40 USD) for 512
kbps, but this is only because I am living in a rural area. BTW, and this is very important to
make a note of, I buy and eat almost all organic, non-GMO food. If I can live very comfortably
and relatively well-off on $500 USD per month, just imagine what you can do with a lot more.
What are relatively expensive are cars, computers, electronics, and manufactured goods. A
decent used car will cost around $60,000 pesos or $7,500 USD. In the U.S., you can buy a
very good used car for $4,000 USD. Here, $4,000 USD will only get you a barely running, 10year old piece-of-crap car. There are still 1970 Ford Falcon station wagons running around
on the streets here (go watch the movie Love Story to see what one looks like!). Imported
goods like computers and electronics are about 50% higher than in the U.S. due to taxes.
When it comes to the importation of goods, Argentina is a fiercely protectionist country. This
policy is both good and bad. It is very good for the local “mom and pop” shops that are
everywhere and for Argentina industries like appliance manufacturers. For example, we
make dual-axis washing machines which are much more durable and reliable than the typical
single-axis ones made by Maytag and others. The “bad” side is that Argentineans and expats
living here pay relatively higher prices for imported manufactured goods which only reflect
real costs and not those of slave labor wages. Overall, Argentina is well insulated from the
tsunami of financial and economic collapses during GD2.
There are internal checkpoints conducted by the local police just outside of all cities and
towns. However, they are only looking for stolen vehicles, drugs, illegals, and tourists with
expired tourist visas. The local police do not have the Anglo-American mentality in terms of
the latterʼs very professional and very deadly police practices. I have not yet seen a single
policeman with a taser gun here. Guns are restricted for most citizens, but high net-worth and
very important people and farmers are allowed to have firearms.
Private medical and dental services are very good here.
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Private health care insurance is
Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
reasonable and is about $200 to $300 USD a month for a family, which includes medical and
dental care (this price range might be a bit old and low). Doctors and dentists, like those in
most non-U.S. and non-European countries, do not have extravagant salaries. Their pay is in
line with teachers and other professional workers. It should be noted that there are as many
local drug pharmacies in Argentina as there are local McDonaldʼs in the U.S. The average
Argentinean person is completely sold on the pharmaceutical brainwashing as everyone else.
Buenos Aires is also known as the plastic surgery capital of South America, if not the world.
Argentina has one of the strongest sets of laws and traditions on private property and real
estate transactions. One reason is because private property is one of the few means to
invest and protect oneʼs wealth over time. Everyone with money including corrupt politicians
invest in real estate, so there is a vested interest in keeping private property laws sacrosanct.
Anyone with a valid passport can buy real estate in Argentina with the same rights as citizens.
However, there are restrictions for foreigners buying in the so-called “Lake Districts” of
Patagonia. Questions on this can be answered by the local inmobiliarias and escribanos.
The real estate agents in Argentina called “inmobiliarias” are almost worthless but they still
somehow manage to collect 3% commission on the real sale price from both the buyer and
the seller, doing absolutely nothing except for listing and showing properties. Buying directly
from the dueños (Spanish for “owners”) is how the locals and savvy foreigners do it.
The person who does all the paperwork, which includes the work typically done by real estate
agents and escrow officers in the U.S., is a licensed and legal notary called the “escribano”.
This person charges around 1-2% on the declared sale price, which can be 20% to 50% less
than the real price paid to the seller. Taxes and fees (2-4%) are paid on the declared price.
Taxes are relatively high and there are many. There is a VAT tax of 21% on almost all goods
and services, but it is included in the sale prices at the supermarkets, restaurants and
everywhere else. The government taxes citizens on their total worth (properties, cars, etc.)
annually (around 1%). But the Argentineans have evolved into the best tax cheats in the
world, even better than the Greeks, as only a cash-based society could easily facilitate.
Travel and tourist visas to Argentina are much more lax and easier than the U.S. Tourist visas
are approved upon arrival at the international airport in Buenos Aires called the Ezeiza
International Airport (EZE) and at international border crossings. Tourist visas are good for 90
days and are renewable.
There is another major airport in Buenos Aires called the
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) for all the internal flights within Argentina. Travel between
these two airports is about a 1-hour taxi ride.
The bus system between cities is one of the best in the world. Via Bariloche, the premier bus
company in Argentina, has a bus service called the “Tutto Letto" which is on par with a firstclass airplane. This bus service makes the Greyhound buses in the U.S. downright shameful.
By the way, there is an airport entry fee of $160 USD for U.S. passport holders, implemented
in retaliation for visa fees imposed on Argentineans traveling to the U.S. This entry fee is
good for 1 year. Canadian and Australian citizens also have to pay a similar entry fee.
A temporary residency visa is easy to obtain if you can prove a guaranteed monthly income of
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
at least $8,000 pesos or ~$1,000 USD (best to have $2,200 USD per month or more). This
visa is good for one year and is renewable. After 3 years of temporary residency, you can
apply for your permanent residency and then later citizenship. There are immigration
companies in Argentina to help you get a temporary residency visa approved in 3-6 months.
Please note that you need to obtain a “criminal history record” from the FBI if you are living in
the U.S. So, for anyone who has a criminal record, it may not be easy to relocate to Argentina.
The above information are some of the nuts and bolts of real life “facts on the ground” in
Argentina. The following sections briefly describe 3 special relocation places throughout the
longitudinal length of the country, and they also highlight the fact that if you have some
money, especially from foreign sources, you can literally live like kings and queens in Argentina.
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province (Middle Argentina on the Atlantic coast)
The “Paris of South America” is the cultural, business and geopolitical heart of Argentina.
Buenos Aires has a population of some 13 million in the greater metropolitan area, about 33%
of the entire population. It also has some of the best thieves in the world, viz., the theft of
Jenna Bushʼs cell phone right under the noses of the U.S. secret service. Buenos Aires is, of
course, known for tango dancing. Everything cultural and European is located in this city.
The Recoleta residential area is where most of the tourists hang out and is very safe. If you
plan to stay in Buenos Aires, I recommend a company called BACityApartments.com which
provides 5-star accommodations at a fraction of 5-star hotel prices, and their service is
available door-to-door starting from the Ezeiza International Airport. It was created from
scratch by an Australian in 2006. Some of the extra features they provide which are not found
in regular hotel services include the free use of a cell phone, Apple TV, etc.
For those with a more modest budget, there are plenty of youth hostels and inexpensive
hotels in the Recoleta and other surrounding areas. Personally, I avoid spending time in this
big city as much as possible and only use it as a traveling point in and out of the country.
Córdoba, Córdoba Province (Northern Argentina)
Córdoba is a really fascinating city in Argentina. It is a cross between the megatropolis of
Buenos Aires and the alternative towns of Argentina mentioned below. Personally, I have only
passed through this the second largest city in Argentina on many bus rides and have not
stopped to explore this very interesting city. Valle de Punilla in the northern Sierras of
Córdoba is an enchanting place and so is a magical town called “Ischilín” also just north of
Córdoba. Of course, the annual Oktoberfest in the Villa General Belgrano is very popular.
San Rafael, Mendoza Province (Middle Argentina Near the Andes)
If you like wine country, San Rafael and the surrounding areas in the province of Mendoza is
the place. The weather there is mediterranean. I have never been there myself. Byron Lutz,
an American who lives in Florida, runs a real estate company that markets farms and
vineyards for sale in the Mendoza province, especially the San Rafael area: Byronlutz.com.
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
Northern Patagonia ~ Mostly Good and Very Beautiful
Northern Patagonia is a very special region that consists of the southwestern tips of Neuquén
and Río Negro provinces and the northwestern portion of Chubut province. It looks and feels
very much like Bavaria in Germany or the lake and mountain districts of Switzerland.
Here you may find your slice of paradise on earth as I have. There are two kinds. If you are
more of a city person and like to eat at fancy restaurants and enjoy skiing during the winters,
San Carlos de Bariloche is the place. For those who are more into nature and desire a more
rustic lifestyle, the area in and around El Bolsón is the region to be (we have skiing too!).
San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro (Northern Patagonia)
The premier skiing resort city in South America is called San Carlos de Bariloche which is
located at the southwestern tip of the Río Negro province.
It is also known as the
“Switzerland of Argentina” because of the snow-capped mountains and absolutely gorgeous
cabañas located on lake front properties. As one Californian describes it, “Bariloche is Lake
Tahoe on steroids!” And it truly is as I have lived there for about 2 years.
Only a 2-hours direct flight from Buenos Aires, Bariloche is a sprawling city of some 150,000
residents. It is located along the southern shores of the beautiful and crystal clear Nahuel
Huapi Lake. If the following foto does not take your breath away, there is no hope for you!
One of the most beautiful hotels in the world, pictured above, is called the Llao Llao Hotel and
Resort. Itʼs about 40 minutes west of downtown Bariloche. This is where the South American
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
presidents gather when they have their regional conferences in Argentina. For ordinary
mortals, the price for staying there is what one would expect to pay for a private suite at the
Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, i.e., very expensive. The Llao Llao sits on a hill overlooking not
one but three crystal clear lakes and it has an 18-hole golf course for all you golf lovers.
There are many boutique hotels (“mini-Llao Llaos”) located throughout Bariloche. The above
picture of crystal-clear lake waters was taken by a private beach just below one of these
fabulous hotels.
El Bolsón, Río Negro (Northern Patagonia)
El Bolsón is known as the hippie capital of Argentina. In the late 1960ʼs and early 1970ʼs,
hippies and those who wanted a simpler life converged in this fertile and protected valley.
Now, they are all a bunch of rich hippie landowners. Small 2-10 acre farms are called
“chacras”. A typical farmable chacra will cost around $50,000 USD per hectare (or about
$20,000 USD per acre). El Bolsón is a pleasant and scenic 2-hours drive south of Bariloche.
Because of the microclimate here, organic vegetables and fruits are grown locally. This area
is known as the “Frutas Finas” capital of Argentina as many fine fruits like organic raspberries,
organic strawberries, organic cherries, etc. are all grown here locally.
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Escape to Patagonia
Free Yourself While the Doors Are Still Open and Live in Paradise
by David Chu
This sheltered valley is also the natural location for many teaching centers on permaculture
and sustainable practices like biointensive cultivation. For those who are into spiritual and
alternative practices, there is a very special center called Lumina Espacio Holístico.
During the summer season, the climate here is four-seasons much like southern Oregon,
there is a huge public fair and organic family farmerʼs market located in downtown El Bolsón
every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Here you can buy all sorts of locally made
handcrafts and homemade items. From homemade jams to wood clocks filled with dried
flowers to the famous Argentina empanadas to organic vegetables to handmade jewelry.
There are several fertile and sheltered valleys in this Northern Patagonia region. So much so
that many Ukrainians have relocated here, because this area reminds them a lot of the fertile
lands of their beloved Ukraine, without any of the political persecutions and upheavals.
Life in Northern Patagonia is truly magical and enchanting.
For me, it brings back the wonderful feelings I had when I was growing up in Shanghai. Life
here is almost carefree. There are no cops on the highways to ticket you for speeding.
Saying “Hola!” to a local policeman or policewoman wonʼt get you tasered like in the U.S.
They even smile and say “Hola!” back at you. Imagine that!
Life here is as it should be. Free from harassment and free from any impending disasters,
natural or man-made. And you are free to do almost anything you desire here.
Freedom.
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In Conclusion
I hope that the information provided above has wetted your appetite to find out more about
Argentina, most especially Northern Patagonia. You can truly discover your safe haven and
your own slice of paradise on earth here in Northern Patagonia, as I and many others have.
Most importantly, I hope that you realize that we are living in really precarious times that could
suddenly change for the worst, and that it does take courage, a clear vision and a concrete
plan, properly executed, to safeguard the future for yourself and for your loved ones.
Always remember these two things: A wise wo/man waits, but s/he who hesitates is lost. And
it is always better to be a bit too early than a minute too late.
If I can be of any help or service to you, please feel free to get in contact with me at:
[email protected]
This PDF article “Escape to Patagonia” is located online at www.escapetopatagonia.com.
Buena Suerte and Best of Fortune!
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