One River Offers Various Swimming Holes

During our vacations at Carlos Paz, the beaches on the San Antonio had displayed a very beautiful mountain river we visited on several occasions with the family. However, we all felt curious about swimming upriver. We wanted to find other swimming holes. Thus, we would get to know this waterway which contributes its volume to Lake San Roque, and we would get away from the hustle and bustle for one day.

We left very early in the morning and, after considering several choices, we entered Villa Icho Cruz, a quiet town with dirt roads and few permanent denizens. There was a sandy beach on the river at this spot that promised a nice sunny day and a picnic.

We bordered its undulated shore while searching for a shady place among the low vegetation. We left our belongings and headed right for the water jumping on the hot sand. It was a pleasure to step into the crystal clear stream. The bottom was teeming with rocks and golden sand, both fine and thick. The largest rocks gave shape to pools where we were able to swim and then step on them.

The beaches on the San Antonio are shared between Icho Cruz and Tala Huasi, two communities that have emerged in the uneven geography on both banks. High hills hid beautiful weekend houses with swimming-pools.

Next to the bridge, a large wall made up a natural deeper pool. There we went to swim a little and have a different perspective of the surroundings.



A Melancholy Story

“We visited Ycho Cruz (spelt with a Y) years ago, when it was almost unknown and only chosen as a weekend spot by some residents of the City of Córdoba. Yes, it is the same place now. There are some more buildings but its mountain spirit remains intact”, a lady sunbathing next to us told us.

In the middle of the afternoon, we left Icho Cruz and Tala Huasi to go on upriver to Cuesta Blanca, a small community whose dwellers work hard to protect the environment. With an ecologic strength of mind, they preserve everything Nature has provided them with.

We had a ride along the waterfront and, from several panoramic spots, we observed the slopes and buildings scattered on both shores of the San Antonio River. The water was so transparent that we could see the sandy bed and some small fish.

Yet another finding was waiting for us on our way back to Carlos Paz: the Community of Mayu Sumaj and its beaches with similar features. Its modern beach clubs were teeming with young people giving rhythm to the summer. This place has also become famous for the Home-baked Bread Festival, held every year in February.

Three beaches are but one example of what the San Antonio has to offer. Whether we choose to stay at a campsite, a gated neighborhood or a rented house, the river will always be there, meters away from our window. The sound of the birds chirping is a sample of the wellbeing enjoyed at this spot.

We realized that in addition to enjoying the river, there are plenty of activities for the entire family: hiking tours, mountain biking, angling, golf, horseback riding and wild bird watching within their natural habitat.

These mountain villages may not have a very busy nightlife, but they are ideal to spend some quiet vacations enjoying ice-cream parlors or beer bars under the stars. The disco nights will continue to belong to Carlos Paz due to its proximity and offer after the sun sets.

We felt the heat of the day on our faces but the fresh air was leading us back to Carlos Paz with a very pleasant feeling in our bodies. We had breathed a different aroma in this unspoiled scenery. We would surely return to those sites because we tasted some reddish local fruit called piquillín which, rumor has it, provides the necessary confidence to return to this place.