Hazel's Travel Blog: May 2012

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Mendoza & San Juan, Argentina Jan 2012

From Cafayate we rush on to Mendoza as we have arranged to meet our Irish friends from La Paz there for the New Year. Although we spend nearly a week in Mendoza, and a night in San Juan we are too busy enjoying ourselves to take photos so I have compiled here what remnants there are of this part of the trip.

Mendoza is, contrary to what we were expecting, a quiet city, mostly on account of every last morsel of life retreating indoors between the hours of 1-5pm in escape of the heat, also a large part of their cultural afternoon siesta - which they take very seriously. This rule does not discriminate against any Argentinean businessman, shop attendant or cleaner - the supermarkets, corner shops, clothing stores, coffee shops - any place actually need to go between the hours of 1-5pm completely shuts down. Initially a nuisance, this way of life aggravates us, and we moan about how hungry/thirsty/in desperate need of a new dress we are/I am, and then gradually teaches us how to relax and embrace the Argentinean way of life. So instead of trudging the lifeless city during the stifling 38degree heat during the day, we lounge by the pool, sweating by just being, reading and swimming, until the shops and bars and cafes open up. And by Jayzuz does this city come to life at night! Every restaurant is full by 9pm, covetable outdoor seating lining the cobbled streets creates an atmosphere of life and energy and romance and fun!

We are already in love with Argentina and know that even 5 more weeks here will be too short.

Mendoza, renound for its wine production, does not let us down as we rent bikes and cycle from vineyard to vineyard in the outskirts of the city sampling Pinot Noirs and Cabernet - Merlots and Pinot Grigios, practising our pretentious new-found wine expertise on one another as each new winery takes effect. We have gathered an Australian guy and English girl for our expedition and with each passing hour our camaraderie grows and excels into gruesome stories of strange people we have encountered in hostels and places we should definitely go next/avoid, and how lucky we all are that none of us are aforementioned weirdos. We end our splendid day in a home produced beer garden smacking mosquitoes with reflexes diminished to embarrassing incapacity after the days alcoholic events.

Wine Cellar - Mendoza

Our wine expert / tour guide

The barrels where the wine is stored while it ages

Our cycling possie!

Two friendly turtles in our hostels back garden

Biggest bottle of champers ever!

Albino frog - seriously this was in the aquatic museum - so gross!

Donal's first Argentinean steak

Mmmmmm.....

Donal's b-day cake

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Cafayate, Argentina December 2011

Oh are we glad to land in Argentina at last! Although the Bolivian landscape is by far my favourite part of the trip so far, the trials and tribulations that come with its beauty have become tiresome. We are excited about being in a new country and welcome delicious Argentinian food and wine and sun and LUXURY, for we have finally decided we are creatures of comfort and shall treat ourselves as such. We travel first from Tupiza in Bolivia to Salta in Argentina, where we spend a lovely Christmas in strangely warm weather with the loveliest Danish couple ever! Christmas is celebrated on the eve and our hostel organises some traditional music & dancing followed by fireworks and wine and chat and nostalgic comparisons of each of our Christmas traditions. As we spent most of our time in Salta *ahem* drunk I unfortunately neglected the photo taking, which I really regret as this was such a beautiful city. Medium in size - I would estimate maybe the size of Cork City, with its beautiful plaza filled with life and outdoor courtyards and wine drinking and dancing, this is definitely a place I can see myself returning to live for a while. We spend a 3-4days here drinking wine under fairy-lights in the town plaza and playing endless games of cards with a group of Irish, American, Danish and Dutch people we have accumulated at our hostel.

On to Cafayate, a tiny country village with a tiny plaza filled with spectacularly beautiful, and amazingly friendly people. A strong family orientated culture in Argentina is evident, every Thursday evening, families of all ages ranging from toddlers to 90year olds gather to dance in the village square. A lively band encourages all to participate though the people do not need much encouraging. Teenage girls dance with one another, a 5year old boy dances and twirls with an 80year old woman, married couples, young lovers - they all gather here with such infectious community spirit that it makes you want to be Argentinian, to lay claim to such a beautiful culture. The most impressive part of this is that in no way whatsoever is alcohol involved, they do not 'need' it as I'm sure most Irish people could be quoted as saying.

Cafayate is set in a lush valley which receives strong sunshine during the day with cool night temperatures making it an ideal place for grapes to flourish & create delicious red & white wine..mmmm. Cafayates surrounding landscape is green and lush (unlike the road to get here which is dry and barren). For miles outside the village there is vineyard after vineyard, each laid out in perfect lines of cultivation and care.

We visit all of the Bodegas in the town - each of them quite small in their production, one of them only making 20,000 bottles a year, most of which is sold in Argentina or exported to the US. So much delicious wine that we will never see on the shelves in Ireland! It is such an amazing treat to drink the wine where it is actually made and to see the care and dedication that goes into the cultivation of each bottle.

In the following days we rent bikes and cycle to the base of a nearby waterfall, which we then have to hike for 3hours to get to. As the waterfall is not immediately visible or easy to get to alone, we resort to a local 13year old guide who offers to take us there for 40soles each. Sold!