Hola Chicos!
I´m writing you from sunny and sensational Chile! But I´m keeping this off the topic and you will hear all about Chile in a week´s time.. Sorry.
Let me tell you a bit about our recent adventures through Bariloche and Mendoza Argentina!!
Monday - Marina´s Birthday: Today was all about Marina as it should be and we didn´t really do anything challenging. Firstly to start the day with a little chocolate cake and milk and then the hair salon for a cut and a wee-bit of colouring (shooo, I´m not suppossed to say that)... :D That night we had a gorgeous meal of beef fondue. Chopped pieces of semi-cooked steak that we cooked in a delicous sauce on the table... by far the best meal we had in Argentina, and all topped off by a tasty bottle of Red...
Tuesday - Cerro Cathedral: Bariloche is all about hiking and finally we took our lazy selves by bus to the treking area. Surprisingly the area is a ski resort, albeit a closed one, the trails were still very nice. Hiking among evergreen trees and spectacular views over Gutierrez lake. If you like camping and outdoor activities, Argentina is certainly a good place to be. Another thing about Argentina, when you find restaurants the locals go to, you´re in for a treat. That night we found one, by recommendation from the traveller grapevine. Not only is the food better, but its bigger and cheaper. I guess like anywhere, but its especially true in Argentina. We each had a steak probably as big as this keyboard! Maybe thats stretching the truth, but they were huge! Speaking of stretching, our stomachs certainly did a bit after this dinner.
Wednesday - Bus Bingo: Yes, another long bus ride! This time about 17 hours heading to Mendoza. During the ride, the driver´s assistant starts a game of bingo. This was a perfect way to practice our Spanish numbers. We certainly felt like it was an Easyjet flight (for the Europeans) however they didn´t take a quid off everyone and the winnner took home a bottle of wine.
Thursday - Wineries and a Spanish School Party: The bus ride was absolutely worth it! Mendoza is the capital of wine in Argentina and its a gorgeous city. I think every steet is lined with as many trees as possible. Thanks to an earthquake in 1861 which leveled the city, they built numerous parks and widened the streets. What we have now is a gorgeous city with a lot of charm. Once we checked in to our hostel, we signed up for a tour of the local wineries. Very nice indeed and they are certainly proud of their wine, again probably the same in all countries that produce wine. That night we joined a party at Marina´s new Spanish school and met a lot of fun people.
Friday - Calle Villanueva: Mendoza is definately the party city of Argentina. At least from what we have seen so far. It absolutely tops Buenos Aires. That night we headed to Calle Villanueva which is the party street with the bars. If you recall in Asia we were very particular about eating the local food for ALL our meals. Well in Argentina, I don´t feel exactly the same. Not because we have weakened, but because the food here is all normal - pastas, steaks, pizza, etc. That being said, we haven´t strayed as far as I can remember, but this night we had Mexican - The one food I truly crave all the time! I¨m not sure if I mentioned it, but in Argentina, everything starts late! We usually have dinner around 10pm and as for locals it wouldn´t be strange having dinner (yes a full dinner) at midnight. I´m not talking about partyers, but retired couples, families - with children, EVERYONE! It certainly takes a bit of getting used to. If you want to go to a club; 2am is usually the time to get there.
Yes its sunday and I´m leaving off Saturday. Just to give you a background, while Marina is doing her studies in Mendoza, I´ll be in Chile for the week so your next Post will be all about this amazing country called Chile!
On the iterary for Chile is Santiago > Valparaiso > Vina Del Mar
Until next time,
Hasta Luego!
Dan and Marina
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