27/08/2012 – 30/08/2012 - A bit of Argy-bargy

Yes - we'll take the lot please...

The streets of Mendoza

Taking advantage of the
all you can eat/drink!

Jumped off the bus with zero Argentinian currency, so had to shoulder the back packs and use footpower to the hostel. Until we came across a bank, that is! Decided that an all you can eat barbeque with unlimited vino was a perfect start to our Argentinian experience, so jumped all over it. Not quite as enthusiastically as a fellow British traveller from Oxford, who we last saw hunting in a fridge for more food when the barbeque meat ran out. Think he managed to insult pretty much everyone there, so the latter half of the evening was spent distancing ourselves from him…

Looks deceive - gutted
that this was a very chewy
affair!

Plaza Espana

Mendoza at dusk

At least our parking was sorted!

Enjoyed the pleasantries that Mendoza had to offer, taking in the CBD, the city squares and the park, but if we’re honest we were only there for one thing – the wine! Annaliza had been looking forward to the winery bicycle trip since the flights had been booked, so we made sure we committed a full day to the cause. The weather had been kinder since crossing the border, so the cycling was done in glorious sunshine, and we enjoyed three winery tours complete with tastings at a very leisurely pace. The only hitch in the proceedings was a flat tyre on Tony’s bike, but fear not, the police were all over it! Slightly intimidating standing around next to them for almost 30 minutes whilst a replacement bike was sourced, especially considering there was no shared language hence zero chat… No harm done – if this is the only time we cross paths with the police then we won’t be upset at all! We came across a charming little chocolatier on the home straight, which was the perfect end to a great day in the saddle!

Tony's brush with the law

Again, the vines weren't up to
much, but the mountain views in
the background were special!

Easy Rider

Key Learnings:

The chocolate and jam
were well deserved - maybe
didn't need the liquor!

1. Visiting wineries in South America is similar to Spain, and quite removed from the way Australians do it. Here, you have to take a tour (and therefore hand over $$$) prior to getting any wine anywhere near your lips. That said, we learnt a bit more about how to taste properly and the different qualities of French and American oak…

2. Didn't realise quite how cold it was going to be at the start of this trip so significantly under-packed long sleeved clothing - not ideal for mixing up the wardrobe for blog photos, as you might have gathered!