We're back and it took a surprisingly long time, almost a week, to get over the effects of the two-hour time difference plus the additional hour of the clocks falling back. Argentina does not observe daylight savings time, so it was a two-hour difference when we arrived there and a three-hour difference when we got home. Not to mention the abrupt change going from the long spring days in Patagonia to the short dark days of autumn in standard time! We found ourselves nodding off at 8 p.m. for a few days but couldn't sleep past 6 a.m. (and for me, you know that is something!). I am certain I have caught up on my sleep, I am not certain I have caught up on my life yet though. All good and the trip was absolutely worth it!
 |
We spent 3 nights in Buenos Aires and
headed north to Iguazu Falls. |
Learning to navigate Argentinian airports and Aerolineas protocol was a process. Areolineas served us well throughout the country. We took 6 in-country flights over the course of 3 weeks and all flights were on time, within 30 minutes, and all luggage arrived safe and sound at its destination. Figuring out our last-minute gate assignments, boarding process (herd style) and baggage weight limits presented us with a new way to think. "This is not United Premiere!" By the time we flew from El Calafate to Buenos Aires at the end of our trip, we felt like Aerolineas frequent fliers. Thank you for providing us with a quick and easy way to see your country!
Iguazu Falls did not disappoint. We had heard how spectacular it was from others. We hired a guide to show us both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides in one day. Worth it! The day was surprisingly hot and humid...and we are from Texas. I believe the high was 95F/35C degrees with 70-80% humidity. We consumed so much water! Our guide sought the shade whenever he could, he's seen all this before. The town of Iguazu was nice enough, small and very manageable with some good restaurants. Our hotel had a great pool area, I imagine this place is crazy busy in the summer! We oohed and aahhhed at the falls and I said, "Wow!" a lot! The power of all that water is mesmerizing!
 |
Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls
Devil's Throat |
 |
| Beautiful bird! |
 |
These coati were all around! One got on our shuttle train,
one of us freaked out....wasn't me. |
 |
From a distance
|
 |
| And from Brazil! |
 |
Towards the end of our visit to the falls,
this is all I could think of! A cold beer and a dip in this pool!!!
Bathing suit earned its spot in the luggage when we got back to the hotel!
|
We spent two nights in Iguazu and headed back to our friends at Aerolineas and on to Mendoza. Mendoza has been a place TJ wanted to visit ever since he had his first taste of Argentinian red wine! That was many moons ago! It was one of several reasons we decided to make this country our first South American destination.
Mendoza is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Planning a trip like ours, having never visited the country, you just research...a lot (my favorite part), decide where to go and what to do and try your best to give each place enough time but not too much. It is a leap of faith. If I did it again, I would spend even more time in Mendoza. As they say, "hindsight is 20/20" and looking back at my photos and remembering what we saw and what we did, there was so much more to see and do! Even if it only involved looking out over grapevines at the Andes.
 |
| Maybe just sit on a patio here and look out in awe. |
The city of Mendoza is way larger than I expected! I thought it was going to be like Napa or Sonoma, a small town surrounded by vineyards. It is a large city of 2 million people! We really enjoyed learning the history of the city and its many settlers. My favorite part was learning about the plazas that represented different groups who settled the area. There was the Italian Plaza, the Chilean Plaza, The Plaza San Martin ( and fyi, Jose de San Martin is a rock star in Argentina! Every city or town has a San Martin Ave and/or plaza!)and the Spanish Plaza. These four plazas surrounded the Plaza Independencia. They celebrated their history in each plaza. Plus, they were beautiful gathering spaces.
 |
We passed through the Plaza Independencia at night
and it was full of families and all of the fountains were dancing to music!
I called it Bellagio Mendoza
Plus, these two, with the ever present "football", who were happy to smile for the photo.
|
We took a bike tour through the wine country and that is the way to go! We just followed our guide. He was great! He totally reminded me of a younger Anthony Bourdain, which made me like him even more. We visited three wineries on the bike tour, Nieto Senetiner, a high-end winery, Kaiken, a mass production winery and Viamonte, a smaller boutique winery. They were all lovely in their own ways. Riding a bike through small towns, looking at the Andes qualifies as a "pinch me" moment in my life. It wasn't about the wine for me... it was all about those mountains! We were so lucky to be there in the Spring when the mountains were still covered in snow, but the vineyards and the trees were bright green.
 |
| Artsy photo of the day! |
 |
| Our guide, "Anthony Bourdain". |
By the end of our time in Mendoza I am pretty sure I had consumed more red wine than I have consumed cumulatively in my life! I told TJ at one point during our trip, "I have had enough red wine and beef to last me the rest of my life". Argentina is VERY red wine focused... the whites are very nice, but not nearly as popular.
We treated ourselves to one indulgent night at
The Vines. A beautiful resort/vineyard/spa/restaurant in the Uco Valley, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vines. It was lovely and definitely the best accommodations of our entire trip (possibly our entire life). We also experienced the Siete Fuegos (seven fires) dinner. All of the food was cooked over one of the seven types of fire. It is
Francis Mallman's restaurant. We rode all the rides!
 |
| Our villa at The Vines...too bad we couldn't stay longer! |
 |
Dinner, cooking on one of the seven fires.
This same sight can be seen all over Argentina.
Without the amazing view though. |
 |
| The view!!! |
 |
The gym!
No exercise was done here, unless gazing out with your
mouth open in awe is exercise! |
 |
We did ride bikes around the expansive property.
|
The rest of our time in Mendoza was spent driving from the Uco Valley back to Mendoza city. Admiring the view at every curve in the road. Stopped for lunch at one place but they were fully booked, instead they gave us a free glass of wine. Found another lunch place, with an outdoor table for a leisurely lunch. Sunday is the day for long, multi course lunches apparently! Families together, young and old. It was just so nice to witness. We also got to witness the resident dog herding the geese back into the water if they got too close to the edge and tried to come bother the patrons.
 |
| Just doing his job! |
On our last night in Mendoza we did something we have never done before. We had spent the day driving, tasting wine, eating a big lunch plus all the snacks they serve at the wine tastings, drove some more and checked into our hotel around 7 p.m.. We never left the room once we checked in! We were full and tired and just needed a rest! The next morning w flew to El Calafate in Patagonia. The farthest south either of us has ever traveled! And that is material for yet another post, lest you, dear reader, are tiring of reading about what we did in Argentina. I guess if you have made it this far, you aren't too tired yet.
We were both thrilled with the trip so far and looking forward to our time in Patagonia. Still, at this point I was growing a bit tired of all the thinking in a different language. Not that I can think in Spanish, but constantly translating and trying our best to communicate was wearing me out. Not to mention always being surrounded by people speaking in a different language. ( It really limits the eavesdropping!) There were not that many English speaking tourists where we went. We were very grateful for our English speaking guides. Believe me, I did try my best, which isn't great, to speak Spanish...but Si, gracias, esta muy bueno and chow (strong Italian influence in Argentina!) were my "go to" phrases. Google translate was much more effective at communicating! Every night I would study my Spanish and arm myself with words and phrases I thought I needed to know.
See you in Patagonia!
