Mendoza, Argentina

 We traveled all day; twelve hours from Llao Llao to Mendoza. The delay was in flying to Córdoba and spending five hours there waiting for a continuation flight to Mendoza; somewhat inconvenient, but the other alternative is a much longer bus ride.  I think Mendoza may be the low point in our trip. It will be difficult to compete with the attractions of Buenos Aires or Llao Llao.

From our hotel room looking west.  All the trees are irrigated, and they really improve the city atmosphere- walking down lush, shaded streets instead of hot pavement from direct sunlight. The Andes mountains are in the distance.

Mendoza is a large city built in an arid climate using water brought in from the Andes mountains through irrigation ditches. Little water channels run everywhere, along the curbs of streets, through the park lawns. We witnessed two young women, who drove their car too far forward when parking, dropping the front end into an irrigation ditch; it caused considerable damage to the vehicle.  The streets are well-shaded by many irrigated trees. While enjoying the scenery, you need to keep an eye on the uneven/broken tiles of the sidewalks. Not much of an Old Town here or a notable skyline; the mountain slopes to the west are barren, befitting a scrub brush climate.

The big attraction here is the vineyards, world famous Malbec grapes. We are staying in a twenty-story tall major hotel in the city center, close to shopping, parks, and restaurants.  My lactose intolerance is a drawback here. Many restaurant dinners have cheese and milk in the recipes; with the language difference it is important to communicate clearly.

In the evenings, the streets are crowded with people with late dinners being normal.

Street vendors set up their stalls in the park plazas to sell a variety of high-quality hand-made merchandise.  Clothing, leatherwork, food, toys, kitchen utensils, paintings, spices, knives, sculpture, jewelry; whatever you desire.

The weather is appropriate for shorts & T-shirt, upper 70's. Siesta is observed, and in the evenings the streets are full of people. Outdoor restaurants open about 8pm. A Harley Davidson motorcycle meet is in town; plenty of rumbling exhaust.  Note the irrigation ditch at the left edge of the photo.

However, the traffic here is clean burning, with no discernible exhaust fumes. Two nights ago, an antique sports car show was held in the central plaza. Beautiful old cars, most all European, including an Aston Martin, like James Bond drove in a "007" movie. The Porsche club also had 25+ vehicles on display. We have been walking in a beautiful park on the west edge of the city: 970 acres with golf, tennis, equestrian, zoo, rowing (the lake was hand dug by prison inmates), World Cup soccer stadium, amphitheater, and many shaded running trails.

Fountain of the continents in General San Martin park.

Flower stalls always add color to a street scene.

We went on an excursion with nine other tourists to some vineyards in the Valle de Uco, a newer grape growing region near the Andes mountains. These are large, modern, international businesses. The trip included an outstanding meal in a scenic setting. The veal tenderloin here is fabulous; Argentina is known for its meat products. Excursions like this also promote meeting other tourists, many from far distant places- Thailand, Australia, Spain, Canada, Ireland, and others, which adds to the exposure to new ideas and viewpoints. Future trips suggested to us include Italy, New Zealand, and China.

Wine, vineyards, and Andes mountains.

This vineyard is on 5000 acres.  The owners live in the Netherlands.  It is a huge international enterprise.  Note the piano in what is an underground wine ageing vault; the vault is huge and has perfect acoustics for a piano concert.

Bariloche & Llao Llao Resort

We have been at Llao Llao resort for a week and are impressed. Resort activities are all inclusive: golf, kayaking, tennis, archery, hiking, mountain biking, outdoor infinity pool, rappelling.  Then, of course, there are the spa, Pilates, fitness equipment, reading room, indoor pool, billiards, table tennis, etc.  Thus far we have been hiking, mountain biking, archery, and Pilates.

Sub-tropical rain forest begins just past the tennis court in this photo. Trails lead to isolated beaches to the east and west along this isthmus.  We rode mountain bikes across the golf course and into the forest.

A beach cove on the lake.  Some private homes are located in the park; sales of land to some individuals brought the needed funds to develop the remainder of the park.

Doesn't this look like an ocean fjord?  The photo was taken looking out from the same cove as shown above.

San Carlos de Bariloche is touristy and has experienced recent rapid growth.  As a result, it is congested, has many construction projects underway, and has a fringe of scrap-made shacks from people coming here to seek work.  I am glad that we booked this resort, surrounded by forest and lakes and located 20 miles west of the city.

Okay, the secret is out: Dawn walks her bike up the steeper sections of trail.

Sunrise and the moon setting from our hotel window.

Sunset, also from our hotel window.  The beauty was outstanding in every direction we looked at this location.

Panuelo marina, directly adjacent to Llao Llao resort.  Boat excursions depart from here to all parts of the lake.

We are in northern Patagonia, and the scenery is everything you could imagine. The hotel is on an isthmus between multiple lakes, surrounded by mountains, covered by dense forests. The lakes are pristine; wide, deep, clear, with many bays, islands, and channels; large enough for commercial boat trips several hours in length. We are surrounded by rugged mountains with exposed craggy peaks; showing the first snows of the coming winter.  The forests are dense old growth; huge trees with trunks 4-5 feet in diameter extending more than a hundred feet high.  It reminds us of the old growth forest we encountered in the San Juan islands in the Pacific NW.  This is the region where the story of Bambi, the deer, originated, and it truly is a storybook surrounding.

Typical shoreline of Lago Nahuel Huapi seen while on an excursion.

Docked near the Chilean border, waiting for passengers to embark/disembark from the border crossing.

We took an all-day commercial boat excursion on Lago Nahuel Huapi to the Chilean border.  This is an incredible lake: surface area of 200+ square miles, depth of 1400+ feet, and cold (45 degree F.), clear water fed by snow and glaciers.  The scenery is very similar to the fjords of Norway; multiple waterfalls cascading down steep surrounding mountain slopes.  At the far end of our trip, a few tourists joined our group after passing through the border procedures,  the border at this point is a remote customs outpost on a rough gravel road connecting to the dock on the lake.

We also took an excursion by tourist van to Cerro Tronador, a glacier-clad extinct volcano whose highest peak marks the border between Argentina and Chile.  The road is mainly a rough, one-lane, gravel road, discouraged for use by rental cars (no wonder the shock absorbers were shot when we tried to rent a car).

Lago Mascardi, note the color of the water has been changed by suspended minerals in the waters entering from glacier-fed sources.

This is actually a telephoto shot of Cerro Tronador, (11,736' tall) taken from in front of our hotel, about 30 miles away.  I use a cheap ($150) Sony camera, small enough to hide in my shirt pocket, and it gets great results.

Base camp.  Time for lunch before we drive up to the base of the glaciers.

The glacier's edge is about 90 meters thick.  people in this region report that the climate has been significantly warmer with less rain in recent years.

The atmosphere in this area is European; probably for good reason.  Many citizens here are the offspring of European immigrants.  Culturally, Europe is the model for their institutions. They pay heavy taxes and in return enjoy "free" government services.  Buildings and homes here have an Alpine look. In winter, the resort becomes a ski lodge. Temperatures are mild enough that the ski season is only three months long.

Argentina essentials

Argentina has recently become much more friendly to visit.  Previously they had a $160 "visa" tax on incoming Americans which was abolished about six months ago.  Now they have exempted visitors with a foreign passport and a foreign credit card from paying their stiff 21% VAT on larger purchases starting this January.  Much of the economy still seems to run on cash; in addition to credit cards; I would recommend bringing dollars. Even if your credit card company collects no foreign transaction fees, the local banks which run the ATMs will charge a transaction fee.  We have also found long lines outside ATMs some days, and banks here have limited hours.  We have exchanged currency at our hotel and Western Union ($10 fee) as well as an ATM.  Some people will take US dollars.  Hotels prefer to list cost in dollars, because of peso fluctuation.

Argentina has 220 volt electricity and more than one plug type. We have found US sockets, European sockets, and a unique Argentinian socket type (which may be similar to Australia). Fortunately, hotels will have plug adapters to borrow. With many modern electronics, voltage is often adaptable. Dawn has a 220V hair dryer, bought in Europe, which is handy on these trips.

A complete evening meal for two can easily cost 700-1000 pesos.  So expensive?  We have to remind ourselves that is only $45-$65.  Carrying 2000 pesos is only about $130; enough to pay for an excursion and meal.  I would strongly recommend some knowledge of Spanish when visiting.  It can be done without, but some familiarity makes it so much more comfortable.  Not all ATMs, subway instructions, or airport check-ins will have English versions.

Argentinian Spanish differs slightly from Spain or Mexico.  This morning, we learned that the double L sound 'll' which would be pronounced like a 'y' in Spain, is here pronounced with a 'sh' sound.  Spanish here seems to be very clearly enunciated to us.  Many of the vowels are pronounced similar to English usage.  Interesting: I could understand announcements in Spanish on the subway in Buenos Aires better than announcements in English on the subway when we visit Washington, D.C.

 
On the subway and in crowded areas I carry my billfold in my front pocket, but we have not been in a situation that felt unsafe.  We are routinely careful and were advised to not walk in certain areas at night. In a metro area of 14 million, such situations should be expected.  The Argentine people are routinely friendly and helpful.

We rented a car for a day trip to some scenic locations.  Because it was only for one day and we were taking no luggage, we signed up for a entry level car, a small Chevy.  We headed out in the morning planning to cover about 200 Km (125 miles).  But, after driving only a short distance, a big dog ran out in front of the car (left to right) forcing emergency braking and swerving to avoid the dog.  (There are many stray dogs in Argentina.)  Dawn was driving and almost lost control of the car in the maneuver. 

The car body rocked violently from side to side, reacting far beyond her steering wheel input.  We pulled over to the shoulder while Dawn regained her composure.  Then we decided to take the car back to the rental agency.  If another such situation occurred, the outcome would questionable.  What if a car changed lanes suddenly in front of us, which could easily happen in the "relaxed" driving rules of Argentina?  Obviously, the installed shock absorbers were non-functional.  This results from driving on the rough gravel roads common in this area. Standing beside the car, I could easily rock it from side to side just from pushing with my hands.

The lesson here is that vehicles in regions like this may not be maintained to normal specifications.  In this case, we could have had a serious accident.  In retrospect, we should have investigated more closely and considered more upscale vehicles.

Buenos Aires

Our arrival in Buenos Aires was well timed.  The weather had been in the 90's Fahrenheit; then a cool front came through the night before our arrival to push temperatures down into the pleasant 70's. It was a one-hour car transfer from the airport to our hotel.  The driver was talkative; first question was 'what do you think of your new President?' Then he launched into Argentinian politics and life. Buenos Aires metro area has almost 14 million persons; one third are at or below the poverty level. Eternal struggle between rich and poor.

After our ten hour flight, we crashed at the hotel for a few hours; then it was off to find dinner.  Our boutique hotel (15 rooms) is in Palermo Viejo, an Italian neighborhood. It's considered a good area, but still reeks of "third world".  Not necessarily a bad thing, but it has distinct characteristics.  Watch out for the dog poo, uneven sidewalks, broken/missing tiles, and scattered trash. (That could also describe Washington, DC).  Many small shops; you need to look closely to find their shop sign. The food and service is good; although not cheap.  Our hotel staff are extremely helpful.

Our first full day was fantastic. We walked to Evita's (Eva Peron) grave; toured an outstanding open market of handmade goods; and then joined up with a tour guide and two other couples (from England and Denmark) for a tour of the area.  Eva Peron (Duarte) is buried in Recoleta Cemetery, one of the most amazing cemeteries on earth.  The monuments in this cemetery are huge and ornate.  They are actually small buildings, extending 25-30 feet below ground with space for multiple coffins, stairways, windows, displays, and extensive original carvings and statues.  Only the wealthiest and most famous get buried here.

Our guide was from Venezuela; trained as a professor but reduced to supplementing his income with conducting tours.  With his background, he explained the economic and political history of Argentina. Quite complicated! We ended up at the Kirchner Cultural Centre (one of the largest on earth) for an evening concert.  Our outdoor dinner started at 10:30pm (many restaurants open at 8pm). We were able to flag down a late taxi for a ride home.

We visited two locations today.  First, we took a boat trip to Tigre, exploring the Rio de La Plata delta. The homes there are on the river, which is their means of transport.  Apparently, even fresh water is brought in by boat. A wide variety of homes from beautiful to shacks.

Along the way we stopped in San Ysidro, very wealthy, beautiful area where the Argentina president has a home.  A very tall and well-kept cathedral is located there. Many public spaces are not so well kept.

Next, we went right into downtown Buenos Aires to visit the presidential palace, "the pink house", national cathedral, and other grand buildings.

Then we came home on the subway during rush hour; wish I got a picture of that, but the subway car was so packed that I had no room to get my camera out.  It was a real sense of accomplishment to get my SUBE card, load it with pesos and navigate the signs and tunnels of the subway system to get us to multiple locations around the city.