Adventures in Argentina: Mendoza

Well it has been awhile since I last updated. Classes have kicked into high gear the past few weeks. I have hardly had time to do anything other than study. It was frustrating as the first part of the semester we were given a normal amount of work and then the past few weeks have been just jammed pact with numerous assignments and tests in each class. I was able to get away this past long Easter weekend for a last excursion in Argentina. I went with Cameron to Mendoza, a smaller city about 14 hours away on bus. We left after class on Wednesday and arrived the next day around noon. We went through a different company than normal to avoid the craziness of Retiro station in Buenos Aires. It was also a lot more personal of a trip and we got to know the other travelers on the bus and the guide, Alejandro, was funny and made the ride enjoyable. We stopped at a gas station and then the next morning at a traveler's restaurant a few hours out of Mendoza for a medialuna (croissant) and coffee. When we arrived in Mendoza, we were dropped off at our two-star hotel, San Remo, where we shared a cama matrimonial. We were picked up a few hours later for a city tour. We had to practice our Spanish a lot more than in Buenos Aires as nobody speaks English. After the end of our tour we visited the Los Toneles bodega, got a tour and lesson on the process of wine making and then a tasting. Mendoza is known for their bodegas (vineyards) as well as olive oil. We were dropped back off at our hotel later that evening and went out for a cheap bite to eat at a restaurant on Las Heras. We went to an ice cream place after that my guidebook had recommended.. it was the best soft serve I have ever tried... although it could be because it was dulce de leche flavored.
On Friday we went to Betancourt Aventura located in Lujan, a town outside of the center and surrounded by the Andes. Cameron and I signed up for rock climbing and repelling since it was too windy to go paragliding. We had lucked out and got private lessons with the owner and founder, Fernando Betancourt. It was scary as we were really high up on the side of a mountain but it was so much fun. After he drove us back to the base where we had caprese empanadas. After lunch, we headed out to a nearby gaucho ranch and went horseback riding up the mountains. The views got more breathtaking with the incline. The horses were a bit smaller than the ones in the states and go two speeds: slow and really slow. But it was fun to experience a true "gaucho" horseback ride.
On Saturday Cameron and I woke up early to catch a bus to Maipú, a town full of vineyards about 45 minutes away. We rented bicycles for 25 pesos (5 dollars) and set out for the bodegas. Most offered free tours and sometimes even free tastings. We visited a wine museum, five vineyards, and an olive farm along six miles of paths with scenic views of the mountains, vineyards and farmland. My favorite stop was La Familia Di Tomaso, the oldest vineyard in Mendoza. Our last stop was Olivicola Laur where we learned about the different types of olive oil and why olives are different colors. For those of you like me who didn't know, extra virgin olive oil has the lowest acidity (less than 0.8). Another fun fact: green and black olives can come from the same tree, even the same branch! The color corresponds to the ripeness of the olive when picked. Green are picked before ripening and black when they are ripe. Cool, huh?
The next day, Easter, we woke up early to study for finals at a local Havanna cafe in Mendoza then hopped on the bus and headed back for Buenos Aires. It was a great trip overall and great closing to my time in Argentina.
Just finished my third final today and have one more tomorrow. I head back to the states on Tuesday. I can't
believe the semester is already over. Here are some pictures from my trip!

Plaza Sarmiento by the river