Mendoza, Argentina

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Just got home from Mendoza, Argentina; right across the border from Santiago (a beautiful 7 hour bus ride through the Andes). My two roommates from France and I met a girl on the bus from Mexico City; she ended up staying at our hostel and hanging out with us all weekend. Mendoza is a really small city that's super relaxed- we took siestas in the plaza everyday, hiked around the national park and ate the best steaks ever!!

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Photos

Hostel ¨Su Casa¨
hanging out at the hostel; roommates Nicholas and Thomas, friends that we ran into, David and Jared, and our new friend Maria Jose

Plaza Independente
We took siestas in the sun at this plaza everyday, it was full of live music, people, fountains, artisians and empanada/cottoncandy vendors!

Plaza Independente Action
This group played the drums, danced and juggled throughout the plaza. I loved all the live music there; definently more personality than the plazas in Santiago.

Plaza España
This plaza had the most amazing tile designs all over the benches, walkways and fountains. It was less crowded then Plaza Independente but still full of Argentians drinking the Mate.

Monumento de San Martin
Thomas and I hiked all around the national park (there are lakes, horses, a zoo, golf, everything). This monument was on top of Cerro de La Gabriel at the back of the park- it was crazy how the land changed from super green and lush at the beginning of the park, to a desert near the Cerro.

Mirador de Mendoza
This is the view from the top of Cerro de La Gabriel, where the monument was located. It really wasn´t as impressive as the rest of the park, super dry and full of cactus.

Bus ride!
The ride from Mendoza to Santiago in itself was worth the trip, about 7 hours through the Andes. The Chilean side was covered in snow while the Argentian side of the Andes was lush with little rivers and tons of cactus and campos.

Comments

[faja]

cant wait to come see you
Your mama is working on an itenerairy

[aunt Yvonne]

thanks for sharing
MacKenzie.. this is so cool to be able to send pics like this. although I loved your e-mails... I love seeing you in the pics and all the places you are going. I will write you soon... Be careful!!! I love you so much