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Published: June 15th 2011
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We had a quiet first couple of days here in Mendoza - G's arthritic hip was playing up and he was in a lot of pain after the 7 hour bus journey here. We've worked out that we've walked about 240 miles since arriving in South America, so its hardly surprising!
R&R was therefore called for. Luckily we have a really lovely hostel with a patio and the sun has been shining so we've sat about with kindles and laptop and relaxed in the sun! We extended our stay to 5 nights and got the 5th one free! I even ventured into town on my own on Saturday!!! Think G was a little reluctant to let me out on my own but remembered that I was once a capable, independent woman! So off I set with a map which I had to read myself!
I am pleased to announce that I managed to find my way around and back to the hostel without incident! Even bumped into someone we knew......the Englishman who filled our bidet with sick!! :-)
As G was feeling better yesterday we opted for a tour of local vineyards (that helped to perk him up,
Vistandes Vineyard
Modern shiny things where the wine matures! (the spanish guide referred to "maturisation"!?!?!)lots as you can imagine!).
We went to two vineyards (one new, shiny modern one and one old, organic one), an olive oil processing plant and a place that produced jams/liqueurs/chocolates. We joined a mini bus tour of 12 other people and were picked up at hostel. We came back 5 hours later having tasted wine (red & white), olive oil, tapenade, chocolates, liqueur (I had a chocolate and hazelnut one which was very sickly and G had absinthe......which he then promptly bought a bottle of - something else for the M&S hipflask!)
Couldn't be bothered to cook when we got home so we went out to local restaurant and had choripan each, chips and a bottle of wine for £10 (we actually thought the bottle of wine was tastier than the ones at the vineyards....what do we know!!)
Today as G's hip was fully recovered we went to the park.....harmless enough? We had not appreciated how big Mendoza park is and the fact that it has a hill (Cerro Gloria) in the middle of it!
5 hours later we made it home and no surprise, G's hip is a bit sore now!!!!
I've packed up
again as we're on the move in the morning - heading North to San Juan (only 2 hours) for one night and then on to the National parks with lunar landscape...........
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
We'd love to visit those wineries.
You've got some very nice photos. The olive oil pressing sounds great.