What´s New Buenos Aires?

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Tip number 1; Know who Eva Peron is! I think I might be the only traveller in Argentina not to have seen Evita...so after some quick background reading and having to be told a number of times, I managed to become au fait with the plight of Eva Peron!
We arrived in BA expecting a bigger Santiago, however I really wasn´t ready for just HOW big BA really is. It is without doubt the biggest city I have been to. So big infact that jumping on the tube to go from one Barrio to the next makes you feel like you are in a completely different city. My travelling party had now also increased itself from two to four as two friends from home, Vicky and Lisa joined us for our Argentinian adventure! For the first few days we explored the different sections of BA, Boedo; the artistic historical area, Recoletta; designer shops, Palermo; lovely cobbled streets lined with trees, San Telmo; the Tango area and La Platta; the working naval port. We visited the most amazing cemetery in Recolletta. It is where they bury their most rich and famous in vaults which look more like mini marble houses! In BA we also became aware of everyone and I mean everyone walking around sipping something out of silver straws....after some research it turned out to be a drink called Mate. A herbal drink which stimulates the mind! It tasted more like tobacco and grass mixed together! A very strange drink indeed! After 3 days of stomping the streets, we began our next adventure up to Iguazu Falls...it turned out that our adventure started at the airport. It was bound to happen after so many flights, but our Arealineas flight was cancelled! Bugger! Eventually after a bit of a wait with some irrate Americans ("I understand cancellation but I need communication" indeed Hank!) we were on a plane. Though I am not sure how long this "new" plane had been sitting around for. I kid not when it said incase of emergency, rip off your seat and hold on! Needless to say we were all happy to touch ground in Iguazu! However this was not the end of our saga as during our journey from the airport we got caught up in a protest. Which meant a lovely wait in the a long queue for a while! We noticed a number of prostests pretty much everywhere, if the Argentinians are not happy about something you know about it! I dread to think about Hank´s blood pressure at this point!! However Iguazu Falls themselves made up for everything! Move over Victoria Falls, we have a new leader. The falls are simply stunning! The amount of water that flows over is breathtaking! We even walked up to "Devil´s Throat" where you stand on the very edge! Though feeling like we needed more adrenaline in our day, we also went out on a boat that takes you under the water of the second biggest falls. They dont lie when they say you get soaked! I dont even want to think about how the driver knows when and where to stop!! After a full day at the falls we aimed to get the bus back into the village, however again we only got as far as the protest border! This time however we had to get out of our bus and wait with the locals for 2 hours. It was actually quite fascinating being able to observe. Camera crews and politicians were also out to capture the protest. Though by the time we were allowed passed, the number of 'people waiting for the one and only bus at the other side had grown. It was like a stampede at Harrods for the Christmas sales...though I am pleased to report my huge shoulders finally came in useful and I pushed passed to get on!!
We flew back to BA the next day and then waited in order to get our overnight bus to Mendoza, 1000km west. The overnight buses are pretty awesome here, there are various options but for 20 pounds you can get a bed with dinner, breakfast and a film! So 13 hours later we awoke to Mendoza. We had heard that Autumn was the best time to visit Mendoza, however we arrived in the middle of a polar front and it was freezing! Our first full day we took a 2 hour chicken bus up to a town at the foot of the Andes called Uspallata. We had a lovely day climbing up to get some amazing views. Our second day we spent cycling around the famous vineyards and sampling not only vino tinto but also chocolate and liquers....we even found a place giving away shots of Absinthe...a very amusing combination when added to cycling!
We decided to vist San Juan, another 2 hours north of Mendoza, famous for its Zonda wind which can increase the temperature at anytime of the year. We had heard about a champagne cave which had been built into the side of the mountain, so after finding our way there we had a very definate Herman Munster moment when a man opened up a huge wooden door and led us in to the sound of monks chanting!! Nice champagne however! Our final day was had back in Mendoza, where I was surprised for my birthday and had a lovely day and night in a luxury boutique hotel, sipping champagne on the roof terrace whilst sitting in a jacuzzi!
Argentina hasn´t been quite what I had expected, though I am fully aware that perhaps its best bits lie in the south. Though I wouldn´t have missed the Falls for anything and for any meat eater...this is the place to come!

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