Mendoza, Cordoba, San Ignacio Mini and Iguazu Falls

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It was with great relief we made it to Mendoza, home to Argentina’s best vineyards. From Santiago de Chile it took 8 hours by bus. The trip passed quickly enough. However, we experienced our longest border crossing yet which involved some loud, distressed Americans who didn’t realise you needed to hold onto your entry card to then exit the country even through it couldn’t be stressed highly enough when they give it to you. This then followed by the security check point where the men took their jobs extremely seriously, checking every inch of the bus with torches, and going through the belongings of the more suspect looking passengers. So by the time we eventually reached our hostel we were slightly disheveled but nonetheless excited about the prospect of enjoying some decent wine.

We checked into our hostel, HI Hostel Suites in the city centre. We were lucky enough to score a double room with ensuite for 190 pesos - $45.00 per night. From here on, we were pre-booking our hostels online. We were finding the good hostels were filling up quickly during the summer months so simply showing up like we’d been doing wouldn’t cut it anymore. Not if we didn’t fancy sleeping in 10 bed dorms! Once we settled in we ventured out in search of the 2 things we were looking forward to since arriving in Argentina – beef and red wine. Mendoza produces 70%!o(MISSING)f the country’s wine (renowned for producing the Malbec variety) and on the whole Argentina’s beef is acclaimed worldwide. I could sense Berni’s excitement – since we’d crossed the border he’d been singing (and dancing to) the ‘steak and wine’ song he’d invented. And since we were now in beef country, he was on the hunt for a steak which could top the one we’d splurged on at the still memorable Beef House in Mancora, Peru. We wandered down the lively Avenida Sarmiento, the main restaurant-lined pedestrian street and found a restaurant serving a set menu with Bife de Chorizo, a nice cut of beef popular in Argentina (not the sausage as the name suggests). We ordered a bottle of Trapiche Malbec and settled in for a feast. The Malbec which is a light, soft red was delicious but we decided Beef House still held the record for best steak we’ve had. After dinner we took advantage of the balmy night and wandered through the main plaza, Plaza Independencia before heading back to the hostel and to bed.

The following day we went wine-tasting. We did our research and decided the best way to get to all the vineyards on our budget was to rent a bike and do a self-guided tour. We settled on the family run Mr. Hugo for our rental bikes who we thought had the best online reviews and the newest and most well-maintained rental bikes. We caught a local bus to Maipu, about 17km southeast of the city centre where the bus driver, who looked like he was used to dealing with tourists, dropped us conveniently out the front of Mr. Hugo’s. When we arrived we were greeted by the charismatic owner and were immediately served a glass of the family’s homemade wine to kick things off. Somewhat comparable to the quality of the cheapest of cask wines but still appreciated and a nice way to begin the day. We paid our 35 pesos each and were given our bikes, a bottle of water each, a map and vouchers for discounts at some of the wineries. I initially wanted to rent a tandem bike and put up a bit of a protest. To me, the idea seemed extremely romantic, but Berni shut it down quickly saying I definitely wouldn’t pull my weight and he’d end up doing the cycling for the both of us. And somehow the thought of Berni yelling at me like a cox in a rowing crew didn’t seem as romantic as I had originally imagined. So off we set on our individual bikes. Our first stop was the Museo del Vino which along with several impressive wooden barrels, had plenty of information on wine making in the region and housed lots of interesting equipment which were once used by the original family run wineries. We then visited A La Antigua. But not before a brief detour due to the fact we’d completely missed it. When we did find it – surprisingly right next door to the Museo del Vino, we were rewarded with delicious olives, cheese and tapenades to sample. Then just before we set off again we got to try some very brightly coloured, potent liquor, so by the time we’d left A La Antigua we’d formed a little gang of happy cyclists and set off for the next stop together. We tried to get into Trapiche the biggest industrial bodega (winery) in the region. However, when we arrived and parked our bikes, we were told by security it was closed due to a private function. The gang was skeptical, and assumed the real reason we weren’t allowed in was because we were a bunch of underdressed, sweaty backpackers. We were quite disappointed as we’d heard the tour through Trapiche’s wine making facilities is supposed to be really interesting, plus the grounds are meant to be beautiful. We were also disappointed because we had yet to taste any wine! We then set off for our next stop, Beer Garden – yep, still no wine. The beer was good though, and with our beer we got free chips care of one of Mr. Hugo’s vouchers. We lounged comfortably under umbrellas in what felt like someone’s backyard, grateful for the shade and cold beer. Our next disappointment followed quickly after, Tempus Alba one of the more modern bodegas was closed for the day. Not having much luck, the gang changed route to try Mevi Bodega Boutique which to our surprise was open! Instead of paying the 20 pesos per person for wine tasting, we put in 15 pesos each and bought 3 different bottles (a Torrentes, Syrah or Shiraz and a Malbec) which we shared on the balcony overlooking the vineyard. It was 4.00pm when we left for our last stop Familia Di Tommaso, one of the oldest family run wineries in the region.

When we arrived, we took a seat in the courtyard and enjoyed a much needed meal before going on an interesting guided tour through the original wine making facilities. We then settled in for some more wine tasting. Berni and I bought a bottle of Malbec and were surprised by how inexpensive it was… we paid $9.00 Aus. Even the most expensive, the best bottle they had was $35.00 Aus. We then decided to head back to Mr. Hugo’s where we were plied with more homemade wine. Not as enjoyable after the Malbec from Familia Di Tommaso but still appreciated! As usual, after a day in the sun, drinking wine I had developed terrible headache. So Berni and I said our farewells to the gang and got the bus back to the hostel. I went straight to bed, but Berni powered on. He met up with Chris, who we thought we’d seen the last of in Valparaiso, but had followed us to Mendoza and arrived while we were in Maipu. They ended up drinking at the hostel with the loud distressed Americans from the bus and went out around 2.00am to a club called Por Aca, not returning until 5.30am. I was rudely awoken by Berni who had the lights on and was talking to me even though he was clearly unaware I had been sound asleep about how he’d gotten lost on his way home and was wandering the dark, scary streets through the rain and puddles… and was now complaining about his wet shoes and pants. He finally concluded that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, even though I hadn’t asked him too and slumped into bed. Chis, whose hostel was around the corner from ours, also got lost. So the following morning they shared stories about how each of them must have gotten out of the taxi together, said their goodbyes, then each walked in the opposite direction to where they needed to go. The only thing which saved Berni was the golden arches of the McDonalds next door to our hostel which guided him like a beacon safely home. The following day was extremely low key. Berni spent the day sleeping while I backdated my travel journal. Then that night, after we said our second farewell to Chris, we had an overnight bus to Cordoba, our next stop on our way to Puerto Iguazu.

We arrived around 7.00am and got a taxi straight to the hostel we’d pre-booked online, Pewman Che. It was fairly centrally located and had a good chilled out vibe. It must have been a favourite amongst Argentinian backpackers because we were the only non-Argentinians there. We paid 190 pesos for a double room with shared facilities which we were able to check into soon after we arrived – it was a good thing too because I’d fallen asleep on the lounge in my Phenergan induced drowsiness. We spent the majority of our first day sleeping and when we did eventually venture out to explore it was late afternoon. We walked to the main plaza, Plaza San Martin with its central monument and saw the 1577 Iglesia Catedral with its Romanesque dome. It didn’t look like much from the outside but the unexpected beauty of the interior impressed us immensely. The first day we didn’t wander too far beyond the main plaza, but the following days we spent walking the lengths of the main pedestrian shopping streets under the cool shade of the trees and hanging vines. We also walked along Cordoba’s Milla Cultural (Cultural Mile), 1.6km of with theatres art galleries and art schools. We found a cute bar café for dinner one night then the following night were invited to join Mike the owner and his friends for Choripan. We were yet to try Choripan, so even though we’d already eaten we thought there would be no better opportunity, so why not. And what a wonderful discovery! Choripan consists of chorizo on a bread roll with, lettuce, chopped tomato and avocado, mayonnaise and chimichurri, a spicy herb marinade. This is also when we first discovered Argentinians like to eat dinner at 11.30pm! So the fact that we’d already eaten didn’t really matter anymore because but the time the Argentinians sat down for Choripan, we were very much hungry again (and extremely tired)! The following day we went shopping, Berni had to replace the shoes he wore the night he got lost and wet in Mendoza. He put them outside to dry and the cleaner must have thought they were rubbish (they looked like rubbish so I don’t blame her for the mistake) and thrown them out. After we shopped we went to the Museo de la Memoria, in a former detention and torture facility documenting the atrocities of Argentina’s Dirty War. I knew nothing about the Dirty War and the information was in Spanish, but the stories were mainly told through photographs of the young people who ‘disappeared’ which got the message across. We thought it was probably the best (although the subject is quite somber) museum we’d been to so far even with the language barrier.

That night we had another overnight bus, getting us closer to Puerto Iguazu. The journey was our longest yet, taking just over 16 hours. Instead of going straight to Puerto Iguazu, we decided to break up the journey by stopping in Posadas, then getting on a connecting bus to San Ignacio Mini, a tiny town between Posadas and Puerto Iguazu. Berni came across San Ignacio Mini when reading our guidebook and discovered a hostel there called Adventure Hostel which had a pool. If nothing else we liked the idea of spending a couple of days by the pool. However, there are large, well-preserved ruins of the Jesuit Mission (that gives the town its name) that our guidebook describes as worth checking out. When we arrived, we experienced such a dramatic change in temperature. Compared to the lovely, mild Cordoba we felt like we’d stepped into a furnace. We’d booked a 3 bed dorm with ensuite on the off chance we would be the only people in it and surprisingly we were. We realised the closer we got to the holiday season, the more the prices were increasing so we tried to save money where we could. We spent our time in San Ignacio Mini swimming and reading by the pool. We made our own lunches and dinners which was a nice change and spent a morning wandering through the ruins of the Jesuit Mission. The site of the Mission of San Ignacio Mini is impressive. The enormous red-sandstone church is its centerpiece. Adjacent to the church is the cemetery, cloisters and workshops. Then next to the cemetery was a place for disgraced women to live, hidden from the rest of the Mission. Then in front of the church is the grand Plaza de Armas with the living quarters surrounding it. We both found the site and the stories very interesting.

From San Ignacio Mini it was only a 4 hour bus ride to Puerto Iguazu. We stayed a few kilometers out of town at HI Hostel Inn where we were in a 4 bed dorm, this time we weren’t lucky enough to get it to ourselves. The hostel was quite impressive, with a lovely pool and outdoor terrace. However, the rooms were hot with virtually no airflow making it hard to sleep at night. We spent the afternoon of our arrival by the pool, enjoying the warm temperature. Then that evening we settled in for the hostel’s Asado night – an Argentinian style barbeque. The following day we went to the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls. We shared a taxi there with an English guy we’d met at the night before, but otherwise it’s a relatively easy bus ride. Then to get into the Parque Nacional Iguazu we paid 100 pesos per person. We spent a moment getting our bearings, then set off on the Macuco trail, a 2 ½ hour, 6km round trip to a hidden waterfall. On the trail we were lucky enough to see lots of monkeys playing in the trees and the very unusual coati in the undergrowth. Once we completed the Macuco trail we then started on the upper circuit, a loop which takes you across the top of the falls. The closer we got the louder the distant rumble became until we reached the first of the viewing platforms and got our first glimpse, which to put it simply is breathtaking. The upper circuit takes you right across the point of the falls where the channels of the river plunge to the depths below. The view is amazing, as is the deafening sound. The whole time I was hoping the engineers had got the depth of the piles right and they weren’t about to get washed away by the surging river. We then started on the lower circuit which winds its way down to the bottom of the falls, on the way giving you an impressive overall view. Once at the bottom you can feel the intensity of the water as it hits the base of the falls. Plus leading up to the final viewing platform right at the base of the falls, you can feel the spray of the water, the closer you get the damper you become. When we made it to the viewing platform we were drenched as the wind chose that exact moment to pick up, saturating everyone on the platform. It was an amazing feeling. We stopped briefly for lunch, and then took the tourist train to the Garganta del Diablo or the Devil’s Throat. At the last train stop we followed the circuit to a lookout perched right on the edge of the semicircular Devil’s Throat. Along the way, the remains of the old circuit are still visible, broken and poking out of the water. An eerie reminder of how strong the current is. The Garganta del Diablo is Iguazu Falls’ main event. A deafening and dampening experience you shouldn’t miss. It was incredible, with so much water.

The following day we caught a local bus to the border where we went through the usual border crossing processes before getting on another bus to the Brazilian side of the falls, Foz do Iguacu. We were meeting our friends Peds and Liss at Klein Hostel where we were spending the night before moving on to Rio de Janerio. Unfortunately the warm weather we’d been experiencing ended abruptly with torrential rain. We were lucky we went to the falls the previous day. Peds and Liss weren’t as lucky and were caught in it. We had dinner that night at a local churrascaria, where we were introduced to the delights of Brazilian barbeque. I also tried for the first time, barbequed pineapple which had been coated in cinnamon. Even typing this is making my mouth water and my glands sense the sweetness. Cinnamon pineapple where have you been all my life! The following day we said goodbye to Peds and Liss, sadly it was only a short catch up, and headed to the Brazilian side of the falls. The Argentinian side takes a whole day to really appreciate as there are lots of circuits and different viewpoints, but the Brazilian side takes only takes a few hours, so we managed to fit it in before our flight to Rio. A tourist bus takes you from the entry, where we paid 40.80 reis to the trail head of the Trilha das Cataratas, a scenic 1km trail leading to the Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat). Both sides have their worth in visiting. The Argentinian side gives you an up close experience and you can appreciate the Devil’s Throat from the top of the plunge, but the Brazilian side, offers a grand overview along the entire length of the falls as it leads you to the base of the Devil’s Throat. The trail leads you out over the water as it falls over the edge. I actually felt vulnerable this time with the height and power of the water. Then the trail leads you to a side view of the base of the Devil’s Throat. It’s actually hard to see because of all the spray which creates a white cloud obscuring your vision. To see the top, you take an elevator to another viewing platform for the full effect.

This is the end of the trail, and our experience of Iguazu Falls. The bus collects you and brings you back to the entry. From here we caught a local bus to the airport where we were flying to Rio de Janerio. Overall we both felt Iguazu Falls were a highlight of the trip, more impressive than either of us imagined, and it’s worth taking the time to do both sides. From here, our trip was taking a coastal turn, and hopefully a more relaxing turn too. We were heading down the south coast of Brazil and into Uruguay on our way to Buenos Aires.

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Photos

Museo del Vino
Inside the Museo del Vino with it's impressive wooden barrels

Parked at Familia Di Tommaso
The picturesque vineyards at the Italian family run Familia Di Tommaso

Lunch at Familia Di Tommaso
The courtyard of Familia Di Tommaso winery where we stopped for lunch

The 1577 Iglesia Catedral
Cordoba's cathedral in Plaza San Martin

The monument in Plaza San Martin
The central monument in Cordoba's Plaza San Martin

The ruins of the Jesuit Mission
The enormous red-sandstone church within the Mission of San Ignacio Mini

On the Macuco trail in Parque Nacional Iguazu
Warning. Stay on the trail otherwise a happy snake will come and smile at you!

The first view of Iguazu Falls
Our first view of the impressive Iguazu Falls along the upper circuit on the Argentinian side

On top of Iguazu Falls
Walking across the top of the falls on the upper circuit

The falls from the lower circuit
Approaching the viewing platform on the lower circuit. There was so much spray

Garganta del Diablo
From the viewing platform overlooking the Devil's Throat on the Argentinian side

Berni and I with the impressive Garganta del Diablo
On the viewing platform overlooking the Devil's Throat. It was very windy up there

On the Trilha das Cataratas
Our first view of Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side along the Trilha das Cataratas

The view from the base of the Devil's Throat
The Trilha das Cataratas on the Brazilian side, leads to a viewing platform on the side of the base of the Devil's Throat

Overlooking the Devil's Throat from the Brazilan side
The amazing Devil's Throat from the upper viewing platform on the Brazilian side