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Published: January 3rd 2008
After weeks at high altitude it was refreshing to be heading back to sea level. Vast, dusty plains were replaced with lush green valleys and vineyards against deep red hills. The difference between Bolivia and Argentina was, probably not surprisingly, immense. Tarmaced roads with beautifully cut grass between the dual carriageway, golf courses, gardening centres plus all shops had proper signs outside rather than painting offers on the bricks. Cars even stopped at pedestrian crossings. There were still however numerous stray dogs roaming the streets, just like the rest of South America and we still saw crazy things like a mother breastfeeding on the back of a moving moped. Salta was our first proper introduction to Argentinian life. Sitting outside on a beautiful, bustling square in just a T-shirt and skirt at 10pm drinking a glass of Argentinian red was pure bliss. It all seemed so civilised! An hour later we headed to a restaurant for my best steak ever which was so large I had to take half of it home for breakfast.
El Cafalatye was our next stop. A few of us hired bikes and cycled from one vineyard to the next in the sunshine sampling at least three types of their local produce and buying if we liked their taste. With rucksacks rattling we visited four in total and stopped for a delicious ice-cream in the square on the way back.
Mendoza was another perfect place to do a wine tour with numerous bogodas in the surrounding area to visit. Having practised wine tasting the previous evening at Catherine M´s birthday dinner, my head and palatte weren´t really capable of appreciating either the tours of the three vineyards or the wine tasting in their vast wine cellars afterwards to the fullest. Silly me... Thankfully I was able to enjoy the yummiest 5 course lunch served to us afterwards.
The drive from Mendoza to the border was one of the most beautiful of the trip. The contrast between the red rock, the lush green valleys, the high snow capped mountains and the magnificant blue sky was spectacular. We stopped to gaze at Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas. Beautiful and impressively high, it made me think of my friend Neil who was to climb it a couple of weeks later. Just before the border with Chile there was an offical sign stating that the Isla Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentinian, a topic that all guidebooks say should be avoided in Argentina. The border crossing between Argentina and Chile may have been a lot less chaotic than our previous ones but it took a lot longer as all bags were x-rayed and the truck searched. The road wound its way down the pass through wonderful mountainous scenery and soon we were in Santiago, my last destination with the truck and my fellow truckers.
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Rhona Moss
non-member comment
You lucky girl
This is my second try at an email/comment and I am hoping it will reach you this time. Read your blogs with interest Catherine and pleased you are making the most of your travels. Keep enjoying and stay safe. Mum and Dad visited recently and we had a very pleasant meal and evening together. Dad showed me some of the photos he had downloaded but I couldn't show the one of the guinea pig to Sally The chips looked OK though! Much lov Rhona X