Mendoza is Argentina's most important grape growing region, producing 70% of the country's wine, especially the region's signature variety, Malbec.
After arrival in Mendoza, we headed round the corner to a cafe, where we had a very slow and poor lunch, before I headed to the supermarket to pick up some groceries for the Boeuf Bourgignon I was planning to make for dinner.
The stew wasn't bad - probably needed something like cranberry jelly in it, and some wholegrain mustard - but everyone seemed quite happy with it and considering the mash was made with a wooden spoon, I though it went down quite well!
After a few drinks (and drinking games) we headed out into town, stopping at a couple of bars before getting taxis to Apoteco, a lively club just outside of the centre. However, I wasn't really feeling up for it - it was absolutely packed and I didn't like the music - so Kerry and I headed back to the hostel only to find that Rich and Kat were already there, looking for their own privacy.
Saturday 27 June 2009
Friday 12 June 2009
Mina´s Birthday, Salta (14th May); Salta > Mendoza.
After a lazy/hungover day of doing barely anything, we settled down in the back yard of the hostel for a BBQ and drinks; it was Mina´s 20th Birthday. Excellent steaks, very good salads, and too much booze for some people - Lia didnt even make it out, she went to bed as we were leaving.
It was an excellent night all round, lots of drinks and dancing, before heading home at god knows what time - I wish I could write more about it, but the photos are all I´ve got as memory.
The following day, we checked out of the hostel and waited, hungover again, for our overnight bus to Mendoza, leaving at 2pm and arriving at 9.30am the following morning.
It was an excellent night all round, lots of drinks and dancing, before heading home at god knows what time - I wish I could write more about it, but the photos are all I´ve got as memory.
The following day, we checked out of the hostel and waited, hungover again, for our overnight bus to Mendoza, leaving at 2pm and arriving at 9.30am the following morning.
Salta 2
After briefly walking around the city to orientate myself, I did very little all day other than lunch with Dave on the main square.
Salta´s rich history, colonial architecture, surrounding natural attractions, and friendly locals make the small city a main attraction for tourists, although now we were heading into the off-season, so fewer foreigners crowded the streets.
In the evening, Dave, Mina, Rich, Lia, Kerry and I headed to a nice restaurant on Balcarce, where I had a delicious Bife de Chorizo covered with tomatoes and melted mozzarella, and we shared an excellent local Malbec, before the girls went home and the three of us headed out into the city to `scout out´the nightlife for the following night, Mina´s birthday.
As it turned out, it was great fun, including the Bowling Pub, some live local music, a few shots off disgusting Fernet Branca (Argentinians drink it with Coke), before meeting a couple of local girls, going to a late night/early morning bar, getting a taxi back to the hostel, and picking up a foul burger from the street stall. All in all, a quality night out.
Salta´s rich history, colonial architecture, surrounding natural attractions, and friendly locals make the small city a main attraction for tourists, although now we were heading into the off-season, so fewer foreigners crowded the streets.
In the evening, Dave, Mina, Rich, Lia, Kerry and I headed to a nice restaurant on Balcarce, where I had a delicious Bife de Chorizo covered with tomatoes and melted mozzarella, and we shared an excellent local Malbec, before the girls went home and the three of us headed out into the city to `scout out´the nightlife for the following night, Mina´s birthday.
As it turned out, it was great fun, including the Bowling Pub, some live local music, a few shots off disgusting Fernet Branca (Argentinians drink it with Coke), before meeting a couple of local girls, going to a late night/early morning bar, getting a taxi back to the hostel, and picking up a foul burger from the street stall. All in all, a quality night out.
Into Argentina
We got our bus at 4am from Tupiza, heading to the Argentine border. We were told to expect a fairly long wait at the border while they searched our bags but it turned out it wasn´t really that bad for us, although our Peruvian guide had a bit of a nightmare, plus it was bitterly cold.
It was a pretty laid back day once we finally arrived in Salta, simply chilling out in the hostel before going out for dinner in the evening - an OK steak, despite being overcooked, before heading out for a few cocktails on Bacarce, the main nightlife street.
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