Living well in Argentina

Although more expensive than the other countries we have visited in South America, we have found Argentina very easy to travel in; to organize tours; and to see the sights. On our last overnight bus journey from Tucuman to San Juan, we were happy when they served us a hot meal, surprised when they handed out blankets, and down right shocked when they served us a chocolate liqueur during the middle of the movie! A bottle of wine (in a restaurant) costs $9 Canadian, a steak dinner is $5, and a dozen empanadas $2.50. A basic room in a hotel costs us roughly $18, and an overnight bus is $33 per person to travel 900 kms. By Bolivian standards, this is expensive, but with no springs sticking in our backs, and no dust and bugs flying in the open windows of a bus travelling down the middle of a one-lane dirt road, I think it might be better value!

After leaving Salta, we arrived in Cafayate, a lovely small town, in a region that specializes in a white wine called torrontes. We boarded the bus with our hired bicyles at 5:00am to be transported 48kms north of town to Quebrada de Cafayate, a valley filled with many unique sandstone landforms. When the sun was rising, we were standing in the middle of the Garganta del Diablo (Devil´s Throat). As we cycled back, we viewed the Amphitheater (pictured right), the Toad, the Castles, the Obelisk, and others. The rock gave off gorgeous shades of red, purple and orange as the sun rose. Back in Cafayate, we tried the local specialty, wine flavoured ice-cream; went to three different bodegas (wineries) and a cheesery to sample the local goods. The people we met, especially Walter and his family (our wonderful hosts at Hostel Rusti-K), were friendly and kind.

We made our way to Mendoza, a beautiful city near to the Andes, and the Chilean border. Over 70% of all Argentinian wine is produced in this region. Being so close to the mountains, there are lots of different activities to do here. The city is full of parks and plazas, and the streets are lined with wide sidewalks and tall trees. There are wine, chocolate, and leather shops on most down town streets. Sidewalk cafes are everywhere.

On Sunday, we went on a 3-hour rafting trip down the Mendoza River. The water was wild, as the spring melt has begun, and we paddled our way, laughing and screaming, down the grade III and IV rapids. The following day, we joined a tour that took us from Mendoza to the Chilean border 200kms away. The valley that we followed, through the town of Uspallata and the ski region of Los Penitentes is very beautiful, with huge rock faces and snow capped mountains. Our tour took us to the Parque Provincial Aconcagua, where we had a clear view of the spectacular Cerro Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the western hemisphere at 6960 metres. After spending so much time in the Andes during the past four months, it was great to see its highest point.

As our time in South America draws to a close (at the end of next week), we will make our way east to Buenos Aires.

Location: Mendoza, Argentina