Hola todos! First of 2 blogs for Mendoza.
So after our last few days in Córdoba I have a somewhat early start for my bus to Mendoza being up at 0630. I get myself down to the terminal and we are soon off but I am feeling a little worse for wear like a head cold is coming in. Ayayay!
The ride down takes about 9.5 hours and is largely uneventful – a lot of Argentina is flatlands as far as the eye can see so not that much to see until you hit the Andes again.
So skipping over the bus journey I arrive at Mendoza about 18:00 then get myself checked in and go for a look round. There are some pretty parks here and the city has a chill vibe. I have some dinner in this Bodegón, a family owned restaurant where they serve traditional grub here. I find a nice Irish bar as well and have a few gentle pints then turn in.
Next day its time for the obligatory walking tour. Still feeling rough I opt for the afternoon slot. It is a small group, being myself this German girl and our guide, we go off exploring those plazas I had a brief look around before, during which time all these deep grates and gaps in the street are explained; Mendoza is actually situated in the middle of a desert and all of its water comes from melting snows on top of the Andes during the spring. The entire city and the smaller towns around it are covered by an intricate irrigation system. This is also how they are able to keep the wineries watered. This process was taught to the local Huarpe people’s over 500 years ago by the Incas – the Incas never ruled Mendoza but the Incan empire did stretch as far down as Santiago Chile just over the other side of the mountains here. Interesting but you have to watch your step here. Health and safety would be all over this back home!
After wrapping up the walking tour I learned there was a language exchange on at that Irish pub I went to the other night so decided to go there. Unfortunately most of the people there were Canadian expats so not much Spanish was spoken but as is the nature of these things they can be hit and miss. Es lo que hay!
Next installment we will do a deep dive into the wineries of Mendoza 🍷
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