Tower Inn San Rafael

... and juice for myself, and the wait gave me plenty of time to look at what Mendoza has to offer. As soon as I dropped off my bag I was straight out to Maipu, the wine region very close to Mendoza. You can book organised tours but I decided to go by myself, took the bus and hired a bike in Maipu. Went to La Rural http://www.bodegalarural.com.ar/ first. It was recommended by a ...

... forgetting of course that everywhere closes down for siesta time from 1.00pm until 5.00pm! Never mind, we find enough to occupy us as we hang around the hostel, trying, with the help of the hostel manageress, to book up some accommodation in San Rafael (but as it is siesta time, no-one answers the telephone at any of the places we try). We finally head off to the bus station at 8.00pm to get the bus leaving at 8.50pm. Sods law ...

... getting my ticket, I w*lked over to Recolet* Cemetery. It is not re*l old, m*ybe 100 ye*rs I think, but re*lly ne*t. Looks like the New Orle*ns Cemetery with little gothic looking building, but m*ny of the tombs h*ve b*sements, you c*n see from looking in the gl*ss doors. The tombs *re *lso right next to e*ch other, so it is like w*lking through * sm*ll city with different ro*ds. Some of the tombs *re in pretty b*d sh*pe, so you ...

... but we were really running out of time by now as it was 5.30 and we were supposed to be back at 6pm ... we reckoned it was at least a 30 minute ride back so we decided to head on back. Cycling around the Mendoza countryside guzzling wine , visiting bodegas and with some new friends who were good company was a really great way to spend the day ... enjoyed it a lot. On Saturday I went on a minibus tour called "Alta Montana Aventura" (High Mountain Adventure) which heads out ...

... The city is another world from BA - quiet, sunny, warm, small, with wide tree-lined streets, and the hostel is also another world from Tango Backpackers - quiet, small, friendly, garden, 2 v cute dogs, a comfortable bed and decent kitchen - what more could we ask? And tomorrow we're off to learn how to speak like a native, so we might finally understand some of what people are saying to us - awesome! Nige is getting mighty tired of his old favourite "no hablo Espanyol"! Sorry...Nige ...

... 08/2008 - T Woke up slightly hungover (bodies falling apart after the last 5 days) to find the pass was open so scrambled to the bus station to board the bus to Santiago, Chile. Massive sigh of releif with our plane to Auckland leaving in a few days. The bus journey over the mountains was one of the best yet. The views were amazing and the amount to snow was incredible. You could see where there had been avalanches, whole houses were covered. The photos were taken right at the border.

... As you bike away from the town center the street becomes tree-lined and very few buildings - mostly just bodegas and fields of grapes. It was so relaxing to just slowly peddle along, the sun on my face, admiring the fiery red leaves and landscape. Though there are many wineries along this route we decided that 3 was sufficient - after going to so many, its kinda painful to sit through the same 30 minute explanation (in spanish) about how wine is made. The first one we ...

... came back pretty late so we decided not too cook and go for a quick cheap snack and it was really nice night as the heavens opened to reveal the most amazing thunderstorm i've ever seen and all that being outside but keeping wet! So yea really nice 2 days off the beaten track before going up to Mendoza - though the shower system is random as itīs in a toilet room- not a bathroom- mmmmmm randomo... :)

... painted rock cliffs. Really magnificent and reminiscent of a small version of lake Powell. That night we ate about 10,000 calories worth of his mom's awesome cooking and then went to a local boliche to meet some of alito's friends. It was a good time and we made it home a little past 6 a.m.. Cultural lessons of the week: Say goodbye to any and all personal space you thought your north American upbringing owed to you, and don't ...

... English and they explained that the rafting was an optional activity on this damn tour and most of the pensioners wouldn't be joining us down the river. The river was in a gorgeous narrow canyon surrounded by trees and impressive cliff faces. It was only grade 2 but after the day we'd had it was as exciting as grade 4. We had great fun and got completely soaked, as much by people in the other boats throwing water at us and ...