Mendoza
Trip Start
Apr 29, 2005
1
5
10
Trip End
May 08, 2005
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Mendoza,
Cuyo,
Argentina
Monday, May 2, 2005
Morning is breaking, and we are still on the pampas. That's almost 1,000 kms. (600 miles) of fertile land as flat as a billiard table. It's much dryer now as we are in the rain shadow of the Andes, which we can see in the distance. Breakfast is served, croissants and excellent coffee, and soon we are beginning to enter the city.
Arriving at the bus station, we collect our things and walk the few blocks to the Milena Hotel, which I had found on the internet back in Miami. It is located on a quiet cul-de-sac some six blocks from the city centre. We even get a discount for our one-night stand. Total US$ 29.00 a night with breakfast.
It takes little time to get ready for our expedition into town after our luxurious night with CATA. The first thing the ladies seek are leather shops, and just a couple of blocks from the hotel is their dream come true. Not an elegant establishment in a mall, but true down-to earth leather shop offering racks of coats, jackets, slacks, hats and even, I suspect, leather underwear! A couple of cows are sacrificed for us, and we continue into town for our traditional coffee at a sidewalk café. We consumed gallons of it while in Argentina. Nearby is the Liverpool Bar with a photo of the "fab four" on the doorway. Miryam confides her trusty ancient scuffed, but incredibly comfortable, boots to a shoe-shine man and after a US$ 1.00 emerges with a perfectly new looking pair.
01. Overnight to Mendoza
She is amazed. Shoe shops line the attractive tree-lined main street, and they are not ignored. In one shop we find a classic collection of Bee Gees for just US$ 5.00 and a CD of Celtic Dreams for US$ 1.00. Walking up and down busy streets we are impressed by this prosperous provincial city. That is, until we find ourselves totally abandoned and alone on the sidewalk, with shops closing left and right and people scurrying away into the distance. We fear a terrorist attack, but it's just siesta time. It's not surprising really to find that in a small place such as this, everyone can go home for lunch, take a nap, and come back two or three hours later, refreshed and ready to work until 9:00 pm.
While this has been going on, I have investigated the rental of a small car to take us tomorrow into the Andes. I eventually select Alamo (yes my dear, the same Alamo you know and love!) and schedule the pick up for 6:00 pm. Car rentals are not cheap here, nor is petrol. The total for one day for a compact 4-door Chevrolet Vectra is US$ 63.00. Petrol sells at around US$ 4.00 a gallon.
We have checked at the hotel for the best "parillada" in town, and have been recommended to Mario's. We pick up the car and drive to the suburban restaurant. Argentineans eat late, so our arrival at 6:30 pm catches everyone by surprise. We order parillada for all of us, and then visit the kitchen to watch it all being done. Unfortunately as we were the first, only our meat was being prepared, which meant the photo of the huge open grill doesn't look as impressive as it would do later in the evening. We order the best wine, Norton Malbec D.O.C. and enjoy a superb dinner, rounded off by sinful desserts and more coffee.
