Mendoza
Trip Start
Oct 02, 2008
1
5
12
Trip End
Oct 20, 2008
Mendoza,
Cuyo,
Argentina
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Had one last day in BA yesterday. Got checked out and headed to the bus station to find out how I was going to get to Mendoza. My plan was to take a night bus. Buying bus tickets here is an adventure. On the top floor of the station is a 2 sided row about 200 yards long of, I would guess, about 100 different stalls selling tickets. Some are the same bus company, just different destinations. So, you have to pick a company, choose a time, and then choose a class. Semi-cama, cama, then several others. You get an estimate, then wander to the next. Maybe 1 in 4 have some prices posted, so I checked several stalls, and talked to about 5 companies, before settling on a cama bus at 7PM, arriving at 9AM.
After getting my ticket, I walked over to Recoleta Cemetery. It is not real old, maybe 100 years I think, but really neat. Looks like the New Orleans Cemetery with little gothic looking building, but many of the tombs have basements, you can see from looking in the glass doors. The tombs are also right next to each other, so it is like walking through a small city with different roads. Some of the tombs are in pretty bad shape, so you look through the doors, with broken glass, and there are coffins in there, exposed and looking like they could just fall apart. Also had my first Argentinean ice cream, A Dulce de Leche with almonds...man the ice cream is REALLY good here! I will be having more. One more steak dinner, and I was off to my bus.
The buses here are luxurious. I got dinner, breakfastm wine, whiskey, a bad movie, luckily in english with spanish subtitles, and a seat that went almost horizontal (not in that order). I slept great and woke up with the Andes on the horizon, rolling by vineyards.
Spent the day in Mendoza and pretty mush saw everything in town. It is a really nice small town, pretty modern, but with some nice parks and a few old buildings. On a whim, went to the aquarium, it was tiny and a bit beat up, with signs printed out on regular paper and aquariums about as fancy as a pet store. They had one bug display though with alligators and turtles. The turtles where just sitting on the alligators, or is that crocodiles, I can never keep it straight. Was an odd mix.
For dinner tonight I decided to be adventurous, so I had the Achuras plate...that is organs. All on the parrilla, BBQ, it included chorizo, blood sausage, small intestine, and mollejas, which is described in my guide book as either the thymus or pancreas. Was not a big fan of the texture of the blood sausage, was not cooked firm like in England, but the rest was really tasty. Was served with chimichura sauce, a mix of herbs and other stuff and vinigar, need to try to make this at home.
The hostel I am staying in does seems a bit dead so really have not met anyone here. Going to stay one more night and rent a bike to see the vineyards, but then will probably move on. Maybe Chile.
Comments
Chile!
I think you should go to Chile. I've always thought that it would be cool (no pun intended).
And you were a Vegetarian!
Nathan...sounds awesome. It just cracks me up that several years ago you did not eat meat, and now you are eating steaks multiple times a week and a plate full of animal organs...awesome. I am enjoying reading of your fun after finishing up my homework for the night. Peace, Matt