Mendoza and Alta Montaña

Yes, a couple of days has gone by. We spent them in Mendoza. Took the night-bus from Buenos Aires the 3rd of march. The bus was ok, good possibilities of sleeping if it weren´t for the bumpy roads... and we got wine!!!

Well in Mendoza in the morning of the 4th we got to our hostel and just re-packed and got out to Maipú, a nearby village for some wineyards. We rented some bikes... but maybe we should have checked them out a bit more before we headed off since Jacobs bike got loose in the handlebars. Although we got to see 3 wineyards with tastings and one olive- farm and one Chocolaterie. The weather was perfect and we got on the bus back by 6.

Jacob by our bikes!

The other days of Mendoza went by with some calm activity by the streets and parks. We got to be a part of the harvest fiesta in Mendoza by standing in a long line for pizza. Also we got to a cool place called "The Vines", a tasting house with just tastings of different wines. And finally I got to taste some sparkling wine!!

The last day we made a mence by going to Alta Montaña. We had some hard time deciding if we would go with an agency or by ourselves. The choice were in the end easy since we decided to go on the saturday an no agency went that day due to the harvest fiesta in Mendoza.

Ok.. so, we took the regular bus to Las Cuevas(40pesos each for going there and back). The bus took nearly 5 hours. We started at 7.00 in the morning.

By Las cuevas we had a plan of hiking the 8 km to the top where the piece statue Christo is placed(on the border between Argentina and Chile). But, a guide advised us to go by bus up there and then hike another trail which was more fun and not by the road. So we took the bus to the top by the antique road that was between Chile and Argentina.

On the way to the top we had a great view of the mountains and Aconcagua in the back. On the top it was freezing cold and the wind was hard. But we got to see the statue, took some fotos and headed down again by 1.15.

We grabbed a hamburger by a place at Las Cuevas and headed for our own hike. And I say... we were on our own. It was only us and the mountains... We hiked upwards for 1,5 hours and it was hard since the air is thick at 3500 meters altitude.

By 16.15 we were back down and took the bus to Las lagunas de Horocones and walked the tour there... then we took the road down to Puente del Inca and landed there at 18.45. We ate a brilliant soup of lentils and a hamburger, took a beer and was so pleased with the day.

The bus home took only 3 hours(can you imagine the speed down since it took 5 hours up... thought I wouldn´t survive..). Save and sound we were at our hostel at 24.00... tired but oh so happy. What a day!

Today, we are at San Rafael.. heading for some steak and tomorrow hopefully visiting some bodegas and on tuesday rafting on Rio Atuel. Take care all of you, we miss you!!

/Tina and Jacob