Well, time is rocketing by and when traveling on tourist visas, time is important. In Chile, as in many countries, tourist visas only last for 90 days. Of course, if one is to leave the country for a period of time, there is no rule to say that you can't visit again in the future. In our case, leaving the country meant a 4 day excursion to Mendoza, Argentina! Wednesday, November 19 was our 85th day in the country (I told you time was flying!!) and that meant an 8:00 am appointment with a bus driver with the means to traverse the second highest mountain range in the world. . . the Andes. The inter-city buses here all appear to be first class and there was a choice of at least three morning departures to Mendoza every day of the week at a cost of $16,500 Chilean pesos (about $32 cdn each - one way).
Although the distance isn't great, about 450 kilometers, we would spend approximately 9 hours on the bus, and for that . . . we needed to be prepared! Our travel-sized Scrabble game came with us. (I wonder if Parker Brothers would be interested in an endorsement!!) I forget who won this game. . . . really . . . I do!
In one of our recent posts, we promised a puzzle, and here it is. It's not "rocket surgery" but there is a message to de-scra(m)ble. A basic knowledge of Spanish could be helpful.
You have seen the landscape around Valparaiso in the past. It is mostly foothills with fairly lush vegetation, vineyards, and commercial fruit and vegetable operations. Once the ascent into the Andes began in earnest, it was quite dramatic. It didn't take long, perhaps two hours, before we were in the midst of what you see below. Remember, we started out at sea level!
The most striking difference between the Andes and the Rockies is the lack of vegetation. For most of the trip over the Andes, there were no traces of plant life except for the occasional shrub on the roadside. In the Rockies, there are always evergreens in view.
Another difference was the rate of ascent. A drive through the Rockies is a roller coaster of up, down and around. On the Chilean side of the Andes, I don't recall going down a hill once . . . it was a constant climb! This is probably the most dramatic section of highway that we have ever been on. Look closely and use your imagination . . . there are about 25 switchbacks. I suggest that you check out the following website for a satellite image of the road called "Los Caracoles de Portillo". If you do so, look past the yellow road line. Zoom in and you will see the actual road snaking up the mountain.
We also found the sky to be unusually blue! The contrast with the mountains was beautiful.
At this elevation (more specific elevations later) we were surprised that there wasn't more snow.
There was obviously no problem crossing at this time of year, but we understand that this passage is often closed for winter storms.
Some of the rock formations also appeared to be very rugged. Pardon the reflection of the seats in some of the shots.
This line-up of trucks was our first clue that we were nearing the border crossing and, therefore, the summit. Thankfully, we were able to bypass this convoy and exit Chile with only a short stop.
I would guess that there were at least 50 trucks lined up!
And suddenly, no longer in Chile, we were in that no man's land between countries. On the Canada / US border, the respective Customs offices are within a stone's throw.
Here, on the mountain top, there were several miles between leaving Chile and officially entering Argentina. One of the first things that we noticed on this stretch was the vast river valley. It is the path that we would follow all the way down to the Argentinian plain.
This rock formation also struck us as particularly rugged.
This cleverly camouflaged building is the Argentinian Customs facility.
Inside, with a bus in front of us, it was our turn to hurry up and wait.
There were three stops on this little border crossing event. The first was with Chilean officials who stamped our passports with the date of exit. The second was with Argentina's finest who were kind enough to give us the OK to enter their country. The third was the luggage inspection. All of the stowed bags were put through an x-ray machine while the passengers lined up with their carry on bags. As you might expect, some were cleared without a second glance while others were checked quite closely. Bringing fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese into these countries is forbidden and on the way back into Chile, we had to surrender some oranges and bananas! Each piece of fruit was interrogated, itemized, and listed in a report for somebody!
Out of no man's land and into Argentina, the first thing we noticed was the color of the rock. Suddenly, much of the rock was red. You can also see that we continued to follow the river bed.
For the most part, the river was little more than a creek, but at one time, water raged through this valley. You can see how the water has eroded the stone banks in this shot.
The descent into Argentina seemed to be much more gentle than the climb out of Chile. That can also be seen in the satellite image of the highway if you were to follow the road to the east.
This is a better shot of the red coloured rock.
And here are some friends that we stopped for and allowed to board the bus. They gave everyone a "once-over", checked some of us twice, and opened up somebody's stowed luggage. It seemed more like an exercise in "we're watching you" than actually looking for specific contraband. I'm also pretty sure that I was in trouble for taking a picture of the officers . . . but that's another story!
As we left the Andes, the landscape opened up into an arid plain with small groves of vegetation, and the temperature began to rise. The further out of the Andes we went, the more we wondered what Mendoza would have to offer. Prior to leaving Canada, the research we had done left us with the impression that Chile was the jewel of the continent.
We wondered, therefore, what we might find in Mendoza. Here, you see the answer to our question . . . an oasis!! Mendoza is literally an oasis! It is a city of over a million people, is the centre of the Argentinian wine industry and a mecca for tourists. From Mendoza you can arrange almost any sort of tour imaginable from sedate wine tours, to mountain climbing, to some of the best white water rafting in the world. We opted for a wine tour!
Our home away from home . . . the Dame-Sire.
Owners of small hotels, hostels and "residencias" hang out at the bus station trying to convince incoming travelers to stay at their establishment. The "Dame-Sire" had been recommended to us prior to leaving, and it didn't take long to make the connection with the owner, and therefore, a ride to our personal oasis! When traveling years ago, we would wing it . . . as we are no longer 20-something, we find it very comforting to know that there is a bed awaiting at the end of the day's journey!
Through the office and down the long corridor . . .
and through the courtyard to our room. That's it on the right . . . with the bars on the window!
Clean, safe, cheap ($35cdn / $90 Arg pesos per night) and straight out of the 70s! A double bed, private bath and cable tv. What more could we ask for??!!
After settling in, we set out on an exploratory mission to find the essentials . . . bank machine, internet access, restaurants, etc. One of the first things we came across was an irrigation channel. We now know that they run throughout the city, in part to water the trees that line virtually every street. What prompted this photo was the way that this van is parked! The wheels on the driver's side are on a ledge that is no wider than the tires, and the curb in front of the van is about 6 inches high. And yes, that's a channel of water below!
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And yes . . . we found a restaurant. This would have been about 6:00 but in true South American style, we couldn't even look at a menu until 8:00! That meant another couple of hours of exploration before returning for a first rate meal. . . . and a fine meal it was . . . pasta . . . mmmm.
As I mentioned, Mendoza is an oasis. While the surrounding land is arid and barren (except for the irrigated vineyards and plantations) the city itself is lush, green and well kept.
Mendoza is also a relatively new city. In 1861, the entire city was destroyed by an earthquake.
We spent most of our time in the heart of the "New city". Once again, in true South American style, the centre of the city is the plaza. Plaza Independencia is a large park (perhaps 8 or 9 square blocks) and seems to be the meeting place for tourists and locals alike. The plaza is named for the War Of Independence where Argentina broke free of Spanish control. If you would like more details on the history, try this website:
www.mundoandino.com/Argentina/Argentine-War-of-Independence
This is also Plaza Independencia. You might want to refer back to this photo in a few minutes.
It was also a popular area for artisans to sell their work and most of the wares on sale were quite nice. Charlene is getting quite a nice collection of S.A. jewelry!
Two blocks away from each corner of Plaza Independencia are four more smaller plazas. Our plan for our first full day in Mendoza was to check out each of these plazas, and the sites between each. Notice the clean, wide, tree lined street. These are very common and the shade is a real treat during the afternoon sun.
Our first stop was Plaza Espana. It turned out to be our favorite of the four and is dedicated to the Spanish conquest of South America.
Look closely and you will see that the benches and fountains are covered in small ceramic tiles. It is beautiful work that has been well kept. Hey . . . who's that blonde on the bench!?
The mural depicts the conquest.
Our second stop on the plaza tour was "Plaza Italia". Less ornate than Espana but very nice. The city felt very European to us and there is definitely an Italian influence. (We had some of that Italian influence for supper the night before!)
Irrigation channel with water this time! We enjoyed the character that they brought to the city.
This is probably our favorite building in the city. At one time it was a bank but has since been turned into a cultural centre. We stumbled in to have a look around (the inside is as spectacular as the outside) and somehow connected to an English speaking local who just happened to have some brochures and tourism connections that she shared with us. We eventually booked a wine tour because of this chance meeting.
Next stop . . . Plaza San Martin. If you chose not to visit the above mentioned website, General San Martin is a hero in these parts and should you keep reading, you'll find out more.
That's the general on the horse!
And the last of the four plazas was the Plaza Chile. Unfortunately for us, it was under construction.
For us, all roads seem to lead back to the main plaza, Independencia . . .
and with the thermometer hovering around 35 degrees, Charlene thought it would be a good idea to make like the locals and have a siesta. Many businesses in Mendoza close from 1:00 - 3:00 for a break from the heat. However, they seem to make up the time at night as the city streets are alive well after dark.
This looked like an interesting place to visit . . . another time perhaps!
After a considerable jaunt to the north, toward the "Old City", we came across another plaza . . . Plaza Pedro del Castillo. I think that's Pedro behind me but I not really sure. By this time, on this particular day, we had almost had enough and weren't paying much attention to the details! It was also the site of a museum dedicated to the ruins of the original city of Mendoza. There are two museum sites; one in which you go underground, and the other, above ground. The above ground museum was under construction but we did see a part of it with a glass floor above some original foundations and pathways. A third of the population was killed and virtually all of the city was destroyed in the quake (1861).
After making our way back the Dame-Sire for a shower (and did a shower ever feel great!)
we ventured back into the city for supper. This stretch of 4 or 5 blocks to the East of Plaza Independencia is called Sarmiento and is a pedestrian mall lined with high end shops and outdoor restaurants. Both of us felt that Mendoza had a very European feel and these outdoor restaurants added to that sense.
And since we were so close to the plaza, we took the time to do some more shopping. This fellow worked mostly with copper and silver and convinced us to take some with us! More bling . . . but not for Charlene this time!
You may recall earlier that I suggested that you may want to refer back to a particular picture. Now is the time. This is essentially the same shot. In the foreground is a small display of goods that someone was trying to sell.
We hope that this video will help to capture some of the atmosphere in the park that night.
The plan for our second, and last, full day was broken into three parts:
1) General San Martin Park
2) Wine Tour
3) Supper
General San Martin Park is a 900 acre irrigated park with over 50, 000 trees that were originally brought in from all over the world. The grounds are also home to the university, a zoo, a soccer / events stadium that was originally built for the 1978 World Cup, a lake, and the Hill Of Glory.
The gates to the park were partially obscured by a temporary stage that was being erected but they are spectacular! They also have a history. The Red Sultan of Turkey had commissioned the gates in the early 20th century. They were cast by a foundry in Scotland but as the sultan died before delivery, the gates came on the market and were eventually purchased by the Argentine government and erected in 1907.
Here again a closer look may be required. Atop the gate is the figure of an Andean Condor, a national symbol of Argentina. It is also the largest flying land bird in the western hemisphere with a wingspan of between 9 and 10 feet!!!. It is also one of the longest living birds with a lifespan of my current age! The Andean Condor is listed as 'Nearly threatened".
We're not sure where this lane leads. It is just a sample of what one section of the park looks like. The main gates are about 100 meters behind us.
To the left of the previous shot is the information booth (with English) where we booked a tour of the park.
To the left once more and you'll see another picturesque lane. The vans are used for the tours.
The Fountain of the Continents, by sculptress Lola Mora, was inspired by the Fountain of the Four Continents in the Gardens Of Luxemburg. It was brought from France in 1910 and has been recently restored. Urban legend says that the fountain was once filled with wine instead of water. (Thank you English tourist brochure!)
The summit of the Hill of glory and centre piece of the park is the statue commemorating the Army of the Andes. It is a tribute to General San Martin (there's that name again!) who lead the fight for Argentinian independence from Spain in 1816. Chile and Peru were also involved , but you already know that if you went to the website above. The name "San Martin" is everywhere in Mendoza. He's a very popular fellow!
The tour may have been in Spanish, but there were signs in English to explain the significance of this beautiful monument.
Lady Liberty is seen with her arms held high and in her hands, broken chains as a symbol of independence.
Don't bother trying to read this . . . there are four paragraphs, one describing the sculpture on each side of the structure. I've isolated and expanded each paragraph below.
This is a view of the city from the Hill Of Glory. Unfortunately, this seems to be the suburbs. We weren't able to get a shot of the city centre from here.
This vantage point does however show what the surrounding landscape is like.
Time for lunch at an outdoor cafe and our number one rule about beer and wine when in a foreign country is "Drink local products". We are rarely disappointed and this Andes brew was no exception.
OK . . . on to part 2 of the plan . . . the wine tour. What we expected was three stops, three wineries . . . and no English! What we got was quite different!
Our first stop was a commercial winery known as Baudron. We were told that Mendoza is listed as the eighth most important wine industry in the world. Who knew!! This was a party room filled with massive oak barrels that were brought from France many years ago. They are no longer used. The barrels used for aging wine only have a lifespan of five years and are normally American or French Oak, depending on the desired flavouring of the wine.
That's me and my buddy.
After the "how" and "why" part of the tour came the part that everyone looks forward to . . .
the tasting.
At the end of the table is a couple from B.C. They have spent six months of the year, for the past seven years, traveling the world the cheapest way they can. (Hostels, bus travel etc.) The couple on the right are from Ireland and expect to be on the road until Christmas. After Christmas they will head to Australia where they have work lined up as accountants.
We had hesitated to go on this particular tour as there would be no English unless we were to hire our own guide! Well . . . we weren't about to do that! It turned out that every facility that we toured provided tours in both Spanish and English. Our tour guide also had very passable English. Todo bien! All good!
Pasrai was a complete surprise as it has nothing to do with wine! It's a family owned olive oil processing plant that has been operating since 1920. Those of you who have been fortunate enough to be around Charlene while she's cooking, will know that she LOVES olive oil!
The first stop was the olive mill where the whole olives are crushed into a pulp. Notice the tray on top of the wheelbarrow.
Those trays are loaded up with pulp, loaded onto these carts, and pushed into the hydraulic presses behind our guide where the liquid is extracted.
The liquid is then put through these decantation tanks here the oil rises to the top and is separated from the water, etc.
Ever wonder what makes Extra Vigin Olive Oil "Extra Virgin"? We can now tell you! It has to do with acidity.....the lower the acidity, the better the oil. Extra Virgin has the lowest oil content.
There is an olive grove next to the processing plant and in the off season, Pasrai turns it's attention to drying different fruits and vegetables. Sun dried tomatoes for example. They also produce body creams made from olives!
Here is a historical look at the plant. This mill looks suspiciously like the one that we saw earlier.
And now to the gift shop and this would be difficult for Charlene. Olive oil, filtered and unfiltered, moisturizing cream, sun dried tomatoes etc., etc., etc. What and how much would she buy!?
While one woman walked away with a case of nine bottles, Charlene demonstrated restraint....only one bottle of unfiltered olive oil (it has a stronger taste than the clear oils but must be consumed within six months of bottling) and one jar of sun-dried tomatoes, marinated in olive oil, of course!
We were struck by this painting in the gift shop. It was painted by a member of the Pasrai family.
While the first stop on the tour was a commercial wine operation, this stop was a small "Artisan" winery called Don Arturo.
This is an old corking machine in the cellar of the winery. In the back corner, there is a fifty year old branch from a grape vine.
And of course, the prize at the end of the tour is once again, the tasting. . .
followed by the obligatory trip to the gift shop where it was my turn to indulge!
Only the best of the wines are aged in the barrels. Most wine sits in concrete tanks until it is ready to bottle. This is the cellar with the oak barrels on either side
The above is my shot . . . I later saw the painting below in the gift shop.
One of the magazines that we read (in English) indicated that Argentinians are the furthest thing from wine snobs as one can get. We saw people mixing water with their wine and read about mixing in fruit juice!
And the final stop was at a church in Mendoza. After visiting the wineries, tradition says that one must pay homage and pray for the grapes.
The figure in the mosaic mural has a baby in one hand and a grape in the other. The foreground
is a group of locals offering up the harvest.
In front of the church are four large (about 4 feet high) reliefs that document the region and the importance of the wine industry.
I believe that they were commissioned by one of the regions original "wine" families. The family's home was also one of the only homes spared in the 1861 quake and is next door to the church.
This courtyard is a little refuge. The church is on the right while the afore mentioned family home is out of site to the right.
With the wine tour over, we returned to the Dame-Sire to prepare for an evening supper. Earlier, Charlene had spotted a restaurant that looked appealing and so made reservations.
We ended up sitting outside as the evenings remained very warm and comfortable. Both of us had heard good things about Argentine beef and felt that it deserved a chance to measure up to a Grade A Canadian steak. Well . . . measure up it did!! The steaks that we ate were among the best we have ever had! (Estuvo rico!)
After two full days in Mendoza, it was time to head back to our other temporary home! On the trip to Argentina, we both developed a case of "Bus Envy". We were determined to make the trip back to Chile in style. . . on a double decker . . . and so we booked this beauty a couple of days in advance (same price as a single level bus).
It turned out that we and one other couple from Switzerland had the entire upper level to ourselves. . . . and they spoke English! BONUS!
Sitting in the front seat of the upper level is like Captain Kirk's spot on the Enterprise!!
While traveling TO Argentina, we felt that the Chilean side of the Andes was the most spectacular. On our way back to Chile, we realized that the Argentinian side was different, but equally beautiful.
Once again you can see the distinct redness of the rock.
I believe that this is "Aconcaqua". At 6,962 meters, it is the highest peak in the western hemisphere!! Mount Robson, at just under 4000 meters, is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. To give you an idea of the altitude . . . when we finished the descent, we noticed that a partially filled water bottle had collapsed under the increased air pressure. I've only ever seen that happen while flying!
There is evidence that there was train travel through this pass at one time but most of what we saw were abandoned rail beds and broken down avalanche sheds. We have marveled at the lack of a viable rail system here but perhaps an efficient bus system has replaced it for passenger travel. We were once told that the Chilean rail system was all but dismantled under the Pinochet regime.
And the final shot of this marathon blog is the sign welcoming us back into Chile. The picture doesn't look all that inviting, rather bleak actually, but it did feel good to be home again . . . well our home away from home. This is also when my camera batteries died! Timing is everything.
So that was our trip to Argentina. Mendoza, it seems, may be in a bit of an Argentine bubble. The nation's unemployment rate is currently at about 30%. Based on what we saw, we wouldn't have guessed it and would recommend a visit to Mendoza to anyone . . . especially if the trip included a journey over the Andes. Simply spectacular!
As Christmas approaches we wish everyone a happy, healthy and stress free season. While we are looking forward to seeing how Christmas unfolds here, we will certainly miss being home with family, friends, and a cozy fire!
Until next time,
Love,
Norm and Charlene
