Kathleen
Argentina – Mendoza
April 20, 2014
We spent two nights in the city of Mendoza. It is a metropolis with over a million people and a very bustling hub of activity. The architecture is pretty much concrete and imposing, but true to Argentinian style there are many well-maintained parks and beautiful trees line the streets. We had lunch at lovely restaurant with an outdoor patio and a fresh menu that would be loved in NYC. I had a fruit and ginger beverage that was delicious and the best salad I have ordered since landing in South America. We walked through the city to a large park on the outskirts, where we found a hill to climb complete with a colossal war hero monument at the top. We were tired when we got to the top, so we hopped on an open-air site seeing bus and it brought us back to the center of town, pointing out some sites on the way (in Spanish, so we didn’t really learn much, but it was enjoyable nonetheless). Since Mendoza is the epicenter of the Argentinian wine growers, we were able to find a tasting room right in town that served up some local favorites for us to quaff. A quick trip to the mall and dinner in yet another Parilla, and we headed out about 15 miles to Maipu and the wine country.
