Mendoza province - Andes - Argentina

The first days in Mendoza we explored this pleasant city with a lot of beautiful old buildings and nice squares.
Mendoza (founded in 1561) lies to the foot of the Andes mountains. With good weather you From clear set up city with a lot of broad, green ways and relaxte parks full palm trees have you a splendid view on the picks covered with snow. The province Mendoza is the heart of the wine industry. Approximately 80% of the Argentinian wines are produced here.
Everywhere you therefore bodega's come against and the menu cards appear full with special & delicious wines produced by well-known families from these surroundings.
Beside income wine and olives are tourism an important source of income. Mendoza are perfectly for all kinds of outdoor activities such as ski, bergbeklimmen, raften, kayakken, paardrijden, drawing, etc.

We have enough time enough for Mendoza, therefore we combine working for BeOnTop, with the shoppen for what stolen spullen to replace and relaxing on small squares and in parks. Of the two nicest squares/parks are the large Plaza Independencia in the centre of the city, where at the end of the day sociably busy becomes. And the second park it has been devised enormously large by Carlos Thays Parque General San Martin at west of the city. A splendid park where on Sunday a lot of inhabitants from the city are to appetites and that thuisbasis of dozens of sport clubs, but where also still the largest voetbalstadion of the city to find is: Ell Estado Provincial Malvinas Argentina. The football experts under our must to this good memories have. The Dutch elftal worked here in 1978, during the WK football successful is voorrondes finished against iran, peru and shot country, whereupon the doorstoomde to the final.
General Jose the San Martin (ell Libetador) are moreover the large vrijheidstrijder which beginning nineteenth century the Southern part of zuid-Amerika delivered of the Spanish yoke. In almost each place important streets and/or squares have been named after to him.

On Wednesday we leave 5 October for a week with a hiring car with the aim what more of the province Mendoza to see. On the programme among other things loose Penitentes (a ski area) stand, read Cuevas (the border with Chile) and the surroundings of San Rafael. As first departures we direction Villavicencio, not really plaatsje, but only one couple bldg.: the source water factory well-known of a camp-site, hostaria, a former hotel and which provides a large part of Argentina with water.
We drive by the extended steppe landscape with again splendid view on the covered with snow andes peak. From Villavicencio overflows beautiful with 365 turnings ( the Caracoles), to later appeared, just of wide 3200 meters to Uspallata. Autorijden in Argentina are splendid. The ways are generally free well (from time to time a breach in the way, but that keeps you sharp) and empty, so that you can enjoy deliciously the landscape without having charge remaining movement. The Argentinians make you however not easy find the way. On cards stand weigh which do not exist and the other way round and altitudes are not indicated mostly also. Borden the way are frequently lacking and if them there are already, they have regularly blured at and/or after the junction placed, read so that you must choose firstly at a junction for a direction and then but hope that it is good. Leuke challenge therefore.
Well, from Villavicencio therefore on gone to Uspallata. The way ran with a lot of turnings quite fast omhoog. When we already slightly started drive by snow, proved to be at a curiosity that we sat see meanwhile already on 2500 meters and to the way, were we provisionally not yet on the top of are appropriate. A number of further tried turnings we our forced rechtsomkeer make because snow us prevented to drive further. On the one hand a setback, there we 150 kilometres now about had omrijden to come in Uspallata. On the other hand we could examine splendid gone again from another angle. As it is as from the plain beautiful to the white mounts look at, it has reversed also beautiful from the mounts see, how tight the separation line between the mounts is and the extended plain in the east.

We drove back now by means of Mendoza and Potrerillos to Uspallata. Potrerillos are a type centerparcs-achtig holiday village to a splendidly elongated blauw/turqoise more to the foot of the andes that a popular spot is for people from Mendoza a second have house.
At the beginning of the evening we arrive at last in Uspallata. In this buurt a part of the film Seven Years in tibet with Brad turns in has been taken. Indeed it seems as much as a beetje. Uspallata are the place with the first junction after the border with Chile. For truckers it is refuel a place, food or spend the night. For such small plaatsje where everyone seems know each other the movement is therefore relatively complete very busy. Environment has also a small beetje something gone of Nyalam in Tibet/China.

The next day to drive back we firstly from Uspallata a piece to Villavicencio to follow a part of the superb Caracoles nevertheless still. The surroundings are really splendid and seem indeed reasonable on the himalaya. We keep on driving to we come to an end in snow and return then and go direction loose Penitentes, a small ski area in the buurt of the border with Chile, again a beautiful ride by the mounts and high rocks with several colours. The pistes in Penitentes see still good, therefore we inform for a hotel and jam then firstly by to former the grensplaats read Cuevas. The curiosities in mow Cuevas have established hostel in the poort which in former days the access to Mendoza formed and therefore Argentina and Cristo Redentor, 10 meters high Christusbeeld on the border of Argentina and Chile which symbolises peace between the peoples of both countries. The picture stands already wide 100 years on an altitude of 4.200. not particularly the picture is spectacular, but the view there. We hope that seen the importance of this monument the way has been made to possibly clear of snow.
In mow Cuevas arrived we see, however, a bord with an arrow direction Cristo Redentor, but none gone. We go there firstly but from that the arrow found oneself stands and keeps on driving still a small bit. We directly ended up in a tunnel and have already suspecting which that also good is not. Halfway the tunnel we cordial welcome is been called in Chile. We drive back therefore but and examine the surroundings of the arrow once more well. It appears that the way is to the christusbeeld under a thick package snow of in the valley no less than approximately 4 a 5 meters covered high.

To Penitentes therefore. Underway we visit still Puente del Inca that confessed state as of the most particular nature phenomena in Argentina. This is a natural bridge concerning the Rio the mow Cuevas which fumes by which already age-long from mineral sources takes off coloured is in all kinds of rood - and bruintinten. Perhaps complete particularly, beautiful we it do not find geologically however.

The next morning the tight blauw is and fresh. Deliciously for skiing therefore. We regulate a complete ski equipment and a day lift pass broken down for approximately the amount what costs skis in Snowplanet to uurtje and us as first to the top of the area. The pistes are in the beginning rock-hard opgevroren, but as the day progresses, becomes it always improve. It is enormously quiet in the area. The number of winter sportsmen does not end up certainly above hundred. Because of this we have nicely all space on the pistes.

At the end of the day we drive back to Uspallata, where we drive among other things still even by a beautiful gap to the Cerro 7 the colores and eat in heus Tibet-cafe (unfortunately no momo's, but pizza). The next day to drive back we firstly to Potrerillos from where we by means of on the card as unpaved gone indicated route direction faded the Uco want drive. Indicate become by earlier experiences ask we in Potrerillos if these exist, however, and also practicable is. We are oddly looked at and the questions are answered clearly confirming. The exactly something lower and to the east lain more gone, proves be thus entirely clear of snow.

It is again beautiful gone, that this time more or less parallel to andes gebergte runs and among other things along the 6811 meters high Tupungato volcano goes. The route leads area by the "Productive corridor", an agriculture full vintages, almond - and hazelnut trees. An Argentinian travel guide recommends the bodega visiting Salentein (this bodega proves moreover partly in hands be of the Dutchman Meidert pon. A stately house in Mendoza city is head office of this bodega and tevens official residence of the Dutch consul.)
Unfortunately proof you only on appointment visit the bodega to be able. We drive still what round by the splendid fall slate and ends up eventually in San Carlos, a quiet borough where we for 65 pesos (approximately 18 euro) 5 persons rent holiday maisonnette. It is cosy houten gebouwtje in the middle of a woonwijk, where the buurt watches our careful. at night we go in search of restaurantje in the city, but on what vaporous there hardly find tentjes after, is that. We decide that the road house with the original name "car spit-roaster" is the best option and later becomes this appraisal supports. Not because of the culinary hoogstandjes. "car spit-roaster" proves to be a ontmoetingsplaats of local youth and everyone who comes there, seems all know other. During eating we could amuse our with the way in which the young people defied each other, made the court, teased, concerning each other gossipped, etc, etc.

The next day to drive we the plain extended by direction the Laguna Diamante. A splendid blue lagoon which reflects the white tops of the andes. Unfortunately missing we by application a junction an unclear card, being lacking placards and people the way and rising at the next junction 30 kilometres further just. If we would return, we would weigh kilometres still 220 extra unpaved (where 50 kilometres per hour are really, however, maximum) must drive with respect to to keep on driving. The choice for the last has been made fast. Jammer of the Laguna, but we make a small extra ommetje by means of also beautiful more at ell Nihuil with also view on white mounts vervolgens by the complete Atuel Canyon direction driving San Rafael. The Atuel Canyon are sometimes compared by the Argentinians with a small version of the Grand Canyon in Colorado. Possibly a tikkeltje exaggerated, but it is splendid canyon which has that as an advantage there concerning the whole length of 42 kilometres gone walks away. Of course this also a beautiful route, which finishes in the also splendid faded grande,the green continuation of the Atuel Canyon are. It is splendid Sunday and inhabitants of San Rafael is massively to this natural pretpark drawn to kanoen to drive horse at raften, stijle partition climb, at Bbq-en etc.

From San Rafael we want venture a new attempt to visit two bodega's one or, but again have we breakdown. Monday prove be nationele holiday. The day of the source of populations. Those are normal on 12 October, what we had heard also already rather and had read. However, there one nevertheless also pleasant appears a long find week end, the day had been moved to Monday. "by force of circumstance" we drive back once more to the faded grande to enjoy there also the surroundings. Arno made also still just as rafttochtje concerning the Rio Atuel thereby also what verkoeling to get. The temperature in the fall slate ran meanwhile direction the 40 degrees.

On the last day of this weekje, drove back we drive around by means of Cacheuta, to Mendoza. In Cacheuta one finds Mendoza beside a hangbrug with spectacular view concerning the gap of the Rio, also bathe term ale to which in the 16th century by the Inca's for beneficial aims was already used.
In spite of temperatures of around the 35 degrees we take here also a warm bath. In Mendoza it appears because of the holidays still cumbersome retrieve a hotel. During our search we ran up in afterwards straatje at chance against small hotelletje in a splendid colonial pand, where they have no longer adapted the prices obviously since the construction of the pand also. A pleasant find, large chamber, own terrace. The following morning at the breakfast (the well-known coffee with sweet croissantje broodjes, bleeh) appears that the lords of Jiskefet must be here also once. Young lady Jannie debiteuren creditors must be a derivative of the waitress alhier.

Thursday concluded we the two weeks in Mendoza with a last trip to bodega's in Godoy Cruz and Maipu, actual 2 suburbs of city. We visited among other things the beautiful old bodega Escorihuela, where we leuke got rondleiding and deliciously wines could taste.

Friday evening we return with the night bus to Buenos Aires, where we want take up the Spanish lessons, tango and salsalessen.

Still what striking matter:

- In the most countries where we are are, generally give people a proof of herkenning, after tells you have which land you comes. Amsterdam, the coffee shops, the save light district, the national football team or individual footballers always does good it. Alternatives are flowers (China), the cricketteam (India), and some a time $anne $frank, queen Beatrix or even Willem Alexander (nepal).

In Argentinie nothing of all this. The response is generally enthusiastic "Aaah Hollanda" and vervolgens nothing. Only one time came there a vaster response and that was "Aaah Hollanda..........de maxima". This was thus however by a woman who returned exactly with a dikke cheek of the dentist and there possibly still in an old gossip booklet something concerning the marriage of Alex and had read maxima.

- The control of English in Argentinie is really particular bad. There we had been already warned for, but we thought that it could be nevertheless more badly than in China. However, therefore. That it at the ordinary man in the street bad is, gets we still complete. However, at most of the accommodations simple questions are also only answered such as to "Double room" or "the key" with an interrogative face. As a test we start therefore now also standard in English.
But well, there thus relative very a little Western tourists come. Most of the tourists are simply Argentinian, followed by other (south)Amerikanen. Dutch, who you encounter normally always and everywhere, we 1 time have just encountered.
Fortunately the Argentinians (in contrast to many Chinezen) have been prepared, however, their repeat words once more quietly, regularly once more followed by a sense as: yourself speak "no problem which you a little Spanish know, I hardly English".