We had this Thursday and Friday off of classes, so Camille and I decided to head to Argentina! Mendoza is the wine capital of the country. It is about an 8 hour bus ride from Valparaíso, which was fine with me because the views through the Andes were unbelievably beautiful.
As we winded up the road into the mountains, we passed a ski resort that my host mom used to go to when she was little. The chairlifts passed right over the road and went as far as the eye could see.
People down below were sledding on trash bags and throwing snowballs; their cars pulled over on the side of the road. It was fun to watch—I think that, for a lot of them, it was their first time seeing snow. I showed my host sister photos and now she is dead-set on going to see "la nieve" too...so we might have to take another trip soon!
True to the stereotypes, crossing back into Chile was a much more serious and drawn out endeavor than getting into Argentina. It took about thirty minutes and a quick stamp to get back on the bus on our way there, but we spent a couple hours getting bags checked and waiting in line on our way home.
I met a french girl who was studying in Mendoza on my bus to Argentina and we ended up sharing a taxi. We were dropped off in the center of the city and I am proud to say I found my hostel without getting lost or making a complete fool of myself—on study abroad, small victories make all the difference. Our first night, Camille and I went to a "tenador libre" (buffet) in the downtown. While we were waiting for it to open, we started talking with a Chilean couple who were also on holiday. We ended up sitting with them—we ate ravioli, so much meat, ice cream, and crepes and talked for four hours! My new favorite ice cream flavor is Crema del Cielo, which, despite its neon blue color, is simple and delicious. Before we headed back to our hostel, the couple gave us their phone numbers and invited us to visit them at their house in Los Andes, a small town in the countryside!
We stayed at Mendoza Inn, an international hostel, which was an interesting mixture of people, languages, and interests. We ended up bunking with two Argentinian women who were obviously displeased to be stuck rooming with the "ugly Americans". On the last night, they confirmed our suspicions, but told us that they were pleasantly surprised to discover that we were decent human beings and that they enjoyed getting to know us. Again, small victories. Being an ambassador for the United States, more importantly for the people of the US, has been an overwhelming, yet gratifying experience. The majority of the time, people assume the worst, and I don't blame them with the way I have seen other US tourists act and with history of US involvement in the region. Sometimes it is exhausting knowing that, every time I meet someone new, I have to prove the stereotypes wrong, but when they tell me that they enjoyed getting to know me and we exchange contact information, or hug each other goodbye, it is all worth while.
By far one of my favorite parts of the trip this weekend was getting to know so many new people. We had lunch at one of the "bodegas" (vineyards) with a group of Argentinians from Buenas Aires and had the best time sharing wine and tasting pasta dishes.
That night, we met a group of Chileans that were staying in our hostel. They gave us a list of places in Chile we had to see before we left and showed us videos of the traditional dance that everyone will be dancing during the festivals in September—we are planning on taking a trip to Santiago to visit them! Everyone told me that Argentinians would be more friendly and warm than Chileans. I have to admit on the street strangers were more likely to smile or make small talk, but the closest bonds I formed on my trip to Mendoza where with Chileans. The more time I spend traveling the more I realize that the truth is that there are good people everywhere. I have been helped and befriended by Chileans, Argentinians, bus drivers, college students, peanut vendors, kids, elderly folks, people who eat at the homeless shelter where I volunteer, other extranjeros from Europe and the US... and all of those ecounters have been by far some of the most memorable experiences of my trip.
My favorite day of the trip was definitely the bike and wine tour. We rented bikes from Mr. Hugo and headed out on the road with a map and some complimentary coupons. Camille and I made three stops during our day in Maipu:
The first was to a family-owned vineyard nestled in the foothills of the Andes. We took a tour of the cellar and tasted six different wines. The best was a Cabernet Sauvignon from their "roble" (oak) collection...I bought a bottle for my host mom!
Our next stop was a bodega with a two story restaurant overlooking the olive groves...with another spectacular view of the mountains. We met up with three of our friends from the program and got to know some Argentinians over pasta and wine.
The last place we visited before turning our bikes back in was an olive grove that specializes in salsas, oils, mustards...and chocolate! We learned a bit about the process of making olive oil and tasted a little of everything. They also make their own liqueurs and had everything from Irish cream to Absinthe.
The whole day, including transportation, wine, lunch, and chocolate cost less than $50 dollars! ¡Que suerte!
In the center of the city there is an open market or "feria" every night with live music, cotton candy, and row after row of stalls selling jewelry and leather in every form imaginable. I bought a leather purse for $25 dollars! The one downside is that, when I wear it, I am pretty sure I smell like beef jerky...
The theme of the trip was definitely food. One delicacy that I tried while in Argentina was an alfajor, which is three layers of cookies with cream in between...all covered in chocolate. Needless to say, it was amazing. They come in all different varieties...dulce de leche, peanut butter, Oreo...it is probabaly for the best that they are not common in Chile.
I was in heaven when I discovered the Argentinian equivalent of hot chocolate— un Submarino: hot milk with a chocolate bar. You swirl the chocolate around in the milk and it melts into a thick chocolaty cream. We split a coconut and dulce de leche torta and enjoyed the view of Mendoza's streets at night—filled with lights, people, street performers, and music. My friends commented on the European flair of the city—the streets lined with trees and dotted with open air cafes and chocolaterias.
The plazas and parks were gorgeous. The city was green and modern and clean. Stray dogs were less common than Adidas stores and the street smelled of garlic and chocolate instead of rotting fruit and dog poop...yet I missed Valparaíso. Mendoza was charming and tranquil, but on Monday I was ready to head back to the noisy, crowded city that is already beginning to feel like home.
