Our last stop in Argentina was Mendoza. Known as the best and oldest wine region in Argentina we were excited to go and taste it straight from the vineyard. While traveling there we meet two American girls that were headed in the same direction. We ended up staying at the same place and thus going to the vineyards together.
The thing to do in Mendoza is to rent bikes and ride around to all the vineyard and taste the wine. We rented these bikes that I think must have been older than me and worked about as well as me. At the bike rental place the owner gave us a glass of wine. Then we went to one vineyard and had a tour and a glass of wine. The next one was a place that made liquor and olive oil. We tried everything olives, cheeses, olive oils, absinthe, and numerous other alcohol containing beverages. After that we decided that we would go to this beer place. Not that great of an idea some of the worst beer we had ever tasted. We drank and left. Next was a vineyard far away so we trucked it down there. By this point we are thinking that maybe the bikes are not such a great idea. We make it there right as they are closing. We get a short tour and it is really cool all the rooms were used for ageing wine and have crystalized tartaric acid (a chiral molecule) on the ceilings. We tasted about 5 wines there and were not impressed by any. Really we were not that impressed by any of the wines we tried. We were planning on buying a few bottles to take back and could not find any that we liked.
When we got back to the rental place we returned our bikes and the owner gave us some wine. We sat down at some benches and one of the American girls had bought some cheese so Christina borrowed a bike and bought some bread and we had a little picnic. By the time we decided to leave we were tipsy but the other people there were wasted. We tried to leave before they did so as not to be associated with them on the way back but unfortunately we got on the same bus. They were screaming, falling on the floor and spilling wine (the owner had filled cups and water bottles with wine for them) all over the floor. As locals would leave the bus we would apologize for them. By the time we got to our stop they were so drunk it was embarrassing. This Australian couple was the worst. The guy was walking around with one shoe and taking big swigs from a thermos of wine.
At one point they were sitting on the sidewalk yelling and a police officer came over and started asking questions. Being drunk and not speaking Spanish they were getting belligerent and the police officer was getting annoyed. Everyone else had quickly crossed the street. I felt bad for them so I went over and started talking to the police officer for them. He was saying that he was going to arrest them for public drunkenness. I told him that we were taking them back to the hotel right now and that they would throw out their wine. With that he left but told me to make sure they went straight home.
After another block they said they knew how to get back to their hostel from here and left. I am pretty sure they had no idea where they were going. I hope they got back safely.
When we all got back to the room, the American girls were staying in the same room with us, we found all our stuff moved on top of the bottom beds and the comforter from the top bunk on top of it. We were freaked out and we straight for this young guy working at the front counter. He did not know what to say and we were freaking out. How could somebody go into our room and mess with our stuff. We were so mean to him. He was so flustered he called the manager and he came to see what was going on. He did not know how this happened either. We were so freaked out thinking that someone had gone through all of our stuff. Everything was moved around and stuff was taken out of bags. Nothing was missing but it was really strange. To make up for it the guy said that we did not have to pay for any of our stay and he got the cook to make us dinner for free. We told him that we would pay for our room but we would love dinner. I feel a little sorry for him because later we found out they had come in to exterminate and they had moved our stuff to protect it. The whole thing was just bizarre.
Later that night people were on a hut for cocaine. Christina and I were not part of the searchers. No luck so the guys left and one of them left his girlfriend passed out in the lobby. I know what a great guy seeing as this was not even her hostel. We dragged her into our room and put the blankets on the floor to make her a pallet. When we set her down she sat up and started to get upset but the American girl Jess who had been talking to her most of the night calmed her down and patted her head until she went back to sleep. Yes Jess was really drunk too it was really a funny site for me seeing that I was sober.
The next day we walked around the town and then came back to buy a ticket for the bus and to take a nap. I looked online for a restaurant and found this one called La Barra (I think) so we went for dinner. That was the best decision we made in Mendoza. The meat there was the best I have ever eaten in my life. Perfectly seasoned and meat in your mouth tender. Everyone was happy with dinner and we all wished that we had more time in Mendoza so that we could eat there again.
Laura
No comments:
Post a Comment