Bikes and Bodegas



I must say my first trip into the Mendoza vineyards was a smashing success. I have already purchased more wine than I can legally bring home (which is none since I am 19) but I only half of what my parents may take back if they come to visit me. And if you guessed that means I have 2  bottles you are right!

The trip to the vineyards (bodegas in Spanish) began early Saturday morning with a delightful ride on the city bus to the next town over Maipu. Pause and enjoy English speakers: Maipu is indeed pronounced as My Poo. And when we six American girls descended from the bus we were immediately meet by a English bike rental salesmen. Did we follow our carefully researched bike rental plan? No, true to form the American consumers responded amazingly to the British accent and we rented from Maipu Bikes instead. All was well with our Bicics though so no harm.

Van Trapp Time

Over the course of 11 Kilometers (no idea what that is in miles) we saw two wineries, two olive orchards, and 1 liquor shop. The pedaling was alternately glorious and taxing. Our first stretch and several more later on were on wide, tree-lined, paved, country lanes with the grapevines stretching into the distance until overtaken but the mysteriously pale Andes. Someone started “Doe, a deer a female deer. Rey, a drop of golden Sun!” and we sang the whole song through for with those mountains did we ever feel like some Van Trapp children learning what fun was for the first time. At other points the road was nothing but dust and water, a man-made dry creek bed, so bumpy it made your teeth chatter and the amount of dirt in the air gave me new sympathy for the Dust Bowl victims of the 1930s.

My favorite stop was probably the very first where we paid USA $3.75 to taste around 30 olive products, jams, dulce de leche, chocolate, and 1 shot each. I did not partake of the shot but those dulces were the best I have ever had and such a varied sampling was just fun. I am bringing home my favorite Dulce de Leche with almonds. Rey Rico, Chicos. Tastings may have to happen at Reading Night next year…after my family gets a go at the jar of course. My favorite vineyard (of two) was Carinae, the smaller, more modern winery. I liked that it was small, exclusive, humble (they weren’t charging out the roof but had a legitimately good product), and just full of light and color. Which is fitting since the place is named for a constellation, as is the wine I bought. We did visit one other vineyard that was old, stately, and excellent. And there I purchased a very nice, very traditional Malbec that will commemorate my time in Mendoza well. I enjoyed that one too, it just didn’t have the same flair as the wine of the “stars”.   

Our Skinny Neighbor



Valparaiso

Argentina has a very slender neighbor called Chile. This is ironic because chili in America is stereotypically served up and consumed by fat middle-aged firemen. And it was in this lovely country that I spent a two-day Argentine Feriado (national holiday). 

With about 20 of the other IFSA kids, I went to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar in Chile, a.k.a. Beach Town, CI. It was Gorgeous! I have decided that I when they start paying teachers like they deserve I will purchase a summer home on one of those hills looking out to the infinite Pacific. And then you turn around and look at the huge mosaic of brightly colored houses and wall murals. Oh, it’s a (slightly more) southern part of heaven.



We stayed at Che Lagarto Hostel with 30 of our closest Aussie and British friends. There were perhaps 5 Argentine too. Needless to say, Spanish was out the window regardless of all previous vows to maintain it. It was a weekend filled with wandering the beautiful streets, the beach (too cold to swim but amazing wandering weather), and getting to know the local grocery store. I say the grocery because when you stay at a hostel being cheap about everything else kind of flows out of it, thus we cooked out own food a lot.





I did have one good seafood lunch though. On the second day touring Valpo we happened upon a lovely restaurant overlooking the harbor. Three stories of white-clothed tables on terraced open-air patios. I had the Reinita, a local white fish, and some perfectly seasoned vegetables. Best seafood I’ve ever had but when your whole country is within 50 miles of the coast you learn to cook these things.



La Sebastiana (great views from the windows)



The one seriously touristy but absolutely mandatory excursion in Valparaiso was to Pablo Neruda’s home, La Sebastiana. For those of you who might not know, Neruda is the most important Chilean (and perhaps Spanish-speaking) poet of the 20^th century. I bought some bilingual additions of his work at the gift shop so we can all get to know Neruda when I get home. The man was a bit eccentric and loved to entertain so the house is interesting for the most causal passerby. I ended up there twice with different people but the second day a live string orchestra decided to hold a free concert in the house so I was lovin’ it.



Iglesia Presbyteriana de Valparaiso



One thing that was great and discouraging at the same time was the number of churches in Chile. There were Protestants of many shapes and sizes and even some very legit Presbyterians. There are almost no Protestants in Argentina and all of them (so far) are very off Bible. It was hard to stand in front of a good church that I could be attending if only Carolina would accept programs in Chile. But a post on church in Argentina is for another day.

Since I was adding a new country to my world map, I had to do some shopping to prove it. I came back with: 2 books, 2 street art prints, 4 post cards, 1 purse, 1 birthday present, 1 llama hat, 1 box of Cocoa powder (they don’t sell this in Argentina), and a pack each of Skittles and M&Ms.

I love Chile. It is my fond hope to return there someday and maybe see Santiago this time. J