Argentina..the abbreviated version

After five weeks of traveling we found ourselves thousands of miles from our baby (Scholarship) and wanting to see her again very soon. So we left Chile in search of an interesting yet sort of quick way to get back to Ecuador. On the advice of a couple we met trekking we decided to go home via Argentinian wine country. Mendoza, Argentina is a bustling city in Central Argentina. Although we did not make it to Buenas Aires we think we had a sampling of the cafe culture in Mendoza. Nothing gets going until at least 10pm. Don´t even think about eating before then. We learned to have a snack and a nap and don´t start drinking that Mendocino wine too early. We spent three days in Mendoza enjoying the squares, the cafes and of course the Bodegas as wineries are called in Argentina. There must be almost 100 and everyone around there anyway is calling it the next Napa. The wine was really tasty, along with the food which was a welcome change from Chile where all they seem to eat is hot dogs. Below, our tapas lunch and some bike tour shots.


Our next stop after an 18 hour bus ride (this ride was complete with a game of Bingo with the prize being Argentinian wine, which I did win, but gave away because it was white swill) from Mendoza was Salta, Argentina. Salta is a big agricultural region and is home to lots of desert and canyons. For two Phonecians itching to get back to the sea this was merely an overnight rest before we hit the next bus. It was very scenic though and we managed to have our best meal of the whole trip in Salta. Wine, champagne, an appetizer and two of those famous Argentinian steaks all for under $25 US. Argentina is cheap and very beautiful. My advice would be, go there now before it gets expensive like Chile. After our brief stop in Salta and Argentina(only six days) we were back in Chile and on the way to the Peruvian border. I didn´t get much time for photos in Salta but the cathedral was amazing at night.