09.07 - Day 20 - Mendoza, ARG

Mendoza, Argentina

Friday 9th July 2010

Joy unconfined. A lie-in until 9:30. After arranging our onward bus tickets to Buenos Aires (no give-away back packs; no hassle at the station) we catch a local bus to Maipu; home of the wineries, 40 minutes from Mendoza.

We hire bikes from Mr Hugo’s; recommended to us by previous visitors. The recommendation is immediately justified as Mr Hugo greets us as long lost sons and presents us with our first free glass of wine for the day. 

Mr Hugo maybe the face and name of the enterprise but really its clear Mrs Hugo runs the show. Armed with a map and a small bottle of water we cycle first to Chocolate y Licores – run by a former Swiss engineer who moved to Mendoza 20 years ago where we sample home made wares: olive oil, spreads, tapenades, liquors (including 75% proof absinthe) and chocolate. 

Here we meet and join forces with an Aussie couple Mike and Leah. She has just finished a Law degree after having previously spent two years on a degree in physiotherapy. He is a market trader for a boutique Sydney based investment bank. Their holiday budget clearly exceeds our backpacker budget as they sample the finest wines compared to us with the value offerings. 

After a prolonged tasting at Carinae, Krish making some canine companions along the way, we’re a little unsteady on the bikes. At the Hunter Valley in Sydney this would matter little, but in Maipu the Bodegas are amongst the town buildings. 

For the second time we’re tailed by the Tourist Police, lights a-flashing. We’re thankful for the lady at the winery informing us of these regular escorts who routinely trail far more drunken tourists than us along the roads. As this is the low season we’re about the only tourists so get escorted by a combination of one motorbike, both motorbikes and even the police van on our travels.

After a third tasting we arrive back at Mr Hugo’s at 7pm – no mention of the “we shut at 6pm” we were told of earlier – instead we’re greeted with more complimentary glasses of red wine. Mr Hugo even helps us with the bus ticketing affair which had eluded us on the way out. No wonder My Hugo’s is talked of so fondly by travellers.

Krish is mightily upset we go different ways from the five UCLA girls when we arrive at Mendoza. After a brief stop for coffee and nachos (what else?) we leave Mike and Leah and head for La Carmela restaurant near the hostel. A thoroughly satisfying late dinner – monster chicken skewers, finishing after midnight. Finally adjusting to the South American way then.