Chocolate milk

Whilst in Mendoza, we did some pretty awesome activities. The BF and I signed up for white water rafting and zip lining which is also known as canopy here. Id not done either so was excited albeit a little scared at the same time...not that I let this on to the BF. 


Wed chosen to go with a company called Argentina Rafting which Id been recommended by some other travelers Id met whilst in Bariloche. The staff were great and the equipment was well maintained  which made a change form the shoddy gear wed been given when I climbed Pucón volcano!


The rafting happened to be first up, so we were given wetsuits, booties, life jackets and a helmet each - such a good look by the way...

Team Latin America

Once we were briefed they drove us all about twenty minutes up the road to where the  rafting began on the Potrerillos river which runs through Mendoza and according to the BF looks like chocolate milk! (a result of all the sediment in the river)


We were put into teams of six people and set off downstream, with BF at the front with another guy with me, the rest of the crew and the instructor behind. The rapids we encountered were pretty hefty (level 3) and had random names such as Suegra which means mother in law in Spanish! The rafting wasn't as terrifying as I was expecting - more exhilarating, especially each time we finished a rapid we all had to scream our contentment : D

Off we go...

First rapid we hit!

fighting our way through...

Elation at having done it!

Off we go again...

Next up was the zip lining (canopy) which involved flying through the air across canyons and rivers attached to a cable.  The noise omitted from the pulley on the cable as you zoomed across resembled a formula 1 racing car which we all found amusing as it only added to the thrill of the ride! 

Jenson Button A.K.A. the BF

Unfortunately, or should I said typically, I got stuck half way across the last canopy which ran across the Potrerillos river. It was a fairly wide river and there was a bit of wind that day so there I was swaying looking down at the river which looked a mile away from me. Bizarrely I didn't panic, rather I just admired the view and waited patiently as one of the instructors winched himself towards me from the other side. In true Latin American man style, he asked me "do you come here often", obviously thinking it would make me laugh and calm my nerves. Thankfully I didn't need calming down but I did welcome his humour.

Off I go on the final canopy

Check out how high I am and the width of the river

STRANDED!

"do you come here often?"

BF decides to go backwards...

The next day we just chilled out and ate lunch at an all you can eat parilla. It was basically a
massive dining room with a buffet (ham and cheese in making its way into most of the dishes available) accompanied by a stand alone kitchenette which was manned by a greasy looking chef cooking up pastas and pancakes (separately of course!). I opted for a pancake with banana and dulche de leche ( thick, creamy, caramel-like milk-based sauce - again ignoring the lactose intolerance...) flambéed in alcohol. It was goooood : D


We then visited the Plaza de España in Mendoza which was decked out in typical Spanish mosaics - pretty! En route back to the hostel we passed by the most beautiful bank I've ever laid eyes on! (I cant vouch for their service though...)

hypnotizing!

This building reminds me of another in Barcelona but I cant remember which...if any of you know then please say!

Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant which served up delicious fajitas and the most ginourmous margarita's. I got a little drunk much to the amusement of the BF.

slurpy slurpy

The following day we signed ourselves up for some more activities - I know who would have thought I turn into such a adrenalin junkie?! we chose to stick with the same company (Argentina rafting) and elected to do some rock climbing / abseiling and some horse riding. 

Wed both done some rock climbing before (the BF having taught it when he was younger) so we knew what to expect. Luckily for us, we were the only people in the group so we had the instructor, Aga - Argentina´s number 2 climber - all to ourselves! She was great and helped us to navigate some tricky climbs which I certainly initially freaked out. Towards the end I was like Marvel comics Black Widow super heroine scaling the walls at top speed : D

Even the instructor trusted the BF with the ropes. What a  pro!

Give us a wave!

Giving Jean Claude Van Dam a run for his money in the splits stakes!

I look like Im walking up! haha

Horse riding was good,  the scenery was straight out of a spaghetti western and the weather whilst it being a little overcast meant a welcome break from the heat. The BF had never ridden before (with the exception of a camel) but he quickly mastered it, although his horse did have a penchant for peeing a lot which we all found amusing.

Our instructor of very few words

He is a natural!

Taking it all in my stride : D

Trekking in the Wild West

We got the horses to canter and go up and downhill more than on the previous horse riding I had down in Bariloche which was fun but meant that I was a little saddle sore the next day.


Being in Mendoza, it was obligatory that we did a wine tour of the region. I had been recommended a company called Ampora (I love going by recommendation by the way so if you have any about the rest of South America, namely Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia then leave me a message on my blog!).


Ampora focuses on showing you the "hidden gems" of the Mendoza region explaining the wine making process and only does tours with up to eight people so it is much more intimate.


We started early at 9am and visited a total of four vineyards and tasted seventeen large glasses of wine. Yes that's right people, seventeen. All before our gourmet lunch at the fourth vineyard. Needless to say I couldn't finish all the glasses, but the BF and the rest of the tour gave it a good shot.

First vineyard of the day

The BF goes in for his first glass - straight from the tank!

Second vineyard we visited. I stopped taking photos of the others . I blame the vino.

The vats of wine we climbed up on top of...

...to taste the wine!

wine tasting

The winner! it was the last wine on the right. Alas they don't sell it in the UK : (

That evening, we said "hasta lluego" to Mendoza and caught a bus to San Luis which is a small town four hours north of Mendoza. The bus this time was even better than the last, with fully recline-able leather seats, TV screens in the back of the seat heads and giant head phones. Given the amount of wine wed drunk that day, the excitement of the bus was a little too much for us both too handle. Feeling drowsy I slept pretty much the entire journey whilst the BF was in his element watching Fast and the Furious and eating food which contained yet more ham and cheese - you cant seem to escape the stuff!


Arriving at San Luis, I still wasn't feeling too good, and after a bit of a will I? wont I? moment during our taxi ride to the hostel, I proceeded to throw up most of the wine Id consumed the minute I stepped outside the taxi and in front of the hostel. Nice. Not the most proudest moments of my life but the BF certainly coped very well with it all. Thank goodness!


We didn't stay too long in San Luis as to be honest there isn't very much there. Even the locals were asking us why we had visited?! Although I will say this, San Luis has its own share of rather interesting looking shoe shops and sells some amusing things in the local supermarket...

Shoes? tick. Shop called Maria? tick. My mamá  would be in heaven : D

I wonder if Mr Clooney realizes he is in the window of a mens shoe shop in Argentina...?

No idea what this cut of meat is, but it looks straight out of the Flintstones!

Next stop, Cordoba!