Imagine Argentina

Monday, March 16, 2009

Imagine Argentina: La Vendimia Collection

Another parade has come and gone. After months of strategic preparation, the streets of Mendoza at last erupted in early March with blaring music and vibrant colors; galloping gauchos and beautiful reinas. This is the international wine festival of Mendoza...also known as La Vendimia. Here is our travel log:

The annual festivities begin with a raucous parade through downtown, celebrating a fruitful harvest...and rejoicing in local culture. Small children and grown adults frantically wave their hands in the air, begging the pageant queens of each passing float to share their "emblems" of the harvest. In return, grapes and gourds are soon tossed into the crowd, gathered up in makeshift baskets attached to broom handles. Laughter is contagious as desperate onlookers struggle to catch the goods, only to eventually squash some of the fruit below their feet. With a sense of pride, smiling sons and daughters run to their parents to show off their newly acquired gifts: cantaloupes, garlic heads, and even bags of oregano (or so I think). Dallin found his own success...as you will see below.

Native cowboys, both young and old, trot down the avenue atop their horses. Decorated soldiers march to the rhythm of the himno nacional. Glamorous dance groups move, twist, and entertain the crowd, causing a reaction of cheers and applause. Each queen represents her provincial department aboard an extravagant float...competing for the adoration of neighbors - and politicians - in order to be voted the official Reina de la Vendimia later that evening. Vamos Godoy Cruz! Sos hermosa!

Tonight, almost 40,000 people pack the outdoor theater inside San Martín Park - Teatro Griego Frank Romero Day. A brilliant and dazzling performance begins with singers, dancers, and queens of years past. Vice President Cobos is present - and greeted with a roar of cheers. I believe Presidenta Kirchner is also here - yet welcomed with thunderous boos.

Following two hours of entertainment - with third row tickets thanks to The Grapevine - all seventeen queens are called out and line up on stage. We listen as the ballots are read. Who will be this year's "first lady of wine"? The crowd is wild...with fans screaming and yelling in support of their neighborhood queen. Massive banners and posters are waved in the air as provincial departments are read aloud: "Luuuuuuján!! Godooooooy Cruz!! San Marrrrrrrtín!!" And the winner is...San Martín by a landslide! Well, at least Godoy Cruz took second place. We now enjoy an impressive display of fireworks at 12:30AM...and Dallin is still awake!

Time to head home, face the traffic, and crash in bed. As for the rest of the week...well, it is the annual wine festival. Salud!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Park City + Lake Tahoe + Chocolate = Argentina's Lake District (Part 3)

DAY 4: Los Siete Lagos...and More
After an early morning alarm, and a light breakfast of fruits and medialunas, we are prepared to head north and discover the 7 Lakes shared between Río Negro and Neuquen. Our expert guide spends the next 12 hours leading us through diverse terrain overflowing with lakes, rivers, forests, and wildlife. Despite morning rain and cloudy skies, we still enjoy a serene drive...down dirt roads and gravel trails. This same region was the recent site of Discovery Channel's Eco Challenge.

The 7 Lakes in order of appearance: Espejo, Correntoso, Escondido, Villarino, Falkner, Machonico, and Lakar. Alternating shades of blue and green are visible through towering pine trees. Large lookout points accommodate international travelers and backpackers, all eager for the perfect picture. At Lake Falkner, we walk along the sandy shore, picking wild Calafate berries from the surrounding shrubs.

Such an excursion includes brief visits to the prestigious towns of Villa La Angostura and San Martín de los Andes, both smaller replicas of Bariloche nestled in the southwest corner of Neuquen. These quaint destinations continue to welcome worldwide travelers...and international expats seeking permanent relocation.

Our drive continues, the lakes disappear in the distance, and the landscape gradually transforms into a picturesque steppe painted in hues of brown and green. Quiet sheep farms and moss-covered fences are now behind us. It's hard to believe we were just in Bariloche this morning. We keep our eyes peeled for wildlife...and we are not disappointed! We witness wild boars roaming through low scrub, elegant guanacos meandering across fields, and curious rheas peeking inbetween foxtail plants. As condors soar overhead, we are delighted to see pink flamingos bathing in the lagoon to our right.

Our journey concludes with peculiar stone formations in the mountains, resembling elephant seals and mountain lions. We return to our hotel. It is late...but not too late for a dozen warm beef empanadas.

Wooden street sign in Villa La Angostura

The turquoise waters of Lake Escondido

Just us doing our thing...in front of Lake Falkner

Modeling in front of Lake Espejo

The moss-covered fences of southern sheep farms

Central square of San Martin de los Andes

Colored kayaks along the coast of San Martin de los Andes

Rustic fences and tumbleweed...elements of a Patagonia farm

Argentina's steppe...no, this is not a painting

The great outdoors of northern Patagonia

Roaming guanacos in their natural habitat

DAY 5: Final Highlights
A pleasant sunrise greets us through the window. We take advantage of our final few hours to squeeze in some trademark highlights of Bariloche. A brief drive along Bustillo Avenue, past budget hostels and public schools, leads us to the vibrant red cable cars that ascend Cerro Otto (4600 feet above sea level). The view is unforgettable...a panoramic unparallel to anywhere else in the world.

Back in the civic center, we visit the fine chocolate shops one last time. We lie down on the grassy slope leading from the main plaza to the central pier...as multiple Saint Bernards look on inbetween photo sessions with cheerful kids. Our time is winding down...so we decide to get up and accomplish our final goal while here in northen Patagonia - eat grilled lamb at El Boliche de Alberto. To die for.

We grab our suitcase, head to the terminal, and take our favorite seats on board the Andesmar bus: upper level/ in front. We recline our seats, pull out the iPods, and prepare ourselves for the 17-hour return journey. The sun is shining through the side window, it's actually getting hot. No problem, we'll just adjust the....oh no, the air conditioning is broken. Not good.

An early sunrise as seen from our hotel window

Cable cars ascending Cerro Otto

Aerial view of South America's Switzerland

A barren and wind-tilted tree along Lake Nahuel Huapi

Traditional preserves and jams

Grilled lamb from Patagonia (and a restaurant tip from los Galaso)

Park City + Lake Tahoe + Chocolate = Argentina's Lake District (Part 2)

DAY 3: Lake Nahuel Huapi of Bariloche
We head towards Puerto Pañuelo, driving along the coastal avenue of Ezekiel Bustillo, past public beaches, rolling hills, and quaint homes built of wooden shingles now stained with years of humidity. We board a large catamaran and sail Lake Nahual Huapi, the surface of which is now rippling under the strong morning winds. The sun is now peeking through the clouds, revealing tints of blue and green in the water around us. Flocks of seagulls glide overhead, searching for those passengers willing to donate a cracker or two.

Our first stop is the Quetrihue Peninsula. Here, organized trails wrap through the enchanting Arrayanes Forest, overflowing with these slender cinnamon-colored trees. At the touch, these twisted limbers are quite cold due to a faint bark of just 1 mm that protects their exterior.

We embark once more aboard our catamaran, sailing past weathered piers, jagged mountains, and clusters of pine trees that line the passing shores. We arrive to Victoria Island, once named Nahuel Huapi ("Tiger Island") among indigenous tribes before the arrival of European settlers. A dense pine forest has overtaken the island. Most trees appear dead and dry with the exception of verdant needles that grace their towering tops as each one competes for sunlight. Strong sequioas also grow here, providing further shade for resident foxes and deer, including the rare pudú which first inspired Walt Disney to create "Bambi".

This evening, we explore a few high-end residential neighborhoods, all defined by stylish cabin-like homes characteristic of the region. Unlike larger cities of Argentina, like Mendoza and Buenos Aires, these homes do not use barb wire or razor sharp fences for protection. Instead, such homes offer small wooden gates and welcoming stone paths that lead to their front door.