Welcome to the Good Life

"Argentina is sooooo incredible! The people are so nice, the food and wine are so good, Patagonia is amazing, Buenos Aires is an unbelievable city..." And on, and on...


Everyone who has been to Argentina sounds like a broken record. How could it live up to the hype? Yet somehow, I find myself sounding more and more like that same annoying record...

(Industrial size wine vat)

The word is out on Argentina- prices have shot up even since Megan was last here. It's summer high season now, which makes things even more expensive; but on the upside it's allowed us to meet plenty of Argentine travelers and hostel workers. In the months since we left Colombia we've often felt that we are just a dollar sign, or even an annoyance. Now we have 10 minute conversations with the barista who pours us a café cortado. Hostel workers have welcomed us with wine and invitations to check out the nightlife. Overwhelming hospitality, combined with a healthy appreciation of the good things in life. It's seductive.


We sped through a lot of Northern Argentina so that we could arrive in Mendoza to meet a couple of D.C./Clyde's friends, Jackie and Meghan. After staying in Salta for a few days (eating our weight in empanadas!), we quickly moved on to Cafayate. It's a small city wedged between the desert and the Andes, famous for the Torrontes wine uniquely produced in the region. The Torrontes grape produces a refreshing white wine with a fruity boquet yet a crisp taste. Delicious, and many vineyards offer free tastings. We particularly enjoyed the Elementos by El Esteco.


Next stop was Mendoza, to meet Jackie and Meghan. It's a clean tranquil city with wide sidewalks, huge parks, and more incredibly hospitable locals. There's also an aqueduct system which I find particularly cool; it existed long before the Spaniards arrived and transforms the region from desert into wine country. An incredible place to meet up with a few friends.

We bussed to the outskirts of the city and rented bikes to tour the wineries from a guy named "Mr. Hugo..." We sampled a few amazing Malbecs and visted an olive oil factory as well as a chocolate and liquor factory before making our way back. The wine, hot sun, and biking wiped us out; but when Mr. Hugo offered to break out a few bottles of wine before we made our way back into the city, we couldn't refuse.

(Old olive oil presses... who would have guessed?)

Argentina makes us happy.