Malbec | Infused exposures

Jan 23

Heading south; first stop Mendoza, the country’s biggest wine country

From the northwest of Argentina we traveled south to Argentina's other (and more famous) wine country in Mendoza. Mendoza is a fairly large city in Argentina, located in the north west part of the country. It's also easily reachable from Santiago in Chile. Mendoza is located in the desert Cuyo region making it an arid, hot place and even though it's a desert, a startling number of trees have been planted all over the city, providing some much needed shade especially in the summer months.

Jan 23

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Top tips for visiting the northwest of Argentina

Visiting the northwest of Argentina was one of the highlights of our trip in South America so far. However, I found it a bit daunting when planning our time in this region. There is so much to see and do, where do you start? We knew we wanted to rent a car for sure to give us freedom and flexibility but for how long? Where would we rent the car? I scoured the internet and guide books for answers.

Jan 20

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The wine capital of the northwest, Cafayate. Getting to know Torrontés

Ah, wine. I love wine. Who doesn't love a great wine? If you love wine like me and are interested in learning more about a grape you probably haven't heard of, well listen up!

When most people think of wines from Argentina, immediately they think of the lovely Malbec. But Argentina has more to offer than just this red grape. The north of Argentina is home to one of the most beautiful wine regions in the country, Cafayate and it's shining star, the Torrontés grape. What the malbec grape has done for Mendoza, the torrontés grape does for Cafayate.

Nov 4

A last hurrah in Buenos Aires

We took the ferry from Colonia del Sacremento back to Buenos Aires. Since we didn't get to see too much of the city the first time we were there, we felt we owed it to BA to explore some of it's beautiful parts. We only had two more days but we were not disappointed. We stayed at the same hostel, Terrazas Estoril because on Thursday evenings they host a huge asado complete with live tango music. And since it was Thursday when we arrived, the timing was perfect. The tango band was pretty good and it was especially nice on the hostels rooftop. The sunset and the views from here are stunning.

Oct 25

A week in Buenos Aires; making new friends and painfully learning Spanish

After our relaxing stint in Tigre and our arrival to Buenos Aires, we had a full week ahead of us trying to learn Spanish. The week was really crazy, waking up every morning at around 7 am, taking classes at a formal school from 9 am til 1 pm and then usually a 2 hour lunch break followed by more Spanish lessons with a private tutor. These would go on for usually 3 hours total (not including travel time). Sometimes we met with the tutor at night instead of the day. We also couchsurfed three different times, which caused us to pack up our bags and move to different neighborhoods. Suffice to say, it was a busy week but I really enjoyed it all. It felt like a real life had already begun for us. We had new friends, classes to attend and places to go all the time. I really felt like this was a new life for me.

Oct 17

TBC restaurant, Tigre

Since Tigre was our first stop in Argentina, we couldn't wait to have some famous (and rightfully so) Argentinian beef. The ill-named TBC restaurant, did not disappoint. Although it's located on the Paseo Victorica, which is the main road that strolls along the waterfront, it is a bit under the radar and hidden, due to the giant ivy covered walls that surround it, concealing it slightly.

Behind the walls, revealed a grand mansion, tastefully decorated. We were led to the spacious porch where diners could sit and enjoy the exquisite beef while sipping their Malbec wine. Service was attentive and we were seated on the porch right away

Oct 7

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Beautiful Tigre, the first destination

We arrived to Tigre, Argentina on our first morning. We weren't really supposed to go to Tigre. We were going to go out about 2 hours to the Pampas, to an older city with a long history of gaucho culture (gauchos are the south american version of cowboys). But we were so tired from our travels and the supervolcano that took place before the travels, that we decided to go to a city closer. We had read about Tigre and it's proximity to Buenos Aires and how nice it was. So we decided to go.

Mar 6

The discovery of Uruguay

Originally we were going to start in Brazil. I was very excited by this prospect. I wanted a big beginnning. The food, the culture and the sheer size and diversity of Brazil make it worthy of a bombastic start. But things changed. Plans got tweaked. Brazil got pushed. I was okay with it. After all, I'm a roll with the punches kind of gal (most of the time). So Laurent figured out a new route (that's his department, by the way). The new route is perfect. I think it solves the Brazil visa issue (more on that later) and it hits all the places we want to be at almost the right times of the year. The only thing I was originally slightly disappointed with was the start. Uruguay. Really? We're going to start there? In this stangely named country? It seemed fine as an after thought, a fourth or fifth stop but our first destination?! Who the heck goes to Uruguay? People from all around the world go to Brazil but who plans a trip to Uruguay?! Well, apparently we do. And you should too. I am a new convert to Uruguay's awesomeness. Yes, it really is! And hopefully I'll convince you why.