Travel Apasionado - South America & World Wines

Cafayate, Argentina, home of Torrontes wines, the BEST empanadas and one of my favorite little towns ever!

2011-07-12T14:42:00.003+10:00

Driving from Estancia Colome to Cafayate

Cafayate (pronunciation lesson; in Argentina 'y' is pronounced 'j' [and 'j' as a 'y' just to make it more exciting] - kaf-a-ja-tae) is one of the coolest little towns I'd never imagined!

About 3 hours from Salta - I doubt anyone knows the exact timing, as the route is so scenic and stunning that everyone stops numerous times - Cafayate is home to sunshine, vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, friendly locals, delicious food (OMG the empanadas), Torrontes (white) and Malbec (red) wines, and some of the oldest wineries in Argentina.

Save Your Soul peoples!
Retro-fantastic church in the middle of nowhere

Surrounded by towering red rocks, it's like coming upon an oasis, especially if you're driving from the bleak-but-amazing desert atmosphere of Colome and Cachi. The town is centered around a tree-filled square where teenagers sit next to each other but chat via Facebook on their i-pad 2's, while their parents weave ponchos nearby and their grandparents sip Malbec from Etchart winery, as they have been for the last 60+ years.

Patios de Cafayate, luxury accommodation

It's a very safe and welcoming town to wander around and there are plenty of delicious eating and accommodation options, from quaint and homely to mucho expensive resorts. We stayed at Cafayate Wine Resort which, despite its name, doesn't have anything to do with the nearby vineyards but does offer quite a good selection of local wines by the glass in the hotel. It was out of town so having a hire car was a big advantage; certainly to visit the surrounding vineyards a car really is needed.

There are many local vendors hand-weaving brightly coloured rugs, and other desirable knick-nacks easier to fit into suitcases, and the vibe is congenial rural-South America; an absolute treat.

Cafayate is one of Argentina's oldest and most important wine-producing regions; less internationally-famous than Mendoza, but the quality is as good if not arguably higher. At around 1700m, the wines are high-altitude which means deep colour, intense flavour, fragrant and refined.

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Pampas! We are in Argentina after all

Estancia Colomé and the world's highest vineyards

2011-07-08T13:34:00.003+10:00

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Barrel room at Estancia Colomé

Mum and I, tiny car, unsealed roads, middle of nowhere, rivers to cross (bridges?!..they're overrated) non-english speaking country...great idea! I can make it sound pretty impressive, but in reality it was really fun and while definitely an adventure, there was more laughter than tears.

Estancia Colomé is a luxury estancia (country estate) literally in the middle of nowhere, a true 'destination hotel'. The drive really is worth it; if you're planning on visiting Northern Argentina it will be a question you ask at some stage, because it does take some serious effort to reach. And, some serious cash when you arrive. Colomé is no budget destination, beware.

River crossing!

The rooms are set around an internal courtyard, with everything provided; an old-school English style bar with couches you just about disappear into, restaurant, gift shop, big pool brimming with clear blue water and with views over cacti and vines to snow-capped mountains in the distance. And its own private, huge, interactive art gallery / museum filled with originals by James Turrell, an American artist primarily concerned with light and space.
Colomé is remote however, and while it's admirable that they have created jobs and opportunities for the indigenous people of the area, friendly and quality service is something which is, disappointingly and surprisingly, lacking. This is by no means a reflection on the local people, as many of the places we stayed at were staffed almost in entirety by indigenous people and were beautifully run, warm and friendly.

Vicunas (similar to Alpaca but softer wool)

The Estancia makes its own high-altitude wines, the Malbec and Torrontes being quite exceptional although those harvested above 2000m I couldn't help but feel were more about gimmick than seriously good wines. One of my favorite wines, ever, was the Colomé 'Lote Especial' Malbec made at 1800m at the San Isidro vineyard - so fragrant, juicy, lifted, concentrated and well balanced I'm still dreaming about it. AND the only place you can buy a bottle, is at the Estate. Great reason to go!

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Iguazu Falls

2011-06-25T09:30:00.000+10:00

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Immense cascading waterfalls, butterflies and lush rainforest characterize Iguazu in the northeastern corner of the country. ‘Poor Niagara!’ commented Eleanor Roosevelt when she saw the Iguazu Falls. One of the great natural wonders of the world, the falls have to be seen to be believed and will thrill even the hardest of hearts.

Thundering over smooth rock and plunging into white-misted depths, the sight is magnificently awe-inspiring, can be viewed from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides, and the 275-odd waterfalls stretch for 2.7km of amazing. The flight itself from Buenos Aires is remarkable, showing geographical changes from pampas plains to vermillion roads and lush forest."

Argentinian wines - regions and varieties

2011-06-22T11:59:00.000+10:00

Looking across to the Andes, Mendoza Province Argentina
From the almost-launched site www.travelapasionado.com.au

Argentinian Wines

Famous for Malbec, the fragrant, juicy, intense red wine synonymous now with Argentina and perfectly matched to steak, Argentina offers world-class wine tourism opportunities. Stunning, architecturally designed wineries have been built firmly with tourism in mind, many providing deluxe accommodation and restaurants to boot.

The Argentine wine story dates back to 1557 when cuttings were shipped from Spain. Historically aiming for quantity over quality in its wine industry, Argentina is the world’s 5th largest wine producer however has dramatically turned the tables in recent years to now yield some of the world’s finest and most exciting drops. The country produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (Shiraz), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines in addition to its unique flagship varieties.

Argentina produces three varieties quite idiosyncratic unto itself; Malbec, originally an unimpressive French varietal, has found a home and flourished in Argentina; it is characterised by its deep colour and intense fruity flavours with a distinctive velvety texture. Bunches are smaller than their French counterparts, with petite berries imparting greater concentration of flavours. Torrontés is Argentina’s most unique variety; it produces highly aromatic, distinctive, fresh white wines and excels when grown at high altitudes. Thirdly, Bonarda (The Best Wine You’ve Never Heard Of, according to goodcheapvino.com) when well made, produces soft, rounded, juicy red-fruit wines with a nice touch of acidity. Its origins are a mystery although it is most likely to have come from the Piedmont region in Italy, and is very similar to Charbono grown widly in California.

Mendoza is the main wine-producing area and is divided into three main areas of Luján de Cuyo, Maipú and the up-and-coming higher-altitude Valle d’Uco. It is a picturesque region, abundant with alluring tour and accommodation options ranging from super-deluxe to local B&Bs. To the north, considerably hotter and drier but with stunning scenic valleys, San Juan and La Rioja is the second largest producer of wines.

Less famous but rapidly gaining recognition, Salta province, especially around Cafayate, produces truly exceptional high-altitude wines. Malbec and Torrontés have shown particular aptitude when grown at high altitude; greater elevation increases phenolic concentration and imparts higher acidity, balance and depth to the wines. Indeed, the luxurious Estancia Colomé owns the highest vineyards in the world and produces Malbec at 3000m.

Continuing with the extremes, Patagonia in southern Argentina is home to some of the world’s southernmost vineyards. Noted unsurprisingly for its cool climate, the region is divided into the provinces of Neuquén, Rio Negro and southern La Pampa. Varieties produced include Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

How To Spend It - The Reconnoisseur: Daily intelligence

2011-06-12T17:48:00.002+10:00

How To Spend It - The Reconnoisseur: Daily intelligence

I just found this article online in the Financial Times' "How to Spend It" magazine site (link above)

Oasis Clubhouse in Buenos Aires is definitely a fun way to spend it! I met the most fascinating people when I blagged my way in here dahlings - still haven't decided if the Mexican (i presume drug) Lord or the overt billionaire was my favourite...the rest I can't name for legal reasons ;-)

Pics from http://oasiscollections.com/oasis-clubhouse

Apasionado - passionate - English-Spanish Dictionary - WordReference.com

2011-06-12T11:22:00.000+10:00

Apasionado (passionate) - English-Spanish Dictionary - WordReference.com

Wordreference is one of the handiest sites when you're learning a language or overseas. I have used it for everything from understanding cooking instructions to deciphering emails...any day now I'll need it for love letters I'm sure!

After the formal translation and some uses for the word, there is a section where people have written asking for specific translations of sentences they want to use. You can learn some very interesting phrases and can so often find the exact translation you're looking for.

Apasionado = passionate / enthusiast in Spanish.

Travel Apasionado - passionate about travel!

Dakar-style, Salta to Cachi (watch out for the wild donkeys around the bends)

2011-06-09T15:52:00.001+10:00

The drive from Salta to Cachi in Northern Argentina definitely doesn't lack descriptive adjectives; let's start with hair-raising, mind-boggling, rustic, stunning, addictive, and rally, rally fun.

Flying along the highway (sealed!! We really had no idea what we were in for) through the first patches of rain of the trip, dodging speeding trucks in low visibility, I thought I had drawn the short straw having to drive this part of the journey, from Purmamarca to Salta. Stopping off in the main town of the area, Salta, we stocked up on empanadas, fuel and a bit of culture by finding the cathedral, and swapped drivers. Salta is a really pretty town with a beautiful main square and feels very cosmopolitan compared with the tiny villages surrounding it and right up to the Bolivian border.

Salta Cathedral

The route from Salta to Cachi is visually almost unbelievable, and probably one of the most stunning routes in the world. No photo could ever do justice to the diversity and beauty of this drive. It's mostly unsealed, fording streams is a 1/2 hourly occurrence, and there may well be a wild donkey, horse or llama around the next bend so it's definitely never boring!

Driving out from Salta there are lush plains and fields of tobacco, corn and cattle. This gives way to sub-tropical rainforest once the climb begins, and the asphalt peters out. Cachi can only be reached from Salta by driving over a mountain range characterised by the Piedra del Molino ('Mill Rock'), with very twisting roads, steep drops, lush forest, waterfalls, towering red rocks and dotted cacti. The drive can take around 4 hours in total; this includes photo-op stops which you'd be mad not to factor in. Mum had a ball getting into rally-driver mode, skidding around bends and through streams in our little VW Gol (same as a Golf) - pfft to 4WD's!

The view heading in to Cachi town

Once up nice and high, around 2,500m elevation, the road flattens and the drive through the Los Cordones national park begins. Sweeping, giant cacti-filled plains, wild goats, donkeys and llamas provide the foreground to towering snow-covered mountains and sheer cliffs. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

We chose to drive the supposedly less-scenic route skipping the most rugged part of the national park, which we had heard turns into little more than a dirt track. After 5 hours of already fairly challenging roads we decided we deserved the easy route. And no matter how amazing that other route may be, I cannot imagine it could ever be more stunning than the one we drove through. The size and visual force of the enormous jagged mountains, covered in snow and overlooking giant cacti 5m high, will stay with us forever.

Our hotel in Cachi, mountains in the background

Approaching Cachi, a tiny town with all this stunning scenery around it, we were exhausted from all the splendour and dakar-rally-style roads. Luckily the hotel we were staying in was magnificent, with a spa (well, we deserved it!), fantastic restaurant, big deep baths and breathtaking views. It was a very long day but one of the most memorable, ever.

Arial view showing terrain between Salta and Cachi

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Quebrada de Humahuaca - Adventures in Northern Argentina

2011-05-31T13:07:00.003+10:00

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Driving 3 hours from Salta to Purmamarca completely changed all perceptions on what we thought this part of Argentina would be like, and it was only the beginning. At an elevation of between 1,000-3,500 metres, the vast differences in height and climate allow desert to give way to subtropical rainforest and back again several times, cacti swapping for butterflies and forbidding red mountains for lush waterfalls and forest.

Locals returning from the market, Purmamarca

As well as the fantastic contrast of land and colour formations, the people are a major reason to visit Jujuy Province and the Quebrada (gorge) de Humahuaca, an area that extends up to the town of Humahuaca and beyond. The population is predominantly aboriginal and traditional in their way of living. There are a number of Inca ruins and the Aymara and Quechua people coexist peacefully. Goat herders in traditional dress are spotted often, locals carrying huge bundles of wood on their backs and flower-pickers as well. The people are reserved by nature but friendly, and to see their skill in happily hand-weaving exquisite ponchos from a gnarled-wood-weaving loom, inside a tiny adobe-mud hut with a dirt floor, is amazing.

Our hotel, overlooked by the Cerro de los Siete Colores

Purmamarca was the first town we visited; it is more a village and is overlooked by the spectacular Cerro de los Siete Colores, or Mountain of Seven Colours. Spoiler alert; in hindsight, this town was our favourite! It's tiny and so rustic; no sealed roads here and yet in our airy white-stone hotel we had (free) wifi, computer room, chapel (really!) and the absolute most delicious food, produced locally and clearly by a very talented chef. Quinoa (yes, the new 'superfood' you probably keep reading about), trout, super-fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, empanadas (more on those later) and of course llama meat are traditional fare and every meal we had was light and delicious. The village also has some really nice looking restaurants; I wish we had been able to stay longer as you need at least a full day & 2 nights to soak up the atmosphere.

Adobe mud-brick houses and unpaved roads; yet there
is wifi access everywhere and great food!

In the village square a market is regularly held, with locals selling the aforementioned ponchos, brightly coloured rugs, souvenirs, jewellery, foods and whatever else is the current craze, Purmamarca-style. I bought gorgeous silver jewellery, hand-made llama-wool cushion covers, and wish I had bought a floor rug as it was so much cheaper here than when transported to Buenos Aires shops, and was just so exquisite. This is also where I met a 3-month old baby llama, dressed up for a day out and somehow I managed to summon all my willpower not to buy her too. However a baby llama is now high up on my list of coverted things. (Click here for photo from a previous post)
In one afternoon, we drove to Maimara, Tilcara, Humahuaca and back. Tilcara was the unexpected highlight, with a fantastic arts-and-crafts market in the square selling very nice alpaca-wool clothing, jewellery, nick-nacks, music, artwork etc. And....the empanadas.

Town of Maimara

Ode to Empanadas

For the uninitiated, an empanada is similar to a pie or a pasty; pastry baked or fried with a filling of meat or cheese & onion (the two most traditional), chicken, ham & cheese, tuna, veggies or whatever else the chef decides that day. You can buy them all over Argentina and Chile however in Argentina, the best are said to be made around Salta. And they so are. Smaller than those we'd tried (a lot of) in Buenos Aires, and fried rather than baked, they were so flaky and juicy and tasty that I nearly fell off my chair. I have narrowed down my 2 favourite empanada sellers in the entire country to Tilcara and Cafayate, south of Salta.
Unfortunately Humahuaca, the town with the coolest name, was for us the disappointment. Bigger than the other towns, it is more touristy and doesn't have the 'untouched' feel of the other towns. However the drive there is utterly stunning, moving in to proper big-red-mountains-dotted-with-cacti-and-plunging-gorges territory.

Humahuaca, Purmamarca, Jujuy, Tilcara and Maimará - how can anyone resist with names like that..

2011-05-30T13:33:00.004+10:00

Confession; I had heard that Northern Argentina was very scenic, stunning etc and I knew I wanted to explore it; but the main reason we chose to hire a car and drive north from Salta was because I loved the names of the tiny towns there. They sounded so exotic! The towns are in the extreme Northwest of Argentina in Jujuy Province, on the borders of Bolivia and Chile.

Jujuy (it's so much fun to pronounce - try coughing up a fur-ball and hooting like an owl at the same time and you'll get close) is also the largest town in the area with just under 300,000 inhabitants. All other towns in the region are small and the population is overwhelmingly indigenous, with traditional clothing, customs and housing still joyfully in evidence.

Wildflowers in Jujuy Province

Hiring a car and driving through this region proved to be a great decision, we could see more, stop just about every 30 seconds to take a photo of the incredible landscape we were passing, and get into the mindset of driving on the right-hand side of the road (which I'd never done before) without too much traffic around. As there are so few roads in the area it's hard to get lost and the people are very friendly so we decided if we did ever need help, it would only have been moments away.

Our brave little VW; who needs a 4WD?!

Tourism is very important but still quite new to the area; 80% of tourists are Argentine, 12% from other South American countries, 7% from Europe and therefore I'm guessing at this stage, far less than 1% Australian....but it's somewhere I can't recommend highly enough to anyone with a mild sense of adventure, a Spanish phrase book and a desire to discover a very beautiful, almost untouched part of the world.

Individual blog posts on the towns we discovered to follow...
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Salta - La Linda in name & nature - to Purmamarca

2011-05-16T16:00:00.003+10:00

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Flying north from Mendoza to the north of Argentina, towards the border with Bolivia, expectations were that the country would turn from dry to drier, dustier, central-Australia-ish with a lot of striking red rock and not much else. We were wrong!

House of Jasmines, Salta

The area's main town, Salta itself is situated in quite amazing lush green plains, surrounded by not only stunning red mountains but also by rainforest, waterfalls, butterflies, cacti as far as the eye can see, the snow-capped Andes...you truely don't know what to expect around the next corner! La Linda, the beautiful, is no exaggeration.
We hired a car from Salta airport and drove to the very beautiful House of Jasmines, a Relais & Chateaux property that was an absolute treat for the senses. Surrounded by lush plains with green hills in the distance, our every whim was catered to and the pool was heated! Que fantastique!

Purmamarca and it's hill of seven colours

After a day of chic-ness, we hit the road to begin our big driving adventure, today to Purmamarca which is an almost indescribable little town overlooked by the hill of seven colours. There is a scenic route through a tropical rainforest with masses of twists & turns & some mild water-crossings which was beautiful, entertaining and took about 3 hours with a couple of photo-op stops along the way.

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Over the Andes

2011-04-22T11:45:00.002+10:00

Traveling up the mountains

....28 switchbacks up, dodging trucks in a double decker bus (see right for proof!) before we're even close to the border of Argentina and Chile, but so stunning!

Mt Aconcagua, highest mountain in the Americas

As an alternative to flying between Santiago and Mendoza, there are a number of bus companies who offer services across the Andes. We chose Andesmar who have really nice buses and if you book early enough, have seats on the second level at the very front for uninterrupted views as you go hurtling between snow-capped, jagged mountains.

Little church dwarfed!

There are some picturesque mountain towns along the way and unsurprisingly, very stunning views at just about every turn, including Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America at 6962 meters.

An Andean village

Customs and immigration between the countries can be pretty long and tedious (and the thin air can also be challenging), with all bags unloaded and searched. No food items etc can be brought though and from my understanding, officials seem to look for new electrical items being brought from Chile across to Argentina to avoid tax (unconfirmed but this is what I've heard) however, it was an unforgettable journey and takes the term 'armchair adventurer' to another level!

If you would like more info on the trip, please feel free to email me at info@travelapasionado.com.au

Chilean wine valleys in style

2011-04-20T09:49:00.004+10:00

Casitas Lapostolle; luxury in the vineyards

A week touring the Chilean wine routes is a fantastic way to see the countryside, learn a little bit about the Chilean people's culture, try local foods and to drink some very nice wines. Chile is a beautiful, safe country offering high-quality accommodation, food and wines, including a red variety not grown anywhere else in the world, called Carmenere, and also some very impressive white wines.

Vina Perez Cruz, Maipo Valley, Chile

There are a number of influential and important valleys producing wine in Chile, and depending on how much time is available, all are interesting to visit. In 6 days we saw the main wineries in Casablanca, San Antonio, Maipo, Colchagua and Aconcagua valleys as well as some important landmarks, a world-renowned museum and I learnt a HUGE amount (from a fairly low base I'm afraid to admit) about Chilean wines. We chose to travel with a driver, Hugo, (who was also an absolute wealth of information about anything & everything we thought to ask!) and Karen, one of Chile's foremost wine experts and also a consultant to Wines of Chile. I would highly recommend this team as words cannot express how above & beyond they went to ensure we had a trip, truely, of a lifetime.

Carmenere grapes, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Fresh, delicious local foods included salmon, trout, ceviche (fish 'cooked' in lemon & lime juices and some spices), humitas and tamales (corn-based dishes), plenty of red meat, empanadas and very importantly; pisco sours - an alcoholic and very delicious drink!

Biodynamic Emiliana vineyard

Red varieties, especially Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon, are very popular in Chile but for us it was the white varietals - Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Gris - that really impressed. Very different in style from Australian & NZ wines, they were 'minerally', linear, elegant wines with nice fruit & excellent balance. It was a treat to try these wines and I could easily see how Casa Marin (in San Antonio Valley) won the best Savignon Blanc in the world in 2010.

Carmenere was brought to Chile from France pre-phylloxera mistakenly as Merlot; it has since flourished and become something of a national grape for Chile (although Cab Sav is arguably the most popular locally) as it is now the only country in which the variety is produced. Low in acid, the wines made from Carmenere are deep, rich coloured with velvety, chocolate nuances and fragrant aromas. It is very late ripening, with the leaves turning a brilliant red in autumn. There are some excellent examples made and they are truely world-beating wines; Clos Apalta from Lapostolle as an example (it is a blend but Carmenere is the prime varietal)

Vina Montes, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Vina Errazuriz, Aconcagua Valley

While international tourism to Chile's wine regions is really in its infancy, the quality and striking architecture of the wineries made us think a little of Margaret River on steroids - several have been designed by world-renowned architects, all that we visited had beautiful (often breathtaking) grounds and views, and some also have excellent restaurants and accommodation options; one or more certainly to suit even the most extravagant budget. The valleys are beautiful and there is a lot of history that can be soaked up simply by visiting the country and visiting the local towns and vineyards.

For more information on visiting Chile and/or its wine regions, please email me at: info@travelapasionado.com.au
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Peulla to Puerto Varas - Finishing the Andes & Lakes Crossing

2011-04-12T08:56:00.000+10:00

Rio Negro, perfect mirror-image lake near Peulla

After me being very adventurous and canopy-gliding through the forest - insert Tarzan joke here - (and it was great fun and I think handily looked more daring and scary than it actually was) on our last morning in Peulla, we boated off towards Puerto Varas. This crossing should have been stunning as we passed over the Andes and several volcanoes; unfortunately it was completely cloudy and we saw absolutely nothing! The ups and downs of travel...

Mt Osorno from the town of Frutilla

...However this view made up for it once we arrived in Puerto Varas! Mount Osorno is just one of the volcanoes easily visible from the town, and is spectacular. The town of Puerto Varas is cute and has a DELICIOUS restaurant, Las Buenas Brasas, that was so good we ate there for both lunch and dinner on the same day. Centolla is King Crab and there is so fresh and scrumptious if you're like me, you'll dream about it for a long time to come!

We also did a 1/2 day trip to Frutilla which is a little town not far from Puerto Varas. It has a very strong German heritage and in effect is a little German village; just to confuse our language efforts even more we had to try ordering Kuchen in Spanish.

If you would like any more information on travelling this route, feel free to email me! info@travelapasionado.com.au and for more pictures, Travel Apasionado has a Facebook page

Cruce de Lagos; the Lakes Crossing, Patagonian Argentina to Chile via Peulla (Part Two)

2011-04-09T10:54:00.001+10:00

Room with a view; from our hotel in Peulla

Following from yesterday's entry where my mum Ann and I travelled from Bariloche in Argentina to Puerto Alegre, where we were stamped out of Argentina we pick up our plight, stateless in the Andes...

At Puerto Alegre, which is not a town but rather one shop & a customs building on the border of Lago Frias, we were torn between the mandatory stamping of our passports out of Argentina, and the delicious smell of hot chocolate wafting from the nearby sells-everything shop. It turned out the chocolate was cooked in saucepans and mixed with fresh hot milk by the store-lady on request; the shop also exchanges pesos for pesos (Argentinian to Chile) which is of utmost importance; there's little love lost between the countries and nowhere in Chile will accept the other kind of peso.

One thing I should mention is that on the short bus ride from Puerto Blest to Puerto Alegre, we passed a 700 year old tree, Alerce, which has the potential to join it's cousins in the nearby forest in growing to 4,000 years old. Just imagine!

Blue-eyed llama, Peulla

After departing Argentina officially if not literally, a 1.5 hour bus ride took us through a beautiful forest past the official border between the countries where we hopped off to photograph the moment. It may sound like a lot of bus-boat-bus-boat, and of course it is, but the guides are so informative and helpful, and the scenery so beautiful and interesting, that it never felt tedious. Travelling to Peulla past fields of alpacas, llamas, cows and horses, all in lush fields framed by the mountains, was truely fantastic. We passed the glacier of Mt Tonador, icy blue and sparkling in the sunshine, then broke out into the flat plain of Peulla with the tiny little town of 140 inhabitants in the distance.

A very serious customs process greeting, with bags searched for fruits, animal products etc that could harm Chiles delicate and important agriculture and native plant species, and we were officially stamped in to Chile. The country, because of it's excellent controls and thanks in no small part to the natural borders of the Andes and the ocean, is free of many diseases and pests such as fruit fly, bird and swine flus, mad cow disease.

Peulla is almost beyond description; a little Eden in the middle of the Andes with a lush evergreen forest on one side, and the beautiful snow-capped mountains of the Andes on the other. Because it is in a National Park and so isolated, there are really only people involved in customs or tourism in the town and it is an absolute gem. This is the place to get away from everything - or to treat yourself to a slice of nature's paradise.

TBC!! (sorry....slow internet connection + being somewhere so exotic leads to inconsistent blog updating)

Cruce de Lagos; the Lakes Crossing, Patagonian Argentina to Chile via Peulla (Part one)

2011-04-07T11:44:00.002+10:00

I'm limited in the photos post-able on this blog; there are some great ones that really give you a feel for the land & journey if you look at the Travel Apasionado Cruce Lagos facebook album

If you'd like more information on Cruce Lagos, the Lakes Crossing, feel free to email me at info@travelapasionado.com.au

Lovely (haughty!) llamas, Peulla

Seagulls swooping down for a snack, Nahuel Huapi

Breathless! Crossing from Argentina (Patagonia) to Chile has been the most fantastic experience. We didn't really know what to expect (booking was a little hairy; all in Spanish and limited correspondence) and were amazed to find a remote little treasure in the middle of the Patagonian Andes. It's been quite a mission and every step of the way not only worth it, but a gift for the eyes. The story begins in Bariloche...

...We were picked up from our hotel in Bariloche and driven to Puerto Panuela, Llao Llao Peninsula, where we caught the first boat on the lake Nahuel Huapi. Our guide Leonardo was very helpful and really set the tone for the rest of our journey; he was able to help my mother Ann identify all sorts of plants and even to give their botanical names, impressing her which is no mean feat! This boat section is hour and a half, the highlight being when seagulls swooped down to grab biscuits out of our hands in the *very* fresh air; this led to a) some great photos and b) an attack of hunger for us as well, after all that fresh air. Somehow the carne (meat) empanadas on the boat that looked so ordinary, tasted so delicious! As did the chocolate caliente, hot chocolate. It doesn't take mountain air long to work!

Lago Frias

We arrived to Puerto Blest, on the Rio Frias, then bussed to the Lago Frias, a lake coloured by the minerals coming from a glacier and so fine that they sit on the top layers of the water, giving it an unusual milky-blue colour. Surrounded by mountains all around, it was spectacular. And looked like it lived up to it's name; cold. This lake was very quick but also very pretty to cross; it took us to the Argentinian border control who stamped us out of Argentina, although we weren't quite in Chile yet...stateless, I now take my leave. Internet connection is very slow so I will complete the Lake Crossing story tomorrow!
'ta luego....
*Postscript: Next part of the Lakes Crossing here

Bodega* Fin Del Mundo; the End of the World is delicious (and great value!)

2011-04-01T08:31:00.004+11:00

A very generous glass of Reserva Malbec, Argentine bife, papas al horno, pimientos dulces, Reserva Viognier , queso de cabra (goats cheese) with figs & honey and $15 AUD for the whole thing....and it was half gone before we thought to take this picture!
Riquisimo!

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*'Bodega' = winery

The Winery at the End of the World
Meandering around Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires, one day in between appointments with hotels (I don't recommend hotels I haven't seen), stumbled we did not upon Experienca Bodega Fin del Mundo. Why not? Because the building is huge and modern and a destination in its own right and it would no doubt take offence at anybody saying they had stumbled upon it.
Bodega Fin del Mundo was established in 1999, is located in the Neuquen Provence, Patagonia (Argentina) and produces wines from some of the southernmost vineyards in the world. Patagonia was considered to be unsuitable for wine production until the doubters were proved categorically wrong as over the years following 2003 Bodega Fin del Mundo scooped a number of gold, silver & bronze medals at international wine awards around the world. ( The awards are listed here if you'd like to know exactly what they've won)

However, it is their gourmet, no-expense-spared venture 'Experienca Del Fin Del Mundo' in Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires that so impressed us (and Neuquen, Patagonia is really cold and a bit hard to get to). As noted, it's impossible to miss and is absolutely worth popping in to for a copa de vino and to rest those weary legs. Plus, now you can say it's educational...

Technology plus!
Buzz if you'd like the bill
or better still...another glass

The impressive, dark-wood-and-stone space is a restaurant, open for lunch, afternoon tapas snacks, and dinner. It also caters for functions, runs wine tastings, wine educational sessions and special events with renowned chefs and wine personalities from around the world.

As an afternoon, 'how can we not go in' visit, we were not looking for a main meal however were, as one would expect, open to trying some new wines! There is a full list of the bodega's wines, including wine-making, taste, and blend descriptions with a number of wines offered both by the glass or by the bottle. A great way to try the wines is with their 'Tapas y Vinos' menu, which offers a small dish matched to a specific wine. Malbec with Argentinian beef and Viognier with goats cheese both matched perfectly and it was a treat to eat local foods with the delicious wines.

When the waiter came by to top up our glasses a faint look of panic appeared on my face; maybe it wasn't 2 glasses my fabulous Spanglish had ordered but 2 bottles?! Nope - they just come around and top up your glass so it's not un-artistically full the first time. Sigh. Problemo? Just press the buzzer on your table for the waiter, the bill, or cancel the call if pressed accidentally.
And now for the piece de la resistance - all of the above came to a crushing total of AUD $15.
Margaret River, you have slipped a looong way down my list.

Bariloche, Northern Patagonia and the Lakes District; the adventure begins!

2011-03-30T11:20:00.003+11:00

Vino in hand, the view from our accommodation

More info on accommodation or sites? Please feel free to email me
or view my website:
Travel Apasionado
or the Facebook page!

Today Mum & I flew (1 hour late of course - this is South America!) from Buenos Aires to San Carlos de Bariloche, or just Bariloche, as it's better known. Bariloche is a 2-hour flight, 1,500-ish km, from Buenos Aires in Northern Patagonia, the Lakes District.

It's popular as a ski resort in winter but very picturesque all year round, lying tucked around lake Nahuel Huapi at the base of the Andes and practically a stone's throw from Chile.

View from the top!

We walked the 3 kilometers from our goorgeous apart-hotel right on the lake (that's the trick; make sure your hotel is on the lake without the road in between it. And there are 'pretty' & 'not-so-pretty' parts to the lake) to a cable-car which takes you a huge distance up to a panoramic view over Bariloche town & lake Nahuel Huapi.

Slightly scary wind, which delayed our 'take-off' for 20 mins, aside, the cable car is a must-do and provided breath-taking views and a way to see where the town lay in relation to our hotel.

Is it a bear?! Wandering down the streets of Bariloche,

At the top of the semi-mountain (or that's what it felt like!) is a revolving restaurant/cafe and plenty of touristy-things to keep you occupied & interested for an hour or so.

After that little adventure, it's back to the hotel to make use of the jacuzzi in the room and sit, vino in hand, by the heater and admire the view over the lake and almost across to Chile...where we'll be in a few days time!

Tomorrow's to-do list:
Sleep in!
Big Patagonian breakfast
Isla Victoria y Bosque de Arrayanes boat trip
Try more Patagonian wines - from the southern-most vineyards in the world

Lots of wooden houses; and our chair-lift hill in the background

Feria!! San Telmo street market

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Tango dancers and performers beat drums and dance in the streets, the sun shines and antiques, hand-woven rugs, bright jewellery & silverware are laid out for the literally hundreds of people who come to experience the atmosphere and pick up the seriously cool, unique bargains on offer.

The Feria de San Telmo (Buenos Aires) is held every Sunday; it runs the length of La Defensa from Plaza Dorrego to Plaza de Mayo.

Along with La Boca, San Telmo is one of the oldest and most historically rich areas in Buenos Aires. Along its cobblestoned streets lay tango parlours, antiques shops filled with silverware, cafes, bars & restaurants. It is an area filled with passion for dance, music, food, and life in general - yet it is also lined with sorrow and a sense of faded desperation.

Every Thursday for many years, the Madres (Mothers) de Plaza de Mayo have convened at the Plaza to protest their children who 'disappeared' during the last military dictatorship from 1976-1983. They wear head scarves embroidered with their children's names and while perhaps no longer fighting with the hope of being reunited, they implore us not to forget the tens of thousands (military admits to 9,000; the Madres estimate 30,000) who went missing and are still unaccounted for. The history is horrendous; Wikipedia have an entry on the association and history at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_of_the_Plaza_de_Mayo

Despite the past, San Telmo is a very upbeat, must-see barrio (suburb), especially for the feria on Sundays. It lies between Retiro and La Boca (see the previous Romancing La Boca post http://apasionadotravel.blogspot.com/2011/03/romancing-la-boca.html); and is the perfect way to spend a Sunday late-morning-till-early-evening. Sample empanadas from various vendors wandering along the street (there's an older couple who sell huge, delicious 'carne' - meat - ones so keep an eye out for them!), stop off at a cafe and have a glass of wine or a beer, haggle gently with the street jewellery sellers and wind up at Plaza Dorrego around 5 or 6pm, in time for the serious tango dancing to start.

Loving Argentinian......Polo

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Palermo Polo Ground, overlooking the city of Buenos Aires

(especially when the sun is shining) Free entry, right in the middle of the city....que sofisticado!

They learn young!

Straight onto TV for the winning team

Romancing La Boca

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Touristy For me, in the instance of La Boca, it's a place you just have to visit when in a new town. I didn't come the first time I was here...because I heard it was 'touristy'. It is, and there's a reason! Nowhere else in the world, will you ever be in La Boca.

Catch a taxi or a bus, but do come here if you come to BA. There's tango in the streets (and if you sit at a restaurant, you will probably have to jump up for an impromptu dance...just remember, you don't know anyone here!), and you can call it corny, but fact is, the area is here because it still exists from history and there's a reason for it.

La Boca is a daytime excursion (nighttime, or any areas outside of the main strip around Caminito, generally err on dangerous) unless you're up for 'La Bomba de Tiempo', a drum-African-South American-samba-playing, energy-filled group who pack out the Konex Cultural Centre every Monday from 7pm (they come on at 8pm, then a guest DJ/jazz/ trumpet player/ anything else comes on around 9 to always keep it interesting).
It's one of the oldest areas in Buenos Aires and is filled with colourfully painted buildings, tango-dancers, Quilmes (beer) drinkers, artists and personalities. A poor area filled with the richness of life and of course, passion for football. Absorb it, but keep your wits about you; I went there with my mum and we were absolutely fine, un-threatened, mildly tipsy and had a great time so don't get paranoid! But DO keep an eye on bags and at the very least, pretend you know where you're going.

Loving Argentinian.... Chardonnay - Rutini Trumpeter

2011-03-21T03:08:00.001+11:00

Delicious; more linear than many Australian chardonnays, mineral, close-to-Chablis characteristics. Elegant. Yum. Happily drank a bottle last night :-)

Rutini vineyards, Mendoza

( Facts: 100% Chardonnay; 50% barrel fermented and aged for 7 months in 50% new, 50% second-&-third use French oak. 30% Malo fermentation)
http://www.rutiniwines.com/

AY Not Dead - BA Fashion - ♥!! In Vogue

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Beautiful Buenos Aires - Gardens, Parks, Museums

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View from the Puente Griego, Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires

Rosendal (Rose Gardens)

Buenos Aires is such a beautiful city. Today we walked to the Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods/ Parque Tres Febrero) and El Rosedal, a garden that over 12,000 colourful rose bushes call home. The garden was designed in 1914 by famous French landscaper Carlos Thays. Besides the flowers, there is a bridge called the Puente Griego (Greek Bridge) which offers stunning views over the parks to the city. The bridge is ornately decorated with greek urns and latticework and overlooks the Lago de Palermo (Palermo Lake), where you can hire a paddleboat or row boat to race the geese around the lake.

Lago de Palermo

Respite from the city!

The area is beautiful and 'elegante parisienne' in more ways than one; you can't step on the grass (guards will literally chase after you with whistles!) or pick the flowers, or have a picnic (unless in the public areas). In a city of 14-ish million people, it's easy to see why! However, the gardens are a lush respite from the hustle of the city & nearby streets Avenida del Libertador and Avenida Sarmiento. The park covers 62 acres and was property of strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas (Rosas! Town planners have a sense of humor too you know!) until he was overthrown in 1852.

On Pergola del Lago, Park Tres Febrero

Patio Anduluz

Inaugurated in 1875, the park has since been used constantly by Portenos (local Buenos-Aires-ites) and now also contains a beautiful homage to Spain, the Andalusian Patio as well as a number of busts of famous poets from around the world.

In addition, the park is also very popular at nighttime for, um, less refined activities. It's definitely recommended to stay clear unless you are experienced in these situations!

To finish the afternoon, a great place to head is the MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art) in Palermo for a glass of vino (the chardonnay they serve is great - trust me!). The restaurant is gorgeous and the museum is free on Wednesdays, a must-see for arts lovers.

Lunch at MALBA restaurant

Planning our travels...

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Botanical Gardens, Buenos Aires

...Can be a real pain! I've just spent hours planning the research-slash-holiday trip with mum that we have been really looking forward to. After a missed trip to France 2 years ago, and then missing each other in Paris again last year (thanks, volcano) we have a lot to make up for! The plan for the next 5 weeks, here goes:

Buenos Aires - Capital of Argentina, and in my humble opinion one of the best cities in the world. BA has a real 'vibe' to it unlike any other city; the people are so friendly, it's great value, and the food, shopping & nightlife are pretty much unsurpassable.

Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay) - Colonia is a gorgeous, UNESCO heritage-listed town in Uruguay just an hour's ferry from BA. As well as being cute as a button, in just a day trip it's possible to discover Uruguayan wines (Tannat! Like never before), food, history and a little bit of its culture.

Iguazu Falls - Famous for a reason; we're going to see both the Argentinian & Brazilian sides of the falls.

An estancia somewhere - I haven't planned the whole thing yet! Estancias are traditional stations/ farms, many at which you can now stay. They range in luxuriousness and in activities offered from watching/ learning polo, trying traditional Argentinian food & wines, to spas and resort-type facilities.

Bariloche - In winter it's a ski resort; all year 'round it's one of the most beautiful places on earth

Lake / Andes crossing to Peulla (Chile) - Pretty mountain/lake town that apparently has a grand total of 2 hotels. The crossing is called 'Cruce de Lagos' and is a spectacular boat-and-bus crossing from Argentina into Chile.

Puerto Varas - Puerto Montt - Port towns in southern Chile at the base of the Andes

Bodegas Salentein, Valle d'Uco

Santiago - Chile's capital, is a city of about 6 million people and sister city to Paris! It has the stunning Andes as a background and stretches to seaside Valparaiso; it also allegedly has the biggest swimming pool in the world.
6 day tour of the wine regions of Chile

Mendoza (Argentina) - The main wine-producing area of Argentina, once again set to the stunning backdrop of the Andes mountains. Home to some fantastic accommodation options like fincas set on a vineyard and some wineries themselves have very luxe accommodation.We're hiring a car as there is a lot of ground to cover - wish us luck!

Salta & Jujuy - 'La Linda', The Beautiful, as it's known. Of everywhere I have spoken to Argentinians about, this is the area to make eyes light up. I'm excited!

Palermo street art, Buenos Aires

2011-03-09T11:18:00.001+11:00