We left Mendoza and took the bus through the Andes to Santiago. The trip started off on flat land and we passed some beautiful vineyards as we headed out. They we started to climb and climb the mountain range. At the top of the Andes we met the border of Chile. There were long lines of cars and buses waiting to cross the border. It was a little confusing and it took about two and a half hours to get throughout the process. We all had to get off the bus for this. One line for your passport, then another for your certificate of travel, then another for your declaration statement, then another to have your luggage scanned. Then finally. Back to the bus.
There were many buses.
" get off, that bus, its not our bus" " yes it is" " no it is not" " are you sure?" "Yes our Bus had red seats. This looks nothing like our bus" "really " "yes really"........................... " oh, there it is"
The ride from the Chile border was very very steep. Many switchbacks as we came down from the top of the Andes. We finally made it into Santiago about 8 o'clock. The terminal was packed with people and buses lined up waiting to unload. We had a few challages........no money, didn't know the name or address of our hotel but it all worked out. I got money from an ATM. $160 got me one million pesos ..........I'm a millionaire.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Asado night
We had a wonderful night at Rowena's. She lives on the 9th floor of one of the only high rise apartment buildings in Mendoza. She has only been in Mendoza for three months and moved from Idaho with her husband Steve. He is a mining engineer and mines for gold and silver in Argentina. They have moved over 24 times with his work but this is the first out of state move for them.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Nice quiet day. We took a cab to the bus terminal to get our ticket for Salta on Sunday and then went to Plaza Independencia where AL went her way and I went mine. I spent the morning sketching and painting. AL did her thing and we met at 1 for lunch. Were off tonight to our new best friend's , Rowena Sinclair Long.....look her up on Facebook, she looks just like Kristen Wigg. She was very generous to have invited us. We took a nap to prepare. I will report out tomorrow. I may be coming back with a "green carder"
Of all the gin joints.
After we settled into our apartment, we headed down the street for dinner at a place called Anna's Bistro. We were early because no where can you get dinner before eight o'clock. I heard an American accent at a couple of tables over. It was a woman sitting alone. So I said "hi" and then we spent the next three hours taking to here. We got some great information about the area her. She is from Calgary and is staying in Argentina for the next three months. She wanted to get away from the cold too. Here is the weird thing.........she knows the American woman too! And she is going to the Asado tomorrow night too. What are the odds that we would be at the same restaurant knowing the same American woman? ...........by the way an Asado is a cookout.
Piper and Crazy eyes head back to Mendoza
We needed to have the car back to Mendoza today but first we drove to Duquesne Los Reyunos. It was about a half hour drive through the back roads. We tried to get gas for the car in San Rapheal but everywhere was out of gas. NO HAY. Finally in a small village we found a gas station. Again we found our selves traveling on a gravel road traveling up a mountain side. We reached a small parking lot that overlooked this breath taking lake. I was disappointed we got such a late start because there were kayak rentals and zip lining at this spot. We had to be back in Mendoza by 4:30 so there was no time to be able to do either. The road back is one long, long, long straight ride. Very easy to fall asleep at the wheel. When we got back to the city, we had the same problem trying to get gas. NO HAY every where. We had return the car with half a tank. The Hertz man said it is a big problem throughout the country. We're staying at an apartment hotel which is a little further out of town but nice and very spacious. I got an email from our American woman friend inviting us to her house for an Asado. ........don't know what it is but I said"yes". Hope it's not a satanic ritual.
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