BIKES AND WINES

It's best sometimes not imagine places in your head before you get to them, as it can often lead to disappointment. This was the case when I arrived in Mendoza. I had visioned a small town nestled between vin yards with quaint shops and cafes, some peasant farmers working their fields in the distance, and cows, yes lots of cows. Well maybe if I had actually done some proper reading on the place I might have actually realised that I was turning up to a city that is Argentina's fourth largest, with a population of just under a million! Maybe then the motorway that encircled the city, the tons of ugly modern concrete buildings, the mass of cars and big advertising billboards might not have come, as such a shock! My little ideal imagine of Mendoza was shattered into tiny pieces.

I was now traveling with Maria a French girl I had met in the cool hostel in Tilcara and joined up with in Salta. Maria is one of those truly nice people you meet in life. She is always happy and loves everyone and everything and it's impossible not to adore her. I did think she must be on something at first as I didn't see how it was possible to be so happy all the time, as it's beyond me, but no, she is just naturally like this. Even on the 18 hour bus journey where we were tired and uncomfortable she still managed to be upbeat and chatty in contrast to my grumpiness. Though as we arrived in Mendoza even Maria expressed her deep disappointment, though she did so, still with a smile.

Mendoza is know as the wine capital of Argentina, so me and Maria decided to go on a wine tasting tour, as it was a must in Mendoza, besides, we told ourselves it would be our lovely rural vision when we got out of the city and into the vin yards? WRONG! Our taxi dropped us off at our tour office, which was not a rural vision, but a building, with lots of other buildings by it, at the side of a busy road. Dam it! I want my rural vision!

We had opted on doing the wine tour on bikes as this means you can get around and have a drink. Now those of you who know me well, will probably thinking the idea of me, bikes and wine, aren't a great combination. There were a few instances in the past where these things combined, did have a few dramas, the worst being the time, when I hit a BMW and went over the bonnet. Yes it was parked at the time and stationary! Hello people, that's in the past. I have just survived biking the worlds most dangerous road, so I would say me and bikes are good now.
We set off on our journey of 24km round trip to our first winery. The roads were busy, the scenery ugly and the weather was crap (I'm selling it to you aren't I)? The other problem was the men! What is it with Argentinean men; have they never seen two women on bikes before? Well it seemed that way as we got beeped, perved at, shouted at in words in Spanish I could not understand (but I think they were dirty) and they did that sucking their gums thing again. Never thought I'd say this, but give me British builders any day. We arrived at our first winery cold, dusty and harassed. Thank God for wine, that's what I say, as everything seems good as long as you have wine. By the time we had finished our second winery and 8th different wine, Maria confessed that you felt quite drunk. This worried me, as it hadn't even touch the sides with me. Does this mean I have a drink problem? Oh no I forgot: I'm British!
After more wine, some chocolate and jam testing! We arrived back in one piece. Not the dream vision I had of Mendoza, but a good day all the same, which was made even better by coming back to our hostel to find it full of young hot Argentinean climbers. I didn't know where to look. I guess I did get a lovely vision of Mendoza in the end. Heaven. I've decided to take another detour into Chile again, because I loved it so much last time. Next stop Valparaiso.