From Mendoza into the Heart of the Andes

The Andes are South America’s spine, a spiked belt of mountains running from the Panamanian isthmus to Tierra del Fuego, and resurfacing again on Antarctica. They split the continent in two, with a ribbon of coastal nations to the west – Ecuador, Peru and Chile – and the monolithic states of Brazil and Argentina to the east.

I’d skipped my way down the range, from the dry altiplano north of Salta, through the picturesque lake district at Bariloche and the spectacular glaciated peaks at El Calafate to the outpost islands at the continent’s southern tip in Ushuaia.

But it is along the valleys between Mendoza, Argentina and Santiago de Chile that they most impressed me.

Cutting a 200+ km cross-section of the Andes, the road threads its way up a wide, glaciated valley between raw, red peaks that scrape the cirrus and blue sky. A braided river cuts a deep trench through the glacier detritus and skirts immense talus slopes.

An abandoned rail line – a victim to geo-political animosity – appears in shattered fragments by the river’s edge. Occasional plans to resurrect it are short-lived election promises.

Climbing further, late autumn snows dust the peaks near the high altitude ski area called Los Penitentes – a colourful cluster of buildings set against a wide-open, rocky mountain side hungrily awaiting the deep drifts of winter. The skiers amongst us snap photos and dream of sweeping slalom turns on pristine Andean snows.

The curious natural formation called the Inca Bridge, and an abandoned spa coated in a mucous of mineral salts, is an obligatory tourist stop, but the mountain backdrop is the main attraction.

At this point, on the border with Chile, the Andes climb to their loftiest peak – the spectacular, snow-clad Aconcagua, highest point outside of the Himalayas.

Intrepid mountaineers can summit in 15 days, conquering another peak on a checklist that includes Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc and McKinley. Less intrepid, we opt for the one-hour trail through a mountain meadow on the great mountain’s flank to capture cloud-draped images.

Trucks, busses and kamikaze Chilean drivers whizz by on their way to Pacific destinations, but we turn around and skim back down the Argentine side to Mendoza, soaking in the play of rosy sunset and dark cloud shadows on the rugged rock faces around us.

If this is just a single cross-section, a microscope-slide slice of the Andes, our imaginations struggle to grasp the scope of this continent cleaving range.

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Mendoza - Wine from the Desert

On the dry plains at the foot of the mighty Andes, Mendoza has built a world-renowned wine industry. Crystal clean melt water from the mountain snows is channelled across the desert and fed to vines with eye-dropper accuracy. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are coaxed from the rocky soil on vineyards that range from 900 meters above sea level to a lung-straining 1800 meters.


Warm, dry, sunny days increase sugar levels and eliminate fungus and bugs. Cool nights optimize acidity levels. The ancient volcanic soils impart warm, spicy, earthy aromas.


The bodegas (wineries) – ranging from small family holdings to huge multi-national corporations – use relatively inexpensive local labour to hand-pick the grapes and sophisticated European and Argentine expertise to produce consistently high quality wines. With a well-deserved international reputation, the Mendoza region produces 70% of Argentina’s wine.


So of course the visitor to Mendoza must do the rounds. With over 600 wineries operating in the region, a guide/driver is the safest approach.



The son of our B&B’s owner runs tours and the four of us signed up for a whirlwind visit to 4 establishments: Carinae, Alta Vista, Ruca Malen and Santo Domingo. Ranging from world-wide exporters with extensive subterranean cellars to a tiny one-family operation that supplies a few local restaurants, the bodegas we visited gave us a terrific overview of the Mendoza wine industry.

The highlight was a 5-course lunch, paired with 6 wines, in a stunning dining pavilion with a panoramic view of the vineyards and the snow-capped Andes.


Light sparkling wine, floral and fruity whites, full bodied reds were paired with several delicate appetizers, with a tender slab of red meat and grilled vegetables, with a pretty little dessert.

The wineries get most of the attention, but the town of Mendoza is alluring on its own. Despite its desert location, it is a city of leafy green squares, gushing fountains, impressive monuments and terrific restaurants.


In the evenings, its pedestrian malls and broad sidewalks bustle with activity. Shops are full of inexpensive local leather products. We’re told there’s a lively nightlife as well, but after tasting 15 or 16 wines in one day, we were unlikely to experience it personally.

It would be easy to spend several days exploring the town and wineries, but there was one more expedition we had to undertake - a trek into the highest peaks of the Andes - just a few hours to the east...


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* Vines, visit, meat and fountain photos by Dad.

The Magic of Iguazu Falls

Standing in the face of the thundering falls, the immensity of the Parana River plunging over a sheer drop a mere 50 feet in front of me. Brown water curving over the lip above and slowing, falling, expanding, turning white against the cerulean sky. Crashing into the rocks, the river below boiling, violent whirls.

Hearing… no, feeling the thunder, the booming pressure of the falling water through my whole being. Tasting the relentless cooling spray, clean and sweet. Soaking me, bathing me, stealing my breath until I turn away.

Turning to scan the faces of the cascade; curtains and ribbons of falling water interlaced with spires of black, wet rock and softened by mats of wet moss, receding in regal formation into the white mist.

The immense power and noise of Iguazu Falls is impossible to imagine. Higher and many times broader (more than 2 km from shore to shore) than Niagara Falls, they interrupt the broad Parana River in the tropical rainforest where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet.

Islands and rock outcroppings split the face of the falls into hundreds of individual cataracts. Sunshine and mist decorate the chasm below with permanent rainbows.

Creative engineers have constructed solid steel walkways that carry you along the lip of the falls and in one spectacular triumph of design, let you stand and get soaked within kissing distance of the face of falling water.

In a gentle counter-balance to the raw power of the water, the sun and mist also create a perfect environment for butterflies - a confetti of gently fluttering colour challenging the photographer to capture their patterns when they land briefly on hats, arms and pathways.

Iguazu is magic in the warm heart of South America.

(Butterfly photos by Dad)

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The Family Arrives!

Travelling alone is easy. You follow your own nose, changing directions on a whim, adding new adventures as they appear. If you choose to, you can find an isolated perch and contemplate a vista for as long as you want, plunge into a milonga to try a few tango steps, or strike up a conversation with the elegant woman sipping a gin and tonic* under a Baobab tree.


But beauty and adventure can be amplified when shared. I was thrilled when Francisco and Mom and Dad appeared through the sliding doors at the airport to join me on my last two weeks in Argentina.


By the time they arrived, I had a full agenda set up – a whirlwind tour of Buenos Aires, a flying visit to Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian border, a summersault over to Mendoza for some wine tasting and a trek into the heart of the Andes, and a boat trip across the Rio de la Plata to lovely little Colonia del Sacremento in Uruguay.


I did have one important question for them: the beard… does it stay or does it go?

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* One of the happiest path-crossings of my travels!.