Mendoza

Where to begin??!! We arrived in Mendoza about 3 weeks ago with the idea that if we really liked it we would stay here for a few months - to learn spanish, to volunteer, to drink wine, and to make new friends. Well, things have taken a bit of a turn...
Turns out that the city of Mendoza is huge. Yep, it´s about a million people, with about a million people´s worth of pollution and sprawl. Not exactly the quaint winery town nestled at the foot of the Andes that we were expecting.

The first few days were definitely difficult. We felt a bit lost, a bit like our plans and hopes were dashed. Well, the question when traveling like this is always what to do when we end up in a situation or place that we don´t like. The answer: CHANGE IT!!! So, we decided that even if the place wasn´t exactly that cool, we were still tired of traveling and being in a different room every few days, so it was time for a break. We signed up for intensive Spanish lessons and rented an apartment. Let´s just say that it´s been a welcome break!!

Learning IS difficult...
We started an intense Spanish school at a place called Intercultural in Mendoza. Imagine this:
7 am: Wakeup in our apartment!!
8:30 - 10:30 am: Spanish class, only speaking in Spanish.
10:30-11 am: Break, more spanish speaking with other students
11-1 pm: Spanish class, continued...
1-2 pm: Lunch, again...only speaking in spanish!
2-4/5pm: Fun daily activity...in Spanish of course

So it´s been an awesome, but really tough time at school. Learning and speaking Spanish has been really difficult (our heads are spinning by the end of the day!), but also very rewarding. For me, I feel like it´s substantially improved how I can communicate, and my real personality actually comes out when I speak in Spanish. For Lisa, she´s done great - she can actually communicate in Spanish. Impressive!

Another cool part of school...we took a "wine and spanish" class all last week. It was AWESOME. Here we are, in the heart of Mendoza´s wine country, learning Spanish and learning all about the winemaking process here. The only hitch is that the class has been completely in Spanish. Awesome and difficult all at the same time. We have, however, been able to try a TON of wine here and visit a bunch of great vineyards. Highly recommended, people!!

We figured that it would be more interesting to post some pictures of wine tasting and the great scenery around the city, rather than pictures of us studying spanish, so here you go!


When we first arrived, every fountain in Mendoza was dyed the color of wine for their annual festival "Vendimia" - wine harvest! Very cool!

Our own little slice of "heaven" in South America...haha - Inside the new apartment

An afternoon in Mendoza´s famous wine vineyards with the beautiful Andes in the background

A typical Argentinian asado nestled amongst the vineyards...sunday funday!

Scott, using the giant paws to help the grapes ferment into wine

This microwinery makes small batches for individual property owners. You can own your own vineyard for a mere $225k investment. Cash flow positive in about 4 years...

Lisa separating grapes from stems, etc. I´d pay her minimum wage...

Some of our new Dutch friends, Johannes and Mette. Good times!!

Our first "ficha" - they give this to you each time you harvest a bin of grapes, then you trade it in at the end of the day for actual money

Lisa, a very efficient harvester in her nice clothes...

Who wants to hang out next to the lake?

Lisa thinks this picture is cute...

Beautiful down here...

Yep, we convinced them to give us some wine directly from the tank. At our favorite winery so far, La Azul

Once you get out of the city, they really know how to chillax down here



Good Peeps and a taste of home
It´s been nice actually being in a place for a few weeks. We really craved a few normal things from home (this is a relative term down here, try to find some peanut butter...not so much!), so we had a few outings to remind us of home. We went to a movie (in English, kind of), went to the zoo, Lisa baked cookies at the apartment, and we actually just kind of hung out. It´s been great.

Another great benefit of being in one place for awhile is actually getting to know a few people. Through the organization that holds the Spanish classes, we´ve met a bunch of great people - a couple from Denmark, a couple who worked in Yosemite (Hi Tamara and Dan!), and other great people. It´s been nice actually having a more-or-less normal life for a little while. Of course, since we´re traveling down here, it can´t last too long, so we´re off to volunteer!

Some funny pictures:
Check out this so-called "broom"...they use this all over Argentina. It´s hilarious. Looks like a large palm tree to me!

Why wouldn´t the monkeys at the zoo be roaming outside of their cages?

The infamous HONEY BADGER!!! spotted at the Mendoza zoo!


Why would there be gas at the gas station??? "No Hay" = We don´t have it


Tuning out until next time...we´re off to volunteer in a place called Cafayate, Argentina. Wish us luck!!