Having recently moved to the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, I am spending lots of time exploring and acquainting myself with the nuances of life here. This is a glimpse into life as it is in the city, a public journal and way for me to share these experiences. There are many, many helpful blogs on living as an expat in Buenos Aires. I’ll begin to collect the links and post them in my blogroll, I know you’ll find them as helpful as I have!
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
This post is for the architecture buffs!
Our last stop for the night… Cavas Wine Lodge! It’s not a winery, but rather a really cool hotel. Since we were there during off-season, we got great rates and felt like we were livin’ it up! If you go during off season, or if you’ve got the cash to splurge, stay at Cavas. The service was top notch; we were greeted with a glass of wine during check-in, a bottle of wine and platter of fruits were left in our room for us, and they didn’t even charge us for almost burning the villa down. (Ok, not really, but the candles left an awful mark on the wall that we couldn’t get off!) Read my full review on TripAdvisor. So besides all of that, here are some pictures. I’ll let them speak for themselves!
Main Building
Main Building
Pool
Main Building
Inside of the Main Building
Path to Villas
Vineyards Between the Villas
Villa - view from back
Rear Patio
View from Villa
View from Villa
Villa - Interior
Villa - Interior
Bathroom
Bathroom
Fireplace (and the culprit candles)
View from Villa - sun rising, giving the mountains a beautiful glow
View the entire photo gallery here: Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is located in a beautiful region situated at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The scenery and the views are breathtaking, however Mendoza is probably most known for it’s wines. Today, Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world with the majority of Argentine wine coming from Mendoza. An interesting fact about Mendoza is that this region typically receives less than 10″ of rainfall annually. Just for comparison, a desert climate is defined as a region that receives less than 10″ of rainfall per year; Mendoza, on average, receives approximately 8-9″ annually. This semi-arid region is able to sustain it’s many vineyards because the early settlers constructed a complex irrigation system allowing for vegetation of the lands. The grape variety that appreciates Mendoza’s climate and the hard work of it’s early settlers the most is one that originated in the south west of France, the Malbec. There is a lot to write about the history and culture of Mendoza, but I’ll get on to writing about our trip!
The beautiful backdrop of the Andes Mountains!
After daydreaming about visiting Mendoza for months, Jamie and I finally decided to go ahead and visit already! Our trip was in early July, which is the middle of winter in Argentina. We were on a budget (as usual!), so we decided to make it a short trip and take the overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Mendoza instead of flying. The bus ride was about 13.5 hours, but it cost less than half the price of a plane ticket. Granted, the flight would have been much quicker, but the bus ride was pleasant and the scenery along the way was enjoyable. For anybody planning a trip, we definitely recommend the bus company we went with, Andesmar. Jamie and I headed to the Retiro bus station in Buenos Aires after a very hectic Thursday, worried that we were going to miss the bus. But our timing was perfect (for once!) and we boarded the bus with no issues. We had dinner on the bus, watched a movie and fell asleep. Soon after we woke, we were approaching Mendoza. We could see the mountains just ahead!
We reached Mendoza around 9:30 on Friday morning. Javier, a personal driver and tour guide, was there to pick us up at the bus station. While planning the trip I found several recommendations online for Javier, the owner and operator of Route Wine Mendoza. After hiring him for the weekend, I would agree with all of the reviews… he’s great! He was an incredible help in selecting which bodegas (wineries) to visit and made all of the reservations for us. He speaks English fluently and is super knowledgeable of the area. If you are traveling to Mendoza to visit the bodegas, I think hiring a driver is the best option. The cost is comparable to renting a car and this option comes built in with your own tour guide! Do a little bit of legwork though, sometimes the drivers/tour guides that work directly with the hotels are more expensive. I saved quite a few pesos by contacting Javier directly. If you are interested in contacting him as well, his contact information is below under “Resources”.
Bodega Benegas
Directly from the bus station we headed to tour our first bodega of the trip, Bodega Benegas. Upon arriving at Benegas, we were greeting by Julieta, the tour guide. We met the vineyard kittens and then began our tour with about 6 other Americans. (Small world, eh?)
This winery was constructed with adobe and sits upon an underground cave built to store the casks. Construction was complete in 1901 by Agustín Alvarez, who was the governor of the Province of Mendoza at that time. This winery is one of the few historical structures that still remain from that time period. Benegas’ vineyards are located in the region of Maipú and were planted by Tiburcio Benegas as “El Trapiche” vineyard in 1883. Because of it’s long past, the vineyard boasts 100-year old grapevines which give the wine produced by these grapes a very earthy taste. Another remnant of this winery’s past is the colossal guestbook, which is right around the same age as the oldest grapevines. It was interesting to look through the old pages of the guestbook and to see the beautiful handwriting from a hundred years ago.
The owner of Bodega Benegas, Federico J. Benegas Lynch, came from a long line of winemakers. Benegas was born in the winery in 1951, during which time his father owned it. He spent his childhood at his father’s side, sampling the wines and working in the vineyard. Having developed a great love for wine, Benegas joined his father and today carries on the family business. He recently restored the old, crumbling building that houses the winery to it’s original state with adobe and reinforcing.
The upstairs area of the winery houses a social gathering room, complete with a seating area, a long dining table and a huge parilla to cook steak on. Benegas’ personal poncho collection, worth an estimated $30,000, decorates the space along with old relics from the early days of the winery. Downstairs, in the wine cellar, the first area we came to was for storing the barrels of wine. The wine is stored for varying amounts of time in a variety of different types of barrels depending on which type of wine is desired. One of the barrel types is made of French oak. This is the most expensive barrel one can buy, costing about $1,000 euros a piece. These barrels can be used 2-4 times and then are sold or used to make lower quality wines. Beyond this area was a long hall that led to rooms lined with bottles of wine. The wine is stored here until it has reached its desired age and is ready to be labeled and shipped out.
After our tour we got to taste some of the wine, including their Syrah, Finca Libertad, Cabernet Franc and a special treat, their Meritage. We tasted each one while we were given an overview of the history and process of making them, then tasted each one again. It was pretty incredible the difference in taste the Syrah had after sitting for ten minutes. Now when someone says the wine needs to breath, I’ll believe them! Our favorites were the Syrah and the Cabernet Franc. The grapes that were used in producing the Syrah came from vines that were 30 years old and the wine was conserved in French oak barrels for 12 months. The wine had a sweet, fruity taste with undertones of blackberry, cinnamon and subtle oak scents. The Cabernet Franc was made with grapes from the oldest vines on the property, having more than 100 years to soak up the earth around it. The wine was conserved in new French oak barrels for 18 months. It was a beautiful, ruby red and bordeaux color with a complex taste of mature fruits, mint and chocolate with a toasted oak scent.
This was a great bodega to visit and we’d definitely recommend stopping by for a visit if you’re in Mendoza. The tour guide was very informative, the wines were delicious and the atmosphere was cozy. We even got to meet Mr. Benegas himself!
The Kittens of Bodega Benegas
Sitting Area
The Cellar - Barrels
Bottles of Wine
Storage Room
No labels on the bottles yet, so signage is necessary!
The wines we tasted
After we left Bodega Benegas, we headed to our hotel where we checked in and freshened up after our long night on the bus. At that point, we were both getting a bit hungry and were ready for our next stop… lunch at Ruca Malen. Ruca Malen is a boutique winery located at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. We only went for lunch and did not tour the winery, but it was a beautiful place. The lunch we had came with five-courses and six wine pairings. The food was absolutely incredible and the wine pairings were perfect. I definitely gained an appreciation for the way a properly selected wine can compliment the food and help to bring out its flavors. We sat in the sunroom just outside of the main building and had the most amazing view of the mountains. Lunch at Ruca Malen is a must-do if you’re going to be in the area!
Lunch at Ruca Malen
The view from our table... the beautiful Andes Mountains!
This little piece of heaven was the most delicious dessert I've ever eaten!
After we were beyond full from lunch and a bit dizzy from the pairings, we met up with Javier and headed over to El Lagar Carmelo Patti. Carmelo Patti, the winemaker, has a unique winery and is so passionate about his craft. While the winery itself isn’t glamorous like some of the others and the setting doesn’t have that stunning mountain range backdrop, a trip to visit Carmelo Patti is one-of-a-kind and his award-winning wines are not to be missed. Carmelo Patti is considered a legend in Mendoza and a master of fine wines. The son of Italian immigrants, Mr. Patti has spent a lifetime perfecting his wines and follows the more traditional methods of winemaking. He ages his wine for a year in the tank and then at least another year in the barrel before the wine gets bottled. Another interesting fact is that he is known only by word of mouth, he doesn’t do any advertising.
The Gran Assemblage, Carmelo Patti’s signature wine, is a remarkable and unique wine. It is a very complex yet smooth blend of other wines he has produced, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Each wine in this blend has has been conserved in an unused French oak barrel. It has a rich, earthy aroma with great texture, a soft berry taste and a strong finish. This blend is a masterpiece, the product of Carmelo Patti’s dedication and passion for his craft. He himself explained his wine to us and the process that goes into making his wine. On top of all of that, he is a very kind person and made us feel like we were part of his family. Carmelo Patti definitely made this stop in Mendoza our most memorable one!
Barrels and Bottles of Wine
French Oak Barrel
Me, Jamie, Javier and Mr. Patti
And this wraps our our first day wine tasting in Mendoza! The next post is about the hotel we stayed at, Cavas Wine Lodge. I can’t rave enough about the place and I have a ton of pictures to share… so I’ll just save that for the next post!
View the entire photo gallery here: Mendoza, Argentina
Inspired by Madrid’s Gran Vía, Avenida de Mayo (May Avenue) is the historic center of Buenos Aires. Much of the architecture and urban detail along this avenue are of the art nouveau or neoclassical style. Avenida de Mayo was designed by Italian architect and engineer, Juan Antonio Buschiazzo and was constructed during 1885 to 1894. In 1937 two blocks of Avenida de Mayo were demolished for the construction of the then largest avenue in the world (with 16 lanes of traffic!), Avenida 9 de Julio. Avenida de Mayo was later declared a National Historic Site in 1994 to prevent further demolition and to keep the integrity of the buildings intact.
We began our tour at the easternmost part of the avenue, at the Plaza de Mayo . The origins of Plaza de Mayo can be traced back to the second founding of Buenos Aires in 1850. It is a plaza rich in history and a place where protests and political demonstrations still take place today. The Plaza is surrounded by some of Buenos Aires’ most significant landmarks, including Casa Rosada, the Cabildo, Catedral Metropolitana, and the Banco de la Nación Argentina. The Pirámide de Mayo lies at the center of the plaza.
Plaza de Mayo
The oldest national monument in Buenos Aires, Pirámide de Mayo was constructed in 1811 to celebrate the first anniversary of the May Revolution.
Pirámide de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Pirámide de Mayo
La Casa Rosada is the official presidential residence and seat of the executive branch. From the main balcony, several historical figures (including Eva Perón and Pope John Paul II) have addressed the public. To learn more about the government of Argentina, click here. It is said that La Casa Rosada was painted pink to diffuse political tension by mixing the red and white colors of the country’s opposing political parties. Situated on the east side of Casa Rosada is a gift from the local Italian community, the Monument of Columbus. It was built in 1921 by sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi.
Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada Entry
Casa Rosada
Monument of Columbus
The Cabildo was built in 1610 to serve as city hall during the colonial era. It has undergone many changes over it’s lifetime and now houses the National Museum of the Cabildo and the May Revolution.
The Cabildo
Like most of the historical structures in Buenos Aires, Catedral Metropolitana has undergone many alterations, additions and reconstructions during it’s lifetime. It came from modest beginnings during the 16th century, a wood and adobe structure, that was replaced and later rebuilt three more times due to use of poor materials and structural instability. In 1752 the nave collapsed, leaving only the façade and towers standing. The majority of the building had to be rebuilt once again. The building that stands today is a testament to it’s history, with a mix of architecture that includes an 18th century nave and dome, a 19th century Neoclassical façade and an interior of Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque decoration. The mausoleum of General San Martín rests inside the Cathedral and is guarded by three female life-size statues that represent Argentina, Chile and Peru, three of the regions freed by the General.
Catedral Metropolitana
Catedral Metropolitana
Banco de la Nación Argentina designed in 1939 by Argentine architect Alejandro Bustillo. The National Bank is such a beautiful example of Classical architecture in Buenos Aires.
Banco de la Nación
Continuing down Avenida de Mayo, we stopped at Confitería del Molino, Plaza del Congreso and finished up at El Congreso.
Confitería del Molino is a beautiful Art Noveau style building that was designed by Italian architect Francisco Gianotti in 1917 . Unfortunately, it is now abandoned and sits empty except for rare public openings for the purpose of getting word out on the urgent need to restore the building. In 1997, Confitería del Molino was declared a National Historic Monument.
Confitería del Molino
Confitería del Molino
The tour ended at Plaza del Congreso and El Congreso, the Argentine National Congress Building. Inaugurated in 1910, Plaza del Congress was designed by French-Argentine landscape architect Charles Thays. With a political importance similar to that of Plaza de Mayo (and a size equal to three city blocks), Plaza del Congress is stage to many protests and demonstrations by the people of Argentina. Within this plaza are three main points of interest: the Cero Kilometer monolith (from which all distances are measured leaving Buenos Aires), Argentine’s own copy of El Pensador (The Thinker) and El Monumento a los dos Congresos which was completed in 1908. The features of this monument represent many things, from the huge granite stairs paying tribute to the Andes Mountains, the fountain symbolizing the Atlantic Ocean to the figure that rests at the top represents the republic. The Congress building was designed by Italian architect Vittorio Meano and Argentine architect Julio Dormal. Lola Mora, a local sculptor, created the bronze sculptures that adorn the exterior and interior of the building. Though the building was inaugurated in 1906, it’s details were not completed until 1946.
El Congreso
El Congreso
El Congreso
Though the tour was finished, we had one last important stop to make. Coffee! We sipped on cortados and snacked on medialunas at the oldest coffee shop in all of Argentina. Café Tortoni was founded in 1858 and has history so rich it could be a museum. This cafe has been host to such intellects and artists as Jorge Luis Borges, Julio de Caro, José Gobello and Cátulo Castillo. And yes, the coffee was good!
Just some miscellaneous photos from this area…
Ice Cream at Wimpy's!
Tango Bar
Just something I liked
One of the Subte stops to get to Plaza de Mayo
I love the details!
View the entire photo gallery here: A Tour of Avenida de Mayo
Resources:
Last week Jamie and I had dinner at Casa Felix, an underground pescaterian restaurant, and I just have to post a quick rave about the place! Casa Felix is a “closed-door” restaurant located inside the house of chef Diego Felix. After arriving at his house in the neighborhood of Chacarita, we were warmly greeted at the door by Diego and welcomed into his house. He showed us around a bit, then led us to the garden where people were socializing and enjoying delicious frozen pear and cachaca cocktails. After getting to know some of the other dinner guests, we were seated in the dining room at one of the two tables. It was a larger then typical guest-list of about 18 people. The five-course dinner was delicious and flavorful, from a spicy hummus spread to the cool melon based soup, the main-course was a perfectly grilled salmon fillet and mixed vegetables. I’ll leave the food reviews for those more adept at that kinda thing, but let me just tell you… it was GOOD! The company was fun and talkative, our conversations lively and we left having made a few friends. The experience of dining at Casa Felix was cozy yet distinct, definitely a one-of-a-kind experience not to be missed. There are many articles and reviews on Casa Felix, check out a few of them below.
Other Closed-Door Restaurants in Buenos Aires:
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
About two weeks after we arrived in Buenos Aires, we were invited to go on a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Colonia is located just across the Rio de la Plata, about an hour ferry boat ride on the Buquebus. It is the oldest city in Uruguay and has a charming historical quarter which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
Colonia was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese and was disputed over by the Spaniards for nearly a century. The physical manifestation of the disputes live in the well-preserved urban landscape and exist in a beautiful and now harmonious way. The historic quarter retains it’s irregular, terrain-hugging street plans as built by the Portuguese, and outside the historic quarter the roads are larger and more orthogonal as built by the Spaniards. In addition, the drainage techniques of the cobblestone streets illustrate another tangible example of the changes in power. The streets built so the rain will flow down the center were built by Portuguese and those built so the rain will flow down either side were built by the Spanish. The architecture of Colonia exemplifies that of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries of Portuguese, Spanish and post-colonial styles.
Upon leaving the Buquebus terminal, we decided to walk to the historical quarter in lieu of taking a taxi. The terminal was rather chaotic due to renovations there were underway, but once we got out of the terminal it was a pretty short and pleasant walk. We followed the river bank about six blocks to the historical quarter. After wandering around a bit, we found the impressive Porton de Campo (Gates of the City), built in 1745 by the Portuguese. At that point in time, the drawbridge was the only entrance into the city. Next, we stopped at the lighthouse (1857) which was built next to San Francisco Xavier’s Convent (1683). The convent sits in ruins, but it’s massive walls are still impressive today measuring in at almost almost 3′-0″ wide. We continued our walk through the quarter, down the cobblestone roads and past structures so rich in history. As late morning came, we happened upon a quaint restaurant called Lentas Maravilles and had a simple breakfast of tostadas with cream cheese and dulce de leche. We sat outside, behind the restaurant (which used to be a house), in the garden overlooking the river. It was a unique experience, very serene and relaxing, I could have spent all day there. After breakfast, we walked over Iglesia Matriz (Main Church), which was built in 1680. The church, originally built of mud and straw, was victim of many destructions yet still stands today as the oldest church in Uruguay. After more sightseeing and a little bit of window shopping, we decided to grab lunch at El Drugstore before heading back to the terminal. It was a rather eclectic restaurant with unique decor and a peculiar menu layout. The service was slow, but the paella, wow. Delicious.
So if you find yourself looking for a quaint, romantic and slow-paced getaway, or maybe you just need to escape the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires, take a trip to Colonia and walk the historically rich cobblestone streets.
Location Map
Site Map
Gates of the City
Lighthouse and Convent
A Door Surround of Flowers
Old Building, Old Car
Lentas Maravilles
Main Church
El Drugstore
View the entire photo gallery here: Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Resources:
After finding out about our year-long relocation to Buenos Aires, some of the first things I began to look into were the regulations regarding traveling with a pet to Argentina. There aren’t any ridiculous regulations to worry about, but the regulations that exist have pretty specific requirements. After doing a bit of research and having sticky notes all over my desk, I figured it would be more efficient to list all my findings here. And besides, someone out there might find this summary relevant! I also posted this on the eHow website, check it out here.
The first thing to know is that your pet must be inoculated against rabies. The date the vaccine was administered must be not more than 1-year prior to the date your pet will be entering the country, but the vaccine must be administered at least 30-days prior to entering the country. So double check your vet records and see if Fluffy is due for a booster, if so, make sure you have at least 30 days to go before your trip. Argentina does not recognize the 3-year rabies vaccine.
The next thing you’ll need to do is to schedule an appointment with your APHIS Accredited Veterinarian to obtain an International Health Certificate (USDA APHIS-7001 form). This certificate states that your pet is vaccinated, free of parasites and in good health. It will list the name of your pet(s) and other identifying information. After your vet fills out this form and signs it, you must take or mail it to your State Veterinarian for endorsement. If you are mailing the form, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so they can send it back to you. The tricky part is that this certificate must be signed and dated by your vet not more than 10 consecutive days prior to your pets arrival to Argentina. Within that 10-day timeframe, the State Veterinarian (who may or may not be within driving distance) must endorse the form and get it back to you. Fortunately, and endorsement by the Argentine Consulate is not required for travel with your personal pets. If you need to find an accredited veterinarian, contact your State Animal Health Official.
So long as you obtain the International Health Certificate, your pet will not need to be quarantined upon arrival to Argentina.
As far as travel arrangements for pets going from the US to Argentina, there are a few different options. You can use a pet relocation company, send your pet as cargo through a commercial airline or your pet can travel on your flight. If you choose to bring your pet on your flight you can check the pet as luggage or travel with the pet in-cabin. If you are checking the pet as luggage, call your airline ahead of time to check on specific restrictions like temperature requirements. If your pet is small enough, you can bring it as a carry-on and store it’s carrier under the seat in front of you. Be sure to call your airline ahead of time to let them know that you’ll be traveling with a pet, they only allow a limited number of pets to travel in-cabin. I chose to go with the latter option, as I prefer that my kitties travel with us in the cabin so I can check on them often. I recently looked into which airlines offer in-cabin pet travel for routes from the US to Argentina. The following are able to accommodate in-cabin/carry-on pet travel:
This above list is not inclusive, however the following airlines DO NOT allow pets to fly in-cabin from the US to Argentina: American, British Airways, LAN, US Air, Aerolineas Argentina, Air Canada, Continental, Aero Mexico and Mexicana).
*Check restrictions and pet carrier size limits with the airline before arriving at the airport.
The final thing you should do is make sure to have your airline notify the station manager at the airport in Argentina, at least 24-hours prior to your pets arrival, to ensure that the official is there to look at your paperwork.
Fees (as of 03/20/09):
APHIS-7001 endorsement $24.00 per form, but more than one pet can be listed on a form
Pet import fees Varies based on date and time of arrival, ranges from $13-37.00 if you arrive on M-F and $67.00 if you arrive on the weekend)
Airline fees for traveling with a pet in-cabin $150-200.00 each way
This information is just to be used as a guide. For official and up-to-date information, always contact the Argentine Consulate in Washington, DC before your trip.
Now the tricky part… how do I get my kitties back home after the trip is over?