Argentina Travel Tips

With the first leg of our travels through Argentina now behind us we thought it would be fun to share some tips we learned along the way.

Tip #1:

“If you are tenth in line at an ATM with fifteen people behind you, and you have been waiting 30 minutes already, don’t fret you’re turn will eventually come.” (La Quiaca)

Tip #2:

“When you have a bad day of traveling just drink 4 litres of beer - that will fix any problems.” (Salta)

Tip #3:

“When the power goes off it is perfectly acceptable for the waitress to escort you to the restaurant washroom in the dark by a giant fluorescent light” (Salta)

Tip #4:

“Instead of having stop signs or traffic lights at intersections just let the traffic decide when to go – it seems to work in Argentina.” (Argentina)

Tip #5:

“If Gravol, Immodium and Dramamine doesn’t curb your motion sickness while riding an overnight bus just grab a plastic bag and hope for the best.” (Cordoba)

Tip #6:

“Siestas really are great.” (Cordoba)

Tip #7:

“If you miss the foods back home eat at a Subway – it is healthy, delicious and tastes the exact same as it does back in Canada.” (Mendoza)

Tip #8:

“Appreciate your electric washer and dryer as washing and ringing your clothes by hand and then hanging them in your hotel room is hard work!” (Mendoza)

Tip #9:

“While in Argentina try Grido Ice Cream – it is crazy cheap and tastes divine.” (Mendoza)

Tip #10:

“When singing in the shower make sure that the walls in the hostel are soundproof.” (Bariloche)

Tip #11:

“Bring back the fondue craze – it is delicious and a tonne of fun.” (Bariloche)

Tip #12:

“When exiting a country (Argentina) and entering a new one (Chile) make sure that you have the proper documents in hand.” (Argentinean border)

Bariloche, Argentina

Bariloche is absolutely beautiful and really can’t be seen or described any other way. Situated on the shores of a large freshwater lake and ringed by jagged Andes mountains with forested slopes and snow-capped summits it is very reminiscent of the Canadian Rockies. With downhill skiing nearby, wood and stone alpine buildings lining the main streets, and probably more chocolate shops per capita than grocery stores, it also feels very European (particularly Bavarian Swiss and German) than some of our previous Argentinean destinations. Comparisons aside however, our two nights/three days spent exploring the city of 100,000 and the surrounding landscape were highlights of our three-week old South American trip.

To get there we boarded yet another overnight bus first from Mendoza to the city of Cipoletti near Neuquen, and then another daytime bus to Bariloche. All told we spent 22 hours in transit between the two buses and a 3-hour layover, which was the unfortunate result of our second bus being 2 hours delayed. We were prepared for such a long voyage with snacks and ear plugs however, and we arrived in Bariloche without incident. The best part of the drive was watching the landscape slowly rise from dry flat scrubland to mountainous windswept Patagonia. This area slowly became more forested and the road more curving until the city of Bariloche came into view at a distance sitting below massive mountains with a blue sun-kissed lake in the foreground. 

Arriving in the city we checked into a great little hostel downtown called Gentle de Sur where we had a pre-booked double room with private bath, which turned out to be our favourite accommodation of the trip thus far. The room was cozy and heated (a huge plus considering some of the other dodgy cold rooms that we had in Bolivia). It was also conveniently located next to a supermarket where a 950ml Quilmes Crystal Argentinean beer (the equivalent of 3 bottles of beer back in Canada) or a bottle of Argentinean red wine could be purchased for $2.50 US (no joke).

Our first night in the city we explored the commercial area and then had a great dinner while observing the fashion trends in Bariloche. It seems that snowsuits from the 1980’s (combined pant and jacket suits in bright orange and turquoise colours – “onezies” as we like to call them) are either back in vogue or Argentineans in town to ski for the first time and without winter gear had to settle for whatever the ski resort rented out to them. Unfortunately we may fall into that same category when we go skiing and snowboarding in Chile - if so pictures may or may not be attached depending on the brightness of fluorescent colours worn.

We awoke on the second day to crazy gusting wind and overcast skies – the first inclement weather encountered on the trip. But being so far south on the continent and in the midst of the South American winter it was somewhat expected so we basically spent the day lounging around the hostel – sleeping in, reading and catching up on journals and the blog under warm covers. It felt like a home on the road and we thoroughly enjoyed our day off. To celebrate we went to one of the numerous fondue restaurants peppered around the city. We had a great time dipping fried potatoes, bacon, onions and bread into hot cheese.  It tasted fantastic and we both left the restaurant wishing fondue was once again popular in Canada. We finished our evening with a sampling of free and purchased gourmet chocolates from some of the numerous chocolate shops. 

Our third day was by far the best as we boarded a city bus and traveled 20km outside the city to Cerra Campanario. It is a mid-size forested mountain that has a chairlift to the summit and even better, the distinction of being one of the planet’s top ten views according to National Geographic. The magazine didn’t lie – the view from the top was unbelievable: water, mountains, snow and islands all pieced together perfectly and capped by a bright blue sky. We were actually planning on visiting the mountain the day before but decided against it with the overcast skies and gusting wind which probably wouldn’t have made the chairlift safe. It was the right decision and while cold from the winter temperatures and high altitude summit we loved every minute of it. Even the ride back down the mountain on the chairlift was great as we watched the view one last time only from a different angle than we were used to (it was the first mountain descent via chairlift instead of using skis or snowboard for both of us).

Arriving back in Bariloche we rushed to the bus station where we caught another bus to take us to the nearby town of Villa La Angostura. The hour drive was very scenic as we followed the lake and mountains to the small Bavarian-styled village where we lodged overnight. The highlight of our evening was a furry friend that we named “Bert” (an English sheepdog desperately in need of a bath and trimming) who followed us for nearly a kilometre from the bus station to our hostel and then slept outside the door. He was adorable and we gave him a few crackers which he thoroughly enjoyed. While we have encountered numerous dogs throughout our travels, and most often in packs, they have generally been friendly. Bert was no exception and we enjoyed his brief companionship. Our evening ended over a nice dinner and an early rest as we had tickets booked to bring us to the border and the city of Orsono, Chile (5 hours west) and later Pucon, Chile (4 hours north) via bus the next morning.

Mendoza, Argentina

After a great time in Cordoba and a safe overnight bus ride we pulled into Mendoza, Argentina for a two night stay. The city and surrounding countryside is ground zero for the Argentinean wine industry (especially Malbec red wines) and we were in town to sample some of its finest and tour the city. The landscape is relatively flat and dry, which bodes well for wine growing, but to the immediate west stand the snow-capped Andes. They present a wall of towering ridges in the 5,000 to 6,000 metre range and are very majestic.

Upon arrival we checked into the Bed for Wine Hostel which turned out to be a great place to stay for the 2 nights. The room was basic but there was a kitchen that we could use, a ping pong table, and a great courtyard with overhead vines to relax under. The bilingual hostel staff also helped us book a wine tour for the afternoon that we arrived which we were very thankful for.

The wine tour was fantastic and included visits to the modern Vistandes winery, a family-run winery called Cavas de Don Arturo, and the Pasari olive oil factory. The best part of the tours besides the wine and olive oil spreads was that as the only non-Spanish visitors (it appeared to be low-season for foreign tourists) we got private English tours at all three locations. With just the two of us we were able to ask as many questions as we liked and didn’t have to peer over the heads of thirty other visitors to see the equipment, etc. At the first winery we sampled a white Torrentes which was light and crisp, a red Cabermere which was very heavy and smoky, and a red Malbec which was heavy but fruity. At the second winery we sampled a fruity red Malbec, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a red Syrah (Shiraz), and a premium Malbec which was by far the best wine of the bunch. Unfortunately it was also a bit more expensive to buy so we opted to purchase the Syrah which was our second favourite and a nice light and smooth red.

The tours themselves were very interesting as we got to see the entire process and associated equipment used from the giant fermentation tanks to the oak barrels. Some of the interesting facts that we learned at both wineries are: no additives are added to the wines (including yeast which naturally settles on the grapes in the region); the Malbec grape was originally from France but considered a poor wine until the Argentinean’s and the ideal growing conditions around Mendoza made it into a world-class wine; the premium wines are aged in oak barrels for well over 9 months; and there are two types of oak barrels traditionally used by wineries. Depending on which type of barrel is used the wine picks up those flavours: French oak, which has hints of chocolate and banana; and American oak, which has a smoky flavour.

The Pasari olive oil tour was not what we had in mind when booking the wine tour but it turned out to be a welcomed addition. We love using olive oil to cook with back home but didn’t really know the process of how it was created or what an olive tree even looked like. We both assumed that green and black olives were two separate olive-types but in reality are the same only picked at different times during the season - the green earlier and hence the ripe taste, and the black at the end of the season with its softer taste. We sampled 5 different varieties of extra virgin olive oil and left convinced to only purchase extra virgin olive oil back home both for its wonderful taste and because it is completely free of any additives or chemicals unlike refined olive oil.

Our second day in Mendoza was very low key partially on account of our bodies desiring some rest but also because it was a Sunday and almost everything was closed in town except restaurants and supermarkets. It was very strange walking around town as Argentinean city streets can be very dangerous with constant traffic and four-way intersections with no stop signs or lights. We’ve come to the conclusion that whichever car speeds up faster with less regard for other cars or pedestrians gets the right of way. So without this cacophony of noise and danger we ambled along the leafy streets and even ventured onto the middle of the roads to snap a few photos.

Being well over a week since our last laundering in Peru we also took the opportunity to catch up on some basic chores. What should have been an easy procedure however became a travel through time as we attempted to wash and ring out or clothes by hand as all the laundry services were closed. For two hours we scrubbed the clothes clean in a small bathroom sink and rung them to remove as much water as we could. It was tough work but enjoyable in its simplicity and thriftiness. The most amazing part was the clothesline that we rigged up in the small hotel room from the window blinds to the overhead furnace duct with some rope brought from home. It worked out great except that we ran out of line and had to improvise by hanging the remainder on any sharp protrusions in the room like closet doors, windows, faucets, etc. The clothes were reasonably dry by the morning and we were happy enough with our struggles. To unwind from the work we cooked our own pasta dinner in the hostel kitchen and then challenged each other to a game of cards and ping pong. The winner shall remain anonymous.

 Our third day brought us to a great park on the edge of the city where we hiked over 10 kilometres through the green space and then to the top of a small hill capped by an impressive stone and bronze monument and views out to the Andes on one side and the city of Mendoza on the other. It was a pleasure to stroll all afternoon as the weather was 20 degrees Celsius with almost no humidity. By the time we returned to the centre of the city however we were sore and tired so we refreshed with some local Grido ice cream. One waffle cone had 2 scoops of Tiramisu while the other had a combination of chocolate and cookies and cream. The three dollar cones were both divine and a great way to end and celebrate our time in Mendoza.

Cordoba, Argentina

Following a great visit to the city of Salta, Argentina we made our way south via overnight bus to the city of Cordoba. As Argentina’s second largest city and home to 7 universities and numerous galleries and museums, it is a large and vibrant city where we spent two days exploring. Prior to arriving we reserved over the internet a hotel room at the Grand Rex Hotel, which was located close to the main tourist areas and plazas. It was a good idea as it saved us the hassle of scouring the city trying to find a room like we had to in Salta. The amenities were simple but with a double bed and private bathroom it worked out just fine.

After checking in mid-morning and unpacking we did just as the Argentinean’s would do and took a nice afternoon siesta (all though it may have a bit longer than theirs as we slept soundly for 4 hours). It was great to wake up refreshed with the sun still shining and definitely a little treat that our bodies needed after so many long bus rides over the past couple of days. Once awake we set out on foot to explore the city. We started in the main plaza area of the city which is ringed by pedestrian streets all around. It was nice enough but very busy and we found that we preferred the pace and setting of Salta’s plaza and pedestrian areas much more. There was a beautiful cathedral bordering the plaza however that was completely covered with religious paintings and murals inside. The entire ceiling along the church nave was decorated and we quite enjoyed gazing over the art.

After getting some local advice on other areas to check out in the city we then headed up the main thoroughfare and discovered a great little urban park with a fountain and outdoor patios. The fountain as we witnessed later in the evening became an outdoor water show choreographed to American rock tunes (i.e. Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody) where the fountains cascaded and exploded like fireworks to the song and its different tempos. Our dinner for the evening was simply enormous and the largest plate of food either of us has ever attempted to eat. We both had a breaded chicken cutlet (one was in a sandwich, the other just as a cutlet) and while they were extremely tasty, it was just too much food. For those in the Perth-area back home it would be like two main courses of schnitzel from Maximillans. We got the sandwich portion to go and enjoyed it the next day for lunch.

Our second day in Cordoba brought us to the local zoo where we strolled for a couple of hours past some recognizable animals and some not-so recognizable South American animals. Our favourites of the day were the anteater with its curious long stripped coat of fur and pencil-thin nose/mouth, an over-sized groundhog with a flat nose, and an animal that looked like a kangaroo but was like a giant rabbit. Unfortunately the zoo was in a poor state of affairs either from limited funding or dwindling visitors and the cages/pens housing the tigers and elephants was very sad to see. The animals looked emancipated and forlorn and it was very troubling. The worst part was that the tiger looked like he hadn’t eaten a full meal in quite some time yet he was placed right beside the antelope pen. Talk about poor planning. With a scrumptious meal right next door he just paced back and forth watching the antelopes that would forever be out of his reach.

Following a lot of walking on our part through the zoo we returned to the pedestrian areas before hightailing it to a nice patio for drinks and snacks before another overnight bus ride. Our next destination of Mendoza and Argentinean wine country awaited 10 hours to the west.

Salta, Argentina

Leaving the Salar de Uyuni in the grips of morning frost and a bus with no heat we headed south for Argentina after an amazing day spent exploring the salt flats. They say in Bolivia that the roads are either bad, really bad or impossible. In our first 3-days traveling through the country we experienced the first two types; leaving the country on the fourth day we encountered the last. Heading through extremely mountainous terrain on gravel roads in a 30 foot bus is something neither one of us hopes to ever experience again. To sum up the experience: we couldn’t feel our toes from the cold; the bus had to be put into reverse on a switch-back because it was too long to make the turn and it’s front wheel was inches from the edge; there were no guardrails; and we repeatedly had to pass other buses on these same narrow dirt roads. It was not fun.

Fortunately the road eventually levelled and switching to a smaller mini-bus we made our way safely to the Argentina border and the town of La Quiaca. Walking over a small bridge we immediately headed to the bus station to book tickets to our next destination city of Salta for the next morning. What should’ve been a simple transaction became a scavenger-type hunt across the small town as we tried to find the only bank that accepted our bank cards. After conversing with locals who only spoke Spanish we then waited over 30 minutes in a line that snaked around the street corner to withdrawal money from the ATM. Finally with cash in hand we trudged back to the bus station to pay for our tickets and then back across town once again to a local hostel to pay for a room that night. It was exhausting with the heavy packs. Our lodgings throughout the trip have ranged from private rooms with a bathroom to rooms with two twin beds and a shared bathroom. They have all been basic in amenities but have usually come with breakfast and internet which has been nice. If we have to check out early in the morning they will also store our backpacks, which has been great for exploring the cities without carrying all that additional weight.

Leaving La Quiaca the next morning we boarded a luxury bus and immediately noticed the difference between the Bolivian and Argentinean road systems. Gravel has been replaced by smooth asphalt with posted speed limits, guardrails, and even on-board safety videos. We both felt much more comfortable as we made the 8-hour trip south to Salta. We passed though multi-coloured mountains of reds, greens and browns, and tried to decipher the two on-board movies that were played in Spanish. Arriving in Salta we grabbed a cab to the main plaza and then hiked around town for a good hour trying to find lodging for the night. What we didn’t realize until later is that schools in Argentina are on a 2-week winter break and a lot of families are on vacation, meaning a lot less hotel availability. Thanks to our handy Lonely Planet guidebook we finally found a bed for the night at a quaint little hostel in the city. Unfortunately it was 2 beds in a 6-bed dorm room but at $15 a night per person it did have its advantages. The currency in Argentina is the Peso and with it trading at $4.5 pesos to the US dollar our money goes a lot farther while traveling just like in Bolivia.

Touring around Salta we were very impressed with the city. It is very clean and beautiful with an old-world European charm and South American zest for life. The central plaza was gorgeous with restaurant patios, museums and a large Catholic Church bordering a inner park with towering palm trees and curios monkey-puzzle trees (not sure why they are called this but they are definitely interesting to look at). There were also a series of extremely busy pedestrian streets leading out from the central plaza where everyone having woken up from their 2-hour afternoon siesta was out for a stroll or shopping for shoes (there were literally over 20 shoe stores in two blocks). Having tired from exploring we enjoyed a nice dinner overlooking another plaza and just as we finished eating the power went out for the entire city. It was very charming sitting in the restaurant in the dark as we watched the frenzied activity outside. We were also the only diners as most people in Argentina eat well after 8:00 and our stomachs are still on the North American dinner schedule of 6:00. This was especially evident and humorous when exactly at 8:30 and still with the power out over 50 people walked into the restaurant single file and filled up every remaining seat. We had never seen anything like it before and after being asked if the table we were sitting at was free requested our bill and left laughing at the craziness.

The rest of our time in Salta was very enjoyable as we had a late breakfast of coffee, toast and cake, strolled through leafy parks, and checked out a local art gallery and church. Our first introduction to Argentina was great and we are definitely looking forward to our week ahead in the country as we continue to head south from Salta. Our travels will first bring us to Cordoba and then onto Mendoza and Bariloche before crossing into southern Chile. Buenos Aires (the capital city of Argentina) and some tango dancing will follow afterwards.

Bolivia Travel Tips

With our travels through Bolivia now behind us we thought it would be fun to share some tips we learned along the way.

Tip #1:

“Instead of building a bridge over a channel of choppy water you can unload a bus full of people, have them pay money to board a rickety old boat, and then send the bus separately with your luggage on board onto a tipsy wooden barge.” (Lake Titicaca)

Tip #2:

“Do not deny your caffeine addiction while traveling.” (La Paz)

Tip #3:

“When staying in La Paz try and pick a hotel/hostel at the bottom of the hill (as the entire city is built on a hillside).” (La Paz)

Tip #4:

“In La Paz if you cannot find a restaurant to eat dinner at it is perfectly acceptable to eat at the same restaurant three times over the course of 24 hours.” (La Paz)

Tip #5:

“When you have the choice of taking a bus over nearly impassable dirt roads overnight to the Salar de Uyuni or waiting one day and taking the same overnight route via a comfortable and reliable train – take the train!” (Salar de Uyuni)

Tip #6:

“If sitting at a restaurant being heated by a propane canister rigged to a heater (at that moment being fixed/tampered with by staff) and you start to smell propane, get the hell out of the restaurant even if your order has already been placed.” (Salar de Uyuni)

Tip #7:

“When driving a bus down the side of a cliff on a dirt road and the corners are too sharp to turn just put the bus into reverse so that you can make the corner (this of course  after having had previous difficulties putting the bus into gear all morning .” (Uyuni to Argentina border)

Tip #8:

“Regardless of the previous tips visit the Salar de Uyuni salt flats as it is a truly amazing experience.” (Salar de Uyuni)

Perspective Trick Photography, Bolivia

As mentioned in our previous Salar de Uyuni post, here are the best of our attempts at some perspective trick photography during our visit to the salt flats. All pictures are real and none have been edited in Photoshop. Enjoy!

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

After our brief but enjoyable time in La Paz, Bolivia we boarded a 12-hour overnight bus to the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat expanse in the world. To say that the bus ride went smoothly would be a complete lie; it was like driving over a corrugated washboard. It was not fun and unfortunately kept us awake for the majority of the journey over less than ideal gravel roads. Fortunately we arrived safely in Uyuni and exiting the bus in freezing temperatures met a representative from Tour Uyuni, who ushered us to a local Chinese restaurant to await our planned salt flat tour in a few hours time. It was a weird few hours made all the more strange by our lack of sleep, an improvised heating system consisting of a propane tank with a heater on the end that they set up for us (definitely not safe), and a stereo system blasting Backstreet Boys pop music as if it was a dance party - just at 8:00 in the morning.

Once the tour finally started we were both relived to get out of the restaurant and on to the white salt flats stretching off to the horizon. The tour itself had 6 tourists (including ourselves) and a local driver who commanded a nice Land Rover. We started by visiting a train graveyard, a landscape dominated by rusting old hulks of metal but quite interesting to climb and explore. After this brief visit we passed through a dilapidated village and typical handicraft vendors before finally hitting the open expanse of the salt flats. We first passed by salt collectors who were shoveling the salt into conical piles for export and then a local museum constructed of extracted salt blocks. At this point we ventured out to the salts to try our hand at some trick photography. Since there are no trees or buildings and only blazing white stretching off indefinitely there is no sense of distance or perspective. So using some objects at hand – camera, shoes, and later water bottles and backpack – we positioned ourselves in the distance with these objects in the foreground and had some fun.

After driving for about an hour we then arrived at a small island surrounded by the brilliant white where we had a lunch prepared by the tour operator before setting off to explore the island on foot. Two things immediately stood out: 1. the island was covered in tall cacti (some over 9m in height and over 900 years old); and 2. all the rocks were coral. The salt flats are the remnants of an ancient seabed and as the water evaporated or the sea dried up all that was left was the perfectly level salt flat, and these islands which would have been a coral atoll or reef at some point in history. We had an awesome time climbing to the top of the island where we enjoyed the unparalleled views over the salt flat expanse with cacti in the foreground and the Andes Mountains and volcanoes in the distance. It was stunning to look at and unlike anything either one of us has ever seen. It remains one of the highlights of our trip thus far.

Following our descent and return to the Land Rover we then headed back to Uyuni but stopped one last time in the middle of the salt flats to have some more fun with the camera. Our favourite pictures from this stop will follow in a separate blog post. The brief stop was unforgettable as it placed us in the middle of the brilliant white desert with no one around or any sense of civilization. It is a primal and harsh landscape but nonetheless absolutely beautiful in its sheer starkness, and the amazing contrast of colour between the white ground and clear blue sky above. We can only imagine the display of millions of stars if one were to camp out on the salt flats overnight.

Back in Uyuni we grabbed a quick dinner (largely forgettable) before retiring early at a small hostel in town as we had bus tickets booked to bring us to the Argentina border town of La Quiaca the next morning at 5:30am. That night was one of the coldest nights of our lives as the hotel had no heaters and being in the middle of the desert the temperatures plunged well below freezing. We did our best by sleeping in toques and long-johns and with 6 heavy wool blankets over top. It worked to some degree and being tired from the previous overnight bus ride we slept well enough. That aside it was well worth enduring the cold night and bumpy bus ride to experience such a beautiful and pristine landscape.