Our last stop in Mendoza was the Aquarium.
Hmmm, we saw everything in 15 minutes. It was a crumbling building in a forgotten part of town. The twenty some odd fish tanks housed typical fish, as well as some compelling (to Rob) Amazonian species.
The kids loved the dried out piranhas and the formaldehyde (spelling?) bullfrog the size of a salad plate.
Then off for more salami sandwichs before catching the flight to Buenos Aires.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Kai Says "hi"
Hi Gigi, Tate, Sierra and Nicole,
I am just about to go the biggest waterfall in the world, Iguazu Falls. It is on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. I'm going to see you soon.
I am four hours ahead of you. Everyone speaks spanish here. We have to walk a lot in Buenos Aires. We take the subway and taxis too. I love the subway. My favorite place is Villa La Angostura. It is near Bariloche. I like it because there's a lake by us.
I fed the pigeons today.
I have to take 9 planes on my trip. On every LAN plane, guess what! There's a TV on them.
Love,
Kai
PS. I was in Chile, too.
I am just about to go the biggest waterfall in the world, Iguazu Falls. It is on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. I'm going to see you soon.
I am four hours ahead of you. Everyone speaks spanish here. We have to walk a lot in Buenos Aires. We take the subway and taxis too. I love the subway. My favorite place is Villa La Angostura. It is near Bariloche. I like it because there's a lake by us.
I fed the pigeons today.
I have to take 9 planes on my trip. On every LAN plane, guess what! There's a TV on them.
Love,
Kai
PS. I was in Chile, too.
Last Day in Mendoza
(Rob) We spent our last dayand a half in Mendoza just wandering.
We ended up going the the park since it was a holiday (suprise! There's been on average a holiday a week here) and nothing was open. There are parks all over the city , however this one was huge, like balboa park but bigger. We found the "kids area" which was fantastic. A huge play ground w/ some of the most unsafe equiptment I have ever seen. There was also a ghetto, ancient merry-go-round and a circular road for the kids to ride bikes around on and they rented what we will call.......go carts......as well. These weren't your standard go carts like you raced in when you were a kid at the family fun center. They were more like electric pieces of s*&t. As you can see in the pictures, there was possible the original Model A from the turn of the century. The attendant starts the cars for the kids by twisting two wires together and gives the cars a little push w/ her foot. No safety equiptment is provided, which would be especially nice for the minature scooters they rent to the kids. However..........everyone survived the experience and the kids had a great time.
We ended up going the the park since it was a holiday (suprise! There's been on average a holiday a week here) and nothing was open. There are parks all over the city , however this one was huge, like balboa park but bigger. We found the "kids area" which was fantastic. A huge play ground w/ some of the most unsafe equiptment I have ever seen. There was also a ghetto, ancient merry-go-round and a circular road for the kids to ride bikes around on and they rented what we will call.......go carts......as well. These weren't your standard go carts like you raced in when you were a kid at the family fun center. They were more like electric pieces of s*&t. As you can see in the pictures, there was possible the original Model A from the turn of the century. The attendant starts the cars for the kids by twisting two wires together and gives the cars a little push w/ her foot. No safety equiptment is provided, which would be especially nice for the minature scooters they rent to the kids. However..........everyone survived the experience and the kids had a great time.
Rich
Had a dulce de leche creme brulee for dessert.
It's an 8-10 lb trip and loving every bite/sip of it.
It's an 8-10 lb trip and loving every bite/sip of it.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Mendoza Continued
After a full day of wine tasting, we decided to give the kids a break the next day.
So instead, our tango instructor showed up at 10am to give the four of us a lesson in the courtyard of the lodge. The instructor was as sexy as the dance itself. At least, I think Rob thought so until she demonstrated a signature tango move, where they are intimately close, and she gives him a swift kick through the legs, with her high heeled shoe bouncing against his bum. Apparently, she caught more than his bum.
We had a ball (no pun intended) and in the end, Kai was the best of all of us.
After a leisurely lunch, we walked through the town square and made our way to another winery. Clos de Chacras. A small, boutique winery, that in the 1940's was one of the mass producers. We got to venture into the cellars which were reminiscent of an Edgar Allen Poe novel. Creepy, but fascinating.
That evening, the chef at the lodge, Pablo, gave us a cooking lesson. He cooked everything in this great, outdoor pizza oven looking deal. We made homemade empanadas, among other dishes. Now, Rob is trying to figure out how to add a classic Parrilla bbq, and this pizza oven.
So instead, our tango instructor showed up at 10am to give the four of us a lesson in the courtyard of the lodge. The instructor was as sexy as the dance itself. At least, I think Rob thought so until she demonstrated a signature tango move, where they are intimately close, and she gives him a swift kick through the legs, with her high heeled shoe bouncing against his bum. Apparently, she caught more than his bum.
We had a ball (no pun intended) and in the end, Kai was the best of all of us.
After a leisurely lunch, we walked through the town square and made our way to another winery. Clos de Chacras. A small, boutique winery, that in the 1940's was one of the mass producers. We got to venture into the cellars which were reminiscent of an Edgar Allen Poe novel. Creepy, but fascinating.
That evening, the chef at the lodge, Pablo, gave us a cooking lesson. He cooked everything in this great, outdoor pizza oven looking deal. We made homemade empanadas, among other dishes. Now, Rob is trying to figure out how to add a classic Parrilla bbq, and this pizza oven.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wine Tasting
(Rob) We arrive at our new hotel, and it really isn't a hotel, but someone's house. We had our own small bungalow right in front of a huge grassy area w/a pool....the kids couldn't have been more excited. The first night we went next door for dinner to a fantastic Italian dinner, where we had some of the best pasta ever, see photo's! The kids loved the pasta too, but they loved the big grass area in the back even more. They went nuts.
The next day, we were off to the vineyards w/ the kids and all of their crayons, color books, and Ipods! The first winery, Acheval Ferrer, was set amongst 80 acres of vines with dramatic views of the snow capped Andes. The winery was very old, and as w/ all the winery's we visited, they used the orginal concrete vats to store the wines, some dating back 95 years. The wines were incredible and the staff extremely informative.
Off to the next winery..........Melipal, which turned out to be one of the finest, if not the finest culinary experience we have ever had. The architecture was incredible, being contemporary and incorporating lots of different woods. The wines were very nice however the lunch was incredible. Lucky us, the executive chef was at the winery and prepared our meal. Ended up he is one of Mendoza's and the countrys most highly regarded chef's....and his food n presentation didn't disappoint. Our 6 course meal was perfectly paired w/ various wines. The chef came out several times to discuss the variuos dishes and ingrediants. Not to be disappointed, the chef made the kids a special chicken w/ fresh cut french fries, after which they went out to the lake and played w/ the tadpoles and frogs.
And off to the final winery......wow do we have any more room for anything? Well maybe a wine tasting. The final tasting was at Carmelo Patti, whom is regarded as one of Argentina's most famous wine makers and who's Cabernet was voted #1 in France in 2002. Carmelo is a one man show, and is a real character who conducts the tour, in his office w/ a fold out table, himself. He blends the wines, fills the bottles, corks and puts on the labels w/ the help of only 2 other people. His wines had much more of a french taste and were incredible. His production is limited to 40,000 bottles and he doesn't release any of it until he personally inspects every bottle. A true artist.
We are now going back to the hotel to pass out.
Adios
The next day, we were off to the vineyards w/ the kids and all of their crayons, color books, and Ipods! The first winery, Acheval Ferrer, was set amongst 80 acres of vines with dramatic views of the snow capped Andes. The winery was very old, and as w/ all the winery's we visited, they used the orginal concrete vats to store the wines, some dating back 95 years. The wines were incredible and the staff extremely informative.
Off to the next winery..........Melipal, which turned out to be one of the finest, if not the finest culinary experience we have ever had. The architecture was incredible, being contemporary and incorporating lots of different woods. The wines were very nice however the lunch was incredible. Lucky us, the executive chef was at the winery and prepared our meal. Ended up he is one of Mendoza's and the countrys most highly regarded chef's....and his food n presentation didn't disappoint. Our 6 course meal was perfectly paired w/ various wines. The chef came out several times to discuss the variuos dishes and ingrediants. Not to be disappointed, the chef made the kids a special chicken w/ fresh cut french fries, after which they went out to the lake and played w/ the tadpoles and frogs.
And off to the final winery......wow do we have any more room for anything? Well maybe a wine tasting. The final tasting was at Carmelo Patti, whom is regarded as one of Argentina's most famous wine makers and who's Cabernet was voted #1 in France in 2002. Carmelo is a one man show, and is a real character who conducts the tour, in his office w/ a fold out table, himself. He blends the wines, fills the bottles, corks and puts on the labels w/ the help of only 2 other people. His wines had much more of a french taste and were incredible. His production is limited to 40,000 bottles and he doesn't release any of it until he personally inspects every bottle. A true artist.
We are now going back to the hotel to pass out.
Adios
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