Mendoza

An overnight bus from Salta landed us in Mendoza in the morning and we headed to our hostel straight away. They let us check in and have breakfast!!! This is quite unheard of.......The breakfast they have is seriously the best we have encountered at a hostel so far. Crepes with dulche de leche, fruit, bread, pastries, hot drinks.......definitely a breakfast you can linger over. Also that have free wine in the evenings!! Best place ever!!

More sunshine and relaxing in Mendoza but one day we dedicated to a cycle tour of the wine region. This area is famous for Malbec. We decided to do everything independently becuase the organised tours were ridiculously expensive. So a bus trip and a visit to the bike rental place and we were on the road. It is not a lovely cyce amongst the vines though. More like a ride along dusty rural roads avoiding trucks. Loads of fun though and lots of delicious wine, which is maybe not a good combo with cycling and sunshine. We headed to some of the smaller wineries to avoid the winery tour that is often included in the hefty tasting price. We all know how wine is made so just give me a taste ok.....sheesh

We started at a brewery with lunch and beer and then hit four wineries spread around the region. It was a great day out and we both really enjoyed trying the wines.

So another chilled out stop but our bikes were calling and to be honest these places are expensive!! The food is so good and there is so much that you want to try everything. We bit the bullet and got on the bus back over the Andes to Santiago. This was a seriously slow process, with about 3 hours at the border. Still we arrived back eventually and were reunited with our bikes. Hurrah!!! It was great to back at Castillo Surfista Hostel, which is beginning to feel like home. Three days organising our stuff and we were back on the road again!!

In the beginning there was beer and empanadas....

Before.....

After.