Les Pérégrinations de Pierre

Last day in Mendoza where I have spent a full week. Life's good in this city: 8 days of rain per year, large leafy avenues, excellent wine and nearby the highest peak in the Andes: Aconcagua.

My time was spent touring the wineries first on a bicycle and then using the local bus (much less dangerous after winery #2!! :-)) I came here with the idea that Argentinian vines were giving lots of wine but of low quality, I was wrong ... they have very good bottles! And this thanks to an irriguation system (which deprives the Mendoza river of all its water :-( ), sun, foreign capital and the will to upgrade the production (heavy use of French oenologs).

Mendoza is the place where the army which liberated Argentina, Chile and Peru set off to cross the Andes. General San Martin led the rise against the Spaniards. In acknowledgement of his accomplishements, many streets and parks are named after him across Argentina. The road that was used by the soldiers is now one of the rare crossing through the Cordillera. It is used for most goods going to Chile from Uruguay, Paraguay, Bresil, Argentina and offers stunning scenery (with lots of traffic...)

After almost 2 months on the road I felt the need to exercise a bit and I managed to find a swimming poo in the posh Club de Gimnasio y Esgrima . I have to say that I was very surprised when they asked me to go through a 'medical' examination to enter the pool. Each swimmer needs to be checked for fungus and other nasty pathologies/bugs that can develop in hairy and humid parts of the body... I could't help but smile as it reminded me of one episode of theseries Friends where Joey received special attention form his tailor :-))

I am now setting off to Salta, another 18 hours of bus. I have decided to treat myself - Trip in first class with large leather seats and included meals.