Well …

We are now in Mendoza, Argentina, truly a wine lover’s paradise. Malbec reigns supreme and loyal subjects happily honor its place by downing gallons of wine made from this most delicious grape. It may sound as though we are doing little else besides drinking but we are also eating juicy empanadas, tamales and humitas.

Meat, particularly a beef steak is held in high regard here, and what better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than at a sidewalk cafe. (At 42 degrees a person could be scorched by the sun just crossing the street in Mendoza so we try not to do that too often) Mercifully it seems almost every street no matter how narrow or broad is lined on both sides with huge leafy trees. It was truly a wise decision to have a steak dinner at three this afternoon beneath such trees and then meander back to the hostel to have a nap.

The steak dinner came at a good price as we had just mustered the courage to exchange our dollars for pesos in the alleyway. Our first experience with the black market. The banks offer 6 pesos for a dollar (aka ‘blue market’) while in the alley one can get 11 pesos or more! I know little of economics, but this is clearly not a good thing for the Argentinos and they are anxious for dollars as insurance against their falling peso. What is going on? The news tells us the same is happening in Canada right now???

Even on a weekday the streets are filled until midnight …. supper doesn’t begin until around 10 pm. Entire families with little ones in tow, cram cafes, gather in plazas and in the streets to talk, listen to music, watch jugglers and dancers or to sell everything from ankle socks to melons.

It has been another wondrous day!

Tomorrow we are off to see colored canyons but tonight we will dream of you.

Love Monika