Between Swells: Food, Wine, Family and Good Times

We are back to what some call my home country but I call it Argentina. We are planning on making this our last stop to be tourists in addition to seeing my family. We left Toronto two weeks ago to begin our trip to northern Argentina and since made our rounds through Iguazu, Salta, Cafayate, Mendoza and Bariloche. From tropical palms to chilly mountains, from Torrontes to Malbec and from bife de chorizo to smoked deer - we have thoroughly been enjoying ourselves and it is all thanks to Laura's Aunt Ann, who journeyed with us for two weeks. It was discussed before leaving YYZ that we'd all have preselected roles throughout the trip. I was given the title of official/unofficial driver, wine selector and translator. Laura is the restaurant decider and photographer while Ann takes it all in. It worked out very well for us all.

On Day 1 the plan was to land in BA and then take off that evening to Iguazu. We landed a few minutes ahead of schedule and hopped in a cab to the other airport. As we arrived I thought to myself "wow! that is a lot of people". Upon entering the airport we were informed that all flights were delayed due to a technical glitch. Turns out all airports in BA were delayed and luckily we were one of the only planes to land that day. We hung out at the airport for about seven hours because they would not cancel our flight. Instead they told us stories about how it would take off later that evening but with no exact time in sight. We eventually pulled chute and my brother gave us a ride to grandmas apartment. With three hours of sleep we went back to the airport to try our luck at another flight. We were put on standby and managed to get on a 7:50am flight to Iguazu.

The falls in northern Argentina are a thing of beauty. It is jungle and water. We stayed at the Sheraton which is the only hotel in the park. If you're going to stay there it is definitely worth picking fallsview and on one of the upper two floors. You get an amazing view of the Devil's Throat. Sitting and looking at the falls you will see toucans, monkeys, birds that would get birders excited and the mist from the falls. Really nice setup. With only a short time at the falls we did a walk around the park and then spent the rest of the time lounging around the hotel. There is not a crazy amount of stuff to do up there but worth the trip.

From there we boarded a flight to Salta. Salta is dry, desert and mountainous. In Salta, we rented a pickup truck and drove 150km south to Cafayate. The drive down was unbelievable. Every 5 minutes the scenery changed, from forest to desert, red dirt to white sand, jagged rock to smooth. Very neat to see a part of the world like that. Our destination of Cafayate is wine region for Salta.

In Cafayate we stayed at boutique hotel called Killa Cafayate. Highly recommend this place. There is not much to this town other than a couple shops and restaurants but it was perfect and all we needed. Every lunch and dinner was spent around the plaza people watching. For such a small place there was lots of local music and life around the plaza. The four days we were in Salta were holidays for Argentineans which made for more tourists but for some reason the vineyards were closed (FYI to Argentinian wineries - stay open on holidays). So we drove around to look at the wineries and only managed to sample Etchart wines. We sampled three very nice wines and found a winner which is the 2008 Don David Malbec. Salta is also known for its white grape called Torrontes. We sampled a few of those to find out if it was good. Once we found out it was good we sampled a few more to see which one we liked best. The winner for us was either the Elementos Torrontes or a blend of Riesling/Torrontes called Amalaya. It is also worth noting that El Rancho has the best rabbit to ever touch our lips and the asado at Pena Parrillada was excellent.

After our few days in Cafayate we headed back to Salta via a dirt road and mountains passing Cachi, a small artsy town. It added an extra 150km to our drive but well worth every bump and tight turn. Unbelievable views and nobody around for the first bit. We stopped for a delicious lunch in Cachi at Luna Cautiva then did the last stretch to Salta. This was paved but you got as high as 3400 meters before dropping 2000 meters down windy roads and creeks. This is one of those fascinating places in the world that probably only a small percentage of people get to experience.

After our 7 hour journey we arrived in Salta tired and dusty. We checked into our loft-like, super nice rooms at Design Suites and napped away until dinner. Laura scouted out a local place and the ladies may have possibly gone into meat comas by the end. We did not really get a chance to see the city but from the few glimpses we got it is nice. We only spent one night in the city and left that morning for Mendoza.

I would call Mendoza the food and wine mecca of Argentina or even South America. Mendoza is a bustling city full of tree lined streets, cafes, parks and restaurants. The little we spent in the city was thoroughly enjoyed. Our main place was at another boutique hotel called Posada Borravino in Lujan de Cuyo. The hotel was more like a house with several rooms and a beauty courtyard. We managed to spend a few afternoons outside sipping wine and eating meats, cheeses and olives. The hotel was also conveniently close to a lot of wineries and one close to my heart - Luigi Bosca.

Enjoying and exploring some vineyards was a must. We researched tours but was hard pressed to find anything under $150US/pp. Our past has brought us plenty of tours and we more wanted to taste test than see the fermentation process so we planned our own. The day began at Luigi to kick-start our palette for a five-course lunch and wine pairing at Ruca Malen. We ended at a small vineyard that had shitty wines and a high spraying air freshener. Even though the place was nice I think coming from the other two vineyards made it not as impressive. At Luigi we did a short tour and went to the tastings. WOW did we ever get to try good wines.

The Ruca Malen experience was a culinary extravaganza. We sat out back amongst the vines looking out at the Andes in the distance and enjoyed one amazing plate after another. The wine was good too but the food is what stood out for me.

Another evening we made our way into the city. We wandered around a huge plaza with a market and then went to dinner at Azafran. Once again we were all blown away with the food. To start we had not so traditional empanadas. One with blood sausage (morcilla), one with sweet breads (molleja) and the other with sausage. No wine menu here. I meet with the in-house sommelier who takes you to their cellar to pick your bottle. On the walk home we stopped at the casino where I hold some hot dice, then smoked the roulette table, cashed in on Blackjack and dropped a few coins in the slots. I turned 200 into 450 which would be amazing if it was dollars but pesos is better than nothing.

From Mendoza we hopped on the plane down to Bariloche area. Very BCesque kind of place in the mountains. Tons of fishing there in the summer and skiing in the winter. We spent one night down in the quite hippy town of El Bolson where we ate all smoked stuff - smoked deer pizza, cheese and fish. We also switched from wine to artisanal beer for a change.

The next day we headed up to check out Bariloche and eventually stop in Villa la Angostura. Bariloche is a tourist town with tourist stuff. Lots of T-shirts and chocolate. We spent a couple hours there then drove off to Angostura. We stayed at Hotel Angostura in our own cottage by the water. It is a small ski town in a valley. We basically stayed in all day and enjoyed the comforts of the cottage. We bought smoked meats, cheese and bread and enjoyed the fireplace as the temps were a bit colder. Very homey feel and we just kicked back with games.

After our two nights there we headed off with some time to check out a few spots. As I was turning out of town the squeaky sound that was coming from the rear right tire turned into a full on metal on metal sound. I looked at it as it was smoking and decided to go back into town. It was expected to happen because the Chevy had 20,000km on it.... I think the model is called POS. Anyways, I called the Hertz guys to tell them what happened and discussed options. The lady at one point asked if I checked to see if the tire was flat. With time running out I told them we are getting in a cab and I am leaving the car in town. She told me to take it back to the hotel and leave the keys with them. On the way down the hill to the hotel the tire began to make a worse noise and Laura screamed that it looked like the tire was going to fall off. It almost did! I left the car on the side of the road, dropped the keys off and we made our way to the airport. It all worked out in the end and we made our flight.

Back in BA we rested up for what was to become a Sunday meat fest at my brothers. 14 of us, family and friends gathered to eat many kilos of many different types of bbq'd meats, sausages, sweetbreads etc. My bro outdid himself and everyone left with a smile on their face.

The last two days has been spent cruising around town visiting my grandma, aunts, uncles and taking in some sites and shopping. BA is a busy place and has lots to offer. We have been out every night for dinner and my gut is starting to show for it but my soul feels good.

Ann leaves today and Laura and I had an amazing time with her (thank you Ann). My parents show up in two days and then we head off on a family road trip to Cordoba. I am looking forward to the family time.

Iguazu