Down and away I went: I wanted to experience summer in the winter. What better way than to jet to Argentina for a few days over the cold holiday break?
The city of Buenos Aires was hot and lively; it was ready for my exploration. After a few days there, I took a 2 hour flight to the small city of Mendoza. This gorgeous little city stands at the foothills of the Andes and borders Chile. As I waited for my cab to take me to my hotel, I felt the urge to ask the Patagonia strangers around me what kind of journey they were on.
I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I just wanted to explore.
Turns out, this city is a starting point. The ultimate destination is the Andes – the gorgeous, inspiring and intimidating mountain range. Hidden there, is the majestic Aconcagua – the highest mountain outside of Asia, standing at 22,837 feet. I explored its foothills with a ranger rover, did white water rafting and zip-lined along the river’s path. The city of Mendoza is also the main wine producer for Argentina. Acres of wine are delicately placed along the main road – so many different wineries producing Malbec! Naturally, I definitely made it a point to do some wine tasting.
Participating in these activities awakened a lively feeling inside of me. Ringing in the new year in this way – in a foreign country – brings out a different sense of rebirth…as if the stresses of 2014 were all released at once; it felt sublime.
…Argentina, I miss you. I miss the hot summer afternoons, the music, the wine, the delicious empanadas, the essence of South America.
I’ll surely be coming back. Next time with a week-long trek in mind.
