Bodega La Abeja

Bodega La Abeja, San Rafael, Mendoza Province

Argentina is also a wine country (it’s the world’s 5th largest wine producer). The rain shadow of the Andes provides an ideal climate and since reaching Mendoza province we have seen many vineyards along the road.

It’s harvest time now and we have stopped a few times to watch the workers pick the grapes by hand. Many of them are from Bolivia or Paraguay and earn between 10 to 15 USD a day, depending on the collected amount of baskets. It’s hard work for little money.

Many bodegas (wineries) offer tours and we haven’t missed the opportunity to visit some to test (taste) their wine. We specially liked the small bodega La Abeja, one of the oldest in the country, as it still produces wine the traditional way.

.

No fuel!

Fuel station, Bajo Caracoles, Santa Cruz Province

We received many advices regarding the travel on the ruta 40. You need a 4×4, make sure to have 2 spare tires and necessary repair equipment, bring water, bring oil, take additional fuel with you and always fill up when you’ve got the chance, on the ripio (gravel) don’t brake abruptly and don’t drive over 65 km/h and most importantly, sheep and guanacos always have the right of way.

Well, we followed most but not all advices.

The one about taking additional fuel (in our case diesel) we purposedly didn’t follow due to safety reasons (hey, I’m highly trained in EHS matters). This nearly got us stuck for several days in the village (or let’s say settlement) of Bajo Caracoles.

Fuel station after fuel station on our way north along the ruta 40 had run out of diesel as a road blockage (commercial trucks only) by striking fruit pickers had prevented the supply tankers to travel to this area.

The fuel station /restaurant / bar / hotel / grocery store / tourist information (all in one) became quite a busy place with stuck travellers and we had quite an entertaining evening.

The next day we got told that another fuel station some 75 km west towards the Chilenian border had some diesel left. That was it for Bajo Caracoles, we could continue our journey for a bit longer.

.

The stars are on our side!

Wall decoration in our room, Hostal Erratic Rock, Puerto Natales, Región XII (Magallanes y Antártida Chilena)

Anybody knows what this symbol stands for?

On New Year’s Eve we arrived late in Puerto Natales and were happy to find a place to stay. The room was very basic (and bloody cold) but had some interesting wall decoration.

I hope the stars will be on our side during 2008 thanks to this moon-sun-galaxies symbol. 

Happy New Year to all. May all your wishes and good intentions for 2008 come true.

.

Punta Arenas

Rainy sunset, Punta Arenas, Región XII (Magallanes y Antártida Chilena)

Punta Arenas is the southermost city of the American mainland. From here we will start our way up north – if time allows it all the way to the Jujuy province located in the extreme northwest of Argentina, bordering Bolivia.

It’s been rainy and cold last week in Tierra del Fuego. The same is the case today on arrival in Punta Arenas. If this is their summer, how will their winter be?

.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas decoration, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego

Wish you all Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad / Frohe Weihnachten from the end of the world!

.

Puerto Madryn, we love you!

Lisa fighting the cold wind, Piedrabuena Pier, Puerto Madryn, Chubut

It wasn’t love at first sight.

Puerto Madryn is dusty and windy, too cold or too hot, too small or too big and there’s far too many useless traffic lights. The restaurants are nothing special either.

That was one year ago.

And now?

The bags are packed, the 4×4 ready for the trip, the goodbyes said … but we don’t seem to be able to let go. We were supposed to leave today, but we’ll leave tomorrow instead.

Puerto Madryn, we love you!

.