Mendoza, wine and camping !!!!!

After a long overnight bus we made it down to the city of Mendoza.  Its a big place Argentina's 3rd largest and its very, very hot (30oC), so perfect for growing grapes and making Vino !!!!!.

The city is surrounded by Vineyards so, we swapped the mountain bikes, for some granny bikes and headed out on a tour of some Vineyards.

Ready to drink some wine.

Still reasonably sober !!!

Cheers !!!!!

One more, oh go on then !!!!!!

Better have a spot of lunch (and more wine).

Can I have a barrel ?

Grapes.

Gillian and the lady from the Chocolate shop.

Might as well get stuck into some Absinthe !!!

After Mendoza we went for a couple of nights camping in the Canyon D'Athul.  It was very quiet and great to get off the backpacker trail.  We done a lovely walk up to the dam.

Camping.

Over looking the Reservoir at A'thul.

Hiking in the Canyon.

Into Argentina.......Wine, Meat and Ice Cream !!

We took our last bumpy bus trip in Bolivia down to the border town of Villazon in order to cross over into Argentina.  Leaving Bolivia was no problem, a short queue at immigration to get our exit stamps and we were done.  We crossed the bridge over the river into Argentina and were faced with an immense queue.  In all it took us 5 Hours to get through immigration.  It seems the Argies don't like the old Coca leaves and insist on checking every bag thoroughly before they let you in.  So after much annoyance we were in. The Argentinian border tom of La Quica didn't have much to offer, so we went to the bus station to get a bus to the city of Salta.

Got a bus sorted no problem and we were on our way.  Just as we were getting settled in about 1/2 a mile down the road we were stopped at an army road block.  So it was everyone off the bus, all the bags off the bus then separated into 2 queues: one for men, one for ladies and we were getting searched again.

After explaining to the soldier that Great Britain and the United Kingdom are the same country (and not mentioning the Falklands), he let me pass, phew !!!!!

Not exactly a great introduction into Argentina, but hopefully it would be all good now.

Our first morning in Salta we felt like we had been transported from South America to Spain or Italy.  Completely different from Bolivia and Peru.  Everything was so neat and tidy.  Gone are the Andean faces and colourful clothes, replaced with European faces, Jeans, Western clothes.  After Peru and Bolivia we though we were getting a hand of Spanish, but the Argentineans have a language all of their own !!!!

However Salta was a very nice city and we spent a great couple of  days exploring.

Gauchos in Salta

Salta Cathedral

Sunday Lunch, a nice juice steak.

and for pudding, a large Helados !!!!!

Any flavour you want !!!!

What about the wine ?, well that would be in plentiful supply in Mendoza.

Volcanoes, Lagoons, Flamingos and Salt......

From Tupiza we were recommended by a number of travellers to take a 4WD trip to the SW corner of Bolivia.  Our hostel provided such a tour for 4 days, so we signed up and were good to go.  We were accompanied on the trip with 2 new friends Fredericka from Germany and Emily from Australia.  Our guide was a friendly Bolivian fellow called Segondino (or Second Deano as we liked to call him) and his wife Porfidia who did the cooking and it was fab.

On the first day we headed out into the mountains and canyons.  It was a long drive but we were rewarded with some magnificent scenery.

Canyon lands.

Us overlooking the Canyons.

Llamas on the Pampas.

Portfidia makes lunch ...

... and it tastes good.

Queuing up for sweets at the school tuck shop.

Big skies over the Pampas.

On the dusty road again !!

Viscatcha (or Chinchilla).

High pass with Salt Lake (laguna Blanca) in the background.

Laguna Blanca

Trying to blend in !!!

At the Salt lake.

Flamingos Feeding.

The most scenic hot tub in the world (no not the people !!)

Laguna Blanco, on the frontier with Chile (mountains behind are in Chile).

Anyone for a mud bath ?

At Laguna Colorado.

Amazing reflections in the lake.

Stone Tree.

Scenery like something from Star Wars.

More amazing colours.

Flamingos feeding.

The gang (hoping the volcano behind doesn't erupt !!).

The hotel where everything is made from salt !!

Dawn on the Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt lake).

Salt, Salt everywhere !!!!!!

Island in the centre of the salt lake.

Porfidia bakes me a lovely cake !!!

Loco Photos !!!!!!

Loco Photos !!!!

Jump !!!!

The biggest Chocolate bar in the world !!!!

Flying the Flag.

The Gang.

What a fantastic trip it was a real highlight so far.  Bolivia turned out to be a real surprise, some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seem and the Bolivians were so welcoming and friendly, we would have loved to stay and explore this amazing country some more.  However we had to move onto out next country - Argentina .......................................