Thanks to Argentinian Airlines, rather than two and a half days, I got a day to spend in Mendoza, so here, in summary, is what I did:
SATURDAY 14th
19.00 landed at airport and got taxi to Youth Hostel (convenient location and nice prices for a single room - couldn't inflict my snoring on others!!!)
20.00 unpacked and ready to "hit the city" (smaller than Cordoba, in the "desert" but extremely well irrigated so you wouldn't notice!)
20.15 browsing a nightly craft fair of local artisans ( including several stalls selling intricately carved cases for kives) - stumbled accross the city theatre
21.00 sitting watching classical and modern dance on the theme of "swans" ( including costumes very reminiscent of Mathew Bourne's all male version of 'Swan Lake'!)
I think it was an end of year "showcase" for the local state conservertoire and the young performers were superb! (Anyone who makes such elaborate, athletic moves look easy gets my vote!)
23.00 £8 performance ended. I'm as exhausted as the performeres must be!
23.00 Bible study and bed!
SUNDAY 15th
7.45 Woke up confused ("Nothing new there!" I hear you say.) My watch said one time and my tablet had gained an hour!?! Having showered and dressed, I asked the receptionist what the time was - she looked bemused by this befuddled Brit!
10.00 Mendoza Church - woops, Cathedral (The great thing about joining a Roman Catholic service is that one knows the 'shape' of the worship and can participate in one's own language.....!
Music was provided by Cantor and guitar and very few (of the 60+ attending) joined in....
11.15 walked off to city museum which preserved some of the old buildings and artefacts 'unsettled' by an earthquake in 1861. (Earthquakes were not something I had prepared for!!!)
11.45 found museum (closed until 14.00 it being Sunday!)
12.10 having mooched around the exterior, including the previous (17th century) cathedral, I stumbled accross a "Mendoza Hop on Hop off" bus stop - and waited!!
12.45 the 12.26 scheduled bus arrived and " hopped on"......!
1.15 back in the main city square ( where I am able to buy a ticket for said bus - and receive headphones for the English commentary!)
1.30 top deck enjoying all the sights (european avenues and squares commemorating the immigrants from different countries - Italy, Spain, Chile, the various civic buildings, Modern Art gallery, vast 'out of town' shopping arcades and lush expanses of park land ( brief hop off to enjoy some park scenery in the sunshine....)
16.30 completed one full circuit of the tour having enjoyed sitting in the sunshine!
16.45 whilst looking for a local restaurant recommended in the guidebook, realised how foolish I'd been sitting on an open deck bus in beautiful sunshine WITHOUT suncream!!!
17.10 dining in Anna's Bistro, sampling some famous Mendoza wine (no wine tours today -it's Sunday!!!)
18.30 ambled back to Hostel to find the bags I'd put in store (without a padlock on the cupboard - how risky) were all fine - thank the Lord!!
19.00 Quick teeth clean, change ( clothes - not teeth!) and book taxi to the intercity coach station.
19.45 arrived in plenty of time for 21.30 coach departure from Mendoza to Bariloche (16 hour journey!) - but that's another story.....!!!
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