7 things to love about Mendoza (besides wine)

We love wine – buying it, tasting it, seeing where it’s made, and most of all drinking large glasses of it.

That is why we came to Mendoza, because it’s the heart of wine country in Argentina.  But, we’re planning on staying awhile because it’s just so nice here.     Tranquil, pleasant, livable – all words used by guidebooks to describe the city. So far, they have all been correct. The wineries and vineyards are out of town, so the only wine we’ve tasted so far has been at wine bars and restaurants.  It’s been really good. But here are other things I love about the city.

1. wide sidewalks –the sidewalks in Mendoza are wide, wide enough for everyone to be able to walk around, even in a crowd.  No more playing chicken with oncoming pedestrians.  I no longer get stuck behind a slow poke and have to veer out into a busy street to get around them.  No one has stepped on my foot, accidently punched me in the side, or almost blinded me with a cigarette.  You can either stroll or stride and not get in anyone’s way.

2. couches on sidewalks – the only thing I like better than sitting outside at a table drinking wine, is sitting on a comfortable couch outside drinking wine. I hope this is a trend that is sweeping the world.

3. trees –  the architecture of Mendoza is pretty tame compared to Salta or Buenos Aires. But, you can’t see any building because there are so many trees lining each street.  I love how every street feels like a park and the park feels like a forest.

4. stop lights – I’m still afraid to cross the street, but having stop lights help. There are still left and right turners, but the traffic so so mellow compared to other places in Argentina.

5. weather – I am a baby about weather. It was too humid in Buenos Aires, too rainy in Salta, too hot in Cordoba, too windy in La Serena. But, the weather here really is just perfect.

6. restaurants – there a lot of restaurants here, fancy, casual, traditional, and trendy.    We could eat out every night for the rest of our trip and not hit all the places we want to try. And, with the exchange rate to the US dollar, they are all a bargain.

7. taxis – taxis are cheap and plentiful in Mendoza.   We are currently staying a bit out of the center of town, but for about $2 US you can get almost anywhere in town.   The buses are even cheaper, but we haven’t figured out where to buy a bus pass yet.

These are just what we’ve noticed about the city. Tomorrow we head out into the country to see about the wine.