Domingo en Los Andes: 11 November 2007

Today, after a late start, after both Steve and I realized we need more sleep, we headed towards Chile (never intending to get there, just close, we don’t have the right rental papers for our car). We hit the road late, after rearranging some bedding issues with the apartment owner (a very funny conversation in Spanish about Paco puking, but one had to be there). We took Route 40 through the wineries (drove by Norton wineries, so that on my list for the week), and then on to Route 7 to the Andes. Pretty incredible all in all. Because of the late start, we only got as far as Upsallata, before turning around. We both wanted to get as far as Puente del Inca, but it was not going to happen. I think we both wish we had allowed more time for simply exploring the area more. The rest of our time here will be filled with verbs and vos until early afternoon.

Upsallata was small and we did not see much of it save for a Bodega and a chocolate store. But there is a huge Argentine military base and the camouflaged trucks were coming in by the truckload (bad joke) filled with military personnel. We cruised through the checkpoints with a wave and a smile. The drive itself was extraordinary with the snow-capped peaks of the Andes peering over us. Seeing the tallest peak in South America, Co. Aconcagua so close was extraordinary. I was suffering from my Western sense of blasé (read: yea this is beautiful but have you seen Tahoe? Have you seen Utah?) When we crossed the Rio Blanco and the landscape changed from rolling brown mountains to red rocks, chiseled and magnificent. It was stunning.
Driving has been surprisingly easy. Though is does take a patient (ironically, that is me in this family) diver and a lack of urgency. Lanes are a guideline and people kind of just go with the flow. Even as far as coasting through the very clear “PARE” (STOP) signs. No driving and cell phones, that is for sure. One needs every sense to tell when someone will not cede right of way. We had to laugh that idea that the US is responsible for the fossil fuel waste (not arguing with the premise, just finding it ironic) when it was common to see 30 year old cars filled with families lumbering smokingly along a road kind of like CA Hwy 50. As many cars as one would see going 20 mph on the freeway, one would also see cars going 80. But the roads we took were wonderful and I think there is a huge push to renovate the highways here. Every warning we heard or read was simply unwarranted. Mendoza is clearly an artery for commerce coming from Santiago, Chile.

We are still struggling with the late night culture. I have no idea how people sleep here. Paco is now sorted to go to bed at Midnight, but we have an early start tomorrow for school and at 11:30 he is fighting the opportunity to sleep. We will all be shattered to start school in the morning. I think, as much as Steve and I love our child, we will be grateful for the break to drop him off at school and go be adults for a time. He has been a good sport with late dinners and adult conversations, but he needs to be free and run around more. And we have not carved out the time since arriving here to get him to a park and scale his own Andean mountain.

Erin