Travel: We're Off to Mendoza, Argentina

We're on the road...again! This time we're heading off to Mendoza, Argentina before making our way south to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. And to make it all the more of a crazy adventure, we're driving the entire 1,500 miles in this Volkswagen van. Yep, this very one! Pretty fun, right?

So we're praying for nicely paved roads, healthy axles, lubed engines and all that. This trip could get very, very long with any extra stops thrown in.

But Mendoza is our kick-off point and it's definitely a *must visit* for Argentina. Aside from being the malbec mecca of the world, there's great views, hiking and hot springs. Which happens to be my agenda, in that order. 

I'm not a huge wine buff - yet- so I'm looking forward to a slew of vineyard tours to get my tasting skills up to an appropriate level. Mind you, I'm the girl who doesn't mind a little bit of ice and seltzer mixed in with my red. (Which, coincidentally, is how a lot of Argentines drink their wine. So don't turn your nose up at me just yet!)

But aside from all the malbec and cabarnet I'm sure to sample, Mendoza is known for its olive oil production! YUM. I literally cannot wait to spend a leisurely afternoon with plates of olive oil and artisanal bread.

I'll try to get some posts going from the road. But if not, know that I'll be checking on all of YOUR blogs during my down time (since I'm bit of an addict these days!). 

All images are of Mendoza, Argentina and are the exclusive property of the photographer. Photos can be found at the following locations: 1- Bob Neill @ Facebook; 2- Gustavo Cruceno Molina via Facebook; 3 & 6- Humberto Terenzani via Flickr; 4 & 7- Neda's Notions (The Coach & Me) via Flickr ; 5- Johnny Shaw via Flickr