This evening we split up into two groups and travel by coach to the homes of two Buenos Aires families where we have been invited to dine this evening. Home hosted dinners are something Collette does in various cities and countries it visits as a way to culturally immerse its passengers in the destination. It [...]
After arriving in Buenos Aires and checking into our room at the Panamericano Hotel & Resort, right on the famous Avenido 9 de Julio (9th of July Boulevard), it was a welcome respite to have the afternoon free before this evening’s home hosted dinner. Avenido 9 de Julio is the widest road in the world [...]
While you could spend a month in Mendoza and not see everything, having three nights in Mendoza gave us a good taste of what this city and its beautiful surroundings offer. So this morning we bid a fond farewell to the ‘land of sol y vino’ and another new friend, Fabian, and we head to [...]
Outside Mendoza city, we wind and weave along Los Camino del Vino through vast dry valleys with the beautiful snow-capped Andes dominating the breathtaking views. Fabian tells us that melting snows and glaciers in the Andes Mountains runs into the Mendoza desert through extensive man-made irrigation systems. The question on my mind was how wine production [...]
Debbie and I are repeatedly asked, “Who decides and plans everything we are seeing and doing in South America?” Answer: Allison, Collette’s product manager for South America. The passengers are very intrigued by Allison’s job and we tell them about the product department and what the product manager’s job entails (as best we marketers know!). [...]
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An afternoon at leisure was the perfect way to absorb the tranquility of Mendoza. Debbie, Kevin and I had lunch at an outdoor café and with our table situated on the outskirts we were in prime position to people watch. Our positioning, however, also made us the [...]
Loved our morning city tour of Mendoza! We learned so much from our local guide, Diego, about the changes in Mendoza’s city streets since its founding in 1561 by the conquistador Pedro del Castillo. One of the most interesting things about Mendoza is that it is an artificial oasis. Everywhere giant sycamore trees line the [...]
It’s early in the morning but I wanted to get up and check out the fitness facility at the Hotel Huentala Boutique.We arrived here last night, the last leg of our Andes drive reminding me of America’s Grand Canyon National Park—colors seem to shift from reds and oranges to blues and grays. Cutting a ribbon [...]
Our last stop before a late lunch at a road side restaurant frequented by locals was the remarkable bridge, Puente del Inca, a natural stone bridge believed to be used by the Incas to cross the Río de las Cuevas.
Ever helpful, Max, relays to our group that the bridge was once made of ice that [...]
We depart the hotel this morning at 8 a.m. leaving behind great memories of our time in Santiago, Chile. Our destination is Mendoza, Argentina, the land of sun and wine. But first we must cross the mighty Andes Mountains by motor coach and survive impatience and ennui at the border crossing which Max has warned [...]
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