Mendoza Journals

Gangsters Paradise

Best of IgoUgo

A November 2008 trip to Mendoza by SeenThat

Aconcagua Mountain (left) Photo - Mendoza, Argentina

Quote: Being an IgoUgo’s Hot Destination, I made a detour to Mendoza while traveling in Argentina, and found not exactly what I was waiting for.

54 Photos

Parque General San Martín

Story/Tip

Parque San Martin Photo - Mendoza, Argentina

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A park larger than its own townOccupying 307 hectares, and offering 17 kilometers of paths, the San Martin Park in Mendoza is larger than the adjacent downtown area and probably is the town’s main attraction. The park can be easily reached by foot from the downtown area; it is delimited by the avenues Emilio Civit to the north, Boulogne Sur Mer to the east and San Francisco De Asis to the south. To the west are hills on which a future expansion is planned, and beyond them the mighty Andes mountains. A view of the city is available from the top of the hill Cerro de la Gloria, within the park.The Western ParkIn 1861, an earthquake destroyed much of Mendo...Read More

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Mendoza: The Human Side

Story/Tip

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Zoning TimeI had left Buenos Aires in the afternoon. Next morning just before 8 AM, we entered the Terminal del Sol, Mendoza’s bus terminal. I picked up my luggage and entered the building, which looked too empty for being in a main city. Dismissing such an early morning thought, I entered La Posta, the first coffee shop I saw in the building. Coffee was my main priority. On the wall was a clock showing that it was before 7 AM.In such a way, I found that Argentina had exempted thirteen provinces of following the daylight saving time for the summer of 2008-9. Thus the country was for the first time divided in two time zones. The western and southern provinces kept a diffe...Read More

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Downtown Mendoza

Attraction

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Before reaching it, Mendoza statistics seemed impressive: it is Argentina’s fourth largest city. That’s true, but the town has just above a hundred thousand inhabitants. Even including its metropolitan area, it doesn’t reach the million people. Yet, it offers a few interesting views, especially from an historic perspective. In 1861 a major earthquake hit the city, killing more than five thousand people and destroying much of its center. As a result the city was rebuilt in an urban design aimed at minimizing the damage of future earthquakes. A huge park named Parque General San Martín was built at its western side and the town’s center features larger parks and wider streets than any other ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 29, 2008

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Aconcagua

Attraction | "A Con Ca What? "

Quote:

The QuestIn the past I have trekked a few weeks in the Nepali Himalayas from Jiri to Kalla Pattar in order to see the Everest, the highest mountain on earth, while in other opportunities I have climbed mountains in Europe and Asia. Thus it was only natural that while in South America I would take a look at the Aconcagua Mountain. At 6952 meters above the sea level, it is the highest mountain in the continent and the highest outside Asia. It is on the main road connecting ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 29, 2008

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Bonafide Mendoza

Restaurant

Quote:

The Chain Founded in 1917 in Pasaje Guemes in Buenos Aires, Bonafide is nowadays the biggest coffee chain in Argentine; it is difficult to walk in downtown Buenos Aires without spotting a branch every few blocks. Back then, it was the first coffee shop to bring a roasting machine to the country, thing that secured its immediate success. In 1920 two additional branches appeared in Buenos Aires; later, branches appeared all over the country and nowadays they sum up more than a hundred. However, it faces competition from a newcomer to Argentina: ...Read More