El Centro, Argentina

El Centro - Downtown! Charming, quaint, busy then quiet! Ah, Siesta!!! They live it!!! I loved it!!
That and some Bona Fide coffee and I was good to go!  Love the lifestyle!  Get your work and errands done in the morning, then home or to a cafe for lunch. Then Siesta. Then it is back to
work or off to visit friends, relatives, the Mall or out for a late (for us in the USA) dinner!!!

One of the first nights in San Juan, we ate dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.
Drove by around 9:30 and it was dead. Back one half hour later and it was filling up fast!  Friday night is Men's Night!!! Lots of older gents meeting friends for some Assado (barbecued meat )
served on a hot grill brought to the table still sizzling. YUM!!! Then there's the WINE!!!!!!!!
How does $4 to $6 a BOTTLE!! sound and it is some of the best wine you have ever tasted!!!   Simply delicious!!!! What a treat!!! Go Mendoza and San Juan too!!!!!

Motor cycles, scooters, bikes, buses and cars all get along on the streets of San Juan.

Desks with inspirational quotes in the courtyard of Casa Sarmiento.

Beba, my "sister" and Dan's Mom.  We all travel well together.

Be

Hotel Deolinda was home to all out of towners.  My door! A nice place and staff!!

 

Beba and I had a little chat with former President Sarmiento. He believed in the value of education and to this day all Argentinians are entitled to FREE EDUCATION even college!  Beba enjoys taking classes in English and the Arts and speaks English well enough for the two of us to go exploring together in both the US and ARGENTINA.

Quiet!! Come 2 PM the outdoor cafes and shops experience a mass exodus as everyone heads home for Siesta. Shop owners take in all tables/chairs, umbrellas, signage, etc. only to roll everything out again around 5 0r 6.  Amazing!!!

Charming!!!

This store sells beautiful leather shoes. 

Del Estero Winery gave us a nice tour and wine tasting.  These workers are  changing out labels not applied correctly. 

My favorite stop was Bona Fide Coffee Shop at the Libertad Mall.  Great place. Great Coffee.  Great Memories.

 

Valley of the Moon - Argentina (Mary Nagle)

Ischigualasto Provincial Park is located 273 kilometers away from the capital of San Juan. It is better known as Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon).

The shortest route from the City of San Juan to reach this place starts at Route 40 towards the north up to the District of Huaco, and from Huaco along Route 150 up to Valle de la Luna.

Featuring several tunnels and bridges and inaugurated in October 2014, this stretch of Route 150 is one of the most picturesque roads leading to this eye-catching site.

This strange clay formation, with a great variety of hues, shapes and different layers of mineral and sediments, provides a glimpse of the Earth evolution in the Triassic Period.

It is worth mentioning that the period between the formation of the planet and today has been divided into "eras” and "periods", the same way time is divided into in years and days. The first period of the Mesozoic era is the Triassic and it goes from 250 to 200 million years. Back then all the continents were joined in one mega continent called Pangea. During the Triassic period, on the west side of Pangea, some valleys were formed where sediments mixed with animals and plants remains accumulated.

As things from our childhood are kept in a chest, Ischigualasto has kept things from those times. Millions of years later, different movements and collisions of the tectonic plates have revealed those valleys that were covered by thousands of meters of younger rocks. As if a chest were opened, the Ischigualasto basin tells the story of what happened back then on Planet Earth. 

From www.welcomeargentina.com

Argentina - Wedding

The Wedding!!! What a great way to learn about Argentine culture and life!!!
Lucky for me, Dan's brother, Eduardo extended an invite to his son, Martin's
wedding when he visited this winter. How kind.  How thoughtful and Who knew
that I would be able to attend???   Well, let me tell you, sometimes the God's
shine upon you, the stars align and the kids all got together to make it happen!!!
I thank them immensely, Lisa came to stay with Dad, Jen provided
long distance support from Utah and Dan played Tour Guide and I had a
wonderful and memorable time AND I can't wait to return!!!

Please find some trip highlights of the Wedding and Dan's family. 
They are an incredibly warm, welcoming and wonderful family as showcased in the photos.
Martin (the groom) is a world famous Master Harmonica maker.  He plays a "mean" harmonica
and we were treated to a performance of his band the next night at a restaurant/bar that
featured several bands all taking turns rocking out.  He has a HUGE following and a dream
to play Jazz in Chicago.  I think he will make it!!! He is that good!!! And a Very Nice
young man as well.  He and wife, Alejandra, a psychologist, should have a wonderful life
together. 

The wedding began at 9:30PM!!!! on a Saturday night at the Catholic Church in San Juan
and we left at 5:30AM!!! even though the party was still going on. There were prizes and
surprises almost every hour.  EVERYONE DANCED!!! The food appeared in waves from
the drinks and hors d'oeuvres served outside while waiting for the civil ceremony and then
the wedding dinner,  The SWEETS Table was unveiled about 1 or 2 or 3 O'Clock but who
was paying attention to time!!! We were too busy having fun!  The Party Hats and toys
were rolled out around 2 so that everyone could make their selection.  Then around 4:30AM
there was a leg of pork so that we could enjoy a little sandwich before the trip home.
Relatives and friends came from as far south as Tierra Del Fuego, friends of the bride
Alejandra, and to the east Cordoba and the north, Salta near Iguassu Falls.
Apologies that photos are a little out of order but the computer is putting up a little resistance.

Silvia, Eduardo and Dan - Super Siblings

  

 

 

5 a.m.

 

Dan's mom Beba at the Sweets Table

July Activities

Uncle Dan in Hawaii

Paint Your Pet Participants