Mendoza Argentina Travel Pictures
Omnibus Terminal Mendoza, City Parks, Outdoor Patios
I arrived in Mendoza, Argentina, late afternoon on a hot December day. I'd left Valparaiso Chile that morning, coming by bus via the Chile border crossing at Los Libertadores, through the Upsallata Valley, through Potrerillos to the Omnibus Terminal in the heart of Mendoza.
Like many other passengers, I lined up outisde Western Union to change my Chilean pesos to Argentine pesos. (Note: Cash only, no travelers checks; the fee was about $5 on $64 USD.) At the bus terminal tourist bureau kiosk, staff marked my hotel address on a map. Not wanting to experiment with local bus travel in rush hour, I took a cab to the Hotel Villaggio a few kilometers distant, about 2 miles. Here are a few pictures of Mendoza plazas, streets.
Palm Trees at Plaza Chile, one of Five Plazas in central Mendoza 
Plaza Chile is one of five plazas in central Mendoza, where four smaller plazas surround the much larger Plaza Independencia, and together span many blocks (see map link below).
The other three plazas are Plaza Italia (I didnt get a picture), Plaza San Martin (ditto), and Plaza Sarmiento (photo below).
Mendoza downtown is built on a grid pattern with many one-way streets in this area.
Street names often change at the end of one block, so a good map is a great help! Hotels, airport and bus stations have very good tourist maps that will do nicely.
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Avvenida de Los Platanos, Mendoza Avenue of the Plane Trees (Sycamores) 
The following morning, I went by private car and driver to General San Martín Park and Lago del Parque lake.
(My city tour had been mis-booked for the following afternoon, by which time I would be in Buenos Aires domestic airport, in transit to Montevideo, Uruguay. The tour operator made amends by sending a private car and English speaking driver / guide.) Entrance to this large recreational area is via Avenida de Los Platanos, named for the stunning Plane trees (Sycamores) that line the route.
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Plaza Sarmiento Fountain and Monument, downtown Mendoza
Plaza Sarmiento is diagonally across Plaza Independencia from Plaza Chile.
Mendoza was decimated by a 7.2 earthquake in 1861, with much loss of life. The guide explained Mendoza was rebuilt over the years, and new construction is designed to better withstand quakes.
"The [Mag 8] eathquake in Chile in 1985 was felt here, but we were fine," he said.
Throughout central Mendoza, there are ditches like canals, about 2 feet deep, and lined with stone that run between the sidewalk and street.
These ditches trap rainwater or they can be flooded manually to irrigate the many large trees that line the streets.
"This system of canals is what the Indians developed for irrigation," said my guide. "They were smart. This irrigation is why our trees in Mendoza are so tall and healthy."
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Sarmiento Avenue, Mendoza: Outdoor Dining for lunch, dinner
The custom in Argentina (similar to Spain's) is to dine at times much later than do other cultures.
Many restaurants don't open for dinner until after 9 p.m., much too late for this traveler, so room service it was!
Along Sarmiento a few blocks from my Hotel (Villaggio), the outdoor dining patios looked very inviting. Early one afternoon, I looked for a place to have lunch.
There are lots of restaurants along this avenue, but a quick scan of posted menus proved them a bit pricey for a frugal traveler.
I was frankly surprised at the cost, since I'd always found Argentina prices a bargain. Mendoza prices were more in line with those in pricey Australia, where I finally found some cheaper places to eat (see budget meals Sydney info here.)
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Cheerful Yellow Tiles on Sidewalk, Downtown Mendoza 
Most restaurants in this area posted daily fixed price menu specials, and the going rate was around $99 ARP.
This converted to lunch for about $25 plus tax, wine and tip. Posted dinner menus and a la carte prices were markedly higher.
If you go to Argentina, and you are a meat eater, then know that Argentina steaks are arguably the best in the world. I decided to defer my steak order until I got to Buenos Aires, where I knew a great place for well priced steaks.
Happily, next door to my hotel (pictures), there was a deli lunch counter place that sold the tastiest foods I'd had in a long time.
I bought a variety of items for about $5. Delicious, different, homestyle foods at a great price.
This afternoon, I joined a tour to several Mendoza wineries and olive farms. Altogether, a great visit, too short, and I'll look for the chance to return to Mendoza.
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