ARGENTINA – MENDOZA (San Rafael)
ON Windmill Hostel
Day 16 Sun April 6
MENDOZA
Edificio Gómez. The first skyscraper in Mendoza was built in 1954 – 34 m high, 10 stories, reinforced concrete, with inset windows. Many antennae on the roof.
Espacio Contemporáneo de Arte. In a gorgeous palace, with more than average interesting exhibits for a contemporary art museum. Free
Plaza San Martin. Nice main square with the usual equestrian statue of San Martin on a grand stone plinth.
Basílica San Francisco. Red with cream stone, 3 nave, nice Ways of the Cross, white marble chapels.
Mercado Central. Great local market with many meat, produce, bread, wine and fish stands, a large number of eateries.
Carlos Alonso Museum – Stoppel House. Gorgeous 2-story mansion with water colours, folk art and photos. Large, lovely stained glass windows. Free
La Enoteca. All about wine production with many old machines in the yard, a timeline line and a good history of Argentinian wine production. Signs with distances to great wine-producing areas of the world. Free
Parque General San Martin. A huge urban park with many walking, biking and sitting around on a nice Sunday.
Museo Fundacional. Archaeology and Anthropology Museums. In the corner of the park. Megafauna, many stuffed animals, birds, and insects. Free
Monumento a los Granaderos. A 4 km walk across the park and back, this is a large monument to San Martin’s armies that liberated all South American countries. Has several equestrian statues and a large winged statue on top.
Used the railway and several buses to move around in south Mendoza.
Palmares. A nice contemporary mall. Large glass dome.
Botanical Garden. 12 km outside the city.
Mendoza Region Wineries. I got onto the wrong bus and took a very roundabout way through many vineyards and olive orchards to finally access the railway again.
Casa de San Martín. He lived here from 1812-14. Now, an archaeological site that has been exposed at least 4 buildings here since then.
Serpentario. Closed
Our Lady of Loreto Cathedral. A small church with a central bell tower. Closed when I arrived, but the caretaker arrived at 17:40 and opened the church. Many polychromes and a great domed arched roof.
ON Windmill Hostel
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ARGENTINA – SAN LUIS (Villa Mercedes)
Day 17 Mon April 7
The bus arrived early, and I walked 4.5 km to the central district.
SAN LUIS
Museo Histórico de San Luis. An odd museum with many timelines and few artifacts. There was a lot of reading, but all in Spanish. Free
ON bus to San Rosario 8 hours @23:00-07:00. 1 km walk to Centro.
ARGENTINA – LA PAMPA (Santa Rosa)
SANTA ROSA
Iglesia Cathedral. Has an unattractive reinforced concrete geometric facade. 3 naves, simple, wonderful Ways of the Cross (large ceramics), altar was a simple cross.
Museo Provincial de Artes. Marina Frankel’s intricate collages.. Patricia Lupade Women’s Rights several showing models with all muscle groups exposed. Free
Bus to Neuquen @12:00-19:00, 7 hours
ARGENTINA – NEUQUEN
NEUQUEN
I arrived and finally got an Uber for the 4.5 km into the center for 6000, when the taxi quoted 15,000. Both expensive.
ON Dark Star Art Hostel, I arrived at midnight, long after the front desk closed at 20:00. Luckily, a guest was up and woke up the staff member to get through the two locked gates. I was thinking I would lay out my pad and sleeping bag outside the gates. Lovely new hostel with great facilities, but not so great art. Good BF. Charged and then refunded the >5000 VAT, but still 25,000, again, the only hostel in town and with a monopoly.
Fine Arts Museum is temporarily closed.
Day 18 Wed April 9
Tren del Valle. The local train took me two stops to the Omnibus terminal, cost 470 compared to the 15,000 charged by taxis.
ARGENTINA – BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE SOUTH (Bahia Blanca, Mar del Plata)
The bus to Bahia Blanca arrived at 2 am, well after my booked hostel was open. I kept losing data and slept. They suggested a key drop and even offered to pick me up. I checked a bus company and one was leaving for Mar del Plata in 5 minutes. I had a fast decision to make. There was little of interest in Bahia Blanca, but a lot to see in Mar del Plata, so I took the bus.
BAHIA BLANCA
Science and Technology Museum
El Rincón Lighthouse
Museo De La Aviación Naval Argentina
Day 19 April 10
MAR DEL PLATA
The plan was to see everything in Mar del Plata and take the night bus to BA. I stored my luggage and had a big walking day.
Natural Science Museum Lorenzo Scaglia. Very good exhibits with stuffed everything, megafauna, geology and much more. Free
Catedral de los Santos Pedro y Cecilia. 3 nave great stone vaulted arched ceiling with large wood altar and lovely stained glass.
Monument to the Sea Lion. Two large stone sea lions flank a short stairway down to a beach.
Mar del Plata beach. A deep beach with a protective breakwater and big surf outside.
Hermitage Hotel. 1946 For Guests Only. Hospitality Legends:
Juan Carlos Castagnini Municipal Museum of Art. In a stunning, huge timber-framed “Tudor” style house. Its interior with period furniture was much more of a highlight than the art. Argentinian art has not been impressive so far. 1000
Tower. Pay 2000 online for the ticket. This very high stone tower has an elevator dating from 1945. Views are 360° but through windows.
I then took the city bus to the port area
Port of Mar del Plato
Reserva de lobos del puerto de Mar del Plato. A nature reserve on both sides of the stone pier extends to the monument at its end.
San Salvador. Patron of Fishermen. A huge white statue of a fisherman.
Bus to Buenos Aires Retiro Station.
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ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE NORTH (La Plata, Tigre)
LA PLATA
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement WHS. Curutchet House
Art Museums: La Plata: Museum of Fine Arts Emilio Pettoruti
Religious Temples
La Plata: Iglesia San Ponciano
La Plata: La Plata Cathedral
Natural History and Earth Museums
La Plata: La Plata Museum
La Plata: Natural Science Museum
Theme Parks, ‘Fun’ Museums and Miniatures: La Plata: Republic of the Children
