From Mendoza to Los Penitentes

I am leaving the wine region because I tasted very good wines yesterday. I had a good conversation with Miguel from the Posada. He is also an engineer and very interested in history. He only speaks a few words of German and my Spanish is admittedly a bit rough. It didn't come out yesterday that he speaks fluent English, not until he spoke to another guest this morning. We quickly went back to Mendoza in a private taxi. The city was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1861. As it is in Germany with cities almost completely destroyed in the war, it was quickly rebuilt with a focus on utility. The streets are wide and various parks give it a certain flair. The architecture is not particularly special - everything is practical. Therefore, there wasn't much to photograph. Next, I will take the bus to the Andes towards Chile. But wait - I'm not in a hurry and I will visit 2 recommended places in the middle of the Andes and make a stop. Somehow, I was a bit disoriented by the wine yesterday and didn't look closely at the map and trusted the travel guide. So, I'm now in Los Penitentes first and tomorrow I'll go back a bit. Just like in our mountains, when everyone addresses each other informally, it's similar here. Everyone calls each other Amigo and the bus driver says goodbye to some female passengers getting off the bus with a kiss on the cheek and gets off the bus himself. I sit in the front to enjoy the panorama of the barren mountain landscape. An old man sits in the front like me and sees me photographing the abandoned railway track and starts telling stories. He still knows where the train stations were and all the names. That makes what I see more vivid and personal. After getting off the bus, he waves to me and I wave back! The town with the hotel is practically deserted, with all the shops of the hotels and chalets closed. Fortunately, I made a reservation in advance and also checked that there is an open restaurant. So, here I am, sitting and drinking an Amber Lager from Patagonia! Surrounded by snow-covered mountains. I notice a woman from Munich with an Argentine husband who speaks German, and we have dinner together. In our conversation, I gain a different perspective on this great country that I have already come to love and I will definitely come back. My east-west journey still leaves a lot open, especially in the south, which is waiting to be discovered.