We went across the Andes via the Los Libertadores mountain pass - 3,200m at its highest point. I'd read about the route and seen pictures of the 29 hairpin turns up the mountain, so it was wicked to be there actually doing it ourselves! Each turn is numbered so you can count up (or down if you're going the other way). The road was excellent and lorries were managing the turns with ease, although I'm sure there's skill involved!
Mario (the van) likes to take it easy going uphill, so poor Mario (the man) kept having to drop back so we could keep up with him. All in all, the drive to Mario's cousin's place in Mendoza took about 7 hours, including a stop to buy insurance and 3 stops to get across the border (I'm writing a separate post on the actual process, as some will find it interesting/useful and most will find it boring!) Mario says it usually takes him about 4 hours!
Not long after we arrived, Mario's cousin Fabian got the Argentinian barbecue going. He used wood instead of charcoal. Mario said it was a kind of wood that catches quite easily but I can't remember what it's called. Anyway, the Argentinian way is to basically create your own charcoal. So he got a big fire going, then set most of the embers aside and created a thin layer with the rest. Then while he was cooking the meat, he kept adding embers as needed. Mario said Argentinian beef is so good because the country is so flat and the cows don't build big muscles. But another reason has to be the care, patience and organisation of the chef!
Fabian cooked two cuts of beef, a regular sausage and a black pudding-esque sausage. It really was delicious - too good to stop and take photos!! Dinner was quite late actually (a) because we arrived late but (b) partly because that's the Argentinian way. People work from about 8am-12pm then go home and have lunch and a siesta, then work from about 5pm-late and then go home and eat late. I was surprised by how different to Chile it is - there lunch is the main meal and little is eaten in the evening.
After dinner, Paul went with Mario to buy ice cream. The shop was open until 2am! We were up chatting and laughing with Mario's family until quite late - poor Mario having to translate quite a random conversation involving lots of double entendres!
Paul and I then had our first night in the van. We're pleased to report Mario is very comfy, although I'm not quite used to not being able to sit up in bed, and bang my head regularly.
