Category: Argentina

Dreaming of Cavas Wine Lodge in Mendoza, Argentina

11/12/2015

Several years ago we visited Argentina and fell in love with the country - particularly the food, wine and diverse, dramatic landscapes. Regrettably, we didn't visit Mendoza and it remains one of the world's big wine regions we have yet to experience.

I met someone from Argentina the other day that told me about her favorite getaway in Mendoza called the Cavas Wine Lodge. After looking it up online, I was floored and now it's all I can think about! It's a small 18 room boutique hotel located on a 55 acre vineyard set against the Andes mountains. They boast adobe style villas, rooftop fire pits, incredible mountain VIEWS, cozy rooms and award-winning food and wine.

Check out the pictures below and see for yourself. And if any readers have been here, please share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Obsessed with the Adobe architecture!!! Photo Source: Emiliano.tv

The villas located in the vineyard overlooking the Andes. These villas are pricey, but they get rave reviews! Each one comes with a private roodeck (with fireplace), plunge pool and patio.
Photo Source: Fodors

The rooms are decorated in a colonial-bohemian style. This one could be the setting of an epic story where artfully dressed characters happen upon each other in the midst of horseback ride in the Andes foothills. Both competitive spirits, they race each other back to the lodge. She wins the race, and his heart, and they enjoy a glass of Malbec together on this oversized velvet chaise. Photo Source: TripAdvisor

SWOON!

Imagine enjoying these rooftop fireplaces with a glass of wine, enjoying the sun setting over the Andes! These private villas would be a fun, private getaway for couples, families and groups of friends. You can evan hire a private chef one night to cook for your group. Yes, please.

Stunning sunrise picture from Cavas' Facebook page. Those colors!

They offer many activities to help guests work off all the food & wine - hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting and zip lining. I love the idea of biking between wineries to fully experience everything the region offers.

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Halloween Special: Cemeteries Around The World

10/31/2014

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Since it's Halloween, I thought it only appropriate to write about those spookier attractions when traveling: cemeteries. Often overlooked by travelers, cemeteries offer a unique perspective on a destination's history and culture. Burial grounds not only honor those individuals who shaped a country, but they often physically represent an era, whether tragic (Old Jewish Cemetery of Prague), visionary (Mount Auburn Cemetery of Cambridge), or iconic ( St. Peter's Cemetery of Salzburg). Here are five cemeteries that left a lasting impression on me:

1. La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nestled in the heart of Buenos Aires' most chic neighborhood, this exclusive cemetery is the final resting place of Argentina's elite, including Eva Duarte Perón (Evita). The intricately designed mausoleums are situated across from one another on narrow streets, making this burial ground a grand city of the dead. Many tombs have pictures of the interred in their prime displayed near the door, which give visitors a glimpse of the spirits behind the tomb walls.

[Pictured Above] A typical street in La Recoleta Cemetery. Usually, there is not a super tall American named Chris standing around giving you the stink-eye:)

2. Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic
Prague's Old Jewish Cemetery is a stark contrast to Buenos Aires' luxurious city of the dead. This cemetery's tragic story is evident upon first glance. Even before the Nazis occupied Prague, Jews were restricted to a specific area of the city. This included their burial grounds. In Jewish custom, the dead must be buried right away, and cremation is not permitted. Since they were given such little land for a cemetery, they had to bury people on top of each other. Experts suspect over 100,000 people have been buried on this tiny plot of land that spans just one city block. You can read more about our visit to Prague's Jewish quarter here.

3. The Necropolis of St. Peter's, Vatican City, Italy
One cannot talk about burial grounds without mentioning one of the world's most famous underground cemetery. Located under St. Peter's Basilica, the Necropolis was once an ancient above-ground cemetery filled with tombs and mausoleums of wealthy Roman families. When St. Peter's tomb was discovered underneath an ancient Roman family mausoleum, Emperor Constantine filled in the Necropolis in order to build a church over Peter's final place of rest. In order to see this subterranean burial ground you must contact the Vatican and book a tour well in advance of your visit. It's worth it. Read more about our Necropolis experience here.

Below these floors lie many tombs, including those of famous popes, roman families and St. Peter himself.

4. Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
I recently discovered Mount Auburn Cemetery after a trip to my local grocery store in Cambridge. It's well hidden among every day life in Cambridge - shops, buses and ivy covered brick apartments are right outside the long fence hiding this magnificent cemetery. When I walked through the main gate, the city melted away and I was immediately transported to a land from a storybook. Founded in 1831, Mount Auburn Cemetery was the first landscaped cemetery open to the public in the USA and is credited as the beginning of the American public parks and gardens movement. It is the final resting place of many historically significant people including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Winslow Homer and Isabella Stuart Gardner. The gardens are impeccable, the wildlife (particularly birds) are abundant and the setting is so peaceful that the living often temporarily rest, alongside the permanent residents.

5. St. Peter's Cemetery, Salzburg, Austria
This charming cemetery became famous around the world thanks to Hollywood. It is the cemetery where the family Von Trapp hid from the Nazis in The Sound of Music. Although the movie scene was filmed in a Hollywood studio, it was inspired by the gated section of the actual cemetery. Two other fun facts about this cemetery: It is home to Mozart's sister Maria Ann and all plots are rented. Therefore families of the dead must pay rent on the lot every 10 years, or the body is removed and the plot is rented to someone else.

Recognize those gates? They are the inspiration for the fleeing scene in the Sound of Music.

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Travel Tip: Saving Money with Argentina's Black Market Currency Exchange

2/12/2014

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I was recently at dinner with friends who had just returned from vacation in Argentina. While enthusiastically discussing some of Argentina's delights - malbec & steak - we eventually arrived on the subject of money. My friends saved a lot of money by brining cash (USD) to Argentina and exchanging their dollars for pesos using an unofficial exchange rate.

US Dollars are currently scarce in Argentina due to the government's tough currency exchange restrictions, intended to help the struggling peso and to discourage citizens from spending their money outside of Argentina.

The result? Two exchanges - the official exchange rate from banks and ATMs, and the black market rate also called the "Blue Rate" or "Dollar Blue" which can be obtained from unofficial traders. For example, you might get 7.80 pesos for $1USD using the official rate but you'd get 11.40 pesos for $1USD using the blue rate. As you can see, the savings are significant. Although the blue rate is technically illegal, it's published in Argentina's newspapers, many news outlets report the blue rate when talking about the official rate, and travelers and locals alike regularly take advantage of the discounted rate.

Finding Unofficial Traders
In order to exchange money using the blue rate, you must find unofficial traders. Your best bet is if you know someone in Argentina who can direct you to a trusted unofficial trader. If that isn't an option, seek out a tour operator online before you arrive or ask your hotel to recommend a "cueva" (it literally means cave, but it's really a functioning exchange business). If that doesn't work, there will be people in the street yelling "Cambio!". While this should be a last resort, you can ask them about their exchange rate and compare it to the published blue rate & official rate.

Whether you exchange with unofficial or official traders, there is always a risk you'll get scammed. Make sure you count your money, calculate the exchange and get them to agree on the trade amount BEFORE you hand your cash to the trader. There is also a small chance you might get counterfeit notes, so inspect your bills for signs of forgery.

Changing Pesos Back
When changing your pesos back to your home currency, you get a better rate on the official market than with the blue rate. However, it's harder to find official traders in Argentina who will take pesos for USD (or EUR/GBPs). You are more likely to be able to trade your pesos once you leave the country. If possible, research beforehand and identify a currency exchange outside of Argentina that trades at the official rate.

Arbitrage
This dual exchange rate presents an arbitrage opportunity assuming you have left over cash after your trip. For example, say you bring $1,000USD and trade it at the blue rate quoted above for 11,400 pesos. If you were to immediately come home and trade your pesos at the official rate you'd get back $1,460USD, resulting $460USD in profit. Now before you start thinking this is a way to make a lot of easy money, remember that you can't carry around anything over $10,000USD, otherwise you'd have to declare it. And I really wouldn't recommend carrying around a ton of cash anywhere, especially in a foreign country.

A Word of Warning
Argentina's currency is extremely volatile so keep a close eye on the exchange rate right before you leave and during your trip. This currency has collapsed before and it may happen again. Keeping this in mind, it may be wise to exchange only as much as you'll need on your trip. The last thing you want is to return home with a bunch of pesos only to find out that the currency is worthless.

Now that you know how to save money during your next visit to Argentina, how will you spend your extra cash?

Planning a trip to Argentina? Check out our recommendations.

This was the bathroom trash can in the apartment we rented in Buenos Aires back in 2009. Smallest trash can I've ever seen!

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Dreaming of Cavas Wine Lodge in Mendoza, Argentina

Halloween Special: Cemeteries Around The World

Travel Tip: Saving Money with Argentina's Black Market Currency Exchange

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