Skip to content
- Villarrica, in Chile, is one of the most active volcanoes in South America. The 2,847m-high (9,340ft) volcano last erupted in 2015. Ash spewed for miles. As we drove the seven lakes route north of Bariloche, we saw thick ash covering hillsides as far as 30 km from the volcano.
- Torte Frita, a fried bread of the Machupe people = Sopapilla. But no honey to drizzle in the middle.
- There are skunks in Patagonia
- Sunbathers (in bikinis) in Plaza Independencia in Mendoza were directed to cover up by the park patrol
- There is a modern art (maybe more contemporary) museum underground in Plaza Indepencia. Free.
- Our remis driver to the Aeropuerto in Mendoza had been to Minnesota and was amazed to see a deer in his friend’s backyard.
- There are remis and taxis. What’s the difference? Taxis are metered (although sometimes you have to prompt the driver to turn on the meter). Remises are not metered and generally prepaid for a certain destination. I guess you could call them a precursor to Uber. There are sometimes apps but the user interface needs some refining. Most often you call or walk over to a remis stand to book one.
- We each bought a mate (cup). We learned that one way to treat the cup before first use was to put the leaves in with boiling water and let it sit for a day or two. You can substitute cognac for the water in the treating process.
- Uruguayan ambulances use green flashing lights
- In Montevideo, we wondered why Don Coca was the start of so many street names on the street signs. We asked a local. Don Coca is a big business that produces salami and other charcuterie type meats, and pays to advertise on street signs. Clever way for the city to create a revenue stream.
Do you think you’ll make mate when you get home@
Yes, we are going to Grubb really liked it and I was so so. Chances are, the mate cups will end up on the odds ‘n ends shelf within a month. 🥹