Well we meet the infamous Mr Hugo yesterday for our winery tour! Was quite an effort getting to him via Mendoza´s public bus service!

Got up bright and early to head off and catch the number 10 bus out to Maipu which seemed straight forward enough except between the three of us we had no change haha so thanks to some very kind locals and there bus cards we were on our way to Maipu!! The bus took about 30minutes to get there and once off we tried to find Mr Hugo, only to discover he was actually located another 6km further away!! Decided to have some lunch and then purchase a bus card as we still had no change haha and we were off again in search of Mr Hugo!!

We did eventually find him and were not disappointed as all the hype seemed to be true as he poured us our first glass of free wine as we waited on our bikes and map! Once we were kitted out it was time to navigate the roads to our first vineyard and chocolate factory! The first winery, not on our map but visited it all the same, was really nice and had a quick personal tour around the olive trees and vineyards before some tasting! Yumyum!! Then it was onto the first chocolate factory of the day!! This one included multiple liquors, including absynthe which we all declined haha, as well as stuffed olives, bread, cheese and chocolate!! Next it was off on a longer bike ride where a roundabout also had to be navigated eeeekkk but we survived and made it to the next chocolate factory! This one complete with chocolate liquors and more bread and olive oil! Then was off again to our second winery of the day, Trapiche, the poshiest one we had been to! The wine was delicious! Was off again on our bikes to next two wineries but by this point was near enough 5pm and wineries shut at 6pm so we had to get a move on!! These next two wineries were what felt like miles up a busy main road (wine tasting on a bike should be an extreme sport!! haha) but we made it in one piece after navigating traffic lights, buses, lorries, other bikes and cars haha and made it to favourtie winery of the day where enjoyed a glass of rose eating more bread and olive oil on the rooftop terrace before the long cold cycle back to Mr Hugos where for part of the way we had a police escort (i.e he followed us down the road prob to see how competent we still were on our bikes! haha).

Safely back at Mr Hugo´s we had some more wine before catching the bus back to Mendoza, yet another escapade as we had no idea where to get off so ended up at the bus station where we then hopped in a taxi and got dropped at our local supermarket where steak yet agan was purchased for dinner alongside some onion rings!!

Next stop Buenos Aires!!!!

xxxxx