Todays post will be focussed on my visit to Capilla del Monte which is a 3 hour bus journey away from Cordoba Capital. And secondly I love my food. A lot. So undoubtedly this is an important point to investigate while I'm here.
Capilla del Monte
My journey started early on a Sunday morning. It was a bank holiday this weekend so took advantage for a weekend trip. We arrived at midday and dropped off our bags in our quaint hostel before setting off on our walk to Las Gemelas (direct translation; the twins).
We trekked up the hill to a rest point and leisurely ate our lunch. Then we decided to hire some horses to go around the mountain. Mine was called Nochero (direct translation of Noche is night) as it was as dark as a nights sky. And thus we started clip cloppiting along. The views were particularly stunning as the light reflected of the lake. The mountains were sun bathed as we went through the narrow trail. At one point Nochero went off the path which is scary thanks to the unpredictable terrain of the mountain. As we went down steeply we had to put our legs out in front for stability and when going up we had to lean forwards. Overall it was a fun and exciting experience that brought out my inner Chinas (female version of a Gaucho).
On day two we journeyed to El Zapato (direct translation; the shoe) which is a rock famous for being the shape of a shoe. The surrounding rocks were a great viewpoint for the surrounding mountains.
We then walked to Parador El Paraiso (direct translation; paradise) which had a lucious river with some geese and sheep. Our trip ended here as we then collected our bags to get the bus home.
Why I need to return to Capilla del Monte: This area is famous for its special energy and the said aliens that accompany it!
Grub
Where to start¿¡ Lets start with the classics...and a basic introduction to Argentine cuisine.
Asado 10/10
The closest we have to it is a barbeque. But the Argentine Asado consists of pretty much just meat. In Argentina they use every bit of the animal. The equivalent of a Sunday Roast this is a very social activity and will take hours. In a future post I will go into detail of the different part that a asado consists of but for now just imagine mouthfuls of deliciously cooked meat. As a meat lover this was a kind of heaven but this is probably not for you if youre vegetarian...
Empanadas 8/10
These are little pastries filled with different ingredients. My replacement for a sandwich and a big part of my diet, I will eat different types of empanada almost every day. It´s difficult to choose a favourite but I like ones containting choclo (sweetcorn).
Criollos 11/10
These savoury little bread things (sorry my description is awful) are the joy of my life. I have to admit at first I wasn't a fan but now I wait for the 6.30pm merienda eagerly in order to devour my dear criollitos.
Mate 4/10
Admitedly this is not grub but such an integral part of Argentine food and drink, I couldn't miss it out. In every moment and opportunity the argentinians will pour the leaves and hot water and sip from the specially shaped metal straw. Not being a tea drinker did not help me accustom to this bitter drink. However this is such an essential part of life here that I think I will have to get used to it!
Fernet 6.5/10
Again another drink! Fernet is a herbal alcoholic drink which is mixed with coke. I did not find this Argetine alcoholic juice bad at all! It was bitter but quite alright!
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