The day began with breakfast at Cafe La Biela, Avenida Quinatana 596, just 5 blocks from our hotel. This was a favorite watering hole for racecar drivers in the 1950’s. Displayed on the walls are their tools and equipment as well as photographs of famous racers and their cars. There is a wonderful old bar inside and a comfortable terrace outside to watch “the world go by.”
Terry in background viewing photographs and racecar parahernalia
After breakfast we began exploring the cobblestone streets, lined with shops and restaurants. We were taken by the cow at the restaurant-bar Montana. Ancient gum trees like the one below were full of green leaves, even in winter. The tree in the photo is similar to the tree on the terrace at La Biela.
At a fabulous leather store, Peter Kent located on Avenida Alvear 1820, Cary bought a wonderful red leather purse. We continued our walk to a liquor store (very important find!), where we learned about the wines produced in the province of Mendoza. Argentina is the world’s fifth-largest wine producer and is best known for the red Malbec and the dry white Torrontes wines. Cary snapped a picture of a very expensive bottle of Malbec (see below). Interestingly, Malbec grapes grow better in Argentina than in the southeast of France. The store owner told us that good years for Malbec were 2002, 2004 and 2006. We each bought our husband a bottle of 2004 Bodega Catena Zapata-Malbec wine (also recommended) which was carefully wrapped to go into our checked suitcase; (having had the experience on a previous shopping trip in France of having a wonderful bottle confiscated by security from our carry-on….duh,the liquid limit). We are already planning a visit to the Argentine wine country on our next visit.
We then stumbled into the most amazing bookstore, Ateneo Grand Splendid on Avenida Santa Fe, a former theater with the coffee shop on the stage!
After our busy day of wanderings we made our way back to our hotel. We passed a not uncommon sight–there are professional dog walkers (paseadores) who walk 10 – 25 well behaved dogs.
The dogs of Recoleta
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