There's No Home Like A Vegetarian Restaurant

Feeling a little anxious to lift the anti again, after a pretty flatline stay in Córdoba, I was only too happy to get on the bus to Mendoza and get right to the heart of Argentina’s grape-growing region. But it seems my agitation would have to wait at least six more hours, when I am seated next to a very nice but very inquisitive old man. Wanting to know everything from my mother’s profession, to my little sister’s name, I struggled to find patience with his constant chatter. And when his speed for speaking clashed with my foreign accent, the conversation became truly painful, with most things being repeated at least twice, if not thrice.

And to make matters worse, despite my ‘cama’ status, there was no food, no drink, no pillow or blanket. No comment.

It was then a scary little knock at the dingy door of the only place that could house me for the three nights I am here – Mendoza Lodging. I only mention the name, because it is best avoided, particularly when you are looking for a clean place, with friendly people, a washing service that does just that (as opposed to the other washing-dying-in-one service that doesn’t usually mention the latter) and something more than stale bread for breakfast.

But not to be totally down on the situation, where there is a will, there is almost always an Australian, or in this case, two. So when I met up with Nicole and Amanda, my luck changed somewhat. Nicole and I took a walk around in the unusual sights of Mendoza’s Museum of Modern Art, mistakenly taking a leaking roof and a tastefully painted air-conditioning vent for additions to the rest of the conceptual art display, which, apart from that, was full of more rotting fruit installations and things that looked like they had taken the least part of a cigarette break to put together.

We headed from here back down the busy pedestrian strip, away from the Plaza Independencia and towards Mendoza’s markets. But it seems everyone who was not already away on holiday, was staying at home to eat for Easter, and they were almost all closed. Feeling the growing sun on our backs, we decided to find the tourist office to plan our wine tour the next day, and stumbled across a flier for a vegetarian restaurant a few blocks away. Having spent the last hour or so bitching about how little of the red, green, yellow and orange stuff they eat here, we basically ran the whole way there.

And what awaited us was the most delicious spread of broccoli, beans, peppers, carrots and salad we could fit in. And with a dessert included, that we didn't even get to, it was a total steal for 24 pesos (AUD$10). Thank you “Green Apple”.