Included in our Ecela Spanish courses are a series of cultural immersion adventures. So Thursday and Friday we got a taste of the beauty and fruitful bounty of this land.
I wouldn't necessarily say that recreational activities are better in foreign countries, but there are some crucial differences that can definitely heighten the experience. For example, while riding on random horse paths, through cactus plants, our horses, on more than one competitive occasion broke out into full runs, dashing away from our cowboy guide. It took him galloping us down to get our horses to stop. Bouncing nearly out of the saddle numerous times didn't stop me from laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face. At one point, our guide slapped Michael's horse, Niño, on the rump which sent him head first at a run into a tree. Oh, but the vistas! The wild horses grazing, the canyon and Mendoza River cutting through the landscape - breathtaking.
On Friday, we went on a long awaited wine and olive tasting tour. Mendoza is world renowned for superb wine, and although I am no expert, even I could taste the unique quality. The difference between the wineries in Tuscany that I visited with Maks and the ones here are plainly evident. The grapes yield different flavors, the industrial look of the 24 million liter per year Lopez winery resembles a space station, and even the smells tickled my nose differently. The tastings were delicious, and Michael and I even found a bottle of wine from 1985 for only $50!
Mendoza is situated in a vast desert valley along the Andes. Yet, there is so much green life! The vineyards and network of Europeanesque tree lined boulevards and plazas are fed by an intricate irrigation system. The combination of dry heat in the summer and temperate winters produce a certain perfection in the harvests.
Our extreme Mendoza experience culminated yesterday morning in:
That's right, wine while skydiving.
It all started when I saw a poster for skydiving Mendoza style - flying and wine tasting. Subtly, I encouraged Michael that this would be an excellent use of time and resources. Eventually, he saw the wisdom of my suggestion, and we booked a trip for two jumping out of a plane Friday night. Sure enough, once we had a time and place confirmed, I could barely fall asleep for nerves (even though I had already been skydiving four times in Hawaii). Meanwhile, Michael remained calm and collected throughout the night, the hour long drive to the drop zone, the safety videos and instruction by our tandem jumper Eduardo, signing the "we are not responsible for your death" paperwork, and finally donning the gear and climbing into his one-way ticket plane ride.
Victory chug once safely on the ground.
Because Eduardo is essentially a one-man operation with a crew of fabulous assistants (pilot, parachute packer, media), Michael jumped first, and then I was suited up.
"I'm not scared! Really..."
"Okay, maybe a little nervous."
After entrusting my Hawaii ring to Michael, pushing it down onto his pinkie and a quick kiss, I climbed into the tiny plane. Eduardo hopped in after me and within minutes we were bumping down a dirt runway and airborne. Climbing, climbing, then...down, down. A posse of airline jets were coming through and we would need to loiter for 20 minutes. Instead of wasting fuel, Eduardo and our pilot decided to land and try again a bit later. My fear factor was going to be extended as I waited to leap from a plane, with a parachute attached to a person that was attached to me.
Finally, we were clear and I made the jittery walk back out to the plane. Take 2. Climbing and climbing, now in the clear blue sky, the vineyards spreading outwards into golden desert, snow tipped Andes, the amazing perfection of the lines of grapes taking on a distant quality. Looking as far as I could see, the Earth curved away into hazy atmosphere.
Then the moment of truth:
http://youtu.be/bxA1dIYnr4I (check out my expression moments before jumping...priceless)
1...2...
3!!!!
Laughing and screaming through the 33 second free fall, it all ended two quickly! What a rush! Eduardo, while filming me with a wrist camera, pulled the chute, and almost immediately handed me my victory Mendoza Malbec.
A toast to the sky upon my return to earth.
All smiles.
Our time in Mendoza has flown by. We have tried to soak in as much that this beautiful place has to offer, strolling the streets, exploring the nature all around. A toast to Mendoza!
AWESOME!!!! That is not how we drank wine on the camino :D
ReplyDeletehave to try that some time ;)