Mendoza

Already wanting a break from the hectic pace, crowds, dirt and noise of BA, I escaped to Mendoza for the weekend. Mendoza is the heart of Argentina's wine region, in the foothills of the Andes, and as luck would have it it was the first day of the harvest season when I arrived. There was a citywide party and a beauty pagent, where contestants competed to be Queen of the Harvest.

At the center of the city of Mendoza is a large plaza full of fountains, and four smaller plazas are spread out from there, each one representing the city's heritage (Plaza Espana, Plaza Italia, Plaza Chile, and Plaza Independencia).

The photos above show the main plaza, some of the art in Plaza Espana, a child playing in a fountain in Plaza Independencia, Amistad statues from Plaza Chile, and another fountain in Plaza Italia (with the water died purple for the festival).