January 26,

Up and around by 0800. We had our Javas and breakfast of Muesli and yogurt. Around 1030, we set out on a walkabout. We decided to trek to the General San Martin Park, and tackle the hill there.

Along the way is a very slight & gradual transition up in elevation. According to Google we will go up 221 m (725 ft) from where we started, 765 m (2,509 ft above sea level) – to the top of the hill, 985 m (3,232 ft). We made it to the park and walked its northern edge. Along the way, we passed a Stadium. We saw prickly pear cacti with all manner of buds ready to open; and also trees that have many pink-red hard berry-type clusters on them. Some of the berries had fallen off and were dusting our sidewalk. Jeff crushed some and we could smell pepper. Huh? Questions? Whether or not they were edible we did not know, but it was cool. Next was a total surprise… a bunch of fenced pens of different animals: White Deer, with amazing antlers, amongst Brown-spotted Deer; Big-horned Sheep with their heavy curled horns; large Brown Deer; Goats; another large Brown Deer [(?)- that was shedding??]; and lastly another Goat with long corkscrew horns. It turned into a pleasant trek. Mind you this was all still in the large Gen, San Martin Park that has museums, restaurants, and a lake… now also a zoo?

Anyway, then we saw the hill, Cerro de la Gloria. It is small in comparison to the Andes Mountains in the background, but it is the only one around here. Then we reached an “S” climb to the top. At some of the bends are signs telling how far we’ve gone up,… 15 m (49 ft); 45 m (147.6 ft); and then 65 m (213 ft). Whew!! So really all the elevation is climbing the switchback ramp at the hill!!! I was huffing and puffing, not gonna deny it! But at the top you can see all of sprawling Mendoza spread out 180 degrees to our east, and the other 180 degrees, west, is the line of marching Andes. The whole 360 degrees panorama was impressive and worth the effort of the climb. Beside the spectacular views there was an impressive monument here on top! It was titled “La Patria al Ejercito de los Andes,”  which translated as “The Patriotic Army of the Andes.” It was rather large and impressive with a metal relief around two sides and the back in addition to the large statue built on the massive boulder here. There were placards that told of the Uruguayan sculptor, Juan Manuel Ferrari, and the raising of the sculpture in 1914. Also a placard showed it was 1,000 m (3,281 ft) above sea level, not 985 (3,232)m!

We hiked back down and caught a bus to go back. When we tried to use our credit card we were denied. We started to get off, but someone interceded and the driver let us ride for free! That was very nice. He did his good deed for the day!! We arrived back at our place and had a French lunch: two cheeses, two salami, and bread with wine. Jeff then researched a Sube card – it enables riding most buses, trains, and subways across all of Argentina. (This was what we needed for that bus.) So Jeff got us signed up online. 

We went back out at 1600 to walk to a specific Sube shop to get the cards. It took a while and was only supposed to be open until 1700, but there was a line behind us. We received our cards after showing our passports and confirmation. It took a while. For supper we just had the last of the bread with olive oil. 

At 1900, we attempted to go on a walking tour at Plaza Independencia, but failed again. It was in Spanish only. So we went back and watched some Star Wars stuff. Jeff’s sister had forgotten they were involved with serving at a Soup Kitchen, so will attempt tomorrow night to talk with her. What a blessed day!!😂