While my dad was in Santiago, we decided to escape the city for a few days, so he could see other parts of South America. We took a 6-hour bus ride across the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina — a quiet wine town set in beautiful country. It was a great trip for us to explore a place we had never been before, together.

A snapshot of Mendoza, Argentina: Just across the Andes, the city of Mendoza feels like a place you want to call home. Skies clear from city smog are the perfect blue to balance rows and rows of purple-red vines. Downtown, the rows of grapes are replaced by lines of ancient trees that anchor cobblestone canals. Follow a creek and discover one of many plazas with the throwback touches of more cobblestone, ceramic tile, park benches, old-fashioned lamp posts and fountains. There, the city becomes a small-town porch visit with neighbors and friends, complete with sharing the popular Argentine tea, mate, and watching teenagers practice their break dance moves or skateboard tricks.

Argentine girls sip mate in the park.

We explored part of the Andes with a wonderful tour group, Trout and Wine. We took a short drive out of the city and into the mountains where we visited Cerro Aconcagua, the tallest peak in both the Southern and Western hemispheres. It is 6,962 meters high and has a permanent glacier on its peak.

About 10,000 people attempt to climb the mountain each year, but only about half make it to the top and an average of three die trying. The youngest person to reach the summit was 11, the oldest — 87. It takes about 17 days to reach the top.

We walked around the park, an entry to the starting point for many climbers who take the challenge. We also visited a small Inca ruin and stopped at a nice ski lodge for lunch. I tried the Argentine delicacy, kid goat or “chivo.” The meat was a little chewy, but cooked to perfection in a sweet, buttery sauce.

Cerro Aconcagua.

Dad and me in front of the highest peak in the Western and Southern hemispheres.

Cerro Aconcagua and a lake.

Kid goat or “chivo.”

Mendoza’s indigenous tribe, the Huarpees, created an irrigation system of wide trenches to provide water for the city’s many trees in the 1500s. When the Spanish ruled the land, they further developed the system into the cobblestone canals Mendoza still has today. The canals add a special small-town feel to a city that is actually quite large (about 2 million). The cobblestone canals and walkways coupled with about 100,000 trees that line the streets made for a gorgeous Mendoza in the fall. The orange and gold leaves clogged many of the canals, while water spilled through others — creating serene little creeks throughout the city.

Mendoza’s famous canals.

Plaza Independencia.

Dad and me.

The citizens’ patriotism for their country added something even more special as nearly everyone pinned flag-colored ribbons on their collars and decorated their storefronts for Independence Day. Fountain water had been tinted Argentine blue and street lamps donned flags on every corner. The whole community prepared large “asados” or barbecues where fire pits would cook huge slabs of meat on skewers for the big celebration, May 25. In Argentina, asados feature meat from just about every organ and part of the cow. We unfortunately headed back to Santiago before the party started, but it was great to see the excitement in the preparations. July 9 is the country’s official independence, but they celebrate the day (May 25) their leaders signed the start of the revolution with even more fervor.

Blue fountain for Argentina’s Independence Day.

The National Bank.

Mendoza decked out for Independence Day.

Dad and I enjoyed our stay in the cute little town. It’s hard to believe so many people live in a city that has such hometown charm. It was the perfect mid-week getaway with a good mix of activities and relaxation.

—JDF