October 10 – Mendoza

That day Christoph and I spent separately according to Mike's suggestion. Christoph took part in a one day wine tour (nothing for me because I don't like wine except ice wine) and I went to a hotel and spa place in the Andes, called „Parque de Agua Termas Cacheuta“. My pick up was scheduled at 9 a.m., but just after finishing my morning toilet and packing I was already picked up at 8:35. So I had to leave without breakfast. I was the first one on the bus and more people were picked up. When everybody was there our guide told us about the day's scheduled, unfortunately in Spanish only. When I asked her to repeat it in English she said (in Spanish) that I should ask in the hotel again (there would be English-speaking staff...).

At 10:00 a.m. we arrived at the spa hotel: we paid first and that we were separated in 2 groups: one group with Spanish-speaking guests and one with English-speaking guests. We got some instructions and they showed us the spa place, the changing rooms and explained how to use the hot pools and the fango pack. Everything was included, even a lunch, we only had to pay extra for our drinks at lunchtime.

After changing into my bikini and bathrobe (the bathrobe was from the hotel too, I paid extra money for it as well) I went to explore the area. Outside the building were several hot pools that got hotter the higher their position was. I wanted to start in the coldest one and working all my way up, but the coldest hot pool was too cold for me and so I ended up sitting in the hottest one first. Several of the guys who were on the same bus as I was started in the hottest pool as well (the weather was pretty cold for a spa day in the mountains but we all hoped the sun would come out soon). I talked with some guys who were born in the UK and live in Australia now. Then I spent some time in the cave sauna, tried the fango treatment and were resting on a sun lounge and reading Fifty Shades. From 13:00 to 14:30 I had lunch in the restaurant and afterwards I was reading again. I had booked a massage for extra money and got my back massaged. Later on I spent more time in the hot pools, talking with a couple from the UK who was travelling for 6 months in South America.

 

my table at lunchtime

 

my name plate:-)

the dessert buffet



the bread buffet

 

the main buffet

 

view from the lunchplace to the garden

 

view

 

the spa place

 

fango place: mud "well" and shower place

 Use the mud placed with water in the stone place, apply it to your body, wait until it's dry and then take a shower and wash the mud off completely (afterwards your skin is very soft!)

 

outside hot pools

 

outside hot pools

 

more outside hot pools:-)

 

sun lounges inside

 

relax area where food and drinks were provided now and then

At 17:45 we were supposed to meet our busdriver in the lobby. At 18:00 we were driven back to our hotels and I was dropped off at our hostal at 19:00. Christoph was already back from his wine tour (he was picked up at 9:30 and back at 17:00. He had enjoyed it very much!). I felt very tired and after taking a nap Christoph and I told us about our day, showed us the pictures we had taken and went to bed at 23:00 (I was too tired to get up anymore...).