Every year in March, Mendoza, Argentina plays host to Vendimia, the national celebration of the harvesting of the grapes for wine. This week-long festival culminates the first weekend of March with parades, concerts and a spectacular outdoor production of 1,000 actors/dancers held in an amphitheater just outside of the city. I took a 14 hour overnight bus ride to get there, which wasn't so bad, since I went in "cama suite" class. The seats turn into full beds, hot meals are served, along with wine and there is an open bar/dvd/tv player. The time certainly flew by!
After arriving earlier in the day on Friday, March 4, the hotel I was staying in hosted a wine tasting with a traditional gaucho (cowboy) dance performance. They also gave us a chance to make our own wine by stomping on the grapes. At 10:00 PM. after already having a good buzz going from the wine tasting, I met up with my friend Belen as people started to gather around Plaza Independencia as the first of several parades begins. The highlights of this parade are over one dozen potential Queens to be chosen at a later date who are hoisted on floats from their various towns.
One of the more interesting floats was a full asado (BBQ), in which workers cooked the beef and passed it out to those in the audience - something I've never seen before in a parade...anywhere.
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