<\/span><\/h2>\nAfter experiencing the amazing Lake Agnes Tea House in Lake Louise, Canada, I was excited to learn that San Martin de los Andes, Argentina has the Mirador Array\u00e1n Tea House.<\/p>\n
The local city guide pamphlet promised the tea house would have “excellent bakery pastries that can be also appreciated … and eaten.”<\/p>\n
Appreciated and eaten?<\/p>\n
I’m there.<\/p>\n
We set out for our 10 km hike late morning on the part paved, part dirt road that leaves San Martin de los Andes near Lake Lacar.<\/p>\n
San Martin is a cute town of about 20,000 people nestled in a valley in the Patagonian Andes.<\/p>\n
A gorgeous spring day with just a few clouds in the sky provided the backdrop for our hike and within 15 minutes of our hike we had a spectacular view of the city below.
\n![\"15minview.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/15minview.jpg\")
\nDespite the trek being on a road and not a trail (you can drive to the viewpoint) we only saw a dozen or so cars.<\/p>\n
The hike was peaceful, and we made it to the Mirador Array\u00e1n in about an hour.<\/p>\n
We marveled at the view, trying but failing to capture its majesty on film.<\/p>\n
Glancing to the west you see the entirety of Lake Lacar with snow capped mountains in the background.
\n![\"lakeview.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/lakeview.jpg\")
\nLooking to the east is the city of San Martin de los Andes.
\n![\"sanmartindelosandes.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/sanmartindelosandes.jpg\")
\nWe hiked the 1km further up the road, looking forward to the Mirador Array\u00e1n Tea House, and to appreciating and eating its pastries.
\n![\"teahouseclosed.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/gogreentravelgreen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/teahouseclosed.jpg\")
\nWe approached the Tea House, only to find a sign on the door indicating their hours of 4pm-8pm.<\/p>\n
We weren’t going to hang around for another four hours so we turned back to the lookout point, lunching instead on our backup food– smoked trout and cheese, a local specialty.<\/p>\n
I guess we’ll never experience the Array\u00e1n Tea House’s pastries, but the view and serenity were well worth the hike.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Bike & Wine Tour in Maipu: It\u2019s Better After a Bottle<\/span><\/h2>\nWe had high hopes for our wine tour by bike through Maip\u00fa, in the heart of Argentina’s wine region.<\/p>\n
What could be better than a leisurely bike ride through a cute old town with wineries on one side and the Andes on the other?<\/p>\n
But our experience didn’t quite match up with our expectations.<\/p>\n
We hopped off the bus in Maip\u00fa and rented two rickety bikes.<\/p>\n
Winery map in hand, we started pedaling toward the first winery.<\/p>\n
Based on the map, it should have only been a few blocks away.<\/p>\n
Then again, the map didn’t have a scale.<\/p>\n
Eight kilometers later we pulled into the old-fashioned bodega, exhausted and happy to be there.<\/p>\n
The bike shop didn’t have any helmets and the bike lane ended after a few blocks.<\/p>\n
The wine route turned out to be a run-down major road, with cement trucks whizzing by at 70 mph, barely swerving to avoid us and kicking up dust and spewing exhaust in our faces.<\/p>\n
Not quite the majestic, peaceful experience we’d hoped for, but we tried to look on the bright side.