Mendoza is the only province in Argentina that still observes a siesta. Actually -- scratch that -- that celebrates a siesta. Mendocinos take their Spanish heritage very seriously, and they have maintained a four hour break in the school or work day from 12:30 - 4:30 PM every day. In our professional Western working lives, a break this extensive seems absurd, but I have developed a sincere appreciation for this "slow life."
Our incredibly kind driver, Claudio, explained that work begins at 8AM, and at 12:30PM the parents collect their children from school, and the family meets at home for a leisurely lunch. The parents get time in the afternoon to enjoy their children, families come together, and the day is appreciated outside of work. Coming from a Montana winter where it dark when I leave home for the office and dark when I return, this tradition is more than appealing. As I learned from a new friend here, one of the biggest differences between North American and Latin American culture is that our Southern counterparts "work to live", where as many of us northerners have fallen into a habit of "living to work." While the North American work ethic can afford us a different lifestyle and accompanying opportunities, I am not so sure if it translates into a higher quality of life. Even two weeks on a South America tour has helped me realize that I need to find a better balance between my life in and outside of the office.
We flew to Buenos Aires this afternoon, and our pace adjusted accordingly to the faster city life. Buenos Aires' gorgeous French and Colonial architecture, expansive green parks, and broad avenues welcomed us, and we set out on the next chapter of our Argentina trip.
Adventure Life has been an extraordinary travel resource for us over the years and today was no exception. Our River Cruise booking was handled by Jess (who has been our personal trip planner for several years) the same day as our inquiry. Suggestions were given for cabin choice and pre-trip options (that were not shown on the cruise line's website) like airport transfers and prepaid gratuities. Trip insurance recommendations followed and we were assigned a travel co-ordinator till the end of the tour. All we have to do is show up! Great service from friendly folks.
APtravelwell
1 day ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
1 day ago
Although there was a lot of paper work, I received help and guidance when I needed it.
Donna Kirby
2 days ago
Our travel was flawless! The rider pickup (airport, hotel, ship) was seamless. Jane's recommendation for Emerald Cruise Sakara was everything I wanted but the experience was soooo much more. Adventure Life took care of each and every detail and this was the easiest of all my travels.
Anne Petty
3 days ago
Follow up was effective any questions were answered in a timely manner