The sun wasn’t yet reaching the top of the tres, surrounding our property, but I was already up. There is something about the energy in the morning that I have, which keeps surprising me. I’m a strong believer that my morning sets a tone for the rest of the day so I like to get it right, first thing after waking up!
Not every day, I manage to enjoy a full 30 or 40 minutes of yoga, meditation, and journaling, but when I do, I’m winning. If I’m feeling energetic, upbeat and productive, I simply carry that energy with me and draw more of the same towards me.
Read more: 4 Things You Are Doing Wrong In The Morning
This has been a very slow season of my life so far, the last few months I had more time than ever, which isn’t the best thing for a person like me, who’s used to being busy all day. every day. But I’m learning how to ground myself and spend time on mindful things. On the 17th of November, my grandpa and I took off on a trip to Mendoza. A part of Argentina I have never been to.
The plane landed in unbearable 30 degrees and my woolen poncho was a bit too much, if I may add. A quick bus ride to San Juan and calm night in the new city. Due to the holiday, there was practically nothing open, so we were quite happy to set a journey towards Valle Fertil the next day.
Valle Fértil. The warmth of its magnificent setting trapped us from the very moment we arrived. Among headwaters of streams, creeks, and a rich tapestry of plants, we set ourselves in La Majadita.
Our driver took us to a beautiful property, where we are about to rest for the next few days. Finca De Media Luna. The land of the half-moon. What a beautiful piece of paradise in the middle of this dessert. Surrounded by tall trees with leaves reaching almost to the ground, a melodic sound of different birds species almost sounds like a song and on the left side of the property, where the river bords the two sides, there are horses and cows, living in peace.
The owners are more than kind to us, the mom, with her Portuguese roots, is a great cook and very accommodating of a plant-based eater like me.
We took the first two days with a slow-paced holiday mindset. Why the rush? Later on, in the week, we visited two typical attractions in the Valle Fertil area. National parks Talampaya and Ischigualasto, with other words ~ Valle de La Luna (Valley of the Moon).
Talampaya National Park
From where we were staying, it took us about 2,5 hours to drive to the entrance of Talampaya. The protected and mindfully maintained park is a national protected beauty. I have never seen a canyon, like this. It was a truly amazing experience.
The tour guide was very sweet and I think the best moment of my grandpa was when they pulled us into the shadow for a little ‘refresco’ and let me tell you, in that 41-degree weather, it felt really good! Lemonade, olives, cakes, biscuits, walnuts, little jams, white wine, and even champagne! It was on point, and very fancy for a hippie traveler like myself.
Valle De La Luna
It was raining on the morning of the 22nd of November. Our hotel didn’t have the wifi, because it got cut off by the storm. Looking at the experience of the previous day, I doubt that traveling to the Valle de la Luna would be possible. But hey, in the end, our driver showed up and we got to go! Yay. And it was truly mesmerizing. I have seen a lot of places in my life. And I have seen many stones and rock formations. It was one of my obsessions when I was younger, (besides Johnny Depp) to collect different stones from the places I have been to. Well, you can understand how was the mini-me freaking out with this amazing valley.
Ischigualasto. A strange landscape, in what may have been one of the most interesting stages of the earth’s history, the Triassic period, the place known as the Valley of the Moon, for his apparent resemblance to a landscape interplanetary, is a protected area for the preservation and study of strange geological formations, wildlife flora and fossil.
Did you like this post? Help me spread the word by sharing it with your friends and pinning it to your travel Pinterest boards:
More about Alenka
“My name is Alenka and I’m a Squamish based photographer. I love using my medium to capture sports, adventures, underwater shots, adventures in the mountains and days on snow! Very simply put, I’m one stoked girl, ready to get up at 2 in the morning and hike for sunrise, go to the airport and take a random flight…you name it!
Photography, web design and digital marketing have been things I’m proud to call my job lately! Very flexible, lots of traveling and even more adventures than when I was a kid. Here, on my website I share tips on photography, spreading awareness about the zero-waste lifestyle and sustainability and crazy stories from my travels. Welcome.”
Editing photos
Photography (free mini-course)
This post contains affiliate links – click here to learn more!
