The capital city of Mendoza in the province of Mendoza, Argentina is an incredibly beautiful city! Located on the far west side of Argentina, about right in the middle of the country, north to south, it lies near the base of some of the highest peaks in the Andes Mountains. It is the Cuyo Region of Argentina. It is a high desert, very arid, and big time wine country. In many ways, I felt right at home. All of the surrounding countryside reminds me alot of eastern Washington! : ) 
It was developed in great part, so I hear, by my beloved German ancestors. Always the far-ahead thinking and mechanically inclined, the city is well laid out. It has huge drainage channels running through the city. Why? After all, it is in a desert region. Why would it need all that drainage?
My sources say that it is because it is located at the base of the mountains, and when the water sheds off of the mountains or when the rains do come, they don't mess around. Those wise German engineers decided to prepare for the worst. : ) They also built incredibly wide avenues (so the traffic really zips along) and even wider sidewalks (probably so you don't get killed by the speeding traffic). It is a huge and beautiful city, and of all the cities I have seen in Argentina, it probably is more like the capital of Buenos Aires than any other.
I have to give it to the city planners for another thing - there are trees EVERYWHERE! Seriously. The city is committed to them. They have cut holes out of the sidewalks on nearly every single street, best I can tell, and have long rows of big beautiful shade trees growing. It really makes it a spectacular city. Lush and green in an otherwise arid land, lots of fresh air, and great shade for all those hot days. It truly is incredible to see. 
The one draw back that I could find: little mini-canal-gutters everywhere. Some of them are covered but many are not. While walking around the city, one truly has to pay attention to where they are going! Once I was trying to cross a wide and busy intersection to get to the convention center where the General Council was taking place. I had to jump back as cars came shooting around the corner - only problem, no where to jump back to! I had drifted down hill a few feet and was no longer next to the little sidewalk "bridge" over the gutter. Instead I had to carefully balance on a narrow curb - between speeding traffic and a 2 1/2 foot drop into the gutter. It was exhilarating, but I wondered how many poor old ladies had broken hips or more falling into those things all over town. In some places, there is not even curbing. Drivers have to be careful not to drop a wheel in! 
All in all though, it is a beautiful city and I could be totally happy living there.
Of course, Jujuy rocks and I have NO plans on living anywhere else! : )
Have a great day & God bless -
- Don't let the "gutters" where you live take your eyes off of all of the great things that are there as well.
Flourish where God has planted you.
Paz, favor, y poder de Dios sean con todos -
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