Surrealism(?) at Playa Luján (Mendoza, Argentina)

Playa Luján, #1, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

This odd little place would make a perfect film set for a Fellini production if he were still around and scouting southern hemisphere locales. As it is, it’s a perfect place for a just slightly surreal photo essay, which follows.

This “beach” was created in 2016 by the government of Mendoza so folks would have a place to cool off during the hot austral summers in this arid zone of Argentina and can be very crowded with local families on summer weekends. Its many (and mini) yellow parasols, picnic tables, the kiddo playground, lifeguard towers, and shallow wading pools all sit–quite unexpectedly to the roving eyeball–on the banks of the Mendoza River just outside the city of the same name.

They have even imported a bit of sand to smooth things out, since the Mendoza River at this point cuts through what is basically a huge, shallow alluvial fan made up of river rocks of all sizes–terrain not normally conducive to fun frollicking in the sun sans the ankle support of heavy hiking boots.

Some more fun facts about this engineered “beach”:

–It is located at Kilometer 25 of Ruta Provincial 82 (the old Mendoza-Chile Pan-American highway) near Las Compuertas, south of Mendoza.

–The area covers some 50 acres or so and includes two parking areas with a capacidad of 750-800 vehicles (roughly 3,000-4,000 humans max), chemical toilets, services that include medical, firefighters, police, and lifeguards, a designated food truck area, shallow pools for wading, soccer, tennis, and volleyball areas, and (naturally!) some 200 barbecue pits (perfect for doing up that famous Argentine “asado” whilst sipping your mate!).

–It took 700 truckloads of sand to smooth things out between the river rocks to form the actual “beach” area.

–At THIS LINK you can see a 40-second slick PR video with some drone footage of what things look like. The area may remind you of places in the desert Southwest of the USA.

–Hours are 0800-2100 and the only charge is for the parking. Access to the water itself is free.

–Oh, and then there are the 300 cute little yellow umbrellas–definitely the visual highlight for the curious photographer. And I’d recommend a visit during the off-season (May-September) for more of that ghost-beach feel.

Now, on to the photographs…

A general early-morning overview:

Playa Luján, #2, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

The steps to the “beach”, as blue as the water theme:

Playa Luján, #4, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

Neat and orderly on one side, eroded river bank as a geologic backdrop and general hubris deterrent on the other:

Playa Luján, #3, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

The photographer at work. Way off in the distance you can see snow in the high Andes:

Playa Luján, #5, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

Lots of friendly canine strays also enjoy the beachfront accommodations, and they seem well-fed:

Playa Luján, #6, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

In late fall, the lifeguard towers stand empty:

Playa Luján, #11, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

Before filling in the gaps with imported sand, this was the original groundcover:

Playa Luján, #14, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

Here you can see the area that has been leveled with the hundreds of truckloads of sand brought in from El Carrizal, a man-made lake some 50 kilometers away:

Playa Luján, #15, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

And wading pools for the kiddies!

Playa Luján, #17, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

Even more reflections:

Playa Luján, #19, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

In the background, the 6,157-meter (20,200′) mound called Cerro Negro, or Pabellón. Elevation here at the beach is around 1,000 meters (3,281′). That’s quite an ear-popping elevation difference, eh?

Playa Luján, #21, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

The kids play area, also built on top of the imported sand. The peak in the center far distance is Cerro Plata (5,956m, or 19,541′), a common Aconcagua warm-up “hike”. So, I guess kids could start here on the yellow platform at Playa Luján and, a few years later, climb the slopes of El Plata!

Playa Luján, #22, Mendoza, Argentina, 2019

The kids play area again (yes, Luján is missing the “j”) and, in the foreground, the S-shaped object works divinely to divide two small fires for a BBQ (“asado”). Bring your own chairs, wood, grill, and meat: