South/Cental America #11 - Argentina

Argentina
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1. Salta
2. Santiago del Estero
3. Cafayate
4. Tafi del Valli
5. La Rioja
6. Mendoza

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All,

I hope that everyone is well back home, I am sure that you are all missing me. This installment sees the 6 months anniversary come around and I for sure can not believe that it has been that long, but thinking back over the time it is also hard to fathom how much I have squeezed into what really is a short period of time.

I settled into life in Salta quite easily and I think that I must have been ready for the rest, I thought of it as a half time break on the year tour. As I said last time I found a great Spanish teacher and settled into 3 hrs a day 5 days a week, my Spanish thank fully has improved immensely and I have been told that I am doing all right as I can have conversations with taxi drivers…seems that anywhere in the world people struggle to talk to their cab drivers. I moved in with a great family that was very kind to me, I do not know how they managed to remain so patient and I am sure that they are still laughing at some of the things that I said as I tried to converse in my new language. I miss them already, hopefully one day I can see them again.

So I actually got into a routine of swimming, class, lunch, siesta, reading, internet and dinner. Sat in the great plazas having a beer or a coffee, sorting out my gear, wandering around town etc. Salta is a great town and should not be missed if you are coming to Argentina.

One weekend I went off to visit a friend from the Pantanal, Laura is living in a argricultural city, Santiago del Estero, about 6hrs south of Salta. Arriving late Fiday night we went out to a local dance night (pena) in a basketball stadium, many locals dancing to folklore music that was a lot better than it sounds. Saturday morning we managed to stumble across the local zoo and though she protested to heading on the condition of the animals I managed to convince her to go in…also given that it was 10c. Well you really do have to feel sorry for the animals that are subject to this treatment, but this little backwater town did have 2 Bengal tigers (you could get to within 30cm of them), 7 lions that looked to be breading (that is not right then but they had a cub), baboons, pumas, chimpanzees and other local animals. Crazy to think how they afforded them all in the first place. But that being said I did manage to get some good photos given you could get so close…in fact close enough to feel in real danger at times.

On Sunday we took off to a community project that Laura is involved with, 3 hrs in the back of the corn delivery van in one of the coldest experiences in my life. We arrived to a warm welcome and the other members set about helping the local community to go through there government grant to buy 40 new goats, where will they keep them, what will they do with them etc. Really very interesting to see how they go about an aid project with consultation and implementation, I think this is the first time I have actually used my degree for something. The photos of the two boys are from this day and I have to say that I am very happy with them.

Back to Salta for my final week….after a sad farewell from my new found family and friends I set off down through Cafayate, one really really beautiful town. The road is absolutely amazing and the whole time I was thinking I have to get back out here with my camera, so getting off I sorted out a tour, found a hostel that includes a free wine tour (what more can you ask for), as you know I am partial to a drop of vino so I set off straight away...returned just in time for the canyon tour. The guide was crazy but very informative, the landscape was amazing, huge canyons carved from ancient rivers, contrasting colours and odd rock formations the last stop was inside a natural amphitheater and where our guide pulled out a guitar and sang with the most beautiful voice, under a setting sun, purely magical.

Then took off to a mountain retreat, Tafi del Valle, a great little town nestled in the bowl of surrounding mountains. After getting off the bus I almost immediately took off on a bike and cycled and cycled around the valley, about 50kms in all and felt totally exhusted but I could not have asked for a better way to see the area. Great to get out mountain biking again, down through some crazy little towns where I do not think they see too many gringos cycling past.

Next up and off to La Rioja where I unsuccessfully attempted to get out to a NP, so with a day to kill I sat in the park and read, saw the town and entertained some locals in an internet café. Note to all, Argentina has the best English newspaper, Buenos Aires Heald, easily the best way to keep up with news abroad....free plug.

Caught the overnighter to Mendoza, this bus saw the end of my high expectaions on Argentine busses and arrived nice and early, 2 hrs late, no sleep and a bad back. Found myself the best hostel in town and explored the city with a eye on the clock. Come 5 pm my good friend Carli from Australia arrived, for a fleeting 6 day visit. It is great to have a buddy here especially when they bring two packets of TimTams and a packaged from Mum. Carli and I have spent the past 4 days catching up and have been seeing the sights, hitting the night life to a couple of hours after sunrise and been on tours to San Raphael, the wineries (in which there are hundreds) and horse riding in the Andes where we got snowed on.

Mendoza is a great oasis in the desert, very green from nearby springs at the base of the Andes is really is a cool spot to visit. Where else can you find amazing canyons, more wineries than you can poke a stick at, 30m high sand dunes, world class ski resorts, a pumping town all within 40km of each other...if only it had a beach I think it would be the ultimate paradise.

I am moving in with some buddies from the Salt Plains Tour in Bolivia for a couple of days before heading up into the Andes and then over into Santiago de Chile for a flight up to Ecuador.

See the link below for the photos of Salta - Mendoza, I will update this page from now on so check in for any updates.

Roland