Hi Everyone,
I decided to take off for Cafajate for a few days - it is another fascinating town south of Salta. I stayed in a Hostel called Rusty K which is run by friends of the family that own this lovely hostel in Salta. Coincidentally a German lass from this hostel was on the same bus so we joined up with each other for a meal on the main square every evening which was always something to look forward to after our various expeditions.
My first day saw me climbing the hill overlooking Las Ruinas des Quilmes. A vast expanse of excavations that were once an ancient indiginous city - only about 15% has been so far uncovered. The Quilmes survived the Incas but were defeated by the incoming Spanish who deported 5000 people to Buenos Aires. They were forced to walk the distance and many died on the way. As I climbed higher the view became more and more spectacular and I became held by the silence of the mountains around me. It reminded me of Delphi in Greece which has an amazing sense of timelessness and spirituality.
I had then asked the little minibus to drop me at Amaiche del Valle where there is a very unusual museum/gallery/sculpture park to Pachamama. She is Mother Earth and has been central to all the indiginous people´s beliefs since time began. The museum is made up of sculptures, gates, gardens, pools and wonderful walls with designs in and on them. Everything is made out of different stones and shapes and shades of grey, white, black and ranges of natural colours. I wandered around amazed and bemused by it all. Lots of symbols for the elements, shamans and Pachamama. Quite extraordinary and wonderful until I fell into a conversation with a French artist who told me that Hector Cruz who was behind the project is a man who is disliked by everyone. He befriended an artist who did all the plans and completed the work, paying him only in wine. The artist died of alcohol poisoning with no acknowledgement of his enormous contribution to the project. Hector also bought the museum just outside the Quilmes Ruins sold all the contents to a museum in Buenos Aires and then proceeded to build a prestigious hotel on the same spot to make himself some money. This is all so not in spirit of the indiginous people and Pachamama - he is a very unpopular man but he is probably the sort of man that doesn´t give a damn anyway.
The following day I went on a trek into the foothills with a small group and a wonderful guide. We went to find the waterfalls. When we set off I had no idea that this walk would also included some rock climbing. Not huge amounts but enough to be glad that our guide Franco knew exactly what he was doing. His knowledge of every crevice, tree, shrub and rock was phenomenal. He has lived all his life in these mountains and knows them like the back of his hand. We all felt very safe as he asked us to scale areas of rock that at first glance seemed impossible. He took us to places that were sacred and special to him and was so generous in his willingness to share them with us. We drank from water filtered down through a huge rocks, we passed deserted houses where the young no longer wanted to live on the mountains so families had moved into the towns and we swam in freezing cold water in the pools below the waterfalls.
Cactus accompanied us all the way. We all felt that we were in the hands of a caring gentle man whose soul was at peace and in harmony with these surroundings. For me it was very special.
The other thing that I loved about Cafajate was the main square and how it came to life at night... specially on Friday night. Bands played, shifting from one music to another; youngsters careered around on hired bikes; people hired tridems and rode sedately; children had their faces painted; dancers (Dirty Dancing type) lured people from the crowd (me) to dance with them also did jaw dropping routines themselves; 3 phenomenal guys from Tucamen played bombos - drums you hang round your neck and play with 2 sticks on an off the skin using the wooden edge as well. Quite amazing ryhthmns and they also performed fantastic dance routines to the sound of the drum. I was completely transfixed. All around the square were restaurants buzzing with life and many of them had guitarists, singers and folkloric dances performing for the delight of the eaters.....and mingling in amongst all this wonderful entertainment were relaxed people wandering around enjoying the warm evening and the joy of each others company. I liked this place.
So know I am back in Salta with the lovely family at the hostel. I am leaving on Thursday which will be a sad moment. This has felt like home and I love them all but it is time to go.....
Hugs and loads of love to you all
Sal xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Mendoza, Cabalgatas and Salta 18th January 2011
Hi Everyone,
As more seems to happen to me there is less time to write, but this is the moment so I shall just pick out the highlights and bring you all up to date ...........
I loved Mendoza with its beautiful squares, cafes and river channels that ran round the town irrigating the trees - it make me think of Aix en Provence. There is money here and it seems a town that is proud of itself. The hostel was in the middle of clubland with very buzzy restaurants. I arrived at about midnight and just went and sat in a cafe to soak up the atmosphere. Hostel was run by another delightful gang of youngsters who took me to their hearts. I was sleeping in what I can only describe as the laundry cupboard. It had loads of shelves, hangers, shoe wracks and cupboards. It was apparently the dressing room when the house was a more luxurious residence. My little bed was squeezed in the middle. I loved it! The hostel also had a swimming pool which was a big bonus for me.
2 memorable things happened to me in Mendoza. The first was that I had my small rucksack stolen while I was sitting in my favourite cafe. I had placed the bag between my feet and I suddenly realized that it had gone. I swung round in my seat in time to see the man making off with it. I leapt out of my seat and screamed after him yelling at the top of my voice "You´ve got my bloody bag!"or words to that effect. I was furious because in the bag was my second camera that replaced the one that I had had stolen in BA. Either he wasn`t a very experienced thief or it was all too public. Anyway I caught up with him and he meekly gave it back to me. I was very proud of myself!!
The other lovely thing was I booked in to do a 2 day horsetrek (gabalgata) and booking in at the same time was Emilie a delightful Dutch girl. We instantly became huge friends and had the time of our lives fording fast flowing rivers, exploring canyons, finding wild horses,watching condors, riding up ridges and down the other side, camping under the stars with supper cooked for us on a campfire by Diego and Jose our two gauchos. It was very magical.
Emilie was heading for Salta so I decided to go too. Back on the coaches again - an 18 hour trip this time. I love Salta probably more than anywhere else. It has a colonial history and beautiful 18th Century buildings and colonades around the main square. A pink cathedral and some museums that I have really enjoyed, including some interesting contemporary art. Jorge always greets me with a hug at my favourite bar. The villages around Salta are fabulous with loads of tempting things from Peru and Bolivia and other wares all made by local Argentinians. Markets are a haven if you like being tempted! I have done excursions to several villages and they all have their own charm and specialties. Emilie only had a short time in Salta so we did the Salt Plains together which are just that. They stretch for miles with rows of pale turquoise pans where they take off the salt. On the same trip we drove up the gorge where ´The Train in the Clouds´goes. Sadly it is no longer available to tourists as there are many rock falls and is considered too dangerous. So now it just carries gas to Bolivia.
The landscapes are ever changing from precipitous mountain roads, to almost rain forest climate, to plains that are cultivating tobacco. The Mountain heights can be up to 4,000 above sea level and on one excursion we were given coca leaves to chew to help with sickness and headaches and altitude problems. Vast amounts of Coca leaves make cocaine but everyone assured us that this was completely legal!
I am in a delightful, clean (kitchens can be a complete nightmare so this is a real treat) family run hostel called ´Salta por Siempre´. I have been here for about 5 days now and know everyone well. The family invited me to go riding with them. It was mad and magical galloping home by moonlight with fireflies flashing around us. While we were waiting for the horses we all piled into the family truck and went up the hillside to find a cactus for the hostel courtyard. Life is always full of surprises here!
I have just done 2 more days horse riding in a different place. Fabulous food, I had a lovely horse that was responsive and sweet natured called ´Buenamosa´which means Pretty Lady. We all drank far too much wine and consequently the afternoon rides went by in a blur and I am sure helped the sore bum syndrome. Great hammock to snooze in and another lovely family run business - all supervised by Enrique. A larger than life charming Argentinian, father and grandfather who has worked with horses all his life. Gorgeous brother and sister and a little boy called Benjamin. I rode with two funny Swiss guys called Philippe and Tom. Of all races, I have met most Swiss on this trip. I have had very little do with Switzerland so it has been a delight to meet so many people from there.
I am exhausted and need to snooze, so goodnight to you all. Just before I go though, for all those tango friends out there I danced tango in the square the other evening. First time since BA. I was walking passed the bankstand and I heard tango music. So went to have a look. A kind man let me squeeze to the front. After the demo they invited dancers onto the floor. The kind man came and asked me. So with hat in one hand and my small rucksack on my back (not to be stolen again!) we took to the floor. It was good fun and proved to me that I hadn´t forgotten everything.
Sleep well - hugs from me Sal xxxxxxxxx
As more seems to happen to me there is less time to write, but this is the moment so I shall just pick out the highlights and bring you all up to date ...........
I loved Mendoza with its beautiful squares, cafes and river channels that ran round the town irrigating the trees - it make me think of Aix en Provence. There is money here and it seems a town that is proud of itself. The hostel was in the middle of clubland with very buzzy restaurants. I arrived at about midnight and just went and sat in a cafe to soak up the atmosphere. Hostel was run by another delightful gang of youngsters who took me to their hearts. I was sleeping in what I can only describe as the laundry cupboard. It had loads of shelves, hangers, shoe wracks and cupboards. It was apparently the dressing room when the house was a more luxurious residence. My little bed was squeezed in the middle. I loved it! The hostel also had a swimming pool which was a big bonus for me.
2 memorable things happened to me in Mendoza. The first was that I had my small rucksack stolen while I was sitting in my favourite cafe. I had placed the bag between my feet and I suddenly realized that it had gone. I swung round in my seat in time to see the man making off with it. I leapt out of my seat and screamed after him yelling at the top of my voice "You´ve got my bloody bag!"or words to that effect. I was furious because in the bag was my second camera that replaced the one that I had had stolen in BA. Either he wasn`t a very experienced thief or it was all too public. Anyway I caught up with him and he meekly gave it back to me. I was very proud of myself!!
The other lovely thing was I booked in to do a 2 day horsetrek (gabalgata) and booking in at the same time was Emilie a delightful Dutch girl. We instantly became huge friends and had the time of our lives fording fast flowing rivers, exploring canyons, finding wild horses,watching condors, riding up ridges and down the other side, camping under the stars with supper cooked for us on a campfire by Diego and Jose our two gauchos. It was very magical.
Emilie was heading for Salta so I decided to go too. Back on the coaches again - an 18 hour trip this time. I love Salta probably more than anywhere else. It has a colonial history and beautiful 18th Century buildings and colonades around the main square. A pink cathedral and some museums that I have really enjoyed, including some interesting contemporary art. Jorge always greets me with a hug at my favourite bar. The villages around Salta are fabulous with loads of tempting things from Peru and Bolivia and other wares all made by local Argentinians. Markets are a haven if you like being tempted! I have done excursions to several villages and they all have their own charm and specialties. Emilie only had a short time in Salta so we did the Salt Plains together which are just that. They stretch for miles with rows of pale turquoise pans where they take off the salt. On the same trip we drove up the gorge where ´The Train in the Clouds´goes. Sadly it is no longer available to tourists as there are many rock falls and is considered too dangerous. So now it just carries gas to Bolivia.
The landscapes are ever changing from precipitous mountain roads, to almost rain forest climate, to plains that are cultivating tobacco. The Mountain heights can be up to 4,000 above sea level and on one excursion we were given coca leaves to chew to help with sickness and headaches and altitude problems. Vast amounts of Coca leaves make cocaine but everyone assured us that this was completely legal!
I am in a delightful, clean (kitchens can be a complete nightmare so this is a real treat) family run hostel called ´Salta por Siempre´. I have been here for about 5 days now and know everyone well. The family invited me to go riding with them. It was mad and magical galloping home by moonlight with fireflies flashing around us. While we were waiting for the horses we all piled into the family truck and went up the hillside to find a cactus for the hostel courtyard. Life is always full of surprises here!
I have just done 2 more days horse riding in a different place. Fabulous food, I had a lovely horse that was responsive and sweet natured called ´Buenamosa´which means Pretty Lady. We all drank far too much wine and consequently the afternoon rides went by in a blur and I am sure helped the sore bum syndrome. Great hammock to snooze in and another lovely family run business - all supervised by Enrique. A larger than life charming Argentinian, father and grandfather who has worked with horses all his life. Gorgeous brother and sister and a little boy called Benjamin. I rode with two funny Swiss guys called Philippe and Tom. Of all races, I have met most Swiss on this trip. I have had very little do with Switzerland so it has been a delight to meet so many people from there.
I am exhausted and need to snooze, so goodnight to you all. Just before I go though, for all those tango friends out there I danced tango in the square the other evening. First time since BA. I was walking passed the bankstand and I heard tango music. So went to have a look. A kind man let me squeeze to the front. After the demo they invited dancers onto the floor. The kind man came and asked me. So with hat in one hand and my small rucksack on my back (not to be stolen again!) we took to the floor. It was good fun and proved to me that I hadn´t forgotten everything.
Sleep well - hugs from me Sal xxxxxxxxx
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