Monday 25 August 2008

Salta y Jujuy



Argentina's north west ... El Noroeste ... is a landscape of infinite beauty, wonder and variety. Deserts with flocks of llama, vicuña and guanaco, blindingly white salt flats, cerro los siete colores, sugar plantations, tobacco fields, montaña's that go on forever.
This region is the birthplace of Argentina - the Spanish colonised and thrived here while Buenos Aires was a struggling trading post on the Atlantic Coast.
From Salta we went to Cafayate ... where I bought four bottles of good wine ... when I say good they had better be because they added a significant weight to my luggage and I lugged them around the whole week. Cafayate has the perfect combination of temperature and humidity that provides the ideal environment for the growth of sweet and deep flavour of the grape. The streets, its houses and mainly its people was a pleasant experience - we were lucky enough to encounter a foclori (spelling?) fiesta when we arrived. It was a real treat. The drive to Cafayate from Salta was a feast of paisaje increible - we passed through the Quebrada de Cafayate where we were treated to a visual symphony of rock formations, Cactus spiking the scenery, La Garganta de Diablo (The Devils Throat), El Anfiteatro - a natural amphitheatre where one lady from our tour started to sing - beautiful! There were musicians and all sorts of artesans - of course...you know me...yo compre mas earings y jewellery.

Climb Every Mountain, Ford Every Stream



The pueblo de Iruya is 2800 metres above sea level in the Andes. Access is by collectivo - a bone jarring bus trip on a narrow dirt track which crosses stony river beds and winding through a stunningly beautiful and narrow valley from the town of Humahuaca. The road (track) is so narrow that you question how you are ever going to be able to get past the oncoming bus, but you do - albeit with views from the dizzying height of 3900 metres at Abra del Condor pass which where you cross from Jujuy province back into Salta province.
Iruya is such a beautiful pueblo snuggled into the hillside with steep (very steep!) cobbled streets and a timeless atmosphere. Nosotros dined for every meal at Tina's place - check out the photo opposite for a picture her with her ricissimo empanadas.
We went to the pueblito of San Isidro by caballo, a two hour walk away and then returned. This was a highlight for me porque on our return we saw four condores pasando overhead. Truly graceful birds riding the warm thermal afternoon winds. Very special to see the Condor...now I can really relate to my favourite pieve of music El Condor Pasa.

Monday 4 August 2008

Muy loco conduciendo



Esta muchos reparacions en mi calle y los calles cerca a mi departamento. Hay muy grande problema con el trafico. En el calle los coches tocar la bocina todo el dia. Muy Loco. Yo sace los fotos de la ventana en mi mansion. Its like they think that tooting horns is really going to make a difference. It is very loud in the apartment - funny thing is the man next door just went out onto his balcony (right beside me) and started shouting at the motorists down below - one of them wound down his window and was shouting back and this carried on for a good five minutes until the traffic moved another three meters down the calle.

Ahora yo estoy empezando mas (more) seguro en mi castellano. Yo siento la lengua tener mas sentido para mi. Thank goodness because I was beginning to feel muy desperado, even though yo se enseno mucho.

Brasilenas y Kiwis


Chris y yo visitamos el lugares de interes de Recoleta ayer con ella's companeras de Brasil. Me encanta caminando la feria Recoleta. Yo estoy mirando un hombre de Africa quien hace bolsas de cuero... pero no suerte :(
Nosotros terminamos el dia con cafe a Acassuso - of course! (pictured)