Toro Toro

In the streets of Toro Toro.

An overnight bus took us to Cochabamba, in central Bolivia,  from where our plan was to go to Toro Toro National Park, ‘relatively’ close by. As can sometimes be the case in South America, we were sent to the wrong place, and had to back track in order to get to the right point. Oh well, at least we got to see some of Cochabamba along the way.

Toro Toro National Park is only 135 kilometres southeast of Cochabamba and its drawcard is its dinosaur tracks, spectacular geological formations, caves, hikes and ruins.  We had met some travellers along the way who had told us that it’s a Bolivian must-see, highlight and hidden gem as well as not being touristy.  SOLD!  We were  also told that it’s only accessible by bumpy gravel roads and riverbeds, which takes seven hours in the dry season and much longer in the rainy season when sometimes the road becomes totally impassable. Information on this place is scarce, as for many off-the-beaten-track places in South America, but we determined to do it!

That’s a pretty big foot print!

Dinosaur foot prints.

Welcome to Toro Toro.

We finally did get to the ‘place’ where small pick-ups take you to Toro Toro … when full!  OK, so we had to wait a couple of hours, or three!  Patience!  All good things take time, or so they say. After making friends with a gorgeous French-Canadian lady called Audrey and her lovely partner and child, we were off. The road was bumpy (more like a dirt track … OK gravel road!) and it took around five hours to cover approximately 140 kilometres.  The town is tiny, barely a central plaza and a few surrounding streets. We searched for a place to sleep and found a basic, but clean place on the ‘main drag’, run by the delightful Maritza and her two year old Santiago.  What the place did not have in mod-cons it made up for by the warmth of its host.

Toro Toro … serene, tranquil, breathtaking!

Santiago.

Toro Toro National park protects a remote and sparsely inhabited stretch of the arid Bolivian Andes. It is the country’s smallest national park but with a huge wow factor! What it lacks in size it makes up for with its powerful scenery and varied attractions. The park encompasses everything from hanging valleys to eroded canyons, ringed by low mountains whose twisted geological formations are strewn with fossils, dinosaur footprints and labyrinth limestone cave complexes. We spent a couple of days doing some day trips exploring the area and were well and truly blown away. The main attractions and indeed highlights are the limestone Umajallanta Caves and the waterfall-filled Torotoro Canyon.

Umajallanta Caves … not for the fainthearted.

The caves most certainly were not for the faint-hearted. I was half-expecting an easy-going guided tour, but this was all about crawling on your hands and knees and doing in Bear Grylls style. After more than two hours I emerged a little shaky but truly blown away by the grandeur of what I had seen. In comparison, despite the dizzying height, the canyon was far more sedate and the Vergel waterfall and surrounds nothing short of spectacular … and a lovely spot for a swim, might I add.

Umajallanta Caves …window to another world.

Toro Toro Canyon.

On top of the world … City of Itas.

City of Itas.

We also visited the  City of Itas, 21 kilometres out of the town centre. At 3800 metres above sea level it is an area of majestic and huge rock formations which really does look like a city made of stone. Huge caverns with arches that look like baroque churches have been carved out by Mother Nature, but in parts there is evidence of ‘human tampering’ in the form of rock art. It was a drizzly day when we visited and so the overall feeling was simply one of majesty and grandeur.  Without a doubt, this entire area has been a South American highlight.  Still virtually unknown on the gringo-tourist-trail, I reckon this is the time to be here.

This has been without a doubt, a major highlight of our trip.  Laid-back and lazy with very few ‘tourist mod-cons’ yet a veritable geological wonderland. When the tourists get a grip of this I am sure it will provide Machu Picchu with some decent rivalry!

Ombi

Bye, bye Santi … off to our next destination!

“Fear is the cheapest room in the house.  I would like to see you living in better conditions”. – Hafiz

Off to school.

City of Itas.

Morning walk.

The town with a splendiferous back drop.

Vergel Waterfall.

We did it!  Umajallanta Caves.

Toro Toro life.

Toro Toro stroller.

This is the way we wash the clothes.

Alex and Santi.

Out and about.

Toro Toro local guide.

Land of the dinosaurs.

On our way to Toro Toro Canyon.

City of Itas.

I want to ride my bicycle.

Walk to Vergel Waterfal.

One of the locals.

Sleepy Samaipata.

We were umming and ahhing about where to go to next.  I had done much of the Andean side of Bolivia all those years ago and wanted to also see some things that I had not seen before. A tip off on Samaipata; sub-tropical climate, not that far from Sucre and set in the stunning wilderness in the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental (parallel mountain range to the Bolivian Andes). And at 1650 metres above sea level. I repeat 1650 metres above sea level!!! That may not seem like a big deal, but considering that we had spent the last several weeks in very high altitude (equals cold and hard to breathe) this was a more than appealing option. Next destination SOLD!  Buses being buses in Bolivia, we arrived at our destination at 4am.  Luckily it was a small and safe enough place for us to hang around in until dawn broke and the hour was reasonable enough for us to go and look for some accommodation.

We finally settled on La Posada del Sol.  We only stayed a night as we felt that it was overpriced for what it offered.  A gringo(foreigner)/local partnership, perhaps they had gotten a little too comfortable and forgotten about what really mattered.  You couldn’t do this and you couldn’t do that; it was totally geared at money, money. And don’t, I repeat don’t do your own laundry! Having said that, we did meet a wonderful couple at the cafe there; Roy and Raquel from Cochabamba.  Roy was a professor and specialist in Andean rock art and Raquel a batik artist.  Really lovely people whom we spent hours chatting to.

We ended up spending the next few days at the friendly, family-run Residencial Kim. Basic and clean rooms with a lovely courtyard and kitchen (always a deal-clincher for me) with lovely and helpful staff.

Fresh fruit at Residencial Kim.

Samaipata.

Yum! The place to see in Samaipata is the mystical pre-Inca site of El Fuerte, or the Fort. Just an uphill from the village but most easily accessed by public transport. We had also made some new English friends at La Posada, so we decided to go along together. With Cat and John on the way to El Fuerte. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1998, it is not actually a military fortification, but is generally considered a Pre–Columbian religious site built by the Chane people, a pre-Inca culture of Arawak origin. The sculptured rock is known as one of the most impressive examples of rock art in the world. Extremely well kept it took us a couple of hours to walk around and take it all in. Sweeping views of Samaipata. El Fuerte. El Fuerte. Up close and personal. A Room with a View. El Fuerte.   El Fuerte. Perspective, El Fuerte. Samaipata flora. Beautiful Samaipata.       Next stop, a couple of days in tropical Santa Cruz. Many years back we met a Bolivian/ English couple in Melbourne, who now live back in England (love to you both Raquel and Bodhi); Raquel’s family hail from Santa Cruz.  We told Raquel we’d go visit them, but she insisted that we go stay.  All I can say is that her parents, Emma and Angel, have got to be two of the most hospitable people I have ever met, and that goes for all of Raquel’s family, who simply could not do enough for us in the few days that we were there.  Angel went out of his way to cook for us, and various family members to show us around.  And the mangoes from the tree in the backyard … OMG! These are the ‘travelling magic moments’!     Climate wise, what a difference from the Bolivia we had seen thus far, it was both hot and humid. And so we spent the next few days just hanging out with the family; a relaxing difference from the usual sight to sight that we have been doing over the last few months. Plaza 24 de Septiembre. Plaza 24 de Septiembre by night, with the cathedral in the background. With Raquel’s mum Emma, sister Lorena and little niece Mishell. Thanks for cooking for us Master Chef Angel. Showing us around Santa Cruz. A day trip to  Porongo with the family. Yucca pancakes (tortillas) in Pongo. Alex getting ready to eat sonsos, made of yucca. In Rio Pirai. Angel with little Mishell. Saying goodbye to the family. With the emblem of Bolivia, painted by Angel. At the Santa Cruz bus terminal … baby it’s hot inside! And so another adventure had come to an end.  To see and experience new and different things is great, but it’s really the people that you meet that make that experience extra special. With a smile on our faces, off we went to our next destination. Cochabamba and Toro Toro here we come.   Ombi   Next: National Park Toro Toro (one of Bolivia’s hidden secrets) and Cochabamba.    Dedication: To the wonderful, wonderful Burgos family who let us into their home and treated us like their family. You went out of your way to feed us and show us as much as you could in the few days that we were in Santa Cruz.  We want you to know how much we appreciate your kind, warm and loving gestures.  You will always occupy a very special place in our hearts.  Angel and Emma your family should be honoured to have you! Dedicacion: Para la linda, linda familia Burgos, que nos permitieron entrar su hogar nos trataron como su propia familia. Hicieron de todo , darnos de comer y mostrarnos la ciudad y alrededor en los pocos días que pasamos en Santa Cruz. Queremos que sepan que apreciamos muchísimo sus buenos, calurosos y amorosos gestos.  Siempre ocuparan un lugar muy especial en nuestros corazones. Angel y Emma su familia deben estar honrados de tenerlos en sus vidas.   “Don’t count the things you do, do the things that count.” – Zig Ziglar

On the bus, on the way to Jujuy.

We had to do one more ‘city’ to do in the north of Argentina, surely? Hmmmm, OK San Salvador de Jujuy, otherwise known as Jujuy.  Besides, I had not been here in 1999, and I was trying to throw in a little bit of new as well as revisiting with Alex many of the splendid places I had already visited. Juyuy is also renowned as the national capital of Pacha Pacha Mama, or Mother Earth. Apparently this is the place where you start to feel the real proximity to Bolivia. Apart from food that seems more Andean (like locro, humitas and sopa de mani) than Argentina’s pizza, pasta and meat show, I cannot say that I really felt this.  I did like Jujuy though. It felt more like a big town than a city to me. I loved its markets and its buzzy atmosphere.  It was a nice place to relax for a couple of days, as we knew that we were well and truly on the way out of the country, but we still had a few places to go.

When in doubt, take all roads!

North of Jujuy the road snakes its way through the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a painter’s palette of colour on  barren hillsides and small hamlets that communities ofQuechua speakers call home. This route is also part of the infamous Inca Trail, the route that the Incas both carved out and took from the north to the south of the continent (effectively from Colombia to Santiago de Chile) all those years ago.  There were three places that we were deciding on doing in the Quebrada; we could not decide, so needless to say, we did all three! Purmamarca, Tilcara and Humahuaca, in that order.

Purmamarca.

Having fun in Purmamarca.

Purmamarca is renowned for its Cerro de Siete Colores or the Hill of Seven Colours, which literally sits behind the tiny town.  As the bus rolled into town, I was blown away by the number of buses and cars I saw parked, quite literally, everywhere!  My, my how this tiny town had changed since 1999. The Quebrada de Humahuaca, incorporating Purmamarca, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003. Such an act has clearly increased the interest of both national and international tourism to the area. There were people … everywhere! The central town square was crawling with vendors and tourists.  Eek!  It just seemed like the Disneyland of the Quebrada to me. Having said that, nobody can take away from the beauty of its surrounds, and I tried to focus on that. Accommodation, and particularly budget accommodation, still has a long way to go.  We checked into a place called Mama Coca, but had to leave at 10pm as the chain smoking owners had us gasping for air. They were also both particularly rude when we politely approached them about feeling like we were being gassed!

With Naty and Marcelo of Alta Montana.

Tilcara followed Purmamarca. This area features even more dramatic mountainous landscapes that are very rich in aboriginal/ indigenous traditions. I love people and culture and it was just getting better the further north we went. We hung out here for a few days in the amazing Alta Montana Hostal. The owners, Marcelo and Naty made us feel at home, and in no time at all we were sitting on the porch together sipping mate. We ‘shared’ the hostel with a big group of kids in their final year of high school from Cordoba. The school was Colegio Maestro Diehl; a music/arts school.  They were on an end of year gig, which included playing instruments and singing with some of the local schools and communities.  They were awesome, awesome kids! Open-minded, friendly, polite, courteous and fun, Alex and I built an amazing rapport with them over the several days we were there.

Chewing coca leaves with Horacio Galan.

One of the highlights of our trip to Tilcara was our walk with amazing local guide, Horacio Galan (if you go to Tilcara, look him up via Alta Montana Hostal). He took us on a walk through the countryside, including some steep uphill climbs, amazing caves (Cuevas de Waira) and breathtaking views. As we had been slowly moving up north the elevation was also creeping up slowly; in Tilcara it was 2465 metres above sea level. Horacio bought us some coca leaves (widely used in northern Argentina and Bolivia) and explained how they helped combat altitude and altitude sickness.  After this walk I was sold and they would prove to be invaluable in the high altitudes of southern Bolivia later on!

Another Tilcara highlight was the walk culminating in the Garganta del Diablo, or Devil’s Throat. A geographical feature formed by the movement of teutonic plates, it is now a deep chasm or gorge, and a walk further along the track leads you to a gorgeous waterfall. There is much evidence of aquatic life here, as in fossils of trilobites. Like a lot of the surrounding area, this was once under water. No trip to Tilcara, however, would really be complete without visiting El Pucara, a pre-Inca fortification strategically located on a hill, just out of town. Of course, we decided to do this on the same day as the walk to the Devil’s Throat!  When we got back to the hostal we were dead!

Trekking with Horacio.

Happy Birthday to Ombi!

We have been lucky in Argentina to find hostels and accommodation with kitchens, so we have been
able to do a lot of cooking.  The fruit and veggies from the markets have been excellent.  It has also been relatively easy to find grains and pulses such as lentils, chick peas and quinoa (although the latter is ridiculously expensive; more so than in Australia). Alta Montana had a particularly good kitchen. I also spent my birthday here; pretty laid back.  Naty made me a rice flour cake and surprised me by singing me Happy Birthday later that night. I was going to miss her and Marcelo; they had been truly awesome!

It was finally time to go, and Humahuaca would be our final destination in Argentina. The kids from Colegio Maestro Diehl would also be going to Humahuaca … hugs all around as they asked us to look them up when we got there. I liked Humahuaca as soon as we arrived.  It had the small-town feel and beautiful scenery of Purmamarca without the throngs of tourists. We found a gorgeous little place to stay called Waira; small, comfortable, homely and with excellent staff. With the northern Argentine landscape providing one spectacular backdrop better then the next, Humahuaca was no different. The Hill of Seven Colours move over … here we have the Mountains of 14 colours!  Despite the fact that the last weeks had provided us with more layers of colour than we had ever seen before, how could we not do the hills with 14!?

The mountains of 14 colours, Humahuaca.

Of course we did it!  We went with a local elder in his truck who was super-knowledgeable and gave us a lot of history about the area.  The windy road up was almost as spectacular as the final destination (thank heavens for those coca leaves, it was pretty high!) The mountains of the14 colours are known as Hornocal. It was a beautiful spot to breathe in (quite literally!), sit down and just take it all in!  So often, here in the north, I have found myself taking in the spectacular beauty and being thankful that I am able to do this.  I am well aware that so many are not!

The town itself is small, but still a wander around is very revealing.  Very close to the Bolivian

The kids from Colegio Maestro Diehl, Humahuaca.

border, Humahuaca certainly has a different feel and vibe, from the people’s faces to the food!  We caught up again with the kids from Colegio Maestro Diehl, and hung out with them at their hostel. Seriously, lovely, lovely kids!  They would be leaving a day before us! Their ways, personalities and drive had so impressed Alex and I that we decided to give them a farewell speech at their dinner (before catching the bus back to Cordoba that night).  I spoke in English (many of them had excellent English) and Alex in Spanish.  Many of them cried, and each and every one of them hugged us both. They told us how great it had been meeting us and that we were an inspiration to them! One girl grabbed me before I left and told me that although she knew that she could ‘do it’, how important it was to hear it from us, that ‘each and every one of them was able to achieve if they believed in and followed their dream.’ Wow! As we walked away and waved goodbye, I had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. To make a difference in someone’s life is one of the greatest gifts!  Since saying goodbye, many of these kids have contacted us personally to tell us how wonderful it was to meet us, and how inspirational we were to them.  Honoured, that is the only word to describe how I feel!

The end of the Argentine line! La Quiaca.

So, the time had come, Bolivia was around the corner!  Well, perhaps over the hill! La Quiaca is truly the end of the line; 5171kilometres north of Ushuaia, Argentina’s most southern point, and a world apart. Our only mission here was to spend the last of our pesos and cross over into Bolivia.  We found this pretty flawless, actually. A bag full of goodies later, we were exiting Argentina and … Bolivia here we come!

Ombi

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind”. – Bernard M. Baruch

Next: The tranquility of Tupiza and the breathtaking Salt Flats of Uyuni.

On the way to San Juan de Jujuy.

San Juan city centre.

A bit of Dulce de Leche?

Hugging a llama!

Purmamarca.

A tiny town amidst spectacular hills; Purmamarca.

Alta Montanita Hostal, Humahuaca.

Soccer, Humahuaca.

The students of Maestro Diehl College, Cordoba.

Stream; Tilcara.

El Pucara, pre-Incan fortification, Tilcara.

Cactus, Tilcara.

Waira Cave, Tilcara.

Some meat in San Juan.

Waira Cave, inside.

Cacti, Tilcara.

Humahuaca street art.

Humahuaca.

The mountains of 14 colours.

Transport in La Quiaca.

The last pesos go on an ice-cream … of course!

The adventure continues.

Goodbye Argentina!

Trekking, Tilcara.

Ombi’s homemade lentil stew.

Chillin’ at Alta Montana, Tilcara.

Humahuaca town centre.

May there be peace and love.

Amaicha del Valle.

Although Amaicha del Valle  (in the Calchaquies Valley)is only a short bus ride from Tafi del Valle, it may as well be another world away. It’s the first place (heading north) that starts to feel a little bit less Argentine, a little bit more rural, a little bit more indigenous and a little bit more like Bolivia! I love that! In my opinion, it is the most visually spectacular part of the country. In Amaicha resides the only indigenous community in northern Argentina that has still conserved its Diaguita culture; ancestral traditions and Mother Earth (Pacha Mama) rules here. It has a lovely, relaxed and safe vibe. You feel it as soon as you enter the small village.  Not many tourists either, which is part of the reason we chose it. We stayed in a place called Pacha Cuty; basic, clean and no locks on the door. Yes, no locks on any of the doors!  That’s unheard of.  That’s just the way it is there.  I was a bit wary because, as a traveller, you just don’t do that. But we followed suit and had no problems whatsoever.

Pachamama Museum.

We had a couple of very laid back days here.  I felt like I had been dropped off in the middle of wild, wild west … well, north! Part of our deal at the hostel included dinner, and the hosts went out of their way to make me vegetarian and us wheat-free food.  All exceptionally tasty You are a great chef Juan. Apart from chilling we did manage to see the Pachamama (Mother Earth) Museum. This museum was designed by the painter and sculptor, Hector Cruz, who apart from displaying his wares wanted to describe and present the culture of the people that once lived here.

The Quilmes Ruins.

Hitching a ride with the locals.

We also visited the Quilmes Ruins, the ruins of a pre-Hispanic settlement, not too far out of Amaicha. With no real organised transport out there we got a taxi. Although the ruins have been considerably reconstructed, the views and walks around the area are phenomenal and the place rich in history. The natives who lived here were conquered as slaves and were taken to the Quilmes district in a Buenos Aires suburb 1500 kilometres away. Very dry and dusty, we walked the five kilometres back to the main road, and with no buses or taxis in sight, managed to hitch the short ride home with some locals. In their beaten up truck we stopped at a few places along the way including the guy’s father’s house and the lady’s grandma.  You can’t pay for these experiences.

Waterfalls near Cafayate.

Next up was the spectacular Cafayate. The Quebrada de Cafayate, it is not only surrounded by some of Argentina’s best vineyards, but also with some of its most spectacular scenery. The place has lots of wineries and other amazing things to see.  A lot of it can be done on foot and although there are certainly lots of tourists it manages to keep a small-town feel and charm. We hit the jackpot with Hostal Benjamin, a little place close to the city centre and with our own kitchen.  I always love a good kitchen! We bumped into Milton, an Argentine backpacker, that we had briefly met on our way back from the Quilmes Ruins, and hung out together for the next few days. The three of us did a guided walk through an area with a number of waterfalls.  Some bits were hard, and a little scary for me, but between the guide, Alex and Milton, I did it!

Riding through the Gorge of the Shells.

The highlight, however, without a doubt, was the bicycle ride through the part of the Quebrada de Quebrada de las Conchas (Gorge of the Shells, so known as millions of years ago it was all underwater, and today fossils of shells are scattered throughout).  The three of us hired bicycles and caught a bus 50 kilometres away from Cafayate, to then cycle back towards it, through the Martian-like landscape.  This area is the backdrop to distinctive sandstone landforms such as the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), El Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre), El Sapo (toad) and los Castillos (Castles). Zipping along from one place to the next was mind-blowingly exhilarating! The last five kilometres, however, was also mind-blowingly tough on our butts!  After a full day, and having had a brilliant time, we got back to Cafayate totally spent!  We stopped at the first place we could find water and skulled it like people dying of thirst in the desert. We certainly got some weird looks from the locals.
Cafayate known as

Beautiful Cafayate.

We were finding it hard to leave Cafayate as it was so laid-back, relaxed and beautiful. We also managed another guided walk through an area with a local lady from the Diaguita community. She showed us some rock paintings, told us about her people and also explained how the local plants were used medicinally by her community.  She also talked about the ‘evils’ of modern-day food such as wheat and sugar and went on to tell us that her great grandmother had lived until the age of 111! Food for thought, so to speak! Although not wine-buffs, we did also try the local torrontes wine and visit the excellent wine museum.

Arrow Gorge.

We had heard about a little place called Cachi further up north. Apparently not so easy to get to Quebrada de las Flechas (Arrow Gorge). Part one OK, part 2????  We landed in tiny Angastaco, there were no tourists … and there was one truck willing to take us solo to Cachi … at a hefty price of course, as we had nobody to share with. What to do? We ended up hitching a ride in the back of a Hi-Lux. Before we even had the chance to actually hitch a ride, we saw two couples walking towards their car. We went over, introduced ourselves, had a chat, and before we knew it we were sitting in the back of the truck with all of their suitcases, shoes, newly acquired cacti … and the wind (and dust!) blowing through our hair as we took the spectacular but fairly isolated dirt road to Cachi! Yeee haa!
It’s rather difficult without your own transport, but well worth it if you can.  Of course we figured we’d give it a crack! We were told that we would be able to get a bus to Angastaco, only a couple of hours away, and that from there we could find smaller trucks that, when full, would take you the rest of the way.  The ride to Angastaco was windy, but yet again, spectacular!

On the way to Cachi.

What can I say?  What an experience! We got to see a few off the beaten track places that we would not have otherwise seen, especially the Artesans’ route, where we actually got to see women weaving everything from scarves to ponchos. As buses do not come this way, there are far fewer tourists than elsewhere. We even got to meet the wife (husband now deceased) who had woven and presented the Argentine Pope with a poncho.

The Artisans’ Route.

We finally made it to Cachi by dusk; totally covered in dust but very happy campers!  We thanked our new friends profusely for allowing us to come for the ride.  But it wasn’t over yet … we had to find a place to sleep.  Alex waited with the backpacks, and the Queen of Clean (moi!) was off … I had a clean room and comfortable bed to find!  As I walked around and checked a few places out I admired the quaint little town with its gorgeous colonial architecture.  This would be a great place to chill for a day or so.  We ended up at the clean and comfortable Hotel Nevado de Cachi.  Luxurious it was not, but clean, safe, well-priced and with comfortable beds it was.  A shower had never felt so good! The dirt and dust … it was everywhere!  Even after we were all polished up, we were exhausted. With no communal kitchen in this place, we decided to try Viracocha Restaurant across the road.  We were pleased with the quality of the food, but as usual (with touristy places!) we felt the portion sizes could have been a little more generous. Clean and fed, there was only one thing left at the end of this long and arduous day … bed!

Cachi by day.

Cachi.

There’s not a lot to do in this spectacularly beautiful town, but that’s part of the charm really. We did stop in at the local archaeological museum as well as went for a walk to the cemetery on top of the hill. Other than that we wandered, relaxed, drank coffee and observed. That’s the life, hey!

We were beginning to feel that we were never going to leave Argentina.  In the north it’s spectacular views one day, even more brilliant ones the next!

Ombi

“You’re only given a little spark of madness.  You mustn’t lose it”. –Robin Williams

Next: Wrapping up in Argentina; San Salvador de Jujuy and the Quebrada de Humahuaca.

The Quilmes Ruins.

The Quilmes Ruins.

Pachamama Museum.

Pachamama Museum.

The eternal backpackers … Amaicha del Valle.

In Amaicha del Valle.

We were not the only ones enjoying the Quilmes Ruins.

In life … you have to smile!

In Pacha Cuty Hostal, Amaicha del Valle.

Next destination?

The vineyards of Cafayate.

Cafayate.

Mural, Cafayate.

Spot the llama! Cafayate.

Mural, Cafayate.

Cafayate.

Home cooking, Cafayate.

The walk to the waterfalls, Cafayate.

We made it!  The waterfalls of Cafayate.

With Milton; waterfalls, Cafayate.

Out and about in Cafayate.

Cafayate.

Rock painting; with Gabriela of the Diaguita community.

Billy Goat Gruff in Cafayate.

The Devil’s Throat, Gorge of the Shells.

What a ride!

Alex does his thing.

Cemetery at Cachi.

Cachi.

One spectacular view after another; with Milton.

Life is for living.

This is the way!

We did it … 50 kilometre ride!

Cafayate town.

Riding on the back of the Hi Lux to Cachi.

Zapatista Ombi.

The Artisans’ Route.

Thanks for the ride guys!

Alex enjoying a drink at Viracocha Restaurant.

Leaving Amaicha del Valle.

Dinosaurs … alive and kicking!

When I had been here in 1999 I had done a day trip out to Valley of the Moon from San Juan, but this time we decided to go out and stay there so we could explore the area properly and over a few days. It had always left a really big impression on me and I wanted to share it with Alex. We made our way to the relaxed, green little village of Valle Fertil, 250 kilometres northeast of San Juan and set amid colourful hills and rivers, from where we would do our adventuring. We ended up at the Campo Base (Valle de la Luna) Hostelling International Hostel.  It was a small, yet fun hostel where we met and made some great friends, and also hung out with them over the next few days.

The two main trips to do from Valle Fertil are the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna) which is formally known as Ischigualasto Triassic Park and Talampaya National Park. Both are, in a word, incredible! After a day of wandering around the town, and taking it easy, we set out on a couple of adventures.

The Bocce Field.

The Valley of the Moon was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, as it’s one of the most important fossil reserves in the world. Move over Jurassic Park!  Here we are talking Triassic, and this place is home to some of the oldest fossil remains on earth, dating back some 230 million years (unless, of course, you believe that man walked with dinosaurs 2000 years ago!) The eerie landscape, constituting years of erosion, is what has given the park its memorable name. It really does resemble a lunar landscape.  Over three hours and 40 kilometres we saw numerous natural rock formations like ‘the worm’, ‘the mushroom’, ‘the submarine’, ‘the Sphinx’ and ‘the bocce field’. Not to mention the mind-blowing landscape that was the backdrop. It was possibly the bocce field that had me most intrigued; this area has perfectly polished spheres made of the same material as the soil, and there is no explanation for their formation. Yet again, I could only admire and keep telling myself how truly fortunate I was to be able to see this!

Talampaya National Park.

Run for your life!!!!

The next day we visited Talampaya National Park, known as the Talampaya Canyon, which was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Whist this park too has numerous fossil remains, the main attraction are the gorges and rock formations with walls of up to 150 metres high, narrowing to 80 metres at one point. A guided tour took us through a series of rock formations, (The Monkey, The Gothic Cathedral), a botanical garden, petroglyphs and even a botanical garden. Nature truly astounds!

In Tucuman with Pepe.

And so, with some more spectacular sights under our belt, the Old Mates Tour was to continue.  Next San Miguel de Tucuman, or simply Tucuman, as the locals call it, to see my friend Pepe and his family.  A friendship forged in Rio Gallegos in 1999, in the very south of Argentina, I would then visit him and his family several months later as I continued my trip upwards through the continent. I stayed with Pepe and his parents then, and I was returning to do the same. Unfortunately, it would be without his wonderful Dad, Antonio, who has since passed away. Pepe was to meet us at the bus terminal. Once again a very emotional reunion it was.  I ran off the bus and Pepe and I embraced as Alex looked on and took some photos.  I was speechless, and my eyes teared up as I hugged Pepe, who is like a brother to me. We just hugged for a few minutes and, in-between tears, I introduced him to Alex.  It was like no time had passed.

With Flora and Pepe.

Pepe had taken a couple of hours off work (he is a teacher) so that he could take us back to his place. As we sat in the taxis the memories came flooding back … the people, the places, how wonderfully I had been treated by his family, how they had made me feel loved, how they had loved me!  In no time we were at Pepe’s house, and it was more hugs and tears all around as I hugged Flora (Pepe’s mum), who told me how great it was to have a member of the family back again. Her daughter had come back to visit her!

With our Tucuman Family.

Pepe had to go back to work, so we spent the afternoon with Flora chatting and reminiscing. What a beautiful, kind lady. Despite the fact that she was in her 80s and ill, she gave up her double bed for us.  I insisted no, she insisted (harder than us!) yes! We spent a brilliant week in Tucuman, chilling and catching up with the rest of the ‘family’; Pepe’s Aunt Dali and his cousin Mari, Mari’s son Danny and partner Fernando, Anita ( a good friend of theirs who was really like family) and her family. That very same afternoon Anita came screaming through the house with a big hug for me.  The Gringa Loca (crazy foreigner) had come back and this time with a bit more than a shaved head! That night we went to visit Dali and the family.  More hugs and tears. Feeling very loved!

Asado with the family.

Flora went out of her way to cook me a range of vegetarian dishes which were absolutely delicious. Although Pepe had to work, we spent as much time as we could with him; dinners with his aunt, afternoon tea with Anita and her family, (another!) big asado (BBQ) at Mari and Fernando’s house just outside of town.  That was on a Sunday, as is the norm in Argentina; they raise show horses, so that was the backdrop to our all-day eating! They say that Tucuman is a big city with a small town feel.  Well, yes and no!  Unfortunately, it also has a reputation of not being so safe.  We most certainly got that vibe but were our usual, vigilant selves. We did walk into the city centre on several occasions during the day, taking in the sights, having good (well, not as good as Melbourne!) coffee and just generally chilling out.

Bye, bye Flora, we will miss you!

The week passed before we knew it.  Mari and Fernando had invited us out to their holiday house at Tafi del Valle.  Only 126 kilometres from Tucuman, this pretty little town, overlooking a lake, is where folks from Tucuman come in summer. That would be perfect as we were planning to go there on Monday anyway.  In this way, we could do it together and then keep moving. Unfortunately, Pepe would not be able to come as he had hurt his ankle and had been ordered total rest and relaxation by his doctor.  Mari would come and pick up on the Saturday afternoon.  We packed our backpacks on Saturday morning and slowly said our goodbyes to Flora and Pepe.  This was proving to be really hard. Finally the time came, and Mari came to pick us up.  I hugged Pepe with gusto and then hugged Flora even harder.  I told them both that I loved them. “I love you too”, Flora told me.  As I jumped in the car and waved goodbye, I bawled my eyes out.  You see, Flora has advanced breast cancer, and I probably will not see her again.

At the holiday house in Tafi del Valle.

Mari is very close to her aunt, and we chatted about this in the car. These people are my family. They have treated me with the love and respect that some of my own blood have not afforded me.  I always hold special people close to my heart. We had a wonderful two days at Tafi. We ate, slept, went for drives and hung out. Peaceful, tranquil and relaxing … before our adventure would continue.

In no time at all, it was time to say goodbye to Mari and Fernando as well.  Where had the time gone? On Monday they dropped us off at the small bus terminal, from where we would be heading north to Amaicha del Valle. Again, more hugs and tears as we said goodbye.  I repeat, this is never something that I will get used to.  I have made some friends overseas that have touched the core of my being. Silence as the bus took off and we waved goodbye. I momentarily felt very sad and alone!

Ombi

“Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.” – William James

Dedication: Pepe, Flora, Dali and Mari you are our Tucuman family and we love you from the bottom of our hearts.  Thank you for all the love you showed us, not only in the week that we were with you, but over the last fifteen years as we stayed in contact. We love you all!

Dedicacion: Pepe, Flora, Dali and Mari son nuestra familia en Tucuman y les amamos de nuestros corazones.  Gracias por todo el amor que nos brindaste, no solamente en la semana que pasamos con ustedes, pero en las ultimas quince anos que nos quedamos en contacto.  Les amamos a todos!

Welcome to the land of dinosaurs.

Selfie in the Valley of the Moon

Valle Fertil

Talampaya … but we are simply grains of sand

On the road to Talampaya

Rock Art, Valley of the Moon.

These are the layers of our lives; Valley of the Moon.

Valley of the Moon

Great to see you again Pepe.

With the gorgeous Flora; Pepe’s mum.

Feeling at home with Flora and Pepe.

With Mari, Pepe’s cousin.

Good food, good wine and good friends.

In Flora’s yard.

Always the devil.

Good salami and cheese in Argentina!

Pepe’s work look.

Any time is a good time for an asado in Argentina.

With Pepe.

Fernando on one of his horses.

A shop that sells ONLY sweets … common in Argentina!

With Pepe and Ana.

With Ana’s gorgeous family.

Flora feeding me her home-made hommous.

To mate (pronounced ma-tay!) or not to mate, THAT is the question!

In my case, good friends and good coffee.

Tafi del Valle … serious about their food!

Mari’s weekend home.

The house at Tafi del Valle.

Fernando and Alex … Tafi del Valle.

Tafi del Valle.

Talampaya.

Pac Man … the Bocce Field.

Ahhhhhhh!

Guanaco, Talampaya National Park.

Peruvian horse breeder Fernando. Tucuman.

Perspective … Talampaya National Park.