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.

Melbourne trams? No, Mendoza trams!

After seeing the many photos we posted on Facebook and our Facebook page, veryitchyfeet.com, our friend from Buenos Aires, Diego, noted that our trip through Argentina was like an old mates tour. Well, yes, I suppose it was! Travelling is not only about seeing new places, experiencing different cultures and meeting new friends … it is also about catching up with old ones!

Welcome to Mendoza.

Iguazu Falls was going to be pretty hard to beat, but it was time to move on once again and so we were off to Mendoza, in the centre of the country (to the west and close to the Chilean border). It is smack bang in the middle of the some of the country’s best vineyards and has a lovely, temperate climate, but as neither Alex nor I are really into wine, visiting wineries was not our focus.  We stayed at a lovely little colonial hotel called Hotel Zamora, which I can highly recommend; comfortable, clean and close to the centre. We also met a lovely Chilean family there, (Natalia, Jose and baby Balthasar) who we have since remained in touch with. New friends to catch up with on our next trip to Chile!

Our trip to the Chilean border.

Close to Bridge of the Incas.

The highlight of our trip to Mendoza was our day trip, heading west, through the Andes, to to the border of Chile. Thermals, hats and gloves a must, it was very, very cold, but remarkably spectacular. We took in places like Potrerillos, Uspallata, Penitentes, the Bridge of the Incas and a viewpoint from where we could see the imposing Mount Aconcagua, South America’s highest peak at 6,960 metres. Aconcagua. Breathtakingly beautiful (as well as cold) we had a great day including a shot on a cable car with the glistening snow below.

Another Mendoza highlight was the ‘bus turistico’ Mendoza City Tour which took in several of the main sights and was a lovely way to take in several things quickly. Apart from going past several ‘obligatory’ sights, we also visited Cerro (hill) de la Gloria, where we able to take a short walk to the top of a hill which rewarded us with spectacular views over the city. Central Park was also an expansive place that we took a stroll through … always good to see the locals hanging out on a Sunday. We also took a tram out to Maipu, about 15 kilometres from Mendoza City. Again we strolled around and took in the tranquil countryside. We visited the very interesting Museo Nacional del Vino y la Vendimia (National Museum of Wine).  Set in a colonial home where an Italian immigrant started his own wine company, we received a personalised tour of this immigrant’s life and how he became a wine baron.

Mendoza vineyard.

Pictures tell a thousand words.

I was getting excited, our next destination would be San Juan, just a couple hours north of Mendoza. There we would be catching up with my gorgeous friend Viviana, whom I met in a park (in San Juan) when I was travelling through South America in 1999.  We hit it off all those years ago and remained in contact, but I had not seen her since. We were both very, very excited.  She would be meeting us at the bus station.  Needless to say, it was a very emotional reunion, where we both hugged and cried for several minutes. Fifteen years had passed but the bond we had created all those years ago was as strong as ever.

1999 with Maxi and Vivi.

Sunday asado with the family.

We spent a wonderful week in San Juan. Whilst we most certainly got out and about and did things, our main focus was to spend time with Vivi.  We stayed at a great (clean, inexpensive, friendly staff) place called Hotel Nuevo San Francisco, in a centrally located and safe part of town.  We can highly recommend it. Each morning we would meet Vivi and do things together; we usually ended up at her place, which she shares with her delightful parents Gloria and Jorge. In no time at all, we formed a very strong bond and I knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye. I was overcome with emotion when we found Soy Chu, a fantastic vegetarian restaurant. We had mostly been cooking in as Argentina is (I really do love you Argentina!) the meat, pizza and pasta show … a tough gig for a vegetarian who eats no wheat! I had hit the jackpot … or so I thought … a couple of days in, we were going to Vivi’s house and her mum was cooking up an array of vegetable dishes.  Move over Soy Chu … hello Soy Gloria!  Needless to say that became her nickname.

Pocito Town!

Our trips close to San Juan included ‘Pocito Town’, a place Vivi and I had visited together 15 years ago; the ‘highlight’ being its mini Statue of Liberty in the main square. So many good memories.  We sat in the plaza and sipped on mate as we watched the world go by. Another day we went out to Zonda, a tranquil mountainous area. Weekends in Argentina are all about family.  On the Saturday Vivi’s brother, Enrique, took us out to see the Ullum Dam as well as the Merced Del Estero Bodega, a boutique winery with some truly exceptional wines (coming from a wine dyslexic that’s pretty decent praise). So, we actually ended up seeing a winery in Argentina after all! We bought some wine to give to Vivi’s Dad, Jorge, as well as some for Enrique and the family as Sunday would be family asado (BBQ) day, and needless to say, we were invited.

Sunday at Enrique’s house was a full on family affair.  The table was full of both food and people. Once again Gloria made sure that there were loads of veggie dishes. Lucky me! Apparently quite a few were new creations, just for me. Why thank you Gloria!

Thank you for the miracle received.

Our last day in San Juan was spent visiting ‘La Difunta Correa’ (the deceased Correa). Enrique’s father-in-law had kindly offered to take us.  Surely we could not leave Argentina without visiting a ‘saint’ whom people from all over Argentina as well as neighbouring countries come to see? Correa is a semi-pagan mythical figure.  Apparently, she died around 1840 during the Argentine civil wars. In an attempt to reach her sick husband she undertook a long and arduous walk … she died along the way but was found several days later with her child still feeding on her breast. And so a legend was born! Although not acknowledged by the Catholic Church the Difunta Correa is an unofficial popular saint. Her devout followers believe her to perform miracles. The shrine dedicated to her is phenomenal; from the tens of thousands of thank you notes for having saved lives and cured illnesses to the numerous number plates of new cars and models of new houses that were able to be bought. We even saw people ‘walking’ up the stairway to her shrine backwards and on their elbows! Some people choose to do this as a sign of respect for the ‘miracle’ granted them. Nothing like a good urban myth!

Goodbye Gloria, I will miss you!

And so our time in San Juan had come to an end. Our last night was a touching and emotional affair. We hugged, we cried, we laughed, and we vowed to remain in touch.  Some people come into your life for a short time and some are just meant to always be in it.  Vivi is meant to be in mine! As I hugged Gloria goodbye I gave her one of my favourite silver rings.  She didn’t want to accept it, but I insisted. Yes, it was one of my favourite rings, but it’s only a ‘thing’ and I wanted to give it to her. We focus so much on the material, but it’s really not what matters.  I knew how much it would mean to Gloria, yet for me it had simply been something that I had bought.  Things come and go; good people don’t! As we walked home to our hotel Vivi stood by her door and waved until we could no longer see each other. My heart slumped.  I always find such moments really heart-wrenching!

Ombi

Destiny is destiny.

Dedication: My beautiful friend Viviana, it was our destiny to meet again, and I know that it is our destiny to now meet again in Australia. Thank you for the love and friendship that you have shown me over the years.  Fifteen years passed but I always held you close to my heart.  You are a true friend; you are my sister.  Gloria and Jorge – thanks for embracing Alex and I like your own family. We love you all very much!

Dedicación: Mi linda amiga Viviana, era nuestro destino de vernos otra vez, y se que es nuestro destino vernos otra vez en Australia. Quince anos pasaron pero siempre te he tenido cerca de mi corazon. Eres una amiga verdadera; eres mi hermana. Gloria y Jorge – gracias por tratar a Alex y a mi como su propria familia.  Les amamos muchísimo!

Next: The Old Mates Tour Part 2. First the Fertile Valley west of San Juan (The Valley of the Moon and Talampaya National Park) and then catching up with more old friends.

” Creatures like the sheep, that are used to travelling, know about moving on” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

National Museum of wine, Maipu.

The many faces of dulce de leche (caramelised condensed milk).

Cerro Gloria, Mendoza.

Contemplatively enjoying ice-cream in Maipu.

With our new Chilean friends.

Enjoying some good meat and wine in Mendoza.

Don’t close the tap or the water will freeze!

Chairlift near Chilean border.

This cake is called ‘Bomba’; merengue, chocolate, dulce de leche. OMG!

Say no to child labour!

The mate after the Sunday asado.

Vivi’s dad Jorge.

About to eat meat …

Wine tasting, Bodega Merced Estero, near San Juan.

Ullum Dam, near San Juan.

Day trip out to Zonda, near San Juan.

The cult of the Difunta Correa.

Thank you Difunta Correa for the miracles granted.

The many notes and photos thanking the Difunta Correa for the miracles granted them.

Gotta fit in as many hugs as I can.

With my San Juan family.

Clowns in 1999, still clowns now!

Around Zonda, near San Juan.

Zonda.

Painted bus on our day trip to Chilean border.

Coffee anyone?  Mendoza.

The beautiful mountains that border Chile.

Our day trip to the Chilean border, view after spectacular view.

Bridge of the Incas.

Close enough to Mendoza but freezing!

Chips … Argentine style!

In the far distance, Mt Acongagua, highest in South America.

Near Bridge of the Incas.

A rarity; a condor close up.

Day trip through the Andes.

Spectacular views.

Sunday asado with Vivi’s family, San Juan.

Protest in Buenos Aires.

Argentina certainly ain’t the cheap place it used to be … well it was expensive, then cheap, and now, well it’s certainly not the place to get your bargains! Argentina has had a tumultuous last ten or fifteen years, but I do not even want to get into the politics. The last time Alex and I had been to Buenos Aires (apart from overnight a few weeks back) was in 2000 on our way back ‘home’ when Alex had decided to come and live with me in Australia. We were arriving early on Monday morning and would be leaving the following Saturday. I know, not a lot of time, but we were here on a mission – to catch up with three sets of very, very dear friends.

Market in San Telmo.

The flight from Quito to Buenos Aires (BA) was rather uneventful, in that all went well and we arrived safely. Leaving Ecuador always has me reflecting on my time there, Alex’s time there and life in general, and it’s always hard. I have, over the years, come to terms with the fact that I will always straddle the two continents in which I live and visit frequently. It’s just the way it is! We arrived in BA early on Monday morning, and we now knew exactly how to get to Charo’s house in the beautiful and historic San Telmo … fork out $40.00 for a taxi.  Too expensive?  The only option, unless of course you want to spend two and a half hours on a bus (instead of half an hour in a taxi) with copious lugguge. Not an option.

Charito & Ombi in BA.

Although it was just after 9.00am when we arrived, Charo (very dear friend number 1!) was at work. We had already organised with her to get the key from the porter of the building when we arrived. We were both knackered and so we took ourselves upstairs and had a rest … well, a few hours of sleep. Charo only works half days so that afternoon was a very lazy one; shooting the breeze and talking about times gone by. How did we know Charo? I met Charo in 1999 in Colonia Suiza (Uriguay) when I was backpacking through South America. She was there with her late husband, Piero, a gem of a man. I was sitting at the table of the gorgeous hostel we were staying in and writing furiously. Not sure how it happened, but I soon started chatting to Charo, or Charito as we fondly call her, and we realised that we had a lot in common, including that we could both speak the same three languages; English, Italian and Spanish (although how well I could actually speak Spanish only a couple of months into my South American sojourn remains debatable). Before I knew it, I had met Piero (who had migrated to Argentina from Naples many years ago) and we started to talk in all three languages … about everything and anything. As the saying goes, the rest is history! From that day on I kept in touch with both Piero and Charo, and Alex was able to meet them both as we passed through BA in August 2000 on our way back to Melbourne. Soooooo many good memories!

Musicians in Parque Lezama.

Alex and I both felt tired on that first day in Buenos Aires, so we took it really easy. San Telmo is the oldest barrio, or neighbourhood, in BA. Set around Plaza Dorrego, it’s a gorgeous place and characterised by its colonial buildings, cafes, tango parlours and antique shops. Its cobblestone streets make it all the more atmospheric; lots of artists and artisans and great for people watching (a renowned favourite pastime of mine). Charo and I also walked through the very picturesque Parque Lezama (Lezama Park). Again, a great experiment in people-watching; we saw everything from skate boarders to artists to guitar players to homeless people. I want to add here that the economic situation in Argentina is dire at the moment and that there is thus a huge problem with homeless people.

L to R: Gaby, Nico, Alex, Gonzy, Flopy & Faby.

Mid-week we would be going out to visit my friend Fabiana (very dear friend number 2!) and her family who live about 40 kilometres from the city centre. I met Faby when I was backpacking in Europe when I was twenty-something (only a few years ago!). We travelled through parts of Europe together and had a blast! We have remained friends ever since!

As with all of my Argentine friends, the last time I saw Faby was in 2000, when we also met her husband Gabriel (Gaby) and son Nicolas (Nico). At the time they were living in Palermo, in the centre of BA. Since then they have added Gonzalo (Gonzy) and Florencia (Flopy) to their brood.  What a wonderful family! They live on a spacious property in the country, which we easily accessed by bus. Faby came to pick us up from the bus stop with her youngest, Flopy, and it was as though no time had passed. We only stayed an afternoon and a night but we really made the most of it. We went to the local park with the kids, played outside, had afternoon snacks in their backyard, had a great dinner with the family, and Faby and I reminisced about old times. Just not long enough!  Before we knew it, the next morning we were back on the bus making our way to BA.

L to R: Brenda, Julian, Charo, Julia, Ombi & Nico.

That night Charo organised an impromptu dinner at her place with some of her nieces and nephews, Julia, Juliana and Brenda. It was great … everyone simply rocked up with some food and started cooking.  I felt right at home! We ate, chatted and chilled out, but like all good things the night came to an end all too quickly!

Tango in La Boca.

As Alex and I love walking and exploring we still managed to do a bit of that, including Puerto Madero (like a Southbank meets Docklands) and La Boca, a colourful neighbourhood which has its roots in the settlement of Italian immigrants. It’s not the safest neighbourhood in BA (I was mugged there in 1999 … but I chased my muggers and got most of my things back!  As you do!) and I could not believe how over-touristy and commercial it had become.  It was OTT and streaming with tourist buses, as people crowded the streets to get a glimpse of the colourful houses and couples dancing tango. It’s also known to soccer-mad fans as the home to the Boca Juniors, one of the world’s best known soccer clubs.

Un besote para mi Diego!

Along with Charo, we also caught up with Diego (very dear friend number 3!) and had a great coffee at El Gato Negro. I had I met Argentine Diego when we were both living in Quito in 1999–2000. My fondest memories of Diego are of us dancing together (many, many times!) Again, it was like no time had ever passed, as we talked about, well, what we had been doing for the last ten years or so!  We organised to go out for dinner, along with his partner Federico (whom I’d not met before) on Friday night.

With Caro & Luis at Cafe Oui Oui.

Time was simply going too quickly, and I still had to catch up with Carolina (very dear friend number 4!) I also met Carolina on my European backpacking trip, but not at the same time as I met Fabiana (they actually met each other through me in 2000). Hope I have not confused you. Luckily we got to meet up a couple of times as well as meeting her lovely and kind-spirited partner, Luis. Again, not enough time!  Caro took us to a gorgeous cafe called Oui Oui in a neighbourhood called Palermo Hollywood, and yes, the coffee as well as the company was excellent. We both had tears in our eyes as we said goodbye.  This is the thing that I like least about travelling. Having said that, when I think about the calibre of some of the people I have met on my travels, I feel very lucky. It’s not quantity, but quality.

L to R: Alex, Diego & Fede.

I could feel this trip quickly coming to an end and before we knew it we were catching up with Diego and his partner Federico on the Friday night. We had a relaxed night chatting but we were accutely aware that tomorrow it would be all over red rover! Federico and Diego live in a fantastic little place in San Telmo, overlooking all the action.  I loved it!

Having a coffee with Roberto, Gladys & Charo.

Ah, last but not least, I want to mention Charo’s parents, Roberto and Gladys.  They live in the same apartment as Charo in San Telmo, so we saw them frequently in our week there. What wonderful people.  They made us laugh and kept us entertained and Gladys, you are a great cook!  Roberto had us keeling over with some of his expressions and anecdotes. Highly intelligent and not backwards in coming forwards. Both in their 80s … I want to be like them when I grow up!

Saturday morning had arrived. We went out with Charito to do some last minute shopping; we bought some alfajores (sweet biscuits filled with caramelised milk – there are a number of variations) and dulce de leche (caramelised milk), which in my opinion is the pinnacle of culinary utopia. Bags packed, we said our goodbyes to Charo, Gladys, Roberto and Nico (Charo’s nephew who was also living in the house). I would miss them all.

Yep, I had to bin it!

The ride to the airport on a Saturday morning with minimal traffic hardly took any time at all. All went smoothly, and we made it through all the filters with our newly purchased goods … until … just before we boarded the plane. For some unknown reason they have an extra check point at the airport in BA. What, we could not take on our 500 gram jar of dulce de leche (sweetened caramelised milk)! It was over the maximum allowance (50 grams max, I think). I am going to say it as it is … I was spewing! Could I … perhaps, open it up, and smear it into a few zip lock bags? No!!! I could eat it, right? Yes!!!  Sigh! I ripped it open and had a few mouthfuls before ditching it. I mean how many spoonfuls of caramelised milk can one have in a single hit?  I think I made it to three!  Yeh, I suppose worse things really could happen in life!  Can you tell that I REALLY love dulce de leche?

The flight back home was tranquil, but this time I did not sleep much as we were flying early afternoon and would be arriving  in Melbourne at 9.30pm. As it worked out we got into Sydney a little later, which meant that we missed our connecting flight to Melbourne. No biggie, we just caught the next available flight and got in to Melbourne at 10.30pm. We had already cleared customs in Sydney, so we were ready to go when we landed in Melbourne!  Dad’s taxi service was there to pick us up, as always.  Thanks Dad.

Dad dropped us off and we went straight to bed.  We were exhausted! Poor Alex had to go to work the next day!

Ombi

View from Charo’s apartment window in san Telmo.

Dedication: To my wonderful Argentine friends whom I have come to know and love: Charito, Piero (not with us physically but always in our hearts), Gladys, Roberto, Carolina, Fabiana and Diego. Thank you for your love and friendship – you all mean the world to us and occupy a very special place in our hearts.

Dedicacion: Para mis amigos argentinos maravillosos, quien he podido conocer y amar: Charito, Piero (no esta con nosotros fisicamente pero siempre esta en nuestros corazones), Gladys, Roberto, Carolina, Fabiana y Diego. Gracias a todos ustedes por su amor y amistad – cada uno de ustedes es muy importante para nosotros y ocupan un  lugar muy especial en nuestros corazones.

Books read:


Outrageous Fortunes – The Twelve Surprising Trends that will Reshape the Global Economy by Daniel Altman

“Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes, a farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends” – Richard Bach.

Next: Ecuador’s turn to ‘visit’ Australia – our niece comes to Australia.

Who counts in Argentina?

Ombi with Florencia (Flopy) outside her home.

Alex and Roberto.

With Faby drinking mate (pronounced ma-tay).

Drinking mate at Faby’s place.

Picturesque window in La Boca.

Ombi and Charo in downtown BA.

Philosophising at El Gato Negro with Diego and Charo.

With Caro … just like old times.

Ombi and Gladys.

Alex in La Boca.

In the streets of Buenos Aires.