Day 26 Pumamarca

Day 26 - Coca Leaves, Altitude, Tortuous Rides, Salt Flats, and Geologic Marvels(5/3/08)

Today I took a tour to the cloud forest. There used to be a train (Tren de las Nubes) that went there, but it hasn't been running for two years (or four depending on who you talk to). So we went in a van along the train's route.

There is a famous bridge on all the postcards in Salta that the train runs on, this isn't it.

We stopped in numerous little alpine villages to peruse their wares and look at the landscapes. This is the first

Each village was complete with a church and graveyard, plus anywhere from 1-25 local dogs that roam the place.
This village also had a small "museum" with bones from the Inkas, their victims, and a preserved mummy.





We then stopped for lunch at about 3500 meters above sea level, in another (slightly bigger) alpine village. I had llama, the local delicacy, which was delicious and tasted almost exactly like beef.

Their church

Their store

After lunch we were in for a tortuous 3 hour ride over an unpaved road over the puna (a high mountain plateau that is completely flat). After which we reached Salinas Grandes. The salt flats.

The holes are dug out, filled with water, which forms salt crystals. Basically this process is to rid the salt of impurities to make it commercially viable.

We then reached the highest point on our trip: 4170 meters above sea level.

A common practice in this region is to suck on coca leaves to combat altitude sickness. And yes it really works, I felt no effects at all, even though we were 13,681 feet up. And yes, these are the very same coca leaves used to make cocaine.
The roads are spectacular up here.

After descending about a thousand meters we reached the village of Pumamarca, home of the mountain of the seven colors. A tiny colonial village with only a few hundred residents, it was a slice from an earlier, simple time.



I had to resist to urge to set out into this amazing landscape by myself, as I felt I could spend weeks exploring what it had to offer.



Again, you want to click these for the full effect.

Day 25 Salta

Day 25 (5/2/08)

I have arrived. What a fucked up bus ride, i stupidly left my contact lens case in the cargo area, so i had to suffer 20 hours of wearing them (which made my eyes bloddshot for the next three days). Plus, no cigarettes because my bus driver has to be the only person in Argentina who doesn't smoke. Not to mention seats that don't recline all the way really suck. On the way back I am definitely going first class.

Anyway, I got to the hostel without incident. Not a bad place, and cheap. I met this english guy, James, and we decided to ride the cable car up to the top of a nearby hill to get a nice view of the city.
On the way up:

What a view (click for big):

Elvis also seems to live in Salta:

They have a bar at the top, also with a view. They serve, yep, Salta beer.

Not exactly roughing it so far.
Dangerous looking spiders also inhabit the area.

And one more:

I think i will like it here.

Day 24 Bussing

Day 24 - (5/1/08)

Today I set out into the great unknown, alone, with only my backpack, and my wits. This will be last my last post until I get back.

"because as we know, there are "known knowns"; there are things we know we know. We also know there are "known unknowns"; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also "unknown unknowns" — the ones we don't know we don't know."

-Donald Rumsfeld
(not a huge fan of the guy, but I love this quote.)

Day 23 Preparations III

Day 23 (4/30/08)

Or maybe not. Since tomorrow is a holiday (may 1st, national workers day) everyone has it off, so they go out. Sooo, I had to wake up butt ass early, (which I didn't do) take the bus to Retiro, (again) and ask (in spanish) to change my ticket for one more day (which I got done around noon).
Oh yeah, and I finally got a picture of the bum house on Callao (see day 15).

This way I was able to have one more night out in Buenos Aires before setting off. Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures of the disco we went to. Too bad too, because it was my favorite so far. A three level place in San Telmo called Castro Rey (because it is on Cuba street). Anyway, the music was actually damn good, lots of reggaeton and cumbia. And I was finally able to come to a happy compromise between american dancing and argentine dancing. Good last night in BsAs.

Day 22 Preparations II

Day 22 (uhhhh... 4/29/08, i think)

So where did I leave off? oh yes I was leaving. Up until this morning I was going to Mendoza, and then, over a cup of matè (look at that, I figured out how to put accents!) I decided to change my destination to Salta. I know absolutely nothing about Salta, where I am staying, or what the eff I am going to do. But that is kind of the point isn't it?

Sooo, I went to Retiro, Buenos Aires' bus station, a truly gargantuan beast.
On the way pictures:



I bought a one way ticket to Salta, leaving tomorrow. On the buses you have semi-cama, cama, and executive. These basically just describe how much your seat can recline, I went with cama, 160 degrees of reclination. Then, I stopped with Seba for lunch at a famous little place where they have the bar running down the middle of the restaurant, mirrors on every wall, and they slide the plates up and down the glass of the bar.

We had an "American" sandwich, which is about as American as french fries are to France. Nevertheless, it was excellent. Seba also told me the Boca Jrs. and Rio Plate (see day 15) are playing this weekend, I considered changing my ticket to go to the game (supposedly one of the "must do" things in Buenos Aires) but apparently it is almost impossible to get tickets, so I said eff it. I am leaving tomorrow.

The Obelisco.

Day 21 Preparations

Today I spent most of the day researching where to go for my last two weeks in Argentina. The choices are vast. Originally I wanted to go to Patagonia but a plane ticket is over 600 dollars and a bus ride would take 50 plus hours. Soooo, I think I have decided on the NW region, either Mendoza or San Juan, 12 hours away by bus.
I also tried to find some cheap hiking boots but they were all priced astronomically. Columbia boots were 700 pesos, because they are imported. I will continue to look tomorrow, I believe I have everything else I need. Except maybe the courage, I am nervous about setting out across a foreign country by myself, however its something I feel I must do.

Day 20 Recovery

Thats all that happened today. yep.

Day 19 Palermo Lakes

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Day 18 Iguazu

Day 18 - Less Disney, More Animals, Downpours, and Cow Guts.

My father and I headed back to the park for our second day of exploration, unfortunately my mom couldn't accompany us because she had come down with a cold. We left the bus station about noon on a very empty bus -- a good sign. This colorful scene was unfolding across the street at the shell station:

After the 30 minute bus ride we arrived to a almost deserted park, I was very happy to see that we would have most of it to ourselves. Today we planned to hike the lower trails and visit Isla San Martin, accessible by ferry (Yesterday we did the upper trail and train ride to the Gargantua Falls, for those not paying attention).
We decided to walk instead of taking that stupid train. When we reached the central station a Coati, (Argentine version of a raccoon) was kind enough to pose under the sign warning you about them:

The lower trails were far more physically demanding and far less like an amusement park, I felt a lot more connected with the rain forest. They also offered much better scenery.

Cacti

Salto San Martin

Fig Tree

Salto dos Hermanos

Old fire watchtower

Neon orange fungi


We then caught the free ferry over to the island. Then we walked up these grueling uneven steps that you would never find in an American National Park (liability). The island was incredible, chock full of lizards, vultures, and other birds.

It was also the only place I have ever seen a rainbow on flat ground, about 10 feet away. You could almost reach out and touch it.

We ate lunch in the valley of the vultures (my name). It was very similar to what you would find in Eastern Oregon.

Those lumps in the trees are the vultures, we counted over 100 of them.

On the way back we encountered an excellent view of the Iguazu river, sans all the waterfalls.

The sun was low in the sky by this point, creating even more amazing light effects.

I spent a long time on this rock, taking in the view (be sure to click for full effect).
If you bug me enough I will post a video of this spot, otherwise I am not going to bother.

On our way out of the park I saw these manicured fields of grass through the trees. What the hell? We continued and came across the abomination known as the Sheraton hotel. The only hotel located inside the park. It has all the accoutrements of any resort hotel built in 1970 as is just as ugly. I was disgusted by this destruction of beauty and felt like spitting on the immaculate pool area. This hotel is inhabited by lazy ass rich people with decidedly american B.M.I.s

We then came across a much more pleasing structure, Hotel Viejo, completely abandoned, and far more aesthetically pleasing:

I suggested we go peek in the windows and my dad agreed. As we walked up we were rewarded with the sighting of one of the park's more elusive creatures: the toucan. A very shy bird, it flew away before I could get a picture. I bet there is no toucans flying around the Sheraton.

Once we arrived back in town ominous clouds had began to creep across the sky, slowly obscuring this beautiful sunset.

I have seen clouds like this before and knew what came next:


After the rain, we went to a restaurant known for its cow products. This is their outdoor asado (grill).

My dad had expressed a desire to get some cow guts, given i had spent most of the downpour drinking it sounded like a good idea to me.
so....

Needless to say it was not that great. The normal cuts were fairly decent but the intestines and kidneys were blech.

Nasty!