Day 24: September 7, 2007 In Salta
Trip Start
Aug 15, 2007
1
24
202
Trip End
Mar 01, 2008
Salta,
Argentina
Friday, September 7, 2007
We got Elena up and moving by 7:30. She was ready to go on the big overnight camping trip with her class. Toyo took her and Luchi to school at 8:15, leaving me to my morning routine. I got down to the office around 9:30. Marcela sent me a news story about the mummy that just went on display at the archaeological museum in El Centro. It and two others were discovered on Volcán Llullaillaco on the Argentina-Chile border, in western Salta province Incredibly they were found at elevations above 6700 m (> 22,000'). All three are children who were apparently offered as sacrifices. This one is called La Doncella. They were discovered in 1999 and an article appeared in National Geographic. When I visited Salta with my Geological Society of America group, in 2001, they were in the deep freezer at the Universidad Cathólica because the display refrigeration unit had died. This is the first time one of them has been on display since. I asked her if she wanted to go see the young girl that is now on display at El Museo Arqueológico de Alta Montaña (MAAM). She had seen it the evening before with Gabriela and both were very saddened by the viewing, so she declined. I'll go on Saturday.
After lunch, I continued developing my course. Everyone was excited because Argentina was playing France in the opening game of the World Cup Rugby, in France. France was favored to win not just the match but the World Cup but Argentina won! Being Friday afternoon, most people left at the earliest possible moment. I stayed until about 8:30, putting up more fotos on my Galápagos blog.
Jorge and Bernardo were in the apartment when I got there. After a trago, Jorge went out on a date. Bernardo and I talked until 10:00 and then went next door to the Vista de Condor. We were the first ones there but it was soon packed, the busiest I've seen. We had an excellent meal. Bernardo was very impressed. I tried the intestines and kidneys, to Ramón's delight, and they weren't too bad. We also tried a higher grade of Malbec that was definitely tastier. We finished around 11:30 so we returned to the apartment and had a shot of rum before saying good night.
I tried calling my parents on my cell phone. To my surprise, it went through. They were out so I just left a brief message.
I must admit that I missed Elena this evening. It is so great to be able to spend so much time with her after so many years of seeing relatively little of each other. I hope she'll be able to come on more of my trips in the future.
