Salta at last
Trip Start
Aug 31, 2008
1
24
59
Trip End
Feb 02, 2009
Salta,
Argentina
Sunday, October 12, 2008
After our bus broke down in the middle of the driest desert in the world,(and it was one of the nicer companies)had two flat tires, several vomiting children, and miscelaneous other mishaps, we arrived in Salta at 1AM and had a lovely time walking the street for a few hours looking for a hotel. This isnīt quite as dangerous as it sounds, given that most people donīt even leave the house for the evening until 11pm. During our late night search, we were accompanied by many elderly folks just finishing their dinner. This country blows my mind sometimes. All hostels within a country mile were full, so we eventually had to spring for a seedy looking hotel that cost about 3 times our daily budget for the night, and provided our introduction to the Argentinian bathroom: shower head sprays directly onto the floor, with drain (cleanup with provided squegee) and bidet. We thought we didnīt have a shower in our room at first and were about to raise cain down at the desk until we spotted it sticking out of the wall in an unassuming fashion at the last minute. Come the morn, we enjoyed our free typical breakfast of cafč con leche (real coffee this time) and medialunas, the argentine croissant.
Next day we went to see the provincial history museum, one of the only open establishments on Sunday, as well as a natural history museum with only stuffed creatures. Seems like there should have been some mention there of the incredible art of taxidermy, but alas, it was not to be. Later, we took a swiss alps style air gondola (ascensor round these parts) to the top of Cerro San Bernardo, an odd monument built in 1987 with elaborate landscaping, multiple waterfalls, indigenous silverplating museum, and gift shops and restaurants of course. The park area is a popular excercise spot for the locals (for the record, the first time Iīve seen anyone excercising on purpose in South America) due to the minimalistic equipment, ecological trail (closed of course) and the best part, an endless set of stairs leading back down to the city. Being cheapskates and not wanting to pay another fee for the ascensor, we of course took the stairs.
Salta also has the best empanadas weīve had thus far in South America. Do not miss out if youīre headed down here.
Link to desert photos above (thereīs only a couple), and hereīs a link to Salta pictures.
Comments
relaying the tripage
i read aaron the first few lines in the second paragraph over the phone.
he laughed really hard & then said.
'awe, we're going to have to send them money'
haha. good stuff!
The Breakdown
I hope you took some good pictures of children vomiting & the bus with flat tires.That would make for some colorful & interesting pics.
Love you & miss you, Mom & Dad