Horses for courses in Humahuaca
Trip Start
Nov 01, 2006
1
161
179
Trip End
Oct 31, 2007
Humahuaca,
Argentina
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The main purpose for our coming to Humahuaca, roughly halfway along the Quebrada de Humahuaca, was to see if we could get a ride on the gee-gees before we left Argentina. I´m pleased to say we succeeded, having just got back from a great two hour horse trek into the hills to the north of town. While in town we also saw the rather unspectacular statue of St Francis emerge from a shuttered alcove in the Cabildo in the main square and bless the townspeople before disappearing again. A noontime mechanical extravaganza for which it seems some people had driven all morning in tourbuses from Salta. Verily did they need a blessing after that...
The prospect of entering Bolivia tomorrow has been a bit much for Rachel (and I´m happy to admit I´ve been a little apprehensive too), and today we had some fairly frank talk about coming home early - travel weariness has crept up on us both of late. The idea of going from a country with paved roads, good food and wine, and the ability to get a decent cup of coffee when you want one to another where you suffocate in dust as soon as you try to drive half a mile up the road, the food is only a little above subsistence level and ordering an espresso gets you a cup of hot water and a sachet of Nescafe, is one it's hard to embrace with any zeal. We've been keeping our spirits up with some good home cooking in the pleasant Posada del Sol (another great recommendation from brother); delicious linguine with meatballs in a hearty tomato sauce last night. But tonight we braved one of the small local places, El Portillo, and were really disappointed. Overcooked llama in a sickly cream sauce and a piece of chicken in a gloopy glassy sauce with 'packet rice'. I know I just said that Argentine food is generally good. So - you can see why we're a bit depressed as we head towards the border... Particularly as our first planned stop across the border is Tupiza, a small town which - I have it on good authority - is surrounded by rocks and dust...
01 Humahuaca monument
Well, writing this now - as I am - from Potosi, Bolivia, I think I can say that rumours of our early return are somewhat exaggerated. Fingers crossed - things are going pretty well and if it stays this way we won't be changing our flights just yet. (T)
