5-21-10
Since the post earlier today, I walked around and bought bus tickets for tomorrow. I then walked around and headed to a place called Pancara. This is an ancient ruins a little outside the city of Tilcara. It was pratically stone buildings and cacti all over the place but still beautiful. I took some self portaits, and then had a couple take a photo of me. I then headed down.
I then headed to Garganta del Diablo. It turned out to be a 5 or 6 km hike. I was not prepared for this. But somehow found the strength to push on, despite minimal food and water in my body. It was one of the hardest ones I have had to do because of the beating sun which I had also not expected. I finally reached the entrance. I filled up my water bottle. I checked it out. Then I headed back up to the entrance. I rested and tried to get the energy to walk back down. Luckily, I met saviors in the form of a Porteño couple who drove me down. They were really nice. We talked (in Spanish of course) about random stuff.
After, I headed toward my hostel when I stumbled upon a show by the school children for the 200th anniversery of the country. It was cute. I then hung out at the hostel. I discovered I had lost one of my debit cards. I searched all over my bags but no such luck. Somewhere between Wednesday and today, it has vanished into the abyss. Luckily I have the other. I hung out and talked to the other guests before having dinner with some of the people who run the hostel. Soon I plan to sleep, who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Salta at Night/12 Hours in the Desert/Pumamarca
5-19-10 continued.
Since my last post, I took a gondola up the mountain that looks over Salta. I was scared the whole way up but survived and it was beautiful. I took pictures from up there. Then walked the 1073 steps down and walked back to my hostel. I rested for a bit. Then I went around the main places in Salta and took night photos. I then back to my hostel for a bit. Then I headed to the other affiliated hostel for a free BBQ. There I met up with my friend Lisa from my program, and met a friend of hers from her stay in Salta. Turns out her friend is from LA and went to Marlborough and graduated with my friends from there. Small world yet again. I ate delicious food and had wonderful convos. Then I headed back to my hostel to go to bed for my early morning.
5-20-10
After a bad night of sleep, I finally got up at 6:25. I got my stuff together and headed to breakfast. I ate and waited to be picked up. Finally, the van came and I got in. I was with 2 Basques, 2 Australians, 5 Argentines and 1 Brit. We headed out. Our first stop was in a place called Campo Quijano. There we saw a train that used to be part of the train of the clouds. Then we headed out again. I fell asleep for a bit. I woke up when we heading out to see some of the bridges and tracks of the train of the clouds. We got a history lesson on it while we drove out. After some photos, we headed back onto the road. We stopped to take pictures of the beautiful rocks and then stopped in a small town called Santa Rosa de Tastil. There were people selling things. I wandered around and took photos. We then hit the road again, with a stop at a place called Abra Blanca which is 4080 meters above sea level.
We stopped for lunch in a town called San Antonio de Los Corbes. It was a cute little town. I ate llama and rice. It was really good and would eat it again. I took some photos around the town especially of a cute little kid. Then we headed back on the bus. It was like a two hour ride to the Salinas Grandes (salt flats) so I slept most of the way. We arrived. I saw two girls i knew from University of Belgrano so we hung out and took photos. I wandered around and took more. It was beautiful. Eventually, I got back in the van and we headed out. We were now heading to Purmamarca. We stopped at a point called Altos del Morado, which is 4170 meters above sea level. We stopped once more to take photos of the beautiful rocks.
We finally reached Purmamarca, where I grabbed my stuff and wandered the roads. I eventually found a hostel. I dropped my bags. I wandered the small town. They had a market in the center which I checked out. I then followed a road and ended up walking around Los Cerros de Siete Colores (the rocks of seven colors). It was so beautiful. I want to come back here one day. I ran into the Australians, Basques and two girls I saw at the Salt Flats. I took many photos.
I headed back to my hostel. There I showered for the first time since Tuesday. I then walked the town and got dinner. At my hostel, they had a show, which I took some photos and video. I then got ready for bed and slept for the greater part of 10 hours. It was amazing.
5-21-10
I woke up and grabbed breakfast (tea and toast). I then packed my bags and walked around until the bus came to Tilcara. After a 45 minute ride. I have now arrived in Tilcara. A plan is possibly formulating for the rest of the trip. But we shall see. I will be wandering the streets and the mountains of the beautiful area. It is amazing how pretty it is.
Since my last post, I took a gondola up the mountain that looks over Salta. I was scared the whole way up but survived and it was beautiful. I took pictures from up there. Then walked the 1073 steps down and walked back to my hostel. I rested for a bit. Then I went around the main places in Salta and took night photos. I then back to my hostel for a bit. Then I headed to the other affiliated hostel for a free BBQ. There I met up with my friend Lisa from my program, and met a friend of hers from her stay in Salta. Turns out her friend is from LA and went to Marlborough and graduated with my friends from there. Small world yet again. I ate delicious food and had wonderful convos. Then I headed back to my hostel to go to bed for my early morning.
5-20-10
After a bad night of sleep, I finally got up at 6:25. I got my stuff together and headed to breakfast. I ate and waited to be picked up. Finally, the van came and I got in. I was with 2 Basques, 2 Australians, 5 Argentines and 1 Brit. We headed out. Our first stop was in a place called Campo Quijano. There we saw a train that used to be part of the train of the clouds. Then we headed out again. I fell asleep for a bit. I woke up when we heading out to see some of the bridges and tracks of the train of the clouds. We got a history lesson on it while we drove out. After some photos, we headed back onto the road. We stopped to take pictures of the beautiful rocks and then stopped in a small town called Santa Rosa de Tastil. There were people selling things. I wandered around and took photos. We then hit the road again, with a stop at a place called Abra Blanca which is 4080 meters above sea level.
We stopped for lunch in a town called San Antonio de Los Corbes. It was a cute little town. I ate llama and rice. It was really good and would eat it again. I took some photos around the town especially of a cute little kid. Then we headed back on the bus. It was like a two hour ride to the Salinas Grandes (salt flats) so I slept most of the way. We arrived. I saw two girls i knew from University of Belgrano so we hung out and took photos. I wandered around and took more. It was beautiful. Eventually, I got back in the van and we headed out. We were now heading to Purmamarca. We stopped at a point called Altos del Morado, which is 4170 meters above sea level. We stopped once more to take photos of the beautiful rocks.
We finally reached Purmamarca, where I grabbed my stuff and wandered the roads. I eventually found a hostel. I dropped my bags. I wandered the small town. They had a market in the center which I checked out. I then followed a road and ended up walking around Los Cerros de Siete Colores (the rocks of seven colors). It was so beautiful. I want to come back here one day. I ran into the Australians, Basques and two girls I saw at the Salt Flats. I took many photos.
I headed back to my hostel. There I showered for the first time since Tuesday. I then walked the town and got dinner. At my hostel, they had a show, which I took some photos and video. I then got ready for bed and slept for the greater part of 10 hours. It was amazing.
5-21-10
I woke up and grabbed breakfast (tea and toast). I then packed my bags and walked around until the bus came to Tilcara. After a 45 minute ride. I have now arrived in Tilcara. A plan is possibly formulating for the rest of the trip. But we shall see. I will be wandering the streets and the mountains of the beautiful area. It is amazing how pretty it is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)