Salta became my favorite surprise stop and a true highlight to our 2 months in this great country! Although it wasn´t on our original itinerary, McLure took a quick interest after some Argentines we met at a bar in BA highly suggested we check out its amazing desert landscape. YOu know how they say often the places you don´t plan are the ones you love the most, Salta is a prime example.
Known as the having the most indigenous influence of all AR´s cities, Salta sits in the far Northern Andean region at 1238M (around 4000ft). It was, in fact, one of the southernmost places the Incans came to dominate. At first glance however, in sitting in its charming central plaza with its statues, cafes, orange trees, churches and classic Spanish architecture, I swore I could have been in Spain. You know that got me right away! But as you wander further through their streets, markets, see the amazing colorful textiles in their shops you see these people have a very different, beautiful history of their own. We didn´t, however fully appreciate that until we got out of the city.
Our highlights of the city were the archeological museum, which housed a 500 year old Incan girl mummy found perfectly preserved atop a nearby volcano (yes, a bit creepy, but so out of this world) and their penas, bars that had live folkloric music - a mix of Spanish guitar, Argentine balads and native Andean music.
After a few days in the city (Salta is also a province), we set out to explore its neighbor Province of Jujuy by car - roadtrip!! Having our own set of wheels and freedom after two months of buses excited me to no end. But the places our trusted silver golf took us were the true highlight. Heading north of Salta, through the amazing Quedabra de Humahuaca (Humahuaca Canyon) I discovered the reason why this region is growing rapidly as a tourist destination. The colors and amazing shapes of the rock you find in these canyons turns your conversation right away to ¨what else¨ is out there that created this all, and scientifically how it all happened - glaciers, plate tectonics? etc. Check out the photos, I need not say much more but think dry desert, amazing sunsets, HUGE cacti, donkeys and their villager owners along lonely roads, llamas in the fields, adobe villages of 500 people...
Oh! plus as the tourist industry expands, they now have a boutique hotel market, which I happily tested out. My favorite hotel in allll of Argentina was La Posada de Luz, where we splurged and stayed in Tilcara. It could have passed for a top notch desert B&B in Sedona with clean white sheets, cozy and relaxing rooms, amazing views and private patios. I was in heaven, and McLure had to tear me away. It couldn´t have come too soon after 2 months of our budget sleeping experiences.
Salta & Jujuy Photos http://picasaweb.google.com/jenniferhlavac/SaltaAndJujuy#
I just cant believe that Argentina has all these such different things in its borders from Gauchos, to wine country, to big city BA, to mountain towns in Bariloche...to now this amazing desert and indigenous people they really just have it all.
