Salta and Jujuy Province

Cheers!

I just spent 5 days in Salta and in the Jujuy province. If you have problems localizing it, start studying geography, or take a look at this map.

Made with Paint!

I stayed in total 3 nights in Salta with a couchsurfer, and 2 others in the Jujuy region, in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, which was wonderful, though very touristy.

Salta is very cute, and way worth the hemorroids I got from the busride (22 hours, remember? My ass remembers). The city is surrounded by the Andean cordillera and smaller hills from which you can get a good view. 

Of course It's always better on sunny days.

 To go all the way up (there is about a 1000 meters difference between the 'small' hill and Salta), you can either take the teleferico or take the stairs.

I wanted to take the stairs in order to stay fit, but then I realised I never was fit, so why start now?

Then I went marching up and down the main square 9 de Julio, which you would describe as 'of colonial style'. 

The Cabildo. Ok this picture was taken on a different day. Well done, Sherlock!

The Cabildo, center of the (former) colonial government

San Francisco church, which is also closed during the siesta. But it's cold inside a church! So go back to work, lazy priesters!

Even the hotels are colonial.

 Even the restaurants are colonial.

Then I went to visit the daughter of Rascar Capac, which is a cute little girl sacrificed during Inca times and discovered in some peak in the Cordillera near Salta, forgot the exact name. It won't ring a bell anyway. You can't take any pictures of the mummy, she's too camera shy. Interesting museum but quite expensive if you don't have the ISIC card (merci la gueuse by the way!)

The Cathedral, opposite the Cabildo.

Then took a 4 hours bus to Tilcara, in the middle of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (scroll up to the map if you need more details). Due to a lack of CS around Humahuaca, I broke a vow I made, and stayed in a hostel. Yes, can you imagine, me actually paying for something? Still can't believe it. But it was cool: no 'been there done that' arrogant bitch (so I had to step in and assume the rôle) but nice and interesting people.

It's in this hostel that I realized that Argentinian people are all thieves. When I draw some money out, I don't keep everything in my wallet but generally hide some notes in hand-proof places: my bra, for instance (still hand-proof, to my great misfortune). (If somebody wants to make a joke about the fact that there is enough space in my bra to hide a bar of gold, now's the moment)

So I had one 100 peso note (about 17€) in my bra when I arrived in the hostel. I left my bag and went for a nice hike (which was very nice, by the way).

Intermission... (with Hermoso peak)

Intermission....

 When I got back, I was all stinky and I decided in a very altruistic purpose to take a shower... Need to say more? The damn note fell without me noticing it, and I had forgotten about it, as I always have tons of hiding places – which is stupid, now I know it. When I realized my 'loss', 2 or 3 hours later, a bunch of people had already gone in and out the room. Needless to ask around. Gone.

And the best part is yet to come: as I went to the bathroom, I noticed 1 peso (0,17€) lying next to the mirror. The best part is that I took them and went to give it back to the girl who had just left the bathroom. The best part is that she said thanks, and THEN I thought, wow, I'm really a good person, would anybody do the same for me?

Funny how my mind unconsciously wanted to know the answer (For the record, nobody came to give me the note back).

So now I can say that Argentinian people are all thieves. I mean, only 50% of the people in the hostel at that time were Argentinian, but hey, it happened on Argentinian soil, so that will do. 

Goodbye, sweet prince.

Beside this unlucky social experiment, I had a lot of fun. Nature, at last! 

As you can see, the vegetation is very different...

...and has the ability to express itself.

I went on a hike to the Garganta del Diabolo, which is a gorge in Tilcara.

At that moment my bra was still rich

What's behind?

Oh... what'ever.

Hello, do I know you?

On the second day, went to Purmamarca and the 7 colors hills, 

7 colors hills. I'm sure they painted them for the show 'pimp my hill'

The view is nicer on the other side of the river. 

That was close!!!

I then went to Humahuaca which doesn't have much to do for just a few hours. There are still some hikes around I guess, but time was laking.

On the way to the Quebrada, I noticed a railway line next to the road, obviously in a bad state and out of order.

Soooo romantic.

The Britons must have build the line, and this is how Argentina takes care of it? What will happen of the Falklands islands if we give them back to you? You people don't deserve them!

Back in Salta for a last day, I went to a free concert of classical music (Campioni) in the 'provincial Theater' as they call it. Those people don't have a good sense of PR: lesson n°1: keep it low that you are not in the capital but in the province. Anyway, the concert was perfect!

Then I met my CS in a small 'kosque' directly in the main Plaza: every saturday, dancers meet there to practice Tango, and there are boxes playing tango music (well they can't really dance tango on David Guetta's 'Titanium', can they?) 

So you think you can dance.

Afterwards we went to a bar/restaurant/house where people, groups, friends, drunk people meet, bring their guitar and sing typical folklore songs of the Salta Province. The guy next to me was having coca leaves, so I took off one layer of clothes, made sure my breast was presentable and asked if I could have some to try. He gave some to me but barely looked at me, which kind of affected my ego.

You are supposed to stuff the coca on one side of the mouth without chewing on it (which is why you look like a squirrel)

Or did they just had their wisdom teeth removed?

I guess the guy was just showing off and eating tea leaves, because I didn't feel any effect. But damn, could he sing well!

See you around, suckers!