Vino!

The highlight of my trip to Cafayate had to be the visit to the Vasija Secreta winery.

I even tasted a Mendoza grape.

Obviously the real thing was much better!

Scenes from Salta

Arrived in Salta after a long and late bus trip. Was due in midnight, but it was after three by the time I got in. Luckily, I had met a lovely Dutch girl, Arnica, so I had company which made it all the better. I had only two days there and my second was a trip, so I spent my first day recovering from the journey and had a wander into town.

It is a quaint little place, it probably felt the most South American place I have visited so far. It had a central plaza surrounded by restaurants and a delightful pink cathedral.

I am sure there was lots more things to see, but I was starving and needed food, oh and a beer!

I’m not too sure why, but every meal seems to be accompanied with ham and cheese, oh and sometimes an egg; it was the strangest Milanese sandwich I’d ever had, but tasted mighty fine. An early night was on on the cards, I was getting picked up at 7am for my trip to Cafayate.

The trip to Cafayate was amazing, as to get there we had to go through a huge and I mean huge, canyon. It was really breathtaking, at times it felt as if I was in a movie set. Enough chit chat, here’s some pix.

Oh, I also got to feed a Lima 🙂

Don’t go chasing waterfalls…

Ah, please do. Especially if they look anything like these… Oh my lord, I have not seen anything more beautiful than the iguazu waterfalls. As promised, more is definitely less with this post, although my pix really don’t do them justice. It was scene from Swiss family Robinson meets Jurassic Park. Truly tremendous.

Before reaching the park we stopped at the point where urguary meets, brazil and Argentina.

Then into the park, a bit of hiking, a Thomas the tank engine train and a few rivers…

And then…

This is ‘Devils Throat’ the biggest and most majestic of the falls. But everywhere you went there were literally hundreds of them.

As if this was not more than enough, the day was topped off with a boat ride. You see this boat? Yep, I was on it. Pretty phenomenal stuff.

And, yes there is more, I even got to see a rainbow!

I’m off to Salta this evening, a super duper bus ride, all being well I should arrive tomorrow at midnight. Until then x

Leaving on a night train… Ok, bus

My adventures in Buenos Aires have sadly came to an end. I may not have seen as much as I had intended, but lord did I have a fab time and meet some great people; so that’s not a bad weeks work!

I’ve just departed, the city that doesn’t sleep, on an extra comfy night bus. The seats are as wide as i am tall! There is a pillow and blanket; I usually end up wrapping my sarong and towel around me. Plus, within five mins we got a bag of ‘Saladix snack’ and a soft drink. There’s even a tv, unfortunately it’s playing ‘bang bang, wham shebang’ stuff; this is when my peapod is invaluable. So, so far, I’m a happy bunny.

Had an enjoyable day and managed to get down to breakfast (only the second time this week, so that was an achievement in itself!) checked out on time and decided to check out Palermo. I had been with Nicole and Faye for a lovely dinner one evening, but since they promised me boutiques and fabulous shopping, thought that sounded like a good idea.

Best way to get there was via the tube, that was an experience in itself. I may have mentioned buenos aires is a city of contrasts, a bit like ritzy Rio and its’ Favellas. However, in BA, it’s not as contained to specific areas, you see if everywhere you go. The metro highlighted this even more to me, there was a street artist doing his thing which I suppose is very new York and then a blind girl working here way up and down the carriage with her stick and bowl. I suppose what was so refreshing to see was how many people seemed happy to part with their cash. Mind, they were not as enthralled with the hustlers who’d work up the carriages just putting their wares in your lap, they did by the next stop wipe them away if you really did not want to buy that pack of colouring pencils, or diary for the year. Maybe it happens in other city’s? Just all new to me.

So, I digress, leaving the metro station, there was four directions to go. I tried three of them and was gutted not to find one trendy shop! Yep, I did have my map, just didn’t think to mark on which streets and plazas I had to visit – sometimes I forget that most places are considerably larger than the beloved toon – I’m learning! Not to worry, I spied some pink flamingoes in the zoo (yep, I managed to find the zoo, but just not shops!), had an ice lolly and headed back to the centre where I did manage to purchase a few cheeky wee items!

Next stop, Iguazu; I’m going to the argentinian side; I think you can get views of the falls from urguary, brazil and Argentina. I don’t know too much, but the little I do know is that it was created two thousand years ago when a couple of rivers collided to create a huge waterfall. You walk along the falls, think there’s about two hundred and end up at ‘devils throat’ – the mother of all falls. Because of the speed / height of the falls, there is a permanent fog which causes rainbows. A couple of the gals from the hostel headed up there yesterday and I spied some of their pix on Facebook and they do look truly spectacular. I’m sure ill be righting this wrong, of doing a post with out pix, and do one with just pix.

Something strange is happening to the bus. We have seemed stop for awhile and are reversing down a road. Mmmm… Not sure when this will reach you, but I’ll get it uploaded ASAP xx