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Published: December 21st 2007
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We left Tafi del Valle via a quick visit to the Parque de Menhires - and nothing more. Headed up into the clouds over the 3,000m Infiernillo pass. Couldn´t see any of the views. As we dropped down on the Cafayate side of the hills the clouds lifted and the landscape became more desert like with the lush forests being quickly replaced by cardones cacti. We were hoping to stay at Quilmes to see the ruins there (see previous blog entry) but the dispute about land rights etc seems to have got worse. The access road is now blocked off with felled trees and scrub. Moved on to Cafayate for a quick rethink. Decided to start on the road to Cachi and stopped at San Carlos where we stayed in a rather funky adobe hostal. Very peaceful little place with big church and a huge town square. Managed to find somewhere for pizza and beer for dinner.
Next day we picked up our morning hitchhiker and headed off the end of the tarmac onto the ripio and compacted earth road - luckily it hadn´t rained much along this stretch. Beautiful mountain scenery all around as we bumped along. After about
Molinos church
the sun doesn´t always shine even here 40km we took a coffee break at Angastaco. Our man was still at the turn off as we left town so we were reunited for the drive to Molinos. This was the worst part of the road, quite bumpy and very narrow in places with a decent drop off to one side. We turned off at Molinos intending to stay at the village hosteria, only to find that it was closed for refurbishment. Plan B swung into action: Susan negotiating a homestay with a local girl of about 12. We ended up staying in the same house as the local bus drivers. The friendly, if spartan, tourist office told us about two possible places to eat, only one of which was open during all our time in Molinos. Dinner this time was empanadas and humitas. Molinos is in a lovely location, has a nice church and a few smart older buildings near the church but you would need to be on the run to stay there too long!
From Molinos we had only about 50km to Cachi. Stopped off for breakfast at Seclantas, a village for which we had low expectations but it is very pretty (with several restaurants
and places to stay). We managed to find somewhere for coffee, tortillas and jam. Just what we needed. From there it didn´t seem so far to Cachi. In the two years since we were here last the town has become even smarter with newly paved roads, fresh paint on the buildings around the plaza and more cafes and restaurants. Managed to book ourselves into same hotel and same great room as two years ago.
Spent a relaxing first morning sitting in the shade by the pool reading, after lunch we arranged a trip out with a local guide to see the pre Inca ruined town of Las Pailas. We would never have found it on our own nor the sites such as the communal centre for grinding corn etc within the town. A fascinating trip as it also included Santiago telling us about the culture of the valley and the various medicinal uses for the plants we stumbled across.
We did what most people seem to do in Cachi which is watch the world go by, there is a late morning influx of tourists off the morning bus from Salta but most people seem to leave on the
At Las Pailas
checking out the latest in kitchen utensils with Santiago afternoon bus. Very relaxing. We are about to head down the hill to Salta, and we know from previous experience that this is a really scenic drive - will probably post some photos next time.
If we don´t get to publish over Xmas here´s wishing you all Feliz Navidad!
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