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Published: February 10th 2010
As we approach our exit from the great country of Argentina, we reflect upon the highlights and the top tens of places seen and things done, people met and personal victories won. Little did we expect that we would be embarking upon a city of profound depth that would rise to become one of the pinnacles of our experience here in Argentina. We arrived in Salta and settled into Hostel Yatasto; a very friendly hostel that made a convenient home base to explore the surrounding streets, countryside and hills of this cultural Northwestern mecca. If I have one regret, it is that we did not spend more time here.
At this point I would like to make a quick note about ageism. Ok, not that we actually encounter any serious discrimination based on age, but I am utterly amazed at how poor a judge I am with people's ages and theirs of ours (well, mine really. Jess always looks young and gorgeous). For some reason I assume every one we encounter is our same age, practically to the day. I think it is because the discussions you have as a traveler and the cohesion you find in thought processes
of those you meet on the road make age take a back seat. I guess when you whittle it down it makes perfect sense. Jess makes a point arguing most of these people are fresh out of college or the Army and we are staying in accommodations that are the cheapest available and attract youth. In their eyes we should be popping out youngins by now. When the initial get-to-know-you conversation turns towards the question of age, I, of course, am far off track and usually the others are as well. Since leaving home, I have been told by four people that I look like I am on the verge of forty! No offence to those nearing forty but come on! They immediately backtrack and say that it is because of the beard. Little do they know that If I shaved I could be right back at it, in my prime, captain of the football team. The owner of the estancia where we recently went horseback riding said I look like an old man living out my
fantasia with a young wife! Sweet goodness! I told him I also drive a fast car and he patted me on the back
and gave me some more wine. Ok, onward, enough of this blathering.
As we began to research things to do in this town, we befriended the hostel host, Joel and another traveler from Holland, Sophie. These two became our companions for much of our stay. Salta is traditionally a conservative, Roman Catholic city that is home to many famous monuments, namely, Convento San Bernardo, Inglesia San Francisco and Catedral Basílica, all still in use. The door of the convent is hand carved and dates back to 1762. As we perused the streets of the comfortable town, we came across a couple of young Aussies promoting Australia Day. By promoting I mean pounding half liters of beer at three in the afternoon and pointing to a chalkboard where they sluggishly wrote Australia Day which is their independence day. We returned to the bar at a slightly more decent hour to find two dozen or so 22 year old Australians, travelling independently of each other, pumping fists and playing music from their acclaimed radio station Triple J Live which plays the hottest 100 worldwide jams all day long. How these people find each other amazes me. We chose to stay for
only two drinks and one sighting of a young man's member before making our way to something a bit more Argentine. A short cab ride took us to a Salta namesake, La Casona del Molino.
La Casona is what Argentines refer to as a
peña. A peña is a place where locals go for delicious food and drink but the real experience is the incredible music that is played nightly into the wee hours of the morning. Once a song begins, the majority of the crowd picks up the tune and strengthens the ballad. It has been told to us that any true Salteño male knows how to sing and play the guitar. I believe it, there wasn´t a face in the joint that was not singing passionately if not strumming a tune or two himself. This is not to say the women do not share in the talent. Many women also sing, and probably play the guitar as well, but we have been told their forte is in the dance. We were encouraged by Joel to take my guitar and perform as the people are all very welcoming and enjoy hearing other music from around the world. We
decided to leave the guitar at home for our first visit but after this first viewing, I knew Jess and I needed to return and give this personal musical experience a go.
Two days later we joined Joel and Sophie for a day in the country to try our hand at horseback riding. Many people think all Coloradans own a horse or at least know how to ride so we figured we better put on a good front. We travelled an hour into the countryside and arrived at the estancia of the 60 year old (or so) Enrique, my good buddy who thinks I am only a few years younger than him. A warm welcome of boutique wine and laughter helped introduce us to the group of six that we would be riding with. We set off on our steeds shortly after. I rode a large male named Cabaret and Jess rode La Bruja. We figure Cabaret has been named such because he is a damn fine-looking steed and it was only appropriate that he have a damn fine-looking rider. La Bruja translated is The Witch for she was born on Halloween. Do I need to explain the likeness
of mare and rider here readers? Yikes! It should go without saying, but Jess and I commanded these horses like true champs. We were given the opportunity to gallop and let´s just say, IT WAS DOPE! "Hya!" I yelled as I gave Cabaret´s underbelly a quick kick and we went rumbling down the grassy stretch. Jess, having accomplished this task many a times in her childhood mind with Star, was not slow learner. Not only did she perform well, she took it upon herself to continue galloping to and fro outside of the group and guide's permission. Always one to push the limits! Both fellow riders and guides were sure we had done this before. Although we hadn't, we will surely be doing it again.
An incredible day such of this could only be topped off with another visit to La Casona. We arrived at ten thirty and were sat in a comfortable room but it did not quite contain the crowd we envisioned. The real show was on the patio and all the tables were booked. I knew that as the night grew longer, more folks would come and our room would eventually become the intimate atmosphere we
were hoping for. The hours wore on and the empanadas, sangria and wine were consumed steadily. At about 12am we had finally the first chords strummed of the night. Two men began their swooning and captured the audience. One by one more musicians joined and began the ritual of passing around the guitar and taking turns. I am only armed with my dinky travel guitar that is literally a child's guitar and about 2/3 the size of a normal guitar. I searched earnestly for a phone book to prop my guitar up behind me to give the others a signal that I was of their tribe.
Eventually the guitar was offered to me (thank goodness for mine would have been the laughing stock of town) and I made our introduction. I told them that we were from Colorado and that it would be my goal to learn the ways of their traditional
folklore style. I then introduced Jess as la pajarita de mi amor (the little bird of my love) and an applause reverberated through the room of 25 people. We knew only one song in our small repetrois would do:
Women be Wise by Cissy Wallace, in the
style of Bonnie Raitt. The tune sounded great on the guitar and needless to say, Jess brought the house down. The place went wild. Unfortunately our new friends couldn´t make it but this strengthened the moment for us as it was so exhilarating to be just the two of us in a group of all Spanish speaking people, none that we knew, in such an intimate setting. Some of you have seen us perform poor renditions of the Rolling Stones and Steeler´s Wheel but this took guts, not booze and sunglasses to hide our nervousness (well, a little bit of booze!). A man who sat silently all night and looked rather intimidating actually approached us afterward and addressed us by name (two hours after our initial introduction) and asked us if we were going to be visiting his hometown of Cordoba! We were treated as friends after our performance and it felt very good.
At that point it was time to pay the bill and luckily we had just enough cash. I went to the register to pay up and when I came back Jess was not at the table and I was briefly startled. Oh, but what is this? No need to fret, why wouldn't Jess be perched over the piano serenading the crowd with
Blue Moon as an old timer Salteño layed out the ivories in an elegant fashion? Another clammering of approval and applauding and we were on our way out. Unfortunately, after paying the bill I realized we were short on cash for the cab ride home. I told Jess I would take a cab to an ATM and return for her. I found a cabbie outside that looked a little too relaxed and told him my needs. I hopped in and I noticed a very large fracture on his windshield and part of it was nearly shattered. We made it the ten blocks to the cash box in one piece when I realized I forgot my wallet. Doh! We returned and I ran inside to get it. When I got back in the cab the man decided that I now knew him well enough to show me his wild side. We lurched forward and went flying around corners at race car speed. Far from being a racetrack or open stretch of road, we bounded through intersections that did not have stop signs or streetlights and flew around bends nearly on two wheels. "¿Te gusta adrenaline amigo? WHOOHO"¨, the man yelled. I tried my best, "waahaaoo...what happened to the windshield?" "Caballo (horse)," the man screamed. Jimminy cricket, this dude is nuts! We arrived at the ATM and I decided I better only take out what we need for tonight lest I get robbed by this man. Returning to the peña unscathed, we decided it would be best to let some other poor person use him for a ride home and waited for another cab. Thankfully, we live another day to bring back our new found courage to find a place on stage back in our home of Colorado where we hope to encourage others to share their talents openly for all to enjoy.
Check out this video of La Casona and have a look at some of the others on youtube!
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Amazing.
What a journey. You two are such amazing people and I am so happy to know that others got to see it too.