Salta

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Here is a whole load of photos from my stay so far in Salta.
Dan and Lucy from Mendoza turned up here in Salta one day after me (they had gone to another town on the way but didnt like it) and we all went on this amazing horse ride.
It was the aniversary of General Güemes who led the Gaucho army in the war for Independance against Spain. The Gauchos are the cowboys who work on the cattle ranches or Fincas (or Estancias). So every year about 200 gauchos ride out to a valley about 5 hrs from the city where there is a monument to the general in a field, and there they have a big meal and a ceremony before riding back. Since we were not used to riding we started half way, from a Finca run by a guy called David, and joined all 200 gauchos on their way there.
We were the only gringos there and it was the most bizzarely brilliant day, a bit like a wedding in a field but everyone has turned up on horses!
Rode back at sunset to a BBQ at the Finca and woke up very stiff the next day.

David our gaucho guide took us out the next night to a really traditional bar/restaurant where a couple of guys on guitars and drums were playing after dinner. I got dragged upto dance by a guy called Raul, who I´d met a few days earlier, but who then got really drunk and spent the rest of the night following me round telling me he loved me. In the end I resorted to hitting him over the head with the rose he had bought me each time he said it. He still didn´t seem to get the message!
Salta its hot and sunny and am getting a reputation as one of the slowest travellers around! I have been in Argentina nearly 2 and a half months and will have to make a border run soon to get another 3 months on my visa - and I havent even got to Buenos Aires yet!!
I have been here in Salta for a few weeks studying spanish - I did 32 hours in the last 2 weeks but I still dont feel like I can talk much. I know lots of theory but most of the day was taken up studying and didnt leave much time for practicing over a bottle of wine or two (which is the only way to really learn of course).
Have been having a great time though, I have just come back from a little road trip around this area. I hired a car with Anthea, who I met in Mendoza and a Dutch girl (Milena)and English bloke (Nikil) who I met here. We drove out into the most fantastic scenery of cactus, mountains and strange rock formations, to a town called Cafayate for the night then on to another called Cachi before coming back to Salta. I´m now trying to decide wether to hop into Bolivia for a trip around the Salt flats then back here again before going to Buenos Aires which will solve my visa problem.
Decisions, decisions - I have noticed that all travelers are slightly obsessed with trying to work out their plan, I´m just so glad that I´m not trying to fit it all in to a few months. Some people are crazy - trying to do 4 continents in as many months! Arrgghh.

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Photos

Loving the car
Anthea and Milena