Beautiful Salta

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Salta has continued with the first impression of a beautiful city, there is a significant difference between the more developed Argentina and very third world Boliva. The streets are lined with more "western" type shops, but the centre square is quite beautiful and enclosed by the Spanish styled architecture that adds to the beauty of most of the centre squares that I have seen, and not to mention a beautiful big church. The first night (Sunday) in Salta I spent organizing a mountain bike ride for Monday, before getting some much needed sleep after having only broken sleep on the bus ride. Monday morning I was up and had breakfast with Jana, before Nacho from Salta MTB picked me up and we headed out for the hills. I met a lovely English couple, Lauren and Tim, who were also doing the ride. We began heading uphill, the climb quite reasonable, it was a great feeling to be back on a bike. We stopped off at a barely running creek and had a snack and a chat. Talking about universities, leaving me well convinced that I should do at least one semester of my masters at Bristol university in England, as I had been partially convinced of by another girl I had met in Ecuador who also studies there. While on the ride we stopped to take in some lovely views of Salta, before heading downhill toward the end of the ride. It was a great way to spend the day in the beautiful weather and Nacho was great to have as a guide, and great to meet some more lovely people. Later in the afternoon I met up with Jana and walked with her to the bus station as we were parting ways, it had been a great week travelling with her, and I now have somewhere to stay in Prague, and also an idea to study there as well :)My second full day in Salta was much more relaxed, I went for a walk for a couple of hours up in the hills before having an over the top coffee in the main square, complete with cream and flake on top. Then had a look around the shops, before having some lunch. After lunch I took the 1070 steps up one of the hills on the outskirts of Salta which gives a spectacular view of the city and also has beautiful gardens and waterfalls at the top. There is also the option of taking a cable car up, but I always find the view even more worthwhile if you put a bit of effort in to get it. The following day I went out on a hike in the hills surrounding Salta, where I met a lovely Irish girl, and the highlight I would have to say was stopping at a picturesque creek for a picnic lunch. It was a great was to spend my last day in Salta, and with beautiful weather to match. Mendoza (next stop) would have to be pretty spectacular to compare with Salta.

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