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Published: March 24th 2011
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Day 58
Catch bus to Jujuy and dump our bags at hostel before exploring the town. On our D.I.Y walking tour we are bemused to find a police officer at every corner. I guess this makes us feel safer but can't help wondering why there are so many police - what happens here? Anyway after a quick lunch in a place which is straight from an eighties B&H magazine advert we return to our hostel.
Now Em’s sixth sense kicks in and starts to ask the following:
1) Why is no one else staying at this hostel?
2) Why do they not have clean sheets for us?
3) What is that smell?
4) Why do we have paper instead of glass for a window?
Torch in hand she inspects the mattress and around the skirting boards and very quickly discover lots of dead bugs and after consulting the oracle (interweb) we identify these as ....BED BUGS. An inspection of other rooms has the same result but with the addition of a large dead cockroach. Luckily we hadn't not really unpacked so while I stand guard Em runs round the corner to find another place to stay.
On Em's return I then for second time use my standard expression of ‘una problemo’ and after some very British complaining (I think we apologise more) we make a hasty exit. The best bit of the conversation is when we pointed to the offending bugs and were informed; ‘Yes bed bugs, but they are dead, we had an infestation 2 days ago but now it is ok’. Unbelievably they seemed genuinely shocked that we refuse to stay there. It makes me itch just writing this.
Em uses the situation to her advantage and books us into a 4star hotel round the corner, insisting that she cannot stay anywhere else... cotton sheets, kingsize bed, marble bathroom and cable help us to forget our ordeal.
Day 59
After a very comfortable night in our king size bed we make a very awkward return to the bed bug hostel as we booked a day tour with them. The tour was to travel further north to see the towns of Purmamarca, Humahuaca and Tilcara and was sold to us as an English speaking tour. So you can guess our surprise when we have to squeeze into a small Peugeot 206 with
an older Argentine couple and our guide Oscar, none of whom speak English. As my face is pressed against the window in the back of the car I think this is going to be a long day. Em manages to make a few decent attempts at conversation in Spanish, whilst all my attempts are greeted with blank looks. In the end we actually have a lot of fun and once again the scenery is spectacular with multi coloured mountains which look like an artist’s palette.
In Purmamarca there is a traditional craft market with lots lama woven products. Being caught up in the moment we purchase a 'unisex' llama hoody, as we think this might help us look less touristy (everyone is wearing one), but it just has the power to make anyone who wears it look 10 years older. At this point Oscar reveals he was in a band back in the 70’s and precedes to give us a tune on is electric ukulele. Back in the car the music blares out as Oscar plays his CD and sings at the top of his voice, while overtaking large trucks on blind bends. Next stop is Humahuaca for lunch,
were we eat our homemade tuna bean salad in the plaza listening to the protest speeches about reclaiming the land for the native people (the couple and Oscar clearly think we are weird when we bring out our tupperware and they go off to a local restaurant) .
The afternoon is spent visiting pre-Hispanic ruins complete with a half finished Turkish pyramid from 1930s (strange?). Afterwards we race home to our 4 star hotel listening to ‘Let it be’ and the titanic song on the pan pipes, which is surely the best music ever (although Em says if I dare purchase pan pipe moods 3, she will divorce me)!
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BUGS!!!
How awful I can't stand spiders! never mind bed bugs But you're still enjoying it.Had good time with Liz Which country are youin? I've lost track Lots of love Grandma