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Published: February 4th 2010
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Salta
View of the city As I arrived to Salta I was relieved to be out of high elevation and dusty roads. I was welcomed to a beautiful city. Very european, with large parks everywhere, a large central plaza with plenty of trees. Surrounded by street cafes and museums. Around 450,000 people the city of Salta is quite compact. One can easily walk around the flat city. I chose to walk up the 1000 steps of a hill overlooking the city opposed to riding the gondola that would take you to the same place for a few pesos. The weather was about perfect 20 -27 celsius all day only cooled down slightly at night. The culture was very different than I was accustomed to, with the stores and restaurants cloosing from 1-5 ish everyday for siesta time. The city then returned to life in the afternoon around 8 pm. The parks full of people walking there dogs and lovers occupying the benches. Night markets full of locals and tourist alike. The locals didn´t even think about dinner till about 9 pm commonly eating around 11 pm. As well the nightlife would just start around midnite going till 4 am on weekdays and sun up on
Salta
Central Plaza the weekends. To say the least took some getting use to. Although the siesta part fit right in with my style. Around Salta there are many adventure activities which include riding horses, white water rafting and bungee jumping. The surrounding area has many mountain peaks and sacred sights for the most southern inkan communities.
A highlight was a museum which displayed three mumified children from over five centuries ago. They were elite inkan children ranging from 7 to 15 years old. Who were thought to of made the pilgramage very far to the sacred city/ area of Cuscu to take part in a ceromony of all the inkan communties. Then walk back in a straight line to their communtiy, many times over huge mountain ranges. Where they then held another ceromony where they were put to sleep. Not sacrificed it explained, they were to reunite with their ancestors and thought to never die. It was a priveledge to be chosen for this ceromony reserved for the most beautiful of the chiefs children. The mummified children were preserved by the cold weather at an altitude of nearly 20,000 feet. They were found in 1999 clothing in good condition, with gold
Salta
pedestrian walk camelids and other sacred objects. The skin, hair and nails were all in relatively good condition. It was a good way to conclude my time in Inkan territory, learning even more about there daily lives, culture and practices. Amazing what they were able to accomplish in their time period.
From Salta I took the 10 hour bus south to the university/ cultural city of Cordoba. At first appearance and stroll through the city it was a bit overwhelming. Very big at over a million people, construction everywhere and a bit untidy atleast compared to the clean city of Salta. Staying five nights in the city each day I grew a little more fond of the area. A huge park on the edge of the city housed many trails a zoo,(with sad looking big cats, However many argentine bird species) a beer garden and swimming pools. The city of Cordoba in the middle of summer was lacking the thousands of students as they were off travelling, but had the scorching heat. Maintained over 30 degree celcius (90+ farenheit) all day not really cooling down at night time. Sandals tank top and shorts were the appropriate apparel all day and night,
Carlos Paz
Reggae festival with the cold shower only option a treat. For some reason most the city would lose electricity for several hours in the day, not sure why, but it didn´t seem to bother the locals to much as they carried on with business. Some in the dark, some with their generators. Many nice churches and pedestrian walk ways were scattered in the central area near the main plaza. Again dinner wasn´t till about ten pm and nightlife just starting around 1am going till sun up. The Tango hostel where I stayed was small and cozy but usually had nightly entertainment via the guitar, card games or drinking games, until everyone went out after 1.
Highlights and activities I did while in Cordoba included a reggae festival saturday and sunday nights. Many argentine bands as well as from Venezuela and Chile. Very good sound, a good outdoor venue maybe 1000+ were there. I met a few locals that introduced me to many of there friends and the local drink Fernet and cola. Which got me into the mood to stay till the early morning listening to dj´s after the live music was over. This all took place about 1 hour outside
Carlos Paz
before the reggae festival of the city in nice town with lake called Carlos Paz. Another event was in a town called Alto Gracias where Ernesto ¨Che¨ Guevara lived for several years of his childhood. They made his old house a museum, where there was a story line of his early life, family and his time as a revolutionary. Which included several pictures and letters of and from Che. He was a very dedicated person to helping the hard working poor people of south america, however don´t agree with his violent tactics. Who knows maybe it was only option at the time. He definetely is a respected figure today all over South America with monuments of him as well as grafitti, t-shirts, and stickers in his honor. In Cordoba I also went to the Natural Science museum, which displayed many fossils, and minerals with a history of the Earth. Trying to explain the different periods of life through out time, as well as the different climates and ecosystems here on Earth. I also spent some time wandering through the park. Oh yeah and getting my fix of movies in the nice theatre to stay cool and mexican food (which is hard to find).
Alto Gracias
Che s motorcycle Next I head off to wine country and rafting in the central Argentine city of Mendoza. Hope all is good back at home, and the winter weather isn´t too gloomy
peace to all
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forrest
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dear jeff
dear jeff, i miss you. when are you coming back? please bring me back a picnic basket filled with candy. your loyal pet, FORRest