Blogs from Cafayate, Salta, Argentina, South America - page 9

Quilmes and the Museo Pachamama We got up early the next morning to drive the 55 miles south to the pre-Columbian ruins at Quilmes. The settlement is located at 1,978 meters above sea level, and dating from around 1000 a.d., it was the largest human settlement before the Spaniards arrived in Argentina. Covering about 75 acres, the city supported a population upwards of 5,000 in terraced structures with thick walls, overlooking irrigated farmlands. The Quilmes Indians were the last native group to be defeated by the Spainards. The last 2000 survivors were deported to Buenos Aires, where their name now represents an industrial suburb and a beer factory. We were happy to arrived early and have a chance to climb around and take some photos before the tour buses arrived. We checked out the small museum ... read more

For the last week and a bit I´ve been getting in touch with nature in Patagonia, which is the very very south of Argentina and Chile. After a 35 hour bus ride from Bariloche (yes 35 hours!), we were in El Calafate, Argentina! I was with two chirpy Northern Ireland girls named Julie and Kate that were from the Spanish school in Bariloche and by coincidence were on the same bus to El Calafate, so we banded together to check out Patagonia! The town is very small and touristy, but pretty with lots of wood cabins. Mostly it serves as a base for the Perito Merino Glacier nearby. The glacier is one of the few in the world still advancing (bloody global warming!), and it is HUGE! We took a boat ride that goes quite close ... read more

Finally had some time to add an entry after lots of sightseeing and Patagonian lamb and red wine. The trip to Perito Moreno was probably one of the best ever. The glacier is awe inspiring and it kept everybody´s interest all through the day. It is particularly good when some of the ice falls from the glacier and the noise reverberates around you like fireworks. Met a couple from London who we spent all day with and then all night with for dinner and drinks. Had some fantastic Patagonian lamb which is the best I have ever tasted. John McHugh would love it. Next day up early again for a boatrip around the Los Glaciares National Park which has lots of glaciers and icebergs. The boat weeved betwen the icebergs and the colour was amazing when ... read more

Alright I have fallen off the face of the planet i havn´t had mobile reception for like 1 and a half weeks and i havn´t found a decent internet cafe for a while so this post has been back dated some what so i can manage my photo distribution through my posts. Cafayate the jumping ground for the moreno glacier and probably my favorite place so far. we pulled up in our hostel on a monday night. so we decided just to head out to dinner and finish off with some local brews at the recommended don deiago´s (not sure on spelling). any ways after 4-5 beers 2 moheto´s and a couple of rum and cokes the evening was moving along quite nicely. about 2 am and the locals poured in we mixed with the crowd ... read more

Tucuman It was time for a break from BA but was I ready for the 23hr bus journey? Cama? Not for me thanks, I want discomfort for the whole nine yards. I really want to feel ready to explore the North. We actually wanted to go straight to Cafayate but you can't so, on the fifth or fifteenth stop, we had to change to another bus, which meant a 4hr wait so we took the opportunity to have a look around Tucuman, albeit a rather sleepwalk look. After maybe 10 mins of walking and trying to convince our body clock it was lunch time and not breakfast, we gave up and decided to sit down for lunch with a good bottle of wine and the only veg option on the menue (good old pasta). Tucuman is ... read more