Iruya--A Hidden Shangri-La

South America » Argentina » Salta » Iruya
January 9th 2013

Published: March 22nd 2013

Iruya--The Hidden Kingdom of Shangri-La From charming little Tilcara, I traveled an hour to the transport hub of Humahuaca where my suitcase was flung on top of another ancient bus. I was in Northern Argentina´s Quebrada de Humahuaca, a World Heritage Site, a land of indigenous adobes in multicolored canyons, and we were headed to the end of the road. After an hour, we turned off the asphalt an... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 40, Displayed: 21

Comment Follow (83) Message

Tara Cloud

taracloud

I´m a one-way ticket, slow traveler, relishing the freedom of the open road and trusting serendipity to guide my journey. When I was younger, I used to travel for a year at a time. Then a few years ago, I roamed Europe and North Africa for three and a half years and liked that even better. On August 1st, 2010, I left my peaceful Mission Canyon paradise in Santa Barbara's mellow summer and emerged from a couple of planes a day and a world later in the teeming, sub-zero streets of Buenos Aires´winter. Now, with the Andes, Amazon and Galapagos between here and home, will three years be enou... full info

Blog Options

Top Photos Blog Map

Print Version

[blog=770425]

[blogger=173833]

22nd March 2013

Paula
non-member comment

thanks Tara-beautiful pictures and writing that captures the heart of the people, land, and your interaction with heart. hugs safe travels

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Thanks, Paula
Thanks for your sweet words--I'd love to see blogs from you and Paul as you sail around Europe.

22nd March 2013

aspiringnomad
Jason

Nicely written.
I particularly like your usage of comma's, to control pace. We spent some time in Iruya over Easter 2009. I'm not sure whether National Geographic would class that as 16th or 21st Century. However, I do remember we had to walk into town the last few kms in the dark upon our arrival, over rocks and through a river bed with our luggage and our one-year old son. Don't recall the exact the reason, as sadly I never did get around to blogging about most of our time in South America that year. Your panorama picture also brought back memories of standing in the river bank at dawn, on our departure day, trying to get the shot back to town as the sun came up. A special town, and special memories. Thanks for this blog.

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Early visitors
I suspect you visited the town before it got its bridge--yikes to cross the riverbed in the dark would have been a challenging intro to the town! I climbed all over the mountains around there, so I had tons of shots of that main part of town from a million angles. Glad you like my commas--I used to teach academic writing, which is why my grammar is fab, but my prose sometimes dry.

23rd March 2013

bvchef
Brendan Vermillion

Great to See a New Blog Tara
I was so excited when I saw this today. Not only was it an interesting, remote place that I will never go, but the pictures were incredible. I am in awe of the jump the villagers have to take each time the cross the river. Glad you had a nice time there.

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

My inspiration
Brendan, you were my inspiration to finally get out a blog--glad you liked it! Few tourists ever go there since it's so remote and not in many books. I, too, am in awe of those jumping the river because I trembled each time before I did it--very scary!

23rd March 2013

Bernie
non-member comment

Great to hear from you again
Tara...absolutely stupendous pictures and descriptions....so magically exotic.....another world.....Bernie

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Another world, indeed, Bernie!
I'd spent time in small, isolated towns before, but they were skiing or trekking centers. This was so much more exotic. Thanks for your kind words about my blog, too.

23rd March 2013

Beata and Tomek
us At Home Abroad

looks simply stunning
We wish we had a luxury of so many weeks in one place to be able to explore so well....all seems so amazing and we will for sure remember to come back to your Argentinian blogs when we are back traveling in SA. Funny thing about Agentinian girls...always fun and loud where ever you go:-) cheers, B&T

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

High spots first.
Beata and Tomek, you two really hit all the high spots and then some in your travels. How lucky that you're young and will return. And yes, the Argentines are wild and fun where ever they are (Poles are pretty fun, too).

23rd March 2013

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

WOW
My kinda place...stunning. Thanks Tara for putting it on the radar

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Off the radar, indeed.
You would love the place, Dave--very exotic and not mentioned in the Lonely Planet's Shoestring South America guide. These little places are the best!

24th March 2013

Iruya--hidden in the folds of the mountains

RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew

that's a gorgeous photo :)

24th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Thanks, Ren and Drew!
The place was so incredibly photogenic--glad you liked the photo.

26th March 2013

Helga
non-member comment

What an adventure
Great pictures and wonderful descriptions. You are, as always, intrepid and clearly not afraid of heights. Hope you're doing well. Sounds as though you are. I'm fine. Vonna and I are plannig a road trip to New Mexicao in May. Ease up on July 4th! Nothing wrong with a country celebrating its heritage. Love Helga

27th March 2013

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Heritage/nationalism?
Great to hear from you, Helga! So glad you and Vonna are taking a road trip to wonderful NM--I'm sure you'll be eating in yummy restaurants. Yes, I love heights and am doing well, and you're right about the 4th. Maybe I'd like us to have fireworks twice a year. And I'm so glad we don't have generals on horseback in all the plazas like they do down here--heritage gone wild. Happy adobes!

Tot: 0.168s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 20; qc: 33; dbt: 0.1104s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb

Do not copy images or text from this page without requesting and receiving permission. All rights are reserved by the author and photographer.

Contact Tara Cloud (taracloud) - a lack of a response does not mean that you have permission to use material from this page.

Iruya--A Hidden Shangri-La

Copyright Notice: All Rights Reserved