Through the magnificent gorge, Quebrada de Humahuaca, to the border with Bolivia.

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From Salta in North West Argentina we started our overland leg of the journey up to and through Bolivia and into Peru. Bus travel in Argentina is easy as the buses are normally luxurious double deckers with toilets and all-you-want-help-yourself-coffee, someone told me that the night buses have beds and red wine on offer! We wanted to go on the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) which is one of the world's greatest and highest train journeys climbing to 4475m (about 14,680 ft) but we decided against it as it was too expensive and we would have had to wait another 3 or 4 days for it as it only goes every few days.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is an intensely beautiful and varied gorge running some 100 miles to the town of Humahuaca at an altidude of about 3000m (9840ft). Our first port of call was Tilcara where there is a great pre-Incan pukara (or fortress). At least the guidebook says it's 'great', we never actually found it! Tilcara is built next to the Rio (River) Grande at the foot of the mountains. This is an incredibly dry and dusty area and the Rio Grande is all but a trickle here.

I (Gerry) was in a slight state of anxiety as the very next day was the European Cup final (with Liverpool playing Milan) and it was to be live on satellite TV and I had to find a satellite TV! After much patience on Denise's part we managed to find a hotel with the approved requirements! The Final coincided with the Argentinian Independence Day (25th May, 1810) and there were big celebrations in the village. So as an appropriate build-up to the Final we were treated to numerous food stalls; a brass band which seemed to play the same lively tune for 4 hours solid; unending parades of school kids, old veterans, dressed up llamas (the animal version, not the monk version)hospital staff, museum workers and anybody who did anything in the village; and swarthy-looking gauchos riding up and down on horses. Conveniently finishing just before the Final we rushed off (well I rushed off and Denise followed at a leisurely pace!) to our hotel room to watch the ensuing drama of Liverpool winning the European Cup despite being down 3-0 at half time! Although the days are always warm and sunny, the evenings are cold and our hotel room had no heating so we watched the match snuggled up together in a single bed.... life doesn't get much better than this!

From there we took the bus to Humahuaca arriving 3 minutes to noon. This is significant as bus loads of tourists come driving in at this time to see the appearance of a kitsch statue of San Francisco Solano emerging from a niche in the equally kitsch tower of the whitewashed Municipal building in the little village plaza (a square not a mall). The other great attraction of this village (apart from the lovely 17th century church at the other side of the plaza) is the gigantic Monumento a la Independencia (the Argentinians take their Independence seriously!). This is a bombastic concoction of stone and bronze by a local artist and took 10 years to build and is surrounded by cacti looking like giant Cheesy Wotsits (see photos for evidence).

This was to be our last stop in Argentina, which has been a great experience and one we have thoroughly enjoyed. What lies ahead as we cross the border into Bolivia will be completely different and much more challenging!

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Photos

Independence Day in Tilcara
In Tilcara in North West Argentina, high in the Andes, the whole village celebrates with parades by the main plaza.

Denise at our hotel in Tilcara
This is where we watched the great Liverpool victory!

Tilcara
At about 3000m (9840ft) altitude