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Published: March 13th 2009
This is even more unbelievable than yesterday. I wish I would find a computer which would work properly to download the pictures. Finding a decent computer isn´t always easy.
The landscape of Quebrada de Humahuaca is unbelievable. Bear in mind this takes about 4 hours to get there from Salta (once again with tour). We visited Purmamarca (which was the most amazing), San Salvador de Jujuy (pronounced hoohooooooooy!), Tilcara and Humahuaca.
This is a valley/gorge. The landscape is unbelievalbe. One side of the valley is dry with red rocks, the other is luscious green mountain. Purmamarca is a cute little town. The mountains surrounding it are called the Seven Colours. The mountain really has 7 colours, in parts, the colours are striped into the mountain. Violet, Green, Orange, Red, Beige, Blue ... it´s amazing, I can´t believe something like this exists!
The altitude of Purmamarca is roughly 2195m. Just walking up a slight hill, we were puffed. Even when sitting down, I feel claustrophobic, like I need to breathe deeper. Next stop was Tilcara (at 2500m), which is also where I am currently overnighting, is where I started to see kids on the street selling coca leaves. (ie
umm .. yes ... cocaine). Coca leaves are chewed to give you energy in order to make you feel better at this altitude. This is also when I started to feel exhausted and lack of energy.
We then drove from Tilcara to Humahuaca where on the way, we literally stepped oacross the Tropic of Capricorn. Humahuaca is the capital of this part, and is also where the indigenous people live. In that town, I met a hippy from the Canary Islands, who makes jewellery and sells them on the street. He has been doing this for one year, and plans to sail to New Zealand .. he lives off only the money he makes from his jewellery - a real hippy :-)
In Humahuaca my blood pressure was extremely high, and I got sick from the Locro that I tried (it was the first time I tried meat since being on this journey. I tried Llama, which was surprisingly tastey!).
I am now in Tilcara where I don´t notice the high altitude. It is a beaaaauuuuutiful little town where I feel very safe. The houses are all made of sand and earth, and all around you can
see the mountains with 7 colours. It is quiet and I enjoy the tranquility ... The people are poor, the shops are simple selling mainly llama products, goats cheese and nic-nacs (bags, ponchos) of all colours....
Although I planned to head straight to the border of Bolivia tomorrow morning (4 hours), I am contemplating staying as many of you have advised me to stay in a place and enjoy it if I like it - and this is the first town that I really like.
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Nigel and Margie in Australia
non-member comment
Fantastic!
Wow! Silvia... all those colours. What a fascinating stage in your travels, dear girl. And yes, do stay a while somewhere to catch your breath... but only where there's a computer that will sendn us some of your photos. X