So we made it to Argentina after a somewhat rough trip through Bolivia. We stopped through the Salar de Uyuni, which is beautiful in a very surreal way, and then headed down to Tupiza, which looks a lot like the US southwest -- all reds and greens and oranges. We did some hiking there, though nothing too seriuos as it was pretty hot. The bus rides in that part of the country are not so fun - the roads arenīt paved and some of the mountain passes are death-defying. On the way to Tupiza I spent a good amount of the 8 hour ride trying to calm my breathing and dry off my sweaty palms.
The border crossing to Argentina went smoothly until we forgot to change our watch ahead an hour. We missed our night bus and the office where we stored our bags was locked for the night, so we stayed in a hotel that looks like it hasnīt changed, or been cleaned, since the 50s and then got out of there first thing in the morning.
Salta is a breath of fresh air. It has a very European feel, with big plazas and churches and outdoor cafes where everyone is smoking and drinking cappucinos. We stumbled upon a gorgeous bed and breakfast and have spent our days sleeping, eating, and wandering the city. Our bodies are beginning to recover from the last few weeks of long bus rides, freezing weather, and bad food. Weīve been stuffing ourselves with fresh fruits and veggies and today we walked up the cerro, the hillside overlooking the city with the requisite Jesus statue. There were 1070 stairs to get up (according to the sign. I didnīt count).
Tomorrow we take our last bus ride to Tucuman, and Friday we fly to Buenos Aires to meet my dad and Beth. The backpacking thingīs been fun, but it really feels like a last hurrah. Staying in a beautiful hotel and drinking wine at cafes is beginnning to feel like the way to go...I must be getting old!
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