Our initial plan to go down the coast of Brazil to Floripa and keep going south through Buenos Aires and then to Patagonia had to be changed. It’s winter here in the Southern Hemisphere and not a good idea to go in that direction. We decided to change route and fly to Salta in Northern Argentina and go up north from there.

We flew in at 5 am to the tiny airport in Salta and saw the sun come up from the mountains that surround the town. We immediately noticed the temperature difference from being at a higher altitude. We took a day trip to Cafayate through the windy roads that feel like being in the American southwest. Different earth color tonalities invade your sight and contrast with the clear blue sky. In Cafayate there are many wineries that produce wine at high altitudes and it was interesting to taste some of them at one of the local wineries.

 

Making our way north we stopped in Humahuaca, a small town with many local indigenous people dressed in traditional clothing, we stayed here for 3 nights at Giramundo, a hostel with many backpackers, the most crowded place we’ve stayed so far but we enjoyed the conversations with other fellow travelers. In the Quebrada de Humahuaca, the mountains that surround the town, we went to see the “Cerro de los 17 colores” aka El Hornocal. Going up to an altitude of 4,500 meters in less than 40 minutes can make you really sick so we made sure to have some coca leaves to chew on the way up. The breathing becomes shallower, the heart beats faster with the slightest physical activity. You feel like you are 80 years old climbing the hill from the viewpoint. We had never seen something like this place. Staring at millions of years piled up in layers of different colored sediments makes you feel the immensity of nature and how we’re just a tiny particle in this vast infinite universe.

 

Our last stop before crossing the border to Bolivia is known as the most beautiful town in Argentina, Iruya. This place lost in middle of the mountains well deserves this title. After a long 3 hour bus ride we arrived and looked for a place to stay. We found “El Hornero”, where Alicia and her dog Chiquita welcomed us to their home with a spectacular view of the cerro from her terrace. This place is so calm and the view is really breathtaking. In the evening we saw condors flying at a distance—hoping to catch a closer view from the ‘Mirador del condor’ viewpoint later this afternoon. Moving into the slow life, hand-washing our clothes, listening to traditional music, taking it easy and being ok with frequently changing plans, enjoying the present moment and the unexpected, and the unplanned surprises this place has been offering us.

 

Finally, we’ve been playing around with the camera at night with long exposures and we’re pretty happy with the results so far. The starry sky in Iruya was so incredible, it felt like it came down to greet us. Of course, the pictures never make it justice but we’ll keep trying.