Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Argentina! Salta to Cafayate
The road ahead and the road behind
Argentina! I tried to cross but the road was closed because of some sort of strike. I was thinking that I might have to take some sort of detour (one day's driving) but when I returned in the morning, all was open. I crossed to Argentina and the car was checked top to bottom, had to take everything out while some guy crawled under (no drug dog here.) It took about one hour. Then I was free to wander the countryside. The first things that came to my attention were street and road signs, more than I have seen for some months! I took a day to get down to Salta. I stopped at the first supermarket. I was able to get fresh bread, ham, cheese etc, things that have been hard to get after Colombia (I am in culture shock!) I stayed at the campground in Salta for a few days. As soon as I got there I was asked if I am German. "No." I could not understand till I looked around. There were 8 German camper vans! It seems that it is quite a good deal to ship from Europe to Argentina. With Argentina comes good beefsteaks and lots of them with red wine! I am in heaven!
I left Salta and started down Route 40 to the town of Cafayate. At first the road was flat and uninteresting. Then it dropped into a river valley with the Andes Mountains to the right and red cliffs to the left.
Arrived at Cafayate in the early afternoon and set up to see some vinyards in the morning.
Argentina! I tried to cross but the road was closed because of some sort of strike. I was thinking that I might have to take some sort of detour (one day's driving) but when I returned in the morning, all was open. I crossed to Argentina and the car was checked top to bottom, had to take everything out while some guy crawled under (no drug dog here.) It took about one hour. Then I was free to wander the countryside. The first things that came to my attention were street and road signs, more than I have seen for some months! I took a day to get down to Salta. I stopped at the first supermarket. I was able to get fresh bread, ham, cheese etc, things that have been hard to get after Colombia (I am in culture shock!) I stayed at the campground in Salta for a few days. As soon as I got there I was asked if I am German. "No." I could not understand till I looked around. There were 8 German camper vans! It seems that it is quite a good deal to ship from Europe to Argentina. With Argentina comes good beefsteaks and lots of them with red wine! I am in heaven!
I left Salta and started down Route 40 to the town of Cafayate. At first the road was flat and uninteresting. Then it dropped into a river valley with the Andes Mountains to the right and red cliffs to the left.
Arrived at Cafayate in the early afternoon and set up to see some vinyards in the morning.
