A different Argentina

We left Buenos Aires for Cordoba - in style...We had booked a nightbus without any expectations; after all we did have some pretty bad experiences in Asia, so we were prepared for the worst. When we got to the bus (almost late by just being on time...bus folks are crazy punctual around here), we were welcomed with a glass of champagne and a snack before we could even sit down in our wonderfully comfortable chairs that tilted down all the way to form a nice bed for the night. Factoring in the hot dinner, snacks, movie selection and the cleanliness of the toilet, this busride beat the Aerolinas flight by far. An awesome surprise.

We got to Cordoba early on Sunday morning and had to wait around the hostel for our beds to be ready (got a free breakfast from those nice folks, though. Alvea Hostel staff is the best!) before we could get out there and start exploring. Since it was Sunday, the whole central city was closed, including museums, cafes and restaurants which didn't leave us with lots to do. We wandered around the huge park and visited the Cabildo at the central Plaza San Martin. Leading from there to another smaller plaza is a Pasaje where we could learn more about the military dictatorship and its victims through various sorts of displays. At nightfall, the city centre suddenly became alive with a huge demonstration.




As mentioned in the last post, it was the week of remembrance that culminated in the anniversary of the first mass demonstrations against the regime on the 24th. Many different groups gathered together and demonstrated in remembrance and it was a huge party with lots of shared mate, music, singing and dancing. Families with small children were walking side by side with teenage kids that sang songs with the elderly. We walked with them to gather the atmosphere and had a real blast. The next day we revisited the city centre that was now packed with life and action. We walked around the very extensive pedestrian malls, windowshopped, listened to tons of street musicians, enjoyed great food and coffee at a student pub and visited the old town again. The Iglesia Catedral was especially spectacular.

The next morning we jumped onto a local bus and took a ride to the small mountain town of Alta Gracia. 'El Che' grew up here and we spent the whole morning at the Museo Casa Ernesto 'Che' Guevara that is situated in Villa Beatriz, a house the family lived in. Tons of photographs and exhibits from games over books to the famous cycles (with and without big motor) that he traveled around Latin America with tell the story of Che's live. Especially the letters he wrote to his parents and his children are quite intense and touching. 

After a very nice lunch break we walked around the town centre with its dusty, hilly streets. We visited the Jesuit Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Merced, beautiful Plaza Manuel Solares, the little watchtower and the last home of Spanish composer Manuel de Falla that has been converted to a museum as well. On our way back to the bus terminal we stumbled over the museum inside the old atelier of Gabriel Dubois and saw some great art work before going back to Cordoba.

 When we arrived back there we got on another nightbus that took us to Salta, 'La Linda' how the Argentinians affectionately call it. When we woke up from another great night bus sleep in very comfy chairs/beds, we had reached a far more mountainous terrain (but not yet Andean heights) and watched a beautiful sunset over the scenic surroundings of the city before arriving in town. It was Wednesday morning during the Semana Santa and every affordable bed in the whole city seemed to be booked out so it took us a long time and lots of help from the tourist information office to finally settle down, get rid of our luggage and get ready for some exploring. Once we started walking around town without our insanely heavy backpacks, we realized very quickly why Salta is called 'The Beautiful'. With its historical buildings and cobbled streets, bustling pedestrian malls, plazas and huge parks and tons of arcades with cafes and restaurants and its beautiful setting in the mountains it is a truly beautiful place.

We gazed at the highest tower in Latin America at the gaudy-esque Iglesia San Fransisco, hung out with the school kids at the Plaza 9 de Julio, visited the Cabildo and spent the whole afternoon at the Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana. The museum documents the discovery of three children Inca-mummies and sacred objects that were all perfectly well conserved by the climate at an altitude of 6700m. This first encounter with Incan traditions and lifestyle was very interesting and awoke some apatite for more. We are really looking forward to seeing much more of this in Peru! When we got out of the museum it was already dark and we went to visit the beautifully lit Iglesia Catedral. Just when we got there a service, run by the bishop himself, started and in a matter of seconds the huge church was filled up to the last standing place. Even though we didn't understand much, the whole atmosphere was very solemn. The crowd was singing (or rather chanting) and the candles and all the incense created a warm and welcoming feel. It was another very lucky coincidence, being at the right place at the right time.

We followed the whole Semana Santa–theme the next day when we climbed up the Cerro San Bernado. 1023 stairs lead up to the mountain top at 300 meters above Salta and along these stairs there are paintings of the 14 stations of the cross that attract many pilgrims as well. Up on the mountain we enjoyed brilliant views of Salta and the Lerma valley and had a great picnic in the sun. When we got back into the city in the afternoon and tried to fiend a post office to send some post cards, we found out that in Argentina the following days around Easter are official holidays: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and even Easter Tuesday. Post offices open again next Wednesday. Well – no postcards from Argentina then...

We spent the afternoon/evening exploring Balcarce street where lots of bars, pubs and restaurants and entertainment venues line the street and a very happening atmosphere is in the air after nightfall. We didn't stay out too long, though, because the next morning we had an early start. We took a bus to Chile and left beautiful Argentina that we feel like we haven't spent enough time in even though we stayed for a whole month. We will definitely come back for Patagonia!