A recap of the Northwest

Hola a todos! We just came back from an awesome trip to the "Northwest." On Wednesday, we met at the school at 11 PM at night to be greeted by our double decker bus! Imagine this image, but with Spanish writing. It was awesome! The first floor was half filled with I think 10-12 lazy boy style chairs. On the right side, there was 2 lazy boys (with GREAT RECLING abilities and a board you pull down from the seat in front of you for a bottom bed piece) and on the left there was a solo lazy boy. I choose that seat in the backrow. It was great, way comfortable. I attempted to sleep in a curled ball position, why I don´t know. I am not very good at sleeping on transportation things, no matter the comfort level. The upper level had probably 50 seats, very comfortable, but smaller. They also reclined well, had the board for your feet, and hugged your body nicely, I could have slept well there too. The coolest part was the front of the bus-- a panaromic view from the top (look to image to see). It was almost like being a part of a video game.

The reason we had this bus is because we had 8 hours to drive until we arrived in Tafi de Valle in the Tucuman province. We went to rock garden view and a myths and legends musuem and then arrived at the hotel and walked around the area at all their different shops. Before dinner, we all went to the only bar (it was a veryyy small puebla), and had a little too much fun before our dinner. But the dinner was great with our friend Michael, or Miguel here, making the different animal noises we told him. After dinner we all hung out for awhile and then went to bed. We had an early departure the next day for Amiacha del Valle and Quilmes/Tolombon.

In the morning, we left for a church and jesuit musuem (and I realized I left my North Face vest there! Que triste!...I´ve ordered a new one already (ON SALE), not wanting to part....). After lunch, we went to the Quilmes ruins, which was kind of like seeing a Mayan temple, but it was like rock walls, with grass floors...very cool! Again, great view! That night we went to an observatory . We watched an "Origin of the Universe" movie in SPanish...so a little complicated...and got to look at the moon and Saturn (saw the rings and all!) through a large telescope.

The next day was the day I was loooking forward too--the winery! We went to the Bodega Etchart in Cafayate (in the province of Salta). Unfortunately, this was the morning I felt really sick and nauseas. We did some wine tasting and I bought 5 bottles of wine, one for everyone in the family. After our lunch there, we had a four hour drive where I thought i was going to vomit the entire way...oh stomachs, how great they work! When we arrived in Salta (the capital of Salta), we visited a church and then more artisan markets. For dinner, we went to una peña, or show, at "La Vieja Estación." We got to watch "guachos" do traditional dances and chants and then women came and danced as well. It was really neat. I wish I could have enjoyed it more since this is when my sickness was full blown with fever and all. After the gaucho performance, the winner of Argentinean Idol came out to perform. He was cutee! and a good singer. Again, I wish I could have enjoyed it more. Salta was the biggest city we went to, so everyone was drinking and enjoying their wine and champagne that came with dinner and went to a beluche afterwards while I went home to take a bath and sleep. At around 4 AM when my room mates returned I realized my clothing was soaked through...sweated out my fever so that´s good! Unfortunately, my stomach was still doing flips.

On Sunday, we left Salta for Purmamarca-Tilcara. We saw the mountain of 7 colors and got to hike through its pathway for about an hour (great for my stomach!). Then we drove on and stopped at an all natural acoustic mountain crevice thing. It was a former waterfall and had formed the most perfect cave-esque place, I believe it´s called Pucara. There was a 3 man band who was playing and got everyone dancing. It was great to watch, I´m sad I wasn´t up to moving around too much :( Before dinner we went to an anthropological museum that had a cave we could enter. It had staircases about one foot thick and no railing and it was pitch dark. We followed each other in a line up and down these scary stair cases, I was sure I was going to fall off and crack my head on all the stones. After the museum, and shortly before dinner, some of us went to a little caféteria I found and drank "submarinos solos" as a merienda. The submarinos are like hot chocolate, but you recieve hot milk with chocolate powder on top and then you add a dark chocolate bar to melt in it. So good!

On Monday, we stayed in Tilcara but we visited Humahuaca as well. We visited a textile factory where they produce goods from llama wool. I bought a great gift there that y´all will have to wait and see! We also went to a mini musuem on indigenous cultures. It was pretty neat but freaky at the same time because there was a thing there that I had dreamed about a year ago! I dreamt about people making objects out of bread and there it was there--exactly how it looked in my dream! crazy!! My favorite part of the museum was there medicine room though, it was full of voodoo and a painting that depicted how you could go to a "doctor" and tell them to kill you if you were sick and didn´t want to continue on. Creepy! Although with my stomach still hurting it may not be that bad....just kiddiing! I would never give up, and I know it´s not serious :)

When we returned to the hotel, we had our final dinner full of a lot of wine (again, I didn´t drink any knowing my stomach). More animal noises from Mike and then lots of toasts, some drunk some not. We all went to bed and then woke up early (5:45 for me!) for our 20 hour ride back. Fortunately, some how it only lasted 14 hours, including an hour stop for lunch. We passed the time with sleep and charades. Definitely enjoyable :)

And now we are back to the daily grind and school work. Ciao for now! Pray for my stomach :)