Argentina part 2
Trip Start
Dec 07, 2008
1
16
17
Trip End
Aug 09, 2009
Cafayate, Northern Argentina, Argentina
Friday, July 3, 2009
We really have to apologise for the delay in this blog. It started off that we were having too much fun in Argentina that we had no spare time to write this and then we crossed over the boarder to Bolivia where we have been sick since :-(
The last time we wrote we were waiting for our wee Jo to arrive (yet again!!). I don't know how the girl does it. She had like a 35 hour travel and was still ready and buzzing for our night out. BIG love and thanks to Sinead and family for their wedding present. We had been hanging out for this for ages as it was recommended to us by so many people. A true authentic Tango night. It was held in a plush little restaurant with a stage, and while Phil and I ate the most tantalizing Argentinean steak and drank scandalous red wine, we enjoyed the Tango dancing and sultry singing on the stage beside us (he really did sing to me, Phil got jealous ha ha)
It was a wicked night (great company of course) and the dancing just made you want to get up and shake your booty. Thanks again SMM, I cant tell you how good the food was!!
So after being well fed and watered we climbed up unto our bunks like children on a sleepover and got ready for our next adventure...cowboy style.
The next day we were waved off by our Spanish mum and dad from the hostel (seriously two arms waving in the air!) and set on our merry ways to find this ranch...what a blinking nightmare. We walked half of Cordoba before we finally got to the bus stop, then the bus was full, then we waited for hours for our pickup...but when we finally arrived in the back @rse of nowhere it was worth it. There were three other Irish staying there too and needless to say we got stuck into our supply of wine that we bought and had a great aul chinwag before of course, climbing into our bunk beds (I'm 32!!!!!!!)
Carla and Seb, this was perhaps one of the funniest wedding presents we've had!!! The next morning we all had brekkie before being assigned a horse. Lets just call mine Merde!! Off we trotted into the mountain ranges to some spectacular views...beautiful...that is if your horse wasn't called Merde and went wherever it wanted to. It seemed like mine was the leader of the pack and every time I wanted to move to get a photo it would a) not budge because he was stubborn fella not taking any rubbish from an Irish lass who knew nothing about horses!! or b) it would take off in the total opposite direction from where I wanted it to go and Phil and Jo's horse would randomly follow us into the bushes. I cant tell you how many times Jo and I nearly wet our pants laughing!! (There's even proof on the video below) They really should put portable loos on top of mountains!!
So after a good few hours talking to our very own real life handsome cowboy, needing to pee our pants and giggling the whole way home, we finally made it. We then spent the evening learning how to make liquors (always handy) and bread (prefer the liquors!) and the next day how to lassoo!!! With my scarf on and my lassoes in my hand I felt like the real deal!! naaah who am I kidding ill just leave it to Clint!! THANK you Josts for a wicked Cowboy stay!!
So after three days on the ranch it was time to say yeeehaw and be off on our merry via. Well not so merry if you include an overnight bus again. We headed up north this time to one of my favourite all time places Cafayte. This is real Argentina!! A sleepy little town, with lots of cafes on the sunny square plaza with a back drop of the Andes! Stunning!! We stayed in a gorgeous hostel called Rusty K that someone else told us about. We ended up staying a week it was so lovely and relaxing. The people here are unbelievably friendly, which I found throughout Argentina really. The first night Phil had man flu and took to bed which left Jo and I on the loose. We took ourselves off to a cheap steak house and got drunk on cheap liters of wine. By the time we came back to the hostel we were naturally fluent in Espanol and of course tortured our little Spanish friend Lannee till the early hours of the morning. Unfortunate as daylight came, my Spanish left me ...a strange phenomenon that bemuses me all the time.
But there was no rest for the wicked. Wine and cheese must be tasted!! So off we went on our biclettes and cycled through some of the most stunning and peaceful scenery we have had on our travels. All went without incident until my hubbie thought he was too much of a wine conasaour and whilst swivelling his glass for flavour, managed to tip the whole of the contents of my head!!!! Another disadvantage of being 1ft smaller than your spouse...accidents happen all the time!!!
The next day was spent eating the most amazing ice-cream (wine and cactus flavoured!!) and Empanadas (our equivalent of pasties), watching Phil play ping pong (far too energetic for Jo and I) and playing with the new born puppy. It was a tough few days I have to admit! But then the time came when we had to bid farewell to Jo. So I ran along side her bus into the sunset (I'm not in it for the drama really!) waving and choking tears goodbye (whilst also chuckling away as some random Spanish bloke sat beside her on an empty bus!!!) BYEEE Ho!! We miss you Beatrice, cant wait to see you again xxx
We spent another couple of days in Cafayte (celebrating our 6 months wedding anniversary which is like 6 years in travelling world!) and took a cool tour of the desert, seeing some impressive terrain. Our “tour guide” mad me poo my pants with some terrifying ghost stories, half of them true and half for his own entertainment.. Then we made our sad goodbye and headed to Salta and the boarder to Bolivia. It felt like I was leaving Loas and entering China again. I really didn't want to go. Argentina felt like home and filled with such warm, amazingly friendly people who will try to help you in whatever way they can!
Its in a close running with Loas and I whole heartedly recommend this place to anyone!!
I'm off to Bolivia to get sick now (I can see into the future :-)!!)
Adios amigos,
We love you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Katrina and Phil
More strange things about Argentina....!!!
When the Coco-Cola truck comes to town to deliver supplies its party time. The truck is equipped with massive speakers, fun loving staff and everyone gets dancing. Sorry Pepsi.
