SACRIFICED CHILDREN - NOT OURS!
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2009
1
87
255
Trip End
Aug 18, 2010
Where I stayed
Salta, Northern Argentina, Argentina
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Up late (hooray) and out for a city excursion with Roman. We went straight to the main square, Plaza 9 de Julio and to the High Mountain Archaeology Museum (MAAM). This museum houses the three preserved children's bodies from the summit of Cerro Llullaillaco in the Andes Range. These children had been offered as sacrifice to the Inca gods. The bodies along with the other items offered, miniature dolls, bags made out of feathers and containing coca leaves and jewellery were excavated in 1999. It was fascinating to learn about the children, which were member of the Inca Royal family. Apparently a distinguishing feature of the Royal family is the shape of their heads. When a royal baby was born their head was bound in a peak shape. This obviously had a serious repercussion later on as the brain was not allowed to develop and the members of the royal family would have brain disorders or die at a young age. We thought the Incas were bright. Anyway, a great exhibition and one the kids are still asking questions about.
Outside the museum there was a gathering of gauchos and their horses. Apparently a pageant had been arranged in honour of some dignitaries who were in town. So we pitched up outside the Cabildo and watched the police band and gauchos perform. It was hardly "Changing of the Guard" but it was rather comical if you sub-title the procedures with your own interpretation.
As with everywhere else in Argentina, Spain and France everything stops at 1pm and starts up again at 5pm. So our watching the gaucho proceedings meant we missed the opening of the baroque Cathedral and the San Francisco Church. The kids were quite excited to hear the news so we ventured off to San Lorenzo for lunch.
San Lorenzo is only twelve minutes from Salta and is a summer vacation place for wealthy Salt’ Arians. The climate changes from hot and sticky to cool and breezy in the twelve-minute drive. After lunch we visited a castle built by an Italian and now owned by an American and then went on the cable car to view Salta from a bird’s eye position.
Ian, by now, was tapping his watch anxiously – Chelsea was playing Inter-Madrid and wanted to find a bar to watch it so Roman hit the highway back to the main square. Happily ensconced in front of a television, which was playing the wrong match, I left Ian to go shopping.
I hit Salta’s answer to Primark only the clothes were badly made, colourful but tacky. The shoe shops, of which there were many and absolutely full, contained shoes as if they were from Bata, very cheap. The word chic could not be used here, it was more Chelsea Girl meets Woolworths look.
After finding out that the Chelsea match was going to be aired after all, I took leave of the bar along with Edie and Lily. We ambled back to the hotel and en route I was happy to note a few bespoke boutiques offering some more tasty pieces. Unfortunately I was now with two very bored children and no space in my luggage.
However I did discover a find on the way home, a beautician who offered waxing. Thank god my legs were beginning to look like a tarantulas. My outrageously, expensive waxing in Las Vegas had grown out. I also asked for a pedicure as well and within minutes Lily, Edie and I were in a dingy room painted a washed out yellow and blue wondering whether I had done the right thing. The pedicure was basic using some very basic creams and a wide selection of five colours, actually four, as two pots were the same colour. I did not ask about the sterilisation of utensils as it was obvious that a squirt with a spray of some magical formula, (no idea what) was sufficient. As for the waxing, well there was no worry of spreading disease here as she ladled a green wedge of gloppy wax and spread it down my leg and then discarded the removed wax, hair et all into a metal takeaway container. Again, I failed to ask what she did with the wax after. I didn’t want to know.
The high points of my treatment is that I did not incur any infection, illness or the loss of legs and the treatments set me back a whopping £10. Yes £10, plus tip. So don’t hold back, treat yourself when in Salta just remember to take some nail polish colours with you and don’t ask any questions.
