As my guidebook suggests Salta is - a romantic city and gateway for exploring Argentina’s amazing North West - whilst, alas, I cant comment on the former statement I can on the latter (but not here - see the Cachi and Cafayete entries)...
Deciding to spend a couple of days relaxing in Salta's temperate climes proved a sensible decision indeed. Initially catching up on some much needed sleep my arrival in the town coincided with the weekend and thus an excuse (as though one were needed) to stock up on edible, beef based steaks and decent drink before the entering the culinary unknown that is Bolivia!
My time in Salta was spent wandering the streets, visiting the odd museum and basking in the gaze of the one whose attention I crave so - despite the fact she has treated me with such contempt, and hurt me so, in the past - the sun.
And a very pleasant time it was too. Salta is rare for an Argentinean city in that it has retained much of its colonial heritage (and we all love the architecture of former colonial oppressors and learning how a proud people were oppressed don’t we?). It is also provides a home to numerous empanada vendors meaning sating my addiction was but an easy task - I can appease my guilt at such reckless consumption with the knowledge that a little extra paunch in the cold nights of Bolivia will be no bad thing...
Mention should go to a young character I encountered in Salta. Sebastian, I think, is Argentinean and has rather bravely decided to travel around his home country despite being completely deaf and dumb. Communicating through the use of his mobile phone, lip reading and sign language he makes his way from one place to another without it seems too much trouble. My occasional tendency to moan at life’s little tribulations was put into sharp focus (alas, only for a short while) by meeting Sebastian. Annunciating in my best Spanish and using sign language, which whilst perhaps not internationally recognised seemed to do the job, I invited Sebastian to join us for a night out and he duly accepted. Indeed, from shady memory, he was having a just super time when I left a little later due to my equilibrium having once again departed me...
What else? Truth be told not that much for the blog to concern itself with...perhaps the city planners are worth a mention. In deciding to dedicate one whole street to the pursuit of the inebriated state - it contains nothing but bars - they have made the occasional drunkards life an easy one! Further eradicating traffic from said street means stumbling around is a safer pastime than it sometimes proves. Sitting and watching Salta’s finest (and even talking to a couple…) proved a just lovely way to while away those evening hours...
Ever onwards...
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