Salta and Cafayate

Going back into Argintina to Salta. This time it is only an 10 hour bus ride. The views were incredible. I hate to say it but the bus rides have been great to see s much of these countries! Got into Salta, stayed at a great hostal (Terro Occulta). Met a guy on the bus staying at the same hostal. I still cannot pronounce his name (sorry Garraint) but I know it sounds like YgeahRighte. Next day Garraint and I head out to get a feel for the town but end up at a lil restaurant on the square and have a glass of wine...well you know how this goes (a bottle later). We did do a little sight seeing and took the cable car up to the top where there was a great view of Salta and had a great restaurant. We stayed there for a good portion of the day (ahhh cervacas). Met a group of Irish guys who also did not feel like sight seeing . They were very funny becasue they really wanted to get tan before they went home. Poor things, burnt is what they got.
For me Salta was just a place to chill out and not do too much...Went back to the hostel checked out the rooftop bar and met a bunch of people and stayed there for beers and pizza. Next night we saw and awesome Cuban band.

After that we (Treana-a girl I met at the hostal and I) were headed for Cafayate to taste some wine. We booked ourselves into a nice little hostel but little did we know they did NOT allow alcoholic beverages. In a town known for its wine, does that make sense? Sorry but I don´t speak spanish (as we popped the cork to our numerous bottles of wine).
Next day we were off to see their famous waterfall. It said it was a 2km hike...but they forgot to mention that it was just a 2km hike to the beginning of the park after that it was prob a 6+km hike up and down and through the river. After you begin walking a bit and you come to a point where you are actually not sure which way to go a "guide/towny" appears out of nowhere and for a small "fee" will show you the way to the waterfall. As Treana and I discuss we figure we will not be cheated by a 10 yer old (that is how old the guide was) and will just follow a group of ppl...why not. OK so we should have figured as much...duh this is what they have been doing for years upon years becasue NOBODY could have found this waterfall. Tail between our legs we agreed for the "guide" to show us the way. About 20 min before we got to the water fall she passed us off to our brother (all of 8 yrs old). We found out they actually live in the hills of the park. I felt so bad not wanting to give them money for this.
It was WAY more than 6km to this waterfall, was it worth it...Lets just say if it had been a reallly hot day (which it was not) it would have been awesome but it was a great hike!! We had to cross over the river several times and the canyon we passed thrugh wa impressive.
Walking the 2+km back in our flipflops becasue our boots were soaked through we made it to our first winery. So excited to sit and sip a nice glass of wine and possbily some cheese (thinking of CA). CLOSED at 7PM. Thank god for Treana and her Spanish..."The sign at the end of (the very long) driveway says you close at 7pm, it is 6:45 and we walked such a long way" She must have looked in our pathetically weary faces becasue she caved and gave us a tasting. We ended up buying 2 bottles to take back to our hostal that does not allow alcoholic beverages (HA).
Next day we walked around the town and tried to hit all the wineries we could. We were gearing up for a festival that night that was about 35 min away. While eating a snack (and wine) we met a guy (Tim) from San Fran and basically kidnapped him to the festival. We had a wine roady and had a nice ride. FYI this festival did not get started until about 12 midnight. It was filled with locals and the music and food were great. I actaully was a little surprised becasue everyone SAT and listened to the music and I just assumed south Americans would be up and dancing which is what Tim and I did. Yes we did look like "stupid tourists" but what the hell I will never see these ppl again!!
Next day said goodbye to Tim (poor thing had an 8Am bus and we got in about 7AM) and then Treana and I are off to another tour to look at the many rock formations that make this place so special. It was pretty impresive.
Next morning I took a 4Am bus to Uspallata / Punta del Inca and Treana was on her way back to the Salta area. See you soon Treana (we were going to meet up in Ecuador).

Uspallta is a VERY small town near the boader of Argentina and Chile on the was to Santiago. If you find it on google maps you wil see it is surrounded by the desert and then this small patch of green. It has a beautiful valley but that is about it. Also the movie Kyber Pass (never seen it) was filmed here (way back when). Met a great couple from Australia and we found out that the place we were staying in had a bowling lanes. We went bowling until abut 1 am and then soaked in the stars. They were incredible becasue there is nothign surrounding this small paradise.

Punta del Inca is nothing to see at all except if you want to climb the 2nd highest mountain in the world. Which I did not but gazed at it from afar. Then back on a bus to Santiago crossing the boarder...how long did it take to cross the boarder...4hours. Not four hours to cross but 4hrs in a line (on a bus) to cross into Chile. The bus driver actually said that time had improved from the last year...WHAT! What the hell are they doing....ahhh nothing. There are about 5 ppl working both sides. This is a boarder that on a daily basis will see about 7000 ppl. Yep 5 ppl is enough.
Off to Ecuador....