Argentina Part I - North and Northwestern Patagonia (Lake District)

Salta camping with Peter the Dutchmen and Gaston the artesano

Random Salta face in the tiles

The wandering weirdos and their large tent house in Salta campground. Peter's RV in the background

Córdoba in the nighttime

Janet and us gorging on all an asado and salads (with wine) in Córdoba

La Flor in BA

Rose Bowl in BA...Roger in the background

The Four Horsemen on New Years Eve in BA

A taste of the La Boca neighborhood in BA

At Bomba del Tiempo drumcircle in BA

Salta, Argentina
Getting There and Away:
From southern Bolivia there are two ways to make the hop into La Argentina: grab a bus from the wild west town of Tupiza across an oft-travelled border crossing (By the way Tupiza, Bolivia is famed for being the last place Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid stopped before their exploits finally caught up with them - on a sidenote these guys are worshipped down here, they seem to have a sizable cult following, and there is annual festival honoring them in Tupiza); or take the windy mountian-into-jungle plunge from Bolivian viticultural capital Tarija across the border jump near Aguas Blancas. If the second route is selected, you are in for a treat (assuming you have a blue passport): while 300 eager Bolivians wait in 100 degree baking sun for the chance that they might be allowed in one poor soul at a time, you will be ushered through the same door they go through, apologizing profusely for making them move and watch you receiving vastly preferrential treatment, and barely even checked for credentials. You will not mind, however, as your bus to the border is woefully late, and you have 15 minutes to run frantically across customs and proceed through immigration AND make it 5 km down the road to the town where your next bus departs. As long-distance busses usually leave late to accomodate for such things, you hurry to make it close to the ETD. This is a sweaty and irritating process, and will fully test your patience for both yourself and your travel partner. Once you arrive to the town type thing and find your bus departure location, you realize Argentina is an hour later and the ticket booker in Bolivia did not tell you the departure time was in Bolivian time! This is worth a good laugh as you attempt to dry yourself off and clean up a bit. And then you find that you have to transfer one more time. Oh the wonders of South American public transport.

Places to Stay:
Once you overcome some palpable culture shock you have myriad hostels to choose from, all twice as expensive as Bolivia and most likely not as nice. If you are prepared, opt for the municipal campground, a quick 15 minute bus ride from city center where you have first rate facilities for $3 US per person. Plus the campground is outfitted with an immaculate pool the size of a decent lake, and shower stations spaced sporadically along the perimeter to stave off the heat and humidity (which are borderline unbearable when not in a swim suit and wetted). If you are unlucky, the pool will be closed until about a week after you are there, robbing you of some very desirable floating time. If you are lucky, you will have an awesome 60 something Dutch man named Peter as your neighbor who will allow you to use the fridge in his home-on-wheels, and share just about everything else with you in exchange for good conversation and the sole stipulation that you never say the words "thank you" to him under any circumstances, or in any language. He will be a hugely memorable figure in your trip full of meeting interesting people, and you will wish him the best as he continues his nomadic lifestyle to the Chilean coast where he will set up shop for a while. Adios Peter, vaya con Dios!

Also here you will meet interesting Irish/Welsh travellers who may stumble over to your tent at 12 midnight in a very intoxicated manner. Worth a hearty laugh in the morning.

Places to Eat:
Campsite cookouts are always recommended as the grills available are in good form. Don't forget the steak - its Argentina and that's what they eat! The chorizo is also killer and the grilled veggies accompany perfectly.

In town, Christmas dinner will consist of pizza, empanadas, and salad at a very nice restaurant with good and reasonably priced vino tinto. By the way, this could be ANY restaurant in Argentina...along with steak and other grilled cow and pig parts, this is just what they like.

Pluses:
The urban walking is fantastic, with bright lights everywhere and a good bus system. The people watching is highly seperior to Bolivia as there are tall and short, fat and skinny, brown and white, blond and dark haired people (in summary there is waaaaay more diversity) thus making for a very interesting transition. The shopping is good and the street food is above average. The hiking around town is on par with the natral landscape, which is an insane mixture of jungle canopies and tree lined hillsides.

Minuses:
Hot. Humid. Sun baked. And hot. And also reeeal humid. Without a swimming pool, this is one miserable place in terms of the weather.

Córdoba, Argentina
Getting There and Away:
From Salta hop on a bus South. The prices may shock you at first, as Argentinian bus rides are 3 times costlier than Bolivian or Peruvian. Apparently they have better double decker busses (or at least think they do).

Places to Stay:
Hostel Tango, a home-style dorm-only place with excellent security, good service and breakfast, a nice patio and cable TV in a common room with bean bag chairs. Watching random American movies late night Friday night hoops on ESPN is a must after 4 days camping in humid, pool-less Salta. The only downside is that there have been bedbug sightings. AT last visit, one bed was playing host to nearly 100 bugs, little red beetle looking things that emulate the best of vampires. You may have to pack up your things and move to the neighboring room (and hope none have relocated into your backpack) so that the exterminator can come through with his smelly hazardous fumes. If you are lucky the bugs will not follow you and you will sleep peacefully. Management will be very helpful in resolving the issue and being proactive, but will adamantly demand that they come from Chile. So go the relations between South America's southern-most neighbors.

Places to Eat:
Mediterranean food! If you are ever craving an ethnic meal, its after spending three months in Blandfoodville (AKA Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia), and it will not disappoint. The Lebanese really know where its at.
Parillas: Argentinians are all about grilling meets and eating them with fries and a carafe of accompanying red. Delicious and different, but a little bit can go a long way. Try the innards (gizzard, tripe, kidneys) just to say you did.
If it's homemade food that wets your whistle, hostel quesadillas with fresh and family recipe pico de gallo and guacamole are a hit.

Pluses:
Great walking city, with fun pedestrian streets and excellent shopping. Loads of cool old churches and brick museums to gawk at. The hostel, bed bugs aside, is very refreshing and you will make friends from Santa Rosa and Toronto (and be best friends for three days, and possibly never see them again except on facebook for the rest of your life).

Minuses:
It is still wicked hot and humid. And bedbugs really suck if you get bit. Just ask Arlen from Toronto, and thank God that you are travelling with a meticulous mattress-checker.

Buenos Aires, Argentina (All Coming Soon!)
Getting There and Away:
From

Places to Stay:
Home

Places to Eat:
After

Pluses:
This

Minuses:
After

San Carlos de Bariloche (and Llao Llao), Argentina
Getting There and Away:
From

Places to Stay:
Hostel

Places to Eat:
Hostel

Pluses:
The

Minuses:
After

San Martín de los Andes, Argentina
Getting There and Away:
From

Places to Stay:
Home

Places to Eat:
After

Pluses:
This

Minuses:
After

El Bolsón, Argentina
Getting There and Away:
From

Places to Stay:
Hostel

Places to Eat:
Hostel

Pluses:
The

Minuses:
After