Well, we are day 4 into our adventure and we have yet to post…… It was a verrry long flight from Toronto to Buenos Aires with a short stopover in Santiago – just enough time to disembark, go through security and reboard. We landed in Buenos Aires late afternoon, got cash from the ATM and found our driver.
First couple of days in Buenos Aires – We stayed at the Fertilia Downtown Apartments – good location for the first night and the Airport hotel for the second, since our flight to Salta was at 8:25 AM. When we first arrived in Buenos Aires, we dumped our luggage and headed out walking…much needed after sitting so long; then found a coffee shop for a much needed caffine fix.
After landing in Salta, we picked up a rental from Alamo and began our drive to Cafayate. The landscape on the ride south is breathtaking – mountains, various rock formations, desert, multiple colours of rusts, beiges, greens. We stopped for some pics along the way, planning to take more on the drive back…..goats, llamas (or alpacas??) along the road, on the road, crossing the road….
Cafayate is a town of about 12000 people. The town spreads out from the main square, and we are staying a couple of blocks from the square…..and multiple wineries.
We arrived at the hotel around 3 PM and asked the owner for recommendations on where to grab a bite (no food to that point). He shook his head and apologized, said we may find a couple open….but most of the town shuts down for siesta between 2 and 5. (Guess that explains why people here – in most of South America – don’t eat dinner until 9 or 10 at night…..our North American bedtime). We found out that restaurants don’t even open for dinner here until 8:30 PM at the earliest…..It is a whole different culture….
We have had empanadas now at three different restaurants….all different….all tasty…. We have had various bottles of Malbec….all different….all tasty…..
Today we visited the Wine Museum in town – the history of wine in this region – Spanish and English (good thing). We ventured into a few wineries, but with them not speaking English and us not speaking Spanish, it was challenging….
Todd and I have been saying for a few years now, we need to learn Spanish (since we tend to travel to a lot of countries that speak Spanish)….we are now determined….our New Year’s resolution…..