Speaking of tourism, Argentina knows low season, mid season, high season ... and the "semana santa". Just as Parisians fight for tables on spring terraces, Argentines fight for hotel rooms during this autumn holy week. Argentines look ahead - when at the beach, they book a skiing chalet; when skiing, a beach resort; at New Year's Eve they book Easter holidays and on Easter their Christmas fiesta. You'd rather get organized, guys. Or prepare to invest long looong hours in a desperate accommodation research. And money in the prices that double.
Just as the Argentines divide themselves into two camps - Boca and River, they split according to holiday preferences - the South or the North. Is it more mind blowing to step on Perito Moreno or hit the legendary Ruta 40 to the wild wild Salta and Jujuy?
For our first big holidays (in Argentine terms one week means "big"), we opted for the North: the region bursting with history - from the pre-Columbian settlement in Quilmes to the declaration of independence in Tucuman; for the region with endless bumby roads, literally off the beaten track, in the middle of nowhere, where you'd rather opt for a horse than a Chevrolet; for the region where furniture (even altars) isn't made of oak but of giant cacti; where the vines don't grow on the earth but beneath the clouds, where mountains resemble a painter's palette; where 2500m is low and 300km short.
The road from San Miguel de Tucuman (420m) to Tafi (2100m) is a lesson on Argentine roads. They are so many traffic signs informing you about holes, missing parts and construction works that you spend more time reading than driving. Tourist legend has it that at some points, the bus driver is likely to ask passengers to get off as he's not sure to manage the next curve. But the risk pays off: the scenery is spectacular as you worm your way through the (almost tropical) rain forest to the desert hills of Tafi del Valle. Tafi is where the people from the baking hot Tucuman (40 degrees on April 9 = October 9 in European terms) escape to fill their lungs with fresh mountain air (15 degrees).
El Mollar, a village 12 km south of Tafi, exhibiting a collection of more than a hundred of 2000 year old stones of the region (Parque de los Menhires). For modernisation and diversification purposes, a 30 year old stone (petra in Greek) has been included recently.
Our beloved Argentinian cows (see the Mendoza chapter).
Getting ready for Easter - shiny colours.
Worried looks - will the bus manage to cross the river? And us?
No risk, no fun. Talented Mr Mila in Chevrolet (luckily not his).
PS Only later we understood that flooded roads are a classic on the Northern roads, even when it has not rained for weeks. There are always tractors nearby, just in case, so don't worry.
No comments:
Post a Comment