It took many, many hours on buses but it was well worthwhile to skip ahead on our jouney to the Quebrada of northwest Argentina. Tiny mountain villages dance between the massive Andes with gorgeous local crafts, multichromatic mountainscapes, adobe homes, and cobble stone streets. Our first stop was Purmamarca where we camped with the most spectacular view of the Cerro de los Siete Colores, a truly mesmerizing site. We hiked around, bought llama clothes from the ongoing local crafts fair around the town square and listened to pan flute music play Simon and Garfunkel. Yes, it was a little slice of mountain heaven. It was with an understandably heavy heart that I got back on the bus to head up to the next village on our path to Bolivia. We arrived quickly in Tilcara, another amazing village. This one has a livelier vibe with an artisan colony and lots of down to earth, chill people just enjoying the natural beauty at every turn. We took a four hour hike today to the Garganta del Diablo, or Devil´s Throat to see a waterfall in the midst of the mountain desert. At night we have been cooking fresh chorizo from the carniceria over the fire with fresh bread. My Spanish is slowly improving and my interractions have become significantly less awkard which is definitely a plus. Upon our arrival to Tilcara, in search of a homestay we followed around a drunk local carrying our packs for about 25 minutes while he rambled, we stared blankly and wondered whether we were going on a hike or to a house. Just one of many lost in trabslation moments that have left me laughing so hard I have to put my backpack down. I still have a highly limited vocabulary and get a lot of blank looks but I can order food well and that is an improvement in my mind! Tomorrow we will head out to a precolonial fortress and then on to Humuhuaca, a Quechuan village where no amount of Spanish will help us! Tonight we will dine in town in our llama sweaters and sleep under the stars. Buenas noches chicos!
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