I can now drive anywhere...

Hola!

About 30 minutes ago we returned from a road trip up north to Purmamarca, about 90km away from Salta.

With great trepidation I pulled our small manual transmission Ford something-or-other into the streets of Salta and I had a plan: tailgate like crazy. It´s the best way to get through the gazillion unmarked intersections. When the local driver in front of us edges out and goes for it, so do I. After one intersection we learn that our plan works like a charm. The car trying to pry between us just sits there and we gloat at our success in navigating the streets and the bikes and the motorcycles and the lack of lane dividers. After a few blocks we hit a big road that has stoplights, make a left on it, and with great relief head out of dodge.

Within about 10 minutes we´re out of the city, and in about half an hour highway 9 diminishes into a one lane road, though the highway continues to be two way. Another half hour goes by and we enter one of the curviest roads I have ever driven that is accompanied by steep drop-offs to our right. Imagine Chuckanut Drive going on for about 25 miles, but reduced to one lane with traffic in two directions and ledges the are not for those with a fear of heights. Add to that the occasional horseback riding pompas, a few goats, pigs, horses, cows, and bulls in the road, and you have yourself one of the most beautiful drives you can imagine.

After we emerge from the curvy portion above highway 9 once again becomes a sane route with two wide lanes and dividers. 20 minutes later we pull into a small town that´s not in any guide book for lunch called El Carmen. We park next to a school when all the children are out playing in their uniforms, which are white coats. They look like a flock of tiny doctors. We walked around the town square looking for food and, after takin a peek into a teen arcade that is dark, crowded with kids playing video games, and booming with halfway decent Latin percussion based pop, we head into Mia Pizza and get two delicious pies - Argentina is heavily influenced by Italy and pizza is everywhere.

With full bellies we get back on the road and after climbing to over 7000 ft hit our destination, Purmamarca, which is one of the most beautiful small villages I´ve seen. It has narrow streets and dirt roads, and looked down upon by gorgeous, colorful mountains. We find a small quaint room with a view of colorful mountains at a hotel run by a very nice caballero.

After securing our room we head north another 20 km to Tilcara for the rest of the afternoon. Here we visit old Incan ruins that lie among many cactus and below the colorful mountains. Next we drive 8km up an excruciatingly narrow, dirt, and (yes, again), one lane road, to over 9000 ft to view a canyon with the word ´Diablo´in it. However, when we arrive the sun is close to setting and I am out of my comfort zone with fear about the steep drive down and the dramatic cliffs and the impending lack of light. After quickly viewing the dramatic canyon we turn the car around and head down. One pickup with several locals blasts past us in the opposite direction like the road is a piece of cake. Shortly thereafter we part through a flock of goats being led down by its owner, and about 10 minutes later a sigh of relief is exhaled as we hit flat road.

This morning we trekked into the mountains behind Purmamarca to view the famous Cerro de los Siete Colores, a dramatic bluff of the moutain´s multicolored strips. You can see purple, green, orange, and many others. It is breath taking, literally and figuratively, given the effort to trek at over 7000 feet. We wandered through call sorts of cactus on the way.

After shopping and lunch, we turned back for the drive home, which was thankfully uneventful until we reached the urban Salta streets where I had to once again navigate the crazy driving while searching for a petrol station and then the Budget Rental office. All the while Allison frantically read the map guiding me along. A word of advice to newlyweds: don´t attempt to drive an Argentine city early in your marriage - it´s stressful. Once reaching our hotel we ordered a beer and let go of the stress by our hotel´s small and unused pool.

After a day of rest tomorrow we head out for a camping trip over the weekend in Parque Nacional El Rey and then get a rental car on Monday for a three day road trip south of Salta to Cafayete and Cachi, both of which are supposed to be beautiful.

Thanks for reading. Ciao ciao...

Mark