Living It Up In Salta

Salta, Argentina

There was a South African, a Scotsman, and two Irishmen sitting in a room…

This sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but it was actually the beginning of my Sunday night that turned into one of those unforgettable nights on the town. Needless to say getting up on Monday morning was a bit tough.

Meeting these four also kicked off a three day adventure through the countryside around Salta. I teamed up with the fearless foursome and we rented a car to drive through the mountains and vineyards surrounding the city of Salta down to Cafayate. The region is exceptionally beautiful and once out of Salta adobe houses litter a countryside that changes from lush green mountains to red, craggy hills and canyons with an infinite number of cacti. Five guys, a dirt road and a climb up the side of the regional mountains was almost too much for the rented SUV to bear and we crept up the sides of mountains in second gear trying fruitlessly to crack the 30 kph mark. Taking the longer route we turned a 180 km trip into something approaching 360 km’s but at the same time we had gained a greater appreciation for the regions beauty.

From Salta 2011-04

The next day we packed back into the car to drive 6 km’s outside of Cafayate for some hiking. With a little foresight we found ourselves enjoying lunch and two bottles of very nice torrontes (Hands down, my new favorite white wine. If you see it, buy it). followed by a quick swim in the Rio Colorado. Not feeling like our day was quite finished we made a trip to a loal winery for one more bottle of torrontes and the local market where we bought 5 kilos of assorted meats, spices, mounds of vegetables, and four more bottles of wine and countless liters of beer to finish off our day with a barbeque feast for the ages.

From Salta 2011-04 The drive back from Cafayate to Salta.

Now back in Salta we’re all enjoying the slower pace of the region and the night life that the city provides. In my last few days in Salta I’ve been splurging a bit and truly enjoying the best of what Argentina has to offer food-wise. The mix that Salta provides between Argentina and Bolivia creates a unique region that has easily become one of my favorites in Argentina for the diversity of food, scenery, and culture.

Photos of the Salta Region