After New Years we decided to spend a few days in Mendoza resting and recovering from party and bus overkill. With plans to go north and see parts of Argentina that are supposedly less traveled, we were lucky enough to be invited to the house of Ivanna, a wonderful Couchsurfer who lives with her mother in Tucumán, Argentina. She welcomed us to her charming, humble abode on one of the hottest days we have ever experienced. Her mother cooked us one of several nice meals, introducing us to a simple and delicious food called guiso (pasta and beef with spices). The oppressive heat of Tucumán drove us to sleep more siestas than usual and shower twice a day at least. We also consumed lots of ice cream while enjoying an air conditioned parlor. Ivanna took us to a fabulous bar at night where we were introduced to many other couchsurfers from the area who were great company! Lucky it rained during our first night in Tucumán which significantly lowered the temperature for the rest of our time there. It was such a great experience for us to stay with Ivanna and her mom in a family environment...we really felt like we got a great idea of what daily life is like for Tucumanos. Following Ivanna´s travel suggestions, we set off for some small, picturesque cities further north including Tafí del Valle, Amaicha, and Cafayate.
The next few days we took a rustic journey through smaller towns in the Argentine northwest. Unbeknownst to us, this is the new, cool, backpackers circuit that is being far more traveled than we expected, resulting in crowded bus rides and hard-to-book hostels. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the presence of so many young Argentines from cities that we have visited and loved. Tafí del Valle was the most beautiful with lush green pastures and misty, rolling hills. To my delight, there were many animals like llamas and horses who were also enjoying the cooler moutain air. We did a short but challenging hike to a beautiful overlook where we could see the whole town. We wanted to spend the night in neighboring Amaicha, a desert town with more economic housing options than Tafí, but we found it difficult to find a bus that wasn´t already full. With many Argentines in the same position as us, we made quick friends and joined in a maté and singing session. Songs turned into pleas for a bus that would take us to Amaicha and lo and behold, one finally came!
Once in Amaicha, we picked the first open lodging option and proceeded to sleep amongst the mosquitos until morning. The city has a large indigeous population and is a good jumping off point for Quilmes, a nearby city containing old Indian ruins. We were more interested in seeing another town called Cafayate, so we held off for the next bus and came face to face with a scorpion during the waiting process. It amazed us how we could go from such a verdant place as Tafí to rain-deprived Amaicha all in one day. Although tired and dirty, we were happy to pass through these interesting towns that are up and coming tourist favorites.
Argentines sing for the bus to come (video)
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