Czech Mates

Salta, ARGENTINA: 16-19 Feb. 2010

My journey from Potosi in Bolivia to Salta in Argentina highlighted some of the many differences between the two countries. The ten-hour trip in Bolivia (which cost €7) was along a bumpy dirt road in a typical (by that I mean bad) Bolivian bus. I then walked across the bridge at the border and boarded a top quality Argentinian bus (which cost €14) for a smooth seven-hour trip that brought me to Salta. However, although the roads and buses are better in Argentina, the same cannot be said of the hairstyles where the mullet and terrible versions thereof are very much prevalent.

I spent three days in the nice city of Salta, a highlight of which for me was the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology which detailed the discovery and preservation of the bodies of three children who were sacrificed by the Incas on a 6000m mountain.

In Salta I met up with two friends of mine from the Czech Republic, Rudi and Jana, who are doing a five month round-the-world trip in between moving back home after five years in Dublin. The two days we hung out together were nice and relaxing, and they included a trip on a cable car, viewing some nice churches, sitting in plazas, and playing cards over some cheap wine; it was nice to see familiar faces.