Erin & Regan's South American Adventure
Cafeyate, Quilmes
Hola,
For our 2nd day in Cafayate we decided to get up rediculously early and catch a bus (back the way we came) to Quilmes where there are ruins of an indigenous society. These guys actually resisted the Inca, and the Spanish until finally moving to Buenos Aires to make beer. Or so the official story goes...
The bus was an hour late leaving, which basically cut an hour off our time in the ruins (we had to catch a certain bus back in the afternoon) so we were a little pissed about that, but, it made good time and we were soon walking the last 5km to the ruins. Despite trying to hitch a ride several cars just drove on past, which was ok because I spent most of the walk trying to get a decent photo of the little hampster like critters here.
We eventually arrived at the ruins and Erin needed a little break ;o)
Inside the museum we found a map which included walking times which all seemed quite long, more time than we had. So, we hurried (due to our lack of time) up the hill and as it turned out the walk which was to take 2 and a half hours took us 30 minutes. From the top you could see the restored city walls.
And the non-restored area, you´d barely know it was there. Makes you wonder how much is restoration and how much is just plain guessing.
The walls are just plain cool though.
Here I am being artsy again.
Molineros, places for grinding stuff.
Some more wildlife, a bird, a lizard and this crazy beetle that runs around (seemingly randomly) with it´s front legs in the air like it´s hair is on fire or something.
Then, the 5km back to the main road. This time a nice guy (and his wife) gave us a lift as far as the main road, on the back of their ute. They were heading in the wrong direction for us otherwise they might have taken us further.
As we were waiting for the bus back a local stopped to chat. Turns out he is descended from the Quilmes people and that not all of them went to make beer. In fact there is some dispute over this with the government concerning the traditional lands and whether they still belong to the Quilmes people or not.
Us, back in Cafeyate sampling the Quilmes beer. Had to be done. Gave Erin a sore stomach, not doing that again!
Regan Heath: 3 days ago I got a haircut, short, real short. Now I look vaguely Argentine. (03/29/07)
Duncan Bayne: You guys both look so happy & healthy, it's great. Regan, in that last photo, you look like you only need the shoulder-slung AK to be some kind of jungle-dwelling Marxist revolutionary :-) (03/26/07)