After staying at a hotel for Benjamin’s birthday, we stayed in Salta at its municipal campground, where Nate realized that he and Mom had -accidentally- taken the movie Interstellar that was in the movie-case of the Martian (we figured that since the main character from the Martian is in Interstellar, and that they both had something to do with space, we wouldn’t question it too much). Anyway, of course we felt bad, and we certainly know that we should not steal… but we couldn’t just waste this opportunity! So we watched it that night. I couldn’t get over what a selfish person Dr. Mann was in the movie. The next morning we left Salta.

Lines in the hillside on the way to the mountains. Photo: Nate

Lines in the hillside on the way to the mountains. Photo: V

We were heading to San Antonio de los Cobres, but we stopped at Santa Rosa de Tastil. It was a small, sandy town. We walked to an artisanal shop that had pretty boxes and bowls made of cactus wood. Mom and Nate chose to buy a bowl.

Then Benjamin headed to the car and the three of us went to a little house with a sign saying ‘museum’. I immediately disliked it because it had armadillo shells and animal heads of all sizes stacked next to each other in a dusty corner. Oh, and puma, dog and mystery mammal skins hanging on the walls. Plus, choique feet and feathers dangling next to the skins. Choiques, by the way, are giant birds similar to emu (wonder if they like shiny purple boots? That’s another story).

But as I waited outside, my curiosity beat me and I entered once more, stubbornly not looking at the walls. Later I realized that the reason for having the animal trophies was because the Natives that killed these animals were trying to survive, they were not poachers, they were hunters. Animal leftovers were not the only things in this museum. There were rock beads and purses made out of plant material. Also, in the back, there was a small mummy and stuff from the 19th Century, like typewriters and handkerchiefs.

After the museum, we went to a place on the border of Santa Rosa de Tastil, which had ruins. I personally did not want to go out and walk. But I had to so I did. It ended up being only 10 minutes but in my defense for being grumpy, I thought that it would be an hour long.

Ten-minute walk through the ruins. Photo: Nate

Ten-minute walk through the ruins. Photo: Nate

Santo Antonio de los Cobres was bigger than Santa Rosa de Tastil, but similar because it was dusty. We parked outside of a building that said it was an artisanal mini-fair. Mom, Nate and I went inside to explore. Only a few stands were open and they were all selling similar things. Mom and Nate continued to walk around town; Benjamin stayed inside and tried to watch videos. I began to paint my nails but Benjamin quickly got disgusted with the smell and then Mom and Nate came and sadly for me, agreed with him. Then began the long talk on religion and points of view and rights. It was frustrating and yet interesting at the same time.

We decided that we would go to get a “treat-sito”, as Nate likes to call it. We tried some of the native foods of Argentina: We had humitas, which is like a tamal but spicier; empanadas made of llama that were the size of my pinky finger; goat cheese with cayote, which is a stringy, sweet and gooey fruit jam. We also had flan. That night everyone but me was feeling altitude sickness (we were at 3800 meters above sea level) so we left the next day.

The puna (high desert) near San Antonio de los Cobres. Photo: Nate

The puna (high desert) near San Antonio de los Cobres. Photo: Nate

Arriving once again in Salta, we made the day a workday. Mom and I scrubbed clothes, Nate and Mom sanded off rust from the outside of the van and I rubbed off rust from the inside of the van. Benjamin did homework and played videogames. Later, Mom and I made yummy cookies and I took a wonderful warm shower in the campground. While I showered, two women, either in their late-teens or in their early twenties, were singing loudly in the bathroom. I was very amused. That night we watched the Grand Budapest Hotel.

True van life. Photo: Nate

True van life. Photo: Nate

The next morning, we met three Colombian guys that were traveling in a VW minivan with a dog. They shared with us a powdery candy that was sweet like arequipe or dulce de leche and it popped in your mouth like a firecracker display. I threw a stick for their dog.

Surrounded by desert, this cloud forest on the way to Jujuy surprised us. Photo: V

Surrounded by desert, this cloud forest on the way to Jujuy surprised us. Photo: V

That day, we went to Purmamarca. We noticed at how hot it was and how incredibly pale we were once we put on our shorts. We went to a viewpoint so we could look at the mountain called Cerro de Siete Colores.

Tangletown4 in front of Siete Colores. Photo: Nate

Tangletown4 in front of Siete Colores. Photo: Nate

We found this name wrong for two reasons. One, who in the world would count how many colors they see on a mountainside, and two, there were not seven colors. There were more like 20 different colors mixing and blending like a smoothie. We didn’t count every single one though.

Afterwards, we explored the town. I noted to myself that all the little sandy-hillside type towns we had passed for the past couple days, painted their homes similar to the colors of the hills. It was very interesting. We went to the markets and I got an anklet. Then we went to our campsite, which was outside a hostel. Two blond, big and very excited dogs greeted us, one a golden retriever, the other a lab. We parked and Nate and Mom set off on a walk.

Los “Siete” Colores. Photo: Nate

About an hour later, they came back. The owner of the hotel went over to talk to them. The retriever, who had followed them and stayed behind, didn’t know how to get back home. We had to go get her. On the way, a man was standing outside his house and asked us if we were going to get the dog. He told us ‘well you better go get her! She could be stolen!’ Mom and I scoffed because who was he to tell us what or whatnot to do? And, it was not our fault the dog wasn’t trained properly! Mom and I (correctly) blamed the owner. Nate (incorrectly) blamed the dog. Though, to be fair, his point was good: what dog doesn’t know how to get home?

We found the dog by asking a man if he had seen a fat blond dog. Mom saw a blond blob and went to see if it was her. It was. She was very happy, licking our hands and bumping against our legs while walking. We went out to dinner that night. Mom got a delicious goat stew and the three of us got a llama dish. There was live music and a couple began to dance. It was a strange dance, and the woman behind us watched and then told us to never dance that way, that Argentinians don’t dance that way. We laughed and agreed.

We drove rather quickly the following days to get to Walter’s cabin house. Walter is a friend of Caroline and Victor who are family friends. The cabin was pretty, with an area for a fire. We started cleaning the van almost immediately.

Getting the van ready. Photo: V

Getting everything out of the van for a deep clean. Photo: V

That night as a family we watched Face Off, a make-up show. Its not what it sounds like for those of you rolling your eyes. A group of about 25 people do make-up for sci-fi characters to prove their artistic skills. Aliens, princesses, Shakespeare people, mutants, and more. Our least favorite was a lizard with human eyes and yellow feathers. Though, if it was our least favorite, in a way it was our most favorite. To tease, at least. Nate and I made bread, too. We spent three days preparing the van to sell. On the last night at Pareditas, we had dinner with our hosts Walter, Oscar and Analía. I made a picture using paint and rocks.

Llama at El Remanso, Walter's cabin. Photo: Nate

Llama at El Remanso, Walter’s cabin. Photo: Nate

We crossed into Chile the next day. To keep myself entertained I counted the different colors of nail polish I could see. It was a mess in the immigration building. I touched about 5 zillion people just to get in line. But after two and half hours, we crossed the border. And back into Chile we go.

Crossing the magnificent Andes. Photo: Nate

Crossing the magnificent Andes. Photo: Nate

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