25/9/2013 north of Pituil to Chilecito
D90, T4/5, Av21.19, Max46, Tot 19718, 10352
Fresh morning, clear warm day.
Slow from the nest, due to a bush shading me, the campsite was vacated at about 1000.
Once on the road a large bird of prey was spotted cruising on the thermals, following the road ahead of me. It was effortlessly sweeping from side to side looking for wounded or dead animals.
Once close enough the monocular was pulled out. My thoughts were it might have been a Condor. One is yet to be spotted in the wild.
This will be something special for me. They are known to frequent the Parque Nacional Talampaya, just south of here. Time will be spent here.
The focus of most visits is the spectacular Cañón de Talampaya, a usually dry watercourse bounded by sheer sandstone cliffs. Condors soar on the thermals, and guanacos, rheas and maras can be seen in the shade of the several varieties of algarrobo tree along the sandy canyon floor. (LP)
Riding was initially gently uphill, then, it all became an easy fast run down an ever so slight slope.
For Chilecito will be a place for a couple of days rest. The Hostal de Paiman was booked. At $9 a night for a private big room with shower it is good value.
Chilecito pop 49,432 / elev 1080m With a gorgeous situation among low rocky hills and sizable snowcapped peaks, Chilecito, a stop on spectacular Ruta 40, has several interesting things to see, including an amazing abandoned cableway leading to a mine high in the sierra. With the intense heat, mining heritage and slopes around town dotted with cardón cactus, Chilecito has a Wild West feel and is definitely the most appealing place to spend a few quiet days in this part of the country.
Planet, Lonely; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark; Carolyn McCarthy; Andy Symington; Lucas Vidgen (2012-08-01). Lonely Planet Argentina (Travel Guide) (Kindle Locations 10300-10305). Lonely Planet Publications. Kindle Edition.
Across the road is an ice cream shop, with just the best mint chocolate chip offering. A double for about 80c, they will be getting to know me.
I finally hunted down some Bencina, it is $4.50/ litre, expensive, but I don’t mind. I don’t want to carry petrol around in a pannier in a spare fuel bottle.
It can be bought at ferretería Dalvita.
My room even has an electric heater, things are really looking up!
A point to remember: if travelling to Argentina, bring plenty of US dollars and get them changed to Pesos on the streets in tourist towns. You can get up to 9.3 pesos for a dollar. An ATM or bank will only return about 7 or 8 at best.
It is an odd sensation counting heaps of money in a public place, not often done.
Cristina Kirchner was re-elected Argentina’s president by a landslide majority of 54%. She ran on a platform that appealed to the populist vote, promising to raise incomes, restore industry and maintain Argentina’s economic boom. Her approach worked like a charm.Kirchner has often been compared to Evita for her fight against poverty and her administration of generous social programs – but both have also shown authoritarian tendencies, such as trying to censor the media and rule by decree. Kirchner dismissed the Central Bank president for not allowing her to use currency reserves to pay off future debts, and strong-armed business into price-control agreements. Her government has also been accused of manipulating economic numbers; in March 2011, the Economist magazine stated that it no longer trusted inflation figures coming out of Argentina and would cease to publish them in favor of figures from a US-based analyst. The Falkland Islands are another hot topic, with Kirchner once again seriously challenging the island’s sovereignty – just in time for the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War. Despite her many detractors, this presidenta has made admirable strides – she’s addressed the abuses of the military dictatorship, championed same-sex marriage laws and, over all, supported the blue-collar classes. And her people love her for it, just like they did Evita.
Planet, Lonely; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark; Carolyn McCarthy; Andy Symington; Lucas Vidgen (2012-08-01). Lonely Planet Argentina (Travel Guide) (Kindle Locations 22027-22028). Lonely Planet Publications. Kindle Edition.
Kurt and Lucas' blogs are respectively: Onerideoneworld.com
Wegsuchend.overblog.com
D90, T4/5, Av21.19, Max46, Tot 19718, 10352
Fresh morning, clear warm day.
Slow from the nest, due to a bush shading me, the campsite was vacated at about 1000.
Once on the road a large bird of prey was spotted cruising on the thermals, following the road ahead of me. It was effortlessly sweeping from side to side looking for wounded or dead animals.
Once close enough the monocular was pulled out. My thoughts were it might have been a Condor. One is yet to be spotted in the wild.
This will be something special for me. They are known to frequent the Parque Nacional Talampaya, just south of here. Time will be spent here.
The focus of most visits is the spectacular Cañón de Talampaya, a usually dry watercourse bounded by sheer sandstone cliffs. Condors soar on the thermals, and guanacos, rheas and maras can be seen in the shade of the several varieties of algarrobo tree along the sandy canyon floor. (LP)
Riding was initially gently uphill, then, it all became an easy fast run down an ever so slight slope.
For Chilecito will be a place for a couple of days rest. The Hostal de Paiman was booked. At $9 a night for a private big room with shower it is good value.
Chilecito pop 49,432 / elev 1080m With a gorgeous situation among low rocky hills and sizable snowcapped peaks, Chilecito, a stop on spectacular Ruta 40, has several interesting things to see, including an amazing abandoned cableway leading to a mine high in the sierra. With the intense heat, mining heritage and slopes around town dotted with cardón cactus, Chilecito has a Wild West feel and is definitely the most appealing place to spend a few quiet days in this part of the country.
Planet, Lonely; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark; Carolyn McCarthy; Andy Symington; Lucas Vidgen (2012-08-01). Lonely Planet Argentina (Travel Guide) (Kindle Locations 10300-10305). Lonely Planet Publications. Kindle Edition.
Across the road is an ice cream shop, with just the best mint chocolate chip offering. A double for about 80c, they will be getting to know me.
I finally hunted down some Bencina, it is $4.50/ litre, expensive, but I don’t mind. I don’t want to carry petrol around in a pannier in a spare fuel bottle.
It can be bought at ferretería Dalvita.
My room even has an electric heater, things are really looking up!
A point to remember: if travelling to Argentina, bring plenty of US dollars and get them changed to Pesos on the streets in tourist towns. You can get up to 9.3 pesos for a dollar. An ATM or bank will only return about 7 or 8 at best.
It is an odd sensation counting heaps of money in a public place, not often done.
Cristina Kirchner was re-elected Argentina’s president by a landslide majority of 54%. She ran on a platform that appealed to the populist vote, promising to raise incomes, restore industry and maintain Argentina’s economic boom. Her approach worked like a charm.Kirchner has often been compared to Evita for her fight against poverty and her administration of generous social programs – but both have also shown authoritarian tendencies, such as trying to censor the media and rule by decree. Kirchner dismissed the Central Bank president for not allowing her to use currency reserves to pay off future debts, and strong-armed business into price-control agreements. Her government has also been accused of manipulating economic numbers; in March 2011, the Economist magazine stated that it no longer trusted inflation figures coming out of Argentina and would cease to publish them in favor of figures from a US-based analyst. The Falkland Islands are another hot topic, with Kirchner once again seriously challenging the island’s sovereignty – just in time for the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War. Despite her many detractors, this presidenta has made admirable strides – she’s addressed the abuses of the military dictatorship, championed same-sex marriage laws and, over all, supported the blue-collar classes. And her people love her for it, just like they did Evita.
Planet, Lonely; Sandra Bao; Gregor Clark; Carolyn McCarthy; Andy Symington; Lucas Vidgen (2012-08-01). Lonely Planet Argentina (Travel Guide) (Kindle Locations 22027-22028). Lonely Planet Publications. Kindle Edition.
Kurt and Lucas' blogs are respectively: Onerideoneworld.com
Wegsuchend.overblog.com
New housing development, an initiative of the president, Cristina Kirchner
New vineyard planting near San Blas area.
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Entering downtown Chilecito
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