12-21 November 2010
I love Tucuman! Not that it is a great place place touristically speaking... but the people are warm and friendly.
I went to Tucuman primarily to visit some guys I had met in Bolivia, and they (particularly Pablo) showed me around town and begged me to stay and stay.
After a weekend there and a Monday-Tuesday trip to Tafi del Valle and Amaicha del Valle, I thought it was time to move on to Cordoba to take some Tango classes, but they talked me into staying and doing the Tango there. This was a good choice, as the classes were cheaper, good and more accessible than in the big and touristy cities. Then when Pablo had to leave town (for a wedding) and could no longer devote his almost undivided attention on me, another local invited me to a birthday party he was attending!
In Tucuman itself I didn´t do a lot of touristy things. Pablo, Carlos and another friend took me hiking at the funicular (disused ruins) of San Javier. And I went to peoples houses and to a disco.
The Monday-Tuesday excursion with Karo and Wayne went to Tafi del Valle and Amaicha del Valle by bus with an overnight in a hostel in Amaicha and a tour to the El Remate ruins with local tour guide Sebastian. The whole excursion was very good, and is described a bit more with the photos below.
I finished my time in Tucuman with 4 days of Tango classes. I pushed it a bit hard and my back has only just recovered, as I found 2 Tango teachers and decided to have private tango classes with them both. In 4 days I did about 10 hours of Tango classes! My teachers were Martin and Julio. Both were good, Martin is clearly the better dancer, but it is good to learn to dance with different guys and in private classes you don´t get to switch partners. Tango lessons in Tucuman were half the price of what I had paid and had been invited to pay elsewhere.
I loved Tucuman and didn´t want to leave... but the hostel was booked out for a conference and so I decided it was time to go. I attended the birthday party on the Saturday night and went straight from it to a 4.20am, 15 hour, bus to Mendoza. At least the bus ride kept me off my feet for a day!
Me, Augusto, Carlos and Pablo on our hike.
Bromeliad on one of the bridges.
The guys sitting in the middle of the long bridge, 2 voting to turn back, 1 insisting that the bridges are easy and that we should keep going. I squibbed at the point I took the photo from, I was ok going forward, but I didn´t want to continue if we were turning around, as going back was downhill and a whole lot scarier.
Don´t cross the bridges! That´s roughly what the sign says.
Tafi del Valle is a small country town famous for good climate and cheese. We wandered the town and walked out of town to an estancia to buy cheese.
Mother and child in Tafi del Valle.
When we found a hostel in Amaicha del Valle, the caretaker told us about 6 times they had hot water. He was clearly proud of it and we weren´t enthusiastic enough. But we did think the hot water system had character.
Having bought cheese in Tafi, dinner for Karo, Wayne and I was Cheese, fruits, bread, beer and wine.It was good!
If you are ever looking for the tour guy, Sebastian, in Amaicha del Valle, this is what his place looks like, the signage isn´t good, and is obscured from view.
It was a tough decision, but Wayne decided to leave his banana for Pachamama. He wanted the banana for himself and preferred to leave his orange, but he thought that leaving something he wanted more would give him better returns.
Some of the indigenous people believed that when a person dies a new cactus starts to grow and is that ancester looking out over the land. Funny thing is the day before I was told this I was looking out the bus window at the cacti and thinking they had some almost human element to them.
View between Tafi and Amaicha.
Notes:
Hostel Tucuman. I like this hostel, though it isn´t kept the cleanest (yep a guy cleans everyday, but he just seems to slop water around). They have a deal I would do if I was going North to Salta from Tucuman and it takes you by open bus tickets through Tafi and Amaicha and Cafayate. I paid $AR38 per night.
Tour in Amaicha: Sebastian Pastrana (Spanish only). This hottie does a great tour, and is clearly passionate about his home turf. The company is called Sumajpacha. web: www.sumajpacha.com . ph 54 (03892) 421433 / 0381 154436805.
Tango Classes: Both Martin and Julio charge $AR50 per class. I enjoyed my classes more with Martin, his school is run by his partner Paola and himself and is called La Vitrina. Ph 154476675 / 154064835 (I think you need 038 first), email la-vitrina@aol.com. Studio is at Cordoba 732 (1st floor); Julio doesn´t have a studio but teaches, by appointment, at Sociedad Francesa. Ph. 03815112437
It was a pleasure having you in Tucuman Ali, thank you very much for your words so beautiful! I particularly feel very happy to have found a friend but the truth ... I miss you! It was incredible to share with you these days in our city and even more knowing that you feel comfortable and happy ... back Ali! I promise to go to visit to Australia, I hope this wish is fulfilled soon ... I love you friend! Pablo Lanzillotte
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