Julia and Konstantin drove straight across Argentina from Paraguay to meet up with us a total of 1600 miles in four days and not on US freeways. So we didn’t rush out of bed on Good Friday morning.
Good Friday is a big holiday in South America and it also creates a long weekend so everybody and his brother was stopped along Highway 68.
We could have stayed at our lovely if slightly dusty wild camp but Konstantin was overdue for a shave and wanted copious hot running water. It was a bad decision but we got on the road among the eccentrics du jour:
Konstantin wanted to stop at a spot called Las Ventanas - the windows.
It was pretty but we didn’t see any windows.
Distant people on distant peaks.
Konstantin agreed this looked like the desert Southwest complete with mesquite bushes. And a dog.
In the US this would be a national park, possibly without rangers these days but most likely with an entrance fee. In Argentina you just park and wander around. No handrails or safety warning.
Following Rusty who was having a really good time I spotted one window.
People were everywhere. This is definitely a holiday weekend.
The woman below was an Australian tourist traveling with an Uruguayan. To our astonishment they spoke English. This really is a holiday weekend, people are here from everywhere.
Mesquite (I think).
We really like living in our van.
We also like the white torrentés wine from this high altitude region.
So we stopped to buy more. It took us all day to drive 35 miles.
Konstantin got a couple of bottles too.
Then we stopped to buy gas. They were out of regular of course so we filled our tank with expensive premium. The gods must love us. At least there was no line at the gas station.
The guy in front of us was driving an older French car which required opening the hood to fill it with gas. At first I thought he had mechs I am problems but no, he filled up and closed the hood and drove away. Just another odd moment on the road.
Cafayate is located on historic Ruta 40 but we didn’t drive it north of town. It’s known for its crappy gravel surface, 80 miles of it before you reach asphalt. It’s so awful there is a warning on iOverlander about it. We were happy to have taken Highway 68 with its asphalt.
The streets of Cafayate will be packed for the weekend but we will be on our way south.
We did stop for lunch at the curiously named Black Tote restaurant.
They make parillada which is grilled meat and you order it by the truckload.
It was a huge room filled with families celebrating being together. The atmosphere reminded me of El Siboney on Stock Island, Cuban food for the masses.
Bread and sauces while we waited.
And here came the main event. It included liver and blood sausage and cow intestine which we reserved for Rusty. The intestine I have come to like but in Chile they crisp it and it tastes like pork belly. Here they fill it with something mushy and pungent that does not add to the flavor. We both passed.
Lots of ribs and steak to wade through and it was tender and flavorful. Oh and dessert. I had fruit cheesecake.
Layne had a truly brilliant chocolate dessert. It was excellent.
Back into the clogged street to the campground.
Konstantin gave us two of their Bolivia fuel jugs they no longer need. We want some extra fuel to get across the border through the Andes. Our planned route will follow three hundred miles of road, some gravel, up to 15,800 feet with no fuel. We figure a little extra will give us peace of mind.
2005 Dodge Sprinter. The roof rack was designed and built by Konstantin the handy man.
