So the first thing we did was get on a 15-hour bus and head for Salta. It stopped at this bus station with a Neverland Park, so we took some pictures in honor of MJ.
















In Salta, we checked out some stuff. There was a ski-lift type thing that went over the city up this huge hill. We did that, walked back down, and checked out some of the sites. Mostly old churches.

































Next we found a cultural center with a bunch of artwork. They had some cool stuff, including a diorama with a bunch of naked patients and doctors.




























After that, we bought tickets to see this show in the cultural center. It involved a kids choir, then this Argentine high school band. They were pretty good. KC had a crush on the boy with the guitar in the middle, who really did look like he was maybe 12 years old. They played this 20-foot pole at one point. I learned that it's called an erque. So there's that. It didn't sound too great.












The next morning we got on the Tren a las Nubes (train to the clouds). It's another 15-hour loop that's supposed to go high enough up into the mountains that you can be surrounded by clouds. It was a clear day, so we didn't see any. They gave us Cocoa leaves, which are supposed to help with altitude sickness and make you more alert. We all tried them. They didn't make us any more alert.

I was traveling with Art again, and KC from the hospital. On the train, she passed out with our new friend Matias, and Argentine journalist and all-around cool guy.















Here's a picture of me poking my head out of the train on the bridge at the highest point.






The train basically turned around an came home. The sky was pretty amazing on the way back and I wore out my camera's battery taking pictures. Oh yeah, then they had karaoke. It was weird. They had a conga line going and did all these Argentine songs that I'd never heard.








They had us sing Beatles songs.

Then there was an Argentine folk group that came through, followed by a magician. Then we were back in Salta, at 11:00 pm.

Incidentally, this was July 4th. I wanted to do something to celebrate, but Art wasn't too interested, and I think KC was actively opposed to the idea. So I just had a PBR (see picture).

The next morning we rented a car (180 pesos from Sunday to Tuesday) and Art drove us up towards Humuhuaca. The road along the way was mostly 1 lane for a bit, winding through some subtropical forest, then it opened up and we passed San Salvador de Jujuy (capital of the province), and kept going up, up, up.

We stopped in Tilcara and climbed some mountains, then found a sign saying that you should not climb the mountains.

We hung out in Humuhuaca for a night, and the hotel owner thought it would be fun to screw with some foreigners. There was a definite bait-and-switch. We ended up thinking we had heat, but actually did not. It was really cold in the night and I got sick.

We worked our way back down to San Salvador de Jujuy, which was another city, smaller than Salta maybe. After that, we drove back down to Salta, returned the car, sipped some cafe con leche on the plaza, and killed some time before our flight back to Buenos Aires.















I got on the plane home to the US on my second try, and here I am.

Salta

In Salta, alive and without swine flu. I have stories and pictures, and will post them when I get back on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Hospital

So I shadowed at the hospital for two days. No pictures, because I heard that the area was sketchy and didn't take my camera. It didn't seem sketchy, but I was never there at night.

Day 1, I watched some ultrasounds of people's throats and kidneys. Interesting, but not much talking.

Day 2, I sat in with a couple of residents changing bandages and casts, then went to observe a diabetes specialist talking with patients. Lots more talking, it was working out well.

Day 3, they had us all sit around for a long time, then told us that there had been an emergency declared, and all non-essential people had to leave the hospital, at the very least for one week. For those of you keeping count, that means that my program was effectively canceled.

So I'm going to leave today on a bus to Salta with Art and KC (another student who had been at the hospital). We're going to tool around up there, head back down on Tuesday, and then I'll head home at my leisure.

A little disappointing, but maybe the extended trip to Salta will be worth it. Alex is going to see if we can get a partial refund from the Spanish program.