Life and views in the Sierra de Quilmes, part II. Salta Province, Argentina.

People on the way to Ovejeria

This delightful lady had been waiting for a lift to San Antonio de Cajon (Catamarca Province) to see the priest. Had the priest already arrived? she asked.
	Man threading ropes out of leather.
School kids going home in San Antonio de Cajon, delighted to jump in the back of the truck.

School at Ovejeria, Catamarca Province

Duena Gregoria, the cook and host, and grand-daughter in the school kitchen in the evening...	...and friend Patricia, with a poncho that she made herself.
Our first field day, leaving Ovejeria (school and church on left and pueblo on right) and upwards to Los Morros at 4200m.	A house near Ovejeria.
A Dia de la Bandera cellebration.	March of students and visitors in the School's soccer ground in cellebration of the Dia de la Bandera.
A gaucho dressed in the colours of the Province dances.	Girls after their dance in cellebration of the Dia de la Bandera.
Dia de la Bandera cellebration.	Cellebrating a very cold the Dia de la Bandera with a nice lunch.
After the Dia de la Bandera cellebrations, kids and parents are on their way home riding their donkeys...	...in falling snow. They are off to Rio las Bolsas, three hours ride away.

Snowy night in Rio La Bolsa, Puesto Tapado

Puesto Tapado in early morning after a snowfall.	My swag, where I slept, covered in snow.
View of the 5000m+ Chuscha mountain after snowfall, seen from Puesto Tapado. This is one of the mountains where an Inca mummy was found in 1920 and is now exposed in the Museum of Anthropology in Salta.	... and later in the day.
Unstable weather.	Utensils similar to those used by the Incas, still in use in the Puesto Tapado.

On the way across the Abra de Cafayate at 4250m, to Laguna in Salta Province

View between Puesto Salado and Puesto Quebrada.
Puesto Aguas Calientes.	Donkeys close to the Abra de Cafayate with the Apacheta on the righ, the rock Inca rock mound, marking the pathways.

Donkeys down towards Laguna from El Abra de Cafayate, at sunset, temperatures below zero and wind gust of over 100km/hr.	View over Laguna plains and the mountains on the far side of the Calchaquies Valley.
Llamas.	Llamas at sunrise at Laguna.
Dom Ponciano at Puesto Laguna. A few days before our arrival, he went hunting a puma who had attacked his goats. He found its den with a dead goat but not the culprit. The mission was succesful in scarrying the puma away to other neighbourhoods.	Pedro Guiteán, our guide, at Puesto Laguna spinning llama wool.

Down from Laguna towards Finca las Mesadas

Around an ice patch.	View of Finca la Mesada.
View of Finca la Mesada.	Victor Condori ploughing his land.

Sunset over the finca burning the cardones cactii.

Senor y Senora Condori	Senor Condori
Senor Condori	Senora Condori
Sunset through the finca.	View over Cafayate from around the finca Las Mesadas.
Sunset ahead of the Zonda winds..	Sunset ahead of the Zonda winds.