thefutureisred

Photo Essay: How Cafayate Revives the Jaded Soul

Lately, I've been feeling a bit jaded. We've traveled through so many amazing places, it seems to take a lot to really impress me. Most times, I'll compare a waterfall, a mountain, a hike to a place we've already been, and somehow I am unable to see the place I stand at that moment with clear eyes.

I see this in myself and don't like it.

Occasionally, though, we find somewhere that stands alone in its beauty, originality, its ability to take your breath away. Cafayate, where we visited this past weekend, is one of those places.

This is the first trip we've taken since settling in Salta. Here, we are now living like real people instead of the constant travel we've known. These days, we work weekdays and rest on weekends like everyone else. We run errands in town, do our laundry and return to the same house every night.

Our weekend break from this new routine seemed all the more enjoyable knowing we'll have to wait another week, perhaps another month or longer before our next weekend jaunt.

So join me on a weekend tour of Cafayate and the quebrada de Cafayate, a trip made through renewed eyes.

Quebrada de Cafayate

The quebrada lies approximately 200 kilometers south of Salta, la cuidad. As you move toward it, you see the greenery of the Tres Cerritos valley slowly vanish to be replaced with brick red rock. It is striking. The rock creates formations that make me understand exactly why la provincia del Salta has become world reknown for climbing. Cafayate is also along the Ruta de Vino, although I haven't seen vineyards in quite a while. What I do see is one amazing landscape after another.

We've stopped often to take pictures, which happened to correspond with each of the times Lila had to throw up the bright pink popsicle she had for lunch. One of us with the camera, the other rubbing Lila's back. Poor thing. I think it will be a loooong time before she eats another fruitilla pop.

A more complete photo essay of Cafayate coming later this week. Subscribe to my feed and you'll be one of the first to know when they post.