Our Great Adventure: Salta Day 243 19/05/2015

We had a leisurely start to the day after our late night last night, enjoying breakfast at the b&b before heading out to do a few chores. We stopped in the square for coffee before going to the museum only to find that it was due to close in 30 minutes but would be open again at 1600. Although we weren't sure how much there was to see we decided to go back later rather than rush round. Instead we walked east across the town and walked up Cerro San Bernardo from where you get good views across Salta and the Lerma valley. The path winds its way up the hillside and although it wasn't particular steep it was very hot in the midday sun. At the top we enjoyed the views from the various miradors and a rest at the cafe drinking lemonade. Back in the town we stopped at a local shop which apparently serves the best empandas in Salta. We had to wait for them to be cooked but it was certainly worth it, they were delicious. Whilst we waited Simon had a chat with a local about where we were from and where we'd been. He looked to have drank a full bottle of red wine but despite this seemed quite "compos mentis"! From here we went to the Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana hoping for 'third time lucky'. It was open and wasn't due to close for a few hours. The museum documents the eerie discovery of three child mummies found at an altitude of 6700m on Llullailaco volcano. Offerings to the Inca gods, they were buried alive over 600 years ago, although unconscious through alcohol. The climate has kept their bodies and a collection of sacred offerings perfectly preserved. The museum only shows one mummy at any one time. The body on exhibition today was a six year old girl. It was fascinating but very earie and macabre. It was quite haunting to look at her, with perfect little teeth, smooth skin and lovely eyelashes; you could also feel they could open any minute. Back at the b&b we did a bit of admin and planning before heading out for dinner at a nearby restaurant run by a French couple. It was very quiet (Argentinian's eat very late) but a nice meal and an enjoyable last night before we leave Argentina tomorrow, heading back across the border to Chile. We've been lucky enough to have clean water for all our time in south america so far but this will change from tomorrow as we travel north onto Bolivia, then Peru and Ecuador. We've been trying to make the most of using tap water to clean our teeth and enjoying fruit drinks, conscious that we won't be doing either for a long time! We're not sure how advanced the communications will be and whether wifi will be available so our updates may be rather intermittent for a while.