August 6-7: CACHI

The South of Salta province is wealthier and more organised even though it is surrounded by desert, mountains and little "campos" (villages). We kept bumping into french tourists. Cachi sounded like a french village for a while (which is way not the case as Cachi mountains are known for being an important spot for Inca's religious itinerary). Still, the place was so lovely! Well structured (colonial architecture), bright white (a hint of Andalusia), peaceful, quiet people, all-smiles, wonderful view, tasty food. The quality of life seems quite high and apreciated since Cachi residents like to pretend they only die from old age. We actually got influenced by the serenity of the region. We spent one heavenly night in the village, shared opinions about politics, life and philosophy over glasses of local beer and music, went to bed early. The next morning, we filled our stomach with copious breakfast facing a spectacular sunrise view and as soon as car was ready, pic-nic bag stocked up with fruits, cheese, raisins, bread, coca leaves (very popular in Salta for its medical virtues!), we went off for another thrilling treck.