Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
234
The Fighting Spirit of Quilmes
The Indian community of Quilmes has fought off usurpers since colonial times
and is still fighting t oday. Famous for keeping the Spanish at ba y for over 150
years, they ha ve now successfully beat back mining c ompanies and hot eliers
through road blockades and pickets . The focal point of such r esistance is the
fascinating ruins of
Quilmes
, located on Rout e 40, appr oximately halfway
between Tafi del Valle and Cafayate. A field of giant cacti leads to an impressive
hillside t own with st one f oundations—the r emains of a thriving settlement
built in
A
.
D
. 800 that onc e held 5,000 people . Rock walls make tidy t erraces
halfway up a hill t oward the chief 's house. You can climb the southern side t o
one of t wo pr e-Columbian lookout posts . Belo w, y ou'll see the la yout of a
neatly divided t own with the r emains of squar e-shaped houses and cir cular
storage rooms. At the fr ont is a modern st one hotel built in the st yle of the
ruins. Technically, the hotel is open, but the polic e tape and picketing I ndians
mean it has very few guests. The ruins are open for visits, however, from 8am to
7pm daily . A dmission is $1.60 (£1.10), with an obligat ory Spanish-speak ing
guide of dubious qualit y (
&
381/1562-72329
[cell]; w ww.comunidadindia
quilmes.org).
is a traditional
parrilla
with a folkloric theme. The building is made fr om traditional
adobe and stone, with large windows that give a commanding view of the valley.
Rancho
de Félix,
at avenidas Belgrano and Presidente Perón (
&
3867/421022
), is a cav ernous
building with cane ceilings. The menu includes
locros, humitas,
and empanadas.
Parrilla
Don Pepito,
Av. Presidente Perón 193 (
&
3867/421764;
www.donpepitodetafi.com.
ar), has llama casserole on the board, as well as such fish as pejerr ey and dorada.
Bar El
Almacen,
at Avenida Presidente Perón and Gobernador Critto (
&
3867/420129
), is a
pleasant cream-colored bar and restaurant, serving kid goat and pastas.
8
5
LA RIOJA
1,142km (708 miles) NW of Buenos Aires; 704km (436 miles) S of Salta
As you travel through the province of La Rioja, red desert, sand-blasted plains, and giant
cactus may give you the feeling you've wandered off the map. This destination has little
history of tourism, but plenty to compel the most adenturous travelers, from cheap wine
and a rich indigenous tradition to astounding natural Wild West scenery. It is also the
base point to explore two of the most fascinating national parks in Argentina, the former
dinosaur playgrounds known as Valle de la Luna and Talampaya.
La Rioja City, founded in 1591, is no w an untidy mix of colonial to wn houses, ugly
modern offices, and disorderly neighborhoods. Famous for its orange and jacaranda trees,
the city is best visited in spring (O ct-Nov), as midsummer temperatur es can r each a
wilting 133°F (56°C). Intensely religious people, Riojanos hit the streets every December
31 to celebrate Tinkunaco, the “meeting” of Quechan and Catholic cultures.
