2026 Feb 27,28: Cafayate

Took a bus to Cafayate for 2 days. There’s a music festical there, she said, we’ll hear some pipes & accoustic guitars, & see some some traditional dances. It’ll be an experience. Well…1st clue - only ‘full cama’ bus tickets available. 2nd clue: no accomodations available. Finaly found one - way over our usual budget but maybe it’s time for a splurge peaceful weekend in nice surroundings.

On the 4-hour bus ride there, we stopped for the driver to have lunch. There was a calf:

Our hotel, the Iraola Hotel:

So the music festival is the Serenata a Cafayate, and everyone in northwestern Argentina was there. They like music; they like to dance. It was quite something.

There is a central plaza where a lot of action took place. Here it is in the daytime:

As the sun set:

And later in the evening:

There was some traditional culture:

While that’s all happening on the square, there’s a rock show going on at a venue on the outskirts:

On our second day, we strolled through town (relatively peacedul before noon):

And rented bikes (an experience; small shop, tried several before finding 2 that worked, left no collateral, just ‘hasta luego’) and rode them out into the vineyards:

Lunch at a good spot for observing locals (food was OK). Hey we traveled half-way across the world for this?

Hard to tell but the girl is holding 2 dozen eggs. Easy to tell rhis guy is selling baskets:

More action back on the square - the local radio station was sponsoring groups to perform; this is about a 12 year old boy (far right in the straw hat), gonna be famous:

the other thing about Serenate Cafayate is the speay paint & shaving cream. People are covered with it in carying defrees. Here’s what happens:

Well that’s about it. Here’s a banner, at the bus station the AM of our departure:

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