NORTH ARGENTINA – After eight months of traveling, we are still in Argentina (except from some side trips into Chili). What keeps us here so long? First of all Argentina is huge! There is so much to see, it is like a world on it’s own. Second of all we feel good in Argentina.

Maybe we are even becoming a little bit Argentinian 😉 After eight months we speak some Spanish, but it is not the Spanish from Spain, it is Argentinian Spanish! Further more we started drinking ‘mate’ (the bitter national beverage) and we improved a lot in our ‘gaucho skills’ (a gaucho is the cowboy from South America). We learned to ride horses, go to town in the back of a pickup truck and eat bigger pieces of cow-meat every day!

The north of Argentina, were we are now, is gorgeous because of her endless colorful desserts, mountains and her great spirit. More native people live here, so we experience a different culture then in the south. The spirit of the local people inspires us, especially their love for the Pasha Mama (mother earth). The earth itself is sacred to the people.

There is so much nature around here, it is more easy to feel connected with her. Everywhere you look, you see mountains, deep river valleys, canyons, salt lakes, volcanoes and a lot of animals. The people also know a lot about nature, about their horses, about the mountains and about how to use plants for their benefit. ‘Oh you got pain in your back from driving the car? Then you should drink a thee from that blue three, it will make you feel better!’

Moos is learning to talk and we are enjoying this a lot. He also gets inspiration from Argentina, he talks about what he sees! PAARD! PAARD! (horse in Dutch) he calls when he sees them! Also Lamas he discovers everywhere, LAMA! LAMA!. And he repeats it over and over again. And since we are in the North of Argentina he also sees a lot of CAC! CAC! which of course means cactus!

Are we really ready to leave Argentina? Next week we would like to enter into Bolivia. So that will be goodbye to Argentina. But we leave with some great memories!