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full country name |
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Argentine Republic |
| capital |
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Buenos Aires |
| population |
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37.5 million (as of 2001) |
| surface area |
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2780400 sq km |
| currency |
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Argentine peso ($) |
| exchange rate |
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US$ 1 = $ 2.94 (as of October 2004) |
| language |
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Spanish |
| main religion |
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92% Roman Catholic |
| Internet users |
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6.7% (as of 2000) |
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| near Cafayate / © gM |
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| San Ignacio / © gM |
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| Iguazú Falls / © gM |
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We arrived in Salta in the northwest of Argentina after crossing the border at Villazon/La Quiaca on October 14th, 2004. Since we used up most of our time for South America in Peru and Bolivia, we only stayed two weeks in Argentina, covering bits and pieces in the northwest and northeast of the country.
From Salta, we caught a bus to Cafayate, passing dramatic scenery of eroded rock formations en route. Actually we needed two buses since the first one broke down, smoke billowing out of its back. We had to hop on the next bus which luckily arrived within minutes. Exploring the area by taxi and on foot, the canyons around Cafayate are well worth the side trip as are the many wineries in the region. Back in Salta, we visited museums and churches, took the gondola to Cerro San Bernando, and walked back down. Nothing amazing really, except that the locally made ice cream was fantastic (30 yummy flavors to choose from) and the steaks were out of this world (try bife de chorizo).
Because of the large distances, travel times add up quickly in Argentina. Instead of spending 26 hours straight on the bus from Salta to Puerto Iguazú, we opted to break the journey in Posadas after 19½ hours. We visited the nearby ruins of the Jesuit missions at San Ignacio and Santa Ana. The highlight of our time in Argentina was now only six hours away: the Iguazú Falls. We spent a full day at the falls, walking all the trails and catching all the vistas. Coincidentally, the evening had a special treat for us. As the full moon was shining, the falls were open to the public: we saw the Garganta del Diablo, the most powerful of all falls in the Parque Nacional Iguazú, in bright moonlight.
