Today was a driving day, though in these flood plains it felt more like wave surfing :-) The road is a constant up and down, nothing for sensitive stomachs! Whenever we were not crossing river beds, we were passing illegal dumps of plastic bottles, ...or so I thought. Until I read about the popular cult around "La Difunta Correa": According to legend, a woman died of thirst, while searching the desert for her sick husband. When her body was found days later, her baby was still alive, nursing on her miraculously full breast. Today that woman has become something like a saint. Countless shrines line the roads and devotees leave water bottles to quench Difunta Correa's eternal thirst.
There is a plus for non-believers too: Should you ever run out of water in Argentina's wild west, don't worry. There is plenty! Conveniently bottled to go.
There is a plus for non-believers too: Should you ever run out of water in Argentina's wild west, don't worry. There is plenty! Conveniently bottled to go.
A million river beds later, we arrived in Chilecito, which seemed to be in a 100-year-sleep (aka siesta). Temperatures were in their forties again, and the only "person" far and wide was Jesus, watching over the slow decline of this ex gold rush town... We watched some tumbleweed roll by and drove on.
Another million river beds later we finally reached our destination for the day: Fiambalá. It only shows up at maximum zoom level on Google maps. I was afraid the place wouldn't exist at all! But here we are, the place does exist – it even is a leg on the South American Dakar Rally. Aside from bike racers, Fiambalá has some wonderful hot springs. We arrived there just before sunset and after a long day of driving and dust these pools felt like heaven on earth!! Tomorrow we will cross the Andes once more and continue our Xmas roadtrip in Chile...
