We aren't supposed to be in Salta yet, we'd planned an overnight (20 hour) bus from Buenos Aires to Tilcara, but plans changed and we flew to the airport nearest Tilcara which is Salta. We'll spend one night then off to Tilcara in the morning.
Salta has a charming colonial downtown surrounded by nondescript sprawl. Our hotel, Ankara suites, is modern and tasteful. The staff speaks little English. Lucas, who checked us in, was well dressed in his dark suit. Argentinians dress better than North Americans.
Salta, settled in 1582, is an Andean city of half a million in northwest Argentina. It is a popular base for exploring the local parks and Inca ruins. We'll return shortly, after we check out Tilcara, as it's the start of our upcoming cross-Andes bus ride, the ride that inspired this trip.
