April 8, 2025 Salta. Full Breakfast at hotel Lunch - Donna Salta Snack - wine tasting and pear poached in Malbec with Ice Cream at Jardin San Francisco

April 8, 2025 Salta. Full Breakfast at hotel  Lunch - Donna Salta  Snack - wine tasting and pear poached in Malbec with Ice Cream at Jardin San Francisco

We got up at 7:00 and showered and dressed and went to breakfast at 8:00.

Then we started walking, first to the Basilica with its incredible tile work, then  to the cultural center where we bought handicraft items fo Christmas gifts, including mate tea strainer straws, llama wool woven socks, and baskets.

Then we walked to the Mercado San Miguel and bought a baguette, a llama salami, and a wedge of fresh goat cheese for sandwiches tomorrow on the road to Cachi.

We then walked to the Museo Anthropologie at 11:25 where  we met Billy and Elaine. We visited the child mummies and then saw a map of the Inca road system that showed that Salta was on the Inca road system.

Apparently part of the Inca Religion was the Sacrifice of children by leaving them at sacred sites on high peaks of the Andes, of which there is one near Salta.  The Museum has conserved several mummified children and their funerary goods and they are on display.

After seeing two mummies and lots of interesting artifacts we walked to Donna Salta for lunch at 1:00.

It is a lovely high ceiled restaurant. Elaine and I selected locro which is a stew of Llama with hominy and white beans that was pleasant. Billy ordered cabrito stew and Suzette ordered a flank steak that was served with a lettuce and tomato salad.

                                                A meat filled

We split a liter of Salta dark beer for a filling and lovely lunch.

We walked back to the hotel at 2:30, stopping at a wine shop to buy a Torrontes wine. When we returned to the hotel we rested until 4:00. I had already walked over 6000 steps. At 4:00 Suzette and I visited the Contemporary Museum at the plaza with its exhibit of piles and hangings of found objects such as scrap wood and card board. It took about ten minutes to see the exhibit. We then exchanged a $100 bill for 133000 pesos. The best rate so far. We then tried to walk to a winery but ended up across the street from Donna Salta at Jardin San Francisco, a convent cloister converted into a restaurant.

We ordered a flight of 1/2 glasses of four wines and instead of one glass to split we were each poured four half glasses. There were three Amalayas, a Torrontes/riesling blend, a rosebthat was 95% Malbec and 5% Torrontes thar was terrific, and a Malbec. The fourth wine was a 2019 Fince Punilla Cabernet Sauvignon. All the wines were interesting but our favorite was the rose.

In about 1/2 hour Billy and Elaine joined us.Elaine ordered a pear poached in Malbec with two scoops ice cream.  

The garden was lovely with a Running fountain that the birds enjoyed drinking from and several sculptures.

At 7:00 we left. I walked back to the hotel and then to a kiosk around the corner where I bought a package of chocolate biscuits.

I returned to the hotel and found Billy, Elaine, and Suzette.

We went to our rooms and said good night. And went to bed around. 8:30 after walking 8800 steps and blogged this blog.

Bon Appetit