Purmamarca, Argentina--what a setting!

Purmamarca, Argentina

Purmamarca, Argentina is an Indian village in one of the most spectacular settings in the Andes.  More on that in a minute.  It's streets are rocky and dusty, lined with old adobe or rock buildings full of shops and homes.  There isn't any sign of wealth here, but lots of creativity, music and sense of community, where everyone knows everyone else.

The town has a busy and colorful Indian market surrounding the town plaza and filling the streets that spread out from the square. 

Mid-day and late into the afternoon, tourists shop for the brightly colored handicrafts in the outdoor market and in the shops lining the streets.  We did not meet any other American tourists; they’re mostly Argentinians with some Europeans making their way to this remote area.  Consequently, not too many people speak English, but we were able to get by with our miserable Spanish because everyone was so kind.

market stall with dog

Yesterday afternoon, after waiting too many hours for our rental car to arrive in Purmamarca, we drove up the next valley over to Humahuaca, another Indian town.  We did not think it was worth the visit, though the valley itself was colorful and beautiful.  Purmamarca’s Indian market is much bigger and livelier and the magnificence of the mountains and the fascinating geology make it the more interesting place to visit.

Purmamarca has many restaurants, all with live music most of the day.  We went to one last night that was particularly popular, probably because the musician was exceptionally charming with a beautiful voice.  The diners loved him.

Today, we hiked about 3 ½ miles up a jeep road in the valley just behind Purmamarca, to the end of the road and a bit beyond, up a dry, pink wash.  It is hard to describe the beauty of this place.  The wildly contorted rocks are a giant painter’s palate, with pink, red, green, orange and white masses of color as you walk up the valley.  You can see similar rock formations just walking around the town, but nothing like the steep valley behind the village.  Several softer formations are heavily eroded into pinnacles and spikes and deep mini-gorges that catch the light and shadows.

Selena, the llama

There are a number of hotels in Purmamarca, none that are luxury level.  Ours had a pretty garden with adequate rooms and towels that had seen better days years ago.  Its biggest attraction is Selena, a sweet llama who resides at the hotel and keeps the grass mowed.  After many soft conversations, she finally came over to sniff my hand, which she found less than appealing.  Nevertheless, she kept sniffing and let me pet her ever so carefully for a split second.

I think I will let the photos describe this area because words can’t.  Not that the photos really show you the depth of the colors, but you’ll get the idea.

Purmamarca street and mountains beyond