Our last day in Jujuy/Purmamarca - we fly back to Buenos Aries this evening

Well today is our last day here in the Northern part of Argentina.  We decided that we have driven each day for long periods to see Chachi, Cafayatte, Humahuaca/Tres Cruces and the Salinas Grandes, so today we wanted to stay local and just hike into the hills in our town of Purmamarca.  As we walk out of town we passed the cemetery

As we begin our hike

Just a garage door, but in the next photo you will see that it is made out of Cardones or cacti

close up of the cacti used in the garage door above in Purmamarca

You always need Jujuy Policia!

At the last minute we decided that we HAD to see The Pucara de Tilcara, which is a pre-Inca fortification located on a hill just outside the small town of Tilcara. The location was strategically chosen to be easily defensible and to provide good views over a long stretch of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The Pucara de Tilcara was declared a National Monument in 2000.  Traces of human habitation in the area date back more then 10,000 years.

From Pucara de Tilcara we drove directly to the Jujuy airport, which was in the middle of no where! Our 2 1/2 hour flight back to Buenos Aires was rough!  We were flying through lightning and thunder and the plane "bounced" up and down almost the entire flight.  Needless to say we almost kissed the ground when we landed.

Tonight we stayed in Palermo Soho in a Hotel called the Nuss Hotel, it was "hip and cool"!