Today was one of the best days yet. It's a national holiday (day of respect for international cultures) so we didn't have placement. We hiked a local national park up to a waterfall. It was about a 45 minute bus ride near the town of  La Quebrada. It was a perfect day. Finally the sun came out! There was only four of us - me, Ginny, Sally and Grant. Sally is living and touring South America and a wealth of knowledge, and speaks fluent spanish. She's  our unofficial tour guide and interpretor.  Grant is a new volunteer from CA who was raised in Minnesota and just finished grad school and took his CPA exam. He took off right after not waiting for results.

The hike was past a dam, up a roadway, and to a river where we traversed rocks for about an hour to a waterfall. There hasn't been much rain, so the river was low and waterfall not too intense, but it was an absolutely beautiful hike and so peaceful resting on the rocks by the falls.  On the way we saw a bunch of cows! How bizarre because there were cliffs surrounding the river. We passed many cow pies that one could never imagine how the hell a cow got there!  I've heard of mountain goats, but never rock climbing cows. On the way down one was in our way on the path. They don't like you trying to pet them, so what we got close the cow meandered on the path and we followed her for a while since there was nowhere else to go to continue downward.  Also on the way up a dog (go figure) followed us all the way to the river. She was a short black dog that had the body of a basset hound but black fur like a lab. She was our scout to the river. It's funny how friendly the dogs are and seem to scout for you. Lola at the house will always follow the volunteers for a mile to two into town every day.

Bus ride to falls:

Trailhead:

Kiosk at trailhead selling baked goods, drinks (although no cervesas), chips and sandwiches which true to Argentine way include only meat:

 Dam at trailhead:

Notice woman holding mate cup and thermos of hot water:

Lake on other side of dam:

Makeshift shrine at beginning of trail:

Truck selling goodies at base of trail:

Our scout along the road to river:

Picnic spot heading up the river:

Selfie!

Picnic spot near Kiosk just before getting to river climb:

Kiosk that sells snacks and drinks. Ginny was taking a pic with her small digital camera and I pull out my tablet from being tucked in the back of my pants, and we hear a woman behind us laughing hysterically. We could figure out by her gestures she was laughing at Ginny's little camera and me whipping out the big tablet from my behind!

Heading up the river:

Cows:

Shack along the way:

More cows:

We made it!

Rock tower I made:

Grant jumping into water. Crazy kids!

Sally mustering courage to jump in:

In she goes!