Salta, Monday

0936 Coffee taking a long time to turn up but never mind, not really in a rush.

1011 Getting second coffee. Croissant was tiny, it now seems less excessive that I have seen places advertising coffee and three croissants as a deal. Nice though. Tempted to get another one with the coffee but restrained myself; might have a pizza for launch.

Laura Brannigan's (?) "Gloria" playing inside.

1056 Just paid. 20, 30 with tip. Shall go back to hostel, shower, maybe upload some photos, charge phone for an hour or so then out for lunch and a wander. Hostel offers some full day tours but shan't worry about that today, maybe tomorrow or day after.

1130 Hostel just round corner but room not ready at 11, said I'd come back in an hour. Wandered round main square a bit and now having small pizza at restaurant off square. Not a big deal, this just shifts some of my wandering time to this side of the hour or so I plan to loiter in the hostel.

Quite attractive town so far, a lot more obvious tourists wandering round (cameras etc) than in Cordoba unless memory deceives me.

Quite hot though not unbearably so; hazy memories of guide book led me to expect it to be a little cooler than this.

Pan pipe version of 'Nights in white satin' playing. :-)

1754 Left hostel about 3; took cable car up to top of Cerro San Bernado, wandered around up there and got cable car back down. Pretty cool, nice views and although I was a bit nervous for some reason the cable car ride was good fun.

Had a bit of a wander and withdrew cash, have wandered to the area where the bars are to check it out for tonight. Feeling slightly funny which I am attributing to hunger so have stopped off at Bonnie & Cylde (I know..., but it has quite a few people outside and is open) for milanesa de pollo with french fries. Plan is then to wander a bit further up this street, wend my way back to hostel and come out again about 9.

2131 Did as planned. At err some bar just a bit further up from B&C. Avoiding the excessive naffness in my current mood of the peñas. Feeling rather run down, it is probably either dengue fever or having slept on the bus and being woken twice and hence tired. Was slightly tempted to just go to bed but that wouldn't be playing the game. Shall probably not push it tonight, maybe just this one litre (on Iguana for a change; 'tis OK) and if not unlikely to be more than two and in bed by midnight (it's a 20 min walk from the hostel to here - hostel is v central, virtually next door to Iglesia San Francisco and a block or two from main plaza, but the area of Balcarce with the bars on is remote-ish). Shall not try to be up before 11 or midday tomorrow and fingers crossed will feel 100% then, or as close as I ever come on waking. Room is OK if spartan (can't complain for ARS90/night) and the wifi works in there but I have a bunk bed (all to myself), which is a bit crap. Still.

This place might be called Ibiza, probably is.

It is also vaguely conceivable I have ingested some insect repellent accidentally via sucking a finger or the like.

2255 Having a second litre. May not finish it. Feel a little tired but less so and more importantly am increasingly convinced I am nothing but tired.

Been noticing it since I got here but the distinctive 'sh' pronunciation of 'll' is, well, distinctive. I am not imitating it; I continue to speak Spanish with a British accent, as always.

2325 Reggae version of 'Boys Don't Cry' playing

Mana's 'Muelle de San Blas' now. This is OK. Pleasantly cool; I am wearing fleece because I always have it with me and it's easier to wear it, but I probably don't need it. Most people in short sleeves. Won't have another - I am sure it's the sweet brown liquor tempering my mood and giving me a slight second wind, I am doubtless tired and need a decent sleep in a proper bed - but this is nice. I think it's only the last few days I have really started to relax - been wound up about all kinds of shit for weeks - and just the lingering worries over illness have been tempering it the last couple of days. Do have the usual suspicion I'm not making the most of my time in pure 'seeing stuff' terms (you could easily spend weeks visiting nearby places just here, never mind seeing Salta, and the same for everywhere else), but sod it - I don't want to go haring around like mad out of some crazy sense of 'duty'. 'If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium' is just not my style.

Did think when up on Cerro San Bernardo Andy & Jolanta had probably been there (I believe he went to Salta on his Argentinian holiday, and surely it is one of the more obvious and cool places to visit), which was oddly cool. Shall have to see if they actually had been when I get home.

0024 Surprisingly lively for a Monday night (the street, not this bar as such). I really would quite like to stay out but I think that would be foolish; I still have a bit of my second litre left anyway. If am not shackled to an 8am start by a tour on Wednesday I may come out a bit later tomorrow night.

Possibly live Spanish language version of 'Lady in Red' from bar across street. Live music is always a draw but really not tonight I think. This is the first night I've struck proper nightlife; Chopp Cordoba wasn't a late spot and nowhere else seemed busy then either. But if I don't fuck around with tours - and there is plenty to do here in Salta itself - I have two more nights here and tomorrow night I don't have to be up early to check out, so I am going to bear in mind my earlier tiredness and not push it tonight.

0040 Who am I kidding? I will probably get another litre and maybe not finish it but fuck me, I've been waiting for this for too long. There is a remise office down the road too - NOT that I intend to be staggering drunk (FFS, we're looking at six pints tops, the last four having taken nearly four hours to drink and not finished yet) but it means I don't have to assume I have a twenty minute walk, not that it would kill me (or that dogs would ;-) - it's fine in a proper city). So take it easy and enjoy.

Do find it a bit odd - and sort of observed it before at Chopp Cordoba - that there are very young children here with their families. Yes, yes, responsible and mature alcohol consumption, but the simple fact it's 1am surprises me. I guess the late hours culture is just so natural. Really it should (and kind of does) suit someone like me down to the ground.

Battery at 38% and spare not charged yet but twil be fine.

0105 Just ordered third. Waiters here seem reluctant to accept my waving the bottle when they are at a distance as a request; they come over and ask. I only do it to save them walking over needlessly - even my Spanish nowadays is up to 'otra, por favor' - and elsewhere it seems to have been accepted and as far as I can tell appreciated.

I got an ice bucket with this beer; didn't understand what the guy said but still. At 24-27ish a litre it's going to be 100 with tip anyway so even if - probably not - I am charged for the ice, sod it.

0149 Just asked for bill. Don't regret staying out as such but the first fine pleasure of doing it didn't mature into ongoing enjoyment. 81, 100 with tip. Won't rush off but probably won't finish this litre. Will walk back I think. Hostel reception is 24h and if they don't mean it they shouldn't say it. I should avoid significant censure; I am not really drunk and the walk will take the edge off anyway.

0224 Back at hostel. No problem getting in. Left about half of last bottle. Walk back very pleasant actually; I do like that kind of thing. Bars on Balcarce obviously not shutting but perhaps a bit quiet, moving towards the plaza much deader but a few people on the streets, a few cars, a few pairs of cops patrolling. Street dogs behaved themselves as I expected. This place seems much more vibrant - perhaps just more obviously so - than anywhere have yet been, despite the reputations of BA and Cordoba. If I had to be exiled in Argentina, I'd probably pick Salta based on the scanty evidence of today.