After breakfast a bird couldn't live on, we had to turn around and head back for Salta. We told Angie we were STARVING, but it wasn't until Humahuaca three hours later, that we got to eat. This is hard country with few services, so when you come, come prepared. 

Even though these open markets and stalls are operated by very poor people, the streets surrounding them are absolutely immaculate. They are always sweeping and cleaning and keeping their areas neat. They obviously have pride that the poor people of Montevideo do not. It was in stark contrast last evening when we walked back to the hotel from dinner. The streets were alive with papers and bags flying in the breeze, but in the morning everything was clean.

But the border crossing! It was worth the headaches--no really, headaches or nausea or both. I loved Bolivia--it was a true highlight of our trip--but I didn't love having either enough to want to spend a lot of time there. 

And speaking of altitude--what about the coca leaves? They hold a leaf in their mouths and just let it sit there because it helps with the altitude but isn't it bad for them and turn their teeth black and make them addicted?

You can google it to find out I guess, but here's what we learned. The coca leaf is not a drug, but you can make illegal drugs from them. They're not illegal to sell or buy in Argentina, but they're illegal to grow. And yes, if they do it for long enough their teeth will turn black, but really, if you had to live at that altitude you'd do most anything to survive and their teeth are going to fall out anyway.

Because of the coca? Who knows. It didn't seem to be an issue with anyone we met--just a fact of life. Coca leaves are sold by the gazillion in the market. You just reach into these huge red bags that must hold 80 gallons and fill your bag. They look like tea leaves or a small laurel leaf.

Before this trip, my impression of coca leaves was that everyone was high on opium or something--but I had to check my ignorance at the border.

And speaking of the border...we walked past the checkpoints like they weren't there--immigration officers looked the other way, chatting, as we left. There was nothing as silly as having your passport stamped--we were clandestine!!

But if you're only in the country for a few hours no one cares. Tour buses all have to empty and have everyone file past immigration, showing their passports--but if you're walking in--no problem. They might ask you questions, but you just tell them you're only going in to look around a bit.

As we passed the checkpoint we looked to our right and saw the runners. Dozens of them running contraband across the border in easy view of authorities, and running freely. Walking, really. In fact, in the photos you see them going both directions. That's because Bolivians aren't fond of paying taxes either and prefer to pay runners to sneak stuff in, instead.

Can you still call it sneaking if you walk in broad daylight past immigration checkpoints?

Angie says border guards look the other way because they know these people have to have jobs too, and this is all they can get. They run their traditional weavings and tablecloths and bags and everything you can imagine including full bags of cement past immigration and into the safety of Argentina's bus station.

What about drug control, you ask? Yes. Good question. We could see absolutely nothing stopping them from bringing anything across that border. We did see lots of drug control check stations INSIDE Argentina but at the border? Nada. 

 Does that make sense? 

You can't start asking that of foreign countries or you'll never stop.