Camino de los Artesanos of La Cumbre (Day 53)

The weather has finally changed here in La Cumbre- at least enough to see around a bit. My gear has also had a chance to dry out a bit, which definitely helps with the damp smell on top of the not-so-clean smell :)

Since it was a nice sunny day, I decided to wander around the town of La Cumbre a bit. I considered going back up to the Jesus lookout, but I wanted to leave it with the memory I now had of the missionary and her service at the secret cross. Instead, I headed off in search of the Camino de los Artesanos (Artesans Walk)- a road where artists open their homes for viewing all their crafts. Sounds pretty cool, right?

I thought I understood (herein is the rub..) from the camping owner that the Camino started on the street just blocks away from the camping ground. I had also checked at the Information Centre and the nice lady seemed to agree and indicated that the whole Camino itself was about 9km long. So, to make sure I would get a full day of walking in, I decided to take the long route around town, circumnaviating the golf course to start the Camino from the far end. I took me about 1hr to get there, so I was a little surprised to see the sign that indicated that I was in fact at the start of the Camino, not the end...

Hmmm. I sat and had some lunch outside a very pretty farm and then decided that I was in store for a good walk anyway so I might as well wander off in the direction from the sign and see where it got me. From the map on the sign, it seemed like there should be a smattering of stops within only a few kilometers from the start. So, when almost two hours later I only just came upon the first stop, I was a little confused. But, it was a great shop to start at.

This shop, Jardins de los Yaya, was actually an organic, biodynamic farm with the most impressively imaginative variety of every jam, chutney, spread and pickled anything you could think of. So many fantastic things! Thank goodness I don't have much souvenir room in my pack because I could have done some serious damage here. The farm also gives tours and workshops, although I happened to be here on a day outside the tour times. Something to organize for my return visit :)

By the time I left I was getting tired and a little hungry, so I decided to head back. Still curious about the original street the camping owner and info lady had been talking about, I attempted to find said street on my way back. That turned out to be a lot more of a challenge that I bargained for. Turns out La Cumbre isn't renowned for its town maps. Or at least I hope not. The street I was looking for was Benitz, which on my map should be a poker-straight major road due north from the Camino. Not so. It starts out pretty straight, and then turns into a really rough dirt road, and then starts curving, twisting and winding around. I got so lost. On the bright side, I think I walked down every single street in this area of the town. And it was gorgeous- there are some serious estate homes in La Cumbre. Immaculately manicured lawns, sprawling adobe mansions and impeccable landscaping. When I finally did make it back to town, I went to talk to the info lady again to sort things out. Seems I was exactly where I was supposed to be. She assured me that Jardin de los Yaya was the beginning of the line and that all the rest of the shops where clustered right after it. The Camino was just a little longer than I expected. Fair enough. She also let me in on the tidbit that there was a shuttle that runs from La Cumbre to Villa Giardino, the neighbouring town where the Camino ends, so I could walk the Camino and take the shuttle back. Too bad she had neglected to mention that before...

I went back to camp and sat with the owner while we listened to the press conference the president of Argentina was giving in response to the escalating agriculture protests and increasingly tense road blocks. Nothing new, just pleas to open up the roadblocks and keep negotiating. At day 20 of the protest, I doubt that everyone's just going to go home at this point. When I got up to go back to my tent, I was so completely pooped that I had to decline the owner's offer to join them for an asado or even a glass of wine. I felt bad to turn down a good Argentine feast, but all I was starting to mumble incoherently and figured I probably wouldn't be much company. Especially with a glass or two of wine in me!

I'm still curious about the Camino, especially now that I know where it is and how to get there (I think). I have the whole day tomorrow before I catch my bus back to Cordoba to head to Buenos Aires, so maybe I'll venture back and see what else there is. Assuming I can find my way back...