Salta | Folklore Movement | [⛪️] 
Salta’s old town center has rich history and a living folk culture. Colonial facades, neo-classical architecture, ch

happiness - Fernwayer Travel Stories & Experiences

Argentina

[⛪️] 
Salta’s old town center has rich history and a living folk culture. Colonial facades, neo-classical architecture, church with bell tower and crowds of happy people meeting up with friends before dinner. 

[🎤] 
My night ends at a peña (music/social club) where local musicians perform songs and the audience sings and dances along.

[💃] 
There’s the chacarera, a lively partner dance with much stomping. During zamba, couples circle each other, waving white handkerchiefs. Finally in the cherished malambo, a male gaucho performs his best steps to show off his strength and boldness to upstage other competitors. Then the dancers go around the room looking for partners from among the audience, and it’s fascinating to see the eagerness of the crowd to join in. 

[🍷] 
There’s a lot of Fernet-and-Coke - or the local Torrontés - on the tables to go along, and soon everyone is singing to the chorus. Their spirit is infectious.

Folklore Movement

United States

Bhutan

I am completely fascinated by Buddhist prayer wheels. Our guide tells us that we should walk clockwise, turning the wheel and chanting, “Om Mani Padme Hum”. “Will that give me extra strength to climb up to the Tiger’s Nest monastery tomorrow?”, I ask him. “Absolutely”, he says earnestly. Well, at least one of us has faith, I think to myself.

Paro Taktsang - or Tiger’s Nest monastery - hangs off a cliff at a dizzying 10,240 feet over the Paro Valley. It’s a 5 hour climb, punctuated with lunch. Not too tough, as it turns out. I must be fitter than I think. But the guide reminds me - “See, I told you so”. 

The hike (including getting to the trailhead) takes about 6-7 hours, depending on how much time you spend at the monastery. 4 miles round trip on a wide dirt trail. At the halfway point is a cafeteria - and for most people, getting to this point is the toughest part of the hike. Beyond this, both the scenery and the difficulty of the climb are in your favor.

Hope, Faith and Happiness

Georgia

Despite the fact that in our time it is very difficult to travel, I flew with my dog to beautiful Tbilisi) This city is located in the mountains and you have to overcome many ascents, which does not prevent me and the dog from being happy here)

Morocco

In Marrakech, explore the labyrinth of the medina, lined with market stalls and craftspeople, and full of secret places and contradictions. 

Anonymous, windowless, fortress-like walls enclose luxurious riads built around tiled courtyards, complete with fountains and gardens.

Happily, my wonderful guide Khadija of Morocco Private Experience, encourages my curiosity. She leads the way across the medieval labyrinth of chaotic alleyways - to the souks where centuries-old skills continue to flourish. 

I am intrigued about how all the craftspeople are clustered together by trade. We watch a metal craftsman shape a pair of gnawa cymbals. A leatherworker allows me inside his workshop for a better view. There is an entire street of ornate lantern sellers - the bronze-latticed lanterns competing with the palm-leafed roofs of the souks in throwing light-and-shadow patterns all around.

Argentina

Salta Province

Folklore Movement

Bhutan

Paro

Hope, Faith and Happiness

Georgia

Tbilisi

Georgia

Morocco

Marrakesh-Safi

Heart and Souk