It started with Blue Flame Ventures being invited to speak at the 7th Annual GNetwork360 convention in Buenos Aires, Argentina for LGBT Business and Tourism.

Arriving in Buenos Aires, via New York, and after an 11 hour flight, I met up with fellow speakers; Michael Warner from Social to GoGo as well Joe Landry and Jim Stevens from Here Media. We were quickly whisked away to the domestic airport on the other side of Buenos Aires and, after some minor delays, we were boarding the next plane to take us to Jujuy (pronounced "who hooey"), a small city in Northwest Argentina situated between the Bolivian and Chilean borders.

Flying over Argentina granted some of the most spectacular views; even at 36,000 feet you could see the mountains and hills, which led you to think we were going to wherever Jurassic Park was filmed. Everything was so lush and such a deep green.

Once we landed, and after picking up our luggage, we were met by Vanina Salerno from Argentina Tourism, who would be with us for the entire duration of the trip, and Sofi Van Balen Blanken from Jujuy Tourism along with her team.

Hoping to just settle into the hotel for a small rest after such a long trek (I personally had not slept on any of the flights) we were taken to lunch in the town, to a restaurant called Viracochia. It was exactly what I would have anticipated; the atmosphere was very local. With no sense of what time it actually was, I could only guess it was lunch hour. The restaurant was at capacity. While my colleagues were all stepping outside their comfort zones, and trying the local cuisine of llama, I opted for some quinoa. My stomach was just not happy with all the wine I drank on the plane.

Sensing that we were all just wanting to shower and take a small power nap, our hosts graciously complied and took us to our first hotel on the journey, the Hotel Howard Johnson Plaza Jujuy.

After a much-needed rest we were all taken by van to the centre of Jujuy where, even at 8pm, it was bustling with activity. Built in 1598, finished in 1653, our first stop was the Catedral Iglesia de San Salvador. Church services were in session, so we were not able to spend as much time as we may have liked looking around, but we had found that an 1843 earthquake had destroyed the original building which had consisted of two towers. It was rebuilt in 1907. Our next stop was just across the square to City Hall, called Casa de Gobierno, which they opened just for us. We were led up the stairs to a room that was no other word but ornate. It houses all the flags of the various provinces in Argentina, Jujuy province being one of them. It is also said that it homes the first flag of civil freedom.

The most stunning resort was our dinner destination – The Altos de la Vina. The night views overlooking the city were amazing. This city is massive, and now it was all lit up as if to say Bienvenido a Argentina.

Feeling a bit more daring now that I was rested, I decided to have the llama lasagne, which I have to say was pretty damn good. The room was round, beautifully decorated, allowing for perfect panoramic views of the city.

The day began with the arrival of speaker Marta Fernandez, hailing from Madrid, Spain, with Les Working. Once we all piled into the van, we were off to the Quebrada de Humahuaca, declared an UNESCO world heritage site. There is nothing that I can say that should not be seen in person.

As we were taking the drive, the first thing I noticed was the colour of the mountains. These are not your regular Rockies. They come in all shades, as far as the eye can see. Pachamama – the red mountain, is iron, but to Argentinians it represents mother earth. Borax – the purple and pink mountains; yellow sulfur mountains; a variety of greens.  When asked what the latter is, we were informed that the green is caused by the oxidizing that has taken place over time. It was fascinating to discover that we were right in the heart of what was once the Inca Empire.

Leading us to a small town called Pumamarca (Seven Colour Mountain), we stopped at Il Cavallino Helados y Café where, after a bit of shopping at the little marketplaces in town, a cappuccino felt really awesome. Even the tables had a story to tell, etched with carvings inscribed by people over the years, and the dishes looked as though they were made in the kiln just days before.

No party is complete without a Brazilian. Our next stop brought us to a hotel, not to check in, but to pick up the last member of our merry group: Helio Filho, editor and chief of Revista Junior Magazine. The countryside was scattered with cactus. Cardón, being the biggest of the cactus family, were quickly disappearing the higher we were ascending. The only plant visible now was tola which we were told, when used correctly, aids in the speeding up of childbirth.

As some of my colleagues were beginning to feel queasy from the climb and continual winding of the road, we reached part one of our destination. Not quite at the peak, but still 4170 metres above sea level - just wow! Plains, dips, valleys, crevices – everywhere a spectacular view. It’s not the Coliseum of Rome or the Parthenon of Greece, but it is Argentina. Aside from the tola plant and some wildlife in the distance (namely the vicuña, an endangered animal with fur softer than cashmere) you are at one with the vista. Our guide told us that it would take roughly 25 vicuña to make one poncho. Most of this type of clothing would come from its cousin, the alpaca.

Once again, we all piled into the van to head to part two of our destination: Salinas Grandes. On the road I had seen what looked like snow, although it wasn’t cold enough for snow, even in the middle of winter. I was advised that it is actually salt; not the sodium that we would use each day in consumption, but salt used for industry. Miles and miles of pure white - a salt desert - over 40 miles spanning the borders of four provinces. Very hard to the touch, and with an appearance much like cracked mud in the heat, the view was nothing short of holy. This was awesome, with no point of reference except the Sierra de Cordoba Mountains in the far distance. The salt was also very cold to the touch, and there was a small section dug out and filled with water, which provided a perfect mirror reflection. I felt bold enough to put my feet in, and damn it was really cool! I pulled them out to watch the salt crystalize on my calves and feet.

After oohs and ahs subsided we were treated with traditional Andean food. They had created a picnic of sorts right there on the salt flats. Various assortments of breads, meats and cheeses, delicious empanadas, drinks and deserts, were all spread out just for us. Now that we were fed, it seemed like such a waste not to work on my tan. This was the perfect location – lots of reflective backdrop to give me that deep dark colour I strive for. But, before I could get comfortable, they snatched us all up again and headed back to Pumamarca for the evening. At least this allowed me to drag a couple of my colleagues back into town to check out the multitude of street markets. With a 20:1 ratio on currency (Argentinian peso to Canadian dollar) I was about to require another suitcase.

All checked into hotel #2, la Comarca Hotel con Encanto was more like a campsite resort than your average hotel. Situated right on the highway in the centre of town, we each had our own cabana. Mine had three beds and a cactus right outside the window. The only downside was having to drag my luggage to my room, but what a pretty walk it was: cacti throughout the courtyard; and small, man-made streams trickling near the various pathways.

There was just enough time for a couple of us to tour the wine cellar and have drinks with the rest of our group before dressing and heading to back to town for dinner. The beverage of choice? Salta beer. As we were walking into town that evening you could not help but realize how bright it was despite no lights; drawing our gaze to the skies. The stars were so massive and so bright – millions of them guiding our way. It’s easy to see why people sometimes opt for the country. I had never seen anything like it anywhere in the world.

Arriving at the Hotel Marquis de Tojo we were treated to a small tour of the hotel, which was spectacular. Painted frescos adorning the walls reminded me of my travels in Italy. The tour led us to a private dining area where they suggested we order anything on the menu. I couldn’t resist; I had to have the steak with risotto. Much of the dinner consisted of, "Have more wine". Argentinians are quite proud of their vino, which helped on the walk home for us, as it was quite chilly. The temperature had dropped to about 5°C that evening.

Early the next morning we were back on the road with Salta (literally meaning ‘jump’) being the final destination of the day, however we had a few stops to make first.

Maimara which, when translated, means ‘falling star’ is said to have had a meteor crash down on it. It also homes the most incredible burial site. On November 2nd, "The Day of Death", the town makes a trek up this hill to leave offerings. From a distance the site resembles a scattering of dollhouses.

Tilcara, meaning ‘flower surrounded by stone’, was next. October through December all of the cacti flower. While stopped here we were taken to an ecological rural establishment called Caravana de Llamas. Their main objective is to rescue and tame llamas into cargo animals, promoting their work with local communities, within the program of community based rural tourism. To this end, they also provide walking tours and weekend retreats.

After our small educational tour and a light breakfast with the owners, we were all provided our own llama to do a walking tour of the town. Apparently I got the stud of the lot. He was certainly a camera whore; he always knew where the camera was, ready for a pose. So there we are, the group of us walking through the streets of Tilcara, each with a llama on the arm. It was quite the fun and adventurous opportunity to see the town at a llama’s pace. Children began to follow along, and then we arrived at a massive market square full of eclectic shops and kiosks selling everything a tourist may want. I handed the reigns of my llama over to a colleague, determined to help the local economy, and I shopped. They managed to drag me away, kicking and screaming, but not before I purchased the most amazing pair of shoes.

Leaving the ‘Archeological Capital of the Province’ behind we returned to Jujuy for our final stop; the Thermas de Reyes Hotel & Spa. The drive was fascinating. No longer were we in the desert, but now amid lush foliage and deep greens – like the Amazon jungle. A mist was blanketing the area as we arrived to what can only be described as a palace. Following a delicious late luncheon they invited my fellow speakers and I to take a thermal bath in the spa. You did not have to ask any of us twice; our own private rooms overlooking the gorge into the hillsides of Jujuy were utterly fantastic.

Bittersweet we were as we said goodbye to our Jujuy guides, Sofi and her team, and hello to our new guides from Salta Tourism. As we arrived in Salta, dusk was setting in; there was not much time to actually see the town. We were all exhausted from the day’s travels and thermal baths. Leaving our baggage at the tourism office, we were soon headed down the street to the main square that, in my opinion, looked very much like I was in the middle of Venice and not in northwest Argentina. Walking down the bustling streets and among the orange trees, we saw a wonderfully pink, architecturally alluring, lit-up building. It was the Cathedral of Salta. We were not able to take photos inside, as mass was in session, but we were able to take a walk through the church and view some of the amazing relics it has housed over the ages.

As this was a press FAM (familiarization) trip, they had split us up into different hotels. Marta and I were at Ayres de Salta, but we would soon reconvene for dinner at 9:30pm. I took the opportunity of having Wi-Fi again to check a few dozen emails and touch base on Facebook.

We arrived to pena folkloric La Casona del Molino not knowing what to expect. A 20-foot guitar stood outside the entrance, pushing into the roof. We were seated in what could be described as a bingo hall setting, but with twinkling lights everywhere that changed colour. Our group appeared to have grown in size; now there were roughly 18 of us. After a really great meal, and a few Salta beer to wash it down, the host came out to set the tone for the evening. He started by asking what countries we were from, and then broke into song. We were treated to a traditional Argentinian evening complete with the tango and fantastic performances; it was really remarkable. To finish off this evening with our new friends, this incredible group of people came out and did an awe-inspiring production with flags and dancers and singers. Bienvenido a Salta!

Marta and I were awaiting our pick-up early this morning; we were to join the others in two separate vans on a journey that would take us to Cafayate. Now no amount of searching on the Internet could prepare us for the sights we were about to see. I am not just talking about the tobacco fields, as immense as those were. Imagine the Grand Canyon on steroids times 10. To get to Cafayate we had to take highway 68 through the Las Conchas Canyon. The geological formations were truly something. The road itself was just as crazy as the drive to Salinas Grandes, but it seemed a distant memory upon the incredible sights we were seeing.

We could not take photos fast enough. We coerced our drivers to stop at a place called Garganta del Diablo, meaning the Devil’s Throat, a natural reserve that, with the passage of millions of years, formed this awesome geological formation. So after we climbed rocks, and snapped even more photos, the hosts rounded us up to head 10 kilometres up road to Mirador Tres Cruces.

The panoramic views from this location are stellar. Nothing but geological formations as far as your eyes will allow you to see. It would also seem this is the place Argentinians are most proud of; they have carved out a path to a small plateau so you may get the best vantage point to see everything.

We were already running late but what is one more stop: Quebrada de la Conchas! There was no side road to pull onto, so we had the drivers stop on the shoulder of the highway. There is nothing in my travels around the world that can equate to such magnificent views. It is amazing to think that nature can create such beautiful sights.

Piling back into the van yet again we finally reached our destination, Piattelli Vineyards, ‘wine tasting at the base of the Andes’. How did I manage to become so fortunate – landing this all expenses paid trip to Argentina and now getting to sample wines not yet available in Canada?

The hospitality manager, Mariela Ilardo was there to greet us as we arrived. She gave us a brief overview of where we were and requested that we relax and enjoy ourselves while they tended to our needs. Torrontés 2013 Premium Reserve was first pour. Now I have not drunk white for a while but damn; a guy could get used to it again.

As we were doing a round robin around the table introducing ourselves – where we were from, what we do, and why we do it – the empanadas were making their way out. I need the recipe to these. They just kept coming and my colleagues and I could not get enough of them. We could almost forgo lunch and just eat empanadas all afternoon.

Polishing off our third or fourth bottle of wine, the Malbec 2013 Premium Reserve came out. I have always been a fan of Chilean wine, but this is the contender for the crown. They were clearly saving the best for last.

On our private tour of the vineyard I discovered all the wines they make at Piattelli: Capriccio, Cabernet, Torrontes, Malbec, Chardonnay and Rose of Malbec.

Piattelli Vineyards started in 2009, while the actual facility was not built until 2012. It is only at about 40 per cent capacity, but houses other vineyards’ wine to offset the overhead costs. Unfortunately we were unable to see the actual grapes on the vine, as the season was already complete and the 2014 wines were already in their respective vats, but Mariela showed us the process of creating the various wines, including the fermenting and corking process.

Our brains overloaded with wine processing knowledge we headed for the gift shop. First up, buying some of that incredible wine; second, a really cool wine map of the world. It was our last night of the tour and my colleagues purchased four, five, six bottles each; my luggage was already at capacity. I still had four days in Argentina to go, as well as Rio de Janeiro in a week (when you are friends with Terri Stevens you don’t go to Rio and not load her up with feather boas).

Buzzy from the wine tour, and thinking that we are now on our way to check into the hotel, Cele Nader and her team from Salta Tourism squashed the idea. We were on our way to a museum, the Museo de la Vid y el Vino; in English, The Vine and Wine Museum. Oh God.

The building, which was inaugurated this past March, had the most spectacular, detailed displays from the creation of wine to today – anything you could possibly want to know about Argentinian wine is here.

On my second wind I got the brilliant idea for us to do a bit of walking in the town, and managed to convince my colleagues that we won’t be long; thus we entered the market square and its multitude of shops. While the others were meandering through the streets, I hit every kiosk and found the perfect shirt.

Team Salta still had one last surprise in store for us: the vineyards of Bodega el Esteco. Now as overwhelmed as we may have been over the jam-packed day of events and awesome sights, this was really something. They allowed us to walk right up to the vines and actually see the stems, the various water filtration systems; even the earth was fascinating. I thought it would be dirt, but it was sand. Some of the finest wines in the world are grown in sand - who knew? Finally, after this tour, the various wine tasting of Don David Malbec and Don David Torrontes, it was time to check into the hotel, which was located at this very vineyard. It all felt so Falcon Crest. If we were amazed with the winery, it paled in comparison to what we walked into.

Checking into the Patios de Cafayate Wine Hotel we were each handed a key that appeared to be saved from the 17th Century. I walked to my room and opened the door; a jaw-dropping moment to say the least. I was in the presidential suite. Thinking there must be some mistake I walked to Helio’s room only to discover he too was in a presidential suite.

This was just wow! The king sized bed, the walls, the draperies, the antique desk and furnishings, the ensuite bathroom, mirrors, sink – even the bidet. As much as we just wanted to absorb our surroundings it was time to get ready for dinner. We were to be on the road in one hour. So after taking the longest shower I made my way past the various rooms, which included a chapel, to the opulence of the lobby, all lit up for night time.

Down the highway to a dirt road, a true hideaway, we finally reached the Casa de la Bodega. Greeted by the owner (one of the tallest men I have ever seen) we expected to be led to the dining room, but they had one final surprise in store for us. We were led through the back, past the bottling plant, down the corridor to the basement to a large area that quite literally had thousands of bottles lining the walls. There, nestled between them, stood a beautifully decorated wooden table set for the group of us. Like A-listers we had our own private wait staff catering to our every want. Amazing food and drink, atmosphere, new friends – even the owner came by and at times served us himself. This was a perfect ending to a most incredible journey through northwest Argentina.

It was time to head back to our individual palaces for a sleeping splendour. Like all good things, a 7am alarm signalled its end. Time to get up and head back to Salta, saying goodbye to all the beauty of the road, the vineyards, Devil’s Tongue, and our wonderful hosts from Salta Tourism. Boarding the plane we all headed back to work, to Buenos Aires. It was time to attend the GNetwork360 Conference and Convention.

JuJuy.com
http://www.jujuy.com/

Termas De Reyes
http://www.termasdereyes.com

Howard Johnson Plaza Jujuy
http://www.hjjujuy.com.ar 

Gobierno de Jujuy
http://www.jujuy.gov.ar 

Welcome Argentina - JuJuy
http://www.welcomeargentina.com/jujuy 

Welcome Argentina - Salta
http://www.welcomeargentina.com/salta

La Comarca Hotel
http:// www.lacomarcahotel.com.ar

Marques de Tojo
http:// www.marquesdetojo.com

Tilcara
http:// www.tilcara.com.ar

Caravana de Llamas / Llama Trekking
http:// www.caravandellamas.com.ar

Catedral de Salta - Salta
http://www.catedralsalta.org

Ayres de Salta Hotel
http://www.ayresdesalta.com.ar

Piattelli Vineyards
http://www.piattellivineyards.com

Museo de la Vid y el Vino
http://www.museodelvinobc.com

El Esteco
http:// www.elesteco.com

Patios De Cafayte
http://www.patiosdecafayate.com

La Casa de la Bodega
http://www.lacasadelabodega.com.ar