Bel & Graffitti

Cachi, Argentina

Food & Travel : Quinoa Salad @ Salta

This is one of my favourite dishes of all times!

Just a year ago I visited Salta for a long weekend. I went from Salta to Cachi for a day trip and tasted the most delicious quinoa salad I´ve ever had.

It had grilled peppers (red and green), corn, tomatoes and quinoa: Fresh and fulfilling! The perfect combination!

I had tried quinoa before (in pies, with potatos, etc.) but never in a salad... and it was great!

But apart from its peculiar taste and texture, the quinoa has a story.

It comes from the Highest Andes Mountains and grows all over South America mountain countries.

It was one of the main foods among Inca civilization. It has more protein than any other grain which makes it high quality food. It grows wildly almost anywhere so it was helpful for people living in the high mountains! And it´s still is!

The high iron levels are said to help with altitude sickness, because it improves the oxygen levels in blood.

It recently became very popular and it´s exported to all over the world, but the origins are ancient and I´m sure it tastes different if you are having quinoa with a view like this...

Just fantastic!

Souvenirs: Some of my favourite

Napkins and sugar from Berlin

(I also have tea bags from Poland and some other places)

Maps from everywhere!

Wines from San Juan, Argentina

The one I regret not buying :) So ridiculously funny!

Dinosaurs from San Juan, Argentina

Folk dolls from Otavalo, Ecuador

Puzzle Cubes, from New York (I also have from Toronto, San Francisco, Bratislava, Poland, Austria and Barcelona)

Strange Mate designs from Gualeguaychu, Argentina

Magnets from Bratislava, Slovakia

(I have from everywhere!)

Mamushka from Prague

from Prague

from Prague

Bel & San Juan

Bel & Shopping Therapy in Buenos Aires

Palermo used to be an old neighbourhood full of factories and warehouses, until 10 years ago it turned into the fashion industry meca.

Palermo started to be divided with different names. Designers started to call it Palermo Soho in the south, Palermo Hollywood in the north, and some other denominations that didn´t persist.

I have to admit I always get confused on which one is Soho, and which one Hollywood, but who cares... Both are nice anyway...

During the weekends there´s a craft fair on Honduras street, and some others that are held indoors in bars and restaurants.

At night you have tons of chic bars and gourmet restaurant with a great variety of Argentinian and also ethnic food that can guarantee anyone a great night in Buenos Aires.

But this Saturday, everything was about shopping! It was a sunny autumn afternoon, just perfect to be outdoors with my gorgeous niece :)

Here you have some pics!

Travel & Birthday: Carnival in Gualeguaychu

This is my weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday in Gualeguaychu, Entre Rios.

Only 300 kms from Buenos Aires, it´s where the most popular carnival in Argentina is celebrated.

Here you can enjoy some of the pictures...

Insane souvenirs, an amusement park lost in time and a Carnival...

It won´t be easy to forget this birthday!

Carnival - Gualeguaychu, a set on Flickr.