A hike up to San Bernardo Mountain.

And a sold out show.

Salta City, Salta, Argentina

Sunday March 16th, 2025

Dear Reader,

My band’s debut performance took place at a wine bar called Alta Cava - high cellar - in the center of town on Friday night. In the afternoon, the three musicians - guitarist, drummer, and upright bassist - and I showed up to test out the sound and review a few songs.

Then we went away to rest and get ready. The show was advertised as starting at 9pm, so we returned just after 8pm. But in Salta everything and everyone is usually late. People trickled in, sat down, ordered wine, chatted, and milled around.

At 9.25pm, we decided to get the show on the road. Soon, all 60 seats were filled and a few unlucky folks were turned away.

We opened with a set of standards: Fly Me To The Moon, Hallelujah I Love Him So, and Misty. Then we took a short break to let the staff serve tapas, and more wine, and came back with a group of Latin tunes by Jobim, and boleros, like the Colombian Dos Gardenias - Two Gardenias - and Mexican Sabor A Mi - Taste Of Me.

Another break followed. More wine and tapas were brought out. The audience was having a ball, and so were we. When I sang Fever, I asked the attendees to keep time by snapping their fingers together. They gladly participated.

During the intermissions, I hung out in a little booth at the back of the restaurant with a glass of water, a glass of whiskey, and the setlist.

I hoped nobody would notice me on their way to the bathroom. But they did.

“Hey, can I get a photo with you?”, asked a middle aged man with a pony tail.

“Sure!”, I said.

We posed as he took a selfie. He thanked me and went back to his seat.

“Oh hi!”, said an older woman with blonde hair. “I have to congratulate you. Love the show.”.

Then, a gentleman with white hair and a hunting jacket appeared.

“Excuse me.”, he said. “You’re from the States, right?”.

“Yes!”, I replied.

“And I hear you have properties out in the Calchaqui Valley.”.

“That’s right.”, I said.

“Small world.”, said the man. “My wife and I are opening a hotel in Cachi. We’ll have to get you out there to sing!”.

And so it went. I engaged in a stream of kind words and pleasant chit chat with the patrons as I waited to be called up for the next set.

When we performed Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, people got their phones out and started filming. A woman at a table close to me mouthed the words.

A video my friend Candelaria took.

We closed the show with All Of Me, and were immediately called upon for “Uno mas!” - One more!.

Summertime was decided on for the Encore. More clapping. We took our bows, thanked the audience, and headed off stage.

Afterwards, the owner came over to me and my bandmates.

“I had to turn a lot of people away.”, he said. “Do you all think you might be able to do another show in a couple of weeks?”.

“We’ll think about.”, I said coyly.

We all laughed. “No! Of course, we’d be delighted!”, I said.

Funny, I used to perform at a wine bar in Baltimore once a week and rarely had more than 10 people in the audience.

I suppose you can’t be a prophet in your own land.

Goofing off with bandmates before the show on Friday. From left: Aito, me, Willie, and Gonzalo.

On Saturday afternoon, I wanted an activity combining exercise with nature. I headed out the door in the direction of the park of the Guëmes Monument, not knowing where I’d go from there. When I arrived, I noticed a stair way. A sign indicated that the stairs led to the top of the San Bernardo mountain.

I started up and quickly second guessed my decision. The staircase seemed never ending.

The staircase up to San Bernardo Mountain.

I stopped to catch my breath. Beads of sweat trickled down my back, but the sky was overcast, and a refreshing breeze reinvigorated me. I got up and went on. Finally, I arrived at the final leg.

A man was selling cold bottles of water, bags of chips, and cups of fruit salad from a huge plastic vat. I asked for a bottle of water.

“2000 pesos for favor.”, he said. I handed him the note.

I took a several long sips.

Just one more flight of stairs, and I was at the top. I sat for a long time on a wooden bench looking at the gondolas taking people from one mountain top to the other and back again.

Refreshed after the vigorous exercise and pleasantly tired, I wound my way down to the park of the Guëmes monument.

I'd enjoy doing that hike again soon, I thought to myself.

The Park of the Guëmes Monument.

Next week Adrien will visit Bolivia to check on the commodity cropping operations, and then we’ll head together to the Valley in time for the cosecha - the grape harvest.

Stay tuned.

Abrazos,

Mariah