La Feria Artesano

Balcarce is the street known for its bars and clubs. It is the ideal location when one is looking for a solid night on the town. However, every Sunday from 11am to 10pm it becomes the center for artists in Salta to sell their work. Covering three blocks, local families and tourists alike wander through the many stands. There is indigenous art, with paintings, shawls, pottery, and carpets. However, one of the more common artwork is with leather in belts, jewelry, and purses. Also, the use of silver in jewelry is very popular. Because of their abundance, silver and leather are probably the best finds in Salta in terms of price vs. quality.

Unfortunately, this was the day the sun decided to stay behind the clouds, as well as the first time I didn’t bring a jacket with me. I figured I stuck out enough being white, but it probably didn’t help that I was clutching my arms while I walked with a Nike bag on my shoulder—my stance probably screamed TOURIST or AMERICAN. A few girls confronted me and asked me to fill out a survey. It asked my name, age, how many times I had visited Salta, what places I had seen in Salta, if I would buy toy puppets, and if so, how much would I pay. It was an odd set of questions, and I answered to the best of my ability. Despite having explored Salta quite a bit over the past few days, I’ve never actually been INSIDE any place here. I have yet to see inside the famous Cathedral, I haven’t taken the gondola up the mountain, nor have I traveled to sites slightly outside the city. My answer to that question was depressingly “nothing.” When asked if I would buy toy puppets, I said “no” and wrote that I had no idea how much I would pay for them.

About 10 minutes later I saw them ask another person who also seemed out of place. Although it’s not tourist season, I wonder if they are taking a poll with the foreigners they do come across to see if making and selling toy puppets is a good investment. Not a bad business move for 14-year old girls…