Pachamama near heaven (Tren a las Nubes, Salta, Argentina)

August is an exceptional month in Andes culture, where the Earth opens and people offers her all kind of food, drinks and common feelings of joy and gratefully.
That ́s why travelers and those who love adventure, including families, choose the traditional “Tren a las Nubes”, or Clouds ́s train, to get in real touch to this holy festivity.
Pachamama, wich means “Mother Earth” in the antique Inca ́s Empire, were a deity who provides nutrition and care of all her children. That worldview still remains nowadays, and the ritual is almost the same: to give her back all that she gives us.
The origin of The Clouds ́s Train, is a branch that was created in the early 20 ́s by the American Engineer Richard Maury, to connect Atacama chilean region with the “Puna”, in Salta, Argentina, in the era where trains were the main national progress sign .
In the 70 ́s it became a tourist attractive because of the stunning landscapes and it high: reaching 4220 mt over the sea in its highest level, over the “Polvorilla Viaduct”.
Tourists and journalists prefer this journey most than anything, feeling exited in this particular train, which is the third higher in the world.

Carolina Grillo is a photographer who worked for Salta ́s Government between 2007 to 2019, and covered lots of official matters, as tourism travels as well.
She also studies filmmaking and script writing.
Currently, she work at her study, in Salta, Argentina.

Photographer: Carolina Grillo @carolinagrilloestudio