Argentina has an uncanny way of falling asleep when the clock strikes 2pm, reawaking about 6pm with a buzz of activity, and then falling asleep again long after the wee hours of the night have long passed. Such was an extreme case in point in the picturesque mountain town of Capilla del Monte in the Central Sierras where I spent one night recently.
Capilla del Monte is known for its great restaurants and UFO sightings – a unique combination which appears to have the effect of bringing tourists and talented artists together.
A rather drab, dusty main square in Capilla, whose only saving grace, as far as I was concerned, was a merry-go-round, came alive after the sun set. Artisans plied their crafts in booths lit with bare light bulbs. Customers browsed. Children riding on the merry-go-round squealed in delight.
Impressed by the diversity and talent of the artists, I asked one local person what they thought inspired them. He said it must be “the spirit“ (the same that attracts UFO’s). In one booth the music of an indigenous musician pierced the clear mountain air as he played various traditional instruments along with the CD’s of Andean music he was trying to sell. The sound of drums and other traditional instruments came from several directions as craftspeople demonstrated their wares. A gentle night breeze moved some dangling ceramic gnomes in one booth as if to beacon me to stop and say hello. 
A couple of blocks away the outdoor seats of a string of restaurants and cafes, which earlier in the day had been relatively unoccupied, were packed full of people enjoying a late night meal, music and dancing. This long street had been closed off earlier in the evening and had become a pedestrian street filled with couples gyrating to Latin rhythms which were performed by a singer situated above them on a platform. Small children danced with their parents; some were cradled in their arms.
And me? I sat in the outdoor seating of a nearby ice cream parlor reveling in the transformation of the town from nearly a ghost town that afternoon to a hub of activity that night.
I have observed similar transformations in cities and towns throughout my Argentine journey. This change continues to be unique, entertaining, and ALWAYS an adventure of discovery