It was bittersweet to leave Sucre, I thoroughly enjoyed staying there and enjoyed the people, but I was equally excited to finally start really traveling and seeing all these places I kept hearing about.
I started by heading a little south to Potosi, Bolivia. It a small city, high high high up in the mountains - over 13,000 ft! Definitely felt the alitutde, thank goodness for coca tea! Potosi was the largest mint for Spanish empire for centuries - enough silver came from the mines to have built a bridge in silver all the way to Spain! It also helped create the concept of a currency that was solid enough to be used around the world. Yet, 8 million people have died in the minds since it was founded in 1545. And the technology and safety conditions have not changed much in the last century. The miners often start at age 12-14 and can´t work much longer than 20-25 years due to the dust and hard labor. It was a fascinating, terrifying and eye opening experience to go into the mines. Scrambling around in the dark, up and down muddy ladders and meeting some of the miners was admittedly scary and something I would recommend, but NEVER do again.
Then I headed southwest to the Altiplano - the high desert and the very unique Salar de Uyuni - a immense salt desert. Commonly, people do a three day tour in small SUVs in groups of 5-6 (not particularly sustainable, but still a good income source for an otherwise very isolated population). The random group I joined was one Swede and 4 New Zealanders - great fun!
The first day we drove into the Salt Flats. Though first we stopped in a border community and saw them collecting and processing the salt for consumption.... of course I bought some - not an especially strong flavor though more sulfur than I would usually like, interesting and 1/4 pound for only about 20 cents US....
Then we drove through the flats, which were INCREDIBLE and supernatural. Very hard crystals and naturally created hexagons. Definitely felt tiny.
Uyuni itself is a small, dusty town, but this is where I had real Thanksgiving! haha Llama, quinoa and quinoa beer with a Swede..... only as strange as wearing shorts on Christmas will be!
We then stopped at a large island in the middle of the desert (which was a giant salt lake long). It was old coral covered in cacti and had an incredible view.
After we left the Salar, we drove through some quinoa fields - not sure how anything grows here - it seems sooooo DRY
The first night we stayed at a salt hotel - made from bricks of salt!
Here is Volcano Ollague, you can see the smoke!
Vicunas hanging out by the lagoon as well - smaller and more delicate than their domestic cousins-llamas
Second lagoon!
Crazy rock formations in the desert - reminded me of southern Utah!
Life can grow....somehow
Laguna Colorada - made bright red by the algae and bacteria that feed on the minerals - note the flamingos! And again, not ice, but more mineral and salt deposits.
The next morning we got up terribly early to enjoy the morning light on the geysers! Amazing!
This is snow!!!!! The only that I saw though it did get below freezing on the second night just because it is over 13,500 ft!
This is Laguna Verde, which is normally bright aqua green due to the minerals, but needs to wind to aggitate for the color to show. To the left is Argentina and to the right is Chile.....!
More tiny, tiny life!
We stopped at a hot springs for a while to relax and rinse of the dust and salt. Lovely
Altiplano on the way back - there was even a river we stopped by for a break
Now up northeast to Santa Cruz, in the Bolivian lowlands to see Samaipata, some pre-Incan ruins and a very biodiverse area. Though it will be humid and terribly hot - over 95! I will probably melt!
Then northwest back to La Paz to see the jungle and Lake Titicaca before heading north into Peru and Machu Picchu!
Hugs to all!!!!
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