Salar de Uyuni & Potosi

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Still a bit drowsy from the overnight bus from La Paz, I arrived in Uyuni on Wed 28/10, still undecided on whether to do a 1 or 3 day tour of the Salar de Uyuni, the world´s largest salt flat. Given my recent bus experiences I didn´t want to sit in a Jeep for 3 days (they let you out for 20 minutes at a time) so I chose to do a 2 day tour of the Salar and a couple of the lagunas. The Salar was absolutely beautiful, although I imagine it can get old very quickly. However, despite my recent success in getting cool people on my tours I ended up in the car with 4-50 year old Israeli men. Not to promote stereotypes, but they yelled at each other, at the guide (in Hebrew), none spoke Spanish and only one spoke English, they were rude and incosiderate. When earplugs failed I used my iPod (legal disclaimer: the state of Israel is culpable for any future hearing damage). Its amazing how dependent the success of your tour is on the people you go with. They didnt understand the concept of the "Illusion" photos, so I did a few with some Australian girls I met in La Paz. In the middle of the Salar is a "Coral Island" (the salar is a dry lake/ocean) which was overgrown with cacti - very cool. After a couple of Jeep breakdowns we crossed the Salar and arrived at our Hotel de Sal (everything is made of salt, including tables, chairs, beds, walls). I hiked up a nearby hill to watch the sunset, but didnt really make it. However, I did meet two really cool French girls and an Italian guy who invited me for a drink at their hotel. The next day I was fortunate enough to switch cars with another Israeli couple. We drove past active volcanoes where you could actually see plumes of smoke coming from the summit. We also saw two lagunas which were absolutely covered with Chilean pink flamingoes. The ride back to Uyuni was beautiful as well, with unique rock formations that reminded me of the southwest. Got on a bus to Potosi, where we arrived at 12:30 and I found a nearby hostel.
The next morning I arranged for a tour of Cerro Rico (for this trip I made sure that I chose a legit tour operator!). Cerro Rico in Potosi was a huge silver mine for Spain during the conquistador period. It is also responsible for the death of over 8 million people -- mostly African slaves brought over to work 16 hour days inside the mines. Even with recent tech. developments miners usually die within 10 years from silicosis pneumonia (black/miners lung), asbestos, or accidents. Still there are over 4,000 working miners, with the youngest being only 11 years old. Since the mine is a cooperative, their income is dependent on the amount they work (sold to refineries, which concentrate and sell it to Western world); young workers usually earn around $3 per day. The ones we saw wore no protection, and only used coca leaves (and the richer ones, 190 proof alcohol) to combat fatigue, hunger, dust, extreme heat and cold. They also worship the "Tio" (Satan) while working. Two hours of literally crawling through mine shafts and down rickety wooden ladders was enough: I can´t imagine spending my entire (short) life in the mines. At the end of the tour we set off a couple of sticks of dynamite.
The US film "The Devils Miner" (2005) is apparently a powerful and informative documentary of the lives of the Cerro Rico Miners.
Took the late bus to Sucre where I wound up in a crappy hostel. I changed hostels this afternoon and love Sucre -- I can´t wait for the amazing Halloween celebration that everyone keeps talking about, although I have to find a costume quick!

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Comments

[Barb W]

Hi
HI Jeff, Your trip sounds pretty exciting, as in wild enough to make your mother age 10 years. I'm glad you're having a great experience and I would love to see your pictures sometime. Barb