Bolivia-Uyuni Salt Flats

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department
February 17th 2014

Published: February 19th 2014

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Donnah

La Paz - Cathedral in the highest capital in the world

Once having left Lake Titicaca our journey picked up its pace once again. Our next stop was La Paz, followed by Sucre, Potosí and Uyuni. Each city had its unique charm but Uyuni took the price with its blinding crystal desert composed entirely of salt. On the night before our desert excursion however, we found ourselves trapped inside by a violent downpour and an ear-deafening thunderstorm. It left us without electricity (and precious wifi) and when we finally built up the courage to leave to seek out food we were metaphorically and nearly literally struck by a beam of lightning no more than a hundred meters down the street from where we stood. Not only did it scare us out of our whits but if ever I doubted the consciousness altering power of lightning I can now dismiss that belief. What ensued was an electrically charged evening shrouded in a mystical haze characterized by much giggling, giddiness and an overall sense of having entered a strange strange land. I'd recommend you try it only the slight miscalculation might end in death. So after that bizarre yet pleasing experience we made our way out by car, first to the abandoned train station

and then to the Salt Flats where our guide drove us around showing us the various marvels. Here we experienced the painful sight, smooth deposit, and crunchy feel of the desert as well as its hot water springs and cave of mummies. Our guide never quite explained the reason and story behind the latter, but its inhabitants seemed peaceful enough. And after all, it wasn't exactly the strangest thing we'd encountered so far on our journey.

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