Blogs from South America - page 5247

We are now in Sucre, very different to Potosi, much more affluent and easier! Also the altitude is that little bit less which means we are less exhausted. The mine tour yesterday was definately an experience, although not one that I am in any hurry to repeat! We got kitted up in our gear, waterproof over clothes, helmets and head torches, then went to the miners market to buy presents to take to the miners. Then visited the processing plants where they extract the minerals from the rocks. Their technology is non-existent, consisting of a big grinder to break up the rocks then some very dodgy flotation tanks, barrels cut in half! They have no money for smelting eqipment here so the silver they do extract, which is only about 4%, gets shipped to america and ... read more

I had the opportunity today to visit some of the neighborhoods where the "projects" are located. These two sites are administered by the people I'm staying with - one site is a previous "favela" (brazilian slum), the other is a neighborhood of originally 10 houses constructed through Habitat for Humanity which has now grown into a full size working class neighborhood. Brazil appears to have two seperate worlds, a middle class and a working class. Most of the area within the centers of the city are apartments of middle class people; the surrounding area are neighborhoods of the working class. These neighborhoods on first sight are probably what most people abroad would consider slums from the patchwork appearance (they aren't, the real slums of Brazil are squatters homes pieced together from scrap wood and metal and ... read more

Executive Summary: (3/18 - 4/1)Sarah and I made a quick trip by bus up through Chile, with a key stop for Pisco Sours and starwatching in Vicuña. After that was San Pedro de Atacamba where we ¨learned¨sandboarding. Our wanderings through Bolivia took us across the Salar de Uyuni (surreal and beautiful) and the Bolivian high plains to Uyuni. We survived a bus that caught on fire on the way to Sucre, a bike ride down ¨the world´s most dangerous road,¨ and the craziness of La Paz before a restful time in Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Vicuña, Chile-- pisco and the southern stars After Sarah and I left by bus from Mendoza, Argentina, we made quick stops in Los Vilos (laid back resort town on the coast) and La Serena, Chile, before a quick ... read more

Had a two hour drive to Nasca this morning from Huacachina in a taxi of sorts, an older model american car with a diesel engine. Did a 30 minute flight over the Nasca lines, the air was clear and we had really good views of everything and thanks to Gravol no little baggies full. The worst part was staying awake after with the temperature past 30degC and the Gravol. Later in the afternoon we went to see a pre inca cemetary, more bones! Also checked out a artesinal miners refinery and a traditional pottery place.... read more

noch buenos aires het ues (d'fabienne, de moghe und ich) dreis noch bahia blanca zoge. das aber eigentlich nur als zwueschestopp ufem waeg noch bariloche. bahia blanca isch demnoch au noed wuerkli e interessants oertli. aber egal. hend eifach chli chillt. im park gwuerfled und tschau sepp gspielt und zum ziit chli todschloh simmer inne ichaufszentrum gwatschled und hend doete im kino 'vida salvaje' glueged. jojo..denn isches i de nacht vom 26.4 witer gange noch bariloche...... read more