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Published: March 22nd 2008
We have had a fun filled few days. We loved Sucre - beautiful white colonial city with lovely main plaza - especially because the sun shone the whole time we were there! We organised a 3 day hiking trip into the Cordillera de los Frailes, a beautiful mountain area. On arrival at the office for our departure, the guide suggested it might rain and would we rather do a 2 day walking / bus tour? Being committed exercise enthusiasts we stuck to the 3 day hiking plans and were rewarded with wonderful sunshine for the entire 3 days. Our guide was a local guy age 25 who only spoke Spanish, but we managed to have some pretty in depth conversations about Bolivian politics, geology and the likes. Luckily Darryl bought a Spanish - English dictionary the day before the trek which proved invaluable!
The scenery was truly spectacular, with swirls of colour over the mountain sides - greens, blues, reds, browns, blacks, turquoise... A unique experience. We visited some ancient rock paintings (drawn in blood) and the stunning huge crater of Maragua. Of unknown origin (volcanic crater or meteorite site) it is a beautiful area with amazing rock colours and contrasting
green fields in the centre.
We had 2 amusing river crossings - the first was on a ridiculous chair lift kind of contraption, attached on wires and ropes over the river (little pulley wheels the size of those from a toy car) and we had to pull ourselves accross on a knotted rope! Darryl was very pale by the end of the journey. We noted that all the locals were avoiding the contraption and wading accross the river instead. On the second day we came to another huge river and we thought our guide was joking when he headed for it. But no, off came our boots and into the river we waded, freezing water up to our waists! Very entertaining. Luckily we both wore shorts and the sunshine soon dried us off.
Our accommodation was basic to say the least - we didn´t see a bathroom for the entire trek. The first night was with a local Jalq´a Indian family with a million animals milling around (including hundreds of guinea pigs which Darryl did not eat). On the second night we stayed in a hut right next to a 15,000 year old slab of rock with T-Rex and Brontosaurus
footprints across it.
We are now in Potosi, the former Silver mining capital of Bolivia. We visited the mines (still functional) and met workers who survive on Coca leaves and 96% proof alcohol (sweet water). Darryl blew up some dynamite which we bought (complete with detonator) for only 60p. Tomorrow we´re off to see some more lakes / hot springs before heading to Uyuni to pick up a 3 day tour of the Salar de Uyuni (salt planes) on the way to Chile.
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Partha
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Leaving-do....Mikes not happy
Update..had my umpteenth leaving-do..no prezzies this time- really felt hurt! Anyhow, even more funny news, Neets managed to decorate Mike's swish BMW beige leather seats with "red wine/vomit/chunky bits"...big man not happy! Also had a scolding from Neets mum (!) for "not looking after her daughter"...big man not happy!:-)