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Published: April 7th 2015
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Bolivian Antiplano
Llamas crossing the lake high on the Bolivian Antiplano Day 36- Bolivian Antiplano– 28 January 2015 Today we leave Chile behind for the last time as we head for the Bolivian border climbing to 5020 metres. On the way we pick up Braulio our guide while in the Bolivian Antiplano and the salt flats.
After exiting Chile and not far from the border the prop shaft goes again – oh dear! Braulio is an absolute star and hitched a ride to sort transport and arrange for a repair. After a while he comes back with a minivan and trailer. We all climb on board and somehow fit into this minivan while the luggage is loaded onto the trailer. Leaving Nick behind with the truck we continue our journey. Stopping at the Bolivian border Braulio collects all our passports and gets them stamped – so layback and different to the Argentinian and Chilean border stops we have encountered!
Continuing on our journey we are taken to a hotel out in what looks like an outpost in the Artic. It is very cold and we welcome the warmth and hot drinks. This is a different hotel to the home stay as per the itinerary, but at
least we have a bed for the night and forever how long it will take to get Gus back on the road.
I have a headache – side effects of the high altitude and go to bed in the dormitory I am sharing with five others – thankfully not the snorers this time. I am awaken at dinner time by Charlotte having slept for five hours! Joyfully I see that Nick is here and Gus is back on the road. We are keeping our fingers crossed that this time the prop shaft will hold out to when we get to Cusco as he will then go into Dragoman’s workshop for a new prop shaft and general service.
Day 37- Uyuni– 29 January 2015 Today we have a 320 km drive to Uyuni, the gateway to the Bolivian Salt Flats. On the way we stop off at the high plaine lakes and spot llamas crossing. Our next stop is at the geysers with their noisy spirts of boiling steam - it’s like something out of a Sci-Fi movies! After wandering around the different geysers taking several photos we continue our journey to Uyuni where we
book into a hotel. Uyuni is a small town and I with several stalls all joined together each side of the road making it difficult to see the cambios. Eventually I find one and change some US dollars into Bolivian bobs.
Day 38- Uyuni– 30 January 2015 An action packed day we are picked up by jeeps from our hotel and taken first of all to a see how salt is processed. A lengthy manual process including the bagging; brings home to you how hard it is for Bolivian people to make a living – a very poor country.
We then continue towards the salt flats stopping of at the entrance where water is lying on the Surface due to the recent rain. It is surreal at how the vehicles look as if they are floating on the surface. Our next stop is at the Dakar 2014 monument – the locals are very proud that the race was here in 2014. Cameras at the ready we are then driven several kms on to the centre of the salt flats where we have a few hours to try and be creative with our photography. Not as easy
as it looks but we all managed to get some reasonable shots – some better than others.
After a lovely lunch and back on the jeeps we have a lovely long drive across the salt flats stopping to take photos of the mountains and their reflections on the surface water. Our next stop is to the centre of the salt pans where we have fun taking photos while a picnic lunch is being served. Everywhere is dazzling white with blue skies and white fluffy clouds. After a delicious lunch we continue to an island full of giant cacti where we have an hours stop to walk around and climb to the top.
Climbing back on to the jeeps we head back off to the town stopping on route for more photos where Megan performs some gymnastics with reflection from the water laying on the salt pan. Our last stop is Cementario de Trenes a graveyard for carcasses of old steam engines that have been left to rust. An eerie sigh set in the bright Antiplano sunshine against the distant background of the distant Salar. Here we again took lots of photos before setting back to our digs for
the night.
Day 39- 40 Potosi– 31 January to Sun 01 February 2015 Today we have a 190 kms drive to Potosi a colonial mining town situated 4000m altitude high on the Bolivian Altiplano. It claims to be one of the highest cities in the world. It is very hilly and we are all relieved that Gus made it up these very steep narrow streets. As we cannot park outside our accommodation we have to park a couple of streets away. After unloading the luggage we all walk together to the hotel. We are allocated our rooms and retire to shower ready to go out for dinner. Back at reception we find out that Anna’s DSLR camera has been stolen; it would appear that while listening to Julie handing out the room keys and giving us information that someone must have snatched the camera where it sat with other luggage on the sofa. We all felt for Anna as obviously she was very upset, fortunately she had backed up her photos the day before and had only lost a few taken that day. Someone who had a spare point and shoot lent her a camera. The incident
Bolivian Antiplano
Flamingoes on the lake high on the Bolivian Antiplano left a nasty taste in my mouth, which clouded my judgment and I took an instant dislike to the place.
We all went for a group meal that evening and got a feel for the place on the way to the restaurant.
The town was founded in the sixteenth century when huge silver deposits were found in the nearby Cerro Rico Mountain. There is the opportunity to visit a mine that is still being worked, life is harsh here for all those who work here. It is very primitive and dangerous, although the mines have been organised into co-operatives, so at least today the men have a say in their own future. Some of the group did go down, but as the spaces are very enclosed I declined to go.
I did, however visit the ‘Casa de la Moneda’ the old mint where I learnt about Potosi’s history and the story of the mines and silver. Also it was interesting to hear that it was from here that the $ and £ signs were developed.
Coming out of the museum we hear bands playing and follow the music to the main plaza. It is carnival time
Bolivian Antiplano
Flamingoes on the lake high on the Bolivian Antiplano and the miners and families are marching and dancing to the bands. During carnival time in South America it is custom to throw water bombs and spray people with foam. My trousers got a drenching from the water as I took photos; thanking I was able to shelter my camera.
Day 41- 43 La Paz– Mon 02 to Wed 04 Feb February 2015 A long drive day of 500kms across a windy road of the Altiplano to La Paz the highest capital in the world. We stay in the centre at the Estrella Andina hotel – a good quality hotel!
While there we visit the cathedral in the plaza, a typical South American catholic church. It is full of statues to the Virgin Mary and Child. Jesus on the cross and various saints all looking down at you from their glass cases. The inside of the church is also covered in gold; all this wealth in the church while people on the streets go hungry and are begging! Still it is interesting and we are able to climb to the bell tower and take photos of the plaza and local area.
On our last day
Bolivian Antiplano
Flamingoes on the lake high on the Bolivian Antiplano in La Paz we take the cable car to the top of the mountain and get marvellous views over the city. Of course several more photo opportunities!
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