Blogs from Bolivia, South America - page 581

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South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz May 7th 2005

Some photos from La Paz. Crazy but safe city. Seems like everybody has something to sell. What do you need?? I think my favourite part about La Paz was the bowling alley! Why use machines when you can use humans to set up the pins!! Bowling for pins becomes bolwing for humans! Throw a bit of Cerveza into the equation, and it could get ugly!! Ahhhhhh BOLIVIA!!... read more
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz


Uyuni is a tourist trap. A town which survives on tours to the salt flats. There we said our goodbyes to the Belge who were heading back to Tupiza and their bikes and settled in to a hotel for the night. I decided to splurge and spent 4 euros on my own ensuite bathroom. The room had a tv but I could not for the life of me find a plug, clearly it was just for show. There was hot water, just about, and only between 7 - 7 and no heating once again. You become obsessed by altitudes since it helps indicate what temperature the place will have at night time. This is how I decided not to go to Potosi as it was over 4000m and head to Sucre which is at a mere ... read more
Sucre Cathedral
Intricate Weaving
Dino Trek


The infamous Silver mines of Potosi, I had to do a tour. There are 5000 men and 1000 children still working in the mines. The children, youngest being 8 years old, make about $1.50 per day. This is pretty good money compared to other kids working on the streets in Potosi. The working conditions in the mine are horrendous, I could barely breath after being in there for 5 minutes. The workers usually stay for at least 8 or 10 hours per day. They dont eat beacause it is too dirty in the mines, they chew coca leaves all day. The life expectancy of a mine worker is 10 years after entering the mines. Very cool city, interesting tour! ... read more
Me in the Mine
The mines
Mine workers

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Uyuni May 4th 2005

The border crossing at La Quiaca/Villazon is amazing! From the bus you have to get a taxi to the border which is a street with a bridge. On one side you are in Argentina and the other side Bolivia. The locals just pass between the two sides as if it is just any other street. It is so unobvious that it is a border crossing that we had to ask where to go to get our exit stamps. There is no queue to enter Bolivia. On the other side of the street there is the Argentine Customs going through the luggage checking for coca leaves. Obviously they do not do a great job as there are coca leaves in Salta - but there goes. I was traveling with a Belgian from the hostel in Salta as ... read more
Salvador Dali Mountains
The Rock Tree
Hand Painted Coca Cola Sign

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz May 3rd 2005

After reluctantly leaving the beautiful city of Cusco behind, I made my way to the far less charming city of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. There's very little to see or do in Puno - its basically a base to explore Titicaca, th highst navigable lake in the world at around 4,000m. I think the locals must have sensed my sadness in leaving Cusco and the Sacred Valley behind and gone to extra lengths to throw out the welcome mat. You see, someone (my guess is the town Mayor) arranged for the restaurant we ate in on our first night to play some homegrown music: a bit of Jet and then a Missy Higgins remix. Of all the places I might have thought it possible to hear some Missy in South America, a tiny ... read more

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi April 30th 2005

Just had great weekend on our first trip away from Cochabamba. About 10 of us ´volunteers´ went for a road trip to Potosi, the centre of bolivia´s mining industry and location of the legendary mines. Late bus to Oruro on Friday expecting to be able to go by train to Potosi the next day. Had some hassle finding a suitable hostel for the night, had to knock everyone out of bed. Eventually got somewhere though and then wandered around a very closed and dull Oruro looking for food drink. Ended up huddled around a street kitchen where this wizened old dear cooked cheese pastries (for those of us brave or foolhardy enough to eat street food). Next day discovered trains only run two days a week, and guess what this wasn’t one of them. So decided ... read more
Bolvian bus
Potosi and Cerro Rico
Simon with dynamite

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz April 27th 2005

Hey all, The past three months have dragged and also flown by - I fly to NZ in a week. And it seems like I´ve saved the best photos til last! The past four weeks have been pretty much all sightseeing, not a drunken night out in sight! Spending my last week in Bs As though so serious stuff over and I´m sure there´ll be a few drinks about, plus a little more shopping! Well, last entry I was just leaving Cordoba. From there I went to Salta up in th NW of Argentina and met loads of people whol loved Cordoba so I guess I was just there at the worng time. Salta is a lovely little town headed up towards the Andes and there fore at a highter altitude. It´s really wierd when you ... read more
Mountains in the clouds...
Pretty coloured rocks...
Aww, a baby Alpaca (sort of llama)...!


Cochabamba is a great place. Its in a valley surrounded on most sides by mountains which you can walk up at weekends. Lovely climate, blue all day, not too hot but hot enough. Everyone is pretty cheerful as if they know they´ve got it ok here. Lots of open spaces to relax, lots of bars and cafes etc which you can eat at, and street vendors you don’t touch with a barge pole. Really fallen on our feet here. We have a very nice ´granny flat´ attached to a large house and are left to our own devices by the owners. Good, safe part of town as well, although we have a private guard at night who patrols the street. Have joined the country club. This place is great, real touch of luxury, so we are ... read more
Calle German Urquidi
German Urquidi and Cristo
tapa volunteers


From San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, we hired a guide with a 4x4 who drove us into Bolivia. This trip went through high Andean passes at 5300m and then across the Largest salt flat in the world, Salar de Uyuni 12,000km sq. ... read more
Into Bolivia
Our ride
Llamas

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Uyuni April 20th 2005

Fra La Paz dro vi med en meget daarlig nattbuss til den gudsforlatte byen Uyuni, lengst sor i Bolivia. Uyuni er utgangspunktet for turer i den naerliggende saltorkenen, som hevdes aa vaere den storste i verden. Orkenen er fyllt med alleslags merklige landskaper og er tross sine elendige reiseselskaper og ekstreme kulde et populaert reisemaal for backpackere. Vi la ut paa tur i en meget sliten Jeep sammen med en tsjekker, en slovaker, en israeler, en sjafor og en kokk, og forberedte oss paa det verste. Etter tre dager med vakre landskap, elendige overnattinger, daarlig musikk, vulkaner, masse salt, geyshirer og varme kilder kom vi oss over grensen til Chile og endte opp i den lille byen San Pedro de Atacama. Fin tur, elendig reisebyraa :)... read more
Isla Pescado
Midt i orkenen
Solnedgang




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