Jane and I finally received a nice break from the cold. We booked a three day excursion to Rurrenabaque for a Pampas tour. We booked through Bala Tours and few out on a tiny plane (only a 45 min trip). After a three hour bumpy ride through a washed dirt road, we arrived at our oasis. Our accommodation was okay, complete with mosquito nets and private bath. The tour started with a boat ride up the Yacuma river. We were able to see fresh water pink dolphins, capibara (worlds largest rodent), caymen, monkeys, and various birds. The next day was spent walking through the pampas looking for snakes. We only found one anaconda which measured about three meters, but not much else. The afternoon was highlighted by piranna fishing. Everyone in our group caught one. After dinner we set off looking for caymen at night. We were armed with flashlights and insect repellent. It was very interesting seeing the eyes at night. They light up and you can see tons hiding in the water. Overall, it was a nice trip.
After we left, the tour gave us one last present. Jane and I both had stomach issues and it was not pretty. I spent the last 16 hours either in bed or on the toilet. It left me in a weakened stated for the bus ride to Copacabana.
I can post pictures now, but maybe later.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
WMDR
I survived the worlds most dangerous road and all I got was this stinkin´T-shirt. Jane and I biked down the Bolivia´s death road yesterday. The ride started at about 4600 meters and ended at approximately 1100 meters above sea level. The scenerey was scary and spectacular at the same time. The road is carved out the side of a mountain which has 450 meter cliffs just a foot or two off the the left. The road boasts at least 300 fatalities yearly from people falling off the cliffs. Our tour company was one of the best in La Paz. The bikes were full suspension and made the ride very enjoyable. They intentionally geared the bikes so that you could not go extremely fast. Most of the time the pedalling could not keep up with the speed of the downhill. I had to tell myself not to look over the edge because I know that I would freak! The altitude change meant that I was dressed in full winter gear at the top, then stripped down to the T-shirt at the bottom. We ended the ride at an animal reserve where we were treated to the best home made pasta and organic coffee.
I´ll have a CD with pictures which I´ll post once I return to the states.
Now I´m in the airport getting ready to head to Rurrenabaque for a Pampas tour. Warm weather at last.
I´ll have a CD with pictures which I´ll post once I return to the states.
Now I´m in the airport getting ready to head to Rurrenabaque for a Pampas tour. Warm weather at last.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Arrived safe in La Paz
The three of us were able to leave Potosi on Saturday and we made it to Oruro without any problems. The drive through the mountains was beautiful. Jane and I parted ways with Justine in Oruro and took the next bus to La Paz. The view of the city as we entered was amazing. The city is quite large and it looked as if someone peppered the valley with a million lights. We got situated in our new hostel (which is gringoville) and perpared to see the city the next morning.
It seems like we have not done much except for eating, sleeping, and waiting for the past couple days. The good thing is that these activities are cheap. I don't think we have spent more than $120 in the past week. It is really nice to go to a place where you can actually do something. So, Jane and I went to our first cutural event in La Paz...Cholitas Wrestling!!!! We have VIP seating and got to see Bolivian WWF at it's best. I hope to post pics sometine soon.
Today, we are going to look for a pampa or jungle tour and book a ride down the worlds most dangerous road. What fun!!!!!
One last thing. Jane and I went high dollar for dinner last night. We went to the top floor of the Radisson Hotel and had an excellent meal for $12. This is 3X the normal amount we have been paying for meals, but it is still cheap. The views of the city from the top floor were spectacular (highly reccommended).
It seems like we have not done much except for eating, sleeping, and waiting for the past couple days. The good thing is that these activities are cheap. I don't think we have spent more than $120 in the past week. It is really nice to go to a place where you can actually do something. So, Jane and I went to our first cutural event in La Paz...Cholitas Wrestling!!!! We have VIP seating and got to see Bolivian WWF at it's best. I hope to post pics sometine soon.
Today, we are going to look for a pampa or jungle tour and book a ride down the worlds most dangerous road. What fun!!!!!
One last thing. Jane and I went high dollar for dinner last night. We went to the top floor of the Radisson Hotel and had an excellent meal for $12. This is 3X the normal amount we have been paying for meals, but it is still cheap. The views of the city from the top floor were spectacular (highly reccommended).
Saturday, June 21, 2008
On our way out
The blockades were lifted this morning and the busses are running without restrictions. Things have really quieted down. So Jane, Justine, and I are on our way back to Oruro where Jane and I will catch a connecting bus to La Paz tonight. Justine will likely catch a bus to Cochabamba where she is doing volunteer work for a couple weeks. It was nice having her around since it really helped me with my Spanish. Jane and I should spend the next week in La Paz. It will be nice to wash our clothes and eat good food which is not llama or chicken.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Escape From Potosi
The last few days have been absolutely crazy! Jane, Justine, and I were able to get out of Uyuni by going to Oruro on an overnight bus. After a night in Oruro, we caught the bus to Potosi. The bus arrived at the blockade at 8 PM and we walked about 5K to the edge of town where a taxi drove us to a hostel. The first few minutes of the trek were fun since there was a full moon. However, our patience wore thin after an hour. Justine was swearing in French and I was a little irritated. Things would get better the next day.
Day1 in Potosi: We met some folks in our hostal who have been stuck in the town all week long. We joined one of the girls on a tour of the local mines. The conditions in the mines were terrible! It makes being a process engineer not a bad job after all. Our tour took us down a couple levels in the mine. We were crawling through tight spaces and there was dust everywhere. It is not for someone who is scared of tight surroundings. Before the tour, we bought gifts for the miners. These consisted of soda, coca leaves, and dynamite. You can buy explosives on ther street in Potosi! The youngest miner we met was 13 years old. And yes, these kids are buying dynamite for the mines. Unfortunately, mining is the only thing they know, so there are generations of mine workers in the same family. I could write so much more, but one must experience it first hand. On the bright side, I was able to take a hot shower and eat llama asado for dinner.
Day2 in Potosi: The morning started off with the miners setting of dynamite charges at 5 AM in the main city square. By 12 PM the center plaza sounded like a war zone with charges going off every minute. Did I mention that anyone can buy dynamite on the street?! The demonstration was very heated today. They set fire to one of the government buildings on the corner. Police in riot gear were everywhere telling people not to venture within a block or two of the main square. Note that our hostel is two blocks away from the main square. Jane, Justine, and I ventured out to the bus terminal later in the afternoon where we discovered no busses are leaving for La Paz, Sucre, or Oruro. Everyone is glued to the TV to see if the talks resolve anything. I can still hear charges going off every once in a while (It is 9:30 PM). We are going to hunker down tonight and try to look for a way out of this town tomorrow.
There is no danger to us at this point. The miners are not hostile to tourists. However, the whole experience is kind of sureal. I did not take pictures of the protest or the charred buildings.
Day1 in Potosi: We met some folks in our hostal who have been stuck in the town all week long. We joined one of the girls on a tour of the local mines. The conditions in the mines were terrible! It makes being a process engineer not a bad job after all. Our tour took us down a couple levels in the mine. We were crawling through tight spaces and there was dust everywhere. It is not for someone who is scared of tight surroundings. Before the tour, we bought gifts for the miners. These consisted of soda, coca leaves, and dynamite. You can buy explosives on ther street in Potosi! The youngest miner we met was 13 years old. And yes, these kids are buying dynamite for the mines. Unfortunately, mining is the only thing they know, so there are generations of mine workers in the same family. I could write so much more, but one must experience it first hand. On the bright side, I was able to take a hot shower and eat llama asado for dinner.
Day2 in Potosi: The morning started off with the miners setting of dynamite charges at 5 AM in the main city square. By 12 PM the center plaza sounded like a war zone with charges going off every minute. Did I mention that anyone can buy dynamite on the street?! The demonstration was very heated today. They set fire to one of the government buildings on the corner. Police in riot gear were everywhere telling people not to venture within a block or two of the main square. Note that our hostel is two blocks away from the main square. Jane, Justine, and I ventured out to the bus terminal later in the afternoon where we discovered no busses are leaving for La Paz, Sucre, or Oruro. Everyone is glued to the TV to see if the talks resolve anything. I can still hear charges going off every once in a while (It is 9:30 PM). We are going to hunker down tonight and try to look for a way out of this town tomorrow.
There is no danger to us at this point. The miners are not hostile to tourists. However, the whole experience is kind of sureal. I did not take pictures of the protest or the charred buildings.
Monday, June 16, 2008
It is cold all the time
It is cold all the time here. There is only hot water during the afternoon and water is scarce!!!!
The temperature has been under 5 deg C every morning since we have been in Bolivia. Jane and Justine are having a hard time with the cold. It is going to be like this until we hit Peru in a couple weeks. One good thing is that Bolivia is CHEAP! Our hostel is about $4 a day and the meals are about $2 per person.
The temperature has been under 5 deg C every morning since we have been in Bolivia. Jane and Justine are having a hard time with the cold. It is going to be like this until we hit Peru in a couple weeks. One good thing is that Bolivia is CHEAP! Our hostel is about $4 a day and the meals are about $2 per person.
They let me in the country
We made it to Bolivia a few days ago. From San Pedro, many tour companies offer a three day trip which ends in Uyuni. There is also a four day option which takes you back to Chile. Our trip started with a bus ride to the Chilean border. From there, we wer split up into groups of 5-6 people. Each group had their own Toyota Land Cruiser (fron the early 90s) and Bolivian driver. Our group consisted of an American couple from NYC, Justine (French girl), Jane, and me. It was really funny since Jonathan and Molly (NYC couple) saw us in San Juan about month ago. Also, Justine stayed in the same hostel as us in Mendoza back in May. All of us got along very well. We also made friends in another SUV which had a Scottish couple, a girl from Holland, and an American girl from San Fran.
Before this trip, we heard so many stories about how cold the temperature was going to be. He also heard stories about the altitude sickness. The first day, we got to see many high alpine lakes which were different colors. The scenery was fantstic. The highest elevation was approximately 5000 meters above sea level. We stopped at a place where gasses were bubbling out from hot mud. The place smelled of rotten eggs and this is where people started to feel the altitude. The first day finished at Laguna Colorado where we saw flamingos still on the water. Everyone took a ton of pictures at the mirador and hurried back before the sun went down. It was an early dinner, then bed. Our group was lucky because no one got sick that night. However, the Dutch girl and Scottish guy were throwing up all night long. It was the longest night since the room was at 2 deg C and we were at 4200 meters. Morning finally came, and we were off to the second stop at the salt lake.
The second day was like the first, we made a number of stops checking out the scenery. The highlight was a small valley filled with llamas. Jane was going crazy with the camera. Jon and I tried to herd a few closer to the girls so they could take close up shots. Our SUV reached the salt lake in the afternoon just in time for sunset. The pictures I have do not do justice to the views. The second night was not as bad since we were under 4000 meters and the rooms were a bit more insulated.
The last day of the tour was highlighted by a sunrise on the salt flats and a visit to Isla de Pescado. The two SUVs spent about an hour taking goofy photos of each other in different poses. Since the salt flat is totally white, it is easy to play tricks with the camera (no depth perception). We arrived in Uyuni at 1:00 PM, which gave us enough time to look around and find accommodations for the night. After getting my travel visa for Bolivia, we had a drink with the other group and said our goodbyes as the left to go back to San Pedro.
Justine decided to travel with us for a few days. She does not speak English so well, so we are communicating in Spanish. We are also stuck in Uyuni since there is a miner workers strike in Bolivia now. More on this later....
Before this trip, we heard so many stories about how cold the temperature was going to be. He also heard stories about the altitude sickness. The first day, we got to see many high alpine lakes which were different colors. The scenery was fantstic. The highest elevation was approximately 5000 meters above sea level. We stopped at a place where gasses were bubbling out from hot mud. The place smelled of rotten eggs and this is where people started to feel the altitude. The first day finished at Laguna Colorado where we saw flamingos still on the water. Everyone took a ton of pictures at the mirador and hurried back before the sun went down. It was an early dinner, then bed. Our group was lucky because no one got sick that night. However, the Dutch girl and Scottish guy were throwing up all night long. It was the longest night since the room was at 2 deg C and we were at 4200 meters. Morning finally came, and we were off to the second stop at the salt lake.
The second day was like the first, we made a number of stops checking out the scenery. The highlight was a small valley filled with llamas. Jane was going crazy with the camera. Jon and I tried to herd a few closer to the girls so they could take close up shots. Our SUV reached the salt lake in the afternoon just in time for sunset. The pictures I have do not do justice to the views. The second night was not as bad since we were under 4000 meters and the rooms were a bit more insulated.
The last day of the tour was highlighted by a sunrise on the salt flats and a visit to Isla de Pescado. The two SUVs spent about an hour taking goofy photos of each other in different poses. Since the salt flat is totally white, it is easy to play tricks with the camera (no depth perception). We arrived in Uyuni at 1:00 PM, which gave us enough time to look around and find accommodations for the night. After getting my travel visa for Bolivia, we had a drink with the other group and said our goodbyes as the left to go back to San Pedro.
Justine decided to travel with us for a few days. She does not speak English so well, so we are communicating in Spanish. We are also stuck in Uyuni since there is a miner workers strike in Bolivia now. More on this later....
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