SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA AND LA VALLE DE LA LUNA

4. July – 5. July

Our only stop in Chile was San Pedro de Atacama. As the name indicates the city is located in the Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth. Average yearly rainfall is about 5 mm (for comparison: Berlin 500 mm, New York 1200 mm). But when we were there it was raining. Unbelievable. I didn't expect to go to a desert and then it rains.
We stayed for almost two days, walked around town (but there was not much to see) and took a tour to la valle de la luna (moon valley). San Pedro is a small town but the many adobe houses are quite nice and there are many small restaurants and cafes. Unfortunately it's a very expensive place. Especially coming from Bolivia, the prices for hostel and food in San Pedro where very high.
With an organized tour we went to the valle de la luna. No trees, no shrubs, no animals (at least not visible). It's a very dry but beautiful landscape. And apparently it looks like on the moon. We walked through some small canyons and caves and climbed over rocks. We watched the sunset over the valley before going back to town. After a delicious dinner it was time to catch the overnight bus north to the Peruvian border.

SALAR DE UYUNI AND THE SOUTHWEST CIRCUIT

2. July 2011 - 3. July 2011

It's difficult to describe the Salar de Uyuni with words. It's an imense, white salt flat. You look in all directions and all you see is salt. Sometimes it looks like snow, sometimes there are interesting patterns and sometimes it looks like a lake.
We arrived in Uyuni in the afternoon after a scenic bus ride from Potosi. Immediately we booked a three day tour through the Salar de Uyuni and on to Chile leaving the next morning.
We started in Uyuni, with a guide and four other travelers in a jeep with all our bags on the roof. Our first stop on the tour was “El cemeterio del tren” (train cemetery). There were many old, very rusty trains and it was great for climbing on and around the trains and taking photos. I could have spend hours there, taking pictures and climbing around. But we went on to a little village at the edge of the Salar de Uyuni were people are producing salt and making salt souvenirs. After that it was (almost) only salt for the rest of the day. We drove over salt for hours and the landscape was amazing. We stopped at an island with many very old cactus before moving on. The view from from the island over the huge salt flat was amazing.
At night we stayed in a hotel where almost everything was made of salt – walls, beds, chairs, tables. Very interesting and quite cold.
The next day the tour went on through amazing landscapes. We saw many lagoons, volcanoes, mountains, llamas and vicunas.
When we got up very early the last morning (the plan was to see the sunrise) it was snowing and very windy. It wasn't possible to see a lot. We drove to some geysers (in my eyes they didn't deserve the name and were not comparable to the geysers I've seen before). We also had a good view of volcano Llicancabur and the green lagoon. The jeep driver was afraid that we wouldn't be able to go to Chile because of the weather but luckily we could convince him to go on and although there was snow, the border was open. The border is a tiny little shack wich houses the Bolivian offical - it's sometimes open, sometimes not. For that reason we got our Bolivian exit stamps three days before in Uyuni. The entry stamp to Chile we got later on when we arrived in San Pedro de Atacama.
Don't forget to check out the pictures...

AMAZING BUS RIDE FROM POTOSI TO UYUNI

1. July 2011

The six hour bus ride to Uyuni was amazing. The landscape was very beautiful and diverse. It looked different every few minutes. Even after many hours in buses I still like traveling by bus, even if it is very slow and uncomfortable sometimes.

MINE IN POTOSI

30. June 2011

The tour to one of the mines in Cerro de Potosi was one of the most interesting but also one of the most shocking experiences during this trip. Cerro de Potosi is also called Cerro Rico (rich hill) because it is very rich in silver and other minerals. There are so many tunnels and holes in Cerro Potosi that people call it a Swiss cheese and are waiting that it will collapse.

After putting on protective clothes and helmets, our first stop was the miners market. Here we bought coca leaves, dynamite (only in Potosi it is allowed to sell dynamite at the market and in stores), water bottles and alcohol (96% alc.) as presents for the miners. Then we went to one entrance of the mine. There are lot of different cooperatives and everyone has it's own system inside the mountain.

The deeper we got into the mountain it got warmer and warmer. We met a few miners. All were very happy about the water and the coca leaves we brought with us. The working conditions are inhuman and it felt not very good watching other people doing a very hard job. Sometimes they work 24 hour shifts without leaving the mine and with no food. It's hot and dark inside the mine and the air is very dusty. And some of the guys working there are still kids. Unless they are very lucky and find a silver vein, they earn very little. And life expectancy is very short once the guys start working inside the mine. It's very sad that nowadays people still work under these conditions. After two hours inside the mine I was happy to be outside again and exhausted although I didn't do anything else than walk. I can not imagine how it is possible to work in the mine. 

Read Micha's very interesting blog post about his visit to the mines in February. 

POTOSI

28. June – 30. June 2011


It was cold and windy in Potosi when we arrived by bus in the morning from Sucre. After a few days at lower altitudes in Cochabamba and Sucre. We were back at 4000 m. Potosi is one of the highest cities in the world. The city was founded at the foot of Cerro de Potosi, a mountain extremely reach in minerals, especially silver. Most of the mined silver went to Spain but still, in the 16th century Potosi was one of the biggest and richest cities in the world. Nowadays there is not that much silver left in the mountain but there are many beautiful old churches and building in Potosi.
We took it easy the first day in Potosi, walked around town and ate delicious Salteñas (pastries filled with chicken, egg, veggies and an olive).
The next day we organized a trip to the mines and went to meet my friend Varinia's family. Varinia used to live for a year with my family in Germany. Now I was going to meet her family. Unfortunately I didn't meet Varinia since she is living in the US now. Her mum took us to a nice museum inside an old monastery. A beautiful building with little plazas and small rooms and a church. Afterward we were invited to coffee before going for dinner with Ariel, Varinia's brother. We also drank hot wine. Great in a cold city like Potosi.
After a visit to the mines the next morning we went back to Varinia's family for typical Bolivian food for lunch. MUCHAS GRACIAS a familia Taboada por todo!!
In the afternoon we went to buy warm jackets because everyone told us that it would be even colder in Uyuni (where we were going next) and we were already wearing all our clothes and still didn't feel warm.

DINOSAURS IN SUCRE

27. June 2011

   Sucre was only a short stop on the way to Potosi. The city is Bolivia's constitutional capital and the Lonely Planet describes it as Bolivia’s most beautiful city. It is a nice city but not as beautiful as it sounded. Maybe I've just seen too many colonial cities before. Besides walking around the city there wasn't much to do either. Again, we went to the market, which was very small compared to Cochabamba. We also went to the Dino Park. There were lots of life-size dinosaur models and one could see real dinosaur tracks on a wall opposite.

MARKETS IN COCHABAMBA

24. June – 26. June 2011

From La Paz we went by bus to Cochabamba. As almost always the bus ride was interesting and the scenery amazing. We arrived in Cochabamba in the evening and after checking in at the hostel went for a short walk through the city center. For dinner we had delicious burrito and chili con carne in a small Mexican restaurant. At the plaza we watched a demonstration for clean water in all of Bolivia.
The next day we went to the market La Cancha in the morning. Lots of things were sold. Many stands sold shoes and there were many tailors. But as always there was food and fruits as well. In the afternoon we went to the cinema. A very modern multiplex cinema with restaurants that could have been anywhere in the US or Europe. The last morning in Cochabamba we went to the Cristo de la Concordia statue. The statue is very similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro and even a little higher. But it is not as impressive as Cristo del Corcovado in Rio.What makes the statue in Bolivia interesting is that it is possible to go inside. And the view from inside the statue over Cochabamba was quite nice.

BUS TRAVEL PHOTOS

24. June 2011

On the bus ride from La Paz to Cochabamba we had front row seats on the upper bus level which gave me good opportunities to try my new camera.

HUAYNA POTOSI – WALKING UP TO 5300 M

23. June 2011

After a long, dangerous and uncomfortable bus ride from Rurrenabaque we arrived back in La Paz. The first task there was to buy a new camera before relaxing the rest of the afternoon. We decided to do a little hike on mount Huayna Potosi while in La Paz Since Huayna Potosi is 6088 m high, climbing all the way to the top was no option for us. With a guide (who wasn't really a guide) we went by car to the base of the mountain at elevation 4600 m. There we started our walk. It was exhausting but after two hours of walking uphill we finally arrived at our destination - the refugio at 5300 m. There we had lunch (rice and chicken, of course) and took some pictures in the snow. Going back downhill was much easier and faster.

TRAVELING BY BUS IN BOLIVIA

21. June 2011

To get back from Rurrenabaque to La Paz we decided to take the much cheaper and more adventurous option of going by bus instead of flying.

The bus left around noon in Rurrenabaque. It was a rather old, dirty bus; most people had lots of baggage and there was extra cargo on the roof. There was no bathroom, no air condition nor any other service on board. We set off on a dusty, bumpy road. The bus was cramped and it was hot. After less than two hours we had to stop the first time because of a flat tire. It took the driver about an hour to change the tire. Meanwhile everyone was standing on the road trying to find some shade. Afterward the road didn't get better. It was so bumpy, that sometimes I jumped off the seat. After a stop for dinner the road started to climb uphill. The road was very narrow and similar to the death road. In fact it was part of the old death road, going from the Yungas to La Paz. Mountain on the left side and cliff on the right side. Looking outside was scary. Especially if there were trucks and buses in the other direction. And it was dark as well. At one point we had to wait because there was a SUV lying on it's side on the road. A few people got off the bus and helped to turn the car back on it's wheels. Problem solved.

The night was very uncomfortable and early in the morning when we got close to La Paz it was freezing.

I was very happy when we finally, after 23 hours, got to La Paz and could get off the bus.

RURRENABAQUE - LA SELVA

18. June – 20. June 2011

After three days on the river watching caimans and dolphins we went for a three day tour to la selva, the jungle. We started by boat in Rurrenabaque on the river Beni and arrived after a three hour trip at the jungle lodge in the Madidi National Park. We spent a few hours hanging around in hammocks before going for a first walk through the jungle. Again, I was hoping to see a jaguar. Again, unsuccessful. But at least, this time we saw jaguar footprints. But seeing animals in the jungle is very difficult and besides a few birds we mainly saw ants and lots of butterflies. The vegetation though is very impressive, with huge trees and green plants everywhere. We also went for a night-walk. It was interesting but a little scary as well. In the dark it's difficult to see much and with snakes and other dangerous animals around, I didn't feel too good walking around at night. The next morning we went for another short walk were we learned about plants and fruits and how they can be used. We also collected seeds that we used to make rings and bracelets. In the afternoon we set out for a night in the jungle. After a two hour walk we reached the camp. We set up our sleeping bags and moscito nets before going for another walk. We headed up a little hill from where the view over the jungle and river was amazing. But the best were the many aras (macaws) and other birds that were flying around. Aras are huge parrots that make lots of noises, usually fly around in pairs of two and always live with the same partner. Watching them was amazing. After a good night sleep outside, we walked to the river. There we built a little raft out of woods and floated on the river for an hour before reaching the jungle lodge. After lunch it was time to leave the jungle and go back to Rurrenabaque. On the way back we stoped at a little farm that grows sugar cane. There we learnt about the plantation of sugar cane and how cane juice is made. We drank liters of the very sweet but delicious juice.

RURRENABAQUE - LA PAMPA

15. June – 17. June 2011

From La Paz we flew to the small town Rurrenabaque. The plane was a tiny 18-seat plane, there was no stewardess and it was possible to look out the front window. The flight was short but the scenery below amazing. The plane flew quite close between 6,000 m high mountains. Amazing. The tiny airport in Rurrenabaque did have an asphalt landing strip but getting to the “terminal” meant rolling over grass.
In Rurrenabaque we checked in at an hostel, went for lunch and a walk around town and decided to spend the rest of the day relaxing. The next day we were organizing trips to the Pampa and Selva for the following days. There are many tour companies and almost all offered nearly the same for similar prices. So, deciding which company to choose wasn't very easy.
The following morning we left for a three day trip to the Pampa. By jeep it was a three hour drive to the small town Santa Rosa and from there another 15 minutes to the hostel. After eating delicious, fresh grapefruits and lunch we set of for the first tour. By boat we went on the river. We saw a few monkeys, caimans, turtles and many, many birds. Back at the hostel my camera finally died. I feared that moment for a while and knew it was coming. Still, I wasn't happy that I did not have a single camera to take pictures. Especially with so many animals around.
The next morning we went by boat in the other direction of the river. There were more birds, more caimans, more monkeys and many pink dolphins. Most monkeys were very small and were not afraid of people. Some of them even ran over the boat when we got close enough and. After a stop for lunch we went for a swim with pink dolphins. The dolphins were very playful and came quite close. Absolutely amazing. We also saw a few capybaras – the biggest rodents in the world that kind of look like huge but cute guinea pigs. After watching the sunset it was time to go back to the hostel. The last day we went fishing for piranhas. Again, I wasn't very successful (and didn't enjoy it either) but Carlos and Billy, our guide, had fun and caught around 30 piranhas. Most of them are rather small but still have sharp, powerful teeth.
After lunch (with rice and piranhas) it was time to go back to Rurrenabaque.

BIKING DOWN THE “DEATH ROAD”

10. June 2011

Most roads in Bolivia are in fairly bad conditions sometimes rather a path than a road. And there are a lot of dangerous roads. But there is one road – going from La Paz to the Amazon region Yungas - that is more dangerous than the other roads called El camino de la muerte (death road). Five years ago a new asphalt road was opened but before all traffic to the yungas had to go on that road – cars, buses, trucks. Mostly this dirt road is about three meters wide; on the right side is the mountain, on the left side a drop-off a couple of hundred meters deep. In addition to that, it's a rather steep road. In less than 70 km it descends from 4650 m at La Cumbre pass to 1200 m in Coroico. I don't understand how trucks and buses could go down that road – in both directions. But I do understand how 200 – 300 people could die here yearly.
Read an interesting description of this trip down the Death Road on BBC News.
Now most traffic goes over the new road and the old road is one of Bolivia's main tourist attraction. Crazy backpackers going down by mountain bike.
After beeing picked up at the hotel from the tour company we went by minibus to La Cumbre, the start of the downhill bike ride. There it was rather cold and there were icicles along the road. The first part of the trip was an eight kilometer downhill ride on the new asphalt road. Riding was very easy and the road wide and fairly good. But overtaking trucks by bike was a little weird. After an hour or so we arrived at the “real” Death Road. The road was very narrow with lots of curves. Going down full speed wasn't an option for me. Far too dangerous. Interestingly traffic going down is on the left side of the road (although normally traffic is on the right side). This meant biking close to the edge instead of biking close to the mountain. The ride was interesting and the landscape was changing from high mountain scenery to jungle vegetation. The scenery was amazing. Deep valleys, green mountains, a few waterfalls.