I WISH EVERYONE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, FROHE WEIHNACHTEN, FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
GERMANY AGAIN
18. August – 26. August 2011
From Vienna I took the bus to Dresden to visit my friend Ruediger. Last time we met was
for the hiking trip in Patagonia and we had a lot to talk about
everything that happened in between. My sister, her friend and our
family dogs Funny and Joshy came to Dresden as well for a day. 
We
went for a nice walk in the hills of the Saechsische Schweiz, a
national park near Dresden. We had a beer in a small kneipe (kind of
a beer). Very “Ossi” style with extremely unfriendly personal but good German beer.
From Vienna I took the bus to Dresden to visit my friend Ruediger. Last time we met was
for the hiking trip in Patagonia and we had a lot to talk about
everything that happened in between. My sister, her friend and our
family dogs Funny and Joshy came to Dresden as well for a day. 
We
went for a nice walk in the hills of the Saechsische Schweiz, a
national park near Dresden. We had a beer in a small kneipe (kind of
a beer). Very “Ossi” style with extremely unfriendly personal but good German beer.
From there it was time to go back to
Lissa, to spend some more time with my family. At the weekend was my
cousins wedding. The wedding party was very nice and it was great to
see all my cousins, aunts and uncles. And we also had fun taking lots
of pictures.
Anja + Oliver – I wuensche euch
beiden ein glueckliches und erfuelltes Leben zusammen.
I spent the next view days relaxing,
walking the dog, organizing my stuff and the next trip to Egypt.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
ROADTRIP V - AUSTRIA
13. August – 17. August 2011
O
ur actual plan for the day was to go
to Slovakia but thanks to the navigation system we ended up at
Paula's campground in Austria. On the way out of Budapest we weren't
really decided where to go and so we followed the navigation system
to the closest campground with pool. And that was in Austria.
O
ur actual plan for the day was to go
to Slovakia but thanks to the navigation system we ended up at
Paula's campground in Austria. On the way out of Budapest we weren't
really decided where to go and so we followed the navigation system
to the closest campground with pool. And that was in Austria.
The campground was quite nice and the
owner Helmut very friendly. We relaxed, tried balancing on the
slack-line and had some drinks and an entertaining evening with some
guys from Bavaria. On the second day we did a little side trip to
Bratislava, Slovakia's capital city. 
But since the night before was
rather long we all didn't really feel like sightseeing. There are a
lot of places in Bratislava that remind you of it's communist past
with ugly buildings and streets. But there is also a very pretty
historical center. We had delicious lunch there, wrote some postcards
and walk around before driving back to Austria. On the way back we
stopped at an outlet center = three happy girls shopping. Anyways, we
only had one hour before the stores closed and didn't buy much. Later
that day, we enjoyed the sun at the Neusiedler See and 
at night went
to a local Volksfest, but couldn't stand it longer than an hour (bad
music, drunk old people, ...)
But since the night before was
rather long we all didn't really feel like sightseeing. There are a
lot of places in Bratislava that remind you of it's communist past
with ugly buildings and streets. But there is also a very pretty
historical center. We had delicious lunch there, wrote some postcards
and walk around before driving back to Austria. On the way back we
stopped at an outlet center = three happy girls shopping. Anyways, we
only had one hour before the stores closed and didn't buy much. Later
that day, we enjoyed the sun at the Neusiedler See and 
at night went
to a local Volksfest, but couldn't stand it longer than an hour (bad
music, drunk old people, ...)
The next morning we drove to Vienna.
Beautiful city. Very clean, friendly people and beautiful old
buildings and palaces. We enjoyed the city, walked around all day –
sightseeing and relaxing.
After a day in Wien it was time to say
good bye to Christiane and Karina. While I could stay a few more days
relaxing and enjoying Vienna, Christiane and Karina had to go back to
Munich to work.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
ROAD-TRIP IV – HUNGARY
10. August – 12. August 2011
Our first stop in Hungary was at lake
Balaton. 30 years ago this lake was a popular vacation destination
for people from eastern Germany. I'd been there myself a long time ago, after finishing school,
with some friends . This time we rented an
apartment in a family house for one night. The apartment hadn't
been renovated for a very long time and the furniture was rather old
as well. For us “Ossis” it felt like travelling back in time and for
Karina, from the south of Germany, it seemed like a museum. The lake
itself wasn't very beautiful. The town wasn't nice either. Lot's of
Germany tourists on a cheap trip to Hungary. We spent our evening at
McDonald’s to use the free internet. ;-) From lake Balaton it was
only a one hour drive to Hungary's capital city Budapest. After
arriving in the morning, we walked through the beautiful old town and
had lunch. The design at the place where we had lunch was somewhat
different but artsy – and as it turned out we had lunch at
Budapest's most popular gay bar.
In the afternoon we went on a
sightseeing tour with “free city tours”. The guides were very
knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a lot about Budapest and
Hungary, visited a few of the main sights and had a good time.
Our first stop in Hungary was at lake
Balaton. 30 years ago this lake was a popular vacation destination
for people from eastern Germany. I'd been there myself a long time ago, after finishing school,
with some friends . This time we rented an
apartment in a family house for one night. The apartment hadn't
been renovated for a very long time and the furniture was rather old
as well. For us “Ossis” it felt like travelling back in time and for
Karina, from the south of Germany, it seemed like a museum. The lake
itself wasn't very beautiful. The town wasn't nice either. Lot's of
Germany tourists on a cheap trip to Hungary. We spent our evening at
McDonald’s to use the free internet. ;-) From lake Balaton it was
only a one hour drive to Hungary's capital city Budapest. After
arriving in the morning, we walked through the beautiful old town and
had lunch. The design at the place where we had lunch was somewhat
different but artsy – and as it turned out we had lunch at
Budapest's most popular gay bar.
In the afternoon we went on a
sightseeing tour with “free city tours”. The guides were very
knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a lot about Budapest and
Hungary, visited a few of the main sights and had a good time.
Unexpectedly there was a huge music
festival in Budapest, the Sziget festival, 
while we were there. So,
we decided to check it out the next day. And it was great. Good
music, lot's of different music types on many stages, interesting
entertainment and many people. We had an awesome time and I enjoyed
it a lot. Listen to good live music is always great.
while we were there. So,
we decided to check it out the next day. And it was great. Good
music, lot's of different music types on many stages, interesting
entertainment and many people. We had an awesome time and I enjoyed
it a lot. Listen to good live music is always great.
Our plan was to spend the next morning
in one of Budapest's many thermal baths but unfortunately many other
people had the same idea. We didn't feel like waiting for hours to
get inside and left Budapest. After a little side-trip to a small
town near the Slovakian border we spontaneously decided to go to
Austria next.
ROAD-TRIP III – CROATIA
04. August – 09. August 2011
Our first impression of Croatia wasn't
very good. There were narrow, rocky beaches and German advertisement
(ich sage nur: “LIDL lohnt sich. Auch im Urlaub”) along the road.
And many German and Dutch vacationers. The first two days were not
the best ones of this trip. No nice beaches and way too many people.
We almost turned around and left Croatia, but - luckily - decided
otherwise. 
We hung out at a crowded campground with an acceptable
beach for two days and relaxed before going further south. And it
paid off that we did give the Dalmatian coast a chance and drove all
the way to Dubrovnik. A beautiful old town directly at the crystal
blue Adriatic sea. We walked around town along narrow cobblestone and
marble streets; between very old buildings with thick walls and on
the city wall that goes all around the town with amazing views. But
the best thing was a tiny bay just a short walk from the city center
with extremely blue and clear water that we had almost to ourselves.
We went for a swim and enjoyed the sun in between sightseeing tours
in town.
Before leaving Dubrovnik we drove up to a lookout point above the city.
The road was extremely narrow and
dangerous but the view over the city with it's old buildings and city
wall, the blue water and the islands, was beautiful.
We hung out at a crowded campground with an acceptable
beach for two days and relaxed before going further south. And it
paid off that we did give the Dalmatian coast a chance and drove all
the way to Dubrovnik. A beautiful old town directly at the crystal
blue Adriatic sea. We walked around town along narrow cobblestone and
marble streets; between very old buildings with thick walls and on
the city wall that goes all around the town with amazing views. But
the best thing was a tiny bay just a short walk from the city center
with extremely blue and clear water that we had almost to ourselves.
We went for a swim and enjoyed the sun in between sightseeing tours
in town.
Before leaving Dubrovnik we drove up to a lookout point above the city.
The road was extremely narrow and
dangerous but the view over the city with it's old buildings and city
wall, the blue water and the islands, was beautiful.
From Dubrovnik it was a long over night
drive to Zagreb, Croatia's capital. We spent a day there, walking
around the center and up a little hill with an old castle before
leaving for Hungary.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
ROAD TRIP II - SLOVENIA
1. August - 3. August 2011
POST BY CHRISTIANE
After our one-day
visit in Venice we decided to stay two - three days in Slovenia. Since no one
of us has ever been there we did not know what we should expect from
this part of Former Yugoslavia. Slovenia borders Italy to the west,
Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria
to the north. And although Slovenia is a very small country it is
touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean.
We entered Slovenia
by driving a fabulous scenic route through the Julian Alps. Our first
destination was the camp ground at Lake Bled. This place is one of
the most popular tourist destinations in the Julian Alps and we were
blown away by the beauty of this impressive landscape, too. 
The
lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by
mountains and forests. A medieval castle stands above the lake on the
north shore. Kind of Disney like – but real!
After two days in Bled
we headed over to the Capital City, Ljubljana. Arriving there, we
checked in at the hostel (actually a university housing…), than
visited the old town and tested the Slovenian ice-cream. Its raving
beauty shows Lubljana at night: many bars, a cozy summer night,
drinking pivo (beer) and watching young people on the streets.
POST BY CHRISTIANE
After our one-day
visit in Venice we decided to stay two - three days in Slovenia. Since no one
of us has ever been there we did not know what we should expect from
this part of Former Yugoslavia. Slovenia borders Italy to the west,
Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria
to the north. And although Slovenia is a very small country it is
touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean.
We entered Slovenia
by driving a fabulous scenic route through the Julian Alps. Our first
destination was the camp ground at Lake Bled. This place is one of
the most popular tourist destinations in the Julian Alps and we were
blown away by the beauty of this impressive landscape, too. 
The
lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by
mountains and forests. A medieval castle stands above the lake on the
north shore. Kind of Disney like – but real!
We decided to stay
at this beautiful place for two days, doing nothing but enjoying life
and nature, hanging around and relaxing. We had buffalo mozzarella
with tomate and olives and red wine on the beach, rented a small rowing boat and
surrounded the biggest Slovenian Island by boat (Slovenia only has
one island ;-) ). We did a hike in a canyon with a crystal clear
river towards the Vintgar Gorge and waterfall and
enjoyed the local cuisine (porcini mushroom, Cream cheese strudel and
world-famous „Bledsky Kremschnitty“).
We spent the evenings on the little strand bar, improving our slack
line skills and hanging around in beach lounge chairs.
After two days in Bled
we headed over to the Capital City, Ljubljana. Arriving there, we
checked in at the hostel (actually a university housing…), than
visited the old town and tested the Slovenian ice-cream. Its raving
beauty shows Lubljana at night: many bars, a cozy summer night,
drinking pivo (beer) and watching young people on the streets.
We completed our
stay in Slovenia by visiting UNESCO World Heritage listed Škocjan
Caves, which are one of the largest known underground canyons in the
world. It includes the largest discovered underground chamber in
Europe and one of the largest in the world. To walk through this
natural monument was really impressive and exciting.
ROAD-TRIP I - ITALY
29. July – 31. July 2011
My sister Christiane, her friend Karina
and me left Munich Friday night for a 16-day road-trip through Italy,
Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria and a short stop in Slovakia.
The next morning we were on our way to
Venice. We parked outside the city and took the ferry to the center.
The city is beautiful and different than other cities. But still, I
didn't like it very much. There are just way too many tourists to
enjoy it. After walking around for a few hours, we left to continue
our road-trip and leave towards Slovenia.
My sister Christiane, her friend Karina
and me left Munich Friday night for a 16-day road-trip through Italy,
Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria and a short stop in Slovakia.
The start was a little rough. Traffic
in Munich was chaotic and we had to chance the rented car before
leaving the city later than planned. Luckily, everything worked out
great from there. Unexpectedly, the Autobahn was empty and driving
was easygoing. We decided that our first stop would be Italy's lake
Garda where we arrived and set up our tent at 11pm. After a bottle of
wine at the lake it was time to sleep.
The next morning we drove
directly to Verona. Spontaneously we decided to spent the night there
and watch the opera Aida in the famous Arena, an roman amphitheater,
built almost 2000 years ago. Verona is a very beautiful historical
city with lots of old houses with nice balconies.
The next morning we drove
directly to Verona. Spontaneously we decided to spent the night there
and watch the opera Aida in the famous Arena, an roman amphitheater,
built almost 2000 years ago. Verona is a very beautiful historical
city with lots of old houses with nice balconies.
The afternoon was spend walking around
town, visiting Romeo's and Juliette's balconies and eating our first
ice cream of this trip. After refreshing in the hostel we were ready
for the opera. The old building and the stage setting were very
beautiful. The opera was good but since we didn't understand anything
we left after three of four sets.
The next morning we were on our way to
Venice. We parked outside the city and took the ferry to the center.
The city is beautiful and different than other cities. But still, I
didn't like it very much. There are just way too many tourists to
enjoy it. After walking around for a few hours, we left to continue
our road-trip and leave towards Slovenia.UPDATE
I know, it's a very long time since the last post. Meanwhile, I've been enjoying the beach and relaxed life in Canoa, Ecuador. Between walks at the beach, weekend partying, working, a little travelling and reading, I spent some time working on the blog. And in case anyone still wants to read what I did three months ago, posts are coming.Thanks for still reading my blog. And even bigger thanks to everyone how left comments.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
BACK IN GERMANY
16. July – 28. July 2011
After a rather long flight from Lima via Panama City I finally arrived in Germany. My parents picked me up at the airport in Frankfurt (DANKE!!!) and after a good breakfast we were on our way home. Home to me means the house that I grew up in Lissa, a small village north of Leipzig in the East of Germany.
Most of the time in Lissa, I spent relaxing, going for walks with the dogs and jumping around on the trampoline with my niece Fiona. After a little more than a week, I took the bus to Munich. Someone said that I traveled too long in South America if I travel by bus in Germany. It's not very common to travel long distances by bus and usually people use the train. But the bus was cheaper. I had a good time in Munich. Besides some sightseeing and shopping for our upcoming road-trip, I hung out with me sister and met friends. 
Of course I enjoyed a few good German beer in a typical Biergarten.
Beatrice – thanks for taking the time to meet me, for lunch, cafe and beer and tour guiding through Munich. It's always good to hang out with you.
Micha – it was great seeing you!
Bine – thanks for lunch and a good time.
After a rather long flight from Lima via Panama City I finally arrived in Germany. My parents picked me up at the airport in Frankfurt (DANKE!!!) and after a good breakfast we were on our way home. Home to me means the house that I grew up in Lissa, a small village north of Leipzig in the East of Germany.
Of course I enjoyed a few good German beer in a typical Biergarten. Beatrice – thanks for taking the time to meet me, for lunch, cafe and beer and tour guiding through Munich. It's always good to hang out with you.
Micha – it was great seeing you!
Bine – thanks for lunch and a good time.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
SUMMER 2011
I know, my last blog post is rather old and is about things that happened two months ago. But that doesn't mean that I stopped traveling nor blogging. I'm just a bit lazy with writing and organizing pictures. But I'll try to get the blog updated as fast as possible.
Since July I spent some time with family and friends in Germany, went on an Europe road-trip with my sister and visited friends in Egypt. At the moment I'm in New York on the way back to Ecuador. The plan is, to stay there for a while. Live at the beach, learn surfing and explore more of South America.
In the next days, I'll try to catch up on the blog and hope you'll keep on checking in. As always, I'd love to get some comments.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
10 MONTHS IN SOUTH AMERICA
After 309 days it was time to leave South America. At least for the moment. There were countless great experiences and I hope I will remember most of them. I had a great time and enjoyed it a lot.
I traveled by bus, plane and boat
I slept in hostel beds, hammocks and at friend's places
I hiked a snow covered volcano in Chile and partly up volcano Tungaruha in Ecuador that erupted a few days later
I got sick on a four day hike near Quilotoa in Ecuador and wet on a ten day hike in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.
I saw sea lions, eagle rays and turtles on the Galapagos Islands, penguins in Argentina, pink dolphins, caimans and aras in Bolivia and condors in Chile
I saw sea lions, eagle rays and turtles on the Galapagos Islands, penguins in Argentina, pink dolphins, caimans and aras in Bolivia and condors in Chile
I tried to dance salsa, merengue and samba (have to go back to improve my dancing)
I went running at the beach, went snorkeling and tried surfing
I learned about the production of coffee in Colombia, manioca in Brazil and sugar in Bolivia
I explored cities, the rainforest, mountains and deserts
I ate lots of rice, chicken and shrimp
I went to the markets in Cartagena, Colombia; Belem, Brazil; La Paz, Bolivia and many more
I ate mango in Ecuador, acai in Brazil and pomelo in Bolivia
I ate lots of rice, chicken and shrimp
I went to the markets in Cartagena, Colombia; Belem, Brazil; La Paz, Bolivia and many more
I ate mango in Ecuador, acai in Brazil and pomelo in Bolivia
I listened to Sandra on the ferry between Argentina and Uruguay, Boney M in La Paz, “Moskau, Moskau,...” in a taxi in Portoviejo, Ecuador, and Modern Talking all over Bolivia
I listened a million times to Don Omar's “Danza Kuduro”, a thousand times to Aventura and a hundred times to Shakira
I traveled with good friends, met lots of people, made new friends, fell in love and said goodbye to too many people
I learned lot and had a great time
Friday, September 2, 2011
PERU AGAIN – ILO, NAZCA, HUACACHINA AND LIMA
6. July – 14. July 2011
After a great time in Bolivia and a short stop in Chile we went back to Peru. I had just booked a flight back to Europe, leaving from Lima. But we still had a week to explore the south of Peru. First we went to Ilo at the coast for a night. There was absolutely nothing to see or to do. Still, we enjoyed eating seafood after weeks far away from the coast and good seafood. 
The next days we spent in the beautiful village of Huacachina – a small lagoon surrounded by sand dunes. We took a tour with sandbuggys (you have to do this) and tried sand-boarding. I wasn't very successful but it was fun anyways. We next day we walked up one of the dunes and relaxed at the hostel pool.
On the way to Lima we stopped in Paracas, where we went on a short boat trip to the Islas Ballestas. Unfortunately there was only one sea lion but we saw thousands of birds and a few penguins.Back in Lima we enjoyed Starbucks and a few relaxed days before it was time to say goodbye.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, August 26, 2011
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...
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...
Monday, August 22, 2011
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.
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.Thursday, August 18, 2011
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.
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.
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. Wednesday, August 17, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
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.
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.Monday, August 15, 2011
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.Sunday, August 14, 2011
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.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
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.Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
