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The unusually cold Pacific Ocean and inhospitable rock beaches.
Driving through northern Chile one gets a grasp of the vastness of its deserts, of the distance and the slowly changing climate as one descends south. There is hardly any vegetation, just rocks and sand contrasted by the cold Pacific Ocean. This stark beauty is unforgettable.
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Early morning.
After crossing the deserted border Bolivia/Chile, we drove through a breathtaking desert lined with mountains. We spent one night parked at the side of the road and got up early in the morning to capture the deep blue colors of dawn.
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Lost badlands of Bolivia.
We tried to exit Bolivia through the only 4x4 accessible path to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. We soon realized however that our van had no chance on such an extreme off road surface so we crossed a bit more north at a place called Ollague where we only got one flat tire. The desert was cold, harsh and breathtaking. Finally we got to the border where although the computers were on in the offices but no one was around. I had to walk from shack to shack knocking on doors to find an immigration and customs official.
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Sunrise in a forgotten corner of Bolivia.
Right behind the town of Uyuni in Bolivia there is a picturesque cemetery of trains that are no longer in use. We got there in the early morning and I think we had great lighting for the photos we took.
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The perspective gets distorted when all you see is white.
We were told we'd never make it to the salt field in our van. In the tourist office they said "The road is terrible, it just rained, there is at least a foot of water on the field, the road leading to the Salar is passable only by a 4x4 jeep, etc.." For a split second I considered purchasing a "tour" but then I said que se jodan and drove there anyway to see if we could make it. Yes the road was awful and it took a long time to get there but the deep water persisted only at the edge of the field and then quickly receded. Driving on the salt is a strange but pleasant sensation. It reminded me of sailing on the open sea. One can't crash into anything, only to keep a general direction so not to get lost. Seeing all white around me I felt I was on a different planet.
After a few hours of navigating the vastness of white salt we arrived at an "island"- a volcanic hill rising out of the field filled with enormous cacti. They say a cactus grows 1cm per year and according to some calculations some of these were 10,000 years old.
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Hanging out with the Bolivian miners in the middle of the mountain.
This was an experience I will never forget. I was fortunate enough to explore one of the mines in the famous silver mountain in Postosi, Bolivia. I met a guy who knew a guy...you know how it goes...who knew some of the local miners. All that was needed was to buy a few presents for them: a bag of coca leaves, some alcohol (98% volume), a couple of sodas and a stick of dynamite. Yes, one can legally purchase sticks of dynamite at the local market in Potosi.
It was a chilly day yet after penetrating deep into the mine shaft the air got warm and was filled with dust. The paths felt claustrophobic and you could easily get lost in the complex mesh of connecting shafts. If you didn't watch your step you could suddenly fall through a vertical vent to a level (or many levels) beneath you.
I didn't see many old miners (the average life expectancy here is said to be 40 years of age) but I met a couple of kids who told me they were 14 years old. We hung out with the miners for about 5 hours, mostly drinking what tasted like rubbing alcohol, chewing on coca leaves and blowing stuff up with dynamite. They wanted to know all about my life and my experiences and I about theirs. So there was a lot to talk about. After I came out of the mine I found a new appreciation for open spaces and fresh air.
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Came there right after Christmas and New Year so all the decorations were still up. Ate some local burgers on the street before trying to sleep.
Potosi is one of the highest cities in the world with an elevation over 4000m. I had a difficulty sleeping well there as I kept waking up gasping for air. This city was founded in 1545 as a mining town at the foot of a huge mountain filled with silver. About 41,000 metric tons of silver were mined there between the 16th and 18th century making the city one of the richest in the world. Some say about 20 million people died working in appallingly poor condition in the mountain over the years. Work continues to date and the current life expectancy of a miner is 40 years of age.
Two kids begging for food and money.
This is a country full of extremes. There is much richness as far as natural resources yet much poverty of the general populations. It pained me to see droves of kids lining the roads we drove begging for money. My experience with Bolivians was without exception positive. They would share the little they had with me without asking anything in return. They have a beautiful country with exceptional nature and I hope their living standard will improve in the coming years.
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What a magical place this is. There was a storm gathering giving the place an extra other-worldliness.
The Bolivians call this place "better than Machu Picchu"- I would not compare the two but certainly the artistry and precise and complex stone work at the temple site of Puma Punku holds its own as one of the most intriguing archeological sites of Bolivia in particular and of the whole South America in general.
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The reed huts on one of the floating islands.
THE FLOATING ISLANDS OF LAKE TITICACA
Lake Titicaca is the largest South American lake by volume of water. It is referred to as the highest navigable lake in the world with elevation of 3812m (12,507ft) It is known for its thin air, cold water, beautiful vistas, hidden sunken Inca gold treasures but what I've always hoped to see were the famous floating islands of Uros. These are about 40 or so artificial islands created by stacking layers of reeds on top of each other. They are settled by an indigenous tribe who now a days make their living entertaining tourists like me and selling them trinkets.
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The majestic Machu Picchu between the earth and the clouds.
First of all, Machu Picchu is sinfully over priced and full of pesky tourists. It became a cliche symbol of exoticism, a mandatory visit for all wanna be "explorers". Having said this, it is nevertheless entirely worth visiting and in spite all its inherent negatives it will leave you breathless.
We took a bus half way to Aguas Calientes just to save on some of the train fare. We still paid $120 each for a few km ride on a "fancy" train that ran on uneven tracks. The basic entry fee to the actual site was $50.
The city's architecture in itself is not extraordinary. What is stunning is the setting high in the Andes mountains. I could not get enough of the marvelous view and imagining what life could have been like 800 years ago.
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This is a photo with some local kids. Behind me is one of the most impressive cathedral complexes I’ve seen.
I have some bitter sweet memories of this city. As a boy I used to read books about its history and architecture and this was one of my most anticipated places to visit. Upon arriving we were led by the proprietor of Grand Hotel Machu Picchu to a private garage where they robbed our van, stealing among other things one of my Canon cameras with an L telescopic lens. Later some of my other friends told me they were robbed there as well. So the city is beautiful, notably its huge and opulent cathedral but beware of its many thiefs.
Ballet dancers on the main square in Lima.
Since one of my two Canon cameras was stolen in Cuzco, almost the whole north part of Peru has been lost. It is a land of dust and desert that is filled with garbage that people just throw along the sides of the road. Large parts of the desert are filled with plastic bags. The scenery changes drastically when one approaches the capital city, Lima. The center of Lima is pleasant and the main cathedral impressive as one would expect.
Took this photo from an observation tower.
I'm sure most of you heard plenty about the famous Nazca lines so I don't want to sound superfluous. Once you get above 2km above the sea level the air becomes thinner, it is harder to breathe and visually everything becomes clearer. Driving through the Peruvian Andes was very challenging and tiresome but the scenery was breathtaking. The photos don't do it justice but the air looked and smelled differently, not just because my brain was starving for oxygen or that my mouth was full of coca leaves
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Parque National Galapagos
I could do a few more Galapagos Islands photo albums but we have to move on to Peru and the rest of South America. Let me just say one more time how taken I was by the raw beauty of these islands. It is an expensive place to visit but well worth every penny.
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Giant turtles are an indispensable part of the Galapagos experience. Some of these beasts can live up to 200 years of age.
While exploring the island interior we climbed the highest peak, which is a volcano harboring in its creator a sweet... water laguna. It is now apparently infested by tilapia fish that is decimating the status quo environment. The mountain was completely engulfed in fog preventing us from enjoying a clear view of the island. Yet climbing the hill surrounded in thick fog had its magic as well.
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150m of water below me, accompanied by sharks, turtles, sea lions and fish.
One of the highlights of our journey, the raw and exquisite Galapagos Islands enchanted me completely and delivered all I imagined and hoped to experience and more. We stayed on the lesser known of the two main islands- San Cristobal from where we did a snorkeling day trip to a rock formation called Leon Dormido (Sleeping Lion). It's a strange sensation knowing that the depth below me is at least 150m, two cliffs tower on each side like two skyscrapers, the strong current pushes me through the strait and looking down through the water tens of sharks are hunting fish
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After returning from the Galapagos islands we started driving south from Quito toward the border with Peru, making a longer stop in Banos, a hot mineral water town. For all you hot springs connoisseurs, this place can be passed over if pres...sed for time without remorse. It is big on tourists and small on hot springs. Most of Ecuador impressed us as much as Colombia. I travel feeling guilty that I don't have enough time to see even a small percentage of what I'd like.
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Local girls walking on a street in Quito.
We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the roads and the welcoming attitude of the people matched that of Colombia. Around Quito there is a lot of infrastructure development pointing to the country's economic rise. When talking to local people about this, they are rightly proud of their accomplishments. Quito is a fairly narrow but very long city set in a valley at a pretty high altitude so some adjusting is necessary in order to get a good night sleep. Although very near the equator, this is not a warm city, especially at night. We met a great guy, Johann Varela, whose family treated us to quite a few amazing Ecuatorian meals. He was kind enough to show us around his intriguing city. Quito was next to Cuzco one of the capital cities of the Inca empire and to this date harbors its long lasting sense of rivalry with the old capital of Peru.
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Colombia is a gorgeous country and I feel we shortchanged ourselves for not spending more time there. Sure, Cartagena is still the most beautiful city in South America but what really took my breath away was the countryside with its green m...ountains and deep valleys. All the people we've encountered were very kind to us, quite the opposite of what we were warned before entering the country. I personally felt much safer here than in Mexico, where I had to be constantly vigilant. I hope to return to this country again and explore it with less time constraints.
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