I am in Potosi, in my dear hostal Koala Den where i had the best breakfast included ever. Potosi is incredibly sweet, full with churches, and owing to its 4000 ms it is also quite cold. Finally my weird dream of passing Christmas in 40 degrees is not going to become reality. At least, the cold and the teas and all the Christmas decoration here makes me a nice nostalgic feeling.
I will write you about the city later, because i still have to tell about this Salares tour.
The most remarkable memory is that i had altitude sickness on the first day! I wasnt prepared for it mentally because i hadnt expereinced problems before and we ascended very gradually. Tupiza was already above 3000 and on the fisrt day we went up till 4000.
We were 5 tourists, me and two french couples, carlos and Elisabet the cook. She was 19 and had a daugther of 2, nothing unusual here.
The worst part was that the bolivian guides and cookers always separated themselves from all the travellers. Someone told it is a very hierarchical society and it is for this reason. Okay, partly i felt they behave like slaves, preparing the food for us and these things, and that they are shy but there was also a great part due to not being interested in us. This made me a little sad. I think it disturbed the others as well.
As for the landscapes, look at the photoes. There are several lagunas, all of different colours, always according to the minerals they have inside, and if there is wind or not.
I got really used to seeing llamas, and vicunas are here as well (you remember, the savage type, a lot less cute).
I learnt that there are 3 types:
the chielan one http://www.theanimalfiles.com/
the andean one http://farm4.static.flickr.
and the one called james: http://farm3.static.flickr.
It is incredible to see that people actually live in these places! Okay, now there are cars, but before they were going by llama walking for weeks to reach a city to bring food. Because obviously they do not have so much food up here. The first night we slept in a house of the locals, i was feeling like in women in the dunes (book by Abe Kobo).
I will write you about the city later, because i still have to tell about this Salares tour.
The salares tour from tupiza is only feasable in 4 days. It was not worth it! Anyone wanting to to the tour should do it from Uyuni, 2 or maximum 3 days. it was amazing but way too much and staying in the jeep all they long is very boring. Not to mention that on the first day the landscape didnt provide anything more interesting than what i had already seen in north of argentina.
The most remarkable memory is that i had altitude sickness on the first day! I wasnt prepared for it mentally because i hadnt expereinced problems before and we ascended very gradually. Tupiza was already above 3000 and on the fisrt day we went up till 4000.
I had nausea, dizzyness, and also the crazy roads and 8 hours in the jeep didnt help to ease my suffering. It is quite a frightening feeling! Finally Carlos our guide anbd driver gave me some medicine and told me not to be afraid coz it is really normal. But i was feeling it was really unfair because nobody else felt bad among all the travellers. Fortunatley the next day was already a lot better.
We were 5 tourists, me and two french couples, carlos and Elisabet the cook. She was 19 and had a daugther of 2, nothing unusual here.
The worst part was that the bolivian guides and cookers always separated themselves from all the travellers. Someone told it is a very hierarchical society and it is for this reason. Okay, partly i felt they behave like slaves, preparing the food for us and these things, and that they are shy but there was also a great part due to not being interested in us. This made me a little sad. I think it disturbed the others as well.
As for the landscapes, look at the photoes. There are several lagunas, all of different colours, always according to the minerals they have inside, and if there is wind or not.
I got really used to seeing llamas, and vicunas are here as well (you remember, the savage type, a lot less cute).
Another usual sight were the flamingos. I was shocked to see flamingos in such a cold and not welcoming place, but by the third day i got totally used to see them.
I learnt that there are 3 types:
the andean one http://farm4.static.flickr.
and the one called james: http://farm3.static.flickr.
It is incredible to see that people actually live in these places! Okay, now there are cars, but before they were going by llama walking for weeks to reach a city to bring food. Because obviously they do not have so much food up here. The first night we slept in a house of the locals, i was feeling like in women in the dunes (book by Abe Kobo).
this tea was supposed to help against altitude sickness
The only lucky thing was that there are no bichos (insects) at these altitudes, so at least i didnt have to worry about that,
in the museum i was searching for hungarian tourist = nothing, not even from the region. okay i saw one bulgarian...
the plants grow like this to absorb as much water as possible. some have very deep roots, some only on the surface
geyseres
last dinner at the salt hotel, everything was bulit of salt
and the decoration above us was interesting
the salar of uyuni, the biggest in the world
watch the picasa photos, it is worth it
ciaoooo
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