Well it has taken a while for this update but since the last one we have been to prison, detonated some dinamite, visited an underground mine, re-entered Argentina, drank a 4.7liter bottle of wine, visited Che Guvara country, eat loads of steak and that is just the half of it...
After the jungle we returned to La Paz for a few days and did a tour of one of the worlds most dangerous prisons(San Pedro) which doubles as a tourist attraction as u can actually visit inmates in their cells which they have to buy.Some of the cells have en suites with cable teeves and all the luxuries of the outside world but it is most definatly a prison and the guides who show u around are rapists, murders, trafficers and a combination of all of the above.That was an interesting Sunday for sure and one to remember.
From La paz we got an overnight bus to Potosi on which Tim got bitten by something in the middle of the night and was barely able to walk off the bus as it was on the same leg he skunned falling off the foothpath the previous day on the way to prison but he is a tough little paddy and batteled on!!In potosi we visited an operational silver mine which is run as a co-operative by the miners and has over 5000 workers.It was amazing to see but for the second time in 24 hours we felt like we were in a human zoo as tourists gawking at people in their natural surroundings but the money for the tour does go back to the miners so we sleep well.On the way to the mine we stopped at a supply shop where u buy gifts for the miners, things like soft drinks, water and of course dynamite.A stick of dinamite, some nitro glisirine, a detonator and a fuse set us back 2 dollars...We did get to keep one of the explosive packages and detonate it ourselves after the tour which was interesting to say the least and would have been more so if we would have been allowed to strap a few pomme backpackers to it...
From potosi we got a taxi to Sucre which was a hell ride to beat all others.The taxi driver was a bad driver to put it mildly and prefered driving on the wrong side of the road as a rule but he did get us there in fairness.When there we went to a traditional Bolivian dance show which was good to see but a bit of a rip off.To be honest Sucre didnt have much more to offer except thunderous rain and good chocolate.That finished our 3 weeks in Bolivia for us and we got another overnight bus this time to Salta.
Being back in Argentina was like being back in civilisation and we really enjoyed getting in to the steak and red wine.The latter was especially enjoyabe as we got a 4.7 liter bottel of red for 6 dollars(aussie) which was of surprisingly good quality and was enjoyed no end.salta in a nice little city and a cool place to spend a few days and watch the mighty men of Munster advance to the European Cup semi final(even if we did have to spend $100 to book into a hotel for it).From Salta we did a tour to Cafayate which is about 3 hours away but pases thru some pretty amazing countryside with the andes and the rock formations providing a spectacular drive. Cafayate is a nice little town and from here we went to Tucuman which is the major city in northern argentina.
This is where Tim started coming up in major boils and blisters from the bed bugs that attacked him in Cafayate.It was a bit of a drama as the doctor had to be called and gave him a steroid in injection and ordered him to stay in bed as his blood pressure had plummuted.Our little spud muncher is a battler though and he was back downing poppys in no time but the bed bugs have left scars, alas they will be gone by the time we get to Ireland so there will be no battle marks to show off!!
From Tucuman we headed on yet another overnight bus to Cordoba which is Che Guvara country but turned out up to be a let down as the sole musuem dedicated to him was closed for renovations and our dopey guide took the booking, brought us there and never knew. Cordoba is a big city with a small city feel and was a nice host town for the Tim and Augie tour!!!
Cordoba waved goodbye to the tour and after 24 hours on a bus we pulled in to a tickertape reception in Iguazu where we spent a day recovering form the bus ride and another day visiting the amazing falls which are truly spectacular.They are listed as one of the natural wounders of the world and were well worth the long trip.Audios Iguazu y Salut Buenos Aires.
We have spent the last 4 days in B.A shopping, eating, drinking and not much else really..The shopping here is great and amazingly cheap for the designer quality u get.We didnt do much tourist stuff here as we have been before but we did manage to get to a River Plate copa America soccer game which they won 5-0 without breaking a sweat but it was good to see all the same.We leave here tomorro morning and head to Uruguay and montevideo where August must sort her Brazilian visa.It is a bit of a hassle but hopefully we will get it sorted.We are praying for more sun there and plan to spend some time on the beach otherwise it will be a fleeting visit as we will migrate north for the golden rays.
Thank you for tuning in and if you have got this far u must feel like there should be a pot of gold here for u, like reaching the end of the rainbow but NO.
