My friend Ryan back in Cali told me how much he loved Bolivia...his favorite country after Mexico...
My friend Alvaro told me how much he loved Bolivia...the most beautiful landscapes and views...
My friend Anne told me how much she loved Bolivia...the people and the experiences...
And now, I´m telling you, how much I love Bolivia!
I have been here only 3 weeks. I entered the country by foot, walking across the boarder from Northern Argentina. The entry visa cost 135$ US Dollars..."Freedom isn´t Free"!...It pays to be an American...pays alot!
I went on a bus to Tupiza...the buses here in Bolivia are an adventure in themselves! Dress warm, because there is no heating and at night...WOW!
Arriving in Tupiza, I was greeted by a lady at the bus station who runs a nearby hostel...off we went...I was put in room with 3 girls from New Zealand...we then ended up being in the same Jeep while on our 4 day trip through the Altiplano, Lagoons and the Salt Flats...their not speaking spanish also allowed me to be the interpreter...good practice.
The tour was spectacular...flamingos, colored lagoons, giant cactus, all of the beauty of nature and her different displays...what a show-off!
From Uyuni I went to Potosi, the highest city in the world! The bus ride there was interesting. Apparently, there was a rock stuck in the wheel, causing us to stop on the side of a cliff, as the driver went back and forth trying to free the rock...hey, if it´s your time it´s your time.
Potosi provided me with one of the top 3 experiences so far...I toured the silver mine. No beauty. No breathtaking landscapes. No flamingos. No penguins or waterfalls...Just PURE RAW LIFE! Seeing the miners, their conditions. Hearing their stories, their legends, their beliefs. Very surreal...unforgetable.
In Potosi I also saw a futbol match. Not as passionate as the game in Argentina, but, at least there was goals! The home team won 3-0, I was with a friend from Columbia, who ran into his friend from Switzerland, who was with a couple from Australia...and Rob from New York was there too.
Potosi to Sucre. Two hours by car. View...AMAZING!...just so happens they are celebrating the 200 year anniversary of Independence! Great timing. Food festivals, Miss Bolivia Contestants, Fireworks, Protests, Parades, Rock Concerts...on and on and on and on...would love to be there for the next one, but 200 years from now I don´t think I will be in Bolivia...then again, Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid are still here, and Ernesto "Che" Guevara also met his demise while in Bolivia...
Sucre to La Paz. The bus ride was FREEZING!! but, it did provide me with the best view of the stars I have ever witnessed. Arrived at 6 AM, found a hostel, went to bed...the end...
Well, it´s been awhile since I´ve written anything, and now I feel better. Of course, words cannot describe it all...you must see it to know. But, you now have been told, I LOVE BOLIVIA!, by yours truly.
