Existing Member?

    Jason and Chelsea's Travel Adventures

    Photos from Bolivia

    There are [40] photos from Bolivia

    Crop of Kinua in Bolivia. Ths high-protein ´super grain´ is a food staple of Peru and Bolivia. It can be ground into flour or the grain slightly germinated and used in soups. It is in almost every dish in some form or another. Views[1999] This is a picture of Volcan Licancabur and Laguna Verde. Views[401] This is another lake within the national park in southwestern Bolivia. It is called Laguna Verde. It is a gorgeous aguamarine lake (copper sulfate giving it its color) which sits at 5,000m or 16,335 ft. Behind the lake is a dramatic valcano called Volcan Licancabur. It rises to 5, 930m or 19,569 ft. And behind that is Chile. Views[398] This is one of many boiling mud pots. Views[389] This is us next to one of the boiling mud pots at the geyser basin. It looks like a backdrop for a movie that is set on Mars, Venus or maybe even the Moon! Views[431]
     
    Geyser basin at sunrise. Views[320] This is how you cuddle a thermal geyser. Feeling HOT! HOT! HOT! In most areas in the world this would be strictly prohibited. But in Bolivia you can run across them and play freely among the boiling mud pots and sulfurous fumaroles. It is just crazy to think there are no restrictions in such a dangerous area! This geyser basin is 4,950m or 16,335ft high. Views[339] This lake is called Laguna Colorada. It is a bright adobe-red lake fringed with cakey-white minerals. It is only 25 km or 15 miles from the Chilean border. Most lakes in this area of Bolivia have several important minerals. This is why so many flamingoes live here. They eat the minerals and the micro-organisms that survive in these harsh conditions. In most of these lakes there are no fish. The flamingoes gain there beautiful colours from aging and from what they eat. Views[319] This is a famous rock in western Bolivia called ¨The Tree¨. Views[378] This is a group photo(Elin, Katie, Duncan, Scott and us)in the Valley of the Rocks. Views[327]
     
    This picture was taken in the Valley of Rocks. Jason climbed up onto a rock formation called the Condor. Views[300] This is a yard where the locals were tagging their llamas with tassels to prove ownership of their herds. The children helped by running around and tackling the small llamas. Chelsea was a bit nervous seeing three-year olds chasing llamas but the parents did not seem concerned in the least. Views[512] This is Chelsea at the hostel on the first night of our three-day tour. There is no hot water and we won´t speak about the bathrooms! Views[302] A Land Cruiser making its way across Salar de Uyuni. This was definately ´Cruiser Country´ with hardly any execptions in the 300+ tourist vehicle fleet. Views[332] Chelsea walking on the Salar de Uyuni with water proof shoes. Views[344]
     
    Jason walking on the water covered Salar De Uyuni. The reflected sunlight off the salt+water is so fierce that it is almost impossible to view without sunglasses. Views[380] Salar de Uyuni (altitude 3,653m or 12,054ft) is the world´s largest salt flats. It covers an area of 12,000 sq km. or 7,500 sq miles. It was once a prehistoric salt lake called Lago Minchin which covered most of southwest Bolivia. Over time it dried up and left a couple of seasonal puddles and several salt pans. Now it is used for salt mining and tourism. In the wet season it is covered in approximately 1-2 inches of water and you are able to see a perfect mirror reflection of the sky on the salt flats. When driving on this amazing landscape you feel as if you are floating on clouds. Views[2399] This is a picture of several salt blocks that have been extracted from Salar de Uyuni. The salt miners make 20 cents a kilo. Views[299] This is a graveyard (Cementario de Trenes) 3km outside of Uyuni where old locomotives which used to cart silver from Uyuni, Potosi and Sucre now sit rusting away aided by the salt spray off the Salar de Uyuni. Views[260] A dusty deserted street in the isolated town of Uyuni in southwestern Bolivia. There are very few roads that are paved and the only cars you see are Land Cruisers. Views[260]
     
    Crawling through a very tight, cramped tunnel about 500 metres in and 3 levels down a Silver mine near Potosi. Breathing and physical exertion were very difficult and I wasn´t even swinging a pic axe or a shovel so I can´t imagine what it must be like for the miners, some of which I saw were only 14-15 years old. Views[280] Taking a walk through the ´Refinerey´ where the silver and other metals are removed from the bulk material. Lots of unguarded belts, shafts, pulleys, tanks and rock crushers made this particular tour an ´Occupational Heath & Safety´ NIGHTMARE! Their answer was also sufficiently vauge when I asked how they disposed of the toxic waste water containing chemicals such as cyanide! Views[341] Preparing to take a tour of an operational mine just outside Potosi. Views[275] The main plaza in central Potosi. Potosi was founded in 1545 after the discovery of ore deposits in the surrounding mountains. It quickly became the undisputed ´richest city in the world´ with the profits from numerous silver mines fueling the city´s rapid expansion. The generated wealth helped to underwrite the Spanish economy for over 2 centuries. The mines were so dangerous that over 8 Million people died in those 2 centuries - many of them african slaves brought over by the Spanish to work in the mines. Most of the ore has now been mined out and town is merely a faded reflection of its former self. However, Potosi still has the claim to fame of being the ´World´s highest city´ at 4060m (13,400ft). Views[297] Some historic bridge under restoration halfway between Sucre and Potosi. Views[281]
     
    Scientists have documented at least 300 different tracks in this prehistoric window into the past. Views[270] Chelsea at the ´Dino Tracks´ tourist attraction in Cal Orcko. In the 1960´s workers at Francesa´s Cement Quarry discovered a vast array of prehistoric dinosaur tracks with some measuring up to 80cm in diameter. Views[297] Enjoying a Fondue for two at La Vieja Bodega in Sucre. Two hours of entertainment and a nice escape. Views[325] Spanish architecture in Sucre. This white washed city was declared a Culture Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. This city of 200,000 people was once the capital of Bolivia but is now the ´Judicial Capital´ of the country. There are many indigious people called Surenos who still inhabit Sucre. Views[553] What the hell is this!? Can anyone identify it for us, please? Photo taken in a natural history museum in Sucre. All information plaques were in SPANISH! Views[382]
     
    View from Coroico looking out over the valley. The ´new road´ can be seen snaking its way up the mountain in the distance. However, this road still suffers from continual landslides and delays in the wet season. Views[330] Group photo of all riders at the completion of ´Death Road´. Note. Since the closure of the road to motorised traffic in 2004, there has been 11 mountain bikers die from going off the edge but thankfully none were from our tour agency or such was their sale pitch! Views[281] This is Jason carrying his bike through knee deep mud caused by an overnight landslide which had washed a large section of the road away. This was a very common sight given the atrocious condition of the unsealed road during the rainy season. Views[294] The bike journey consisted of a 56km (35mile) ride with almost no peddling from a starting altitude of 4700m (15,510ft) to 1200m (4000ft) at the end. The first 15km was on the edge of the main highway, in the rain and with heavy traffic passing us. Views[288] Preparing to mountain bike down the ´Worlds Most Dangerous Road´ from La Cumbre to Coroico. This infamous road earned its reputation with at least 6 cars or buses per year losing control on the narrow, unguarded road and the occupants all plunging 100´s of metres down the sheer cliff edges to their deaths below. Views[339]
     
    This is Chelsea wearing a traditional Bolivian mask, kindly loaned to her by a local man celebrating Carnival. Views[261] ´Plaza Pedro D Murillo´ in central La Paz. Surrounding this square are the main governmental buildings which still bore the bullet-ridden scares from previous violent revolutions to which Bolivia is accustomed. Views[373] Jason enjoying a fresh fruit smoothie for 50cents. It´s simply a matter of pointing to several different pieces of fruit and saying ´Mixto, Por Favor´! Views[300] La Paz is home to an always interesting ´Witches Market´ where everything from love potions, ground Alpaca hooves and Llama fetuses were on sale. Who knows what magic brews these items are used for! Views[373] La Paz, the capital of Bolivia has population of 1.5 million and an altitude of 3660m (12,000ft) Views[266]
     

    About jason_kidd


    Photo Galleries

    Where I've been

    My trip journals