nasca lines

Like most people who visit Nasca, I was only there to see the lines. And basically did nothing else. Other travelers completely skip it, which is a shame, I think. And though seeing the Nasca Lines for the second time around isn't something that I dream of, it was another experience I'm glad I had.

Here's a little bit of history first. The geoglyphs in the Peruvian coastal desert were created by the Nasca culture between 200B.C. and 500A.D. They were built by removing the reddish surface gravels and sand to reveal the lighter layer below giving a strong contrast to its surrounding. The development of this geoglyph-building cultures even started with the Chavin in 500B.C and the Paracas and the geoglyphs were not only created on the desert but also on Andean foothils. But the great majority of these geoglyphs were built by the Nasca culture.

Straight lines stretching for several kilometers.

To see the Nasca geoglyphs, one has to fly over the desert. That was how they were discovered in the early 1920s anyway. Price of tour-operated flights from the Maria Reiche Airport varies between 70-100USD. I paid 85USD which included transport to and from my hotel in the city. The flights, which are only done in the morning, last just for 30 minutes but waiting for my turn took more than an hour. The airport operates like a real passenger airport collecting terminal fee, having baggage and security checks before proceeding to the departure area and passport check. The lady who checked my bag was surprised to see Ngyaw inside my bag, and found him/it cute.

The geoglyphs has two types; the representational figures and the kilometer-long straight lines. Straight lines is kind of redundant but I just have to emphasize that they are really straight. Viewing it from above will make one think how people from that time were able to build these lines, stretching to several hundred meters to kilometers and keep them straight. Some of these lines criss-cross forming geometrical patterns.

12 figures are showcased during the flight. Thanks to the arid environment, they have survived even after thousands of years. Most of these figures are animal representations including a whale, dog, parrot, spider, condor and monkey. The humming bird is the most preserved of all the figures and can easily be spotted. The heron bird is the longest, measuring 300 meters though it was already fading. The tree and the hands, which has a total of nine fingers, are the figures the can be seen from an observation deck along the highway. The astronaut with its big bulging eyes etched along the slope of a hill seem to be waving at us and commanding attention.

The astronaut.

Archeologists believe that the Nasca people made these lines and figures by using only simple tools and surveying equipment. But there is still no concrete explanation as to what these geoglyphs are for. It was first believed that they serve astronomical purposes, with the lines pointing to the spot where celestial bodies are during solstices. More recent studies argue that they are related to rituals for water and fertility. But the most bizarre is from the believers of ancient astronauts, which I would also like to believe. They say that the straight lines are landing strips of an ancient airfield used by extraterrestrials. And that the figures were made by the Nasca people for the ET's mistaken as gods.

The figures are scattered on the desert and to see all of them, our 6-seater plane had to make several turns, making the flight really uncomfortable. But more dizzying was the maneuvers it had to make so that the persons seating on both sides of the planes could see the figures. I missed the spider because I had to close my eyes for a short while to fight the nausea. The 30-minute flight seemed to take forever. And after seeing the astronaut, all I wanted was for the pilot to turn the plane back and land. The co-pilot/tour guide, noticing the look on my face, gave me some liquid to smell but it only worsened what I was feeling. (I wish I had white flower with me that time.) All four of us passengers got dizzy but thank god, no one threw up.

After landing, a thought occurred to me. I knew what the figures are for. They were for us! Some people from thousands of years ago realized that in the future, people will have the capability of flight. And being clever, they knew that weird figures that have no clear purpose will attract people's attention, even those from as far as the other side of the world. And the Nasca people will be laughing really hard from where they are seeing these travelers who, despite knowing beforehand that the flight is nausea-inducing, will still board that aircraft just to see their masterpiece.

The hummingbird.

Just a note. The two other passengers with me received some certificate from their tour operator. Guess taking that flight, and surviving it clean, was really something to brag about, eh. And thanks to them for the candy that calmed my gut.

the long walk to copacabana

Bolivia is notorious when it comes to road travels. Heavy rains in the summer usually cause damage to its roads making them difficult if not impossible to pass through. But even with the perfect weather, locals may hold strikes by barricading the road networks when they are demanding something from the government, impairing transport. At least these are what guidebooks say. After spending three weeks in the country, I had never encountered any of those inconveniences. Until the day when I had to go to Copacabana.

I was informed beforehand about the road block and that it may not be possible to travel to Copacabana. But my hardheadedness prevailed and I still went to the bus station. Sure enough, there were no trips that day. And for the next? No one was sure when the strike would be over. The only option was to cross the border in Desguadero (to Peru) and walk 8km to the town upon reaching the next border in Yunguyo/Kasani. I held out for two more days in La Paz, hoping that the issue would be resolved by that time. And besides, I was also able to find someone I could tag along with in case we still had to walk.

Holding a strike and putting road blocks is the common way for Bolivian locals for their complaints to be addressed by and to negotiate their demands from the government. That time, they were raising their protest against the increase of the ferry crossing price (from 1.5Bs to 2Bs) on the Tiquina Strait along the road from La Paz to Copacabana. Without reaching an agreement, the protesters upped their demands and wanted a bridge crossing the strait instead. A bridge had already been proposed by the government a few years ago but the ferry operators opposed it simply because they would lose their business. So I was guessing that it would just go on and on and on with one party doing another strike if the results of the discussion was not favorable to them.

Two days later, I found myself walking solo on an almost-deserted road (there was another road though not really a short-cut), cursing my heavy pack and trying to retain my sanity. As it turned out, the person I was supposed to walk with was in different bus which left later so I also didn't see him at the immigration. I would have been really disappointed that day if I didn't get to meet two other Filipina in the bus. They were supposed to go to Copacabana the day before but because of the strike, they went to La Paz instead, spent the night there and were on their way to Puno that day. The three of us were surprised. Who would have thought we will meet a fellow traveling Filipino (although both of them already migrated to Canada) in that part of the world? They were very nice and even gave me their energy bars knowing that I must take a long walk to get to my destination.

If not for the rocks, lumps of soil and tree stumps blocking the road (and the fact that we had to walk) it wouldn't seem like there was a strike (at least it was unlike here in the Philippines). The place was serene and I didn't feel any kind of tension at all. I even saw a soccer game held in one of the small villages. Travel guides advise tourists not to try to cross these road blocks. But the many groups of locals holding the strike whom I saw along the road didn't mind us. An old man even walked and chatted with me.

The atmosphere of Copacabana was dead. Although hotels and restaurants were business-as-usual, almost all other establishments were close. The boats going to Isla del Sol were also not in operation. Before the strike, it was hard to find a place to stay because all the accommodations were fully booked. But when I took a stroll one night, there were only few rooms with light in all of the hotels across the lake. It was the holy week and the town was supposed to be packed with all the tourists and pilgrims coming from nearby towns. It was supposed to be a good time for businesses to gain a large profit but it was impossible in that situation.

The act of holding the strike showed unity among its townspeople. And that they were willing to make sacrifices for the government to hear their demands. But I still wondered if everyone in town supported this strike. If I were one of the business owners, I would have wanted to take advantage of the high season and hold the strike after the holy week instead. Or as a normal townsfolk, I wouldn't be using the ferry service everyday anyway so the 0.5Bs fare increase would hardly affect me. I guess it would be hard for me to understand this kind of thing. I guess strikes and road blocks are simply part of the Bolivian culture..

i saw a penguin in islas ballestas

Islas Ballestas is a cluster of islands about 20km off the coast of Paracas in Peru. Dubbed as the Peruvian Galapagos, the concentration of wildlife in these islands is just overwhelming. It is also known as the poor-man's Galapagos because for just a small fraction of the cost to get to the latter, one will see literally thousands of birds perched on the islands or flying above, a colony of sea lions and penguins. (I paid 107 Soles for a combined trip with Paracas Reserve from Ica and for the entrance fees.)

The boat tour to the islands took approximately two hours. There were about 40 people in the boat and our guide spoke Spanish, French and English. He explained everything in those three languages and probably only two people needed the English translation. Ehem. All throughout the trip, we were wearing uncomfortable over-sized life vests. Er, better safe than sorry.

The Candelabra of the Paracas culture.

Before heading to the islands, we first saw the Candelabra which is a geoglyph etched on a slope of a hill in the desert. It was so called because of its shape although most believe that it is in the image of the weapon held by Viracocha, a South American god. Similar to the Nasca lines, the people of the Paracas culture made this by removing the surface materials and digging up to two feet deep. It's rather amazing how it was able to withstand the elements for more than two thousand years and still be clearly seen from afar.

Guano (the white stuff) covered Balleestas Islands and sea stacks.

Islas Ballestas is a sight to behold with its impressive sea stacks and sea arches that were slowly formed by the crashing of the waves on the islands' cliffs. The smell though was something one wouldn't look forward to. The whole island is practically covered with guano produced by the seabirds inhabiting it including cormorants, pelicans and boobies. People are not allowed to step on the island except for those who mine the guano that has accumulated on it. There are some structures built on the island which are used every after several years when it's time to collect the guano.

Structure for mining guano. And a sea arch.

When we got close to the island, a group of birds flew above us and I saw stuff dropping on the water. Good thing the birds didn't aim for us. The smell was bearable, but please, not that stuff on my hair. Our guide introduced the animals we saw as we went around and explained that these creatures flock the island because of the abundance of anchovies in the surrounding waters. He also added that they (the people) don't eat the anchovies, only the animals do. Hey, I kind of like anchovies...

Peruvian pelican.

Peruvian booby. Monogamous bird, accompanying the mate it chooses for the rest of its life.

I found one species of bird in the island very peculiar and interesting. The zarcillo or Inca tern has a very distinct color and plummage. Their red-orange beaks and feet made it easy for me to identify them. The zarcillo also tend to live in a very large community. And by large, I mean really large.

The black patch on the left of the island is a community of zarcillo.

A group of zarcillo.

The island is also home to Humboldt penguins, named after the water current they swim in and which breed in the coast of Peru and Chile. One of the reasons why I signed up for a tour to Islas Ballestas was to see a penguin. Unfortunately, there weren't much of them that time. In fact, I only saw one and I would have missed it if the guy behind me didn't shout 'pinguino!'

Hey penguin, where are your buddies?

But what made this trip more worth it was seeing sea lions. I was busy taking pictures of pelicans when our guide told us to pay attention to our left. And there they were, five lazy brown bodies propped on rocks, basking in the sun. They didn't seem to mind that we were very close to them and just went on with what they were doing, which was basically nothing except for scratching their necks once in a while.

At first we only saw a few of them in separate groups, some of them swimming. And then I heard this eerie sound that seemed to come from someone who was being choked to death, grasping for air, begging for help. It was an agonizing sound and it became louder and louder until I saw this large group of sea lions on a beach; adults and babies. The sound they were making, which was a call of the mothers to theirs pups, was deafening.

Sea lions.

The sight of these hundreds of creatures amazed me and moved me in a way I couldn't express. Perhaps it was because I didn't have much expectations when I stepped on the boat to the island. Or the fact that it was my first time to see these creatures and they overwhelmed my senses with their sheer number. If I wanted to, I could have seen them in an amusement park in another place, doing tricks to entertain people. But I'd rather see them there in the wild, doing what they wanted to do, freely roaming the waters and fending for themselves.

Hundreds of sea lions on a beach in the island. The adults are orange-brown while the pups are black.

rediscovering quezon: cagbalete island

I grew up in the province of Quezon and spent all my years there before I left for the university. And although I had been to many of its towns, they were limited to schools where academic competitions I joined were held. Honestly, I haven't seen any of the province's famous beaches, until now.

A close friend of mine, Jen, and I went to Cagbalete Island to celebrate our birthday in advance. (Yes, birthday. We were born on the same date.) We took the 2am bus bound for Lucena in Buendia and before 5am, we were already at the Grand Central Terminal. It was a good thing that mini-buses bound for Mauban start their trips so early. I haven't been to that terminal for a long time and I was a little surprised seeing the renovated area for east-bound public vehicles. There were also lots of carinderia so we were able to grab a very early breakfast.

The mini-bus was full of other beach weekenders so goodbye to my fantasy of a really quiet beach. Since most of us were going straight to Mauban, there were only a few stops on the road for loading and unloading passengers so the trip only took about an hour. We went around the market first from the terminal to buy some more food and water before heading to the pier by tricycle which costs 10Php per person.

We were early. Way too early. We knew beforehand that the public boat leaves at 11am but we didn't expect that getting there will be fast. There were already many people at the pier but they were in large groups and renting smaller boats to take them to island so they could leave at any time. So after paying 70Php for terminal and environmental fees, we just waited until we could get into the boat. The boat left when it was already full, and that was an hour before the scheduled departure time.

Low tide.

There were no docks in Cagbalete so we had to transfer to a smaller boat to get to the shore. The water was crystal clear but that was the part where the village is. Most of the resorts are on the other side of the island and there were many boatmen offering visitors to take them there. We opted to walk. Once we got passed the village and reached the grassy fields, the trails diverged. Although there were directions for different resorts, there wasn't any sign for Villa Cleofas. Some kids were following us and offering to take us to the resort (for a fee of course) but we decided to find it on our own. The island was small. The chance of getting lost was nil. Thankfully, we were following the right trail and we end up in Villa Cleofas. We paid 400Php for a tent on the beach and 50Php each as entrance fee to the resort. By the time we got there, it was almost noon and the water was so far away. Those who took the boats also had to walk.

Mini island that emerges during low tide a few hundred meters from the beach.

There are kayaks for rent in the resort but the water was so far so we just went for a walk to the small island. It was so hot and not long after, we were already back in our tent. I only wanted to take a short nap but to my surprise, the sun was already low when I opened my eyes. Because I wanted to take a photo of the sunset, we hurriedly walked to the southern tip of the island. It was a mistake leaving our slippers behind. Although there were parts along the way with very fine sand, the pebbly areas made my feet hurt.

Unfortunately, thick, dark clouds covered the sun. So yay, no colorful sky for us. We went for a quick dip but there were little creatures biting our legs. It was also getting dark and it was still a long walk to the resort so we just went back. That night, it rained so hard but we were both knocked out that we couldn't be bothered even though there was water getting inside our tent.

Sunset.

At 5am, we were already awake. The place felt so calm. I thought of the many beautiful mornings I miss by waking up late. It was still early but the horizon was already getting light. Everyone was amazed watching as the sun rose and how the sky changed its color. It was nature's perfect way of apologizing to me for not giving us the sunset I waited for. (Har.)

At 5:20 AM.

I prefer sunset over sunrise but this one really amazed me.

journey to the salt flats: day 3

What is something that I will miss in the Andes? The cold despite the intense sun. And the clear blue sky. And what did I learn? Sometimes things look better naked. (And by that I mean the landscape with sparse vegetation.)

Day 3: The never-ending lakes and the salt hotel

I had some trouble sleeping the night before (most likely) because the altitude made me gasping for air the whole time. And the pillow in our room, which was close to non-existent didn't help at all. (Now I know that I should bring an inflatable pillow the next time I go on a trip) But the clear-blue Andes sky seemed to promise another epic day despite the cold. It was time to head north to the salar.

We exited the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve after the guard checked that we have our passes as proof that we already paid the entrance fee. (Yes, visitors must keep that piece of paper they give after payment. Losing it means another 150Bs from your pocket just to exit the reserve.) We drove through the dusty desert to get to Arbol de Piedra in the Desierto Siloli. There were lots of rock formations scattered in the area but this one takes the highlight because of its tree-like shape.

Showcasing the power of wind, Arbol de Piedra. No climbing, please.

As I walked between the rock formations, I kept thinking of water. It wasn't until a few days that I realized we were in a desert where water is scarce; ergo, wind. The place was shaped by eolian processes! I would have had a woah!-moment if only I had realized it earlier. It is simply mind-blowing. Okay, I know it by theory. But if I could live eternally, I'll probably spend some thousands of years watching how the elements of nature slowly creates these majestic landscapes.

We hopped into our vehicle and continued driving until we reached our first lake for the day. Everyone was at awe. The tranquil (shallow) Laguna Honda created a perfect reflection of the distant snow-peaked mountains. We stayed there for some time, going around, snapping pictures and me making some shoe prints on the borax precipitates around the lake.

Laguna Honda.

There were too many lakes in southwest Bolivia. We skipped at least two smaller lakes, white- and yellow-colored, along the way and headed straight to Laguna I'm-not-so-sure-about-its-name where there were some facilities. Thank god for the toilet though it costed me 10Bs. There were lots of feeding flamingos in that lake and it was time again to take photos of them.

James's flamingo.

Here's something worth-noting. Out of the six species of flamingos in the world, three are found in the southwest Bolivia. Andean flamingo is the largest of the three with pink plumage, yellow legs and black-and-pale yellow bills. Chilean flamingo has salmon-colored plumage, grey legs with pink/red joints and white-and-black bills. James's flamingo is the smallest of the three species, with pink plumage, red legs, yellow-and-black bills and red skin near the eyes.

Of the three species, I think I only saw the James's flamingo. I scoured my photos to find the two other species but failed. They were probably on the farther side of the lake. Wish I had a camera with 50x optical zoom. It would have been perfect for spying....flamingos. Haha!

We were supposed to stop at another blue lake but everyone preferred to stay inside the vehicle. I just asked someone else to take a photo for me. Don't get me wrong. The scenery was very lovely; if only we hadn't seen so many lakes prior to that one. Or at least if we had seen it on another day. I guess there comes a point when one gets tired of beauty when it has nothing else to offer. In our case, a lake is still a lake, unless the feeding flamingos start dancing. Variety was something that we needed to spike our interest.

So it was actually a good decision to ditch Laguna Negra. It wasn't part of the itinerary anyway. Our drivers told us on the first night that Laguna Verde (which was supposed to be really beautiful) wasn't green that time. For some reasons, it had turned brown. And since we were only going there to witness its green color, we agreed on seeing the black lake instead. But on the second night, the drivers changed our agreed itinerary again and said that if we see the black lake, we will end up near the town of Uyuni and not be able to sleep in a salt hotel. Of course we preferred the other option so off we went to the salt hotel.

Inclined horizon. To break the monotony. (Photo taken by David.)

It was a very long drive to get to the salt hotel. We stopped for lunch in another strange-looking place. The rocks were just lava flows but they looked more interesting after weathering and erosion. And because of those moss-like plants that fooled me.

I was looking for a good spot to sit while eating with the group. There was only one I liked and there was this plant that looked like a moss. I told myself it was just moss. Haha! But when I looked at it closer (while sitting on it) I realized it wasn't moss at all and it wasn't just enveloping rocks. The whole mound was made of the plant and it was unbelievably as hard as a rock. It turns out to be a yareta, a flowering plant that grows only in Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Chile at altitudes of 3200 to 4500m. (So I can't grow it in my garden?) The yareta is extremely compact so that it will keep as much heat from escaping as possible for the really cold nights in the Andes. The plant was used by local people as fuel for cooking but it is now prohibited to gather it for fear that they will soon get extinct.

Yareta. The 'dead' part (without leaves) looked like corals. Promise.

It took us more than three hours to get to the salt hotel where we would spend the night. We drove through vast empty lands occasionally passing through some small villages growing quinoa. Interestingly, the rows of quinoa in the farms were planted in such a way that as they grow, their colors resemble the Bolivian flag. (I was busy finding a place to pee I didn't take a picture but here's a link to my friend's photo.) We also crossed a railway in god-knows-where whose main purpose is for transporting minerals from Bolivia to Chile. It looked like a place where even ghosts wouldn't bother reside.

The salt hotel.

Some groups have reached the salt hotel before us and when we got there, they told us that we were the first ones to wander on that side of the salar for the year. (Some bragging rights then?) Rains during the summer season flood the salt flats making it difficult, if not impossible to cross to Uyuni from there. It was just nearing the end of summer so in way we were risking getting trapped in that place in case the waters were still too high for the 4x4 to cross. The salt hotel staff probably didn't anticipate our coming because they were still cleaning and preparing the rooms when we got there. And that may be the reason why there was some cat poop in our room. Ugh!

The hotel was almost entirely made of salt. From the floor, to the walls, the bed (nothing to worry, there's mattress), tables and chairs. They even have decors hanging from the ceiling made of salt. The shower was the only exception. And yes! there was shower. I was finally able to get a hot bath after three days albeit hurried because there was only one shower and hot water was just until 9 in the evening.

After having dinner, the drivers came to give us the bad news and the good news. Good news: there was just enough water to see the reflection of the sky and safely cross the salt flats. Bad news: it was too far to go out that night so no star-gazing (look both up and down to see the stars) for us. No problem, it wasn't part of the original itinerary anyway. And we were supposed to leave very early the next day to see the sunrise in the salar and I'd rather our drivers be well-rested after driving on what seemed to be endless roads to the hotel. I just went out for a few minutes to look at the stars. It was cloudy. It was time to sleep.

journey to the salt flats: day 2

As our 4x4 made it's way on the craggy road, the sun started to rise slowly from the horizon. The colors it painted on the mountains catching it's first light made those moments magical. Every turns, ascents and descents we made revealed more magnificent views, rivaling the previous ones. It was beauty no one or nothing could perfectly capture. It was beauty that can only be savored by those who venture in that far away and secluded place. If only the low temperature could also freeze time.

Day 2 - Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve

We had a very long drive ahead so we started the day really early. Our vehicles started moving at exactly 6 in the morning. It was freezing and ice formed on puddles and streams. March is still summer in Bolivia. I was glad I wasn't there during the winter.

Our first stop was Ruinas de San Antonio, an abandoned mining village with Volcan Uturuncu looming in its background. According to our driver, the place was established in the 16th century which meant it predates the Inca civilization. When I got home and looked closely at the pictures I took, I saw some of the buildings had what seemed to be white paint. There were websites saying that there was an effort to repopulate the village in the 70s and that would probably be the reason for it. For a ruin (supposed to be) as old as this, it is expected that there will be studies and excavations done to understand its history but there didn't seem to be any sign of archeological activities in the area.

It was still very cold so we didn't spend much time going around the ruins and just went inside the vehicle. My fingers were getting numb and I had to run back to feel warmer but I was still freezing. Spotting the cute vizcacha who are the current residents of the village became a short distraction to the cold.

Ruinas de San Antonio and Volcan Uturuncu.

We continued driving with beauty everywhere I looked; rugged terrain, different rock formations with varying colors, snow-capped peaks. I saw for the first time a vicuña which produce highly priced wool. A small group was hanging out on a slope feeding on grasses that are weirdly forming close-to-perfect circles and arcs. Hundreds of llamas still dot the land and we even saw a sign telling us to heed caution for crossing llamas.

This is one of the signs you haven't seen yet.

The road opened up to a view of a blue lake, one of the many we were about to see for the day and the next. Of course I didn't get it's name nor the snow-capped mountain in the distant. We were at 4855masl, another record high for me (on both altitude and euphoria). But despite my emotional state, the cold was still creeping to my bones. Or maybe it was just me because they started taking off their jackets.

We then drove until we reached the entrance of the reserve. We paid 150Bs and while it seemed a bit high at first, I was willing to pay more after seeing all the amazing scenery. As we made our way into the reserve, we were surprised to see a small community inside it. And of course if there are people, it's impossible not to see even a small pile of trash.

More than an hour has passed before we reached our next stop, dacite! Err... What they wanted to show us in that place, they didn't explain but the ride wasn't exactly smooth, it was bumpy, so it was time for some rest. And then it was time to move and we headed to our next colored lake, Laguna Hedionda, where I spotted my first flamingos. They were feeding on the lake at a distance and didn't seem to care about what was happening around. There weren't much flamingos but on the next lake (I didn't get the name) not that far away, there were hundreds of them.

Everyone was excited for our next destination, Aguas Termales. Just imagine yourself lounging in warm (hot?) water, with a lake and mountains of different colors in the backdrop, in a remote and serene place. Wouldn't it be wonderful? Well, I'd rather stay in the vehicle because I don't like pools. Period. And besides, once you get out of the water, it will be really cold so I somehow saved myself from that agony.

Aguas Termales.

A few groups doing the tour from Chile were just about to leave when we reached the hot spring. Our schedule kept its promise of avoiding the crowd (which is hardly a crowd). We headed to Desierto Dali and on our way, we came across two bikers. They must be really crazy to travel with just their bikes but nonetheless, we gave them a bath of dust. There were also a few big trucks along the road we were taking. They were carrying sulfuric acid and our driver explained without hesitation that those were contraband. Oh...

Our next stop was Sol de Mañana, which they simply described as a geyser. I was very excited because that would have been the first time I would see boiling hot water getting sprayed out from a vent. But in the end, I didn't. It was more like a solfatara with quite a number of colored mud pools. The place reeked of sulfur and we could smell it even before we got near. No safety protocols were implemented and people were all around. Some were walking on ridges between the pools and I was glad they weren't geysers.

Sol de Mañana

The highlight of our day was the Laguna Colorada. It was nothing I had ever seen before. Well, almost everything was but the lake, with its red hue, will make you think if Moses dipped his cane in this water. But no, the color was due to the algae thriving in the water and I'm guessing the sediments which are also reddish contributed to its color. The guys and I walked around the lake, marveling at its beauty and oddness. There were many flamingos in the lake and with the desire to take some close-up photos of them, we stealthily moved towards a small group feeding near the shore. I later learned that visitors are not supposed to try to get close to them nor drive them away to flight because they're breeding gets affected. Oops, sorry about that.

The tranquil Laguna Colorada.

We spent the night  in a place perched in the middle of nowhere. Though that time, we shared the building with more groups and we had electricity for a few hours. Before it got dark, I climbed a small hill just because. I watched as the sky changed its color. Everywhere I looked, I saw rugged mountains. There were no other man-made structures except for our building. We were surrounded by nature in its wildest and most singular form. It was only then that I realized how far away I was from home; how much distance I have traveled just to get to that lonely place. And that place reminded me of nothing, or anything that was simply familiar to me. But now that I look back to that moment, what I remember the most was the sense of happiness, peace and fulfillment I rarely had. I was living the life I wanted.

Our accommodation in the middle of nowhere.

journey to the salt flats: day 1

Less crowd, more sites to see. Sold. Steeper price? It was money spent that's worth every centavo.

I took the overnight bus from La Paz to Tupiza to start the Salt Flats tour there. I initially planned to take the 5-day tour which includes hiking up a volcano but all other people booked the 4-day tour so I had no other option. I paid 210USD which covered everything except for entrance fees and use of toilet. The lady then explained to me that the accommodation would be very basic and shower would only be available on the third night. She gave me a brochure and mentioned the places we would be visiting but I was only half-listening. Take me anywhere, as long as it's beautiful.

Fold.

Day 1 - Who-the-heck-is-Butch, llamas and more llamas, coca, football 

 I met the guys who would be on the tour with me during breakfast. The first question to me was if I was the girl from the Philippines. Yes, and that meant he had seen the registration form where I half-willingly wrote my profession. The tour organizer asked for it and I didn't know what for. I should have put unemployed but anyway, I just didn't want them to know because they would probably ask questions during the trip and I might not have the answer. True enough, the other guy asked me to explain something after we saw our first otherworldly scenery. He assured me that that would be his first and last but of course, it wasn't. He had more questions in those four days but I welcomed them. And when I didn't have an answer, I told him to give me time to think and I would get back to him. I actually felt good when I was thinking and trying to recall what I learned years ago. (I know it wasn't that long ago but I tend to forget stuff especially if I don't have practical use of them.) The gratification was more about me knowing that I still know those things than him learning some geology.

We left with one more group of four travelers in another vehicle. There was only one cook and she rode with us on the first day. Six persons inside the vehicle including the driver was comfortable enough. Our driver/guide and cook didn't speak English. The guys speak a little Spanish. So I missed many of the names and explanations about the places we visited.

Spires or fins? Explain how they were formed.

We headed a little to the north of Tupiza to Quebrada de Palala and drove on a dry wash (Can I say it's a bed of an ephemeral stream?) bound with remarkable rock formations called fins. Our first stop was in El Sillar along the road on a narrow ridge. There we caught up with about four other tour groups from Tupiza. Still not much of a crowd. An impressive view of spires lie in the valleys. I had seen something like that on the road from La Paz but didn't got the time to really admire them. (I didn't know how those formations were called and when I learned about it, I think I haven't come across them before. Or have I? Give me a geomorphology book.)

While driving on the wash, our driver mentioned Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I didn't know if we'd been to the place where they were supposed to have been killed. I had no idea who they were when I first heard their names. But according to what I read, they were American bank robbers who met their doom after they robbed the payroll of the mining company they worked for in Bolivia.

It took us about two hours to reach our next destination, Awanapampa. I was waiting for our cook to take out our lunch. It was still early but I was getting hungry. When she didn't, I just headed out to the field where there were hundreds of llamas. We had already seen a lot along the road but I wanted to take a photo with a cute one. I guess llamas don't really like people. Every time I tried to get near them, they moved away from me. I tried to move like a sneaky burglar but even the ones facing away and busy nibbling grass easily noticed me and slowly walked away. Then I just ran after them and of course it didn't work. At least I think I annoyed them for being so snobbish. (Llama to me: Go away! Stupid.)

Awanapampa. Llamas in southwest Bolivia outnumber people.

We finally had our lunch in a small abandoned village. I needed to pee so I asked our driver if there was a toilet there or along the road. There was none. It was so naive of me to expect. While eating, cold wind started to blow and it got really chilly I needed my thick jacket. The sun was high up and I wondered how cold it would be at nighttime.

We continued driving for a few hours passing through some mining villages. One guy joked that I should help him find a river and pan for gold. If only that was possible, I would and use the money so I could travel more. Haha.

The whole time we were in the vehicle, our cook was chewing dried coca leaves. The two guys had some to prevent altitude sickness. They were prone to it, I wasn't. But I believe that going to Bolivia without trying coca meant that my trip wouldn't be complete. I also didn't find anything wrong with taking it in it's natural form. Coca is just a leaf; coca is not cocaine. The guys didn't like its taste. It was pretty okay to me. What I didn't like was the numbing effect to the mouth and tongue. It felt like I was in a clinic waiting for the dentist to clumsily and morbidly pull my teeth. Hate, hate, hate it.

The town of Polulos. There are electric wires but there's no electricity yet.

After a few hours, we stopped in a village. The itinerary said we will stop at Cerillos but the sign said it was Polulos. Not that it mattered. The villages we've seen almost looked the same anyway with houses made of mud bricks. And it seemed as if nobody lived in those villages sprawled in the middle of nowhere.

At around 5pm, we reached San Pablo de Lipez where we spent the night. Our accommodation had two bedrooms. The toilet was clean enough and had running cold-only water. We had some time to kill before dinner and the boys played football with some local kids. They also invited me to play but after a few minutes of running (err, walking and just standing there actually), I was already breathless because of the altitude so I just left. Later that night, I learned that the kids killed them. I'm guessing the altitude contributed a lot.

While waiting for our food to be served, I had a chat with a Malaysian guy from the other group. He has been traveling for three years and a half and he's not stopping for at least a year and a half more. I so envy him and wish that I can do what he's doing.

The tranquil village of San Pedro de Lipez. (Or is it San Antonio?)

After dinner, some kids came and played music to us with their local wind pipe (zampoña) made of bamboo. I appreciated it and they looked adorable. But their faces showed that they were not enjoying what they were doing. And I really don't like it when someone is forced to do something they don't want to, especially kids.

Anyway, there was no electricity in the village so it was very dark. But the darkness gave way to the beautiful sky lit up by millions of stars. I could see the Milky Way. It would have been great to just lie down on the ground, look at the light from stars emitted years ago; and ponder about life and all the time that has passed by. But it was very cold so I just went inside our room and found comfort under the blankets.