Uyuni, Bolivia Salt Flat tour Oct 2012

Caught a bus from Potosi to Uyuni for 35 Bolivaros. Weather now getting very cold. Found a cheap 55 Bolivaro hostel and booked a tour for 1200 Bolivaros which will take me to the Chilean border, across the salt flats with an overnight stay.

Our tour group, English, Kiwis, Germans

stopped for lunch on day one at a hotel made entirely from salt blocks

Even the chairs and tables..

In the middle of the salt pan, the horizon becomes a flat line in all directions, time for some fun photography;

Since Bolivia lost a war with Chile it has not had a coastline. There is a single rail link to a Chilean port which terminates in Bolivia at this railway graveyard.

Stopped at this 'island' in the salt. Cacti grow exceedingly slowly. The biggest here are 200 years old.

Freezing cold in our overnight hotel. Tour operators supplied hot water bottles. Here mud bricks are stacked for an extension.

Volcanic hot springs provide a welcome hot break from the freezing weather.

The alkaline nature of the lakes attracts flamingos

This signs means; Don't let your actions make the birds fly.

An algal bloom gives the name to the Red Lake.

Wind blown sand has sculptured this rock into a tree shape over how many years?

This area of bubbling gaseous geysers was the highest poin we reached at over 5500 metres.

And so to Chile. Arranged a visa and was stamped out of Bolivia two days before at Uyuni. Waited for an onward bus here for a couple of hours.

Peru to La Paz to Potosi, Bolivia

Caught buses from Cusco to Puno (25 soles) then on to Copacabana for another 25 soles. Copacabana, on the shores of lake Titikaka was my last stop in Peru. Decided not to go on a boat trip as they appeared to touristy. Wandered around and found the Catredral.

where the usual tourist junk was for sale.
The bus route to La Paz follows the southern shore of the lake and involves one ferry crossing.

The ferry journey separated passengers from the bus.

Arrived in La Paz which has a dramatic setting in a steep sided bowl between mountains with the houses clinging to the sides of the bowl

Prize for the most unusual item offered for sale in the market goes to...dried Llama fetuses

La Paz was a place where I never felt entirely safe. Many armed soldiers on the streets. Unrest in the countryside was disrupting bus travel so I flew from here to Sucre and then went by bus to Potosi.

 This is the courtyard of my 140 Bolivar hostal in Potosi. Potosi is the site of the world's richest silver mine which is now almost completely depleted. At it's height, the Spanish treasury relied on the income from this mine and the non arrival of a silver carrying ship was a disaster.

 Church in Potosi.











 

Macchu Picchu Sep 2012

Visitors to Las Ruinas are limited to 2000 per day and the restriction is imposed by access which is only by train. So you have to get a train ticket first at the rail ticket office just near the main square cathredal then with this, go to another office to get an entry permit.

Rail office is in the building beside the cathedral (left of post where local is lounging)
The rail ticket was USD88.00 and the permit 128 Soles. Ate an Alpaca steak for 36 Soles but couldn't bring myself to try the guinea pig.

Sorry I couldn't rotate this.(?!)
Train was 0540am next morning but not from Cusco but from Ollaytatambo so had to get up at 3am to catch a bus there.

Town at base of mountain where train stops is Aguis Calientas and I stayed in Pirwa Hostel for 75 Soles, checkinf in at 07:40am. Caught the shuttle bus up to the ruins at 08:30 (49 Soles)
lots of people already at the ruins. After passing throught the entrance, took a short walk along an ancient trail to an Inca bridge (Closed since someone fell off).

Don't step to the left!

Could hardly bear to watch this crazy German girl as she posed on the edge for photos.

The wooden bridge is now closed.

Spent a few hours tramping around the ruins with the hordes of tourists getting in each others way

This is the "Hitching post of the Sun"

No mortar used. Stones were hauled up from the valley below.

Lawn mowers taking a break.

certainly a very special place, well worth the effort needed to get there.

Arequipa to Cusco Sep 2012

Bussed from Arequipa to Puno and on to Cusco.

the buses are modern and comfortable with movies and meals provided. If you are lucky you can sit up the top near the front and get an excellent view.

Although there is a toilet on board, there are regular stops to stretch your legs.

Stopped here for lunch on a high, windswept plateau.

went through highlands almost twice the height of Australia's highest mountain.

Arrived in Puno late at night to find a carnival parade in full swing.

Spent a couple of nights in Puno before catching another bus on to Cusco.

Arequia, Peru Sep 2012

Left Nacza on a double decker bus at 2pm and had a meal on board. Eventually arrived in Arequipa at La Posada Del Kuraka at 11:30pm. Arequipa is a city of fine buildings made of a local white volcanic rock and at 2335 metres is a good place to stop to acclimatise for the elevations of Cusco and Macchu Pichu.

The city is famous for the museum which holds "Juanita" who was a pre-teen girl whose body was found on a mountaintop. She was a human sacrifice and her mummified remains and all the associated effects found with her are well displayed. The museum was 20 Soles and the obligatory guide did a good job so she got a 10 sole tip. National Geographic did a very good story on Juanita.
The other attraction of the city is the former Calalina Monastery.

Dating from 1579, this Dominican monastery is a haven of tranquility away from the busy city streets