I thought we were kidnapped by guerrillas in Bolivia, eh? But no, we are still alive and well, and free to roam on piattisimo salt desert of Uyuni.
Too many things have accumulated in the past four days, from the point of cyclists, tourists and curiosity 'social-ethnographic potervele to tell. So I will limit myself to update you on the events of today or a little more '.
First, we have again a camera (actually two). However I fear that it will 'can post photos until' we remain on Cordillera, which means until 20 August, at least. On the other hand are already 'quite surprised that you can connect to the Internet from almost any place where we went, despite the lack of water (not just the drinking water) and there is no heating. We
to Uyuni, a former mining town, a former railway town, now City 'tour, all built around the executive's tour of the salt desert. For explanations about what is reference to the wikipedia entry:
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salar_de_Uyuni
We came here with a trip to troubled, but beautiful, about 6 hours by bus. We placed in the first hostel we could find: it seemed cute and fairly well organized (and costs 3 € per person per night, being quite expensive). Only the next morning we discovered that the rooms are housed in a warehouse, lifting of drywall partitions. The look and feel 'really nice, except that on the night the temperature in the room and' down to 3 ยบ C. It would not be a problem, if one expects it. So today we bought two blankets, hat and socks.
breakfast this morning and 'however was good and plentiful. We toured the streets of the town, but 'has nothing to say. It 's a stretch of cuadra, all the same. We also visited the station, because here goes one of the most railways' highest in the world. Because of a strike, however, 'the railway' locked. Too bad 'cause we were hoping to avoid a return trip by bus, by train REPLACING.
We then left for a tour by jeep in the Salar. You ', this goes a bit' against the ethics of travel and neither is close to genius in the car for a day. Unfortunately, however, 'is the only chance' to visit this wonderful place, and at the end do not be sorry.
The tour begins with a visit to the train cemetery, where they have accumulated a quantity 'amazing locomotives that were providing service on the line joining Uyuni to Chile, founded in 1845. The locomotives have been partially removed, lacking all rods and cylinders, and the boilers are been emptied from the tube bundles, perhaps to recover valuable steel. Ok, that's 'some consideration' by engineers. The locomotives, exposed to wind and high concentration of salt have been completely eroded, taking strange shapes, twisted. By adding the white border on one side of the expanse of salt, and the mountains on the other hand, the place becomes surreal, a set which I'd love to Simon: I will show 'pictures to return and if you need an escort to bring here some models, I am available (no Damiano ...).
Then there were a couple of steps aimed at Western tourists spiumaggio: we knew that would not be missed, so we digertie patiently. We have taken to a village where they sold artesania s that we feel were made in China, also because 'the same as those we have seen the market in Tupiza and Uyuni ... however, we saw a few minutes of a football match played on sand with two local teams. Then we went to hotel rooms, which reminded me a lot of the Ice Hotel in Sweden. Belline statues of salt (with blade, sphinx, the miners of salt), but the structure under construction was a bit 'out of tune compared to the pure white surroundings.
Finl we headed to 'Isla del pescado and this will prove' the highlight of the day. A 50-60 meter hill that rises on the white expanse surroundings. It seems indeed an island and, arrvandoci off-road, it's like entering a port. The island is home to lots of cactus, as high as 9 meters, and up to 1200 years old. E 'kept very well, very clean and this pleases us, because of all the nearby places of interest so far we have found large expanses of plastic bags and bottles. It 's a bit sad, but knowing the problems they have here, and' too hard to make it a sin to someone if you do not have water at home, do not you worry about where does the plastic bag that you throw on the floor .. . However
sensation and 'to be suspended in the clouds. The dazzling white that stretches for hundreds of kilometers linear (or tens of thousands of miles square, if you prefer ...) has the ability 'to send you into a trance. The mountains on the horizon mirages that are suspended, the play of light and shadow created by the grotesque shapes of the volcanic rock of the island, the silence (even the hum of the terrain is lost in this immensity '), supporting you in a' other dimension. You drain the mind. At least I have this effect. The
chofer prepares us for a lunch with Milan (sara 'the 20th since we are here, but' good) plain pasta (which we use as bread) and vegetables. So 'we talk with our fellow tour: a Swedish couple in less than two months has shot almost all the states of South America, two Irish girls and an English girl and that 'the road for almost seven months, and now about to return home. All arriving by bus directly from La Paz, and leave today. We understand that our journey and 'completely different from their own. The bicycle allows you to have a knowledge of the territory and situations. At first glance it seems that they are collecting beautiful casrtoline from exotic places, but without having the frame. On the contrary one might think that we're focusing a bit 'too much on the frame, making 6-hour bicycle to visit a city' in 1 hour. In reality 'of our journey and the beautiful' own time spent in the saddle, and we have realized today, feeling a desire to start pedaling.
E, if we had a little 'more' time ... the crossing of the salar cycling was a great undertaking ... there remains in mind for some future trip!
returning from 'Isla del pescado we stopped at a Ojo del Salar, a rift in the crust of salt springs where water and gas (oxygen according to the guide, but all our knowledge geomorphological not allow us to believe We do not know that gas is).
Returning to Uyuni at sunset, it seems a bit 'more' of what is beautiful '. We welcome our fellow travelers and make a tour of the city '.
The covered market and 'a punch in the stomach. And I say this having in mind the Chinese markets, Poles and Malaysian. Pets squoiati and piled on the floor. Heads with bulging eyes staring at you, hanging quarters and covered with rags. I am convinced that the smell is bearable only due to the cold. The side with the spices and fruits and vegetables and 'rather more' accessible to our eyes of westerners, colorful and slightly aromatic.
Now we're ready to go to dinner, since yesterday we have sold in the warmth of a small fire and we had dinner in a local tourism far, tonight we typically place a Bolivian, following locals.
Greetings to all,
ENRICO
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