Bolivia

When we entered the Salar de Uyuni, we were very disappointed. 6 strangers and a guide went into a Toyota Landcruiser and entered the Salar de Uyuni around 10 am. The salt was brown like it was covered with sand; we thought it would be white, like snow. We cheered ourselves up together, “It will be better soon,” “It’s just the beginning,” and “Just wait a little bit.” The driver was silent; he only understood Spanish. He could have told us our mistake. After 5 minutes of driving in brown salt, I asked into the round, “Might it be brownish as we are all still wearing our sunglasses?”. With a gasp of relief from the seats, everyone took off their sunglasses, and the white, pure whiteness of the salt immediately blinded us. That started a day full of laughter and fun with the group. 

In addition to my day trips to Titikakka Lake and the scary ride on the Death Road, I stayed a couple of more days around La Paz to explore the city and to feel the Bolivian way of living. It’s not a secret that Bolivia is the poorest country in South America, but on top of that, and that’s only my impression, it’s unlikely tourist-friendly. It happens everywhere, especially in poor countries, where the prices differ for tourists and locals.

Having seen the Peruan side of the Incas, I had to see the most crucial point for the Incas: the birthplace of the sun and the moon, the “Isla de Sol”. The people living there are called Aymara. Aymara and the Inca are two distinct indigenous peoples of the Andes Mountains. The Inca were a powerful empire that conquered and incorporated many other groups, including the Aymara, into their territory. The Aymara, however, have their unique language, culture, and traditions, and they have never been fully assimilated into Inca society.

The North Yungas Road, also known as the Death Road, is a 64-kilometer (40-mile) road that connects the Bolivian capital of La Paz to the town of Coroico. The road was built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners of war from the Chaco War. It is a narrow, winding road with steep drops, and as a result, it was once considered as one of the most dangerous roads in the world. In 1995, it was estimated that 200 to 300 people were killed on the road each year. After they opened a new highway between La Paz and Coroico, the “Death Road” is closed for busses and trucks, and only rarely will you see cars there… It is mainly used by crazy mountain bikers going downhill to experience the thrill of riding this road, so that’s what I did 🙂