about to set out

So tomorrow morning we´re heading out into the wide white expanse that is the Salar de Uyunni, the largest salt flat in the world.  We´ll be gone for a few days, and hopefully we´ll come out on the other side and head into Chile.  The weather just keeps getting colder instead of warmer like we´d hoped.  On the Salar de Uyunni, the temp drops to below 0°F, so it´s gonna get crazy.  We´ve been picking up clothes along our journey to combat the cold: we even found a used american clothes shop and each purchased an old pair of ski pants, which we´ll be wearing over all our other stuff.  Hopefully we don´t freeze to death…

Still feeling a bit sick, so hopefully that goes away soon.  Today we checked out a big train graveyard a couple of miles outside of Uyunni (the town), which was a pretty wild experience.  We were out in the middle of a huge plain, which is surrounded by mountains on two sides, walking amidst ancients hunks of metal.  Some year we´ll have some pics up of it.  We even found an obstacle course that the military apparently set up out there: talk about tetanus having a hay-day. 

I think that´s about all for now.  Be back in a few.

man it´d be nice to be home…

So I´m still feeling quite sick, and it´s getting downright old.  This is when you really start thinking about how nice it´d be to be home…  Could be a challenge with the Salar de Uyunni coming up (probably the most extreme environment we´ll be in on this trip). 

Anyway, horseback riding yesterday was really cool even with this sickness.  We went into some of the craziest mountainous terrain with bizarre canyons all around.  There was such a variety that it almost seemed fake.  Needless to say, after 5 hours, we were both exhausted and sore.  It was definitely worth it though. 

I´m starting to worry that I might be losing some of my ability to be awed.  Those suroundings would have stunned me to no end had I seen them at the beginning of this trip, but now they are just another detail of the Andes.  Is it possible to constantly maintain the same level of amazement when there are so many equally amazing things to see around every corner?  I hope so; for now I´m blaming my apathy on being sick.

It was bound to happen eventually I suppose…

So we´re in Tupiza now, at what seems like sea level at 9,000 ft.  It´s remarkably similar to a Wild West town, with dusty streets and cacti all around.  Tomorrow we´re goin horseback riding to go check out some of the cooler stuff that isn´t within walking distance.  Unfortunately, we´re both a little sick (I spent all afternoon in bed trying to convince my body to fix itself), so tomorrow could be an interesting experience.  I´ve never galloped on a horse with a headache while about to puke, haha. 

I guess it´s fortunate that we got sick here, since this is kind of our resting place for a few days.  We were hoping to finally take a shower here, but our “hot” water seems quite sporatic, so who knows.  Anyway, I think I´m gonna try to sleep some more.  Good night!

wild and crazy times

So I´m sitting here listening to a cd I got today of Andean (specifically Quena) music while i write. Whether or not i´m absorbing any of it will have to be seen. Jonathan and got a lesson for an hour today our on respective instruments, so we´re quite a bit better already. From here on out we´ll just have to figure things out on our own.

Some really bizarre things have happened here in La Paz, the most notable of which follows. Jonathan and I “randomly” ended up in the strangest sleeping situation with a guy in his apartment. We were under the impression that it was a hostel (this is the first hostel we´ve had to reserve online, because the bolivian border police won´t let you in if you don´t show a written invitation into the country). Anyway, we arrived and found it to be a very run-down apartment with a couple of “beds” in the little living room. Our host was most certainly one of the more interesting individuals I´ve met. His enthusiam upon our arrival was most unexpected, and he appeared to have some disability/genetic disorder which I´ve never encountered. It caused his hands and face to be severely mishapened, and when we offered out our hands for a handshake, he maneuvered so that we could instead grasp one another´s forearms. This was a little strange, but he had obviously done it so often that the surprise quickly passed. Throughout the next couple of days, we came to learn much about him. He was extremely socially awkward: the kind of awkwardness which probably comes after a lifetime of being ridiculed for his very noticable deformities. This didn´t bother us, though at times things were a little strange. He also seemed almost disappointed every time we went out and said we´d be about the city for a while. Then out of the blue, while Jonathan was talking to him yesterday morning, he asked us if we could help him find a christian community. We planned to talk later that evening as all of us were heading out at the time. Last night came, and we found ourselves bombarded with questions. First he explained to us that many people have stayed with him in his apartment like we were, and a good number of these experiences had ended in his guests cursing him and ridiculing him. It was heartbreaking as we heard his story. He then went on to tell us that he had hosted a few christ-followers and noticed a difference in how they interacted with him. This led him to ask us about how to join a group of christian travelers so that more could visit him (alas that we knew of none). Apparently his parents were also christians, and the death of his mother nine months ago has sparked many questions, which his few “friends” don´t seem to take very seriously. Anyway, we ended up talking late into the night as he saught the answers to some of the toughest questions that can be asked. He wanted to know if verses in the Bible addressed his questions, and we found ourselves scrambling to find them (and finding our Biblical knowledge grossly inadequate). It was incredible to see this whole scene unfold and to see this intimidating giant of a man open up and reveal his deepest insecurities and fears. He almost seemed like a kid at times as he would suddenly grasp something or think of another question to ask. After a few hours, we were all exhausted, and he seemed to have gotten enough to chew on for a while. The night ended with him shaking each of our hands. A simple handshake, and yet it was so meaningful from a man who apparently never has the self-confidence or the trust in other people to actually shake their hands, for fear of rejection. It was really incredible to see so many things come together so that we could meet and talk to this man. God works in mysterious ways.

On another note, we watched the new Indiana Jones at a sweet theater in La Paz. I´ve gotta mention that it was made even better by the Lord of the Rings soundtrack music that they played while we were waiting for the movie to start. Anyway, the movie was absolutely ridiculous, though still entertaining. But the part that makes it worth mentioning is that the majority of the movie takes place in South America. Somehow Jonathan and I weren´t aware of this, so we got quite the surprise as Indy was all of the sudden in Peru. They also showed some incredible shots of the Iguazu Falls among other things (which made us that much more excited about seeing that in a month).

The following is from the next day (Sat). After an all-night bus ride, we arrived in Potosí, the highest city in the world! This city – or more specifically the large mountain which looms over it – sustained the economy of Spain for many many years with its endless flow of silver. Needless to say, all of that has been stripped, but there are still important mining activities taking place in the mountain which employ many thousands of people. Jonathan and I arranged for a guide to take us into the mines on a few hour tour. We both quickly decided we couldn´t handle doing that work for even a day. Basically all of the work is still done by hand, and the dust as well as the fumes from the dynamite make it even harder to breathe (as if the 14,000+ feet wasn´t enough). However, climbing through the tunnels and going up and down different shafts on ropes and ladders was quite a blast. We emerged from the mines to an even more intense experience. Fortunately, we had been told about it, or it would have really been a shocker. Apparently 4 times a year (don´t ask me how we managed to be in Potosí on one of these days), the miners from individual mines sacrifice some Llamas to maintain the good luck they feel necessary to survive work in the mines. As we emerged from the tunnels, we noticed the ground and walls all around us splattered with blood: slightly eery. One Llama was already done, but they were just getting ready to sacrifice the other Llama (these particular miners were doing well enough to purchase two Llamas). We ended up looking on from a few feet away as many people held down the Llama while another person sliced right through the veins and arteries of its neck. You wouldn´t believe how much blood can come from one animal. They kept filling up bowls with the blood as it gushed out, and then they would fling it across the tops of surrounding doorways (Jonathan and I immediately were reminded of Passover) or whiping it on their faces. Needless to say, this entire scene was one of the craziest things either of us have ever seen. It was disturbing, but yet amazing to witness a tradition that these people have followed for hundreds of years. Afterwards, they slowly cut it apart: disembowling it, placing the meat in a seperate container, and removing the skin in one piece. I found that my newfound knowledge of anatomy after this past semester made it impossible to not be facinated by the entire procedure. I think this scene would´ve made me a wee bit queasy had it been a year ago, but now I found myself crowding in close to see everything they were doing. Call me weird, but it was quite interesting. Anyway, during this time they were also building an oven out of bricks on the ground in order to cook the meat, and they were constantly (and insistently) handing everyone glasses of this strange alcoholic drink. It was pretty cool to actually be a part of this entire experience. We ended up having to leave before they cooked the Llama, so I we missed out on that, but I´d say we experienced quite a few new things even without that. Crazy day.

That was a long one, I know.

Finally across the border

So we had some unexpected complications and ended up traversing one 2.5-3 hour bus ride around Lake Titicaca three times. We got to the border to cross into Bolivia on Tues but didn´t have enough money and discovered that there was not a single ATM in the entire stinkin city, so we got to head back to our previous stop, Puno, just so we could get some money. Then today, Wed morning, we headed out early to the border and successfully crossed over, though not without hassles from the guards of both sides who seemed eager to mess with some Americans. Anyway, we are finally here in La Paz, and we got the chance to see quite a bit of it on foot today after getting lost and ending up a couple of miles in the wrong direction. Did i mention La Paz is at over 12,000 feet and the entire thing is shaped like a bowl, so you are inevitably on a hill? Needless to say, we got some exercise.

I also bought a Quena tonight, which is an indigenous instrument that is something like a cross between a flute and a recorder. Jonathan plans on buying a mini guitar type thing, a Charanga, and maybe we´ll be able to make Andean music together, haha. For a while it´s gonna be quite a spectacle though.

P.S. I have put up a link to our photos (it should be at the bottom next to the link to Jonathan´s blog).  We´re putting them up as fast as we can, though it´s sometimes a challenge with the internet connection down here.  Hope you enjoy them.

1 country down

I´ve been hesitant to start this post, because I know I won´t be able to do my last few days justice, but here goes:  Jonathan and I got to check out a number of other really cool places in Cusco, and we did quite a bit of walking and exploring.  Then on Saturday I departed at the crack of dawn for Machu Picchu on a 4 hour train ride (Jonathan stayed in Cusco).  For the first bit I was too tired to realize where I was going, but as the train progressed through the valley in the Andes, and they began to tower higher and higher on each side, the excitement really started to build.  It was contagious throughout the train.  The train finally got to Aguas Calientes, and there I had to switch to a bus to climb the steep mountain which houses Machu Picchu.  It took me a little while to convince myself I had actually arrived at one of the New 7 Wonders of the world, not to mention the most saught after place in South America.  It was breathtaking (in more ways than one at 9,000 ft) from the moment I rounded a bend in the mountain trail and first caught a glimpse of the famed ruins.  I didn´t even know where to start, so I was wandering aimlessly through the buildings and terraces for a good while.  After some time I randomly met my new friend Ketty (after taking a pic for her).  She and I proceeded to wander some more through the ruins, and while getting some awesome Spanish practice I learned that she is an art teacher in Lima and was attending a conference of teachers from around Peru in Cusco.  We had a good time making all sorts of discoveries throughout the ruins, but then she had to go to catch her train out, so I once again found myself exploring solo.  Occasionally I would join a group that had a guide just to get an explanation I couldn´t have figured out myself, but most of the time I just continued to amble about.  There was so much to see that my legs tired long before my curiosity.  A few times I was able to just sit or lay on one of the hundreds of terraces that cover the place.  It was incredibly relaxing taking it all in from there, and the surroundings couldnt havebeen any more perfect: the huge mountains of the Andes towering on all sides with rivers running through the valleys below.  Breathtaking.  Later I found a trail that led to the Inca Bridge, and I followed this along the edge of cliffs around the mountain.  It was on this trail that I made another friend, Carlos.  He´s a veterinarian and an actor on the side in Lima.  He somehow ended up on that trail first instead of seein Machu Picchu, so when we returned to the main ruins, I walked around with him and served as his semi-helpful guide.  We stayed until dark around 6, and then departed back to Aguas Calientes.  We wandered around there for a while, and he helped me find a Hostel, and then we parted ways as well. 

The next day I had an early train to Ollantaytambo.  There I got the chance to explore some more impressive Incan ruins.  However, I randomly discovered a trail that led out of the back of these ruins and decided to check it out.  We always want to know what lies around the next bend.  Somehow this mentality kept my winding my way up the side of the mountain that the ruins were on.  I quickly found myself well above the ruins and looking way out over the valley, with no one else in sight on this trail.  Since I was already that far, I decided to keep going and was quickly rewarded.  Near the top of this moutain was another set of ruins that looked out with an incredible view over the valley and the city below.  I sat up there enjoying the solitude for quite a while and taking pride in my “discovery,” until i finally decided to head back down the mountain.   On my way down the steep trail, I saw the first person in quite a while.  His name was Wither, and we got to talking.  He was fairly surprised to see another person, and explained to me that this was his place that he frequently visited as an escape from all the people.  He then told me all about those mountains and the surrounding areas and their history.  It was an awesome experience standing on the side of that mountain, looking out as he explained everything to me.  As we parted ways he told me about a festival the locals were having that would involve a big bull fight.  I had to check this out of course, and I headed towards that as soon as I got down from the trail.  There were well over a thousand locals relaxing and cooking amazing-smelling local dishes as I walked up.  Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb, but I´m getting used to that as a 6´3″ white dude, haha.  Tons of locals kept leading in their bulls, until a large field was covered with bulls, all grunting and making angry noises towards one another.  Unfortunately, the festivities were slow in starting, and I didn´t have a chance to stick around and watch everything that happened.  I had to get back to Cuso since I had told Jonathan I would be there about 6 hours before I actually made it back.  That return journey was awesome too, as I used the local “collectivos” (tiny buses packed with people til no one can move) for the whole journey.  I always love getting surprised looks from people as I get on the cheap local transportation that most tourists won`t even consider.  It wasn´t the most comfortable 2 hour journey, but it was an adventure. 

Jonathan and I eventually foud one another and got caught up on our respective travels.  The following morning (Monday), we set out for Puno, a 6 hour bus ride through the Andes to this city on the edge of Lake Titicaca.  That bus ride was actually really enjoyable.  We were going through some of the coolest scenery I´ve ever seen.  Huge moutains, some of which were snow-capped, marched along both sides of us for most of the journey, and we passed through countless small farming towns literally in the middle of nowhere.  To add to this experience, Jonathan and I took turns listening to the “Motorcycle Diaries” soundtrack as we went.  For those of you unfamiliar with this movie, it follows Che Guevara and his friend as they travel through South America (on a similar route to the one Jonathan and I are taking but in the other direction) in the 1950s.  Anyway, the music from this soundtrack is absolutely incredible, and it suites our surroundings better than you can imagine.  I found myself forgetting I was listening to an ipod, and the music seemed just another element of the Andes we were passing through.  It was such a cool experience that I can´t even begin to describe it.

Eventually we reached Puno, and immediately we got a boat to take us out to the floating islands of Lake Titicaca.  People have been living out in this lake for many hundreds of years on islands they constructed out of reeds.  They just keep adding more layers of reeds to the top of their islands as the bottoms decompose, and they´ve thus been able to maintain these islands for so incredibly long.  It was quite a feeling to walk around on these huge mobile islands, and I don´t know if I would have fully believed they could exist without walking on them and seeing the people who live there.  Amazing.

Jonathan and I decided to throw a hygene update in for your amusement/disgust, so here it is:  Showers so far = 0, pairs of socks used = 2, underwear used = on 2nd pair (u think i´m gross, look at Jonathan´s), pants = only have 1 pair, shirts = on 2nd………so there you have it; sorry if i offended you, haha.  Needless to say we´re getting better and better at the homeless look/smell. 

Here we are

First new word we learned: jalar – to snort (cocaine).  I know what you’re thinking, but worry not, we were simply being educated by our new friend, Pedro.  We spent a good deal of time walking around Lima with him, and he was kind enough to take us to a restaurant and join us for a delicious meal: our treat.  

It was quite the interesting convo alternating between English and Spanish, as he wanted to practice English and us Spanish.  Every time we turned around he had somehow signaled the waiter to bring another large thing of beer for us all to split, but we finally got him to chill out, though not before feeling the effects.  We walked around the city for a while, and he was even kind enough to introduce us to his drug dealer of blanquita (the little white or cocaine).  We stayed with a woman he knew who lived in a flat on the 14th floor of one of the few skyscrapers in the city.  It woulda been quite the view if not for the perpetual smog that blankets Lima, but it was still cool to be up that high and look down on the night life. 

Today we came across the monstrous Andes to Cusco in one of the coolest flights I’ve ever taken.  We seemed to be just skimming the tops of the mountains and could pick out a surprising amount of detail.  Cusco has to be one of the coolest cities I’ve ever seen, with the flawless Incan stonework intermingled with the newer Spanish architecture (much of which is now crumbling despite being younger).  The people are friendly – sometimes too friendly with their eagerness to sell stuff – and the altitude is pretty intense.  We keep having to remind ourselves not to run up the stairs, etc unless we want a lovely headache.  All in all it’s been a blast so far and we’ve already seen and experienced a ton of things. 

Somehow it hadn´t occurred to me until I was drifting in and out of sleep on our flight down to Lima that I won´t be the same person at the end of this journey across a continent.  It´s an exciting and sobering thought at the same time.  I´m sure Ï´ll be  reflecting on that periodically.  Anyway, sorry for the huge amount of details; everything is just so exciting right now that I feel compelled to write it all down.  Until next time.

I’m off

So the act of writing this is kinda scaring me, because it means I’m actually leaving.  I’m not ready yet (either mentally or as far as packing goes), but we’re workin on that.  slowly.  I’ll be leaving posts here occasionally, and I’d love to get messages from you guys on facebook or whatever if you feel so inclined.   See you on the other side!

p.s. – be patient with me as I figure out how blogging and this website work, especially since I won’t be able to spend a lot of time on it while i’m down there.