Unfortunately I was not able to write my blog earlier. I am right now sitting in a bus to slowly get down to Santiago, my last stop before I go home. Because I want to enjoy my time as much as possible with my family in Santiago, this will be my last entry for this travel.
After Ian left, I returned to Bolivia to see some places I missed on my first visit. Unfortunately the time was not enough to see everything but I still managed to go to Copacabana, the Bolivian side of lake Titicaca, Potosí and Sucre.
Copacabana is only living from tourism so all there is to do is visit the islands and enjoy the lake and its sunsets.
Watching the sunset
All the boats which leave during the day for tours
Isla de la Luna
Isla del Sol (only south part is open for visitors right now, as there is a conflict between the north and south of the island)
It has been very beautiful in Copacabana. Most people I met told me the Bolivian side of lake Titicaca is more beautiful but in personally think, that they are very alike. The Peruan side (Puno) has the beautiful sunrises while the Bolivian side has beautiful sunsets. So I guess it depends if you are a morning person or not.
After Copacabana we went to Potosí and the Cero Rico. Potosí is less touristic and small (still a town)but worth a visit if you want to visit an active mine. It was an interesting but also very scary and uncomfortable experience, which makes you understand even more how exhausting and unhealthy a life as a worker in a mine is.
Plaza Mayor in Potosí
View on Potosí from Cero Rico
The god of the mine - as a ritual the devil is given a cigarette to smoke everyday (not sure how safe that is) and on Fridays the workers drink 96% pure alcohol with the devil
One of the many entrances to the mine
Continuing my journey, we went to Sucre and it’s close by market Tarabuco. The market is a bit chaotic. As some people there believe, that part of your soul is taken, when someone takes a foto of you, I did not take any pictures.
Well this has been my last report before I return to Germany.
I am happy I had the opportunity to do this trip and want to thank all of you who supported me during the trip (by my side or from the other side of the world) accompanied me and made this time special to me. I hope that some new friendships will sustain and I am looking forward to where our path may cross again!
Keep the travel up
Hannes
