tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15424437149600837582024-02-07T02:29:36.411-04:00Red Dirt & MandiocaLiam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-29717177003842421082010-10-26T16:40:00.003-04:002010-11-07T10:21:15.074-04:00Metro Cable - Medellin<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gickr.com/" target="_blank" title="free graphic for myspace"><img alt="Gickr helps you to pimp your myspace" src="http://gickr.com/results4/anim_c8d04e91-91c2-c474-8d34-75cffbcbb302.gif" /></a></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-63927248509286031332010-10-26T15:37:00.001-04:002010-10-26T15:38:25.906-04:00Salento/Valle de Cocoro, Colombia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I have been slacking. A lot has happened since I've written last. I left Bolivia on October 7th. After as sleepless hell ride from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz I flew to Lima, where I had an 18 hour lay over. My goal in that 18 hours was to eat ceviche and try to see some of Lima. I failed. Peruvians don't eat ceviche past 5 so the best ceviche places were closed when I arrived around seven. Total bullshit, I know. The cab driver I paid to take me to a predetermined hostel decided to take me to different hostel named Shablul. Shabul means snail in Herbrew. Shablul has a hebrew name because it is a Jewish hostel. I figured this out when everyone in the Hostel was speaking Hebrew. They all figured out I wasn't Israeli or Jewish pretty quickly.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">My one night in Peru was spent with a group of Israeli soldiers, eating shawarma, talking about Rahm Emmanual and learning Hebrew. It was an authentic Israeli/Peruvian experience. I did enjoy myself.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHJBm4HxFOIaUblKGWfW-_AuQdjgb4XRTjk7MR2fFCWu6jHnMSL2uAi076jT0HujhkKiv5iwvV8wOloXHG_33zLhY8stlUdmmbkzlKdGWdMpKaxxNQFYjbR7_JLnImT7dHj7MvFjGZZs/s1600/shablul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHJBm4HxFOIaUblKGWfW-_AuQdjgb4XRTjk7MR2fFCWu6jHnMSL2uAi076jT0HujhkKiv5iwvV8wOloXHG_33zLhY8stlUdmmbkzlKdGWdMpKaxxNQFYjbR7_JLnImT7dHj7MvFjGZZs/s400/shablul.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I arrived in Bogota on the 9th. I met a few friends from Chicago and spent three days wandering around the city. I'm not writing about Bogota yet. I'll be back there in a few weeks with my brother Bart and some other friends. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">From Bogota we went to Salento. Salento is coffee country. It is lush forest, ferns, mountains, banana trees and coffee plants. The views are spectacular. The weather is rainy but temperate. The town itself is quite touristy but the surrounding country side is well worth the trip.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqvIP2QipmOiyHBmqng44nfGR8HQIEGjqn_u6e9PE0TPiIt8Np6DM5ViSItXxBUb3cYbt6LHT3ZaMcF2d6Tt8eXwdpLizFJvgo51RkpjC4gsx8p-CJ01QFcKQyJMpB6g1Ota6C6yKBqU/s1600/IMG_5916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqvIP2QipmOiyHBmqng44nfGR8HQIEGjqn_u6e9PE0TPiIt8Np6DM5ViSItXxBUb3cYbt6LHT3ZaMcF2d6Tt8eXwdpLizFJvgo51RkpjC4gsx8p-CJ01QFcKQyJMpB6g1Ota6C6yKBqU/s640/IMG_5916.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A Coffee Farm</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Colombia exports the majority of its good coffee, which sucks when you are in Colombia but great when you are in the states. We did a coffee tour and learned the in's and out's of producing coffee from a 19 yr old that drinks about 20 cups a day. He must have been drinking decaf the day of our tour because he was half asleep while he guided us around the small farm. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Sad Fact - The average cup of coffee in Colombia is pretty mediocre.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6486sJpDIItxEU3rXXZykdpgYkXNMyOcDQqahCE0hSZWbmjzJnu8oa-hkLqo9NUtdP5qJJV1r6IxwMnsVioH5Gy2uHRkqsTMb1EfF93VJrouq_nHkKQ7zmstRdUt59vpYce3eClFQBDU/s1600/IMG_5918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6486sJpDIItxEU3rXXZykdpgYkXNMyOcDQqahCE0hSZWbmjzJnu8oa-hkLqo9NUtdP5qJJV1r6IxwMnsVioH5Gy2uHRkqsTMb1EfF93VJrouq_nHkKQ7zmstRdUt59vpYce3eClFQBDU/s640/IMG_5918.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">View from the Hostel. Cows and Bamboo.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9NGvhAOe2SAuC0xPCZp2lwptgNbm9d9ExR3tnX7f1-HE_DA1qzEKG2kukgKcCM_lgcAZKzv0_xZw4h3YwoualS0IRY_chVmxbXqzVohFcRQYglGq11F-SfEZbBzJiZjwm1dY0THfICI/s1600/IMG_5936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9NGvhAOe2SAuC0xPCZp2lwptgNbm9d9ExR3tnX7f1-HE_DA1qzEKG2kukgKcCM_lgcAZKzv0_xZw4h3YwoualS0IRY_chVmxbXqzVohFcRQYglGq11F-SfEZbBzJiZjwm1dY0THfICI/s640/IMG_5936.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">V</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">alle de Cocora (Cocora Valley)/Cloud Forest</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Most tourists come to Salento to visit the nearby Valle de Cocora and its cloud forest.</span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9kE1KYtccSn57JpunztuoF4GeIea6aoQG5LXK4QqnVsOEbLbGKR2zfynBZPt1BKDbgc7uWzF-mUBEEg0XWtyyzjMJ-pzneny4DMywe2p1N16IIL_lBKxQbU6ugDZLdET3Yk0oupL9T4/s1600/IMG_5964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9kE1KYtccSn57JpunztuoF4GeIea6aoQG5LXK4QqnVsOEbLbGKR2zfynBZPt1BKDbgc7uWzF-mUBEEg0XWtyyzjMJ-pzneny4DMywe2p1N16IIL_lBKxQbU6ugDZLdET3Yk0oupL9T4/s640/IMG_5964.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Hiking through the valley</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7_B6UeM4xK7bjv3zhgk6ReGbHqjtn1l1c4YZXTROI3ZeBfgmeXwJwuVcfPjiCYufgVGe9uvKHp3eRlVV2SaNfAANEylH7n_hIqq-Iuz1C0Wk2Xp-9TqwT0-rGo9WdvN-ZayQjMGkFRo/s1600/IMG_5973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7_B6UeM4xK7bjv3zhgk6ReGbHqjtn1l1c4YZXTROI3ZeBfgmeXwJwuVcfPjiCYufgVGe9uvKHp3eRlVV2SaNfAANEylH7n_hIqq-Iuz1C0Wk2Xp-9TqwT0-rGo9WdvN-ZayQjMGkFRo/s640/IMG_5973.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Wax palm trees</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuNMm26otLJETAIrb7pCGQUmSORGuRW99FTZg5oxmu5UR-BXySO_6I6Xuw6V_hGF9HuAWws89oy7wzuSzoF8pE4zu8x12D3wBKuzCSRsyesNWjSbvlesqXvqrJ_4ouBH7ywfitW6CwMw/s1600/IMG_5976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuNMm26otLJETAIrb7pCGQUmSORGuRW99FTZg5oxmu5UR-BXySO_6I6Xuw6V_hGF9HuAWws89oy7wzuSzoF8pE4zu8x12D3wBKuzCSRsyesNWjSbvlesqXvqrJ_4ouBH7ywfitW6CwMw/s640/IMG_5976.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJmEMDss7B4ZO3WzHQ8Xy5HfaYpiXOb6Huw8N2UxU4MGzEIWjZRrTy5sLdEjqF7qw8jG7AGjr3D9i9plOGM2hJu1XTaiGug8uc5qnBzYS1KKNjIxQLLaJG7lSjV5zOou9GEh-znuLxPA/s1600/IMG_5988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJmEMDss7B4ZO3WzHQ8Xy5HfaYpiXOb6Huw8N2UxU4MGzEIWjZRrTy5sLdEjqF7qw8jG7AGjr3D9i9plOGM2hJu1XTaiGug8uc5qnBzYS1KKNjIxQLLaJG7lSjV5zOou9GEh-znuLxPA/s640/IMG_5988.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38QDfgi2ro-AeazfMm6GA8olZM-mj6i8x8Fv137NJK8xdoXqGL2YCDm0jkwdGVSegiCyO-uYGd__TVBqlvH5WMOBVSmC5pf7tca81OoLyXHV5EWEsPdbviEbL-Za9JUSZVcHcV6Dy7d0/s1600/IMG_5995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38QDfgi2ro-AeazfMm6GA8olZM-mj6i8x8Fv137NJK8xdoXqGL2YCDm0jkwdGVSegiCyO-uYGd__TVBqlvH5WMOBVSmC5pf7tca81OoLyXHV5EWEsPdbviEbL-Za9JUSZVcHcV6Dy7d0/s640/IMG_5995.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC7dsfPTUMrlJXWMrUX9d7T7rzV88AwQ79Gruuw47fRXfczcK3xDzgpUPuD8cSb_rQCCTMKQ1PQUSoJ-Iem5KGzmAAZRSg1YTDdm8w-NO6LcVoUqYKdSVsk9TP5PTxvYrk4vJgf9gxXE/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC7dsfPTUMrlJXWMrUX9d7T7rzV88AwQ79Gruuw47fRXfczcK3xDzgpUPuD8cSb_rQCCTMKQ1PQUSoJ-Iem5KGzmAAZRSg1YTDdm8w-NO6LcVoUqYKdSVsk9TP5PTxvYrk4vJgf9gxXE/s640/IMG_5996.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwsw62_N6Nk15AMPW3Qbg1JEhkozENCIAR7oavMg3HG_Lz0agHAB5vN5zbOt9AKlCSFPCXCBNUWycwT5NDxZph-TDye-Y1f-QnVqNK-pmE_2a-SKUPwowjCTg4tbO0hM1bRpAv4Qm-cg/s1600/IMG_6004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwsw62_N6Nk15AMPW3Qbg1JEhkozENCIAR7oavMg3HG_Lz0agHAB5vN5zbOt9AKlCSFPCXCBNUWycwT5NDxZph-TDye-Y1f-QnVqNK-pmE_2a-SKUPwowjCTg4tbO0hM1bRpAv4Qm-cg/s640/IMG_6004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Just really happy to be in the cloud forest</span></span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-40063821748718341172010-10-14T17:00:00.004-04:002010-10-14T17:07:56.070-04:00Lake Titicaca and the end of Bolivia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I have left Bolivia but I still have a few things I'd like to share.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8MlsylGphR9gc76WMxQujM4WcsQY_-_MotwOXvjcEqgRWRs49CgyIfr9SvpsR693YZEjXAJG0VnU7T1HZgtVfHcS29PcQzj0IUkUzoresvXoU_CCtX3FJucOH1jN1tGtMGZNznjmZwA/s1600/IMG_3789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8MlsylGphR9gc76WMxQujM4WcsQY_-_MotwOXvjcEqgRWRs49CgyIfr9SvpsR693YZEjXAJG0VnU7T1HZgtVfHcS29PcQzj0IUkUzoresvXoU_CCtX3FJucOH1jN1tGtMGZNznjmZwA/s640/IMG_3789.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A llama trying not to get hit by our bus</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">My last week in Bolivia was spent in Lake Titicaca and Cochabamba. Lake Titicaca is the biggest lake in South America an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">d sits 12,500ft above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. High</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">est commercially navigable lake? WTF? The birthplace of the Inca sun god wasn't enough?</span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9IpzZGr81nTNvhz8ytNT1mDcbpqlfSfd4h4uNR51JubiNGFs3TX5EU2VpQqU82FGP1WJnm4w6KC9f6osRQNxJlBYBNIEkqUg6GWrC1AvOUA49hyphenhyphenzhtZrafhL80ZEAMuPLuIJCtlFhuA/s1600/IMG_5691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9IpzZGr81nTNvhz8ytNT1mDcbpqlfSfd4h4uNR51JubiNGFs3TX5EU2VpQqU82FGP1WJnm4w6KC9f6osRQNxJlBYBNIEkqUg6GWrC1AvOUA49hyphenhyphenzhtZrafhL80ZEAMuPLuIJCtlFhuA/s640/IMG_5691.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Isla</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">del</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Sol</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">We spent one night on the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Isla</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">del</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Sol (The Island of the Sun). The island is full of ancient Inca and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Amayra</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> ruins and is known as the spot where the Inca sun god was born. The island was a sacred site during Inca times and thousands of Incas made the journey from Bolivia and Peru to see visit it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYdm9lhwRTojP1z47YhvgUKJFjzKvu8qskVX0vjYNmsSJgbsGdFalKlMBpk6LqXjdjvYh2I4lFVqgL8ln3FYNXLwfZzxcZncLk5k3ggewoDuXdBRzY_FlObrSPcQa5rHgMNnND-Z1OPc/s1600/IMG_5694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYdm9lhwRTojP1z47YhvgUKJFjzKvu8qskVX0vjYNmsSJgbsGdFalKlMBpk6LqXjdjvYh2I4lFVqgL8ln3FYNXLwfZzxcZncLk5k3ggewoDuXdBRzY_FlObrSPcQa5rHgMNnND-Z1OPc/s640/IMG_5694.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Lake Titicaca</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYqRVwO3dnXUihPNusYlYdLl_9I9GWyKgyF92cn5nDyolZlOpQXrrl-b6zp82vIo_dWzGmJZOMBlMFmMPHE1wAB6aOUEP__c_cOgw9cPlUSG9w7tsQPGMdLqnU9BPbEnaQUJ2Tf4C-hY/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYqRVwO3dnXUihPNusYlYdLl_9I9GWyKgyF92cn5nDyolZlOpQXrrl-b6zp82vIo_dWzGmJZOMBlMFmMPHE1wAB6aOUEP__c_cOgw9cPlUSG9w7tsQPGMdLqnU9BPbEnaQUJ2Tf4C-hY/s640/IMG_5695.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Over 800 people live on the island. The majority of the families make their income catering to tourists needs and/or fishing.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCh4bWNE84BuW0RoOVTsSiSVO3M4u5m1XiH_jaEM8IW-j_wjC5MWeDm7NranVuhTXLV1XB-KuUZXsaLQ3zrAsqI5_-rG3vOUQBdYdCuK3xc-lU8VKVjoeXh9kB-npI9twPRiD4s0vfVM/s1600/IMG_5716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCh4bWNE84BuW0RoOVTsSiSVO3M4u5m1XiH_jaEM8IW-j_wjC5MWeDm7NranVuhTXLV1XB-KuUZXsaLQ3zrAsqI5_-rG3vOUQBdYdCuK3xc-lU8VKVjoeXh9kB-npI9twPRiD4s0vfVM/s640/IMG_5716.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Ernesto "Che" Guevara statue in El Alto</span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinU4P_a1b-_fGj7wr-xWwhGgJizWBFD1bChYhdvdnNrKiCHFIrJTsyl8TRtSAIGia5_tmyWkG5FtrpUYrH0mEbOORiptY7iDj6sfeZ7aTr4hVmxzkv3DaIZTfSFOBsEUh-803FfUMoxQ/s1600/IMG_3879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinU4P_a1b-_fGj7wr-xWwhGgJizWBFD1bChYhdvdnNrKiCHFIrJTsyl8TRtSAIGia5_tmyWkG5FtrpUYrH0mEbOORiptY7iDj6sfeZ7aTr4hVmxzkv3DaIZTfSFOBsEUh-803FfUMoxQ/s640/IMG_3879.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> "Ernesto Che Guevara stayed here"</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">In Sucre we stayed in the same room "Che" stayed during his fatal visit to Bolivia in 1966. With the help of the CIA, the Bolivian army captured Che on October 7th, 1967 in southern Bolivia. The majority of his fellow guerrillas were killed as well. Che was shot on October 9th in the town of La </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Higuera</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. A Bolivian friend of mine says his hands were cut off to be sent to Washington, D.C. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Che's Bolivian campaign faced a large number of setbacks. His predominately foreign group of guerrillas failed to recruit the Bolivians necessary to build a rebel movement, especially key leaders from Bolivia's Communist Party. Several Bolivians I spoke with, who were teenagers then, said Bolivia was too apathetic to the rebel cause when Che and his comrades arrived. Che had plans of a continental wide revolution. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Ernesto "Che" Guevara is a polarizing figure. I've always been fascinated by the man and his impact on pop culture, which can't make him too happy. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Fun Fact - Ernesto Guevara picked up the nickname "Che" while in Cuba. Che is a word used in Argentina to say "dude" or "man.". After hearing Che use the word che so many times the cubans bestowed upon him the now famous nickname. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span></span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-26213403475882867232010-10-09T14:05:00.002-04:002010-10-10T12:18:03.467-04:00Chola Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> is the name given to women of mostly indigenous descent that have moved from the country to the city. There are </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> in every city in Bolivia. There are </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> in Peru and Ecuador as well. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> are usually found selling snack foods, fresh squeezed orange juice and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Sandwiches. I've been fascinated by </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> culture since I arrived to Bolivia mainly because of the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> outfit. The three basics to the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> outfit are the skirt, shawl and hat. In </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cochabama</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> tend to wear to wide brimmed sun hats. In La </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Paz</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> the Bowler hat reins supreme. A large majority of the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> have gold teeth. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> also tend to be 5ft tall. I'm not sure as to how this early Spanish colonial dress came to dominate the fashion scene of indigenous Bolivian women but I likes it. </span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyS_S-gLEiFk6JzpkpwI-QlP-xPUdM9SDN8suUU66kBgsaj3GsJdwTyBYjFZe7jZpT757keyCPmy3F441wVbDCpsT8MNPtZWiF7wTZCXX4Mpne3YxiO-80maD23zNW0uCCORhBOKbm9A/s1600/DSCF5711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyS_S-gLEiFk6JzpkpwI-QlP-xPUdM9SDN8suUU66kBgsaj3GsJdwTyBYjFZe7jZpT757keyCPmy3F441wVbDCpsT8MNPtZWiF7wTZCXX4Mpne3YxiO-80maD23zNW0uCCORhBOKbm9A/s640/DSCF5711.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW5CEiqkpzDyTaxXpJ_A5-5pSp2PgfOVYxg8jq0QFX5_P6JP5EyYassh6Ix_zuhB3NVlBQG8RP5z4xNYWajNBqHWEj0582O4yb-YtNpIakpn-E4cWSVuSPYgcR7ibz3Jis4AUThk4tA4/s1600/DSCF5689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW5CEiqkpzDyTaxXpJ_A5-5pSp2PgfOVYxg8jq0QFX5_P6JP5EyYassh6Ix_zuhB3NVlBQG8RP5z4xNYWajNBqHWEj0582O4yb-YtNpIakpn-E4cWSVuSPYgcR7ibz3Jis4AUThk4tA4/s640/DSCF5689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-45421059452392265752010-10-06T15:36:00.003-04:002010-10-06T15:43:12.842-04:00LA PAZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Mile-High-City aka Denver sits at 5,280ft (one mile) above sea-level. As a Chicagoan I had always thought this altitude to be impressive. La Paz sits at 12,000ft, making it the highest capital city in the world. This translates to heavy breathing, light headiness, dry skin and intense hang-overs.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I'm trying to concentrate on the altitude because I don't know what else to talk about. I don't think three days in a city is enough to justify a completely negative opinion of place, so I won't go that way. La Paz has some rich history. Evo Morales lives and works here. There are some great ruins near by. We found a bar that played the Bears/Packers game. I just never got into this city. The tourists areas of La Paz were packed with 19 year old British/Australian/Irish backpackers. I'm a backpacker too, I know. I just don't like most other backpackers. I carry a knife for that reason.</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> These backpackers come here to party in between their Manchu Picchu run and their trip south to the Salar de Uyuni. You could go your entire time in La Paz without hearing any Spanish. Our three days here were spent in ok museums, plazas and a few different (gringo and non-gringo) bars. We at some pretty mediocre food and defended America against the rants of lazy eyed Englishmen. I'll stop whining now</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6MP3TObgsKcbx_m4gwlqLhFBS8AdCBQ2Mo2t-jdwqK-rVM-lNyBpXJyiDGk6FH9g9skfeMSlUBfSRdK7rYMARCr8EXuVFdlirRVE8yN9aHfb0iaSgA3D9QPGps2v7vNnSKdEfk5l73_k/s1600/IMG_5604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6MP3TObgsKcbx_m4gwlqLhFBS8AdCBQ2Mo2t-jdwqK-rVM-lNyBpXJyiDGk6FH9g9skfeMSlUBfSRdK7rYMARCr8EXuVFdlirRVE8yN9aHfb0iaSgA3D9QPGps2v7vNnSKdEfk5l73_k/s640/IMG_5604.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">La Paz is shaped like giant bowl. The key is to always be walking down. What I enjoyed most about the city were the views. On ever corner you are given a new look at the sprawling neighborhoods that climb into the clouds. At certain angles you can see the mammoth Mount Illimani looming over the city.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Amaneciendo_en_La_Paz_con_el_Illimani_de_fondo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Amaneciendo_en_La_Paz_con_el_Illimani_de_fondo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Mt. Illimani over La Paz</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">(photo taken by Mark Goble via Wikipedia)</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMuuCtzxmDL9-RQT1dTo1SOQx3fX-vqV_rwUjo8uGlrOY186vBa7EknDoTZJw5mSEHz6ZFHMf3JZo5eadeHusBaejc1iMfNrtL-yCMFh9eQJYT2yzHzKxOgkjHieA3D87j0aoL3BxvGo/s1600/IMG_5600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMuuCtzxmDL9-RQT1dTo1SOQx3fX-vqV_rwUjo8uGlrOY186vBa7EknDoTZJw5mSEHz6ZFHMf3JZo5eadeHusBaejc1iMfNrtL-yCMFh9eQJYT2yzHzKxOgkjHieA3D87j0aoL3BxvGo/s640/IMG_5600.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Plaza Murillo</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The historical center of La Paz. The plaza is named after General Murillo, a hero from Bolivia's Independence movement.</span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaxhxropnw19WJYBIf9nVIHyuao_W5AmKiGWks6T9kylbz9jt9KILvOiPrleJtw28joM6BqND8hacFYRQZ2m0j6t4-pW4bUA2aepSJRej0t8HeQbvQZxmtpGMOp9GCMcYLpiceHPmT-0/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaxhxropnw19WJYBIf9nVIHyuao_W5AmKiGWks6T9kylbz9jt9KILvOiPrleJtw28joM6BqND8hacFYRQZ2m0j6t4-pW4bUA2aepSJRej0t8HeQbvQZxmtpGMOp9GCMcYLpiceHPmT-0/s640/IMG_5584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Congress Building</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fnauAisPvvr6umWibZNtMV_9ZhCsUD2CSYTBiXFgad4hsTffmZKmyU9fv3LrN9x259dysRDzopcNvPevjnbf2Ma2Tw9ErKGdb70no9ar_LgO8caBu-Nt_YB18PeoMbHx5vvt_sW5cwo/s1600/IMG_5578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fnauAisPvvr6umWibZNtMV_9ZhCsUD2CSYTBiXFgad4hsTffmZKmyU9fv3LrN9x259dysRDzopcNvPevjnbf2Ma2Tw9ErKGdb70no9ar_LgO8caBu-Nt_YB18PeoMbHx5vvt_sW5cwo/s640/IMG_5578.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Government Palace </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Where Evo Works</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">If you squint your eyes you can see that the soldiers guarding the Palace are dressed in red uniforms. Fun Fact time - The soldiers are wearing the same uniforms that were worn during the </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Pacific"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Pacific War</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> (1879-1884), in which Bolivia lost all of its coastal land to Chile. For Bolivians the loss remains a sore issue and political relations between the two countries are still shaky. While I found different accounts as to the why a tenth star was added to the Bolivian flag on the internets, we were told during a tour of the Casa de la Liberated that the star represented Bolivia's lost coastal territory and the desire to one day take it back. Does Chile really need more coast line? No, they just want the land because it is rich in mineral-deposits.</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: auto;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcD5Qp4F11d-HMiC-aIn6iuch9grgQeyM8Cstr3Mv6R6mWxrpw_S2Mlgi3UQ_JYF8KETlfdknLp6uByoEXmZPDsmjnfRej7suXHEqeoJxubL1ZzPereujsRZAu6bDF-RB-KMj8zpZrLI/s1600/IMG_5561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcD5Qp4F11d-HMiC-aIn6iuch9grgQeyM8Cstr3Mv6R6mWxrpw_S2Mlgi3UQ_JYF8KETlfdknLp6uByoEXmZPDsmjnfRej7suXHEqeoJxubL1ZzPereujsRZAu6bDF-RB-KMj8zpZrLI/s640/IMG_5561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Witches Market - where you can get hippied out like everyone else! Cool bro</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9S94S3jJHjLX3880HmNcoJikACm5iHzpsJOfx8UxmkdW8Aq707K45Xb7KKc7i-04wYT8YYuC9ZNw0DKQh9nCHS4_udLAsMJ5Gf9C9VKIu4aJRrIBDIWi_HKushw-tCCSOhsqA6662-g/s1600/IMG_5567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9S94S3jJHjLX3880HmNcoJikACm5iHzpsJOfx8UxmkdW8Aq707K45Xb7KKc7i-04wYT8YYuC9ZNw0DKQh9nCHS4_udLAsMJ5Gf9C9VKIu4aJRrIBDIWi_HKushw-tCCSOhsqA6662-g/s640/IMG_5567.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Coca Museum</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Actually a very interesting museum on the history of the coca leaf. The tiny museum gives a detailed and even handed history of the coca leaf's journey from being a traditional medicinal leaf chewed by the Incas to suppress appetite and altitude sickness to its transformation as the breakfast of choice for stock-traders (see photo above).</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LsesiNEFUhYwhlVLyvH9Ex4eBPHqD5lT13n-z2-cFtjUh7JvQrTByvmGBjs2GOw4d6Uj8yVhkNitCKc9zAxLT6WA8HIJE66g5dTKTXVEqHPK4vUikMbfB2phviIQlWTSUYp-tBFNp2s/s1600/IMG_5646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LsesiNEFUhYwhlVLyvH9Ex4eBPHqD5lT13n-z2-cFtjUh7JvQrTByvmGBjs2GOw4d6Uj8yVhkNitCKc9zAxLT6WA8HIJE66g5dTKTXVEqHPK4vUikMbfB2phviIQlWTSUYp-tBFNp2s/s640/IMG_5646.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Wall of Bolivian Hats </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Fascinating</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXl_nbhtXXQba7AH4KcuQ7w3Pl9tYSwnN_ZEVfgAOjs0ncNFbWqgFD56lfs3ILKEHQGIG9NhNLPNmbrsbOY0Sol8E7cFhJs0vhZrBrcsTH2F3NweFMDAK61PVXRngJcDPg7fk1jELqdc/s1600/IMG_5586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXl_nbhtXXQba7AH4KcuQ7w3Pl9tYSwnN_ZEVfgAOjs0ncNFbWqgFD56lfs3ILKEHQGIG9NhNLPNmbrsbOY0Sol8E7cFhJs0vhZrBrcsTH2F3NweFMDAK61PVXRngJcDPg7fk1jELqdc/s640/IMG_5586.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">For you Mom</span></span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-33179167247718351122010-09-28T21:08:00.002-04:002010-09-28T21:11:57.772-04:00Street Food in Bolivia - The Chola Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> sandwich (I will explain more about </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">cholas</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> later) is my favorite street eat in Bolivia. Roasted pork, pickled vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, mayo and hot sauce on a bun. These things are lethal, both for the stomach and the arteries. The one I ate in Santa Cruz may have been hanging out in the sun for several hours but it was delicious. No regrets. I just wouldn't eat before getting on a long bus ride.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrIBQSY6EzmEvDgArJBNo7InaXw5XCm2lAHTOLvOREamMSkgxirWfmfU61OH-4feb54pZJFlOgrYg0D7aHHleTcGoXUqtMIF5oMYc2thNkN2luULNT9Fe0R9wEJz-1BYkMhrXZA0xjIQ/s1600/IMG_3472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrIBQSY6EzmEvDgArJBNo7InaXw5XCm2lAHTOLvOREamMSkgxirWfmfU61OH-4feb54pZJFlOgrYg0D7aHHleTcGoXUqtMIF5oMYc2thNkN2luULNT9Fe0R9wEJz-1BYkMhrXZA0xjIQ/s640/IMG_3472.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> preparing a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">chola</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> sandwich</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs87XzZdiG5wwPhYvsTEBJIPfZqqdpk4PTBP3bAiK0RKt5EotcMaX8Quni_5gfjjlz1aQLa67IwdZgcoTpFS9nbK28QqD2zOe42mBs0CBLw417wOcremr7HGe11b80WluSGr4SkPRv_AI/s1600/IMG_3464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs87XzZdiG5wwPhYvsTEBJIPfZqqdpk4PTBP3bAiK0RKt5EotcMaX8Quni_5gfjjlz1aQLa67IwdZgcoTpFS9nbK28QqD2zOe42mBs0CBLw417wOcremr7HGe11b80WluSGr4SkPRv_AI/s640/IMG_3464.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">There was no fat trimmed off this sandwich. My heart doesn't like it when I eat these.</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIulxzC1lumsrgIIgYklFMP4EDbKfdLbhhUN_Odo8gqY_SCHonayY6GhNyXYgeILaCZuTCEEfZMbLHwjAUHQL_wlzjW8uETsXcBtbs9xigL6bovM3h9rxT6gQq4AdUgah_qjR-EnVZm9A/s1600/IMG_3466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIulxzC1lumsrgIIgYklFMP4EDbKfdLbhhUN_Odo8gqY_SCHonayY6GhNyXYgeILaCZuTCEEfZMbLHwjAUHQL_wlzjW8uETsXcBtbs9xigL6bovM3h9rxT6gQq4AdUgah_qjR-EnVZm9A/s640/IMG_3466.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">This sandwich also came with some fried pig skin </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-ifrF-hHp8qYT7kSIt2zPbZtg-xH3bksbJpPuO2XxyyzoN-755-2a2WXwIOwAzb6ISVZAYpOc1qUQGxWuDLqFntxQUVpXIMRFavkUZlSXBJ3UfUX_58jT4bfGkWM2PVlUYYmUhHqfiQ/s1600/IMG_3469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-ifrF-hHp8qYT7kSIt2zPbZtg-xH3bksbJpPuO2XxyyzoN-755-2a2WXwIOwAzb6ISVZAYpOc1qUQGxWuDLqFntxQUVpXIMRFavkUZlSXBJ3UfUX_58jT4bfGkWM2PVlUYYmUhHqfiQ/s640/IMG_3469.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Roasted pork sandwiches sold from a small street stand- Its good thing</span></span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-7111611404191530722010-09-28T14:21:00.002-04:002010-09-28T14:25:45.275-04:00More Salar Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zMkwmhHRJnZ3IdR91Xrf-Ln12rX3m3cEP8rK3_0il-8zcoaNpI7JjL0SUlA8hY-Y-Y-tVNxul6rLWehwGfarbVwQh1EynH_23Mi0ml9qQ5kywj2NYPz3CNQNUORfBRQbv2WA7n3nyrc/s1600/IMG_4364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zMkwmhHRJnZ3IdR91Xrf-Ln12rX3m3cEP8rK3_0il-8zcoaNpI7JjL0SUlA8hY-Y-Y-tVNxul6rLWehwGfarbVwQh1EynH_23Mi0ml9qQ5kywj2NYPz3CNQNUORfBRQbv2WA7n3nyrc/s640/IMG_4364.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Llamas </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Fun Fact - The English word jerky (as in beef jerky) comes from the Quechuan word charqui (which means meat dried in the sun). In Bolivia and Peru charqui is eaten everywhere, especially llama charqui.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwtakbZxqpuVEbt3YUKUNplwCs4iw-gevYH5Y8yGRjtPxnBNGfuLxVmorzyZUFmF-iKUu-r7Azh79zERYVOxTv6xO18ZEg6AhO1AYkity-30IqkQm0XProM7cE-ExclDNIJ5waprnyUA/s1600/IMG_4446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwtakbZxqpuVEbt3YUKUNplwCs4iw-gevYH5Y8yGRjtPxnBNGfuLxVmorzyZUFmF-iKUu-r7Azh79zERYVOxTv6xO18ZEg6AhO1AYkity-30IqkQm0XProM7cE-ExclDNIJ5waprnyUA/s640/IMG_4446.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Laguna Hedionda</span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvKvuge5wpY74a6oK4SEvoIXzGoxN6AawyHbF5kfSjIilPPNh88N_ajYF0buJF_VsaKSPPE21Gm04ILIxiYTibJTAVkouVcxEFzpcHrpViXMj_j0aWWQIDQZY9-xIU_4CNvCeUPrd9QY/s1600/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvKvuge5wpY74a6oK4SEvoIXzGoxN6AawyHbF5kfSjIilPPNh88N_ajYF0buJF_VsaKSPPE21Gm04ILIxiYTibJTAVkouVcxEFzpcHrpViXMj_j0aWWQIDQZY9-xIU_4CNvCeUPrd9QY/s640/IMG_4420.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Sally (England) B (Peru) and Shola (Nigeria or America, depending on who he is talking to)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The majority of our three day trip was spent in the car. Traveling from spot to spot took anywhere from 40 minutes to 3 hours. When we weren't getting made fun of for being American or making fun of England, we would talk about the profound beauty of the passing landscape. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrUJKhsVbf4eQqVYSHEcNBgt-uBQQ8TV5H3ZU1jw0ez2HC2QsMqVRgJFrRjgbDmvT8mX87Ekz7b5GR8nxzir37R6huwXcKpKOXQ4cfkvp4EC7-NAfWAgAXUrUo5SnggpWDENbjUJMg4U/s1600/IMG_4484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrUJKhsVbf4eQqVYSHEcNBgt-uBQQ8TV5H3ZU1jw0ez2HC2QsMqVRgJFrRjgbDmvT8mX87Ekz7b5GR8nxzir37R6huwXcKpKOXQ4cfkvp4EC7-NAfWAgAXUrUo5SnggpWDENbjUJMg4U/s640/IMG_4484.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Red Lagoon</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Red sediments and the pigmentation of the algae give the lagoon its red color. The white spots are clusters of borax. Most of the year the lagoon is full of flamingos that come to feed on the algae, (which makes the flamingos pink, duh!!!!). There are not many people swimming here.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Andean_Flamingos_Laguna_Colorada_Bolivia_Luca_Galuzzi_2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Andean_Flamingos_Laguna_Colorada_Bolivia_Luca_Galuzzi_2006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Flamingos in the Laguna Colorada</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The photo was stolen form here - </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 18px;"><b><a class="external text" href="http://www.galuzzi.it/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/vector/images/external-link-ltr-icon.png?2); background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 13px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times; line-height: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BwycP1gqQIQJ8C217ta2k5iLiXAS9uz3gOTJYLIF0tqQSFzamuBkptnDyePy_ZaQaPhXI_sWwDmwQn4i5z_xX3yk6AXvAq7KHS8I0gP8imbog48jwNzfWUyA__zOx7EZaPNXSQ3P6fc/s1600/IMG_4454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BwycP1gqQIQJ8C217ta2k5iLiXAS9uz3gOTJYLIF0tqQSFzamuBkptnDyePy_ZaQaPhXI_sWwDmwQn4i5z_xX3yk6AXvAq7KHS8I0gP8imbog48jwNzfWUyA__zOx7EZaPNXSQ3P6fc/s640/IMG_4454.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">No one is swimming here either</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjjEY7pMBmdAbaQ1KAibY4ZNSRbgwrYia6HCChV6jpBcx9iitswzm1rPLqm5f8-BO64g3vCzIcIu9C2no4_IwX_-Aoy_nQoqUcrvsDJ5W7drj479CQVl2S0bjG-Z-Y6vtEGAgYMyH9Yc/s1600/DSCF5575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjjEY7pMBmdAbaQ1KAibY4ZNSRbgwrYia6HCChV6jpBcx9iitswzm1rPLqm5f8-BO64g3vCzIcIu9C2no4_IwX_-Aoy_nQoqUcrvsDJ5W7drj479CQVl2S0bjG-Z-Y6vtEGAgYMyH9Yc/s640/DSCF5575.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Fish Island</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Named by locals who say the island takes the shape of a fish from a distance. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Lots gigantic cacti, petrified coral rock and sun. We spent a few hours walking around the island while our guide made inappropriate comments about the shapes of various cacti. The dictionary says you can use cacti or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">cactuses</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> to pluralize cactus. I went with cacti because I like saying cacti. I think of George W. saying it in that little twang of his. Cacti. Just sounds right.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQ-eOH8F1i5K_JfF8zQvIPm3rEJUVHvtOifptEeyePTWazAQqY14NjJilfkGYfL5ByicXjfBjoCigCYZPJ-CM9c0Xr3DeXCxYeJ024-8-jXDRUWFe4xxwgkQzGV7AI_Y5GFQ09sCna5s/s1600/IMG_4312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQ-eOH8F1i5K_JfF8zQvIPm3rEJUVHvtOifptEeyePTWazAQqY14NjJilfkGYfL5ByicXjfBjoCigCYZPJ-CM9c0Xr3DeXCxYeJ024-8-jXDRUWFe4xxwgkQzGV7AI_Y5GFQ09sCna5s/s640/IMG_4312.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These cacti are thousands of years old</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgxl-mWIGP0RtDGl-jhJL9XBDvqlEuM405bQygjvBNlvEbp59IUvB5KIfi487E-oMZRiaVCuF76kswJocZdttNBkdViW9etNurQLow-SapSGxV_lIUU7n_AH4GhDFsZ4o7bZLgC2moBY/s1600/IMG_4504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgxl-mWIGP0RtDGl-jhJL9XBDvqlEuM405bQygjvBNlvEbp59IUvB5KIfi487E-oMZRiaVCuF76kswJocZdttNBkdViW9etNurQLow-SapSGxV_lIUU7n_AH4GhDFsZ4o7bZLgC2moBY/s640/IMG_4504.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Laguna</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> Verde</span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Laguna</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Verde</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> or the Green Lagoon is a salt lagoon that sits</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">at the foot of the volcano </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Licancabur</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Its colour is caused by sediments that containing copper minerals. A pretty consistent wind stirs up the sediments.</span></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxUMMuqWm1dPwyno5u3fu-kOETnZzhlPj5XOU4pP8IZyCsttfE20SJ9X6T5z1Pjv-tBQAW3uKDr3gLaJSu1qhFzaF4vG27kA7NBiDO0F48XsleNoZncmNRYdr_Lu1Zk1paTnnKL9msGA/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxUMMuqWm1dPwyno5u3fu-kOETnZzhlPj5XOU4pP8IZyCsttfE20SJ9X6T5z1Pjv-tBQAW3uKDr3gLaJSu1qhFzaF4vG27kA7NBiDO0F48XsleNoZncmNRYdr_Lu1Zk1paTnnKL9msGA/s640/IMG_4512.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A three day </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">salar</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> trip is on every backpackers to do list while in Bolivia. The three day trip is well worth the hundred dollars (very cheap), even if you have no intention of taking goofy photos of yourself . In the end you will want to swear off cars and salt for a few months but that's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">ok</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">.</span></span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-9816607601930468902010-09-25T18:08:00.001-04:002010-09-25T18:08:50.929-04:00Salar de Uyuni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> The salt flats of Uyuni are otherworldly. Everyone says that. It is true. It doesn't feel like earth. Shola and I talked about drugging a friend from the U.S, flying him down to Uyuni blindfolded and letting him out in the middle of the salt flats, just as people dressed up as aliens are sacrificing a llama. A good way to shake a man up. I imagine mars to look something like this. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Salar de Uyuni is impressive. It has been a hotspot for adventure tourism in Bolivia for years and gringos from all over the globe come to see the blindingly white salt flats, green and red colored lagoons, cactus islands and flocks of brightly colored flamingos. They also come to take stupid photos (examples below). I had seen the photos of a few friends who visited the Salar before me and knew that taking photos of your friends sitting on wine bottles or fighting toy dinosaurs was part of the deal. I didn't know that huge chunks of time were devoted to the taking of these photos. If you google Salar de Uyuni photos you will see thousands of photos of people in goofy poses, usually jump kicking or holding giant cigarettes to their mouths. And then there are those salt flats in the back. I still don't know how feel about this. I've been watching to much Bourdain lately, he's making me a negative traveler. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Click the first link to read a great article on the salt flats, lithium dreams and Bolivia under Evo Morales. </span><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/22/100322fa_fact_wright"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Lithium Dreams - New Yorker Article</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salar_de_Uyuni"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Salar de Uyuni Wikipedia</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ItT7VVtJ4aH6-UzF2Y_zG1dYzUBL9qwVVCYyZVdbxxuFeDxUvp4UFELX-c3VxeJatmc4yPH4vOHqYYVFcXTJh1d4XGrwfOV7rPctjlJwyNCDn6-gNmpn_jHw4wHv-s1Z6-fpKpSlMYI/s1600/DSCF5590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ItT7VVtJ4aH6-UzF2Y_zG1dYzUBL9qwVVCYyZVdbxxuFeDxUvp4UFELX-c3VxeJatmc4yPH4vOHqYYVFcXTJh1d4XGrwfOV7rPctjlJwyNCDn6-gNmpn_jHw4wHv-s1Z6-fpKpSlMYI/s640/DSCF5590.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> The salts flats of Uyuni are the largest in the world, they cover a distance of 4,086 sq miles and sit 12,000 ft above sea level. </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Our tour group - Notice Jeff's mean air guitar</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Jeff, Shola y Yo</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">We spent three day packed in a land rover driving through deserts and mountains and salt. It was well worth the visit. Photos of the Laguna Verde/Colorado and Flamingos to come.</span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-28506273919695434672010-09-23T16:06:00.029-04:002010-09-23T19:01:23.354-04:00Potosi II - The Mines<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><i></i></span></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Mining methods have changed little over the years. The miners still toil from dawn till dusk. Generators pump air into tunnels so they can breath. Children still wriggle into tiny places where adults cannot go. Working sometimes for 10 hours or more a day in extreme temperatures, the miners keep going by chewing coca leaves. Two-thirds of the population have respiratory ailments.</span></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Amalia Barron, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosi's</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Silver Tears"</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://anticopyrighttr.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/the-devils-miner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://anticopyrighttr.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/the-devils-miner.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Long before I set foot in Bolivia I watched the movie, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Devil's Miner</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. The documentary follows the day to day of a 14 years old boy who works as a miner in the Cerro Rico, the mountain that eats men. The movie is depressing. Entering the mines themselves is even more depressing. I don't know how the mines of Cerro Rico became a tourist attraction but each year thousands of backpackers come to Potosi to see what working in the mines is like (for two hours, without actually doing any work). I recommend watching the movie, I wouldn't recommend going inside the mines unless you like shaking yourself up.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Around 9,000 miners still work in the mines of the Cerro Rico, including hundreds of children. These days the </span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">mines of Cerro Rico aren't producing the quantities of silver of the past and the state run programs of the 1980's are long gone. Only the "scavengers of Cerro Rico" continue to navigate through</span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> a labyrinth of over 20,000 tunnels, looking to chisel out every last scrap of valuable material they can find. No big equipment, no safety standards. The life expectancy of the average miner is around forty years old. Most miners meet their fate through Silicosis b</span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">ecause of the high amounts of dust within the mines.</span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The children, who put their lives at risk, earn the Bolivian equivalent of $3 for a 12-hour workday. As seen in the film, it takes two months’ salary just to purchase the necessary uniform and supplies to attend school in the region. </span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">In a remote region with no sustainable economy, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cerro</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Rico looms over the city of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosí</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> like a god that both gives and takes away life. Without it, the people of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosí</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> would have nothing; with it, they’re able to eke out a basic existence. But every time they go deep into the earth, they’re never sure if they’ll come out again. </span></span></i></span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">They tell you the tour is not for wimps or claustrophobics or asthmatics or reasonable people. And even though the mountain has claimed around 8 million people since they began mining it in the mid-1500's, you justify your participation in the tour because thousands of other tourists have done it before you. Silicosis takes years to accumulate in your lungs. Stalactites covered with arsenic only affect you after long term exposure. The miners currently trapped in Chile have Ipods and newspapers to keep them happy. All the guide books say entering the mines is an eye opening experience. Somehow, prior to actually entering the mines, I knew that crawling beneath thousands of tons of heavy rock, breathing hot, dust filled for ten hours a day was similar to a visit to hell. The tour reinforced these beliefs but I'm still debating if that reinforcement was necessary. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVmCng8sPzJdjjOPM1NyKNL1vtw9_flEis33WQn8fMsmAnogHSj_DVRK1Eehzv3STGJnMjN8QpQ4HwSatsh3D8Zs59WW6XZdaZ3FAuTgy0EFyYNVx3foDLD0qa6llBhe8tvvfy-sKQWg/s1600/IMG_4162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVmCng8sPzJdjjOPM1NyKNL1vtw9_flEis33WQn8fMsmAnogHSj_DVRK1Eehzv3STGJnMjN8QpQ4HwSatsh3D8Zs59WW6XZdaZ3FAuTgy0EFyYNVx3foDLD0qa6llBhe8tvvfy-sKQWg/s640/IMG_4162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Our Mining Crew - Tom, Jeff, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Shola</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> and Ben.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The trip to the mines begins with a group gear up. While throwing on a miners suit and helmet looked quite gimmicky at first, the value of the uniforms was revealed the first time I found myself crawling on my stomach, bashing my head on the mines sharp ceiling. After the gear up our group of six was paraded through a small market where we bought gifts for the miners. Although guides were paid to take us to the mines, we were also asked to buy gifts for the miners, kind of as a token of forgiveness/entrance fee. The work inside the mines is brutal and having a bunch of gawking tourists standing in your way doesn't help the mood, so t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">o stop the miners from taking a pick axe to the face of each tourist, every group that enters the mines is asked to bring gifts of coca leaves, soda pop and dynamite. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB4rR0N2HYqWVeWVnWv9IahbRoED4OWXTorfu768poWABg5WHPUpGcGaZN0HCYzn8mrA2wChRpzQIE7mMF38AnH7YP6bOrnieR6MPoYIZLturkS9C1ioPyhC9prhz8Dbt44lIg9fWbBY/s1600/IMG_4160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB4rR0N2HYqWVeWVnWv9IahbRoED4OWXTorfu768poWABg5WHPUpGcGaZN0HCYzn8mrA2wChRpzQIE7mMF38AnH7YP6bOrnieR6MPoYIZLturkS9C1ioPyhC9prhz8Dbt44lIg9fWbBY/s640/IMG_4160.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The entrance to one of several mines in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Cerro</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Rico</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVblCstULvWmkZ0qiK5jI7bQB8RZssPVgUj7nKovuawLx2Li2z2KTUcDuH5Re7G4AMjn0pUH3oSOAB6N_ZL4T4RJuLDLh8AfrYzmGDljg3ZXbwZwJwcgUKJfUUhNgtxrlWtWHWlpJzRYw/s1600/IMG_4164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVblCstULvWmkZ0qiK5jI7bQB8RZssPVgUj7nKovuawLx2Li2z2KTUcDuH5Re7G4AMjn0pUH3oSOAB6N_ZL4T4RJuLDLh8AfrYzmGDljg3ZXbwZwJwcgUKJfUUhNgtxrlWtWHWlpJzRYw/s640/IMG_4164.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The easy part. After a 10 minute walk were I could almost stand up straight our group descended through a tunnel the size of a tube slide in a Ronald McDonald's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">playland</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. It was not comfortable. Instead of landing in a ball pit we found ourselves deeper underground, where the ceilings were lower and the air much hotter. At our lowest point in the mine the temperature reached almost 100 degrees. I could barely just from the crawling. The altitude and the dust made it hard. I had to concentrate not to flip out and cry. We watched miners drag, pull and carry mineral filled rocks back and fourth. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">By the end of our time inside the mines our lungs and eyes were burning. The tour inside the mines lasted for two hours. I am not cut out to be a miner.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVk2PAXXGvyOf-PiMZSauuUndd06zd5I0d583GqvVbZVdNI1hnl9tEQxm1aE5K2ypDIT87lN0etEonfMINO8ZFOvdUlvuxFdt7AFihSanI5yXTFgcflLazjLiX9ycQ4ijRYntlA7EAUY/s1600/IMG_4170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVk2PAXXGvyOf-PiMZSauuUndd06zd5I0d583GqvVbZVdNI1hnl9tEQxm1aE5K2ypDIT87lN0etEonfMINO8ZFOvdUlvuxFdt7AFihSanI5yXTFgcflLazjLiX9ycQ4ijRYntlA7EAUY/s640/IMG_4170.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Ben and I in the mine shaft. My mouth is discolored from the large amount of coca leaves I was chewing. The leaves, which all miners chew habitually, are supposed to help with breathing and give energy. More than anything the leaves helped me to not think about the possibility of large rocks raining down on us.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yEwEJBRRRkbfc1kb-AdPW9S3f1HUgpto9qByG4yjglRo2QwHjG8aP54WyozEF60mjYf8xdykOi_wvPI-YM_VelcedcUT-R0k2WQS4mF5HdKM1oRz-wrZDr7C67xbOGkS8GVMjjeMx8E/s1600/IMG_4178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yEwEJBRRRkbfc1kb-AdPW9S3f1HUgpto9qByG4yjglRo2QwHjG8aP54WyozEF60mjYf8xdykOi_wvPI-YM_VelcedcUT-R0k2WQS4mF5HdKM1oRz-wrZDr7C67xbOGkS8GVMjjeMx8E/s640/IMG_4178.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Giving thanks to the Devil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Hundreds of statues of the devil (lord of the underworld, hades, Glen Beck, etc.) can be found within the mines of the Cerro Rico. While the majority of miners are Catholic the majority also believe that God has no presence within the dark depths of the mines. Only the devil or El Tio, as the miners call him, can offer protection within the mines. Each mining group makes offerings of coca leaves, booze and tobacco to El Tio in the hopes that he will protect them while they work. Sitting next to El Tio in the deep shafts of the Cerro Rico, while gasping for air and sweating profusely, made for one eerie experience. If I had to work the mines in the mountain that eats men, I would be making offerings to the devil too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPbBERJ1kxCSrvCJg3fkMqPpOcZFcSyKxvaZ7VH7CZAxsqkDjZYunt0ju03JeSB_5B-VzjJQqiN4CTSks_eZg6nxhdBqoHDm5gBNrnxHAu2DLtwJl61BKZIFvT8LFIBaYrTvd34UwtSM/s1600/IMG_4175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPbBERJ1kxCSrvCJg3fkMqPpOcZFcSyKxvaZ7VH7CZAxsqkDjZYunt0ju03JeSB_5B-VzjJQqiN4CTSks_eZg6nxhdBqoHDm5gBNrnxHAu2DLtwJl61BKZIFvT8LFIBaYrTvd34UwtSM/s640/IMG_4175.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">If El </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Tio</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> is not fed, he will take matters into his own hands and feed on human flesh. But for many of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosi's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> citizens, El </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Tio</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> is more trustworthy than their own government...</span></i></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">- Aaron </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Roesch</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">, "Unearthing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">: The Enduring Plight of Bolivian Miners"</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
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<div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span></div></div></div></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-19421586697050571252010-09-16T15:49:00.058-04:002010-09-16T18:45:09.626-04:00Potosi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosí is one of the highest cities in the world, sitting at an elevation of 13,500ft. You can feel it in your bones. Walking up a small flight of stairs will leave you gasping for air. Combo that with over a months long vacationers diet (heavy on the friend chicken) and you'll be taking breaks on that middle stair just like me. Potosí is known historically for the Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain) that looms over it. Established as a mining town in the mid-1500's, Potosí sprang up as one of the largest (200,000) and wealthiest cities in the world by the mid-1600's. Over a period of 200 years 45,000 tons of pure silver was mined from the Cerro, of which 9,000 tons went directly to the Spanish Monarchy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Visiting the mines of Cerro Rico is one of the main reasons backpackers come to Potosí. I'll write about that hellish experience in the next post.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcyCLLEejX5JYfTsK2JWmOMbqPnfdlBPyb7WnR-PAV_3KQT5wAyzAfPELPVgTLGE2SQ9pzNM4D5zcE1FGROKvSR8p-qxOUCx3qGqTDTrKM1Fbi56R4E6Qv1YLTWaJVRcYz9G8hc7SSXs/s1600/IMG_4085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcyCLLEejX5JYfTsK2JWmOMbqPnfdlBPyb7WnR-PAV_3KQT5wAyzAfPELPVgTLGE2SQ9pzNM4D5zcE1FGROKvSR8p-qxOUCx3qGqTDTrKM1Fbi56R4E6Qv1YLTWaJVRcYz9G8hc7SSXs/s640/IMG_4085.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Cerro Rico</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3OxTMFVWkz0gQAi6YAflfJ1PbmpiE-RpZl6kQ_DTs60LBwfhug0XMGSuxmC_xU3HoWxeRfNTcxaK9klStrReeD8-r0cSiGj6Yx5iMWFcwDRcff4D1SG1ws96XQWKgmnNdjM6YX6Vye8/s1600/IMG_4083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3OxTMFVWkz0gQAi6YAflfJ1PbmpiE-RpZl6kQ_DTs60LBwfhug0XMGSuxmC_xU3HoWxeRfNTcxaK9klStrReeD8-r0cSiGj6Yx5iMWFcwDRcff4D1SG1ws96XQWKgmnNdjM6YX6Vye8/s640/IMG_4083.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A narrow street</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Like Sucre, Potosí has great colonial spanish architecture and churches on almost ever corner. Literally every corner. During its boom period Potosí had around 90 churches in order to ensure that the souls of each and every indigenous person would be saved. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmfetPJn_9osO0KljIC5xMBYWop04fs8R7AB80cuRGnxinlrIfdaqgBL7I8EUHNBceOhdgnZFyAcFcCHyGVdd92ldmVIuGYjh3-9B0yIXLccjPm_VvX70oqvOZrD4TPDRuglKuK3RoEw/s1600/IMG_4095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmfetPJn_9osO0KljIC5xMBYWop04fs8R7AB80cuRGnxinlrIfdaqgBL7I8EUHNBceOhdgnZFyAcFcCHyGVdd92ldmVIuGYjh3-9B0yIXLccjPm_VvX70oqvOZrD4TPDRuglKuK3RoEw/s640/IMG_4095.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Jeff trying to spot a Burger King amongst the numerous churches</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRvoShX4ucXKDI9N_q5AhoBQjBz-oId8A3lKHcta34a7e0JL9HsEEyapCsWD9yEHhNF92qDxk-5oXnqe9qyLvrWFo4_SNIvkNW21MG4cUiz0BI_vbdVXcVeTptWPt7HW-6JoxAyaW914/s1600/IMG_4093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRvoShX4ucXKDI9N_q5AhoBQjBz-oId8A3lKHcta34a7e0JL9HsEEyapCsWD9yEHhNF92qDxk-5oXnqe9qyLvrWFo4_SNIvkNW21MG4cUiz0BI_vbdVXcVeTptWPt7HW-6JoxAyaW914/s640/IMG_4093.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Catching my breath after walking up several flights of stairs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToTb0_NpTA7I6gP4QZ6C0SmBJJgxI4U3DqAHDLquoM8wMOrE2iljGG3IIBVKoWZvPRZuMDwQ3nI9TUG0rT1nDX2oDeRKhkD49YgREuKnSPIrU0UMGc1XcWg-HeUX1eOMskypDJMC8Yks/s1600/IMG_4134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToTb0_NpTA7I6gP4QZ6C0SmBJJgxI4U3DqAHDLquoM8wMOrE2iljGG3IIBVKoWZvPRZuMDwQ3nI9TUG0rT1nDX2oDeRKhkD49YgREuKnSPIrU0UMGc1XcWg-HeUX1eOMskypDJMC8Yks/s640/IMG_4134.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Jeff, Shola and I in the Bell Tower of Potosí's main cathedral</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeU0PCzgaiXj32L49LfUCnGyOlwFFIanotcRiumbKB2DyMHH21tcJh1SdXcxg7oqjRr3EUmaJpHOwrnO8xcJ9gIT1njtbLygD_QzFuz-l3bDL2ZjQMUyxy-Ucrvvcfr_ty_K8FxAuKCY/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeU0PCzgaiXj32L49LfUCnGyOlwFFIanotcRiumbKB2DyMHH21tcJh1SdXcxg7oqjRr3EUmaJpHOwrnO8xcJ9gIT1njtbLygD_QzFuz-l3bDL2ZjQMUyxy-Ucrvvcfr_ty_K8FxAuKCY/s640/IMG_4120.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Potosí and the Cerro Rico at night</span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-39289768763853435592010-09-14T03:03:00.008-04:002010-09-23T18:36:43.043-04:00Sucre II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiunQjqAjDY2W1Ya4aN6CmZf8FbQRP7fJIXHmeK_aSQUp2Dv-F-xeAAWLX_gHij7dlo3cBcfnKTrCVpwZM0Ap7GocgJQyWGqm51QDHQjY2k7dpkKC1pVZHrklp1eukc4PWk19a7GFyr9Y/s1600/IMG_3999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiunQjqAjDY2W1Ya4aN6CmZf8FbQRP7fJIXHmeK_aSQUp2Dv-F-xeAAWLX_gHij7dlo3cBcfnKTrCVpwZM0Ap7GocgJQyWGqm51QDHQjY2k7dpkKC1pVZHrklp1eukc4PWk19a7GFyr9Y/s640/IMG_3999.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Traditional dress from the Virgin de Guadalupe fest. Bolivians like colors, lots of colors.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJlput_pj_5T8VKSpBtpw7bKXm9AyubhoiKPLKqdjQgvEOuTzz_aFcipTvxBX6yyYoIljfOCV8n2ZvUyeIFcvE74cgaJNqOPz5Rs55HigRQYoOoCImDpwZvQGYsyzPlitpC-90-yj6sY/s1600/IMG_3993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJlput_pj_5T8VKSpBtpw7bKXm9AyubhoiKPLKqdjQgvEOuTzz_aFcipTvxBX6yyYoIljfOCV8n2ZvUyeIFcvE74cgaJNqOPz5Rs55HigRQYoOoCImDpwZvQGYsyzPlitpC-90-yj6sY/s640/IMG_3993.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcxEqSKLwOM7iQAQs4mhlhgK3zMNVT5vDReuwwbtEvmFhQzCOPX89w0qBStBmzqooPwzkmH7RCh69xuIksvZGGPx6Vr7sCfExEJk0tgAm_2WKUhqY-WLfigV1rOwtc87f1Ro04fXBwg4/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcxEqSKLwOM7iQAQs4mhlhgK3zMNVT5vDReuwwbtEvmFhQzCOPX89w0qBStBmzqooPwzkmH7RCh69xuIksvZGGPx6Vr7sCfExEJk0tgAm_2WKUhqY-WLfigV1rOwtc87f1Ro04fXBwg4/s640/IMG_3832.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLqA09KegjgHmvtKkZdtFvDS_ZhYPBGVdFN-VWzTGydkapLOs5K5gfeNYYd5gwvfVANmDrDpmHqTtFXMOmgHWRD2H6ZJ5yaLRQ5QR_pExhX9eZ1W9FkqziEm7gHYxXUhu_VWB8VYSQeI/s1600/IMG_3828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLqA09KegjgHmvtKkZdtFvDS_ZhYPBGVdFN-VWzTGydkapLOs5K5gfeNYYd5gwvfVANmDrDpmHqTtFXMOmgHWRD2H6ZJ5yaLRQ5QR_pExhX9eZ1W9FkqziEm7gHYxXUhu_VWB8VYSQeI/s640/IMG_3828.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Salon de la Independencia. In this room the leaders of Upper Peru (as Bolivia was then known) met to draw out plans for Bolivia's independence. Although Bolivia declared independence from Spain in 1809, the Republic wasn't actually established until 1925, after 16 years of war. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vcl2z9qXOQjLQu7lWzFVI43FHWvng96vZupzaru7CG7MvkyUzlM7TTpTC4QEYnoTUIKs8GsvGEJTyCtvDpQi75IbkZyAaXlp1CvJJlLMoI3-1psxjiL2KQjqT1CS4hXHXaIV8J_oZdI/s1600/IMG_3920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vcl2z9qXOQjLQu7lWzFVI43FHWvng96vZupzaru7CG7MvkyUzlM7TTpTC4QEYnoTUIKs8GsvGEJTyCtvDpQi75IbkZyAaXlp1CvJJlLMoI3-1psxjiL2KQjqT1CS4hXHXaIV8J_oZdI/s640/IMG_3920.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I'm not sure what this building is and I'm to lazy to google it, so instead I'll give you another fun fact. Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar, a Venezuelan who helped liberate Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela and Peru as well. The George Washington of South America to some</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-27427526093728338662010-09-12T20:01:00.005-04:002010-09-14T03:05:38.670-04:00Sucre, Bolivia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I like Sucre a lot. It's a small city (around 220,000 Sucrences) with a very present Spanish colonial style. Colonial Andalusian architecture says wikipedia. Sucre held title as the capital of Bolivia until La Paz took the reins in 1898. The city still serves as the constitutional capital and the Supreme Court is located here.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> The city center is clean, the locals are incredibly friendly and it seems as if there is a bar or church on every street in the town center. Two great options to cater to your mental state. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Sucre is also home to the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Universidad Mayor Real & Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, which</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> is one of the oldest universities in the Americas.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> Luckily </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">our loosely planned itinerary landed us here during the Virgin de Guadalupe festival. The festival consists of endless parades, bands, traditional Bolivian dance/dress and South Side Irish Parade levels of consumption. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jhrpT-mUwo5XtZK2MdCiQk0IgtvyMQeORH1Mp5GE8dEdS0wg74FtKVl__EyjrUc7rkzbl9qukDPKeynRSf5FX2xl53GyedoKDOpdNLZNft4StoWghpM0M56iv5TuQnhB4RU4QDqkKZc/s1600/IMG_3881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jhrpT-mUwo5XtZK2MdCiQk0IgtvyMQeORH1Mp5GE8dEdS0wg74FtKVl__EyjrUc7rkzbl9qukDPKeynRSf5FX2xl53GyedoKDOpdNLZNft4StoWghpM0M56iv5TuQnhB4RU4QDqkKZc/s640/IMG_3881.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">THE CATHEDRAL</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh06BYAmcqWRSyI-4lfUM2BHO6ubleUOGSZ2X9787PMgXE3DxdsZhrqiLKOWrdJIAfIl6AVsoIabWMo-mCKpRU0oAveKUFHkH484EcJVwfVz4jxsIX1rWiOBaGZawBGhVzYrlDlFCsWXQ/s1600/IMG_3875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh06BYAmcqWRSyI-4lfUM2BHO6ubleUOGSZ2X9787PMgXE3DxdsZhrqiLKOWrdJIAfIl6AVsoIabWMo-mCKpRU0oAveKUFHkH484EcJVwfVz4jxsIX1rWiOBaGZawBGhVzYrlDlFCsWXQ/s640/IMG_3875.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">San Francisco Church - One of several churches in Sucre</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MChSZW4cqNDYRi3NNCG6KPzeWHy8Zeg2IZ7OlTdHgIvHP3ZIURNfNR5sn_BdOrS_9gm1brNoxPnG542xF0hNQoEO1yNwY7AS6tocaU2xzgJXAi-4Ptb9JINrGT7_oUumZiT4lV4Vy6g/s1600/IMG_3976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MChSZW4cqNDYRi3NNCG6KPzeWHy8Zeg2IZ7OlTdHgIvHP3ZIURNfNR5sn_BdOrS_9gm1brNoxPnG542xF0hNQoEO1yNwY7AS6tocaU2xzgJXAi-4Ptb9JINrGT7_oUumZiT4lV4Vy6g/s640/IMG_3976.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Virgin of Guadalupe Shrine</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H7D6zII2iRONNhNWm1qJN7T3m1itDeAyQFJgrLgm8QoFnkydjd_w4lyjJFLimRRUNJ6PHKLG0BVzTsA4WLtafYuGjTABFq5WfjuuU419Ooep2IRzYo9rrNp4ZTLzRNhq7tu4pqbH9xA/s1600/IMG_3988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H7D6zII2iRONNhNWm1qJN7T3m1itDeAyQFJgrLgm8QoFnkydjd_w4lyjJFLimRRUNJ6PHKLG0BVzTsA4WLtafYuGjTABFq5WfjuuU419Ooep2IRzYo9rrNp4ZTLzRNhq7tu4pqbH9xA/s640/IMG_3988.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The parade started at around 8am and went well past midnight. It was intense. The traditional dress, marching bands and lively locals were the highlights of the night.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe7ao5lbBCYQAHmcnbEl-xBBsdEqNp7wc_uucfqXci4EeEYfFG2GJH7MLzUgfualrTrBw1p-k1lGQIOn5sJrevOS80raaTWBusK1_wG8jPPEm8ncLRjk3emnRj0Ga2S4zZKzqcjPSHRA/s1600/IMG_4017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSe7ao5lbBCYQAHmcnbEl-xBBsdEqNp7wc_uucfqXci4EeEYfFG2GJH7MLzUgfualrTrBw1p-k1lGQIOn5sJrevOS80raaTWBusK1_wG8jPPEm8ncLRjk3emnRj0Ga2S4zZKzqcjPSHRA/s640/IMG_4017.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">My next Halloween costume</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-72339086567668741532010-09-08T15:35:00.025-04:002010-09-11T19:47:45.547-04:00Puerto Busch to Santa Cruz<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Puerto Busch is a small army outpost on the Rio Paraguay. The port is in the middle of nowhere, several hours from the nearest town. It was the first place in Bolivia we would see.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAJxGh_9JsxQIC3flLKJtLaoiG_0JRyu8uVRuIGLIHEYIaWVk3rRWNOomKHLJE3DvtYhwSc7nkMwk-8kwMmHieVwbMg-W2y4Gh94oRSwGDjQuYWtMyg5fwqYp6EvfLghx5tRiyDuRg48/s1600/IMG_3489.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514635807608942642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3FEWkBPnv5O0_MI3tdTP5tY9qBLYqomTxl-_KWQiKg9s5K4fLZSJ-0hhYcsMfBeWlBHCEwXbLMcRroGfbqup8EmhaycBM3v16AqTfOprg14nI1VIJWUWWLkOnPicCDMg9IlUaaDwCHE/s400/IMG_3352.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We paid a friend of one of the 5 Bolivian soldiers stationed at the port to drive us to Quijarro, where we could buy our Bolivian visas and officially enter the country. On the way we nearly hit several Nandu Guazu or Rhea. Our driver liked to beep at the fleeing, terrified birds. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514635814160729970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQngSlisPTHBwD4_-dx1fqHcQEtQgAkAZ1ZVK3ZIyY5Mh2qFEXh53vj8Y1IiJT3HFchA4E8zh7RQYdgP4g6z6x8ekoGQfwRDnOvekqH0-KLb0FB1BTmTF8ju3A9_WfMJwVyiTjKktrm-Y/s400/IMG_3377.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below: Welcome to Bolivia - the sign you would see entering from Brazil.</span></span></div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514631384937706034" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoBt5usjI/AAAAAAAAC6I/qhi9p_QdbbQ/s400/IMG_3399.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 180px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our first go at Bolivian street food in Quijarro. After two years of Paraguayan food it was a nice change of pace. Below is a typical Bolivian dish of boiled corn, potatoes, and chicken covered in a hot salsa. Coming from a country were hot food is basically non-existent it was nice to eat something that burned the crap out of your mouth. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514631392265798530" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoCJM4g4I/AAAAAAAAC6Q/SZ8ge9kPK9c/s400/IMG_3390.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 293px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below: Llajua</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> or </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">llajwa</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> pronounced (ya-hua). The sauce has a slight resemblance to a mexican style salsa but less flavorful. It is made </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">from hot chili peppers, tomato</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">onion and a Bolivian herb called kikina. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've been slathering it all over fried chicken (which is very big here) and french fries. Yeah, real healthy. </span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoC7KZMpI/AAAAAAAAC6g/sC2mbg7ZMKg/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514631405677130386" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoC7KZMpI/AAAAAAAAC6g/sC2mbg7ZMKg/s400/IMG_3403.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below: Milanesa (Bread Fried Steak) Bolivian Style - soon to be slathered in in llawja.</span></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoCum4MgI/AAAAAAAAC6Y/ZLJFARUEVUk/s1600/IMG_3404.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514631402306941442" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoCum4MgI/AAAAAAAAC6Y/ZLJFARUEVUk/s400/IMG_3404.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quijarro is a border town that doesn't offer much for gringos looking to see things. After eating a few unhealthy but delicious street meals we spent the night in a classy hole in the wall (for about 4 dollars) and </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">jumped on the Death Train to Santa Cruz.</span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgiLQsP31QfJm3N3pmjGx7HiwOiQXTuAZ6tJ4RSkqtlU3i_df2Sr6iTOTBKVaFUgqBaucMaJQTByZqradEt1LahBe3qMi_VR-HVFeXB6JSliTT0pJH3bvn_iuBoVz-Vh0-5RoVg38Cy4/s1600/IMG_3417.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514635828578918034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgiLQsP31QfJm3N3pmjGx7HiwOiQXTuAZ6tJ4RSkqtlU3i_df2Sr6iTOTBKVaFUgqBaucMaJQTByZqradEt1LahBe3qMi_VR-HVFeXB6JSliTT0pJH3bvn_iuBoVz-Vh0-5RoVg38Cy4/s400/IMG_3417.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Above: Tim and I people watching during one of several train stops.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The “Death Train” travels between the border town of Quijarro and Bolivia's biggest city Santa Cruz. There are three possible reasons as to why it has its current title. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. The train ride is so long and bumpy that you will want to kill yourself before the trip is over. 2. The train has a history of derailing and killing its passengers.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. The train once transported the bodies of Yellow Fever victims. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have no sources for any of these explanations.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The trip took 18 hours and no suicidal thoughts were had during the ride. It was a bit shaky but I feared more for my stomach than anything else after slamming so much fried chicken in Quijarro. I arrived to Santa Cruz mildly rested and thankful I didn't have to test the Death Train's bathroom situation. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0Z4UWMGkCrvZGhD78WKoZyvYplZD5efYbtYlSe_wOx15wZdmK_TEuIZNzqbKIS6hGc60WwxLBZJNs4KI6WGFALIT8MDPZwrcc0X3qAwAlJ_DVqFGHZuBBHLs5aKQMbea5C6H0dmTy0o/s1600/IMG_3412.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514635818162726482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0Z4UWMGkCrvZGhD78WKoZyvYplZD5efYbtYlSe_wOx15wZdmK_TEuIZNzqbKIS6hGc60WwxLBZJNs4KI6WGFALIT8MDPZwrcc0X3qAwAlJ_DVqFGHZuBBHLs5aKQMbea5C6H0dmTy0o/s400/IMG_3412.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Santa Cruz</span></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From Wikipedia: Santa Cruz de la Sierra was founded on February 26, 1561 by Nuflo de Chavez</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> who gave the new settlement its name, which means "Holy Cross of the Hills," in honor of his beloved native city in Extremadura, Spain</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. It has a </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">urban population is 1,545,161 (2008 official estimate) which makes it the largest city in Bolivia</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></span></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514635834717744706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHXehH8SwCQTPz1fDg2xwkseULkkiqk8df2v48XMKL6rFm64G9DOeOpMXhXvhx2M-OY4tGeE6E7ExPNmoMx9qC9ONhcV1UavjNlFHgzPy2ArzJ0wQ9W8uG5qVmqZJMnOMdmYM_Gw2byQ/s400/IMG_3421.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Above: street view from our hostel.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAJxGh_9JsxQIC3flLKJtLaoiG_0JRyu8uVRuIGLIHEYIaWVk3rRWNOomKHLJE3DvtYhwSc7nkMwk-8kwMmHieVwbMg-W2y4Gh94oRSwGDjQuYWtMyg5fwqYp6EvfLghx5tRiyDuRg48/s1600/IMG_3489.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514637808903425458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAJxGh_9JsxQIC3flLKJtLaoiG_0JRyu8uVRuIGLIHEYIaWVk3rRWNOomKHLJE3DvtYhwSc7nkMwk-8kwMmHieVwbMg-W2y4Gh94oRSwGDjQuYWtMyg5fwqYp6EvfLghx5tRiyDuRg48/s400/IMG_3489.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The central plaza in Santa Cruz - 24 de Septiembre</span></span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQEzcSBSnCjyTJDuddN9ijQp9ZR3GvOl5kTm9Mr2aBHXw7AW0Oo1ODCrzjkVmqMpwEsTfok30_49cfPE4eYkSQl8RB1nxK3u9Ac3IyK9BvWaP5fv3l55MkBpu6W-tSBfl6hozIMUGpRg/s1600/IMG_3458.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514637800033943650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQEzcSBSnCjyTJDuddN9ijQp9ZR3GvOl5kTm9Mr2aBHXw7AW0Oo1ODCrzjkVmqMpwEsTfok30_49cfPE4eYkSQl8RB1nxK3u9Ac3IyK9BvWaP5fv3l55MkBpu6W-tSBfl6hozIMUGpRg/s400/IMG_3458.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7wt9pzXGBrk/TIfoC7KZMpI/AAAAAAAAC6g/sC2mbg7ZMKg/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></a></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-86507826667968970182010-08-21T00:20:00.012-04:002010-08-25T19:22:23.900-04:00RIO PARAGUAY & THE PANTANAL<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">On Monday the 9</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> of August, Tim, Shola and I took a night bus from Asuncion to Concepcion to take a boat heading to Bahia Negra, the Northern tip of Paraguay. The previous Friday we swore out as Peace Corps Volunteers and became unemployed. That weekend goodbyes were said, hammocks were sent home and heavy drinking was had. Sunday gave us time to continue the bag purging process, eat our last empanadas and have a last look at Asuncion.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN7G_GyFZ2QbpcTIsliNAxkzfwvhlbRjugbvf1-S4nlj4XHw_7rFEDDLzZbJNMIsl-muCrHABOmICEWEUPZNuHgTDJpL0eSp5il0wWOFWkC9aadtDKh2vFdLcs_wVCc0V_zy0lAMEDDo/s1600/IMG_2930.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN7G_GyFZ2QbpcTIsliNAxkzfwvhlbRjugbvf1-S4nlj4XHw_7rFEDDLzZbJNMIsl-muCrHABOmICEWEUPZNuHgTDJpL0eSp5il0wWOFWkC9aadtDKh2vFdLcs_wVCc0V_zy0lAMEDDo/s400/IMG_2930.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509474497344540690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Matias and I watching Dora the Explorer during my last visit to Tacuati.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></span></span></p><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">The Aquidaban</span></b></span></span></p></span></span><p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhICKKFCgO7Y3wuxlDCeXLJM3Z-_TjoHdnCFZaJvrhpC9iB-HttyLgFYhe_aLCZUiLhPAgrXtY7FjBnW3BOGydny32M2S2yadf48AaOyMPbnMkHFeR_7-GJet_RxjhQumGHirofHPxl7s/s1600/IMG_2986.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhICKKFCgO7Y3wuxlDCeXLJM3Z-_TjoHdnCFZaJvrhpC9iB-HttyLgFYhe_aLCZUiLhPAgrXtY7FjBnW3BOGydny32M2S2yadf48AaOyMPbnMkHFeR_7-GJet_RxjhQumGHirofHPxl7s/s400/IMG_2986.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507874833699346882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">For 80 bucks we rented a small cabin for the three nights it would take to reach Bahia Negra. The boat was cosy and gave us just enough room to jam all our huge bags inside. We got lucky and took the cabin of a family that never showed up. If that family had shown up we would have camped out in the hallways, aggressively trying to claim floor and/or hammock space. My body alone requires the space sufficient for a small Paraguayan family.</span></p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4ow5IZp4xUBu4iWjcimy82ZXqiqUCdq_E_3kHVFpRx3UrGh-z9pyCmfblafuUF5JHfebTxLTPp6unj3xecOWf7k7qqV8DxVFWbjn43vK4_IunHRwPXAT9pwzk1_e5tSX10QoRBtBLv8/s1600/IMG_3324.JPG"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv2twPc9yue_T5k8reoRGA1KNLvelZnZtATnJ2zVM0GgiKWGzz-BAwnwTK48fka05M877FwPDjtMPndSEl63PH65JuQNb2n6_08gRNPDGqssMOc-pwktF_j1CghKkn9-7GnqerO2FnKU/s400/IMG_3041.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507716179089327810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">This thing was packed with cargo.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNWfRZA-A-uSkTSVvWVRN6q4xQA8_oZ00B-ErssSx9Xal5DC9E0fuOBc4F_g14BkkcmDpKEfhPF1CD96tYsoxvjlcR8wp5hWmMT4iFZ5iquNbeerKBHmdOkgRhIxdc9fbbAMz8bkmRHk/s400/IMG_3191.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507716204325019426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVU3TAYb14uwqzatuzzrNmWCCgVMFCkRmQqc63c9TZcxa39pIowtTrn20kTjv082St0Fze0Cnf_OhR0Bm9AuZ6eTaaKmXTzoHWYmyj3RcwZUuyOOINctk488X-t5itbYJ81qYEslXRBCg/s400/IMG_3185.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507874844235365682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Paraguayan concrete! </span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNWfRZA-A-uSkTSVvWVRN6q4xQA8_oZ00B-ErssSx9Xal5DC9E0fuOBc4F_g14BkkcmDpKEfhPF1CD96tYsoxvjlcR8wp5hWmMT4iFZ5iquNbeerKBHmdOkgRhIxdc9fbbAMz8bkmRHk/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJafCaUQ1d52cGvIApiqQZOyOzhK-DonGJDCtI086vXY79T7ZU_0OZ04u3ucV6JLtxFWQR8o9LZA7oSV7BAybMVXewIYyk8RJ-sxIVhNKSlkzIyWXwbkSr3S11UeMhCwVMssLNxKlkBNE/s1600/IMG_3239.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJafCaUQ1d52cGvIApiqQZOyOzhK-DonGJDCtI086vXY79T7ZU_0OZ04u3ucV6JLtxFWQR8o9LZA7oSV7BAybMVXewIYyk8RJ-sxIVhNKSlkzIyWXwbkSr3S11UeMhCwVMssLNxKlkBNE/s400/IMG_3239.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507716194252216578" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The Aquidaban supplies Alto Paraguay with a large quantity of its produce and supplies. The boat is lively and constantly moving with people who are coming and going, loading and unloading crates of fruit, vegetables, flour, rice, milk, eggs, yogurt, bread, beer, coke, concrete, motorcycles, gasoline, baskets, cooking oil, furniture and animals. Most of the Paraguayans wanted to know what the hell we were doing and where we were heading off to work.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We shared terere and talked about our time as volunteers. When I wasn't feeling lazy I helped unload heavy objects. It was my last chance to use the 13 words of Guarani I picked up during the last two years.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It was a nice, slow departure from Paraguay. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy_fgtVUCVrX0D0ZIGiLmidIM6Oe61Ln3UmZt89NvsiJfpFkVPKQVNp30GqMrVIzw08BSf3bVn0aJgBwV7SqwQvpGM-XA20KxbFnyWKO8JrlHJCz_NBSnhEryOsyPV4-4wBZM32aKZnw/s400/IMG_3227.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507874841280981426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Tim trying to get organized in our room.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> </span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_Rvkxa3-1AEiFXx2KqMtHiprgGoVMe34tcEGmUkN_G_wAB9YAYeL2I8cNYdD1i4cQlqILwDaAWyuYUTj3BG5aMb4ice-DD9iFMTa9Xav92QFWL7B9fHYCpmfoYr8xPD-CxBECv8hKDs/s400/IMG_3215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507716211765453362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">One of the several ports we stopped at to load and unload cargo. In this particular town the people are Chamacoco or Ishiro, not Guarani. The Chamacocos we talked to spoke Chamacoco, Guarani, Spanish and Portuguese. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnO1-0WYSGCNaVbA2gngNHJVrMN5knZ6HDcXweA1VgR0yV5q4GQ-gwvP_Led428YIMSfLHclG7EJW6WOw2rWfgh6lC8pdAPs6XVABVxrec_eafwSR2DpnpEj9RaYsMy5899-OMaojRKIo/s1600/IMG_3205.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnO1-0WYSGCNaVbA2gngNHJVrMN5knZ6HDcXweA1VgR0yV5q4GQ-gwvP_Led428YIMSfLHclG7EJW6WOw2rWfgh6lC8pdAPs6XVABVxrec_eafwSR2DpnpEj9RaYsMy5899-OMaojRKIo/s400/IMG_3205.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507716187545859522" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">.<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4rVwgHpHe1QYY3y7eM2EPsmvffNxhhsZQKLU0bzNMA53ZEpNq7M96qz18Iw_MWi0YtwSmcWTYqCdjX5QsO1V6c9FyNLggS-DaBCsz2E_75htMnYb0Ol_M4GlsKcInz1zWPqzcawrkt8/s400/IMG_3238.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507722237954346962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I watched an 80 year old women carry sacks of iron rock up and down these planks.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp0FOxxERNfcZHgpCHTF8H9d7NZp8wwRu1l-TJbHvQSZ7NgzZctqtTvzLCHcsxvGigqv9NbGy2kCofukHiaso5ju642x-9i2q0xdQdi95YhgB5vF0Kma4FYH8MpbWaX8iYox2dE0sTio/s400/IMG_3260.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507722246593238274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The first or last town along the Rio Paraguay in Paraguay, depending on where you are coming from. Gotta jump to that.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBF2D5anVepoOlGarfo8LrzHXnXz-P7Ps70miXUlc7ny_ZfHDdl1lTZDQrUrDjMLgK3ZODiF0YDJ0R0oxoRPoS4qHvo4qd5dJbutonaxnh9EoMxw-LWIRPXha8_cBPau1jZqxaZvwHLxM/s400/IMG_3275.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507722255124526786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Me, Bob (PCV), Rob, Michelle (PCV), Aurelio, Andreas, Tim</span><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGW6gMbLx4lqUMlG6S_JNv2tji2x5I5eMqgAPMcH16LdvBlNIPqAZ8O4TZrJma8QITDCaHqB8-Y260zFZHMsR7E-W1__7GBa3n7XaCCxPpZ_RCu4bmD282iKrnt_lQqOSqgkUsUvWjEU/s400/IMG_3304.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507722260415614130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Bird watching at the Biological Station Los Tres Gigantes. I'd say I saw about 50 toucans.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4ow5IZp4xUBu4iWjcimy82ZXqiqUCdq_E_3kHVFpRx3UrGh-z9pyCmfblafuUF5JHfebTxLTPp6unj3xecOWf7k7qqV8DxVFWbjn43vK4_IunHRwPXAT9pwzk1_e5tSX10QoRBtBLv8/s400/IMG_3324.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507722267090990914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Stuck in weeds in the Pantanal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T7rafuMt161h_PxVa0BAaYNvYh9ZSXYMtf-jOvul7mN9fDLdCY-VrTaDsTw9lukbbx-Rdz-Q7spDyyyrT0zUmESBCUhKsh435Mh4mAsv9UVNR8RBvKAYoMjy3swSlKmS6mOv8u24utU/s400/IMG_3287.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507727241437786226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Our guide Don Aliche and Shola. We took this boat from Bahia Negra to Puerto Bosch, Bolivia. During the three hour boat ride we saw birds, carpinchos, caimans, storks, toucans and a even a few monkeys.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAYgeglMwAfbaqia3vYPDnjgMXzsPhb-70MWYNUb9wj0cE5sXLpZurvPQHhdoXdo7Bb5PpchSHYKldTWSMDoZnQ1uY47SZtGpCnNPEQPS3hle2Bx8m5kuJEzzLOWwlYg9vh09j4a3zDc/s400/IMG_3380.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507727237325190530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Giant Anteater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtJQr4NIxxtlW0zoeIs0yuxt9lTeSc34-DQ4a-RDGddqJ1p41MHnhKkwq-lWMR6HXHuiVP2jHnXh7GqPu7d7lJuiourmOy8UGJCfmbGmOiaDwIGSabGbpJO2wmq9oC1i1D2nofgyMPaU/s400/IMG_3361.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507727228522740850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Somewhere in there are a @!#@ ton of Caiman, mouths open, basking in the sun.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv2twPc9yue_T5k8reoRGA1KNLvelZnZtATnJ2zVM0GgiKWGzz-BAwnwTK48fka05M877FwPDjtMPndSEl63PH65JuQNb2n6_08gRNPDGqssMOc-pwktF_j1CghKkn9-7GnqerO2FnKU/s1600/IMG_3041.JPG"></a></div></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-77034854603150158882010-08-20T20:52:00.007-04:002010-08-25T17:56:30.324-04:00Unemployed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZogTtqVyxSyYqxZnUWDSLRMXRsA-KIhdQTakt7EcLh0RiWolMWZIewfJG87g7TtxTOU0BkotsC9hSeviI47vEEfCsFh6ROXl0yOw5QCZK_W8etcPm1Tmv_eViuewG1dvNVX3HsLT34-8/s1600/PeaceCorps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZogTtqVyxSyYqxZnUWDSLRMXRsA-KIhdQTakt7EcLh0RiWolMWZIewfJG87g7TtxTOU0BkotsC9hSeviI47vEEfCsFh6ROXl0yOw5QCZK_W8etcPm1Tmv_eViuewG1dvNVX3HsLT34-8/s400/PeaceCorps.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507696362513508306" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US">I swore out as a Peace Corps Volunteer on August 6<sup><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></sup>, 2010. Time flies. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ovevete</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">el</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tiempo</span>. Joining the Peace Corps was an easy decision. The idea of helping people, traveling and picking up a second language sounded like the logical next step after college.. I was also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">naïve</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">didn</span>’t understand what I was getting myself into. At times I really disliked living away from home. The other 95% of the time I loved it. Every time I swore off that nine hour hell ride from Asuncion to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tacuati</span> I’d be leveled by fact that my Paraguayan friends had done and would be doing this for the rest of their lives. I was an extended tourist. I worked with and grew close to many Paraguayans. I feel very positive about some of the work I did. I will stay in contact with my Paraguayan friends. It was a great experience. Paraguay is a great country and it will be missed. I shall return one day. </span></p> <!--EndFragment--> I am no longer a Peace Corps Volunteer.orps Volunteer.</span>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-40477817597570132772009-10-10T03:24:00.007-04:002010-08-20T23:36:34.474-04:00Cause they taste good<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppm46FpKxM4zknnxuozLAqiTDPyRDUMkgt2IBUKe3QVaz-3tw2RS3uDcuFcfYH_b2GL8D3v7kLKamcN844u-tSnj2e-uirrCuQu7vTo_2FsSI0hdME8G7jBwlqaxPvGwoaVPlzfKLwzY/s1600-h/Foto+62.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppm46FpKxM4zknnxuozLAqiTDPyRDUMkgt2IBUKe3QVaz-3tw2RS3uDcuFcfYH_b2GL8D3v7kLKamcN844u-tSnj2e-uirrCuQu7vTo_2FsSI0hdME8G7jBwlqaxPvGwoaVPlzfKLwzY/s400/Foto+62.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390871017816016466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHmxqPmvoiaa_AJo-d3lXjHFEo7WiZ3pNUDwCP0XXtFERz2a44WvGmxsrjQyOD7GC9FRf-1MHyRn7IjfGwkUW1oBV6io6gMQLGeiQg7McKn6rZJmHc9xmj77sfp7SuONGFhDjbluA65E/s1600-h/Foto+61.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHmxqPmvoiaa_AJo-d3lXjHFEo7WiZ3pNUDwCP0XXtFERz2a44WvGmxsrjQyOD7GC9FRf-1MHyRn7IjfGwkUW1oBV6io6gMQLGeiQg7McKn6rZJmHc9xmj77sfp7SuONGFhDjbluA65E/s400/Foto+61.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390871008902778178" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">When Darlis and Matias aren´t rifling through my things or begging to play Uno they can usually be found hunting birds behind my house. The absence of neighbors directly to the right and left of me has allowed for a small bird sanctuary or, as Darlis and Matias see it, the perfect spot to hunt. A little patience, a sling shot and a few small pebbles are all one needs for a light afternoon snack.<br /><br />Paraguay has an incredibly diverse bird population. I know nothing about birds but it is always interesting to observe the different types zipping around Tacuati. About 6 months ago I was privileged to witness a passing flock of toucans. Darlis and Matias say the more colorful birds taste better. Luckily they were not around for the toucans.</span>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-55407733638344724112009-10-01T22:59:00.015-04:002009-10-08T02:06:42.645-04:00Fiest Patronal<meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/liamwinters/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>541</o:Words> <o:characters>3084</o:Characters> <o:lines>25</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3787</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.518</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> <div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Wikipedia says:<o:p></o:p>
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">The <b style="font-style: italic;">Fiestas patronales</b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"> ("patronage festivals" in English) are yearly celebrations held in countries influenced by Spanish culture.<o:p></o:p> A <span style="font-style: italic;">fiesta patronal</span> is usually dedicated to a saint or virgin, who is the patron of whichever city holds the fiesta. Usually town members adorn the town streets with advertisements, colorful decorations and other things. In big cities there are particular fiestas for each neighborhood, usually about the patron saint for the local parish.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Wikipedia is pretty weak sometimes. I'll post something that better explains the origin of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fiesta Patronal</span>. Actually, just google it. That would save me some time. You spend half your work day on Facebook or blogs of this caliber anyway. Thanks.
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> This past week was our <span style="font-style: italic;">fiesta patronal</span>. The patron of Tacuati is the <span style="font-style: italic;">Virgen de las Mercedes.</span> Her feast day is Sept. 24th, so on that day the town decorates the streets with colorful streamers, flags and paper flowers. The entire community, even those that are not Catholic (omg!), come out for the 9am mass and post mass procession. The procession moves through most of central Tacuati and stops in each <span style="font-style: italic;">barrio</span> to make a <span style="font-style: italic;">blessing</span>. The procession ends in about an hour and is followed by an afternoon of family parties and cheap fireworks.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">I enjoy the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fiesta Patronal</span> in Tacuati. Tacuatanos from all over Paraguay return for the week. My host mom’s sister made the visit all the way from Cordoba, Argentina.<span style=""> </span>The reuniting of families means lots of music, drinks and <span style="font-style: italic;">asado</span>. If you scroll down on this very page you can see photos from various <span style="font-style: italic;">asados</span> I’ve forced my way into.<span style=""> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">El Asado</span> (or The BBQ) sits deep in the heart of Paraguayan culture. Tacuati lies the middle of cattle country, which makes Tacuati <span style="font-style: italic;">asados</span> that much more meatier.
<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">The <span style="font-style: italic;">asado</span> is almost always beef (although it is not uncommon to BBQ sheep, pig or chicken) . The meat is either cooked on a grill over charcoal or on long wooden sticks that lean over large trenches full of wood. The average Tacuatano likes their meat well done, drenched in salt and lime. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">The lime and salt bath makes your tongue feel real good.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"> Unlike our neighbors to the South, Paraguayans do not use a chimichurri sauce. Usually the enormous proportions of cow are accompanied by a mayonnaise salad reminiscent of cole slaw or a mayonnaise mixture of rice and vegetables, recipe follows: One bell pepper/One Tomato/Mucho Mayo/1lb of rice.
<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">
<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Liam’s heart: Really dude? More meat? Huh? Gonna wash that down with some mayonnaise salad?<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Liam: Calm down, it is part of the cultural integration. It is just this week.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Liam’s Brain: Liar<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Liam’s heart: Nice try, fatty.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Coming back from the States directly into the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fiesta Patronal</span> week allowed my gluttonous streak of heavy food binging a slow, gentle death. Only last night did the reoccurring nightmare of that Deep Dish Pizza taunting my limbless body return to haunt me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">Back to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fiesta </span>Patronal:
<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">For the nine days before the 24th, the rosary is recited and a mass is had each night. Following each mass a variety of events take place, from indoor soccer tournaments to bingo. The highlights are the concursos civico and artistica. On the night of the concurso civco a majority of the community gathers to watch students performs skits that address community specific issues. This years skits touched on domestic violence, the mayors secret smoking habit and the lack of medical equipment in the Health Center. The concurso artistica is the town talent show, where anyone that can play an instrument, sing or dance has 5 minutes of stage time. There are even prizes and judges. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;">The majority of the participants perform traditional Paraguayan dance in traditional Paraguayan attire. See photo. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"> </div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Procession through Tacuati
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MYpVMpOlYatychYOAP4V7MM6ptfohfjao0Nr8ltsY1qz7Q4whwTRAN9mDIgwPxNnQB0_NEd-GmjljT7PELDAeUiYrSbJAt75ax0EVwJvjLGpXH8ItyRJTmLKt_aMK2mzGkQHHZfdozc/s1600-h/IMG_1691.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MYpVMpOlYatychYOAP4V7MM6ptfohfjao0Nr8ltsY1qz7Q4whwTRAN9mDIgwPxNnQB0_NEd-GmjljT7PELDAeUiYrSbJAt75ax0EVwJvjLGpXH8ItyRJTmLKt_aMK2mzGkQHHZfdozc/s400/IMG_1691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388422391274036578" border="0" /></a>The Youth Symphony of Horqueta/Tacuati
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzskhlwI4m-D980jeWHf1coOAx2D1w-vxl2OA0pv3dPPbTLW4NZRzkJQj4xi40AWYOMPwKeFpfsI1WD5BdHgIufKSr4M_PRlTXuTjFfm4SQA9xnjc80z8xESJ3h1qslF4uSjG5GDXZc8/s1600-h/VARIE.CONCIERTO.09+081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzskhlwI4m-D980jeWHf1coOAx2D1w-vxl2OA0pv3dPPbTLW4NZRzkJQj4xi40AWYOMPwKeFpfsI1WD5BdHgIufKSr4M_PRlTXuTjFfm4SQA9xnjc80z8xESJ3h1qslF4uSjG5GDXZc8/s400/VARIE.CONCIERTO.09+081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388418906976542386" border="0" /></a>Traditional Paraguayan Dance
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYDh6Ho5jDsIXciXUdbjLUcGG1oY-Sgvv6hzASIXgXQ9MjIeV7CY9Xc8hAwMYwdS3lWsOP-tTNdwI1aAerIfzZ4yISqQb0Wg7Q8rswvnaKKfSppuxiC5r2bVZLtKbDcwjC7E4LVyTh_c/s1600-h/VARIE.CONCURSOARTISTICO.09+024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYDh6Ho5jDsIXciXUdbjLUcGG1oY-Sgvv6hzASIXgXQ9MjIeV7CY9Xc8hAwMYwdS3lWsOP-tTNdwI1aAerIfzZ4yISqQb0Wg7Q8rswvnaKKfSppuxiC5r2bVZLtKbDcwjC7E4LVyTh_c/s400/VARIE.CONCURSOARTISTICO.09+024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388418406483778482" border="0" /></a>The Virgen de las Mercedes
<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnImeGug9Ijy_zKCLp4agbJ-sUKa2jdlb5y1UdnAecupmOcAgEs7h1ILiiQdjZ56iBskWyUfFMOzeeiWy7OEmPELfBvTgfN_51cMmc7lTGwSHo-P5PMOO1Sj_FmrN7NGIydM3be4RvzuY/s1600-h/VARIE.Procesion.09+269.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnImeGug9Ijy_zKCLp4agbJ-sUKa2jdlb5y1UdnAecupmOcAgEs7h1ILiiQdjZ56iBskWyUfFMOzeeiWy7OEmPELfBvTgfN_51cMmc7lTGwSHo-P5PMOO1Sj_FmrN7NGIydM3be4RvzuY/s400/VARIE.Procesion.09+269.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387843612854728354" border="0" /></a>
<br />Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-44670751189729697342009-08-26T20:03:00.009-04:002009-08-26T21:46:33.061-04:00I Got Me A Huerta<div style="text-align: center;"> Spinach, Lettuce, Cilantro, Dill, Basil, Chamomile, Tomato, Parsley and maybe Broccoli.<em></em><br /><br /><em></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWc1gYMMkZseYwFYzfwxvF4YJ06C6pUHPvJ_RRkXAjk42Ro4cb3N_Pv6qRUhpTDRhGpv-xOzyXuyyCvGsTbGpgQ08LcZ7iLC2_gErxRaAYYK-5fZIS0OxnTrWCWJPO6MnpW2pyG0nxlo/s1600-h/IMG_4656.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWc1gYMMkZseYwFYzfwxvF4YJ06C6pUHPvJ_RRkXAjk42Ro4cb3N_Pv6qRUhpTDRhGpv-xOzyXuyyCvGsTbGpgQ08LcZ7iLC2_gErxRaAYYK-5fZIS0OxnTrWCWJPO6MnpW2pyG0nxlo/s400/IMG_4656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374440598768086050" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1dB_EwXvbJwDkFJCcbNRcE1hLh34JoGRF9fh6hoKJBBg9LoLh6PnIQD5dpowAGx-PqZj0uni1BmdQiVWA8jGJWJCc-lC_dAV8QL_WnXjJyXxRxYb1ibxu0q2-AQvZd0qX0rk9SFh-1g/s1600-h/IMG_4612.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1dB_EwXvbJwDkFJCcbNRcE1hLh34JoGRF9fh6hoKJBBg9LoLh6PnIQD5dpowAGx-PqZj0uni1BmdQiVWA8jGJWJCc-lC_dAV8QL_WnXjJyXxRxYb1ibxu0q2-AQvZd0qX0rk9SFh-1g/s400/IMG_4612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374439208568109410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lq4HVmQFP9xOkEvXy-jxcweKuUIapIkblw47IWproqrIwZXW59srxahZTgbn_Vz5qfh7NvFXXK47KkhUzd2vPgIKN1TAOV9a6nSwfljzenU8Pv0gURMFaxnAUvRPIvo3_BvAb0AZKCs/s1600-h/IMG_3718.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lq4HVmQFP9xOkEvXy-jxcweKuUIapIkblw47IWproqrIwZXW59srxahZTgbn_Vz5qfh7NvFXXK47KkhUzd2vPgIKN1TAOV9a6nSwfljzenU8Pv0gURMFaxnAUvRPIvo3_BvAb0AZKCs/s400/IMG_3718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374438335959274354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0cUrsPOvWtifai-5dnUthBSYcd_9EqoVf0_9VfLC8lp7nM7J2QuaCkpciSG4_Qe48d526HMv_vR6lIXYEK_dkjT58r4Lp4MEAopuEQcrLDjhF0qB7sV3NMnuqRXDGNYRkaBR621jz5g/s1600-h/IMG_3338.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0cUrsPOvWtifai-5dnUthBSYcd_9EqoVf0_9VfLC8lp7nM7J2QuaCkpciSG4_Qe48d526HMv_vR6lIXYEK_dkjT58r4Lp4MEAopuEQcrLDjhF0qB7sV3NMnuqRXDGNYRkaBR621jz5g/s400/IMG_3338.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374437183737187874" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjSTIYppFSy-l-zvjlEJmXYFbj6Wx1H4T_o62a69L8yLq1SYd8pjX4B4s_JPU9d-pC-u51SVUM6PHrKRPUemimBIIi5f4-_JBTiAyg531kbcxlK8cQX9aICDqKrHB8hqIVqc7WBEa4q0/s1600-h/IMG_2734.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjSTIYppFSy-l-zvjlEJmXYFbj6Wx1H4T_o62a69L8yLq1SYd8pjX4B4s_JPU9d-pC-u51SVUM6PHrKRPUemimBIIi5f4-_JBTiAyg531kbcxlK8cQX9aICDqKrHB8hqIVqc7WBEa4q0/s400/IMG_2734.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374431132954354322" border="0" /></a>Protection is key for a successful garden. Pigs, Chickens and Cows will attack your vegetables if they are not well guarded. These animals run loose and have no respect for property boundaries. Roosters are vicious and will you stare you down if you get too close.<br />I use a combination of fencing and well paid neighborhood kids armed with sling shots to protect my garden. I'm putting Spinach salads on the map in Tacuati. Slowly. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-27705461846111155022009-08-19T11:44:00.010-04:002009-08-22T18:21:50.501-04:00So long, farewell. Auf Weidersehen, adios.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerOS4__BJgvpCW4bWGAfU2hY-9VmqO1QMwM4h2r0XLrsQJMd-5_jQRefoQbAY7qDs3daAnLgMcty9ppb4c2U6FCun2mMput-hreenXb2GKjmR__iPNlOUfMO3h6PQ33XYSOGqvYTNy60/s1600-h/101_1133.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerOS4__BJgvpCW4bWGAfU2hY-9VmqO1QMwM4h2r0XLrsQJMd-5_jQRefoQbAY7qDs3daAnLgMcty9ppb4c2U6FCun2mMput-hreenXb2GKjmR__iPNlOUfMO3h6PQ33XYSOGqvYTNy60/s400/101_1133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371747426513038482" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">Mary Kennon Walker was my site mate for the last year. She held my hand when I could not see. She clothed me. She fed me oranges to fight off scurvy and fed me bacon to fight off homesickness.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">After two years of working with the community owned and operated savings and loan cooperative, Mary has returned to Knoxville, Tennessee where she will pursue her dream as an underwriter for a well-known insurance company. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">Mary and I collaborated on a few projects in site including a photography class, a recycling workshop and a three-day workshop on domestic violence and women's rights.</p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Or</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Mary let me stand in the room while she taught a photography class, led a recycling workshop and coordinated a three day workshop on domestic violence and women's rights.</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Mary is actually a lawyer and has plans to practice law in Georgia, where coonskin hats are not required in court attire.</span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">I wish her the best of luck. She will be missed.</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-3553843945567810602009-08-06T23:28:00.001-04:002009-08-07T07:49:53.528-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNC2s4pz_E1Fs1_ZVkoQr2NDEvHlANXqz8sbrTkvMLHjw0Hje_d08RcDYHGHakBewhOL2LrpMieaFxhMbvOzHMZLp0ZoUcH-uUbCgKU7VN9L3T7-01UR_zUOuoiAZkl95eCcidmCgQTg/s1600-h/IMG_3820.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNC2s4pz_E1Fs1_ZVkoQr2NDEvHlANXqz8sbrTkvMLHjw0Hje_d08RcDYHGHakBewhOL2LrpMieaFxhMbvOzHMZLp0ZoUcH-uUbCgKU7VN9L3T7-01UR_zUOuoiAZkl95eCcidmCgQTg/s400/IMG_3820.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367072615209727266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXesVhLwnBiEgyBlskkJJm-t29328EkPfxpyqF2UAGsvwuv9B0WJ9OBqhhPjez3z7dc0To4VYzbw8IKgP8HsD0NjtWfEFuWjCAQ-iJ4G8MLc2ZFVYLYk7npijU0kOmFdSS18yF5tsjoo/s1600-h/IMG_3855.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXesVhLwnBiEgyBlskkJJm-t29328EkPfxpyqF2UAGsvwuv9B0WJ9OBqhhPjez3z7dc0To4VYzbw8IKgP8HsD0NjtWfEFuWjCAQ-iJ4G8MLc2ZFVYLYk7npijU0kOmFdSS18yF5tsjoo/s400/IMG_3855.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367072619570656354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WBQ4L63PrkcRibsveRtv89FzmYsKyq-xy6SJqoe3z7fTF2oNAN91k9E0Vr8lF9Muxpm9GUXQYsqeGSO3u-sP-nzWeKhS5EDXqWSlAGsIjnFfSJI6uU2Bc-5NmMqeN_sOqa0uwKlMLHk/s1600-h/IMG_3809.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WBQ4L63PrkcRibsveRtv89FzmYsKyq-xy6SJqoe3z7fTF2oNAN91k9E0Vr8lF9Muxpm9GUXQYsqeGSO3u-sP-nzWeKhS5EDXqWSlAGsIjnFfSJI6uU2Bc-5NmMqeN_sOqa0uwKlMLHk/s400/IMG_3809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367072609420832114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHcli24rZs3x4NfjAA752mZxTF-JcoLQHygqKEMwFeGCQx0h5wLvAymgYPtuBddKSWow2AKE4GIc0xsXTv-o27CZcgnqdMiywAR83M3LLQ-W98lJXgEDm5weerwDIyXamKUEcdLrAfV0/s1600-h/IMG_3984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHcli24rZs3x4NfjAA752mZxTF-JcoLQHygqKEMwFeGCQx0h5wLvAymgYPtuBddKSWow2AKE4GIc0xsXTv-o27CZcgnqdMiywAR83M3LLQ-W98lJXgEDm5weerwDIyXamKUEcdLrAfV0/s400/IMG_3984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367072602583875762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXesVhLwnBiEgyBlskkJJm-t29328EkPfxpyqF2UAGsvwuv9B0WJ9OBqhhPjez3z7dc0To4VYzbw8IKgP8HsD0NjtWfEFuWjCAQ-iJ4G8MLc2ZFVYLYk7npijU0kOmFdSS18yF5tsjoo/s1600-h/IMG_3855.JPG"><span><span></span></span></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXesVhLwnBiEgyBlskkJJm-t29328EkPfxpyqF2UAGsvwuv9B0WJ9OBqhhPjez3z7dc0To4VYzbw8IKgP8HsD0NjtWfEFuWjCAQ-iJ4G8MLc2ZFVYLYk7npijU0kOmFdSS18yF5tsjoo/s1600-h/IMG_3855.JPG"><span><span></span></span></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-175142461373065362009-07-14T22:32:00.002-04:002009-07-14T23:48:12.391-04:00More Photos - Words<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnrFXdr4sWoZ0JqdS6wFgkBmaYUp-OcqzR66T0LwQeEBYkrgFxv7eqaMB0tPYy3beLWjZQGOGhiBNTQcMH986Ir96LHd-oks4k05KhNFQytBw6XMgoPZAj6zdVZdYb94fCTheWkvtOZw/s1600-h/IMG_3359.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnrFXdr4sWoZ0JqdS6wFgkBmaYUp-OcqzR66T0LwQeEBYkrgFxv7eqaMB0tPYy3beLWjZQGOGhiBNTQcMH986Ir96LHd-oks4k05KhNFQytBw6XMgoPZAj6zdVZdYb94fCTheWkvtOZw/s400/IMG_3359.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358524794400234194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmENQ4Wu3MyKKbG0Oxg4pZrrCrRiDo_ger4eNzbDzEj6X6RK8gDoAglgd_uNtgQwgENeOvv7zKiLioOVHASkNSjxn6I9pedIzg-hB3Yi4r_-lk2dLISZagfgdmeLazfbZ8WUpXTmsHKx0/s1600-h/IMG_3671.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmENQ4Wu3MyKKbG0Oxg4pZrrCrRiDo_ger4eNzbDzEj6X6RK8gDoAglgd_uNtgQwgENeOvv7zKiLioOVHASkNSjxn6I9pedIzg-hB3Yi4r_-lk2dLISZagfgdmeLazfbZ8WUpXTmsHKx0/s400/IMG_3671.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358524786332711170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYx72QqDcLSn0W0K9ibdpSc-eMYDjcArvPBQxkRqCCwzOcNcu-sUtUwSMPeRfvhVUNOFX9jFvN9jFKHD4rgoKgcRxyiKFKrXKVgssHrfea-y_2YrDIamgoENxylM0SGL6vpttWLl93g4/s1600-h/IMG_3676.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYx72QqDcLSn0W0K9ibdpSc-eMYDjcArvPBQxkRqCCwzOcNcu-sUtUwSMPeRfvhVUNOFX9jFvN9jFKHD4rgoKgcRxyiKFKrXKVgssHrfea-y_2YrDIamgoENxylM0SGL6vpttWLl93g4/s400/IMG_3676.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358524785995584162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfLx_pi7PhHLPhL7dnsOcGJ4Q_xLttJ0o5oQBTqS8u9coFCQ0e-_g-OIoHn7jU8vx6Bbh6W5NC5pPvcrBF-2oKh0n8jnt__WrlOHu7bxaGkLsvBMoC0qgFWCOX13arP9QVmYz9xF3ZV8/s1600-h/IMG_3658.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfLx_pi7PhHLPhL7dnsOcGJ4Q_xLttJ0o5oQBTqS8u9coFCQ0e-_g-OIoHn7jU8vx6Bbh6W5NC5pPvcrBF-2oKh0n8jnt__WrlOHu7bxaGkLsvBMoC0qgFWCOX13arP9QVmYz9xF3ZV8/s400/IMG_3658.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358524776820429122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bridge in to Tacuati</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cXA4Dw9NV8uSSsiHaBcSHM_JP8GQ4v6j8Z5PG8a2S5LGI4fTMwAEP03TifckEKn8p3VKBz9SKvn_sTkkbhQJTt7D_iHtPdHuh3FHOWwFs6r566Kn5fowmjczhUDNUe2H5WN6sPeYI6I/s1600-h/IMG_3352.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cXA4Dw9NV8uSSsiHaBcSHM_JP8GQ4v6j8Z5PG8a2S5LGI4fTMwAEP03TifckEKn8p3VKBz9SKvn_sTkkbhQJTt7D_iHtPdHuh3FHOWwFs6r566Kn5fowmjczhUDNUe2H5WN6sPeYI6I/s400/IMG_3352.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358524769943874802" /></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-49211134129929066172009-07-13T13:58:00.000-04:002009-07-13T18:27:21.627-04:00ASADO - Words to come<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedcbP7ssF5TAeXOICQEkOTLaZtypnj1JAiXiiUbTFdDnh3XYwpMICT1kJdZvlnEswGBxyv1vQK3w6klOMculvaXns2whFvuMV4JwX3HItVD_apPClwTSweDSbeqNr8oI2VG_c9B5FR8c/s1600-h/IMG_2589.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedcbP7ssF5TAeXOICQEkOTLaZtypnj1JAiXiiUbTFdDnh3XYwpMICT1kJdZvlnEswGBxyv1vQK3w6klOMculvaXns2whFvuMV4JwX3HItVD_apPClwTSweDSbeqNr8oI2VG_c9B5FR8c/s400/IMG_2589.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358038515884671218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYCb7NDsT0MjZ_Y4YPHTSS8UAhpj7oBPKBkzQen8UF14CqaSXjDyhVcXajRWdb1VOnczksVzkIRL3oDaChPlB7YWzPmpSNeiGb32kgxhm2SvgnF7Q1AYUgiIfYxUt2IDSXn5IUvpuWz0/s1600-h/Picture+097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYCb7NDsT0MjZ_Y4YPHTSS8UAhpj7oBPKBkzQen8UF14CqaSXjDyhVcXajRWdb1VOnczksVzkIRL3oDaChPlB7YWzPmpSNeiGb32kgxhm2SvgnF7Q1AYUgiIfYxUt2IDSXn5IUvpuWz0/s400/Picture+097.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358038509964032498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5IMK_wTic0aJGumn8sRui7kO-3xuLsQY-wkMOaqx0bYW_XItpCjZCF4VcQL8Iz3pDOvQXUHK7Ow83WVXGhee1XmB_CcPVRSS8veqbFBWouanOelR8aUy7bj0m2Rpfm2_yu65vDLtSIU/s1600-h/IMG_1741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5IMK_wTic0aJGumn8sRui7kO-3xuLsQY-wkMOaqx0bYW_XItpCjZCF4VcQL8Iz3pDOvQXUHK7Ow83WVXGhee1XmB_CcPVRSS8veqbFBWouanOelR8aUy7bj0m2Rpfm2_yu65vDLtSIU/s400/IMG_1741.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358038504501023426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVOkIvf53fzMivbBCac5W0TyJ98cfIgaibp3McEzUJqHQn1ZnYTEdlA0ZmLE2orJGYql1H48zuLgS7FQB3Q_8HbeK8J_M1Xux2hmxNv2C7OE970yY5nxDEx6V97HtPUbIiDVBQthSlC0/s1600-h/IMG_1733.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVOkIvf53fzMivbBCac5W0TyJ98cfIgaibp3McEzUJqHQn1ZnYTEdlA0ZmLE2orJGYql1H48zuLgS7FQB3Q_8HbeK8J_M1Xux2hmxNv2C7OE970yY5nxDEx6V97HtPUbIiDVBQthSlC0/s400/IMG_1733.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358038493481222226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLcm_DXqblnqv_2GfnEXhjpNHAHKO7r7Bh2YjN_bgryTga9gpXsmJbjHg3hLjgIoe6PXyeSTDB3jnw8g_2yaA2gFz9ihl0ff-TBqTKqaKa7Ey6aDHfOLfNuaIbbuTRtGjNKpRzOaXuIo/s1600-h/IMG_3649.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLcm_DXqblnqv_2GfnEXhjpNHAHKO7r7Bh2YjN_bgryTga9gpXsmJbjHg3hLjgIoe6PXyeSTDB3jnw8g_2yaA2gFz9ihl0ff-TBqTKqaKa7Ey6aDHfOLfNuaIbbuTRtGjNKpRzOaXuIo/s400/IMG_3649.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358038490762248978" /></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-10347190333910035242009-07-13T11:59:00.000-04:002009-07-13T13:25:20.683-04:00Ahecha Photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcP64e320B8prnrbUzWz7ipkNH6qUsM6yXGCUpJa0cBJ1xpASNkRHbqbHUJhEsYuGMVdleLSXkmRYde5mgYMNRDT5ce3lM9Wc9Zihq7gm_kroKpR3xYP4kdd7SvX89szLlf93omQjye4/s1600-h/Picture+153.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcP64e320B8prnrbUzWz7ipkNH6qUsM6yXGCUpJa0cBJ1xpASNkRHbqbHUJhEsYuGMVdleLSXkmRYde5mgYMNRDT5ce3lM9Wc9Zihq7gm_kroKpR3xYP4kdd7SvX89szLlf93omQjye4/s400/Picture+153.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995674147242690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3L3z9t8R1UaFI2ok_FAOUcEK4PTzMu7jQ_eyelaeS14mSvIMaY78A5adcN_VDoG0lQ5MKtk9qTq0a8x4Zm_9mXxaxIYCOXxoLz-vdK4DwGCjsXNf9i2QiQDC9h3hghNEHBKIJMDZmblc/s1600-h/Mu%C3%B1eca+voladora.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3L3z9t8R1UaFI2ok_FAOUcEK4PTzMu7jQ_eyelaeS14mSvIMaY78A5adcN_VDoG0lQ5MKtk9qTq0a8x4Zm_9mXxaxIYCOXxoLz-vdK4DwGCjsXNf9i2QiQDC9h3hghNEHBKIJMDZmblc/s400/Mu%C3%B1eca+voladora.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995667828150674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvIuUc9ax1VmoU3oZwcVP22NBIXa9IUfhEfcThlQDTzybyQWOLRKahMrKhXw2zK2i6w8VWFG489cVSoR93iszAtiacyt3lqPV-j-OAvs_un1-JfTBxGdGQj-Fq2qaANwUwfjXBKuMnzc/s1600-h/Larisa+en+la+cuna.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvIuUc9ax1VmoU3oZwcVP22NBIXa9IUfhEfcThlQDTzybyQWOLRKahMrKhXw2zK2i6w8VWFG489cVSoR93iszAtiacyt3lqPV-j-OAvs_un1-JfTBxGdGQj-Fq2qaANwUwfjXBKuMnzc/s400/Larisa+en+la+cuna.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995663782620018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiKNF9ee7bL7QYq6VzYJN35CkEbA4k-0VPHhfFEPjqDSG7kE23v4VyVBCppQOBm_Wr4Idlte5igLtfJqvWmMabHJaR-cGFw6Jqp8ibKzaYBGtGev3TBNzpOiD6rgnNRTveh8bteH8v_w/s1600-h/Picture+183.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiKNF9ee7bL7QYq6VzYJN35CkEbA4k-0VPHhfFEPjqDSG7kE23v4VyVBCppQOBm_Wr4Idlte5igLtfJqvWmMabHJaR-cGFw6Jqp8ibKzaYBGtGev3TBNzpOiD6rgnNRTveh8bteH8v_w/s400/Picture+183.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995659847374434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1r72mgUzogoq8KuSGgnx2XowunlDN4lP0u9zcEXKddp6BXH7Ar7qi7-4wI90VQ5lTAtd_4XK9VE3fmXDSiVT0hrdXTjMk0xo63l3GZy-G8IKAUWy9Stcl0Q3InbAPL0Jw6lZv-Z5Q2o/s1600-h/Picture+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1r72mgUzogoq8KuSGgnx2XowunlDN4lP0u9zcEXKddp6BXH7Ar7qi7-4wI90VQ5lTAtd_4XK9VE3fmXDSiVT0hrdXTjMk0xo63l3GZy-G8IKAUWy9Stcl0Q3InbAPL0Jw6lZv-Z5Q2o/s400/Picture+011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995652063948882" /></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-3587958289727560982009-07-12T22:43:00.000-04:002009-07-13T11:29:09.764-04:00Floating down the Ypane river<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwId3NcIJw5DW2H2u94dIQmr01js8jFXY5wVjDEMauOci_I3op9sUdiDWogvp31xvmIzF30hLNVK-ZK8tXLIA579trj6OGFE6XtNWUfqBFxxXdNNx4VbZ_kFELwbqia9Q87VcomPKanGE/s1600-h/IMG_2177.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwId3NcIJw5DW2H2u94dIQmr01js8jFXY5wVjDEMauOci_I3op9sUdiDWogvp31xvmIzF30hLNVK-ZK8tXLIA579trj6OGFE6XtNWUfqBFxxXdNNx4VbZ_kFELwbqia9Q87VcomPKanGE/s400/IMG_2177.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357966428916369986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheSCjp4tJFmmmGTmNeHQRg_-4UgJZfdAAp5Z8cMY62juC3HvjkLDxoSIdr_q8Cfj_tfb9JdcD1b-JP4CpNcQuWVDzxQxjZJlPEeXdKZlYVfPvcBEvAdZTFg4RpvS80zA_6vBE084DGP4/s1600-h/IMG_1077.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheSCjp4tJFmmmGTmNeHQRg_-4UgJZfdAAp5Z8cMY62juC3HvjkLDxoSIdr_q8Cfj_tfb9JdcD1b-JP4CpNcQuWVDzxQxjZJlPEeXdKZlYVfPvcBEvAdZTFg4RpvS80zA_6vBE084DGP4/s400/IMG_1077.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357940243151574594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Homemade oars</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeSMGyz_DT6F7jEtpzckeVOA-PRRD9k1x2s92-xoBvucT8bhbjAGB3cpyLyJLh5UFEe7dJAE7HuMK2Hd2zqS4QUfa7vNwQctIaoRbonzYdo2_Aa0DLkcs5HohMNdxR5mML_DH2KrXELU/s1600-h/IMG_2153.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeSMGyz_DT6F7jEtpzckeVOA-PRRD9k1x2s92-xoBvucT8bhbjAGB3cpyLyJLh5UFEe7dJAE7HuMK2Hd2zqS4QUfa7vNwQctIaoRbonzYdo2_Aa0DLkcs5HohMNdxR5mML_DH2KrXELU/s400/IMG_2153.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357793858204576850" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Dorado</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Rgz_tXQzQHUs3PLrVJD6O1vNT2MduLy96l9sb7exvvkOkfkAEjtMH7zVtU_TNBzWf1T96qz9fNcXvfsQLLh_wMNv6ZRUyawdp36yriHL1tnEJuwMPRj-73lGBA000-pnjJGTd5FOmYc/s1600-h/IMG_2158.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Rgz_tXQzQHUs3PLrVJD6O1vNT2MduLy96l9sb7exvvkOkfkAEjtMH7zVtU_TNBzWf1T96qz9fNcXvfsQLLh_wMNv6ZRUyawdp36yriHL1tnEJuwMPRj-73lGBA000-pnjJGTd5FOmYc/s400/IMG_2158.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357793851683188370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Fellow PCV Wild Will</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfGGr3hVVAiSgGzSVOCWVGXoLyGMfq8NAu_sT6uf78nf1X_85wHtl5J6pDNZSxuJ3BQ-IWRSRRBAIZbITmSQu4v2tQsKBHtBsn_gLiF02LRXia1ZeZ8Y54q7cNkHCOUcrBhEruHy9IOU/s1600-h/IMG_2140.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfGGr3hVVAiSgGzSVOCWVGXoLyGMfq8NAu_sT6uf78nf1X_85wHtl5J6pDNZSxuJ3BQ-IWRSRRBAIZbITmSQu4v2tQsKBHtBsn_gLiF02LRXia1ZeZ8Y54q7cNkHCOUcrBhEruHy9IOU/s400/IMG_2140.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357793845959103330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxNmkyWeXtmruFD1rvfpl8s88tUDr5C4UD0qcUb9icWiy3-cboBjj7oETnSzIL7-BI1ObXqtPf0JWgeRI2vmH3B6SVIN0B_oSaxf74qLxSpkMG35lCAkZIlnNGJunjohJJX6IKAWKha4/s1600-h/IMG_2149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxNmkyWeXtmruFD1rvfpl8s88tUDr5C4UD0qcUb9icWiy3-cboBjj7oETnSzIL7-BI1ObXqtPf0JWgeRI2vmH3B6SVIN0B_oSaxf74qLxSpkMG35lCAkZIlnNGJunjohJJX6IKAWKha4/s400/IMG_2149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357793840080201570" /></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542443714960083758.post-79272584463579852172009-07-12T19:43:00.000-04:002009-07-12T22:11:57.863-04:00Por fin - 3 photos<div style="text-align: center;">Calle Alegre - My Street</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M_gUprStMqadL73zGlMTonU0NQKPbIqUvK9F60JwzPn5m7xsB4Pb9deTm8QrYuMYXxFRAs-QtEuHkQfpNK-dKvm-KEHnVq4rxx-soqVQkMpXKF0n3A-CXzrPkaA3RjTVp7DKxAc1WLA/s1600-h/IMG_2347.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M_gUprStMqadL73zGlMTonU0NQKPbIqUvK9F60JwzPn5m7xsB4Pb9deTm8QrYuMYXxFRAs-QtEuHkQfpNK-dKvm-KEHnVq4rxx-soqVQkMpXKF0n3A-CXzrPkaA3RjTVp7DKxAc1WLA/s400/IMG_2347.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357755465074123346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mi Dormitorio</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxEPSZ_dtRvgQe2ooEvNn1YNlVnGrcVEF-2NIxPAAcTjGkIRUN-WjswihVNLMO2pmB-LsrGCmm7nvOE8xEz8PiXpjxnwjSzx-9v2ZmbbHsQ9M7OaFDZ1DW-PWXljw2srMrKcgimuQymE/s1600-h/IMG_2301.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxEPSZ_dtRvgQe2ooEvNn1YNlVnGrcVEF-2NIxPAAcTjGkIRUN-WjswihVNLMO2pmB-LsrGCmm7nvOE8xEz8PiXpjxnwjSzx-9v2ZmbbHsQ9M7OaFDZ1DW-PWXljw2srMrKcgimuQymE/s400/IMG_2301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357755460731529074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4jfJJluazgoJ-gQJlojCiQHPWwG0o6FnILQMBLqa5zfdKDqvNo9jE7_mnsnTNs52UKYEWEQzUfv_239ExPdLbbpKAKXGRxh-3udbbODvFm38AK5BSWOEyGd3j0DqJQjMLDBs7_3gfPQ/s1600-h/IMG_2296.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4jfJJluazgoJ-gQJlojCiQHPWwG0o6FnILQMBLqa5zfdKDqvNo9jE7_mnsnTNs52UKYEWEQzUfv_239ExPdLbbpKAKXGRxh-3udbbODvFm38AK5BSWOEyGd3j0DqJQjMLDBs7_3gfPQ/s400/IMG_2296.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357755454299607906" /></a>Liam Wintershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767308497102288760noreply@blogger.com2