Wednesday, September 17, 2008

more bolivia




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Pachamama, or Mother Earth. In reality, it's a huge hill that is the Potosi mine, and where the colonial Spaniards got boatloads of silver.

Sofia and I on the top of an old, renovated cathedral, for a delicious lunch of spicy chicken.

Inside courtyard of the Potosi Mint.

Getting ready for the 6 hour, off road, bus ride to Uyuni, the gate to the world's largest salt flats.
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Bolivia. continued

Johnny, our tour guide for the Potosi mines, with a handful of coca leaves, bitumen, and unfiltered cigarettes for the miners.

Helmet, explosives, and coca leaves.

"Lungs of Metal," the name of a local coop of miners.

Yes, that is a small, handmade grenade in my hand. Johnny made it for me!
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Bolivia, summer 2008

The lone guitarist at Valle de la Luna.

Rodrigo and I getting the ATV out of a hole...

Dehydrated llama fetuses, and other indigenous religious artifacts.

Yes, those are ocelot skins hanging on the wall, and yes, the are on sale, for a gratuitously low $35 (and that's without even bargaining). Aren't they endangered???
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