Solar de Uyuni - Bolivian Salt Flats
Once home to a maze of prolific coral formations and thousands of now extinct aquatic species, this prehistoric lake is famous for one thing…Salt! Centuries of volcanic activity raised the sea to a staggering 4,000 meters, drying up her bed and leaving behind over 10 billion tons of this popular household flavoring. Double the size of Delaware, Solar de Uyuni remains the largest natural SALT deposit on earth.
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Scorched by day, frozen by night, the flats harbor one of the most extreme, “night and day,” dichotomies on the planet. Most would welcome nightfall, a chance to escape the days unrelenting rays, however, shortly after darkness falls, it would seem sun had never touched these derelict highlands. The warmth of day is quickly lost to the paucity of atmosphere, freezing the terrain in the same time it takes to exhale your first icy breath into the night. Rivaling the temperature change, is the disparity of scenery, shifting from the candescent floors of heaven to the aberrant surface of Mars, in a matter of minutes.
Before venturing off into these wild unknowns, the wearisome town of Uyuni is a mandatory stop. Arriving off yet another overnight bus ride and met with a frosty, high-altitude welcome, myself and a few travel buddies made the half-informed decision to stay at the first hostel we came to. With an interior almost as tiresome as the owner himself, it didn’t take long to realize why the hostel was empty. No electicity, no hot water, and most dispiriting of all, no heat! Learning these vital accomodation stats (or lack thereof) we turned to leave, but that's when Senora jumped out.
Before we could say, “Aye Carumba”, Senora missiled past, locking us and our packs inside the room. Threatening to call the police, she demanded full payment for staying in their hostel all of 5 mintues. Oh good one Senora, you hold us captive and the police are supposed to sanction it? What will they do? Rip the accomodation money from our wallets, tie us to the bed posts, and force us to stay? On second thought, this is Bolivia. Uh Oh!
Before venturing off into these wild unknowns, the wearisome town of Uyuni is a mandatory stop. Arriving off yet another overnight bus ride and met with a frosty, high-altitude welcome, myself and a few travel buddies made the half-informed decision to stay at the first hostel we came to. With an interior almost as tiresome as the owner himself, it didn’t take long to realize why the hostel was empty. No electicity, no hot water, and most dispiriting of all, no heat! Learning these vital accomodation stats (or lack thereof) we turned to leave, but that's when Senora jumped out.
Before we could say, “Aye Carumba”, Senora missiled past, locking us and our packs inside the room. Threatening to call the police, she demanded full payment for staying in their hostel all of 5 mintues. Oh good one Senora, you hold us captive and the police are supposed to sanction it? What will they do? Rip the accomodation money from our wallets, tie us to the bed posts, and force us to stay? On second thought, this is Bolivia. Uh Oh!
What began as a childish staring contest soon escalated to new heights…and volumes. A screaming match ensued, our broken Spanish against Senora’s potent Espanol. Underestimating our inexorable determination, Senora launched her secret weapon…”La La La”. Covering her ears and pretending we were no longer there, she detonated the worst (and oldest) temper tantrum I have ever seen. Continuing on for what seemed like hours, Senora ultimately folded, removing the diapers and putting on the gloves, boxing gloves that is. Flying into a nasty rage, she threw open the lock and quite literally kicked us out, leaving her unruly footprints on our backsides. She was even polite enough to see our baggage out…out the door that is. Dodging airborn backpacks, sleeping bags, and tennis shoes, an icy game of street shuffel board commenced. Whichever bag gets closest to the gutter wins!
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After such a hospitable town welcome, it’s surprising we didn’t want to stay in Uyuni longer. Instead, we booked straight onto a 3 day, 4X4 tour and within the hour were off on our next adventure. First stop, Solar de Uyuni (Salt Flats).
Nearing the flats, the milky white radiance once looming in the distance, now consumed every angle of vision. As if the twinkle of a billion stars had been bottled up and poured out over the horizon, the gap between cottony clouds and salty earth collided into one solid, wall of white, blinding even Saint Peter himself.
Nearing the flats, the milky white radiance once looming in the distance, now consumed every angle of vision. As if the twinkle of a billion stars had been bottled up and poured out over the horizon, the gap between cottony clouds and salty earth collided into one solid, wall of white, blinding even Saint Peter himself.
Direction, distance and depth were all lost in this natural illusion.
The only thing more brilliant then the mystifying scenery itself, were the photos that followed. Thanks to a green screen effect, with an ivory substitute, perceptually deceiving kodak moments were effortlessly caught on film. Utilizing just about every strange object we could find (toy cars, beer cans, and even a slinky), we created these briny masterpieces. Placing the camera a few feet in front of the chosen object, we slowly moved backwards, until our once monstrous person was shrunk to a size more proportional to the object. Putting a twist on a few old favorites, “Cat in the hat”, “Genie in a bottle”, and my favorite, “I’ve got you in the palm of my hand”, the only thing left to do was say, “CHEESE” (more like, ‘cheesy’)! |
Privileged to stay in the one, the only, ‘Salt Hotel’, night proved even saltier then day. Wondering how it gets the name? Well, let's just say you don't have to ask, “pass the salt”, at the dinner table. Just turn to the nearest column and have a lick. Bed frames, tables, chairs, even the walls, all constructed of this edible material. The only flaw this 1 Season Hotel has, comes with a crunch, as even the smallest move is accompanied by an insanity inducing crackle.
Moving from salt flats, to just plain flats, the next few days afforded very different vistas. Setting the entire plateau ablaze, dizzying hughes of iron rich oranges and burgandies replaced the whitewash effect, while armies of petrified coral stood defiantly against the otherwise flat, uncompromised horizon. At first glance, the area would appear more alien then terrestrial. Just about as close to Mars one can get without Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise.
As night fell on the second day, so did the cold. Not even the crushing weight of 6 oversize alpaca blankets and my deluxe sleeping bag were enough to ward off the glacial attack. Victorious in numbing every major extremity, Jack Frost continued his assualt, barrading each breath with painfully icy inhales and exhausting exhales. Rendered physcically immobile, all I could do was pray for morning, when the warmth of day would vanquish the unbearable chill of night. Morning, however, came well before the sun, back in the Jeep by 4:30 am. Wrapped in make-shift alpaca cacoons, we set off for the next grand site...the Sol de Manana Geysers.
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A ticking time bomb, the valley is smattered with over 20 active geysers, dozens of bubbling lava pools, and smoldering volcanic craters. Dissorienting most of whom choose to enter her steamy dissaray, the consequences for taking the wrong step can be grave, risking a dip in, undoubtedly, the hottest bath of your life.
Only a teaser, this natural sauna provided just an inkling of the heat we so badly desired. Our only hope, the nearby hot pools. Challenging the blistering cold, we swiftly delayered and without hesitation, dropped into the cloudy abyss. My fingers and toes burned against the drastic temperature change. The once inviting thermal waters, now inducing more pain then pleasure. Eventually, the stabbing pangs were replaced by an incredible tingling sensation, and finally…digital mobility was restored.
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Ah, this was the life...Ouch...but wait...Ouch...what's biting me? Reluctantly raising my arms into the balmy air, I was terrified to find hoards of tiny red dots swarming up and down. Probably nothing more then harmless red algae taste testing their unexpected dinner guests, but nevertheless, they packed a mean bite!! Just as quickly as we were in, we were out. Immediately met by the bone chilling cold, we narrowly escaping the human popsicle effect. Our undergarments, on the other hand, were not so lucky. Anyone care for a ‘brasicle’ and ‘undersicle’?
Finished up the day visiting the famous Laguna Verde (the Green Crater Lake) along with Laguna Colorado (The Red Lake). Yeah right, a red lake? But the stories were true. Every day, when the sun hits the firey red rocked mountains, an aubern shadow is cast over the lake. Combine the powerful shadow with an abundance of red algae already in the water (probably the same that attacked us) and you have a recipe for one majorly red lake.
Couped up in the Jeep for triple the time spent at each of the sights combined, I wouldn’t necessarily classify this adventure as a ‘tour’. More like a road trip, covering the entire southwest corner of Bolivia in a way that few others do. Experiencing the untapped beauty and awe of an area that has quietly carried on through the centuries, happily hidden from the outside world. ©