Samaipata, Bolivia
This morning we arrived in Sucre, the judicial capital of Boliva, after a rough overnight bus ride from Samaipata. We had based ourselves in the quaint, quiet little village of Samaipata for five days investigating the local area as well as a part of the Amboro National Park. We had gained altitude from the low lying rain forests to between 1500 and 2000m, as the village is located in the Cordillera Oriental, and with huge stands of cloud forest in the area. On our first afternoon we visited a nearby archaelogical site, named El Fuerte, dating back to pre-Inca days. We also had a great walk the next day through some of the countryside to a series of three waterfalls. We hired a local guide, Marco (see photo), who was very cheerful but hard of hearing. As appears to be typical of the bolivian guides, they all carry a large machete. Bolivians love salt with their food, and we have been told a local can survive in the jungle with just his machete and salt. If he happens to have forgotten his salt, he should return to the city and buy some !
This morning we arrived in Sucre, the judicial capital of Boliva, after a rough overnight bus ride from Samaipata. We had based ourselves in the quaint, quiet little village of Samaipata for five days investigating the local area as well as a part of the Amboro National Park. We had gained altitude from the low lying rain forests to between 1500 and 2000m, as the village is located in the Cordillera Oriental, and with huge stands of cloud forest in the area. On our first afternoon we visited a nearby archaelogical site, named El Fuerte, dating back to pre-Inca days. We also had a great walk the next day through some of the countryside to a series of three waterfalls. We hired a local guide, Marco (see photo), who was very cheerful but hard of hearing. As appears to be typical of the bolivian guides, they all carry a large machete. Bolivians love salt with their food, and we have been told a local can survive in the jungle with just his machete and salt. If he happens to have forgotten his salt, he should return to the city and buy some !