acilando

In December 2015, five of us decided to take a trip to Chile, Easter Islands and Bolivia. With Chile being such a widespread country, the idea was to see the entire stretch by visiting the Atacama Desert in the North, Easter Islands in the West and Patagonia in the South. Through Atacama Desert, we intended to drive through Salar De Uyuni and enter into Bolivia. We were using Santiago, more specifically Vina Del Mar as a base, where one of our friends is currently located.  

 

San Pedro 

 

After arriving at Santiago, we took a flight to Calama. From the airport, the town of San Pedro was 100 kms away. The drive was beautiful, a barren yet picturesque terrain expanding across miles and miles around us. San Pedro is a lovable little town with tiny streets, shops and restaurants. At Las Delicias de Carmen, we tried the Pastel De Chocolo, a mash of corn, beef and chicken, which earmarks authentic Atacama'n cuisine.

 

We stayed a night in a hostel called La Casa Del Pueblo. The owner of the place spoke only Spanish but we managed to communicate in my 'un puquito' Spanish that I had learnt over the summer. He was extremely helpful and made our short stay very comfortable. The place was central and surrounded by several tour operators organizing tours to Salar De Uyuni. While reading reviews online, I had read terrifying experiences about incidents of drunken driving, which is why we wanted to ensure that we selected a reputed company. Based on insightful research and local recommendations, we finally, decided to go with a company called Skyline. We did not stay in San Pedro for too long, but one can hire a car and visit places such as Valle De La Luna to stargaze in the Desert.

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Tour from San Pedro to Uyuni

 

Fernando from Skyline, who would be driving us around for the next three days, came to pick us up early morning from our hostel. There were going to be six of us in the shared cab. From San Pedro, the Chilean-Bolivian border, Hito Cajone was a 45-minute drive. We went through immigration and since, we already had our visas, the process didn’t take too long. On arrival, the Bolivian visa is $60. As we started heading to our first destination, we were required to purchase a ticket for tourism. The first stop was Laguna Blanca, followed by Laguna Verde, an emerald green lake filled with rich minerals. It was at a height of 14,435 Feet. The altitude was supremely high. Altitude sickness can impact people in different ways, there doesn’t seem to be a criterion of body types that are specifically affected. We drove through Desierto de Salvador and stopped at Sol de Mañana, the hot geysers. In the midst of the freezing cold, we jumped into the hot springs, which was gurgling away. It was one of my most memorable moments, heating up while being surrounded by the Andes at a spectacular height. Coming out of the geyser, however, and stepping out into tumultuous wind was unpleasant.

 

As our bodies were getting re-acclimatized, we headed to the hostel where we would be spending the night. The tour company provided us with lunch, sausages and mashed potatoes with vegetables, which was light and easy on the stomach. We had an afternoon siesta, after which the rest of the group along with our tour guide trekked up to Laguna Colorado, to check out the flamingos and foxes. I decided to skip the trek and sleep in, brilliant call, it was freezing and the high altitude had rendered me breathless. There were other groups staying at the hostel so we enjoyed wine, conversation and drinking games.

 

After having pancakes for breakfast, we left at a leisurely pace. It had been shared that there would be no scope for a shower, so we began the second day with a change of clothes or for some of us, not even that ;) Our first destination was Laguna Colorado, a sprawling lake with a range of different colors and shades of green, blue and red. There were flamingos in the water, catching fish and relishing the view. They look so elegant and I got an opportunity to see the three different types, Chilean, Andean and Altiplano. We then headed to Volcano Choquella, where we descended in altitude slightly. The hostel where we stayed that night was made entirely of salt, marking our proximity to Salar De Uyuni. Post dinner, we went stargazing in the salar, which was heavenly. The night was painted white, with the salar beneath us and the crystal-like stars above. The dried up salt had created an interesting hexagon pattern on the white ground, and I just lay there soaking in the very surreal night.

 

Early next morning we were back in the salar for the sunrise, it seemed like the world was back in the ice age. In the midst of the Salar, there’s a cacti garden, which is man-made. One can climb to the very top and spend hours looking at the horizon. The sun is so strong that it is necessary to wear sunglasses and sunblock to survive the cruel glare. Due to the clear background, the salar is a fun place to take pictures and we superimposed ourselves on a can, with a dinosaur and a shoe.

 

After three days of being away from civilization, we finally reached Uyuni, which is a transitional town, and has buses connecting to different places in Bolivia such as La Paz, Sucre etc. We took an overnight bus, Todo Turismo to La Paz.

 

La Paz

 

The city, La Paz has been carved on a mountain and is similar to a hill station. We were staying 15-minutes away from the city center at a place we had booked through Air Bnb. From the place, it seemed like we were at the pinnacle of the mountain and the city. Bolivian cuisine such as Pique Marche consists of beef, chicken, sausages, potatoes and onions, which we tried at a place called Llajuita. A great way to experience the city, its people, history and culture is through walking tours. We had a well-informed tour guide who shared with us insights on La Paz.  

 

San Pedro Prison

• The prison is similar to a fully functioning city. The prisoners have to rent a place to stay, purchase clothes and other amenities etc.

• Prisoners can pay a range of 60 to 6000 bolivianos per month, depending on the place they would like to rent.

• For anyone who does not have monetary support, they need to work to earn a living. One could meet people of various professions inside such as lawyers, doctors, cook, or an entrepreneur who has started a business or opened restaurants. Coca Cola is the only company who has a license for the prison, making it the only available drink.

• There are no guards inside the prison. Prisoners have their own freedom and devise ways of governing the population that has grown 400 to 2500 inmates. There is limited space, so people were engaged with building their own place to live.

Thomas McFadden’s Tourism Business. A book: Marching Powder by Rusty Young

• McFadden used to be one of the prisoners. Rusty Young has published his story in Marching Powder. One of the anecdotes we heard was that McFadden was bored and he bribed a guard to take him out dancing. The soldier fell asleep and McFadden could have escaped, but he decided to return, because the fear of inmates precedes the police. In the past, when prisoners have escaped, the policia gives up their search after a while, instead they increase security measures inside the prison, hindering the inmates’ freedom. And therefore, the inmates ensure that the escaped prisoners are found and killed.

• McFadden met an Israeli girl, whom he married and she went to prison to live with him. He initiated a tourism business and organized tours instead the prison. However, after he finished his term in 2000, the tourism continued, but it wasn’t safe any because there were incidents of rape and overdose of drugs. The tourism business became illegal in 2009.

• Women and children currently reside in prison with their partners. Children go to a school nearby and if women are working, they have to return before 10. Prisoners too, can go out for a day by paying a guard.

Crazy Dave from NYC

• Crazy Dave is a con artist who used to trick local people. Now, he tricks tourists by pretending to be a tourist himself, and you may be able to witness him in his act.

Murillo square

• 0 kms, everything from the city is measured from this spot.

• The presidential palace is considered jinx, 89 attempts to usurp leaders in power has occurred in Bolivian history. As a result, no one lives in the presidential palace because the palace has been burnt several times and murders have taken place with an aim of ousting the president.

• Current president lives in a mansion with very high security.

• Roberto Verdi was the 46th president, the last president to live in the presidential palace. He is remembered for abolishing slavery. In the past, well-off people used to let people stay at their place for a night and charge them a million bolivianos the next day. Since, the people who had stayed couldn't pay, they had to work for the rich people for the rest of their lives. Roberto made this act illegal, because of which the rich didn't like him.

• Roberto also introduced worker unions (shoes cleaner, lawyer). His Government was however, violent against unions. And because of these two initiatives, he was hung in the square for 10 days.

• Several years later, his contribution of eradicating slavery and introducing union rights was recognized and a mural now stands in front of the pole where he was hung.

• The legislative building is the parliament building with a backward clock. One day, another president decided to change the clock without informing anyone. On noticing the change, the news channels began interviewing politicians, who had no idea why the president had changed the clock overnight. They offered inane reasons, to seemingly make up for their ignorance by stating that the change of direction in the clock was to fight globalization.

• The president finally shared that the clock is backwards because of the Armadas. Sundial clocks have been in line with the Southern Hemisphere because eons ago, people used to follow the sun time, which is backwards.

Pacific War

• Pacific war: War with Chile in 1850. Bolivia lost this war, even before it started. Chile invaded Bolivia when the 5-day festival was happening, and the irony is that Bolivians didn't even know that they were at war. During the Pacific War, Chile seized the coastal land from Bolivia.

Civil War

• During the pacific war, La Paz wanted to continue fighting, where as Sucre wanted peace. This led to a civil war in 1898 between La Paz and Sucre. La Paz was victorious which is why the laws are currently passed in La Paz. The capital, however, shifted depending on where the president resided.

• In 2008, Sucre became the official capital.

• After the war, Alonzo Demendosa founded the lady of peace.

• La Paz trade route was established between Lima and Potosi.

Annexed Land

• There was a crazy drunken president, Macgrego. He exchanged an island for a horse, which is now Damata Groso part of Brazil. He is blamed for Bolivia’s becoming a poor nation.

• In the last war with Paraguay, Bolivian land was captured.

Revolution

• Spanish colonized Bolivia in the 1300's.

• In 1809, Pedro Domingo Murillo commenced the revolution. In South America, Bolivia started the first movement of freedom and 16 years later, it was the last country to get freedom.

• Domingo led the rebellion, he gathered ammunition and succeeded in kicking out the Spanish. Within 100 days, the Spaniards returned and hung Domingo in the Murillo square. His body parts were dismembered and sent across the country as a warning.

• On 6th August 1825, after 500 years of colonization, Bolivia became free.

• In 1960, the Bolivian Government managed to collect Domingo’s body parts and currently, it's displayed in San Francisco square.

High-end street

• Domingo used to live on high-end street, which is considered the most beautiful and scary street. Apparently, many ghosts used to haunt this street during the colonial times, with people claiming that they had seen ghosts and dwarfs. Currently, people who are living in this area, say that they often hear voices at night and the screech of carriages wheels :)

San Francisco church

• In 1548, La Paz was founded. In 1549, the San Francisco church was built, and 200 years later the church collapsed because of a hailstorm.

• The Franciscans gave the indigenous people a job to re-build the church.

• Since, only 5 conversions to Christianity had happened, the Vatican was extremely unhappy with the Franciscans.

• Franciscans had assimilated with the indigenous people and had gotten to know and understand the people. They were able to identify things that they deeply cared about, so to say, their weaknesses. They knew that the indigenous people really cared about their soul, Ahaju.

• Thus, the Franciscans conveyed to the indigenous people that mirrors in the altars were a reflection of their soul. They said that their soul is reflected and entrapped in the mirrors. The people came to believe that their souls could only be released if the people visited the church every week. As a result, 81% people became Catholics.

• Since, the indigenous people also believed in Bacha mama (Mother Earth), people started playing the odds, which is why the tradition of the priest offering wine to the floor, before the people themselves started.

• During the revolution, the church was not harmed because of the Franciscans being friendly with the indigenous people. The revolutionaries were protected in the church while the revolution was ongoing.

Witch Doctors

• There are 100 witch doctors in La Paz and one can only become a witch doctor if one is struck by lightning.

• Chaya Ritual involves asking Mother Earth for money, love life etc. People take a paper with candies, and its shape depends on what one is asking. The paper is burnt, wine is poured and the ashes are buried.

• Other Chaya rituals are offered while building a house. A huge hole is dug in the earth and a lama fetus is offered. Lamas are considered sacred so lamas are not killed for the fetus. Construction workers are invited for the Chaya party so that they can witness the sacrifice, else they refuse to construct the house, with the impression that Mother Earth will take their lives. One has to pay for the construction workers for these three days. A bigger house means bigger sacrifice and the presence of an Amaota, is beneficial. To become an Amaota, a more powerful witch doctor, the person has to be struck by lightning twice.

• An urban legend exists that till the 1970’s for a bigger sacrifice, humans were sacrificed. It is believed that it may still be continuing secretively since, the constitution clearly states no killing and there could be grave consequences.

• Witch doctors make love potions etc. such as seg me seg me powder (follow me follow me), which are widely available in the flea markets.

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Easter Island

 

We reached around 11 PM and our Air Bnb host through whom we had booked our Shack Rapa Nui received us with garlands :) The shack was located in the midst of open fields and was a rustic cabin. There are many tours available on the island, but one can hire a car or quad bikes and self-explore it as well. The eastern stretch of the island includes Hanga Te’e, Tongariki, Te Pito Kura, Hanga Roa and the legendary Muoi’s.  The Muoi’s are larger than life and widely disseminated, with around 400 across the island. They are representative of the ancestors and were inserted with eyes, which connected their spirit and gave them mana or power. Through the muoi’s, the living derived hope from their ancestors, as these figures were built across 800 years of ancestral presence. The muoi’s are seen as an army protecting the quarry. If the muoi’s eye sockets are not visible, the figures are considered to be soulless. Once the Muoi’s get a pair of eyes, they are given a new name, Muoi Adigora signifying ‘figure with lives’.  

 

A few fun facts about the Island:

• There are 7000 horses and 6000 people that live on Easter Island.

• The South coast is the longest, i.e., a stretch of 21 km.

• ‘Firem Pero’ means smell because of the Muoi’s nose, which is 50-60 meters in length. Only 6-7 meters is visible for us to view.

• Muoi’s were known for a special power called Mana.

• There are nine different clans that lived on the island, with each clan being led by a different chief.

• A clear hierarchy existed, with the King being the most important followed by the Chiefs, then teachers and priests.

• The first King, Tomaraha, came from Heva between the 5th and 9th century. 150 years later, the first Muoi was constructed.

• During the Golden period, people happily co-existed and helped each other. The golden era culminated when resources and food became scarce. Inhabitants started fighting with each other and competed for the limited resources.

• Due to the dearth of food, the king transported blue rats with short tails every 6-7 weeks to the island for survival and sustenance. The island became overpopulated with rats, and as a result, the rats started feasting on the trees’ roots that were being used to transport material for the Muoi’s. This is one of the reasons because of which many figures remain incomplete, till today.

• Excavations began in 1960. During recent excavations in 2006, an 11 meters deep Muoi was discovered under the ground.

• In 1960 there was a massive earthquake, recorded above 9.2 Richter scale, which resulted in a tsunami. 200 meters of the Muoi were destroyed, and it was only in 1995 that they were re-constructed as before.

• Aho, is the platform that the Muoi’s are built on, and there are around 300 ahos on the island. At Aho poi poi, the aho was constructed to resemble a ship.

• In Te Pito Kura, the statue was standing till 1838.

• Under the Aho of 15 Muoi’s, there are 140 skeletons buried of people who were considered important.

• In 1722, the Dutch came to conquer Easter Island.

• In 1717, Philipe Gonzales Eloi drew the map of Easter Island.

• In 1772, James Cook from England wanted to take over the Island.

 

The Orongo crater is one of the MOST mind-blowing sights I have EVER seen. For years together, the wind propelled against the cliff with such force that the top blew off, leaving behind one of the richest sources of flora and fauna on the island. What a glorious sight. However hard we tried, it was impossible to capture the entire sight in one camera shot. On the other side, lay the expanse of the ocean, which had the brightest bluest shades of water. We walked around the village of Orongo, re-living the tribes’ lives. They lived in houses overlooking the most tremendous sight; deep indigo ocean from a height that made one believe that one was unified with the universe, stars and sky.

 

Patagonia

 

We reached Puntas Arenas in the middle of the night. We had to change around three buses to enter the park and reach our campsite. Two flights, three buses and 36 hours later, we reached our destination: Torres Del Payne. Our plan was to trek the first leg of the W Trek. The first leg is considered to be the toughest and I would have to concur. An 18-kilometer stretch, what a c.l.i.m.b. It started drizzling slightly and as a result, the way ahead was swampy and muddy. Steep initially, the hike levels off till we reach the mid-point, Chilenos, which is also a peaceful place to camp. The first stretch is through the forests, after which one ascends stones and boulders. The climb peaks at this point and for anyone who does not hike frequently, it takes every bit of courage and resilience to keep going. While we were trudging along, a man crossed us with a baby tied to his back, effortlessly hopping from one stone to the other :P We finally, reached the top and ‘no spoiler alert’; there is a secret that one is awarded. You have to hike the W Trek, to discover this well-kept secret. It was challenging making it back, but after what seemed like ages, we reached the spot where we had commenced the climb.

 

The next morning, was Penguin Day, well at least for us :) We were going Penguin watching and couldn’t contain our excitement, since none of us had ever seen Penguins. There are two places, where Penguins can be visited. The first is Isla Magdalena, two and a half hours north of Puntas Arenas by boat, where 120,000 Magellanic Penguins co-exist. The other one is Seno Otway, a 2-hour bus ride from Puntas Arenas, which has fewer penguin families. Due to time constraints, we decided to go to Seno Otway and booked a tour through Turismo Lagun Azul. I was so enthralled. Some penguins were resting in their holes, waiting patiently for their partners to return so that they could go for their evening dip. We saw four Penguins in a line walking right behind one another, in close proximity. They had just returned from their dive in the sea, and were going back to relieve their partners. I would have loved to spend more time observing them and learning more about their personality.

 

Vina Del Mar & Valparaiso 

 

We celebrated New Years in Vina Del Mar & Valaraiso, with the fireworks. The entire city was out, celebrating and dancing in different corners. Valparaiso, what a beautiful and historic place. The hills are filled with meaningful graffiti. One image that stayed with me is of two young kids playing rock, paper, and scissors over who gets a half-eaten apple, while in the background the world is at war bombing each other. A reminder of the harsh reality, we all are currently living. Valparaiso has so much of character and depth, a place where one can spend many days in the labyrinth of streets only to unravel unexpected surprises at each corner.

With that, our trip of a lifetime concluded. One word to describe everything-phenomenal!

 

- Kamiya Kumar