YA LEUM.61 — The Uyuni Salar, we arrived!
We continued our trip through the desert of Atacama to visit the Árbol de Piedra. The Árbol de Piedra is a natural rock formation that stands out from the other formations due to its tree-like shape. The Árbol de Piedra arises, solitary, in the middle of the desert, with its unique aesthetic beauty.
When we stopped the car and walked around the area to see other rock formations, we experienced an incredible feeling!
The heat was bearable and the weather was a little windy but the feeling of immensity and the silence on such bright and sunny day was wonderful.
The days were spent crossing the mountains or deserts. Sometimes mountains, other times wide surfaces.
After two days driving, we reached the highest point of about 5000 meter. Although we were in the car, we felt approaching slowly to that point. The road was misty, the sky cloudy, less air in the car, and everyone toning down from common general enthusiasm…
I dare to say, even the car drove slower…
The adaptation to altitude is not easy, luckily this time did not impact me too much.
When we arrived at the hotel that night, at least two people in the group felt extremely dizzy and with massive headaches… The feeling can be scary…
That night we stayed in a hotel made from blocks of salt. Salt is the most abundant raw material in that region, so why not to do constructions with it?
It was comfortable, slightly chilly at the night. Nonetheless, an experience to remember.
We woke up quite early to visit the geysers! It was cold and windy! Yet, it was a new experience: boiling water gushing from the deeps of the earth with an intense sulfur smell. There was plenty of steam coming from beneath the earth.
Sometimes the ground surface was pink or yellow, and a constant roaring coming from beneath.
Impressive, the intensity living beneath us…
A few kilometers ahead, we had dived in the thermal pools! It was a relaxing and warm bath, with plenty of people too…
That night, we slept in a hotel made of salt blocks. Obviously, I felt the urge to touch and taste it to check if it really was salt… but I did not do it. The decoration was Andean and simple but the atmosphere was cheerful. After all, the village where the hotel was located was filled with other travelers like us.
On the following day, we went to Laguna Colorada to see the flamingos and the pink lakes. This lagoon is located in one of the highlands of the Bolivian mountains and, far away, you can see the smoky volcanos expelling their power from inside.
The lake has more than 6000 hectares (the scales are huge there!) but is less than one meter deep. The people say that the water is the blood of the Gods. Scientists, on the other hand, say that the color results from the algae and the minerals that exist in the water. The lake is filled with plankton, thus attracting many flamingos. That is a spectacle on its own!
White flamingos, with pink tones due to the algae. They are heavy, flamboyant, have thin legs, and majestic feathers!
We were now close to the great Salar de Uyuni.
Just a few more kilometers, traveling for a couple more hours. Everything in South America is huge! The concepts of distance are quite distinct from those from Europe… not to mention the road types…
Yet, we finally got to Salar do Uyuni!
Salar do Uyuni is the second largest salt desert in the world. In the past, it was a sea of salt and nowadays tons of salt are extracted there daily. It is possible to cross the desert with a jeep and since it is a vast area, it is possible to take magnificent photos from the most diverse angles.
The landscape shows a vibrant blue horizon that contrasts with the white and sparkling white of the land, which is completely made of salt. The result is fascinating! During rain periods, the sky reflected in the sea of salt is absolutely hypnotizing.
We woke up early to visit the Salar de Uyuni during sunrise! We crossed the Salar during the night and waited…
Our driver knew the exact location of the best place to see the sunrise… and, around us, we saw other jeeps waiting for the same.
When the sun started to rise, we jumped from the jeep to see that natural beauty phenomenon.
The silence was tremendous and we, without saying a word, saw the sunrise slowly lightning that white landscape that extended for miles and miles.
Little by little, the water, which mixed with the salt, reflected sparkling light points, creating mirrors of ourselves and the sky… and we were radiant for witnessing the harmony and grandiosity of the planet where we live.
We took many, many photos! After all, this is the place where we can devour a dinosaur and enter a Coca-Cola bottle. Due to the plane extension of the Salar, it is all a matter of perspective!
I want to return!
To end it, we visited the train cemetery. During the Second World War, many minerals went through this place, coming from the mines to be exported to Chile and other countries. Uyuni became very popular because materials such as tin and other raw materials were strongly necessary during the Second World War. After the war, the industry collapsed and many mines were closed. The trains that were used for transportation purposes ended up being abandoned and are now just a tourist attraction.
I know the European perspective of the Second World War but during this trip, I heard other stories and, thus, other perspectives, and this was one of those. I never heard about the mineral extraction that came from Bolivia to Europe to feed the war… And that after it, Bolivia itself, in the region of Uyuni and Potosi, entered an economical collapse with the end of the war and it took the region 40 years before it lifted from that situation.
It is interesting to learn about the many results and impacts that our actions produce… In such a distant country, in such a distant region…
March, 2021
Patricia Assis
