After Uyuni, I travelled to Potosi, large town (4th if I recall correctly) in Bolivia. The journey there took me through some amazing countryside (up and down the hills, turning left, turning right). Most of the 6h journey was not paved, and often the street was not large enough to meet another vehicle! They are working on paving the road - so I had the all the road works - but future travellers will not any longer be able to experience the dirt road anymore.
Upon arrival in Potosi (4070m) I booked into a small hostel (very cheap, but clean). Unfortunately I arrived at the week-end and Sunday the city was dead. On top of that it was raining - not the best conditions to explore the beautiful city center with it´s majestic, colonial buildings!
From Potosi I travelled to Oruro, 2/3 on the way to La Paz and stayed a night there. Not much to see here (it is mainly famous for its annual carnival) and I did not feel too safe here either. Could not even find a decent restaurant in the neighborhood of the hotel - so my dinner was coca cola and chips (rather be safe than sorry!)
Upon arrival in Potosi (4070m) I booked into a small hostel (very cheap, but clean). Unfortunately I arrived at the week-end and Sunday the city was dead. On top of that it was raining - not the best conditions to explore the beautiful city center with it´s majestic, colonial buildings!
From Potosi I travelled to Oruro, 2/3 on the way to La Paz and stayed a night there. Not much to see here (it is mainly famous for its annual carnival) and I did not feel too safe here either. Could not even find a decent restaurant in the neighborhood of the hotel - so my dinner was coca cola and chips (rather be safe than sorry!)
Next day I travelled to La Paz (3.5h) and here I got to experience what overfull busses mean: some people were standing half way to La Paz, we were all squeezed as much as possible. (it´s good you can not take any pictures of smells!!!)In the last few days I have finally managed to leave the gringo trail to get to see the real country. In the buses I was usually the only foreigner and also in the cities I almost never met other tourists. This is one side very interesting to experience "the real country", but did also take a lot of energy: all the time watching my belongings, not feeling safe when walking the streets, even in the hostels I could not really relax. And all this at this high altitude, were I know I have even less energy and move much slowler than what I normally do.
So now I am in La Paz and have booked myself a very nice hotel: my own bathroom, running hot water, real towels and a lovely breakfast buffet - luxury pure!
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