Salted

November 6, 2009


After a cold night, we set out across the Salar de Chiguana, a smaller salt flat south of Uyuni. White and desolate, it is surrounded on all sides by the brown peaks of extinct volcanoes, and the red and white peak of one active one. The road was rough and tumble as we headed north – in fact all the roads in the southwest (which are exclusively dirt) share the same characteristic: consistent washboard caused by all the Toyota Landcruisers going full speed across them. As the drivers try to avoid the washboard they have created, they carve out more and more roads on either side of the existing roads, severely damaging this fragile environment.

We saw many more lagunas, complete with flamingos, sticking it out in the icy wind. At the Salar de Uyuni, the scene completely changed. It is 10,000 square kilometers of solid (or nearly solid) salt, thick enough at this time of year to drive across. Geologists believe that there was once a massive lake here that evaporated, leaving behind the salt deposits. There is still water below the 10 cm thick salt crust, which is the cause of the polygonal shapes on the surface (see photo).

A word about the food…. For those who followed my blog while I was in Asia, you know that I get very excited about trying new cuisines. Bolivia has not provided much excitement. The basic fare is a piece of meat (maybe llama), chicken, or, closer to Lake Titicaca, fish (trucha), accompanied by rice and potatoes. I think I have eaten more red meat in the last 2 weeks than in the last 4 years. If a vegetable finds my plate, I am ecstatic. The local people often use salsa picante to spice up this bland assemblage, but it usually isn’t offered to tourists. All the white rice and potatoes is accompanied by lots of soft white bread (served for breakfast, an with lunch and dinner). I have confirmed that this is typical Bolivian fare – not just the tourist menu. Sigh. At least I am not in danger of gaining any weight on this leg of the journey; I usually lose interest in my meal before I finish it.