3 Nej / 3 Top (Bolivia)

Dalsi cil - Potosi. Nejvysse polozene mesto sve velikosti sveta, prumerna nadmorska vyska 4067mnm. Cesta z Uyuni je jak jinak dost rozbita. Vyhledy jsou krasne, ale kdyz se najednou nahodou probereme z klimbani a zrovna jsme v zatacce bez krajnice nakloneni nad 400m srazem tak nam docela zatrne. Jake to prekvapeni, kdyz po 3h zacne asfalt - pozehnani. Potosi je krasne mesto, je videt, ze sveho casu bylo nejbohatsi mesto kontinentu. Jen pri prohlidce musime kazdou chvilku zastavit a poradne se nadychat nez se dame do dalsich schodu. Jak to ty horolezci delaji v 8000? Na dalsi den pripada exkurze do dolu, ktere zajistily mestu slavu a bohatstvi. Janca se rozhodne radeji dal zkoumat mesto a myslim, ze o dost prisla. Doly jsou porad v provozu, podminky se za ty stovky let krome dynamitu nezmenily a zazitek to je hodne silny a bezprostredni. Zaciname navstevou trhu, kde musime koupit pro horniky dary vymenou za to, ze muzeme do dolu. Je libo koka listu, 96% alkoholu nebo dynamit vcetne rozbusky? Vse je k mani za smesne ceny, bez jakekoliv regulace (dynamit s nami kupuje i 5tilety klucina). Pry (samozrejme) je to ilegalni, ale nikoho to nezajima...Pri prijezdu navstivime bunku jedne pracovni skupiny, kde si s nimi povidame o jejich zivote a praci. Pak jdeme do dolu, pri ceste potkavame horniky jak tlaci tunove voziky. V jedne odbocce se doslova proplazime metrovou dirou k hornikovi samotari. Zacal tezit ve 12 a ted je mu 58 (zadna sbijecka, kladivo a majzlik). Na mistni pomery hodne slusne, 55 je tu povazovano za vysoky vek. Kazdy rok v techto tezkych podminkach zemre kolem 40 horniku. Na zaver nam jeste pak venku predvadi pripravu dynamitu k odpalu. Po zapaleni knotu hodi vybusninu mezi nas a vyborne se bavi jak vsichni panikari. Knot je dlouhy na 3min a tak se par lidi vyfoti se zapalenym dynamitem v ruce nez ho chvilku pred koncem pruvodce vezme, sprintuje ke srazu a hodi dolu. Rana je to poradna.
La Paz - pro zmenu nejvyssi hlavni mesto sveta. Uzasne mesto, architektonicky dira, pouze cihlove domy bez omitky. Ale umisteni je genialni a dokonale neprakticke. Kdo by chtel zit v ulicich s prevysenim 500m (je mokro a misty na chodniku klouzeme dolu)? Pohled zeshora je paradni - kotel plny domu, aut a zvuku a nad tim 6465m vysoka Illimani. Dalsi co urcite stoji za zminku jsou mistni trhy. Pestrobarevna zmet lidi a stanku kde se da sehnat cokoliv. Ziva stenata, mrtvi suseni pstrosi a lamy, jidlo, zarovky, suvenyry... Zaciname se dostavat do smlouvani, 30% sleva z cehokoliv je prijatelna. A MHD? Tisice aut, kde spolujezdec vykrikuje cil cesty. Pro nemistni docela problem.
3ti nej - Jezero Titicaca, nejvyssi splavne jezero sveta. Urcite stoji za zminku cesta z La Pazu. 2h zdrzeni - v puli cesty voda strhla pilir mostu a tak je neprujezdny. Odvazlivci to projizdi rekou ve ktere ma misty problemy i bagr. Jeden mikrobus uvizne uprostred a skoro se preklopi. Pasazery musi bagr evakuovat na radlici. Nastesti nas ridic objevi nize po rece sirsi misto kde je voda melci a ne tak prudka. V Copacabane mame jediny plan, navstevu ostrova Isla del Luna. Misto kde se podle Inku zrodilo slunce. A vylet lodi i ostrov nezklamou. Terasy plne stromu a kvetin. Vecer jeste davame vystup na vyhlidku nad mesto odkud lze pozorovat zapad slunce nad jezerem. A tak mame v jeden den vystup na dve 4tisicovky, malem nas klepne. Byt mistni tak si otevru stanek s kyslikovyma bombama pro turisty :)
Zitra nas ceka jezero Titicaca z druhe strany. Puna v Peru. Ale jeste nemame vyhrano, kdyz na nas rano misto autobusu cekaji jen minivany vime, ze je neco spatne. A hle, na hranicich je blokada, takze nas vyhodi u blokady, pesky prejdeme hranici a na druhe strane bude cekat bus. Blokada je 5km od hranic. Vedro a 20kg na zadech...V pulce pochodu se podari sehnat zigula a starou toyotu na odvoz. Na me s Jancou a vysokym norem zbyde misto v kufru. Takze 9 lidi, 7 krosen a 8 malych batohu v 1 aute, slusny...

Fotky:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54813&id=1344786025&l=4c94be5d48


Next stop - Potosi. Highest altitude town of its size in the world. Avg altitude of 4067m. The journey from Uyuni is on bad road (what else?). Great views, but when we wake up from our doze and are in the curve without edge looking down 400m the feeling cannot be described as pleasure. What a surprise when after 3hrs asphalt starts. Potosi is beautiful city, it shows that at it´s time it was the wealthiest place of the continent. Just when walking around we have to stop every minute to have a deep breath before tackling next steps. How do the mountaineers manage at 8000?
The mines excursion is very strong and imminent experience. Still in service, conditions except of a dynamite use same as hundreds yrs ago.
We start with a visit of miners market where we must buy presents for miners in exchange for access to the mines. Would you like some coca leaves, 96% alcohol or just a dynamite? Everything for insignificant prices, no regulation (together with us 5yr old boy buys dynamite). Of course it´s illegal, but nobody cares...In the mines we talk to the miners about their life and work. Very interesting. At one bend we crawl through a small hole to visit a solitaire miner. He started at 12, now he is 58 (no pneumatic drill, just hammer and chisel). Exceptional for local standards, 55 is a very high age. Every year the mines claim lives of 40 miners. To finish the excursion we are shown how to prepare dynamite for the blast. After putting it on fire the miners throw dynamite right among us and laugh their heads off as everybody panics. The wick is set to 3mins, plenty of time...
La Paz - for a change world highest altitude capital. Great city, no architecture just bricks without coat. But the location is genius and totally impractical. Who would want to live on the streets with superelevation of 500m (it´s rainy and sometimes we slip down)? View from the top - pot full of houses, cars and sounds and above that mt. Illimani with 6465m. Next thing worth mentioning are the markets. Are you looking for live puppies, dead dried up ostrich or lama, food or just souvenirs? We get into the haggling, 30% off is decent progress. And public transport? Thousands of minivans where co-driver hangs out from the window and shouts the name of final destination. Quite tough to get around if you are not local.
3rd top - lake Titicaca, world´s highest navigable lake. But a mention of journey from La Paz must be made. A short delay - half way one of the bridge columns got torn down by water and bridge is closed. Brave ones cross the river where even excavator has a problems. One of the minibuses gets stuck in the middle and starts turning over. Passangers must be evacuated on the plough iron. Fortunately our driver finds a spot lower on the river where it´s wider and not so deep and we can cross.
In Copacabana we have just one plan - visit island Isla del Luna. Place where according to Incas sun was born - great trip where I get sunburned (what did I expect?). In the evening we manage to climb to the viewpoint where sunset over the lake is particularly nice. That is 2 4000m peaks in one day, we nearly collapse. If I were local I would open a rental shop with oxygen bombs :)
Tomorrow we´ll see lake Titicaca from the other side - Peruvian. But it wouldn´t be Bolivia if everything went smoothly. There is a blockade on the border so the minivans will drop us there and we´ll have to walk across the border and the bus will wait for us on the other side. Blockade is 5km far from border. It is quite hot and 20kg on the back doesn´t help. Half way there we manage to get a lift with a local car. The only space left for me, Jana and tall Norwegian guy is in the boot. So 9 people, 7 big backpacks and 8 small ones in one car, quite funny, good it´s just a short ride...

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54813&id=1344786025&l=4c94be5d48