Well, I really feel like I need to share with you all what I experienced on a three day trip into the mountains and high plains of Bolivia. But I'm stuck. Can't really begin to put it into
words. I'll try...
Picture dry, dry country....houses made of Adobe and then in poorer pueblos, rocks. Subsistence lifestyle that makes Alaskan subsistence look like a 3 star hotel. Impossibly high, 14,000 ft. plots of ground made of dust waiting to be planted. More dust everywhere and water far, far away. Landscape brown, houses even browner, mountains every shade of brown and the only spots of color are the wonderful weavings and embroidery of the women, worn on the backs of men. Stoney soil only airable after probably generations of rock picking. Llamas and sheep and a few goats for eating. One or two cows for plowing. Potatoes, quinoa and what else? Its the dry season so nothing green growing. Digging last years potatoes? Anyway.... 3 days away from Cocha, 25 hours of driving, 2 inaugaration events for a new health center and a school, 37 spiritual moments when I knew I was going over a cliff, sleeping at 13,000 ft, 50+ glances into eyes that know a different world.
Every drop of water I use today is precious. I'm enjoying it and trying not to waste it. Cate
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