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Potosi
Potosi, BoliviaThe city of Potosi used to be the richest in South America at a time where silver was found in abundance in the mines. Nowadays it's just a small, rather dirty town where you can freely buy dynamite and work in the mines for a small wage...
September 10, 2017
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El Tio
Cerro Rico, Potosi, BoliviaIn every mine in the Cerro Rico, the 'Lord of the Underworld' is venered by the workers as they offer him cigarettes, coca leaves, and alcohol. On the historical side, the slaves that were forced to work under the Spanish domination created that god as a way to mock and protest again the Catholic Church.
September 10, 2017
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Silver Mine!
Cerro Rico, Potosi, BoliviaThis is the entry of one of the silver mines of the Cerro Rico mountain in Potosi. After 400 years of exploitation they only when through 30% of the mineral reserve. The red color on the wall is llama blood used as a sacrifice to get protection from El Tio (the Lord of the Underworld) in hopes of slaking his bloodlust that has claimed so many of their ancestors.
September 10, 2017
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The white city of Bolivia
Sucre, BoliviaHere goes the white city of Bolivia! Each country in South America has one, this capital is very small compared to La Paz. Most of the tourists here are just passing by as there isn't much to do around...
September 08, 2017
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My dear axe
Huayna Potosi, BoliviaPicture of my lovely climbing axe! It did help a lot that day =D
September 06, 2017
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Frostbite
Huayna Potosi, BoliviaDid I tell you that story where I lost a toe?
Oh don't worry it is still there... but numb. Like I don't really feel it anymore. Basically my toes were so cold up there I couldn't sense them anymore. When I took off my climbing boots I had ice on that one toe! Maybe the sweat turned into ice? hahaSeptember 06, 2017
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Illimani
Huayna Potosi, BoliviaView from the summit of Huayna Potosi (6088m) and in the far background the Illimani mountain (6438m). It is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real of western Bolivia. The funny thing is that from that point of view it did not look higher than I was hahaha!
September 06, 2017
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I made it to the top!
Huayna Potosi, BoliviaThe guide and I started the hike during the night at 1 am. We turned off the headlamps and climbed up only using the moon light. Needless to say it was extremely beautiful but at the same time... so hard! It took me 5h 30min to reach the summit, breathless and very tired... but hey baby!! 6088 meters above sea level ! WOW
September 06, 2017
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Training
Refugio nuevo Llaulini, La Paz Department, BoliviaTo reach the summit, one needs to train his ice climbing skills. That's me after a vertical 20 meters climb =]
September 04, 2017
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Going places
Laguna Jankho Khota, La Paz Department, BoliviaDo you see that big giant mountain in the background? Well that's where I am going!
September 04, 2017
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Potosi
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El Tio
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Silver Mine!
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The white city of Bolivia
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My dear axe
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Frostbite
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Illimani
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I made it to the top!
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Training
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Going places