TUPIZA No. 2 - Relaxation, Market Bustle, and a Trip to the Barren Highlands of the Altiplano
Published on Anja Tags: Tupiza
Accommodation
We remained loyal to our lodging "La Torre" and even got the same room as last time. We paid 20 US dollars for one night and then extended our stay a few times, which made the price a bit cheaper. The owner helped us on the first day we arrived when Pascal was feeling really bad. She organized a moto-taxi for us and frequently checked in to ask how Pascal was doing.
Hospital Stay
Our plan to move from Uyuni to warmer climates partially failed. Pascal was already halfway dying on the bus, and we realized we needed to stay in Tupiza for the time being. We went to the hospital on the first day and unfortunately, got a really bad doctor who kept repeating "¡El tiene fieeeebre!" Pascal received an injection (which, by the way, we had to buy ourselves along with the painkiller at an emergency pharmacy one kilometer away), and he didn’t even have a fever. We were told to come back the next morning. By just after 6:00 AM, the place was already crowded and the machine for taking a number wasn’t working. Chaos... We finally got our turn after one to one and a half hours. In the afternoon, we went to the emergency room a third time to pick up the results. Conclusion: Pascal has a Salmonella infection. The whole ordeal cost us around 35 euros, and submitting the charges to insurance wasn't worth it since Pascal has a 100 euro deductible. Knowing what Pascal has was definitely a relief, allowing us to return to the better sides of life.
Sights
I really liked the "Mercado Antonio Gil Duran" because there was a wide selection of fruits and vegetables. I also did a horseback riding tour (as a belated birthday gift to myself;). I inquired at "La Torre Tours" and just before the tour, someone else decided to join, making it cheaper :D We were taken by moto-taxi to the horse farm and provided with helmets. Then we mounted up and set off into the barren landscape with multi-colored mountains. We rode through "fin-like structured, red-colored rock columns in narrow canyons" and arrived at "Puerta del Diablo", "Valle de los Machos", and finally the "Cañon del Inca". We occasionally stopped briefly, but the three-person group got a bit split up because Jeff was quite slow and Simon quite fast. I eventually decided to leave Jeff behind and galloped to catch up with Simon. It's easier to talk when you're closer together :) Pecos Bill (my horse) and I got along really well, and we galloped a bit here and there. So fun! Even if the wind occasionally blew hard and my helmet was a bit too small, pressing on my head, I enjoyed my time in "La Joya Bella de Bolivia", the "beautiful jewel of Bolivia". Here is the Link to the tour, which cost 120 Bolivianos (= 16 Euros). We were out for over three hours in total. Not a bad deal, huh? 😉 By the way, if you're interested in the Wild West, the famous US outlaws Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid stayed in Tupiza for a while. After a robbery in nearby San Vicente in 1908, they were caught by the Bolivian military and ultimately shot during arrest. You can even stay at an accommodation related to Butch Cassidy here in Tupiza, and I believe there is also a museum.
Transportation
On foot, by moto-taxi, and by horseback! 🐴
Food and Drink
We ate at the "Milan Center Pizzeria", like the first time, and I also did a lot of cooking with the produce I bought at the market.
Cafés and Restaurants
Milan Center Pizzeria
Plants and Animals
The selection of plants wasn't huge, but here's a sample:
- Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle)
- Argentine saguaro (Echinopsis terscheckii)
- Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)
- Chilean mesquite (Prosopis chilensis) Whether all of these are correctly identified? ;) And of course, there was Pecos Bill, my horse 🥰
Number of Germans in the City
I don't know, I didn’t see anyone.
Contact with Locals
I got to know our riding "instructor" Simon, who told me that you should definitely inquire directly at the stables rather than through agencies because otherwise, the agencies take a big cut and the instructors and stables earn very little. We went to "Club hípico y cultural - La Victoria". Simon also told me how much various animals cost in Tupiza (alive, of course;). Here's a small overview:
- 20 Bolivianos small chicken
- 40 Bolivianos large chicken
- 200 Bolivianos donkey
- 700 Bolivianos llama
- 6000 Bolivianos cow
- 7000 Dollars horse
People I Met
On the riding tour, there was a very overweight Frenchman named "Jeff". I really felt sorry for the poor horse... Mounting and dismounting was a torture for the horse as well as for Jeff, Simon, and me, as we all had to help.
Expenses
I paid 18 and 20 Bolivianos for two super cute bags. I should have bought more and not listened to Pascal ;) I also went to the market a few times and shopped enthusiastically:
- 1 parsley
- 1 carrot
- 2 Oca
- 1 bag
- 10 for 4 apples
- 2 grapefruits
- 5 Palki coffee
- 5 toasted coroto corn
- 5 toasted soybeans
- 5 toasted wheat
- 10 spices
Standard Market Offerings
Vegetables and fruits, honey, peanuts, flowers, potatoes, ...
Laundry
We had our laundry done at our accommodation.
Unsolvable Mysteries
Where did Pascal catch the Salmonella infection?
Bus to Sucre
Our bus ride to Sucre was wild and didn’t go as expected. All the buses left in the evening, but we wanted to leave in the morning. So the next idea was: maybe a minibus? We took a minibus from "Sindicato 7 de Noviembre" for 80 Bolivianos per person and were really satisfied. The landscape was interesting, and I slept for a while. When we arrived in Potosí, we were immediately asked if we wanted to continue to Sucre by taxi. Uh, yes, okay? We paid another 70 (?) Bolivianos and unfortunately got the race car driver among the taxi drivers. Along with another woman and man, we reached Sucre in just over 2 hours - normally it takes 3 hours by bus. We cut corners, drove over 100 km/h on roads where only 40 km/h was allowed, and were terrified. But luckily, this spook ended, and we finally arrived. Hm, but where are the receptionists? No sign of them. I eventually walked to the associated language school, because no one answered the phone, and they got in touch with the owner. After a frustrating one and a half hour wait, we (thanks to Gisel, you're a gem!) finally got into the apartment and could rest. But not too much, as we were hungry and had nothing to eat. More about our "wonderful" restaurant visit then in the next article!
Post Scriptum
A few excursion photos are available at this link.