Uyuni - the Ugly

After enjoying Potosi, which is not exactly known as a tourist highlight, we were curious to see if Uyuni was really as ugly as everyone says.

Before we boarded the bus, we visited the Casa Nacional della Moneda, which is said to be one of the best museums in South America. What we didn't expect was that the admission ticket entitled us to a 'mandatory guided tour' that lasted almost 1.5 hours. At least we were able to improve our Spanish and history knowledge.

Once we were free again, we had a hard time finding a taxi because there was a sort of protest demonstration taking place in the city center. For us, it felt like a folk festival or carnival parade. The taxi driver we finally found was less amused and said he had no idea what they actually wanted.

If the bus ride the day before was already spectacular, this stage was almost breathtaking. Over mountain passes, through high plateaus, river valleys, until we finally reached the desert landscape of Uyuni. After complaining the day before that I hadn't seen a single llama yet, this deficiency was immediately remedied. We saw hundreds, entire herds, peacefully grazing in the barren plains or right next to the road.

When we arrived in Uyuni after a good 3.5 hours on the bus, we quickly realized that its reputation is well deserved. A conceptless collection of partially unfinished buildings, streets littered with garbage, lots of dust and dirt in an extremely barren environment. In the middle of this Mad Max scene, we found our hotel Jardines de Uyuni, which provides a wonderful contrast to the outside world. The rooms were small but the facility was lovingly designed, and there was even a small covered swimming pool. The staff - and this has been the case everywhere in Bolivia - were super friendly and helpful.

Now we had to book our tour for the next day to the salt flats, the Salar de Uyuni, and headed to the organizer's office. On the way there, we discovered that Uyuni actually has a kind of small center with many nice restaurants, shops, and pubs, and we began to get acquainted with the new surroundings. The dinner in one of these restaurants was excellent, and so we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the next day, when we finally go to one of Bolivia's great attractions.