There I went, walking out of San Lorenzo, back on the road again. It did not feel good, but it was the only thing to do. I hitched to the Tajzara lakes, icy blue jewels in the yellow alti plano. Back to altitude, I puffed myself and my way too heavy backpack up the hill for an hour to get a great vieuw of the plane, camp and feel utterly alone.

Next day further to Tupiza, beautiful road, very little traffic but I made it with a truckride. In the back, laying down under the canvas, looking up at the stars when night fell and the dust became worse.

Tupiza is a very tranquile little town, I dove straight into the market the next day and had a relaxing day in the streets. I liked the friendly atmosphere but very much disliked the many tourists that all came down for the obvious beauty of the surroundings and to make a trip to Salar de Uyuni from here .

I met up with some very cool people in my hotel, it was a nice hotel with a sunny room, a roof terrace and a kitchen to cook and make tea. I really enjoyed my time here for the travelers I met.

The third day I took off hiking for the day and night. It really is an amazing piece of teritory, beautiful red fin formations,

huge red spirals, a rock forrest, colorful mountains with minerals and awesome quebradas and canyons. I got myself walking in whatever direction I wanted and made a circle without a map. I felt free and good. My campingspot was one of the best, how do I always find these endless vieuws?

It was my plan to head out of Bolivia in the far South West corner of the country, but it turned out that this route was very difficult, there was ABSOLUTELY no traffic to hitch, there was no bus, it was a harsh and cold area with nothing but pretty lakes that I wanted to see. Another options was to get to Uyuni and take a bus there. But this bus would not pass the pretty sights and costed a lot of money.

I missed them.

My friends Iris and Sergio and all the others in San Lorenzo. I talked a lot about them, wrote messages with Iris and kept thinking about how I could come back in a few years. When it turned out that I would not go to Chili but straight to Argentinie I decided to make a turn to the north, see a new road and pass by my favorite town once more.

None of them knew anything, after two days hitching I just showed up at Iris' work. She was so surprised! The same for everybody else, Lupe jusr ran to mee and jumped me, Sergio did not believe his eyes and squeezed me, Yamil laughed and lifted me from the ground, Mami embrazed me untill I felt uncomfortable, all the Doñas form the markt told me I definably could not go anymore, they would chain me.

I felt happy.

The first party was not far away. It's the month of 'La fiesta de la cruz' (party of the cross) and almost every weekend there were different crossed dresed up with rosas de pasqua, honored and then the party would start. Lot's of fireworks, wine, chicha, local instruments, dancing and games.

That first weekend we went to Calama where the family of Sergio lives and I learned to quarter a goat. It a game in which you tear a goats skin in half, each holding on to a paw and then yerking in swaying motions. I can tell you that it gives a lot of muscle pain the next days.

Of course 'the gringa' had to do everything as well and i was watched and cheered more then any other. I really was placed on a statue of honor and it was difficult to make them treat me as normal.

Another game is 'get the chicken'. They burry a chicken in the ground so that only the head sticks out. A person is spun around at a 20-steps distance. Blindfolded and given a cane he has to walk to the chicken and hit it with the cane, touch it or walk straight over it. Here you see Sergio giving it a try, he hit next to the head this time, but the next day he hid right on the head.

After him it was my turn and to my delight I walked the 20 steps and did not even bend donw to slap, I just put the point of the cane to the chickens head. So now the the two lover both had a chicken and rooster. Whole Sergios family was in one big laughter.

We put my tent somewhere in the bush and when we were done with all the drunkness of others the three of us squeezed tight and tried to sleep. The party was three days, in different houses, we stayed till the end, sleeping in the tent and making most people laugh with it all.

There are so many stories to tell, so many laughs, but I won't bore you with them, it's more fun when you are here and see how the difference is accepted.

So yeah, Sergio and I came together in a strong band and because Iris workes 6 days a week from morning to night and Sergio has no studies or full-time work at the moment we did lots of excursions together.

Up to another waterfall, a super fun exploration.

Another Fiesta de la Cruz, the cross totally decorated with Rosas de Pasqua. Pretty no?

With Iris, her lover and Lupe we went to the poso where the daughter of Doña Leonor drowned two months ago. I don't get it totally, I could stand almost everywhere. Maybe they should start teaching swimming lessons here.

With Sergio's mother, Sixta, and his youngest sister, Laura, I made bread twice.

In the traditional oven made from earth and heated with wood. Almost everyhouse has one and uses it once a week.

The golden treasures, almost 70 of them.

And I asked Doña Maria if I could have a peek in her bakery. She baked the same breads but then 2000 a day in her huge oven. Not to forget the empenadas, cookies and other bisquits.

I got absolutely stuffed by her and me in my turn folded many empanadas that afternoon. Here the result in the marked.

Every night Sergio and his brothers play basket and soccer in La Cancha beside the marked. I felt energetic and decided to start jogging. Did kept up for a week, every night 5 km, untill my enkles jolted with pain and I couldn't walk anymore. I guess I'm not 19 anymore.

Like most families the Valesquez' have only two rooms whe all six kids and mum and dad sleep in 5 beds. To get a little privacy, and also because I did not want to sleep in the little habitacion of Iris and her two kids anymore, I was staying too long, I put my tent in Sergio's garden and that where we build our nest and retreated every night.

We cooked hearty Dutch pancackes, my mum's huevomimosa and rich salads. Between all the cooking of Sixta and Mami.

Back one afternoon to Grandma (who is so happy her grandson has this funny gringa as a girlfriend, she is hilarious, touching my boobs, looking into my shirt and telling everyone I have very pretty white tits. We laugh our asses of.) to butcher a sheep and cook half the thing in a huge barrel. Sergio and an uncle cutting, hacking and sawing.

This is a normal hairdresser, lots of picture examples and a tv with wrestling. Sergio is the one being cut.

We took off to El Valle, the place for which Tarija is famous. Wineyards and wineries all around. We visited two. For me the wine is way to sweet and the bitter one is to watery. It's Patero wine, which means it's smashed with feet and nothing is added.

Sunday afternoon, the whole family eating pescado parillada (grilled fish). I have not eaten with knife or fork in months.

A Caña, a loooong instrument, pipe, with a cool sound. Played at one of the fiestas de la cruz.

The birthday of a cousin, tradition follows that his face it covered in cake and he gets good drunk. Mission accomplised.

Another hike to another 100m waterfall. We love those outings together, always bring a pack of wine and food.

The whole family.

Power, Patricio, Rudy, dad, mum,

Sergio, Laura, me and Liz.

Because of the pain in my ankle, the swelling, I felt better to take of my collection of anklets ........31 of them!!!!!! Wow, so many friends in those five years.

A daughter of a relative, 19 years, was hid by a car and killed. It had happened one months ago and to rememorade the family made a lunch, more grilled fish. This combination of happiness to make the pain more bearable feels so natural to me. It makes me realize how importand it is to just understand.

I have one more lovely day here in San Lorenzo. Tomorrow is mothers day in Bolivia and Iris is taking a day off work. We will eat and maybe dance together, for the last time. In the morning I will head to the borther and by evening I will be in Argentinia. It's the end of it, I have to start my travel, only two weeks are left.

Salud Bolivia!
No duda, un dia me vuelvo. Sus maneras estan como yo quiero vivir, disfrutar y sunrie.