#28 Uyuni Salt Flats Trip #2

After lunch we rode to Incahuasi Island.  It is right out in the
middle of the Salt Flats.

The island was covered with large cactus and had some neat
looking stone buildings.

Lloyd is pointing to the island on the map.  All the blue area is the salt  flats.

We found a little color on the island.  

Tupiza Zone on Incahuasi Island.  We all needed sunglasses or
you could sunburn your eyes quite easily from the reflection off the salt. 

Our guides showed us an area where the water came bubbling up
out of the ground.  The water level is high and at some times of
the year the salt flats look like a lake.  They told us you have
to be careful not to go off the traveled roads or you will get stuck. 

This is a Hotel built on the Salt Flats.  They have about three more
that are in the process of being built.  They are of course made
out of salt. This is the center of the Hotel and it had two wings
on each side where the rooms are located.

Inside they had some fun decorations made with salt. 

This is what the rooms look like. 

The had a nice stone fireplace. 

A salt staircase. 

A salt bear and couch..

You would almost think it is made of snow.

The ceiling upstairs in the dining room.

This is the bus we rode back to Tupiza in.  It does not look too bad
in this pictures, but it was old and rusted in areas.  Inside the seats
were pretty comfortable and we made it safely back.  Riding some
of these buses in Bolivia is always an adventure!!

#27 Uyuni Salt Flat Trip #1

This is a silver statue of a miner standing on a
large anvil on a street in Uyuni

An old time ore car. There is a lot of mining for gold, lead and silver
in Southern Bolivia. 

The first place we stopped on our day tour of the salt flats was a
train graveyard. Here is one old engine.

There was two long rows of old engines.

You could hardly move these wheels. They were very heavy.

Lloyd rode on a train like one of these on his way home from
his first mission.  He rode from Tupiza to LaPaz.  He tells the
story of how it derailed on the way and they spent the cold
night out on the high plain. 

Someone made a good swing.

Here is the Tupiza Zone.  Great group of missionaries!!?

They took us to a small town where the salt is packaged to sell
at stores around Bolivia. There are three ovens on the wall where
they build fires inside to heat the salt.  This process dries it and takes
out all the water. 

This is a pile of dried salt.  Stephen our young guide is sitting
by a grinder they put the salt through to make it finer.

Lloyd is standing by the area where they dry the salt. The ovens
are underneath the platform where they put the salt.

This Mother and her five children are putting the salt in small
plastic packages.  They have a flame between her and her daughter.
      After they fill the bags with salt, they run the top of the plastic bag thru  the flames and melt it enough to seal the bag.  They do about 5000
 bags a day. You can see the stacks of bags behind them.  It was a
 dark room with no windows. What a job!

This is what it looks like driving on the Salt Flats. It looks like
snow and the rode looks slick. 

We could see some mountains in the distance. 

We stopped at an area to have some lunch.  They had flags from
many different countries.  The United States flag was not there.
They said the President of Bolivia did not want it displayed, because
he does not like the United States and all their laws against drugs.

This building is made our of salt blocks.  Inside there is an area to
eat, buy souvenirs and a bathroom.

Salt everywhere and just about as far as you can see.

Inside there are tables and chair made of salt.

This is the building all made of salt blocks.

Tupiza Zone having some fun. Not everyone can jump at the same time.

#26 District Conference Weekend

Saturday started with Lloyd and Pres. Crayk getting their
shoes shined at the Plaza in Tupiza.

We had a nice lunch with the Tupiza Zone missionaries.  We celebrated
Elder Billanzich and Elder Hacks's birthdays.  

That afternoon we had a baptism for Honorata and Augustine Caceres
and Sheila Cruz Miranda.  

Dorio Martinez came to Conference on Sunday with his
mother and a bus load of members from Quiriza.

The Catacata sisters.  Lesley, Helen and Madeline.

The members that came to Conference on a bus from Titihoyo, Monte
and Quiriza. This is outside the Tupiza Chapel. 

Deeana, France, and  Analee Cano from Monte came with
their Uncle and Mom.

The Condori Family from Titihoyo.
Nelva, Mayra, Elvis, Hrm. Bradshaw, Rosaria (Mom), Florida,
Ivan with new baby boy( Ivan) and Gabriel. 

Lloyd was asked to ordain Carlos Leonel Sorveo Mamani , who
is preparing to go on a mission, to be an Elder. 

#25 District Conference Weekend

'

President Dyer, his wife Christy, President Crayk (Temple President at Cochabama)
 his wife Connie, Lloyd and I went for a horseback ride in Tupiza.
 Here are the horses we rented.

Our guide took a picture of everyone.
Connie Crayk, Pres. Dyer, Pres. Crayk, Christy Dyer, Kristie & Lloyd
We all had to wear hats.  The people who run the horse rides don't
 want anyone getting sunburned.

We rode up the valley out of Tupiza.  This gives you an idea
what the county and mountains look like here.

We rode until the trail ended and we hiked a short ways to
a small waterfall.  

Lloyd, Lee Crayk and Dan Dyer.  We really enjoyed this ride.

This is where the trail ended it is called Devil's Gate,

We rode for about three hours and the horses were glad to be back.
Our Bolivian saddles where interesting and there was  only one western saddle
 with a horn.

Our guides were Jose and Carlos.  

That afternoon we took a drive to Quiriza.  This is a view of the
San Juan de Oro River.  It is a narrow small flow now but during
the rainy months is can cover from bank to bank.

Another view of the River and the mountains.

We had a nice picnic lunch at Toroyo  by the river.

Connie and Lee Cryak.  Behind them is a large rock formation
called the Cathedral.  It is a famous landmark of this area. 

At Quiriza they were having a celebration of the young women in their
community.These women came to watch their children and grandchildren.Notice
the second woman.  She has coca leaves under her eyes.They believe this
 plant can cure and help most anything. 

Here are some young lamanite girls fixed up and ready for this celebration.

This is the queen of this years celebration  and last years queen.  They were
honoring them for academics and values.

Here are two future queens of Quiriza.