First Impressions of Bolivia.

Luckily they let us in! What a welcome Bolivia gave us. Our nerves quickly subsided after the border crossing at Villazon.


Hundreds of children in the streets of Villazon for a carnival. That was the least the Bolivians could do for our arrival :-)


The precession was loud and impressive.


We made a bee-line for Villazon station. Our train, surprisingly, was on-time.


Suvi queuing at the luggage car. I hope we see our bags again at our destination.


Passing Bolivian villages on our decent towards Tupiza at 2900m.


View of a spectacular Bolivian valley from our dining car....a taste of what lay ahead.


Uyuni at 3600 m.a.s.l. Busy market scenes are deceiving as the town closed for business just after sun down, 7pm.


Traditionally dressed local women at the market.


This was really a railway town. Spot the idiotic tourist! I always wanted a go on one of those.


The center of town was nice...


....the outskirts were literally a dump....


.....spot the locals sitting in garbage. What are they doing? Perhaps an indication that Bolivia is the poorest South American nation.


OK, so now for the dad porn!
I took an evening stroll to the Train Grave Yard, 3km outside of town.....


...passing Lama shepherds this time...


...to the place where the Bolivian steam fleet now rusts...


....providing great desert photo opportunities....


....I would say a world destination for train enthusiasts....


.....getting creative as the sun went down....


.....piles of rusting train parts....


....sad former glory of a once richer nation.