January 14-15, 2012 - San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Street View of San Pedro De Atacama

San Pedro De Atacama

Chruch, San Pedro De Atacama

When we first arrived to San Pedro de Atacama, we were too exhausted to fully take in the charm of this small village. However, after a day's rest, we started to like it more and more. Small shops, restaurants, bars fill the narrow streets of this lovely town. The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the food was delicious. We ate the best smoked pork ribs at a cute restaurant called La Casona.

January 11-13, 2012 - Uyuni, Bolivia to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Finding a suitable tour package for the Salt Flats in Bolivia was a daunting task.  Word of advise, no matter what, expect to receive 50% of what ANY company promises. However, despite the setbacks, the rewards were  immeasurable. During the rainy season, the salt flats are covered with a thin sheet of water creating a hallucinogenic mirror effect that stretches as far as the eye can see.  We felt as if we were walking through heaven, literally. An endless expanse of clear clouds, blue skies and pristine white salt surrounded us, and we had to pinch ourselves to realize that we were not in a dream.  At this point, we thought, it couldn't possible get any better... except it did.  The remainder of the journey was through magical lagoons of all different colors inhabited by flamingos, deserts that resembled Salvador Dali paintings, and imposing snow capped volcanoes that seemed only a few feet away. It was an unforgettable journey that was worth any nuisance we encountered along the way.

January 3-10, 2012 - La Paz, Bolivia

Witches Market

Street view of La Paz

Cathedral, La Paz

The bus ride from Puno to La Paz was incredibly beautiful. It took us around Lake Titicaca with amazing views of the lake and snow covered mountains at a high altitude of over 4,000 meters. The clouds were so close it felt like you could reach out and touch them. Within a few hours, we arrived in La Paz, the Gotham of South America. Here, we enjoyed a full week of relaxing and living amongst the locals. Please forgive us for not taking enough pictures of this incredible city. We took a backseat from the "tourist" point of view, left behind our camera, and simply enjoyed a life in La Paz.

January 2-3, 2012 - Puno, Peru

Tourist boats, Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca

Puno turned out to be a bit of a disappoint for us. The town is dirty, polluted and full of annoying tourist agents eager to book you on one of their boat tours. Yes, it is located on the shore of the famous Lake Titicaca, but what most people don't tell you is that this beautiful shore is entirely polluted with waste. It is so heartbreaking to see something so beautiful covered in filth. Sadly, it speaks against the city of Puno. Instead of investing so much time and money on luring tourist to the islands of Lake Titicaca, the government should take more interest in educating their people against pollution and help clean up this magnificent shore. We would love nothing more than to return one day to this mystical land unpolluted by man.