Back from Bolivia
I’m just back from my travels. Apart from being extremely tired, I have to report that the Bolivian Altiplano gets my vote for probably the most surprising landscape I have yet encountered.
Up until I went to Bolivia, Iceland had been awarded that distinction as far as I was concerned. Iceland is superb, surprising, and like another planet, but the Bolivina altiplano goes one step further. I felt I was on mars, but mars as painted by Dali. There were landscapes there that are reportedly what fueled on Dali with his painting when he visited. I can now see where he got a lot of his ideas from.
Due to the high altitude, I suffered AMS symptoms for a couple of days. But during that time I got to stand on the Salar at 5am waiting, in the middle of the largest salt plain in the world, watching the sun come up and present one of the best sunrises I’ve seen in a long time. And it just got better and better. Each night and day provided stunning sunrises and sunsets.
So I’m pretty confident that I’ve just made some of my best images to date.
I’ve too much film to work on, process, scan, edit. I’ve got a backlog of film from India and Nepal, plus new Scotland images…. I’m going to be busy. Plus setting up some new workshops : Who wants to go to Bolivia next year? Let me know….. and who wants to go to Torres del Paine in Winter?
Anyway, I’ve got a bit of sleep to catch up on. Until then…
Hi Bruce,
I visited Bolivia a couple of months ago and was absolutely taken aback by the landscapes. They are out of this world and ever changing. Unfortunately the sunsets and sunrise weren’t all that while I was there….apart from on the Salar de Uyuni! Looking forward to seeing the pictures. Adrian
Comment by ajmetzelaar — 24 April, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Hi Bruce,
I was born and raised in Bolivia to American parents. I would love to join you on the next rrip to the Altiplano, the Coroico gold mining area (where I lived for a while), or any other place you want to go. I have a lot of connections there, speak the language, and it would be a good excuse to go back. Love your photography. Reminds me of Galen Rowell’s who I much admired.
Cheers
Steve
Comment by Steve_Robbins — 24 April, 2009 @ 10:28 pm