The perfect reflection

The Bolivian Altiplano is punctuated with Lagunas named after the color of the main metallic ingredient in the soil. For example there is the Laguna Verde were the main metal in the soil is copper , there's also the laguna Roja where Iron is the dominant metal ect ..But what I found even more beautiful was the reflection of the mountains on these calm waters which are  punctually disturbed by the migration of the flamingos from far afield.
At these elevation of around 3,000 m, it's impressive to see birds such as flamingos spending a few months resting and feeding to be able to continue on their long journey!

The driest place on earth

The desert of San Pedro de Atacama is know to be the driest place on earth. It does not rain for years on end and as a result NASA has found it  as the best place to observe the Sky. Many observatories has been built and some of them can be visited by the public. The small oasis of San Pedro is a delightful place to spend a few days to explore the desert. In the Horizon the Andes can be seen as they are the natural border with Bolivia and which are the reason for the existence of this desert. But the best thing about it is the existence of Geysers at an altitude of 4,000ms called the Tatio Geysers. they are visited at dawn to see the smoke starting to rise with the change in temperature and then a good swim in one of the hot pools will get rid of the altitude sickness feeling for the day .

The islands in the Middle of the pacific

There are very few places on earth today where nature is left to its own devices. Humans have interfered everywhere and have changed dramatically the natural environment we use to live in. the Galapagos islands because, or rather thanks to their remoteness and the prohibitive cost of getting there have been preserved to a certain extent . the Fauna is still living in 'wild conditions' and visitors are very careful not to disturb the animals some of which are 200 years old..The preservation of theses species as well as these volcanic islands is paramount. The Charles Darwin research station  works very hard to conserve and help the species on the islands such as the land iguanas and the giant tortoises. They breed them and then release them in the wild. I have also met a dutch scientist who was traveling on the same boat and had the chance to have a first hand explanation on all the animal we were seeing .
If you ever have the chance to go to the Galapagos please help the foundation and most importantly do not leave anything behind but your footprint !


http://www.darwinfoundation.org/

This is what is disappearing at a very fast rate

Everybody has by now heard about the climate change that is affecting our planet and the damage it's causing to Mother Nature around the world . If you are still not convince go and watch the film Inconvenient truth by Al Gore to get a better idea of the situation.
I am trying to reduce my carbon footprint by cycling to work, not owning a car, recycling , not being a consumerist and eating seasonal and local produces. I don't want the glacier above to just disappear in my lifetime. Standing in front of this huge mass of ice and hearing the pieces breaking off with a huge noise is just an experience out of this world!
I also buy carbon credit every time i fly somewhere. I know that as a passionate traveller, it's difficult to come to terms with flying and saving the planet and that's why i will try to find the shortest route possible to get somewhere and do the rest of the journey by train for example .Every effort by everyone of us, even if it can be compared to a drop in the ocean, is better than nothing . It's always a step in the right direction.

The teaching of the East

In Tibet's monasteries , twice a week monks organise what is called 'debating session' . They regroup in a courtyard where the Young monks get tested on their Buddhism knowledge through questions asked very quickly and also requiring a very quick answer. That's one type of 'examination' disciples go through in their curriculum.it's looks very much like a game played in the open. Any one can come and watch the session. Also people can go and listen to the incantation of the monks in place like the Jockang monastery in Lhasa. The music is soul reaching and the atmosphere simply magical

The beauty of nature

Have you seen this rock ?..it's found in the desert highland of Bolivia at an altitude of 3,000 metres approximately and has been shaped by the winds and the sand. It's called the 'arbol de piedra' . This is what's extraordinary about nature , you find beauty in the more inhospitable places .. At that altitude the vegetation is very scarce and apart from vicunas there is practically no other living creatures..it's very cold and the air is thin .
I love remote spaces and have always tried to climb to  high places to feel that we are very fragile being and at the same time very adaptable . It when i push my body to its limits that i really feels that I exist in the real sense of the word .. it's when the mind fights the body that things become interesting and it's through hard physical exercise that I can see how strong my mind is .

The road less travelled

Refers to two particular things I have come across.
the first one is the book by M.Scott Peck which i read a few years ago and which gave me a new insight in how to understand  the emotional changes one goes through at certain stages of adulthood
The second is the road that i have physically taken during my travels in order to meet people , to discover other cultures and to understand different ways of life .
I myself come from a relatively small country and have always looked to the outside world as a magnificent mosaic of differences which by being discovered will bring out the best in me .
I hope i'll be able to do this for a long time to come.