The biggest social event in Medellín is the annual Flower Festival (Feria de las Flores), held annually in August.
Geysers
The last day of the tour in Uyuni would take us through more of the Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. First thing in the morning, we made a quick stop to see some geysers. Not exactly Old Faithful. I was expecting them to be much bigger, to be honest. But, a geyser’s a geyser and it was still cool to see.
Food Poisoning
I was terribly sick on my tour to Uyuni. I tried to fix my stomach the night before, but I woke up in horrible pain. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the guts and twisting the knife. I skipped breakfast, packed up my things, and loaded them onto the vehicle. I couldn’t do anything but try to sleep through the pain.
My primary goal in Bolivia was to see the world’s largest salt flats in Uyuni. I planned the perfect 10 days through Bolivia, booked all of my accommodation, tours, buses, and flights. Suddenly, the day my overnight bus to Uyuni was to leave, the lovely people of Uyuni decided to protest and block the only road into town. All buses to and from Uyuni stopped running.
Boat to Isla del Sol
In Copacabana, we boarded a small boat to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) and sat on the top deck. The ride was windy and cold but I enjoyed the scenery. Lake Titicaca is a strong shade of dark blue and the contrast against the clear Bolivian sky was an incredible sight. On the way, we passed by the Isla de la Luna (Island of the Moon), where the Incas believed the rising of the moon was commanded. The ride took about 90 minutes.
An hour after the bribing incident, we pulled up to Copacabana, a tiny town on the shores of Lake Titicaca that happens to be the namesake for the famous beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Iguazú National Park features the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls. It’s just a short drive across the border from Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil. The falls are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Iguaçu National Park (Parque Nacional do Iguaçu), which contains the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls, is the major draw to Foz do Iguaçu. This UNESCO World Heritage site is probably the most breathtaking natural wonder I have ever seen in my life. It puts Niagara Falls to shame!
I spent a lot of time with the people I met in the hostel on Ilhabela, bonding after the bank robbery our first night. Ben, a Canadian, and Esmee and Julie, from Holland, went on a jeep tour with me to a nice beach on the Atlantic side of the island.