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Luck
Does Not Improve |
| July 5, 2003 - San Ignacio,
Bolivia |
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| On
the road indeed. And
going nowhere fast. As luck would have it, we spent the
whole day on the road and ended up exactly where we started.
With both of us reviewing three different maps and watching
road signs, we still ended up 2 hours off course. Two more
hours to get back to square one and we ventured out again.
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Much
later that day we arrived at the last spot to refuel
before a lengthy stretch. and we find sign: NO HAY
GASOLINA. Gas was not expected for two more days.
We had to laugh or we would have cried. We headed
back to square one for the second time in the same
day. |
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In spite
of our luck, it was an interesting day. Prior to our departure
in the morning the owner of our hotel gave us a tour of
the local coffee factory and nursery. He also filled us
in on the history of the beautifully restored Jesuit Missions
of the region. |
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Coffee Roaster |
Beeeeeans |
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He
told us how the co-op farm groups, called Mingas,
started by the Jesuits are still working to this day.
In fact, the coffee factory and nursery are run very
efficiently by the Minga. For once, it was nice to
come across a positive legacy left by the conquering
Spaniards. |
More Beans...
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But we
made some friends on the road in some interesting vehicles.
And we made friends with some folks without a vehicle. It
was after dark when we spotted three farmer types looking
for a ride. What the heck, they certainly looked like they
could use a favor, and we had the space. That is until the
rest of the family filed out of the brush with a half a
ton of produce! We didn't want to turn them down but we
almost had to. With everyone (eight people and 3 generations)
packed inside with one ridding on the bumper, the back fenders
were rubbing against the tires. Rearranging the produce
and the biggest guy to the front bumper we managed to get
them all safely to their destination and hour away. |
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Earlier
in the day we encountered a massive German army vehicle
that had been converted to a camper/RV. A retired
German couple had it shipped from their homeland to
Buenos Aires for their extended tour of South America.
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| Gas mileage did not seem
to be a concern for them but what about finding spare
parts? Yikes. |
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| Later in the day we came across
a relic from none other than MotorCity, USA! A big blue beautiful
beast of a machine. It was huge Dodge Power Wagon still on
the job everyday for its proud Bolivian driver/owner. |
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