Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOWARDS THE BOLIVIAN BORDER
Cactus plants and tough
puna-grass
. The only 'roads' in
these desolate regions are the vast, wind-swept
quebradas
.
The Indians brought their dogs and had them blessed whilst the band kept on playing out-
side. On this day all dogs are let loose, even those which are normally tied up day and night.
When I had seen enough, in and around the church, I returned to the hotel, where I sat outside
my room, watching more dog fights than I had seen in all my life before, and then suddenly a
regular whirlpool of canine warriors of all colours and sizes came fighting up the street. Dur-
ing the heat of battle one big growler knocked me off my chair, and whilst this was happening
otherretreatingfighterstookrefugeinmyroomwherearegularbattleroyalensued.Onemon-
grel had obviously mistaken one of my saddle sheepskins for one of his enemies and dragged
it outside, all the time shaking it and snarling viciously as if he were holding one of his foes
by the throat, and had I not thrown my chair at him he would probably have torn my precious
sheepskin to pieces.
A long day's ride through deep ravines and canyons brought me to Tupiza, where I was
againawakenedbymusicnextmorning,foranotherfeastwasbeingcelebrated. Itdidnottake
me long to become accustomed to all these Bolivian
fiestas
, and after a few days I hardly no-
ticed them. The most practical suggestion I can bring forward for Bolivia is to abolish calling
everyotherdayaftersomesaint;Ithinkitwouldbealesserstrainonpeople'smemoriesifthe
days were simply called St Sunday, St Monday, and so on, and should there not be sufficient,
it would be easy to shunt in an extra fiesta every now and again. After all, there is no need to
