Getting the feet wet

It is amazing to me how much beauty that can be found in a place of so much poverty. The culture and colors, the sights and sounds are intoxicating. We are in the small desert town of Tupiza, Bolivia and are about to embark on a four day tour of the desert that will put us into Uyuni and into the salt flats. The markets of Tupiza are small yet alive with movement. The tiny streets are swarmed with vendors selling fresh fruit or breads or used clothing aquired from the US Salvation Army. Stray puppies welcomed us with invites to play as we made our way through town. We watched men play five on five futbol in a worn out basket ball court and hiked up a hill in the middle of town to find little kids playing in the dirt while their grandmothers made crafts to sell. It is a quiet life here.