The only freedom you have is your
mind.
Iris Murdoch
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Ojos de Mar (one of the six or so 'Eyes of the Sea' ponds)
The number changes - some close, some open
They are not, however, remnants of the sea, despite the name
Part of Salina Tolar Grande (named after tolas - a local bush - baccharis incarium)
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Though these ponds look spectacular, the life hidden under its water surface is quite amazing on its own. They contain stromatolites which are not that common around the world. ‘Stromatolites are made of sedimentary grains that are trapped and bound by microorganisms. Although they look like ‘insignificant’ rocks, stromatolites provide records of life on earth from ancient time until the present.’ (excerpt from this blog on 4/14/17 when describing the Lake of Seven Colors in Mexico where stromatolites are also found).
They are some of the oldest forms of life on earth. In existence for some 3.7 billion years (compared to earth’s 4.5 billion years), they played a key role in oxygenating our atmosphere. Ojos de Mar is often referred to as ‘A living window into earth’s ancient history.’ Continued research conducted on stromatolites may help answer the question of how life originated on our planet.
Also of interest are the extremophiles which thrive in extreme environments such as high salinity, low temperatures, large temperature changes between day and night, high pH, excessive solar radiance, arsenic…
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Sunset, Tolar Grande
Such bright colors with or without a sunset |
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| Sunset, Tolar Grande - closer up of one of the hills |
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| Ojos de Mar - a light creamy blueish version |
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| Ojos de Mar - greenish version |
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| This dark spot is a vicuña latrine |
Vicuñas instinctively use communal latrines (dung
piles), and these sites play a key ecological role in enriching barren Andean
soils and speeding up plant colonization.
Vicuñas often return to the same spots to defecate, creating
communal dung piles that scientists call latrines. These are socially
shared bathrooms used repeatedly by individuals in the group.
Latrines enrich nutrient‑poor
soils with nitrogen, phosphorus, and other minerals. They increase soil moisture and microbial
life, making conditions more hospitable for plants. They create microclimates with less extreme
temperature fluctuations, further aiding plant growth.
Vicuñas’ repeated visits to the same latrine sites deposit
organic matter and nutrients, allowing pioneer plants to establish. These
plants, in turn, support insects, birds, and other wildlife.
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Salar de Arizaro (place where the condor [some say vulture] is common)
And yet there is a cattle head hanging on that sign...
Part of the Lithium triangle and 6th largest salt flat in the world |
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| Salar de Arizaro - orange foreground, curvy reddish hills, snowcapped mountains |
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Salar de Arizaro - pebbly foreground, beige and cinnamon hills
darker grey and red mountains - so many contrasts against pure blue sky |
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Salar de Arizaro - the famous Cono de Arita (sharp cone)
It appears to be a nearly perfect cone, but its back is longer than its front |
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Salar de Arizaro - Cono de Arita from afar
660 feet tall (200m)
Very gravelly foreground - a lone cone in the middle of this large flat plain |
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Wild donkeys
Outskirt of Salar de Arizaro |
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Vicuñas by the road not far from the wild donkeys
Outskirt of Salar de Arizaro |
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It's hard to believe that this picture isn't fake
These mountains almost look like flowing mercury - difficult to describe
On my way to Antofagasta de la Sierra and Campo de Piedra Pomez |
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| Just a different angle of these mercury-like hills |
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Look at the size of the road to give you an idea of the dimension of these mountains
Getting closer to Campo de Piedra Pomez, the hillsides are becoming whiter |
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| The hills in the backgrounds are getting lighter and lighter in color |
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| I find all of the landscape stunning while mesmerizing |
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Vicuñas, passing by a small volcanic cone
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| More volcanic rocks spread around |
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Pozo Bravo (brave well)
Very long lagoon in the Catamarca area |
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Pozo Bravo (brave well)
Very long lagoon in the Catamarca area
Stromatolites at the edges |
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Pozo Bravo (brave well)
Very long lagoon in the Catamarca area
Stromatolites at the edges |
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Pozo Bravo (brave well)
Very long lagoon in the Catamarca area
Reflection |
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| Small volcanic cones in large flat plain |
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| Everything so raw, bold, vivid |
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Small red shrine on top of hill
Apacheta (stone mound) next to it |
The term ‘apacheta’ refers to a specific type of roadside
shrine or cairn, often constructed by travelers to offer thanks, ask for safe
passage, especially in high and challenging locations, or pay respects to the Pachamama
(Mother Earth) and Apus (Mountain Spirits). These stone piles are
significant cultural markers along traditional travel routes, reflecting deep
spiritual beliefs tied to the landscape.
The construction of apachetas is rooted in the
Quechua and Aymara cultures, the two main indigenous groups of the Andes.
Apachetas originate from the Andean worldview which considers that everything
that exists has life and energy. Travelers
passing by apachetas leave a stone as an offering, sometimes accompanied by
coca leaves, flowers, seashells, candles, a colorful string from their own poncho’s
fringe, etc. By doing so, they connect
with nature and their ancestors, who also traversed those paths.
These are sacred places where one can meditate, pray, and
receive blessings. They are also points of
convergence between the material and the spiritual, between the human and the
divine. Apachetas invite us to reflect
on our place in the world and to care for the planet that hosts us. As with many other old cultural practices, it is
quickly disappearing or no longer being followed or understood.
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Here, solitude is an everyday companion
Red mound heavily crissed-crossed with animal tracks |
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| Andean wetlands (bofedales) with llamas and vicuñas |
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| Wetlands (bofedales) with llamas |
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| Wetlands (bofedales) with llamas |
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Wetlands (bofedales) with llamas, vicuñas and rheas
Darwin rheas are like the ostriches of the Andes at 1/2 the size of the Australian ones |
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| These bogs look like waves made of plants |
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| Wetlands (bofedales) with llamas and more water here |
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Can you find the seven vicuñas (4 upper right, 3 near center)
Just to give you a sense of size |
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Paja Brava lives at altitudes of over 13,120 feet (4,000 m)
They turn hills into gold color
Heard that they make for great pictures during a full moon night |
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| Not that often you see a vicuña laying down |
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| Here, a very young vicuña |
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| They blend well with their environment |
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| Dark volcanic rock near sun reflecting in water |
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| Two volcanic cones and wetlands |
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| Everything is getting darker, grittier |
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| ...and inkier |
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| Black and bold against yellow grasses-bushes and buff sand |
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| Like a solid yellow river |
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The blood red of some volcanic cones is beautiful
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| Like the brush strokes of a talented yet minimalist artist |
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| Almost like a heart-shape hourglass of red sand |
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| This background is on fire |
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