Interesting Foliage in South America

On September 11, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge, South America5 Comments

During our trips to South America, we have come across some very interesting plants and trees. Especially when it comes to visiting the Amazon, there are often pops of bright color amid the mostly dense green foliage. Although they came in many different colors, the vibrant red flowers and leaves certainly stood out. Some of them were fairly normal looking, but others are very different and unique. We often take photographs of wildflowers during our hikes, so it seemed natural to capture images of these flowers as we trekked around the jungle. Do you take photos of seemingly random flowers or plants as you travel or hike?

Sunsets Over Water

On August 10, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge2 Comments

We really enjoy watching a pretty sunset regardless of where we are traveling. We have seen many beautiful sunsets with the sun slowly descending below the horizon. Although we enjoy the sunsets that turn the mountains into gorgeous silhouettes, there is just something special about a sunset over a body of water. Whether it is an ocean, lake, or river, these sunsets have an almost therapeutic effect.

Perhaps it has something to do with the humidity in the air that transforms these sunsets. It also helps when there are clouds in the sky as they also reflect the rays from the sun. The only problem with looking back at photos from previous sunsets is that it makes us wish that we were on the beach right now.

Ancient Spanish Church in Bolivia

On July 10, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge, South America6 Comments

We were driving through the countryside of Bolivia outside of Cochabamba and we came across a tiny village with an old Spanish church. We stopped and talked to the locals, but apparently the church was no longer in use and they didn’t have keys to let us inside. We walked around the church and found a window with a mesh screen that was loose and peeked through to see some of the contents inside. It felt as though we were looking back over a hundred years in time.

There are times when traveling, especially when you get outside of the major cities, where you come across little pieces of history that can be as fascinating as some of the well known places. There was nothing particularly specific about this little church, but understanding how the Spanish, who once controlled the region, influenced the native Quechua people is quite interesting. One could easily imagine missionaries working from this church and trying to convert the locals who remained faithful to their existing beliefs.

We would have loved to enter the church to see if there was any artwork inside, but unfortunately we were only able to see a little bit of the altar from the little window. We could have easily just driven by this church and not stopped to investigate, but we are glad that we took the time to visit. Clearly this church is never going to be on anyone’s travel itinerary, but sometimes these unique little oddities are as interesting as the destination. Have you ever come across something unexpected during your travels that has turned out to be memorable?