Sunday morning at 6:00 I left caseres by bus. 3 Hours later, at the Bolivian border I discovered that there is no Brazilian emigration office at this border (mistake of the bus ticket seller??!!). So I had to go back all the way to Caseres to get a stamp in my passport. And than back again to the border, where the Bolivian emigration office appeared to be closed. So that was one day.
San Matias is a depressing village with visible cocaine money, crossing the border (5 cars, at least 5 death people a year by shootings). The hotel (3 stars) is expensive (3 times the price of La Paz), there is almost no water in the shower, the towel does not dry, my water boiler (for tea) does not fit into the socket. I should go away here ASAP, or get used to this ASAP.
Next morning, at last, I could go on by bus to San Ignacio (about 6 hours). A vast countryside with a lot of woods and a very bad sandy road.
I took the best bus-company in the village. I was sitting beside a big Indian of 150 kg, so a little bit under pressure. 5 hours later the brake of the left front wheel started to smell. It took the driver and some passengers 2 hours to fix the problem, and then we had 3 brakes left. I was happy to leave this bus in San Ignacio, because I knew that there were some steep slopes in the road to Santa Cruz. Anyway a good opportunity to talk to a lot of people at the side of the road.
The Indian had found another car (lucky me).
The political situation seems to be improved (you never know in this country) since 7 of the 9 prefectures have decided to be autonomous (big festivities on Saturday). And Evo Morales has new friends (The presidents of Brazil and Chile visited him on the same Saturday). Now I feel more confident to travel around here.
San Ignacio is, together with a lot of other pueblos in Chiquitos a mission post of Jesuits who initiated these posts between 1692 and 1767. In 1767 the Jesuits were expelled from America in close cooperation between the pope and the kings of Spain and Portugal. Now those countries were free to do their ´job´ here (slavery and murder). The churches in the mission posts are very special. They are on the World heritage list and have been renovated lately.
San Ignacio is a cross point of connections. A nice Plaza and the church/cathedral is beautiful. There is a beautiful lagoon here where I took my breakfast (a real quiet place). Tuesday afternoon I left for Santa Ana, another mission post. According to my book worth a try to go there because it is very authentic and quiet.
When I arrived in Santa Ana I went into the tourist office with a nice Bolivian lady helping me very well (almost too well). I was the only stranger in the village, so she had nothing else to do. I am used to go my own way, but she followed me when she thought I went the wrong way or entered the wrong agrituristico (there are a few). At last she guided me to a family where I decided to stay. No flushing toilet, but a hole in the garden. No shower, but a bucket full of nice cold water and a bowl to fill with water to throw it over me, but not too bad, these type of showers.
The lady showed me the beautiful church with bats and mica on the walls. I went swimming in a lake, nice water. At night there was a small procession going around the village. Going to one of the houses and singing and praying there. They do it every night around Christmas, every time to another house.
This morning I went for the bus back to San Ignacio. The bus was very full so I had to stand. In San Ignacio I wanted to take the bus of 10:00 to Concepcion. But it was sold out. So I have time till tonight 18:00. Be patient!!!
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