[meteorite-list] Day 2 Bolivia

From: Planetario Max Scheier <planetar_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:11 2004
Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20010608114047.007c5230_at_correo.umsanet.edu.bo>

Hola from La Paz, Bolivia

Blaine and I arrived yesterday in la Paz and we both seemed immune to the
altitude change to 13,000 feet. Unfortunately, our good luck ended when
Immigration decided that the stain on Blaine=B4s passport required further
scrutiny and took us to the "little room". We waited for an hour and he was
given a receipt for it and told to pick it up tomorrow elsewhere. Looking
like a coffee stain, the mark was acid used for meteorite etching that had
leaked on it.

Miners from around the country are demonstrating on the streets of La Paz,
blocking traffic. Their lines fill the avenues for several blocks. The
sound of exploding tear gas cannisters is constant - on our way to the
Planetarium at the San Andres University this morning a concussion grenade
from the police went off 50 feet from us, knocking us back. We should have
noticed the miners covering their ears.....

A past President of Bolivia died yesterday, and the Grand Poder parade, a
tribute to Jesus with a lot of beer drinking and drum beating is probably
canceled, allowing us certain transfer out of town tomorrow for our
meteorite hunt, not blocked by police our miles of paraders. Hopefully
we=B4ll get past the miners=B4trucks blockading the main roads - that=B4s wh=
at
4x4=B4s are for!

i am writing this from the Max Shreirer Planetarium where a meteorite
collection donated over the last two years by Blaine is located. He=B4s been
extremely generous having given Lunar and Mars=B4specimens and a 35 kilo new
Campo along with forty types of others. The University has prepared a
fabulous display for these with glass cases, indirect lighting and a gold
plaque dedicated to Blaine. A two page write-up appeared in the La Prensa
about this collection including a small article entitled "Gracias, Blaine".
Today, school children were visiting and gave Blaine a round of applause.
More on this will appear in a future issue of Meteorite.

Today we finalize plans for a 1,000km circuit extending to the southern
border with Argentina and Chile. The Bolivian Gov=B4t has furnished us with =
a
driver, helper and 4x4 Toyota. It=B4s in the shop getting shocks this moment
but they promise it will be there to pick us up at 7AM tomorrow at the=
 Hotel.

Along the way, we=B4ll be climbing Volcan Tunupa (17,800=B4) and Volcan
Uturunca (20,020=B4). We=B4ll bathe in a couple of hot springs, eat llama an=
d
dried potatos, camp in zero F and see geological formations beyond
description - I=B4ll give it the old college try, of course. Maybe we=B4ll f=
ind
a meteorite, I=B4ll be trying the old magnet on a stick, saving anything
attracted for Blaine=B4s later review. There is another alegged meteorite
crater near Huachacalla, 200km out of the way with vague coordinates
leaving a 100 sq km search area.=20

We=B4ll be away from communications for the next ten days, but I=B4ll get ba=
ck
with everyone ASAP.

"On November 3, the manager set off with his young son, several mules and
the money. As they made their way up Huaca Huacana (Dead Cow Hill) they
were held up by the two bandits. But instead of the expected half million
dollars, they got only $90,000. The Chilean and Bolivian military was put
on alert.

At sundown on 6 November, they rode into town and stopped at the home of
Bonifacio Casaola, where they were given a room for the night. A posse herd
of this and headed for the house. Butch Cassidy were ready and
waiting....." (to be continued)

Kevin Kichinka
Blaine Reed =20
Received on Fri 08 Jun 2001 11:40:47 AM PDT