Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Red Dead Redemption

Entering Bolivia was more than crossing an imaginary line. The difference from one side of the border to the other was much more dramatic than we had imagined. The predominant color of the streets and the buildings that lined them was a muddy brown. Brightly dressed ladies in bowler hats were setting up shop to sell goods. A certain element of additional craziness was evident in the streets despite the early hour. We trudged towards the bus terminal, taking in the stunning contrast of color, style and language along the way. From the terminal we negotiated a rate for a colectivo ride to Tupiza and left the border town of Villazon. Within minutes we were on our way to  “La Joya de Bolivia”.   

Vaquera

Cindy finally got her wish. A trail ride in a wild west setting. As always, the primary concern with horseback riding in a foreign country is the health of the horses. After being pleasantly surprised with the condition of our mounts we rode out into a string of valleys not far from the final robbery site of the famous duo, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 

Puerta del Diablo

Secondary considerations that came after mounting up included getting hit by a maniac behind the wheel of a 4x4 on our way to the trail head or getting bucked off a cliff. Cindy´s horse, Tabaco, was especially docile which helped make the ride more comfortable for both of us. After enduring a few precarious positions we arrived at the "Devil´s Door". 

Vaqueros enamorados

As the horses had a much deserved rest and drink from a fresh water stream, Cindy and I scrambled up "El Cañon del Inca" to have a better look around and enjoy some time out of the saddle. 

Valle de Los Machos

Our return trip took us through "Valle de los Machos". We enjoyed every minute of this scenic ride as any fan of the wild west era would. I continually scanned the rugged slopes for movement but the ambush never came.