If you cannot afford a real trip to the place you would like to visit, YouTube is an easy way to reach it virtually. Today my destination are the lowlands of Bolivia, specifically the region of Beni (one of the 9 departments of Bolivia), internationally known by its touristic town of Rurrenabaque. Rurrenabaque became famous among backpackers after a book was written about the journey of an Israeli guy who got lost in the middle of the jungle. In this region more than 350 artificial lagoons with interconnecting channels can be found, testimony of a hydraulic culture from thousands of years ago. This culture lived in the savannah and developed a sophisticated way to overcome the drastic weather conditions, with strong seasons of drought and flood each year. It is estimated that more than 3 million hectares of causeways that worked as high crop fields can be found in the Savannah of Moxos, together with 20.000 artificial mounds. These mounds are sometimes surrounded by circular rings creating interesting figures that can only be seen from above. There is still a long way to learn more about this culture and many different theories are emerging, but for me is an interesting mystery that could change our believes about the history of the Amazon cultures in South America.
Further information and pictures can be found under these links:
Ancient cultures of the Beni and Moxos
