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The Desert Speaks
Ancient Peoples of the High Desert
Season 13
Episode 3
High in the foothills of the Bolivian Andes in the historic village of Santiago de K, life continues nearly the same as it has for centuries. An archeological site nearby reveals, through ancient ruins, just how little life has changed over the centuries. Here at over 12,600 feet above sea level, in the highest desert in the world, residents harvest the endemic potatoes and quinoa to barter with.
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26:12
A trip through the Valley of Tehuacán to the ancient city of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

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26:12
A staple of the villages in the Valle de Tehuacán and nearby Oaxaca is the cactus.

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26:12
The Gila River in Arizona and New Mexico is rapidly drying up.

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26:12
The wild, frigid desert of southwestern Bolivia is full of natural treasures.

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26:14
Our journey to the highest desert in the world begins in Potosi, in southwestern Bolivia.

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26:14
San Ignacio Lagoon is the home to the peninsula’s most famous visitors—the Gray Whales.
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28:06
One universal thing about kids – they always want to know “why?” This inquisitiveness is t

28:00
Travel on the Verde River to learn its natural history

28:04
The Mayo turn to plants for a variety of uses - from medicines to making furniture

28:08
High temperatures, poor soil and aridity make gardening in the Sonoran Desert difficult.