A Birthday in Bolivia!

Entry from June 14th but due to poor internet, could not be posted until now.

Recent weather: low 60s and sunny

Recent reads: Psalms, “A Christmas in Venice” a short story by Meadow Taylor, “Swim” an eshort by Jennifer Weiner

I arrived in La Paz on Friday, June 6th and hit many of the tourist spots right away. With windy, hilly streets, an insane amount of traffic and pedestrians with no fear, walking around the center of La Paz is both an adventure and exhausting!

La Paz seems to be a very polarizing city, in more ways than one. Some travelers have cut their time short here because they just want to get out and others can’t wait to come back to this crazy town. The city of La Paz (think of the basin of a bowl) is about 1 million people but the altiplano area (or the upper rim of the bowl) is about 1.2 million and growing. There’s a mix of native Amayan people dressed in traditional garb and non-natives alike. And unlike other cities, the rich and famous of La Paz prefer to be at the lowest point of the city due to the already high altitude and corresponding temperature variation. Winded just walking a few blocks, I don’t blame them.

Most of all, I loved the markets of La Paz:

1) Rodriguez market is a huge fruit, vegetable and meat market. On the weekends, they shut down several streets to accomodate the market. I learned that buying one item from one casera (saleswoman) and another item from a different casera (I thought I’d diversify) is frowned upon. This sparked a “What’s wrong with my bananas?” fiasco that I’d rather forget.

2) The Artesian street or Linares, is, in essence, a tourist trap with its hand-made purses, sweaters and jewelry all in one place but I loved walking down this street over and over again. Each time I’d see something I’d missed previously. I’d handle it, ask the price and then put it back. All the bright and bold Bolivian colors and patterns  just made me happy.

3) The witches market is your one-stop shop for good luck. While most Bolivians would claim to be Catholic, their religion is really a combination of catholicism and ancient native beliefs. This is best demonstrated in the Franciscan Church in the town center. The Spanish conquistadors recruited the native Bolivians in construction of the church as a means to convert them. The outcome: on the ediface of the church are many intricate engravings often with the virgin Mary right next to Pachamama (mother earth) squating out another kid. Forget “pour one out for your homie.” The original was “pour one out for pachamama.” Many Bolivians are very superstitious. In fact, one of the saleswomen jumped out of photo (I’ve never seen them move so fast), so that her soul wouldn’t get trapped in my camera. So of course, Bolivians will recruit special items or even a witch doctor to bless their business, home or turn their luck around. In fact, no builders will begin construction on a home without a llama fetus sacrificed in the ground to pachamama beforehand.  Rumor has it, sacrifices for larger structures like a skyscraper, require much, much more than just a llama fetus.

On the left you can see the baby llama fetuses

...And then there’s THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD! For years this road was the only way from La Paz to the Amazon and because it was so narrow and windy, some 26 vehicals, on average, disappeared over the edge annually earning it the title of THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD! Recently, they have built a newer and safer road but what better way to get more mileage out of the old road than by suckering gullible foreigners in to bike it!

I signed up for the death road ride towards the end of my time in La Paz. One day it was closed due to protests so I extended my stay yet again. Of course, the next day was pouring cats and dogs and with fog to boot. The road is very narrow at stretches, rocky and now slippery and muddy as well! At times huge waterfalls would rush down from the mountain above and cover the whole road as the water disappeared down the cliff. You had no choice but to bike right through the waterfall, hoping you weren’t going to fast that you slide out or too slow that you get stuck. I just told myself that if I were to get a flat or the chain were to come off, to just veer right, towards the mountainside and away from the edge at the left. And then I would remember that we had just weaved around the other side and now the mountainside was to the left and cliff was to the right! Oops!

At the end of the day, I was sopping wet from heat to toe but pretty proud of myself for biking an even more dangerous version of THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD! I was still thinking about it a couple of days later but that was more due to the fact that they need better cushioned bike seats.

Everyone survived!

I'm in a waterfall.

Look, Mom, no hands!

By this time, all the old friends that I had planned to meet in La Paz or new friends I had made since being there had all either left La Paz or were now working at the hostel bar--no joke. So it was time that I be on my way.

Wednesday, my birthday, I took a 3 hour busride to Copacabana, Bolivia, on Lake Titicaca. At one point, we got off the bus, took a boat across a channel, and then just watched for the bus with all our worldly possessions to hopefully cross afterwards on a ferry. It went surprisingly well. But hey, anytime you’re on a bus in Bolivia and it doesn't get hijacked, I’d say that’s a success.

The ferry that takes the bus across separately.

I arrived in Copacabana around lunchtime, just in time to order some trout and take in the beautiful blue of Lake Titicaca from a rooftop restaurant. I made friends with a couple of girls from San Diego and their British mates and, after a couple of beers, we were out on the lake in paddleboats that looked like ducks. Later we went back to the girls’ hotel for some hot tub time. What can I say? I have an affinity for hot tubs. All in all, it was a lovely day so I can’t complain! Here’s to being 27!

June 12th was, of course, the first day of the World Cup! Futbol is most definitely growing on me and I was just about as psyched about the match as the next guy. I found a decent sports bar to watch and even had myself some trout lasagna--don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it!

Continuing my beer tour...

Friday I hitched a boat to Isla del Sol, a large island in Lake Titicaca. It’s a very quiet spot with just a few lunchtime restaurants. And I mean quiet-- no internet and no electricity here! I spent about 4 hours hiking around the south end of the island which turns out is probably the most dangerous thing I’ve done on my trip so far--don’t tell my mom! There were no real paths around the island and certainly no roads. Once I turned a corner from my hostel, there were no other hostels, homes, or other hikers along the way. Fortunately, I survived and got to see some amazing viewpoints. Isla del Sol did not disappoint in that I definitely got some sun! That afternoon I hiked to the north side of the island to catch the sunset which was breathtaking. It better be breathtaking, I’m missing 3 World Cup matches for this!

Peaceful is an understatement.

Saturday morning I took the first boat off the island and back to civilization (how often do you say that?). I am still unsure of where to go to next. Getting super excited about meeting my mom in Lima on June 19th and just want Mommy and me week to be here already!

Well, I guess Peru, here I come!