A week and a half into Bolivia, and still loving it. It is interestingly enough the poorest country in SA yet the richest in the world with natural resources. Over 60% of the population is indigenous, and the traditions are strong. At least with the older generation, it seems. The younger population seems to be a bit more modernized and liberal. Check out this dude, shepherding potatoes via donkey over the Inca Trail, which took us 2 hours to climb:
So we were able to meet up with Jurgen and Mike for dinner Saturday night before our hike on Sunday, where we hit the Inca Trail and 2,000 year old cave paintings:
To prove the liberalness of the youth, we stumbled upon a gay-pride demonstration on Monday in the plaza in Sucre, complete with rainbow flags and a live theater performance. We then met up with J and M again for lunch in the Mercado Central, where they showed us the upstairs dining area, full of stalls with women hawking soups, stews, pastas, meats, all for about $1-$2. I had an interesting goulash type stew Jurgen had recommended (with actual spice!). Then they showed us the juice bars, all lined up in a row, with a rainbow of fresh fruits bursting over the counters, aching to be made into smoothies.
Each section of the Mercado had its own designation (fruits over here, spices over there, big raw cow carcasses yonder, etc.). After my dad's suggestion of trying to hunt down cherimoya, his favorite fruit of all time, but only found in SA, I thought I had lucked out when I found cherimoya wafer cookies before the desert safari ride. THEN I found the actual fruit in the mercado, and we bought a few for our hike. THEN I found an ice cream stand with it as the flavor of the day. THEN I had a fruit juice with it mixed with pineapple juice. Yes, it is delicious. A bit creamy, a bit melony.
After the mercado, we beelined it to the sombrero factory, Chris and I having decided on the bus ride from Uyuni to Sucre that we were envious of the local girls' amazing traditional hats and the ease with which they wore them. Dora, our guide from the hike, had told us about the factory, and that the hats should only cost us about 60 Bolivianos (a little over $8). Spent over an hour trying on all the different styles, and I finally settled on a gray wool Indiana Jones type bucket hat, while Chris got more of a traditional bowler/derby that sits just so on your head. I've already rocked mine a few times. Tourist, who?
From the factory we hit the REAL market, where the locals shop, not the touristy artisinal markets in the center of town. (Also by recommendation of Jurgen, Mike and Dora). We went a bit crazy with the fabrics (blankets or table cloths? napkins or nightstand covers? does it matter?), each of us buying more than we could carry in our backpacks, excited about the plethora of interior decorating possibilities that awaited us (and maybe a gift or two).
So off to the post office it was; my mom should be receiving a nice colorful package in 20 days... or so they say. Then it was straight to the 7:30pm overnight bus to La Paz, which passed uneventfully, save for the freezing conditions and out of service on-board bathroom. Haven taken a sleeping pill (thanks, mom!), I did not wake for either of the 2 bathroom breaks, and awoke at 6:30 am none the wiser of the broken bathroom. By the time we arrived in La Paz at 7:30am, I was in quite some pain and ran straight to the public baño. Made it just in time. I repeat, Bolivia is not for the faint of heart.
La Paz is a crazy bustling capital city, in a valley of sorts, at 3,600 meters altitude, with small windy, hilly roads full of crazy mini-buses that seem blind to pedestrians and no stop signs in site. No shortage of street food, from nuts and dried fruits:
to fresh squeezed OJ to popcorn to empanadas and salteñas (an empanada-like pastry with a delicious brothy inside):.
Still a lot of traditional garb for the women (none for the men strangely enough). We've gotten some culture in by visiting the San Francisco museum and cathedral, originally built in the 16th century, with a great view of the city from the roof:
as well as the Valle de la Luna (WIKI: It is composed of an area where erosion has worn away the majority of a mountain. Due to being composed of clay rather than rock, over the centuries the elements have created a somewhat odd work of art here, like a desert filled with stalagmites.) The poorly translated brochure told us we must take a moment of reflection in the silence canyon. Here I am, following orders:
Thanks to an old XM coworker's recommendation (he is a La Paz native), we checked out the San Miguel neighborhood, what you could call the SoHo of La Paz, and had a real Westernized lunch in a cafe that MUST be owned by a foreigner. Fresh salads, juices (but of course), followed by real espresso, and a very nice bathroom. Also found our first La Paz supermarket (mostly everything is bought in markets or tiny specialty shops) where we stocked up on snacks for the upcoming hike (anyone know what a lacuna is? I bought some more wafer cookies of the flavor). And then it was time for more artisanal shopping for alpaca woolen goods and even more bright textiles. If not for my mostly black wardrobe, I'd look like a walking Christmas tree with all the neon accessories I've bought. Last night we met up with Yvonne, Ian, Pete and Lucy, who were still in the city. Had dinner at a Cuban restaurant, which again, let me give kudos to Boivia for their culinary variety!
Tomorrow we're up early for a 9am rendezvous to meet our tour guide for a 3 day hike of Choro. The hike should be strenuous enough, with the altitude, two nights camping in prettttty cold temperatures, and a fair amount of climbing. But it should be rewarding as we'll end up Coroico, where we plan to spend at least a night. We've heard stories of people never wanting to leave Coroico. (Again, citing WIKI: Here in this tropical town, you'll find fruit orchards, twittering birds, coca fields, endless greenery, oxygen-rich air, warm weather, and friendly locals. There are also some nice hikes in the area where you could spend a few days in Coroico exploring the area, such as hikes to waterfalls or to rivers.)
So once again, I bid you adieu for at least four days. I'm all stocked up on nuts for the hike, alpaca woolen items for the cold, and toilet paper for the emergencies.
I've also updated Flickr with all pictures. Check 'em out.
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