08/04/19 - 27/04/19
Sorry to disappoint everyone that was hoping to read some juicy stories of illegal substance abuse in the depths of South America but that was never really our thing and we weren't going to start now even though rumour had it that Bolivia is where some of the best and cheapest cocaine is to be found (but hey, what would I know!). Instead let me take the time to tell you about Bolivia and all those times we were soaring well above 4000 meters, perhaps a little less exciting than getting high on narcotic stories for some but a pretty epic journey for us!
Going to Bolivia, one must pack an open mind. Almost nothing is done like it is in countries in the developed world. At this stage of our travels, being on the road for about 9 months we thought we had become pretty immune to most things from all the weird foods, obscenely chaotic transport systems and all those crazy bus drivers, but then we got to Bolivia and in Bolivia that sense of open-mindness was certainly tested. We also believed that the scenery of Nepal and Patagonia were completely unrivalled and no other landscape could live up to their epic-ness but yet again, when we got to Bolivia the sheer remoteness of the country was a very special draw for us.
Getting to Bolivia in itself was a pretty cool adventure where we got our first sense of the countries inaccessibility if you are to travel over land which can really only be done by 4x4. Getting from the Atacama desert in Chile into Bolivia only really gave us one option and that was us trawling the tourist shops in San Pedro De Atacama looking for the best deal for a 3 day 4x4 jeep tour across the highlands of the Chilean/Bolivian wilderness. Group tours like this really aren't our thing where we are told where and when to eat and where and when we can take a piss but it was really our only option and we saw it as an opportunity to hang out with some fellow travellers for a few days as we had been keeping to ourselves for the last while while driving through Salta in Argentina. When Paul was finally satisfied by the price tag he managed to haggle for the 3 day jeep tour, the next day we packed our stuff and headed off towards Salar de Uyuni, more commonly known as The Bolivian Salt Flats, a region famous for its spectacular and remote landscape.
We set off bright and early on Day 1 to the Bolivian border with 3 English backpackers who happened to be staying at our hostel and our Bolivian driver who spoke very little English. Luckily one of our fellow travellers was able to do some translating which was a relief as our Spanish was still very much a work in progress. After a somewhat long delay at the border which wasn't really the best of starts, the first stop of our road trip was Laguna Blanca resting at an elevation of 4350m. San Pedro de Atacama where we had come from was at an elevation of 2400m which meant rising such altitude in a relatively short space of time could be quite a dangerous affair. We hadn't seen this type of elevation gain since our trekking in Nepal and even at that, getting to those heights in the Himalayas was done properly in slow progression. I really hoped we wouldn't suffer any altitude sickness as our driver explained we would be reaching close to 5000m on Day 1 before descending to our accommodation for the night. Our driver handed us a handful of coca leaves which would seemingly prevent the onslaught of symptoms. I was willing to try anything but as we continued to rise towards 5000m, I became increasingly more lethargic. The only saving grace was the fact that we soon found ourselves dwarfed by Laguna Blanca, a spectacular lake, like something out of a painting with its mirrored reflections of the snow capped volcanoes towering behind. It really was a beautiful and unique sight.
After out first pitstop at the lake, we squashed back into our ageing 4 x 4 and trundled along the dusty road track to our next stop. An area lined with geysers, bubbling mud pots and the distinct smell of sulfur.
We wandered carefully around the uneven alien like landscape and gazed in amusement at the hot steam emitted by the geysers which can blast heights of up to 15 meters. We were very aware however that one false step could send us into the depths of the voracious boiling mud holes as we had heard stories of people suffering horrific burns and even death from falling in! We tried our best to get a picture but timing our pose between the next spout of steam and sulphur proved quite difficult.
A short journey down away from the geysers lead us to aguas calientes or hot springs. After a long morning hopping in and out of our cramped jeep and me feeling increasingly more tired as the altitude reached close to 5000m, this stop certainly came at the right time. We got the chance to bathe in the thermal waters and relax while we admired the picturesque lagunas and volcanoes resting in the distance While indeed we could have relaxed in the warm waters for hours we were strongly advised against it as combining the hot waters with the 5000m altitude was not a good idea and I for one was not willing to risk it in my already fragile state. We chilled out for about 30 minutes in the warm waters before sitting down to a large lunch where I ate as much food as I could in attempt to perk my energy levels.
Getting photographs and enjoying the abundance of interesting sights to feast our eyes on were a few of the main things we would be spending our time doing over the next few days. With such distinct landscapes on offer it made for some great opportunities to play around with perspective. Our driver, like most I assume who bring 100's of tourists through the Bolivian nature reserve each year are thankfully well versed in the world of cheesy perspective picture taking and I for one was was totally ok with that. He was quick to swerve the jeep over, pull out his dinosaur props where he helped us achieve some of those Insta worthy perspective pictures, which if you don't get while on the salt flat tour....have you even been?!
Our last stop of our action packed day was the Red Lagoon, Laguna Colorada. Folklore suggests the water here is actually the blood of the gods, though scientists believe the colour comes from the algae and rich minerals in the water...I'll let you decide which one to believe!
This stop was actually one of my favourite of the three days and definitely the most unexpected. One would find it hard to believe that in such apparent barren and remote landscapes that wildlife would somehow find a way to flourish but thats exactly what has happened in this part of the Bolivian wilderness. Spanning 6000 hectares but less than a meter in depth, llamas, alpacas, flamingos and guanacos collectively call this area their home. The flamingos gather in huge groups and are drawn to the area thanks to the lakes abundant supply of plankton while the llamas, alpacas and guanacos spend their time munching on the plentiful supply of grass and occasionally running away from annoying tourists that seem to find it acceptable in trying to get up close! We sat for some time at the lakes edge quietly observing the abundance of wildlife while admiring the deep red colour of the lake as it contrasted with the clear blue sky and the white snow on the distant mountains.
After an exhausting yet extremely full filling day 1, day 2 saw us head deeper into the desolate landscape of the Andean nature reserve where we yet again found ourselves dwarfed by towering mountain scapes but this time in the form of some large funky shaped rocks. Thankfully as the altitude was back to a some what acceptable level, I was feeling much better on day 2 and was looking forward to what the days activities would bring.
This area, our first stop of the day, has been nicknamed Desierto de Dalí as the rocks appear to have been meticulously placed there by the surrealist master, Salvador Dalí. Some of the formations are given names in accordance to what they seemingly look like such as the ‘Copa del Mundo’ (World Cup trophy) and ‘El Camel’ (the camel). A little imagination is key here but the resemblance of the rock shapes to their names is definitely apparent. We spent some time here in the morning sun clambering to the top of some of the structures which when at the top gave us great panoramic views of the desert below. We did wonder however when gazing into the dusty valley below where on earth would these infamous salt flats suddenly appear from....or would they even? The landscape where we were stood on seemed a far cry from the bright whites of the salt flats that one might expect to see at this point in the journey but with patience not really being my strong point, I didn't really have a choice other than to enjoy our current position but enjoy I did!
Leaving Dali's dessert we got the chance to explore some remote villages located in this region. Populated by the native Quechua people, we had some time after lunch to wander through the seemingly abandoned villages but we figured the streets were so quiet as most were probably inside avoiding the intensity of the sun. At these sorts of altitudes, the suns heat can become quite unbearable. As we quietly explored the streets we happened to come across a small hint of human life outside of our own with a small group of women sorting bags of clothes under a flimsy old sun umbrella, which we found out after were clothes donations from Western countries which they sell at a local markets in order to earn some money while also helping to cloth the poor. Close by to where these woman sorted clothes we could hear the faint sound of drums in the distance. In an area where not much seemed to happen other than the blowing of dust in the wind and the odd sound of a baby crying we of course went to investigate. After walking for a few hundred meters we found ourselves observing a local schools PE class where the super cute kids were dancing to the beat of drums. We made sure to keep our distance as to not interrupt but it was lovely to witness children living in such remote villages but still able to enjoy life and their education. After visiting a few more lagunas (none which compared to day one however!) we checked in early to our accommodation as were we in for an early start the next morning. The salt flats were finally upon us!
There's lots of places on earth considered to be spectacular and all compete for the top prize but after finally getting to visit the Bolivian salt flats, there's no denying that it could confidently hold a place close to the top spot.
We awoke early before dawn (which was torturous I may add!) to cram into our ever increasingly banged up 4x4 jeep to make it out on the salt flats before sun rise. Measuring at 10,582 km, Salar de Uyuni is the biggest salt flat in the world and during the rainy season water can accumulate as a thin layer on top of the flats giving off perfect reflections once dawn has broken. Luckily we were here in Bolivia for rainy season so after our driver somehow managed to navigate his way through the dirt roads in the pitch black of night we knew we had finally made it onto the salt flats as the headlights of the jeep illuminated the salt crystals as we sped over them. As our heads bobbed from side to side in the jeep in the dark as we moved swiftly across the flats, the light from the morning sun gradually started to appear.
It was at this time that our driver silenced the engine and we clambered in excitement from the stuffy jeep out into the glorious early morning fresh air. A blissfully quiet ambiance surrounded us from all sides and we stood in silence with our own thoughts (with my main thought being the fact that my boots were quickly filling with water after months of abuse!) watching the morning sun break the horizon to illuminate the watery salty surface below our feet (getting wetter by the minute!). Up to now it was hard to tell what the salt flats really looked like as we had been traveling though the darkness but once dawn began to break we got our first glimpse of the true vastness of our surroundings which only became apparent once there was light. The mountains behind us had a perfect symmetry with the reflection in the water which lead the way for some fantastic reflective shots. In fact, we spent a good length of time here taking pictures with the morning sun as our back drop.
Once the sun had fully lifted it was time for us to move onto a dry section of the flats (a bit late for me as my feet were already soaked but I was thankful all the same!). Armed with our plastic dinosaur and a wine bottle ready for us to dive into later in the evening we were looking forward to taking some more hilarious forced perspective photos. Our driver once again played a blinder, using his cheesy perspective photography skills to help us capture some great memories from our time on the Bolivian salt flats.
In the heart of the salt flats lies Isla Incahuasi which means “house of the Inca” in the native language of Quechua. After enjoying some time taking photos we made our way to another unexpected sight in this region. Lying in the middle of the salt flats is effectively a large lump of rock where local people used to use it as a temporary refuge when crossing the salt flats - long before 4 x 4 jeeps were ever a thing. This piece of land is what remains of an ancient volcano which was submerged when the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, roughly 40,000 years ago. This marvellous terrain is covered in a native species of cactus which are hundreds of years old and their stark contrast with the barren salt flats makes this abundant plant life even more fascinating.
After our visit to the land of cacti, our tour was unfortunately nearly coming to an end. Our last stop was a cemetery in the town of Uyuni. After coming from a landscape where very few people , cars or people reside, visiting this cemetery was a real contrast to the environment we had just come from. This wasn't a normal cemetery however, this was a place where trains came to die and we had the chance to explore it being the big children that we are. Uyuni was once a major transportation hub for trains in South America due to mining in its surrounding areas. But once the mining industry collapsed so too did the demand for many of the trains and so as a result many were left abandoned. Over time the salt winds have corroded the metal from the trains, leaving a rusty playground behind for passerby's like us to explore.
This was a spectacular trip and Bolivia certainly had announced its arrival as a country that had a lot to offer in terms of culture, scenery, people and my favourite....llamas!
Potosi
Having spent a night relaxing in Uyuni after our 3 day adventure across the Bolivian highlands we caught a bus the next day to the city of Potosi. The hectic manoeuvring from the bus driver as it swerved around the mountains edge was a sure sign that Bolivia isn't known for its road safety record but we had no choice other than to hope we would arrive in once piece to our next destination which luckily we did! The city of Potosi is located at a staggering altitude of 4,090m above sea level making it one of the highest cities in the world. Even walking across the main plaza where our bus had dropped us off had given me a headache and some shortness of breath, although come to think of it some of that queasy feeling could have partially been down to the rollercoaster ride we had just endured but nonetheless I wouldn't let it deter me from exploring the city.
After we checked into our hostel we took some time to stroll through the cobbled sidewalks of the quaint little side streets and alleyways which were dotted with beautiful old colonial buildings. While relaxing on one of the many benches placed throughout the city and spending our afternoon people watching (one of our favourite hobbies!) we noticed that life here moved much slower than other cities we had visited which was a welcome surprise. As we spent our afternoon exploring the city we soon got our first glimpse of the almighty Cerro Potosi.
Potosi lies at the foot of Cerro Potosi which peaks at 4,782m. 'Rich Mountain' is the name given to it by the Spaniards who would mine its contents during their colonial conquest. However, the locals now refer to it as 'The Mountain That Eats Men'. Cerro Potosi had so much silver encased in the rocks that the Spanish would found a colonial mint here in the 17th century where up to 60% of the worlds silver was mined. Potosi soon become one of the most important cities in the Spanish conquest however this also brought great hardship to the people of Potosi. Some 3 million Quechua Indians were put to work here over the centuries with hundreds of thousands dying as a result of perilous working conditions. Not much has changed today as the mountain still operates as a fully functional mine despite the fact that the majority of the silver has been exploited. Even though working in the mines poses a great risk to workers, a huge portion of the cities residents continue work here as it is for many, their only source of income.
A tour of the mines with a local guide who had once worked in the mines was advertised by our hostel. We had debated for some time wether to sign up for the tour as people we had met described it somewhat like a zoo in which we would be paraded though the mines while the workers carried out their risky duties. On the flip side we had also learned that these tours had provided an escape for many former mine workers who now used tourism to support themselves and their families rather than continue to risk their health and indeed their lives. After much debate we decided to go ahead and do the tour as we figured if nothing else, it would provide an insight into a world we knew very little about.
At the beginning of the tour, we were first greeted by our very funny and friendly guide who on the face of it looked like he was in his 50's with missing teeth, back hunched over and a stature which was small and frail however we later learned that he was in fact a man in his late 30's. Quite a shocking thing to learn and our first insight into the many effects of what happens when one has no choice but to spend their days in darkness underground. After getting dressed in our very trendy miners clothes we were brought first to a miners market to pick up some small gifts to give to the workers. Some gifts we were suggested to buy included cigarettes, coca leaves, beer, spirits which contained 96% alchohol which, yes, they would drink straight and lastly dynamite. So, buying dynamite which has the capability of blowing up huge portions of rock deep within the mines is apparently completely normal in Bolivia and there we were buying it from a little old woman in a shop for $2 per stick. I must state here that workers are expected to provide much of their own dynamite in order to excavate the minerals which yes, is pretty unfair when they get paid very little as is. We would experience first hand later on the inner workings and power of this dynamite.
Once we got to the entrance of the mines our guide told us a little of his backstory. He worked in the mountain as a child from the age of 12 to 19 in order to provide extra income for his family. His father later died of a lung disease known as silicosis from years of working in a dust filled environment where little respiratory protection was provided by higher management. When he himself went on to have a son he soon realised that he didn't want the same fate to come to him leaving his own son without a father so decided to leave the mines to pursue a safer career in bringing us tourists on a personal journey through the depths of the mountain. Those 7 years had clearly left their mark both physically and mentally, however he seemed to use his great sense of humour to hide his most darkest memories.
After his fascinating stories it was finally time for us to delve deep into the mountain. Looking at the tiny entrance we would be crouching through filled me with a sense of dread as not only was it small, dusty and dark but the rocks looked like they were barely being kept intact with a few planks of wood. At this stage however, there was no time to turn around! Upon entering it immediately became narrow with very little head space and as we climbed down wooden ladders we were brought deeper and deeper underground all the while crouched over. Poor Paul being over 6ft tall was nearly at a 90 angle trying to navigate down through the tunnels. With only the dim lighting from our headlights, this was certainly a space where one would not want to be claustrophobic. On our journey through the vast arrays of narrow corridors we passed groups of miners hauling rocks back out with old rail cars. Our guide stoped on a number of occasions to deliver our gifts which they were more than happy to receive. Up to 16,000 miners still toil here much like their ancestors did, however it's zinc there are after as the silver reserves are all but gone. Cave-ins are another major concern for miners here - not something we were surprised by as seeing the tunnels overhead being kept up by planks of wood was quite unnerving.
After what felt like hours crawling and breathing in the dust our guide stopped us halfway down a mine shaft, turned and asked us to stay put as the miners were about to detonate dynamite in a nearby area. This was certainly not something we were expecting and immediately my heart began to pound. I really didn't want to be underground in an unsafe cramped mine when dynamite was about to be exploded but I had no other choice but to close my eyes, grab onto Paul and wait.............BOOM! The first explosion caused the walls to vibrate and with each vibration more dust and small rocks fell from over head. This. was. scary!!! If that wasn't bad enough there was to be another 6 or 7 explosions each feeling like they were getting closer and with each boom more rocks would fall from overhead. 'Get me out of here' is all I could think of and panic definitely started to creep in at the thought of the walls collapsing and us been being trapped with no way out. Others in the group were much the same but after the explosions were finished Paul and our guide managed to calm me down. At this stage I just wanted to get out but I was thankful the dynamite explosions hadn't locked us underground never to see daylight again!
Continuing on the tour we learned that to keep the miners frightened (as if working in darkness deep under ground wasn't scary enough already) and therefore more productive, the Spanish introduced them to the concept of the devil. They told the miners that if they didn't mine efficiently, great misfortunes would be bestowed upon them. Instead however, the natives decided to pray to this figure like they would their god, rather than believe it was a thing of evil. Deep in the mines, the workers built many shrines to this devil making offerings each day such as cigarettes, coca leaves and alcohol in the hope that they would emerge alive. It was in front of one of these statues where our guide sat us down and made his offering and let us have a sip of the lethal alcohol we had bought at the miners market. Yuk!
We eventually made our way back up through the narrow openings of the mine where we were finally greeted with daylight and sweet fresh air. I was never so glad to see the sun! We had only spent about 1 hour below ground but it really had felt like an eternity for me. As we sat in our jeep to be brought back to the tour agency shop I could only sit in silence with my racing thoughts on what we had just experienced. These men go through such hardship and hellish conditions each day to provide living conditions we take so much for granted back home but many unfortunately have no other option. I couldn't help but feel for the wives and children who say goodbye each morning and pray that it won't be the last time they see each other. The average life expectancy of a miner is only 40 years and each month many men perish as a result of dangerous working conditions, leaving their wives and young families behind. This was certainly a sobering experience and one that will stay with us for a long long time.
Sucre
After being in South America now for 3 months, our Spanish shamefully still wasn't at the level it probably should have been. We had heard about a city in Bolivia called Sucre where many travellers go to learn Spanish as not only is it a pretty city but it's also much cheaper to get lessons here than most other places in South America.....a win win! Located at an elevation of 2810 meters, the city boasts beautiful bright white buildings, that are dotted at the corners of the many open squares throughout the city. Due to its relatively high altitude the subtropical highland climate also lends itself to a climate that is cool year round which suited us perfect as the heat at times in some other cities was often overwhelming. For the next 5 days we called Sucre our home as we spent two hours each morning doing private Spanish classes which were offered through our hostel while spending our evenings doing our homework (We were very diligent students!) and exploring the sights of the city.
Over the 5 days our Spanish did seem to improve, Paul definitely more so than mine but at least I can say that I tried however I’ll certainly never be a language scholar. One of the most beautiful places we visited when we weren’t knee deep in Spanish vocabulary was that of Templo de San Felipe Neri. Not only was this building a perfect example of colonial art but the roof top offered a superb vantage point to see the city from above. I was sad to leave the bright white buildings of Sucre behind but quietly relieved I didn't have to commit to any more early morning Spanish lessons!
La Paz
Coming from the serene city of Sucre our next stop in Bolivia was to the wacky capital of La Paz. The first thing you need to know about here is that its high….like really high! At a dazzling height of 3640m above sea level, La Paz is known for being the highest administrative capital in the world. The second thing you need to know is that this place is completely bonkers. At all times of the day, a mad carnival seems to be at play with busy shoppers, eager street vendors and crazy colectivo (taxi bus) drivers all intermingled to create a scene of pure chaos but a scene in which we absolutely loved. It surrounded us from every angle but instead of ignore it, we only had one option and that was to fully embrace it.
One of the main attractions in La Paz is of course the Mi Teleferico cable car which only opened back in 2014. La Paz has a copious amount of steep hills so I can only imagine how difficult it was for locals to get around before this magnificent feet of transportation was introduced. A trip on the cable car costing less than a euro will bring you high above the city scape offering a bird’s eye view of the city sprawl and what a gigantic colourful sprawl it is.
We happened to be in La Paz for the weekend and every Sunday, the city hosts one of the biggest markets in an area known as El Alto. Large supermarkets and shopping centres in La Paz are virtually non-existent so this market offered the perfect invitation for hours of mindless walking and gazing at all the random items on offer from car parts to the most delicious freshly squeezed orange juice. Paul even managed to bag himself a hipster shirt for just 2 dollars. Not only is this market extensive and a fantastic place for some people watching, it also offers incredible views looking down over the city from a height of 4000m.
Speaking of markets, one of the most real yet weird places in the city to visit is the witches market where one will find the foetuses of animals including baby Alpacas. We took a walking tour of the city and this place was really cool but even more so when we heard of the stories and traditions of the local culture and what it meant for the existence of these so called witches markets….you should google to find out more!
During our walking tour we also paid a visit to the outer walls of San Pedro Prison which was made famous by the book entitled Marching Powder. Fronting onto a leafy green picturesque plaza, everything seemed quite normal here with colourfully dressed indigenous woman with bowler hats chatting with their friends and groups of men enjoying an afternoon of street football. We learned that this prison was more like a small city within itself housing men incarcerated as part of the ‘war on drugs’. Inmates here have jobs and buy or rent their own cells. Families often live together and come and go during the day to work or school. As far as prisons go this place is more like a hotel and being a minimum security facility conditions are far more lax. As a result drugs continue to seep in and out, one way being when inmates throw a nappy filled with cocaine out their window to the streets below and really who is going to pick up a seemingly dirty nappy!.....genius if you ask me!
After already seeing a football match in Argentina, Paul decided he wanted to experience more of the South Americans love for the sport. We decided to head to see the local club Bolivar who play in Estadio Hernando Siles which is 3,637 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest professional stadiums in the world. This elevation is used to the home teams advantage as often the visiting teams find it difficult to acclimatise to the altitude and tire out much quicker during matches. We were tired just climbing the steps to our seats never mind running around a pitch chasing a ball for 90 minutes so I totally get it! Memorable scalps for Bolivia include Brazil and an incredible 6-1 win over Argentina with a team managed by Diego Maradona and featuring superstar Lionel Messi. We picked up tickets to the game with our fellow backpackers, Amy and Will who we had met in Argentina and who had joined us on the Salt Flats tour. We took our seats on the centre circle and sat back to enjoy the game for the next 90 minutes. According to Paul the the standard of football wasn't the best he had ever witnessed but really, this South American game is all about the crowds and the incredible atmosphere they emanate. Rather than watching the flow of the football from one end of the pitch to the other, we spent much of our time admiring the passion of the fans stationed behind the goals jumping up and down chanting while singing to the beat of their drums. After a comfortable 3-0 home win we headed back into the city centre to explore some of the local nightlife.
Death road
We couldn’t leave Bolivia without of course taking a bike trip down the infamous Yungas Road, grimly known to most as ‘Death Road’ or Camino de la Muerte in Spanish due to its notoriously high death rate. Surrounded by mountainous terrain and terrifying steep overhangs this winding gravel road stretches for 69km starting from La Paz and ending in the town of Coroico.
Death Road climbs to around 4600 meters at La Cumbre Pass before descending to an altitude of 1200m. We began our bike adventure by firstly taking a jeep ride up to the start with our safety gear and mountain bikes in tow. To give you an idea how dangerous these sorts of altitudes can be, one of the girls on our tour actually fainted as she stood listening to our guides safety talk. As a result she couldn’t begin the cycle with the rest of the team, instead she was quickly whisked into the back of the van to be taken down to a lower altitude. She had only arrived in La Paz the day before so obviously hadn't acclimatised. Luckily, once further down the pass she felt a whole lot better and could join us on the cycle.
I must admit, this kind of cycle terrified me! The gravel surface was slippy, the hairpin turns were tight and the road barriers were virtually non-existent. Any lack of concentration for even a moment could see you hurtling over the edge into the depths below. From the moment our cycle began I couldn’t help but keep my hands clasped tightly on the brakes meaning I was a good 5 minutes behind the rest of our group who, at each stop had to wait for me to catch up. At each interval we stopped for a break and when, me, the slow coach had caught up, our guide would proceed to tell us some harrowing stories about the area.
Dotted along the stretch of road are an unsettling amount of crosses representing some of the many spots where people had lost their lives. One of the most tragic accidents happened on July 24th 1983 when an overcrowded bus veered off the side of the road and into the canyon, killing more than 100 passengers. With each grisly story our guide told us, my hands seemed to grip tighter and tighter around the brakes of my bike meaning by the end of the trip my fingers felt like they would be permanently left in a claw like state. Thankfully after a well-deserved break in a local man’s swimming pool and a few beers to brush away my heightened anxiety, my hands went back to their former glory.
That night instead of going back to La Paz with the rest of our group, we decided to stay in the mountainous town of Coroico where we would relax by the pool of our guesthouse before making our way towards the Amazon jungle. Now on that note, our plan WAS to get a night bus the next evening towards the jungle which I was very much looking forward to but in the world of backpacking plans can change within an instant and that’s exactly what happened to us. As we were just about to purchase our over night bus tickets from a local travel agent in the town, some fellow travellers proceeded to inform us that the previous night, a terrible bus crash had occurred, with the bus veering off the side of the mountains edge, killing most people on board. Upon hearing the details of that horrific event and combined with the fear I had cycling down death road the previous day I just knew I couldn’t continue to take that night bus. It was a notoriously bending road towards our next destination and with bus drivers known to drink alcohol and fall asleep at the wheel we just couldn’t risk it. So within an instant our plans needed to change and although gutted I wouldn’t be getting to the Amazon in the next few days, I was determined we would get there eventually.
Copacabana and Isla Del Sol
When you say Copacabana the first thing that probably pops into your head is the cheesy lyrics of Barry Manilows infamous song. Sadly one of our final stops in Bolivia was to its namesake. The Bolivian Copacabana rests on the shores of Lake Titicaca which straddles the border between Bolivia and Peru in the Andes Mountains and is one of South America’s largest lakes. It’s also said to be the birthplace of the Incas so many old ruins can be explored here and in the surrounding areas. Dominating Copacabana’s central plaza is a beautifully restored Cathedral where on the outside is a large open square surrounded with large white pillars. On our first evening we also took a hike up to the view point of Cerro Calvario which gave beautiful views over the horseshoe bay below.
Due to Copacabana’s location by the waters edge, we didn’t have much choice but to overdose on Trout (Trucha in Spanish) which is a household staple in the area. One of the best pieces of fish we had was from a traditionally dressed lady who sold her food down a little side-street. These were always the best meals for us as they were super cheap, super tasty, huge portions and it felt only right that we support the local poorer families who were always grateful for the business. The only down side was that Paul had to try and fit on a tiny little plastic chair but it only added to the authentic experience.
The following day we decided to get away from the crowds and head on foot to the small fishing village of Yampupata. This walk was long but relaxing as it followed the scenic Yampupata peninsula giving wonderful views of Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna, the legendary birth place of the sun and moon. It also gave us a flavour of rural Bolivian life as we passed friendly llama herders, fishermen and quinoa and potato farmers. Some lovely memories we have from our walk here included a local elderly man who beckoned us over to a bench at the side of his farm house. As we took our seat, he proceeded to show us hundreds of postcards he had gathered over the years from other passing travellers, we even found one all the way from Ireland. To tell the truth we had actually read about this man before we began our hike so on the off chance we met him along the way, we decided to bring our own postcard to add to his collection which he was happy to accept. He was also eager to give us a ride on his battered wooden boat over to the edge of the peninsula but unfortunately we had to decline as time wasn’t really on our side and we were unsure of how we would get back to Copacabana or how long it would take to hitch a ride. We kindly declined the offer, said our goodbyes and headed further on our way but he didn’t seem too put out thankfully as I assume due to his rural location, was just happy for the company, even for a short period.
Further along our walk, the random interactions seemed to continue. We stumbled upon a traditionally dressed local woman who seemed to be struggling to lift her blanket which they use to carry all sorts. She too beckoned us over. Unsure of her request she kept pointing at her load. I attempt to lift it but indeed it was quite heavy. Paul then lifted it and through hand gestures and broken English we realised she wanted us to help her carry it back to her house. She opened up the cloth to show us inside and surprisingly it was full of rocks. We are still not sure why she was collecting rocks this far away from her house but due to her age and the fact she was clearly struggling we happily obliged. Paul then proceeded to carry this big heavy bag of rocks over his shoulder for the next 20 minutes towards the town of Yampupata all the while his arms and hands getting increasingly sun burned.
After what seemed like hours walking in the blazing sun, we finally arrived at the ladies house which was merely just a stone built shack with small slits for windows and chickens running loose outside. In order to thanks us for our kind gesture, she offered us to come inside where the only thing she could offer us was a bowl of small cooked potatoes. We sat with her in her dimly lit kitchen as the 3 of us sat in silence while eating her potatoes, which I must add, were absolutely delicious and just the substance we needed after a long and hot walk. It was such a lovely experience to be offered into the home of a traditional Bolivian woman and for her to offer us what was probably going to be her dinner that evening. . I’m the kind of person who loves to try and get off the beaten track so this for me was definitely a special memory. After being fed and watered by this lovely lady, we said our goodbyes and headed on our way to the water’s edge which was thankfully only a few minutes’ walk. Luckily, for us, the woman who had fed us her potatoes had told her neighbour who we assume was a taxi man that we needed a lift back to the town. After relaxing at the peninsulas watching the local children play in the water while their parents whacked a huge net full of fish with a large heavy stick to kill them (at this stage nothing really surprised us in Bolivia!) we got our ride back to Copacabana after a lovely day in the Bolivian countryside bringing with us plenty of fond memories.
The next day we decided to make our way to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) which is the largest island of Lake Titicaca and known as the birthplace of the sun and the Inca Bloodline. Situated only an hours boat ride away we decided to leave early and enjoy the day exploring. Having walked a lot the previous day we decided we would take it relatively easy here with a few short walks and then perhaps a beer if we could find one. Arriving at the island, we climbed the very steep steps which immediately greeted us as we docked from the boat (groan!). We followed the trail from the top and immediately were greeted with beautiful views which were far reaching across the lake. As we continued to walk the groups of day trippers began to dissipate which is always a good thing in my eyes and we constantly found ourselves bumping into old Incan ruins which were scattered along the trails. My favourite sites were those of the indigenous families whose faces were etched by time and altitude and who still live in these remote parts relying solely on farming and tourism for their income. After hiking and enjoying the fantastic panoramic views, we thankfully found ourselves a few beers in a small little restaurant where we perched ourselves for the remaining of our time on the island while watching the far reaching waters.
Bolivia is a country which has quickly became one of my favourites in which we have visited thus far. Its culture has been little effected by the passing of time and any influence by the western world has thankfully been slow to take hold. The people, although possessing very little are incredibly friendly and continue to stay true to their heritage and beliefs. Their fashion too is insanely cool and who can forget the llamas!
Comments