LaPa LaPa LaPa La Paaaaz (Bolivia)

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(Day 267 on the road)If you read the following blog entry and think "wow, Ben's writing skills have certainly improved", I am afraid I have to disappoint you. Most of this entry was written by my good friend Suzanne, who came to visit me in Bolivia for ten amazing days of travelling together.

But before I hand over, a quick recap of the days leading up to Suzanne's arrival in La Paz: My entry into Bolivia from Peru was as easy as possible: A minibus from the travel agency picked up all the passengers at 4am in Puno, the boat from Puno (Peru) to Kasani (Bolivia) took about 5 hours (straight across the beautiful Lago Titicaca), the immigration formalities in Kasani took less than 3 minutes, and a minibus took me to the lakeside town of Cobacana five minutes later - all like clockwork.

I spent a few nights in Copacabana to get a first feeling for Bolivia, in a quiet hostal with sweeping lake views from my room and the garden, before moving on to La Paz, with just a few days to spare before Suzanne's arrival. My shoes were falling apart after eight months on the road now. But it was surprisingly difficult to find a decent replacement. The whole huge city of La Paz has about three outdoor shops, all with a very limited selection. I bought one of the few shoes that actually fit somewhat, a Salomon trail runner, hoping it was original and not a knock-off like 95% of the stuff in the shops here.

But now, without further ado, let me hand over to Suzanne's account of our ten days together:

I landed in La Paz at the oddest possible time: 2am. I had declined Ben’s generous offer to meet me at the airport because I could easily Uber to the Airbnb in Miraflores in 35 minutes. On my descent from El Alto to the vast capital, I felt excitement and a faint familiarity as I was reminded of when I visited Bolivia on my first backpacking trip through South America in the summer of 1999. Arriving to the building, Ben is standing in the doorway, welcoming me with a big smile.

I feel privileged to have met Ben on our business school exchange program in Hong Kong in 2002, and although we never lived in the same city since, we have criss-crossed over the years. During this 10 day break from my corporate life back in San Francisco, California, we turned back time looking at pictures of us on his laptop through the decades and worldly places: Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand, Germany, New York City, New Zealand, Singapore, California, Kazakhstan and now Bolivia.

We decided to spend a couple of easy days in the city to give myself time to acclimatize to the altitude (La Paz downtown lies at ~3.600 metres, and the neighbourhood of El Alto at ~4.000 metres): An informative walking tour of the city took us from Plaza Sucre, by the famous San Pedro prison (as vividly described in Marching Powder by Rusty Young) through the artisanal and witchers markets to Plaza Murillo. An obligatory visit to the Museo de la Coca rounded up the day.

Something new compared to my first time in La Paz was the teleferico. A marvellous way to travel above the city, beating traffic congestion and offering great views. The stations are spotless and pretty empty. Somewhat surprisingly, face masks are required on the cable car - like in many places still in Bolivia. Anyways, it was worth spending a day trying out all the lines and thus getting familiar with the layout of La Paz through the coloured lines. At 3 Bolivianos (about 40 Eurocent) + 2 Bolvianos per line transfer, it was money well spent.

I soon realized that many stray dogs roam the streets of Bolivia. Ben warned me in advance to beware, as dogs here can be unexpectedly aggressive. As we looked for a spot around the Mirador station to admire the amazing topography, we encountered a few dogs which we dutifully avoided and waved away. At one point, I passed a sleeping dog careful to hug the other side of the walkway. I did not expect him to suddenly come after me and bite me in the butt! I yelled and Ben came to help me out of my stupor. Luckily I just got away with four little bruised marks. Lesson learned!

Another point of reference for our time in La Paz was on the Celesta line of the teleferico: A shopping mall, which included a Cinnabon store. Little did I know that Ben has a weakness for this sticky, sugary treat, so I had to oblige…

After a few days in La Paz, we took a micro bus to Copacabana by the Lake Titicaca. No need to look at a time table, the vans leave when they fill up. Just find the person repeatedly yelling the name of the destination.

Copacabana, Copacabana, Copacabana, Copacabana!! Or our favourite: LaPa LaPa LaPa La Paaaaz

It is a city well frequented by backpackers and tourists, so it is full of hostels, cafes and restaurants. We stayed at Hostel La Cupula, overlooking the bay and owned by a friendly and vigilant French speaking Bolivian. The nearby hike up the Cerro Calvario tested my lung capacity at the altitude, but resulted in an amazing view of Copacabana at sunset, and in my mind was a justified reason to indulge in a scrumptious cheese fondue (trucha not included).

The next day, we packed an overnight bag for Isla del Sol: After taking an early afternoon boat from Copacabana to the south of the island, we stayed the night in the outskirts of Yumani in a quiet hostel with a great view but poor insulation. The extra blanket was not superfluous. Having braved the cold night, we set out for the 12km hike up north the next day to catch a boat ride back to Copacabana. A friendly black dog loyally accompanied us the whole way (redeeming the one that bit me), even through the rain and hail.

Next up on our agenda was the ancient city of Tiwanako. Tiwanako is an archaeological site just 1h30 west of La Paz. We managed to get there from Copacabana with a well-coordinated microbus switch at the Cemeterio bus station in El Alto, just in time to check in to the “best” hotel just meters away from the entrance to the site. Only snag: We are the only guests in the whole hotel! And seemingly in the whole town! The visit of the site was a bit underwhelming as many structures are still to be excavated. But in addition to the museums, I was glad we made the stop and saw the ruins with our own eyes.

If you have ever travelled with Ben, you know better than to miss packing your bathing suit… I knew we’d find a spring or a sauna to go and relax. We googled a place in La Paz, next to our new Airbnb base camp in Socapachi, with a dry and wet sauna and a reasonable sized pool where we were able to shake off the frantic micro bus travels. Ben was a happy camper.

Our final few days, we decided to spend in La Paz and its surroundings. Up first was the Valle de la Luna, a geological site just outside of La Paz. The Lonely Planet describes it as slightly overrated. I’d have to agree. Although the landscape is transporting, the site is very much marked for organized tours. Further out is the Muela del Diablo (the Devil’s Molar), a mountain named after its shape. We managed to find a good-hearted Uber driver (after a local taxi gave up on the ride midway) willing to take us there through steep, windy, unpaved roads… With no longer any cell network, we had the site to ourselves. After much needed encouragements from Ben, I made my way up and we enjoyed great views of the city. We then started our descent back to the city, catching a ride from a delivery truck soon after.

Spending a few more days in the city also gave us the opportunity to explore the booming La Paz food scene: That night, we treated ourselves to a highly rated tasting menu at Mi Chola, where Bolivian produce and dishes were highlighted with an artistic presentation. Pretty nice!

Then we planned for a museum day in la Paz as a way to unwind a bit. Ben pinned a few galleries and museums on the map and we made our way. We very soon realized that the attempt was failing, after place after place was closed for private events, renovations or just for the midday break. Siesta anyone?

For my last day, we booked a visit to Cerro Chacaltaya, a 5.380m mountain. The day seemed auspicious for us finally being able to spot Cerro Illimani (the mountain looming over La Paz), but as soon as the van stopped and let us off for our hike up the last kilometer or so to the summit, snow was falling and heavy fog was all we could see all around. Nevertheless, with our cranium starting to feel the pressure, we made it to the top, where an old abandoned ski lift evidenced the once popular ski resort. Note: The ride up and down the mountain in the van was not for the faint of heart and probably rivals the famous Coroico road.

Once back in La Paz, we hopped in a bus to El Alto, for a Cholita wrestling show for our last night together. I have never been into this sport but it was just as you would imagine it. We rounded the day a few blocks from our Airbnb at Cafe Typica, where we’d become regulars for some sweets and what else? A submarino - a bar of chocolate sunken in steamed milk and slowly melted…

I left Bolivia the same way I started my trip: An oddly timed flight at 3:20am. Getting to the airport relatively early, I replayed in my head our many conversations and was amazed at the range of subjects we covered, exchanging sometimes diverging opinions with curiosity and open mindedness. I go back to my American corporate life with new perspectives. How grateful I feel for this friendship I have neglected.

Hasta luego Ben!



My route in Bolivia (so far): Copacabana – La Paz – Copacabana – Isla del Sol - Tiwanako - La Paz.

Next stop: Coroico (Bolivia).

To view my photos, have a look at pictures.beiske.com.

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Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Above Copacabana
Fantastic pic of the spectacular view over Copacabana that should hold special memories for both of you, Ben & Susanna. That friends can meet and travel together and climb the mount for a magical view among the tombs up there is a treat indeed. Did you perchance meet a shaman on the way up who could bless your climb to the summit?

[D MJ Binkley]

Bolivia is Beautiful
What an amazing view!