Impressions of Peru, Hola Bolivia

It´s been 2 weeks since we left the UK and I (Irene) am starting to miss the western comforts a little. Only a little, because our travels so far has been very positive, rewarding and (knock on wood) awesome. We descended from Lake Titicaca yesterday (a lake that crosses south of peru and north of Bolivia) at some 4,000 metres above sea level covering some 8,700kms (that´s a quarter of the size of Belgium!).

Now we are in a better position to compare countries in South America- Peru and Bolivia. Our initial impression of peru and peruanos (as you read on Bruno´s previous log) is that of diversity. Their rich Quechuan culture is peppered by the Spanish colonisation of over 300 years. They are very proud of their Inca heritage. Yet in some ways, it or they remind me of the Filipinos and their culture - that of Malay heritage and which was also occupied by the Spaniards for some 300 years.

Their appearance (at least in the South) is more that of an indigenous race. They are smallish and dark (could be) due to high altitude with slightly slanty eyes. Their food is quite similar to the Filipinos ´also (depending on whether they´re close to the sea or up in the sierra). A typical dish of chicken, beef or fish is always accompanied by rice, potato or yukka.

The Spanish influence is strong here: like Philippines there are many Catholic churches yet unlike Philippines, Castillan is widely spoken. Produce and plantation are also similar especially in the warmer areas. They grow coca (tastes like spinach, really) and make this widely available. Ive been taking it to help with the altitude. If there is one thing I cannot get used to in Peru & Bolivia it is the high altitude, its hard on my breathing and coca leaves help. Though this is used widely, you cannot take it out of the country.

La Paz is an amazing city, visually. It is apparently the highest capital city in the word at almost 4,000 m above sea level. It´s dirty and poor (more so than Peru) and the city sits on a valley, surrounded by the snow peaked Andean mountains. It appears that people have just built on any area where possible so it´s quite a dense city compared to Lima.

There is a sense of danger and excitement in the atmosphere when one arrives here and the Bolivians (at least from our experiences) run a hard bargain - they don´t at all. They will run (like the Peruanos) to get you something but you also feel that as a tourist in touristic areas, they try to take advantage.

Since leaving Cusco, we visited the floating islands of Uros on Lake Titicaca on the Peruvian side and we spent a day in Isla del Sol in Bolivia (a priceless beauty with no traffic whatsoever) near the border of South Peru & North Boliva.

After 3 days or so in central La Paz, we will depart for Uyuni (salt flats) south of Bolivia on 1st October, then head off to Atacama desert in North of Chile. We will catch our flight from Chile for Buenos Aires hopefully on 9th October.

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