Sign In
Blogs from La Paz Department, Bolivia, South America - page 5
Advertisement
October 18th 2012
Today, I crossed the border from Bolivia into Peru once again. But while in La Paz, Bolivia, I got to see two world cup eliminating soccer games. The first one was Bolivia versus Peru, and it was a tie. The stadium was full because so many Peruvians came to watch the game as well. I was rooting for Bolivia of course! The second game was Bolivia versus Uruguay and Bolivia won 4 to 1! This could have been partially becuase of the fact that the Bolivian national stadium in La Paz is the highest stadium in the world!... read more
Isla del Sol und der Titicacasee
Published: October 15th 2012South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Isla del Sol
October 3rd 2012
Nach einem Ruhetag nach El Misti folgt natuerlich wieder ein Bustag. Ueber Puno, und einem mittelmaessigen Mittagessen kommen wir mit etwas Glueck noch am selben Tag an die Grenze nach Bolivien. Man merkt schon an der Strasse nach der Grenze, dass Bolivien deutlich aermer als Peru ist. Die Grenzformalitaeten machen keine Schwierigkeiten. Wir trudeln abends in Copacabana am Titicacasee ein und setzen am naechsten Tag morgens 2h ueber den tiefblauen See auf die Isla del Sol ueber. Hier glaubten die Inkas, dass die Sonne geboren wurde. Dementsprechend stehen auch ein paar alte Steine rum. Mehr interessiert uns aber, dass man die Insel von Norden nach Sueden in einigen Stunden ueberwandern kann. Wuestenartige Landschaft vor dem tiefblauen Titicacasee, mal ueber, mal unter 4000m. Wir belohnen uns mit einer fantastischen Pizza mit Ausblick, setzen wieder nach Copacabana ueber ... read more
COPACABANA TO LA PAZ
Published: October 1st 2012South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Lake Titicaca
October 1st 2012
29th September – Copacabana to La Paz Left Copacabana around 9am for the 4hr drive to La Paz. Great scenery along the way and our guide stopped to let us take pictures. The road climbs up to a high point of 4100mtres above sea level and then slowly decreases again winding itself around Lake Titicaca. The road ends at a town called San Pedro where you have to cross the lake by boat and the bus, car or whatever vehicle, has to cross the lake on a barge driven by an outboard motor (see photos). Quite hilarious, they make everyone get out of the vehicle and take a separate boat as the barges with the vehicles have sunk before. We crossed the lake and embarked at a town called San Pablo. We were lucky enough to ... read more
October 1st 2012
30thSeptember – La Paz La Paz is the seat of government in Bolivia and is also known as the defacto capital as well. La Paz is built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River (now mostly built over), which runs northwest to southeast. The city's main thoroughfare, which roughly follows the river, changes names over its length, but the central tree-lined section running through the downtown core is called the Prado. The geography of La Paz (in particular the altitude) reflects society: the lower areas of the city are the more affluent areas. While many middle-class residents live in high-rise condos near the center, the houses of the truly affluent are located in the lower neighborhoods southwest of the Prado. And looking up from the center, the surrounding hills are plastered with makeshift brick houses ... read more
September 29th 2012
Trotz Düsseldorfer Schlafgemeinschaft wache ich am morgen ausgeruht auf, selbst meine Wertsachen sind noch da (gut, viel wäre ohnehin nicht mehr zu holen). Noch vor dem Frühstück erreicht mich die nächste charmante Mail der Bank: Bevor man die Karte losschicken könne, müsse man mich persönlich sprechen. Dass ich dies antizipiert und daher gestern schon persönlich angerufen habe, scheint nicht relevant. Also erneuter Anruf, die Karte wird nun abgeschickt, Karenzzeit erneut 36-72 Stunden. Ich rechne: 72 Stunden heißt Sonntagmorgen, 9 Uhr. Mein Flug nach Buenos Aires geht um 8. Da ich der bolivianischen Post oder den Kuriermitarbeitern weder eine Samstagabend- noch eine Sonntag-früh-Zustellung zutraue, entscheide ich mich doch für Western Union. (Gut, dass meine Kölner Finanzagentin so schnell und flexibel verfügbar ist.) Zum Frühstück bekomme ich sodann Menschen in Che G... read more
Advertisement
September 26th 2012
Am nächsten Morgen weckt die Sonne meinen gesundeten Körper. Nach einem Frühstück auf der Yunga-Tal-Terasse wandere ich noch ziemlich geschafft hinunter ins Dorf und suche mir eine schöne Bleibe für die nächsten Tage. Es gibt entweder Ranz oder gleich mit Pool und Wifi, der Luxusbackpacker setzt sich durch. Am Abend speise ich mexikanisch in amerikanisch-italienisch-österreichischer Begleitung zu französischer Jazzmusik. Wir laden den Amerikaner am Nebentisch zu uns ein, er will aber nicht, da wir spanisch reden. Fünf Minuten später. Der Nebentisch-Amerikaner unterhält sich mit unserem Amerikaner quer durchs Restaurant auf Englisch, wir sitzen stumm daneben: Sprachimperialismus. Schließlich schließt er sich aber doch an und wir fahren in Spanglish fort und verabreden uns für den Wasserfall-Trek am nächsten Tag. Der fällt für mich dann prompt ins Wasser, ein Tag Ru... read more
Wrestling with La Paz
Published: September 16th 2012South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz
September 16th 2012
Day 334 Sunday 9th September Straight out the door today to get the first available bus to La Paz, we were lucky to get an 8.30am bus. The only downside was it was packed with people and their belongings, the local women always carry their large packs onto the buses and then struggle to get themselves the kids who have not paid for a seat and hubby into the two seats. Unfortunately today they all boarded together blocking the isle and squeezing and shoving till it all got too much for me and I had to force my way off the bus, my face must have looked scary because one of the older women moved everyone so I could pass. I waited outside with Scott minding the seats till they all settled and the bus was ... read more
September 15th 2012
So now we are in Bolivia and my bank balances prefers Bolivia to Peru. We crossed the border from cusco and headed to Copacabana. It really was beautiful. We did a trek around the Isla del sol which was well worth the very slow boat journey to the island. Now we are in La Paz and about to catch a flight to do our rainforest trek. Really should go into more detail but will save that for another time... read more
We're at the Copa...Copacabana
Published: September 11th 2012South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Copacabana
September 11th 2012
Day 330 Wednesday 5th September Well the bus was fairly uncomfortable but we were both able to get a few hours sleep. We stopped at 2.00am for a food and toilet stop and yes people got off to eat. I looked out the window to discover the toilet was the wall across the street so I decided to use the bus, but the door would not open and when I asked the assistant he pointed to the wall. I noticed a few women walking just around the corner into the dark with their toilet paper, thank goodness I was not busting and could hold on till La Paz. We reached La Paz at 7.15 and as soon as we arrived I ran off to find the toilets with Scott calling out hurry we need to get ... read more
A tale of two capitals - part one
Published: September 7th 2012South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz
September 7th 2012
After two wonderful days on idyllic, sun-drenched Isla del Sol, it's once again time to move on. An unbelievably slow boat gets me back to Copacabana just in time for a quick spot of lunch (home-made baked beans in tomato sauce on home-made soda bread? In Bolivia? For real?) before catching my bus - cleverly booked before I went to Isla del Sol - eastwards to La Paz. La Paz is a city I've heard a lot about - most of it not particularly flattering - and I'm looking forward to seeing what it's really like. The bus journey from Copabana to La Paz is short but memorable. To begin with, shortly after leaving Copabana we reach the narrow Strait of Tiquina where the lake narrows to about eight hundred metres wide, separating Lake Titicaca proper ... read more
