http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Bolivia , Cochabamba Department , Cochabamba en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:25:12 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:25:12 +0000 A familiar logo caught my eye. A poster in the window of a bank in the centre of Cochabamba. I doublebacked for a closer look. It was advert for Special Olympics. My first involvement with Special Olympics was at the National Games in Ireland back in 2002 and Ive been a volunteer ever since. Now travelling in South America I find out the National Games of Bolivia were taking place in the very sa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-445625.html So meine Liebenbermorgen geht mein Flieger zurck nach Hause 35 Monate Bolivien sind vorbeihellipirgendwie ist es doch schnell vergangen und trotzdem kommt es mir so vor als wr ich schon ewig hierhellipIn meinen letzten Wochen war ich noch ziemlich unterwegs war zum Beispiel am Dienstagsmarkt in Punata hab mich natrlich gleich auf den ersten Metern verlaufen bin dann meloneessend v http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-430828.html Jedes Jahr Mitte August wird in Quillacollo Vorort von Cochabamba 4 Tage lang die Fiesta de la Virgen de Urkupia gefeiert. Ich wei nicht viel ber dieses Fest nur dass es einen ziemlich groen Umzug geben soll eine Pilgerwanderung von Cochabamba nach Quillacollo 13km und dass bei diesem Fest hauptschlich gefeiert und in erster Linie getrunken wirdhellipWenn ich schon das Glck habe gen http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-429231.html Leaving La Paz was not as easy as we had thought it would be. Firstly our alarm was somehow accidentally turned off instead of snoozed then when we did manage to get out of the hostel the town was packed with locals who had turned out for the Independance Day parade. What was supposed to be a direct walk to the bus station turned into a maze as we twisted and turned to avoid marching straight http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-426518.html Well once leaving the hard to leave La Paz we boldly moved on to see the other attractions of Bolivia. We were unsure of what to expect from the next few places we would visit and were more than pleasantly suprised with what we found.First stop was Cochabamba a fairly large city outside La Paz and on the way to Sucre. Reasons to visit this place appeared to be limited and our main reason was t http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-415534.html Bolivia has been amazing. The people so kind. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-413547.html Ok so I am back in Cochabamba I went to Villa Tunari and the animal place but I left a day later. It was pouring rain when I got there and to make a long story short I wasnt feeling it. Got to see some monkeys up close though that was kinda cool. I am now starting to volunteer through an organization called sustainable bolivia and started working yesterday at an orphanage called La Coloni http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-409170.html Jetzt bin ich seit circa einem Monat hier in Cochabamba Zeit eine kleine Zwischenbilanz aufzustellen Wie die meisten schon wissen wurde mir in der ersten Woche meine Tasche geklaut samt Digicam Diktiergert Handy USBStick BankomatkartehellipDer Kulturschock hat mich kurzzeitig etwas berrumpelt als mir meine Tasche geklaut wurde ich hab dann aber beschlossen meinen Frust beim Wegg http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-408496.html I am now in Cochabamba a few hours bus ride from the animal reserve. I havent felt so out of place on this trip so far. Apparently not many tourists come here as there is not much to see so for the locals to see a gringo is strange. Walking down the street people stare at me they find me just as interesting as I find them Mostly the older people they stare at me and I stare right back b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-406646.html So went on a 4 day 4X4 trip through southern Bolivia and up to the center. Rough road. 4 days in a jeep for 712 hours a day getting out to stop for a few minutes at certain sights. Cold as hell. Hell of an experience though. Most of that part of Bolivia is desert so the landscapes were amazing to say the least. Certain points I could have sworn I was on another planet. Variations of re http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-406641.html Days 10 23 Iquique Chi San Pedro de Attacama Chi Uyuni Bol Potosi Bol Sucre Bol Cochabamba BolExecutive SummaryStatus Alive but on the runCurrent location Cochabamba BoliviaNotable incidents Not so thermal thermal baths budgetarily damaging trip through San Pedro de Attacama fantastic trip through the Uyuni salt flats despite worst nightrsquos sleep ever narrow escape http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-406341.html Ja das war es nun mit Brasilien. Ich bin wieder zurueck in Bolivien wo alles wieder ganz anders ist. In den letzten Wochen in Argentinien und Brasilien habe ich manchmal eher wie in Europa gefuehlt. Nun bin ich wieder im Suedamerika angekommen so wie ich es mir vorgestellt hatte. Mit dem Zug bin ich nach dem ich in Corumba Brasilien die Grenze ueberquert habe von Quijarro bis nach Santa C http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-402828.html So meine Liebenich bin angekommen...und seit einem Tag in einer vllig anderen Welt...ich wei gar nicht wo ich anfangen soll...wahrscheinlich am besten am Flughafen in Mnchen Kathi Mini und Niko haben das Abschiedskomitee gestellt ich hab mich so gefreut sie nochmal zu sehn. Beim Check In wars erstmal auch recht lustig die Lady dort hat sich kstlich ber den Namen Cochabamba amsiert http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-400638.html Checking into our hostel in Cochabamba we barely had time to take off our packs before we were off out the door in search of icecream. We had read of an icecream parlour named Dumbo and made a beeline for it. Feeling we should have dinner before desert this time we stopped at a roadside vendor for a burger and fries. And Caitlin added what she thought was guacamole oopsUpon finding Dumbo we foun http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-389148.html Nr jeg kom hit for 5 dager siden kl 0600 var det oppadgende sol ikke trafikk i gatene lite mennesker se og jeg ble forblffet over at det var en fortauskafe 100 meter fra hotellet jeg hadde tenkt velge. Det frste jeg gjorde etter ha logget inn p hotellet var kjpe en smultbakt tarta og to kopper knallsterk kaffe.Hotellet Hostal Elisa hadde ogs forblffende bra standard. Det var http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-365780.html 25th December Christmas in CopacabanaWe had gone to bed so early that we ended up at 4am not by choice We pulled open the curtains and the views onto the lake even at that time were stunning. It was very strange not to be waking up with our families and not to have any presents. However Jake surprised me with my very own personalised selection box which consisted of 6 of my favourite chocolat http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-358813.html 24th December Puno y CopacabanaI was in so much pain when I woke up. I couldnt even walk to the loo. Jake had to carry me Haha And he was suffering from altitude sickness.. My leg had swollen up too much so we headed to the hospital not before hopping up and down flights of stairs for breakfastThe nurses were really nice and I was seen to more or less straight away. The doctor saw me and p http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-358603.html I guess it's a bit late to start a travel forum now since I have been travelling for over two months but like they say better late than ever. I'm currently in Cochabamba which to me is infinitely nicer than La Paz. It must be the climate I guess I feel ligther and happier with my summer dress than with an alpaca sweater and hat. Unfortunately I cannot stay long as the time has come for me to h http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-342343.html We were a little worried that we would not be able to make it to Lake Titicaca as there were huge farmer strikes going on in Peru and they had shut down the highway we needed to pass. We asked quite a few travel agents and were convinced by one that it was now safe to travel on the highway so booked a bus. When we showed up at bus station the next morning we learned that our bus had been cancel http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-338336.html I wake up lying on my stomach with my left arm hanging off the side of the bed. I pull my face up out of the pillow raise my hand up off the cold tile floor and look at my watch.1000am. Five hours of sleep.It occurs to me that I'm still not sure if I'm in the right hostel. Ross emailed me the name and address yesterday before I left Sucre. When I arrived in Cochabamba at just before 5am this mo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Cochabamba-Department/Cochabamba/blog-335601.html