La Paz: Parte II

---

Hi again!

We just wanted to let everyone know that a few more pictures of the trip can be found at http://community.webshots.com/user/mieldelsol

It takes quite awhile to upload photos, so there are only 20 for now but more will be added when a faster connection is found (who knows when that will be...). Today we may be making our way to Cochabamba, or possibly staying here or going to Oruro, a city in between the two.

As a city, La Paz doesn´t have the greatest reputation, but we are having a good time. It´s similar to Lima in some ways, and very different in others. There are many many more indigenous people here, and fewer tourists, so this is good! This morning we bought some exciting hats and scarfs from an indigenous woman, and we told her about Iowa. There was an entire cart full of many different designs of hats, gloves, scarves, bags, balls, etc. and she said that she and her family made them all -- amazing! There are also lots of indidgenous women around selling herbs, jewelry, food, clothing, and about anything else you can imagine. It is a colorful city because of them!

Ben got to speak some Quechua yesterday, though only a few words, and has talked to many people about it. Everyone is quite impressed and excited that he wants to learn to speak it. A woman in Arequipa told us that Quechua is not a language you can learn ¨just because you want to learn another language... you have to feel it and love it¨. He hasn´t had a lot of opportunities to speak it yet, but they will come. Ben may go to a Quechua lesson today if we don´t get on a bus.

Anyway, this was going to be kept short... there is just always so much to say! Enjoy the pictures... there are many more to come!!

Love, Mariel and Ben

---

Comments

[Derek Brown]

Whos the blogger?
I've been trying to figure out who is doing the writing: Is this Ben or Mariel? Or is it a joint effort? Its been good watching your progress. Derek . . . .

[anonymous]

Its a joint effort, Mariel mostly