Around La Paz..

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I survived the 3650m descent, 64km down the world´s most dangerous road! We started on bitumen at 4760m in the freezing cold, and ended up in the tropics at 1100m... A fabulous ride, leaving our arms sore from bumping down the rocky road! We were lucky there were hardly any trucks to contend with, however, as there had been a landslide over part of the road (we made our way over the rocks carrying our bikes..). The day ended with a shower and lunch in a hotel overlooking the gorgeous valley and the hair-raising road we had ridden down...

(Actually, it ended with me -who had been chatting to a lovely English girl Ruth the whole way home, exchanging travel stories - suddenly realising I was exhausted, but anyway being talked into going to buy and cook dinner, complete with pavlova!, for Graham while he worked a bit longer in the office... zzzzzz....)

Saturday I dragged myself out of bed and took a local bus (through the Altiplano dotted with mud farmhouses) to the Tiwanaku ruins - the capital of the Aymara community (which included Bolivia, NW Argentina, S Peru and N Chile). Then I followed a man and his sheep back to the main road to return to La Paz for a nap before meeting Galia´s parents. They took Graham and I to the most historical street in La Paz where we watched traditional dancing while feasting on a lovely meal, complete with wine and Bolivia´s version of Pisco.

Sunday was my chill (and washing) morning... (AND, in return for my dinner on Thurday, I got a luxurious breakfast in bed!! Starting to settle in!!) Eric, a new housemate, introduced me to the art of coca leaf chewing - or rather chewing it into a ball, with a bit of bicarb soda to induce the reaction, stuffing it into your cheek, and leaving it there...

Then I went to meet Waliku at 1pm and we caught a bus to Valle de los Animos... a beautiful valley with clay pinnacles similar to Valle de la Luna, but on a much grander scale, and complete with a stunning view of Bolivia´s highest mountain, Illimani, standing majestically at 6402m. We climbed to the top of the Cerra, with a view back over La Paz and out over the mountain, and Waliki played some enchanting tunes on my quena (while I practiced!) on top of the world - magical!!

He showed me his house on the way home - the mud low-roofed house where he lives with his mother, as well as the almost complete two storey house which he has saved relentlessly to build for them both. I took a photo of him and his mother of 83 years (who could not speak Spanish, only Aymara) which I promised to send. She was amazed at my trip and delighted at the photo, and kindly invited me to dinner. It was lovely to be shown such hospitality.

Monday I decided, despite Graham´s protests , that I must leave the Gravity headquarters, and spent the morning packing up my things (and wolfing down the Toblerone chocolate bar donation from Graham... ah, the taste of Switzerland!!)

Last night I arrived in Oruro, planning to take the train to the Uyuni salt flats this afternoon... but a landslide ruined those plans! So now I´m waiting to take a bus this evening. But (obviously I´m travelling the ´gringo´=foreign route!), I met the English guy I´d met in Valle de la Luna, La Paz, in the street here! So I´ve just come back from a lovely soak in the nearby hot springs with him and his friends, who, incidently, are also heading to Uyuni tonight and probably on to Potosi next too!! It´s a small world!

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Photos

The Altiplano
Mud-brick houses on the way to Tiwanaku

Comments

[mumbs & dad]

Wow - the new website is awesome - so well written and so much better with photos as you go. Love the colourful costumes there - are you still buying pictures? :) Take care, it is the armed robbers further north you will have to be wary of - they say don't resist. Much love, us